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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Beha'alotcha
"Vay'hi bin'so'a ha'aron: When the Ark traveled, Moshe said: "Arise, G-d, & scatter Your enemies. And when the Ark rested, he would say: "Return, G-d, the tens of thousands of Israel."
Why would these sentences be framed by 2 extraneous letters? And why are those letters davka the letter Nun?
The Gemara in Shabbat says the floating letters indicate that this small section is out of order, not in its proper place. OK, but then why is it out of place? In another opinion, Rebbi (Rav Yehuda HaNasi) postulates that this section is framed because it constitutes a completely separate book of the Torah! What does that mean?
Let's try to make some sense of it all. The S'forno (as elucidated by Rav Soloveichek) explains that, at this juncture in our history, we were primed to enter Eretz Yisrael. We had achieved physical freedom, received the Torah & built the Mishkan; the Shvatim had been assembled & given their "marching orders." Moshe was about to lead us triumphantly into the Promised Land.
But then, sadly, it all broke down. We degenerated into constant complaints & squabbles; Moshe lost his temper & castigated us severely. The episode of the Spies would seal our fate; we would wander 40 years in the desert before crossing into Israel, & then it would be without Moshe to lead us.
The "additional" book which Rebbi refers to is one that we could & should have written, but never did. The book describing our Aliya to Israel was left undone. It is therefore encased in a kind of parentheses formed by the 2 nuns.
But I suggest that the nun has another connotation: In the Ashrei prayer, it is the only letter missing. Chazal say it's omitted because it stands for "nafal" or fallen, a negative word. But every letter can represent some negative word! But maybe the link is to these nuns in our Sedra: Here, too, we failed, or fell, from our task (nafal=fell, fail).
Yet the glorious promise of this missing "Special Sefer," this final chapter in our glorious history, has only been delayed, not deleted. The day will come - is coming! - when Hashem will indeed scatter all of our enemies, & return all the tens of thousands of the House of Israel back to our rightful home in Israel.
And as for those nomadic nuns - they will then right themselves & proclaim a new & positive connotation: Nun for Nitzachon - total, eternal victory.
Igrot Hare’aya Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
Igrot Hare’aya Refuting Criticism by the Ridbaz – #311 – part IV
Date and Place: 19 Sivan 5670 (1910), Yafo
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Shoftim TESHUVA IN COURT OF LAW?
Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
