Parshas Mattos and Masei Messages 5779

בּ"ה

Parshas Mattos

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‘He shall not desecrate his word; like all that goes out of his mouth, he shall do.’ (Bamidbar 30:3)

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Our Gedolim explain: If a person is careful with what they say -- 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 Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: Avenge the vengeance of the Bnei Yisroel from the Midianim; [and some time] afterwards, you will be gathered to your people [i.e. pass away]. And Moshe spoke to the people saying: “Arm from with yourselves men for the legion. . .’ (Bamidbar 31:1-3)

Even though he heard that his death was contingent upon waging this war, Moshe did it with joy, and he didn’t delay its performance.

(Rashi zt”l from Sifri and Tanchuma)

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‘Arm from with yourselves men for the legion -- החלצו מאתכם אנשים’ (Bamidbar 31:3)

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The Sfas Emes {Rebbe Yehuda Leib Alter zt”l} quotes an explanation on this: החלצו is also related to the word which means ‘to remove’. Moshe Rabbeinu told Bnei Yisroel that they must remove from themselves all self-interest in the matter; their intention in this war should not be for their own honor, and not for any human purpose -- but only for the glory of Heaven, ‘to put the vengeance of Hashem in Midian.’

(Sfas Emes in the name of Meforshim;

as quoted in Maayanah Shel Torah)

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‘And Bilaam son of Bi’or they killed with the sword’ (Bamidbar 31:8)

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Rashi zt”l from Midrash Tanchuma: Bilaam came against us and tried to exchange his craft for ours -- taking hold of the power of speech to try and curse us, and so too, we came upon him and utilized the craft of the nations -- the sword, like it says (Bereishis 27:40) ‘And upon your sword you shall live’.

We see clearly from this, says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l, that the craft-tool of a Jew is their power of speech. We can do incredible things with it, if we speak the way we are supposed to -- words of holiness, etc. And it is incumbent upon us to not degrade this incredible function of ours through forbidden speech, such as lashon hara and the like. . .

(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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‘And Elazar the Kohen said to the men of the legion. . . “This is the Decree of the Torah”’ (Bamidbar 31:21)

Just like we asked back in Parshas Chukas, why this was said regarding the Parah Adumah, so too we ask here: Why was this language used here?

Sforno and Chizkuni zt”l say that this statement of Elazar’s was referring back to what Moshe Rabbeinu had said in verse 19, about the men becoming purified from tumas meis, which is achieved through the ashes of the Parah Adumah.

But in a different approach, HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l takes Elazar’s statement to mean that what follows is ‘the Decree of the Torah’, and that is, the laws of kashering utensils. (See v. 22-24).

And from the language employed, says Rav Moshe, we infer that this thing -- the kashering of utensils, is a Decree that is a very all-encompassing one. (See his commentary to Bamidbar 19:2). In what way is it? Explains Rav Moshe zt”l; from these laws, we see that it is possible to remove the impurity of doing something forbidden. And we learn from this that if, Chas v’Shalom, a person sins, or even if someone is, Rachmana Litzlan, saturated with sins -- they shouldn’t despair. They have a possible fix; if they remove their sins, and return in Teshuva, then they can be clean, as if they didn’t sin!

(Darash Moshe)

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‘And Elazar the Kohen said to the men of the legion. . . “This is the Decree of the Torah, that Hashem commanded Moshe:”’ (Bamidbar 31:21)

What follows the above passuk is the laws regarding kashering utensils, as noted above. Rashi zt”l brings from Sifri Zuta that we first must remove the rust from a vessel before we purge it -- הגעלה.

So too, says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l, in spiritual matters: First, we must remove the “rust” of transgressions through Teshuva, including regret over our past misdeeds and resolutions for improvement in the future. After so, we must also correct ourselves in the area that we stumbled in. כדרך תשמישו הגעלתו, as Rashi brings on v. 23.

