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Home -> 5778 -> Va'eschanan

כבד את אביך ואת אמך

Moshe Marcovich
In Va'eschanan, 5778

Honor your father and your mother. (5:16)

The Luchos, Ten Commandments, are divided into two parts: bein adam la’Makom, between man and G-d; bein adam la’chaveiro, between man and fellowman. The fifth commandment, the mitzvah to honor one’s parents, almost appears misplaced, since it is included among the dibros bein adam la’Makom, when, in fact, one may argue that respect for parents, according them pleasure and satisfaction, belongs among the dibros bein adam la’chaveiro. Upon perusing the commentary of the Rishonim, we note that this is actually the case. The Sefer HaChinuch writes that among the shoroshei hamitzvah, root/origin of the mitzvah, is to teach a person…

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Home -> 5778 -> Va'eschanan

אנכי ד' אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים

Moshe Marcovich
In Va'eschanan, 5778

I am Hashem, your G-d, Who took you out of Egypt. (5:6)

In his Bais Elokim (Shaar Hayesodos 12), the Mabit observes that the first five Dibros/Commandments, which were on the right side of the Luchos, address mitzvos which are bein adam laMakom, between man and Hashem. The five commandments on the left side address mitzvos bein adam la’chaveiro, between man and fellow man. Interestingly, the commandments which relate to mitzvos between man and G-d are textually much longer than those which are bein adam la’chaveiro. Three of these are comprised of two words. He explains that, while each letter of the commandments has great cosmic significance [there are 620 letters in…

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Home -> 5778 -> Va'eschanan

ויתעבר ד' בי למענכם

Moshe Marcovich
In Va'eschanan, 5778

But Hashem became angry with me, because of you. (3:26)

Moshe Rabbeinu’s address to Klal Yisrael is enigmatic. Our quintessential leader was not one to share with the people what appear to be his personal issues concerning not being allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael. He erred, and Hashem did not forgive him. Indeed, why did Hashem not forgive Moshe? Incredibly, according to the Midrash, he offered five hundred and fifteen supplications to Hashem! Moshe knew how to pray. Yet, his prayers were not accepted. Moshe said to Hashem: “I spent so much time and trouble to inspire Klal Yisrael to be faithful, to believe and to observe. It was not…

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Home -> Devarim -> 5778

רב לכם סב את ההר הזה... אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשיו... אל תתגרו בם

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Devarim

Enough of your circling this mountain… you are passing through the boundary of your brothers, Bnei Eisav… you shall not provoke them. (2:3,5)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 1:15) relate that when Klal Yisrael was about to wage war against the descendants of Eisav, Hashem showed Moshe Rabbeinu the mountain where the Avos, Patriarchs, were buried. Moshe understood that the location of the burial place prevented Klal Yisrael from battling Eisav. Apparently, it was in Eisav’s zechus, merit, for honoring Yitzchak Avinu (and by extension Avraham Avinu). This is the meaning of Rav lachem sov es hahar hazeh; “Enough of your circling this mountain.” This means the mountain provides a reason to consider Eisav to be off limits. This was all the result of his…

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Home -> Devarim -> 5778

ותשבו ותבכו לפני ד' ולא שמע ד' בקלכם ולא האזין אליכם

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Devarim

Then you retreated and wept before Hashem, but Hashem did not listen to your voice and He did not hearken to you. (1:45)

When you offend someone and all he wants as penance is to see that you are remorseful – is that too much to ask? What if, instead of remorse, you ignore him, thereby compounding the pain: would you be upset if he became angry with you? Would you think less of him if he punished you as a way of getting you to acknowledge your transgression? If so, why is Hashem any different? We act inappropriately; we offend; compound our sin by ignoring our infraction; then we become upset when He punishes us. Obviously, I am leading up to something….

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Home -> Devarim -> 5778

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל... בן פארן ובין תפל ולבן וחצרת ודי זהב

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael… between Paran and Tofel and Lavan, and Chatzeiros and Di Zahav. (1:1)

A person goes through life living his allotted sum of years – then he passes from this world into the world of eternity. Those who remain, his family and friends, are left with one thing: memories. Yes, all that remains of a person’s life are the memories that he leaves behind. This will endure the test of time. How he wants to be remembered – how he will be remembered – is determined by the way he has lived, by the legacy that he has imparted. Some leave a material/physical legacy – this is how they will be remembered. Others…

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Home -> Devarim -> 5778

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל... בין פארן ובין תפל ולבן וחצרת ודי זהב

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael… between Paran and Tofel and Lavan, and Chatzeiros and Di Zahav. (1:1)

Rashi quotes Chazal, who explain that the names of these cities are actually allusions to specific sins committed by the Jewish People during their sojourn in the Wilderness. When Moshe Rabbeinu mentioned Lavan, he was referring to the manna. Lavan means white. When Klal Yisrael complained about the insubstantial food, ie. manna, they referred to it in a denigrating manner by mentioning its color. Why is the white color of the manna important? Apparently, on some level, their sin was associated with the manna’s white color. What about the color of the manna made their words sinful? The Zera Shimshon…

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Home -> Masei -> 5778

ונס שמה רצח מכה נפש בשגגה

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Masei

And a murderer shall flee there – one who takes a life unintentionally. (35:11)

Rabbeinu Bachya asks a question that only a Rishon could ask. He wonders about the disparity in punishment between the rotzeiach b’shogeg, inadvertent murderer, and the rotzeiach b’meizid,  premeditated murderer. After all is said and done, they are both murderers. If the premeditated murderer would escape to the ir miklat, city of refuge, he would be immediately yanked out. Why is he different than his inadvertent counterpart? At the end of the day, two victims lay in the morgue. They are both deceased. Disparate dinim, laws, apply to each of the murderers. Why is this? Obviously, this question is rhetorical….

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Home -> Masei -> 5778

זאת הארץ אשר תפל לכם בנחלה ארץ כנען לגבלתיה

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Masei

This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders. (34:2)

Rashi explains the term, tipol lachem, “shall fall to you.” Since the land had been apportioned by lottery, its division was expressed in terms of “falling.” Alternatively, he quotes the Midrash that explains “falling” as a reference to Hashem causing the ministering angels of the seven nations, who at that time inhabited the land of Canaan, to “fall” from the Heavens. They were bound up before Moshe Rabbeinu. Hashem said to Moshe, “Look, they no longer have koach, strength.” Hashem expects us to be mishtadel, endeavor, regardless of the fact that it is Hashem Who prepares the path of success….

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Home -> Matos -> 5778

והנה קמתם תחת אבתיכם תרבות אנשים חטאים לספות עוד על חרון אף ד' אל ישראל. כי תשובן מאחריו ויסף עוד להניחו במדבר ושחתם לכל העם הזה

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Matos

And behold you have risen up in the place of your fathers, a group of transgressors, to add to Hashem’s anger against Yisrael. For if you will turn away from Him, He will once again let them remain in the Wilderness, and you will destroy this entire nation. (32:14,15)

The Tribes of Reuven and Gad approached Moshe Rabbeinu with a unique request. It was not as if they did not care about Eretz Yisrael; it was just that, on the eastern side of the Yarden River, the newly-conquered land was extremely fertile. This would be a boon for the many livestock which they possessed. Thus, they hoped to be allowed to remain on eiver ha’Yarden, rather than move to Eretz Yisrael proper. They did not mean to be insolent. They were just being practical. Grass was more plentiful here. Why shlep to Eretz Yisrael, if what they needed for…

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