Fear The Lord

The Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvot mitzva 4 describes the mitzvah of fearing Hashem, היא הציווי שנצטווינו להאמין ביראתו יתעלה ובמוראו, ובל נהיה שאננים ובוטחים - אלא (נחכה) [ונחוש] לביאת עונשו ית' בכל-עת. וזהו אמרו יתעלה: "את-ה' אלוקיך תירא" (דברים ו, יג).  In the Yad in Yesoday HaTorah (2:2) he describes it וְהֵיאַךְ הִיא הַדֶּרֶךְ לְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן הָאָדָם בְּמַעֲשָׂיו וּבְרוּאָיו הַנִּפְלָאִים הַגְּדוֹלִים וְיִרְאֶה מֵהֶן חָכְמָתוֹ שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עֵרֶךְ וְלֹא קֵץ מִיָּד הוּא אוֹהֵב וּמְשַׁבֵּחַ וּמְפָאֵר וּמִתְאַוֶּה תַּאֲוָה גְּדוֹלָה לֵידַע הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל. כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד (תהילים מב ג) "צָמְאָה נַפְשִׁי לֵאלֹהִים לְאֵל חָי". וּכְשֶׁמְּחַשֵּׁב בַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ עַצְמָן מִיָּד הוּא נִרְתָּע לַאֲחוֹרָיו וִיפַחֵד וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא בְּרִיָּה קְטַנָּה שְׁפָלָה אֲפֵלָה עוֹמֶדֶת בְּדַעַת קַלָּה מְעוּטָה לִפְנֵי תְּמִים דֵּעוֹת. כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד (תהילים ח ד) "כִּי אֶרְאֶה שָׁמֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂי אֶצְבְּעֹתֶיךָ" (תהילים ח ה) "מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ."  The Achronim ask that in the Sefer Hamitzvort he describes it as what we generally call yirat haonesh but in the Yad he desribes it as yirat harommamut? 

The Avodat Hamelech and others take the approach that both levels work to fulfill the mitzvah,  The Emes Y'yaakov here says the mitzvah is to fear Hashem, why one fears Haahem does not matter.  In other words, the mitzvah of yirah is fulfilled as long as one has the fear of the Lord in them.  That is fulfilled as long as one is afraid of Hashem.  Why one fears Hashem may be motivated by altruistic reasons or merely to avoid punishment.  However, either way is a fulfillment of the mitzvah, just in one case it is done lishma and in the other case it is not not (see Rambam Teshuva Ch. 10.) 

However, why does the Rambam choose to tell us the mitzvah in termes of the lower level of yirah?  The Panim Yafot explains the possuk the Rambam cites is talking about yirat haonesh:

Therefore, it reasons that the Rambam who cites this possuk as the source of the mitzvah, describes it as the yirah of the onash.  In the Yad the Rambam is discussing the level one should strive for, which is the yiray haromamut (based upon Pneninim M'bey Midrasha.)

Gathering Together

 From the sefer Or L'shamayim.

The Key Of ענוה

Why does it say the word עקב and not the normal expression, אם תשמעו?  And what does the word והיה add?  The Gemorah asks how can the possuk say  G-d asks just to fear Him, that is a major task, ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה אטו יראת שמים מילתא זוטרתא היא והא"ר חנינא משום ר' שמעון בן יוחי אין לו להקב"ה בבית גנזיו אלא אוצר של יראת שמים שנאמר (ישעיהו לג, ו) יראת ה' היא אוצרו.

The Gemorah answers that for Moshe fearing Hashem was a small task. אין לגבי משה מילתא זוטרתא היא דאמר ר' חנינא משל לאדם שמבקשים ממנו כלי גדול ויש לו דומה עליו ככלי קטן קטן ואין לו דומה עליו ככלי גדול.  But the Torah is talking to everyone, not just to Moshe? 

The Noam Elimelech connects the word עקב with the middah of ענוה.  He says just as the heel supports the foot which holds up the whole body, so too ענוה is the source for all of good middot.  That is what the possuk is saying, one who serves Hashem with ענוה is an avodah that will leave a lasting effect.

That is what the Gemorah means.  Moshe Rabbenu is the symbol of ענוה, he is עניו מכל אדם, Mr. ענוה.  If One can access their inner Moshe, embody feelings of ענוה, then it is easy to feel יראת ה'.  That is hinted to in the possuk מה ה' שואל, the word מה symbolizes feelings of ביטול.  The word מה is also the גימטריא of the word אדם to indicate the main value of a person is one's ענוה (based upon Emrei Menachem.) 

The possuk in Yishaya (29:19) says וְיָסְפ֧וּ עֲנָוִ֛ים בַּֽי״י֖ שִׂמְחָ֑ה.  One who is an ענו is able to be happier for the ענו has no personal feelings and expectations to get in his way.  That is why the possuk says והיה which is a terminology used to convey happiness (see Or Hachayim,) for one who serves Hashem with ענוה serves Hashem with happiness.

Echoes Of Torah

The Midrash Rabbah Yisro (28:6) says  קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יָסָף, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר קוֹל אֶחָד נֶחְלַק לְשִׁבְעָה קוֹלוֹת וְהֵם נֶחְלָקִים לְשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ נִתְנַבְּאוּ כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁעָמְדוּ. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי שֶׁלֹא הָיָה לוֹ בַּת קוֹל.  We can understand the first two opinions are stressing the connection of the later generations to Sinai but what is the point of the miracle of the third opinion, that there was no echo (bas kol here means echo)?

Rashi (4:25) says כשנתן הקב״ה את התורה פתח להם שבעה רקיעים. וכשם שקרע את העליונים קרע את התחתונים, וראו שהוא יחידי, לכך נאמר: אתה הראית לדעת.  Rabbi Feuer said on tisha b'av from Rav Pinkas that this doesn't just mean that Hashem showed that there is no other power but he showed that true clarity only comes through the Torah.  It through the Torah that the façade and confusion of the world is removed and we can perceive the truth.   

The Beis Hamikdash is called Beis Habechirah because going to the Mikdash, even just having a Mikdash in the world gave a person clarity to make the right decisions.  Now that is lacking, אין לנו שיור אלא התורה הזאת to give us a form of clarity.  The events of Mattan Torah are reoccurring throughout history when a person learns Torah properly as the Sfas Emes (5638) says מצות זכירת מתן תורה שדרשו חז"ל מה להלן ברתת ובזיע כו'. פי' ההיקש שבכח האדם ע"י הזכירה והשתוקקות לדביקות התורה יכול לעורר התלהבות. כענין שאמרו הדברים שמחים כנתינתן. דכתיב קול גדול ולא יסף מתרגמינן ולא פסק וכ"כ את הדברים כו' דבר כו' א"כ קהלכם. פי' גם עתה בכל עת שמתאספין ביחד לש"ש. וכמו התאספות כל א' כל רצונותיו וכוחותיו לעבודת הבורא ית' אף שא"י לקיים בפועל רתת וזיע כמו בהר סיני אעפ"כ הכנה אז הי' לכל בנ"י לדורות.  In the Chumash Hachel Beracha of the Kamerna it brings that by the Baal Shem Tov it was mammash like by Sinai:

Although that is probably beyond our grasp, at least the clarity of Torah is available for us to tap into. 
 

