Bs”d
Parshas Chukas (5764)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
Our Medrash 19:13 quotes the Chazal which is one of our greatest foundations and principles. “Dayah chasarta mah konisa, Dayah konisa mah chasarta”. If we acquire what Rav Miller calls true knowledge we have everything and without this we have nothing. True knowledge is programming into our nervous system and reality our true values.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Korach (5764)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Korach was faced with a mountainous ordeal and humongous undertaking in his crusade to persuade and brainwash even the Sanhedrin and outstanding members of Clal Yisroel to join in his machlokes. The awesome tool he had in his arsenal for this tragic accomplishment was with “meshicha b’dvorim rakim”; persuasion through soft words (Medrash 12:2). What a powerful message and lesson for us, to harness this potent tool for good purposes.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and Chodesh—may it be a month of yeshuos for all.
Bs”d
Parshas Shlach (5764)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
In our sedra the meraglim are quoted saying that they felt like grasshoppers in the presence of the Cnanim and likewise that is how they appeared to them (13:33). The Medrash (16:11) relates that Hashem was willing to ignore, overlook and excuse the first part of the perspective of how they felt that they appeared but the second part of their image in the eyes of the Cnaanim was unforgivable. How were they supposed to know how they appeared; this doesn’t make sense. Hashem demands of us to be logical and make sense. He overlooks so many of our weaknesses but is very stringent about making sense. This should be a great source of awakening to us about many issues.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Behaaloscha (5764)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
In the Medrash Rabba in our parsha (15:14) we find that those that have the attribute of “fear of Hashem” will eventually be rewarded with kingship. This is generally interpreted as type of reward. Perhaps a greater insight into the connection is that if one can “break through” his materialistic surroundings and feel the presence of Hashem he has accomplished something which is demanded of a person who has the responsibility of kingship. Secondly, one who can practice self-control over his own faculties deserves to be in charge and control over the masses to further the cause of the glory of Hashem.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Naso (5764)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
The obvious question in the parsha of Sota in our parsha 5:28 is that if the suspected woman was cleared of guilt why should she be blessed by the waters. If we delve deep into the heart and feelings of this woman the fact that she was falsely accused creates such heartache that makes her deserving of this great award. Beware—feelings are everywhere.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Bamidbar (5764)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
The Medrash 1:7 explains that the Torah was given in fire, water and the desert to teach us that just as these are readily available so too, Torah. However, we must bear in mind that because of its availability it can lose its value. Our most precious commodity is air yet it is the least appreciated because of its availability.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and a guten Chodesh.
Bs”d
Parshas Pinchas (5763)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
The first Medrash in our parsha points out the greatness of sholom that Pinchas received as a reward for his outstanding taking up for the honor of Shamayim. Chazal point out the large range that we are involved in relating to sholom.
Sholom is a state that we have to create despite the many obstacles of many personality conflicts. It is very apropo that the medrashs that follows points out the many different personality types that we have to deal with.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Chukas (5762)
By Mordechai Dolinsky
In this week’s parsha we have the vital and significant incident of Moshe Rabeinu and the rock. The following is a structure of the sequence that emerges from the psukim according to Rashi.
The petirah of Miriam HaNevia
The be’er ceases to give water and goes away
This cuts off the source of water for Clal Yisroel
(The sequence of the following items is not clear)
HaShem gave the command to Moshe Rabeinu to speak to the special rock in order to extract water for Clal Yisroel
Because the be’er went away the special rock likewise followed its example and stationed itself incognito among the other stones
An ordinary stone positioned itself in the place of the special stone
The multitudes of Clal Yisroel miraculously stationed themselves in positions whereby they were able to observe the stone
Clal Yisroel realized that this was not the special stone but could not identify the special stone because of its incognito position
Clal Yisroel adopted the position that the procedure of speaking to the stone should be done to the ordinary stone that was sitting in the place of the special stone
Moshe Rabeinu disagreed with Clal Yisroel and criticized them for taking an unqualified stand on the issue and it is at this point Rashi explains that this is the significance of Moshe Rabeinu’s statement (20:2) “Shimu Nah HaMorim”
Moshe Rabeinu nevertheless proceeded to speak to the wrong stone
It produced no results
Because of the failure it was decided to hit the stone instead
At this point the special stone returned to its original position
Moshe Rabeinu proceeded with his above decision and hit the stone (it is not clear whether Moshe Rabeinu was cognizant of the fact that the special stone had returned to its original position)
A small amount of water emerged
Moshe again repeated the process and hit the stone
This time an abundance of water which was sufficient for all of Clal Yisroel and their flocks emerged.
The following questions emerge from all the above.
Why did the special stone go away?
Why was Bnei Yisroel of the opinion to proceed with the strange stone?
Why did Moshe give in and agree to speak to the strange stone?
When this failed why did Moshe opt for hitting the stone instead of using it as a demonstration that it was wrong to proceed with the strange stone?
Why did he actually hit the stone when HaShem had told him specifically to talk to it?
Why did the special stone return at this point?
Why did the special stone give water when it wasn’t supposed to do so when hit, only when spoken to?
What was Moshe Rabeinu’s actual transgression, since he did attempt to speak to the stone but it didn’t work?
