Tag: Matos

Parshas Matos (5771)

Bs”d

Parshas Matos (5771)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Our sedra opens with its intricate ordinances of vows immediately spelling out something very striking. (30:3)” Ish ki yidar….he shall not defile his words.” The next pasuk “V’isha “, laws concerning the woman, extends for the next 15 pasukim. 15 pasukim–amazing. Women, for whatever reason, because of their essence, feel the need of the support of the nedarim.

The lesson is that we should always be sensitive to our particular spiritual needs and harness and recruit the available auxiliaries for our support.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and see the geula b’karov.

Parshas Matos (5768)

Bs”d

Parshas Matos (5768)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

From the manner of presentation of the Chumash of the subject of nedarim in a way of showing its prominence and detailed elaboration we can see how vital a matter it is.

What is so unique and outstanding about this that it deserves a special spotlight? Since we don’t practice making nedarim currently because of the fear that we might fall short in fulfilling it we aren’t sufficiently educated to appreciate and understand the function and great benefit of nedarim. By understanding this properly we can derive a perspective that can be of great assistance to our Torah fulfillment today even though we don’t have the nedarim.

The main purpose of the neder is to make something which was permissible, forbidden; to create a distance for ourselves from the actual aveira or the bare border of the fulfillment of the mitzvah. The structure of our Avodas Hashem is such that the main thrust of our ability to stand up to our tests is by the creation and keeping of this distance. The Gemarra strongly criticizes an individual who had an option of avoiding a tempting circumstance but nevertheless put himself in the place of temptation, even though he was able to stand up to the “test” with “flying colors.

So often we fail to live up to the Torah’s demands and requirements and come down sharply on ourselves unjustifiably; for the real guilt was our failure to remove ourselves from this battlefield which could have been relatively easy and accessible to our capabilities.

We don’t have nedarim today but its lesson of keeping our distance calls out loud and clear!! Nelech v’natzliach.

Hashem should put an end to our long galus through the coming of Moshiach. Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Matos (5765)

Bs”d

Parshas Matos (5765)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

The message that the Torah relates by placing the husband and father in charge of the vows of their wife or daughter, is the general spiritual responsibility of the husband and father in the home. The women are blessed with “bina yesaira”, an abundance of wisdom that a husband should acknowledge and respect, but every ship has one captain.

Clal Yisroel worldwide is ushering in our mourning period for the Churban. It would be appropo to dedicate a few moments daily to mourn over the desecration of the honor of Hashem and His nation. It would be proper at this time to recharge our appreciation and value for Eretz Yisrael, the palace of Hashem; for the zechus to tred upon the holy of holies, His very “home”. It is so easy to forget with today’s modernization and advancement of technology; treading on the avenues of asphalt, surrounded by an up-to-date way of life.

Since the churban, our idealists have returned to the “palace” but with years of intensive uplifting spiritual preparation to be worthy to tread upon the holy earth to say nothing of the perilous journey and impossible conditions they were subjected to upon their arrival.

Let’s contemplate, meditate and appreciate that we are worthy to be at the holy of holies in the universe, and let us mourn for the desecration of the glory of Hashem and yearn for His honor and glory to be restored through the coming of Moshiach.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.