The Rebbe (Likutay Sichot volume 4) explains when there is an echo that is because the sound is not fully absorbed into the recipient of the voice and therefore it bounces back.  The lack of an echo is because the words of Hashem the Torah became fully absorbed into Klal Yisroel.  It is that message of אנכי ה אלקיך that not only was heard but affects the entire mindset and being of man.

Only The Lord

This is a nice idea I saw from Rav Chatzkel which I can't find in any of his seforim.

מבואר במסכת תענית דף ל ע"ב, וכן במסכת בבא בתרא דף קכא ע"א: אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל לא היו ימים טובים לישראל כחמשה עשר באב וכיום הכפורים. בשלמא יום הכפורים משום דאית ביה סליחה ומחילה, יום שניתנו בו לוחות האחרונות. אלא חמשה עשר באב מאי היא? וכו' (אמר) רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן: יום שכלו בו מתי מדבר. דאמר מר עד שלא כלו מתי מדבר לא היה דבור עם משה, שנאמר ויהי כאשר תמו כל אנשי המלחמה למות וידבר ה' אלי, אלי היה הדבור ע"כ. ומבואר במדרש איכה רבה (וילנא) פתיחתות א"ר לוי כל ערב תשעה באב היה משה מוציא כרוז בכל המחנה ואומר צאו לחפור והיו יוצאין וחופרין קברות וישנין בהן, לשחרית היה מוציא כרוז ואומר קומו והפרישו המתים מן החיים והיו עומדים ומוצאין עצמן חמשה עשר אלף בפרוטרוט חסרו שש מאות אלף, ובשנת הארבעים האחרון עשו כן ומצאו עצמן שלמים אמרו דומה שטעינו בחשבון וכן בעשור ובאחד עשר ובשנים עשר ושלשה עשר וארבע עשר, כיון דאיתמלא סיהרא אמרו דומה שהקב"ה ביטל אותה גזירה מעלינו וחזרו ועשאוהו יום טוב. צריך להבין מדוע עשו אותו יו"ט ומה הדמיון ליו"כ

ושמעתי דבר נפלא בשם המשגיח מפונביז' הרה"ג לוינשטיין זצ"ל שהנה לכאורה יש להבין מדוע רק החמש עשרה אלף האחרונים זכו שהגזרה תתבטל מעליהן וכי אחרים לא התפללו להינצל

ותירץ שההבדל בין הקודמים לאחרונים כיון שבכל שנה היו מתים ט"ו אלף מתוך עשרות אלפים ששכבו בקברם והרוב היו קמים ורק ט"ו מתוכן לא היו קמים, א"כ בכל פעם ששכבו בקברם עדיין לא היית תפילתם שלמה לתלות עיניהם רק בחסדי השי"ת, כיון שהיית מתגנבת מחשבה בתוך ליבם שהוא מקוה שלא יהיה בין הט"ו אלף שנפטרים אלא יהיה מן הנשארים, אולם הט"ו אלף האחרונים של דור המדבר היה ברור להם שהם לא יקומו ואין שום סיכוי שהן ישארו ואין להם להישען אלא על אביהם שבשמים, רק אז שפכו ליבם באמת ותלו ביטחונם רק בקב"ה לכן התקבלה תפילתם והתבטלה מעליהם הגזירה, ללמדנו את אשר אמר דוד המלך שאמנם קרוב השי"ת לכל קוראיו, אך אינו נענה אלא לכל אשר יקראוהו באמת, והיינו בלב שלם מבלי להישען על חכמתו או גבורתו או דבר אחר, ורק שאין שיתוף ופונה אך ורק לקב"ה זוכה ומתקבלת תפילתו. ולכן אמר מדוע ישיבת מיר שרדה במשך שנות השואה למרות כל גלותה ומעברה ממקום למקום בסכנות גדולות ובתנאים קשים ביותר, ואילו כאשר הגיעו לארה"ב נחרבה, כיון שכאשר היו בגלות תלו כל ביטחונם בהשי"ת והיה להם סייעתא דשמייא, ואילו כאשר הגיעו למקום מבטחים כבר בטחו גם בבני אדם ובעושר ולכן לא נענו וחרבה הישיבה. ובזה מובן מדוע עשו אותו יו"ט כי בו התחולל הנס והתקבלו התפילות וממילא הופך ליום שמסוגל לתפילות כעין יו"כ, ורוב הטעמים בגמרא הן שנתקבלו התפילות של ישראל ולכן זכו להאיר עיניהם להתיר השבטים ושבט בנימין ולהביא לקבורה הרוגי ביתר ולבטל השומרים שמנעו לעלות לרגל.

Hatred Or Love

This post is based upon lectures by Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira and Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson. 

וַתֵּרָגְנ֤וּ בְאׇהֳלֵיכֶם֙ וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בְּשִׂנְאַ֤ת י״י֙ אֹתָ֔נוּ הוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֥ת אֹתָ֛נוּ בְּיַ֥ד הָאֱמֹרִ֖י לְהַשְׁמִידֵֽנוּ.  It was never recorded in Shelach that they hated Hashem?  Furthermore, if Hashem hates them why did he take them out of Egypt and continue to do so many miracles for them? 

Klal Yisroel had pent up anger held within them back from their days of torture in Egypt.  They were oppressed and had no where to turn.  After the liberation they were rushed out through showers of miracles and never had the time to heal the anger that was deep in their hearts.  When one thing started going awry that anger became reawakened.  Klal Yisroel never said explicitly G-d hates us at the time of the meraglim but they were the feelings that were awakened within their souls.  When Moshe is recounting the episode he acknowledges those feelings to warn Klal Yisroel that they must be eradicated from within their souls.  Because Klal Yisroel had so many feelings of anger they saw everything their glasses of anger and saw hatred all around them.  That led them to believe that indeed G-d hated them.  כמים הפנים לפנים.  

