Chasidic Insights

CHASIDIC INSIGHTS PARSHAS VO'ES'CHANAN 5763 BS"D

Ch. 3, v. 23: "Vo'es'chanan" - Moshe asked for an undeserved present, "matnas chinom." Many ask for this but in their heart of hearts they feel that they are deserving. They never receive a "matnas chinom." Moshe truly felt that he was not deserving. Nevertheless, his request was not granted. (Chidushei HoRi"m)

Ch. 5, v. 17: "L'cho elohim acheirim" - When you pursue a matter for the sake of your personal gratification only, L'CHO, it is as if you have other gods, "elohim acheirim." (Rabbi Yekusiel Yehudoh of Sigit in Yeitev Leiv)

Ch. 5, v. 15: "Va'yotziacho Hashem Elokecho mishom .. kein tzivcho Hashem Elokecho laasose es haShabbos" - Just as Hashem took you out of Egypt before the predestined 400 years of exile, so too, you should bring in the Shabbos early with "tosfos Shabbos." (Rabbi Yekusiel Yehudoh of Sigit in Yeitev Leiv)

Ch. 5, v. 25: "Heitivu kol asher di'beiru" - Even though they expressed fear of hearing all the Commandments directly from Hashem, lest they die from the exposure to such a great level of spirituality, and preferred to hear from Moshe, nevertheless, they spoke correctly. Once they ad this fear they were honest and straightforward in their words, rather than finding a subtrafuge or excuse for not want ing to hear directly from Hashem. This so pleased Hashem that in the next verse He expresses His wish that they always behave with such integrity. (Rabbi Dovid of Lelov/Yerusholayim in Likutei Divrei Dovid)

Ch. 6, v. 4: "Shma Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echod" - Train yourself to derive from all worldly happenings that come to your ears that they are only manifestations of "Hashem echod." (Rabbi Yitzchok Yaakov of Biala in Divrei Vinoh)

Ch. 6, v. 4: "Hashem echod" - Hashem is the only existence in the world. All matter is His handiwork and creation, "ein ode milvado." (The Holy Baal Shem Tov)

Ch. 6, v. 5: "V'ohavto eis Hashem Elokecho b'chol l'vovcho" - Your love of Hashem should permeate your whole heart. (Chidushei HoRi"m in Zechusa d'Avrohom)

Ch. 6, v. 5: "B'chol l'vovcho" - Rashi says that your heart should not be "choluk al haMokome." Simply this is understood to mean that a person's two inclinations should both be used to serve Hashem. We can also understand this to mean that one's heart should not be split, weakened, "al hamokome," on account of where he finds himself. A person often justifies his shortcomings in spiritual pursuits to the anti-religious invironment in which he finds himself. This verse teaches us that this is not an excuse. Wherever one finds himself he should exert his maximum. The minimum Hashem requires from us is our maximium. (Rabbi Shlomo haLevi Karliner in Sheima Shlomo)

Ch. 6, v. 5: "Uvchol m'o'decho" - This means with all your possessions. Our chapter discusses acceptance of the yoke of Heaven. This requires even relinquishing all one's possessions. The next parsha of "V'hoyoh im shomo'a" does not say "uvchol m'ode'chem" because it discusses acceptance of the yoke of fulfilling mitzvos. One is not required to expend all his possessions to fulfill a positive mitzvoh. (Rabbi Yisroel of Rizhin in Ner Yisroel)

Ch. 6, v. 7: "V'shinantom l'vo'necho v'dibarto bom b'shiv't'cho b'vei'secho uvlech't'cho va'derech" - You should teach the Torah to your sons THROUGH your actively discussing the words of the Torah when you are at home and when you travel. All the lectures in the world do not bring the point home as well as teaching by example. (Nirreh li)

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