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Parsha Perspectives

by OZER ALPORT

הבו לכם אנשים חכמים ונבנים וידעים לשבטיכם ואשימם בראשיכם

“Provide for yourselves distinguished men, who are wise, understanding, and well-known to your tribes, and I shall appoint them as your heads.” (1:13)

The book of Deuteronomy begins with Moses’s review of the 40-year national history from the time of the Exodus until the present. Rashi (1:3) notes that much of the parsha revolves around Moses’s rebuke to the Jewish nation for sins they committed during this period, in an attempt to ensure that they wouldn’t continue in these mistaken ways.

What is curious to note is that in our verse, Moses seems to digress from his harsh criticism to stress that the Jewish people are distinguished, wise, and understanding. Why did he interrupt his focus on reproaching the people with this point, which is hardly a message of rebuke?

King Solomon writes in Proverbs (9:8): Do not reprimand a scoffer lest he hate you; reprove a wise man and he will love you. Why would the wise Solomon advise rebuking a person who seemingly shouldn’t need it, and ignoring a scoffer whose ways need correcting? Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz, more commonly known as the Shelah HaKadosh (1565-1630), suggests that the erudite Solomon is actually talking about only one person. The Torah obligates (Leviticus 19:17) a person who sees another Jew engaged in inappropriate activities to rebuke him and attempt to inspire him to change his ways and return to the proper path. In order to do so successfully, a bit of wisdom is required.

King Solomon advises that talking condescendingly to the scoffer will be useless and cause the sinner to hate the one attempting to reprove him. However, talking to him as if he is wise and respectable will likely move the sinner to accept his words and feel they are meant for his benefit.

A modern-day application of this lesson is offered by Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, a well-known contemporary psychiatrist and author. He writes that when growing up, he was a typical child who got into his share of trouble. However, his father taught him a priceless lesson in how to raise well-adjusted children by the manner in which he was rebuked. All too often, we hear parents screaming at their children, “You good-for-nothing bum! How could you have been so foolish and lazy?” A child who grows up repeatedly hearing this message slowly absorbs the belief that he truly is foolish and lazy. Not surprisingly, he will likely go on to make decisions in his life which will reflect this self-image.

Rabbi Twerski’s father, on the other hand, used to scold his children in Yiddish, “Es past nisht” – meaning “what you did isn’t appropriate for somebody as wonderful and special as you!” The message which was constantly driven into him was that he was an amazing child with tremendous potential who simply needed to maintain his focus on channeling his energy properly. As one might expect, he grew up with an unshakably positive self-esteem which surely contributed to his success in life.

With this introduction, Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz explains that before fully launching into his criticism of the Jewish people, Moses first built them up by emphasizing their many good qualities and tremendous potential, which would in turn allow his message to be well-received. The lesson to us is clear: whenever we, may need to correct a family member or even a co-worker, we should do so in the respectful manner taught to us by Moses and King Solomon.

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Parsha Talking Points

by RABBI ELAZAR MEISELS

1. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY

“These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel, on the other side of the Jordan, concerning the Wilderness, concerning the Aravah, opposite the Sea of Reeds, between Paran and Tofel, and Lavan, Chatzeiros, and Di Zahav.” 1:1

These are the words – Because these are words of rebuke, and because Moshe intended to recount here all the places where they angered the Almighty, he therefore said these words in an obscure manner and only intimated that they sinned in these places. This was done in order to uphold the honor of the Jewish people. – Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, commonly known as Rashi

In addition to serving as a model for how to offer effective rebuke, there may be another reason behind the indirect presentation. Perhaps Moshe was pointing out that some of these sins were not nearly as deliberate and overt as one may be led to believe from the Torahs’ earlier accounts of them. Sometimes a sin can be a deliberate act of defiance, and sometimes it can be as subtle as an improper thought, motive, or attitude. While the latter is certainly undesirable as well, in terms of severity, they are nevertheless, a far cry from the more blatant forms of sin.

2. FROM RAGS TO RICHES AND BACK AGAIN

“These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel, on the other side of the Jordan, concerning the Wilderness, concerning the Aravah…and Di Zahav.” 1:1

And Di Zahav – He admonished them about the golden calf they made because of the abundance of gold they had accumulated, as it is said, “I gave them silver and gold in abundance, they made it into a Baal [Hoshea 2:10].” - Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, commonly known as Rashi

A large portion of Parshas Ki Sissah was devoted to discussing the complex attitudes and motives behind the sin of the golden calf. In this verse, Moshe Rabbeinu introduces us to yet another contributing factor for their failure. This excuse, while not as complex as the others, also played a significant role in inspiring their failure. In short, Moshe explained that they were overwhelmed by their newfound wealth. Within a matter of days they went from rags to riches, and were wholly unprepared to deal with their new reality and its attendant temptations. Certainly there were philosophical motives for their actions as well, but this factor is one that could not be ignored. Interestingly, while many of their initial struggles no longer pertain to us in their original form, the illicit inducements of excess materialism still plague us to this very day.

