Emes – Page 34 – Peninim on the Torah

ויקם משה וילך אל דתן ואבירם

So Moshe stood up and went to Dassan and Aviram. (16:25)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu denigrate himself to go to such miscreants as Dassan and Aviram? He was the quintessential leader of Klal Yisrael, the Rabban Shel Kol Yisrael, the nation’s Rebbe. They were nothing. Yet, he went to them. Why? Chazal (Sanhedrin 110a) derive from here that one does not sustain a dispute. If he can diffuse a controversy from growing, spreading, he should do everything possible to extinguish the flames of discord. Furthermore, one who supports a machlokes, controversy, transgresses the prohibition’ of V’lo yiheyeh k’Korach v’chaadaso, “that he not be like Korach and his assembly” (Bamidbar 17:5). Simply…

Home -> 5778 -> Korach

ויקומו לפני משה ואנשים מבני ישראל חמישים ומאתים נשיאי עדה

Moshe Marcovich In Korach, 5778

They stood before Moshe with two hundred and fifty men from Bnei Yisrael, leaders of the Assembly, those summoned for the meeting, men of renown. (16:2)

Perhaps we do not give enough credit to the average Jew. People are capable of deciding between right and wrong. Those who err do not necessarily lack astuteness; rather, the decision might have been more difficult than we think. Let us take the Korach controversy as an example. I say Korach, rather than Korach/Moshe, because Moshe Rabbeinu was passive. He did not enter the fray. He responded to the vitriol, but did not become a partner with Korach in the dispute. It was Korach against Moshe. It takes two participants to make a full-scale controversy. The Korach dispute had one…

Home -> 5778 -> Shelach

ויהיו בני ישראל במדבר וימצאו איש מקשש עצים ביום השבת

Moshe Marcovich In Shelach, 5778

The Bnei Yisrael were in the wilderness and they found a man gathering wood on the Shabbos day. (15:32)

The Maharal m’Prague (Gur Aryeh), notes that the mekoshesh eitzim, one who gathered wood on Shabbos, carried out his act of contempt during the second Shabbos of the Jews in the wilderness. Apparently, they observed the first Shabbos. Chazal teach (Shabbos 118b) that had they observed two Shabbosos, they would not have experienced the bitter exile. Shabbos is the great panacea which would have protected them. Why did the mekoshesh desecrate the second Shabbos? He acted for the sake of Heaven (or so he believed), in order that people would realize that Shabbos observance was serious business. When they would…

Home -> 5778 -> Naso

ויהי המקריב ביום הראשון את קרבנו נחשון בן עמינדב למטה יהודה וקרבנו קערת כסף אחת

Moshe Marcovich In Naso, 5778

The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nachshon ben Aminadav, of the tribe of Yehudah. (And) His offering was: one silver bowl. (7:12,13)

Concerning Nachshon ben Aminadav’s korban, offering, the Torah adds the prefix vav, and (and his korban). The vav ha’chibur, connecting vav, is present to connect the word to the previous sentence. Since Nachshon’s korban was the first offering brought by the Nesiim, the vav is superfluous. It should have said simply korbano, his korban. The Daas Zekeinim miBaalei HaTosfos explain that the Torah wrote this way in order to circumvent the possibility of Nachshon becoming haughty due to his being the first Nasi to bring a korban. Thus, the Torah wrote v’korbano, and his korban, as if to say –…

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 -> 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)

The Midrash cites a pasuk in Hoshea (12:8) “As for the merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loves to oppress.” applying it to Eliezer. Since he did not reveal his true intentions of seeking to have Yitzchak marry his daughter, he is labeled as deceitful. This seems puzzling. Is someone considered a liar just for covering up the truth? Never did Eliezer utter an untruth, yet he is referred to as deceitful! Rabbi Tzvi H. Volk suggests the following insight into the Midrash. He cites Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe who disagreed citing the popular dictum: “Whatever comes out…

Home -> 5778 -> Kedoshim

בצדק תשפט עמיתך

Moshe Marcovich In Kedoshim, 5778

With righteousness shall you Judge your fellow. (19:15)

Judging a fellow Jew judiciously is vital, because we often do not see the entire picture, which precludes us from thinking positively prior to rendering judgment. Furthermore, if we are not prepared to give our fellow the benefit of the doubt, why should Hashem do the same for us – especially when He knows the truth concerning our actions? He might be inclined to acquiesce or gloss over some of our infractions when He knows that we act similarly towards others. Last, by exerting patience and waiting to root out the whole story, not only will we spare ourselves the…

Home -> 5754 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5754

And Hashem said; Let us make man in our image after our likeness. (1:26)

Just as a human head of state confers with his cabinet before issuing a decree or enacting a law, so does Hashem “take counsel” with His angels. When Hashem said, “Let us make man,” He was addressing His ministering angels, He was soliciting their “opinion” in the matter. The Midrash describes the following discussion that went on in Heaven: Some angels were opposed to Adam’s creation, while others were in favor. The middah, characteristic, of chesed, kindness, affirmed, “Let him be created,” because he will perform acts of kindness. The middah of emes, truth, stood in opposition. It protested, “He…

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ויקם משה וילך אל דתן ואבירם

So Moshe stood up and went to Dassan and Aviram. (16:25)

ויקומו לפני משה ואנשים מבני ישראל חמישים ומאתים נשיאי עדה

They stood before Moshe with two hundred and fifty men from Bnei Yisrael, leaders of the Assembly, those summoned for the meeting, men of renown. (16:2)

ויהיו בני ישראל במדבר וימצאו איש מקשש עצים ביום השבת

The Bnei Yisrael were in the wilderness and they found a man gathering wood on the Shabbos day. (15:32)

ויהי המקריב ביום הראשון את קרבנו נחשון בן עמינדב למטה יהודה וקרבנו קערת כסף אחת

The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nachshon ben Aminadav, of the tribe of Yehudah. (And) His offering was: one silver bowl. (7:12,13)

'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 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)

בצדק תשפט עמיתך

With righteousness shall you Judge your fellow. (19:15)

And Hashem said; Let us make man in our image after our likeness. (1:26)

YEARS

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