Transcript
Okay, good morning, בוקר טוב Boker Tov, welcome back to פרשה parsha perspectives for today. We have a double whammy, double פרשה parsha as we finish up the book of במדבר Bamidbar. A double. It's the theme of the week. פרשה Parsha series is generously sponsored by Becky and Ari Katz and family in memory of David Grossman. Our learning should be לעילוי נשמת דוד בן מנחם מנש l'ilui nishmas David ben Menachem Manash. We remain incredibly grateful to the Grossman to the Grossman and Katz family for their generosity. We are on page 900 פרשת מטות parshas Matos. And then we will hopefully please have time, please God have time to get into מסעי Massei as well. וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות לבני ישראל לאמר, זה הדבר אשר צוה השם Vayidaber Moshe el rashei hamatos l'vnei Yisrael leimor, zeh hadavar asher tziva Hashem. Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the Jewish people and he said this is the thing that השם Hashem has commanded. Some of the מפרשים m'forshim are bothered, we're not going to get into, היכא ציוונו heicha tzivanu, where did השם Hashem command? Moshe seems to be initiating this מצוה mitzvah here, the laws of נדרים nedarim, but where was it commanded from השם Hashem, they get into it. איש כי ידר נדר להשם או השבע שבועה לאסור אסר על נפשו, לא יחל דברו Ish ki yidor neder l'Hashem o hishava sh'vuah l'esor isar al nafsho, lo yachel d'varo. If a man takes a vow to השם Hashem, if a person makes an oath to establish a prohibition upon himself, a נדר neder is a very, very powerful thing. It reminds us of the power of speech, of the power of language. Right now a piece of חזיר chazer, a piece of pork is not כשר kosher. If I eat it, I'm liable. If I eat it there are consequences. It is categorically non-כשר kosher. On the other hand, potato chips are perfectly כשר kosher. Cape Cod has the OU, it's כשר kosher. But a נדר neder is my ability to say, הרי עלי harei alai, these potato chips should be forbidden to me. And when I say those words they're not empty, they're not meaningless. I have the capacity, I have the ability through the words that I use to transforms, transform that which was inherently permissible and to make it forbidden. It's the power of language, the power of speech. Not only can השם Hashem from above determine and dictate what is forbidden and what is permissible, but I, we, through the language we use, through our words, that is the power of language, that is the power of our words. Our words impact and they create reality. And that's part of the message of פרשת מטות parshas Matos, we remember it each and every year. The power of our words. Rabbi Soloveitchik explained, that is why the holiest night of the year, יום כיפור Yom Kippur night, we gather. Even though it's night, the only time of the year we wear a טלית tallis, we wear a קיטל kittel, we come together, we're already fasting. And how do we launch, how do we initiate, how do we begin this holiest 25-hour period of the year? We say כל נדרי Kol Nidre. And if you ever looked at the translation of כל נדרי Kol Nidre, you say to yourself, seriously? This is it? This is the proclamation, this is the exclamation, this is what we're singing? I won't put on my best חזן chazan voice to sing כל נדרי Kol Nidre for you now. I'll spare you, even though it is the three weeks, and it would add to your sense of grief. But I'll spare you nonetheless. But כל נדרי Kol Nidre, the חזן chazan belts out, and arguably among the most moving and stirring tunes, liturgy of the whole ימים נוראים Yomim Noraim period, כל נדרי Kol Nidre. And if you read it in the English, all my vows and all my oaths and all my promises should be annulled. We're going through some detailed process and procedure of reversing and annulling vows. That's how you launch the holiest day of the year. Rav Soloveitchik said, yes, absolutely, you know why? Because what is יום כיפור Yom Kippur if not a day to reflect and to take responsibility for how we've used and abused the power of language. The promises we made and didn't keep, and the promises we'll make now for the year ahead, will we follow through? And before we engage a 25-hour period of using our words through that מחזור machzor, reflecting on the promises and pledges past, and the sincerity of the promises and pledges we're about to make, before we use our words we remember the power of words, that words create reality. נדרים Nedarim, that we with our words we make a נדר neder and we change a reality. And that's why איש כי ידר נדר להשם ish ki yidor neder l'Hashem, if we take a נדר neder or שבועה shvua, the difference between the two is חפצא cheftza and גברא gavra. Does it apply to the object or does it apply to the person? But both לא יחל דברו lo yachel d'varo, the Torah tells us, do not יחל yachel, Rashi says מלשון חולין mi'lashon chulin. יחל, כמו לא יחלל דברו, לא יעשה דבריו חולין Yachel, k'mo lo yechalel d'varo, lo ya'aseh d'varav chulin, don't make your words profane. What is חולין chulin? We say Friday, we say מוצאי שבת Motzei Shabbos, we end שבת Shabbos, the opposite bookend of קידוש Kiddush, we say הבדלה Havdalah, להבדיל בין קודש לחול l'havdil bein kodesh l'chol. We distinguish between that which is holy and that which is profane. לא יחל דברו Lo yachel d'varo, your דיבור dibur, דבר davar, our words, the reality we create is holy. לא יחל דברו Lo yachel d'varo. When you don't fulfill a promise, when you say you're going to be there at a certain time and you come late, when you say I'll call you back and you don't call back, when you say don't worry, I'll click the link, I'll make the donation, I'll join the global community, and you don't, לא יחל דברו lo yachel d'varo, you've taken your word, your דיבור dibur creates a דבר davar. Our words create reality, and instead of creating a positive reality, we've turned them into חולין chulin, we've made them profane, we've made them unholy. לא יחל דברו Lo yachel d'varo. You have to mean what you say and follow through on your word, and your word is your bond. It means something. Our sense of punctuality, our sense of following through, it all has to mean something, לא יחל דברו lo yachel d'varo. And then the Torah tells us the laws of נדרים nedarim don't only apply to men, איש כי ידר נדר ish ki yidor neder. פסוק ד Pasuk daled, ואשה כי תדר נדר להשם ואסרה אסר בבית אביה בנעוריה v'isha ki sidor neder l'Hashem v'asrah isar b'veis aviha b'nureha. And if a woman takes a vow, it depends, if she's a child in her father's home, he has the capacity to annul the vow. If they're married and the her vow affects her husband, her husband has the ability to undo and to annul the vow. בנעוריה B'nureha. מסכת נדרים Maseches Nedarim, the גמרא נדרים Gemara Nedarim tells us, the משנה Mishna, בת אחת עשרה שנה ויום אחד, נדריה נבדקין bas achas esrei shana v'yom echad, nedareha nivdakim. Now normally for a vow to take effect for a boy to be a man is what age? Not a trick question. 13 years old. A boy becomes a man, becomes a גדול gadol, a קטן katan becomes a גדול gadol at 13, that's the בר מצוה bar mitzvah. That's when מצוות mitzvos apply and that's when the laws of נדרים nedarim kick in. But a girl, the משנה mishna tells us, is earlier. The גמרא Gemara and the משנה Mishna in נדרים מ\"ה עמוד ב' Nedarim Mem Hey Amud Beis tells us, בת אחת עשרה שנה ויום אחד, נדריה נבדקין bas achas esrei shana v'yom echad, nedareha nivdakim. We check, we evaluate the quality of her promise. Rashi says אם יודעת לשם מי נדרה im yoda l'shem mi nodrah, does she know to whom she's making this promise? Does she understand the significance, how binding it is, the consequence that goes with it? ולשם מי הקדישה V'l'shem mi hikdisha? בת שתים עשרה שנה ויום אחד נדריה קיימין Bas shteim esrei shana v'yom echad nedareha kayamim. From 12 years and on, then they are binding. ובודקין כל שתים עשרה U'bodkin kol shteim esrei. בן שתים עשרה שנה ויום אחד נדריו נבדקין Ben shteim esrei shana v'yom echad nedarav nivdakin, בן י\"ג שנה ויום אחד נדריו קיימין ben yud gimmel shana v'yom echad nedarav kayamim, בודקין כל שלוש עשרה bodkin kol shlosh esrei. That's what Rashi says. And the גמרא Gemara looks and wonders, what's the reason שנדרי הבת קיימין בעודה צעירה אף קודם זמן של נדרי הבן she'nidrei ha'bas kayamim b'odah tzeirah af kodem zman shel nidrei ha'ben? Why are a girl's vows binding before the age of a boy? One could ask