Masei – Page 3 – Peninim on the Torah

וישמע הכנעני מלך ערד... בבא בני ישראל

The Canaanite King of Arad heard… of the approach of Bnei Yisrael. (33:40)

Rashi teaches that the king of Arad heard of the passing of Aharon HaKohen, thereby signaling the end of the protective barrier of Ananei HaKavod, the Pillars of Cloud. They felt that it was a message that the Jewish People were now vulnerable to attack. Apparently, when the king of Arad attacked, the Jewish People had no idea that it was linked to the passing of Aharon HaKohen. Indeed, they attributed Aharon’s death to his participation in the sin of Mei Merivah, the waters of strife, when the stone was hit instead of being spoken to. The attack from Arad…

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והערים אשר תתנו שש ערי מקלט תהיינה לכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Masei

As to the cities that you shall designate, there shall be six cities of refuge for you. (35:13)

Moshe Rabbeinu designated three cities on Eivar haYardein, the eastern bank of the Jordan River, as Arei Miklat, Cities of Refuge. The other three cities in Eretz Yisrael proper were to be designated by Yehoshua once the nation had conquered and divided the land. Clearly, the numbers appear disproportionate, given the fact that only two and one-half tribes made their homes on the eastern bank, while the other nine and one-half tribes resided in Eretz Yisrael. Rashi explains that, sadly, murder was more prevalent on the eastern bank. While this applies to premeditated murder, Ramban explains that the preponderance of…

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כי בעיר מקלטו ישב עד מות הכהן הגדול

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Masei

For he must dwell in his city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:28)

Rashi explains that the Kohen Gadol’s passing is connected to the unintentional murderer’s freedom, because as the generation’s primary spiritual leader, he should have prayed that accidental fatalities not occur during his watch. Chazal teach that the mothers of the Kohanim Gedolim would bring food to the unintentional murderers as their way of petitioning them not to pray for the premature death of their son. Why was it the Kohen Gadol’s mother who brought food to the inmates? Why not the Kohen Gadol himself? After all, it was his life that was on the block. In his commentary to the…

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ויסעו ממדבר סיני ויחנו בקברות התאוה. ויסעו מקברות התאוה ויחנו בחצרות. ויסעו מחצרות ויחנו ברתמה. ויסעו מרתמה ויחנו ברמן פרץ. ויסעו מרמן פרץ ויחנו בלבנה.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Masei

They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sinai and encamped in Kivros Hataavah. They journeyed from Kivros Hataavah and encamped in Chatzeiros. They journeyed from Chatzeiros and encamped in Rismah. They journeyed from Rismah and encamped in Rimmon-Peretz. They journeyed from Rimmon-Peretz and encamped in Livnah (33:16-20).

The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, suggest that the names of the various encampments are allusions to the various shortcomings or consequences to inappropriate behavior manifest by the Jewish nation during their trek through the wilderness. Rashi interprets these places as referring to specific sins committed by the people. The Chasam Sofer indicates that the above names are consequences, resulting from distancing oneself from Torah study. The Talmud Succah 52b makes a formidable statement: Yitzro shel adam misgaber alav b’chol yom u’mevakeish l’hamiso, “A man’s evil inclination threatens every day to overpower him, and seeks to kill him:…

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והצילו העדה את הרצח מיד גואל הדם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Masei

The Assembly shall rescue the killer from the hand of the avenger of the blood. (35:25)

The bais din is enjoined to seek every possible way to circumvent the death penalty. We always give the accused every possible benefit of the doubt. Likewise, if the court judges that the death was caused by a truly unavoidable accident, it must rule that the killer does not require exile. Consequently, the goel ha’dam, relative who is the avenger of the blood, must desist. He has no right whatsoever to harm the killer. It was an accident which Hashem made happen – end of story. The Talmud Sanhedrin 17a teaches an interesting halachah, which at first glance seems perplexing….