With a new approach in understanding the whole episode of Moshe Rabeinu talking to the stone we can perhaps have way to solve these difficulties. The conventional perspective of deriving water from a stone is of kabalistic, metaphysical significance. Perhaps we can add that even more significant was the involvement and the input of the personal ‘avoda’ of Moshe Rabeinu and Clal Yisroel in the area of emuna and bitachon, their level of faith and confidence they had in Hashem. We shouldn’t forget and overlook the fact that the “special rock” definitely did have some aspect of intrinsic significance and input enabling it to access the water. Likewise the miracles of the ten plagues and the splitting of the sea were closely connected with the avoda of emuna and bitachon of Moshe Rabeinu and Clal Yisroel. This was also true regarding the miraculous supply of water all the years in the desert which was brought about with the involvement of the avoda of Miriam and the level of emuna of Clal Yisroel.
After the passing away of Miriam the be’er ceased to produce water and left. The special stone feared that Clal Yisroel was no longer on the level of bitachon that they merited that it would miraculously produce water despite the command of Hashem to Moshe Rabeinu. The stone suspected that a major chilul Hashem would ensue and it would be more beneficial for it to hide thus disenabling Moshe Rabeinu to proceed. The stone was sure that Moshe would not attempt to perform on a different stone and thus no chilul Hashem would result and Hashem would supply the water from some alternate source. This is exactly what transpired–Moshe Rabeinu refused. Clal Yisroel, however, insisted that they and Moshe Rabeinu were indeed on a high level of emuna and the water could be accessed even from a strange stone, which is technically correct and possible, if they were truly on this high level. “Mi Sheomar L’Shemen V’yadlik Yomar L’Chometz V’yadlik”—He who created the oil with the power to ignite can likewise ignite vinegar.
When the special stone saw that instead of abstaining and declining to act, Moshe Rabeinu used the ordinary stone and was not successful. It realized its grave error and returned to its place without Moshe or Clal Yisroel being aware of its act. Moshe Rabeinu then reasoned, and correctly so, that since this was not the Divinely prescribed procedure since it was being done (so he thought) on the ordinary stone he was likewise able to improvise and attempt the hitting of the stone. This is known as an increase in ‘hishtadlus’ which compensates when there is a lack of bitachon.
If Moshe Rabeinu had realized that the special stone had returned he would have attempted to speak and he probably would have been successful. If Clal Yisroel had sufficient bitachon that even the ordinary stone worked with hitting then the special stone would have certainly worked with speaking.
(We can perhaps conjecture and say that the special stone in hoping that it would be noticed and as a means of attracting attention first produced the small amount of water that it did. Upon seeing that this didn’t work, the second time it produced the full amount).
A clear possible explanation of the sin, the shortcoming of Moshe Rabeinu emerges from this. Moshe Rabeinu perhaps should have been more scrupulous in suspecting that the special stone returned whereupon it would have been indeed sufficient for him just to speak. This can be the explanation of the complaint that Moshe didn’t “speak”. The original commandment and the ultimate Kiddush Hashem would have then come about.
We should all be worthy of making a Kiddush Hashem in the world. Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Matos – Masai (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
The Medrash in this weeks’ parsha brings a Chazal that reflects a basic foundation that is related to almost areas of our avodas Hashem and is likewise specifically related to the present “bain Hametzorim” (22:1). If one devotes himself to Torah and Mitzvos he will be exempt from his worldly obligations. Many would understand this as a type of reward however getting to the root it is related to the principle seen from the episode when R’ Akiva was jailed for publicly teaching Torah and his nephew after criticizing his uncle, was likewise imprisoned for political reasons and declared: Lucky are you that was imprisoned for Torah. It was Divinely decreed for us both to be imprisoned. Lucky are you who fulfilled this obligation through Torah. Getting back to our Medrash if one is destined to sweat and toil lucky is the one to fulfill this Divine decree in Torah.
A certain amount of sadness is decreed—lucky is the one who fulfills this through his mourning over the Churban.
We are living and experiencing the extreme darkness of the galus and we should be zocheh to see the redemption speedily in our days.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Pinchas (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
We have in our parsha the commandment for the most important day on our calendar—Rosh Hashanah, when we proclaim Hashem’s sovereignty over the world. The climax and the most important act we do on this significant day is the blowing of the shofar which is alluded to by the words “Yom Teruah”. There is no hint or meaning in these words that relate to the shofar and the gemara sends us to the Targum Unkelus—”yom yevava” that likewise sheds no light. The road then leads to the exclamation of the mother of Sisra, which is also unclear. The lesson is that the greatest truths are hidden; also that the mitzvah of shofar itself contains hidden lessons.
Regarding the commandment of Succos in the parsha (12:12) Rashi brings that the sacrifices of the bulls were symbolic and represented the seventy nations of the world. In the fact that the number of sacrifices diminished daily we symbolically declare that the nations of the world will eventually disappear from the face of the universe. This seemingly contradicts and is diametrically opposed to what Rashi brings immediately after the above that the sacrifice of these bulls offered a protection to the nations from the affliction of possible harm.
Perhaps we can reconcile and explain with the understanding that the nations surely serve a purpose in the universe and so does the whole materialistic mechanism. It acts as an auxiliary for the true service of Hashem. However, the nations don’t have intrinsic value and therefore they will eventually disappear. Only Klal Yisroel and the Torah have intrinsic significance. The recognition and declaration of this by us is a great zchus for them and serves as a protection from harm for them. Likewise the understanding and recognition that all materialism is for the service of Hashem brings to it all a zchus and true blessing.
We hope and pray, especially at this time that we commemorate the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash that we should speedily see its redemption and rebuilding, and we shall once again offer sacrifices to Hashem for Klal Yisroel and for the whole creation.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
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