in general, why a girl is a גדולה gedolah before a boy becomes a גדול gadol? The girl's בת מצוה bas mitzvah is celebrated at 12 years old, a boy's בר מצוה bar mitzvah is not marked until he's 13 years old. There are several reasons offered, having to do with physical maturity and the age of גדלות gadlus reflecting the capacity to conceive, to parent, to bear responsibility, for a girl is earlier. But the other reason the גמרא Gemara says is, קדוש ברוך הוא Kadosh Baruch Hu gives a woman בינה יתירה באשה יותר מבאיש binah yeseirah b'isha yoser m'b'ish. A young woman has greater insight, wisdom, intuition, more בינה binah than a man, than a boy. We know that because ויבן את הצלע vayiven es hatzela. Women were created from man's rib. It doesn't mean, as we think man was fully fashioned and woman was extracted, but the מדרש Medrash tells us there was an androgynous figure, half man, half woman, divided, split in half. But the image that the Torah uses to tell us this is, ויבן את הצלע vayiven es hatzela, woman was fashioned, she was built, ויבן vayiven. Should have said ויברא vayivra, וייצר vayitzer, formed or created, why ויבן vayiven, built? Because the לשון ויבן lashon vayiven to build is בינה יתירה binah yeseirah, greater wisdom, greater insight. Women have greater insight, greater wisdom, greater intuition, greater instinct. V'תוספות הראש Tosfos HaRosh, the תוספות הראש Tosfos HaRosh writes, הקדים בה בינה יותר מבאיש hikdim bah binah yoser m'b'ish. Women, girls mature cognitively, intellectually faster than boys. וכן פירש הריטב\"א V'chein peirush ha'Ritva, the Ritva says similarly, בינה יתירה ממהרת להבין binah yeseirah m'maheres l'havin. They can understand faster. All you have to do is go into a middle school classroom that has boys and girls, watch the way the two behave and you will see. Any teachers here? Any retired teachers here? Boys are first fully fashioning, they're not yet even fully created human beings. And girls with the pen and the notebook and they're listening and they're scribbling, and it's a generalization but it's true, and it's complimentary to young women so you're allowed to say it without being cancelled. Although if you just distinguish maybe you're in trouble. But girls ממהרת להבין m'maheres l'havin, they mature not only physically faster in terms of conception, but they mature intellectually, emotionally, cognitively. וטעמא דמהו מקדים הקב\"ה בינה באשה קודם לאיש V'taama d'maihu me'ikdim ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu binah b'isha kodem l'ish? And why did השם Hashem create a world, why did השם Hashem create a world where women in fact mature faster? So the Rambam writes in his פירוש המשניות peirush ha'mishnayos. The Rambam in his commentary on the משנה Mishna, and the Ibn Ezra writes similarly that this is what the Rambam writes. הותסר גילה נקבות לעונש נדרים למטה מגיל גברים Also gila n'keivos l'onos nedarim l'matah mi'gil g'varim, when it comes to נדרים nedarim our פרשה parsha, girls their word is binding earlier than a boy because they mature faster and are capable of bearing the consequence, the responsibility, the understanding of the value of their word, why? שימי חייהן פחות מימי חיי הגברים הרוב She'yemei chayehen pachus mi'yemei chayei ha'gvarim ha'rov. Because girls, women have a shorter lifespan than men. We've mentioned this Rambam, this פירוש המשניות peirush ha'mishnayos before. Is that true? Women have a shorter lifespan than men and that is why their life is sort of consolidated or condensed, they physically mature faster and intellectually mature faster. אזוי זאגט דער רמב\"ם Azai zogt der Rambam, פירוש המשניות peirush ha'mishnayos and the Ibn Ezra as well. Is that true? The answer is it was true. And why was it true? Largely because women died in childbirth. But it's no longer true today. 2021, the average life expectancy of women, this is in Israel. In America it's shorter, but in Israel it's longer. You want to live longer? Yet another reason to make עליה aliyah. Women live 84.6 years and men live 80.5 years. Why do men die before their wives? They want to. I won't finish it. The off chance that my wife is listening, I will not finish it. But women have in fact the opposite of what the Rambam and the Ibn Ezra write. Women today, today, thank God with breakthrough and the miracle that we should never take for granted of healthy pregnancy and healthy childbirth where both a child or children and mother emerge healthy. It's why a woman בענטשן גומל benches gomel. It was life-threatening. That's why a woman should not induce unless medically mandated, medically indicated, just because the woman is sick and tired of being pregnant or this birthday works out better. It's not grounds, the באר משה Be'er Moshe, the שו\"ת באר משה Tshuvas Be'er Moshe writes, when a woman is in labor, she's in a life-threatening situation. When השם Hashem puts you there, then you're there, but you can't be there on your own. You don't induce unless medically, unless medically informed. So women died for all of history, and therefore had a shorter lifespan than men. Today it's the reverse. Women live longer. In America, neither men nor women, it's still in the late 70s, it hasn't yet passed 80. In Israel, 84.6 years, 80.5 for men. Why is that? Very interesting. It's not the purpose of פרשה parsha perspectives, but there are physiological differences between men and women, heart disease and chromosomes. Number two, women take care of their health better than men, it turns out. They take much better care of themselves. They also have social relationships. One of the things that accelerates death is loneliness. And women who are social and out and talking and שמועסן shmoozing, and in fact helps protect and preserve better health and longer life. And men who are hermits and want to live alone in a cave, that might feel better in the moment, but it's not good for their health. And other such differences. Some biology, other differences in a fascinating article. I want to get into who drives better and whatever. That would not account for women living longer than men. In my experience. In my experience. But in any case, that is the Rambam and the Ibn Ezra on this law of נדרים nedarim. I raise it because it should make us incredibly grateful that unlike in their time, today it is reversed because ברוך השם baruch Hashem, the blessing and the blessed time that we live. פרק ל\"א, פסוק ד' Perek lamed alef, pasuk daled. Moving right along in the laws of נדרים nedarim. Then we go over to taking revenge for what happened with Midyan. Midyan, Balak, Bilam, the curse was unsuccessful, but the provocative promiscuity was, brought a great plague, Jewish people suffered. So השם Hashem says it's time, I don't get even, I don't get angry, I get even. וידבר השם אל משה לאמר, נקום נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים, אחר תאסף אל עמך Vayidaber Hashem el Moshe leimor, nekom nikmas Bnei Yisrael mei'eis ha'Midyanim, achar tei'asef el amecha. השם Hashem spoke to Moshe and he said take revenge against the children of the Jewish people, take vengeance for the children of the Jewish people, take revenge against Midyan for what they did. By the way, right afterwards, this is the last act of leadership of your life, because right afterwards, תאסף אל עמך tei'asef el amecha. Do this last thing and then you'll be gathered to your people. Then you will die. It'll be the end of your life. It's like השם Hashem, several places here at the end of the Torah, at the end of Moshe's life, השם Hashem gives like a שטיקל זינגער shtickel zinger. He gives him a little bit of a reminder. You're not going in. It's all over. It's time. But השם Hashem is loving and kind, and Moshe is his most loyal servant. Why would השם Hashem do that? It's an excellent question for another time. But why do I raise it? Because here's the amazing thing מפרשים Meforshim point out. משה רבינו Moshe Rabbeinu was just informed, do this last act of service, this last act of leadership, and then when it's done, you're done. What would you do if that was you? Take your time, you'd delay, savor it, come up with excuses why it's taking so long, you would be, what's the word I'm looking for? You'd procrastinate. What does משה רבינו Moshe Rabbeinu do? החלוץ Hechalutz, he runs, he rushes, with zeal, with alacrity, with energy, with enthusiasm, it