B"H
Wednesday, Sivan 25, 5780 / June 17, 2020
Some points of interest in this week’s Parsha, Shlach. The Parsha begins with the story of the twelve scouts which Moshe sends to investigate the land of Canaan and bring back a report. G-d tells Moshe, “Send for you people and they should scout the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel…”
Moshe selects twelve men, one from each tribe and instructs them, “Go and see what kind of land it is. Are the people who dwell in it strong or weak, few or many? Is the country good or bad? Are the towns open or fortified? Is the soil rich or poor? Are there trees or not? Make sure to bring back from the fruits of the land.”
After forty days, they came back. Ten of them said, “We came to the land you sent us and indeed it flows with milk and honey and here are it’s fruits. However, the people who dwell in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified and very great; we also saw the children of the giants there.” They gave a very negative report. Only two, Calev and Yehoshua, brought back a positive report, encoraging the people to go forth, for with G-d’s help we will conquer the land.
Unfortunately, the people were influenced by the ten spies, “They cried that night” and refused to go into the Promised Land. As a result, G-d told them that they will spend the next 38 years in the desert. Only their children will eventually go into the land. Thus, the Jewish people spent a total of 40 years in the desert.
Q. G-d told them that the land was good so why did Moshe send the spies to check the land?
A. In the Book of Deuteronomy Moshe reprimands the Jewish people for demanding that he send the scouts. Moshe was forced, so to say, to send them and the results were not good.
Q. If the spies were going to bring a negative report to try to discourage the people from going to the land, why did they start the report with the words, “We came to the land you sent us and it indeed flows milk and honey…” Why did they begin with praising the virtues of the land?
A. Our sages explain it with the following phrase, “A lie has no feet.” In other words, a complete lie cannot hold up. In order for a lie to be accepted by people there has to be some truth blended in it. Thus, they knew that they had to say something good about the land and then their lies and negativity about the land would hold up too.
Q. Why does G-d say, “Which I give to the children of Israel” and not children of Abraham or Isaac?
A. Abraham and Isaac had descendents who are not part of the Jewish people. G-d wants to say that the Promised Land was given exclusively to the Jewish people. Thus, He says, “Which I give to the children of Israel.” All of Israel’s (Jacob) descendents are the Twelve Tribes of the Jewish nation.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Sivan 27, 5780 / June 19, 2020
One of the 613 Torah commandments is the mitzvah of Tzitzit, which is found at the end of this week’s Torah reading in the Diaspora, Parshat Shlach. Tzitzit are the fringes placed on the four corners of the Tallit.
The Torah says, “G-d spoke to Moshe saying, Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: They should make fringes (Tzitzit) on the corners of their garments… that you may see it and remember all the commandments of G-d to perform them, and you will not follow after your hearts and after your eyes, which lead you astray…” The reason for wearing Tzitzit is to remember all the commandments.
Q. What is the meaning of the word “Tzitzit”?
A. One explanation is that it means “strings.” Thus, it refers to the strings on the four corners of the Tallit. Another explanation is that it comes from the word “meitzit”, to look. They are called Tzitzit because the purpose of the mitzvah is to look at the Tzitzit and remember to perform all the mitzvot.
Q. How does this mitzvah remind us of all the mitzvot?
A. Rashi explains that the numerical value of the Hebrew letters which make up the word “Tzitzit” is 600. When you add the eight strings and five knots on each tzitzah, we have 613, the exact number as the mitzvot. Thus, the Tzitzit remind us of all the mitzvot.
Q. Why, in the Ashkenazic custom is the Tallit worn only after one is married?
A. Later in the Torah (Deut. 22:11) the mitzvah of Tzitzit is mentioned again. Right after that the Torah speaks about marriage. Thus, the Ashkenazic custom is to put on the Tallit in connection with marriage.
Q. Why, for the daily morning prayer do we put on the Tallit first and then the Tefillin?
A. There is a general rule that when we have two mitzvot to perform, we first do the mitzvah which is performed more often. Being that the Tallit we wear every day, including Shabbat and holidays, while the Tefillin are not worn on Shabbat and holidays, for this we put on the Tallit first as its mitzvah applies each day.
Q. What is the significance of the eight strings on each corner of the Tallit?
A. The total number of strings on a Tallit is 32 (4x8=32). Thirty two is the numerical value of the word, “Lev” (heart). The mitzvah of Tzitzit is, as the Torah says, “Not to be led astray to follow your heart and eyes.” The purpose of the Tzitzit is to remind us not to follow after the desires of one’s heart.
Also, the Torah begins with the letter “Bet” and ends with the letter “Lamed.” The numerical value of the fringes in the Tzitzit and the numerical value of the first and last letter of the Torah are the same. This alludes to the importance of the mitzvah of Tzitzit. Fulfilling the mitzvah of Tzitzit is compared to fulfilling the entire Torah.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 8:28 / Shabbat ends: 9:45
Dedicated in memory of Saul Wolman – Zalmen ben Arieh Leib – whose yartzeit is today, Sivan 27.
