Ten Minutes of Torah

with

Rabbi Chaim Weiner

Pinchas - 5766

במדבר כז:טז

(טז) יִפְקֹד ה' אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה:

Numbers 27:16

Let the LORD, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community.

FROM THE MIDRASH

SOURCE OF THE BREATH OF ALL FLESH - Lord of the universe, known to you are the thoughts of every one of them, how the thoughts of each one are different than those of his fellow’s. I request of Thee to appoint over them a leader who will be able to relate to each of them at his own level of understanding.

WHO WILL GO OUT BEFORE THEM AND COME IN BEFORE THEM - he should not be like those who send out their troops, white sitting themselves at home.

WHO SHALL TAKE THEM OUT AND BRING THEM IN - he shouldn’t send them out by the ten thousands and bring them in by the thousands, send them out by the thousands and bring them in by the hundreds.

AND GOD SAID TO MOSHE קח לך (YOU TAKE) - the One you feel is right- the one you know. You know that Joshua has served you well and has given you much honor. That he would get up early to sit in your court (class) and would stay until late at night, He setup the benches and spread the carpets - he is worthy of leadership.

INVEST HIM WITH SOME OF YOUR ATHORITY - some of your authority but not all of your authority. The elders of that generation said: Moshe’s face was like the face of the sun - Joshua’s face like the face of the moon. Oh - how great the shame, how great the disgrace!!

QUESTIONS

1. What is the source in the verse for each of the Midrashim? What was the reason for choosing Joshua according to each?

Answers to last week’s questions:

1. What is the relationship between the sin and the punishment according to this commentary?

For Akeidat Yitzhak, this is an example of ‘Middah K’neged Middah’ – measure for measure. The punishment fits the crime. The people rebelled against God by complaining about his miraculous protection in the desert. God responded by removing the protection.

The snakes weren’t really a punishment. They live naturally in the desert, and the people were afflicted by them as natural result of not being protected by God.

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Ten Minutes of Torah was prepared by Rabbi Chaim Weiner, based on the methods of Prof. Nechama Leibowitz. Rabbi Weiner studied and corresponded with Prof. Leibowitz for several years.

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