Dvar Torah for Parshas Terumah

Parshas Terumah brings us back from the technicalities of Parshas Mishpatim and returns us to the story of the Bnei Yisrael in the desert. After receiving the Torah and becoming a nation, the Jewish People are now ready to have Hashem’s Shechinah rest amongst them on a constant basis. To this end, Hashem tells Moshe to build a Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Mishkan will house the Shechinah and will be the central location for all sacrifices and services to Hashem while the Jews are in the desert. Many of the same vessels that were used in the Mishkan were eventually used in the Beis Hamikdash (Holy Temple) several hundred years later.

One of the vessels made at this time was the Menorah. The pesukim go into great detail describing exactly how the Menorah should look, but the way that it was actually built is a source of great discussion in the Midrash. The pasuk says, “וְעָשִׂיתָ מְנֹרַת זָהָב טָהוֹר מִקְשָׁה תֵּעָשֶׂה הַמְּנוֹרָה” “You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, beaten out shall the Menorah be made” (Shemos 25:31). Rashi in his commentary on this pasuk brings out two points. The first is that the word “מִקְשָׁה” “beaten out”, teaches us that the Menorah must be made completely out of one piece of gold. You cannot make it in pieces and then connect them together which is no easy task when dealing with something as complicated and intricate as the Menorah. Secondly, he comments on the word “תֵּעָשֶׂה”. The proper form of the word for the act of making in Hebrew is “תַּעֲשֶׂה”, the form used here, “תֵּעָשֶׂה”, means that it was made itself. Rashi brings a Midrash which explains that Moshe could not figure out how to make the Menorah, so Hashem told him to throw a block of gold into a fire and the Menorah came out already fully formed.

Later on in Pasuk 40, the pasuk says, “וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה בְּתַבְנִיתָם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מָרְאֶה בָּהָר” “See and construct, according to their form that you are shown on the mountain” (25:40). Rashi explains that Moshe was first shown the form of each vessel by Hashem on Har Sinai and then built it based on that picture. The reason this pasuk is said specifically by the construction of the Menorah is because the reason that Hashem showed Moshe these visions in the first place was because Moshe was confused as to the exact form of the Menorah’s construction, so Hashem showed him a vision of the Menorah made out of fire, after which it is implied that Moshe proceeded to build the Menorah. This is a direct contradiction to the Midrash we said in Pasuk 31! The Midrash here seems to say that Moshe built the Menorah himself while the Midrash earlier said that it was made by itself when Moshe threw the gold into the fire?

Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi (known as “Mizrachi”), a commentary on Rashi, tries to reconcile these two Midrashim. He brings a third Midrash which says that Hashem described to Moshe several times how the Menorah should be made and Moshe just could not grasp it. Hashem then showed him a picture of the Menorah out of fire and still Moshe could not understand it. Hashem finally sends Moshe to Betzalel, the architect of the Mishkan (See 31:1-5), who immediately built the Menorah. Moshe was flabbergasted and proclaimed, “How many times did Hashem show me how to make the Menorah and I could not figure it out, but you didn’t even see it and were able to make it! Maybe you were there when Hashem showed me how to make it” (Tanchuma). This Midrash says that Betzalel made the Menorah! We now have three potential builders of the Menorah, Moshe, Betzalel, and that it made itself. So who really built the Menorah? Where do we fit this third Midrash into the Menorah storyline?

The Mizrachi organizes the Midrashim as follows; the first thing that happened was that Hashem showed Moshe the form of the Menorah in fire. Moshe had a lot of difficulty understanding how to make the Menorah, so Hashem told him to go to Betzalel. He then explains that the Midrash we brought that Betzalel made the Menorah must be the same Midrash as the Menorah being made by itself after being thrown into the fire. If this is not true, then how did Betzalel have any idea how to build the Menorah, the most complicated vessel to make?

But why would Moshe have been shocked that Betzalel knew how to make the Menorah, the Midrash says that Hashem told Moshe to throw the gold into the fire and we are now explaining that that is all Betzalel did! Why would Moshe have been surprised at Betzalel doing what Hashem told him to do? The Mizrachi explains that Hashem must have only told Moshe to go to Betzalel with the gold but not that he should throw it into the fire. Moshe figured that Betzalel with his vast knowledge of architecture would know how to build the Menorah and was therefore very surprised to see him just throw it into the fire and watch the Menorah pop out fully formed. Because of this, Moshe exclaimed that Betzalel must have been privy to secrets of Hashem that Moshe himself didn’t even know! (As to how Betzalel knew these secrets, I believe that this is what the pasuk refers to when it says that Hashem filled him with “the spirit of God” [See 31:3]).

