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Home -> Matos -> 5777

כי בעיר מקלטו ישב עד מות הכהן הגדל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Matos

He shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:28)

The Talmud Makkos 11a teaches that, since the fate of the rotzeach b’shogeg, unintentional murderer, was dependent upon the Kohen Gadol’s longevity, there was fear that the rotzeach would pray for the early demise of the Kohen Gadol. Once the Kohen Gadol died, the murderer would be free to leave the ir miklat, city of refuge. To circumvent their prayers, the mothers of the Kohanim Gedolim would furnish the murderers with food and clothing to keep them happy and satisfied, so that they would not pray for the death of their sons. Why did the Kohen Gadol not personally pray…

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Home -> Matos -> 5777

ויסעו ממדבר סיני ויחנו בקברות התאוה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Matos

They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sinai and encamped in Kivros HaTaavah. (33:16)

The yetzer hora, evil inclination, works overtime in its efforts to sway us to sin. Hashem has provided us with a panacea to help us circumvent/overcome the allure of the yetzer hora: Torah. Our Torah is the tavlin, antidote, to protect us from falling into the yetzer hora’s grasp. This is alluded to in our pasuk. Once Klal Yisrael leaves Sinai, meaning the Torah which was given at Har Sinai, they fall into the clutches of Kivros HaTaavah, graves of lust/desire. Passion, lust, desire, hate, envy, anger: all of these negative character traits destroy a person. One’s pursuit of passion,…

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Home -> Matos -> 5777

גדרת צאן נבנה למקננו וערים לטפנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Matos

Pens for the flocks shall we build here for our livestock and cities for our small children. (32:16)

The response tendered by Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven, “we will build pens for our flock and (then) cities for our small children,” did not sit well with Moshe Rabbeinu. By prioritizing the needs of the flock before those of the children, they were implying that the sheep had greater significance in their eyes than the children. Moshe immediately corrected their attitude. It is difficult to believe that such holy individuals as Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven would have misplaced priorities. To prioritize sheep over children is to confuse one’s priorities in life. It is not imaginable that members of…

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Home -> Matos -> 5777

לא יחל דברו ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Matos

He shall not desecrate his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth, he should do. (30:3)

The word of a Jew is sacred. He must stand behind his word. When a person does not keep his word, he is mechallel diburo, desecrates his word. Chillul is a strong term. We use the term chillul with regard to desecrating Hashem’s Name – chillul Hashem. Also, when a bas Kohen, daughter of a Kohen, acts in a morally profligate manner, the Torah writes, Es avihah hee mechalleles, “She desecrates her father” (Vayikra 21:9). Apparently, the sanctity of a Kohen, the sacredness of a person’s word, are of a similar nature to the sanctity of Hashem, in the sense…

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Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ואש יצאה מאת ד' ותאכל את החמישים ומאתים איש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Korach, 5777

A flame came forth from Hashem and consumed the two hundred and fifty men. (16:35)

Any believing Jew is acutely aware of the harmful effect of machlokes, controversy. It destroys communities, families, and individuals. It causes people to act in the most offensive and debasing manner. It “allows” them to conjure up a justification for acting with disrespect for individuals who not only deserve our respect, but whom the Torah demands that we respect. All of this is well-known. How many of us “believe” that when we cross the line of respect, regardless of how many reasons we have convinced ourselves we have, when we breach the Torah’s perimeter for derech eretz for a Rav,…

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Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ויאמר משה בזאת תדעון כי ד' שלחני לעשות את כל המעשים האלה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Korach, 5777

Moshe said, “Through this, shall you know that Hashem sent me to perform all these acts.” (16:28)

Moshe Rabbeinu took an enormous chance when he implied to Korach that Hashem would back him up (with a miracle). What would have happened if Hashem had not provided Moshe with a miraculous intervention? Moshe was placing his position as shaliach Hashem, the agent of the Almighty, in jeopardy. Why did he do this? Horav Yaakov Kamenetzky, zl, explains that, with Korach’s rebellion, Moshe saw and was compelled to acknowledge that, sadly, there were Jews who still questioned Moshe’s Divine mandate to serve as Klal Yisrael’s leader. If this was the case, then all of the Torah that he had…

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Home -> 5777 -> Korach

רב לכם בני לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Korach, 5777

There is much to you, Bnei Levi. (16:7)

Rashi asks: Korach was a pikeach, clever person. What is it that he saw which led him to this shtus, folly? (What did he think? He obviously knew that what he was undertaking was mutinous. Did he think that he would emerge unscathed?) Eino hitato – His eye led him to error. He saw a great chain of descendants emerging from him (referring to Shmuel HaNavi, the twenty-four mishmaros, watches, which officiated in the Bais Hamikdash. Among them were included Neviim, prophets, who possessed Ruach HaKodesh, Divine inspiration). Korach ruminated to himself, “Is it possible that all of this greatness…

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Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ויקח קרח בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Korach, 5777

Korach ben Yitzhar, ben Kehas, ben Levi, took (separated himself). (16:1)

Noticeably, Yaakov Avinu’s name is omitted from Korach’s lineage. Rashi comments that it was the Patriarch himself who prayed that his name be deleted from anything connected to Korach. Simply, Yaakov wanted no association whatsoever, even by name, with Korach. This, of course, does not deny the fact that everyone knows that Yaakov was Levi’s father, and, in turn, the Patriarch of Korach’s lineage, but the deletion of Yaakov’s name declares that no part of Korach’s nefarious behavior had its source in Yaakov. Yaakov is the epitome of emes, truth. Machlokes, controversy, by its very nature, is founded in sheker,…

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Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Korach, 5777

Korach took (separated himself). (16:1)

Korach was the first prominent demagogue to create a rift in Klal Yisrael when he impugned Moshe Rabbeinu’s leadership, and, by extension, created a mutiny against Hashem. Targum Onkeles defines machlokes, controversy, as: pilug; a split; a breach; a rift. Klal Yisrael is supposed to live in harmony. We must strive to emulate Hashem, Who is Echad, One. Thus, when we live together as one, we give satisfaction to Hashem. Chazal distinguish between a machlokes, which is l’shem Shomayim, for the sake of Heaven, and one which is not. A machlokes l’shem Shomayim is a dispute in which each party…

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Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Korach, 5777

Korach took, (separated himself). (16:1)

Korach had it all, but, it was not enough for him. He wanted more, or he simply did not want Moshe Rabbeinu to have it. Korach was a clever dissident who was able to attract a powerful following of supporters. First, he told the people that he was acting on their behalf. Since he already had it all, he had no need for personal leadership. He was taking a stand for “others.” He felt that the people were being exploited, and he was coming to their rescue. Kol ha’eidah kulam kedoshim, “The entire congregation is holy”; “Hashem is in their…

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