The Midrash (16:20) says וַתִּשָֹּׂא כָּל הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת קוֹלָם, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ירמיה יב, ח): נָתְנָה עָלַי בְּקוֹלָהּ עַל כֵּן שְׂנֵאתִיהָ, אוֹתוֹ קוֹל שֶׁבְּכִיתֶם, גָּרַם לָכֶם לִהְיוֹת שְׂנוּאִין,  Sfas Emes (5643) says בפסוק ותאמרו בשנאת ה' כו' ע"ז דרשו חז"ל נתנה עלי בקולה כו'.  כמו שהי' חטא זה התחלת הגלות שבאמת השי"ת אהב את דור המדבר ומ"מ עי"ז החטא שהיו אומרים בשנאת. נהפך ונאמר ע"כ שנאתי'.  Klal Yisroel's perception of hate led them to a path of destruction.  Something that was not there turned into an impasse that forced the churban.  Their perception of hatred created a reality.  The Sfas Emes continues that this also teaches us the road to geulah.  מכ"ש שיש לנו ללמוד שמדה טובה המרובה כשבנ"י מקבלין יסורי הגלות באהבה ומאמינים כי הוא חסד הש"י כמ"ש אשר יאהב ה' יוכיח לכן בנ"י המה מדוכאים בעולם. יוכל להיות זאת מפתח של הגאולה.  If one accepts the mussar of Hashem, the hardships, הגם שהיו יסורי משפט ודין and is able to cope without feelings of hate but to understand the great love of Hashem, that will be the key to the geulah. 

The Sfas Emes adds (5642) - בפסוק בשנאת ה' אותנו כו'. וע"ז נאמר נתנה עלי בקולה ע"כ שנאתי'. כי הקב"ה חשב לטובתנו. וע"י שאמרו בשנאת. נהפך ח"ו לשנאה ויש לנו ללמוד ק"ו מדה טובה המרובה אשר גם בגלותנו עתה שנתגרשנו משלחן אבינו שבשמים. יש לנו להאמין ולבטוח באבינו שבשמים. כי מאהבה הוכיח אותנו כמ"ש אשר יאהב ה' יוכיח. ומתוך אמונה זו יתהפך באמת לאהבה.  By believing the golut is for our benefit, than creates the reality that it leads to the geulah and is indeed for our benefit.  וזה עיקר פי' אוהב את התוכחות להאמין כי הוא מאהבה כשיודעין שהמוכיח אוהב נאמן הוא. מקבלין התוכחה. ועי"ז נהפך באמת לאהבה.  The Sfas Emes explains אוהב את התוכחות means to accept that the rebuke of G-d comes form a place of great love.  When one accepts the rebuke in such a fashion, the difficulties themselves become cherished by the person.  It beomes tainted through the glasses of love.  וע"ז כתי' ע"כ פשעים תכסה אהבה. ואיך יכולין לבא לאהבה כשיש רוב פשעים. רק כשמקבלין התוכחה והעונשין והיסורין מתוך אהבה. ולכן כתי' לכו כו' ונוכחה כו' אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כו' פי' ע"י קבלת התוכחה יתלבנו החטאים כנ"ל.  The Sfas Emes explains the possuk לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר י״י֑ אִם־יִהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתּוֹלָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִֽהְיֽוּ as the word וְנִוָּכְחָ֖ה being related to תוכחה, by accepting the hardships for one's sins that itself leads to the kapparah.

You Do Not Belong

This post is based upon a shmuz from Rabbi Yosef Elefant. 

The Gemorah in Yevamot (47a) says תנו רבנן גר שבא להתגייר בזמן הזה אומרים לו מה ראית שבאת להתגייר אי אתה יודע שישראל בזמן הזה דוויים דחופים סחופים ומטורפין ויסורין באין עליהם אם אומר יודע אני ואיני כדאי מקבלין אותו מיד.  The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to a potential convert who comes to a court in order to convert, at the present time, when the Jews are in exile, the judges of the court say to him: What did you see that motivated you to come to convert? Don’t you know that the Jewish people at the present time are anguished, suppressed, despised, and harassed, and hardships are frequently visited upon them? If he says: I know, and although I am unworthy of joining the Jewish people and sharing in their sorrow, I nevertheless desire to do so, then the court accepts him immediately to begin the conversion process (translation from Sefaria which is Steinsaltz.)

Why must the convert wish to join in the sorrows of the Jews?  Even if he is not deterred by such knowledge why must he be encouraged by the promise of such suffering?  The Maharal in Netzach (Ch. 15) explains that suffering means that the person does not fit, is not comfortable in this world.  It means one does not belong.  The ger must recognize that he is joining a nation whose place is not in this world.  It is just a temporary trip one must travel through in this world.  

This is the recognition one must have of the golut.  The suffering of the golut is because we do not belong in the golut.  It is not state one is supposed to belong in.  Just as the Gemorah says the ger must realize what he is joining so too we must realize we do not belong in golut.  That may be why כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה (Taanit 30b.)  Just as the ger is only accepted when he is willing to part with belonging in this world, so too one can leave golut only when one is willing to give it up. 

Kiddush And Havdalah

In an earlier post it was cited the Rambam holds that kiddush and havdalah are the same yesod to honor Shabbos when it starts and when it ends.  Other Rishonim disagree and hold that havdalah signifies that it is now chol.  What is behind this machlokes?  

The Rambam in Laws of Shabbos (29:1) defines kiddush as  זָכְרֵהוּ זְכִירַת שֶׁבַח וְקִדּוּשׁ, a commandment to praise and mention the holiness of the day.  The Rashba in a Teshuva volume 4 (#295) says a similar construct.  However, the Ramban in Yisro (20:8) defines kiddush as sanctifying the day just like Beit Din sanctifies yoval.  [Even though Shabbos is kadosh by itself it is like a bechor animal where there is a mitzvah to designate it as kadosh even though it happens by itself as the Rambam rules in the Laws of Bechor (1:4).]  According to the Rambam we understand that kiddush and havdalah have the same function to praise Shabbos and they are the same mitzvah (see Minchas Chinuch (31:1) compares kiddush and havdalah to krias shema of the morning and evening.)  Hence, havdalah is also a law to praise the day of Shabbos.  However, according to the Ramban that the mitzvah of kiddush is to infuse kedusha into the day, that is only applicable by kiddush, not by havdalah and we must say that havdalah is a different din, not the same mitzvah as kiddush.  We don't find a concept to merely praise the Shabbos and in his view havdalah would be a form of accepting the chol.  That is why the Rambam holds kiddush can be done before Shabbos, as one is approaching the Shabbos, because then it is appropriate to praise Shabbos.  However, if one is sanctifying the day, it must be in a time when one is a timeframe of kedushat shabbos and that is why Tosfos holds that kiddush can be done on Friday afternoon only because tosefes Shabbos allows one to extend the kedusha of Shabbos.  Only when there is kedushat Shabbos can kiddush be recited.  

Another point on havdalah done on Shabbos.   The Mishba Berurah (299:1) brings the Magen Avrahom holds if one davened maariv of motzei Shabbos early on Shabbos, it is prohibited to eat until one says havdalah.  The Shaar Hatzion brings the Pri Migadim disagrees because when davening maariv early on Shabbos its still Shabbos and the obligation of havdalah doesn't kick in yet.  He obviously understands this is no concept of the dinim of chol extending into Shabbos not like the Behag mentioned earlier this week.

Moshiach Eyes

From the sefer למען אחי ורעי in the piece עיני משיח.

