Dvar Torah for Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech

       Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech always comes out the week before Rosh Hashanah, and it’s fitting that it does. As Moshe wraps up his final instructions and guidance for Bnei Yisrael before his death, his focus on this parsha turns to Teshuva. The idea that the nation will make mistakes (to whatever degree) is taken for granted; the key is they should repent. Moshe tells them how Hashem will be with them every step of the way, guiding them back to Him behind the scenes. And when they reach their goals, the relationship between them and Him will be stronger than ever before.

       One of the most famous series of pesukim in the entire Torah is found in Parshas Nitzavim, and gives us a great idea of the connection we intrinsically share with Hashem.

       "כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ וְלֹא רְחֹקָה הִוא. לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא ... וְלֹא מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא ... כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ" “For this commandment that I command you today, it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. It is not in the heavens…Nor is it across the sea…Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to perform it.” (Devarim 30:11-14). The Ohr HaChaim asks several pertinent questions on these pesukim. Why does the Torah differentiate between the commandment being hidden or far away? Couldn’t distance be included in the concept of ‘hidden’? Furthermore, what’s the big deal about something being across the sea? It’s one thing for it to be in the heavens, it’s impossible for any living being to get it. But across the sea, while it may be difficult, it’s still possible for one to go there. Even more so nowadays!

       The Ohr HaChaim suggests that perhaps the phrases in the pesukim can be discussing different concerns. The Torah was a completely God created document; Man had nothing to do with it at all. Factor in everything that went into Bnei Yisrael receiving it at Har Sinai, one could easily think that there are aspects of the Torah that are completely inaccessible, or ‘hidden’, to man. It’s just that everything about it is completely out of the realm of man, physically and intellectually. And it’s not as if one could go up to the heavens to discover those esoteric ideas! The Torah responds directly to these concerns. Explains the pasuk, nothing from the Torah is hidden from us (though some aspects may be more difficult to understand than others), because someone already went up to the heavens to get it (Moshe)! It has no come completely into the realm of Man and is completely accessible.

       The second set of phrases then corresponds to the performance of mitzvos. The pasuk suggests that we may be worried about how far away the mitzvos are from us, and how could we go all the way across the ocean to do them; what would this parable be referring to? The Ohr HaChaim explains that once our concern about going up to the heavens for the Torah was answered by Moshe, another concern has arisen. Moshe will not be able to fulfill all the mitzvos as there are many that can only be performed in Eretz Yisrael and he won’t be entering with the rest of Bnei Yisrael. Perhaps if Moshe, the one man capable of bringing us the Torah, can’t fulfill all the mitzvos, then neither can we! So the pasuk tells us that while Moshe may not be entering Eretz Yisrael, the rest of us are. The mitzvos are not “across the sea”, they are in fact “very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to perform it.” You don’t have to go up to the heavens like Moshe, and you don’t need to be someone who could like Moshe, in order to take ownership of the Torah and become a true servant of Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah & Podcast for Parshas Nitzavim & Vayeilech

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Dvar Torah & Podcast for Parshas Ki Savo

 

       Parshas Ki Savo begins with the mitzvah of Bikkurim. Every year, everyone would come to Yerushalayim with the first produce to sprout in their fields. They came to the Beis Hamikdash, presented their fruits to the Kohen, and thanked Hashem for their harvest. The time of Bikkurim was a special time in Yerushalayim as the nation as a whole celebrated the harvest, the Beis Hamikdash, and their relationship with Hashem. While this mitzvah only applied to produce grown in Eretz Yisrael, the connection of the mitzvah to the land runs even deeper. Out of all the produce grown, the only ones obligated in Bikkurim were the Shivas Haminim, the seven fruits considered special to Eretz Yisrael. In this way, the mitzvah also celebrated our residence of and the beauty of Eretz Yisrael.

       An example of this idea is found in one of the first Rashis in the parsha. While explaining that only the Shivas Haminim were brought as Bikkurim, Rashi explains that the olives of Eretz Yisrael had their oil gathered inside of it. The simple explanation is that this is a compliment on how much oil you could gather from olives of Eretz Yisrael. However, there is much more to it than that.

       The Sifsei Chachamim asks a simple question on this Rashi. Back in Parshas Eikev, the Torah discussed all the wonderful things about Eretz Yisrael, including the Shivas Haminim. When the Torah mentions the oil coming from the olives, Rashi explains this that the olives of Eretz Yisrael make oil; since there are olives that don’t make oil, this is an important point to make (See Devarim 8:8). But why in our parsha does Rashi explain it differently? Shouldn’t the compliment of the olives of Eretz Yisrael be the same in both places?

