Author: Kollel of Greater Boston

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

על גבול ארץ אדום לאמר (פרק כ פסוק כג)

Klal Yisroel continue their journey through the desert, and they send a request to Edom (descendants of Eisav) to pass through their land. They phrase their question as a message from “your brother, Israel”. Immediately after their request is denied, Hashem informs Moshe, “on the border of Edom”, that Aharon is about to pass away. Rashi explains the significance of them being on the border of Edom, that the reason why Aharon was taken from them was because they sinned by showing attachment and closeness to Edom. R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky asks, we find that it is forbidden to despise Edom, “because they are your brother” (דברים כג ח), if so, why is it a problem for Klal Yisroel to show them kinship with this very same phrase? R’ Yaakov explains that although we are not allowed to hate them, our natural feelings should be one of distance and disgust because of their evil ways. When we act towards them as brothers, it should be only because Hashem told us that we mustn’t hate them. Here, however, Klal Yisroel initiated a brotherly gesture towards Edom because of their own personal feelings of closeness. This was why Hashem took away Aharon, which resulted in a war with Amalek.

וממדבר מתנה (פרק כא פסוק יח)

The Torah tells us that Klal Yisroel received “from the desert, a gift”. The Gemara in Nedarim explains the verse homiletically, one who makes themselves ownerless like a desert, will receive the Torah as a gift. Tosfos and the Rosh explain this to mean that if one treats themselves as ownerless property by freely sharing their Torah to all, they will merit a gift of Torah for themselves. R’ Gedaliah Schorr offers an additional explanation, one who declares themselves ownerless, not tied down to their desires and wants, but rather completely free to toil in Torah, will merit the Torah as a gift. That is to say, although the initial step must be a person giving of their own effort in Torah, if they truly devote themselves to it then they will be given the Torah as a present, even being given the ability to retain the information that they have learned.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

In פרשיות of בהעלותך, שלח, קרח, we have learned of the “mistakes” that our greatest ancestors made. As we study these events, we understand that these were the greatest of people who due to this, were held to supreme, perfect standards.
But we are troubled. Who are we compared to them? Is it even remotely possible that we can achieve a modicum of our purpose? How does Hashem views us in context of our accomplishments? We can blame our inadequacies on the society we live in, but how are we defined?
If משה רבינו, Moses, the great leader who spoke to Hashem פנים אל פנים is castigated “ואתם לא ,האמנתם בי” “due to you not having “נאמנות”, complete, immutable reliance on Me,” then who are we?
When we study the history of our people, we see a metaphysical dynamic that is the format of our world. The further we are from the revelation at Mt. Sinai; our connection to Hashem diminishes, both in our in-depth knowledge of Torah, our exuberance for mitzvos and our selfless caring for one another. Why did Hashem create His world in such a manner? Why does He allow spiritual darkness in His world? A society that today is warring against the idea of a Creator, and consequently the idea of governance, responsibility to another, and above all has arrived at a new culture. “You can’t tell me who I am or what I have to do! I am independent of all of humanity, the world owes me everything!”
HaRav Yeruchim Levovits in an extensive discussion, דף קלז-קנז in ספר במדבר, enlightens and ennobles us! The main purpose of creation is only realized through the negative, darkness, confusion, and the opposite of all that is perfect, correct, and spiritual.
A rabbi was once asked which generation is better, the previous one or ours? He answered, “They were better, but we are greater!”
The Medrash tells us that עזרא הסופר, Ezra the Scribe who led the people back to the Second Commonwealth ( בית המקדש שני ) was greater than יהושע בן נון , the disciple of משה רבינו and his successor. How is that possible?
One’s greatness, one’s ability to lead and teach by example is not defined by comparison, but rather by the challenges one faces and endures. Yehoshua was definitely a supreme personality, one who Ezra tried to emulate; but Yehoshua lived at a time when Hashem revealed Himself in the most pronounced manner in our history. Ezra on the contrary lived in time of disillusionment, a time when our people thought that there was no future due to their misdeeds and subsequent exile. He with courage, determination, steadfastness, and patience, all as a result of his אמונה, his complete subservience to Hashem, convinced Klal Yisroel (though a pittance listened) to return to the Holy Land.
The Torah instructs us with the mitzvah of .שכחה If a farmer forgets to collect specific bundels of produce during the harvest, he is to leave it for the poor. Though the farmer didn’t on his own present the grains to the poor, he is rewarded as if he did. We are being taught that due to the נשמה, soul every Jew is gifted by Hashem, our essential nature is to assist another. Therefore, the farmer truly would want to forget in order that the poor should gain!
In the same manner, though we dwell in a society that is almost completely bereft of true spiritual values, every positive act, every mitzvah is analogous to having “moved mountains”; therefore, our actions have limitless value.
How does one overcome the prevailing, antithetical, immoral society? It’s with constant אמונה. אמונה , our “belief” that Hashem cares about every individual is not the answer to questions; it precludes any question!
The core essence of אמונה is that all one seeks is to do the will of Hashem with complete trust, self-negation, and enthusiasm.
In the era of the Arizal, a simple person lamented the fact that the לחם הפנים, the “showbread”, that was offered to Hashem in the Holy Temple, didn’t exist. On his own, every Friday before sundown, he would place two loaves of bread in the ארון הקודש, the Ark, as a compensation, to mollify Hashem’s pain. Every time he would wail with intense concentration that Hashem accept his gift!
One Friday, a rabbi came and asked him what he was doing!? He explained that the breads he placed were always accepted by Hashem, for they always disappeared. The rabbi told him that it wasn’t so, but rather it was removed by the שמש, sexton. From then on, the person lost his interest in placing the breads.
Subsequently, the Arizal had a dream that in שמים they had great criticism of the rabbi, for Hashem had supreme delight in the man’s actions. Yes, it wasn’t what one would normally do, but this person with full passion, dedication, and love of Hashem – true אמונה – in the time of darkness, shined a light on the world.
Moshiach will come in a generation that is כולו חייב, in a time of depravity and debasement. He will be one of that generation who will perceive the great “light” of Torah in darkness, he will inspire all to rise above all by touching and awakening our נשמה, soul.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