never wanes, he never slows, he never tires. And he understands that whatever is the will of השם Hashem is what he's meant to be doing then. And no matter the consequence, no matter what would kick in when he was done, it never impacted him to slow down. He just kept going and going and going. So the פסוק pasuk says in this context, Moshe responds in the affirmative. וידבר משה אל העם Vayidaber Moshe el ha'am, he turns to them and he says, החלצו מאתכם אנשים לצבא hechalutzu mei'itchem anashim la'tzava, no, let's get going. It's time to identify and recruit people for the army. ויהיו על מדין לתת נקמת השם במדין V'yihyu al Midyan lases nikmas Hashem b'Midyan. And we're going to inflict השם Hashem's vengeance against Midyan. So another great question which we won't address together. I thought נקמה אסור nekamah is asur. לא תקום ולא תטור Lo sikom v'lo sitor. You're not allowed to take revenge. That's good for us but not good for God? השם Hashem's expectation of us but not of השם Hashem? You can't take revenge, he can? Over and over here, נקום נקמת nekom nikmas and we're going נקמת השם nikmas Hashem, השם Hashem's gonna take revenge, revenge, revenge. How do you reconcile that? Again, question for you to consider. אלף למטה אלף למטה לכל מטות ישראל תשלחו לצבא Elef la'mateh, elef la'mateh l'chol matos Yisrael tishlechu la'tzava. A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, you should separate. There's an amazing מדרש תנחומא Medrash Tanchuma and מדרש רבה Medrash Rabbah on this פסוק pasuk. מלחמת מדין יצא למלחמה שלשת אלפים מכל שבט ושבט Milchemes Midyan yatza l'milchemah shloshes alafim mi'kol shevet v'shevet. 3,000 soldiers were recruited and identified from each tribe, 12,000 in order to go fight the war. אלף למטה, אלף למטה Elef la'mateh, elef la'mateh. So why do we repeat it? It's redundant. A thousand from each tribe, a thousand from each tribe. Why do we repeat the expression, the phrase? Says the מדרש Medrash, י\"ב אלף לשמור כליהם, י\"ב להתפלל עליהם yud beis alef lishmor kleihem, yud beis l'hispalel aleihem. Because in fact for every thousand that were recruited to carry a weapon, to be on the front line, to wage war, to protect the people, there were a thousand designated to דאווענען daven on their behalf. אלף למטה, אלף למטה Elef la'mateh, elef la'mateh, ב' פעמים אלף מכל שבט beis paamim elef mi'kol shevet. כ\"ד אלפים Kaf daled alafim. in order that there was one thousand to דאווענען daven for each thousand that went out. And the מדרש Medrash is very wondrous. Says the Daas Zplos HaTorah, להראות דברי מדרש נפלאים מאד l'haros d'virei Medrash niflaim me'od. שהלא לא יצאו ישראל למלחמה לפני שישאלו באורים ותומים, ורק לאחר שקבלו הסכמה יצאו. ולמה היו צריכים להתפלל בכדי לזכות לישועה ונצחון She'halu lo yatz'u Yisrael l'milchemah l'fnei she'ru b'Urim v'Tumim, v'rak l'achar she'kiblu ha'skama yatzu. V'lama hayu tzrichim l'hispalel b'chdei l'zakeis l'shuas v'nitzachon. You only went out to war after consulting the אורים ותומים Urim v'Tumim, after השם Hashem gave his consent, thumbs up, green light, you got this, I'll have your back, I'll be by your side, you'll be triumphant and victorious, you'll come home having won. So if we know going in that we're going to win, why do you need to דאווענען daven? Why do you need to דאווענען daven? השם Hashem already told you the outcome. So why do you have to דאווענען daven? You already told you you're going to win. נראה שהתורה באה ללמדנו, שאף כאשר רואה אדם שמצליח בדרכו, אף שהאורים ותומים נתנבאו לו על הצלחתו Nireh she'haTorah ba'ah l'lamdeinu, sha'af ka'asher roeh adam she'matzliach b'darko, af she'ha'Urim v'Tumim nisnabeihu lo al hatzlachaso, even when a person is confident, even when a person knows they're going to emerge victorious, they're going to win, they're going to have what they want, the result that they crave, even when השם Hashem has promised through the consultation of the אורים ותומים Urim v'Tumim, לא יזניח מלשפוך שיח תמיד להשם יתברך, שבכדי לזכות לישועת השם, צריך להתפלל בכל עת ולקיים הפסוק, בקשו פניו תמיד lo yazniach mi'lishpoch siach tomeid l'Hashem Yisbarach, she'bichdei l'zakos l'yeshuas Hashem, tzorech l'hispalel b'chol eis v'takayem ha'pasuk, bikshu fanav tamid. Even when you know the outcome, you have to דאווענען daven nonetheless. Because the outcome is dependent on the דאווענען davening. The דאווענען davening is the key that opens the treasure house from which the שפע ברכה shefa bracha, from which the flow comes from above. So I've given you this metaphor before. You could have the winning Mega Millions ticket, which I think is up to some 700 million or something again. Or maybe there was a winner last night, tonight? I don't know when it is. 10% to the שול shul, don't forget. You could hold the winning ticket, but unless you turn it in, you can't get the cash prize. If you have that ticket and it sits in your wallet, in your safety deposit box, you can have all the numbers, you can tell everyone you won, but your bank account remains empty unless you turn in the ticket. דאווענען Davening is the ticket. It's true there's a designation, we won. השם Hashem has set aside and allocated שפע ברכה shefa bracha for us in our lives. How do we access it? How do we get it? It only gets wired to us when we דאווענען daven. דאווענען Davening is the key that opens the door that releases the ברכה bracha that's been designated for us. And you see that here says the Daas Zplos HaTorah, because they consulted the אורים ותומים Urim v'Tumim, they knew the outcome of the war. השם Hashem sent them to go avenge, take revenge for him. And despite it all, אלף למטה, אלף למטה elef la'mateh, elef la'mateh. There was one for each, a thousand to fight and a thousand to דאווענען daven for those who fought. Rav Kook, Rav Simcha Kook זצ\"ל zt\"l was the chief rabbi of Rehovot. He'd been a guest in our community, very special person. Several years ago in one of the wars with Gaza, he actually launched a program where you'd sign up to get a name of a soldier in the IDF and you would דאווענען daven for that soldier. And he quoted this מדרש תנחומא Medrash Tanchuma, אלף למטה, אלף למטה elef la'mateh, elef la'mateh. If you're not in the army, there's no excuse that you're not דאווענען davening for the army. And not generically דאווענען davening for the army, מי שברך לחיילי צה\"ל Misheberach l'tzahal, but get a soldier's name and דאווענען daven for that soldier. That's your soldier. אלף למטה, אלף למטה Elef la'mateh, elef la'mateh. For every thousand who serve, there are a thousand who have their names and דאווענען daven specifically for them. Because it's דאווענען davening that opens the lock, that opens the door, that releases the ברכה bracha, even when it's promised and even when we know it is going to come. Good. Moving along. פרק ל\"ב, פסוק א' Perek lamed beis, pasuk alef. Next פרק perek. I'll tell you what we're skipping. Moshe rebukes the officers, they, spoiler alert, they win. And in the spoiler alert, you get the spoils. When you win, they collect the spoils of the war. And what was included in the spoils of the war? Interesting. You got to come home with a gift for your spouse. You got to. When you go on a business trip, you have to come home with a gift for your spouse. I think one of the first missions I ran when I was yet the assistant rabbi, my mother told me two pieces of advice when I came home. She said number one, you're going to be exhausted, you barely slept, you ran around, don't complain to your wife how tired you are because you left her with the kids, she's more tired than you. That was good advice number one, you remember that ma? Number two, bring a gift. Come home with something. So I was in the airport, and I remembered I didn't get a gift, so I found a jewelry store in the airport, there was I think it was called H. Stern, and I found something and I came home and my wife, I don't think was ever as angry at me as she was to hear that I bought something at H. Stern in the airport and paid that price for a piece of jewelry. She found a place, H. Stern in Miami, returned it, ברוך השם baruch Hashem. But you have to come home with a gift. You have to come home with a gift. So what are the, what did the army come home with after the war with Midyan? There was no jewelry store in Midyan, but to the victor go the spoils. So they went into the kitchen of the Midyanites, and they