Early Havdalah

This post is based on a shiur by Rabbi Yosef Elefant. 

The Gemorah Berachot (27b) says a person is allowed to say havdalah even when it is still light outside and it is still Shabbos.  If that's the case, why would we not say havdalah early, on Shabbos itself, when tisha b'av is Sunday? 

In order to address this question we first need to understand the din itself.  Why is one allowed to say havdalah early?  Tosfos on the page writes that this din of saying havdalah is true only in a pressing situation where one must leave immediately after Shabbos to do a mitzvah but otherwise one may not say havdalah early.  However, the Rambam does not mention this caveat.  What is this machlokes about? 

Before the Gemorah says one can do havdalah while it is still Shabbos it says one can say kiddush when it is still daylight on Friday.  Tosfos in Pesachim (99b) and the Rosh Arvei Pesachim siman 2 explain the reason one can recite kiddush while it is still day is because of the principle of tosefes Shabbos, that one can extend Shabbos into Friday.  That works to explain why you can do kiddush early but that does not help us for havdalah; why you can do havdalah early?

The Rambam in the Laws of Shabbos (29:11) says יֵשׁ לוֹ לְאָדָם לְקַדֵּשׁ עַל הַכּוֹס עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִכְנְסָה הַשַּׁבָּת. וְכֵן מַבְדִּיל עַל הַכּוֹס מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן הִיא שַׁבָּת. שֶׁמִּצְוַת זְכִירָה לְאָמְרָהּ בֵּין בִּשְׁעַת כְּנִיסָתוֹ וִיצִיאָתוֹ בֵּין קֹדֶם לְשָׁעָה זוֹ כִּמְעַט:  The Rambam holds the reason one can say havdalah and kiddush while still day is because of the same reason, the mitzvah is to talk about Shabbos around the time of Shabbos, not on the day itself but as one is ushering in or exiting Shabbos.  The Rambam holds that the mitzvah of kiddush and havdalah are the same mitzvah; both are declarations of the kedusha of Shabbos.  Havdalah is not an expression of chol, it is an expression of Shabbos and hence may be declared even as it is still Shabbos. 

The Tur (556) brings the Behag says one should not recite havdalah early on Shabbos before tisha b'av because if one does so it would be prohibite for them to continue drinking.  Why would the person be prohibited from drinking just because he recited havdalah?  We see the Behag holds that by saying havdalah while it is still shabbos one is already bringing in the chol and although the issur melacha is still in place, there is a semi-status of chol already pronounced.  The Behag is the opposite of the Rambam.  He holds that havdalah is an expression of leaving Shabbos and therefore when one does havdalah early it is because one is to an extent leaving the kedusha of Shabbos behind.

The Tur (293) brings from the Ritz Gayos that now that the custom is to follow the opinion of the Rabannan to daven maariv after dark, not like Rebbe Yehuda that says one can do it from plag mincha one should not say kiddush or havdalah early.  What does a machlokes about davening times have to do with whether one can say kiddush or havdalah when it is still day?  The Gra in Maaseh Rav (117) says one must daven maariv before saying kiddush (not like the Magen Avraham 271:5.)  In that light we can understand that if you can't daven yet, you can't say kiddush yet.  But why must one daven maariv in order to say kiddush?  It must be that davining maariv is what already makes it called the night time.  If one davened maariv they have declared it to be night and the dinim of the night can already extend into the previous day but without maariv it is still Friday and one can't make kiddush or it is still Shabbos and one can't make havdalah.  The davining is what gives at least a partial status of night.  This is similar to the Behag that one can make the status of the night extend into the previous day but he holds that can only happen through tefillah.  

Getting back to Tosfos and how he will learn havdalah.  It must be Tosfos learnt along the lines of the Ritz Gayos or the Behag but he holds it only suffices for havdalah to be able to have an early removal of the kedusha of Shabbos but to fulfill kiddush one needs bonafide kedushas Shabbos it would not suffice to have a quasi status of the night extended with a kiddush or tefillah and therefore needs to evoke the principal of tosefs Shabbos.  Because Tosfos holds that one is declaring it to be chol early by saying havdalah when it is still Shabbos he only allows it in a pressing situation.  The Rambam that holds it does not make it chol, on the contrary, havdalah is a way of affirming the holiness of Shabbos, has no problem with doing havdalah on Shabbos.  However, we are left with the question according to the Rambam dwhy should one not say havdalah on Shabbos when tisha b'av is sunday?

Running After Hashem

Harav Hagaon Ahron David Shlita

A fundamental lesson for this time can be learned from the passuk in Eichah that says: כָּל רֹדְפֶיהָ הִשִּׂיגוּהָ בֵּין הַמְּצָרִים. Simply understood, this means that people who chase after Klal Yisrael will overtake them during Bein Hametzarim, which is a dark time. But R' Chaim Brim explains that the word רֹדְפֶיהָ can be split into two words — rodfei Kah — and understood to mean “those who pursue Hashem.” Those people will get to Hashem during Bein Hametzarim.  What does that mean?

All year Hashem is in His palace, kivyachol — a big palace in Heaven that has many rooms, and many guards, so it is difficult to get to the king. During these weeks, however, we are in galus and Hashem is with us, so we can get to Him more easily. In that sense, this is the highest time of the year.  But how do you run after Hashem?

We say in Hodu: הוֹדוּ לַה' קִרְאוּ בִּשְׁמוֹ הוֹדִיעוּ בָעַמִּים עֲלִילוֹתָיו שִׁירוּ לוֹ זַמְּרוּ לוֹ שִׂיחוּ הִתְהַלְלוּ בְּשֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ יִשְׂמַח לֵב מְבַקְשֵׁי ה' בְּכָל נִפְלְאוֹתָיו. This is how you seek Hashem: by singing to Him, and by looking at all the chessed that He does for us. Every Yid in the world experiences Hashem’s chessed day and night, as the Mesillas Yesharim teaches (ch. 8) that there is no person — poor or rich, healthy or sick — who does not see nifla’os in his life. If you open your eyes you’ll see nissim and nifla’os around you, everywhere in the world. To seek Hashem, then, you need to praise Him: שִׁירוּ לוֹ, זַמְּרוּ לוֹ, שִׂיחוּ.

In this vein, R' Wolbe offered a beautiful explanation of the slight divergence between two phrases in Kiddush of leil Shabbos. First, we say: וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשׁוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחִילָנוּ, referring to Hashem in third person, and then we say: וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ, switching to second person. R' Wolbe explained that if we praise Hashem, He becomes near to us, so after praising Him we can address Him directly. This is based on Rashi’s statement (Berachos 4b) that when you praise Hashem, you’re bringing Him close.  Perhaps this is what it means to be rodfei Kah: Praise Hashem during these Three Weeks, and thank Him for all His chessed, no matter what situation you’re in, and you’ll bring Him close to you. Similarly, we can ask Hashem for the yeshuos we need.

