Bs”d
Parshas Tetzaveh (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
The question is asked why isn’t the name of Moshe Rabeinu mentioned in this parsha. Perhaps… ata tetzaveh…viyikchu ailecha.. bring it to you, but it was for Hashem. Moshe is on such a hgih madrega of bitul to Hashem that it is as if he is not here.
We should all be zocheh to bring ourselves close to Hashem.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Terumah (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
25:16 In the commandment of the Torah to place the Sefer Torah in the Aron Kodesh the term aidus is used. Rashi offers an explanation that the Torah is a testimony to the truth that all that was written within was commanded by Hashem. The Kuzari gives us an extremely important insight to the MaaMad Har Sinai. The conventional nature of the event is looked upon as a matter of emunah. The Kuzari points out that the claim that HaKadosh Baruch Hu spoke to each and every one in Klal Yisroel is a truth that speaks out for itself. It is impossible to claim to speak to an entire nation without them all being aware. This claim is in the Chumash. It makes it an actualitiy. This is history and it serves us as an insight into the meaning of this Rashi that the Torah testifies. This should give us an extra motivation, clarity and inspiration in serving Hashem with loyalty and satifaction.
We should be zocheh to see the building of the third Bais HaMikdash with the coming of Moshiach. Have a wonderful and inspiring Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Mishpatim (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Parshas Mishpatim—right down to business, after the lessons of kirvas Hashem and emuna. The first awesome lesson is that even our laws of logic are from Sinai, Hashem is our source of oxygen and of logic. Examples==one is subject to the death penalty for stealinga person and selling him; for striking a parent—the death penalty. One inflicting damage on a slave on the eye or tooth –the slave goes out to freedom and for killing him one is subject to the death penalty.
Hashem give us wisdom, give us insight. YOU are our source of wisdom.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Yisro (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
In our parsha we have the most awesome event in history—the giving of the Torah, maamad Har Sinai. We have the power to recreate the maamad, the matzav, with our minds. This is essentially what really takes place from the opening of the Ark and the Krias HaTorah. Look at the tefilos in the siddur that accompany this and you’ll find it to be true. This is very deep and divrei emes.
Enjoy, respect and cherish your kabolas HaTorah. Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Pashas Bo (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
12:1 ויאמר אל משה ואהרן-Rashi—since Aharon toiled, troubled and bothered for the mofsim as Moshe, Hashem honored him to be included in the first mitzvah just like Moshe. The great principle chesed brings Torah. Moshe’s mesirs nefesh to speak to Pharaoh brought him greatness in Torah at Har Sinai. The elders were whipped for Klal Yisroel and they were zocheh to be in the Sanhedrin. רחמנא ליבא באי—Hashem wants our hearts.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Shmos (5776)
בענין הברית של אליעזר
by Mordechai Dolinsky
4:25 In our sedra we have this awesome episode of Moshe’s returning to Mitzrayim and was actually חייב מיתה for his negligence in performing a מילה on Eliezer and being redeemed in the last minute. The negligence was his preoccupation in settling the stayover prior to making the bris. פלא on פלא. Even for real, obvious negligence, how can we understand such a severe punishment, all the more so for this subtle lack of correct priority, for which Moshe surely had a חשבון.
Perhaps the key, the direction for understanding this great difficulty is to understand the basic meaning of the word bris milah in its simplicity. The word means an absolute commitment to a matter that has implications of importance. The bris here is expressing the kesher, the commitment and faithfulness between Hashem and Klal Yisroel. Moshe couldn’t make the bris in Midian since it would take three days to heal and this would delay Moshe’s going to Mitzrayim to free the Yidden. Now there was a stopover—Moshe felt it was important to set up for everyone first and then make the bris. Min HaShomayim they expected something different. Moshe you are on a mission for Klal Yisroel, the whole maaleh of Klal Yisroel is the essence of their connection to Hashem. The Bris crystallizes this. You should feel that the bris is the connection, and the pressure to make the bris—make the bris—make the bris. If you fail to feel this it reflects the lack of the degree of the essence of the connection between Hashem and Klal Yisroel. Moshe is chayav misah. This would mean that he is not worthy enough for the mission. I just found a Zohar that expresses this exactly. “Moshe you are running to Mitzrayim to save the Yidden, what about the bris? “
According to this it is difficult to understand how Tziporah’s act rectified the problem, for there doesn’t seem to be any connection between Tziporah’s valiant act in performing the bris and the sharp criticism on Moshe. Perhaps we can venture to present a unique insight be”h. When it was demonstrated that min HaShomayim that there was a great teviah on Moshe, and it was obvious that it because of his subtle negligence of putting the milah as the first priority, at that point Moshe himself could have made an immediate effort to rectify the situation and quickly perform the milah and also attain for himself the accomplishment of this great Mitzvah. However seeing that Tziporah was ready to start, instead of stopping her for his own benefit of the Mitzvah, Moshe forfeited this great zchus for the benefit that the milah should be fulfilled at the first possible second. This was a true rectification of the essence of the Heavenly criticism.
