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Home -> 5778 -> Shoftim

כי ימצא חלל באדמה

Sruly Schnair
In Shoftim, 5778

If a corpse will be found on the land. (21:1)

The Torah relates the halachah of eglah arufah, the axed heifer, which is used to atone for the murder of a Jew whose death came about possibly due to communal neglect or indifference. A public ritual is performed, during which the elders of the community closest to where the corpse is discovered declare their innocence and non-culpability in this incident. They then pray for forgiveness for the Jewish People. Baal HaTurim notes that the laws of eglah arufah are placed between “two wars”, the parsha of going out to war which is in Parashas Shoftim; and the war at the beginning…

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Home -> 5778 -> Shoftim

תמים תהיה עם ד' אלקיך

Sruly Schnair
In Shoftim, 5778

You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, Your G-d. (18:13)

Temimus, simple faith, is not so simple. It takes a special person, whose faith in Hashem is unequivocal, to achieve temimus. It requires one: to live a life of acquiescence; to ask no questions; to believe that everything is for the good; to maintain wholesome belief in Hashem that everything that occurs in one’s life is Divinely orchestrated. The tamim lives only in the moment. The future is completely in the hands of Hashem. Horav Pinchas Koritzer, zl, teaches that only two mitzvos or observances are to be carried out with Hashem: temimus, wholehearted faith; and tznius, modesty. (Hatznea leches im…

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Home -> 5778 -> Shoftim

על פי שנים עדים או שלשה עדים יומת המת

Sruly Schnair
In Shoftim, 5778

By the testimony or two of three witnesses shall the condemned person be put to death. (17:6)

The word shnayim connotes two. Yet, later in this parsha (19:15), the Torah uses the word shnei (eidim) to specify two witnesses. Why does the text change from one pasuk to the other? Horav David Cohen, Shlita, quotes the Gaon, zl, m’Vilna, who distinguishes between shnayim and shnei (although both words mean “two”). Shnayim refers to two people (or objects) which come together or meld together as one unit, while shnei refers to two individuals, separate and/or disparate, who just happen to be together. In other words, shnayim is a “two” which maintains a stronger sense of unity. With the…

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Home -> 5778 -> Re'eh

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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Home -> 5778 -> Re'eh

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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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)

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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Home -> 5778 -> Eikev

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

Moshe Marcovich
In Eikev, 5778

You shall teach your children to discuss them. (11:19)

The Sifri underscores the words, l’dabeir bam, “to discuss them.” From the moment that one’s child is able to speak, his father should teach him, Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehillas Yaakov, “The Torah which Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov.” A child’s first words should be Torah. His speech should be Torah-oriented. He learns this from his father. How? It should be the manner in which his father speaks. Aviv melamdo, “His father teaches him,” says Sifri. How does a father teach a young child who has just begun to speak? He does this…

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Home -> 5778 -> Eikev

ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ד' אלקיך

Moshe Marcovich
In Eikev, 5778

Now, O Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear Hashem, your G-d. (10:12)

The Pele Yoeitz explains Hashem’s request pragmatically. “You watch my field, and I will watch yours,” or, in modern day parlance, “You have my back, and I will have yours.” Yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven, is something that Hashem expects us to achieve on our own. Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven. Bread, sustenance, is Heaven-sent. The Almighty intimates that we will make a trade: You will have yiraas Shomayim; I will owe you, and My payback will be sustenance. The Noda B’Yehudah questions the pasuk’s choice of wording. First, what is the meaning…

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