רב לכם בני לוי (פרק טז פסוק ז)

Korach comes with his followers to complain that Moshe has taken too many honors for himself and his brother. Moshe commands them to come the next day with an offering of קטרות and Hashem will show whom He chooses to serve Him. Rashi asks, how could Korach have been so foolish to continue his tirade, doesn’t he know that he will lose in Hashem’s choosing? Rashi explains that Korach saw with divine inspiration that he will have the great Shmuel Hanavi and 24 groups of righteous Leviim as descendants, and he therefore reasoned that he deserves honor and greatness already and that he will not be harmed in this fight. His mistake was that really his sons would be saved, as they would repent, but he would perish. R’ Avraham Pam expounds according to this; the root of Korach’s downfall was that he could not wait for the greatness that was coming to him. In just a few generations his family would truly deserve the honor, but now was not the time. Korach’s haste and impatience in receiving the glory resulted in him erring in judgement. R’ Pam applies this as a lesson for all of us. Our path of growth does not go from 0 to 60, rather we must take small steps with determination to achieve our goals. We cannot lose patience in achieving our aspirations, this was Korach’s mistake, and we should recognize that every small thing that we do is important and has eternal worth as a step towards our eventual greatness.

ויחר למשה מאד ויאמר אל ה’ אל תפן אל מנחתם (פרק טז פסוק טו)

When Moshe realized that Korach and his followers were truly going to go along with the challenge of bringing קטורת, he turned to Hashem with a plea that He does not accept their offering. The Alter of Kelm saw in this a tremendous lesson in the power of prayer. Korach’s men were clearly doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons, and yet Moshe felt the need to pray that Hashem does not accept their offering, which would happen through their תפילות. Even though by acceptance of their קטורת and prayers, Hashem would be giving credence to their heretical views and ideologies, the power of prayer is so great that Moshe was concerned that Hashem would indeed listen to them. R’ Yaakov Neiman adds, can we imagine how Hashem listens to our prayers that He help and save the Jewish People?! If He would potentially listen to sinners, when their intention is anti-Hashem, how much more so must He listen to us when we pray for the very things that He wishes for.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

In פרקי אבות, Ethics of our Fathers 5:17, it states: “What is an example of an argument that is for the ‘sake of Heaven’, for selfless spiritual advancements, the halachic disputes between Bais Hillel and Bais Shammai.” The case of a dispute that represents self-interests is this week’s portion, the “rebellion” of Korach.

