Parshas Korach 5768

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

Korach, a cousin of Moshe, gathered a group of dissenters to challenge Moshe’s authority, claiming that Moshe had usurped authority on his own and not under G-d’s orders. Moshe, in an uncharacteristically sharp manner, prayed that G-d should prove his innocence by having Korach die an unnatural death, by being swallowed into the earth.

Korach tried to influence the nation to follow him with different arguments. He claimed that he was acting on their behalf, and that Moshe was taking unfair advantage of the people. He claimed the entire nation was holy and did not need a leader. The Rabbis explain that Korach was actually a great and wise person, yet he fooled himself into thinking that his intentions were sincere and that his arguments were logical. In reality, Korach was motivated by feelings of jealousy and arrogance. The bias created by jealousy is so powerful that it can often mislead a normally rational person into believing and doing irrational things.

Moshe suggested that Korach and his followers offer incense offerings together with Aharon, and that while G-d would accept the true offering, the impostors would die. Even then, Korach did not fear taking such a chance. He had deluded himself into believing that G-d would accept his sacrifice over Aharon’s.

The reason Moshe reacted so strongly was not because he felt the affront to his own honor. He was concerned that a challenge against his own leadership was a challenge against the authority of the Torah itself. If people thought that Moshe had misrepresented G-d on one point, they might think that he misrepresented Him on other points too. He therefore prayed that Korach’s challenge be stopped before it caused irreparable damage.

Even after Korach had been swallowed, there still remained doubts among the people and they complained again. It seems that Moshe’s concerns had actually materialized. Another plague killed over fourteen thousand people, until Aharon offered incense, which stopped the plague. This also served to legitimize Aharon’s appointment as High Priest.

After the incident involving Korach, the Torah promises different gifts to the Kohanim as an affirmation of their position and authority. They were given tithing from grain and fruits, from the meat of each animal, and the first seasonal fruits each year. They were also promised the firstborn of the animals, and five coins for the human firstborn male. They also received a part of each sacrifice.

The story of Korach illustrates an important lesson about following Torah authority and not letting one’s personal inclinations mask the truth.

“Dasan and Aviram went out erect...”(Num.16:27)

Despite Moshe’s chastisements, Dasan and Aviram were not humbled.

In Pirkei Avos we find two seemingly conflicting statements. On one hand we are taught (5:23) that one should be brazen as a leopard to serve G-d; yet immediately following it says that the brazen are destined for Gehinnom. The distinction is that one should take pride in serving G-d and not be ashamed before others of his service. In other areas in life, however, one should be humble and modest.

Unfortunately, people often do the opposite. Rav Shlomo Freifeld commented how ironic it is that people feel no shame jogging in public in shorts, yet when having to pray in the airport, they feel the need to go to a public phone and pretend they are making a call.

Did You Know...

The Tachanun prayers are said while sitting, reclining one’s head on the left arm. When one is wearing tefillin on the left arm, one should recline on the right arm. One should not recline on his bare arm, but rather on the sleeve.

If there is no Torah scroll in the room where Tachanun is being recited, one should not recline on his arm, although some authorities permit it if there are other holy books in the room.

If one is unable to sit, the Tachanun may be recited while standing, although he should lean on a surface since that is considered like sitting in Jewish law.

Parshas Sh'lach L'cha 5768

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

As the nation prepared to leave the desert and enter into the land, they began to lose heart. They demanded that Moshe send spies to scout the land before they would conquer it. This portrayed a serious flaw in their faith in G-d, Who had promised that He would assist them in conquering the land. After witnessing all the miracles G-d had performed for the nation when they left Egypt there should have been no room for any lingering doubts. Although G-d reluctantly agreed to their request to send spies, it was without His blessings, and would therefore come at a heavy price.

Moshe tried to minimize the potential damage by appointing men of stature to serve as scouts. Unfortunately, it did not help. The person who puts his trust in natural means will become much more disillusioned than the one who puts his trust in G-d. The spies saw a land, that although beautiful, seemed insurmountable. They found huge people and fortified cities. Ten of the twelve spies began to feel insecure and insignificant in front of the inhabitants of the land. They saw no natural way that they could conquer it and they came back with a very demoralizing report.

