Attitude – Page 37 – Peninim on the Torah

צרור את המדינים

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…

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…

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…

Home -> 5778 -> Shelach

וישכמו בבקר ויעלו אל ראש ההר לאמר הננו ועלינו אל המקום אשר אמר ד' כי חטאנו

Moshe Marcovich In Shelach, 5778

They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountain top saying, “We are ready, and we shall ascend to the place of which Hashem has spoken.” (14:40)

The other night, the entire nation had been trembling with fright, weeping incessantly (and unnecessarily) with bitter tears, demonstrating abject fear that they would be forced to ascend to Eretz Yisrael and conquer its inhabitants. Suddenly, their attitude changed. Not only were they now prepared to go into battle – they went. We all know the outcome of that ill-fated trip, but what prompted them to go? What happened to the trembling, the fear? How did it dissipate overnight? Horav Reuven Karlinstein, zl, addresses this question, but first, he describes the scenario (based on Chazal) which so captivated Klal Yisrael,…

Home -> 5778 -> Beha'alosecha

ויהי העם כמתאוננים רע באזני ד' וישמע ד'

Moshe Marcovich In Beha'alosecha, 5778

And the nation was complaining; and it was bad to Hashem’s ears. And Hashem heard. (11:1)

Simply, the pasuk teaches that the Bnei Yisrael complained, moaning about the long journey through the wilderness which was forced upon them. They were not happy about it, and their complaints reached Hashem’s “ears.” This led to Hashem’s punitive response to their complaining. The Chasam Sofer offers an alternative approach to these pesukim. Understandably, describing Hashem in anthropocentric terms – such as eyes, ears, hands – is purely figurative, since Hashem has no physical form. The nation (at this point) believed in the figurative “eyes” of Hashem, accepting that He sees everything. They also accepted the figurative “hand” of Hashem,…

Home -> 5778 -> Beha'alosecha

ויהי בנסוע הארון

Moshe Marcovich In Beha'alosecha, 5778

When the Aron would travel. (10:35)

The well-known pesukim, which are recited when the Torah is removed from the Aron Kodesh, are placed in our parsha and are separated from the rest of the parsha by two inverted nuns. Chazal (Shabbos 115b) teach, “Hashem placed a symbol before and following these pesukim in order to underscore that this is not the rightful place for these pesukim to be recorded in the Torah.” The more appropriate place is in Parashas Bamidbar where the Torah records the nation’s masaos, journeys. Why were they placed here? Chazal explain that the Torah seeks to differentiate the first puranios, punishments, from…

Home -> 5778 -> Naso

זאת חנוכת המזבח ביום המשח אתו מאת נשיאי ישראל

Moshe Marcovich In Naso, 5778

This was the dedication of the Altar, on the day it was anointed, from the Princes of Yisrael. (7:84)

The Torah has just enumerated in detail the offerings of each Nasi, Prince/leader. Twelve Nesiim each brought identical offerings. Yet, the Torah chose to detail each Nasi – offering separately. The Rambam explains that while each Nasi brought the same offering, his machshavah, thought – process and reasoning, for arriving at the decision to bring this specific korban was distinct from that of any other Nasi. Their conclusions were identical; their machasvos, however, were different. Thus, the Torah follows the thought process. Why? Does it make a difference how they all arrived at the same decision concerning what to offer?…

Home -> 5778 -> Emor

'ושמרתם מצותי ועשיתם אתם אני ד

Moshe Marcovich In Emor, 5778

You shall observe My commandments and perform them. (22:31)

Rashi explains the verbs in this pasuk practically: u’shmartem, “You shall observe,” as referring to Mishnah, study; and va’asisem; “and perform them,” as an enjoinment to action, to carrying out mitzvos. In contrast, the Chasam Sofer, zl, approaches the verb “u’shmartem,” homiletically. U’shmartem, “You shall guard them,” as we find concerning Yaakov Avinu’s understanding of Yosef’s dream; V’aviv shamar es ha’davar, “And his father kept the matter in mind” (Bereishis 37:11). Our Patriarch anticipated the results of the dream. He guarded it, anticipating its outcome. Thus, the Torah teaches us that it is not enough to merely execute the mitzvah;…

Home -> 5754 -> Toldos

Moshe Marcovich In Toldos, 5754

And he said, is he not rightly named Yaakov, for he has supplanted me these two times. (27:36)

The various commentators seem to have one theme in their understanding of hbceghu. Targum Onkelos interprets it as “he has outsmarted me.” Ibn Ezra relates this term to ceg, as in ckv ceg (crooked heart), thereby meaning “to take a crooked and cunning route.” Rashi explains it as “setting a trap.” They all seem to be consistent in explaining ceg as including the idea of devious undertaking with malice aforethought to reach one’s goal. Indeed, this analysis is confirmed by the fact that Yaakov was compelled to “trick” his brother on two occasions. As Rabbi E. Munk z.t.l. notes, this…

Home -> 5754 -> Chayei Sarah

Moshe Marcovich In Chayei Sarah, 5754

And I said to my master, perhaps the woman will not follow me. (24:39)

Upon meeting with Rivkah’s family, Eliezer recounted his entire discussion with Avraham. Included in the conversation, Eliezer related his anxiety that the prospective bride might refuse his offer. Rashi cites the reason behind this fear. Eliezer, himself, had a daughter for whom he sought Yitzchak as a husband. Upon approaching Avraham with the idea of this match, he encountered a negative response. Avraham’s rejection was based upon the fact that Eliezer, as a descendant of Canaan, was considered cursed, while Yitzchak was blessed. A union between one who is blessed and one who is cursed cannot endure. The spelling of…

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צרור את המדינים

Harass the Midyanim. (25:17)

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

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)

ויצמד ישראל לבעל פעור ויחר אף ד' בישראל

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

וישכמו בבקר ויעלו אל ראש ההר לאמר הננו ועלינו אל המקום אשר אמר ד' כי חטאנו

They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountain top saying, “We are ready, and we shall ascend to the place of which Hashem has spoken.” (14:40)

ויהי העם כמתאוננים רע באזני ד' וישמע ד'

And the nation was complaining; and it was bad to Hashem’s ears. And Hashem heard. (11:1)

ויהי בנסוע הארון

When the Aron would travel. (10:35)

זאת חנוכת המזבח ביום המשח אתו מאת נשיאי ישראל

This was the dedication of the Altar, on the day it was anointed, from the Princes of Yisrael. (7:84)

'ושמרתם מצותי ועשיתם אתם אני ד

You shall observe My commandments and perform them. (22:31)

And he said, is he not rightly named Yaakov, for he has supplanted me these two times. (27:36)

And I said to my master, perhaps the woman will not follow me. (24:39)

YEARS

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