Latest Essays

• The Pious Sinners

  Oct 28, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Each of us lives in the community, and if you look hard enough, you may notice a behavior that many regard as normal. But is it the right thing to do?!
  
  One of the makkot or plagues Hashem brought upon Egypt was the Makkat of Khoshekh, the Plague of Darkness. Torah tells us that it was so dark that no Egyptian could physically move during it. But if you read the Midrash on this, it gets even more interesting. It says that during this plague, around 12 million Jews died, and the sons of Israel went from house to house and buried them under the cover of the darkness so as not to cause shame to the nation. In every plague, it has affected Egyptians, but in this one, we have buried many of our own. 
  
  So, let’s stop here. 
  
  During the three days of darkness, we have buried 8 million people. Some say 12 million or even more, but for this article, I will use the 12 million who were buried; since 20% came out from Egypt, which comes out to 3 million people, we have left behind 80% of the nation within those three days, which in total makes 15 million people were living in Egypt before the plague.
  
  But the amazing thing is, no one screams from the podium about this event; why?? During the Holocaust, we lost 6 million, and we make so much noise about that till today, but 12 million - no noise is made, and not much is said. With your permission, please allow me to shed some light on what might have happened there, or to be the one to make the noise I believe needs to be made. As always, everything that is about to follow is my opinion, which I would like to share with others.
  
  In Parashat Shemot 3:3, when Moshe stood at the burning bush and was instructed by Hashem to go to Egypt to free the nation of Israel, Moshe hesitated, and rightfully so. Two individuals have given Moshe the reason to flee Egypt since they reported him to the authorities when he killed an Egyptian while saving another Jew. Now returning, it was not something Moshe wanted to do besides other reasons; he knew they wouldn’t stop and would continue, and may even outperform and amaze themselves and others at their skill level even more than the previous time. And they did precisely so.
  
  When Moshe Rabbenu went to the pharaoh, he performed miracles and brought or triggered a plague that Hashem had performed. It had the intended effect on the Egyptians, as Hashem wanted, but those two individuals were busy spreading a completely different story to the nation.
  
  When Moshe came to Egypt, he told Aharon HaCohen, his brother, and the elders that G-d sent him. Aharon HaCohen believed Moshe, but the elders believed Aharon HaCohen, since they knew him and not his brother, Moshe. Every time the plague happened, Aharon HaCohen confirmed it as the "Doings of the Almighty." But those two—Dathan and Aviram—had a different plan and a story to tell to others who were willing to listen.
  
  So what did these two tell them? They said that Moshe grew up in the House of Pharaoh and learned to perform those "miracles", with no G-d involved; it was Moshe performing at an advanced level of sorcery. 
  
  But guess what - Dathan and Aviram were not the lazy bunch, and they didn't mind going miles from house to house - since they had no WhatsApp or other technologies we have today to spread slander, they put the time and effort into this "project." So, the elders living far from Aharon HaCohen believed these two since they were persistent and convincing. They walked far and wide and reached 12 million people - the elders and the ordinary folks had believed them that Moshe was not for real, and all of those "miracles" - plagues were just his tricks. Since Aharon HaCohen and the elders loyal to him could convince only 3 million people, Hashem decided to leave the rest of the nation behind, so 80% of the Nation, 12 million people, were buried during the Plague of Darkness.
  
  So, the merit of the deaths of 12 million people belongs to these two individuals - Dathan and Aviram.
  
  - Hashem made Moshe His choice, but these two didn't agree with Him and smeared Moshe, no matter the effort, the time it took, or the consequences it had on the nation—thus challenging G-d's authority and weakening the belief in G-d of the people of that generation and on.
  
  - The nation - those 3 million people - truly believed in Moshe and Hashem later after they crossed the sea, as it says in Parashat Beshalach - Vayaaminu Ba Hashem Uve Moshe Avdo. However, as a result of the actions of Dathan and Aviram, our nation still struggles with faith in Hashem and Moshe to this day. 
  
  - Later in recent history, we have had another similar incident. After thousands of years of following the Derech, or the Way, that Moshe Rabbenu taught us in ancient times, in the early 1800s and on in Europe, new ways to serve G-d were introduced. As a consequence, we lost another 6 million people, and the effects of that are still present today.
  