       He explains that it depends what you are comparing. Back in Parshas Eikev, we were comparing the olives of Eretz Yisrael to the rest of the world. While the world in general has both olives that give oil and others that don’t, all the olives of Eretz Yisrael give oil. That’s what makes them so special. Here in Ki Savo, we are comparing the fruits of Eretz Yisrael to themselves. When it comes to Bikkurim, quality is definitely preferred over quantity. This mitzvah is meant to celebrate the Land and all that makes it great. Even if you don’t have much, the point is to bring your best.

       There are olives that their oil is too strong for their flesh, and it comes spilling out of them. While it’s good to have such a surplus of oil, the fact that the oil flows out before you can harvest it means you are losing most of that oil. Additionally, it can also harm the flesh of the olive so by the time you get to the harvest, nothing is left. However, the olives that can hold their abundance of oil, you can still collect all that oil and also have perfectly preserved olives. Those are the ones you really want. This is just one example of how special the produce of Eretz Yisrael can be. Its normal olives are already better than the best olives of the world. And even within the Land, there is a second level of olive even better than those. And those are the olives you present in the Beis Hamikdash as your Bikkurim.

Shabbat Shalom!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah & Podcast for Parshas Ki Savo

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Dvar Torah and Podcast for Parshas Ki Seitzei

       Throughout Sefer Devarim, Moshe Rabbeinu gives over directions and guidance for the Bnei Yisrael as they prepare to enter Eretz Yisrael without him. Parshas Ki Seitzei includes many laws dealing with personal relationships, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. There are also many laws dealing with interpersonal relationships such as kidnapping, runaway servants, personal hygiene, and our topic this week, Lashon Hara.

       While we don’t need the Torah to tell us that a culture that engages in gossip or worse is not good for anyone, in Judaism, it’s actually the law that you are not allowed to speak bad about someone else. (There are of course circumstances where it would be necessary to say something unflattering about someone else, but those cases are certainly not the majority and definitely don’t include simple gossip.) Amazingly, one of the ironclad laws that we are required to follow from the Torah prohibits gossip. Can you imagine a culture where you were actually punished for gossip by the law? That’s what we have.

       It is a well-known idea that the punishment for speaking lashon hara is tzara’as, a sickness similar to leprosy except that it is completely controlled by your spiritual state of being. Getting and recovering from tzara’as has nothing to do with bacteria, it is completely determined by your evil speech and subsequent repentance for it. The Torah discusses at length in various places the laws of  what you should do when you have tzara’as, and Moshe reminds Bnei Yisrael in our parsha to follow those laws (See Devarim 24:8).

       He then follows it up with what seems like a warning, but actually says even more. “זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְמִרְיָ֑ם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵֽאתְכֶ֥ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם” “Remember that which Hashem, your God, did to Miriam, when you left Egypt” (9). If we look back in Parshas Beha’aloscha, we have the story of when Miriam got tzara’as for speaking ill of Moshe (See Bamidbar 12). Honestly, what she said wasn’t even that bad, it may not even have been lashon hara! Chazal teach us that since she was one of the greatest people of the generation, Miriam was held to a higher standard. Therefore, she got tzara’as for something which for someone else may have been overlooked. For the rest of the nation though, it was an important event; even the leaders of the generation were not exempt from anything. If Miriam could get tzara’as, anyone could. On a simple level, this is what Moshe is reminding the people by mentioning this here.

       The Ramban takes this idea a little further. The use of the word ‘zachor’ here in the pasuk is intriguing. While the simple translation of this word is to ‘remember’, there are many instances where the Torah uses it to mean something more. For example, the Aseres Hadibros famously say, “זָכוֹר֩ אֶת־י֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת לְקַדְּשׁ֗וֹ” “Remember the day of Sabbath to make it holy” (Shemos 20:8); later on in this week’s parsha, we are given the famous edict to wipe out Amalek which begins with, “זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ עֲמָלֵ֑ק” “Remember that which Amalek did to you” (Devarim 25:17). These examples are not just reminders that we should keep Shabbos or wipe out Amalek, they are actual commandments to do so! The Ramban explains that this example of Miriam is also not meant as a reminder not to speak Lashon Hara, but an actual commandment not to.

       What exactly is the framework of this type of commandment? The actual wording of the Torah says to remember, seems simple enough. But if the Ramban is correct that it actually means not just to remember but to actually do it, then our understanding of the word ‘zachor’, and consequently, the meaning of this commandment, is not completely clear.

