Bamidbar & Shavuot

The Torah Portion of Bamidbar:

The Chumash of Bamidbar is also called the Chumash of Counting (i.e. similar to the idea of calling it the Book of Numbers in English) because within it is written the number of all of the children of Israel.

"Their counted ones for the tribe of Dan: 62,700." (Bamidbar 1:39)

The Chafetz Chaim says that when we read in the Torah Portion of Vayigash "the sons of Dan, Chushim", we pity him because he had only one son, but in the Torah Portion of Bamidbar we see that the tribe of Dan had the largest number after the tribe of Yehudah, and from this we see the great importance of one soul in Israel.

"Their counted ones for the tribe of Dan: 62,700." (Bamidbar 1:39)

It is said that Dan would always request from his father to pray for him, and Binyamin, who had 10 sons, did not request that he pray for him.  After the event of the Pilegesh B'givah there remained in the tribe of Binyamin only 600 people, and from this we see that a person always needs to pray.

"As they camped so they traveled".  (Bamidbar 2:17)

The Ramchal says, there are people who when they are in their homes act strictly with all the Jewish laws and when they go outside on a journey they take matters lightly.  And the opposite case is also true, there are people that when they are at home, take matters lightly, but outside of their houses they act strictly in front of the eyes of the public to show others that they are righteous.  Therefore the verse says, "as they camped so they traveled", that one should behave with the same behavior whether at home or outside.

Haftora:  "And the number of the children of Israel will be like the sands at the sea".  (Hoshea 2:1)

And in the Torah it is said also "like the stars of the heavens".  Stars of a necessity are separated one from the other because every star is a world unto itself, and if G-d forbid one star would crash into another, entire worlds would be destroyed.  In contrast to this, the sand at the sea is not able to exist unless every grain of sand attaches itself to another one, for each grain by itself would be washed away by the waves of the sea and made to vanish.   But the gathering together of all the grains of sand into one body generates a powerful opposing force to the waves of the sea.  Similarly for the children of Israel: if each one of them is like a complete world in and of himself, similar to the "stars of the heavens", on the other hand, they don't have any existence except when they are united together like the sand on the shore of the sea (Mayana Shel Torah - from one of the great Mussar sages). 

Chag HaShavuot:

"Moshe received the Torah from Sinai".  (Avot 1:1)

Why was it not written "at Sinai"?  The Bartenura explains that the intention is, from the One who was revealed at Sinai, and that is the Holy One Blessed Be He.  The Tiferet Yisrael explains that the word "Sinai" implies humility, since that mountain was lower than the other mountains, and that is why is says "from Sinai";  one needs to learn from Moshe who was humble and then he will have great success in the Torah.  The Sages say that the mountain of Moriah was removed from its place and came to the mountain of Sinai, in order that the Torah would be given on it, for it was worthy that the Torah should be given on the place where Yitzchak was bound (at the Akeidah). 

Megillat Ruth: 

Ruth, the Moabite woman, lived until Shlomo Hamelech as it was written "and Shlomo put a chair for the mother of the king", and that chair was for Ruth. Shmuel the prophet wrote Megillat Ruth in order to tell of the ancestry of David.   And the reasons we read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot are : 1) Because David was born on Shavuot and died on Shavuot. 2) Because the Torah is not given except through suffering and poverty, and that is similar to what Naomi and Ruth experienced. 3) In order to strengthen the Oral Torah, since it is written in the Torah "An Ammonite and a Moabite should not come into the congregration of Hashem", and the Sages said "An Ammonite man and not an Ammonite woman, A Moabite man and not a Moabite woman", and that is an example of Oral Torah.  And it is from this which we learned in the Oral Torah that Ruth the Moabite woman was permitted to get married to Boaz. 

The Torah Portion of Bamidbar has 159 verses.  Haftora: "V'haya mispar yisrael" (Hoshea 2)  

Chag HaShavuot:  Two Torah Scrolls are taken out.  In the first, 5 men are called for reading in the Torah Portion of Yitro, "Bachodesh hashlishi".  In the second, the Maftir is read from the Torah Portion of Pinchas, "Uvayom habikurim".  Haftora: "Vayehi beshloshim shana" (Yechezkel 1) until "Kol midabair", then skipping to Chapter 12 verse 3.

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor ben R' Chaim ztz"l

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!