found the bread maker, and they found the George Foreman grill, and they found incredible crystal and china and silverware, and they came home with gifts. But what's the problem with these gifts? They're used. What do you need to do to them before you could use them? You have to כשרן kasher them. So the Torah here has, includes in it, the laws of kashering. אך את הזהב ואת הכסף את הנחשת את הברזל את הבדיל ואת העופרת, כל דבר אשר יבא באש תעבירו באש. כל אשר לא יבא באש תעבירו במים Ach es hazahav v'es hakasef v'es han'choshes v'es habarzel v'es hab'dil v'es ha'ofares, kol davar asher yavo ba'esh ta'aviru ba'esh. Kol asher lo yavo ba'esh ta'aviru ba'mayim. Kasher with הגעלה hagalah, ליבון libun, ליבון קל libun kal, ליבון חמור libun chamur, the laws of טבילה tevilah, you have to still bring it to the מקוה mikvah. All of that is derived from our פרשה parsha, from these פסוקים psukim. We've discussed them in the past. Go on the previous פרשה שיעורים parsha shiurim and you'll find beautiful descriptions in these פסוקים psukim, טבילת כלים tevilas keilim, why? Why do we have to convert our כלים keilim by bringing them to the מקוה mikvah? How does kashering work? And what is the analog, how does that relate to kashering ourselves? Listen to previous year's פרשה parsha class. Divided the spoils among the tribes, and then we have detailed description of it. פרק ל\"ב, פסוק א' Perek lamed beis, pasuk alef, we're on page 910 in the ArtScroll Stone חומש Chumash. ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד עצום מאד U'mikneh rav hayah l'vnei Reuven v'livnei Gad atzum me'od. Among the twelve tribes, two tribes happen to be incredibly entrepreneurial, were phenomenal business people, and they had a lot of מקנה רב mikneh rav, they had abundant livestock. ויראו את ארץ יעזר ואת ארץ גלעד והנה המקום מקום מקנה Vayir'u es eretz Yazer v'es eretz Gilad v'hinei ha'makom makom mikneh. The entrepreneur is always looking how they can do well. Where can their animals graze? Where can they set up shop? Where is the business opportunity? Inflation is at an incredible high. You know which state has the highest inflation in the country? You guessed it. State of Florida. Here, we're not happy to be number one. Many other ways we are, but not inflation. But smart, shrewd business people even see a economic downturn and find opportunity. Business people are always looking, by the way, if you're one of those people and you have the opportunity, let me know offline. But if you find the opportunity, so בני גד Bnei Gad and בני ראובן Bnei Reuven were such people. Everyone else is looking, look at the mountains, look at the clouds, look at the view, look at our freedom. בני גד Bnei Gad and בני ראובן Reuven say, oh, that land is perfect for grazing, our livestock, we could expand our holdings, we can sell and make money, we can go public. בני גד Bnei Gad and בני ראובן Reuven are always looking, they've got the the business cup. And they see a land that's perfect. ויבאו בני גד ובני ראובן Vayavo'u Bnei Gad u'Bnei Reuven, they approached the leaders and they say, got a proposal for you. עטרות ודיבון ויעזר ונמרה וחשבון ואלעלה ושבם ונבו ובען Ataros v'Divon v'Yazer v'Nimrah v'Cheshbon v'Elaleh u'Shvam u'Nevo u'V'on, we found these cities, these areas and הארץ אשר הכה השם לפני עדת ישראל ארץ מקנה היא ולעבדיך מקנה ha'aretz asher hikah Hashem lifnei adas Yisrael eretz mikneh hi v'la'avadecha mikneh. They're perfect for livestock, and guess who's got livestock? We've got abundant livestock. We've got incredible portfolio of livestock. אם מצאנו חן בעיניך Im matzanu chein b'einecha, if we have found favor in your eyes, יתן את הארץ הזאת yutein es ha'aretz hazos. I know the plan we're all supposed to go into the land. I know we're supposed to travel as a group, but is it okay if we break away? Do you mind if we set up shop east of the ירדן Yarden, east of the ירדן Yarden? And what's Moshe's reaction? What does Moshe say? האחיכם יבאו למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה Ha'acheichem yavo'u la'milchamah v'atem teishvu po? Are you crazy? Your brothers are going to go risk their lives and go to war and be at the front lines of securing the destiny of the Jewish people and you are going to sit comfortably here because there's better business opportunity? Because you can make more money, because it's more comfortable and more convenient? Are you crazy? ולמה תניאון את לב בני ישראל מעבר אל הארץ אשר נתן להם השם V'lama sni'un es lev Bnei Yisrael mei'avor el ha'aretz asher nasan lahem Hashem? Are you crazy? That's what you're going to do? You're going to dissuade the heart of the Jewish people from crossing the land? How are they going to feel? What are they going to think when they see you remain behind and they see you sit back? כה עשו אבותיכם בשלחי אתם מקדש ברנע לראות את הארץ Ko asu avoseichem b'sholchi osam mi'Kadesh Barnea liros es ha'aretz. That's not what you saw in your ancestors. השם Hashem got angry and you've got to come. And he enters this condition. I'll tell you what. If you come with us and you first enter the land, then you can come back and you can settle here. And who are the ones who approach him? בני גד Bnei Gad and בני ראובן Bnei Reuven. It's not a trick question. בני גד Bnei Gad and בני ראובן Bnei Reuven. And what does Moshe Rabbeinu do? Whom does he include also? Menasheh. What'd Menasheh come in? They didn't ask. All of a sudden Moshe divides them and sends half of Menasheh in with Reuven and Gad? Why'd he do that? And why specifically Menasheh? And what's going on here in this conversation? ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד U'mikneh rav hayah l'vnei Reuven v'livnei Gad, they had a lot of abundant livestock, עצום מאד atzum me'od, great in numbers, great in numbers. What was Moshe Rabbeinu's criticism? He wasn't criticizing their lack of ציונות Tzionus. Where's your love and longing to go into the land? He was questioning their loyalty. It's a bit selfish. You have better business opportunity, so you're staying here, everyone else has to risk their life. So what do Reuven and Gad do? They clarify. No, no, no, no, no. Moshe, we weren't going to sit back comfortably. Of course. We're going to put on the uniform, we're going to take the gun, we're going to drive the tank. Of course. Don't worry, we'll set up our business here, we'll build pens for our flocks, cities for our children, and then we're coming with you. So Moshe says, you're partly right. I'll give you permission to inhabit the land east of the ירדן Yarden on a condition, on a תנאי t'nai. And what is it? First you enter the land and then you come back. But Moshe does something very subtle. He reverses. He says build cities for your children and set up flocks for your cattle and come fight with us. They said first we'll build flocks for our cattle and cities for our children. The main point is they agree to come fight. When Moshe confirms it, he repeats the part of the pen and the cities that seems so tangential. But when you read the section carefully, it all becomes clear. It's a very powerful lesson, that's why I like to review it. What was their original reason they advanced? מקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד Mikneh rav hayah l'vnei Reuven v'livnei Gad. They saw the land east of the ירדן Yarden, and they thought it'd be perfect to advance their business needs. ארץ מקנה היא ולעבדיך מקנה Eretz mikneh hi, v'la'avadecha mikneh. It's a land of livestock, and we have a great livestock business. When Moshe responds, he has confirmed they'll come fight, but he gives them a subtle מוסר musar. By reversing, they said we'll build pens for our flock and then we'll build cities for our children. And Moshe Rabbeinu reverses the order. Now he knew that Reuven and Gad valued their children. What parent doesn't love their children? But their financial ambition made them sound like they valued their money even more than their children. Not only did they prioritize where to live based on financial interest over spiritual ones, but they talked about taking care of their assets before their children. before they spoke about taking care of their own children. The Medrash here on this parsha elaborates, חָסוּ הָיוּ עַל מָמוֹנָם יוֹתֵר מִבְּנֵיהֶם וּמִבְּנוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ מִקְנֵיהֶם לְטַפָּם Chasu hayu al mamonam yosem mibneihem u'mibnoseihem, shehikdimu miknehem l'tapam. They were more concerned about their money than their sons and daughters because they put their flock ahead of their children. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה, לֹא כֵן Amar lahem Moshe, lo chein. עִיקָר עִיקָר וְטָפֵל טָפֵל Ikar ikar v'tafel tafel. בְּנוּ לָכֶם תְּחִלָּה עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם וְאַחַר כָּךְ גְּדֵרוֹת לְצֹאנְכֶם B'nu lachem techila arim l'tapchem v'acharei kach g'deiros l'tzonchem. It's not right. The main thing has to be the main thing, and the secondary the secondary. Your children come first, that's the top priority. Now interestingly, the Medrash calls children what? עִיקָר עִיקָר Ikar ikar and טָפֵל טָפֵל tafel tafel. So the Medrash calls our children primary, עִיקָר ikar, and our assets, our business interests, טָפֵל tafel, secondary. Reuven and Gad aren't criticized for accumulating material things. They're not criticized or condemned for having professional or career ambition. What are they criticized for? Confusing what is primary and what is secondary. There's nothing wrong with having ambition and drive, of wanting to have abundant livestock. There's nothing wrong with achieving material success. What's wrong is not understanding what's primary and what's secondary. Is not understanding and appreciating that our children and our family, that our souls and our spirituality, it all comes first. That all that material success and all that ambition is a platform to be able to elevate and to drive our spirituality, our family, our continuity, our future, and our legacy. That's what it's all there for. They're not criticized for ambition, they're criticized for confusing and having the wrong priorities. There's someone else in חומש Chumash who's described as having מִקְנֶה רַב mikneh rav. He doesn't get this criticism. Anyone know who it is? Who had מִקְנֶה רַב mikneh rav? אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ Avraham Avinu. וְאַבְרָם כָּבֵד מְאֹד בַּמִּקְנֶה, בַּכֶּסֶף וּבַזָּהָב V'Avram kaveid me'od bamikneh, b'chesef u'v'zahav. Avram was very laden, he had abundant livestock, silver, and gold. The נַחֲלַת צְבִי Nachlas Tzvi explains that with Avram it first mentions his name, and the fact that he had מִקְנֶה mikneh. His wealth and assets aren't descriptions of his essence or identity, they're simply part of his life. Who am I? I'm a איד Yid, I learn תורה Torah, I do מצוות mitzvos, I give צדקה tzedakah, I volunteer for חסד chesed, I love my family, and I pass these priorities on to the next generation. Oh, I also happen to have a lot of money or a nice house or a nice car or nice jewelry. But that's not who I am. It's not my identity. When it comes to אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ Avraham Avinu, it says, what? וְאַבְרָם כָּבֵד מְאֹד בַּמִּקְנֶה, בַּכֶּסֶף וּבַזָּהָב V'Avram kaveid me'od bamikneh, b'chesef u'v'zahav. What appears first? His name. אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ Avraham Avinu, he's a נשמה neshamah. He happens to have a lot of things. Who is he? He's Avram who has a lot of things. How does it appear in our פרשה parsha? וּמִקְנֶה רַב הָיָה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן U'mikneh rav hayah livnei Gad v'livnei Reuven. It says first their things, and then their names, because they defined themselves by their things. You know who I am? My car collection, my jewelry, my portfolio, my companies, my assets, my net worth. That's me. They confused their net worth with who they were. That's how they valued themselves. They saw their materialism as an ends unto itself instead of a means. They got it upside down and inside out, and that's what משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ Moshe Rabbeinu is being critical of. He's not criticizing that they have nice things, he's criticizing עִיקָר עִיקָר וְטָפֵל טָפֵל ikar ikar v'tafel tafel, that they got it backwards, they got it upside down, they got it wrong. They got it wrong.Now it's interesting, Rashi comments too, the בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן Bnei Gad u'Bnei Reuven were more concerned about their assets than their sons and daughters, and that's why Moshe gives them this subtle, subtle מוסר mussar. Now it's interesting, there's another difference between the two statements. How בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן Bnei Gad u'Bnei Reuven formulate it, and how משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ Moshe Rabbeinu responds to them. This is רב שאול אלתר, הגערער ראש ישיבה, שליט\"א Rav Shaul Alter, the Gerer Rosh Yeshiva, shlita, points out. They say they want to build פה po, here. They come and they say, can we build פה po, East of the ירדן Yarden. When Moshe responds, he says לכם lachem, build for yourselves. Physical cities and buildings of bricks and mortars are also in the larger picture only temporary. The primary focus is on the eternal. You must invest in your children such חינוך chinuch, חינוך chinuch, and such an approach to life. משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ Moshe Rabbeinu concludes, וְהַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ v'hayotzei mipichem ta'asu. Right, that's how he concludes. So I'll make a deal, a condition. In fact, in הלכה halacha, we call conditions תנאי בני גד ובני ראובן t'nai Bnei Gad u'Bnei Reuven. If a person wants to make a condition in a transaction, in a business deal, in הלכה halacha, they have to formulate and articulate the transaction, the condition, the same way Reuven and Gad did. תנאי קודם למעשה T'nai kodem l'ma'aseh, תנאי כפול t'nai kaful, all the ways that they did it, we have to do it. How does משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ Moshe Rabbeinu conclude? He says, I'll make you the deal. I'll make you the deal. You come fight, then you go back. תנאי כפול t'nai kaful, הן קודם ללאו hen kodem l'lav, and so on. And then he concludes this section, he turns to them and he says, הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ hayotzei mipichem ta'asu. That which leaves your mouths, תַּעֲשׂוּ ta'asu, carry out. You have to do. חינוך Chinuch, says Rav Shaul Alter, this word, these three words, this פסוק pasuk, הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ hayotzei mipichem ta'asu. חינוך Chinuch is not just about your words. It's not about your instruction. It's about our example. Whatever leaves your mouth, carry out. You need to teach by demonstration, by doing it in your own behavior. If you want to influence a child, it's not just words or lip service. They have to see what we do. And that's what we say in קריאת שמע Krias Shema. זאָגט דער גערער ראש ישיבה Zogt der Gerer Rosh Yeshiva. וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ v'hayu had'varim ha'eileh asher anochi metzavcha hayom al l'vavecha. And all this that you place on your heart, וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ v'shinantam l'vanecha. First the words have to be on your own heart, then teach them to your children. How? בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ b'shivt'cha b'veisecha u'v'lecht'cha vaderech. How do you sit in your home? How do you go on the way? It's the time of year many go on vacation. So on vacation, do you also find a מנין minyan? Do you also keep כשר kosher? Do you also make time to learn? Do you also carry yourself as a מענטש mentsh with דרך ארץ derech eretz? Do you also observe the laws of modesty? בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ B'shivt'cha b'veisecha u'v'lecht'cha vaderech. How are we וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ v'shinantam l'vanecha? How do we teach? Not with our words and not with what the teachers say in school for all those dollars. How? How we carry ourselves and how we conduct ourselves. And that's why Moshe concludes the section and he tells them, הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ hayotzei mipichem ta'asu. Whatever you say, you must do. They have to see. Later on in the oath taken by בְּנֵי גָד בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן Bnei Gad Bnei Reuven, they say טַפֵּנוּ נָשֵׁינוּ מִקְנֵנוּ וְכָל בְּהֶמְתֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ שָׁם בְּעָרֵי הַגִּלְעָד tapenu nasheinu mikneinu v'chol behemteinu yihyu sham b'arei haGilad. They switched from פה po to שם sham. They hadn't changed locations. Why did they switch? פה po? Originally the deal was פה po. Then it became שם sham. Why did they switch? At first when the top of their list of priorities was material possessions, they felt connected, they said פה po. After accepting Moshe Rabbeinu's מוסר mussar, they focused on their רוחניות ruchnius, and they felt removed from the place, they referred to it as 'there'. They went from פה po to שם sham. Two changes in the formulation, and they learn from both. They formulate it one way, Moshe switches it, and when they answer, they adopt Moshe Rabbeinu, both of Moshe Rabbeinu's changes. Why? Because they get the subtle מוסר mussar from משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ Moshe Rabbeinu.