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CHUMASH
Parshas Pinchas - Sheini with Rashi
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Moshe and Elazar HaKohen counted the Yidden, like Hashem told them to.
The Torah tells us each of the Shevatim, and the families from that Shevet.
By looking at the names of the families, we learn interesting things about some of the people in the Torah!
- Korach’s family is counted too, because Korach’s sons didn’t die! (During the argument with Korach, they did teshuvah in their hearts, but it looked like they were still part of Korach’s group. Hashem gave them a fair punishment: Because it looked like they were part of the machlokes, they were swallowed by the ground so it looked like they died. But because they did teshuvah, Hashem gave them a safe place to stay underground, and let them come out after the generation who knew them had passed away.)
- One of the families of Menasheh, Tzelofchad, had no boys — only girls. The Torah tells us all of their names: Machla, Noa, Chaglah, Milkah, and Tirtza. (We will hear a special story about them later in the parsha!)
- The Torah also tells us that Serach, Asher’s daughter, was still alive!
All together, there were 601,730 Jewish men older than 20 who were able to serve in the army.
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Today’s kapitelach Tehillim are Tzadik to Tzadik-Vov.
In today’s Tehillim, we have the kapitel that the Leviim would sing in the Beis Hamikdash on Shabbos — the Shir Shel Yom for Shabbos.
One of the pesukim in this kapitel speaks about how everybody thanks Hashem on Shabbos. Chassidus explains on the words “Tov Lehodos LaHashem” (it is good to praise Hashem) that it’s the goodness of Hashem that makes people praise him. Of course Hashem is always good, but on Shabbos we can FEEL it, so that’s why especially on Shabbos His goodness makes us want to thank and praise Hashem!
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TANYA
Igeres Hateshuvah Perek Daled
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To understand how a Yid can do teshuvah, we need to learn more about what a Yid is! Today we will start to learn what is special about a Yid, by seeing how a Yid is different than a malach.
The Alter Rebbe gives us a mashal to help us understand what is special about a Yid:
If you put your hand in front of your mouth when you talk, you will feel something blowing gently on your hand. That is your breath, and some of it comes out when we talk.
But if you BLOW into your hand, you will be able to feel it VERY hard! Blowing things takes MUCH more koach than talking, because we need to blow from very deep inside.
In tomorrow’s Tanya, we will learn what this mashal means — how the difference between Yidden and malochim is like the difference between the chayus a person puts into talking and blowing! Neshamos come from a deeper chayus, like the chayus of a person blowing.
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Did you ever go on a long trip? Hopefully you didn’t forget to say Tefillas Haderech!
The Rebbe Rashab had a minhag that even when he was on a LONG trip, staying in one place for months and months, he STILL said Tefillas Haderech EVERY DAY. Since there is no chiyuv to say the bracha, in order not to say a bracha for no reason, he didn’t say Hashem’s name in the bracha at the end.
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Today in Sefer Hamitzvos, we learn the same mitzvah (Mitzvas Asei #153) again: How the Beis Din needs to calculate when the months and years of the Jewish calendar should be.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Bo: הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים
The details are explained in Mesechta Sanhedrin perek Alef, Mesechta Rosh Hashana and Brachos.
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Kiddush Hachodesh
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Perek Gimmel: We learn how the witnesses come to say that they saw the new moon, and the messengers that would go out from Beis Din to let everyone know when Rosh Chodesh is.
Perek Daled: We learn why and how the Beis Din would decide that there should be a leap year.
Perek Hey: Now the Rambam starts to tells us what the halachos are when there are no Sanhedrin. We don’t decide based on eidim anymore, but we follow a calendar. We learn about the second day of Yom Tov, which we keep nowadays because of a gezeira of the Chachomim.
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First in this set of halachos we learn what it means to steal. We are not allowed to steal ANYTHING, not even a tiny thing, and not from anyone — not even a little kid! We aren’t allowed to take things for a joke, or even if we are planning on giving them back later!
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After the first Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, Hashem told the Navi Yechezkel to teach the Yidden all of the measurements of the Beis Hamikdash. This way they will be embarrassed of their aveiros and want to go back and have the Beis Hamikdash again.