Superficially it seems that that Korach was a terrible person, a distinguished individual who envied Moshe Rabbeinu’s exalted status. How is it possible that someone who witnessed the miracles that Moshe Rabbeinu brought, experienced his selfless dedication, and above all knew that the Almighty had chosen him to be His agent to transmit the Torah to Klal Yisroel, doubted the authenticity of his actions? HaRav Yeruchim Levovitz זצ“ל explains that initially Korach’s intentions were completely legitimate, totally selfless and solely dedicated to Hashem. Korach had a relentless, passionate quest, to attain the highest level of spiritual attachment to Hashem. He couldn’t fathom why his cousin, the son of the youngest of four brothers, should be chosen to be the “administrator” of the Levites, why wouldn’t he be given the opportunity to develop his spirituality through responsibility to Klal Yisroel? He then convinced the first-born males who originally were to be those who would serve in the בית המקדש, the Holy Temple (or משכן, tabernacle) and the שבט ראובן, the tribe of Reuvein to demand to be returned to their original significant status. The Ramban explains that they argued that everyone should be able to serve in the Tabernacle just as beforehand, everyone could bring a sacrifice on a במת יחיד, a personal altar.

It began as an unequivocal pure desire to regain the ability to aspire, obligate, and challenge themselves for their greatest self-development.

But with all the sincere aspirations there is a hidden element that all humans have to contend with. Is it totally about Hashem’s world or is it even minimally about oneself? Am I upset that another has more stature than me? Is it due to my sense of “emptiness”, compared to another individual? On the surface, it seemed he was demanding equal opportunity for all, but משה רבינו revealed to כלל ישראל that his motivating factor was to be personally bestowed with “priesthood”, כהונה. The Talmud Yerushalmi states that Korach “completely lost himself” and exclaimed, “Torah is not G-dly, Moshe is not a prophet, and Aharon is not the High Priest!” Mind-boggling! This is Korach who the Arizal said will rise as a צדיק , a righteous tzaddik in the “end of days”, .באחרית הימים Korach’s intentions were pure! He sincerely and unequivocally believed that Moshe Rabeinu was Hashem’s chosen one. The “problem” was that one shouldn’t allow oneself to be overwhelmed with an emotional drive, even if it is to attain complete negation of oneself to Hashem. We need to ask!

Chazal teach us, in what manner did Korach substantiate that his arguments were genuine? He saw in the future he would have a descendant ,שמואל הנביא Shmuel the Prophet. In שמואל א, chapter 8, the Jewish people – the elders – approached שמואל הנביא and demanded he appoint a king to be his successor. Shmuel was terribly upset that they wouldn’t rely on Hashem to guide them in all their activities, including wars, commerce, and peaceful existence.

You, Klal Yisroel, have attained a true spiritual existence and dynamic. Eretz Yisroel, the land we inhabit is Hashem’s personal dwelling place. Our land is suffused with His presence; it’s His place and He will take care of his children!

Korach argued, if my descendants will argue that every person is living in the “palace of the King”, if every person is Hashem’s personal child, if all is secure when we are dedicated to Hashem; then why do we need leaders altogether? What was initially a personal longing turned into a confrontation with Moshe Rabeinu and Aharon HaKohen, if it truly is Hashem’s wish to have leaders. Though Korach originally desired to be a leader of Klal Yisroel, he now “blinded” himself by jealously attacking the idea of leadership.

HaRav Nosson Wachtfogel זצ“ל explained that what was relevant in Shmuel’s days, didn’t apply in the time of Moshe Rabeinu. As a people then, we needed a king, מלך, Moshe Rabeinu, and a ,כהן גדול Aharon HaKohen, to inculcate, teach and infuse Klal Yisroel with the true perspectives of life, the Jewish people being a “newly minted nation”.

