The Women Loved the Land More than the Men

The story of the daughters of Tzlofchad is an indication of the great love for Eretz Yisrael, that the women possessed. They surpassed the men in this area, as their love was genuine.

We see this through the text regarding these five wise women. When they asked for an inheritance in the Land of Israel, it was a precedent setting case. Moshe and Aharon needed to consult Hashem for the answer.

The question posed by Moshe, was twofold. First he wanted some kind of assurance that the motivation for requesting an inheritance, was sincere and for the sake of Heaven. And he also wanted to know the laws of inheritance, and the order of distribution in the event that there were no sons to inherit their father.

This is what was intended in Hashem’s answer, when He simply said, “Yes, the daughters of Tzlofchad are correct in their request. They were sincere in their request, and it needed to be clarified that if someone had no sons, he would be inherited by his daughters.

We see how important it is for a person to conduct his affairs with love and sincerity. If others do not recognize this, and are suspicious of one’s intentions. There is no need to worry. Hashem sees everything and will always give proper reward for every individual’s positive actions and intent.

David and Pinchas

There seems to be a parallel between Pinchas and King David, that is a lesson for everyone. They both were unable to tolerate a desecration of the Name of Hashem.

We see this by David in his assessment of the situation with Goliath. He sees this Philistine giant mocking G-d and the Jewish people. He said that the fear of him by the Jewish people, proves that there is no G-d in Israel.

When David heard this, he responded by asking who this uncircumcised Philisine was. This was an intolerable situation that had to be stopped. He needed to take matters in his own hand and put a stop to this terrible desecration.

Similarly, Pinchas found the Jewish people in a state of confusion. The Midianite women succeeded in getting the Jewish men to sin with them, as well as worship Avoda Zara.

The last straw was when Zimri, a head of the Tribe of Shimon, openly sinned with Kozbi, a Midianite princess. While the rest of the nation stood by silently, Pinchas needed to act with zeal in defending the honor of the Creator. His valiant, not violent act, carried with it a blessing of peace. His Kohanic descendants would live forever.

We cannot be expected to have the courage of David and Pinchas. But we must learn to be aware of situations where Hashem’s honor was made to look very small.

This very well could be a subconscious motivation of our brave and saintly soldiers. October the Seventh was a horrific Chilul Hashem. They have been fighting with so much resolve and heroism, as they wish to restore Hashem’s honor. Their devotion and love of the land and the Jewish people, will bring peace and a sanctification of the Name of Hashem.

A Lesson of Jewish History

It is important that we be reminded from time to time, the lessons of history.

This has been a difficult year for the Jewish people since October the Seventh. Jews from all over the world have been reminded of their heritage, despite the fact that many have gone far astray from their Jewish roots. Reality has hit all Jews in the face.

The safety and well being of the Jewish people has come into question with the great rise of anti-semitism. Jews must know that the safest place for them, is the Land of Israel.

We must remember that everywhere that Jews lived, despite being welcomed for a time, that particular home for the Jews, did not last long.

In every situation, Jewish life ended in one of three ways. Either it ended with assimilation, where there was rampant intermarriage that caused the number of Jews to decrease rapidly; or, the once welcome Jews, were expelled from their “comfortable” homes and had to look for a new place to live; or, they could be exterminated, as was witnessed during the Holocaust.

History has taught us that one of three outcomes always happens wherever Jews lived. It was assimilation, expulsion, or extermination. The only exception applies to Eretz Yisrael. Once the Jewish people returned in large numbers, the building of the Third Commonweath, had begun. The Jewish people would never go into exile again.They were home.

Now is as good a time as any, to wake up to this reality. There is a way to avoid the pains and unpleasantness of the exile. Simply make Aliya! It is the most sensible decision every Jew can make.

Fear of Sin

The Messilat Yesharim is a book that is a step by step guide how to achieve higher and higher levels of piety.

One of the highest levels of piety is defined as יראת חטא, or fear of sin. At first glance, one might think that this is just another way of describing fear of Hashem.

In actuality, fear of sin is connected with fear of Hashem, but it still reflects a higher level of worship and closeness to G-d.

