World Mizrachi Movement - World Mizrachi Weekly Parsha -

In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, an unusual event takes place. Moshe Rabbeinu is approached by the daughters of Tzelopchad regarding a matter of inheritance. Their father had sired only daughters, and they were concerned that their father’s inheritance would be passed on to another relative rather than themselves. When the case is brought before Moshe, Moshe does not give a ruling, but rather asks Hashem to rule in this case.

Our sages differ in their understanding of Moshe’s reluctance to give a ruling.

One opinion, brought by the Midrash Tanchuma and quoted by Rashi, relates the incident to a flaw in Moshe’s personality: “There are those who say that [the law of the daughters of Tzelophchad] was hidden from Moshe because there are righteous people who are [too] proud of their accomplishments in mitzvot and [therefore] Hashem weakens them [i.e. in Torah knowledge]. […] Similarly Moshe, because he said “… and the matter which is too difficult for you, bring it to me and I will hear it (Devarim 1:17)”, Hashem weakened him. This is similar to a moneychanger who said to his students, “If you need to change coins, do it yourselves; if you need to change pearls, them bring them to me.” The daughters of Tzelophchad came [before Moshe] and [their case] was too difficult for him [to rule on] as it says “and Moshe brought their case before Hashem”. [Hashem answered:] “The daughters of Tzelophchad speak correctly” - [i.e.] this is the correct law. Hashem said to Moshe: “Did you not say “…and the matter which is too difficult for you, bring it to me …”? The law that you did not know – [even] the women know it.” ” (Tanchuma Pinchas, 8). According to the Midrash Tanchuma, Hashem caused temporary memory loss to Moshe in order to help him correct one of his character flaws.

The Targum Yonatan understands the incident as stemming not from Moshe’s flaws, but rather from his virtues: “This in one of four cases that came before Moshe the prophet in which he consulted with the one above [the others are the Mekoshesh (Bamidbar 15:32), the Mekallel (Vayikra 24:10), and the people excluded from the Pesach sacrifice (Bamidbar 9:6)]; some of them are cases involving financial matters and others involve capital punishment.. […] In both cases, Moshe admitted “I do not know what the law is”. This is in order to teach the heads of the Sanhedrin who will rise up after him that they should not be embarrassed to ask others about a case which is difficult for them…” (Targum Yonatan on Bamidbar 27:5). The Targum Yonatan implies that these laws were deliberately withheld from Moshe in order to provide a lesson in humility and honesty for future generations, who would be inspired to follow Moshe’s example.

The most surprising opinion is brought by the next Midrash Tanchuma in the name of Resh Lakish, who says that Moshe in fact did know how to rule in this case: “Resh Lakish said: Moshe Rabbeinu knew this law; however, [what happened]? They [the daughters of Tzelophchad] came first to the leaders of [groups of] ten. [The leaders] answered: this is a law of inheritance and it is not ours [to answer], but rather of those greater than us. They came to the leaders of [groups of] fifty. Seeing that the leaders of ten had honored them, the leaders of fifty said “We too have those greater than us!” The same occurred when they went to the leaders of hundreds, the leaders of thousands and the princes; they all answered likewise to avoid speaking in front of those greater than them. They came to Elazar, who said “There is Moshe Rabbeinu [who is greater than me]!” [So] everyone came before Moshe. Moshe saw that each person had honored those greater than himself. Moshe said [to himself]: “Should I state the law and steal [lit. take] all their honor?!” Moshe said to them “I too have someone who is greater than me!” Therefore “…and Moshe brought their case [before Hashem]” ” (Tanchuma Pinchas, 9) Moshe Rabbeinu’s modesty prevented him from ruling in the case so that he would not impinge on others’ honor.

Despite the variance between the three opinions, all of them seem to relate the incident to Moshe Rabbeinu’s humility, implying that it is an essential part of judgment.