The people listened to their report, despite the protests of Joshua and Caleb, and were so frightened that they cried to Moshe that they didn’t want to enter the Promised Land. They rebuffed the wonderful gift that G-d had planned as their ultimate destination. Although Moshe prayed on behalf of the nation, the punishment for this sin would be even more severe than the punishment for the sin of the Golden Calf. The nation would have to wander through the desert for forty years, and all men who were twenty years and older would die before the nation could enter the land.

Although the generation was told they could not enter into the Promised Land, G-d wanted to reassure them that their children would indeed enter the land. For this reason, immediately after the sin of the spies the people were instructed in the mitzvos of tithing the dough and the wine libations that were offered with the sacrifices. Although these mitzvos would not apply until they entered the land, they served as a guarantee that the next generation would indeed enter it.

At the end of the portion the Torah discusses the mitzvah of tzitzis. Fringes are placed on the four corners of a garment to serve as a visual reminder of G-d and His mitzvos. Blue woolen fringes of techeiles, a dye extracted from a marine animal, is also tied, to serve as a reminder of the heavens and G-d’s commandments. The tzitzis are meant to prevent a person from straying after the desires of his eyes and heart.

…long in patience… (Num.14:18)

The Children of Israel sinned by thinking that had giants not inhabited the land they could have conquered it without G-d’s assistance.

Someone sponsored a kiddush in the synagogue. He explained that he wanted to express his gratitude to G-d for his having been in a serious car crash, and emerging from the car unharmed. The following week another person sponsored a kiddush. He explained that he also wanted to express his gratitude to G-d for emerging from his car unharmed, and without even damaging his car!

It is important to remember that we need G-d’s assistance not only in miraculous situations, but just to get through our everyday life too.

Did You Know...

A man should check the tzitzis each time before donning his tallis to make sure the strings are not tangled and that the knots are tight. On Shabbos one may not tighten the knots, as that is considered tying which is prohibited on Shabbos.

One should also check to see if the strings are broken. Generally, if one string is broken the tzitzis are still kosher, depending on how far down the break is found. If two strings are broken it must be determined whether both strings are from the same string or not, since each string is actually doubled. If both breaks are on the same string, the tzitzis are not kosher.

Parshas Beha'alos'cha 5768

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

The portion covers a variety of events. Ahron was instructed in the kindling of the menorah. Each candle was to be lit until the flame rose by itself. The menorah had seven branches, and each light was to face the center branch of the menorah.

After the nation’s second Passover in the desert, there were some people who had not been able to bring the Pesach offering. They had been in contact with a corpse rendering them ritually impure and unable to offer the sacrifice. These individuals complained to Moshe why they should lose this great mitzvah, and they requested another opportunity to bring the offering.

Moshe brought their request before G-d, and G-d revealed the mitzvah of Pesach Sheni, the second Pesach. People who could not offer the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month would have a second chance to offer it on the fourteenth day of the second month.

According to Jewish law, a person who is exempt from a mitzvah has no obligation to make it up. However, these individuals had such a longing to fulfill the will of G-d, that they looked for new opportunities to be able to fulfill the mitzvah. G-d, as it were, could not turn down such a request and presented a new mitzvah through these individuals.

Although complaining to improve one’s spiritual lot may have merit, this is not so regarding complaints to improve one’s physical and material situation. This is also portrayed in our portion.

The people ate manna in the desert. This miraculous food fell at their door each morning, with exactly enough for each family member’s daily needs. The manna had a sweet taste, and could be used in all types of cooking and baking. Yet the people complained. They dreamed about the fish and vegetables they had eaten in Egypt, and they demanded meat. G-d had taken care of all the nation’s needs, and in an effortless and miraculous manner--yet the people were dissatisfied. G-d sent a plague that took the lives of these perpetual complainers.

Moshe felt the need to separate from his wife, to be able to be in a constant state of purity to communicate with G-d. Miriam, Moshe’s sister, spoke somewhat disparagingly about Moshe’s separation. G-d told Miriam that Moshe was different from any other person. He had achieved a level of prophecy that no other prophet did, or will ever, receive. Although no other prophet would have to follow Moshe’s example, his decision was deemed proper.

Miriam was punished with leprosy on account of maligning her brother. However, because of her righteousness the entire camp waited for her to recover before they traveled onward.