3. NO STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

“They took in their hands some fruit of the land and brought it down to us. They brought back word to us and said, ‘Good is the land that Hashem, our G-d, is giving us.’” 1:25

Good Is The Land That Hashem…Is Giving Us – Who were the ones who said this? Yehoshua and Calev – Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, commonly known as Rashi

Good Is The Land – If Yehoshua and Calev alone spoke well of the land, why should the people have listened when all the others spoke negatively of the land, and they too, were reputed to by righteous and trustworthy people? The answer is that originally they all spoke well of the land. The other spies however, argued that while the land was indeed wonderful, the natives were too strong to vanquish. Yehoshua and Calev contended that this was not so, and almost succeeded in convincing the people. It was at that point that the ten spies began to speak negatively of the land when not in the presence of Yehoshua, Calev, and Moshe. Based on their earlier positive reports, the people should have maintained their desire to enter the land and retained their faith in Hashem’s ability to help them overcome the inhabitants of the land. – Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (1194-c. 1270), better know as Nachmanidies or Ramban

Principal among the numerous lessons worth extracting from the tragic story of the Meraglim (spies), is the idea that when a Jew knows the truth, he must not allow himself to be swayed by the masses who advocate otherwise. Human nature tends to place considerable weight on numbers, whereas Judaism teaches that rarely are numbers reliable indicators of right and wrong. Yehoshua and Calev’s opinion may have been in the minority, but the people knew the truth and should not have allowed themselves to be swayed by the popular opinion.

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Partner Talk

Dear Rabbi,

I’ve been studying with my mentor now for 2 years and the experience has really been excellent. I’m married, but my wife doesn’t have the same interest in exploring her Judaism. I’d like her to also get involved. What should I do?

Eagerly awaiting a response,
Gerald S.

Dear Gerald,

As a married couple grows older, many of their interests coincide, but it’s natural if a number do not. After a number of years of marriage, neither spouse needs to demonstrate that they are united. It’s understood. This allows each partner the comfort of pursuing his or her own interests.

You’ve chosen a more intensive investigation of Judaism. Your wife, by virtue of the fact that she is also Jewish, might very likely also develop an interest in studying about Judaism, but probably not if she hears it from you. Sometimes spouses become resistant to follow the “good advice” of their husbands and wives. For example, has your wife ever told you that you should go on a diet? Did it work? I don’t know you personally (and you may be as thin as a rail), but if you need to shed a few pounds, you would most likely start dieting if you heard it from anyone other than your wife. If, however, your wife started dieting and began to feel healthier, you might become inspired to follow in her footsteps, so long as she was discreet and never openly appealed to you to start dieting.

We could use the same model about pursuing a more Jewish way of life. Your study of Torah is very significant. Your wife has obviously not become inspired to study as a result of your studies. But, if, in addition, you bring some practice before your family, you might very well start a silent appeal within your home. The Sabbath is a focal point of the Jewish home. Ask your mentor to teach you how to recite the Friday night Kiddush with the traditional chant. Find out the meaning behind the mitzvah. Share the explanations with your family before you introduce them to your making Kiddush. Your wife might very well decide that if you’re making Kiddush, maybe she should light the Sabbath candles. At this point, you’ve built interest in Judaism and the sky is the limit.

But, no matter what course your wife pursues, Gerald, there is much that you can accomplish on your own. It is understandable that you wish to “share” your Jewish experience, because it has become so meaningful to you. But the more you develop yourself, the greater the example you will be for your family and the more likely you will become their inspiration.

Additionally, I might suggest that you consider attending a weekend Torah retreat (such as Gateways) and invite your wife to come along. Instead of hearing about how exciting Judaism is from you, she will hear about it from the other attendees and the staff.

My best to you and your family,
RD

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Soul Talk

The Talmud Yerushalmi makes a powerful statement (Tractate Yoma 1:1): Any generation in which the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) is not rebuilt, it is as if it were destroyed in that generation. R’ Michel Barenbaum in his Sichos Mussar (vol. 2, pp. 160-162) suggests that the Talmud Yerushalmi is telling us how we must feel. In any generation in which the Beis HaMikdash is not rebuilt, one has to feel and grieve as if it were destroyed in his generation.