As we enter the period of Bein Hametzarim (the 3 weeks), the period of mourning for the destruction of the first and second temples, we are forcibly reminded of what Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred of one’s fellow Jew) can do if left unchecked. With the help of Moshe’s example, perhaps we can be inspired to breathe new life into the rule “Judge every person favorably” (Pirkei Avot 1:6) and through humility strengthen our Ahavat Chinam (love of one’s fellow Jew) to advance the third redemption, may it be completed soon in our time!

A Good Pleasant Land

Rabbi Chagai Goldschmidt, Efrat Institute

In the Brikat Hamazon - “Grace After Meals” we thank the Almighty for giving us “A good pleasant land”, a land so precious that everyone who feels her, desires her.

The Radak commentates as follows on the verse “And give thee a pleasant land” (Yermiyahu 3, 19): “I put aside a portion for you just like a man sets aside a decent portion for his children”. As well as the principle commandment regarding settling in the Landof Israel, great importance is also given to desiring and longing for the Land.

In 'Hilchot Melachim' (Chapter 5, Law 10) the Rambam explains: “The greatest of our Sages would kiss the Landof Israel, they would kiss her stones and roll in her dust, and therefore he says that your servants wanted her stones and they will favour her dust”. The question then asked is how come the Rambam brings a story in his book on the laws? Usually, the appropriate place for such a beautiful story concerning such a great love for the Land of Israel that the Sages kissed the ground is in a book of ethics or in a fable and not in a book of laws. However, the Rambam wanted to emphasise that it is the law to love the Landof Israeljust like our Sages loved the Land.

Following the sin of the spies when Moshe Rabenu pleaded and prayed to the Almighty to forgive the people and annul the decree He put over the People of Israel, he mentioned almost all of the thirteen qualities of mercy, yet it is astounding that he did not ask for forgiveness for the sake of our forefathers' merits. The Ramban asks why is this so? After all, are not the merits of our forefathers the basis for all the strong and most influential factors for annulling harsh decrees put over the People of Israel? (If one takes a close look one will notice that it is our forefathers' merits which are the opening of our requests in the daily silent prayer, the Amidah, as well as the central motive in the penitential prayers, the Selichot, during the days of mercy.)

However, the Ramban goes on to explain as follows: The covenant of our forefathers only exists for those people who keep their faith in the Landof Israel. Our forefathers' merits are only able to uphold those people who yearn for and desire the Landof Israel. And since the sin of the spies was an attack on the Landof Israelthe merits of our forefathers are unable to stand up and protect those who transgress and disrespect the Land.

On the other hand, a good virtue is of course greater than a vice and therefore the merits of our forefathers do uphold and protect those people who desire and love the Landof Israel.

The basis of the Ramban's words stems from the fact that our holy forefathers loved and thus settled in the Land of Israel as a result of the strength of the covenant that the Almighty promised to grant to his children [i.e. The Land of Israel] as opposed to the strength of the commandment regarding settling in the Land of Israel which had not be given at the time. Longing for the place in which the Almighty saw the best for His people.

“And be ye of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land” (Bamidbar [Numbers] 13, 20). The Yalkut HaReuveni says: “From here we see that the Landof Israelneeds strengthening”.

Today, at a time when most people are currently involved in making decisions regarding their children's education for the coming year and considering trips and excursions for the summer holidays, we must prove our longings and love for the Land of Israel, not just verbally as we say in the prayer “Grace After Meals”, but also to prove to ourselves, just as when we love someone we run to him, such is our love for the Land of Israel and we look forward to visiting her. There is no truer education regarding the love for the Landof Israelthen visiting Israelwith our children or sending them to study in Israelfor a year or so.

Even for us adults, the feeling of holidaying in the beautiful Landof Israelis important and re-energises the batteries, both physically and spiritually, as opposed to a visit to a foreign country towards which one has no spiritual connection. This is the time to do the minimum that is asked of each and every Jewish person for whom the Landof Israelis close to his or her heart. “And be ye of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land” (Bamidbar [Numbers] 13, 20).

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