Divrei Torah Parshas Chukas
Torah Table of Contents
The Ingathering of...Truth, Imrei Shaul What was Moshe Rabbeinu's Sin?, Alei Deshe
based on a ma'amar in Imrei Shaul, Parshas Chukas
"V'Asaf ish tahor es eifer haParah - And a man who is tahor [pure] shall gather the ashes of the [red] heifer" [Bamidbar, 19:9]
The Ba'al HaTurim points out two other instances of the use of the word "V'Asaf" in Scripture: " V'Asaf HaMetzora - and gather in [heal] the Metzora" [one afflicted with a spiritual disease similar to leprosy], [Melachim II, 5:11]; and "V'Asaf nidchei Yisrael - Hashem will gather in the dispersed ones of the Jewish People" [Yeshayahu, 11:12].
The Mishna [at the end of Sotah] says that at the time just before Moshiach comes, "HaEmes ne'ederes - the Truth will be absent." The Gemara [Sanhedrin 97a] explains that this means that "Truth will gather into flocks [adarim, related to the word ne'ederes] and go." Reb Shaul is puzzled by this. If the Truth is in flocks, there is an abundance of it - how could that be an explanation of "the Truth will be absent"?
The Hebrew word for Truth, Emes, consists of three letters: Aleph, the first letter of the alphabet, Mem, the middle letter, and Sof, the last one. Reb Shaul explains that this indicates for the Truth to be complete, it must be unchanging from beginning to end. That is, from the beginning thought, through to the realm of speech, and into the sphere of action.
The thoughts of one's heart must be pure, as in our tefilla [prayer], "V'Taheir libeinu l'avdecha b'Emes - Purify our hearts to serve You in Truth." Our speech should be in consonance with our thoughts, as in the prayer, "Man should...acknowledge the Truth, and speak the Truth in his heart," meaning that his speech should be in accord with his heart. One's actions should certainly agree with his speech ["to do as one says"].
These three aspects of the human being correspond to the letters that form the word "Emes - Truth." The Aleph, as head of the alphabet, corresponds to the realm of thought, which must precede any thought or deed. The Mem, the middle letter, represents speech, the intermediary between thought and action. Deeds are signified by the letter Sof, the last letter of the alphabet. If these three aspects are not in accord with one another, they become like "many flocks" and the Truth goes -- away.
From the verse [Micha, 7:20], "Grant Truth to Yaakov," our Sages learn that Yaakov is the source of Truth. That's why, says Reb Shaul, the verse says about him, "all the flocks gathered there" [Breishis, 29:3]. Reb Shaul points out that three flocks were there, an allusion to the three aspects - thought, speech and action. All these gathered together, meaning each of these aspects was in accord with the others, which resulted in complete Truth. This too is alluded to in the threefold use of the term "V'Asaf", as mentioned by the Baal HaTurim, as follows.
In our Parsha, "V'Asaf ish tahor - a man who is tahor shall gather," refers to the purity of heart, and the thoughts which emanate therefrom. The word da'as - knowledge, is described by our Sages as referring to the Seder [section of Mishna] of Taharos, dealing with purity. "V'Asaf HaMetzora" - the ingathering and healing of the Metzora, refers to the tikkun [rectification] of speech. We know that the word "Metzora" indicates "Motzi Ra" - one who "brings out evil" by slanderous speech and gossip. The ingathering of the dispersed of Israel is the tikkun of deed, as the verse says, "Yismach Hashem b'ma'asav - Hashem will rejoice in His deeds (creatures)" [Tehillim, 104:31]. The future tense [will rejoice] is used, to refer to the future ingathering of the exiles.