The lesson we derive is that to be successful, especially in our times, everyone needs leadership, for otherwise we will make terrible mistakes. “עשה לך רב וקנה לך חבר”, “Make for oneself a teacher and acquire a friend.” ((אבות א:א

It is interesting to note that Chazal put more of an emphasis on a friend than a teacher; for a friend, one has to even ‘purchase’ him, while the word for make only implies to look for and ask someone to be one’s teacher. The משנה is teaching us that human nature is to seek the easiest path in life; therefore a person can always argue what my teacher is instructing only applies to my generation. We, who have a different makeup aren’t completely understood by the previous generation; henceforth buy a friend who can demand from one to energize oneself to actualize their personal potential without any excuses that ‘they don’t know their generation’s mentality’!

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

The episode of the מרגלים, the twelve “spies” sent by משה רבינו to scout the land of present-day Israel is fraught with many perplexing questions.

They are introduced by the Torah as, “ראשי בני ישראל המה” (יג:ג) , “כולם אנשים “they are all distinguished people, the leaders of the Jewish people, they are.” Included in them are יהושע בן נון, the successor to משה רבינו, Moses, and כלב בן יפונה, one of the greatest of ours in history.

The Ramban points out that they are only mentioned as the 3^rd and 5^th – the 1^st and 2^nd were greater!

How is it possible that ten of these spiritual giants could err in their judgement? How is it possible that in order to convince the Jewish people to follow them and rebel against Moshe Rabbeinu they would resort to blatant lies? The רמב “ן, Nachmanides, explains that they died in a horrible, ignoble manner due to the most detrimental action one can do – to be dishonest. How is it possible that despite that Hashem promised them the land and Klal Yisrael was waiting with great anticipation to settle it, that they could be led astray?

The מדרש רבה במדבר ט“ז:א states that if one travels by boat through any ocean or a sea, where one can encounter life-threatening conditions, one is not allowed to embark on a journey less than three days before Shabbos ( מסכת שבת דף יט ). If one is a שליח מצוה, a person who is involved with a mission of a mitzvah, he can start to travel on any weekday, “for there isn’t anything as dear to Hashem as a person who is designated to accomplish a mitzvah and dedicates his ‘whole being’ to be successful in accomplishing the mission”. The Medrash says that the ten spies who gave a terrible report were “רשעים”, wicked people.

The fundamental underpinning of עבודת ה‘י is to completely subjugate one’s total focus to carry out Hashem’s will. Even when performing a mitzvah such as tefillin or tzitzis, it is possible to be focused on one thing, but at the same time to perform the mitzvah. A person who is embarking on a mission is totally subjugating their total self to the will of Hashem and therefore has the liberty to travel at any time. (הרב נתן זצ“ל)

The מרגלים, spies, for whatever reason didn’t completely abnegate themselves to Hashem’s will, but retained a modicum of “it’s about me, I am the master of this situation”. They were ecstatic about their new position of prominence and didn’t develop the level of pure allegiance to Hashem, causing themselves the ability to err in their judgement.

“בדרך שאדם רוצה לילך מוליכין אותו”, “the path which one chooses is the one that Hashem enables one to pursue”. We are being taught that one’s capacity to develop their life’s path is solely defined by their ambition. Success or failure is determined by their choice; only when one recognizes that all is determined by Hashem’s desire can one with clarity selflessly dedicate themselves to Hashem’s ubiquitousness.

A story! In the 1980’s, when I lived in Pittsburgh, I received a call at 11:30 p.m. to travel to the University of Pittsburgh hospital to pray for a woman who was to undergo a liver transplant the following morning. Little did I know that Dr. Earl Starzl, “the father of modern transplantation”, originator of liver transplantation, would not attempt surgery on a Jewish patient unless a rabbi first came and gave a blessing. Why was this so? After all, Dr. Starzl was an Italian!

