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  hershie -3 years ago

  Thank you Rabbi YY, for your Brilliant Explanation of the Rebbe’s insights into the detailed pesukim about Terumah, and about the many reasons for all he details. I see here, in Parshas Matos, yet another reason why the animals are mentioned in exact amounts, even after Hashem told them the exact mathematics for the animals to take out and donate. I believe this minute detail mirrors B’Ha’alos’cha (9:15-23), wherein the Torah give the minute details of the travels of the B’nei Yisroel: 

  	15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony; and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
  	16 So it was always: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
  	17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel encamped.
  	18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they encamped: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they remained encamped.
  	19 And when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
  	20 And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
  	21 And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed; or if it continued by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
  	22 Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
  	23 At the commandment of the LORD they encamped, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. {P}

   By Pasuk 18, we already got the message – They did everything God told them to do, period! Why all the minute details in the rest of the section?? What I see here, is that this section is brought down L’Hagid Shvocho shel B’nei Yisroel. Up to now, they were constantly arguing with God and complaining to Him, and not following what He told them to do. They did what they wanted to do. And the culmination of this attitude, and their defiance, reached its epitome at the Chet Ha’Eigel.

  Here, in B’ha’alos’cha, the details show us that the B’nei Yisreol did EXACTLY what God wanted them to do, what he showed them, and directed them to do, by His movement of “The Cloud”. By the Eigel, they did what they wanted to do, not what Hashem wanted them to do. I believe that the B’nei Yisroel following ”The Cloud” without questioning, without complaining, for 40 years, was A TIKKUN for the Chet Ha’Eigel. Hashem is proud to tell us how Obedient they were for 40 years, so Proud, that he tells us the story in the minutest detail., Cherishing every single movement and resting of the B’nei Yisroel

  –-> יח.  עַל-פִּי יְ-ה-וָ-ה, יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל-פִּי יְ-ה-וָ-ה, יַחֲנוּ:  כָּל-יְמֵי, אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכֹּן הֶעָנָן עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן--

  יַחֲנוּ  יט  וּבְהַאֲרִיךְ הֶעָנָן עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן, יָמִים רַבִּים--וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-מִשְׁמֶרֶת יְ-ה-וָ-ה, וְלֹא יִסָּעוּ.  Now, back to your amazing discussion of the minutest details of the re-counting of the animals after the calculations were already given and enumerated, in Parshas Matos. We know that when men go out to war, because of all the stresses they encounter, and are required to do, the maimings, the killings, et al., many of them lose perspective, and do things they normally would not do. Golda Meir is quoted to have said, “I can forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but I can’t forgive them for turning our sons into killers.” Consider Ki Seitzei and the “Isha Yefas  To’ar” . . .

  Consider Achan . . . who took spoils from Yericho, specifically against Hashem’s warning thru Yehosua, endangering the entire Klal Yisreol . . . Consider Shaul HaMelech and all the warriors that beseeched him to spare the animals so that they could bring them for sacrifces; and because Shaul gave in, and allowed the animals to live, including AGAG, Shaul lost his Kingship because of his unbridled Chessed. And the Gemara says that one who has unbridled Chessed, with ultimately commit murder. Ultimately, Shaul wiped out the city of Nov, killing 84 Kohanim. (as an aside, consider the Democrats wanting no walls and open borders. They are duplicating what Shaul did – unbridled Chessed, and we know what that leads to, Lo alaynu!).

  Now to my understanding of the recounting in minute detail in Parshas Matos.Besides Hashgacha Pratis , which you, Rabbi, explained in such Exquisite detail,I believe that, once again, this section is here, as in B’Ha’alos’Cha,  L’Hagid Shvocho shel B’nei Yisroel. And at the same time, as yet another TIKKUN for the Chet Ha’Eigel. The recounting in the minutest details shows, as you so Brilliantly pointed out, that not one single animal died. I see that also as proof that not one of the 12,000 men who went out to war, stole a single animal as booty for themselves, for their own use, in defiance of what Hashem told them to do. For we know that men who go out to war are very tempted to take something for themselves as souvenirs, or as payment or entitlement for what they had to endure, seeing thousands of people lose life and limb, men bleeding out and suffering the emotional scars of war as PTSD.

  Yes, they did take some booty for themselves, but only perhaps gold, silver, lawnmowers, and other non-living items.They were allowed to do this. And yet, these 12,000 Warriors, Men of God, with all that they went thru, not a single animal or slave, from the entire total of 675,000 that they captured, was missing from the final count, because those men did EXACTLY what Hashem told them to do, just like the B’Nei Yisroel in Pashas B’ha’alos’cha. So, to my understanding of the recounting in minute detail in Parshas Matos.Besides Hashgacha Pratis , which you, Rabbi, explained in such Exquisite detail,I believe that, once again, this section is here, as in B’Ha’alos’Cha,  L’Hagid Shvocho shel B’nei Yisroel. And at the same time, as yet another TIKKUN for the Chet Ha’Eigel. Thank you for your time for reading my thoughts. Now, Dear Rabbbi YY, I would like to ask your indulgence about a very serious topic concerning Klal Yisroel. First, a small introduction.When we visit an Avel, a Mourner, as we leave we say, “HaMakom yenachaymes-chem b’soch sha’ar avaylay Tzion v’Yerushalayim.”