  As it was, so it will be. The Holy Books tell us of the End of Times. Those past reincarnations will smear the Son of David, and it will be a heavy load. 
  
  But all that is done to test Aharon HaCohen and the Elders of that generation. Whether they will back the one G-d has chosen, side with the ones who smear, or ignore it altogether and go on their way, their actions will determine whether The Nation will leave any of its members behind.
  
  That's why Parashat Korach says, And Korach took but never says what he took. Korach was a bystander who was quietly learning - he had witnessed the performance of The Masters of Defamation - Dathan and Aviram. Korach has taken that "experience" - the knowledge of what the lies can achieve when repeated enough times, and their power to convince and rule the masses, and with that experience, Korach has taken with him the above “experts or the consultants,” and together with other "upstanding scholars", they went against Moshe Rabbenu.
  
  So next time you are out there in public, socializing in the community, look around at those who do the Talking and the Walking and those who quietly stand on the side while gaining that "invaluable experience."
  
  That’s why King David said in the Book of Tehillim 1:1, "Happy is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scorners."
  
  After causing so many terrible problems in the nation and years of accusations of Moshe Rabbenu by Dathan and Aviram, Moshe Rabbenu calls on G-d again to solve this thorny problem once and for all, and goes for the unthinkable.
  
  Parashat Korach 16:28-30 says: "And Moses said, By this, you shall know that it was Hashem who sent me to do all these things; that they are not of my devising: If these people’s death is that of all humankind, if their lot is humankind's common fate, it was not Hashem who sent me. But if Hashem brings about something unheard-of, so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, you shall know that those involved have rejected Hashem." 
  
  And so it happened. Dathan, Aviram, Korach, and their families have fallen into the depths. Gemara Bava Batra 74A says that they never died, but they constantly keep on repeating down there deep in the Earth below: Torah is Truth, and Moshe is Truth—a bit too late if you ask me, but they realized that Moshe's doings were directly from G-d. 
  
  The same will be true with the Son of David, who also will do the same per the Will of G-d. Just like Moshe Rabbenu, who has judged Korach and his people, the Son of David will take the judgments to the next level by the sense of smell to root out the Dathans, Avirams, and other pious sinners of his time who have quietly operated for years amongst the nation. 
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Have You Repented Lately?

  Oct 14, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Every year, we have been reading the same parsha on the first day of Rosh Hashana. Three words bother me, especially the way they are translated, interpreted, and, most of all, embraced by society. I want to mention once again that this is only my opinion. I believe the existing interpretation keeps people from making full repentance and truly embracing the way of Hashem. So, with your permission, please allow me to get a bit more specific.
  
  In Parashat Vayera 21:17 it says - "וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּ֒עַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם׃  - G-d heard the cry of the boy, and a messenger of G-d called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for G-d has heard the cry of the boy in his present state." בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם - Baasher Hu Sha’m - in his present state - these are the 3 words that I was talking about. Rashi explains this as, according to the actions he is now doing shall he be judged and not according to what he may do in the future. And since in the word Baasher the Bet means In or Within, it means that Hashem is trying to tell us that something is hidden within.
  
  This needs to be understood well since once we get it, it will unlock other important areas.
  
  First, we must understand the Sha’m - There.. something has happened somewhere… In Parashat Lech Lecha 16:7-16, when Hagar runs away from Sarai, an angel finds her by the spring of water. In his conversation with Hagar, the angel instructs her to return to her mistress and submit to her domination. He tells her that she will have a son and she should name him Ishmael, and the angel specifies the negative characteristics the boy will have. And so it was - when Sarah Imenu saw how Ishmael was mocking and going against Yitzchak, she asked Avraham Avinu to drive him and his mother Hagar out of the house because of the threat Ishmael posed to Yitzchak's spiritual growth and physical being. 
  
  That's why the angel has used the word: Baasher Hu Sha’m - to mean not as much as "in his present state" but as he, the angel, has prophesized there before, or predicted, or has made up the boy's future there at that time to be.
  
  So, the fact that Sarah Imenu threw him out of the house is not something we should question or be amazed about. Since it all goes according to plan - Ishmael behaves as the angel had predicted. 
  