R' Shimshon Pincus writes, in She’arim B’Tefillah (Shaar Harinah), that a certain city experienced a severe famine, when rain did not fall for a lengthy period. They declared fast days, but nothing happened. Then, they declared a day of Yom Tov, with singing and praising Hashem, and it started raining. That’s because rinah opens the gates of Heaven. There is no greater segulah, says R' Pincus, than praising Hashem and singing to Him. Indeed, the passuk in Eichah states, about the churban: קוּמִי רֹנִּי בַלַּיְלָה, implying that rinah opens the gates of Heaven.

A mohel named R' Lang related that R' Abramsky said that in his youth, he once stayed in a small hotel. There was an old man next door, and in the middle of the night the man started screaming, so R' Abramsky told the owner of the hotel that the man must be very sick. “No, don’t worry,” he replied. “It’s the Chofetz Chaim. There’s nothing wrong with him.” R' Abramsky was excited to meet the Chofetz Chaim, whom he had never met, so he entered his room without knocking and saw the Chofetz Chaim sitting on the floor, in the middle of the week, saying Nishmas with great fervor, while waving and crying, and he was enveloped in light.

Saying Nishmas opens the shaarei Shomayim, so say Nishmas with your whole heart. Sing to Hashem, praise Him, thank Him for the nissim and nifla’os, and then Hashem will bring nissim and nifla’os into your life, every day. Every Shemoneh Esrei, in Modim, we should thank Hashem for His nissim — and between each tefillah, many nissim happen as well, so we can sing in between these tefillos, too; maybe not with music, but with our mouth.

There are two brothers in the Mir, chashuveh avreichim whose father was in the camps during the war, and after the war he married and had three children, all talmidei chachamim. They told me that their father related that when he was in the camps, in terrible conditions, he sang whenever he could, all day, the passuk: חַסְדֵי ה' כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו. He and others around him sang this for hours and hours and hours, and they were saved, and they married and built families.

May Hashem help us to sing all day and all night, חַסְדֵי ה' כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו, and to extol His nifla’os, so that we can be rodfei Kah during Bein Hametzarim. Everyone in Klal Yisrael, wherever they are, should have hatzlachah and yeshuos — in shidduchim, health, parnassah, and chinuch — and Hashem should bring a hatzalah to all of Klal Yisrael. 

Holy Words

The Seforno at the beginning of Mattos says וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות... זה הדבר אשר צוה ה׳ – כשאמר בהר סיני ״ולא תשבעו בשמי לשקר, וחללת״ (ויקרא י״ט:י״ב), היתה הכוונה שהאיש הנודר או נשבע ״לא יחל דברו״, כי בחללו דברו הוא מחלל את ה׳. אבל האשה שאינה ברשות עצמה, לא תהיה מחללת אם יפר המיפר.  Why is violating one's neder considered a chillul Hashem?  His dibbur is mechullul but how is that a chillul Hashem when there is no mention of G-d's name in a neder?

Rabbenu Yona on Pirkay Avot (1:17) says שהיו החכמים הקדושים עושים עצמן ככלי שרת שאין משתמשין בהם דברים של חול.  The Shem Mshmuel (first piece) says that is why there is an issur of בל יחל on one's neder because it creates kedusha, "בילקוט בשם ספרי זוטא ישראל בבל יחל ואין או"ה בבל יחל, להבין הטעם י"ל עפי"מ שאמר כ"ק אבי אדומו"ר זצללה"ה בטעם הנדרים שיהי' בכחו של אדם לעשות בדיבורו הדבר קודש שיעשה הוי' וצורה חדשה בהדבר, עפ"י דברי הר' יונה דמי ששומר פיו נעשה פיו כלי שרת, ע"כ כמו שכלי שרת מקדשין את המנחה הניתנה לתוכה, כן הדיבור היוצא מפיו הוא קדוש ובכן יכול לקדש את הדבר עכתדה"ק."  (See there what he elaborates based upon this.)  The Pardes Yosef brings a remez to this from the parsha of tuma in Chukas (19:15) וכל כלי פתוח אשר אין צמיד פתיל עליו טמא הוא, any mouth that is not closed off from forbidden words is tamah for one can't speak bad things and contain Torah.

In light of this we can understand the Seforno (a little) that one who is mechellal their word it is like a chillul of kodesh which is a chillul Hashem.  In the words of the Sukkot Dovid:

In what is a stretch beyond the halachik meaning but brings out the point, in the sefer Minchas Machvas siman 223 he wants to say על דרך מוסר an answer to a question raised by the Briskor Rav in the name of his brother Rav Moshe.  He asks why is the lug shemen of the metzorah only liable for meilah after it becomes kadosh in a kli sharash (see Rambam Meilah 2:10) as opposed to every mincha where the issur meilah is immediate?  He suggests 

We read in the haftorah of Nachamu in Yeshayahu (40:2) דַּבְּר֞וּ עַל־לֵ֤ב יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙.  The golus and geulah of Egypt was dependent on the tikkun of dibbur as the kabbalists explain so too the final geulah requires a tikkun of dibbur, דברו, by speaking about Yerushalayim we may help fix our tongues. 

Journeys

 אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצְא֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם.  Only the first step of the journey was leaving Egypt, not the other 41?  Every step of the way was leaving Egypt.  As one separates from Egypt, as one advances in their avodah of Hashem, each previous rung of the ladder was מצרים compared to where the individual has advanced to now.  Every time one leaves behind the מצרים, the boundaries that contained him/her on the previous level and one moves up to another level.  It is all part of the journey in leaving Egypt (see Likutay Sichos volume 2.) 

According to the kabbalists the journey through the midbar was not just through a place of physical hardship but it was necessary to break spiritual roadblocks.  The Megalah Amukot (אופן רמ) points out the first letters of the words אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל stand for אדום מדי בבל יון, the four main stages of the golut that Klal Yisroel will endure.  The journey from Egypt hints to the difficult spiritual journey that will have to be endured .  The Baal Shem Tov adds this is not just true on a national level but the travels of Klal Yisroel apply to every individual.

Most of the journeys are listed as ויסעו ויחנו.  There are a few places were more details are filled in.  One of them is the death of Aharon Hakohan.  Why is that event repeated here and why is the exact date of his death listed, which is not done for anyone else?  The Torah is telling us how to deal with the tragedies of the golut.  Earlier in the week was cited the Pri Ha'aretz that the mourning of the three weeks is for one's own personal spiritual destruction.  If that is the point why is the focus of 9 Av kinnot and not teshuva? When one is in a state a such acute pain it is not a time to tell them what to do to fix the situation.  Aharon is Mr. World Peace.  In a time of calamity it is not a time for harsh words of rebuk but to sit in sorrow and bemoan the pain.  That is what we do on 9 Av.  That is why the day Aharon died is recorded for it is in the month of Av.  That is why he died on הר ההר.  The Gemorah Pesachim (88a) relates Avrohom to הר.  The Alter Rebbe relates הר to the middah of אהבה embodied by Avrahom for one's love is able to rise above all else.  Aharon is super ahavah and dies on הר ההר.  (Likutay Torah Naso.)  Aharon tells us the avodah of the month and the ultimate tikkun will sprout forth from the אהבת אחים.  Hence his hilulah is on the first day of Av to allude to the yichud that will bring about the geulah.

