Month: March 2016

Parshas Pekudei

Bs”d
Pekudei (5776)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
38:22 – Rashi relates that Moshe Rabeinu, in setting up the makom of the Avoda, originally gave instructions to first construct the kailim, the vessels, and various articles necessary for the avoda to be followed by the construction of the Mishkan. It was very surprising and quite shocking to hear Bezalel to raise an objection. Firstly, where did get the inner strength, the nerve, to disagree with Moshe and why should he even think that Moshe wasn’t expressing or quoting the Will of Hashem; as it turned out Bezalel merited to conceive Hashem’s Will on his own.

Bezalel presented his ‘svara’ that the proper priority is to build a structure to house the vessels and utensils that eventually it will contain. Moshe agreed with his logic and then expressed that this was indeed what Hashem had commanded him. What needs explanation is that when Moshe consented that this was Hashem’s original plan this indicates that he had a certain awareness that this was what Hashem had truly intended, so why did he deviate?

Perhaps we might suggest the following. Moshe Rabeinu’s complete focus, attention and drive was the essence of fulfilling the Will of Hashem and coming close to Him, which is the purpose of life and the Creation. The whole intention of the kailim was to do exactly that, to come close to Hashem and express love and gratitude through the avoda using the kailim. Moshe was lost in his excitement and enthusiasm with his intensive focus on the kailim. In his spontaneous enthusiasm it would be even a greater kavod Hashem if the construction would reflect the spirit of inspiration giving the priority of the making of the kailim even if it was not in the accordance with the instructions of Hashem. This expression of idealism and inspiration was interrupted by Bezalel asserting himself, pointing out that it shows a greater Kiddush Hashem to honor the kailim by the derech eretz of the general way of the ‘olam’ by first preparing a place for the vessels to be constructed . Moshe in his humility and as a man of the truth admitted to the superiority of this thought and then declared that this was indeed truly the sequence of Hashem’s order.

We learn from here Moshe takes the initiative to go above Hashem’s order rationalizing that he was giving more honor to Hashem. Likewise we observe that Bezalel takes the initiatve to criticize even Moshe Rabeinu if it was in place and Moshe has the modesty and truthfulness to concede to Bezalel. For us it teaches to stand up for an ideal if you feel you are right even against someone greater than yourself. It calls for criticizing something or someone, to have the strength and backbone to be the guiding light. And no matter how great your position always be ready to bow to the truth and to admit that you were mistaken.

Parshas Vayakhail

Bs”d
Parshas Vayakhail (5776)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
(35:1)—Rashi explains: Vayakhail Moshe—that this is lashon hifil—that when Moshe had to gather Klal Yisroel he refrained from doing it manually rather did it verbally. One can understand Rashi that Moshe refrained from physical tactics but rather made use of verbal manipulation, the basic underlying direction is still force. However, it is not likely that the intention of using ‘hifil’ is for this subtle difference. It is also very probable that the pasuk here is relating to us some great principle that Moshe used in gathering Bnei Yisroel for this very significant gathering. “Neesafu al pi diburo”—Moshe used his super verbal persuasive power to inspire them to be self-motivated.
The great lesson here is that the most effective form of influence is to reach the core of the person’s inner motivation for great, real achievement. This is accomplished by a consistent approach of positive communication. Our contemporary secular world has just recently come to this conclusion that our Holy Torah enlightened us of thousands of years ago. This is reminiscent of the episode of Rebbi Akiva delivering an intensive shiur to his talmidim and observing that a number his students were in a state of dosing off. The reaction could have been an outburst of indignation. Instead R’ Akiva chose to stimulate them with a trick question and perk up their interest by posing the following question: Why was Esther worthy of ruling over 127 provinces? Having stimulated them by puzzling them with this question he cleverly replied that she had an outstanding great-great grandmother, Sara Imeinu, who lived 127 years. Probably one way of understanding the depth of this answer is that through Sara’s great deeds that she did every year of her life she awarded a zchus for Esther this enormous kingdom.
This trait of positive communication is a unique and outstanding characteristic to the voice of Klal Yisroel, the true stamp of the sound of our speech. All this also includes the choice and selection of words. The Gemara in Pesachim relates how the Chumash went out its way in expressing the word “tamai” by saying “lo tahor”. This is indeed the trademark of the communication of our nation; in expressing one’s passing away we say he is no longer with us. We don’t have a noun for male anatomy. When Chazal tell us that one of the four great traits of Bnai Yisroel that made them worthy to be redeemed from Egypt was that they were loyal to their language this probably included not only Lashon HaKodesh but the manner of speech as we have discussed here.

How much we must be inspired not to be influenced by society in general and specifically by the countries in which we dwell, by their low standards and corruption, and to keep our speech standards high. With the understanding of this paramount foundation of the mentality and the supreme importance of the means of communication of Klal Yisroel it is understandable why inspiring Klal Yisroel with positive communication for self-motivation was the very first thing Moshe did upon his returning Motzai Yom Kippur.

Parshas Vayakhail

Bs”d

Parshas Vayakhail (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

35:1 Vayakhail: Rashi “not with yadayim”. Does Rashi mean not with hands, physical force, but with words or does he mean not forcibly but Moshe got them self-motivated—the greatest most effective way to the heart.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Ki Sisa

Parshas Ki Sisa (5776)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

The episode of the aigel hazahav is one of the most puzzling and perplexing in the Chumash. The great difficulty—Moshe is receiving the aseres hadibros and Hashem informs him that Bnei Yisroel has fallen to the greatest depths of the chait haaigel. Hashem can’t have Klal Yisroel; and is about to give them up as His Nation. Moshe used all his resources to have Klal Yisroel forgiven, to be allowed to survive and be reinstated as Hashem’s nation and his children. For this Moshe worked and fought and pushed until “Vayinochem Hashem al Haraah asher diber”. To this end Moshe’s mission was accomplished, having saved Klal Yisroel. This episode was followed by the greatest difficulty. Moshe Rabeinu himself comes down the mountain and upon arriving at the scene of Klal Yisroel worshipping the aigel explodes in anger from the shock of the sight. He then imposes harsh punishments on the Klal seemingly very much against the very thing that he tried so hard for and was so successful in accomplishing—the forgiveness of Klal Yisroel.

What poses an additional difficulty is that Rashi, who deals with every difficult issue, doesn’t even give a clue that there is a problem, which means that he is declaring that there is no problem, no question and as difficult as it seems the answer must lie in the simplicity.

Now that we have a Klal Yisroel, alive and accepted by Hashem, come the issues that must be dealt with. The aigel itself must be crushed out of existence. The guilty must be punished and due to the condition and situation Klal Yisroel was in the luchos could not be given to them and couldn’t exist in their complete form. And so simply, the great accomplishment of Moshe that Klal Yisroel should be accepted again by Hashem still demanded the need to purify them. This is something which is clear, logical and naturally understood.