Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Behar/Bechukotai is being sponsored by Ron and Rena Rosenberg of Ramat Beit Shemesh and dedicated Lilui Nishmas for the Yahrtzeit of Rena’s Father, Baruch Yecheskal ben Yaakov HaLevi as well as dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Rosenberg family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.. To the Rosenberg family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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We open our Parshiyot with Torah stating in Parshat Behar:
“Each of you shall not aggrieve his fellow, and you shall fear your G’d; for I am Hashem, your G’d.” (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 25, posuk 17 rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash (page 699) notes that the term aggrieve [townu — tuf, vov, nun, vov] as in “Do not aggrieve” refers to conduct in business affairs, as indicated in Perek 25, posuk 14, but adds: Do not act unjustly to one another. But in posuk 17, the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash (ibid) refers to personal relations:
Here the phrase refers to not hurting people with words in personal relationships. It is forbidden… to give advice that one knows to be bad. Lest one think that one can easily do so and that no one will know that one’s intentions were malicious. The verse concludes “fear your G’d…,” for Hashem knows what is truly in one’s heart. (The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash citing Rashi on Bava Metzia 58B)
The Sages (ibid) teach that it is worse to hurt someone personally than financially, because money can be replaced, but shame lingers on. Someone who embarrasses their fellow in public is like a murderer, and he will not emerge from Gehinnom.
Nehama Leibowitz, in her sefer, “New Studies in Vayikra” notes (pages 547 – 548, 550) :
The repeated warning [in Perek 25, posuk 14 and 17] addresses two kinds of wrongdoing: a) overcharging, and b) vexing by words. What is the definition of vexing by words? It is an offense committed by speaking, though it is neither a false oath, nor evil talk or slander. It is the kind of talk prevalent in day-to-day life, as if it were legitimate.
The prohibition Lo townu — you shall not wrong, i.e. vex [verb – used with an object: to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry] by words, thus embraces: offending, showing up weaknesses, embarrassing, raising false hopes, and disappointing.
Rabbi Shlomo Kluger is cited by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin in his Sefer “Growth Through Torah” (page 294) :
Some people are careless with the feelings of other people and think that they only have to be careful to observe those commandments which involve man’s obligation to the Almighty. But the truth is that if a person is not careful with his obligations to his fellow men and speaks against them and hurts their feelings, he will eventually be careless with the commandments between man and the Almighty. Therefore, in the same verse that Torah warns against hurting the feelings of other people, the Torah adds “and you shall fear the Almighty.” Failure to observe the first half of the verse will lead to failure to observe the latter half of the verse. (Rabbi Pliskin citing Imrai Shaifer)
Utilize the power of speech to build people up, not to tear them down.
So it was, in the weeks, days and hours before Hamas, their terror group buddies and the so-called “innocent Gazan civilians” with help from UNWRA invaded Southern Israel killing 1,200 and taking 250 hostages, that the female border guards repeatedly warned to IDF command echelons of training and preparations for a major attack and invasion of Israel only to be intimidated and threatened with Court Martial proceedings should the warnings continue.
The military high command echelons, by their mistreatment and threats aimed at their border guard subordinates, were soo enamored (adjective: charmed or captivated) and sold on their misconceptions of Hamas’ intentions, which soo fit in with their evolved ideologies and with their alignment with politicians seeking to topple the current governing coalition at any cost. In acting in this manner, the high command echelons not only violated Divine Commands against vexing by words, but in vexing these female border guards by their words, they decimated the security of Israel’s border towns and risked the lives and security of all of Israel.
And so, we come to Parshat Bechukotai and the Tochachah/Admonition.
Torah records:
“If you consider My Decrees loathesome, and if your being rejects My Ordinances, so as to not perform all of My Commandments, so that you annul My Covenany — then I will do the same to you…. (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 26, posukim 15 – 16 as rendered to English in The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
Chofetz Chayim is citied by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin in his Sefer “Growth Through Torah” (page 302) :
We must become aware of the dangers of not behaving properly. By realizing the consequences of transgressions and failure to do good, one will watch their behavior and gain immensely. (Rabbi Pliskin citing Chofetz Chayim al HaTorah)
While the Chofetz Chayim used to stress that our main emphasis should be on the benefits of Torah observance and the joy and pleasure of following the Torah, it is still very important to realize the harmful consequences of failure to observe the Torah. …An awareness of the harm of doing evil will motivate us to keep from doing wrong.
However, we may be seeing positive changes with appointments of a new defense minister, foreign minister and military chief of staff who seem to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary’s intentions and concern for Israel’s sovereignty and security. And may see, from here on, that border guard personnel are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
Not withstanding the previous horrendous “ceasefires” and drips and drabs of hostages in exchange for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, may it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of malfeasance and nonfeasance by their previous high command to date, but now under command of both a new defense minister and chief of staff, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, Islamic Jihad, their other terrorist buddies, UNWRA and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds. may our Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. May we see a Final and Decisive victory by our Chayalim, mandated by a government secure in it’s foremost service of and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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