Chasidic Insights

CHASIDIC INSIGHTS PARSHAS MATOS 5765 BS"D

Ch. 30, v. 2: "El roshei hamatos livnei Yisroel zeh hadovor" - Moshe spoke to the tribal heads, exhorting them to rise spiritually to his level, so that their prophecy could reach his level of "zeh hadovor" (see Rashi). (Rabbi Yechezkeil Shraga of Shinov in Divrei Yechezkeil)

Ch. 30, v. 2: "Roshei hamatos livnei Yisroel" - On Rosh Hashonoh, when Hashem judges the whole world, "hamatos," there is the characteristic of "ma'tei kla'pei chesed," for the bnei Yisroel. (Nirreh li)

Ch. 30, v. 2: "Livnei Yisroel leimore" - Moshe told the tribal leaders to speak to the bnei Yisroel in a gentle manner, "leimore," and not "l'da'beir," harshly. (Rabbi Dov Berish of Oshptzin in Divrei Tzadikim)

Ch. 31, v. 6: "Osom v'es Pinchos" - Rashi writes that Pinchos was equal to all the soldiers who were sent to fight Midyon. There is an opinion in the M.R. that 24,000 men were sent, based on the repitition, "alef lama'teh elef lama'teh" (verse 4). Pinchos would be the one who would kill Bilom during this war (see Targum Yonoson ben Uziel on verse 8). Bilom brought about the death of 24,000 bnei Yisroel (25:9). Pinchos's taking revenge for the death of 24,000 men made him equal to 24,000 men. (Nirreh li)

Ch. 31, v. 14: "Va'yiktzof Moshe al .. habo'im mi'tzvo hamilchomoh" - The Chovos Halvovos writes that when a person returns home safely from doing war, he is not to rest on his laurels. He has just been successful in the "small" battle, but still has the "big" battle ahead of him, the ongoing battle with his evil inclination.

Moshe was displeased with those who were "habo'im mi'tzvo hamilchomoh," who thought that they were finished with battle. (Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vishiva in Sh'eiris Menachem)

It would seem that Moshe's words were taken to heart, as we find later, in verse 21, "anshei hatzovo haBO'IM lamilchomoh.

Ch. 31, v. 15: "Hacha'yi'sem kol n'keivoh" - Moshe was angry with them because they went to war to negate the negative effects of being involved with the Midyonite women. He exhorted them with the question, "hacha'yi'sem kol n'keivoh?" Read "hacha'yi'sem" as if it were written with a "chataf-pasach" under the letter Hei, and thus meaning "have you given life". If you only repent "mi'yiroh," then your sins with the women are lessened. But if you repented "mei'ahavoh," then your sins with the women, which are death, become merits and "life." This was Moshe's complaint of "hacha'yi'sem." (Rabbi Chaim of Tzanz in Divrei Chaim)

Ch. 31, v. 23: "Kol dovor asher yovo vo'aish taaviru vo'aish" - The Torah was given with fire, "aishdos lomo" (Dvorim 33:2), and "k'aish oche'les" (Shmos 24:17). When you review the Torah, "taaviru," it should also be with fire, just as when it was given "amo p'ziza" (gemara Shabbos 88b). (Nirreh li)

A GUTTEN SHABBOS KODESH. FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE BY COPY OR ELECTRONICALLY. TO SUBSCRIBE SEND REQUEST TO SHOLOM613@AOL.COM.

See also Sedrah Selections and Oroh V'Simchoh