       The Ramban looks back at our example of Shabbos. While the first reading of the Aseres Hadibros in Sefer Shemos says “זָכוֹר֩ אֶת־י֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת”, the second reading, found earlier in Sefer Devarim reads, “שָׁמ֛וֹר אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑וֹ” “Keep the day of Sabbath and make it holy” (Devarim 5:12). Shamor means to actually keep the mitzvah, what does zachor add to this? The Ramban explains that shamor means that you are keeping the mitzvah in your soul and in your actions, while zachor means that it’s something always being mentioned.

       One of the truest statements in life is actions speak louder than words. If you do what you are supposed to do in the proper manner, you are on the path to a good life. But even doing proper actions does not compare to someone who supplements those actions with words as well. Someone who feels an enthusiasm and passion for what he does will inevitably end up bringing those things up again and again. Whether it’s for others or even just for himself, if it’s something meaningful, it will find its way into his mouth and out into his conversations.

       This is the obligation of zachor. Don’t just keep Shabbos, get excited for Shabbos! Don’t just remember what Amalek did, make sure you understand what evil is and why Amalek fits that description, and eradicate that evil from yourself. And don’t just try not to say lashon hara, make an effort to say nice things, promote kindness and acceptance. Even the smallest slights can cause damage, just look at the story of Miriam.

       And it’s not just Shabbos where we see zachor and shamor in tandem. Right here by tzara’as we see the same thing. When the pasuk here says to be sure to keep all the laws of tzara’as, the phrasing it uses is, “הִשָּׁ֧מֶר בְּנֶֽגַע־הַצָּרַ֛עַת” “Be cautious regarding the lesion of tzara’as” (24:8). The Shamor root appears here too, reminding us that this obligation is not just about not speaking evil, it’s about being a force for good.

Shabbat Shalom!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Seitzei

Click here to listen this this week's Podcast (Also available on Apple Podcasts) 

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

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Dvar Torah & Podcast for Parshas Chukas

       In a sefer where each parsha is packed with episodes integral to Jewish history, Parshas Chukas stands out. This parsha contains the deaths of both Aharon and Miriam, two of the leaders of the nation, as well as the cause of the eventual death of Moshe, the greatest leader we ever had. This parsha represents a shift in the path the nation will follow from here on out.

       The cause of Moshe’s death is a well-known story of his hitting a rock to get water out if it. Almost every commentator has their own take on this story, exactly what happened, exactly what was expected of Moshe, and where he went wrong. The basic story is that after Miriam’s death, the Bnei Yisrael complained about the lack of water in the desert. Moshe and Aharon daven to Hashem to help them. Hashem responds that Moshe should take his staff and go out to the rock. At that time, he should speak to the rock in front of the people, and the water will flow forth.

       However, instead of speaking to the rock, Moshe hits it with the staff. It worked, the water came flowing out, but since he didn’t do it exactly as Hashem told him to, Hashem considered it a lack of faith. It was even worse since this act took place in front of the entire nation, as it resulted in a tremendous opportunity to sanctify Hashem’s name ruined. Because of this, Moshe would not lead Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael.

       Like we mentioned before, while the above is the basic story as found in the Torah, every commentary has a different take on the different elements of the story. Let’s examine one such element.

        The Kli Yakar asks a simple but important question on this story. If Hashem meant for Moshe to just speak to the rock, what was the purpose of bringing the staff? In fact, Moshe had previously used his stick to get water (See Shemos 15); it seems an easy mistake to make to assume that he needed the staff in order to do the same thing again.

       In order to answer this question, the Kli Yakar brings a Chizkuni who explains that this staff that Moshe took was not his staff that he used in Mitzrayim and by Krias Yam Suf.  Instead, this was the staff of Aharon. In Parshas Korach, in order to prove that Aharon was the rightful Kohen, Hashem had the Nasi of each tribe place a staff in water inside the Mishkan. Whichever staff would sprout flowers, they would know that that person was the rightful Kohen. As we know, Aharon’s staff was the only one to flower. And while the pasuk tells us that each person came and took their staff, Hashem told Moshe to leave Aharon’s staff there in the Mishkan. It would serve as a reminder to everyone that his claim to the Kehunah was completely legitimate. This is why when Moshe takes the staff here to bring it to the rock, it says he took it “from in front of Hashem” (20:9).

       Why did he need to take Aharon’s staff instead of his own? The Kli Yakar explains that this staff was very similar to the stone they were about to approach. This staff was completely dry with absolutely no moisture within it, but Hashem performed a miracle and the staff sprouted beautiful flowers. Hashem brought water into a place where no water existed. Similarly, Hashem asked Moshe to bring this staff to the rock, not to hit the rock, but as an example. Just like Hashem made this dry staff give forth water to sprout flowers, so too this dry rock could overflow with water, enough for the entire nation. As long as Hashem willed it, it could and would happen.

