Commitment – Page 25 – Peninim on the Torah

רב לכם סב את ההר הזה... אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשיו... אל תתגרו בם

Enough of your circling this mountain… you are passing through the boundary of your brothers, Bnei Eisav… you shall not provoke them. (2:3,5)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 1:15) relate that when Klal Yisrael was about to wage war against the descendants of Eisav, Hashem showed Moshe Rabbeinu the mountain where the Avos, Patriarchs, were buried. Moshe understood that the location of the burial place prevented Klal Yisrael from battling Eisav. Apparently, it was in Eisav’s zechus, merit, for honoring Yitzchak Avinu (and by extension Avraham Avinu). This is the meaning of Rav lachem sov es hahar hazeh; “Enough of your circling this mountain.” This means the mountain provides a reason to consider Eisav to be off limits. This was all the result of his…

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…

Home -> 5778 -> Naso

'איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד

Moshe Marcovich In Naso, 5778

A man or woman who shall dissociate himself by taking a nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

A Nazir seeks to dissociate himself from an environment which he feels is filled with temptation. It does not mean that he is weak. On the contrary, he is realistic, understanding that society presents blandishments that are not conducive to spiritual growth. The laws of nazir are juxtaposed upon the laws of sotah, the wayward wife. Chazal derive from here that one who observes a sotah in her degradation should prohibit himself from wine by taking a nazirite vow. The profligate behavior of the sotah is reflective of a woman who has allowed her sensual passions to partner with her…

Home -> 5778 -> Emor

ולא תחללו את שם קדשי ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל

Moshe Marcovich In Emor, 5778

You shall not desecrate My Holy Name, and I shall be sanctified among Bnei Yisrael. (22:32)

Some of us live under the misguided, self-imposed impression that Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying Hashem’s Name, is a one-time event – the ultimate sacrifice one must accept upon himself when the need arises and the situation is so pressing that there is no other way out other than abdicating one’s religious commitment. Horav Nissan Alpert, zl, understands otherwise from the text of this pasuk. According to the Rambam (Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 5:1), this pasuk is the source for the mitzvah that all the Jewish People are commanded to sanctify the great and holy Name of Hashem Yisborach. As it says, V’nikdashti…

Home -> 5754 -> Lech Lecha

Moshe Marcovich In Lech Lecha, 5754

And you will no longer be named Avram, your name will be Avraham. (17:5)

In Berachos 13a the Talmud states that whoever calls Avraham “Avram” transgresses either a positive commandment or a prohibition. One may refer, with equanimity however, to Yaakov by his other name, Yisrael. Rabbi Eli Munk z.t.l. explains that Avraham’s situation is different. With the act of circumcision he was transformed into a totally new being. The bris mila is accompanied by a complete metamorphosis. This transformation signals a distinct severance with the past, socially as well as morally and physically. No room for regression is allowed. The “Avram” of old is gone forever. The new Avraham belongs to an entirely…

Home -> Pekudei -> 5778

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

Roberto Szerer In 5778, Pekudei

On the first day of the new moon, on the first day of the month, you shall set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:1,2)

Chazal (Yalkut Melachim 184) teach that the work of constructing the parts of the Mishkan actually concluded on Kislev 25, but Hashem delayed its completion until the month of Nissan – the month in which Yitzchak Avinu was born. What is the significance of the date of Kislev 25 as the date on which the Mishkan was ready? Why did they delay until Rosh Chodesh Nissan to use the Mishkan? Last, what role does Yitzchak play vis-à-vis the implementation of the Mishkan? The Zera Shimshon quotes Rabbeinu Bachya (Pikudei 21) who says that the construction of the Mishkan corresponded to…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5778

ראיתי את העם הזה והנה עם קשה ערף הוא

Roberto Szerer In 5778, Ki Sisa

I have seen this nation and behold they are a stiff-necked nation. (32:9)

The chet ha’eigel, sin of the Golden Calf, is the first collective rebellion against Hashem by the nation that had just earlier accepted the Torah. Understandably, with our limited ability, we are unable to fathom the sin. What provoked it, its egregiousness, its roots in the mindset of the people? We can, however, piece together various correlative events which shed light on this defining sin. When we take note of the haftorah, reading from the Prophets, which describes Eliyahu HaNavi’s showdown with the prophets of the Baal idol, we are enlightened with regard to a new concept of sin and…

Home -> 5778 -> Mishpatim

ואנשי קדש תהיון לי

Roberto Szerer In Mishpatim, 5778

And men of a holy calling shall you be to Me. (22:30)

The Torah does not say anashim kedoshim, holy men; rather, it says anshei kodesh, men of a holy calling. Not all men can achieve the apex of kedushah, holiness, but all men can – and should – live as individuals who are charged with a Heavenly mission to achieve holiness. Our goal must be to become holy. Kedoshim tiyehu, “Be holy!” would then be interpreted: as strive for holiness; imbue your life with kedushah; attempt to reach the level whereby you are sanctified. Demanding personal holiness might be difficult for the individual. Expecting everyone to strive for holiness, to focus…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5778

ואני נתתי לך שכם אחד על אחיך אשר לקחתי...בחרבי ובקשתי

Roberto Szerer In 5778, Vayechi

And as for me, I have given you Shechem – one portion more than your brothers, which I took…with my sword and my bow. (48:22)

B’charbi u’b’kashti, with my sword and with my bow. Rashi interprets sword and bow as: sword – sharp wisdom; bow – prayer. Targum Onkelos translates it as tzalusi u’b’bausi; with my prayer is my supplication. Thus, Yaakov Avinu’s strength lies not in his physical prowess, but rather, in his spiritual potency. Yaakov’s prayer was much more effective than his physical strength. This is true for all of us. Our strength is in our spirituality. We vanquish the enemy with our supplications, not with our guns. Horav Shimon Pincus, zl, observes that during an eis tzarah, period of tribulation, when the numbers…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5778

ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים

Roberto Szerer In 5778, Vayechi

Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt. (47:28)

There is a general rule concerning the placement of a new parshah/sidrah in a Torah scroll: The new Sidrah either: begins on a new line, or it is separated from the previous parshah by a nine-letter space. Parashas Vayechi is unique in that no extra space exists between it and Parashas Vayigash – the preceding parshah. Thus, Rashi calls Parashas Vayechi a parshah setumah, closed parshah. Since nothing happens in a vacuum, Rashi explains why Vayechi is “closed.” It teaches us that at the time of his passing, the mood of Yaakov Avinu’s children was “closed.” They were acutely aware…

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רב לכם סב את ההר הזה... אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשיו... אל תתגרו בם

Enough of your circling this mountain… you are passing through the boundary of your brothers, Bnei Eisav… you shall not provoke them. (2:3,5)

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

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)

'איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד

A man or woman who shall dissociate himself by taking a nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

ולא תחללו את שם קדשי ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל

You shall not desecrate My Holy Name, and I shall be sanctified among Bnei Yisrael. (22:32)

And you will no longer be named Avram, your name will be Avraham. (17:5)

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

On the first day of the new moon, on the first day of the month, you shall set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:1,2)

ראיתי את העם הזה והנה עם קשה ערף הוא

I have seen this nation and behold they are a stiff-necked nation. (32:9)

ואנשי קדש תהיון לי

And men of a holy calling shall you be to Me. (22:30)

ואני נתתי לך שכם אחד על אחיך אשר לקחתי...בחרבי ובקשתי

And as for me, I have given you Shechem – one portion more than your brothers, which I took…with my sword and my bow. (48:22)

ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים

Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt. (47:28)

YEARS

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