Parshas Matos (5768)

Bs”d

Parshas Matos (5768)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

From the manner of presentation of the Chumash of the subject of nedarim in a way of showing its prominence and detailed elaboration we can see how vital a matter it is.

What is so unique and outstanding about this that it deserves a special spotlight? Since we don’t practice making nedarim currently because of the fear that we might fall short in fulfilling it we aren’t sufficiently educated to appreciate and understand the function and great benefit of nedarim. By understanding this properly we can derive a perspective that can be of great assistance to our Torah fulfillment today even though we don’t have the nedarim.

The main purpose of the neder is to make something which was permissible, forbidden; to create a distance for ourselves from the actual aveira or the bare border of the fulfillment of the mitzvah. The structure of our Avodas Hashem is such that the main thrust of our ability to stand up to our tests is by the creation and keeping of this distance. The Gemarra strongly criticizes an individual who had an option of avoiding a tempting circumstance but nevertheless put himself in the place of temptation, even though he was able to stand up to the “test” with “flying colors.

So often we fail to live up to the Torah’s demands and requirements and come down sharply on ourselves unjustifiably; for the real guilt was our failure to remove ourselves from this battlefield which could have been relatively easy and accessible to our capabilities.

We don’t have nedarim today but its lesson of keeping our distance calls out loud and clear!! Nelech v’natzliach.

Hashem should put an end to our long galus through the coming of Moshiach. Have a wonderful Shabbos.