Parshas Shlach:

Pasuk (14:18)

The Gra"h in Mishle (22:6), brings down that there is a Gemarah in Rosh Hashana (17:1)

"Whoever is Ma-avir on his Midos, is Hashem is Ma-avir on all ones sins.

For it says, in our Pasuk "Nosei Avon, Veh Oyver Al Pesha".(forgiver of inquity and willful sin)

Who is the one that is forgiven for their sin? The one who forgives others for inquity.

Comes the Gra"h and explains that each person is born with their own, personal Mazal.

One is unable to change his Mazal. However, each person is given the free choice, to use his Mazal the way he finds fit. Either as a Tsadik, a Rasha, or Banony.

As it is brought down in the Gemarah (Shabbos 156:a), that one who is born in the month of "Ma-adim" will spill blood. However, this does not mean that he is ging to kill people. For if he wants, he can become a Mohel, or a doctor, or a robber.

One has to Ma-avir on his Midos, even though he is born with a certain Midah.

He must use it the correct way, when he obtains this abilty, his sins are forgiven by Hashem.

This is the meaning of "Chanoch Leh Nar Al Pe Darko". According to ones childs Midos, certain character traits that he may be born with, train him and teach him to use these Midos to do Mitzvos. If one is able to do this, than even when ones child grows up, he will still keep those Mitzvos.

However, if one forces his child to go against his Midos, against his own nature, maybe now he will listen to you as a parent, since he is afraid of you.

Yet, let him on his own when he grows up, his fear of you will leave him, and so will his fear of Hashem. The reason for this is because one can't break his habits.

He can only be trained to make his bad habits, into good ones.

Pasuk (13:16)

We find in this Pasuk, that Moshe was afraid that Yehoshea Bin Nun would be ffected by the wrong advice of the spies, thus he added a Yud to his name. He than called him Yehoshua.

Why wasn't moshe afraid of Kalev being affected by the spies?

What good did the adding of the "Yud" help?

The Yud that was added came from Sarah. Sarah was called Saray, and the Yud was taken from the end of her name and put at the beginning of Hoshea and thus called Yehoshua. The Yud was taken from the end of Sarah's name and put at the beginning of Hoshea's name.

The Targum Yonoson brings down that Moshe saw the humbleness of Yehosua, this caused him to change his name.

The Menachem Tzion says that Moshe foresaw a problem, that he needed a tremendous strength to stand up against the spies.

He was afraid because of his humbleness he won't be able to stand up and fight.

The Menachem Tzion says that Sarah is the perfect example of one knowing how to fight against bad influences.

When Sarah saw Yishmael, and saw that he would be a bad influence to Yitzchak, she said to send him away. A mother is known to have R achmanus for a child, yet in this case Rachmanus, would realy be Achzarius.

The strenght to stand up and know that the spies waya was a bad way, was from Sarah, this Yud was used to give Yehoshua that power to stand up for the truth.

Rav Frand goes further and brings the Medrash in Mishle on the Pasuk 31, "Darsha Tzemer Upishtim, this is Sarah(Medrash Tanchuma) that told Avraham to send out Yishmael with his mother.

For Tzemer and Pishtim is Shatnez, they don't go together.

Sarah knew that certain combinations aren't good. Thus the Yud from Sarah was given to Yehoshua.

Now why wasn't Kalev prayed for or have a name change??

Comes the Chafetz Chaim and explains that the Torah tells us that Kalev was different. Hashem said "my servant Kalev had a different mind, and he followed Hashem" (13:24)

Comes the Chafetz Chaim and explains, that when evil powers are found in the world, there are two ways to survive these powers.

1) To let it be known in public, ones true opinion, which is against the evil powers, or wrong way of thought. To fight against the wrong doers, supporting the True Torah way of thought.

2) To keep quite infront of the wrongdoers. And maybe even to pretend that you agree with them, until you get infront of a gathering of Jews. Than he lets known his real opinion, and knocks off these mistaken thoughts.

Each option has its advantagos and disadvantages.

The first way, speeking up write away, one does not have to worry so much about being affected by the wrong thoughts, since he is always fighting for the true Torah path.

However, the one who is quite, must be more careful, for the wrongful way may seep into him also.

On the other hand, the first case might get physically injured by the wrong doers, and he needs more Chasdei Hashem to be saved from their hands. Unlike the one who is quite.

