Torah Teasers
Parshas V’eschanon
1. We find before Mattan Torah, when Hashem told Klal Yisrael to separate from their wives, He said a direct and explicit command,” Al Tigshu El Isha – Do not come close to a woman.” However, when He told them to return to their wives after Mattan Torah, it was only hinted to them with the words, “Shuvu Lachem L’Ahalaychem – Return to your tents,” Why? Ans….R’Yisrael Salanter says that we see from here, when telling someone that something is prohibited, you must spell it out to the person in a clear and concise language. A hint will not suffice, since he just won’t get it. However, when it comes to a Heter, telling someone that something is allowed, a person will understand what you mean even with the most vague of hints! That is why when it came to tell Klal Yisrael that they must separate from their wives, it was said explicitly. However, when it came to being allowed to going back to their wives, the words hinting sufficed.
2. Hashem tells Moshe he will not go into Eretz Yisrael. Instead He tells him, “Alei Rosh HaPisga – Go on top of the mountain; V’Sa Einecha Yama V’Tzafona V’Teimana U’Mizracha – to look in all four directions and see Eretz Yisrael.” Rav Shimon Schwab notes that the eastern direction was Eretz Sichon and Og, which were already captured and were not part of Eretz Yisrael proper. What was there for Moshe to see there? Ans…. He answers that Eretz Sichon and Og only became Kadosh after Eretz Yisrael itself was captured. Moshe was looking at the Kedusha, not a piece of land. Sichon and Og were the last to become Kadosh and we see this in Hashem’s words. First Hashem tells Moshe to look in the other three directions. Only after he had done that, does Hashem tell him to look eastward, to see a dimension of the land of Sichon and Og that he had never seen before, despite having conquered it.
3. “VaYisaber Hashem Bi L’Ma’anchem – Hashem became angry at me because of you.” (VaEschanan 3:26). Moshe says that because of Klal Yisroel, Moshe was not buried in Eretz Yisrael. The Netziv points out that the word L’Ma’anchem means “for your sake”, which implies that it was a favor for Bnei Yisrael that Moshe did not go into Eretz Yisroel. What kind of favor was this? Ans….The Netziv answers that after Moshe finishes telling them that Yehoshua will lead, the Torah says, “VaNeishev BaGai Mul Bais Pi’or – Bnei Yisrael encamped in Gai, opposite Bais Pi’or.” This Pasuk, which is out of place, explains the riddle, says the Netziv. Pi’or was very attractive to Bnei Yisrael, and they had a very hard time resisting it. In fact, they were already Nichshol once. Moshe was buried opposite Pi’or, as extra protection for them to help them resist averos. This makom tumah was transformed into a makom kadosh, as Moshe’s resting place. This was a huge favor for Bnei Yisrael who resided there.
4. “V’Atem HaDeveikem B’ashem Elokeichem Chaim Kulchem HaYom – And you who cling to Hashem are all alive today.” The gemara in Sanhedrim (100a) says, “do not worry about tomorrow’s trouble because maybe you won’t be here and you would have worried about a world that is not yours.” So how does one battle the Yetzer Hara who doesn’t cease to tempt you day in and day out? Ans…. Using the above pasuk and gemara, the Chasam Sofer teaches a person how to live a lifetime of Kedusha. V’Atem HaDeveikem B’ashem Elokeichem, if you want to attach yourself to Hashem… Chaim Kulchem HaYom, all your thoughts should be devoted to making sure that you are “alive” and conquering the Yetzer Hara today. Everyone can manage for just one day. Maybe we can say this pshat in the pasuk, V’Avrohom Zakein Ba BaYamim (Bereishis 24:1). Avrohom didn’t try to wrestle with a lifetime of tzidkus. He fought his battles one day at a time and at the end, he came with a complete collection of days. Each day was perfect, from the time he woke until the time he went to sleep.
5. “You shall love Hashem.” The word אהבה – love – has a root of הב which means give. We are commanded in this week’s parsha to Love Hashem. We read this posuk at least twice daily in the Shema. But how does one love Hashem? Ans…. In Yiddishkeit we believe that love is based on giving, hence the root of the word אהבה – love is הב – give. You cannot love somebody unless you are willing to give 100% of the time, in all sorts of ways. The other person will then reciprocate this love. However, true Love is giving just for the sake of giving, and not giving just so you get something back! Hashem gave us things to do – mitzvos. By doing mitzvos, we are giving to Hashem. To truly love Him, would be to give 100% in every Mitzvah and not doing it half-heartedly. Don’t do it because you want reward, but rather because you know that it is what Hashem means when He says Love Him!
6. The pasuk tells us (4:2) “Lo Sigri’u Mimenu” – The Torah cannot be broken into components. What does this mean? Ans…. Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (Divrei Agadah) tells a Mashal to explain this. There was a naïve villager who somehow had a large fortune of money. A city slicker came to him one day to borrow money from him. He hesitated, wondering aloud how he will get his money back. The city boy explained to him that he can write a contract and guarantors will sign as well. If he has trouble collecting, he can take the document to court and they will force him to pay. Agreeing with this plan, the villager lent him a large sum of money for a year’s time. In middle of the year, the city boy came back the villager and told him that he wants to return half the money because he doesn’t need it anymore. After returning the money, he asked the villager to give him back half the document. The village cut the document in half and returned it to him. (TURN OVER)
A few days later, he returned again explaining that after rechecking the situation he does after all need the second half of the money. So the villager gave him back the money and received the second half of the document once again. Now the naïve villager had a document ripped in half and the city slicker had all the money. The same is with our Torah, explains Rav Elyashiv. If you rip out any part of it, it becomes a worthless document. The Torah must be kept in its entirety.

This week’s Torah is B’Zchus: Shmuel Simcha ben Tziporah Miriam, and Yechiel ben Sima Esther, who were involved in a serious car accident when returning to camp after the siyum Hashas.
Distributed by the Chevre Marbitz Torah D’NMB

Created By Rov Allen Sherman