Special Topics: Moshe Rabbeinu and Elazar Hakohen were commanded to count the Bnei Yisrael (Bamidbar 26:4). The next passuk says: Reuven, the eldest son of Yisrael: the children of Reuven; Chanoch, the family of the Chanochi: of Pallu, the family of the Pallui. The obvious question: If it says Chanoch, do you think it’s Mishpachas Finkelstein?! Obviously, Chanoch is Mishpachas Hachanochi! Obviously Palu is Mishpachus Hapalu’i!
Most people are aware of the general story of Purim. There was a fellow named Haman, who plotted with King Achashveirosh to annihilate the Jewish people in one day. But the story holds a much deeper meaning for each and every one of us when we become aware of the fact that Haman was not just another one of the gentiles. Haman was a descendant of Amalek.
The parshah begins by saying “these are the cheshbonos, the accountings, of the donations for the Mishkan”. The word “pekudei” means counting. When you have a lot of different things to take into account and keep track of, that’s called pekudei.
In this week’s parshah, it says that Moshe Rabbeinu told Klal Yisrael to come forward with their donations for the Mishkan. The passuk (Shemos 35:21) mentions two classes of people. There were people who were naso libo and there were also those people that were nedava rucho.
fter the sin of the cheit ha’eigel, Hashem Yisbarach was quite upset at Klal Yisrael, to say the least, and Moshe Rabeinu appeared as a tremendous shaliach of the tzibbur, to plead for us, to beseech Hashem for us. It would appear that Moshe Rabbeinu didn’t react in any negative manner, only in a positive manner, although he did break the luchos in response to encountering the event of worshiping the eigel which was a tremendous act of sacrifice on Moshe Rabbeinu’s part. But in realityץץץ
In this week’s parshah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu begins by talking to Moshe Rabbeinu and telling him “You shall command the Bnei Yisrael, and they should take for you, pure olive oil, crushed, for the lighting.” (Shemos 27:20)…Why when it’s talking about the olive oil for the menorah it says they should take ‘for YOU’?
In this week’s parshah the subject is Hashem telling Moshe to tell Klal Yisrael about the Yidden donating money and goods to the Mishkan. One of the keilim in the Mishkan was the Aron. It says regarding the Aron “you should make poles” that you put in the Aron (Shemos 25:13). Chazal say that refers to those who assist those who are involved in eisek haTorah.
Rav Yisrael Salanter is known as the father of the mussar movement. What was the nekudah that Rav Yisrael introduced to the world? What was he trying to accomplish? Was he trying to be mechazek people in a certain area of kiyum hamitzvos? The Chafez Chaim was famous for his sefer Shemiras Halashon.But his intention was not just that people should learn hilchos shemiras halashon. He was trying to get people to strengthen themselves in the fulfillment of the laws of shemiras halashon.
The subject we’d like to discuss today is an important one because many people pose the following question. The Torah says: I created an evil inclination, and I created Torah as its antidote (Kiddushin 30b). So that means to say that the antidote, the counterforce for the yetzer hara, is Torah.
The Torah relates that after Klal Yisrael came out of Mitzrayim, they witnessed the greatest historical event and the greatest revelation up to that point in the history of the world. They saw myriads of makkos, hundreds of makkos. They saw Hashem taking apart Mitzrayim brick by brick. They saw Hashem playing with the Mitzri’im. They saw krias Yam Suf. They were able to point with their finger and say זה קלי ואנוהו, “this is My God, and I will glorify Him” (Shemos 15:2). They saw ananei hakavod, clouds of glory.