Woman Power

Why does sefer Bamidbar conclude with the episode of the benot Tzelafchad marrying?  The Gemorah Bava Bathra (120a) says the benot Tzelafchad were allowed to marry even outside their shevet, אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד הוּתְּרוּ לְהִנָּשֵׂא לְכׇל הַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם תִּהְיֶינָה לְנָשִׁים אֶלָּא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּים אַךְ לְמִשְׁפַּחַת מַטֵּה אֲבִיהֶם תִּהְיֶינָה לְנָשִׁים עֵצָה טוֹבָה הִשִּׂיאָן הַכָּתוּב שֶׁלֹּא יִנָּשְׂאוּ אֶלָּא לְהָגוּן לָהֶן, why were they an exception to the rule? Why is the parsha of the nachla, discussed in parshas Pinchas concluded only here? 

The possuk in Yirmiyahu (31:21) says כִּֽי־בָרָ֨א י״י֤ חֲדָשָׁה֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ נְקֵבָ֖ה תְּס֥וֹבֵֽב גָּֽבֶר.  According to the Kabbalah it means that in the future the מקבל will be higher than the משפיע.  The woman, the מקבל, will be raised above the משפיע, the man.  It is upon entering Eretz Yisroel that the heavenly existence that Klal Yisroel had until that time ended.  It marks the point in which the avodah of Klal Yisroel is necessary to connect to Hashem.  It is fitting then that it was woman that caused the revelation of the parsha of the nachalah because it is the avodah of the mikabal, that which is below, which is most emphasized in inheriting the land.  

The Gemorah says one of the reasons of the great simcha on 15 Av is because the issur of woman marrying another tribe was removed.  Why is that a reason for eternity to have a day of joy?  15 Av is the simcha after the destruction of 9 Av.  It is when we appreciate the road to the future. The issur on the woman from marrying into another shevet represents that the ultimate tikkun, when the woman will be on top is incomplete.  They were constrained by the nachalah rules.  The nullification of that decree represents the paving of the road to the future.  That is why the daughters of Tzelafchad were never part of the decree because they had perfected themselves and revealed the full potential of the מקבל.  They did not not need to be constrained by limited their rights of marriage to be less than their male counterparts.  That is why the holiday 15 Av is on the 15^th because it is when the moon is full, when the מקבל equals the strength of the משפיע.  

The book of Bamidbar as we discussed in the past weeks is the transfer from Hashem giving out freebies to Klal Yisroel having to take the initiative and have their own input.  The goal is the meeting point of the avodah of mankind and Hashem's revelation meeting together.  That is expressed by the benot Tzelafchad and their ability to marry whomever they desired.  That is why their story concludes Bamidbar.  However, before that light could shine we are thrown into the darkness of sefer Devarim when it is no longer direct commandment from Hashem but rather Moshe Rabbenu מפי עצמו.  That הסתר פנים is what has made up the bulk of Jewish history and we are still waiting to come back full circle נקבה תסובב גבר (Based upon Rav Hartman.)

Rav Shlomo And Rav Aharon

 From למען אחי ורעי personal memories of Rav Shlomo Carlebach.

Getting Semicha

 From Pneney Rabbenu Yezchezkal volume 2 pg. 13

Mourn The Present Not The Past

The Pri Ha'aretz in Mattos spells out that mourning on the Beis Hamikdash is not about the past but about the present.  It is mourning for one's lack of perfection like was written on the blog last week.

What Can I Add

 Harav Hagaon Yehuda Wagshal Shlita

Dovid Hamelech declares, in Tehillim, that he had one request of Hakadosh Baruch Hu: אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת ה' אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית ה' כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם ה' וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ. This request begins with Dovid asking that he dwell in the beis Hashem his entire life, and concludes with him asking: וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ.

What does the word וּלְבַקֵּר mean? It is commonly translated as “to visit,” which would mean that Dovid was asking to dwell in the beis Hashem his entire life and visit His heichal. But this is an inherent contradiction: Is he a permanent resident in Hashem’s house or is he a visitor?

It is very possible that “visit” is not actually the correct translation of וּלְבַקֵּר. Some meforshim say that this word is related to boker (morning), meaning that Dovid Hamelech not only wants to dwell in the beis Hashem, but he wants to arrive there early in the morning — in other words, he also wants to be on time.

Others explain that וּלְבַקֵּר connotes inspection, as in bikur mumin. The halachah is that before you bring a korban, you examine it for a few days to make sure there’s no disqualifying blemish; this is known as bikur mumin. Dovid Hamelech was saying, “I want, first of all, to dwell in Hashem’s house, and I also want וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ — to be there in the heichal, examining what needs to be fixed and checking what is missing. And I want to be the one to fix it.”

This is the true meaning of the term bikur cholim as well. People typically think of bikur cholim as a mitzvah to visit the sick, but in truth the mitzvah is fulfilled when a person goes to the patient and checks what he needs: Does he need the visitor to clean something? Does he need medication? Does he need a doctor?  Just as bikur cholim means checking what the patient’s needs are and trying to supply those needs, when Dovid Hamelech asked וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, he meant that he did not want to visit the heichal as a guest, but rather in order to examine what needs to be fixed there and to be the one who is zocheh to fix it.  Why did Dovid Hamelech daven that he be the one to fix what needs repair? If the need to fix something would present itself to him, then he would certainly do it, but why daven for that?  Furthermore, according to this understanding of וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, it sounds as though Dovid Hamelech actually made two requests of Hashem: to dwell in His house his whole life, and also to be the one who checks what needs fixing and repairs it. If so, that is not one request, but two — so how could he say אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי?

Perhaps we can explain that Dovid Hamelech’s one request was really שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית ה’ כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי — to be a permanent member of Hashem’s house and reap the full benefits of being there. Dovid Hamelech understood that if he would just come to the beis Hashem and benefit from everything it had to offer, that would not suffice, because in order to properly connect to something, it’s not enough to be a receiver — you also have to be a giver, too, and contribute something.  Accordingly, when he said: אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת ה', I have one request of Hashem, he was referring to the request of שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית ה’ כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי. But how would he ensure that his connection was real? Only if he also had the opportunity to contribute, as he declared: וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ.

