The Rambam paskens (Ramban counts it as a mitzvah) that when conquering a city one should not to surround it from all four sides - only from three sides in order to leave room for anyone who wishes to escape. He learns it from a posuk in this week’s Parsha, (31;7) “And they formed an army against Midian as g-d had commanded Moshe”. (Based on a Sifri) They were commanded in the ways of war.
This Halacha is quite strange, why at a time when your at war with you enemy, do you let them escape, isn’t that counterproductive?
The Torah Temimah and the Meshach Chochma explain that the Rambam is giving us a brilliant strategy when going to war and in everyday life. When one is cornered into a corner he does all that he can to save himself. Ever see kids chasing a cat? The cat’s running for its life until it’s stuck and can’t get out. At that point the cat attacks and fights its way out scratching and kicking - when given no option it fights with all its might. When a city is surrounded from all four sides by the enemy and no one has any place to escape to, they will fight for their lives for they have nothing to lose - and that is a much more dangerous enemy.
(The Ramban explains that the reason for this is that it is in order for us to work on our Rachmonus- mercy and hence he counts it as a Mitzva).
25 July, 2008
18 July, 2008
Parshas Pinchos
Rashi (27;16) quotes a Medrish that Moshe davened that his kids should take over his leadership of Klal Yisroel after he was nifter. Hashem answered that Yehoshuah Ben Nun would take over, in the zechus that he served Moshe and never left his side.
Were Moshes children worthy to lead Klal Yisroel? Did they have the qualities of a true leader? If yes why was it that Moshes prayers weren’t answered and if not why did Moshe want them to be the leaders?
The Hafloh answers, (R’ Shimon Schwab writes similarly) in truth no one was worthy to take the place of Moshe. It was impossible for anyone to lead Klal Yisroel the way Moshe did. Only Moshe spoke to Hashem and received the Torah straight from Hashem. Moshe in his great humility felt that he wasn’t either deserving of the position and felt that he got it as a gift from Hashem. His prayer was that being that no one was capable and deserving of being the leader of this great nation and who ever whould lead would be getting an extra dose of seatah dishmayah he wanted his sons to get that madriegah of closeness to Hashem. To which Hashem told him that even though no one was at the level Moshe was, Yehoshua Ben Nun was the only one that was worthy of getting the gift of greatness and thus be worthy of leading Klal Yisroel.
The Medrash states (quoted partially by Rashi 27;20) that when Yehoshuah took over, the zekainem said “Moshes face was like the sun (he was the source of light) and Yehoshuah’s face was like the moon (reflecting the light of the sun), woe is the embarrassment”. The basic understanding is that they were sad about the fact of how low they fell with the death of Moshe. The Baal HaIkrim explains that the zekainim realized that Yehoshuah wasn’t either worthy of leading, but was given that zechus in Klal Yisroel’s honor. At that point they realized that they too could’ve been zoche to such holiness had they just tried a little harder and served Moshe as faithfully as Yehoshuah did- and that was embarrassing to themselves.
Were Moshes children worthy to lead Klal Yisroel? Did they have the qualities of a true leader? If yes why was it that Moshes prayers weren’t answered and if not why did Moshe want them to be the leaders?
The Hafloh answers, (R’ Shimon Schwab writes similarly) in truth no one was worthy to take the place of Moshe. It was impossible for anyone to lead Klal Yisroel the way Moshe did. Only Moshe spoke to Hashem and received the Torah straight from Hashem. Moshe in his great humility felt that he wasn’t either deserving of the position and felt that he got it as a gift from Hashem. His prayer was that being that no one was capable and deserving of being the leader of this great nation and who ever whould lead would be getting an extra dose of seatah dishmayah he wanted his sons to get that madriegah of closeness to Hashem. To which Hashem told him that even though no one was at the level Moshe was, Yehoshua Ben Nun was the only one that was worthy of getting the gift of greatness and thus be worthy of leading Klal Yisroel.
The Medrash states (quoted partially by Rashi 27;20) that when Yehoshuah took over, the zekainem said “Moshes face was like the sun (he was the source of light) and Yehoshuah’s face was like the moon (reflecting the light of the sun), woe is the embarrassment”. The basic understanding is that they were sad about the fact of how low they fell with the death of Moshe. The Baal HaIkrim explains that the zekainim realized that Yehoshuah wasn’t either worthy of leading, but was given that zechus in Klal Yisroel’s honor. At that point they realized that they too could’ve been zoche to such holiness had they just tried a little harder and served Moshe as faithfully as Yehoshuah did- and that was embarrassing to themselves.
04 July, 2008
Parshas Chukas
Chazal learn from this week’s Parsha that Torah cannot be acquired only if one kills himself for its sake. This seems like an impossible level to attain, if one is dead how does he acquire torah?
The Chazzon Ish (Igress Chazon Ish chelek aleph pg. 27) explains that Chazal aren’t referring to death in its actual meaning, rather a superficial death. A person is defined by his actions, the character traits he was born with. If one by nature is easily angered, by definition he’s an angry person. Every time this person doesn’t get angry he’s in essence ‘killing’ himself. With every bad middah we overcome we leave our previous lives and live a new life on a higher plane then before. That is what the Chazal teach us, Torah can only be acquired if we work on our middos, kill the bad traits we were born with and live the life that the Torah prescribes for us. It’s a goal that might be difficult- but definitely attainable.
The Chazzon Ish (Igress Chazon Ish chelek aleph pg. 27) explains that Chazal aren’t referring to death in its actual meaning, rather a superficial death. A person is defined by his actions, the character traits he was born with. If one by nature is easily angered, by definition he’s an angry person. Every time this person doesn’t get angry he’s in essence ‘killing’ himself. With every bad middah we overcome we leave our previous lives and live a new life on a higher plane then before. That is what the Chazal teach us, Torah can only be acquired if we work on our middos, kill the bad traits we were born with and live the life that the Torah prescribes for us. It’s a goal that might be difficult- but definitely attainable.
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