The lowest level of fear of G-d is really more like fear of punishment. This refers to a person that takes the laws of the Torah seriously. He is motivated by his unwillingness to be guilty of any of the transgressions mentioned in the Torah. He is afraid of the consequences of violating these laws.

A higher level of fear of Hashem is known as יראת הרוממות. This refers to one who is in awe of Hashem’s exalted state. This makes him aware of his own vulnerabilities, and helps keep him in check.

The highest level of fear of sin is an expression of one who already feels extreme closeness to G-d. His fear of sin is an awareness that sin distances a person from Hashem. Just like a Mitzva brings a person closer to Him, the sin makes him more distant. He cannot tolerate the idea that he could do something that would cause a disconnect and distance from Hashem. This is a very high level of observance because it includes a recognition that there is nothing in this world more gratifying than feeling this closeness.

This level of worship is higher than the other two types of fear, because it is based on a deep love for our Creator, that is the cause for this fear of sin.

Keeping Our Tents Pure

The verse in our morning prayers that says, מה טובו אהליך יעקב, “How goodly are your tents, O’ Jacob,” was actually one of the blessings of Bilaam.

He was inspired by getting a panoramic view of the encampment of the Jewish people in the desert. He saw that there was real modesty. The people took great care to be certain that the entrance of one tent did not face another tent. They respected each other’s privacy.

In today’s world of openness and promiscuity, the standards of the observant, Torah Jew, stands out. It is ingrained in Jewish teachings, the importance of loyalty and trustworthiness between spouses.

Although there are instances where observant people do act improperly, it is definitely much less than in non-observant circles.

There is a book of Mussar, discipline, known as, Sefer Chassidim. There is a passage that discusses the dangers of wine. It recommends that one should not give a bottle of wine as a gift to a man, whose occupation involves having women clients or patients. Wine could be seen as the vehicle to create sin. Extra caution must be taken to be certain that this does not happen. We must keep our tents pure, and worthy of blessing.

The Path We Take

There is a reference in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in Scripture to the following dictum. “The path that a person chooses to take, he is led in that path from Heaven.”

The Torah source is learned from Bilaam. He was told emphatically by Hashem not to go with Balak to curse the Jewish people. His persistence allowed him to go, but it did not mean that this decision would be beneficial to Bilaam.

This is such an important life message. Our free will allows us to make the decision as to which direction we will take. But this decision does not guarantee a positive result.

For example, someone might become obsessed with the pursuit of wealth. In Heaven, this may not be thought of as such a good idea. Nevertheless, this person continues with this pursuit without seeing the potential pitfalls of having great wealth. He may even be granted the wealth he seeks, but because his motivation was not pure, he will not have peace of mind from his wealth. He will find that he has attracted insincere friends who want to use him. Or he may get bombarded with endless requests for funds, that he is not able to meet.

The lesson is that we must take great care in thinking things through, and even consult a trusted friend or rabbi, before making a decision that we might later regret.

Bilaam made a bad choice and paid with his life. We must be careful and wise so that our persistence doesn’t get us into trouble.

A Nation That Dwells Apart

The attempt to harm the Jewish people by Bilaam, was done through the power of his curse. Miraculously, his curse turned into a blessing, with Hashem’s help.

One of the famous blessings given by Bilaam, described the nature of the Am Yisrael. “They are a nation that dwells alone, and are not considered by the other nations.”

The commentators take this verse to mean that the uniqueness of the Jewish people is that they are the only ones that are Divinely inspired, and unlike the other nations, they will never perish.

Another explanation is that Israel is unique in that when they rejoice, the other nations are sad. And when Israel is in mourning, the other nations celebrate.

This Pasuk is meant to be seen as a blessing. The Jewish people are meant to be different from all of the nations of the world. We have a special destiny and a special role to play in the world. We are supposed to embrace this uniqueness and be grateful that we are the “chosen” people. We give thanks every morning that we have been born into the Jewish people. Bilaam reluctantly acknowledged how the Jewish people are special, and this became one of his most significant blessings.