Finally, Reb Shaul reveals an amazing gematria [numerical equation]. Three times the gematria [numerical value of the letters] of "V'Asaf" [3 x 147] gives us the same value as the word, "Emes" [441]. (Translator's note: Also, the length of Yaakov Avinu's life was 147 years). May we all merit gathering in our thoughts, speech and deeds in Truth.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
based on a ma'amar in the sefer "Alei Deshe", Parshas Chukas
"...and he struck the rock with his staff, two times..." (Bamidbar, 20:11)
We find, says Rebbe Shaul Yedidya Elazar, that on the second day of Creation, Hashem did not use the words "ki tov", and it was good. Our Sages in the Midrash tell us that this was because the work of creating the waters (of earth), although begun, was not yet complete. Moshe Rabbeinu was suited to complete this work, as it says about him (Shemos, 2:10), "for I have drawn him out of the water." In addition, the words "ki tov" were used to describe Moshe (Shemos, 2:2). Both of these occurred while Moshe was an infant. During the creation of the waters, the verse says, "And G-d said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, which should separate between water and water'...And G-d called the firmament "Shamayim" (Heaven).." (B'reishis, 1:6,8). Rashi explains that the Heavens were actually created from an admixture of fire and water (aish u'mayim = Shamayim).
Moshe Rabbeinu sought to achieve the completion of the creation of the waters, in a similar vein - by combining fire and water. Moshe's staff was made of sanpirion, a type of stone. Just as Adam HaRishon discovered that fire could be formed by striking two stones together, Moshe wished to do the same. That is, since Hashem commanded him to draw water from the stone, Moshe wished to add "fire" to the equation, by striking the stone with his staff of stone, bringing out fire.
What then, was his mistake - where was his sin? Hashem wished to demonstrate the power of the righteous (tzaddikim). Just as in Creation, the Heavens were created with speech: as it says (Iyov, 26:11), "The pillars of the Heavens trembled, and stood in wonder at his scream." So it is that the tzaddik has the power, with speech alone, to create Heaven - fire and water - because "the tzaddik decrees, and Hashem fulfills (his decree)" (Gemara Kesuvos, 103b).
It was for this very reason, says Reb Shaul, that the waters weren't completed in the first place - to demonstrate the creative powers of the earthly beings, by achieving a level of holiness. When our Sages say (Pirkei Avos, 5:1), that the Creation was made with ten utterances (instead of one) in order "to reward the tzaddikim who uphold the world that was created with ten utterances," Reb Shaul tells us that this indicates that the tzaddikim have the power of these ten utterances.
Finally, Reb Shaul explains the tefilla that we say in the blessings before the morning Shema in this light. We praise Hashem as the One Who, "in His Goodness, renews constantly, every day, the act of Creation." We then say, "ka'amur" (saying) - this refers to the speech of the tzaddikim. "He Who has formed the great lights" - another reference to the tzaddikim. "His Goodness is eternal," Amen.
...because you did not have faith in Me, to sanctify Me in the presence of the Israelites... (Bamidbar, 20:12)
based on a ma'amar in Ma'amarei Oraysah, 5758
Rashi asks, "Wasn't Moshe's complaint concerning his Master's ability to provide food, 'Is there enough sheep and cattle to slaughter for them?' (Bamidbar, 11:22), a more severe one? Because that was made privately, Moshe was spared (a punishment), but because this one was before all of Israel, Scripture does not spare him - because of the sanctification of the Divine Name."
The Rebbe Shlita offers another explanation for the "hairsbreadth" of a sin attributed to Moshe. If we examine the verses, we find that, in almost all cases, Moshe Rabbeinu merely brought the complaints that the people made to him, and "forwarded" them to G-d. An excellent example of this was in the beginning of the subjugation in Egypt, Moshe says to Hashem, "..why do You mistreat Your people?" (Shemos, 5:22).
Similarly, the Ramban explains the verse (Shemos, 14:15), "And Hashem said to Moshe, 'Why are you crying out to Me?'", as follows: Moshe is compared to all of Israel, who are crying out to Him. We see that Moshe's cries and complaints are made merely as a representative of the Jewish people.
Indeed, Moshe's prayers contained two elements: the concern for the distress of the Jewish people, and a concern for the sanctity of the Divine Name - that it should not be desecrated. Therefore, when he complained about, "Is there enough sheep and cattle to slaughter for them?", he was only concerned for the welfare of the people. He was therefore not punished, for one is not punished for complaining when in a state of distress (see Baba Basra, 16b). However, by uttering, "Hear now, you rebels..." he excluded himself from the people, and demonstrated that he was only concerned for himself, therefore he was punished.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
