CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON PARSHAS EIKEV 5773 - BS"D

2) Ch. 7, v. 15: "V'heisir Hashem mimcho kol choli v'chol madvei Mitzrayim horo'im asher yodato lo y'simom boch" - And Hashem will remove from you all sickness and all bad afflictions of Egypt which you have known He will not place in you - If you will not have these sicknesses what does it mean to remove them?

3) Ch. 7, v. 15: "Kol choli v'chol madvei" - All sickness and all afflictions - What is the difference between these two words?

4) Ch. 8, v. 1: "Kol hamitzvoh asher onochi m'tzavcho …… l'maan tichyun" - Every mitzvoh that I command you …… so that you may live - The verse begins in the single form "m'tzavchO" and ends in the plural, "tichyUN."

5) Ch. 10, v. 21: "Asher ro'u ei'necho" - Which your eyes have seen - The main point is that Hashem has done great wonders. What is added with saying that you witnessed this with your eyes?

ANSWERS:

#1

Tzuf Dvash asks this. One of his answers is that our verse adds that this blessing applies even to those living outside Eretz Yisroel.

Breishis Raboh 60:13 says that the reason Rivkoh did not conceive for many years was because if she were to conceive shortly after marriage, it might be attributed to the blessing of her brother Lovon, "Achoseinu at heyi l'alfei r'vovoh." This is then the intention of our verse. Even if you will be blessed by all the nations, and this could well be a reason for you to be barren, as above, nevertheless, Hashem promises you that you will be fruitful. (Nachal K'dumim on parshas Nosso #8)

According to the Nachal K'dumim the question seems to be answered in a simple manner. Not only will you be blessed under normal circumstances, but even when you are blessed by the nations, and might fear that this would result in your being barren, nevertheless, Hashem promises that you will be fruitful.

#2

Our sages say that when the final redemption will come Hashem will again bring the ten plagues He sent on Egypt upon the world. He will also add some more plagues. They add that when Hashem visited the ten plagues upon the Egyptians they also came upon the bnei Yisroel, but for a fleeting moment only. The new type of plagues that Hashem will bring upon the world will come upon the bnei Yisroel, again for only a moment, and the plagues that are repetitive of what was sent upon Egypt will not be sent upon the bnei Yisroel at all. This is the meaning of "v'heisir." Hashem will place new plagues upon you, but only for a moment, and then remove them. The plagues of Egypt, "lo y'simom boch" at all.

Based on this, the Shaa'rei Aharon explains that the term "simoh" rather than "n'sinoh," is very well understood. The gemara M'nochos 59b says that "simoh" means placing even a very small measure. Hashem will not place upon us even in the smallest measure the plagues He once sent upon Egypt. (Chid"o in Nachal K'dumim)

#3

1) "Choli" is sickness that comes from the outside, such as extreme cold, pollution, etc., and "madvei" is a sickness that comes from one's inners. (Rabbeinu Bachyei)

2) "Choli" is a common sickness, while "madvei" is an unusual sickness. (Ibn Ezra)

3) "Choli" is used when referring to most illnesses, while "madvei" is used when referring to a sickness that affects the heart. (Rabbeinu Myuchos)

4) "Choli" means a general sickness that is not felt in any specific organ, while "madvei" means a sickness that is felt in a specific organ or organs. (GR"A)

5) "Choli" means a sickness that comes upon a person because of his negligence, while "madvei" means a sickness that in spite of being careful, is sent upon a person. (N'tzi"v)

#4

The gemara Kidushin 39b says that a person who keeps even one mitzvoh, can with this act bring him to have a majority of mitzvos, and similarly, the world's merits to a majority. Look at a single mitzvoh that I command you as an opportunity for the whole world to continue existing. (Kli Yokor)

#5

The Ozhrover Rebbe in B'eir Moshe explains that Rashi on the words of Breishis 19:17, "Al tabit acha'recho" comments that Lote behaved improperly along with the inhabitants of S'dom, and as such should not witness S'dom's destruction. Our verse is telling us that the great wonders Hashem wrought on the Egyptians were seen with our eyes, thus telling us that we were not ensnared in their evil ways, as chaza"l relate, that the bnei Yisroel were circumspect in regard to immoral behaviour.

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