  From generation to generation, we come to the Holiday of Rosh Hashana, and we are told that if we sit, pray, and be nice to others -- and since all along we were taught that Hashem's judgment depends on "our present state" no matter our teshuva status, then we are guaranteed a good judgment. As if no repentance is required - just sit and smile and believe that your teshuva is accepted - and many have done exactly that for years. 
  
  But, as you make your way in life, in your daily encounters with people, you see their good or bad character traits. And on Rosh Hashana, a person from that crowd goes to shul and prays as Baasher Hu Sha’m - as he was created there - by his parents, years back at the time of the conception. The parents may not be around anymore, but he is the result and the fruit of that union. In this world, he relates to others as Baasher Hu Sha’m - as it was programmed into him - displaying either good or evil traits by being an amazing individual or an evil person.
  
  But let's go a bit further!!
  
  Why would the Sages include the parsha where Ishmael is mentioned in the reading of the First Day of Rosh Hashana? The Rosh Hashana Day is meant to proclaim Hashem as King - to make Him the King of our Nation and a Ruler of the World. How does Ishmael fit into all of this? 
  
  It is to show the World that Hashem has chosen only the descendants of Yitzchak as His Nation. But also to show the Chosen Nation the dedication of the unchosen nation - the number of times it prays and its willingness to go the distance to "proclaim G-d". It is a battle between Sarah Imenu and Hagar that has lasted for thousands of years. Therefore, to win - We must improve our service and commitment to G-d. Abolish those thorny man-to-man traits that have plagued us for thousands of years. And finally, make that full repentance.
  
  So, my reader... Have you... repented lately???
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue

  Sep 9, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Sometimes, you see a word in the Torah, which triggers a whole new understanding, and once you sit down to write it, it takes you to some uncharted territory where you have never been. As it always goes with anything I write - it is my opinion, an understanding of how I see the passages based on learning the Holy Books. So, with that disclaimer out of the way, let's look at something that is simply amazing. Maybe it may even help you see it in a different light, so perhaps you should even consider using it in some way or form on higher levels. With that said, let's begin. 
  
  Parashat Shoftim has plenty of thought-provoking pesukim, but one stands out—at least, it seemed so to me.  
  
  Pasuk 16:20: "צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה׳ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ - Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that your G-d Hashem is giving you." I believe this pasuk is the answer to how to bring peace to the nation of Israel or any nation in the world. The key to this would be the word "Justice" which, for some reason, was mentioned two times. 
  
  For example, imagine this scenario: Two people come to court because they disagree on some issue. One is rich, and the other is poor. A judge judges the case and announces the verdict. Both are free to go since the case is solved. So, the condition of the first Justice is met. 
  
  But why does the Torah include the second word: Justice shall you pursue?
  
  This is when the judge would ask the poor man to stay, and after the rich man has left the courtroom, the judge will start a whole new type of questioning that would go something like this:
  
  Let's say the poor person's name is Chaim. The judge would ask him: "Chaim, I remember, or I have been told, that 20+ years ago you were a pretty successful businessman or had a job, you had a family, or you may even still have one, and you were living a pretty comfortable lifestyle. But I see that something happened during these years, or maybe I shall say "someone happened" during these years, and your life took a wrong turn. Please, tell me about it."
  
  And this is when the judge finds out things were pretty good. He held a job or had a business, but "he crossed someone's path," and that person made it - a goal of his life - to go after him and ruin his life. And so it was. Slowly, he lost his livelihood, his reputation was blemished, and he had to move to a different city. But those people still found him. He couldn't find a job or open a business since no one wanted to associate with him - he was done. All the doors for him were closed. 
  
  Years have passed. The money he had saved up from his prosperity years - is gone. Kids were growing up, the wife was nervous, and news about him was all over. So, this is when he was forced to go around and beg for a piece of bread.
  
  There are two ways out of this humiliating situation: suicide - which solves those people's problems but is not a good option for him, or homicide - if he starts to talk about those people, death will be his likely end.
  
  And this is where we come to Parashat Shoftim 21:1-9, which tells us about the Eglah Arufah. The body of a poor person is found in the field between the two cities. The person traveled between the cities to collect enough money for bread to feed himself and his family. But his sin is - he talks about the wrong that was done to him. He is asking people to take up on his cause and do justice on his behalf, and as much as those people try to shut him up by discrediting him, he keeps on talking. They didn't think he would be that stubborn; others were quiet after a few years - but this one won't stop - but finally, now he is dead. And the killer is unknown.
  