Fear of Israel

The story of Balak and Bilaam is very timely, and should give us hope. Our present situation needs to end as is hinted in the Torah.

We are introduced to Balak, the king of Moab. We are told that the entire nation of Moab has been struck with a great fear of the Jewish people. Surprisingly, their fear was not based on the fantastic exodus from Egypt, and the devastation and demise of the Egyptians. This was forty years later, and even great events could be forgotten.

They had heard of the miraculous defeat of the two giants, Sichon and Og. Moshe had conquered them and the land of the Emori, and Bashan. This is the area that includes the Golan Heights of today.

The fear of the neighboring countries of Midian and Moab was so great that even though they hated each other, they made an alliance. They needed to do something to weaken the Jewish people, or they would be next.

Throughout the Tanach, we see a repeated scenario. Israel’s enemies believe that they can harm us, and may even wish to have us eliminated, G-d forbid. Ultimately, Hashem’s love for His people is so great that He helps subdue our enemies. Not only are they defeated, but they are left with a feeling of awe and fear of Am Yisrael.

Balak and Bilaam were both motivated by fear and hatred of the Jewish people. They thought they could devise a new scheme of cursing Israel to weaken them. They failed and they were both killed. The glory of Israel remained as did the fear of Israel.

I believe that the bravery of our soldiers and the heroism of the Jewish people, will have the same result in our current war. With Hashem’s help, we will see a great victory. And our enemies will respect us and be in a state of fear of the G-d of Israel and His people.

Choosing Good Friends

The Messilat Yesharim discusses how harmful a bad choice of friends can be to a person. They can bring ruin to one’s soul, his possessions, and his entire reputation.

One must recognize the danger of flattery. It is particularly important to stay away from friends that are nothing more than flatterers. Such people act with deceit, have an agenda, and are certainly not true friends.

There is nothing better for a person than to seek out friends of integrity. He will open his eyes to that which he is blind. When he errs, he will admonish him out of his love for him, saving him from every evil.

Often a person is unable to see his own faults. His true friend will see and will warn him to improve his ways, so that he will be protected from those dangers.

By seeking the advice of men of integrity, one saves himself from his own faults and weaknesses. We must take great care to surround ourselves only with positive, sincere, and idealistic friends.

It is important that we stay focused on our ultimate purpose in this world. We need to constantly work at self improvement, and growing spiritually. Our choice of good friends, can be a great help in achieving these goals.

Hitting the Rock

There are many possible explanations as to what exactly was Moshe’s sin when he hit the rock, rather than speak to it. The obvious answer is that he disobeyed Hashem’s command.

There is another interpretation that Moshe’s sin was that he did not control his anger. This got him in trouble in the past, and he still needed to overcome this character flaw.

There is yet another interpretation that has relevance to today. When they began their journey in the desert forty years earlier, Moshe was actually commanded to hit the rock to bring forth water. That generation was very tough, as they had only recently become free men. They did not have a problem being treated in a harsh manner.

But now as they were about to enter Eretz Yisrael, it was a much more pampered generation. They were used to having everything done for them. They were not used to being scolded in a direct way.

Hashem wanted to see if Moshe could make the adjustment with this present generation. When he failed by hitting the rock, it was decided that a new leader was needed to bring the nation into the Promised Land.

Educators need to make similar adjustments in line with the abilities of their students. We are taught to teach according to the needs of the student. This was one of the main lessons learned from the episode of Moshe hitting the rock.

Death of Miriam

There is an interesting Midrash, that is very deductive. This was based on the simple verse that says that Miriam died, and she was buried.

The Midrash deduces that Miriam’s death must have occurred after the entire generation of the desert had already died. Until that time, every year on Tisha B’Av, the people needed to dig their own grave, and sleep in it.

If they were included in the punishment of the spies, they would not wake up. This happened until the final year in the desert. When the fifteenth of Av came, and there was no more death, that date became a minor holiday known as Tu B’Av.

If the narrative of the Torah, told us that Miriam was buried, it must have been after the punishment was over.