Moshe Rabeinu new the powers in both Yehoshua and Kalev.

Yehoshua, would stand up for what he felt was correct while Kalev remined silent.

Therefore, Davkah Yahoshua needed the added prayers and blessing.

Kalev, on the other hand, was the other type. He therefore didn't need a blesing to be saved from the hands of the spies. However, he had the ability to be affected spiritually from the Meraglim. Therefore, he stopped off in Chevron, and prayed that he shouldn't be affected by the advise of the spies.

The way Yehoshua acted was the best way to preserve his spiritual being, yet Kalev's way was also good, as long as he does it L'Shem Shamayim.

We see from both of these Divrei Torah that one must use Tefilah to help change his character, to help change his personality.

One may not be able to change nature or even his Mazal, yet his Tefilah can change ones character, in oneself. Than the Tefilah can also help to change the Gezeirah. (Rav Yakov Ariel-heard in person).

This weeks Parsha commands us the commandment to wear Tzitzis on a 4 cornered garment.

One is required to place Tzitzis on a four cornered garment that one decides to wear.

Gavrah or Maneh:

There is a Machlokes if Tzitzis is a Chovat Gavrah (like Mezuzah) or Chovat Maneh (like Talis). The Halacha is Chovat Gavrah. Meaning, one is only required in the Mitzvah of Tzitzis, when he wears a 4 cornered garment.

However, it has become Minhag Yisroel to wear a Talis during Davening, and Tzitzis all day.

Cemetery:

When one is buried, he is buried with a Talis, but before he is buried, one of his Tzitzis is ripped, thus making his Talis Pasul (this is the accepted Minhag)(Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 351:1 and the Ramah).

This might be partly the reason why Davkah when one enters the cemetery, one tucks in his Tzitzis, as if not to offend the dead, for they can't do the Mitzvah of Tzitzis(worth checking out, more in depth).

Techeles:

The Techeles stopped being produced in the early seventh century.

For almost 1200 years the Techeles has not been in production.

There is a Machlokes what color it is, some say it is purple, others say it is indigo-blue. Some say the blood comes from a snail, and some say it is from a cuttlefish.(Rabbi Berel Wein- Second Thoughts.)

Lishmah:

One must make the Tzitzis, "L'Shem Mitzvat Tzitzis".

Therefore, the spinning of the threads must be done by a Jew, at the age of Mitzvos.

Many say that the spinning of the threads can also be done by a machine, for they hold this is also L'ishmah, as long as a human placed the raw material in the machine and started the machines process.

Kissing the Tzitzis:

The Sefer "Minhagei Yeshurun" discusses the Minhag that many have, that they kiss there Tzitzis when they reach the word "Tzitzis" in Kerias Shema.

This Minhag is not found in Shulchan Aruch, however, the Shulchan Aruch does bring down "touching the two front Tzitzis" and to pass the Tzitzis over ones eyes when he reaches the word "Urehtem Oso".

The Ramah (O.C. 24:4) brings down that there are those that have the Minhag to kiss the Tzitzis when one sees them, yet it is not clear if he is necessarily talking about a case in the case of Kerias Shema. The Magen Avraham brings down that one should kiss his Tzitzis when he reaches the words "Neamanim Veh Nechmadim" after Kerias Shema, in the morning prayer.

And the M.A., brings down that one should not stop in the middle of the Shema, to kiss his Tzitzis.

It is brought down that the Gra"h was Noheg not to kishis Tzitzis in Kerrias Shema.

Many are Noheg to kiss the Tzitzis in Shema, but the kissing is not the main idea. By kissing the Tzitzis, one looks at the Tzitzis and it reminds him of the Shamayim, and this should help one to serve Hashem better. And Daven with more Kavanah.

The Beir Heitev (OC 24:4:1) brings down that one should hold his Tzitzis at first in his left hand and when he reaches the Parsha that discusses Tzitzis, he should also take them with his right hand, until "Neamanim Veh Nechmadim", where he then kisses them and lets go of the Tzitzis.

Women:

Women are not commanded to wear Tzitzis, because the night time is not "Zman Tzitzis", thus it is a Mitzvaht Asei Shei Ha - Zman Gramah, so women are exempted. Yet there is no mention in the Shulchan Aruch, or M.B. about one kissing his Tzitzis when reaching the word "Tzitzis". If one wants to cut the length of his Tzitzis, he should not use a knife, for it is used to shorten ones life.