The Gur Aryeh and the Sfas Emes explain these Midrashim by saying that this teaches us that everything that we accomplish in life is only because Hashem decided to give it to us. However, before He gives us anything, we must make the first effort to show that we really want it. Once we make that first effort, Hashem sees our desire and helps us finish our struggles, so in reality, it is our efforts which bring us to our ultimate goal. May we always have this strong motivation to accomplish good and with that little effort on our part, Hashem will take us the rest of the way.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Mishpatim

Back in Parshas Shemos, we discussed Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest leader in the long and illustrious history of the Jewish People. We brought the story of the Burning Bush to show examples of his greatness and how he was able to use all aspects of his existence, physical and spiritual, to serve Hashem. That story took place even before Moshe was leader of Bnei Yisrael! In this week’s Parshah, when Bnei Yisrael have now become a nation and accepted the Torah, we find more examples of Moshe’s greatness.

The first pasuk of Shishi says, “הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ לְפָנֶיךָ” “Behold! I send an angel before you…” (Shemos 23:20). Hashem tells Moshe that at some point during the Bnei Yisrael’s trip through the desert he will stop resting his Shechinah directly on Bnei Yisrael and an angel will take his place in leading them through the desert. Rashi explains that later on in Parshas Ki Sisa (33:2-3), after the Bnei Yisrael sin with the Golden Calf, Hashem tells Moshe that he will no longer rest his Shechinah on them. He says that Hashem is telling Moshe now that soon that day will come when a malach will lead Bnei Yisrael through the desert.

The Ramban asks on Rashi’s explanation here. He says that we know from the Gemarah that this punishment never took place; when Hashem told Moshe what he was planning, Moshe davened that the Shechinah should stay, and it did! So how can Rashi say that this pasuk is referring to that “eventual” event?

He answers that while Hashem’s presence remained within the nation during the time of Moshe, after Moshe died, in the time of Yehoshua, a malach took over. The pasuk says in Sefer Yehoshua, “כִּי אֲנִי שַׂר-צְבָא-יְהוָה--עַתָּה בָאתִי…וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה-אִישׁ עֹמֵד לְנֶגְדּוֹ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ” “And he (Yehoshua) lifted his eyes and saw and behold!- a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand…(the man said) I am the commander of Hashem’s legion” (Yehoshua 5:13-14). The “man” was really a malach of Hashem coming to take control of the Jewish army before their attack on Yericho. This is when our pasuk was fulfilled. Throughout the entire time of Moshe, Hashem himself stayed with the camp but after Moshe’s death, an angel took over.

But why did the angel come then? What was it about Moshe that Hashem did not send an angel till after Moshe’s death? The Ramban explains that this angel which came to Yehoshua was none other than the מלאך הגואל, the “redeeming angel” that Yaakov spoke about in his famous bracha to Menashe and Efraim, which we say every night before we go to sleep. This angel was the messenger of Hashem who was there for Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov in their times of need. (The Ramban brings pesukim showing examples for each one of the Avos, but this is not the place to bring them. For further research, see the Ramban inside.) The medrash says, “א"ל הקב"ה למשה הם מי ששמר את האבות הוא ישמור את הבנים” “Hashem said to Moshe, he who watched over the Fathers will watch over the sons” (Shemos Rabba 32:9), the same angel who watched over our Forefathers should also watch over us, their children. This strengthens our question even more! Why shouldn’t this angel watch over Bnei Yisrael even in the time of Moshe? The Ramban explains that while Moshe was alive, he filled the position of the angel. While he was leading Bnei Yisrael, it was as if the מלאך הגואל himself was watching over them. Wow! Moshe took the place of an angel! How was he able to fill such big shoes?

Later on in the Parshah, Moshe approaches Har Sinai together with Aharon, Nadav and Avihu (Aharon’s sons), and the Zekeinim. The pasuk says, “וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱ־לֹהִים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ” “…and they perceived G-d, and they ate and they drank.” (Shemos 24:11). Rashi says Nadav, Avihu and the Zekeinim saw Hashem, then went and ate and drank. They then became haughty about what they had perceived as a result of their gorging. It’s easy to see that they sinned by overindulging but how could these great tzaddikim even make this mistake in the first place?

