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Home -> Masei -> 5760

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5760, 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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Home -> Masei -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Masei

And you shall prepare for yourselves cities of refuge. (35:11)

The Torah instructs us to designate Cities of Refuge to protect the inadvertent killer from the relatives of the deceased.  Horav Mordechai Gifter, Shlita, notes that the Torah does not use the term “zimun,” to prepare, but rather uses “hikrisem,” a word related to “mikreh,” which alludes to an event occurring by chance, without forethought or preparation.  Horav Gifter feels that the Torah is conveying a profound message to us.  Violence is foreign to the Jew.  If we hear that a Jew has committed a violent act, we must realize that this act represents the antithesis of the Torah’s perspective…

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Home -> Masei -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Masei

But if with suddenness, without enmity, did he push him… and the assembly shall return him to his city of refuge where he had fled… he shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:22,25)

In the Talmud Makos 11b, Chazal tell us that the unintentional murderer is not permitted to leave the City of Refuge.  Indeed, he is confined there until the death of the Kohen Gadol.  Nothing – regardless of its critical need – can change this.  Even if he is a great general who is needed by Klal Yisrael, he may not leave.  There he lives; there he will die; there he will be buried.  This halachah is perplexing.  We are taught that pikuach nefesh, issues concerning life or death, are of overriding concern.  Thus, they have the power to push aside…

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Home -> Masei -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Masei

These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael…and they journeyed…and they rested…(33:1)

“And they journeyed…and they rested.”  These words are repeated forty-two times in this parsha.  These words must be  special  if the Torah mentions them so many times.  The Torah contains no redundance, not even an extra letter.  Why would the Torah dedicate so much space to the journeys of Bnei Yisrael?  Is it pertinent for us to know where they stayed and where they went?  Chazal address this question,  explaining  with an analogy to a king who had taken his sickly son to a distant place to be cured.  On their return trip, the king pointed out to his son…

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Home -> Masei -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Masei

And a murderer shall flee there, one who takes a life unintentionally…for he must dwell in his city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:11,28)

Had the Kohen Gadol prayed with greater devotion, had he entreated Hashem  to arrange that fatal accidents  not occur during his tenure as Kohen Gadol, they might not have happened.  Chazal tell us that the Kohen Gadol’s mother supplied the unintentional murderers with food and clothing, so that they would not pray for her son’s premature death.  It seems difficult to accept that  food and clothing would take precedence over one’s liberty.  One has only to ask a person who has been incarcerated for an extended period of time, to determine whether  food and clothing would be an acceptable trade …

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Home -> Masei -> 5757

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5757, Masei

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

The Torah makes a synopsis of Bnei Yisrael’s forty-year journey through the desert. The forty-two encampments   from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael are enumerated.  Obviously, some places left stronger impressions than others.  The summary alludes to the forty year history with its ups and downs.   Is it really necessary to detail all forty-two places?  Is it important to open up old wounds, to recall moments in our history that we would most seek to forget?  Horav Nissan Alpert, zl, claims that one can and should make every effort to learn from his mistakes.  Thus, he will be able to…

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Home -> Masei -> 5757

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5757, Masei

They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and they camped in Kivroth HaTaavah. (33:16)

Kivros HaTaavah,  “the graves of craving,” alludes to a place where many Jews died as a result of their craving for meat.  Horav Tzvi Pesach Frank,zl, suggests that this pasuk relates  more than Klal Yisrael’s geographical journey.  The pasuk implies that one who distances himself  from Torah will ultimately end up in the clutches of taavah, lust.  The only safeguard to keep an individual  from being swallowed up by his physical desires is his immersion in the sea of Torah.  Without Torah, one is subject to the whims and fancies of his yetzer hora. Horav Frank bases his thesis upon…

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Home -> Masei -> 5756

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5756, Masei

“These are the journeys of the Bnei Yisrael…. and they journeyed… and they camped.” (33:1,3)

Forty two times the Torah reiterates ubjhu – ugxhu “and they journeyed/and they rested.” The commentators suggest reasons for the Torah’s recounting each and every situation in Klal Yisrael’s sojourn. One thing is clear: Each word is there for a purpose; it is there to teach us a lesson. Horav Moshe Swift, zl, infers a meaningful lesson from this apparent redundancy. Life has its ups and downs, its moments of opportunity and success, and its periods of mistakes and catastrophe. The important lesson to remember is to take each of life’s situations in mind, study it and apply it. It…

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Home -> Masei -> 5756

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5756, Masei

“And the assembly shall return him to his city of refuge where he fled, he shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol … (35:25,28)

In the Talmud Makos 11b Chazal rule that the unintentional murderer may not leave his city of refuge under any circumstance, even if he is a witness who is to testify in a case of capital punishment. They go so far as to say that even if all of Klal Yisrael were in dire need of his leadership, such as Yoav ben Tzruyah, he still may not leave. There he shall live, there he shall die, and there he is to be buried. This halachah is enigmatic! Is it not true that pikuach nefesh, a case which involves life and…

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Home -> Masei -> 5755

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5755, Masei

“These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael.” (33:1)

Rashi cites the Midrash which compares the recounting of Bnei Yisrael’s encampments to the following parable: A king once took his very ill son abroad, searching for a cure for his disease. He travelled with him to various doctors and medical centers throughout the world. Gradually, the son recovered and was able to return home. On their return trip, the father recounted the stopovers along the way where they had sought treatment for his malady. “Remember,” the father reminded the son, “here you slept, ubbah; here you had the chills, ubreuv; here you were plagued by a headache, lhatr ,t…

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