A couple of years prior, there was an eighteen-year-old yeshiva bochur who had undergone an attempted transplant. After ten hours, the doctor had “given up” and told the father, “I tried everything possible”. The father begged the doctor, “Please try the surgery from another position in his body, after all, I am a butcher, and if I need to, I cut the meat from another angle.” The doctor acquiesced and four hours later came out from the operating room and exclaimed, “The surgery was successful, but it was G-d that held my hand the whole time, it wasn’t me whatsoever!”

Recognizing with humility and clarity the miracle, he insisted from then on, that G-d is the surgeon, I am but His extended hands; therefore I insist that a rabbi bless the patient to gain His assistance! What a lesson!

The Talmud, Kedushin 30b states: “The evil inclination of a person naturally dominates a person” The desire for comfort, fame, materialism, hedonism are all a reflection of self-absorption and a lack of commitment and responsibility. “If not for the assistance of our loving Creator, it would be impossible to truly develop one’s spiritual, selfless, subservient personality”. But don’t we have בחירה, free will to choose our path in life? Isn’t that the challenge of life?

The Vilna Gaon explains: We are being taught that it is impossible to overcome one’s natural, self-centered mode of living. Hashem empowered us with a choice of self-determination, that will define our life. Do we totally with relentless determination, pure clarity and self-negation subjugate our focus totally to Hashem (due to our absolute appreciation of all He gives us)?

If one recognizes that Hashem is the One that is the absolute cause of all that exists and transpires, then one is blessed with extraordinary success. Moreso, due to the clarity that we are “observers on His stage”, one will accept His will as immutable. Even when one has to make a decision, invariably one will assess a situation selflessly and therefore correctly.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

היש בה עץ אם אין…ולקחתם מפרי הארץ (פרק יג פסוק כ)

Moshe sends the spies to scout out the land of Israel and instructs them to see if there is a tree and to bring fruit from the land. Rashi explains that the tree symbolizes a good and proper person who could protect the inhabitants with their merits. The Satmar Rebbe asks, how does the end of the analogy make sense- to take from the fruit of the land, how does this translate into a good person who has merits? Additionally, how could they tell who is a good person, only Hashem knows a person’s thoughts and their true level? R’ Yoel explains that if a person is a tree, then their “fruit” is their children and students. Moshe was telling the spies that they should search if there is a good person there and they should “take the fruit” i.e. look at the children and students of that person to determine the actual quality of the person. To discover the true essence of a person one can look at their protégé and if their products are good, then it speaks volumes of their inner quality.

ויהושע בן נון וכלב בן יפנה חיו מן האנשים ההם (פרק יד פסוק לח)

Yehoshua and Calev, the two spies who withstood the social influence of the other ten, were granted life “from the other men”. Rashi explains this to mean that they will take the portion of land in Israel that had been destined to go to the other spies. R’ Aharon Kotler explains that we find many times that righteous people receive the reward of the evil people around them. How are we to understand this? Why is this fair? R’ Aharon offers two explanations. Firstly, the evil people present a challenge and a test for the righteous people, especially by the spies where the easiest thing to do would have been to go along with what everyone else was doing. When the righteous can stand up to this test, they deserve “payment” from the very people that inflicted it upon them in the first place. Another approach is that the purpose of the world is for mankind to fulfill the Torah and Hashem’s Will. Therefore, the righteous are the true purpose of creation and the whole world is here for them. This that the evil people exist and are allowed to benefit from the world, is only in the merit of the righteous. It is logical therefore, that everything that the evildoers have, really belongs to the righteous.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

Prior to the giving of the Torah to Klal Yisroel at Mt. Sinai, all those that had an infirmity, i.e. lame, deaf, blind, were miraculously healed by the Creator. There is a discussion at what point was the gift taken away; was it at the incident of the Golden Calf or was it at the time of the מתאוננים, those who “complained”. במדבר יא:א) , Numbers 11:1)

HaRav Shneur Kotler זצ“ל , late Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood Yeshiva, would comment many times, “We are being taught that it is more detrimental to be unhappy than to create the Golden Calf.” Despite that the making of the Golden Calf and its subsequent worship was a rejection of Hashem’s Torah being absolute, a lack of sincere, unmitigated enthusiasm deprives one of the most essential “building block” of achievement.

