From: Weekly Torah To: parsha@torahzone.com Subject: Weekly Dvar Torah B"H "Path Markers" Shelach: By: Yaacov Silverstein e@mail: hm16@popeye.cc.biu.ac.il HomePage: http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16/ Year: 5762 This Years Parsha Series is prepared in the memory and merit of my grandfathers: Rav Yitzchak Zev Ben Yisroel Mordechai Hakohen Solomon Z"L Rav Chaim Meir Ben Yakov Silverstein Z"L *****^^^^^^^***** Did you tell your friend or relative how to subscribe to this Parsha List?? It's simple, just tell him to send a blank E-mail to: parsha-subscribe@torahzone.com And it is and always will be (B"H) FREE!! Purchase discounted Seforim online at: http://www.artscroll.com/torahzone Download the free DafYomi Calendar - http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16/downloads Pasuk 1: (13:18)"See the Land - how is it?" Pasuk 2: (15:39)"It shall constitute Tzitzis for you, that you may see it and remember all the commandments of Hashem and perform them..." As the nation stood at the threshold of Eretz Yisroel , Moshe told them that it was time to conquer the land, yet the people requested to send spies to survey the Land. Hashem allowed Moshe to send out spies, yet the result was that the entire generation was condemned to death in the Wilderness and Israel's entry into the Land was delayed for nearly 39 years. In this Pasuk(13:18), Moshe is telling the spies to look closely into the nature of the Land and its inhabitants. The terminology used in this Pasuk "Ureiseim" (you shall see), is found in three other places in Tanach. The first place we find this word is by the Jewish midwives in Egypt - "Ureiseim Al ha'Avanim", in our Parsha - "Ureisem Eis ha'Aretz", and towards the end of our Parsha, in the chapter of Kerias Shema - "Ureiseim Oso UzCharteim". Another place is found at the end of this week's Parsha (15:39), which ends with the commandment of wearing Tzitzis. Chazal explain the meaning behind this Mitzvah, that when one looks at the Tzitzis (which also includes the Techeilis), one is reminded about the sea which has a similar color. When one looks at the sea, one is reminded about the sky, which reminds us about the "Holy Throne". When one looks at his Tzitzis with a deeper look, one can reach the "Holy Throne". The spies on the other hand, made a mistake. They were told to "see the Land". They were to see special characteristics of the Land of Israel, the Land which is a Royal Chariot for the Holy Throne. The spies did not take this deeper look into the land, and thus did not reach the correct conclusion. They saw themselves loosing their Princely (Neseim) titles. One who wears Tzitzis can see from one side of the world to the other, from the exit from the Egyptian exile all the way to the coming of Moshiach. The Sefer Shemen ha'Tov explains that these three places where we find the word "Ureiseim" (see), hints to the three "sights" which Rebbi Akavia mentions in Pirkei Avos (3:1): "Akavia ben Mahalhel says: Consider three things and you will not come into the hands of sin: Know whence you came, whither you go, and before Whom you will give a judgment and an accounting." Know whence you came - birth - the midwives in Egypt - Ureiseim Al ha'Avanim Whither you go - going - survey the land - Ureiseim Eis ha'Aretz Before whom you will give judgment - judgement before Hashem - Ureisim Oso The Sefer Shemen ha'Tov goes a step further and explains that we can take these "sights" to help us better handle different stages that a person goes through in life. Whether it is after a happy occasion after the birth of a child, or G-d forbid after the death of a family member and the time of judgement is around, one always has to SEE "Hashem" in every type of life's situations. When a child is born, most of us take this as a natural event, we fail to see that this is actually a time of danger to both mother and child. We also are mistaken to think, when one suffers a tragedy or serious illness, that it is the way of nature to suffer illness or tragedy, the way of the land (Ureiseim Eis ha'Aretz). Like the situation which we find now in Israel, many people may have already accepted the fact that people are being killed every day, and that it is just another tragedy. Thus we are taught, that even at a time when we have a birth or G-d forbid death, there is always a need for the third Pasuk, "Ureiseim Oso", we always must see Hashem in our life. This third Pasuk teaches us that our lives are guided and delineated by the "Mitzvos Hashem". The knots and the windings of the Tzitzis remind us of the restrictions and obligations placed on us by the Torah. The laws of Tzitzis require that one third of the Tzitzis strings consists of knots and windings, while the other 2/3 are free-flowing strands. Rav Schwab explains that these free-flowing strands represent the freedom which we may enjoy once our lives are controlled by the Mitzvos of Hashem. After a person accepts the restrictions and obligations placed upon him by the Torah, he is free to live his life in accordance with his own individual inclinations. He can become a leader and take a great role in his community, or he can live a quiet life, learning Torah and making a living. Our freedom as a Jew is much greater than the restrictions and obligations. Rashi explains on this Pasuk that Moshe was telling the spies that if the people of the Land live in fortified cities, it showed that they are weak. If they however live in open cities, the people rely on their own strength for protection, and therefor are strong. We learn from this that people who seem well protected at times are really the opposite. The person may really be weak and thus they feel the need for a high wall to protect themselves. Rav E.M. Bloch explains that we can learn an important lesson in educating our children. There are two types of ways to educate one's child. There are those people who lock themselves away from the rest of society and take no interest in others around them. There is also second type. One who lives a social life and is part of his community around him, and teaches Torah to others in their community, and doesn't only worry about his own children's education. The first impression is that the children of the first case, are more protected against bad influences from their surroundings. Yet at times the opposite is really true. At times one feels that he is weak compared to the society around him and therefor feels the need to separate himself from the rest of society, and enter into his own little world. At times we Davkah find that the one who lives with the rest of society, strengthens society in Torah learning and also strengthens himself as a G-d fearing Jew. We thus must always find the middle road when it comes to education. On one hand you can't lock your child out from the rest of society, since he may be to weak to protect himself from society in the future when he grows up. For one who "looks strong", is not always the one who is spiritually strong. We must also find the middle road and SEE Hashem in our lives, whether we go through good or G-d forbid, bad times. (Adapted from - Artscroll Chumash, Mikdash Mordechai, Pnenei Daas, Rav Schwab on Prayer) --------***********-------- A special Thank You to my mother for checking & correcting the first DT draft. A special Thank You to Project Genesis - http://www.torah.org for hosting this list. If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list send a blank email to the following address: --------***********--------