The Kli Yakar explains that this whole episode shows the difference between Moshe’s Nevuah (Level of Prophecy) and the Nevuah of everyone else. Malachim are created completely spiritual with no physical needs. This puts them to a certain degree on a higher spiritual level than human beings. People who are created with a physical side must train themselves to use their physical abilities for spirituality. Moshe was the only prophet to speak to G-d “face to face”. At this point in time, when he ascended Har Sinai for forty days, he reached so high a level that he no longer needed his physical side! He connected to Hashem, even as a human, from a completely spiritual perspective. In fact, the Gemarah in Yoma (4b) explains that the first six days Moshe spent on the mountain were used to purge his body of all remaining food and water, so that he would benefit only from the spiritual influence of Hashem. (The pasuk later on says that Moshe did not eat or drink the entire time he was on Har Sinai.) Everyone else, however, still had to use their physical characteristics to try and connect to Hashem. Therefore, immediately after “seeing” Hashem, they went to eat and drink to try to connect to Hashem that way. Rashi explains that they failed in that regard. Moshe didn’t need that; his physical side had completely disappeared leaving him on the same level as an angel.

We explained back in Parshas Shemos that Moshe is compared to the sun because he was light on all “sides”, meaning all aspects of his life. But his student, Yehoshua, is compared to the moon. While one side is lit up, but the other side is always dark. We see again how lucky that generation was, and how lucky we are as a nation, that we once had a leader like Moshe Rabbeinu. May we be zoche to once again have a leader like Moshe and may we be able to reach his level, where even our physical strengths are used completely for spiritual growth.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Yisro

This week's Dvar Torah is dedicated in Memory of Rabbi Yosef ben Yitzchak Isaac Tendler zt''l, my high school principal who passed away on Wednesday. His Neshama should have an aliyah.

At the beginning of this week’s parshah, Moshe’s father-in-law, Yisro, joins Bnei Yisrael in the desert, along with Moshe’s wife and children. The parsha starts off, “וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱ־לֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ כִּי הוֹצִיא יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם…וַיָּבֹא יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה וּבָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּוֹ אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר” “Yisro, the minister of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that God did to Moshe and to Yisrael, His people- that Hashem took Yisrael out of Egypt…Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe, came to Moshe with his sons and wife, to the desert…”(Shemos 18:1,5). Rashi here asks, what did Yisro hear that caused him to come? He answers that he heard about the Splitting of the Sea and the miracle of the war with Amalek. When Yisro arrives, the pasuk describes his meeting with Moshe. “וַיְסַפֵּר מֹשֶׁה לְחֹתְנוֹ אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְ־הֹוָ־ה לְפַרְעֹה וּלְמִצְרַיִם עַל אוֹדֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל הַתְּלָאָה אֲשֶׁר מְצָאָתַם בַּדֶּרֶךְ וַיַּצִּלֵם יְ־הֹוָ־ה” “Moshe told his father-in-law everything that Hashem had done to Paroh and Egypt for Yisrael’s sake- all the trouble that had befallen them on the way- and that Hashem had rescued them.” (18:8). Rashi again explains here that he told him about the miracles by the sea and the battle, learning it out from the word “הַתְּלָאָה” “the trouble”.

The Kli Yakar asks several questions on these two instances of Yisro hearing about the miracles that Hashem did for Bnei Yisrael. First off, very simply, why did Moshe have to retell to Yisro the story of the miracles that happened to the Bnei Yisrael? The only reason Yisro came was because he had heard about the miracles! Next, he points out the discrepancies between the pesukim. When Yisro hears about the miracles, the pasuk says that he heard about “אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱ־לֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל” “all that God did to Moshe and Yisrael”, but when Moshe tells over the miracles to Yisro, he describes them as “כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְ־הֹוָ־ה לְפַרְעֹה וּלְמִצְרַיִם עַל אוֹדֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל” “everything that Hashem had done to Paroh and Egypt for Yisrael’s sake”. Why the difference? Another point he brings from this phrase is why does the pasuk have to state explicitly that he heard Hashem took Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt, the pasuk said earlier that he heard everything that Hashem had done for them? Was the Exodus not included in that?

The last question he asks is from Pasuk 11. The pasuk says, “עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל יְ־הֹוָ־ה מִכָּל הָאֱ־לֹהִים כִּי בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם” “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the gods, for with that they schemed against them…!” (18:11). Rashi explains that Yisro tried every single form of idolatry that existed and had rejected them all. He could therefore truly say that “Hashem is greater than all the gods”. But if Yisro had already heard all that Hashem had done for the Jews, how come it took him till now to realize that Hashem was the greatest god? He should have realized this before he even came!

