Re’eh – Peninim on the Torah

For in the month of the springtime, Hashem your G-d , took you out of Egypt at night…for you departed from the land of Egypt in haste – so that you will remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt. (16:1,3)

The Torah states clearly that the Egyptian exodus took place in the evening. This is reiterated in pasuk 6, when the Torah says to slaughter the Korban Pesach after the sun descends, “the appointed time of your departure from Egypt.” If this is the case, why does the Torah in pasuk 3 declare that we should “remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt“? There seems to be an apparent contradiction between the pesukim concerning exactly when Klal Yisrael left Egypt. The Talmud in Berachos 9A identifies the “shaas chipazon” of Klal Yisrael, which occurred the following…

Home -> 5758 -> Re'eh

Moshe Marcovich In Re'eh, 5758

You shall not cut yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person. (14:1)

Our relationship with Hashem demands that we adhere to a strict code of discipline, as expressed in the Torah and interpreted and expounded by our Torah leadership. The discipline of Torah governs our entire life. The Torah addresses every aspect of life’s endeavor. We are called banim la’Makom, children of the Almighty. Can there be a greater appelation, a more honored relationship? Such closeness, however, also carries with it an inherent responsibility. When one mourns a loved one, thus confronting his own mortality, a Jew manifests great discipline. Halachah desginates time limits during which one may and should express his…

Home -> 5758 -> Re'eh

Moshe Marcovich In Re'eh, 5758

You are children to Hashem…you shall not cut yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person. (14:1)

Being Hashem’s Chosen People, His treasure in this world, carries with it immense responsibilities. Being banim la’Makom, children to the Almighty, is not an attribute one can ignore. We are, therefore, adjured to exert constraint when we are confronted with the passing of a loved one. The pagans mutilated their bodies in an expression of grief. Such manifestations of the depraved behavior that reigned in antiquity are strictly forbidden. In the Talmud Sanhedrin, Chazal relate that when Rabbi Akiva came upon the coffin of Rabbi Eliezer, he beat his flesh until he broke the skin and began to bleed profusely. …

Home -> 5758 -> Re'eh

Moshe Marcovich In Re'eh, 5758

You shall not do this to Hashem your G-d. Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your G-d chose…to place His Name shall you seek out His Presence and come there. And there shall you bring your elevation offerings. (12:4,5,6)

The commentators, each in his own initimable style, explain what it is that we “shall not do” to Hashem. Horav Itzile M’Volozhin, zl, offers a practical interpretation of this pasuk. We find that in order to facilitate the unintentional murderer’s “escape” to the Arei Miklat, Cities of Refuge, the people erected signs at various crossroads to indicate the most efficient way to reach his destination. They did this in order to ensure that the rotzeach b’shogeg, unintentional murderer, would not have to ask people for directions as he sought his destination. We may wonder why this helpful idea was…

Home -> 5758 -> Re'eh

Moshe Marcovich In Re'eh, 5758

See, I present before you today a blessing and a curse. (11:26)

The Torah’s use of the word “re’eh“, see, is significant. It is important that we clearly understand the relative effects of mitzvah and aveirah. We should actually see this distinction. We should be able to comprehend blessing as the direct result of a life of mitzvah-performance and curse as the product of a sinful lifestyle. All too often we attribute our good fortune to just that – good fortune. On the other hand, we perceive external factors to be the cause of our misfortune. We should open our eyes to perceive the accurate distinction between blessing and curse. Regretably, the…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Re'eh -> 5758

For in the month of the springtime, Hashem your G-d , took you out of Egypt at night…for you departed from the land of Egypt in haste – so that you will remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt. (16:1,3)

You shall not cut yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person. (14:1)

You are children to Hashem…you shall not cut yourselves and you shall not make a bald spot between your eyes for a dead person. (14:1)

You shall not do this to Hashem your G-d. Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your G-d chose…to place His Name shall you seek out His Presence and come there. And there shall you bring your elevation offerings. (12:4,5,6)

See, I present before you today a blessing and a curse. (11:26)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!