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לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפוץ את ידך מאחיך האביון

Moshe Marcovich
In Re'eh, 5778

You shall not harden your heart or close your hand against your destitute brother. (15:7)

Tzedakah tatzil mimaves, “Charity saves one from death.” Does this mean that one who gives charity will live forever? No. It is a powerful segulah, merit of good fortune, which may come in handy. It might very well be that one merit the individual needs to push him over to “life” side. A simple, practical analogy quoted by Horav Yaakov Galinsky, zl, illuminates this concept. Two misers were talking to one another. Reuven said to Shimon, “How miserable we are. Indeed, we have no Olam Hazeh (we do not allow ourselves to enjoy the pleasures of this world), and we…

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Home -> 5778 -> Re'eh

כי יקום בקרבך נביא או חלם חלום... לאמר נלכה אחרי אלהים אחרים... לא תשמע אל דברי הנביא ההוא

Moshe Marcovich
In Re'eh, 5778

If there should stand up in your midst a prophet or a dreamer of a dream… saying, “Let us follow gods of others… do not hearken to the words of that prophet.” (13:2,3,4)

We never cease to be amazed by the sheer brilliance of the Baal HaTurim (which was written when the author was seventeen years old). Concerning the word, b’kirbecha, “in your midst,” he writes: The gematria, numerical equivalent, of b’kirbecha navi is zu ha’ishah, “This is the woman.” It is difficult to understand, since the numerical values do not coincide. B’kirbecha Navi equal 387, while zu ha’ishah equals 324. As a result of the difficulty in understanding his statement, many girsaos, versions, of the Baal HaTurim have deleted this. In his Kerem HaTzvi, Horav Tzvi Hirsh Ferber, zl, quotes Torah Shleimah…

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את הברכה אשר תשמעו אל מצות ד' אליכם

Moshe Marcovich
In Re'eh, 5778

The blessing: that you hearken to the mitzvos of Hashem, your G-d. (11:27)

The blessing – that you listen (hearken). Should it not have written im tishme’u, if you will listen? Asher, that (you will listen), sounds as if it is referring to one’s ability to listen. I would assume that we all have the ability. It is only a question concerning our desire to listen. The Torah appears to focus on ability, rather than on desire. Perhaps the Torah is teaching us a lesson concerning listening: Listen with your heart – not only with your ears. Deep listening via the emotional compass of one’s heart allows one to hear the “sounds” of…

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ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה

Moshe Marcovich
In Re'eh, 5778

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

One would think that since Moshe Rabbeinu is conveying Hashem’s message to the nation, he would say: “See, Hashem presents before you today a blessing and a curse.” Why does he say “I”? He is merely Hashem’s agent. Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, zl, cites Chazal (Berachos 33b) concerning the pasuk in Devarim 10:12, “Now, O Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear Hashem.” All Hashem wants of us is fear. It seems like a simple request. Perhaps for Moshe it was simple, but it is not simple for the rest of the Jewish People. The…

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Home -> 5778 -> Re'eh

ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה

Moshe Marcovich
In Re'eh, 5778

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

Hayom, today. Does the word “today” hold significance? Is the choice of blessing or curse applicable only today? What about tomorrow? Will we still have the opportunity for choice? I was thinking about this question when I came across an article by a respected rabbinic author in which he explained why he was not celebrating his birthday. He attributes this to the fact that, upon perusing the Torah, one notes that the only birthday we read about is that of Pharaoh. When we think about it, the only day that we Jews seem to deem worthy of celebration is the…

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