  The locals measure the closest location of the corpse to the city that the corpse is closest to. The closest city is assumed to be responsible - meaning he was in that city last and came out from that city so that the killer may be from that city. So, the city's elders, nearest to the corpse, shall take the heifer, which has never worked and never has pulled the yoke. They break its neck, wash their hands, and make the declaration: “‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. Absolve, Oh L-rd, Your people Israel whom You redeemed, and do not let the guilt for the blood of the innocent remain among Your people Israel.’ And they will be absolved of the bloodguilt. And this will be morally right in the G-d's eyes."
  
  That poor person who is now dead, was collecting charity. Charity or Tzedaka has the same root as the word Tzedek or Justice, when the letters are switched around. Just like Cohen HaGadol's mother is giving out cookies in the Cities of Refuge, so the people residing in those cities should not pray for Cohen HaGadol's early death (Mishna Makot 2:6). Same way, when the poor person that collects charity - it is us, the community that gives him charity - for the time being, postponing a judgment until someone wakes up and does justice on his behalf to those people that caused that poor person all these trouble and suffering. 
  
  In the Eglah Arufah case, a person went to collect charity. Since he is known everywhere, they haven't given him much - they have not done Justice due to him, so he is forced to go to another city, and another city, and constantly talk to others because of his pain and frustration to the point where someone who had enough of him, have killed him so to put an end to this. 
  
  Comes Torah and says, "Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue." The first Justice is meant to be for the case in front of the Judge—this is what the two parties came for. Judge this case, and let them go in peace. 
  
  But the second part is Justice Shall You Pursue - which means finding out how the person got to this point in his life, where the poor person is forced to collect charity and to find those people who have forced this situation upon him. Since they have done it, are doing it, and will do it again in the future, that same proven strategy will be used on others.

  While they do what they do best, they always stay under the radar and are considered to be respected members of the society where they live, work, and thrive while on the lookout for those that challenge "their honor".
  
  Do you hear those poor people, walking around with stretched hands and asking for - Justice?! When we - the community - don't do our part to pursue justice on their behalf, the poor scream out to Hashem, and He has to get involved...He Must - which in turn causes all sorts of problems in the Nation.
  
  So what is the secret to thriving and living in the Land that Hashem has given us? And I truly believe the answer would be - Justice, Justice We Shall Pursue!!
  
  To further develop this idea, about justice and more, please see part 2.
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• Why Do Good People Suffer?

  Aug 26, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  There plenty of clues in the Torah, and in this essay, we'll examine one of them. 
  
  In Parashat Ekev - וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ - And if you obey these rules and observe them, your G-d will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers. 
  
  The most interesting word here is Ekev, and besides the normal translation as a heel, there's an awesome secret hidden in it that I would like to discuss. So, with your permission, let's delve into it!
  
  וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן - Vehaya Ekev Tishmeoun - When you will listen - there's lots of great promises made by Hashem. To unlock this sentence, we need to refer to another place. 
  
  In Parashat Toldot, we are told the story of Yitzchak and Rivkah. The Midrash tells us that when Rivkah Imeinu was pregnant and passed by the synagogue, the child would be active, and if she passed by the place where the idol was worshipped, the child would be active again, as if it wanted to come out. She was worried—why her child would be so puzzled—drawn after holy and unholy. So, she went to inquire. 
  
  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה׳ לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י (גיים) [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃ 
  and Hashem answered her,
  “Two nations are in your womb,
  Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
  One people shall be mightier than the other,
  And the older shall serve the younger.” 
  
  And so it was. When her time to give birth came, there were twins in her womb. 
  
  וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃ - The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over; so they named him Esau. 
  וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַעֲקֹ֑ב׃ - Then his brother emerged, holding on to the heel of Esau; so they named him Jacob... 
  
  Here, we learn that Hashem referred to Yaakov as the one holding onto Eisav's heel. 
  