The Kli Yakar explains that at the time, many people believed that there were two gods, one who controlled all the good events in the world and one who controlled all bad events. The god that controlled the good events had absolutely no power over the god that controlled bad and vice versa. This meant that you could not believe in both of them since they canceled out each other. Yisro was a little more progressive than the rest of the world and was hoping to find a god who controlled both good and bad. So when he came and joined the Jews in the desert, he was hoping to find proof that Hashem was the answer to his long search for a deity. When he heard about all the miracles that Hashem had done for the Jewish People by the Red Sea and by the battle with Amalek, he only heard about the good things that Hashem did for the Jewish people, like the fact that they walked through on dry land, but not the bad things he did to the Egyptians at the same time (i.e. when he drowned them in the sea). So Yisro still did not have proof that Hashem had control over anything other than good events. This is also why the pasuk mentions the Exodus out of all the other miracles. It symbolizes only the good things which Hashem did to Bnei Yisrael, but not the bad things he did to the Egyptians.

Later on when Yisro talks to Moshe and hears about all the things that Hashem did to Paroh and Mitzrayim, it is referring to all the bad things which Hashem did to them like the makkos and drowning them in the sea. So only then Yisro could truly say, “עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל יְ־הֹוָ־ה מִכָּל הָאֱ־לֹהִים”. Only now he realizes that Hashem is the one true God who controls everything that happens in the universe and is therefore worthy of service.

However, there still exists the possibility of two gods, one who controls good and did good to Yisrael and one who controls bad and did bad to the Egyptians? Let’s take another look at Pasuk 11. “עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל יְ־הֹוָ־ה מִכָּל הָאֱ־לֹהִים כִּי בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם” “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the gods, for with that they schemed against them…!”(18:11). Rashi asks, what exactly did Yisro see from what Egypt schemed against the Jews that Hashem was the greatest God? He explains that Yisro saw that Hashem punished מדה כנגד מדה, measure for measure. Whatever and however the Egyptians wanted to punish Bnei Yisrael, Hashem punished them the exact same way. If the god for bad and the god for good are two separate gods, then why would someone who did bad be punished? You are fulfilling what “god” wants! Rather, it must be that Hashem is the one and only God and he was punishing the Egyptians for doing bad to his nation, Yisrael, for which he wanted to do good.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Beshalach

Parshas Beshalach offers many topics to speak about. From the splitting of the Red Sea to the Shirah to the beginning of the Bnei Yisrael’s travels in the desert, this parshah is full of famous stories and Divrei Torah. This week I would like to discuss the only topic I did not mention in the last sentence, the מן (Manna). Though its name identifies it simply as “food”, the manna was anything but simple.

The pesukim themselves as well as the midrashim on the parshah list the many miracles that surrounded the מן. First off, the manna was delivered straight from the sky to your doorstep each morning covered with a layer of dew on top and bottom of it for protection. The medrash adds that depending on how righteous the person was, the manna would be left closer or farther from your door. (This allowed people to judge themselves every day[!] and see where they were holding.) While the pasuk tells us that it tasted like dough fried in honey, the medrash tells us that the manna could acquire the taste of whatever food you desired it to taste like. Another miracle was that Hashem commanded Bnei Yisrael to collect only enough for an omer (approx. 3.64 liters) per person. The pasuk relates that no matter how much a person collected, when the manna was measured later it always came out to exactly an omer per person.

Another miracle was that if the manna was left overnight, by the next morning it had rotted. This miracle in particular can help us understand what the whole purpose of the מן was. The מן in general is very important to understand; if this is what Hashem decided we should eat in the desert, there must be a lesson for us wrapped up in its texture, taste, and portion size. The pasuk describes the purpose of the מן as, “…וְיָצָא הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ דְּבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתוֹרָתִי אִם לֹא” “…and the people should go out and gather what they need for the day, so that I can test them, whether or not they will follow My teaching.” (Shemos 16:4). Rashi explains that the test here is to see if Bnei Yisrael will listen to the obligations that came with the manna, namely, not to leave any of the מן overnight and not to collect it on Shabbos.

The Kli Yakar explains Rashi further and says that these restrictions were supposed to test the level of ביטחון of the Bnei Yisrael. Someone who knows that he has food for the next day has no fear of starvation and therefore does not feel the need to save the manna for the next day. Also, Bnei Yisrael received a double portion of manna on Friday so they would not need to collect on Shabbos which went against the normal policy of not collecting more than they needed for one day. Because of this, there were people who thought they would still have to go out and collect manna on Shabbos. However, someone who trusted Hashem believed Moshe when he said that the food would last for two days. By giving them מן every day, Hashem could measure the level of ביטחון Bnei Yisrael had constantly.