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וישב בה עד מות הכהן הגדול אשר משח אותו בשמן הקדש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Masei

He shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol, whom he had anointed with the sacred oil. (35:25)

What did the Kohen Gadol, High Priest, do to deserve such a “relationship” with the unintentional murderer? It is almost as if the Kohen Gadol shares punitively with the rotzeiach b’shogeig. Rashi explains that the Kohen Gadol serves as the nation’s spiritual leader. As such, he has a responsibility to pray for his people – pray that no one sustains a fatal accident at the hands of another Jew. Apparently, he either did not pray, or he did not pray with sufficient intensity. In any event, a man was killed unintentionally. The Kohen Gadol must assume some of this responsibility….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Masei

“These are the journeys of the Bnei Yisrael, who went from the land of Egypt according to their legions.” (33:1)

The Degel Mateh Efraim cites his rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh, who interprets the forty-two journeys that Klal Yisrael traveled as analogous to a human being’s life span. Birth, leaving the womb, is like yetzias Mitzrayim, the exodus from Egypt, the beginning of the Jewish nation’s travels. The ensuing journeys lead onward to the ultimate destination, Eretz Yisrael, or – for the individual Jew – the eternal world of Olam Haba. The Papa Rav, z.l., develops this further. As a person journeys from place to place, even within a city, he is confronted with challenges to his spiritual well-…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Masei

“Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem.” (33:2)

Is there any question that whatever Moshe Rabbeinu wrote was at the bidding of Hashem? Moshe wrote the entire Torah at the bidding of Hashem. Why does the Torah emphasize this regarding their journeys? Horav Nissan Alpert, z.l., offers a profound perspective which he derives from the Torah’s focusing on Hashem’s “part” in the recording of history. One must know that history – whether it is Jewish history or world history – is Hashem’s handiwork. Every occurrence, every episode, is the direct product of Hashem’s design. The churban Bais HaMikdash, the destruction of our Temple, is recorded in history. Through…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Masei

“But if the murderer shall at any time go beyond the border of the city of refuge…he has no blood-guilt.” (35:26-27)

In the Sifri, Chazal glean from here that even if the murderer were to take even one step outside of the techum, perimeter, of the City of Refuge, the laws pertaining to the City of Refuge no longer protect his life. In other words, he takes his life in his own hands. The Gerrer Rebbe, z.l., the Imrei Emes, interpreted this halacha, law, homiletically. When a person experiences difficult periods in his life, the only way to deal with the challenges to one’s faith that often accompany such ordeals is to plant both feet within the confines of the bais…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Masei

They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sinai and encamped in Kivros Hataavah. They journeyed from Kivros Hataavah and encamped in Chatzeiros. They journeyed from Chatzeiros and encamped in Rismah. They journeyed from Rismah and encamped in Rimmon-Peretz. They journeyed from Rimmon-Peretz and encamped in Livnah. (33:16-20)

The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, suggest that the names of the various encampments are allusions to the various shortcomings, or consequences to inappropriate behavior, manifest by the Jewish nation during their trek through the Wilderness. Rashi interprets these places as referring to specific sins committed by the people. The Chasam Sofer indicates that the above names are consequences, resulting from distancing oneself from Torah study. The Talmud Succah 52b makes a formidable statement: Yitzro shel adam misgaber alav b’chol yom u’mevakeish l’ha’miso, “A man’s evil inclination threatens every day to overpower him, and seeks to kill him:…

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וישמע הכנעני מלך ערד... בבא בני ישראל

The Canaanite King of Arad heard… of the approach of Bnei Yisrael. (33:40)

והערים אשר תתנו שש ערי מקלט תהיינה לכם

As to the cities that you shall designate, there shall be six cities of refuge for you. (35:13)

כי בעיר מקלטו ישב עד מות הכהן הגדול

For he must dwell in his city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:28)

ויסעו ממדבר סיני ויחנו בקברות התאוה. ויסעו מקברות התאוה ויחנו בחצרות. ויסעו מחצרות ויחנו ברתמה. ויסעו מרתמה ויחנו ברמן פרץ. ויסעו מרמן פרץ ויחנו בלבנה.

והצילו העדה את הרצח מיד גואל הדם

The Assembly shall rescue the killer from the hand of the avenger of the blood. (35:25)

וישב בה עד מות הכהן הגדול אשר משח אותו בשמן הקדש

He shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol, whom he had anointed with the sacred oil. (35:25)

“These are the journeys of the Bnei Yisrael, who went from the land of Egypt according to their legions.” (33:1)

“Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem.” (33:2)

“But if the murderer shall at any time go beyond the border of the city of refuge…he has no blood-guilt.” (35:26-27)

YEARS

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