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Home -> 5758 -> Ki Savo

Moshe Marcovich
In Ki Savo, 5758

These shall stand to bless the people on Har Gerizim…and these shall stand for curse. (27:12,13)

Interestingly, this parsha is filled with promises of blessing  for good behavior and punishment and curse for disobedience. Nowhere, however,  do we find the entreaty, “Please, Hashem, do not punish us for the wrong behavior we have committed. Overlook our sins.”  Horav Moshe Swift, zl, emphasizes that the concept of reward and punishment is an integral  part of Jewish doctrine.  When you do something wrong, you pay for your sin.  When you do a good deed, you are rewarded.  Every action, every activity, every word, is all taken into account recorded and compensated. Furthermore, if we note the text, Hashem…

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Home -> 5758 -> Ki Savo

Moshe Marcovich
In Ki Savo, 5758

I have not eaten from it in my intense mourning. (26:14)

In the days of antiquity,  pagan cults commonly  based their religion upon death.  They filled  the caves of their departed relatives with stores of food and  personal objects to accompany them on their journey through death.  Jewish law vehemently forbids these rituals, refraining from providing any materials or provisions to the departed.  We fashion our coffins from  simple wood; we clothe the corpse  in plain white shrouds.  To paraphrase Horav Eli Munk,zl, “Judaism’s primary focus is upon life, that it be positive and productive.”  In no way, however, are we lax in our care for the dead.  We accord respect…

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Home -> 5758 -> Emor

Moshe Marcovich
In Emor, 5758

“You shall sanctify him for the bread of your G-d he offers, he shall be holy unto you.” (21:8)

Horav Elyakim Schlesinger, Shlita, cites the Chazon Ish who once commented regarding a certain Torah scholar. This man had  disagreed with him regarding a halachic matter.  He  said that the scholar was actually an am ha’aretz, illiterate.  The Chazon Ish explained that the degree of one’s erudition is consistent with his ability to appreciate another person’s gadlus, superiority, in Torah learning. One who has himself achieved literacy in Torah, recognizes its profundity.  He will, consequently, defer to another’s academic attainment in Torah.  One who is truly illiterate, and whose arrogance denies him the ability to perceive his own deficits, will…

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Home -> 5758 -> Beha'alosecha

Moshe Marcovich
In Beha'alosecha, 5758

They journeyed from the mountain of Hashem a three day journey and the Aron of the covenant journeyed before them…to search out for them a resting place. (10:33)

Rashi contends that the “Aron Bris Hashem” — which was taken out with Bnei Yisrael when they went to battle —  contained  the broken Luchos.  The “Shivrei Luchos” retained a unique power which served as a protective armor when Bnei Yisrael were in a difficult predicament.  We must endeavor to understand why the Aron that contained the broken Luchos accompanied  Bnei Yisrael in time of war. What was the significance of the Shivrei Luchos? What influence did they maintain over the people? We suggest that the broken Luchos represent the integrity of Torah and each Jew’s mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, to…

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Home -> 5758 -> Beha'alosecha

Moshe Marcovich
In Beha'alosecha, 5758

Speak to Aharon…When you kindle the lamps, towards the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps light. (8:2)

Rashi addresses the relationship  between Aharon’s  lighting the Menorah and the previous parsha, which recounts the offerings of nesiim, princes, for the dedication of the Mizbayach.  He says that Aharon was upset that neither he, nor any member of shevet Levi, was included in the dedication.  Hashem comforted Aharon saying that his service, preparing and kindling the Menorah, was more significant than theirs.  We wonder at Aharon’s chagrin.  Obviously, his reaction must have had some validity, as Hashem responded by comforting him.  We must also endeavor to understand the meaning of the phrase, “Yours is greater/more significant than theirs.“  This…

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Home -> Bamidbar -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Bamidbar

These are the offspring of Moshe and Aharon…These are the names of the sons of Aharon…(3:1,2)

The Torah is about to enumerate Moshe and Aharons’ offspring.  The pasuk, however, mentions only the sons of Aharon.  In the Talmud Sanhedrin 96, Chazal infer that one who teaches Torah to someone else’s children is regarded as if he has begotten them.   Moshe was their rebbe; he taught them the Torah, which would sustain them.  He was like their father.  This idea applies to anyone who imparts his Torah knowledge to others.  Our influence is far-reaching; our ability to inspire is unlimited.  Moshe was mentor and spiritual father to Aharon’s sons. What about the rest of Klal Yisrael? …

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Home -> Bamidbar -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Bamidbar

Their count, for the tribe of Menashe; thirty two thousand, two hundred. (1:35)

The count for shevet Menashe was  about thirty-two thousand men.  There is no doubt that every census was determined by Hashem. Consequently, there must have been a  reason that the  number thirty-two played such a prominent role in Menashes’ census.  Horav Chaim Pardes, Shlita, expounds on the significance of the number thirty-two through the perspective of Chazal.  The Talmud Yevamos 62b states that Rabbi Akiva’s twenty four thousand students died during the period between Pesach and Shavuous because they were not accustomed to showing proper kavod, honor/esteem, one for another.  The Maharal M’Prague makes a profound statement in regard to…

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Home -> 5758 -> Balak

Moshe Marcovich
In Balak, 5758

How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Yisrael. (24:5)

As we enter the shul, our daily encounter with the Almighty  begins with the pasuk that Bilaam recited. Let us put this into perspective.  Bilaam was impressed and inspired by Klal Yisrael’s modesty and sensitivity  to  privacy issues, as evidenced by the arrangement of their tents.  Bilaam  was the paradigm of evil, a man whose sense of morality was so eroded that he sought to destroy Klal Yisrael through debauchery. He fully comprehended that Hashem despises licentiousness.  He recognized Hashem’s reaction to Klal Yisrael’s promiscuous attraction to the daughters of Moav.  Yet, during a brief moment of spiritual ascendency, granted…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem. (19:18)

Rabbi Akiva said that the commandment to “love your fellow as yourself” is the fundamental rule of the Torah.  Hashem adjures us to be sensitive to the needs of others.  Indeed, Chazal base a variety of laws upon this rule.  Unfortunately, Rabbi Akiva, who expounded this rule, who emphasized its critical importance, did not merit to see this rule adopted by his twenty-four thousand students.  They all passed away tragically during the seven week period between Pesach and Shavuous.  According to Chazal, they died because they did not give the proper kavod, honor, to one another.  Rabbi Akiva did not…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

Reprove your fellow (19:17)

Usually when the Torah repeats a word it is providing  emphasis.  In this case the emphasis placed upon the word “hochei’ach“, reprove,  tells us, “you shall surely reprove”.   Horav David Feinstein, Shlita, goes a step further.  He suggests that while the emphasis is apparently upon the reproach,  the focus, however, is not  on the one who has sinned, but rather on the mochi’ach, the one who is reproving.  There must be constant reproof. This means that prior to reproving someone else, one should first go through a bit of self-censure, chastising himself repeatedly in order  to ensure that his…

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