Matos – Page 3 – Peninim on the Torah

לא יחל דברו ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה

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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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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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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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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נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Matos

Take vengeance for the Bnei Yisrael… against the Midyanim. (31:2)

The Torah seems to underscore the number of soldiers involved in the war of vengeance against Midyan. It then makes a point to detail how much booty was taken after the war. Veritably, numbers do not seem to play a role in the parshios, other than the parshios which deal with the census of the Jewish nation. In this case, however, the size of the army and the amount of booty apparently maintain a significant position in the parsha. Horav Arye Leib Heyman, zl, suggests that the key to the role of numbers in the parsha is to be found…

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ויקצף משה על פקודי החיל...ויאמר אליהם משה החייתם כל נקבה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Matos

Moshe was angry with the commanders of the army…Moshe said to them, “Did you let every female live?” (31:14,15)

Moshe Rabbeinu was angry with the officers of his army for not following his orders. They spared the Midyanite women, despite their involvement in inciting the orgies which catalyzed the plague that brought death to so many Jews. Upon reading the pesukim, one may question why Moshe’s name is repeated in his rebuke. The Torah said that Moshe became angry. Obviously, he was the one rebuking the officers. Why did the Torah mention his name again? The commentators explain that Moshe did not immediately rebuke them out of anger. He waited a short while until his anger subsided and then…

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ויאיר בן מנשה הלך וילכד את חותיהם ויקרא אתהן חוות יאיר. ונבח הלך וילכד את קנת ואת בנתיה ויקרא לה נבח בשמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Matos

Yair ben Menashe, went and conquered their villages and called them Chavos Yair. Novach went and conquered Kenas and its suburbs, and called it Novach after his own name. (32:41,42)

Yair had no children to carry on his name. Therefore, after conquering the villages, he named them after himself as a memorial. Everyone wants to be remembered. Indeed, after having lived a mortal life replete with many achievements, all that is left are memories – memories of the individual. He is gone, but his memory lives on. It is up to each and every one of us to decide, by the way we act, how we want to be remembered. Sadly, for some, when we wake up to this realization, it is too late. Novach also conquered villages. He, too,…

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החלצו מאתכם אנשים לצבא ויהיו על מדין לתת נקמת ד' במדין

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Matos

Arm men from among yourselves for the legion that they be against Midyan that they may inflict Hashem’s vengeance against Midyan. (31:3)

When the Jewish army went into battle, it was unlike any other national army. Horav Mordechai Druk, Shlita, notes the apparent differences between our army and the armies of the nations of the world. Moshe Rabbeinu did not lead the Jewish army in a war of retribution against Midyan because he had benefitted from the land of Midyan years earlier when he escaped Egypt. Clearly, such a moral compass is unlikely to be found in any other nation: a leader to choose not to lead against a sworn enemy because he owes them hakoras hatov, a sense of gratitude, is…

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ויאמר אליהם משה החייתם כל נקבה. הן הנה היו לבני ישראל בדבר בלעם למסר מעל בד' על דבר פעור

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Matos

Moshe said to them: Did you let every female live? Behold It was they who caused Bnei Yisrael by the word of Bilaam, to commit a betrayal against Hashem regarding the matter of Pe’or. (31:15,16)

It is said how the most well-meaning – albeit quite insecure – leaders of factions of the religious Jewish community who call themselves Orthodox, but have yet to prove it, fall prey to the double-edged sword of Jew/non-Jew relationships. One cannot sufficiently emphasize how the blandishments of the non-Jewish society in which we live have had a disastrous influence on the religious vitality and continuity of our People. One need only to take a stroll outside of the shelter of the observant Jewish community to observe the downward spiral of Jewish literacy and commitment. The staggering rate of intermarriage is…

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ונכבשה הארץ לפני ד' ואחר תשבו והייתם נקים מד' ומישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Matos, Masei

And the Land shall be conquered before Hashem, and then you shall return – then you shall be vindicated before Hashem and from Yisrael. (32:22)

“So what if people do not understand my lofty goals?” “Since when must I explain myself to people?” “As long as I satisfy Hashem, is that not what is important?” It is statements such as these, with the attitude of arrogance that accompanies them, that get people into trouble. The end does not justify the means. One must act in a manner that does not incur public suspicion of impropriety. Everything we do must be above board, maintaining sufficient transparency to withstand the greatest scrutiny. There is a well-known Teshuvos Chasam Sofer (6: Likutim 59) in which the revered Rav…

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לא יחל דברו ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה

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

גדרת צאן נבנה למקננו וערים לטפנו

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

ויסעו ממדבר סיני ויחנו בקברות התאוה

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

כי בעיר מקלטו ישב עד מות הכהן הגדל

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

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים

Take vengeance for the Bnei Yisrael… against the Midyanim. (31:2)

ויקצף משה על פקודי החיל...ויאמר אליהם משה החייתם כל נקבה

Moshe was angry with the commanders of the army…Moshe said to them, “Did you let every female live?” (31:14,15)

ויאיר בן מנשה הלך וילכד את חותיהם ויקרא אתהן חוות יאיר. ונבח הלך וילכד את קנת ואת בנתיה ויקרא לה נבח בשמו

Yair ben Menashe, went and conquered their villages and called them Chavos Yair. Novach went and conquered Kenas and its suburbs, and called it Novach after his own name. (32:41,42)

החלצו מאתכם אנשים לצבא ויהיו על מדין לתת נקמת ד' במדין

Arm men from among yourselves for the legion that they be against Midyan that they may inflict Hashem’s vengeance against Midyan. (31:3)

ויאמר אליהם משה החייתם כל נקבה. הן הנה היו לבני ישראל בדבר בלעם למסר מעל בד' על דבר פעור

Moshe said to them: Did you let every female live? Behold It was they who caused Bnei Yisrael by the word of Bilaam, to commit a betrayal against Hashem regarding the matter of Pe’or. (31:15,16)

ונכבשה הארץ לפני ד' ואחר תשבו והייתם נקים מד' ומישראל

And the Land shall be conquered before Hashem, and then you shall return – then you shall be vindicated before Hashem and from Yisrael. (32:22)

YEARS

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