פרק ל\"ב, פסוק י\"ד Perek Lamed Beis, Pasuk Yud Daled. וְהִנֵּה קַמְתֶּם תַּחַת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם, תַּרְבּוּת אֲנָשִׁים חַטָּאִים, לִסְפּוֹת עוֹד עַל חֲרוֹן אַף ה' אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל V'hinei kamtem tachas avoseichem, tarbus anashim chata'im, lispot od al charon af Hashem el Yisrael. When Moshe Rabbeinu is pushing back at Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven for this request, he says, you've risen up תַּחַת tachas, קַמְתֶּם תַּחַת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם kamtem tachas avoseichem. You've risen up, you've taken over the place, you are good successors of, אֲבֹתֵיכֶם avoseichem, תַּרְבּוּת אֲנָשִׁים חַטָּאִים tarbus anashim chata'im. You know who you're following the model of? Your forefathers, bad people. Why were they bad people? Who is he referring to? The מרגלים Meraglim. You are walking in the footsteps of the מרגלים Meraglim. You had the wrong, you had the wrong role models. Where do you know this? How do you know this? The תרגום Targum. Look at the תרגום Targum right here, פרק ל\"ב פסוק י\"ד Perek Lamed Beis Pasuk Yud Daled. The תרגום Targum says קמתון חלף אבהתכון, תלמידי גובריא חייבא, לאוספא עוד על תקוף רוגזא דהשם בישראל Kamtun chalaf avahas'chon, talmidei guvraya chayava l'osafa od al tkof rugza d'Hashem b'Yisrael. You've risen in the place of your forefathers as תלמידים talmidim of sinners to add to the anger of Hashem. תלמידים Talmidim? These two tribes, Reuven and Gad, they were never students of the מרגלים Meraglim. They never overlapped with them. Why does Moshe Rabbeinu tell them, they're coming at the end of the forty years. The מרגלים Meraglim were at the beginning of the forty years. They didn't overlap, they didn't sit in the classroom, they weren't in חברותות chavrusos of theirs. According to the תרגום's Targum's טייטש teitch, the translation, why are we identifying these בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן Bnei Gad u'Bnei Reuven as the students, the תלמידים talmidim, of these מרגלים Meraglim whom they didn't meet, they didn't see, they didn't overlap with?Says Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, the ראש ישיבה of באר משה Rosh Yeshiva of Be'er Moshe. Listen to this insight. He says, make no mistake. Every action we do in this world causes us to have students. We all have students. Whether you're in חינוך chinuch or רבנות rabbanus, whether you're a teacher or professor, whether you're a מורה Moreh or a רבי Rebbe, every one of us has students. Our students are the world who's watching. Our colleagues, our peers, those who report to us at work, the people at the supermarket, the gym, on the road, in our home, our neighbors, our nieces and nephews, in life. People are watching and learning from our behavior and our choices and our actions, and even when we don't sense it, even when we aren't aware of it, even when we don't feel it, even when we don't sign up to be anybody's role model, we always are. And we have to be acutely aware of it. Says Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven came with an ask and an argument. They didn't mention, they didn't invoke, well I learned from my teacher, I learned from my Rebbe, I learned from my professor. They didn't invoke any teacher. They simply had a request. And Moshe lashes out at them, and what does he say? Oh, I see you're תלמידים talmidim of the מרגלים Meraglim. תלמידים of the מרגלים Talmidim of the Meraglim? They say, what are you talking about? We never took their class. We were never in their שיעור shiur. What do you mean תלמידים of the מרגלים talmidim of the Meraglim? The answer is, he says, I see you watched them, and I see you've been influenced by them, and I see you're following in their footsteps. The Mishna in פרקי אבות Pirkei Avos says, כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ kol mi she'yesh b'yado shlosha d'varim halalu, mitalmidav shel Avraham Avinu. If you possess these three qualities, you're a student of אברהם Avram. שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע shlosha d'varim acheirim, mitalmidav shel Bilam harasha. And if you have these other three qualities, you're a student of, none other than, the wicked בלעם Bilam. The three qualities to be a student of Avram: a good eye, a humble spirit, a moderate appetite. A student of בלעם Bilam: an evil eye, a haughty spirit, and a limitless appetite. And I ask you, did בלעם Bilam have a ישיבה yeshiva? He had תלמידים talmidim? מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע Mitalmidav shel Bilam harasha? What ישיבה yeshiva was he ראש ישיבה of Rosh Yeshiva of? Did he write a curriculum for עין רעה ayin ra'ah? For נפש גבוהה nefesh g'vo'ah? What does it mean תלמידיו דבלעם talmidav d'Bilam? What's the answer? Whoever saw Bilam, whoever watched and learned from Bilam, consciously or subconsciously, explicitly or implicitly, became a תלמיד talmid of Bilam. If you watched and you learned from, Bilam didn't have a ישיבה yeshiva. He wasn't a רבי Rebbe. He didn't write a curriculum. If you watched and you learned, you're a תלמיד of בלעם talmid of Bilam.This is the power of precedent. This is the impact and influence of our actions. It applies most to parents, as we just saw a moment ago from Rav Shaul Alter, continuing in the same theme. Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, זאָל זיין געזונט און שטאַרק zol zayn gezunt un shtark, he explains, even if your mother or father are not a רבי Rebbe or a מורה Morah, they're not in חינוך chinuch or רבנות rabbanus, still, every time you bench, you offer a הרחמן Harachaman for their well-being. And what do you say? הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת אָבִי מוֹרִי וְאֶת אִמִּי מוֹרָתִי Harachaman hu y'varech es avi mori v'es imi morasi. What do you mean אבי מורי, אמי מורתי avi mori, imi morasi? My father's not a רבי Rebbe, he's a businessman. My mother was a teacher, but she's also other careers. Why do you describe them as מורי mori and מורתי morasi? Says Rav Shmuel, because every father is a teacher. Every mother is a teacher. מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע, תלמידים Mitalmidav shel Avraham Avinu, talmidav shel Bilam harasha, talmidim of the מרגלים Meraglim. So Moshe Rabbeinu says, ah, קַמְתֶּם תַּחַת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם kamtem tachas avoseichem. I see you're תלמידים of the מרגלים talmidim of the Meraglim. תלמידים of the מרגלים Talmidim of the Meraglim? I didn't take their class, I didn't read their book, I didn't sit in their שיעור shiur. But you're following in their footsteps. You've been influenced, you're learning, you're listening, you're watching. It applies to every one of us, we have to know. You know, we're living in an age, everyone wants to sign up for what career? They want to be influencers. Want to be an influencer. I want to have a lot of following, I want people to send me free stuff, I want to be an influencer. We're all influencers. Every one of us an influence, online, offline, we all create תלמידים talmidim all around us in the way that we behave, whether people are watching or are not watching. There's an amazing poem from Mary Corzam. It's written for her mother, but could apply to everybody. I'll read it quickly because it's a great poem. When you thought I wasn't looking, you hung my first painting on the refrigerator and I wanted to paint another. When you thought I wasn't looking, you fed a stray cat and I thought it was good to be kind to animals. When you thought I wasn't looking, you baked a birthday cake just for me and I knew little things were special. When you thought I wasn't looking, you said a prayer and I believed there was a God I could talk to. You thought I wasn't looking, you kissed me goodnight and I felt loved. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that some things hurt, but it's alright to cry. When you thought I wasn't looking, you smiled, and it made me want to look that pretty too. When you thought I wasn't looking, you cared and I wanted to be everything I could be. When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked, and I want to say thanks for all the things you did when you thought I wasn't looking. It's a beautiful poem. I reserve the right to use it for יארצייט yahrzeit someday. It's a beautiful poem, but it's exactly מתלמידיו mitalmidav. Ah, קַמְתֶּם תַּחַת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם kamtem tachas avoseichem. You're תלמידים of the מרגלים talmidim of the Meraglim. אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ Avraham Avinu left תלמידים talmidim. בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע Bilam harasha left תלמידים talmidim. Every אב is a מורה av is a moreh, every אימא is a מורה eema is a morah. We all leave students because we're all influencers, and that's what the תרגום Targum is getting at here.פרק ל\"ב, פסוק ט\"ז Perek Lamed Beis, Pasuk Tes Zayin. וַיִּגְּשׁוּ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמְרוּ גִּדְרֹת צֹאן נִבְנֶה לְמִקְנֵנוּ פֹּה וְעָרִים לְטַפֵּנוּ Vayigshu eilav vayomru, gidros tzon nivneh l'mikneinu po, v'arim l'tapenu. They approach him and they say, we'll build pens for our flock and we'll build for our children. The מגיד יוסף Magid Yosef, מגיד יוסף Magid Yosef says, from all the way פרק פסוק ו' perek pasuk vov until now, Moshe is giving them a hard time. How could you not come and join your brothers to fight? But he was wrong. He made an assumption about them. Because they came with the request, we want to live here, he jumped to the assumption that they weren't going to fight. But all along, they intended to first fight before they take up residence east of the ירדן Yarden. לָמָּה לֹא הוֹדִיעוּ אֶת משֶׁה עַל טָעוּתוֹ מִיָּד בִּתְחִלַּת דְּבָרָיו Lama lo hodi'u es Moshe al ta'uso miyad b'tchilas d'varav? So why didn't they correct Moshe? Why didn't they correct Moshe immediately and say, no, no, no, we always intended to fight. Our request is only after. ויתרץ השפת אמת V'yitareitz haSfas Emes. So שפת אמת Sfas Emes says the following. He tells a story, the great גערער רבי Gerer Rebbe from when he was a child, and he learned with his חברותא chavrusa deep into the night, and because of that, he only went to sleep late at night, early in the morning, and he overslept. He came late, went to a late מנין minyan. And his זיידע zeide, the חידושי הרי\"ם Chiddushei HaRim came and gave him מוסר mussar, how dare you come late to שול shul? How could you go to the late מנין minyan? Don't be lazy. How could you procrastinate? How could you come late? So שפת אמת Sfas Emes says, I was quiet. And the חברותא chavrusa said, why don't you tell your זיידע zeide the reason that you overslept, the reason you went to the late מנין minyan is because you learned until four in the morning. Your זיידע zeide would have had such נחת nachas. Why don't you tell him? The שפת אמת Sfas Emes says, because an opportunity to hear מוסר mussar from my זיידע zeide, I don't want to give an excuse or an answer. I embrace the opportunity for the מוסר mussar. Says the מגיד יוסף Megid Yosef, Rav Yosef Sirkes, לא זכיתי להבין דמיון הדברים lo zachisi l'havin dimyon hadvarim. He says, but I don't get it, I don't understand. In the case of the חידושי הרי\"ם Chiddushei HaRim, שפת אמת Sfas Emes, there the חידושי הרי\"ם Chiddushei HaRim was giving valuable מוסר mussar which was worthwhile to receive even if it didn't apply in the particular circumstance. But here, Moshe Rabbeinu was entirely wrong. He made an assumption they don't plan to come fight, but they did plan to come fight. So it was מוסר mussar that had no value, even in any other context, because it was simply wrong, wonders the מגיד יוסף Megid Yosef. So how is the שפת אמת Sfas Emes answering the question? How did he apply his personal story to this particular case? Why did Moshe jump to that assumption? Why didn't Moshe give the benefit of the doubt? Why didn't he ask the people, you want to settle here? Okay, tell me more. What's your plan? What's the chronology? Are you coming in? Why did he jump to an assumption? And why did he give him שטאק מוסר shtark mussar? אולם, אם נתעיין בדברי משה גם אחר שאמרו לו טעותו Ulam, im nit'ayen b'divrei Moshe gam achar she'amru lo ta'uso, says the מגיד יוסף Megid Yosef, if you examine the words of Moshe, after Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven correct him, לא ראינו שהתנצל lo ra'inu she'hitnatzel. Moshe doesn't apologize. Moshe doesn't take it back. Moshe doesn't slow down, he doubles down. אם לא תעשון כן, הנה חטאתם להשם Im lo sa'asun kein, hinei chatasem l'Hashem, ודעו חטאתכם אשר תמצא אתכם u'd'u chataschem asher timtza eschem. He says it was a twofold failure. Number one, they failed to express a connection to the land and to Jewish destiny. And number two, they failed to express the proper priority, as we've mentioned, to their children. He says it was a twofold failure. They failed to express a connection to the land. It wasn't about a failure to their brothers, it wasn't about a failure to the land, it was about a failure of the priorities to their own children, says the מגיד יוסף Megid Yosef. Okay, let's move over פרק ל\"ב פסוק כ\"ה Perek Lamed Beis Pasuk Chof Hei. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael. Moshe's condition, he says, do this, and then you will be clean from Hashem and from your peers. Nobody can make an assumption. Nobody will misunderstand. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם Vihyisem n'ki'im, וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם Vihyisem n'ki'im.The Mishna in שקלים Shekalim says גמליאל הזוג שאל את רבי יוסי, איזה חמור מכולם Gamliel haZuga sha'al es Rabi Yosi, eizeh chamur mikulam? וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael. ופירש הראב\"ד, איזה מצוה בתורה חמורה יותר מכולם, שידבק בה האדם U'peireish haRa'avad, eizeh mitzvah baTorah chamurah yoser mikulam sheyidbak bah ha'adam? What is the most important mitzvah in the entire Torah that a person should cling to? והשיב רבי יוסי, שהמצוה של והייתם נקיים מהשם ומישראל היא המצוה חמורה שבתורה V'heishiv Rabi Yosi, she'hamitzvah shel v'hyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael hi hamitzvah chamurah shebaTorah. Be above board. That is the most important. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael. It's not enough to say I look in the mirror and as long as Hashem is good with me, I'm good. You have to be above board from Hashem and above board from your peers, מישראל meiYisrael, above board from both. We don't have time, but there's an incredible story of the חתם סופר Chasam Sofer when it comes to this mitzvah. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם Vihyisem n'ki'im, a mitzvah the Mishna in שקלים Shekalim, the ראב\"ד Ra'avad says is the most important mitzvah to cling to. When you have to make a decision, all the time ask yourself, will I fulfill וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם vihyisem n'ki'im? Will I raise suspicion or lower it? Is this above board or will people criticize? We used to have a member of our executive board who would say, if you can't do it in front of your spouse, it's cheating. If you wouldn't do it in front of your spouse, it's cheating. If you wouldn't speak that way to the opposite gender, if you wouldn't look at that thing, if you wouldn't dress that way, if you wouldn't act that way, if you can't do it in front of your spouse, don't do it. And this leader would say, if we wouldn't do it in front of the entire congregation, don't do it. If you're questioning, is this ethical, unethical, moral, immoral, is this in the gray, should we do it? If you wouldn't do it in front of the congregation, don't do it. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael. If you can't do it, that's what I tell my accountant. I want you to push the envelope as far as you can. Save me as much money as you can. But if you wouldn't do it if the IRS agent were sitting next to you watching, then don't do it. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael. Push the envelope as far as you can, but file the tax return as if the IRS agent is watching over your shoulder. וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Vihyisem n'ki'im mei'Hashem u'meiYisrael, זאָגט דער ראב\"ד zogt der Ra'avad, the mitzvah, the most strict, the most stringent, the mitzvah שידבק בה האדם sheyidbak bah ha'adam, that we have to cling to closely. Let's move over to פרשת מסעי Parshas Massei for the last few minutes. Page 918. אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְצִבְאֹתָם בְּיַד משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן Eileh mas'ei v'nei Yisrael asher yatz'u mei'eretz Mitzrayim l'tzivosam b'yad Moshe v'Aharon. These are the journeys of the Jewish people in the hands of Moshe and Aharon. וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל פִּי ה', וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם Vayichtov Moshe es motza'eihem l'mas'eihem al pi Hashem, v'eileh mas'eihem l'motza'eihem. Moshe wrote down all the travels. Last year we spoke about, we won't mention it again, a beautiful רמב\"ן Ramban. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, the משגיח Mashgiach, expands on the רמב\"ן Ramban, why in the world are we saying this? The whole sing-song here, the summary of the journey. A couple of pages here. It's a double parsha. It's a rough Shabbos. It's still the summer, long day still. Long double parsha. Save us some space. Really? You have to tell me every detail? I drove from Boca Raton to New York, then we stopped at this bathroom, then we went to this rest stop, then we needed another bathroom, then the kid's diaper needed to be changed, then we got drinks over here and we got drinks over there, which meant we need to make another bathroom stop over there. Then we slept over at the hotel that... Okay, you're here now. We're enjoying each other's company now. What do I care? Why are you ruining our time now by reviewing every step in the process? Who cares? Who cares? I need to know all of this? Why are we reviewing it? Listen to last year, a beautiful רמב\"ן Ramban. A beautiful רמב\"ן Ramban. משֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ Moshe Rabbeinu wrote all the details. וַיִּכְתֹּב Vayichtov. וַיִּכְתֹּב Vayichtov, he wrote it all out. The אור החיים Ohr HaChaim here writes, why do I need the Torah to testify that Moshe wrote it? וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה Vayichtov Moshe, Moshe wrote it. The whole Torah, 99% of the Torah Moshe Rabbeinu wrote. So this section in particular has to be introduced with וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה vayichtov Moshe, that Moshe wrote it? And the אור החיים הקדוש Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh answers a חידוש נפלא chiddush nifla. Moshe Rabbeinu wrote down a journal of the travels twice. First time he wrote it down when it happened in real time. So, Hashem said travel, took out his little notebook, his little פנקס pinkas, and he wrote down, today we left and we traveled. Hashem said, settle. Took out his little notebook, his little pen, and he said, today we settled. And when they got to ערבות מואב Arvos Moav, Hashem told Moshe, now take out your little notebook, take out your little פנקס pinkas, and I want you to integrate, collect, transcribe all the journeys, and put them together in the order that you had them in your little notebook. You had a journal, you kept a journal on the journey, great. Now transcribe it all into the Torah, incorporate and integrate it all into the Torah. And that says the אור החיים הקדוש Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh is why the Torah introduces this section with וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם vayichtov Moshe es motza'eihem l'mas'eihem. Interesting. What was the significance of that? Interesting אור החיים Ohr HaChaim. Good. The דגל מחנה אפרים Degel Machaneh Ephraim quotes something from his זיידע zeide. The דגל מחנה אפרים's Degel Machaneh Ephraim's זיידע zeide was the הייליגע בעל שם טוב heilige Baal Shem Tov. דע, ששמעתי בשם אדוני אבי זקני, כי כל המסעות היו מ\"ב Da, she'shamati b'shem adoni avi zkeini, ki kol hamasa'os hayu mem-beis. How many travels did we have? Count them up, 42. Start and stop, 42 journeys, 42 travels. And a person needs to know, emerging from your mother's womb is your own personal exodus, your own יציאת מצרים Yetziyas Mitzrayim. ואחר כך נוסע ממסע למסע עד בואו לארץ החיים העליונה v'acharei kach nose'a mimasa l'masa ad bo'o l'eretz hachaim ha'elyona. And until the last stop on the journey, which is the world to come, the final stop, every human being goes through 42 stops. The reason this is recorded, and the reason we read it and review it, is to remember that just like כלל ישראל Klal Yisrael had 42 stops, they had 42 legs to their journey, our book is written with 42 chapters. And our chapter, our book is not yet done. We don't know the next chapter, we don't know the next stop. And the same faith כלל ישראל Klal Yisrael had, is the faith and the attitude that we too need to bring on these journeys. Now you'll notice a change in the פסוקים psukim. It says וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם vayichtov Moshe es motza'eihem l'mas'eihem. וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם v'eileh mas'eihem l'motza'eihem. We reverse it. Why do we reverse it? What's going on over here? So again, the מגיד יוסף Megid Yosef, Rav Yosef Sirkes says, why do we reverse it? There's two ways to view our life, there's two components to our life. מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם motza'eihem l'mas'eihem, and מסעיהם למוצאיהם mas'eihem l'motza'eihem. מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם Motza'eihem l'mas'eihem means from the starting point of our journey to where we went, to our destiny. The starting point of our life and to our destiny is reflecting our DNA, our background, our personality, our upbringing, our, what influences a person more? Is it their nature or nurture? Both. Both shape and mold the person. לא פחות חשוב הוא מסעיהם למוצאיהם Lo pachot chashuv hu mas'eihem l'motza'eihem. Listen to what he says, a beautiful מגיד יוסף Megid Yosef. Why do we reverse it? On the one hand, I have to take everything about who I am. What are my physical features? What are my talents and skills? What are my liabilities? What's my DNA? What's my personality? What's my family background? What's my nature and nurture? That's מוֹצָאֵיהֶם motza'eihem and מסעיהם mas'eihem. I have to take all of that and help it find meaning. I have to manifest, I have to express it, I have to use it in this world. But the opposite's also true. I'm able to set goals and strive and have drive and... in this world, and then that will give meaning to everything about who I am and my genetics and my DNA and where I come from. So מצעי motzei and the מסעיהם maseihem על פי השם al pi Hashem. My DNA and the family I'm born in, born into, and the time and place in which I'm born into, all of that is על פי השם al pi Hashem. But מסעיהם maseihem and the מוצאיהם motzeihem ביד משה ואהרון b'yad Moshe v'Aharon. But where I go and what I do with it, who I become and what I achieve, that's ביד משה ואהרון b'yad Moshe v'Aharon, that's up to me. That's up to me. So part of it is predetermined, it's על פי השם al pi Hashem. The מוצאיהם motzeihem על פי השם al pi Hashem. But the מסעיהם maseihem in the reverse order, that is ביד משה אהרן b'yad Moshe Aharon, that's up to me. That's up to each and every individual to give those that DNA, to give what we were born with, to give it meaning, to give it purpose, to give it direction, that is all up to us. What's not up to us is that we're out of time.So even though there was more to talk about, we didn't get to the עיר מקלט ir miklat. I love the עיר מקלט ir miklat. We didn't get to the עיר מקלט ir miklat. Why is the stay in the עיר מקלט ir miklat determined and dependent on the lifespan of the כהן גדול kohen gadol? We were going to share eight or nine reasons. So tune in next year, פרשת מסעי parshas Masei. And until then, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay holy.