  So, another way to read this pasuk we have started with would be not Vehaya Ekev Tishmeoun - When You Will Listen, but maybe should be read as Vehaya Yaakov Tishmeoun - "When Yaakov Will Listen to these rules and observe them carefully..."
  
  So, let's look at this scenario from this angle for a second. 
  
  Remember in Parashat Vayishlach 32:25-29, Yaakov Avinu went to get some jugs and was alone, and suddenly an angel jumped on him, and they fought. It was a long fight until the break of dawn. When the angel saw that he had not prevailed against him, he asked to be let go. Then the angel said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But Yaakov answered, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." Said the angel, "What is your name?" He replied, "Yaakov."
  
  וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ - Said the angel, "Your name shall no longer be Yaakov, but Yisrael, for you have fought with beings divine and human, and have won." 
  
  Yisrael means Yashar El - straight to Hashem; all the prayers go straight to Hashem, no longer with a delay or through an intermediary, as the one who is attached or very close to G-d. Before the fight with an Angel, Yaakov Avinu was just a prophet and a righteous married man, with four wives and 13 children. But after he won the battle with an angel and passed the hardships with people, at that moment he had become a giant - a father of the tribes, and a forefather of the nation.
  
  How can this be applied to our everyday lives?
  
  When the child is born, that child stands at the level of Ekev or the Heel until the age of Bar Mitzvah. But once he has reached his 13th birthday and girls the age of 12 the child enters the level of Yaakov. At this stage the neshama or soul changes, since now it has Yetzer Hara and Yetzer HaTov or Good and Bad Inclinations or Good or Bad Angels inside, and until the age of 120, there's a constant battle that goes on inside the person - whether one should do good or evil. And since this inclination or Yetzer is part of his Divine Soul, this person, like Yaakov Avinu, battles with his exclusive and internal Divine Angels. Hashem puts him through many tests and situations until he passes his tests, subdues his Yetzer Hara to total control, chooses to do good and not evil, atones for past misdeeds, and continues so for the rest of his life. This is when this person graduates from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael and becomes even more closer to Hashem. 
  
  Did you hear of Olam Habah or The Future World, the one that will start some time after Mashiach comes, which will be one long and the most enjoyable time ever?! Any ideas on how to get the entry ticket to it? There's a pasuk that gives it away. Kol Yisrael Yesh Lakhem Khelek LeOlam Habah - All Yisrael have a share in the World To Come - All Yisrael, which, by the way, doesn't mean Every Jew, but means only those Yaakovs that have graduated from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael. They have battled men - by halacha, and battled Divine - their Yetzer Hara, subdued it to the point where it was under their total control, repented and embraced Torah and mitzvot for life and for real, and thus graduated from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael, and only then got their ticket to the World To Come. 
  
  And since we've come this far, let me ask you this: Do you know why good people suffer and bad ones seem to have it smooth and easy?
  
  Those who go through life without paying attention to the laws of the Torah always stay at the level of Yaakov. At this level, they get all their goodness here on this Earth but lose their entry ticket to the World to Come. 
  
  But the ones who seem to suffer more than the others are under the strict supervision of G-d Almighty. Since He loves them and wants them to earn their passage into the Future World, and He wants them to be there next to Him. He tests them and creates unpleasant situations for them through other people who ought to be punished for their misdeeds, puts them through trials and tribulations, so they learn to fight their Evil Inclination, and eventually, get it under their total control, and submit themselves to Hashem, to His laws, and Torah way of life. 
  
  But I bet you hear this often: This is how I am; I have always been like that!! Most probably, I am a reincarnation of some person who battled it then, and I can't change this about myself now. 
  
  So... little about reincarnations or the gilgulim. 
  
  Some very high souls have few things to fix about themselves. For them, the transition from Yaakov level to Yisrael is easy and almost unnoticeable to others due to their environment, their targeted efforts, fewer lacks, and their insatiable and burning desire to reach those heights.
  
  But for the rest of us who have it tough and have plenty to change about ourselves… what should we do?
  
  Many say Hashem loves you - they are not lying to you. He does, since He has given you those hardships. Because each hurdle makes the next one easier to overcome, even though it hurts more than the last time, each hardship is a stepping stone that gets the Evil Inclination under control - slowly muting its volume and minimizing its importance. Slowly but surely, step by step, year after year, blow after blow, until we finally stand on our feet with Yetzer Hara under our full control. And at that moment, the Divine becomes our life and calling. At this point, we graduate from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael, and we become very close to Hashem in this world, as His extension down here on the planet Earth, with a guaranteed ticket to the Future World. 
  