The Torah teaches us that all the terrible, unimaginable calamities that will befall the Jewish people is due to “”תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה‘ אלוקיך בשמחה , that you didn’t serve Hashem with ‘simcha’, enthusiasm.” דברים כח:מז) , Deuteronomy 28:47) Rabbeinu Bachya in the Kad HaKemach teaches that this idea of “simcha” is a mitzva dictated by the Toah. In effect, it represents an עבודה , subservience to Hashem, more important than an actual mitzvah. (דף רע“א)

Enthusiasm is the inner essence of a person. Therefore, it is the critical element that will be the precursor of all of one’s actions- either for positive or negative actions.

In ‘פרקי אבות ב, Ethics of Our Fathers chapter 2, we are introduced to the five greatest disciples of רבן יוחנן בן זכאי , each receiving a different accolade. One had an infallible memory (בור סוד), another was constantly productive (מעיין), the character trait that enabled them to achieve was a “good eye” and a “good heart”, respectively.

The תפארת ישראל explains that they basically both represent ideas of enthusiasm. When one is calm and relentlessly enthusiastic, due to being appreciative of all, always seeing the good of another, never jealous, angry, or worried; they have the innate ability to be intellectually productive in an unusual manner. This in turn enables one to gain friends, to honestly perceive the ramification of their actions and to dedicate oneself to love/embrace Hashem.

How does one cultivate the trait of enthusiasm? עין טוב is the idea that all people are born with an innate enthusiasm; observe a child who has an expansive outlook, always asking questions and remembering the minutest detail. לב טוב is the higher level, it is a consequence of constant appreciation of all the gifts of life granted by Hashem. When one consistently, incessantly and not perfunctorily absorbs and appreciates the positivity of life, they have developed inner joy, energy, and a relentless, enthusiastic drive to strive for the greatest plateaus of achievement.

This idea is articulated in the רמב“ן , Nachmanides. He explains that when the people entered the desert, they were sorrowful and anxious and asked how can we survive, what will we eat and drink, when will we leave this inhospitable environment? But this feeling was incorrect in Hashem’s “eyes”. How was it possible that after being the recipients of Hashem’s largesse, His loving attention and beneficence that they didn’t develop the inner essence to follow Hashem into the desert with unbridled enthusiasm and equanimity?

Dovid HaMelech in Psalms 95, 10 states: “ארבעים שנה אקוט בדור…”. Rav Shamshon Rephael Hirsch explains: “For forty years I (Hashem) strove to effect the improvement of an entire generation of that era by showing them (due to compassion) That I was displeased with them for not acutely appreciating My constant benefacting them with infinite dedication. But despite my desire to educate them, they would not recognize My love and ways.” To be able to transcend one’s previous life of self-gratification and to totally dedicate oneself to Hashem is an enormous challenge! But with absolute appreciation and in turn consummate enthusiasm it can happen, for Hashem will facilitate its actualization.

Yes, when a person truly perceives all of the benefactions of life, one invariably develops an inherent trait of enthusiasm! The ספר עיקרים , authored by Rav Yosef Albo זצ“ל b(14th century) teaches us a profound life lesson. “Appreciation is intuitive to every human.” When קין , Cain, brought a sacrifice that was deficient in quality, despite the fact that he initiated the idea of sacrifice to Hashem, he was humiliated by Hashem for he didn’t express his appreciation fully and correctly!

