Challenge – Page 16 – Peninim on the Torah

יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה

May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man on the assembly. (27:16)

Moshe Rabbeinu expressed his request for a successor in a unique manner, delineating special criteria. He refers to Hashem as “G-d of the spirits of all flesh.” Rashi explains Moshe’s choice of words: “He said to Hashem, ‘It is revealed and known to You the thoughts of each person, and how they differ one from another; appoint a leader who is able to tolerate each and every one of them with their individual attitudes.’” Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, explains that an effective leader does not decide on a specific approach to serving Hashem and then impose that approach on all…

Home -> 5778 -> Balak

ועתה לכה נא ארה לי את העם הזה

Moshe Marcovich In Balak, 5778

So now please come and curse this people for me. (22:6)

How often does it occur that someone harms us? We are talking about an evil person who, for whatever reason, decides that we are in the way of his progress; or he wants to take revenge on us for something we have done which, in his mind, deserves punishment. While the individual may be totally wrong (or, even if he is totally right), we are not permitted to curse him. First, we do not curse Jews. They are our brothers. The fact that they are not acting like brothers does not change our relationship towards them. So, what does one do…

Home -> 5778 -> Chukas

זאת חקת התורה

Moshe Marcovich In Chukas, 5778

This is the decree of the Torah. (19:2)

Rashi explains the concept of chok, a mitzvah whose Divine rationale eludes us. While Hashem certainly has a reason for every one of the Taryag, 613 mitzvos, the reason behind every mitzvah is beyond our grasp. Understandably, one might say that not all mitzvos are beyond our ken. Ostensibly, specific mitzvos – such as Kibbud Av v’Eim, Honoring father and mother – are rationally based. The Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim) distinguishes between mitzvos sichlios, rational mitzvos (which supposedly anyone who possesses a modicum of intelligence can understand on his own), and mitzvos shlmiyos, mitzvos we accept and perform purely because we…

Home -> 5778 -> Shelach

וישכמו בבקר ויעלו אל ראש ההר לאמר הננו ועלינו אל המקום אשר אמר ד' כי חטאנו

Moshe Marcovich In Shelach, 5778

They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountain top saying, “We are ready, and we shall ascend to the place of which Hashem has spoken.” (14:40)

The other night, the entire nation had been trembling with fright, weeping incessantly (and unnecessarily) with bitter tears, demonstrating abject fear that they would be forced to ascend to Eretz Yisrael and conquer its inhabitants. Suddenly, their attitude changed. Not only were they now prepared to go into battle – they went. We all know the outcome of that ill-fated trip, but what prompted them to go? What happened to the trembling, the fear? How did it dissipate overnight? Horav Reuven Karlinstein, zl, addresses this question, but first, he describes the scenario (based on Chazal) which so captivated Klal Yisrael,…

Home -> 5778 -> Naso

וזאת תורת הנזיר ביום מלאת ימי נזרו... והקריב את קרבנו לד'... וכבשה אחת בת שנתה תמימה לחטאת

Moshe Marcovich In Naso, 5778

This shall be the law of the nazir: on the day his abstinence is completed… He shall bring his offering to Hashem… one unblemished ewe in its first year as a sinoffering. (6:13,14)

The nazir completes the time limit of his own abstinence and brings varied korbanos. One of the nazir’s korbanos is a chatas, sin-offering. The Ramban explains that the nazir is considered a “sinner” solely because he ended his vow of abstinence. Having achieved such a lofty spiritual perch he should have remained there, ensconced in spirituality. Why did he leave? Why did he return to a mundane life? Once a person takes a giant step forward/upward, he indicates that he is special. Why not stay in that position? Returning is an indication of weakness, warranting a sin-offering. Ish or isha…

Home -> 5778 -> Naso

'איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד

Moshe Marcovich In Naso, 5778

A man or woman who shall dissociate himself by taking a nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

A Nazir seeks to dissociate himself from an environment which he feels is filled with temptation. It does not mean that he is weak. On the contrary, he is realistic, understanding that society presents blandishments that are not conducive to spiritual growth. The laws of nazir are juxtaposed upon the laws of sotah, the wayward wife. Chazal derive from here that one who observes a sotah in her degradation should prohibit himself from wine by taking a nazirite vow. The profligate behavior of the sotah is reflective of a woman who has allowed her sensual passions to partner with her…

