Devarim: self-esteem

When the Jewish people are told that they will be traveling through the territory of Eisav they are instructed to buy food and water from the locals, as Se'ir is Eisav's land and not to be conquered. Moshe then reminds the people that every one of their needs has been taken care of by G-d throughout their journey of forty years in the desert. Rashi explains that this does not mean that the people have everything and really do not need to do business with the local tribes -- had that been the intent the Torah should have said "You have all that you need." Instead, the Torah says "You are not lacking," meaning don't appear needy and wanting. To appear as beggars after G-d has provided for your every want and need shows a lack of appreciation.

Rashi reminds us of the importance of self-esteem. G-d has helped each of us in some way or another; one small way we can show our appreciation is by acknowledging that we are worth receiving his assistance.

Masei: refuge with hope

The halacha is that the cities of refuge set aside by Moshe on the west bank of the Jordan River did not provide safe haven until after the designated cities refuge were set up in Eretz Yisrael. The Meshech Chochma explains the reason for this law. A murderer was required to stay in the city of refuge until the death of the kohen gadol. Hashem revealed (34:17) that the allocation of land in Eretz Yisrael to the shevatim and families would be done by Yehoshua and Elazar, the kohein gadol. This meant that Elazar would definitely live through the 14 year period of conquest and division of land. A murderer who might go to a city of refuge during those fourteen years would have no hope of release! Therefore, there was no requirement to move to a city of refuge until after the land was divided and all the cities set up.

The Torah does not demand that a person live without the hope of freedom even for a finite period of time. The ability to see new potential and opportunity in each and every day is a special gift.

Pinchas: a mental battle

Last week's parsha ended with the story the Jewish people being led to commit idolatry by falling prey to the enticement of the women of Moav and Midyan. In our parsha Pinchas receives the reward of a bond of peace for his heroism in striking down the prince of Yisachar and the Midyanaite princess which he took. The parsha continues with the command to smite the nation of Midyan, "Ki tzoririm hem lachem b'nichleihem asher niklu lachem al dvar Peor", because they are afflicting you in the thoughts which they devised regarding the idolatry of Peor. Two grammatical points catch the eye: 1) The pasuk uses the present tense, "tzoririm", to describe the Midyanite continued affliction of the Jewish people, even though it would seem that the two nations were now separated; 2) The pasuk focuses on Midyan's thoughts, the planning, rather than on the action of enticement or idolatry itself.

The Noam Elimelech explains that the women of Midyan were in fact no longer physically present to tempt the Jewish people, but the Jewish people were still afflicted and haunted by their memory of the temptation of these women and their crime. It is not the "thoughts which they devised about you" which is the focus of the pasuk, but rather the "thoughts which they made you think", the recurring feeling of lust followed by guilt which remained long after the actual crime committed. The fight with Midyan was a process of mental catharsis, not just a physical battle.

Read in this light, there is a deeper connection between the reward of Pinchas and this command to do battle with Midyan. Netziv explains that the blessing of peace which Pinchas was rewarded with was peace of mind; even the justifiable violence of Pinchas can leave psychological scars that require healing.

The Torah recognizes that psychological stress is something that we must grapple with and do battle with. Mental strain can leave its mark even long after a trial has been overcome. Our hope is that we too can be blessed with the peace of mind given to Pinchas as a reward for our efforts.

Chukas: each individual has a gift

Rashi (20:2) explains that there is a connection between the people's demand for water and the death of Miriam recorded recorded immediately prior to their complaint. Until this point the people obtained water from from the well of Miriam which accompanied them through the desert, but with Miriam's death the well vanished and the people faced a crisis. Why is it that the well completely vanished and did not remain in the merit of Moshe or Aharon? The Sifsei Chachamim answers the well was a reward for the self sacrifice Miriam showed by waiting alongside the banks of the Nile and watching to see what would happen to the basket her baby brother Moshe was set forth in -- in the merit of her waiting by the water, she became the source of water. Moshe was a greater prophet than his sister Miriam, and Aharon in his position of kohen gadol was able to serve Hashem in ways in which Miriam could not, but neither Moshe or Aharon could substitute for the unique merit that Miriam had. There are people greater in Torah scholarship and avodah than any one of us, but the gifts each of us an individuals bring to the world have no substitute.

Parshas Korach: the spirit of Ya'akov Avinu

The Torah introduces Korah by recounting his lineage -- "ben Yitzhar ben Kehas ben Levi". Rashi asks why the Torah did not go one step further and trace Korach's ancestry back to Ya'akov Avinu. He answers that Ya'akov davened that his name should not be joined in partnership with evil.

The Torah usually does not trace back the lineage of heroes or villains all the way to the Patriarchs. Why here does Rashi see the omission of Ya'akov's name as significant?

Maharal explains that the Torah here is not simply introducing Korach, but condeming him. Because Korach was a descendent of a prominant family within the prominant tribe of Levi, his guilt is that much worse. Korach had excellent role models to learn from and failed to follow their example. That failure might have been further emphasized by highlighting Korach's failure to live up to the model of Ya'akov Avinu. However, Ya'akov did not want to be associated with the condemnation of his descendents, and therefore he is not mentioned.

Lost opportunities and the failure to live up to expectations can create a devastating burden of guilt. Yet, beneath those layers of failure there always remains the spark of Ya'akov Avinu that does not condemn, does not see failure, and does not recognize hopelessness.

Shlach: ain mazal l'Yisrael

Kaleiv tried to rally the people and stem the tidee of sentiment rapidly turning against the idea of journeying to Eretz Yisrael. He boldly declared, "Aloh na'aleh," we can go up an conquer the land (13:30). Why does the Torah use the expression "go up and conquer" instead of simply saying "we can conquer"? Rashi explains that Kaleiv was hinting that even if they had to climb ladders to the heavens to take the land, they would be successful.

Maharal explains that the exaggeration of "climbing to heaven" is not to be taken literally, but hints at a more subtle message. Even if the forces in heaven which seem to control human destiny, the laws of nature, stand in opposition to the conquest of the Land by the Jewish people, that conquest will still be successful. "Ain mazal l'Yisrael" (Shabbos 156) -- the fate of the Jewish people transcends control by earthly and heavenly forces and rests in G-d's hands alone.

Even if appearances lead one to believe that there is no chance of success, "ain mazal l'Yisrael" -- G-d alone, not those obstacles, determines a Jew's destiny.

BeHa'alosecha: the uplifting break of VaYehi Binsoa

The parsha of "Va'yehi binsoa" (BaMidbar 10:35-36) contextually fits into the description of the camp and its travels, but it appears in our parsha, surrounded by upside-down letter nuns which highlight its being out of place. Our Rabbis explain (Shabbos 115) that the parsha of "Va'yehi binsoa" was inserted here to seperate between two parshiyos which show the Jewish people in a poor light. The parsha before "Va'yehi binsoa" describes the hurry and rush to leave Sinai, "like a child fleeing school", giving the appearance that the Jewish people were afraid to linger lest they would be burdened with even more commandments. The parsha immediately after "Va'yehi binsoa" describes the baseless complaints which emerged on the journey itself.

The reality is that the Jewish people did compound one act of communal poor behavior on top of another. However, as the Alter of Slabodka (Ohr Tzafun III:p.36) explains, the dignity of the people is of such importance that G-d re-arranged the text of Torah to avoid layering criticism on top of crticism. And not just any parsha serves as a break between these criticisms -- the parsha of "Vayehi binsoa" is deliberately placed here for its emphasis on G-d's presence manifest in the camp as the Jewish people are led by the ark. Even when we deserve criticism, G-d reminds us that he remains within our camp, despite our failings.