Straight From The Delivery Room To The Fires Of Molech? At the end of Parshas Acharei Mos the Torah warns us about Arayos,incestual relationships. Right in the middle between all the Arayost he Torah tells us about the issur of Molech, according to some this means that they actually threw their children into the fire. Why would the Torah place it here? Even if it were somehow related, shouldn’t the Torah write it either just before or just after?
The Shalal Rov brings from Rav Dovid Shlomo Sloshatz of Odessa that it is hard to believe that parents would act so cruelly and throw their own children into a fire. However, around the world you will find that children that are born out of a shameful relationship are often disposed somehow ,by humiliated parents, to remove the embarrassing stain from their name.
The Torah tells us the issur of Molech among the Arayos to teach us that even if someone gives birth to a Mamzer, Hashem does not allow you to kill the child under any circumstances. Therefore, the pasuk of Molech, is brought right after the illicit relationships that can produce children. and right before. it forbids a relationship with another man or animal which cannot produce any offspring.
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Nadav & Avihu, Too Good To Go Up Alive Moshe told Aharon after the deaths of Nadav and Avihu that he now knows that they were greater than himself and Aharon. That is why Hashem chose them to make a Kiddush Hashem during the inauguration of the Mishkan.
What bothered Moshe, says Rav Shimshon MiOstropolia (MiShulchan Gavo’a) was why Hashem needed to kill them. Why couldn’t He take them to Shamayim alive, just like Chanoch and Eliyahu?
Rav Shimshon MiOstropolia says that the answer is that Chanoch and Eliyahu only became Malachim. Their Neshamos needed to ascend to Shamayim to the dwelling place of the Malachim. In that realm they were able to go up with their bodies intact. Nadav and Avihu were even more Kadosh and their Neshamos rose up to the Olam HaAtzilus, the highest world. In the Olam HaAtzilus no earthly bodies are admitted so they needed to leave their Gufim down here on earth.
This is the meaning of the pasuk, says Rav Shimshon MiOstropolia. “Acharei Mos Shnei Bnei Aharon”, why did Aharon’s children need to die? “BiKorvasam Lifnei HaShem Vayamusu”, because their closeness to Hashem did not allow them to ascend with their body.
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Derech Eretz Torah Style The Pasuk (VaYikra 18:3) says “K’Maaseh Eretz K’Naan Asher Ani Meivi Es’chem Shama Lo Sa’asu, U’ViChukoseihem Lo Seileichu”, do not follow the ways of the goyim. The Medrash Yalkut Shimoni asks, with all the restrictions the Torah placed on us, what is left that we can copy from the goyim? The Medrash answers, it means their protocols and etiquette.
Rav Elyashiv in Divrei Agada says that this is the meaning of the Mishna in Pirkei Avos (3:17) “Im Ein Torah, Ein Derech Eretz”. There are many things we do that we consider polite and common etiquette. However warns Rav Elyashiv, to the extent that they are contrary to the letter and spirit of our laws, the torah, they should not be followed. This is not called Derech Eretz. This is called Maasei Eretz K’Naan!
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Why Blame Shlomo HaMelech For Avodah Zara? The Gemara in Shabbos (56) says that although the pasuk seems to imply that Shlomo HaMelech worshipped Avodah Zara, in truth it was his wives whom he did not rebuke, and therefore, he was held accountable.
The MiShulchan Govoa brings that the Alter of Slabodka asks, “If his aveira was not rebuking, then he was oveir the obligation of Hochei’ach Tochiach (Kedoshim 19:17). Why does the pasuk say avoda zara?” He answers that when a person sees an aveira, it makes a subconscious impression on him. The way to rid himself of this unnoticeable stain, is to stand up and oppose the action verbally. If he does not, then over time these repeated visions will lead him to also do this aveira.
Shlomo HaMelech, by not protesting his wives behavior after witnessing it, left himself vulnerable to Avoda Zara. While on the surface his aveira was Hochei’ach Tochiach, deep within his neshama he had the stain of avoda zara.
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Nothing Like Learning Torah in Yerushalayim! The first 3 years that one plants a fruit tree; one may not eat or have any benefit from the fruit. This is called Orlah. On the 4th year the fruit must be brought to Yerushalayim and eaten there. This is similar to the Mitzvah of Maaser Shaynee where the food must also be eaten in Yerushalayim. The Chinuch (247) explains this Mitzvah of eating this food only in Yerushalayim. He says, by coming to Yerushalayim often to eat your Neta Rivai and Maaser Shaynee, you will come to set up some of your children to learn Torah in Yerushalayim. This is a great thing, since the teachers of Torah and the main wisdom of Torah are found there.

Created By Rov Avrohom Sherman
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