Those who are truly thankful and truly appreciative are enthusiastic and happy; happiness doesn’t bring one to thankfulness. To be truly appreciative necessitates that one selflessly absorb all the time, effort, and thought that Hashem or another has expended. Unfortunately, saying thank you is usually perfunctory; thereby robbing one of true enthusiasm. This is why every person is gifted by Hashem with an intuitive reaction to being the recipient of “gifts”; that is to be incontestably grateful, for otherwise we would not have the segue to enthusiasm, the inner engine for true accomplishment; which is predicated on supreme selflessness.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

אל נא תעזב אתנו…והיית לנו לעינים (פרק י פסוק לא)

The Torah describes how Yisro, Moshe’s father-in-law, wanted to leave the Jews in the desert and return to his homeland, and Moshe tried, unsuccessfully, to get him to stay. Moshe asked him, “please do not leave us… as you have been as eyes for us.” Rashi, in one explanation, says that being “eyes” is to see ideas and solutions that others do not. The Chasam Sofer, based on this understanding, expounds on the discussion between Moshe and Yisro as follows. Yisro felt that in his homeland he would be better than everyone else, whereas with the Jews his level of observance wasn’t as impressive. Hashem would judge him based on his environment, and when in the desert perhaps he would look worse in the eyes of Hashem than if he were to return home. Moshe argued that Yisro had helped the entire Jewish nation by advising them on a practical judicial system. We have a rule that anyone who is מזכה הרבים, benefits the public, will not lose out or be harmed because of them, because it would not be befitting for the beneficiary to be accorded greater reward than the benefactor. Therefore, Yisro needn’t worry that he would be viewed in a worse light because of his remaining with the Jewish nation. When someone works on behalf of the Jewish nation, they can be assured that their role in the nation will be of benefit to them.

שובה ה’ רבבות אלפי ישראל (פרק י פסוק לו)

There are two verses in the Parsha which are separated by inverted nuns(נ). One opinion in the Gemara explains that these symbols indicate that this is a separate book, resulting in seven books of the Torah. According to this opinion, there must be a fundamental lesson to be derived from these two verses, otherwise why would they deserve their own book? R’ Elya Svei explains that from one of the verses we learn that there is a certain intensity of Hashem’s presence specifically when there are 22,000 Jews together. Although Hashem is always with us, having 22,000 of us together intensifies His presence. R’ Elya says that this teaches us an incredible lesson in the value of every individual. After all, if there were but 21,999 Jews together, one Jew would make an awesome difference in the Divine Presence! Perhaps this is the incredible lesson that we can learn from this book, how every Jew has infinite value and amazing potential.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

ועשה הכהן אחד לחטאת…מאשר חטא על הנפש (פרק ו פסוק יא)

When a person decides to be a נזיר they are not allowed to drink wine, cut their hair, or become impure by coming into contact with a dead person. If there is an uncontrollable situation in which they become impure then they must bring a sin-offering because of their sin. Rashi quotes an opinion that the sin that the sacrifice is atoning for is “ציער עצמו מן היין”- he pained himself [by restraining] from wine. The Kli Yakar asks, if that is the sin, then why only bring an offering after becoming impure? Every נזיר commits this crime? He answers that the sin is not merely that the נזיר didn’t drink wine, rather that he pained himself in the process. Once he was serving Hashem in this way of abstinence he should have done it happily. Had he been happy and satisfied with his way of life as a נזיר, he certainly would have been more careful and not allowed himself to become impure. Therefore, only after becoming impure do we see that he wasn’t observing his נזירות with total happiness and excitement and his paining himself is considered sinful. Only now he must bring a sin offering for not serving Hashem with joy.

פר אחד בן בקר איל אחד כבש אחד בן שנתו לעולה (פרק ז פסוק כא)

The Torah describes at length how the נשיא of every שבט brought קרבנות as a way of initiating the משכן. They each brought one bull, one ram, and one lamb. Rashi explains that the bull corresponds to Avraham who slaughtered a calf in serving the angels who came to his tent and the ram represents Yitzchak who had a ram brought in his place by the עקידה. Yaakov is signified by the lamb because he separated lambs when serving Lavan and tending to his flocks. The bull and ram are understandable, because Avraham’s serving guests with a calf was the prime example of his מדת החסד which was his overriding מדה, and Yitzchak’s willingness to sacrifice himself was a monumental moment in our history. The lamb, however, is strange- why is Yaakov signified by his service to Lavan as a shepherd? R’ Elya Boruch Finkel says that we see from here that Yaakov attained his ultimate level as a צדיק by being honest with Lavan’s money. Although he had opportunities to justify crooked behavior, he did not veer from the path of absolute truth. This מדה brought him to his perfection, as is implied by the רמב”ם who only refers to Yaakov as Yaakov the צדיק in reference to his serving Lavan honestly. This is why the נשיאים brought lambs to signify Yaakov at his highest level.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

In this week’s portion, we are introduced to the נזיר, Nazirite, a person who dedicates themselves to elevating their spiritual sensitivity and steadfastness. Chazal teach us that the Torah equates this period of one’s life to the lofty status of the כהן גדול, the High Priest!