The Ramban brings down a Gemarah in Yoma (75b) which explains the deeper significance of the manna. The pasuk in Tehillim describes the manna as, “לחם אבירים אכל איש” “Humans ate the bread of angels” (Psalms 78:25). R’ Akiva and R’ Yishmael learn this verse differently. R’ Akiva explains it simply, that the Jews ate the exact same bread that the angels eat. R’ Yishmael argues that angels do not eat bread and instead explains “לחם אבירים” as “לחם שנבלע במאתים וארבעים ושמונה אברים” “bread which is absorbed into the 248 bones”. There still is a need to understand R’ Akiva’s explanation as it does not make any sense, angels don’t eat bread! The Ramban explains that R’ Akiva is basing his explanation off of a medrash that angels are sustained by the shine of the Shechinah which contains the “supreme light” of Hashem. He wants to explain that the manna comes from this same “supreme light” and therefore the angels and the Jews eating מן are being sustained by the same thing!

The Kli Yakar explains that someone who learns Torah has distractions from inside and out. The inner distraction is the effect that eating has on the body. When you eat heavy food, it slows down your body, and more importantly, your mind, thereby preventing you from using your full mental faculties for Torah. It is for this reason that Moshe did not eat anything for the forty days he was on Har Sinai, in order that he would be able to concentrate completely on the Torah he was learning. The outer distraction is the hassle involved in obtaining food which takes away from a person’s time which could be used to learn Torah. The מן was designed specifically with these two problems in mind. Therefore, it was delivered directly to their doors which removed the outer distraction, and by using R’ Akiva’s explanation in the Gemarah in Yoma, we see how it removed the inner distraction as well. The מן was only physical in appearance, but in how it affected a person’s body, it was made up of the “supreme light” of Hashem! With these two characteristics we see that the manna was a completely spiritual “food” which only enhanced the nation’s ability to understand and study the Torah.

We can now understand the medrash which explains that specifically the generation which ate the manna received the Torah. Not only was it important that Bnei Yisrael have an easy path to understanding the Torah, there was also a middah which they had to learn before they could receive it. It is important that anyone who learns Torah has a middah of Sufficiency, the recognition that I don’t need anything more than what is necessary in order to survive. Only someone who is not worried about where his comforts will come from but just knows that he will be okay as long as he has at least his minimal needs, can learn Torah with complete peace of mind, which is the only way he will be able to absorb it all.

The Kli Yakar concludes that this was the test that Hashem was giving Bnei Yisrael. What he gave them was essentially an obstacle-free path to learning Torah. If the nation would not follow the laws even with this spiritual existence, they obviously were not ready to accept the Torah. Except for very few exceptions, they passed this test.

Hopefully soon our generation will also reach this level of the מן, and then we too will be able to learn the Torah and keep its laws in a worry-free state, completely covered inside and out by the shechinah.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Bo

Parshas Bo starts off with Hashem telling Moshe to go before Paroh. Even though, no matter what Moshe tells him, Paroh has hardened his heart and will not let Bnei Yisrael leave Mitzrayim, Moshe must still warn him of the impending makkah. However, the pesukim here are very confusing. In the first pasuk of the parshah, Hashem tells Moshe, “וַיֹּאמֶר יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֶל מֹשֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ וְאֶת לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ” “And Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Come to Paroh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants stubborn so that I shall place these signs of Mine in his midst” (Shemos 10:1). Later on in pasuk 3, Moshe goes to Paroh and immediately tells him about the next makkah of Locusts. The Meforshim ask from where did Moshe know that the next makkah was Locusts without Hashem telling him anything about it? The Ramban explains that pasuk 2 hints to what the makkah would be. The pasuk says, “וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ וּבֶן בִּנְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם...” “and so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I have amused Myself with Egypt…” (10:2), and it is specifically the part of “וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ וּבֶן בִּנְךָ” which hints to the next makkah. What exactly is the hint from this pasuk? What is the Ramban trying to tell us?