       This alone was what was required to teach Bnei Yisrael to have the proper faith in Hashem, Moshe wasn’t supposed to use the staff itself. However, for whatever reason, Moshe misunderstood the instructions given to him, and that’s when the trouble began for him.

Shabbat Shalom!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Chukas

Click here to listen this this week's Podcast (Also available on Apple Podcasts)

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

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Dvar Torah & Podcast for Parshas Bo

       Parshas Bo contains some important benchmarks in Jewish History. Most importantly, it is when we left Mitzrayim, officially beginning the process of becoming the chosen nation of Hashem. But there’s also a very important first, the first mitzvah given to Bnei Yisrael.

       This mitzvah was Rosh Chodesh; we must be aware of when the moon renews itself each month, and declare that day of renewal the first of the month. This is a very important mitzvah as the start of the different Yomim Tovim is dependent on the timing of the first of the month. In fact, this mitzvah is extra special because it places this timing in our hands. This is as opposed to Shabbos which is always the seventh day of the week, a timing determined by Hashem by Creation. When it comes to Yom Tov, only we the people can say when the holiday will fall out.

       The Ramban gives a quick and interesting idea regarding the months of the year. When it comes to the names of the days of the week, in Judaism, we simply refer to them as the number day it is in the weekly cycle. While the Western world has adopted meaningful names behind each day, they are all names after various planets and/or gods, we have kept simple names. We call them First Day, Second Day, etc. However, when it comes to the months, each one has a specific name. Nissan, Iyar, Sivan; these are all names with real translations and explanations behind them. What’s the difference between the months and the days of the week?

       The Ramban explains that originally, the months were counted the same way as the days. The pasuk states that the month at the time the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh was given, what we now know as the month of Nissan, would be the beginning of the months (See Shemos 12:2). What exactly does it mean to be the beginning of the months? The first assumption would be it’s the first month of the year. But we know that the Jewish year doesn’t begin in Nissan, it begins in Tishrei, the seventh month. So that can’t be it.

       Rather, explains the Ramban, it’s the first of the months from when we left Mitzrayim. This seminal event in Jewish history wouldn’t mark the beginning of time (which would place Nissan as the beginning of the year), but it would be marked. The months would be counted as beginning from this important moment.

       So what changed? Since nowadays the months all have specific names, we obviously changed that custom. Why did it change? Even more interestingly, the names we use for the months are not even of Hebrew origins! This last point is the key to this mystery.

       As we explained, the mitzvah to count months was given to us as we prepared to leave Mitzrayim. As such, we began to count the months from that vital moment. However, sadly, that was not the last time we left our Land for exile in our history. Many years later, after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, the Jewish People were exiled to Bavel. And when we returned from that exile, we began to count the months from that moment, same as we had when we left Mitzrayim. As the pasuk says, “לָכֵן הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם יְהוָה וְלֹא יֵאָמֵר עוֹד חַי יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת  בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. כִּי אִם חַי יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן" “Therefore, behold, days are coming, says Hashem, and it shall no longer be said, ‘Hashem lives, Who brought the children of Yisrael up from the land of Egypt.’ Rather, ‘Hashem lives, Who brought up the children of Yisrael from the land of the north…” (Yirmiyahu 16:14-15). This idea manifested itself in the names of the months. We dropped the simple names and adopted Babylonian names for each month. This allows us to remember the fact that we were exiled there and Hashem fulfilled His promise and brought us back to Eretz Yisrael; in the same way the original names served as a constant reminder and commemoration of how we left Egypt.

       As we remain now in the aftermath of our second exile from Eretz Yisrael, we have kept the names we adopted from Bavel. However, when we are redeemed, we will once again change the names of the months to commemorate the great promise that Hashem will fulfill, and the great kindness He will show in so doing. May it be speedily in our days.

Shabbat Shalom!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Bo

Click here to listen this this week's Podcast (Also available on Apple Podcasts) 

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email us at AIMeMTorah@gmail.com.

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A Quick Update from AIMeM Torah

Hey Everyone!
Don't worry, we are well aware how long it's been since we updated this page. We appreciate your patience and your continued support for Aimem Torah. We are still planning on using this space for great original divrei Torah in the future. But even if the divrei Torah are not appearing here, they are still being sent out to our email subscribers! Subscribe by emailing us at aimemtorah@gmail.com, don't miss out on our great divrei Torah still being disseminated weekly.
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We look forward to sharing many divrei Torah together with you in the future!

Have a wonderful Shabbos!