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Home -> Bamidbar -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Bamidbar

Count the heads of the whole of the congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (1:2)

When it was necessary to conduct a census, the vehicle of counting was the contribution of  a half – shekel coin to be used for the construction and maintenance of the Mishkan.  The people elevated their status by contributing to charity.  Hence, we understand the word “seu”, “raise up/elevate the heads”.  The counting also served as a means to elevate the people.  Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, supplements this idea with a profound thought.  By using a contribution as the symbol of counting, the Torah is telling them  that a Jew is ‘counted’ as belonging to the congregation of Klal Yisrael…

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Home -> 5758 -> Balak

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5758

Behold! A man of Bnei Yisrael came and brought a Midyanite woman near to his brothers in sight of Moshe and in sight of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael; and they were weeping at the entrance of the Ohel Moed. (25:6)

Rashi attributes the weeping to the fact that Moshe “forgot” the law regarding a “boel aramis.” This law states that one who publicly cohabits with a gentile may be slayed by kanaim, true zealots.  Hashem caused Moshe to forget,  so that Pinchas could react and merit the blessing he received.  Pinchas reminded Moshe of the law, but Moshe told him to take action, claiming that the one who made the law known should execute it.  Horav Simcha Zissel Broide, Shlita, comments on the remarkable lesson to be derived from this pasuk.  If Hashem decrees that a person should attain a…

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Home -> 5758 -> Balak

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5758

How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Yisrael. (24:5)

As we enter the shul, our daily encounter with the Almighty  begins with the pasuk that Bilaam recited. Let us put this into perspective.  Bilaam was impressed and inspired by Klal Yisrael’s modesty and sensitivity  to  privacy issues, as evidenced by the arrangement of their tents.  Bilaam  was the paradigm of evil, a man whose sense of morality was so eroded that he sought to destroy Klal Yisrael through debauchery. He fully comprehended that Hashem despises licentiousness.  He recognized Hashem’s reaction to Klal Yisrael’s promiscuous attraction to the daughters of Moav.  Yet, during a brief moment of spiritual ascendency, granted…

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Home -> 5758 -> Balak

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5758

Behold! It is a nation who shall dwell alone and not be reckoned among nations. (23:9)

Bilaam was an archetyypical  anti-semite.  His ability to master the double-entendre is manifest in his description of the Jewish people.  He portrays the Jews as a “people who shall dwell alone.”  He seems to be saying that the Jewish people have the ability  to resist assimilation, to weather the tide of paganism and immorality that characterize secular society.  That is what he seems to be saying.  In reality, Bilaam was offering a critique of the Jewish people.  He was branding them for their exclusivity, labeling them as reclusive and unsociable isolationists.  Historically, the anti-semites reviled us for not distancing ourselves…

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Home -> 5758 -> Balak

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5758

Hashem opened the mouth of the she-donkey and it said to Bilaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?” (22:28)

Chazal note that the Torah does not use  the word “pe’omim,” which means “times.” Rather, the Torah uses the word “regalim” which is an allusion to the Shalosh Regalim, Three Festivals — when Klal Yisrael went on Pilgrimage to Yerushalayim  — and to the Bais Hamikdash.  Bilaam wished to harm a nation whose devotion to Hashem was so strong, whose commitment so intense, that they left  their fields and homes three times each year to serve Hashem in Yerushalayim.  How could Bilaam think that the Almighty would permit him to harm such a dedicated nation?  It is interesting to note…

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Home -> 5758 -> Balak

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5758

And he (Balak) sent messengers to Bilaam ben Be’or. (22:5)

Bilaam’s reputation was enviable  in his pagan context.  Indeed, employing the forces of tumah, impurity, he became a leader and prophet among the pagans.  Chazal present their own description of this unsavory person.  In Pirke Avos 5:19 they say, “Whoever has the following three traits is among the disciples of our forefather, Avraham, and whoever has three different traits are from the disciples of the wicked Bilaam.  Those who have a good eye, a humble spirit and a meek soul are among Avraham’s talmidim. In contrast,  those who have an evil eye, an arrogant spirit and a greedy soul are…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

You shall be holy for Me;……and I have separated you from the peoples to be Mine. (20:26)

Rashi cites Chazal who explain this pasuk in the following manner:  If you keep yourselves separate from the nations and their life styles, you will be Mine; otherwise, you will belong to Nebuchanetzar and his ilk.  Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya adds, one should not say, “I do not eat pig because I do not like pig meat.” Rather, one should say, I would like to eat pig meat, but Hashem has  prohibited me from eating it and has commanded me to separate from the other nations to be His, and only His”  Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zl, remarks that essentially…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem. (19:18)

Rabbi Akiva said that the commandment to “love your fellow as yourself” is the fundamental rule of the Torah.  Hashem adjures us to be sensitive to the needs of others.  Indeed, Chazal base a variety of laws upon this rule.  Unfortunately, Rabbi Akiva, who expounded this rule, who emphasized its critical importance, did not merit to see this rule adopted by his twenty-four thousand students.  They all passed away tragically during the seven week period between Pesach and Shavuous.  According to Chazal, they died because they did not give the proper kavod, honor, to one another.  Rabbi Akiva did not…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

Reprove your fellow (19:17)

Usually when the Torah repeats a word it is providing  emphasis.  In this case the emphasis placed upon the word “hochei’ach“, reprove,  tells us, “you shall surely reprove”.   Horav David Feinstein, Shlita, goes a step further.  He suggests that while the emphasis is apparently upon the reproach,  the focus, however, is not  on the one who has sinned, but rather on the mochi’ach, the one who is reproving.  There must be constant reproof. This means that prior to reproving someone else, one should first go through a bit of self-censure, chastising himself repeatedly in order  to ensure that his…

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Home -> 5758 -> Acharei Mos

Moshe Marcovich
In Acharei Mos, 5758

You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out and by which he shall live. (18:5)

Chazal have derived from the words, “V’chai bahem“, “by which he shall live,” that the mitzvos were given for the sake of life, not death.  Consequently, if the performance of a ritual becomes life threatening, such as during a life threatening situation on  Shabbos,   life certainly takes precedence.  This is not considered to be a violation of the laws of Shabbos. The exceptions to this rule are the three cardinal sins:  idolatry, murder or adultery —  or chillul Hashem, in which violating a mitzvah would desecrate Hashem’s Name. We suggest another interpretation of “V’chai bahem“.  Many  people  would give…

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