בּ"ה
Parshas Mattos
‘He shall not profane his word; like all that goes out of his mouth, he shall do.’ (Bamidbar 30:3)
Our Gedolim explain: If a person is careful with what they speak -- what goes out from their mouths; then Hashem will fulfill their blessings, etc. As the verse can be interpreted, ‘Like all that goes out of his mouth, He -- Hashem -- will do!’
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‘And Moshe said to the children of Gad and the children of Reuven: “Shall your brothers come to war, and you will stay here? And why do you dissuade the heart of the Bnei Yisroel from crossing to the Land that Hashem gave to them?”’ (Bamidbar 32:6-7)
The Torah describes here how the people from the Tribes of Gad and Reuven had much livestock, and they saw the land right outside the Land of Israel, which was very good for animals. So they brought the question to Moshe Rabbeinu; could they have that land as an inheritance, instead of a portion inside of Eretz Yisroel? And Moshe Rabbeinu replies (see the quoted verses) that if they do so, they could cause others to not want to come across the Yardein (Jordan).*
Rashi HaKadosh explains that he was saying that they would remove and hold back the hearts of the Jews from crossing over to Israel. Because the People would be under the impression that they [the Tribes of Reuven and Gad] are afraid of war and of the strength of the towns and people.
From this it is possible to see the great power of influence that every person holds: Moshe Rabbeinu was afraid that the children of Gad and Reuven could influence the rest of the Bnei Yisroel to not go into Israel -- and we too must be very careful to try to never, Chas V’Shalom, give any bad example.
But it also goes the other way: If we can have such a negative effect on people if we act badly, Chas V’Shalom, then we also can influence so many people for good if we just make sure that we behave properly. By acting as we should, we can help the entire world!
People often like to tell others to do good. But perhaps just as -- or more -- important than that, is to show them to do good…
(Tal U’Matar)
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* Although, as things worked out, the Tribes of Gad and Reuven were allowed to take the portion they desired right outside of Eretz Yisroel. On condition, however, that they come over the Jordan and conquer the Land with the other Tribes. (See 32:16-32).
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Maaseh B’Rabbi: Once, HaRav Yisroel Salanter zt”l came to a village, and he went to the local inn. The innkeeper, noticing that Rav Yisroel was very distinguished-looking, asked him if he was a Shochet. Because he had an animal that needed to be slaughtered and it was a burden to bring it to the Shochet in town.
“No.” Rav Yisroel replied, though. “I am not a Shochet.”
After some time, Rav Yisroel came to the innkeeper with a question of his own: Could he perhaps lend him a ruble? The innkeeper replied that he didn’t even recognize him, and he should trust him?!
Said Rav Yisroel Salanter zt”l to the innkeeper, “Let your ears hear what your mouth speaks! With money, I am not trustworthy for it, until the point of one ruble!” But yet with with Shechitah, upon which there are many laws in the Torah, he trusted him after merely inquiring after each other’s welfare!
(What a lesson Rav Yisroel imparted to that innkeeper -- and all of us, as well: We seem to often be more worried about our money and material possessions than transgressing Commandments from the Torah!)
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Parshas Masei
‘These are the travels of the Bnei Yisroel -- אלה מסעי בני ישראל’ (Bamidbar 33:1)
The four Exiles [not including Egypt], explains the Chida {HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt”l}, are hinted to in the first letters of the words אלה מסעי בני ישראל, as they are the same as those of אדום, Edom, מדי, Maddai, בבל, Bavel, and יון, Yavan.
(Nachal Kedomim)
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‘And they journeyed from Rephidim and they encamped in the Wilderness of Sinai. And they journeyed from the Wilderness of Sinai and they encamped in Kivros HaTaavah.’ (Bamidbar 33:15-16)
Rephidim, Mechilta tells us, is the place where the Jews ‘loosened their grip on the Torah’ (we were given some laws before coming to Sinai).
However, Rashi HaKadosh quotes (Shemos 19:2) from Mechilta that just as our coming to the Wilderness of Sinai was with Teshuva, so too our traveling from Rephidim was with Teshuva.
Based upon this, we may derive a lesson from the above verses: With Teshuva, a person can go from not doing so good (as the Jews were in Rephidim) to being on such a great level, as we were at Sinai.
But, the flip side is also true: We can never grow complacent, because a person can go from a very high level -- Sinai -- and come to a level of Kivros HaTaavah, Chas V’Shalom. We must always be careful and watch out for the Yetzer Hara’s traps…
(Tal U’Matar).
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Maaseh B’Rabbi: Someone was sick in the family of a certain man from Yerushalayim, and needed to have a particular medical procedure at Hadassah hospital. He understood that for the success of the procedure, he had to speak with the president of the hospital. But he was a regular person; how could he get a meeting with the “big chief”?
He tried calling Rav Elimelech Firer shlit”a, who has connections in all wards of the hospital. With his help, he could probably get a meeting with its president. He tried calling Rav Firer, but he didn’t reach him.
This man was riding in his car, thinking about these matters, when he saw a car in trouble on the shoulder, and the driver was signaling for people to stop and help him. At first, this man didn’t want to stop, since he had so much on his mind. But then he thought, “I have nothing to do right now, anyway. I might as well see if I can help.”
He stopped his car, and almost went into shock when he saw that the owner of that car was the president of the hospital! He didn’t need to call Rav Firer anymore. He helped the car get started as the president and him spoke.
(Torah Wellsprings)
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Chazak Chazak V’Nischazeik, and a Gut Shabbos and Guten Chodesh to all!
May Hashem help Klal Yisroel to take everything we learned in Sefer
Bamidbar with us always, and to enter with a holy enthusiasm to Sefer Devarim!
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