(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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‘And Moshe said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuven: “Shall your brothers come to war, and you will stay here? And why do you discourage 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).1

Rashi zt”l 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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1 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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‘And Moshe gave to them -- to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuven, and to half the Tribe of Menashe son of Yosef the [land of the] kingdom of Sichon, king of the Emori, and the kingdom Og, king of the Bashan. . .’ (Bamidbar 32:33)

Asks HaRav Ben-Tzion Firer zt”l; in all the give-and-take between Moshe Rabbeinu and the Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven, the half-Tribe of Menashe is not mentioned once until after we are told that Moshe acceded to the request. Why was it not mentioned until now?

Suggests Rav Firer, Moshe Rabbeinu’s plan was to get a portion from a Tribe to dwell on the other side of the Jordan, with the Tribes of Reuven and Gad. Because he was hoping that the tribal unity of Shevet Menashe, as it turned out, would propel the half across the Jordan to come to the aid of the other half, their tribal brothers, in the war to conquer Eretz Yisroel, and they would draw with them the Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven.

There was a possible concern that there might come to be a split between the Tribes, one more than just geographical. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to prevent the border between Eretz Yisroel and outside of it from causing this possible separation, and he did what he could to this effect. The natural achdus of a Tribe -- in this case, Menashe -- would unite both sides.

(Hegyonah shel Torah)

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Another possible answer is given by the Ramban zt”l: At first, he says, the Tribe of Menashe didn’t come to Moshe Rabbeinu about this. But when Moshe apportioned this area of land to the Tribes of Gad and Reuven, he saw that it was a bigger space than was fitting for them. So he asked who would like to take a share in it with them, and some men from the Tribe of Menashe wished to. (See also Ha’Eimek Davar to Devarim 3:16 for another explanation).

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‘And they [the leaders] said to Moshe; “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are in our hands, and not a man is missing from us.’ (Bamidbar 31:49)

Aside from the simple meaning, Chazal expound this phrase to mean that nobody was lost to a transgression (Yevamos 61a).

The Ramban zt”l expands on this: The whole time, said the leaders, the Midianim -- including the women -- were in our hands, and not one man left his fellow to go and transgress.

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‘And you shall be clean from Hashem and from Yisroel’ (Bamidbar 32:22)

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One time, one of the young married men from the Chofetz Chaim zt”l’s yeshiva asked him: He was offered a Rabbinical position in a small city. How should he conduct himself with his congregation in all matters?

Answered the Chofetz Chaim with this verse, ‘And you shall be clean from Hashem and from Yisroel’. First and foremost, the Rav needs to supervise to make sure that the Torah and Mitzvos are upheld -- he needs to worry about what Hashem wants (which also includes treating others properly). And afterwards, he must worry about fulfilling his (other) duties towards the people.

If one tries to flip this order around -- trying to find favor in the eyes of people, and only afterwards, in the eyes of Hashem, then they won’t be successful in either of them.

(Maasei LaMelech in Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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We find a very interesting Mishnah in Avos (2:1): ‘Rebbe [Yehuda HaNasi] says: What is the upright path that a person should choose for himself? Whatever is a splender to the one who does it, and [brings] to him splendor from people.’

At first glance, this Mishnah seems odd; are we trying to say that the main thing is finding favor in the eyes of people?

But in reality, we must realize that when we truly fulfill Hashem’s Will, then others will also like/admire us. He asks of us that we treat others properly! If we were careful to not lose our temper at people; if we were careful to always treat others with respect -- and this is all what Hashem wants from us -- then surely people would like us and be happy with our deeds as well! This is similar to what we are told in Parshas Va’eschanan (Devarim 4:6), ‘And you shall guard and you shall do them [the Mitzvos], for it is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these decrees and they will say, “Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation!”’

Keeping Hashem’s dictates is first on the list, and it will actually bring along with it -- if kept in truth -- the admiration and like of others.

(Tal U’Matar)

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|~Maaseh~| 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. 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 to lend him a ruble?!

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 Shechitah, regarding 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], brings 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 hands from the Torah’ (we were given some laws before coming to Sinai).

However, Rashi zt”l 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, if a person is not careful, they can go from a very high level -- Sinai -- and fall 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 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!

Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה

Friday, August 2, 2019