The Weekly Shtikle Blog: June 2022

The Weekly Shtikle - Shelach

The Weekly Shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmas my father, Reuven Pinchas ben Chaim Yaakov, a"h.

Of course, the most significant of events that takes place in this week's parsha is the sin of the spies. Ten of the spies delivered negative reports about Eretz Yisrael while only Yehoshua and Caleiv delivered positive reports. My Zadie, R' Yaakov Bulka, z"l, points out, though, that if you look at the positive components of each of the reports, there doesn't seem to be much difference. In pasuk 14:8 Caleiv describes Eretz Yisrael as "eretz zavas chalav udvash" But the ten spies also describe it as such in 13:27, "vegam eretz zavas chalav udvash hi." What is the difference? Also, why did the ten spies use the word "vegam?"

My Zadie answers that we observe in next week's parsha (16:13) that part of Dasan and Aviram's complaint to Moshe was "hame'at ki he'elisanu mei'eretz zavas chalav udvash," this referring to Egypt. We see clearly that they considered Egypt to also be an "eretz zavas chalav udvash". Therefore, the spies are rebuked for saying "vegam..." because what they meant was that Eretz Yisrael is also nice, like Egypt, but no better. Caleiv, however, worded it differently, saying "eretz zavas chalav udvash hi." It is an eretz zavas chalav udvash like no other.

To add to this thought, we see a similar concept in the gemara Sanhedrin 94a. The gemara describes how Sancheirev was rewarded for praising Eretz Yisrael and Bnei Yisrael were rebuked for speaking badly about it. The gemara goes on to explain the specifics, that when Bnei Yisrael were exiled and they came to their new lands they said, "This is just like we had in Eretz Yisrael." The lesson learned from this is quite significant. We know that the principal lesson in this week's parsha is the gravity of the sin of talking disparagingly about Eretz Yisrael. It is obvious that this includes direct criticism of the land, but now we observe that even putting other lands on the level of Eretz Yisrael is a grave sin which falls under the same category.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Dikdukian: What's Different About Efrayim?

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The Weekly Shtikle - Beha'alosecha

This past Wednesday, 16 Sivan, was the 20^th yahrtzeit of R' Ephraim Eisenberg, zt"l of Ner Yisroel. The shtikle is dedicated l'iluy nishmaso, Ephraim Zalman ben Chayim HaLevi.

The Weekly Shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmas my father, Reuven Pinchas ben Chaim Yaakov, a"h.

We are commanded to remember the episode with Miriam that appears at the end of this week's parsha. Part of this remembrance is being careful not to speak lashon hara, which was the cause of Miriam's punishment. However, if we look at the pasuk, when HaShem rebukes Miriam and Aharon He says (12:8) "Madua lo yaraisem ledaber b'avdi beMoshe," how could you not be fearful of talking badly about my servant Moshe?! R' Yaakov Weinberg, zt"l, points out that this pasuk insinuates that the main issue with Miriam and Aharon was that they had spoken about Moshe, but if it were about someone else it would not have been so serious. But we know this not to be true for it is forbidden to speak lashon hara about anyone.

R' Weinberg explains that this gives us an important insight into the essence of lashon hara. The principal mistake that one makes when he speaks lashon hara is a failure to realize the virtues of the person about whom he is speaking. Miriam and Aharon's error was to a graver degree. It was their failure to recognize Moshe's greatness that allowed them to rationalize speaking badly about him. Had they realized the full greatness of Moshe, they never would have done so. It is this specific aspect of their misjudgment that HaShem focused on in His rebuke. Likewise, every Jew has his own inherent greatness. Anyone who speaks lashon hara about his fellow Jew fails to realize the true greatness of that person, at whatever level it may be, and therefore speaks badly about them.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Al Pi Cheshbon: Piles of Quail

Dikdukian: The Impure

Dikdukian: In My Humble Opinion

Dikdukian: To Make Travel

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The Weekly Shtikle - Naso

The Weekly Shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmas my father, Reuven Pinchas ben Chaim Yaakov, a"h.

This week's parsha is indeed the longest single parsha in the entire Torah. However, as any ba'al keriyah will attest, once you get past around the halfway point, it's relatively smooth sailing with a repetition of the pesukim related to the korbanos of the nesi'im 12 times. There are very few deviations to watch out for. The nasi of the second day, however, contains some noteworthy differences. As Rashi (7:18) points out, the word hikriv is used for the offering of Nesan'el ben Tzuar of the tribe of Yissachar – not once but twice – whereas for others, the verb is left out completely. Rashi explains that Reuven felt that after being pre-empted by Yehudah, he should surely be next. But Moshe insisted that the Divine decree was that Yissachar come next. Rashi also adds, to explain the second instance, that Nesan'el was in fact the mastermind behind the bringing of all these sacrifices.