We can suggest that this idea is reflected in this week’s parashah as well, in the Torah’s account of how the daughters of Tzelafchad endeavored to obtain a portion in Eretz Yisrael. When Hakadosh Baruch Hu said that every male in Klal Yisrael would be zocheh to a portion in Eretz Yisrael, which would then be passed down throughout the generations, the daughters of Tzelafchad realized that their father would be left out, as he was no longer alive and he had no sons to inherit his portion. It had not been said explicitly that daughters would get a portion in Eretz Yisrael in such a case, so daughters of Tzelafchad came to Moshe Rabbeinu and complained.

What was their objection? Simply understood, they were saying that it was not fair that everyone else would be receiving a share of Eretz Yisrael and they would not. But Rashi, citing Chazal, explains that they did not merely want real estate.

When the Torah describes how they presented their case to Moshe Rabbeinu, it delineates their entire lineage, tracing all the way back to Yosef: וַתִּקְרַבְנָה בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד בֶּן חֵפֶר בֶּן גִּלְעָד בֶּן מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יוֹסֵף. Why, asks Rashi, does the Torah give their lineage all the way back to Yosef? To inform us that their desire for a portion in Eretz Yisrael traced back to Yosef; just as he cherished Eretz Yisrael, as he made the shevatim promise to take his bones from Mitzrayim and bury him there, his descendants, the daughters of Tzelafchad, cherished Eretz Yisrael as well, and that is why they approached Moshe Rabbeinu asking for a portion in Eretz Yisrael.

Rashi is conveying that the daughters of Tzelafchad were not interested merely in owning land in Eretz Yisrael as a financial asset; the reason they were asking for a portion of the land was that they cherished Eretz Yisrael.

We can ask, however, why it was so important to the daughters of Tzelafchad to receive a portion in Eretz Yisrael. Even had they not been granted a portion, they wouldn’t have been left behind in Mitzrayim, or in the desert — they would have entered Eretz Yisrael regardless! So if they really loved Eretz Yisrael and had no interest other than chibas haaretz, why did they care who owned the land? As long as they were in Eretz Yisrael, the kedushah of living in the land should have been enough for them!

We can explain this using the idea expressed by Dovid Hamelech. The daughters of Tzelafchad knew that if they would come to Eretz Yisrael without owning a part of it, then even if they would gain a great deal from Eretz Yisrael’s holy environment, they would be limited to the role of receivers. Since they would not own any part of the land, they would have nothing to contribute. Those who owned portions in Eretz Yisrael would have to be moser nefesh to settle the land and perform the mitzvos hateluyos baaretz, thereby contributing to Eretz Yisrael. But if they were to enter the land without having a yerushah in it, they would be coming as guests and outsiders, who could enjoy the benefits of the land, but could not give to it. Because they valued Eretz Yisrael, it was not enough for them just to take from it— they wanted to be able to contribute to the land, and thereby connect with it in a real way. To do that, they needed to have a portion in it.

We learn a very important lesson from the way the daughters of Tzelafchad related to Eretz Yisrael, and from the way Dovid Hamelech related to the beis Hashem: We can connect to spiritual matters by taking and benefiting from they have to offer, but if we really want to have a part in them, we also need to give and contribute to them in some way. Let’s not just look only for the שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית ה’ — let’s also constantly emphasize and look for the ways to accomplish וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ.

Changing Of The Guard

What is the connection between the many events of our parsha from the acts of Pinchas, the count of Klal Yisroel to the benot Tzelafchad, appointment of Yehoshua and the korbanot? צָר֖וֹר אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם.  Rashi says the command is to constantly hate the Middyanim.  Why is this command given here if the battle only takes place in next week's parsha and why is there is such a commandment to hate the Midyanim more than any other enemy? 

The Or Hachayim (elaborated on in Netivot Shalom) commandment here is not to wage war against the Midyanim.  That command is in next week's parsha.  The command here is to be disgusted with the sin caused by the Midyanim.  In the words of the Or Hachayim, "G'd now advised the Israelites to harass the Midianites, etc. The idea was to implant in the Israelites a hatred against the people who had caused them to commit their respective sins. They were also to develop a revulsion against anything that appeared good and permissible which these people had to offer to the Israelites such as the fruit of their orchards, etc. They had to realize that anything which originated with people such as the Midianites was disaster in disguise." (From Sefaria translation of the Or Hachayim.)  Before doing battle with the Midyanim it was necessary to appreciate the tremendous evil that was caused to afflict a spiritual divide between Klal Yisroel and Hashem.  Only after such an appreciation could Klal Yisroel be ready for battle.  There had to be a hitorerut from Klal Yisroel at to the evil that had befallen them in order to complete the cleansing of the sin.

Sfas Emes (5640) explains that is the common theme running through the beginning of the parsha.  The days of the midbar generation were coming to a close.  A new chapter in Jewish history was about to be written.  The days of  open miracles way above anything Klal Yisroel was deserving of was no more.  It was the time that they were about to enter Eretz Yisroel.  The chapter of the avodah of Klal Yisroel on their own was about to be written.  That is symbolized by the new count.  "סמיכות פרשיות הללו כהונת פינחס וצרור את המדינים והמנין ופטירת משה רבינו ע"ה. הענין הוא כי עתה התחיל להיות הנהגה אחרת של דור באי הארץ. לכן הי' מנין חדש."  The Sfas Emes ends the paragraph in brackets "[וי"ל בזה ג"כ הפי' וידבר משה ואלעזר כו' צריכים אתם להמנות. פי' שהמנין הי' ע"י התעוררות עצמות נפשותיהם כנ"ל]."  What is the לאמר?  Rashi says אמרו להם: צריכין אתם לימנות מבן עשרים שנה.  It is a count that Klal Yisroel must do on their own to attach their self to Hashem.

The days of Aharon Hakohan, a kohan presented with the honor by Hashem were gone and the new kohan taking enter stage is Pinchas who merits the kehuna based upon his own actions.  The act of Pinchas, an act of קנאות is the definition of a hitorerut by an individual because the halacha does not openly sanction such an action. "וכמו בדור המדבר ניתן להם אהרן הכהן כך בדור זה הי' כהונת פנחס. רק מקודם הי' במעלה עליונה למעלה מהטבע בכחו של מרע"ה ולכן כהונת אהרן הי' מתנה משמים. ופנחס בדין זכה לכהונתו כי הי' לפי השתנות הדור שהתחיל עתה להיות עבודת האדם והתעוררות שלמטה בחי' תורה שבע"פ. וזה עצמו ענין קנאין פוגעין בו. שהוא אינו בר מות בסנהדרין שעפ"י הדין א"י להמיתו, ורק מי שמקנא לה' נשתנה הדין להורגו שכן דין התורה. נמצא שבנ"י משנים במעשיהם כל הנהגות התורה. וזה ענין תורה שבע"פ שהכל ניתן מסיני רק שבנ"י צריכין להוציאו מכח אל הפועל. ומה שמרע"ה לא הרג את זמרי רק פינחס לא הי' פחיתות למרע"ה רק שבא פינחס ונטל את שלו ובאמת דורו של משה רבינו ע"ה ע"י שהיו גבוהים מאוד לא הי' ההנהגה בכח האנשים רק בהנהגה עליונה. שבטל שכל וכח השגת האדם במדריגה רמה כזו. ואח"כ שנשפלו הדורות ניכר ונצרך התעוררות התחתונים כנ"ל. וכמו שנתבטל מאור הלבנה כלפי השמש." 

