Weekly Parsha

Devarim Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Shoftim

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Parshas Shoftim (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Shoftim v’shotrim — the concept of the shotrim translated in our personal avodas Hashem is the regimentation that we have to impose upon ourselves to remove ourselves from the arena of nisyonos. In the ruach of Elul we should try to elevate ourselves and put ourselves in the arena of ruchnius especially by davening Shachris, specifically psuka d’zimra and birchas krias shma with inspiration and b’kol and with kavana and we should reach out to Hashem to give us special Divine assistance to succeed in avodas Hashem.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Devarim Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Re’ay

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Parshas Re’ay (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In dealing with the instigating of avodah zarah the pasuk 14 refers to him as a belial, he threw off the yoke of Hashem. If he is spreading idol worship of course he is belial. The secret here is that he threw off the yoke of Hashem before the avoda zara, Hashem who is so clear and so obvious and so close he pushed away and then he is open to everthing.

The pasuk 13:1 says that we are forbidden to rip our hair in mourning for a close one. It seems from the pasuk this is because Hashem is our real father. However Rashi explains the real significance is that since we are Hashem’s children we have to look like princes. We must conduct ourselves like the true children of the King of Kings.

Have a fulfilling Shabbos and fulfilling Chodesh.

Devarim Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Eikev

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Parshas Eikev (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

(10:1) Hashem commanded Moshe to carve the luchos and then make the aron. Moshe, however, took the initiative to make the aron first, against the commandment of Hashem. According to the priorities of kedusha, of course the luchos come before the aron, however in this materialistic world we must have the appreciation, the awe, respect and recognition of the awesome kedusha. For us, this is the ultimate, perhaps more important than the kedusha. This aron Rashi says accompanied us to war. This zechus of respect for the kedusha in this low, materialistic world; to admire, to give admiration for the completion of Shas, this is the ultimate of greatness.

Have a wonderful, uplifting Shabbos.

Bamidbar Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Matos – Masai

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Parshas Matos-Masai 5772
by Mordechai Dolinsky

כלל ישראל mourns the loss of this great leader, Rav Yosef Sholom Eliyashiv זצוק”ל. It is amazing how our leaders are chosen by השם for us through השגחה פרטית . We can see how directly and indirectly he had his impact on כלל ישראל by the massive mourning. He will surely continue to serve כלל ישראל from his great place in עולם האמת.

It is difficult to understand how the bnai Gad and bnai Reuven made a priority of receiving plentiful grazing lands for the cattle over getting their permanent נחלה in the more precious and greater boundaries of ארץ ישראל.

We find that our greatest leaders including the אבות , Moshe Rabeinu, and דוד המלך were shepherds. This occupation afforded the shepherds tremendous blocks of time for coming close to השם and studying the תורה. For bnai Gad and bnai Reuven the great grazing lands meant another מסכתא and more דבקות inהשם .

It is noteworthy that when משה רבנו originally criticized those shvatim for not wanting the join כלל ישראל in the war to capture the other side of the Yarden, it wasn’t at all for the lack of contributing man power rather the danger of lowering the level of אמונה and בטחון of the other שבטים. Imagine the greatness of our nation.

Bamidbar Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Pinchas

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Parshas Pinchas (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

The act of kanous is to be willing to take the life of a person who is doing something very much against the Will of Hashem, yet isn’t isn’t crysalized in the form of a definite issur. Pinchas is being crowned with the kehuna for his heroic act, yet not understood and appreciated by Klal Yisroel. Truly Pinchas is a secret hero, sensitive to the true Will of Hashem.
25:11 Rashi.

Let’s be zocheh to be megaleh the kavod Shomayim.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Bamidbar Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Balak

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Parshas Balak (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

22:20 Hashem tells Bilam “kum lech etam” in pasuk 22 Hashem is furious at Bilam for going. Rashi explains that Bilaam understood that it wasn’t the true wishes of Hashem, yet he longed to go. His inner inner wishes; Hashem deals with the inner wishes, the truth of the truth. The Torah is the truth of the truth.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Bamidbar Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Chukas 5772

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Parshas Chukas (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In our sedra we find Klal Yisroel complaining consistently in a negative manner. They were not a group of kvetches, rather standing up to a very difficult nisayon.

When speaking to the stone it was if the stone really heard but in reality they had to believe it was all from Hashem.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Bamidbar Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Korach

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Parshas Korach (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

(16:30) –It is extremely difficult to understand how Moshe was able to take the chance and throw out a challenge that if Hashem didn’t punish and destroy Korach according to his very specific specifications of the opening of the earth and being swallowed that he himself wasn’t truly selected by Hashem.

There is an awesome foundation in hashkafos of Torah that the Ruach of Hashem comes down and rests on the manhig in a way that the Gadol actually becomes one with Hashem. This connection gave Moshe the strength for this act. Even more so, Moshe was proving that he had this connection because otherwise it would not make any sense to put himself “out on a limb”.

It could very well be that this recognition of Moshe’s special connection with Hashem, Korach was missing.

The leaders that Hashem sends us are in proportion to our yearning. Let’s yearn for the greatest leaders with the greatest connection.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Bamidbar Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Shlach

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Parshas Shlach (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Hashem was disappointed with Klal Yisroel that they petitioned for the meraglim. As Rashi explains in “shlach lecha”—I declared that I would save you from the discomfort of Mitzrayim. Hashem is sensitive and concerned for your comfort. What is your concern of Eretz Yisroel, some problem, that you have the need for spies. Hashe, because of His concern for your needs uprooted and removed you from Egypt. What possibly can be your concern? Hashem has demonstrated the ultimate of awareness and commitment of being there for you. The mere request for meraglim was the denial of Hashem’s demonstration of His love and commitment to you.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Bamidbar Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Behaaloscha

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Parshas Behaaloscha (5772)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In our parsha we have the instructions for Klal Yisroel for their journey through the desert. On first thought the subject seems very technical and dry. However, there really lies here the revealing of a great lesson and a great light. The introduction of these instructions is the holy cloud of the Shchina that rested upon the Ohel Moed with the completion of the Mishkan. From there comes the travel plans based on this holy cloud. The pasuk (9:19) emphasizes “ b’haarich he’anan al hamishkan yomim rabbim”; (9:20) “v’yesh asher yihiyeh heannan yamim mispor al hamishkan”… v’alpi Hashem yisau”. Everything depends solely and unpredictably on the movement of the cloud. The entire Klal Yisroel was completely dependent on the ‘whims’ of the cloud. All this is to emphasize the leadership of the Shchinah. When thinking deeply into this phenomenon imagine how much of a test this was; the idea of not knowing what the next step was going to be. How awesome, so completely dependent on Hashem. In such a basic issue of the travel, the next move.

It was a lesson of complete hisbatlus to Hashem on a high level. Now we can understand that for their movement they had to hear the sound of the chatzotzrah which is the sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashonah, tekiah, teruah, tekiah, the sounds of declaring the Kingdom of Hashem with all the depth of the malchios of Rosh Hashanah.

It was decreed upon Klal Yisroel the wander in the desert because of their lack of complete reliance on Hashem exhibited in the episode of the meraglim. This was rectified by subjugating themselves to the leadership of Hashem in the midbar.

The lesson for us is very obvious and pertinent. We have to search for Hashem and follow in His path.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

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