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כי כאשר ייסר איש את בנו ד' אלקיך מיסרך

That just as a father will chastise his son, so Hashem, your G-d, chastises you. (8:5)

Discipline, reward and punishment is a critical part of the educational process.  An astute and caring parent knows when and how much to discipline and how to be certain that it is an act of love.  When a child senses his parent’s love, the discipline takes on a different image.  If the parent metes out the punishment with anger or worse, the child will harbor a sense of fear, or an unpleasant attitude toward that parent.  The first mechanech, Torah educator, was Avraham Avinu.  Indeed, the paradigmatic pasuk describing Hashem’s love for Avraham is based upon Avraham’s devotion toward transmitting…

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כי כאשר ייסר איש את בנו ד' אלקיך מיסרך

That just as a father/man will chastise his son, so Hashem, your G-d, chastises you. (8:5)

Ish is a man, a distinguished man, a gavra, as translated by Targum Onkeles.  The translation rendered by the popular translator transforms the word ish into av.  For our purposes, I will use the word ish as a springboard for understanding the profundity of the pasuk.  Fathers are human beings and, as such, influenced by their emotions.  Many spend their time, money and health to provide their children with the finest material and spiritual advantages.  Thus, it is not unreasonable for a parent to be entitled to some return in the way of Yiddishe nachas.  Understandably, when this does not…

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ועלה אלי ההרה ועשית לך ארון עץ

And ascend to Me to the mountain and make a wooden ark for yourself. (10:1)

When Moshe Rabbeinu descended Har Sinai and confronted the sin of the Golden Calf in all its indecorous ignominy, he shattered the Luchos.  Chazal teach that this was not an act of impulsivity, but a deliberate and well thought out response.  A nation that reveled around a molten idol was not worthy of the Luchos.  There is, however, one caveat.  Prior to shattering the tablets, the sacred letters ascended Heavenward.  Without the letters, the Luchos were no longer worthy of preservation. Yet, those letters did not vanish. The Tzlach suggests that Hashem gathered and secured them until Moshe fashioned the…

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ואתחנן אל ד' בעת ההיא ... אעברה נא ואראה את הארץ הטובה

I implored Hashem at that time … Let me now cross and see the good land. (3:23,25)

Moshe Rabbeinu prayed and prayed, ultimately petitioning Hashem 515 times to allow him to enter Eretz Yisrael.  In contrast, as noted by Megaleh Amukus, Aharon did not offer up a single prayer.  He apparently accepted the degree issued by Hashem following the Mei Meirah, waters of strife, debacle, after which Hashem decreed that neither Moshe nor Aharon would enter the Holy Land.  Horav Tzvi Bergman, Shlita, cites Yalkut Shimoni (Chukas) that quotes Hashem saying to Moshe, “Please do me a favor and tell Aharon about his upcoming petirah, for I am ‘embarrassed’ to tell him.”  Obviously, Chazal’s words are, at…

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לא תספו על הדבר אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם ולא תגרעו ... עיניכם הראות את אשר עשה ד' בבעל פעור

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you subtract from it … Your eyes have seen what Hashem did with Baal Peor. (4:2,3)

These two concepts contained in one pasuk clearly have a connection with one another.  The prohibition against adding or subtracting mitzvos is understandable.  How is it connected with the despicable worship of the Peor god-head?   Horav Shimshon Pincus, zl, quotes his father, who explains that the avodah, service, performed before the Peor and the underlying motif of this service have one primary commonality with adding and subtracting mitzvos.  They both apply to one who seeks to live an undisciplined life in which he is in charge, he makes the decisions, he determines right and wrong, important and insignificant. One who…

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ואהבת את ד' אלקיך

You shall love Hashem, your G-d. (6:5)

One of the most demanding mitzvos is to love Hashem with all your heart.  Love is an emotion. How can one be commanded to love?  The Torah itself intimates the answer, when it commands a person to think and teach Torah.  When one studies Torah, he is granted a tiny window into Hashem’s Infinite wisdom. When one absorbs this, he revels in Hashem’s wisdom, praise and love for the Author.  Horav Yosef Zundel Hutner, zl (Rav of Alshishok, author of Ulam HaMishpat), wonders why we, sadly, find Torah scholars who, albeit proficient in Torah, have not reached the level of…

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אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. (1:1)

Moshe Rabbeinu’s parting devarim, words, were not figures of speech.  They were deliberate, carefully selected and nuanced words of rebuke.  They were veiled, but not subtle; clear, but couched in love.  It was not a simple goodbye, a parting of the ways; rather, it was what was intended to be a leader’s direction for life—not just the present, but for generations.  In a departure from the usual Peninim style, I would like to present the following scenario with the hope that it leaves an impact on our own lives. Reb Ploni was the embodiment of the devoted husband and father. …

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אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. (1:1)

The Torah’s vocabulary choice is striking.  What are the “words”?  These words were a veiled rebuke of the nation.  They were an admonishment.  Why did the Torah not begin its report of Moshe’s farewell address with: “These are the rebukes,” or “Moshe admonished Klal Yisrael”?  Why did it use a neutral term, such as “words” to soften what was actually a rebuke?  True, Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to preserve the dignity of the nation, so he alluded to past failings with sensitivity and restraint, but he delivered much more than mere “words.”  Thus, the question remains: If this is tochachah, call…

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ואשלח מלאכים ממדבר קדמות אל סיחון מלך חשבון דברי שלום

I sent messengers from Midbar Kedeimos to Sichon, King of Cheshbon, words of peace. (2:26)

Rashi explains Moshe’s Rabbeinu’s logic in attempting to traverse Sichon’s land peacefully.  He conjectured, “Although Hashem did not command me to make overtures of peace toward Sichon, I learned to do so from that which Hashem taught us in Midbar Sinai.  When Hashem was about to give the Torah to Klal YIsrael, He first offered it to the descendants of Eisav and Yishmael.  He made a gesture of peace towards them.  I, too, went to Sichon with words of peace.” It was very nice of Moshe to attempt to circumvent war with overtures of peace, but what about Og?  Apparently,…

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וישב בה עד מות הכהן הגדול

(The unintentional murderer) shall dwell there (in the Ir Miklat) until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:25

Chazal (Makkos 11A) explain why the unintentional murderer’s term is linked to the death of the Kohen Gadol.  As the spiritual leader of the nation, the Kohen Gadol should have prayed on behalf of his nation that unintentional murders not occur. I think the value of human life plays a critical role in any form of murder – other than pure accident, for which there is no punishment whatsoever.  The Kohen Gadol represents the epitome of life and a Jew’s purpose in living.  It is not about the physical, the material, or the mundane.  When a person appreciates the greatness…

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