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ויאמר ד' לקין למה חרה לך ולמה נפלו פניך. הלא אם תטיב שאת ואם לא תטיב לפתח חטאת רבץ.

And Hashem said to Kayin, “Why are you annoyed , and has your countenance fallen? Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door.” (4:6,7)

The Baal HaTanya, zl, derives an important lesson concerning human nature from this pasuk. We note that the individual outlook of people varies in perspective. There are those who see negativity all of the time. They care about mitzvah observance and seek every opportunity to strengthen it, but at what expense? Everywhere they go, whatever comes into their line of vision, they see sin. Everyone but themselves, of course, is not observing Torah and mitzvos properly: Shabbos observance is not what it should be; people are not learning enough; their manner of dress reflects western society’s moral bankruptcy – and…

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ויבא קין מפרי האדמה מנחה לד'. והבל הביא גם הוא מבכורות צאנו ומחלביהן. וישע ד' אל הבל ואל מנחתו ואל קין ואל מנחתו לא שעה

And Kayin brought an offering to Hashem of the fruit of the ground. As for Hevel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and from their choicest. Hashem turned to Hevel and his offering, but to Kayin and his offering He did not turn. (4:4,5)

The Torah informs us that Kayin brought of the fruit of the ground as an offering to Hashem. From the fact that the Torah underscores that Hevel’s sacrifice was derived from the choicest animals, we derive that Kayin’s offering was of a mediocre nature. Thus, Hashem turned to Hevel’s offering, rather than Kayin’s, because Hevel brought from the finest of his animals. This seems a bit difficult to accept. Since when is there a competition among “good,” “better,” and “best” before Hashem? The Almighty cares only about attitude, not product. The individual’s intentions determine the true nature of the sacrifice…

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וקוץ ודרדר תצמיח לך

Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. (3:18)

The Chidushei HaRim cited by Sifsei Tzadikim explains that what seems as a curse is actually a blessing in disguise. Hashem had originally warned Adam, “On the day that you eat from the Tree of Knowledge, you will die.” Well, Adam ate and did not die. What happened? We must therefore surmise that the “curse,” “Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you,” which is a reference to yissurim b’olam hazeh, affliction/troubles in this world, is not really a substantive curse. The alternative to “thorns and thistles” is death. Not a bad trade-off. The following episode supports this hypothesis, as…

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ויקרא ד' אלקים אל האדם ויאמר לו איכה...ויאמר האשה אשר נתתה עמדי היא נתנה לי מן העץ...ותאמר האשה הנחש השיאני

Hashem Elokim called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”… The woman whom You gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree… The woman said, “The serpent deceived me.” (3:9,12,13)

What really was the nature of Adam and Chavah’s sin, such that it necessitated their expulsion from Gan Eden? Ostensibly, it is because they ate of the Eitz HaDaas, Tree of Knowledge. This is what, at first glance, is gleaned from the pesukim.  Hashem did not, however, banish them until after He had had a dialogue with them. Something in that conversation was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Something ensued from that conversation that made it evident to Hashem that they had to go. Hashem “searched” for Adam and He called out, “Ayeca?” Where are you? Clearly,…

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והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על פני תהום. ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור...ויבדל אלקים בין האור ובין החשך.

When the earth was astonishingly empty, with darkness upon the surface of the deep… G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light… And G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3,4)

Contrary to popular belief, the darkness of which the Torah speaks is not merely the absence of light. It is a specific creation, as it is clearly stated in Yeshayahu 45:7, Yotzeir ohr u’borei choshech – oseh shalom u’borei ra. “(I am the One) Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil.” The Midrash comments, “Great is peace, for Hashem did not commence His creation of the world with anything other than something which represents peace. What is this? It is light.” The Midrash goes on to cite the pasuk in Yeshayahu. We must endeavor to…

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And by all the strong hand. (34:12)

The Torah closes with a brief note of praise for the prophetic powers of Moshe Rabbeinu. Since his epitaph is “his strong hand,” a reference to his breaking the Luchos, Tablets, upon which were inscribed the Ten Commandments, it seems that this brave act was the climax of Moshe’s entire existence. Horav Eliyahu Munk, zl, perceives the lesson it conveys: A forceful, authoritative, gesture by a responsible leader can have a far greater beneficial effect than all of the preaching about orders or discipline. Moshe’s angry reaction instantly succeeded in setting the record straight. The people were in a quandary,…

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Bnei Yisrael bewailed Moshe. (34:8)

Rashi notes that only the men wept for Moshe. This is indicated by the term Bnei Yisrael, sons of Yisrael, implying the male population. In recording the death of Aharon HaKohen, however, the Torah writes, “the entire House of Yisrael [wept]” (Bamidbar 20:29), which includes both men and women. Rashi explains that Aharon loved and pursued peace, creating harmony between husband and wife and man and his fellowman. Aharon’s relationship with the common man was more “common.” He was constantly with them, promoting peace. As the king, leader and quintessential rebbe of the entire Jewish People, the relationship of Moshe…

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And no man knows his burial place. (34:6)

M uch has been written by the commentators to explain the meaning of the above pasuk. The Talmud Sotah 14a states that the word ish, man, is a reference to Moshe Rabbeinu himself, who is referred to as ish haElokim, man of G-d. Thus, the pasuk is teaching us that even Moshe did not know where he was buried. The Ben Yehoyada explains this based upon the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos 5:6, which lists Moshe’s grave as one of the ten things created during bein ha’shemashos, twilight of the sixth day of Creation. The grave is included among other preeminent…

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They shall teach Your ordinances to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael. (33:10)

S forno views this blessing as a prayer, an entreaty to Hashem that He grant Shevet Levi the qualities and character of the ideal Torah teacher: one whose piety, virtue and sincerity is such that people will seek him out and listen to what he has to say, as though he is Hashem’s messenger. This is consistent with the well-known statement of Chazal in the Talmud Moed Katan 17a, “If the rav is like an angel/messenger of Hashem, they will seek Torah from his mouth.” Sforno seems to be telling us that, despite the virtue of Shevet Levi, regardless of…

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The Torah that Moshe commands us is the heritage of the Congregation of Yaakov. (33:4)

Ramban interprets this well-known pasuk to be a declaration of our inherent right to the Torah – as our unassailable possession – to be transmitted from one generation to the next. The word morashah can also be read as me’orasah, married, inspiring Chazal in the Talmud Pesachim 49b to expound that the relationship between the Jewish People and the Torah is similar to that of a chassan and kallah, a groom and his bride. We are wed to the Torah. In his derashos, the Maharal comments that this refers to the entire nation. Every Jew, rich or poor, pedigreed or…

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