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Home -> Devarim -> 5778

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל... בין פארן ובין תפל ולבן וחצרת ודי זהב

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael… between Paran and Tofel and Lavan, and Chatzeiros and Di Zahav. (1:1)

Rashi quotes Chazal, who explain that the names of these cities are actually allusions to specific sins committed by the Jewish People during their sojourn in the Wilderness. When Moshe Rabbeinu mentioned Lavan, he was referring to the manna. Lavan means white. When Klal Yisrael complained about the insubstantial food, ie. manna, they referred to it in a denigrating manner by mentioning its color. Why is the white color of the manna important? Apparently, on some level, their sin was associated with the manna’s white color. What about the color of the manna made their words sinful? The Zera Shimshon…

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Home -> Masei -> 5778

ונס שמה רצח מכה נפש בשגגה

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Masei

And a murderer shall flee there – one who takes a life unintentionally. (35:11)

Rabbeinu Bachya asks a question that only a Rishon could ask. He wonders about the disparity in punishment between the rotzeiach b’shogeg, inadvertent murderer, and the rotzeiach b’meizid,  premeditated murderer. After all is said and done, they are both murderers. If the premeditated murderer would escape to the ir miklat, city of refuge, he would be immediately yanked out. Why is he different than his inadvertent counterpart? At the end of the day, two victims lay in the morgue. They are both deceased. Disparate dinim, laws, apply to each of the murderers. Why is this? Obviously, this question is rhetorical….

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Home -> Masei -> 5778

זאת הארץ אשר תפל לכם בנחלה ארץ כנען לגבלתיה

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Masei

This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders. (34:2)

Rashi explains the term, tipol lachem, “shall fall to you.” Since the land had been apportioned by lottery, its division was expressed in terms of “falling.” Alternatively, he quotes the Midrash that explains “falling” as a reference to Hashem causing the ministering angels of the seven nations, who at that time inhabited the land of Canaan, to “fall” from the Heavens. They were bound up before Moshe Rabbeinu. Hashem said to Moshe, “Look, they no longer have koach, strength.” Hashem expects us to be mishtadel, endeavor, regardless of the fact that it is Hashem Who prepares the path of success….

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Home -> Matos -> 5778

והנה קמתם תחת אבתיכם תרבות אנשים חטאים לספות עוד על חרון אף ד' אל ישראל. כי תשובן מאחריו ויסף עוד להניחו במדבר ושחתם לכל העם הזה

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Matos

And behold you have risen up in the place of your fathers, a group of transgressors, to add to Hashem’s anger against Yisrael. For if you will turn away from Him, He will once again let them remain in the Wilderness, and you will destroy this entire nation. (32:14,15)

The Tribes of Reuven and Gad approached Moshe Rabbeinu with a unique request. It was not as if they did not care about Eretz Yisrael; it was just that, on the eastern side of the Yarden River, the newly-conquered land was extremely fertile. This would be a boon for the many livestock which they possessed. Thus, they hoped to be allowed to remain on eiver ha’Yarden, rather than move to Eretz Yisrael proper. They did not mean to be insolent. They were just being practical. Grass was more plentiful here. Why shlep to Eretz Yisrael, if what they needed for…

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Home -> Matos -> 5778

כל דבר אשר יבא באש תעבירו באש וטהר אך במי נדה ותחטא

Moshe Marcovich
In 5778, Matos

Everything that comes into the fire – you shall pass through the fire, but it must be purified with the water of the sprinkling. (31:23)

The Torah discusses the laws of kashering utensils. Horav Chaim Volozhiner, zl, observes that the Torah’s concept of “clean” is quite different than the secular perspective. Take any utensil that has been washed/scrubbed and dried. It is now pristine. Indeed, it cannot be any cleaner. Yet, if within the last twenty-four hours it has been used to cook a piece of non-kosher meat, it is considered ritually treif. If one were to cook a piece of kosher, mehadrin min ha’mehadrin meat in this utensil, the meat is unquestionably treif. But is it clean? Yes, to the naked eye it appears…

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Home -> 5778 -> Pinchas

יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה... ויאמר ד'... קח לך את יהושע בן נון איש אשר רוח בו

Moshe Marcovich
In Pinchas, 5778

May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the assembly… Hashem said… take to yourself Yehoshua bin Nun, a man in whom there is spirit. (27:16,18)

Moshe Rabbeinu chose a special way of addressing Hashem, “God of the spirits of all flesh.” Rather than refer to Hashem’s Omnipresence or wisdom, Moshe chose to speak of Hashem’s knowledge of the intricacies and foibles of the human mind and personality. Every person has his own unique persona and it is crucial for a leader to understand this and to know how to reach out to each person according to his own personal needs and wants. Moshe implied that his successor must embody as much of these Divine characters as humanly possible. In order to accommodate his flock, Moshe’s successor…

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Home -> 5778 -> Pinchas

יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה

Moshe Marcovich
In Pinchas, 5778

May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man on the assembly. (27:16)

Moshe Rabbeinu expressed his request for a successor in a unique manner, delineating special criteria. He refers to Hashem as “G-d of the spirits of all flesh.” Rashi explains Moshe’s choice of words: “He said to Hashem, ‘It is revealed and known to You the thoughts of each person, and how they differ one from another; appoint a leader who is able to tolerate each and every one of them with their individual attitudes.’” Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, explains that an effective leader does not decide on a specific approach to serving Hashem and then impose that approach on all…

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Home -> 5778 -> Pinchas

צרור את המדינים

Moshe Marcovich
In Pinchas, 5778

Harass the Midyanim. (25:17)

The Midyanim and Moavim facilitated the plot against the Jewish People by causing them to commit idolatry. They achieved this diabolical goal by inciting the Jewish men to acts of immorality with the pagan women. Tzaror, harass, is a constant form of enmity. Chazal (Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah 25) teach that one who causes his fellow to sin is worse than one who physically takes his life. One who murders does not cause his fellow to lose his eternal place in the World to Come. One who causes another to sin, however,makes him lose both worlds. We see this from the…

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Home -> 5778 -> Pinchas

פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם... לכן אמר הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום

Moshe Marcovich
In Pinchas, 5778

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen turned back My wrath from upon Bnei Yisrael when he zealously avenged My vengeance among them… Therefore, say: Behold! I give him My covenant of peace. (25:11,12)

The Midrash begins with the statement, B’din hu she’yitol scharo, “It is only halachically correct that Pinchas should receive his just reward. Therefore, I give him the Covenant of Peace.” What is the meaning of the phrase b’din hu, “It is by right (halachically)”? Horav Chaim Soloveitchik, zl, explains that reward is measured and repaid middah k’neged middah, measure for measure. Pinchas’ act of zealousness certainly warranted reward, but could Brisi Shalom, “My Covenant of Peace,” be considered middah k’neged middah for an act of zealousness?  Superficially, Pinchas’ slaying Zimri does not appear to be a peaceful act. Asking such…

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Home -> 5778 -> Balak

ויצמד ישראל לבעל פעור ויחר אף ד' בישראל

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5778

Yisrael became attached to Baal Peor, and the wrath of Hashem flared up against Yisrael. (25:3)

Bilaam was well aware that the moral code of the Jewish People is the foundation of their sanctity. Hashem does not tolerate immorality. In fact (as noted by the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim 1:36), the Torah speaks of Hashem’s anger as af, wrath, only when it is provoked by immorality. Thus, Bilaam counseled Balak to take down the Jewish people by enticing them to act licentiously. The laws of morality are introduced in Sefer Vayikra 18. Surprisingly, this chapter is read in shul on Yom Kippur – the holiest day of the year. Is no other section of the Torah…

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