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
Thursday, Tammuz 17, 5786 / July 2, 2026
B"H
Thursday, Tammuz 17, 5786 / July 2, 2026
Today (Thursday), the 17th of Tammuz, known as Shiv’a Asar B'Tammuz, is a fast day decreed by the sages, in association with the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem.
Q. Why do we commemorate tragic events through fasting?
A. Our sages explain that the Temples were destroyed as a result of the sins of the people. The way to correct them is through repentance and bettering our ways. Fasting is a way to bring a person to humility and thus to repentance and bettering our ways. The fasting is not the end result. It is a means to get us to repent and improve our ways.
Five tragic events occurred on this day in the course of Jewish history:
1) The First Tablets were broken on the 17th of Tammuz, in the Hebrew year 2448. After spending 40 days on Mount Sinai, Moshe descended from the mountain with The Two Tablets. Upon seeing the people worshipping the Golden Calf, Moshe broke the Tablets on which the Ten Commandments were engraved. Worshipping the Golden Calf was one of the gravest sins performed by the Jewish people.
2) The two mandatory daily sacrifices were stopped. Two sacrifices, called, “Korban Tamid,” were brought upon the altar in the Temple each day, as we read in this week’s Parsha, Pinchas. One was offered in the morning and one in the evening. The morning sacrifice was the first offering of the day, and the evening one was the last sacrifice of the day. This went on for hundreds of years. When the city of Jerusalem was under siege it became difficult to obtain animals for sacrifices. It was on the 17th of Tammuz that the Tamid sacrifice was stopped.
3) Thewalls of Jerusalem were breached. On this day, the Romans succeeded in breaching the walls of the Holy city of Jerusalem, which eventually led to the fall of the city.
4) A Torah was burnt. Apustmus, captain of the Roman occupation forces, publicly burned the Torah Scroll on the 17th of Tammuz.
5) Anidol was placed in the Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple) on this day. Idol worshipping is the gravest sin in Judaism. For all of the above, the 17th day of Tammuz was decreed a fast day.
The 17th of Tammuz begins the "Three Week" period called, "Bein Hamtzarim" ("between the straits"), which ends with Tisha B’Av (9th of Av), the day on which both Holy Temples were destroyed.
Weddings are not performed during these three weeks, as we remember and mourn the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem. May we merit the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple very soon! May we merit everlasting peace for Israel, in Israel and everywhere. Amen!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, BLESSED & SUCCESSFUL DAY
Tuesday, Tammuz 15, 5786 / June 30, 2026
B"H
Tuesday, Tammuz 15, 5786 / June 30, 2026
One of the lessons in the sixth chapter of Pirkei Avot, which we will recite this Shabbat, is: “Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not desire honor. Let your [good] deeds exceed your learning. Do not yearn for the table of kings, for your table is greater than theirs and your crown is greater than theirs. Your employer [G-d] is trustworthy to pay you for all your deeds.”
“Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not desire honor.” In last week’s Parsha we read that Bila’am, whom Balak hired to curse the Jewish people, desired honor and greatness. Because of this he went to curse the Jewish people, however, in the end it brought about his downfall. Not only did Balak chase him away in shame, but in the end it brought about his death.
Our sages tell us in the Talmud, “Whoever chases after honor, honor runs away from them; but one who runs away from honor, honor chases after them.”
One who seeks honor will not find it and if they do, it is only superficial and temporary. True and everlasting honor belongs to the one who does not care for honor. It belongs to those who perform good deeds only for the sake of doing good, because it’s the right thing to do.
A Chassid once came to Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa and complained, “Rebbe, our sages say that one who runs away from honor will merit honor. I am a person who runs away from honor, yet I’m not getting the honor which I deserve?”
Rabbi Bunim replied, “Our sages are speaking about a person who runs from honor and completely forgets about it. But you keep looking back to see if the honor is already catching up to you… in your case it will never come!”
“Let your [good] deeds exceed your learning.” In the third chapter of Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariya explains this concept as follows: “Anyone whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds, to whom is he likened? To a tree whose branches are numerous, but whose roots are few; then the wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down. However, one whose good deeds exceed his wisdom, to what is he likened? To a tree whose branches are few, but whose roots are numerous; even if all the winds of the world were to come and blow against it, they could not budge it from its place.”
Our sages also say that the purpose of studying Torah is that we should perform mitzvot and good deeds. The Talmud speaks harshly about those who study Torah, but do not live up to their studies.
Q. Why do we put on the Tefillin first on the arm and then on the head?
A. The Tefillin on the arm represents action, the performance of good deeds. The Tefillin on the head represents study and intellect. We put them on the hand first to convey the above lesson, that action is more important than intellect.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, BLESSED & SUCCESSFUL DAY
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