Friday, Tammuz 25, 5786 / July 10, 2026
B"H
Friday, Tammuz 25, 5786 / July 10, 2026
Shabbat we will read from the Torah the final two portions (Parshiot) of the Book of Bamidbar (Numbers) – Matot & Masei. Shabbat we bless the new Hebrew month of Av. Rosh Chodesh will be, Tuesday night and Wednesday. The month of Av has only one day Rosh Chodesh.
During the summer months we recite a chapter of Pirkei Avot (Chapters of Our Fathers) each Shabbat. This Shabbat we start again with the first chapter.
One of the beautiful and practical lessons in this chapter is: “Don’t be like servants who serve the master for the sake of receiving a reward. But be like servants who serve the master without the expectation of receiving a reward; and let the fear of heaven be upon you.”
Q.Reward is mentioned in the Torah. G-d promised many times in the Torah that He will reward us for the observance of Torah and Mitzvot. Why shouldn’t a person serve G-d for the sake of reward?
A.The Chafetz Chaim gives the following parable to explain this. A poor man was walking in the street. He was thinking to himself about how he could earn some money to feed his family, as he had nothing in his home. He needed the basics of food and clothing. He was walking with a bitter heart, his head bowed down... when suddenly he noticed a shiny object on the ground.
He decided to examine it. He picked it up and saw it was a small piece of glass. He was about to throw it away, but something struck him that this glass is different than ordinary glass, as it sparkled with different colors. He decided to take it and bring it to someone to check it out.
He brought it to a jeweler, who after giving one look at it exclaimed, “You have a brilliant diamond here. It’s not for the ordinary person. A diamond like this is befitting for the king. The word got out and the king called for the poor man to show him the stone. After examining the diamond, the king said to the man, “This is an extraordinary diamond. How much do you want for it?”
The poor man was at a loss. He had no idea of its value. He said to the king, “I have no idea how much it is worth. I’m only a poor person and wasn’t even sure if it had any value when I picked it up… You, my dear king, you know its value. Give me what YOU think it’s worth!”
The same is with our performance of mitzvot. We have no idea of their true value. If we were to expect reward it would be according to our values. We are like the poor man who would have given the stone away for a few pennies. Thus, our sages teach us that we should perform G-d’s mitzvot and study G-d’s Torah not for the sake of reward as our understanding of their value is very limited. Only G-d knows the true value of each mitzvah. We should leave it up to Him to decide the reward which He will give us for performing them. His reward will surely be much greater and more meaningful than any reward we can think of.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 8:25 / Shabbat ends: 9:39
Wednesday, Tammuz 23, 5786 / July 8, 2026
B"H
Wednesday, Tammuz 23, 5786 / July 8, 2026
This Shabbat we read two portions in the Torah; Parshat Matotand Masei - the two final portions of the Book of Numbers(Bamidbar).
Parshat Matot begins with the laws of vows (Nedarim); "Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel, saying, ‘This is what G-d has commanded; When a man makes a vow to G-d or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bind, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all which came out of his mouth.’"
This Parsha teaches us the significance and implications of words we speak.
Indeed, the third commandment of the Ten Commandments, "Do not utter the name of the L-rd your G-d in vain," is a prohibition which is associated totally to what we say.
Words and speech are very powerful tools. In fact, the creation of the universe, as told in the beginning of the Torah, came about through G-d's words! The fact that the Torah relates that the world was created by G-d's sayings, “Let there be light,” etc., tells us how important words are; they have the power to build or to destroy.
King Solomon said, “Life and death are in the hands of the tongue.”
This is why it is important to say, "Bli Neder"; which means, "Without a vow" when making a commitment. For one never knows if they will be able to honor their commitment.
We must especially be very careful to avoid using the expression "I swear." Swearing, even when one thinks they are 100% sure about the accuracy of the matter, is not appropriate.
Q. When one makes a vow to transgress a Torah law, are they required to keep his/her vow?
A. If one vowed to transgress a commandment of the Torah he or she is prohibited to fulfill the vow. A personal vow cannot override G-d's commandments. We have already vowed at Mount Sinai, when we received the Torah, to keep and observe all the Commandments.
Q. Why, when Moshe commands the laws of not breaking one’s promise and keeping one’s word, which applies to allJewish people, he, “Spoke to the heads of the tribes”?
A. The Chatam Sofer says that it is usually the heads of the tribes; the leaders, the politicians, who seek public office and compete for people’s votes, who will promise the people anything just to get elected, but as soon as they are in a position of leadership, they completely forget their vows and promises. Thus, G-d commanded Moshe to first command this to the heads of the tribes… Although this applies to everyone, the Torah singles out the leaders of the Tribes.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, BLESSED & SUCCESSFUL DAY
Tuesday, Tammuz 22, 5786 / July 7, 2026
B"H
Tuesday, Tammuz 22, 5786 / July 7, 2026
This Shabbat we combine the last two Parshiot in the Book of Numbers (Bamidbar), Matot& Masei. With this reading we will conclude the fourth Book of the Torah – the Book of Numbers.