The גמרא נדרים ט:י, the Talmud Nedarim 9b relates to us a fascinating story. “One time a Nazir came to the בית המקדש, Holy Temple, and I (Shimon HaTzaddik) saw that he had beautiful eyes, was handsome and beautiful hair arranged in curls. I asked him, ‘Why did you become a Nazir? After all, at the close of your cycle of being a Nazir, you must shave off all of your hair. Why would you destroy it?’

“The shepherd answered me, ‘I was drawing water from a well and I looked at my reflection and immediately (due to my extraordinary handsomeness) my evil inclination quickly overcame me and sought to expel me from a spiritual lifestyle into a hedonistic, lustful world!

“‘I  said to myself: Wicked one, why pride yourself in a world that is not yours? One day you (physical body) will be food for the worms and maggots in your grave. I immediately vowed to become a Nazir, thereby making it imperative that I shave my hair!’

“Rav Shimon HaTzaddik immediately arose, kissed him and exclaimed, ‘My son, may there be many more like you, you being the exemplar of a true nazir.’”

There are questions:

1. If the man was worried about his beautiful hair, why didn’t he immediately shave it; why wait another thirty days, the smallest period of being a Nazir?
2. Why did he speak to himself in second person?

A Nazir has to observe three conditions: 1) not to eat or drink any product of a grape, 2) not to shave or take a haircut, 3) not to become טמא, a state of spiritual imperfection, by coming in contact with any corpse, even one’s closest relatives.

What draws a person away from intellectual acuity and on the contrary arouses one’s desires is wine; therefore to instill a new focus on life’s goals, the Torah instructs the Nazir to abstain from all grape products, in this maner one’s focus is completely changed. One’s need for defining oneself by physical appearance is mitigated by letting one’s hair grow “wildly”. Lastly, by not coming in contact with a corpse, according to the משך חכמה one protects oneself from being in a state of melancholy; according to others, it prevents one for losing the expansive spiritual stature that the Nazir acquired due to coming in contact with their mortality, thereby causing one to focus on one’s physical limitations.

The question one can ask: isn’t the person going to either way be despondent due to the loss of a beloved relative, so why preclude the nazir from coming in contact with the deceased?

In life one can be motivated by either the awesome responsibility to follow Hashem’s rules, in order to benefit from Hashem’s beneficience or to subjugate their entire being to the will of Hashem. I don’t do it because I have to, but rather I do it for that is “me”, my essence, my reason for existence – it’s my inner drive from within! (פנימיות)

This idea is the fundamental underpinning of spiritual growth. Just by cutting off one’s hair at a time of great inspiration will not define the person’s essence; on the contrary, it could be but a fleeting moment of impulsive emotional stimulation. To create a reality of change necessitates time, thought, and active dedication to effect true change.

In order to truly galvanize oneself to enable for this process to be actualized one has to objectively view what one can aspire for, despite all of one’s biased opinions regarding their abilities. Yes, one has to declare in second person, “you” can accomplish great strides, you can dedicate yourself to an honest, selfless journey of spiritual development. Transcend your self-absorption and declare this world, my life, isn’t about me, it’s about totally forming a dynamic that “I only exist as an essential part of Hashem’s universe.”

Only by creating this dynamic, will one be gifted that Hashem will become a silent partner in actualizing this potential, for when one declares, I am for Him, He therefore will be there for me! This is why the nazir is equated with the status of the כהן גדול, the High Priest, having attained a lofty level of unequivocal commitment. In a state of invigorated spirituality, one can focus totally on their objective.