Parshas Masei

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh Ben Harav Zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham Ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' Shmuel....

 In perek lamud heh posuk yud alef the posuk says " V'hikrisem lachem arim arei miklat ti'hiyena lachem v'nas shama rotzeiach makei nefesh b'shagaga" "You shall arrange cities for yourselves, cities of refuge they shall be for you, and a killer who kills unintentionally shall flee there".
 In Meseches Makos the gemora says that if a talmud must run to an arei miklat his Rebbe must go with him, similarly if a Rebbe must go, his yeshiva must go with him.
 The laws of arei miklat are learnt out from the posuk "v'nas el achas ha'arim va'chay" "he shall run to one of the cities and live". The Rambam explains that this means we must give this man all that is necessary to live, and a life without talmud Torah is comparable to death.
 This idea of a Rebbe going with his talmud seems puzzling to many. Granted a person must learn but does he need his Rebbe there? His Rebbe did nothing wrong, and there are probably many people who can teach him. After all the arei miklat was where all the Leviim lived. Even if he does not find another Rebbe, he can learn himself. The Torah is going to make the Rebbe go and therefore cause an entire Yeshiva to have to move (Rav she'gala migalim yeshivaso emo") because of this one guy?
 Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman explains that from here we can get a glimpse of the relationship between a Rebbe and his Tamud. Learning from your Rebbe who you are accustomed to learning with and comfortable with is considered Talmud Torah and taking that away from is considered taking ones life even if you can find someone else. Yes it seems extreme but the bond is so great that the Yeshiva must relocate so that one person can continue learning from their Rebbe.
 This can give us a little insight into the deep connection between a Rebbe and Talmud. Bein poresh from your Rebbe is being poresh from life itself.
Good Shabbos

Parshas Matos

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri Rav Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordecahi, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' Shmuel.....

" Ish ki yidor neder la'Hashem oh hishava shvua le'sor isar al nafsho lo yacheil d'varo ki'chal hayotzei mipiv yaase". "If a man takes a vow to Hashem or swears an oath to prohibit an isar upon himself, he shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes out of his mouth he shall do" (perek lamud, posuk gimmel)

 Chazal say "hu eino michal, aval. Acheirim mochlin d'varav" "he can't obsolve it, but others can namely the chachamim..
 Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman ztl explains the koach of the chachamim that we see from here. Not only can they obsolve a neder by monetary cases, they can even by cases of isar. They can make muttar something that obe assurs on themselves.

 The Kli Yakar explains that the reason that the Chachamim or a Beis Din can be matir the neder is, that just as a husband or father can be matir a neder because whatever the woman does is bi'rshus them and she must have their consent, so too one is bi'rshus the Chachamim and Beis din.

 Rav Neiman explains that the Torah wants each and every person to have that connection with the Chachamim and to have emuna in them, and understand that if they don't agree with what they did they can be mivatel it. A person can not and should not live life solely based on his own knowledge. One needs the guidance of the Chachamim and the Gedolim in every aspect and every situation in their life, and that is what this posuk is teaching us. We have that connection to them and should utilize it and take advantage of it as much as we can...
 Good Shabbos

Fwd: Parshas Pinchas

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' Shmuel.

 In perek chaf heh posuk yud alef Hashem speaks to Moshe and says "Pinchas Ben Elazar ben Aharon Hakohein Heishiv es chamasi mei'al Bnei Yisroel b'kano es kinasi b'socham V'lo chilisi es Bnei Yisroel b'kinasi" "Pinchas the son of Elazar the so of Ahron Hakohein has turned my anger away from Bnei Yisroel by his vengeance for me among them. So that I did not destroy Bnei Yisroel in my vengeance."
 The Kli Yakar explains that Pinchas's lineage was written here to shed light and just how great his act of "kana'us" was. He was the son of Elazar Hakohen who had married one of the daughters of Putiel/Yisro who used to fatten cows for avoda zara. Pinchas could have refrained from killing Zimri and Kazbi out of fear that the leitzanim of the generation would say "You have a problem with living with a midyanis? Who allowed your father to marry your mother? You have a problem with avoda zara?! Your mothers father used to fatten cows for avoda zara, and your fathers father made the eigel! With all this Pinchas was not makpid on his kavod and stood up for what was right.
 It seems from this Kli Yakar that had Pinchas realized what the right thing to do was and not done it anyhow because of the uncomfortable and embarrassing position he would have been put in there would not have been a taayna on him. The exact words of the Kli Yakar are "Vahay lo limnoa es atzmo mk'maase ze" "He could have refrained from this action". Imagine, Pinchas would have seen such tremendous aveiros of giluy arayos and avoda zara and understood what should be done and it seems like there would be no taayna on him because the leitzanim's remarks would be too painful.
 We seem to think that some people are above and beyond the need for validation and approval, that for some people its not such a big deal to do what they believe is right no matter the cost, but that's incorrect. Pinchas is praised greatly for being able to do this great action even in the face of ridicule, because even for Pinchas that was not an easy thing to do.
 What people think and say really does matter to us, and what we think and say really does matter to other people. It's a tremendous power that we hold in our hand, regardless of who we are,(especially a Rebbe or parent) and is a power that can make or break a person for life and therefore must be used wisely.
 Good Shabbos

 

Fwd: Parshas Balak

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Boruch Moshe Aryeh Ben Harav Zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' shmuel...

