It hardly seems fair, but G-d blatantly favors some over others. * Having good fortune when there is so much strife is an obvious injustice to so many losers. Is elitism part of Torah?
It must be easy to be a robot. Aside from occasional overheating because of too many commands at once being hurled at it, it has an easy life.
How many engineers do you need to change a lightbulb? — Five, one to hold the lightbulb and another four to turn the ladder…
Although the will and desire of the Meraglim for life in the desert, discussed above, is a highly elevated level of d’veikus, avoda mei’ahava (a Divine service stemming from the love of G-d), nevertheless, settling Eretz Yisroel is an even greater achievement, namely fulfilling G-d’s commandments without seeking anything in return, “oseh ha’emes mipnei sh’hu emes – acting with truth and integrity [simply] because it is the true way
Commentators point out that the phrase “what is it” (mah hi) can be found in three other places in the Tanach.
The Torah records the story of a certain, nameless, individual who violated Shabbos. Moshe did not know what his punishment should be, so they put him in prison until they could determine what punishment would be appropriate.
This Shabbos, Parshas Shlach, is Shabbos Mevarchim Chodesh Tammuz. We all know that “On Shabbos Mevarchim, the members of the Chassidic brotherhood should rise early in the morning and gather in the synagogue to recite the entire Book of T’hillim. Following that, for about an hour, they should study a maamer of Chassidus that everyone can understand, and then [begin the morning] prayers. The farbrengen [held in honor of Shabbos Mevarchim] should be scheduled to suit the conditions of the place in which they live — and may they enjoy success there, both materially and spiritually.” (HaYom Yom 26 Kislev)
Much has been said about the spies Moshe sent to scout the Land of Israel at the request of the Jewish people. Moshe asked them to survey the land, its strengths and weaknesses. Upon their return, they gave a mixed report. First they described the virtues of the land. They then described how powerful the inhabitants were and how fortified their cities were. These words were clearly intended to frighten the Jewish people.
The knowledge that there is a higher power which controls this world is not just meant to guide our lives in the mundane world of commerce and regular routines; it is also applicable to our observance of Torah and Mitzvos. This is seen clearly in the Mitzvah of tzitzis, a mitzvah that was given to serve as a constant reminder of our obligations to Hashem, even amidst all the distractions provided by the coarse and materialistic world around us
One of the most difficult stories in the Torah to comprehend concerns the spies handpicked by Moshe to scout the land of Canaan. Ten of the 12 spies gave a horribly slanderous report upon their return. Their negative depiction of the land caused nearly the entire male population of Jews to cry and spurn the gift of the Land of Desire that G-d had promised them. As a consequence of their rebellion, the spies died in a plague and the rest of the Jewish community, aged 20 and older, were destined to die in the desert while the conquest of the land was delayed for almost 40 years.
On one hand we see darkness, lies and pain. On the other, we are witness to unprecedented goodness, integrity, sincerity and consistency. If one may coin a phrase, we are living in the “Babylonian-Jerusalem Talmudic era,” where both dynamics co-exist. We must therefore uphold the Babylonian Talmud’s approach and cherish every bit of light that pierces through the darkness and encourage every gesture of good, no matter how lacking it might be in consistency and altruism. This will facilitate getting rid of the last vestiges of darkness that still prevails.
One Chassid wrote to me that from the time of the histalkus he has been extremely broken, and at times, when he is alone, he breaks down in tears… * What has been accomplished through his tears? Is this the Rebbe’s objective? Did he ask him to cry? * And in the meanwhile, the Rebbe’s shlichus has been neglected!
June 1, 2021