The Ramban in Pasuk 14 quotes Rabbeinu Chananel who says that if you look at the land of Egypt, no physical evidence remains of the makkos. The river is clear, the sun shines brightly every day, and the wild animal population is back to normal levels. There is no reason for anyone to suspect the makkos ever took place, that is except for one little thing. The pasuk says that once the locusts will leave Egypt when the plague is over, they will never again return in this manner. “…וַיָּנַח בְּכֹל גְּבוּל מִצְרָיִם כָּבֵד מְאֹד לְפָנָיו לֹא הָיָה כֵן אַרְבֶּה כָּמֹהוּ וְאַחֲרָיו לֹא יִהְיֶה כֵּן” “…and they (locusts) rested in the entire border of Egypt, very severely; before it there was never a locust-swarm like it and after it there will not be like it” (10:14). Rabbeinu Chananel explains that there will never be a swarm of locusts in Mitzrayim like this ever again, and even if locusts will happen to enter into the land, they will not eat a single bit of grain while they are there.

When the future generations of Mitzrayim notice this peculiarity, they will go to the elders of the generation and ask them to explain their phenomenon. The elders will have no choice but to tell over the entire story of the Plagues. This is what the pasuk is hinting when it says, “וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ וּבֶן בִּנְךָ”, that the next makkah will be the one which people of future generations will notice and through it, will learn about the miracles of the Plagues. The reason why the makkah had to be hinted to instead of being communicated directly is because Hashem wanted Paroh to do Teshuvah because he sinned against Hashem and not because the makkah pressured him into doing it. This would be a more complete way of doing Teshuvah. In order for Moshe to understand this, Hashem only hinted the makkah to him so Moshe would begin his rebuke of Paroh based on Paroh’s sins against Hashem and not influence him based on the makkah’s potential pressure.

However, the question still remains how Moshe knew that the makkah would be Locusts? Even if he would understand the hint Hashem gave him there were still many other possibilities of what the makkah could be! The Kli Yakar explains that throughout the makkos, everyone was affected the same except for the makkos of Barad (Hail) and Arbeh (Locusts). These two makkos destroyed all the crops so while the king would always have extra storehouses of grain to support himself, the people would slowly starve to death. This is why during all the makkos, the pasuk only mentions that Hashem hardened Paroh’s heart. When we get to the makkah of Barad, the pasuk says that he hardened Paroh’s heart and also his servant’s hearts. This was because this was the first makkah which affected the nation of Mitzrayim differently than Paroh and therefore the fact that they hardened their hearts is very different from Paroh. So in this week’s parshah, when Hashem tells Moshe that he has hardened the heart of Paroh and the hearts of his servants (see Pasuk1), Moshe knows that it must be connected again to the destruction of the grain which began by the Hail. There are two natural ways in which grain is destroyed, inclement weather (Barad) and by locusts. Once Barad has already happened, Moshe knows that the next one must be Arbeh. That is why in pasuk 7, Paroh’s servants plead with Paroh to call Moshe back and make a deal with him. Because for them, this makkah is actually life and death.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Va'eira

The ideas and concepts learned from the Makkos are very extensive and while I feel that I have explained the ideas in the Dvar Torah to the best of my ability, I realize that there will be many more questions asked as a result of the ideas set down. For any further inquires, I strongly encourage you to email, Facebook, message, or comment below and I will do my best to get back to you with an answer.

The main idea found in this week’s parshah is the story of the Ten Makkos (Plagues). The amount of pages written on this subject is enormous. Every commentator has a different idea, theme, parable, lesson, and purpose for each and every makkah. As a result, there is enough information to write a Dvar Torah just on each plague by itself! I spent a long time thinking about which makkah I should discuss, but every time I picked one, I got caught up in a different one! So, I decided to write about a central theme that explains all the makkos.

On Pesach night, we mention the makkos as part of the Hagadah recital. After we recite all ten, we quote R’ Yehuda who gives an acronym for them, דצ''ך עד''ש באח''ב. What is the purpose of these acronyms? It’s extremely unlikely that we will forget them that we should need a brain exercise in order to remember them. And that it was done in order to shorten the Seder makes no sense either because why would we not want to mention all ten plagues, as well as the fact that we are supposed to extend the Seder as late into the night as we can. So why did R’ Yehuda feel a need to give an abbreviated version? The Hagadah gives no explanation.

The Meforshim here in the Chumash explain that these acronyms of R’ Yehuda divide the makkos into themes. Some explain that each group has its own theme or special lesson, while others say that the first of every group is connected, the second of every group is connected, etc. We will go through a few of their explanations.

The Seforno first removes the last makkah, מכת בכורות “Death of the Firstborn”, from the acronyms (leaving it as דצ''ך עד''ש בא''ח) because the first nine were given in order to show the Egyptians the might of Hashem while the last one was purely for punishment. Each group of makkos used a different aspect of the world to proclaim Hashem’s greatness. The first group, containing Blood, Frogs, and Lice, all used the two major foundations of the Earth, the ground and the water. The second group, containing Wild Animals, Plague, and Boils, showed how he controls all living things. The third group of Hail, Locusts, and Darkness, showed his control over the atmosphere, as each makkah used some aspect of the sky. The hail used the weather, the locusts used the wind, and the darkness used the sun.

