Monday, Tammuz 9, 5773 / June 17, 2013
This Shabbat, in the Diaspora, we will read Parshat Balak. In this Parsha the Torah tells us the story of Balak and Bilaam. They both hated the Jewish people and wanted to have them destroyed.
Balak, King of Moab, saw that the Jewish people, who just defeated the two mighty kings, Sichon and Og, were now encamped on the border of his land. He became extremely frightened for his own land and people. The Jewish people had no intention to conquer his land.
He realized that if the two kings Sichon and Og couldn’t defeat the Jewish people, he surely had no chance against them in battle. His only choice was to defeat them in a different way. He knew that Moshe, the leader of the Jewish people, lived in Midyan before becoming their leader. He asked the elders of Midyan, “What is Moshe’s power? And how can he be defeated?”
The reply he received from Midyan was that Moshe’s power is in his speech, in his prophecy and in his power of prayer. Balak knew that the only person who can match up to Moshe in that area, was Bila’am. He summoned Bila’am, who was the master sorcerer of his time, to come and curse the Jewish people. This way, Balak believed that he will have a fighting chance to defeat the Jewish people.
Balak built many altars and brought forty two sacrifices, hoping that in the merit of his sacrifices, G-d will allow Bilam to curse the Jewish people. But try as hard as he would, G-d always put words of blessing in Bilam’s mouth and instead of cursing them, he actually blessed them. When Balak realized that Bilam was no help and in fact made things worse for him, he chased him away.
Of the 54 Parshiot (portions) of the Torah, only five are named after a person: Noah, Yitro, Korach, Balak & Pinchas. Naming a Parsha of the Torah after someone is a great honor.
We can understand a portion of the Torah being named after Noah, who was a righteous person and saved from the Great Flood. Also, Yitro, who was Moshe’s father-in-law and joined the Jewish people. Korach was Moshe’s cousin. Although he argued against Moshe and was punished, yet, our sages say that he and his people were great scholars. Also Pinchas, about whom we will read later in the Torah, was a great person and received a special reward from G-d for his good deed.
Q. Why would the Torah name a Parsha after Balak, who wanted to kill the Jewish people?
A. The Talmudic sages explain that because of the forty-two sacrifices which Balak brought, he had the merit that Ruth descended from him. Subsequently, from Ruth came King David and King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Although Balak’s intentions for bringing the sacrifices were not for a good reason, as it was in order to bribe G-d so that He will allow Bilam to curse the Jewish people, yet, the fact that he brought all these sacrifices stood in his merit. For, every good deed gets rewarded.
It is because of Ruth, King David and Solomon, who were descendants of Balak, that the Parsha is called by his name! The lesson: No good deed goes unnoticed. If not for now, it may even be an investment for future generations.
SHABBAT SHALOM – HAVE A WONDERFUL SHABBAT
Montreal Candle lighting time: 8:22 / Shabbat ends: 9:44
B"H
Monday, Tammuz 19, 5782 / July 18, 2022
Shabbat was the 17th day in the month of Tammuz, which is usually a fast day, known as the fast of, "Shiv’a Asar B'Tammuz." It is one of the five Rabbinical decreed public fast days observed during the year, associated with the destruction of the Holy Temples.
According to Jewish law one is prohibited to fast on Shabbat (except for Yom Kippur), as a result, the fast was pushed off to Sunday. Thus, yesterday, Sunday, was a fast day.
Q. What happened on the 17th of Tammuz?
A. Five tragic events occurred on this day: 1) The First Tablets were broken on this day. After spending 40 days on Mount Sinai, Moshe descended from the mountain with the Two Tablets. Upon seeing the people worshipping the Golden Calf, he broke the Tablets with the Ten Commandments.
2) The daily sacrifice was stopped. When the city of Jerusalem was under siege it became difficult to obtain animals for sacrifices. On the 17th of Tammuz the "Korban Hatamid" (the continual daily sacrifice), which was offered daily for hundreds of years, came to an end.
3) The walls of Jerusalem were breached. On this day, the Romans succeeded in breaching the walls of the Holy city of Jerusalem, which eventually led to the fall of the city.
4) A Torah was burnt. Apustmus, captain of the Roman occupation forces, publicly burned the Torah Scroll on the 17th of Tammuz.
5) An idol was placed in the Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple) on this day.
With the fast of the 17th of Tammuz begins the "Three Week" period called, "Bein Hamtzarim" ("between the straits"). The three weeks end with Tisha B’Av (9th of Av), the day when the Temples were destroyed.
Weddings are not performed during these three weeks, as we remember and mourn the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem.
The destruction of the First Temple was due to the sin of idol worshipping amongst the Jewish people. The destruction of the Second Temple was caused by the sin of, "Sinat Chinam" - unjustified hatred among the Jewish people. In order to correct this, we are extra careful to treat each other with special care and respect during this time.