  So, my friend, how about you? Are you ready to battle your Internal Angel?!! 
  
  Vehaya Yaakov Tishmeoun - When Yaakov Will Listen to these rules and observe them carefully... Your name shall no longer be Yaakov, but Yisrael, for you have fought with beings divine and human, and have won.
  
  A light tap on the microphone.
  
  Testing, testing. Is this thing on? May I have your attention, please? Will the real Yisrael please stand up? I repeat. Will the real Yisrael please stand up?
  
  We're not gonna have a problem here!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Why Did Moshe Rabbenu Hit The Rock?

  Jul 16, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  In Parashat Chukat 20:6-13, Hashem tells Moshe to take a staff and talk the rock, but Moshe hits it. Plenty of water came out, people drank, and the animals drank. But what is this miraculous stone?
  
  In Masechet Chagigah 12A:7, it talks about the Tohu va Vohu, and Vohu are the damp stones from which water emerges. Hashem wanted to introduce the nation to Vohu Stones - the damp stones, a lifesaver in Israel or any dry climate that depends on rain. These stones could help greatly with agriculture since the nation is about to enter Eretz Yisrael. With the knowledge of the type of stone with that capability, the nation can irrigate the land anywhere in Israel’s dry climate, which means good crops and prosperity. 
  
  So, the water came out. As is, it's a great miracle, but why were both of the brothers punished? 
  
  Every time Moshe had a question, he was always consulting with Hashem, but this time, the people were pressuring him to bring the water, and for a second, Moshe, if I may say - lost his cool or got angry - instead, he should of stick to his rule of asking Hashem as he always did in the past. So, in a way, Moshe made the same mistake as Aharon and hurried with his decision - hitting the stone instead of asking Hashem. Moshe said from which we should bring and took credit for both. Aharon was there, and since this scenario was familiar to him, and he did not stop his brother, both got punished pretty much for the identical sin.
  
  Hashem wanted him to talk to the rock, and people would have learned a lesson - look, even the rock listens to Moshe, who tells over the word of G-d, so we, the people, should do the same.
  
  But there may be even a deeper explanation.

  Since the times of Avraham Avinu and earlier, rock has been used for idols. Hashem wanted Moshe to teach them a different way of using rock in service of the Divine. But it didn’t happen. Since then, the nations of the world have used it for idols. There are humongous statues of different deities and other symbols and buildings built across the globe dedicated to anyone but G-d Almighty. Moshe had an opportunity to fix it then but missed it. That’s why the sin is so great. It lasts thousands of years and is practiced by billions across the globe till today, and its impact is simply huge. That’s why Hashem punished them both and forbade them from entering the Eretz Yisrael. That would also be why Hashem didn’t want Moshe to build the Bet Hamikdash since he didn’t elevate the use of the stone properly. Thus, he lost the opportunity to build the Bet Hamikdash, which is made out of stone.

  The above is to familiarize us with the story. But once again, let's go even deeper.
  
  In Parashat Balak, when Bilaam is invited to "bless the Nation", in his first blessing he said: מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃ - Who can count the dust of Jacob, Number the dust-cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, May my fate be like his! -- I would like to stop on the word Kamohu - Like his or can be read Like him. Bilaam is talking about the upright of the generation, but for a second, let's look at what other explanations may be.
  
  Kamohu - like him, we are not exactly sure who he means, and to zero in on the specific personality, we need to go to Parashat Shoftim 18:15,  נָבִ֨יא מִקִּרְבְּךָ֤ מֵאַחֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּמֹ֔נִי יָקִ֥ים לְךָ֖ הי אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֵלָ֖יו תִּשְׁמָעֽוּן׃ - From among your own people, your G-d will raise up for you a prophet like myself; that is whom you shall listen. Here it says Kamoni - like me, so we know it is Moshe he is referring to. And later Hashem confirms in 18:17: נָבִ֨יא אָקִ֥ים לָהֶ֛ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם כָּמ֑וֹךָ וְנָתַתִּ֤י דְבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יו וְדִבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ׃ - I will raise up for them from among their own people a prophet like yourself, in whose mouth I will put My words and who will speak to them all that I command; Kamocha - like you. 
  