“The man Moshe was extremely humble, more than any other person…” (Num. 12:3)

Rav Aharon Leib Steinman once remarked: “How fortunate we are that the Torah instructs us to be humble. Imagine if we had to be arrogant; I would have to knock my head to find something to brag about! Humility is so much easier since I realize all my failings…”

Similarly, the Maggid of Zlatchev asked: If it is so important to be humble, why isn’t it counted as one of the 613 mitzvos? He answered that mitzvos are supposed to be performed to fulfill the will of G-d. One who is humble merely to fulfill G-d’s will is not truly humble!

Did You Know...

A groom is called to the Torah both the Shabbos before the wedding and the Shabbos after the wedding. The commentators explain that the groom is referred to as a king. Just as a king must write two Torah scrolls, one for his treasury and one to carry with him at all times, the groom is called to the Torah twice, to remind him to observe the Torah both at home and when away.

The Shabbos before the wedding is called the Aufruf, meaning “call up” in Yiddish. Nuts and sweets are traditionally showered upon the groom after he is called to the Torah, symbolizing the sweet and fruitful life the couple should enjoy together.

Parshas Naso 5768

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

The camp of the Israelites had to be fit at all times for G-d’s Divine Presence to dwell in its midst. Any person who was impure was sent outside of the camp. There were actually three camps among the Jews; innermost was the Camp of the Shechina, the Divine Presence, where the Tabernacle was housed. Outside of that was the Camp of the Levites, and outside of that was the Camp of the Israelites. Depending on the severity of the impurity it was determined outside of which camp the person had to remain.

The Jewish people are also held to a high moral standard. The Torah elaborates on the procedure of dealing with suspected adulterers. A mixture was given to the suspected woman to drink, and if she were guilty she would die. If she was indeed innocent, she would be blessed. G-d wrought miracles with this procedure just in order to restore mutual trust in an otherwise damaged relationship.

The Nazirite was a person who accepted a temporary oath of abstinence from wine, haircuts, and contact with a corpse. Although this is not the Torah’s norm, under certain circumstances it was necessary to abstain for therapeutic purposes. For this reason, although the Nazirite is referred to as a holy person, he must nonetheless bring a sin offering upon completion of his oath to atone for his abstinence.

At the dedication of the Tabernacle, each of the nesi’im, the princes of the tribes, brought gifts in honor of the dedication. These gifts were brought out of their own pockets, to make amends for their lack of participation in the actual construction of the Tabernacle.

Each prince brought the same gift, comprising of: a silver plate and silver bowl filled with flour and oil, a gold spoon filled with incense, and a variety of twenty one animals for different sacrifices. The Torah repeats the same six passages describing these gifts twelve times, once for each prince. The Midrash explains that although each prince brought the same gift, they were actually each motivated by different considerations. The same gift may have had a different representation to different people. The Torah therefore repeats all the details of the gifts for each prince, to emphasize that although the gifts were the same items, they were really different gifts.

Many mitzvos in the Torah seem to be so regimented, that they leave little room for creativity and self-expression. The reality however, is quite the opposite. The mitzvos were only meant to provide a framework of guidance, within which there is plenty of room for self-expression. The details can--and should--take on very different meanings to different people.

...The time of the Giving of our Torah (Shavuos liturgy)

A merchant ordered a wagon to take him to the fair to buy merchandise. He told the driver that he must get to the fair on time, and the driver promised that he would him there. Unfortunately, the winter roads made it difficult to travel, and the man missed the fair.

The driver demanded payment, but the merchant refused to pay. They came to the rabbi to present their arguments and the rabbi sided with the merchant, since the driver had not fulfilled his promise. The driver questioned the rabbi’s decision. “How do you know that?”

“It says in the Torah that if a worker fails to deliver, he cannot claim his payment,” the rabbi replied.

“And when was the Torah given?” the driver challenged.

“On Shavuos, my son,” said the rabbi.

“Aha!” cried the driver. “The Torah was given in good weather! Of course they wouldn’t understand what it’s like driving on the winter roads!”

“G-d gave an eternal Torah to the Jewish people,” the rabbi said, “and it is foolish to claim that it no longer applies.”

Did You Know…

Although it is permitted to transfer a fire on Yom Tov, one may not create a new flame. One may also not extinguish a flame on Yom Tov. The fire on a gas range may not be lit if it has an automatic electric ignition, since that creates a new flame. If there is no automatic ignition it would be permitted to light the fire with a transferred flame.

One may raise the flame on a gas stove to cook or heat food, and it may similarly be lowered to cook food without concern of burning, but it may not be lowered to save money or to reduce the heat in the kitchen. Electric appliances may not be adjusted at all.