In Parshat Matot, G-d commands Moshe, “Take revenge against the Midyonites for the Children of Israel, after that you will be gathered to your people [you will die].” Moshe then commands the people, “Arm from amongst yourselves men ready for combat to avenge G-d’srevenge against Midyan. One thousand men from each tribe, from all the tribes of Israel.”
This battle was to avenge the fact that as a result of the actions of the people of Midyan, 24,000 Isrelites died in a plague, and more died because of other factors. Moshe sent twelve thousand men into battle against Midyan. Although Moshe knew that after this he would die, yet, he didn’t hesitate and mobilized the people immediately.
Q.G-d told Moshe, “Take revenge.. for the Children of Israel.” It was to avenge what the Midyanites did to the people of Israel. Yet, when Moshe gave over G-d’s message, he changed it.Instead of saying to avenge for what they did to the people, he told them to avenge what they did against G-d.
A.Our sages learn from this that when one commits aggression against the Children of Israel they are in fact committing it against G-d. Thus, avenging what they did against Israel is avenging G-d’s honor.
G-d tells Moshe that after this battle, Moshe will pass away. Here is a story of the great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiya, which illustrates that although Moshe passed away physically, in essence he still lives on.
The Roman emperor, Hadrian (Hadrianus), once said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiya (who lived at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple), “I am better than your teacher/leader, Moshe, because I am alive and he is dead, and it is written, ‘A living dog is better than a dead lion.’”
Rabbi Yehoshua said to him, “Can you decree that no one should light a fire in Rome for three days?” “Sure, I can,” he replied. Immediately Hadrian ordered that no fire be lit in Rome for three days. But on that very evening when Hadrian went up on the roof of his palace together with Rabbi Yehoshua, they saw some smoke rising in the distance. Then, looking in another direction, they saw more smoke.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiya turned to Hadrian and said, “You are alive, yet, your decree couldn’t take hold even the first day… Whereas, our great teacher, Moshe, decreed over a thousand years ago, ‘Do not kindle any fire on the day of Shabbat,’ and to this dayhis commandment is obeyed! So,who is greater? Moshe, who passed away over a thousand years ago, or you who are alive?
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, BLESSED & SUCCESSFUL DAY
Friday, Tammuz 18, 5786 / July 3, 2026
B"H
Friday, Tammuz 18, 5786 / July 3, 2026
The Torah reading for this Shabbat (in Israel & in the Diaspora) is Parshat Pinchas. Pinchas was the grandson of Aaron the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and a great-nephew of Moshe.
In the end of the previous Parsha (Balak), the Torah tells us how Pinchas stood up for G-d's honor and killed a prince of the tribe of Shimon who sinned with a Midianite woman. In this Parsha, G-d rewards Pinchas for his heroic act which stopped a plague in which 24,000 people died.
The Parsha begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: Pinchas, the son of Elazar the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the children of Israel... Therefore say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace (Shalom). And it shall be to him and to his seed after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood."
The "covenant of peace" which G-d gave Pinchas is that Pinchas became a Kohen (priest).
Q. We know that one is a Kohen when they are the son of a Kohen. Why wasn't Pinchas a Kohen before, since his father and grandfather were Kohanim?
A. Although the priesthood is passed on automatically from father to son, this was to be transmitted only to future generations after G-d appointed Aaron and his sons to become Kohanim. It did not apply to any of Aaron's grandchildren who were living at that time. As a result, Pinchas, who was already born, was not a Kohen until G-d rewarded him the priesthood for his heroic act.
Q. Why is the priesthood here referred to as "the convent of Shalom - peace"?
A. In Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers) we find that priesthood and peace are connected. In the first chapter, Hillel the Elder gives the following instruction, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow and bringing them closer to the Torah."
Loving peace and pursuing peace was a characteristic of Aaron the High Priest. Thus, when G-d made Pinchas a Kohen, He gave him the covenant of peace, which represents the priesthood.
At the same time, G-d wanted to teach Pinchas an important lesson. As mentioned before, Pinchas achieved this reward as a result of his killing the Jewish prince who sinned with a Midianite woman. Although it was necessary at the time, yet, it was a harsh act in which two people were killed.
G-d rewards Pinchas for his act by making him a Kohen, but expresses His reward with words, "Covenant of Peace." This is to tell Pinchas that as a leader of the people, although there are times when force and strength is required, it should be used only in extreme cases. All other times, the approach of peace/Shalom is the better and proper way, as Hillel states in Pikei Avot, Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 8:28 /Shabbat ends: 9:43
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