  So Bilaam means Moshe, and he wants his fate to be like his. But Moshe means a prophet to be appointed at the end of days, a Mashiach himself, and he wants him to be like Moshe Rabbenu. Hashem confirms his request and says that He will do so. We need to find out why Moshe is making such a request. Why is Moshe asking that Mashiach should be like Moshe Rabbenu?
  
  Bilaam and Balak came to the desert for one reason only. Balak, the king of Moab, wanted to "bless" the Jewish nation, and Bilaam was invited to carry out the order so that when their armies met in battle or even without it, the Jewish nation would be defeated. This all sounds good, but when they came to the desert to carry out the plan, Bilaam understood this was impossible. 
  
  Ever since Moshe separated himself from his wife Tziporah, starting with Parashat Yitro and in Vaetchanan, Moshe grew in Torah knowledge and got closer to Hashem. When Balak and Bilaam came to the desert, Bilaam saw a giant – and said, “Even I cannot go against a person like him!” Moshe Rabbenu was preparing to meet his challenger - Bilaam HaRasha, and not only him. 
  
  In the Midrash, we are told of a story. One day, Hashem showed Adam HaRishon a prophetic vision of all the personalities that would come from him from the beginning of time until the end of days. Adam watches it all, and then he sees a small child who lives for a few minutes and dies after a short while. Adam asks Hashem why he died. Hashem tells him that this is how his fate or his mazal is, so Adam gives him 70 years of his life, and this child is David HaMelech, who lives a full life of 70 years because Adam has given him a chance to live. 
  
  It is a nice story—but for the kids. Let me ask you a question: Do you think something is not said in this story? Why does Adam suddenly feel so philanthropic and gives away years from his own life to this infant? Many children pass away around the world; why did Adam give to this little kid named David instead of any of them?
  
  With your permission, I would like to fill in the blanks of what may be the reason.
  
  Adam HaRishon watches all the events and personalities and gets nervous towards the end of the days - Ketz HaYamim. Why? Because of the following story. When his oldest son Kayin killed Hevel, Adam decided not to have any more children, so for 130 years, he was sitting inside a river and not coming close - not being together with his wife Chava. But Adam was a young male, and while in the river, unintentionally - he wasted his seed. Since Adam was created by Hashem and was a holy being, his seed gave rise to demonic beings that roamed the earth (Zohar, Parashat Bereshit), and within 130 years, he had created plenty of those creatures.
  
  As he watched this "movie", he was horrified to see how those beings had attacked people and nations throughout history, causing all sorts of problems and events to occur. But then he noticed one man that went against them - the son of David.  As he traced his lineage, he came to a child named David, who died a few minutes after birth, which meant there would be no Son of David and no one to fight those battles in the future. Realizing his mistake - of creating and unleashing these beings into this world, and driven by the desire of teshuvah - fixing his sin, Adam HaRishon has given 70 years of his life to David so he can father Shlomo so the lineage could continue and the Messiah should be born into this world, to fix the mistake of Adam HaRishon - to battle the wars of G-d, Milchamot Hashem.
  
  Hashem wanted to make Yehoshua bin Nun a Mashiach - Mashiach ben Yosef, since he was from Efrayim, the son of Yosef HaTzaddik, and then Yehoshua would have prepared the environment for the arrival of Ben David. But Moshe felt, and he foresaw, since he was a prophet, that it was too early, and the kings who would come later wouldn't be able to do what Moshe did and wouldn't follow the ways of their forefathers. With the capabilities of the Vohu stone - the damp stone, access to drinking water and abundance of it for irrigation, and power and prosperity that comes with it, will be misused throughout the ages, and instead of the good - all would turn out for the worst.
  
  When Miriam was alive, and they had water, Moshe lived separately in the tent - back then, he wore many hats. During the day, he was a leader and a teacher of the nation, but at night, he was their spiritual protector. When Bilaam came and tried to curse the nation, Moshe Rabbenu had already built an invisible wall of protection around the camp. His learning, his prayers, and his being there amongst the nation were enough to ensure no Bilaam's or anyone's curses could penetrate the camp's spiritual defense line.
  