That is followed by the command to Klal Yisroel to awaken hatred against the Midyanim, to prepare themselves for the battle.  Their own input is required.  "ולכן כתיב צרור את המדינים כו'. עליכם לאייב אותם. כלומר שהי' הכאת המדינים בצירוף שנאת בנ"י. הן הדברים שכתבנו שהתחיל התנהגות בהתעוררות התחתונים. ומלחמות הראשונות הי' הכל רק בנפלאות הבורא בלבד. ואדרבא כתיב ואתם תחרישון."  

We can add to the Sfas Emes that is the hemshech of the ideas in the parsha.  The daughters of Tzelafchad have a new parsha given because of their own initiative.  As the days of the generation of direct orders from G-d are closing Moshe recognizes the need to appoint a leader that can direct the new generation, the generation of באי הארץ.  Moshe way have even been wary and frightened of the new path that Klal Yisroel had taken, afraid of all the the initiative, of possible reforms to all that he had built and may have wanted a leader that could ebb the tide, possibly stop the changes and continue the way of the old guard.  But Hashem said that is not to be.  There is a new path for Klal Yisroel now.  The previous Sfas Emes (last piece in 5639) says בפסוק צו את בני ישראל כו' ברש"י ומדרש עד שאתה מצוני על בני צוה בני עלי. הענין הוא דיש לחם מן השמים ומן הארץ. והיא בחי' תורה שבכתב ושבע"פ. ומרע"ה הוריד התורה מן השמים לארץ והמן דכ' הנני ממטיר לחם מן השמים כו'. ורצה מרע"ה להשאיר זאת גם אחריו. אבל באמת התחיל עתה בחי' לחם מן הארץ היינו התקרבות מצד התחתונים לשמים היינו צוה את בני עלי. והיא בחי' הקרבנות וכן תפלה שבמקום תמידין איתקן והוא עבודה שבלב פי' ע"י השתוקקות בלב להתדבק בשורש עליון אם כי עתה נפלנו אחורנית יכולין לחזור למקומנו הראשון.  It is now the time for korbanot, of the avodah of Klal Yisroel.  Moshe doesn't have to be worried about the honor of Hashem and his directives being fulfilled, it is time to give reign to man to express themselves in approaching G-d.  That is why the parsha of korbanot follows the appointment of Yehoshua.  It is the first mandate of the new regime.  The new mission statement is for man to serve Hashem through his own actions.  It is no longer the times of open miracles but rather אֶת־הַכֶּ֥בֶשׂ אֶחָ֖ד תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה בַבֹּ֑קֶר וְאֵת֙ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבָּֽיִם, the daily offerings to Hashem, slow and methodical growth within a person's capabilities.  

Sleepy Souls

In the HaYom Yom for 21 Tamuz ( Hayom Yom is anthology of Hasidic aphorisms and customs arranged according to the calendar for the Hebrew year of 5703 (1942–43). The work was compiled and arranged by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rabbi of Chabad, from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, courtesy of Wikipedia.) it says כתיב ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם בתוך כאו"א [כל אחד ואחד] מישראל, שבכאו"א [שבכל אחד ואחד] מישראל תוכיות נקודת פנימית לבבו הוא מקדש לשבתו יתברך. והנה מקום המקדש גם בזמן הגלות והשימום קדוש הוא. וכדאיתא בשמות רבה פ"ב [פרשה ב'] א"ר [אמר רב] אחא לעולם אין השכינה זזה מכותל המערבי. וכל ענין השימום הוא בהבנינים, וכן הוא גם במקדש הפרטי שבכאו"א [שבכל אחד ואחד] מישראל, דהיסוד הוא שלם זך וטהור וכמ"ש [וכמו שכתוב] אני ישנה ולבי ער, ואיתא במד"ר [במדרש רבה] אני ישנה מן המצות ולבי ער לגמ"ח [לגמילות חסדים] אני ישנה מן הצדקות ולבי ער לעשותן, דכל ענין השימום, ר"ל [רחמנא ליצלן], שישנו בישראל הוא רק בדוגמת הבנינים שמחוץ להיסוד, אבל היסוד דמקדש הפרטי הוא בקדושתו.  It is written: They shall make Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell within them. “Within them” means within every one of Israel. For within every Jew, the core point of the heart’s inner essence is a sanctuary for His dwelling (may He be blessed).The site of the sanctuary remains sacred, even in times of exile and desolation. In Midrash Sh’mot Raba Chapter 2, R. Acha says: “The Shechina (Divine Presence) never departs from the Western Wall.” All the desolation is limited to the buildings. So, too, is the case with the personal sanctuary within each of Israel; the foundation is whole, clear and pure, as it is written, I am asleep but my heart is alert. Midrash Raba comments: “I am asleep for mitzvot, but my heart is alert for acts of kindness; I am asleep for charities, but my heart is alert to perform them.” Every form of (spiritual) desolation (may G‑d rescue us from such) found in the people Israel is only in those aspects of the people analogous to buildings above the foundation. The foundation of the individual sanctuary, however, remains in its holy state.

It is hard for people to relate to the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash.  It happened so long ago and we can't imagine what the Mikdash represents and what it means for the world.  People will cite כל דור שלא נבנה בית המקדש בימיו כאילו נחרב בימיו to say that it is not an act that happened many years ago but if the Mikdash is not built it is destroyed again this year but it is still near impossible to relate.  [That is not what it actually says in the Yerushalmi Yoma 5a, it says כל דור שאינו נבנה בימיו מעלין עליו כאילו הוא החריבו, the individual himself tore down the Mikdash.]  An easier approach is to realize that that the Mikdash and its destruction is an outgrowth of the spiritual state of the world.  The destruction of the Mikdash is apparent in the spiritual erosion, corrosion and breakdown in a person's soul.  Never mind wrong deeds, but the general attitude of lack of spiritual yearning, darkness and emptiness that permeat one's soul is the churban one must mourn for.  The fact that one rolls from one tisha b'av to the next lured asleep by the surrounding culture and the daily grind of live barely thinking of the Mikdash for a couple of seconds a year is the churban.  That is what there is to mourn. One must mourn the fact that they do not know why they are mourning and will try to fill the time of the day but watching some holocaust video, listening to some 24 hour program etc. to all fade away the second one can eat. However, the Rebbe is giving hope here. The Mikdash is destroyed but the Kotel remains standing.  It is not totally destroyed.  There is left a bit to rebuild from.  A beacon of light in the darkness .  So too, our souls may slumber but they can be awakened.