Today's Learning Nedarim 7:8-9 O.C. 204:2-4 Sanhedrin 89 Yerushalmi-- Yevamot 77 Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Chukat Vol. IX, No. 39 (423), 10 Tamuz 5755, July 8, 1995 This parashah relates that the King of Arad heard that Yisrael was coming, and he fought Yisrael. Chazal ask, "What did he hear?" and answer that he heard that Aharon had died. Rav Chaim David Halevi shlita (Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv) writes: How can Chazal ask what the King of Arad heard? Doesn't the Torah state explicitly that he heard that Yisrael was coming? The answer, says Rav Halevi, is that Chazal wondered where the King of Arad found the courage to attack Bnei Yisrael. All the other nations (we read in Shmot 15:14-16) were terrified of Bnei Yisrael! What gave the King of Arad that courage? He heard that Aharon had died. Aharon had devoted himself to making peace between Jews, whether two friends or a husband and wife. As long as Aharon lived, the Jewish people remained united; when Aharon died, the Jews became divided. Then the King of Arad knew that he could fight the Jews. (Aseh Lecha Rav IV p.31) ************************************ "This is the Torah--a man who will die in the tent. . ." (19:14) Making a play on the words of this verse, Chazal say that the Torah will remain only with one who "kills himself" studying it. Rav Avraham Yishayahu Karelitz zatz'l (the "Chazon Ish") explains: This "death" means looking below the surface of life at life's innermost details. This means conquering one's character, because a person's traits are the superficial covering of his life. Killing one's impulses leads to life on the Torah path. There are many degenerate traits, writes the Chazon Ish, but breaking even one of them gives a person life and enables Torah to remain with him. Prominent among those traits is laziness. Laziness is so pervasive that it can affect both thoughts and deeds. Sometimes, laziness can even encourage a person to act, as when, for example, a person knows that what he plans to do is wrong, but he is too lazy to control himself and to declare war on his impulses. Laziness, the trait which brings a person to fall into trouble, is the root cause for abandonment of the Torah. (from Igrot Chazon Ish I, No.3) ************************************ "And the pure individual shall sprinkle [the ashes] on the defiled individual. . ." (19:19) The Talmud Yerushalmi (Demai ch.3) quotes Rav Yehoshua ben Kabsoi who said: "I used to understand from this verse than any one pure individual can purify only one other person. Then I learned from the treasure-house of Yavneh that one individual can purify many people." Rav Elazar Shach shlita explains that the treasure-house of Yavneh refers to the yeshiva which Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was able to save from the Roman sword. That Yeshiva guaranteed the future of Torah Judaism. Who would have thought that one person (in that case, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai) could make such a difference? The truth is, however, that one person can purify many people. (Michtavim Uma'amarim p.32) ************************************ "Take the stick and assemble the congregation. . ." (20:8) If Hashem did not intend for Moshe to hit the rock, why did He tell Moshe to take his staff with him? The answer, says Rav David Feinstein shlita is in the American expression, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." A parent or teacher should always be ready with a two-pronged approach: to teach, but to punish if necessary. (Kol Dodi) ************************************ "Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of Bnei Yisrael. . ." (20:12) Whether Moshe's and Aharon's sin was in striking the rock to bring out water instead of speaking to it, or whether their sin was something else that the commentaries attribute to them [Ed. note, see Hamaayan Vol. I No.12], the sin was clearly minor, writes Rav Avigdor Miller shlita. Why then does Hashem say, "Because you did not believe in Me. . .," accusing Moshe and Aharon of one of the gravest of sins! The answer is that striking the rock unnecessarily did show a minuscule amount of disbelief. Any unnecessary exertion, no matter how small, means that the actor does not realize the power of Hashem. What we also see, however, is how strictly the righteous are judged: because of Moshe's minuscule exertion, the Torah recorded for eternity that he did not believe in Hashem. This same standard applies whenever the Torah or prophets speak of a righteous man's sins. (Rejoice O Youth! p.175) ************************************ Rav Meir Horowitz zatz'l born 5579 (1819) - 8 Tamuz 5637 (1877) Rav Meir Horowitz of Dzikov (Tarnobrzeg) was the son of Rav Eliezer Horowitz, who was the son of Rav Naftali Zvi of Ropshitz. Rav Meir's wife was Devorah, the daughter of Rav Kalman Pizales. It is said that Rav Kalman (some say it was his wife) once bought the only etrog in Krakow for Rav Naftali Zvi, and thus received a blessing that they would become related by marriage. Rav Meir's father withdrew from leading his chassidim several years before his death, and Rav Meir thus became rabbi of Dzikov and its rebbe during his father's lifetime. Under Rav Meir, Dzikov chassidut grew dramatically. However, Rav Meir was strict with his chassidim, and this drove some away. As an example of Rav Meir's disdain for feigned righteousness (as well as an example of the wit which he inherited from his grandfather), the following story is told: Rav Meir was in the mikveh when he heard one chassid ask another, "Tov? Tov?"--"Good? Good?"--meaning, "Did I immerse in the ideal fashion?" Rav Meir responded, "Tov! Tov!" He then explained that the Hebrew word "tov" is an acronym for "tovel ve'sheretz beyado"--"one who immerses while still holding the impure object"--in this case, a reference to the chassid's haughty air. Rav Meir was very close to, and was related by marriage (four times over) to, Rav Chaim Halberstam of Sanz. They were both among the greatest sages of their generation and they exchanged many letters on halachic subjects. When Rav Chaim passed away in 1876, Rav Meir started to hint that his own death was imminent. Rav Meir wrote a work of Torah commentary, gematria, and chassidic thought entitled Imrei Noam. On the opening verse of this week's parashah he comments: The Torah has four parts--peshat (simplest meaning), drash (allegorical meaning), remez (allusion, for example gematria), and sod (esoteric meaning). For the four parts of man's Torah study to ascend to heaven, they must have two "wings"--ahavah (love of G-d) and yir'ah (fear of G-d). The gematria of the opening two words of the parashah ("This is the law") equals 916, which is four times--for the four parts of Torah--ahavah (13) and yir'ah (216), i.e., the two wings. Also, the gematria of the word "chukat" equals the gematria of "Yitzchak ben Avraham." Avraham, Chazal say, excelled in the love of G-d, while Yitzchak excelled in the fear of G-d. ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible.