Hebrew | Francais

Search


> > Archive

Shabbat Parashat Matot Masei 5777

Parashat Hashavua: They Would Grab for Themselves

Harav Shaul Yisraeli – based on Siach Shaul, p. 459-462 (during the tumultuous 1938)

The midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 22:7) notes that there are three valuable presents – wisdom, strength, and wealth – that can be a part of a person’s downfall. The examples, one Jewish and one non-Jewish, were: for wisdom, Achitofel and Bilam; for strength, Shimshon and Goliath; and for wealth, Korach and Haman. The midrash continues that the tribes of Gad and Reuven were blessed with great flocks but because they loved their money so much that they settled outside Eretz Yisrael, away from their brethren, they were the first to be exiled.

It is not enough to receive a present, whether it be wisdom, strength, or riches; one needs to use it properly, starting with understanding its divine origin and purpose. One who grabs it for himself and not to be used for good, causes tragedy.

We are now in a time when Eretz Yisrael is flowing with blood (“The Arab Revolt”) and the Diaspora is in flames, and no one knows to where to escape. Have we no guilt? What can those, who had the money to purchase land in Eretz Yisrael and now their money is frozen or lost, say for themselves?

The Sultan needed money, and Herzl tried to harness Jewish wealth and arrange the establishment of a Jewish state. He didn’t realize that the Jewish wealthy would grab their money for themselves and not see the “return on their investment” in building Eretz Yisrael. After the Balfour Declaration, if all those who could have helped would have, we would not possess the present 5% of Mandatory land but 50%. Instead of having 300,000 Jewish residents, we could have 1.3 million. Then we would not have to read daily about young lives being taken and women’s dreams for their children being shattered. The Land could be blossoming like Eden, and we could be helping world Jewry spiritually and financially. World Jewry would know they have a nation and Land, and the haughty nations would have to reckon with us. But people thought their money was safer in their native lands and unfortunately they have lost all – starting with money, and with people lacking a place of refuge. We are like the tribes of Gad and Reuven who preferred their money to Eretz Yisrael.

 Maybe someone thinks that this is a fault of the Jews of the Diaspora and not of Jews of Eretz Yisrael. But they are wrong! Living here does not exempt us from other obligations!  We think that only Jews of the Diaspora have to donate. There are so many Jewish institutions of charity and chesed abroad … and so few here. It is not just money. We need to be sensitive to our neighbors, lend a helping hand, and provide advice and empathy. If a person’s farmland is for him alone, that is also grabbing for himself. We too have baseless hatred, which causes destruction. That hatred comes from wanting everything for oneself.

Another thing that causes destruction is not blessing over the Torah (Bava Metzia 85b). We think we are “too busy to learn Torah.” Even if we were correct in regard to weekdays, why can’t we find an hour or two on Shabbat to acquire knowledge to lead our lives? Even for people like us, the Torah is not at the forefront of our lives as it should be.

These are the lessons. Even though it is a little late, it is better now than not at all. During the Three Weeks, let us start to fix things and merit a speedy liberation!

Top of page
Print this page
Send to friend

Dedication

We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for:

Benzion ben Rachel

Lillian bat Fortune

Eliezer Yosef ben Chana Liba

Yehoshafat Yecheskel ben Milka

Ro'i Moshe Elchanan ben Gina Devra

Together with all cholei Yisrael

 

Hemdat Yamim

is dedicated

to the memory of:

those who fell

in wars

for our homeland

Eretz Hemdah's beloved friends

and Members of

Eretz Hemdah's Amutah

Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l

whose yahrtzeit

is the 10th of Iyar

Rav Reuven Aberman

z"l

who passed away

on 9 Tishrei, 5776


Mr. Shmuel Shemesh 
who passed away on

Sivan 17, 5774

R' Eliyahu Carmel,

Rav Carmel's father,

who passed away on

8th of Iyar 5776


Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

who passed away on

10  Tamuz  5774


Rav Asher Wasserteil z"l

who passed away on

Kislev 9, 5769

R' Meir ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld

o.b.m

R ' Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

Hemdat Yamim

is endowed by

Les & Ethel Sutker

of Chicago, Illinois
in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker
and
Louis
and Lillian Klein, z”l

Mina Presser

 bat Harav David and Bina

on the occasion of her yahrzeit,

 24 Tammuz

and members of her family

who perished in the shoah

 Al Kiddush Hashem

 

 

site by entry.
Eretz Hemdah - Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem © All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy. | Terms of Use.