During that fortieth year, Miriam first passed away, and the “באר מרים,” Miriam’s well, ended the water supply in the desert. Aharon also died a few months later, and the “Clouds of Glory,” died with him. And in the last month of the year in Adar, Moshe Rabbeinu passed away, that ended the falling of the Manna.

It is interesting how the wisdom of the Rabbis allows them to piece together, historical events.

Honoring Parents

The Talmud in Masechet Kidushin, discusses the importance of the Mitzva to honor our parents. It tells the story of a non-Jew named Dama Ben Netina, who showed great honor to his father.

The Beit Hamikdash sent representatives to Dama Ben Netina, to negotiate the purchase of one of the precious stones of the breastplate of the Kohein Hagadol. They were willing to pay a large sum of money for this purchase.

Dama passed up this opportunity because he refused to wake up his father to get the key, where this precious stone was being stored.

As a reward for showing such great honor to his father, the next year, a Red Heifer was born to Dama’s herd, and he received the same amount of money that he would have earned the year before.

The Chidushei Harim asks why he was rewarded in this fashion. Couldn’t his loss have been made up in some other way?

He answers that the Red Heifer was his reward in order to protect Am Yisrael. If there would have been some kind of prosecution in the Heavenly court against the Jewish people, we would have a proper response.

If it was said that we should be embarrassed that we were outshone by the Gentile, Dama Ben Netina, who was willing to lose a big sum of money for honoring his father, we would answer as follows.

Dama was willing to lose money for a Mitzva that was logical and had merit. But the Jewish people were willing to spend a huge sum for a Mitzva that had no logical explanation.

Therefore, the merit of the Jewish people was even greater than that wonderful act of Dama Ben Netina.

Rewarded for Faith

The Mitzva of the פרה אדומה, the Red Heifer, is considered the most difficult commandment of the Torah. It is in the category of a “Chok,” which means that we are not meant to understand it.

Other examples of Chukim, would be the prohibition of mixing milk and meat. And the restrictions against forbidden mixtures, such as wool and linen, also falls under the category of “Chok.”

The message here is that our commitment to religious observance is not based on our understanding why exactly we observe each Mitzva. It is based on our faith that everything in the Torah is true, and expresses the will of G-d.

We are taught that our reward is far greater when we not only do not understand why we do what we do. But it is even greater when according to our own intellect and values, what we are asked to do, doesn’t seem right to us.

Nevertheless, we surrender our will for the sake of Hashem’s will. We are mere human beings composed of flesh and blood. How could we possibly think that we are on a level to disagree with the Eternal G-d, who created us?

When we come to sections of the Torah, like Para Aduma, it is a reminder of our own smallness, and the greatness of the King of the Universe,

Know How To Answer the Heretic

The Keli Yakar makes an observation about the redundancy of the wording in the Torah. The Mitzva of the פרה אדומה, the Red Heifer is introduced at the beginning of Parshat Chukat.

Usually, a section begins with instructions from Hashem to Moshe, and ends with the word, “לאמר,” to teach it to the nation. In this instance, the word, לאמר, is said a second time in the very next Pasuk.

The explanation for this redundancy is to remind us of our obligation to know how to explain the truth of the Torah to Gentiles and heretics. This is especially true when we are presented with a Mitzva that is extremely difficult to comprehend.

The ashes of the Red Heifer were needed to atone for one who came in contact with the dead. The difficulty comes from the fact that the Kohanim who handle this animal, become impure, while the one who was impure, becomes pure. Even King Solomon could not understand this Mitzva.

This serves as a recognition that it is our duty to be so well versed in the Torah, so that we be able to explain it to others. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot tells us, דע מה להשיב לאפיקורס, “know how to answer the heretic.”

Some say that we get a pass regarding the Para Adumah. The nations of the world might see us observing these inexplicable laws, and they marvel at us by saying, “Only a wise and understanding nation, could have such statutes.”

Nevertheless, we are confronted today with missionaries and cults that try to undermine the validity of the Torah. We must be equipped with basic answers to show the fallacies of their philosophies.

The benefit of having this knowledge, is that we get strengthened ourselves when we realize how easy it is to refute the New Testament and other challenges to our religion. We must know that there is only one truth in the world and that is Hashem and the Torah.