Home -> 5754 -> Lech Lecha

Moshe Marcovich In Lech Lecha, 5754

Go out of your land and from your birth place and from your father’s home. (12:1)

In Pirkei Avos, Chazal enumerate the ten nisyonos, trials, to which Avraham was subjected. Some commentators count Avraham’s ordeal in which he was thrown into Nimrod’s fiery furnace as the first test. This is followed by Hashem’s command to leave his birthplace and the ensuing abduction of Sarah. This order seems enigmatic. One would think that the logical sequence of trials should be from the easy to the difficult to discern Avraham’s progressive degree in faith. It seems clear that if one were to withstand a difficult challenge to his faith by walking into a fiery furnace, the subsequent trial…

Home -> 5754 -> Noach

Moshe Marcovich In Noach, 5754

And he sent out the raven, and it kept going and returning. (8:7)

The Midrash makes an amazing statement concerning Noach’s behavior, which can serve as an important directive for us all. When his whole generation was condemned to extinction, he built an ark for himself, into which he brought the male and female of every species. He took seven pairs of each of the clean animals, while he took only a male and a female from among the unclean animals. Undoubtedly, after the flood, the demand for clean animals would be greater than that for their unclean counterpart. At the end of the deluge, Noach wanted to ascertain the situation outside of…

Home -> 5754 -> Noach

Moshe Marcovich In Noach, 5754

“And Hashem saw the earth and behold it was corrupted. (6:12)

The entire world had become corrupt and evil. Immorality had become a normative lifestyle. Yet, we find no indication that this rampant miscreancy was noticed by anyone other than Hashem. He observed the situation and responded accordingly. Why did anyone not challenge the reprehensible manner in which the people were acting? Rav Simcha Zisel M’Kelm responds that, specifically because everyone was obsessively involved in sin, their perspective of evil was distorted. One whose glasses are tinted blue will see blue wherever he looks. Even if someone points out the folly of his ways to the sinner, he will not take…

Home -> 5778 -> Tazria

כל ימי אשר הנגע בו יטמא טמא הוא בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

Moshe Marcovich In Tazria, 5778

All the days that the affliction is upon him, he shall remain impure; he is impure. He shall stay in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:46)

Not only must the metzora be isolated from pure, healthy people, but even those who are also impure are to be isolated from him (Rashi). The commentators debate concerning the identity of these impure ones to whom Rashi refers. Some say this refers to individuals who are in a severe state of impurity, such as those who have been in contact with the dead. They are not banished from all three camps – as are those who are afflicted with tzaraas. Others contend that Rashi refers to other metzoraim, who may not stay together outside all three camps. Rashi explains why…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Pinchas ->

יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה

May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man on the assembly. (27:16)

ועתה לכה נא ארה לי את העם הזה

So now please come and curse this people for me. (22:6)

זאת חקת התורה

This is the decree of the Torah. (19:2)

וישכמו בבקר ויעלו אל ראש ההר לאמר הננו ועלינו אל המקום אשר אמר ד' כי חטאנו

They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountain top saying, “We are ready, and we shall ascend to the place of which Hashem has spoken.” (14:40)

וזאת תורת הנזיר ביום מלאת ימי נזרו... והקריב את קרבנו לד'... וכבשה אחת בת שנתה תמימה לחטאת

This shall be the law of the nazir: on the day his abstinence is completed… He shall bring his offering to Hashem… one unblemished ewe in its first year as a sinoffering. (6:13,14)

'איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד

A man or woman who shall dissociate himself by taking a nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

Go out of your land and from your birth place and from your father’s home. (12:1)

And he sent out the raven, and it kept going and returning. (8:7)

“And Hashem saw the earth and behold it was corrupted. (6:12)

כל ימי אשר הנגע בו יטמא טמא הוא בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

All the days that the affliction is upon him, he shall remain impure; he is impure. He shall stay in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:46)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!