Bechukotai

"If you will walk in my statutes." (Vayikra 26:3)  

Rashi explains that this means that you should be laboring in the Torah.  Laboring in the Torah means learning many consecutive hours without a break,  and even if one feels that his body needs to rest he doesn't pay attention to that and continues to learn with effort and labor.  Someone that learns many hours but not consecutively is not similar to someone that learns the same number of hours consecutively, because the main sweetness of Torah learning is felt by a person only if he learns several hours continuously with effort, for only then are his head and mind and all his senses invested into in-depth learning and all his worldly concerns are forgotten by him, and then he can feel the sweetness of the Torah.  The Eglei Tal writes in the introduction to his book that the main emphasis of the Mitzvah of learning Torah is to be rejoicing and happy and enjoying one's learning and then the words of the Torah are absorbed into his blood, and since he enjoys the words of Torah he becomes attached to the Torah.  And in the book Ohev Yisrael it is written that everyone who learns with more labor and effort finds more enjoyment in his learning, and it is a Mitzvah in and of itself to be laboring and making an effort in the Torah and to increase his enjoyment  all the time.  And in this way he explains the verse "If you will walk in my statutes...then I will provide your rains in their time" (Vayikra 26:3-4):  if you will be laboring in the Torah all the time to increase your enjoyment of learning the Torah, then the reward will be "Middah K'neged Middah" (a turn for a turn) and I will give your rains in their time, which is also an increase in enjoyment.

"If you will walk in my statutes." (Vayikra 26:3) 

The Ohr HaChaim explains that "If you walk in my statutes" (Vayikra 26:3) uses the language of "walking", because one should fulfill the Mitzvah (of learning Torah) "when you are walking on the way" (Devorim 6:7)

"If you will walk in my statutes." (Vayikra 26:3)  

The masters of Mussar (ethical teachings) say that we need to take a lesson from a bicycle, because if a bicycle stands still it falls, and if it is working then it goes forward.  And that is the explanation of "you will walk", that one needs all the time to work and to go forward in the Torah and in the service of Hashem.

"If you will walk in my statutes." (Vayikra 26:3) 

This is a hint that in any place where you  go, you should go with the Mitzvot of the Torah, because in general when going on a journey it is difficult to be careful about fulfilling the Mitzvot, and that is why the verse says "If you will walk in my statutes" (Vayikra 26:3): even on the road it is also necessary to be careful about the Mitzvot.

Sefirat HaOmer:

From the holiday of Pesach until Lag Ba'omer there are 32 days, and that is the numerical value of the Hebrew word for "Heart" (Lev). And from Lag Ba'omer until the holiday of Shavuot there are 17 days, which is the numerical value of the Hebrew word for "good" (Tov).  Together that is a "Good Heart" (Lev Tov).  This is a hint that we need to strengthen ourselves with good character traits and good behavior, as a preparation for receiving the Torah.

Haftora: "Blessed is the man that trusts in Hashem, then Hashem will be his security." (Yirmiyahu 17:7) 

When a man trusts in Hashem, then even if he has difficulties Hashem will help him; therefore a man needs to make as much effort as he can and Hashem will help him, and that is why the verse finishes "then Hashem will be his security".  R' Yosef Yuz'l Horovitz ztz"l explains that the very essence of the matter that one trusts in Hashem is in and of itself a blessing, even if his request to Hashem has not yet been accepted.

The Torah Portion of Bechukotai has 78 verses, 7 positive commandments and 5 negative commandments.  Haftora: "Hashem uzi" (Yirmiyahu 16)

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor ben R' Chaim ztz"l


Shabbat Shalom!

Vayikra & HaChodesh

The Torah Portion of Vayikra:

"A man if he offers from you an offering to Hashem." (Vayikra 1:2) 

The Holy books write that there is a hint here, that if a man wants to bring himself close to the Divine service of Hashem, he needs to negate all of his identity, to submit himself to Hashem entirely, and to negate his "I", his ego. And that is the intention of saying "A man if he offers 'from you'"; that is to say, if he is prepared to sacrifice "from you", his identity, then he is worthy to be an offering to Hashem.

"A man if he offers from you an offering to Hashem, from the cattle" (Vayikra 1:2) 

The Holy Alshich wrote, that the main point of the service of bringing anoffering to Hashem is, that he should think in his heart, that according strict justice, it would be appropriate to have done to himself that which is done to the cattle, to burn his limbs and dash his blood on the altar, G-d forbid, because of the sins which he has committed. And it is only because of the great mercy and kindness of Hashem, that the animal has exchanged places with the man. And this is the intention of saying "A man if he offers from you", that is the man needs to offer himself, but the sacrifice to Hashem is from the cattle, since the animal is in place of him.