The Abarbanel explains that Paroh disputed Hashem in three ways. The first was that Hashem did not exist; the second was that even if he does exist, he doesn’t control what happens in this world. The last thing was that even if Hashem does control the events of the world, he cannot control nature and how the world actually works. Therefore, by the first makkah of each group, Hashem disputed Paroh’s claims and states the purpose of that makkah. By Blood, the pasuk says, “בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה” “With this you will know that I am the Lord” (Shemos 7:17), through this makkah, Paroh would realize that Hashem does exist. By Wild Animals it says, “לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ” “…in order that you will know that I am Hashem in the midst of the earth” (8:18). Paroh would see from here that Hashem controls everything that happens in the physical world as well. By the Hail, the pasuk says, “בַּעֲבוּר תֵּדַע כִּי אֵין כָּמֹנִי בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ” “…in order that you should know that there is none like Me in the entire Earth” (9:14). After the hail, Paroh would clearly see that Hashem controls all natural events too.

The Kli Yakar expounds on the Abarbanel’s idea and explains the three acronyms in this fashion. The entire first group of makkos is coming to show the Egyptians that Hashem exists. The Meforshim explain in several places that because the Nile River provided sustenance for the entire country of Mitzrayim, the Egyptians treated it as a god. So the first thing Hashem did was attack the Nile by changing it into blood and making it unusable. A further consequence of believing that Hashem doesn’t exist is that there is no need to sanctify his name through קידוש השם. The Gemarah in Pesachim (53b) explains that the frogs threw themselves into the ovens of the Egyptians as part of the plague, losing their lives in order to sanctify Hashem’s name. And the plague of Lice was the first plague which Paroh’s magicians were unable to perform, which caused them to admit that “אֶצְבַּע אֱ־לֹהִים הִוא” “It is the finger of God!” (Shemos 8:14).

The second group showed how Hashem controls events on Earth as well in the heavens. Each one of the makkos of Wild Animals, Animal Plague, and Boils clearly differentiated between the Jews and the Egyptians, proving that Hashem has full control over whatever events will happen down here. By the Wild Animals, if a Jew and an Egyptian were walking down the street together, the animal would only attack the Mitzri (Egyptian). The Plague did not affect any of the Jewish animals while it killed all the Egyptian ones. And when Moshe threw the ash (the source of the Boils) over the entire land of Egypt (a miracle by itself), when it landed on the Egyptians it developed into boils, but when it landed on a Jew it did not.

The Kli Yakar changes from the Abarbanel’s explanation for the third group. He explains that Paroh at this point admitted that Hashem existed and that he ran the world, but he still believed that there was more than one god. (This is how the Kli Yakar learns the pasuk of, “בַּעֲבוּר תֵּדַע כִּי אֵין כָּמֹנִי בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ” “…in order that you should know that there is none like Me in the entire Earth” (9:14), instead of how the Abarbanel learned it.) He explains that Paroh most likely assumed that the sun and the constellations were the other gods and so these last four makkos were designed to prove how they were powerless. By the first three makkos of Hail, Locusts, and Darkness, the sun was hidden from view by clouds, the millions of locusts, and night, respectively. The last makkah of מכת בכורות, the Death of the Firstborn, also represented the “killing” of the firstborn constellation, Aries, which is called so because it is the first constellation of the year.

The point of this whole drasha is to show how the makkos were not only not random acts which Hashem chose to torture the Egyptians with, but even the order of the makkos was designed with a higher purpose in mind. This shows us that even when Hashem is “punishing” a person for their sins, it is not just an act of torture and terror, it is designed in a way that the person will be able to learn the most from. While the makkos were designed to show the Egyptians the might and power of Hashem in order that they should fear him, they can also teach us a few lessons as well. By observing the makkos, we can recognize the wisdom of Hashem in all aspects of our lives, and how he will always defend his chosen nation, Yisrael.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Shemos

Sefer Shemos introduces us to one of the most important characters in Tanach, Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe is the one who leads Bnei Yisrael out of Mitzrayim, through the desert, to Eretz Yisrael. He is the greatest Navi of all-time, the only man to see Hashem “face to face” (one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith is that there will never be another Navi like Moshe). When Hashem gave us the Torah on Har Sinai, it was Moshe who brought it down to us. Throughout our history, we have never and will never have another leader of the same capacity.