I thank Hashem for the insight—v’sein balibeinu l’havin ulihaskel.
Bs”d
Parshas Vayechi (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Something very important takes place at the end of the parsha 50:3 which goes unnoticed, with the passing of Yaakov Avinu. We find that the mitzriim were extremely emotionally affected by what they understood as a great loss. How they showed their reaction was actually mind-boggling. ויבכו אנשי מצרים שבעים יום—the Egyptians cried for seventy days! Just the idea of the goyim crying for one day, just one cry, real tears flowing out of their eyes, old and young, a real total breakdown caused by a real tragedy. They obviously had a real understanding and feeling that something very deep, of supreme significance has occurred by the loss of Yaakov Avinu. The funeral procession, upon reaching the place גורן האטד experienced again a great emotional breakdown. They all went into great mourning for seven days. One would suppose that the most involved would be Yosef and his brothers and their families. However, the ones that were most extremely affected were the מצריים and as a result the כנענים renamed the location אבל מצרים.
What a deep and powerful eye-opening lesson this is for us, an explosion of light. We contemplate—what possibly could bring the entire Egyptian nation to the point of bitter tears? We must say that they had a true insight, vision, clarity of the truth, that every single thing they have in life comes through the גדול בישראל; they would be missing without the gadol something needed for every fiber of life, every fiber of their bodies, their very existence. They were tuned into the real emes. Where did they get it from, from where could they have received the great truth? This is the foundation that we as Klal Yisroel believe in. Perhaps it was one of the great gifts of חכמה that Avraham Avinu gave the מצריים when he was in Mitzrayim leaving it to be ingrained in their souls.
This gives us a great chizuk, inspiration to appreciate our Gedolim, yearn for them, and follow them. May they be granted long life.
Bs”d
Parshas Vayigash (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
45:14: The Chumash opens on one of the most emotional, dramatic scenes in history—Yosef’s revelation. It relates how Yosef and Binyamin cried on each other’s shoulders. Rashi explains that the giant explosion of emotion was an expression of sadness over both churbanos Bais HaMikdash. This is an insight from Chazal but Rashi is telling us that this is the simple pshat in the pasuk. Isn’t there enough meaning or sufficient reason for the special surge of emotion of the two brothers, sons of Rochel, and Binyamin not being in the mechira, can’t it mean its simplicity. The answer is in the next pasuk. וינשק לכל אחיו—this was the real explosion of the simple emotion. He kissed all the brothers, the simple love was the same, despite all the strife and the ordeals, Yosef loved them all greatly. All that went on was only serving Hashem, but under everything it was the greatest sincere love.
Loving our fellow yedidim is one of our greatest tests and highest fulfillment. Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Bs”d
Parshas Mikaitz (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
There are no words and no way to express the awesome סעיתא דשמיא that Yosef experienced once that the hashgacha, הקב”ה, decided his journey through the tunnel of darkness had ended. The level of his yeshuah, his success, his greatness, was complete immeasurable. Yosef earned it with his mesiras nefesh.
Some of the greatest gifts of Hashem are not always appreciated and their depths and awesomeness are not realized. Paroh’s appointing of Yosef to the position mishneh l’melech is incomprehendable for many reason. It might be a diyuk 41:37 Paroh’s appointment was O.K. for him and his servants—what happened to the chachamim and chartumim? Possibly it was only to his avadim because it made no sense. Yosef earned, Klal Yisroel earned the nissim of Chanukah. We are earning, and let’s keep earning.
Have a wonderful Shaabos. Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh.
Bs”d
Why didn’t Chazal initially institute the concept of mehadrin which is to change the amount of candles being lit each day? The truth is for the essence of פירסומי ניסא one candle a day is sufficient to proclaim the great miracle. Regarding the eight days of Chanukah, each day has its own significance and greatness. The changing of the amount of candles each day is to bring to our attention to focus on each day–that each day is a יום טוב בפני עצמו, to be inspired, to be enlightened and to be motivated to come close to Hashem. Use it, use it, use it.
A freilichen Chanukah.
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