  The word “Nechamah” is most frequently translated as “to console”, or “consolation”, as we try to help the Avel get through one of the most sad and difficult times of life.  Rabbi Yossi Adler, shlit”a, points out that there are two other meanings to the word, Nechamah, and they are found in The Torah. One meaning is found at the end of Parshas Bereishis (6:6) –ו  וַיִּנָּחֶם יְ-ה-וָ-ה, כִּי-עָשָׂה אֶת-הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ; וַיִּתְעַצֵּב, אֶל-לִבּוֹ.And Hashem reconsidered having made Man on Earth, and He had Heartfelt sadness. It means to reconsider one’s position or belief on a matter. And it appears again twice in Ki Sissa (32:12,14) by the Chet Ha’Eigel –

  שׁוּב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ, וְהִנָּחֵם עַל-הָרָעָה לְעַמֶּךָ.Relent from your flaring anger and reconsider regarding the evil against your

  people;   and (32:14) יד  וַיִּנָּחֶם, יְ-ה-וָ-ה, עַל-הָרָעָה, אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת לְעַמּוֹ.

  And Hashem reconsidered regarding the evil that He declared He would do to His people. Rabbi Adler mentioned a third meaning – to change perspective – i.e. tore-think something with the intent of possibly changing your opinion. This last one, changing perspective, is something that you do in many of your shiurim, with alacrity, eloquence, passion, and influence for all of your talmidim, my self included. You build us up by reminding us that we are all a Cheilek of Elo-ka Mi’ma’al, a holy spark of God, and we are all put here to do a mission , one or many.You encourage Tens of Thousands of people around the world to stand up and be the Ambassador of the Light of Hashem. You are a living, breathing example of such a person, even though you admit, with humility, that you have your own issues, as do I. Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach said, “This world is a hospital for broken souls.” 

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• R

  Refael -3 years ago

  The divine hachgacha to facilitate Mitzwa seems at variable geometry ?

  Why there was not ruach tsefonit in the desert for the brit mila to facilitate the implementation of this great mitzwa ?   Why sometimes the hachgacha makes the acomplishment of a mitzwa easier and sometimes, the conditions are very problematic and even quasi-impossible and even dangerous ?

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• M

  Mendel -3 years ago

  There could not have been any children born. The women were virgins.
  And this is Judaism.

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• S

  Shlomo -3 years ago

  Perhaps The giving birth of a animal could of happened and maybe it did. The mitzvah was on the מלקוח. If a baby is born after the war etc. it’s not the מלקוח itself.. ממחציתם תקחו wouldn’t apply

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• N

  Nachshon -3 years ago

  Rabbi Jacobson I just listened to the whole sicha absolutely fantastic excellent new project great job Rebbe Jacobson 

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• KCS

  Kaila C Stempel -3 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  you mentioned what Hashem did to save 60000 Yidden, but what about the 6 million

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• ST

  Sam Tuchman -3 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  Why wouldn't we think that the cattle wouldn't have given birth, and there would be more?

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• Anonymous -3 years ago

  One could add the gemara brachos says if you are an ones in doing a mitzva and cannot mekayem it - you get schar as if you did it -(some say as if you actually did it) so one should not feel bad even if he did not accomplish his mission - hashem views as if you did it and your efforts were not for nothing. You do your part and hashem will take care of the rest and make sure you are rewarded accordingly.

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• LE

  Loren Ecker -3 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  How is it possible that YOU, R. YY, sometimes "feel incompetent?????" Not sure I have witnessed someone who gets more done than you!!!

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• S

  Sara -3 years ago

  Why say that it's NOT a Miracle?

  Sounds like it was a miracle, not just an uncommon occurrence. Orchestrating natural events is not a miracle? And Gd having calculated it so many yeavs before so that the Jews could do the mitzvah. Is there something wrong about saying that it was a miracle?

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  • S

    Sara -3 years ago

    The example that you gave about the Opium war and probably so many other examples that you could provide, not miracles? All the orchestrations that HE has done, not miracles?

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• M

  Moshe -3 years ago

  Maybe for each animal that died

  Another was born, keeping the original number the same? 

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  • Anonymous -3 years ago

    that would also be hasgacha

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  • Anonymous -3 years ago

    that would also be hasgacha

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• M

  Moshe -3 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  The Rebbe says the mitzvah was to give a specific number of each category, and so therefore the total was exactly right. Surely the number to be given away could have been an exact number BUT ALSO a minimum. If the total was greater than the exact amount to amount of the 1/500th or 1/50th then the mitzvah is fulfilled b'hidur by giving more.

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• M

  Moshe -3 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  Is it possible that the numbers of captives and animals were rounded to closest number evenly divisible by the ordered amount to be given away? Is it possible that if the command to give away 1/500 or 1/50 was given BEFORE taking the booty, they counted ad they took and stopped at the round number to avoid leftover numbers?

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• M

  Moshe -3 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  Booty of captives and animals. Fine. Where's the gold, the silver, other precious possessions?

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• JL

  Joseph Levin -3 years ago

  Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk

  Good evening, Rabbi Jacobson, in regard to the first lesson, by the way we looked up the biography of Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk and as you thought, he was born & grew up in Lithuania. He then lived in Bialystok, and then most of his life, 40 years, in Dvinsk in Latvia. It was very interesting to read about him.

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• F

  Feiga -3 years ago

  The sound is not matching Rabbi Jacobson's speaking.  Is it possible to fix this?

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• I

  Isaac -3 years ago

  Thanks vm 

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Likkutei Sichos Matos

Rabbi YY Jacobson

• July 13, 2020
• |
• 21 Tamuz 5780
• |
• 4600 views

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