  Moshe was concerned for the nation; too much was at stake. Besides fighting wars on the battlefield, many wars needed to be fought in the spiritual realm. People like Bilaam and Balak are always watching and trying to do evil to the nation by manipulating the unleashed ancient demons or trying to hurt the nation any way they see fit. Moshe felt that Yehoshua and the people that would come after him would not be able to fight them off till the Son of David arrived. Until the year 6,000 mark, or even earlier, it is a long time to expose the nation to situations where others may attempt to take over the land because of its abundance. Hashem has assured him that this task would be taken on by the biggest hidden and known tzaddikim in every generation. Each generation has its giants that are there quietly protecting us, and we may know them or find out about them after a tragedy hits us, and then we realize that it is because that protector is no longer around, so this is when the next generation of tzadikim step in quietly and take their place instead.
  
  So there was Moshe, not talking to the rock but hitting it, not once but twice—fully believing in his choice, making the ruling—psak for the nation, deciding as a leader, and postponing the revelation of the knowledge of the stone.
  
  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃ - But Hashem said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them."
  
  Even though Moshe chose not to follow Hashem's plan, Hashem kept His word by being with the Nation and never abandoning it, even for a second. Yehoshua bin Nun led the nation across the Jordan River, battled and defeated 31 kings, and conquered the Eretz Yisrael, thus becoming one of the greatest generals and prophets in our history. Hashem has also sprinkled, in every generation until our times the hidden and known Tzadikkim, who are giants and always there for us, battling in the spiritual realm in and out of the spotlight. 

  
  This would also explain why in Parashat Matot-Masei, Moshe allowed 2.5 tribes to stay outside of Israel since redemption is not happening soon. And why, in Parashat Vaetchanan, Hashem told him not to pray anymore since Moshe made the choice, and now he has to live with it.
  
  And why do we need that Vohu - the damp stone?
  
  Since it was never revealed to us, the Land of Israel never experienced true prosperity and always depended on rain. Dependence on rain means weak prosperity, a weak economy, and a weak army, which would explain the destruction that has been happening for thousands of years. 
  
  Today, Israel has advanced irrigation technology, and as a result, the deserts have been transformed into lush gardens. Israel has a robust economy and a strong army. But with the coming of Mashiach, Hashem will reveal this Vohu - damp stone to us, and with Kibbutz Galuyot – an ingathering of the exiles, the prosperity will grow exponentially across the board, as it says so in the Book of Prophet Yeshayahu.
  
  But until then, there are wars around the globe, pandemics, mournings, unrest, vacations, elections, parties, fun, and lots of noise going on in every corner of the world. But stop all of that noise for a second and listen. Do you hear the knock on the door? Who is it you may ask? It is the Son of David. Can someone answer the door?
  
  
  P.S.: Below is my opinion, something I've been analyzing and thinking about a lot lately. 
  
  So, what are the Milchamot Hashem - The Wars of G-d?
  
  Here are some of the points I believe many may have missed:
  
  - On October 7, 2023, Israel was forced to enter into a war. Since then, they have expanded their war efforts and fought on seven fronts. The amazing success they have had in going against different groups has been attributed to the learning and davening of the nation. As a nation, we have been learning and davening for centuries, but this type of success we never had.
  
  - Outside of Israel, Chutz La'aretz, the antisemitism is up, but if you look at how it was years ago vs now, the life situation is not bad at all. 
  
  - For the past two years, the Sefirat HaOmer and the Three Weeks of the season of Tisha B'Av, have had almost no fatal accidents. It almost feels like the month of Av has become just another month.
  
  - During the year, life is smooth for many. There are struggles, but they are tolerable.
  
  I could probably go on, but I believe that Milchamot Hashem have started and have been going on for a while, and the Son of David is at it alone and may be struggling. That's why Adam HaRishon gave David HaMelech 70 years of his life so that he could father Shlomo, ensuring the lineage would continue for the Mashiach to come to this world and fulfill his role. 
  
  So there you have it..!!
  

  This may be a successful attempt, or perhaps not, as I have tried to explain some things as I see them. However, as I always say, it’s just my two cents on the issue. 
  
  - Shmuel Katanov

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