Acquiring Humility

The Messilat Yesharim describes humility as one of the highest character traits that a person can possess.

The author, Rav Moshe Chaim Lutzatto, gives directions as to how to achieve true humility. He breaks this down into two major areas. There is Anava, (Hebrew for humility) in outlook and Anava in conduct, which is a humble manner of behavior.

Anava in outlook reminds a person of his own deficiencies. Every person has limited talents, and he is expected to use those talents to the best of his ability. He must remind himself of the lowly state of earthly creatures. And also be reminded the puniness of our accomplishments compared to earlier generations.

Anava in conduct consists of humble comportment in four areas: generally behaving in an unassuming manner-in one’s manner of speech, walking, and similar things. Tolerating insults shows humility, as does fleeing from honor. And finally, the humble person is careful to treat everyone with respect.

These are some of the tips given in Messilat Yesharim. It also that we never forget our own mortality and vulnerability.

We must remember that greatness and true humility go together. The greater the person, the more humble he is. And this is exactly why Moshe Rabbeinu was the greatest person whoever lived.

Special Laws For the Kohein and Levi

After establishing that Aharon was the one designated to serve as the Kohein Hagadol, the Torah listed some of the laws connected with the Kohanim and Leviim.

Both the Kohanim and Leviim were given the responsibility of guarding the Temple. They were to make sure that its sanctity was not compromised. There was nightly guard duty surrounding all of the entrances to the Temple. The Kohanim were on the inside, and the Leviim on the outside.

There was another commandment that the Kohanim should not do the work of the Leviim, and the Leviim were not to do the work of the Kohanim. Each one’s role, needed to be respected.

There was another negative commandment that forbade a non-Kohein for taking part in Temple service. This was related to maintaining the sanctity of the Temple.

There were also special gifts reserved for the Kohanim and Leviim. The Kohein was given the task of Pidyon Haben. He was entitled to keep the five silver coins necessary to redeem the first born. The major gift given to the Levite was Maaser Rishon, or the first tithe. They received ten percent of the produce of the fields of all of Israel. This was their major source of sustenance, as the Leviim were generally considered poor.

All of these laws mentioned, are found in the latter part of Parshat Korach. This was a clear indication of the special role of the Kohein and Levi. Someone once said that the very slogan written on some police cars, described the Kohein and Levi, with the simple words, “to protect and to serve.”

Selfish People Cannot Be Happy

The Torah tells us that when Moshe Rabbeinu heard all of the claims that were made against him, he fell on his face.

The Talmud in Masechet Sanhedrin asked what exactly did Moshe hear? The answer is that they accused him of having relations with married women. It may have been a response of disbelief at how low his detractors would go at trying to discredit him.

In Jewish Law, if there is a dispute, and one side says, “I am not an evil person,” this is an indication that he is accusing the other side of being evil.

When Korach told Moshe that the entire nation is holy, he was implying that Moshe was not holy. But there is also the consideration that often when one accuses someone else of wrongdoing, they are actually the ones doing that which they are accusing others about.

It is well known that Chazal tell us that קדושה, holiness, is found when one is careful not to violate any of the laws connected with sexual immorality.

Therefore, when Korach and his cronies made these serious accusations against Moshe, it implied that they were guilty of these very accusations.

Psychologists might say that a clear indication of the narcissistic personality, is that typically, the narcissist accuses others of the very thing for which he is carrying guilt. It would not be wrong to say that Korach was the classic narcissist. He only saw himself and satisfying his own needs without being able to realize the damage of such self gratification.

A selfish person can never find happiness or peace of mind. Like so many people, Korach had so much to be grateful for. But he allowed himself to succumb to his personality flaws. How sad it is when an individual self destructs!

A Real Leader

The Torah commentators use the story of Korach’s rebellion, as an indication of how difficult it is to be a leader in Israel. If the greatest man whoever lived had his detractors, then it is clear that every leader will have his share of troublemakers.