The Torah Portion of HaChodesh:

"This month will be to you the head of the months; it is the first for you of the months of the year". (Shemot 12:2)

The reason for this reading is to sanctify and declare the month of Nissan, because of the importance of this month, for so it is written in the Torah: "This month will be to you the head of the months; it is the first for you of the months of the year". (Shemot 12:2) It is the head of the months and of the festivals. (Practically speaking, this is not the actual sanctification of the month but rather just an addition of holiness.) Another reason for this reading: to announce to the people that Passover is coming soon, so that they should prepare themselves to come up to Jerusalem for the festival. The Mitzvah of coming up to Jerusalem for Passover is more
stringent than for the the other festivals, because of the "Korban Pesach" (Passover offering), which is a positive commandment that has the punishment of Korait (cutting off) if not fulfilled.

10 Crowns that were taken by Rosh Chodesh Nissan:

1) The first for the act of creation
2) The first for the princes; the princes began to bring sacrificial offerings
3) The first for the priests (the Cohanim); the priests began to do their service
4) The first for the service; the sacrifices of the community be offered
5) The first for the coming down of fire upon the sacrificial altar
6) The first for eating of the holy offerings, according to their statutory laws
7) The first for the indwelling of the Divine Presence
8) The first time for the Cohanim to bless the people of Israel
9) The first time when it became forbidden to offer sacrifices on Bamot, so that they would be offered only in the Mishkan
10) The first of the months of the year

"Vayihi biyom kalot Moshe...et HaMenorah." (Bamidbar 7:1-8:4)

On Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Moshe blessed Israel, May it be His will that the Divine Presence will dwell in the acts of your hands. It is customary from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the 13th of the month to say each day the Torah verses about one of the princes from the dedication of the sacrificial altar. On the the first day, we begin with "Vayihi biyom kalot
Moshe"; on the 12th day we complete the Torah portion of Naso; and on the 13th day we say the Torah portion of Beha'alotcha until "Et HaMenorah". (A Cohen or a Levi should not say the Yehi Ratzon.) (from Mishna Berura, Siman 429)

The Torah Portion of "Vayikra" has 111 verses. There are 11 positive commandments and 5 negative commandments.

For the Torah Portion of  "HaChodesh", we read in the Torah Portion of "Bo", from "Vyomar Hashem... HaChodesh Hazeh Lachem" until "Tochlu Matzot".The Haftorah for "HaChodesh" is "Kol HaAm HaAretz" (Yechezkel 45)

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor ben R' Chaim ztz"l


Shabbat Shalom!
In Nissan we were redeemed, and in Nissan we are to be redeemed in the future.

Behar

"A Shabbat for Hashem." (Vayikra 25:2)  

The Holy One Blessed Be He commanded to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shmittah and Yovel, in order that everyone would know that the Holy One Blessed Be He is the owner of all the world, and therefore it is called "A Shabbat for Hashem". (Vayikra 25:2)  

"A Shabbat for Hashem." (Vayikra 25:2)  

For all fields it is good for them to rest a certain period of time, and that is beneficial so that they will grow better afterwards, and therefore it is written "A Shabbat for Hashem" (Vayikra 25:2), because it is necessary to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shmittah and Yovel for the sake of Heaven and not for the sake of benefiting the field.

"The land shall observe a Shabbat for Hashem." (Vayikra 25:2) 

 Shmittah is similar to Shabbat; by way of the  Shabbat the entire week becomes blessed as is stated in the Zohar,  and similarly the Sages state, that from the year of the Shmittah the other six years become blessed.

"Do not harass one another." (Vayikra 25:17) 

The verse is speaking about verbal harassment.  It is forbidden to cause suffering to one's fellow man, and forbidden to give him advice that is not beneficial to him but which is to the benefit of the person who is giving the advice.

"Do not subjugate him through hard labor."  (Vayikra 25:43) 

It's forbidden for a person to request a favor from his friend when he knows that it will be a burden for him, because he thereby transgresses the prohibition of "Do not subjugate him through hard labor."  (Vayikra 25:43) (from Rabeinu Yonah)

The Torah Portion of Behar has 57 verses, 24 commandments,  7 positive commandments and 17 negative commandments.  Haftora: "Vayomer Yermiyahu" (Yermiyahu 32)

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor ben R' Chaim ztz"l

Shabbat Shalom!