Parshas Shemos tells the story of Moshe’s path to his becoming the leader of the Jewish People. His first conversation with Hashem is at the famous site of the Burning Bush. The Meforshim here compare this first meeting between Moshe and Hashem to the first meeting between Hashem and Yehoshua, Moshe’s student who succeeded him as leader. They use these comparisons to show how great Moshe was that even at this very early stage of his prophesizing, he was still much greater than Yehoshua at his height.

When Moshe sees the bush burning while not being consumed, he becomes curious and begins to approach the bush. Hashem quickly calls out to him, “וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶיךָ כִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ הוּא” “[Hashem] said, ‘Do not come closer to here, take off your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground” (Shemos 3:5). By Yehoshua, he is approached by a man who identifies himself as a messenger of Hashem and then says, “וַיֹּאמֶר שַׂר-צְבָא יְהוָה אֶל-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שַׁל-נַעַלְךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶךָ כִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹמֵד עָלָיו קֹדֶשׁ הוּא” “The commander of Hashem’s legion said to Yehoshua, ‘Remove your shoe from upon your foot, for the place upon which you stand is holy.’…” (Yehoshua 5:15). There are two differences in the language of the pesukim. First, Hashem tells Moshe to remove “נְעָלֶיךָ" "your shoes”, but by Yehoshua, he only tells him to remove “נַעַלְךָ" "your shoe”, in the singular. The second difference is that by Moshe the place is referred to as “אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ” “holy ground”, while by Yehoshua, the pasuk does not say the ground is holy, only the place. What was the meaning behind these differences?

The Gemarah in Baba Basrah (75a) explains the difference between Moshe and Yehoshua by comparing Moshe to the sun and Yehoshua to the moon. The explanation of the Gemarah is as follows, there are two aspects a person must use in order to lead, his intellect and his physical body. The idea is to perfect both of these aspects to be able to use them completely for spiritual purposes. Most leaders are able to use their intellect and wisdom for spiritual purposes and lead in that sense. However, Moshe was so great that he was also able to completely disconnect his physical body from this world and use it completely for the sake of Hashem (as we see clearly from the forty days and nights he spent on Har Sinai, learning the Torah, without eating or drinking). For this reason, he is compared to the sun which gives light from all sides. Yehoshua also was able to lead Bnei Yisrael through his incredible wisdom and intellect but at the same time could not distance his physical body enough from the physical aspects of the world in order to use his physical traits to “light up” Bnei Yisrael from that side as well. So he is similar to the moon which has one side lit up while the other side always remains in the dark.

Using this, we can understand Rabbeinu Bachya who explains Moshe and Yehoshua taking off their shoes as them separating themselves from the material world. Yehoshua was only able to completely separate his intellect from the physical world, so Hashem told him to take off one of his shoes, to show that he was holy in only one aspect. But Moshe, who was able to separate himself physically from this world as well, was told to take off both his shoes, symbolizing his separation from this world in all aspects. This idea continues through to the second difference as well. For Yehoshua, the ground was physical, and therefore it itself was not holy, only the location itself was holy since Hashem was there. But for Moshe, the entire physical world was only there to serve Hashem, therefore, the very ground itself on which Hashem appeared was holy! That is why the pasuk by Moshe calls the ground, “אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ”, but not by Yehoshua.

This explanation leads to a third difference between these two revelations. When Moshe approaches the bush, Hashem tells him, “אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם” “Do not come closer to here” (3:5). Only by Moshe does Hashem tell him not to come closer to this holy spot, but not by Yehoshua. Why is this? If anything, I would have assumed the opposite, if Moshe was greater than Yehoshua, shouldn’t he be able to come closer to Hashem? The Kli Yakar explains that Hashem was telling Moshe that specifically because he realized that the ground was holy, he could not come any closer. Someone who realizes where he is walking is holy knows not to walk there. But someone who does not realize where he is cannot be told to stop, he does not understand why not! There is nothing there to stop for! Only someone who appreciates the fact that Hashem appearing in a place makes the actual physical dirt holy, can be told not to come any closer. This is why Moshe was greater than Yehoshua and why his revelation was different.

The Torah’s introduction to Moshe shows us immediately what type of person he was. Through the nation’s travels through the desert, and our journey through these parshiyos, there is no better role model for us than Moshe Rabbeinu, someone whose entire physical and mental being was completely geared towards serving Hashem. As we take this journey together, let us do our best to understand this amazing feat and take guidance from it for our own lives.

Shabbat Shalom!

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