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Shilach / שלח
Shilach / שלח
They
found a person
desecrating Shabbos.
The Torah does not
mention his name.R’
Akiva reveals it is
Tzilofchod and is
criticized for
revealing it if the
Torah didn’t. The
question is that the
Medrash insists that
his intentions in
descrating were pure
and innocent. The
people were destined
to die in the
desert, they lost
hope and beleived
they were not
responsible for
mitzvos. This
punishment would
prove them wrong. So
why was R’ Akiva
criticized? The
answer is that R’
Akiva expressed an
opinion in Ms’ Makos
that he would always
find a way to make a
defendant innocent
and this applies
also to Shabbos. (תוספות).
If so, then R’ Akiva
didn’t think the
strategy was the way
the medrash said and
thought he was
guilty of bad
intentions. That is
why he was
criticized ( משלחן
גבוה ).
The possuk states at
the end of the
parsha “You should
not follow your
hearts and your
eyes”. The Chazal
interpret the first
part to infer you
should not follow
false gods and false
philosophies. How
did they know to
interpret it as
such? מהרי"ל דיסקין
offers the solution.
The Chazal say that
the heart and the
eyes are agents for
ones inclination to
sin. As Rashi quotes
“the eyes see, the
heart desires, and
the body completes
the task.” If this
is so, then the
possuk should be in
reverse order “your
eyes and your
hearts”. The answer
is that the Gemora
in Kedushin informs
us that in one area
of sin, a Jew is
already held
responsible and
guilty for thoughts
alone - that is the
thoughts of false
gods and false
philosophies.
The Nitziv explains
so beautifully the
whole concept of the
Bnei Yisroel sending
spies. They left Har
Sinai in the
previous parsha.
They then were on an
elevated level of
kedusha and were
prepared to enter
Eretz Yisroel
without any man-made
assistance. However,
when they made the
first few stops and
we saw all the
problems they had,
and many died in the
travails of the
complainers and
critics of the
“manna” etc., they
opted for a more
natural existence,
hence they desired
spies,
reconnaissance. Also
according to the
medrash, they heard
the prophecy of
Eldad and Maidad
that Yehoshua would
lead them, which
further threw a
scare into them. So,
at Har Sinai Hashem
told them to “go and
capture the land”
but by this time
already He seemed to
agree to “Shilach
Licha”
The parsha discusses
various topics that
seem more suitable
for Vayikra. There
are the laws of
Nisochim and
Minachos, the wine
and flour that
accompanied
offerings on the
mizbaiach. Also the
laws of separating
challah, a portion
of dough, and giving
it as a gift to the
Kohanim. The Ramban
and others feel this
is a form of comfort
to these Jewish
people whose future
was reduced to
remaining in the
wilderness. “Who
knows if even our
children will enter
Israel”. To this
HaShem refreshed
them with the laws
of karbonos. It is
amazing how the
Chofetz Chaim, in
our time, upon
realizing that we
were losing our hope
and yearning for a
Bais HaMikdosh,
reinstated the
study, in depth, of
Kodoshim and all the
areas of Karbonos.
Yehoshua is referred
to as “been nun”,
son of Nun, but not
with the customary
word “ben” – why?
The Chasam Sofer
explains. The “yud”
in the name Yehoshua
was borrowed from
the “yud” of “Sarai”
which was converted
to Sarah. Now the
“yud” in Sarai had
no vowels under it.
It was necessary,
therefore, also to
borrow some dots.
“Ben” has three dots
under the “bais”. If
we borrow two to
from the first part
of Yehoshua, only
one remains and
therefore it remains
“been”.
Kalev quieted the
people “to Moshe”.
What exactly is this
phrase supposed to
mean? The Ksav Sofer
suggests. Moshe sent
the spies not to see
what their opinion
would be about the
feasibility of entry
and the success of
such a mission, but
only the strategy
they should employ.
Of course they
returned with all
kinds of ideas and
advice. This is what
Kalev meant. “To
Moshe” is the
decision about the
war effort. These
men were not chosen
for that purpose.
Moshe used a very
definite tactic to
release the fatal
decree from upon the
Bnei Yisroel. The
Egyptians will hear
what you do and will
attribute it to the
inability of Hashem
to bring them to the
land. Now why did he
mention Egypt more
than other lands?
The answer is that
other nations would
assume that the Bnei
Yisroel sinned and
were punished.
Egypt, however, knew
that even when in
Egypt the Jewish
people sinned and
still Hashem
redeemed them, so
that this must be
for a different
reason. (M’Shulchan
Gevoah)
In Avos DR’ Noson it
points out the
obligation of
treating ones friend
as a teacher. Aaron
addressed Moshe in
this week’s parsha
as “my master”. The
Tosfos Yom Tov asks
that already at the
story of the egel he
addressed him with
the title “my
master”. If so, why
not quote that
source? The Haemek
Davar answers. At
that point in time
Aaron had not, as
yet, learnt the
Torah from Moshe so
the title was
understandable. He,
however, already was
a chaver, of sorts,
and still retained
the title of “adonee”.
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
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