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ובמלאת ימי טהרה לבן או לבת תביא כבש בן שנתו לעולה ובן יונה או תור לחטאת

Upon the completion of the days of her purity for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a sheep within its first year for an Elevation-offering, and a young dove or a turtledove for a Sin-offering. (12:6)

Upon completing her period of purification, the yoledes, woman who gave birth, brings two korbanos, offerings, because she seeks atonement for two types of sin. The Korban Olah, Elevation-offering, atones for any resentful thoughts she may have had against her husband or Hashem during the painful moments of childbirth. The Sin-offering atones for the possibility that, in her dire pain, she might have sworn never to have physical relations with her husband. The requisite of two atonements for one activity is rare. The following anecdote reinforces this idea, lending us insight into the character of one of this past century’s…

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ויאמר משה אל אהרן הוא אשר דבר ד' לאמר בקרובי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד וידם אהרן

Moshe said to Aharon: Of this did Hashem speak, saying, “I will be sanctified through those who are close to Me, and I will be honored before the entire people;” and Aharon fell silent. (10:3)

The last two words of the above pasuk, Va’yidom Aharon, “And Aharon fell silent,” are, to me, among the most frightening – yet awe-inspiring – words in the Torah. The ability to transcend emotion, to experience tragedy on what should have been the happiest and most spiritually-elevating day of Aharon’s life, is truly inspirational. Aharon HaKohen had worked his entire life to achieve this moment, to be crowned as the Kohen Gadol, High Priest. His response to the mind-numbing tragedy was the true indication of his worthiness of this exalted position. How are we to come to terms with Aharon’s…

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ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויצאו ויברכו את העם וירא כבוד ד' אל כל העם

Moshe and Aharon came to the Ohel Moed, and they went out and blessed the people – and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people. (9:23)

Rashi describes what occurred behind the scenes which necessitated the entry of Moshe Rabbeinu into the Ohel Moed together with Aharon HaKohen. When Aharon saw that all of the offerings had been brought and all of the service in the Mishkan had been performed, he was greatly concerned. The Shechinah had not descended to Klal Yisrael. In his great humility, Aharon blamed himself: “I know that Hashem has become angry with me, and it is because of me that the Shechinah has not descended to the nation.” Aharon approached his brother and said, “Moshe, thus you have done to me;…

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ונתן לך רחמים ורחמך והרבך

And He will give you mercy and be merciful to you and multiply you. (13:18)

Being designated as agents of destruction can take its toll on people. We read horror stories about young high school graduates who enlist in the military, and, after a tour of duty, become hollow, often depraved individuals. This is what death and killing can do to the mind. Of course, this is especially true when the victims are one’s own people. The inhabitants of the Ir Hanidachas, wayward city, have committed a most egregious crime, for which they are duly and rightfully punished. The ones carrying out the punishment, however, might become affected by it. They might develop a callousness…

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ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה

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

There are no grey areas in Judaism. One either listens to the word of G-d and is blessed, or he is cursed for refusing to listen. Moshe Rabbeinu seems to underscore the significance of the word, ha’yom, “today.”  Does it really make a difference if it is “today” or “tomorrow”? The message is the same. If you listen – blessing; you do not listen – curse! Why does he emphasize that he is presenting it “today”? In the Likutei Moharan, Horav Nachman Breslover, zl, is quoted as saying: “A man has in this world only ‘that day,’ ‘that hour,’ ‘that…

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וירד ד' לראות את העיר ...אשר בנו בני האדם

Hashem descended to look at the city…which the sons of Man built. (11:5)

Rashi questions the use of the words, bnei Adam, “sons of man.”  Who else would they be?  Were they the sons of donkeys?  He explains that the Torah refers to their lineage ascending to Adam HaRishon, primordial man, who exhibited ingratitude when Hashem asked him why he had eaten the forbidden fruit.  Adam replied, “The woman whom You gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree and I ate”(Bereishis 3:11).  As he was a kafui tov, ingrate, likewise, his descendants rebelled against the One Who had spared them from the effects of the Flood.  In other…

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ויאמר אלקים לנח קץ כל בשר בא לפני כי מלאה הארץ חמס מפניהם

G-d said to Noach, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with robbery through them.” (6:13)

Chazal focus on the word mipneihem, “through them,” written in lashon rabim, plural, implying that Hashem was weary with the actions of the gazlan, thief, and the nigzal, victim.  This is enigmatic.  While it is understandable that the actions of the thieves were at the point of disgust, what blame can be placed on the hapless victims?  Is it my fault that someone decided to rob me?  Apparently, the Torah has a dim view of the victim.  Perhaps he is not as blameless as we would be led to believe. Horav Arye Leib Bakst, zl, explains that we are all…

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וישב בה עד מות הכהן הגדול אשר משח אותו בשמן הקדש

He shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol, whom he had anointed with the sacred oil. (35:25)

What did the Kohen Gadol, High Priest, do to deserve such a “relationship” with the unintentional murderer? It is almost as if the Kohen Gadol shares punitively with the rotzeiach b’shogeig. Rashi explains that the Kohen Gadol serves as the nation’s spiritual leader. As such, he has a responsibility to pray for his people – pray that no one sustains a fatal accident at the hands of another Jew. Apparently, he either did not pray, or he did not pray with sufficient intensity. In any event, a man was killed unintentionally. The Kohen Gadol must assume some of this responsibility….

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נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף על עמיך. וידבר משה אל העם

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim. Afterward you will be gathered unto your people. Moshe spoke to the people. (31:2,3)

Remarkable! The Midyanim were to receive their due punishment in response to their involvement in the Jews’ sins of immorality and idolatry. This punishment resulted in the deaths of 24,000 Jewish souls. Hashem told Moshe that this “unfinished business” should be addressed now, since his death was tied to it. In other words, Moshe was going to leave this world as soon as he carried out this last retribution. Our quintessential leader, Moshe Rabbeinu, could easily have taken his time in executing Hashem’s command. He did not. Indeed, he did it immediately, so great and intense was his love for…

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לך לך מארצך וממולדתך... ואעשך לגוי גדול

Go from your land and your birth place… And I will make of you a great nation. (12:1)

The Talmud Rosh Hashanah 16b teaches that four things can nullify the unfavorable decree against an individual: Charity; prayer with tzeakah, crying out; changing one’s name; change of action, or changing his way of life. The Talmud cites a fifth possible way to overturn an evil decree: a change of place. They support this idea with the pasuk: “Go from your land,” which is followed up, “I will make of you a great nation.” This indicates that, in his new location, Avraham Avinu would finally be blessed with a son, the precursor of a great nation. Rashi quotes the Midrash…

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