 In perek chaf beis posuk yud gimmel the posuk says "Vayakam Bilam baboker vayomer el sarei Balak, l'chu el artzichem ki me'ein Hashem l'siti lahaloch imachem" "Bilam arose in the morning and said to Balak's officers, go back to your land for Hashem refuses to allow me to go with you"
 Rashi explains that Bilam was telling them that he could not travel with people of their caliber, but needer the higher ranking officials. Rashi continues that we see that he was arrogant and was unable to reveal that he could not do anything without Hashem's consent except for in this haughty fashion.

 Reb Chaim Shmulevitz ztl explains that its clear from the posuk that Bilam was not trying to fool these officers he just did not relay the entire message. He understood that Hashem was telling him two things, firstly do not go with them because it is not fitting for a man of your stature, and secondly do not curse Klal Yisroel, but because of his haughtiness he left out the second part. He could not speak aloud the fact that he was totally under the control of Hashem.

 A few pesukim back when Hashem appeared to Bilam he asked him "Mi ha'anashim ha'eiled imach" "who are these men with you?" The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh explains that what Hashem was asking was "are these people worthy of being with u, that you accepted them into your house?" Hashem was asking because he was makpid on the kavod of Bilam. Hashem cared about Bilams honor. We all know the story where Bilam's donkey berated him. In the end Hashem killed the donkey so that it should not be spoken in the markets as the donkey passed "this is the donkey that berated Bilam. Even though in many ways that would have been a tremendous Kiddush Hashem it was not worth it for Hashem to have that at the expense of the Kavod of Bilam. In this incident when Hashem gave Bilam the two reasons not to go he first gave the reason that it would not be befitting for Bilam to travel with these men, and only after
 that he should not curse Klal Yisroel.

 We see from here how much Hashem cares about the honor of each and every person, even a Rasha like Bilam. It was worth it to kill the donkey to save his honor and it was enough of a reason to be mentioned with "don't curse Klal Yisroel" because each and every one of us is precious in Hashem's eyes. How we feel and how we are treated really does matter.
 Good Shabbos
 

Parshas Chukas

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekeini Moiri R' Boruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, My cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' Shmuel...

In perek yud tes posuk beis the posuk says "Zos chukas Ha'Torah asher tziva Hashem leimor dabeir el Bnei Yisroel v'yikchu eilecha Fara aduma temima asher ein bah mum asher lo ala aleha ol" "This is the statute of the Torah which Hashem has commanded saying. Speak to Bnei Yisroel and they shall take to you a perfectly red cow which has no blemish and never had a yoke upon it".

 The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh ponders the question of why the Torah refers to this chok of para aduma, as "chukas hatorah". Wouldn't it seem more appropriate to call it "chukas hatuma" or "chukas hatahara"? After all that was what the para aduma did, render the impure, pure. The Ohr Chaim explains that the Torah was telling us something in the words "Chukas Ha'Torah". The Torah was teaching us b'derech remez that if one is m'kayeim this mitzvah even though there is seemingly no reasoning behind it, the Torah considers it as if you are m'kayeim kal Ha'Torah kula. The reason for this he explains is because one who keeps the mitzvos that have no reasons for them is being mei'I'd on them self that they have emunah and have accepted to fulfill all that Hashem Yisborach requests from Klal Yisroel.

 Rav Chaim Shmulevitz ztl expounds on what the Ohr Chaim wrote and says as follows. As long as the mitzvos that one is fulfilling make sense to them it is not clear that they are prepared to fulfill and accepting of what Hashem commanded because it's what Hashem commanded. After all it makes sense, and we tend to act in a manner that makes sense to us. However, we are supposed to fulfill what Hashem commanded because Hashem commanded it as the Rambam explains. We must be me'kayeim the mitzvos because Moshe commanded us from the Ribono Shel Olam, and the only by accepting and fulfilling mitzvos that don't make sense to us do we actually prove that we are totally ready to be me'kayeim the mitzvos on the highest level exactly how Hakadosh Baruch Hu desires.
 Good Shabbos