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ויאמר אליהם משה החייתם כל נקבה. הן הנה היו לבני ישראל בדבר בלעם למסר מעל בד' על דבר פעור

Moshe said to them: Did you let every female live? Behold It was they who caused Bnei Yisrael by the word of Bilaam, to commit a betrayal against Hashem regarding the matter of Pe’or. (31:15,16)

It is said how the most well-meaning – albeit quite insecure – leaders of factions of the religious Jewish community who call themselves Orthodox, but have yet to prove it, fall prey to the double-edged sword of Jew/non-Jew relationships. One cannot sufficiently emphasize how the blandishments of the non-Jewish society in which we live have had a disastrous influence on the religious vitality and continuity of our People. One need only to take a stroll outside of the shelter of the observant Jewish community to observe the downward spiral of Jewish literacy and commitment. The staggering rate of intermarriage is…

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החלצו מאתכם אנשים לצבא ויהיו על מדין לתת נקמת ד' במדין

Arm men from among yourselves for the legion that they be against Midyan that they may inflict Hashem’s vengeance against Midyan. (31:3)

When the Jewish army went into battle, it was unlike any other national army. Horav Mordechai Druk, Shlita, notes the apparent differences between our army and the armies of the nations of the world. Moshe Rabbeinu did not lead the Jewish army in a war of retribution against Midyan because he had benefitted from the land of Midyan years earlier when he escaped Egypt. Clearly, such a moral compass is unlikely to be found in any other nation: a leader to choose not to lead against a sworn enemy because he owes them hakoras hatov, a sense of gratitude, is…

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והאמין בד' ויחשביה לו צדקה

And he trusted in Hashem, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. (15:6)

Rashi notes that, concerning Hashem’s promise to Avraham that he would be blessed with offspring, the Patriarch did not ask for a sign. Concerning the promise that he would take possession of Eretz Yisrael, Avraham Avinu asked, Bama eida, “Whereby shall I know?” requesting a sign from Above that he would inherit it. Why did the Patriarch ask for affirmation regarding the Land and not regarding the offspring? Horav Yitzchak Volozhiner, zl, explains this with an analogy that goes to the very crux of the issue which continues to haunt us until this very day. A king was once traveling…

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ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך... אם מחוט ועד שרוך נעל ואם אקח מכל אשר לך ולא תאמר אני העשרתי את אברם

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself…” If so much as a thread or a shoe strap; or if I will take from anything that is yours! So you shall not say, “It is I who have made Avram wealthy.” (14:21,23)

Avraham Avinu was the victor in the war, and to the victor go the spoils. The king of Sodom agreed to give him whatever material booty he requested, as long as he left the people. Avraham replied that he could keep his money: “Hashem has promised to make me rich.” As Rashi explains, “I do not need you to sustain me. Hashem takes care of His own. It is a nice speech, a wonderful and magnanimous gesture on the part of the Patriarch, but he was not receiving a gift from the king of Sodom. He was receiving the spoils…

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ויהי ריב בין רעי מקנה אברם ובין רעי מקנה לוט... ויאמר אברם אל לוט אל נא תהי מריבה ביני ובינך... הפרד נא מעלי

And there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Avram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock… so Avram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between me and you… please separate from me.” (13:7, 8, 9)

Avraham Avinu spent a lifetime reaching out to the uninitiated, regardless of their beliefs. To Avraham, the most entrenched pagan was a person who could, and should be reached. Together with his wife, Sarah Imeinu, they converted thousands to monotheism. If so, why is it specifically his nephew, Lot, a person for whom he cared, that Avraham asked to leave his presence? What was Lot’s transgression? Petty theft from the fields of others was without a doubt inappropriate behavior, but did it warrant a complete break in their relationship? What about teshuvah, repentance? Avraham made the attempt to convince everyone…

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ויהי ריב בין רעי מקנה אברם ובין רעי מקנה לוט

And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Avram’s livestock, and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (13:7)

Avraham Avinu’s cattle went out with their mouths muzzled, specifically so that they would not eat what did not belong to him. Lot did not seem to maintain this stringency. His animals ate whenever and wherever they pleased. This caused friction between the two. As a result, Avraham asked Lot to separate from him, to choose any area that he pleased, and he would go elsewhere. This way they could remain “friends,” and Lot could do as he pleased without suffering the pain and rebuke. Rav Yosef B’chor Shor explains further that Avraham was concerned, “What would the neighbors say…

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ויקח אברם את שרי אשתו... ואת כל רכושם אשר רכשו ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן

Avram took his wife Sarai… and all their wealth that they had amassed, and the souls they had made in Charan. (12:5)

Rashi explains that the nefesh, souls, which they made in Charan, is a reference to the many people who Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu were able to pluck from the grasp of the pagans and inspire with the monotheistic belief. These converts to Hashem followed the ones who had “made” them. Avraham’s raison d’etre in life was to promulgate the belief in Hashem. To teach the truth was not enough if he did not convert the people. A successful teacher is one who impacts the lives of his students. This was our Patriarch’s goal, his life’s work. Indeed, every endeavor…

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ואעשך לגוי גדול ואברכך ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה

And I will make of you a great nation; and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (12:2)

In an alternative explanation, Rashi says, “‘And I will make you a great nation” is a reference to the words Elokei Avraham, G-d of Avraham, which is recited in the beginning of Shemoneh Esrai. Vaavarchecha, ‘and I will bless you,’ refers to Elokei Yitzchak; and Vaagadlah shemecha refers to Elokei Yaakov. While I might think that they conclude the blessing of the Avos, Patriarchs, with all three of them, the pasuk states Ve’heyei b’rachah, ‘And you will be a blessing,’ Becha chosmin, v’lo bahem, ‘With you, Avraham, they conclude the blessing, and not with them.’” A well-known exposition is attributed…

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ודתן ואבירם יצאו נצבים פתח אהליהם

And Dasan and Aviram came out and stood at the door of their tents. (16:27)

Rashi explains that these two reshaim, miscreants, who acted as Moshe Rabbeinu’s nemeses, going back to Egypt, were here again to do what they were good at: harassing and undermining our nation’s leader. When Moshe came by, they remained firm and resolute in their commitment to degrade and humiliate Moshe in every way. One wonders how these individuals survived so long. Eighty percent of the Jewish People who were in Egypt died during the three days of the plague of darkness. Dasan and Aviram did not. They continued their subversive activities at every juncture of Klal Yisrael’s journey. Yet, they…

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ואון בן פלת

And On ben Peles. (16:1)

On ben Peles was one of the original leaders of the Korach dispute. Yet, he was ultimately absent from the end confrontation; thus, he was spared the horrible punishment meted out to Korach and his followers. In the Talmud Sanhedrin 109a, Chazal teach that On was blessed with a wise and righteous wife, who saw where this confrontation was going and devised a plan, a logical argument, by which she was able to convince her husband to stay “home.” She said to him, “What do you (personally) have to benefit from this folly? Regardless who emerges the winner, Moshe or…

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