Weekly Parsha

Parshas Pinchas

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Parshas Pinchas (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

26:12 HKB”H informs Moshe עלה את הר העברים הזה וראה את הארץ. Hashem informs Moshe Rabeinu to see this and then pass away as the way of all flesh as a result of Mai Merivah and that he can’t enter E.Y.. The pasuk passes without any exclamation, no taanos, how Moshe Rabeinu accepts the gzar din without any complaints, so smoothly. The greatness of Moshe Rabeinu, his complete bitul to and acceptance of the Will of HKB”H. So beautiful, so befitting for Moshe Rabeinu.

Hashem should protect Klal Yisroel and we should be zocheh to see the geula sh’layma with the coming of Mashiach.

Parshas Balak

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Parshas Balak (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

How much chizuk and inspiration do we get from Balak & Co. for his persistence in wanting from Bilaam a verbal, negative spiritual expression. However it was, it was verbal. How much significance this has for our avodas hatefilah.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Naso

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Parshas Naso (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

6:13 At the end of the nezirus the pasuk says—יביא אותו אל פתח אוהל מועד and Rashi says he brings himself. This is one of the 3 places that R’ Yishmael darshens the את—that he is doing it to himself. One the 3 is where it says ויקבור אותו בגיא—he buried himself. It is difficult to understand the essence of this. Perhaps we can say that the depth is that a person in actuality is a conglomeration of his spiritual part, the neshama which is a חלק אלוק ממעל and a materialistic part which is the נפש בהמית. There is a high level that a person can reach where he can split himself and actually focus and have a consciousness of his spiritual part which is he himself in actuality and feel the נפש בהמית as a separate entity which is under his jurisdiction to deal with. This we can say was the intention of Hillel Hazakain when he went to eat he claimed to serve a guest in his house meaning his נפש בהמית which he related to as a separate entity. This is also the depth of concept that Moshe Rabeinu buried himself—that his spiritual side was so strong that he was able to deal with the body as an entity and bury it. This especially true for Moshe that his דבקות in Hashem was on an exceptionally high level. This can also help us understand that which Rashi says that Hashem buried Moshe, perhaps referring to the high level of Elokus.

In these days before the coming of Moshiach, the days of darkness, we should appreciate that we have the ability to fulfill the mitzvos of Hashem, to be a source of light to a dark world, and do it with mesiras nefesh and with great simcha.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Korach

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Parshas Korach (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Perhaps the most awesome, important areas in avodas Hashem is our devotion to direct continuing the line of emes. Korach tampered with this and was consumed in the ground; the pure emes cannot be tampered with. Klal Yisroel bears the awesome responsibility of emes for the world, and any interference has to be eradicated. 16:19 Rashi brings that Klal Yisroel was captivated by Korach through laitzonus; with wrong shitos they were on their guard because that is the worst of the worst; laitzonus you can sneak through.

Hashem help us, keep us to shitas haemes in a generation of laitzanus.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and a month of yeshuos.

Parshas Shlach

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Parshas Shlach (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Rashi at the beginning of the parsha (13:2) brings a most astounding statement; Hashem went along with the request of Klal Yisroel to send meraglim giving them the material to err. “Lamaan lo yirashuha”—so that they won’t deserve to inherit the land. Perhaps we might explain this obvious difficulty that the mere requesting of the spies showed an awesome lack of trust and confidence in Hashem. Living in Eretz Yisroel is not just a matter of receiving real estate but living there demands having the constant realization of the presence of Hashem on the highest level and absolute trust in Him.

We must always and everywhere work on the feeling of the presence of Hashem as the mitzvah of tzitzis at the end of the parsha calls out to us.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Behaaloscha

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Parshas Behaaloscha (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

The pasuk 8:4 relates that Moshe Rabeinu himself made the menorah and Rashi quotes the Chazal that Hashem really made it. Perhaps we can reconcile them both as the Mesilas Yesharim explains that great people have a high degree of Shchinah resting upon them. So it was that Shchinah in Moshe that Chazal refer to that made the Menorah. In the same vein the chatzotzros that were blown for Moshe, Rashi quotes
ויהי בישורון מלך which usually refers to Hashem.

10:30 Rashi relates that the enemines of Bnei Yisroel are the enemies of Hashem. Perhaps because of the Elokus found in each Yid from the Nefesh Elokis that can be seen from the greatness of every Yid.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Behaaloscha

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Parshas Behaaloscha (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In these days before the coming of Moshiach, the days of darkness, we should appreciate that we have the ability to fulfill the mitzvos of Hashem, to be a source of light to a dark world, and do it with mesiras nefesh and with great simcha.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Behar

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Parshas Behar (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

It is imperative these weeks to keep in mind the various issues of the Sefirah. Firstly, the korban of the grains for which the name omer is given; this calls out for us the hakoras hatov to Hashem for the blessing of the grains which is the ‘staff of life’. Secondly, it the period for preparing for kabolas HaTorah; we are counting in anticipation for the great gift given on Har Sinai. Thirdly, it is a period of sadness for the passing of the talmidim of Rabi Akiva which Chazal reveal to us came about because of a lack of relating to one another with proper respect. For us it means working on being sensitive of the feelings of people around us.

In our parsha 25:17 we have warning to be careful not to hurt one’s feelings and this is given in the framework of a business deal. Amazing.
In the framework of business the commandment to be careful not to hurt another’s feelings. The greatness, the holiness of Klal Yisroel – to be sensitive to the feelings of others around us.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Emor

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Parshas Emor (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Rashi (23:11) quotes the machlokes in Chazal regarding the commandment of chodosh if pertains in Chutz Laaretz or to the contrast it only pertains in Eretz Yisroel and Rashi enumerates 4 conditions, kvisha, yeshiva, yerusha and chaluka. “Food” for thought, what could be the basis of this extreme machlokes.

Rashi (24:11) that Shlomis, the mother of the mekalel, had that name for her behavior of her consistence in greeting men. This in itself, is a wonderful and important trait – greeting people – but the emes of the Torah doesn’t overlook the highest priority of tznius.

We should continue the chizuk we got from Pesach to be inspired by yetzias Mitzrayim.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Kedoshim

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Parshas Kedoshim (5774)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Our parsha warns against worshipping something even without attributing to it absolute real belief that it has power. By transgression it leads to the greatest tragedy of accepting it as a real idol. How often in our lives we can be guilty of this and how much we must be aware and concerned that our thoughts are pure and focused to Hashem.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.