There is an old joke, where a congregation is asked if they would accept an eighty year old with a speech impediment as their rabbi. They replied that they certainly would not accept such a person for that position. The reply to them was, “You just turned down Moshe Rabbeinu!”

Being a leader in Israel was never meant to be a popularity contest. The focus must always be the needs of the community. This is true for politicians and rabbis, (even though some rabbis act like politicians!)

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter had a great quote in connection with the role of rabbi. “A rabbi whose community does not disagree with him, is not really a rabbi. A rabbi who fears his community, is not really a man!

We see numerous examples from Tanach describing how difficult it is to be a leader in Israel. Shaul Hamelech is an example of one who was unable to meet the challenges of directing Am Yisrael.

When King David danced with great passion when the Holy Ark was returned to Jerusalem, he was reprimanded by his wife, Michal. (She was the daughter of Shaul.) She felt that such wild dancing was not appropriate for the king of Israel.

David told Michal that her father lost his kingdom because he cared too much about satisfying public opinion. He only cares about doing what was right in the eyes of G-d. David was a great leader who had the correct motivation. All leaders should follow his example. One can never satisfy everyone, but acting according to Hashem’s will, is the guarantee of success.

Try to Avoid Conflict

There is a Mishna in Pirkei Avot that says the disagreements between Shamai and Hillel, were for the sake of Heaven. The disagreements of Korach and his congregation, were not for the sake of Heaven.

It is implied by the wording of this Mishna, that there was also a great deal of strife within the ranks of the Korach rebellion. They had many different views as to how to go about removing Moshe and Aharon from their positions. The Noam Elimelech wrote that they all agreed on one point. They wanted to fight Moshe Rabbeinu at all costs. He was their common enemy.

This sounds strikingly familiar to many of the conflicts we see in the world today. In Israel, there are many groups that fight among themselves, but agree on one thing: רק לא ביבי, “as long as it’s not Bibi.” The same sentiment exists in the States with their “Trump” syndrome.

At the time of the Torah, there were demagogues, such as Korach, that knew how to rile up the people. They didn’t even know what the cause was, and they were ready to join the movement. Today it is the media that relentlessly goes after those that they do not like. They have a tremendous influence over the masses, who do not have the wisdom to discern between the truth and “fake news.”

Moshe and Aharon’s motivation was to show the people the truth. It helps a lot if you can bring down a fire to consume your sacrifice. But there needs to be a desire to seek real clarity in this world. Avoiding strife and conflicts that have no validity, should be learned from the disaster of Korach. We must always be certain that our motivations are pure. In that way, we will be confident that all that we do will be “for the sake of Heaven.”

Entitlement and Humility

There are two words that tell a great deal about a person’s character. These words are “entitlement” and “humility.” Korach’s downfall came about because of his feelings of entitlement. Aharon’s appointment as Kohein Hagadol was because of his humility.

Korach felt entitled to the position of High Priest since he descended from the esteemed family of Kehat. Just like his cousin, Aharon, he was the oldest male offspring to his father, Yitzhar. He also knew by way of Ruach Hakkdesh that the Prophet Shmuel, would descend from him, and he was on the level of Moshe and Aharon.

All of these feelings of entitlement made Korach crazy. He led a disgraceful rebellion which led to his demise. And by the way, it was said that Korach was the wealthiest man in the world.

Aharon epitomized humility in every way. We see how he humbly accepted his fate when his two sons were killed. And we saw how his humility did not allow him to have an ounce of jealousy towards his younger brother Moshe’s success. He and Moshe were mentioned as איש אחד בלב אחד, “One man and one heart.”

So much can be learned from Korach and Aharon. One’s sense of entitlement gives him no rest or peace of mind. He is never satisfied and always feels that he has more coming to him.

The humble person is happy with his lot in life. He realizes that everything he has is a gift from Hashem. Nobody owes him anything. He is overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude for the abundant undeserved kindness he has received from Hashem. He is happy and at peace and does not allow himself to harbor feelings of jealousy towards anyone.

It should be clear that we must emulate Aharon and his humility. And we must stay far away from the Korachs of the world, who live by their feelings of entitlement. What an incredibly value lesson this is, for all of us!