Matos – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

“A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Yisrael shall you send to the legion.” (31:4)

The Midrash discusses the number of soldiers who went out to battle. According to one point of view, each tribe sent two thousand men, while the other view contends that each tribe sent three thousand men. The men were divided into three groups: twelve thousand were soldiers who fought in battle; twelve thousand were in charge of the various vessels and weapons; twelve thousand were there to pray. We wonder why there was a need to have an equal number of men designated specifically for prayer. This was Hashem’s war; He commanded Bnei Yisrael to wage war on the Midyanim,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Matos

If a man will take a vow to Hashem or swear an oath to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not desecrate his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do. (30:3)

Rashi teaches that vows and oaths apply only when one seeks to render prohibitive that which is permitted. One cannot, however, utilize oaths and vows to permit that which is forbidden. Horav Meir Shapiro, zl, was an individual known by many titles, one of which was Lubliner Rav. He followed a long line of distinguished rabbanim, one of whom was the famous Maharshal who preceded him by four centuries. The Maharshal was a formidable gadol, a talmid chacham, Torah scholar without peer, and a Kabbalist of great renown. The following story was often related by Rav Meir Shapiro. He had…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Matos

“Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim. Afterward you will be gathered unto your people.” Moshe spoke to the people. (31:2,3)

Remarkable! The Midyanim were to receive their due punishment in response to their involvement in the Jews’ sins of immorality and idolatry. This punishment resulted in the deaths of 24,000 Jewish souls. Hashem told Moshe that this “unfinished business” should be addressed now, since his death was tied to it. In other words, Moshe was going to leave this world as soon as he carried out this last retribution. Our quintessential leader, Moshe Rabbeinu, could easily have taken his time in executing Hashem’s command. He did not. Indeed, he did it immediately, so great and intense was his love for…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5770, Matos

“If a man takes a vow to Hashem… to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

Chochmas HaMitzpon draws a penetrating analogy from the laws of Nedarim, vows, and the Torah’s admonition to keep one’s word to the regular prohibitions of the Torah. It is well- known that if one is ill with a serious disease, he will seek out a specialist in that field. Even specialists have various levels of experience. Commensurate with the gravity of the illness, one will make every effort to see the most qualified practitioner. There seems to be a parallel between the physician’s level of expertise and the seriousness of the disease. The more qualified the physician one seeks, the…

Home -> Matos -> 5770

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5770, Matos

“He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

Horav Mendel, z.l., m’Kosov rendered this pasuk homiletically: Hashem will fulfill the blessing of the person who guards his mouth, who does not make his words chullin, mundane. In other words: if one sanctifies his speech, if he does not waste his words and everything that he says is of a holy nature, Hashem will make it His priority to fulfill this individual’s blessings. It is told that Horav Yisrael Abuchatzeira, z.l., the Baba Sali, went to Ashdod in 1966 together with his father-in-law, Horav David Yehudiaf, z.l., to visit a venerable sage. The Baba Sali encouraged his father-in-law to…

Home -> Matos -> 5770

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5770, Matos

“A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Yisrael shall you send to the legion.” (31:4)

The Midrash discusses the number of soldiers who went out to battle. According to one point of view, each tribe sent two thousand men, while the other view contends that each tribe sent three thousand men. The men were divided into three groups: twelve thousand were soldiers who fought in battle; twelve thousand were in charge of the various vessels and weapons; twelve thousand were there to pray. We wonder why there was a need to have an equal number of men designated specifically for prayer. This was Hashem’s war; He commanded Bnei Yisrael to wage war on the Midyanim,…

Home -> Matos -> 5769

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5769, Matos

“If a man takes a vow to Hashem… to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

Chochmas HaMitzpon draws a penetrating analogy from the laws of Nedarim, vows, and the Torah’s admonition to keep one’s word to the regular prohibitions of the Torah. It is well- known that if one is ill with a serious disease, he will seek out a specialist in that field. Even specialists have various levels of experience. Commensurate with the gravity of the illness, one will make every effort to see the most qualified practitioner. There seems to be a parallel between the physician’s level of expertise and the seriousness of the disease. The more qualified the physician one seeks, the…

Home -> Matos -> 5769

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5769, Matos

“He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

Horav Mendel, z.l., m’Kosov rendered this pasuk homiletically: Hashem will fulfill the blessing of the person who guards his mouth, who does not make his words chullin, mundane. In other words: if one sanctifies his speech, if he does not waste his words and everything that he says is of a holy nature, Hashem will make it His priority to fulfill this individual’s blessings. It is told that Horav Yisrael Abuchatzeira, z.l., the Baba Sali, went to Ashdod in 1966 together with his father-in-law, Horav David Yehudiaf, z.l., to visit a venerable sage. The Baba Sali encouraged his father-in-law to…

Home -> Matos -> 5769

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5769, Matos

“A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Yisrael shall you send to the legion.” (31:4)

The Midrash discusses the number of soldiers who went out to battle. According to one point of view, each tribe sent two thousand men, while the other view contends that each tribe sent three thousand men. The men were divided into three groups: twelve thousand were soldiers who fought in battle; twelve thousand were in charge of the various vessels and weapons; twelve thousand were there to pray. We wonder why there was a need to have an equal number of men designated specifically for prayer. This was Hashem’s war; He commanded Bnei Yisrael to wage war on the Midyanim,…

Home -> Matos -> 5768

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5768, Matos

“If a man takes a vow to Hashem… to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

Chochmas HaMitzpon draws a penetrating analogy from the laws of Nedarim, vows, and the Torah’s admonition to keep one’s word to the regular prohibitions of the Torah. It is well- known that if one is ill with a serious disease, he will seek out a specialist in that field. Even specialists have various levels of experience. Commensurate with the gravity of the illness, one will make every effort to see the most qualified practitioner. There seems to be a parallel between the physician’s level of expertise and the seriousness of the disease. The more qualified the physician one seeks, the…

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“A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Yisrael shall you send to the legion.” (31:4)

If a man will take a vow to Hashem or swear an oath to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not desecrate his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do. (30:3)

“Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim. Afterward you will be gathered unto your people.” Moshe spoke to the people. (31:2,3)

“If a man takes a vow to Hashem… to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

“He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

“A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Yisrael shall you send to the legion.” (31:4)

“If a man takes a vow to Hashem… to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

“He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

“A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Yisrael shall you send to the legion.” (31:4)

“If a man takes a vow to Hashem… to prohibit a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do.” (30:3)

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