May his soul rest in peace in Gan Eden. May his memory be a blessing to all his family.
From: his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren
B"H
Monday, Sivan 30, 5780 / June 22, 2020
Today is the first day Rosh Chodesh Tammuz. This week’s Parsha is Parshat Korach. The Parsha begins with the argument (“Machlokes”) of Korach and his people against Moshe and Aaron. It is the third Parsha in a row in which we read how the Jewish people argued against Moshe.
In Parshat Bha’alotcha we read how they argued against Moshe about the manna which they ate day after day. They also wanted fish and vegetables. In Parshat Shlach they argued against Moshe refusing to go into the Promised Land. In this week’s Parsha, Korach argued against Moshe out of jealousy for taking the leadership positions for himself and Aaron, not giving Korach a leadership position.
This unfortunate argument resulted in the deaths of Korach, who was swallowed into the earth, and the 250 people who were with him were burnt in a heavenly fire.
This argument brought another argument against Moshe and Aaron which resulted in the deaths of 14,700 people who died as a result of a plague. Thus, close to 15,000 Jewish people lost their lives as a result of Korach’s rebellion against Moshe and Aaron.
Indeed one of the 613 mitzvot is the prohibition to sustain an argument. This prohibition is derived from this week’s Parsha, "And you shall not be like Korach and his company (Numbers 17:5)."
Q. How is it that the Talmud is full of arguments amongst our greatest sages? Jewish law is full of different rabbinical opinions almost on every subject?
A. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot (Chapter of our Fathers) says, “Any dispute that is for the sake of Heaven (i.e. for the sake of G-d), will have a constructive outcome; but one which is not for the sake of Heaven will not have a constructive outcome.” The Mishna continues, “What sort of dispute was for the sake of Heaven? – The dispute between Hillel and Shamai (two great Talmudic sages). And which was not for the sake of Heaven? – The dispute between Korach and his entire company.”
Here lies the difference between these disputes. The argument between Hillel and Shamai was an argument for the sake of Heaven. But Korach and his people’s argument against Moshe was a dispute for personal gain.
When the argument is for the “sake of Heaven,” both parties are interested only in discovering the truth. Each one is interested in the truth and if proven wrong will readily admit that the other is right. Korach's rebellion against Moshe was only to achieve personal gain and glory, as a result of his jealousy of Moshe and Aaron. The outcome of Korach’s argument was a total loss for Korach and his colleagues. But the arguments of our great Talmudic sages are studied and revered to this day.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHODESH-MONTH
B"H
Tuesday, Tammuz 1, 5780 / June 23, 2020
Today is the second day Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.
In this week’s Parsha, Korach, which we will read this Shabbat in the Diaspora, the Torah tells the story of Korach and his followers, who were punished for revolting against Moshe and Aaron. Not only Korach and his followers were punished, but also all of Korach's possessions were swallowed with him into the ground.
We know the saying, “One doesn’t take their physical wealth with them when they leave this world. Korach was an exception. Everything he possessed went with him into the ground.
Q. Korach was punished for going against G-d and Moshe, but why were his possessions destroyed?
A. Our sages explain that Korach’s tremendous wealth played a major role in his revolt against Moshe and Aaron. It was because of his wealth that he was so haughty and was able to influence others to join his revolt. This is why not only Korach and his followers were punished, but also his wealth which was a major factor in all of this.
Wealth can be a great blessing, but it can, G-d forbid, also be a curse. Wealth is wonderful, but it has to be handled with great care. Our sages say that wealth is like fire which, when handled properly, it brings light and warmth, but if mishandled, it can cause great destruction. People are so careful not to lose their wealth, but it’s even more important not to get lost by it.
King Solomon in Ecclesiastics says, "Wealth can at times be to the detriment of its owner." Our sages say that this refers to the wealth of Korach who, in the end, lost his own life and everything he possessed as a result of using his wealth for the wrong things.
A person’s work or business is a vessel which one has to make through which and into which G-d's blessings will flow. Thus, a business conducted with honesty and according to the laws of the Torah is a proper vessel conducive to drawing G-d's blessings.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchev once saw a man running about frantically in the marketplace. He stopped the man and asked him, "What are you doing?"
The man replied, "Can't you see, Rabbi. I'm running to make a living."
"You are making a mistake!" replied the Rabbi. "Making a living is not your doing.. it comes from G-d. What you have to do is make the proper vessel for G-d's blessings to come into. You have to do your part; study Torah, give charity and perform the mitzvot. My question was, what are YOU doing? Are YOU living up to your part of the deal?"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHODESH-MONTH
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