Another approach may be offered for the use of hikriv. One of the more well-known points of discussion surrounding the repeated sacrifices is the fact that although the identical offering was brought by each nasi, each had his own individual intentions and focus in mind when he brought them. This analysis is perhaps easier to engage in when looking in hindsight at all twelve offerings. However, perhaps the most challenging position to be in was the second slot. The first nasi obviously appears completely original. Once the pattern is established, from the third nasi and on, it appears normal. It's the second who looks like the copycat. It took extra courage for Nesan'el to come forth with the exact same offering as Nachshon. Perhaps that is why the verb hikriv is used.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka

WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Dikdukian: Aleph's and Ayin's

Please visit the new portal for all Shtikle-related sites, www.weeklyshtikle.com

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The Weekly Shtikle - Bemidbar / Shavuos

A special Weekly Shtikle mazal tov to my nephew Yisroel Meir Shonek and his wife Miriam on the birth of their daughter, Chaya Sara (named after my Oma.) Mazal tov to the extended Bulka and Shonek mishpachos.

The Weekly Shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmas my father, Reuven Pinchas ben Chaim Yaakov, a"h.

Although I am only covering Shavous in the shtikle, please explore the many intriguing blog posts on Bemidbar below:

On Shavuos, we celebrate the giving of the Torah to B'nei Yisrael after they came out of Mitzrayim. On this day we experienced a level of spirituality higher than ever before. Just as it is with other significant days in the calendar when we attempt to relive and re-experience the historical events of the day, we are meant to try reach this spiritual pinnacle, to a certain degree, every year when Shavuos comes around. In the Torah, there are (at least) two instances where we find Shavuos standing out as an exception, perhaps to convey this very idea.

The first is in parshas Vayikra. We are told (Vayikra 2:11) that leaven and honey may not be brought with any (communal) korban. The very next pasuk, as Rashi there explains, comes to tell us that there is one exception to this rule. The avodah of Shavuos involves the bringing of the shtei halechem, the two loaves which did consist of chameitz, and the bikurim, which contained the honey of dates. Why is Shavuos different? Kli Yekar explains that honey represents the desires that every human has in this world. Just as honey is very sweet but an overdose of it can be harmful, so too there are desires in this world that are very necessary, but an overdose of them is harmful as well. One must be careful to indulge in only those that are necessary, and make do without the rest. Se'or, leaven, represents the yeitzer hara, as demonstrated in Berachos 17a "Our desire is to fulfill Your desire, but the se'or sheba'isa is interfering." Both desire and the yeitzer hara are necessary components of our being. One must eat and drink to stay healthy. One must want to marry in order to start a family, or the world would not endure. Being that these aspects of our being are not necessary within themselves, but only to reach an ultimate goal, it is not fitting that they be brought for any korban during the duration of the year. However, on Shavuos, we are celebrating the giving of the Torah, the only antidote to keep the yeitzer hara and this-worldly desires at bay. With this in mind, we may bring leaven and honey for on this day, Torah is the principal focus. On all other days, it is forbidden.

The second example is in parshas Pinechas, where the korbanos for all the holidays are discussed. On every Yom Tov, a se'ir izim, a kid goat is brought as a korban. On all days it is referred to as a se'ir... chatas, a goat for a sin offering. However, when the Torah discusses Shavuos, we find a different wording, (Bemidbar 28:30) "se'ir izim echad," with no mention of the word chatas. The Yerushalmi (Rosh HaShanah 4:5) teaches us why the word chatas was left out here. R' Mesharshia said in the name of R' Ida, HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to Yisrael, "since you accepted upon yourself the yoke of My Torah, I consider it as if you have never sinned in your days." R' Chaim Paltiel points out that in Emor (Vayikra 23:19) the korban is indeed referred to as se'ir izim echad l'chatas. However, there too there is a missing phrase. The words lechapeir aleichem, to atone for you, are left out, as if we do not require atonement. We see clearly from examples in the Torah that the spiritual high of matan toraseinu is meant to be experienced every year. May we all experience it at the greatest possible level.