This Week In The Torah.



Parsha Pinchas Bamibar/Numbers Ch.25/10-30/1

Moses:Our Role Model For Objectivity
by Rabbi Yechezkel Fox

Our father died in the Wilderness, but he was not among the assembly that was gathering against G-d in the assembly of Korach, but he died of his own sin; and he had no son. Why should our father be omitted from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers. Ch27/3

This was the appeal that the daughters of Zelophechad made to Moses. Since their father had no sons, they reasoned that they should be in their place to receive a portion of land on his behalf. It was a difficult question in property law, and it seems that Moses didn't know the answer, since the next verse says, And Moses brought their claim before G-d.

However, there is a hint in the words "their claim" that the case was straight-forward and clear to Moses. "Their claim" in Hebrew is one word---Mish/po/ton. The last letter is a nun-sofit. It sounds like an en and pictorially it looks like a walking-stick. But this is not any old nun-sofit, it is unique in the Torah. Because just here it is written enlarged and bold. One of the commentators says that this is in order to hint to us, that just as the nun-sofit is written as a straight bold line, so too the case was straight-forward and clear to Moses. But if that is so, why did Moses have to take the case to G-d?

The Chofetz Chaim explains that he was being cautious concerning the law that a judge is not allowed to take a bribe ( see Ex. Ch23/8.) The daughters of Zelophechad had told Moses that their father (unlike the vaste majority) had not taken Korach's side in the rebellion against him. Due to this support of Zelophechad, Moses feared that he could no longer remain impartial in judging their case. Therefore, he had to go to The Supreme Court---G-d.

That judges should remain free from any bribe, is not only relevant to the courtroom, but also in our personal decisions. If only we could reflect before making a decision, to consider whether there is a selfish reason for our choice. Is our desire for physical pleasure "bribing" us to choose a certain way? And let us make Moses our role model for bringing more truth into our lives.

Sources: Shulchan Gavoa. Sharey Aharon

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A Canine Candidate

Moshe spoke to G-d saying, "May G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the assembly, who will go out before them and come in before them, who shall take them out and bring them in; and let the assembly of G-d be like sheep that have no sheperd." Ch.27/15-17

The sages list various characteristics of the generation before the coming of Moshiach (literally the anointed one, the future king of Israel). One of them is that the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog. The face of the generation refers to the leaders of the generation; but what does it mean that they will have the face of a dog?

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter explains that when a dog goes out for a walk with its master, it goes out in front, giving the impression that it is leading the way. Of course, this is not so; the dog is always looking over its shoulder to see where its master is going next. If its master will suddenly take a turn to the left, then the dog will obediently adjust its course, though still keeping out in front. So too the face of the generation---the leaders will be like the face of a dog---looking back (at the opinion polls) to see what the people want. There will be no leaders of the masses, only well-groomed, well-marketed representatives of the people.

And this is why Moshe asks that his successor should be one who will go out before them. He will be truly leading his people, as an inspiration for everyone else to follow.

Sources: Beis Yitzchak

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What Was Bothering Rashi

It was after the plague:

G-d said to Moses and to Elazar son of Aaron the Kohen saying: Ch.26/1

If you would see this verse written in the Sefer Torah (Torah Scroll) you would see something unusual. After the words It was after the plague, there is a blank space, the rest of the verse picks up at the beginning of the next line, with the words, G-d said to Moses. It is one sentence, and would normally be written without any interruption. Why is it written differently here?

The Torah continues: Take a census of the entire assembly of the Children of Israel, from twenty years of age and up, according to their father's house, all who go out to the army in Israel.

Rashi gives two explanations for the counting. This can be compared to a sheperd among whose herd wolves entered and killed some of the sheep, and he counts them to know the number of those remaining. Alternatively, when they departed from Egypt and were given over to Moshe, they were given over to him by number. Now that he was approaching death, and returning his flock, he gives them back by number.

With this Rashi we can understand the break in the verse. Rashi knew the first reason, counting to know the remainder, because it was was written at the beginning of verse 1 It was after the plague. However, the break in the verse told Rashi that there was another explanation. By making the break, the Torah is hinting that there is an additional reason for the count unrelated to the plague. Hence, Rashi gave the second explanation of accountability.

Source: Ohr HaChayim HaKodesh




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