The Medrash tells us that Yechezkel asked Hashem, “What is the point of telling this to the Yidden, if they aren’t building it now anyway?”
Hashem answered Yechezkel, “If the Yidden learn about the Beis Hamikdash, I will consider it as if they are really building it!”
The Rebbe tells us that because of this, during the Three Weeks, when we are thinking about the Churban, we should learn about the way the Beis Hamikdash was built. This way it will be with us through our learning, and the feeling of the Churban won’t be as strong. It will also make us ask for the THIRD Beis Hamikdash, and Hashem will give it to us right away!
See Likutei Sichos chelek Yud-Ches, parshas Masei — Bein Hameitzarim
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A few days after Yud-Beis Tammuz, in the year Tof-Shin-Yud-Zayin, the Rebbe went to visit Camp Gan Yisroel for the second time. While the Rebbe was there, there was a farbrengen, which was also a continuation from the Yom Tov of Yud-Beis Tammuz. The Rebbe spoke to the campers, telling them stories that the Frierdiker Rebbe had told about the other Rebbeim, with important lessons for kids to know!
One of the things the Rebbe told the campers was that in order to win over the Yetzer Hara and get Hashem’s bracha, we have a mitzvah to daven to Hashem and ask Hashem for the things we need. But when we’re talking to Hashem, it is good to know what we are saying! That is why we need to know the meaning of the words of davening, or at least what the davening is about.
The Tzemach Tzedek was very busy with many important things. But still, the Tzemach Tzedek would make time to test his grandchildren, to make sure they understood what they were saying in davening!
See sicha to Gan Yisroel Tes-Vov Tammuz Tof-Shin-Yud-Zayin
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Before we enjoy a tasty bite
A sweet, sweet smell, or a beautiful sight
We say a bracha to thank Hashem
For creating all of them!
Every morning, we realize
That we got a gift, when we open our eyes.
Our neshama has been returned again
A special gift straight from Hashem!
Just like the Birchos Hanehenin, the brachos on enjoying Hashem’s wonderful world, we also thank Hashem for our neshama in Modeh Ani. We can’t thank Hashem BEFORE starting to enjoy being awake and alive, but as soon as we open our eyes, we thank Hashem right away! We are about to enjoy the pleasure of having our neshama and chayus back again, in time for a new day.
Modeh Ani doesn’t look like a bracha, because our hands are still tomei, and we can’t say Hashem’s name yet. That’s why it doesn’t start with the words “Baruch Ata Hashem.”
Later, after washing our hands and saying Asher Yatzar, we will thank Hashem again for returning our neshama, with the bracha of Elokai Neshama.
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During the Three Weeks, we don’t do certain things that show we are happy, like having chasunahs.
One halacha is that we don’t wear new clothes during this time.
So are we allowed to BUY new clothes during the Three Weeks? The halacha is that we are not — unless it is something that we can only buy during the Three Weeks, or if it will be more expensive later (like if it is on sale only now).
But these halachos are only about regular clothing — things like socks or undershirts are not a problem, and we can buy them or wear them even when they are new.
Here is a detailed guide with the halachos of the Three Weeks, by Rabbi Lesches from Melbourne, Australia
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לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
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During the Three Weeks, the Rebbe taught us to learn more Torah and give more tzedakah. Especially on Shabbos, we should learn even MORE Torah, and give tzedakah in a way we are allowed to, like by having Hachnosas Orchim or giving extra tzedakah before Shabbos.
We learn this from a posuk in Yeshaya. First the Navi tells the Yidden that they are not acting the way they should, which is causing the Churban. Then he promises them that the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt in zechus of their Torah and tzedakah!
צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה
Tzion Bemishpat Tipadeh — Yerushalayim will be redeemed in the zechus of Mishpat (which means Torah)
Veshaveha Bitzedakah — And its captives will be redeemed through tzedakah!
See Yeshayahu perek Alef posuk Chof-Zayin
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לע"נ התינוק זאב ארי' ע"ה בן יבלט"א הרה"ח ר' שניאור זלמן שי' גליק
נפטר ב' מנחם אב ה'תשע"ג
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