It is customary to give additional Tzedakah-charity during this time demonstrating care and consideration for the needs of others. May we merit the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. May we merit everlasting peace in Israel. Amen!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Tammuz 20, 5782 / July 19, 2022
This week’s Parsha, Pinchas, begins with G-d rewarding Pinchas for his role in stopping a plague which killed 24,000 of the Jewish people.
The plague was brought upon them as a result of immoral acts which they committed by having relations with the Moavite and Midyonite women and worshipping their idols.
Pinchas risked his own life and as a result he was rewarded that G-d gave him His covenant of peace. Pinchas becoming a kohen means that from now on he would perform the service in the Holy Temple, like his father and grandfather. This reward would also extend to his descendants for future generations.
In the Parsha we also read that, after the plague, G-d commands Moshe to count the Jewish people (except the tribe of Levi), every man from the ages of 20 to 60. Their total sum was 601,730.
The second half of Parshat Pinchas is about the required sacrifices which were to be offered each day; each Shabbat; every Rosh Chodesh; Rosh Hashana; Yom Kippur and on the three festive holidays, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot.
This Parsha is unique in that every Rosh Chodesh and every holiday we read from Parshat Pinchas the portion which pertains to the sacrifices of that particular holiday.
Q. A kohen is someone whose father and grandfather are kohanim. It is passed on through paternal lineage. Pinchas was the son of Elazar and grandson of Aaron, who were both kohanim. As a son and grandson of a kohen he should have already been a kohen. Why did he become a kohen only after his heroic act, which took place about 39 years after his father and grandfather became kohanim?
A. When G-d made Aaron a kohen, He granted the priesthood only to Aaron and his four sons and to all their descendants who will be born from then on. But the children and grandchildren who were born already didn’t become kohanim. Thus, Pinchas was not a kohen although his father and grandfather were. Only after he stopped the plague, did G-d grant him, as a reward, the priesthood.
Q. G-d made Pinchas a kohen, by giving him and his descendants after him the covenant of peace. How is the priesthood (kohen) connected to peace?
A. The kohen has the special mitzvah to bless the Jewish people with the following blessing; “May the L-rd bless you and watch over you. May the L-rd cause His countenance to shine upon you and favor you. May the L-rd raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.” Blessings bring peace, especially as this blessing ends with the blessing of peace.
Our sages instruct us, “Be of the disciples of Aaron, love peace and pursue peace.” Shalom-peace is the greatest blessing. May G-d grant us all peace, within ourselves, our family, and the world. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Tammuz 22, 5782 / July 21, 2022
We find in the Torah we find that the Jewish people were counted a few times. In this week’s Parsha, Pinchas, we read that G-d commanded Moshe and Elazar the High Priest (Aaron, the Hight Priest, had already passed away), to count the Jewish people. Every man between the age of 20 to 60 was to be counted.
The first counting was when Jacob and his children moved to Egypt. Their total was seventy souls. All of Yaakov’s descendants were counted. Also Yocheved, who would later become Moshe’s mother, who was just born, was part of the count. She was the one who completed the number seventy.
The next counting was when they left Egypt, 210 years after Yaakov and his family moved to Egypt. At this point the count was for men between the ages of 20 to 60. The total was about 600,000.
The next count was after the sin of the Golden Calf when many Jews died in a plague. Here again, men over the age of twenty to sixty, were counted. They totaled just over 600,000.
The next counting was less than a year later, in which the men between the ages of 20 to 60 were counted. This counting took place one month after they erected the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Again, they were just over 600,000.
The next counting is in our Parsha, Pinchas. It took place 48 years later. They totaled just over 600,000.
The reason G-d wanted Moshe to count the Jewish people time and again was to show His love for the Jewish people. Our sages compare this to a shepherd who lost many of his flock to wild beasts. Because of his great love for his herd, he counts them again and again, after every disaster which befalls them.
The same with the Jewish people. After every plague and disaster which took a toll on them, G-d wanted them to be counted to show His love for them even when they sinned.
Q. What happened now that G-d wanted Moshe to count the people?
A. We read at the end of last week’s Parsha, that the Jewish people sinned with the women of Moab and Midyan. Their immoral behavior brought on them a plague in which 24,000 people died. Thus, G-d wanted a detailed counting of how many were left in each tribe to show His caring for them.
Another reason: In this Parsha we read that G-d tells Moshe that he will not lead the people into The Promised Land and the leadership would be transferred to Joshua. Before giving over the mantle of leadership to Joshua, who would be leading them into the Promised Land, G-d wanted Joshua to know the exact number of men, between the ages of 20 to 60, as they would be participating with him in battle to conquer the land.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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