In other words, one should not think of the Beis HaMikdash’s destruction as an ancient event, something sad that happened many hundreds of years ago. Instead, one should imagine and visualize that he actually saw the Beis HaMikdash in its glory, and then watched its destruction and the resulting desolation.

The difference in the feeling one experiences when actually visualizing the loss is immense, says R’ Michel, because good things are generally recognized fully and appreciated only when they are not available. One who thinks of the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash as a sad thing that doesn’t really affect him — it was so long ago! — cannot recognize the gravity of the devastation; but if one can conceive of being there when it happened, he can feel the pain in his very being.

R’ Michel suggests a few ways for one to internalize this feeling of loss. He points out that the ultimate benefit of the Beis HaMikdash was that Hashem stated in the Torah: ושכנתי בתוכם, (and I will dwell among them) (Shemos 25:8). The Beis HaMikdash, through the sacrificial offerings, atoned for sins — to the degree that the Psalmist (King David) calls Jerusalem (Tehillim 48:3): משוש כל הארץ, (joy of all the earth), because no one went to sleep there with sin! (Cf. Rashi ad loc.)

The Talmud says (Tractate Berachos 32b) that from the day the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, it is as if an iron wall separates between Israel and their Father in heaven. We are obligated, says R’ Michel, to feel as if this iron wall was erected in our lifetime. He continues, saying that the root cause for the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash was the episode with the spies, when the people wept after hearing and accepting their report. This evinced a lack of appreciation on their part for the benefits of living there and experiencing the holiness of the land and the Temple Mount.

To rectify this shortcoming, it is our duty to consider everything we lost through the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, to feel the loss and to mourn it properly. And, until the Beis HaMikdash is rebuilt, we must strengthen our Torah learning — which causes Hashem to rest His Shechinah (Divine Presence) on a person — for this affords us some of the same benefits that the Beis HaMikdash provided.

With permission from Artscroll’s Daily Dose

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Table Talk

FOR DISCUSSION AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE

א) Rashi writes (1:1) that because of the honor of the Jewish people, Moses didn’t want to elaborate on his rebuke and only hinted to the places where they had sinned, without dwelling on their actual sins at length. Why did Moses then proceed to focus on the sin of the spies and spell it out in great detail (1:19-46)? (Paneiach Raza by Rabbi Yitzchak ben Yehudah HaLevi)

ב) Rashi writes (1:3) that Moses waited to rebuke the Jewish people until close to his death. What purpose was there in rebuking the Jews who were alive at this time for sins committed by their parents and of which they themselves were innocent? (Darash Moshe Vol. 2 by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein)

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Hey I Never Knew That

Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha

by OZER ALPORT

1) Q: Looking around at the state of Judaism today – decreasing numbers of religiously-educated or even self-identifying Jews combined with a skyrocketing rate of intermarriage – can lead a person to depressing conclusions about its future. As the Torah is the guidebook for every generation, what does it have to say about this matter, and what message of hope and optimism can we find in it?

A: In the 1930s, European Jewry was under attack from all directions. The twin dangers posed by physical annihilation and spiritual ruin seemed to threaten the future of the Jewish people. In a major address at that time, Rabbi Shimon Shkop (1860-1940), dean of the yeshiva in Grodno, Poland, and one of the preeminent prewar Torah scholars and leaders of European Jewry, delivered words of comfort based on the prophecies of the Torah, a message which is even more applicable today than it was then. He reassured the audience that although Judaism seemed at that time doomed to physical and spiritual extinction, the children and grandchildren of those abandoning their traditions would be brought back in an unprecedented spiritual awakening. He prophetically suggested – some 70 years ago – that this is the intent of a verse in this week’s parsha (1:39): “and the little children, regarding whom you said, ‘they will be taken (spiritually) captive,’ and the children who (aren’t educated to) know the difference between good and evil, those very children of whose futures you despaired will be the ones to come to the land of Israel, and to them will I give it and they will possess it!”

2) Q: There is a mystical idea that the content of the parsha read each Shabbos is connected to the events of the coming week. It is interesting to note that Parshas Devarim is always read on the Shabbos preceding Tisha B’Av. What is their connection?

A: The Talmud (Yoma 9b) teaches that one of the reasons for the destruction of the Holy Temple was the sin of baseless hatred of one’s fellow Jews. Many times such hatred has its origins in forbidden forms of speech, such as gossip and painful words. Many people who speak in this manner justify their behavior by rationalizing that mere words cannot cause any real damage to others. The word “Devarim” means words. As the end product of their erroneous thinking was a widespread hatred powerful enough to destroy the Temple, we allude to the importance of rectifying this sin by beginning the week in which Tisha B’Av falls with the reading of Parshas Devarim.

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Parsha Summary

Parsha Summaries are coming soon!