In this week's Parsha several tribes ask Moshe if they can stay in the Modern day Country of Jordan because they had many animals and that was a good land for grazing.
Moshe castigates these tribes and compares them to the Spies of nearly 40 years earlier. Rabbi Kamenetzky points out that the rebuke for these tribes was 11 pasukim long. This is the longest single rebuke, Moshe compared these men to that of the spies, why? They had made a simple request.
Moshe castigated them for asking to stay in Jordan because the consequences of their actions could be corrosive. There was a new generation that was excited to finally go in to Eretz Yisroel. It might lower morale if a group of Jews did not enter the holy land. Whatever the reason was it could have a negative impact on the nation as a whole.
This was the sin of the spies and that is why Moshe compared the two.Both the spies and these tribes were through their words alone lowering the morale of the nation.
The power of speech is a main theme of this week’s Parsha. You can listen to a full shiur on thishere.
Words can lift a nation’s spirit or wound its heart. That is why I believe the on-line war of words is so intense regarding the Middle East. Churchill spoke to the British in bunkers when the Nazis bombed them.
Giving words of Chizuk (Inspiration) in a time of need to someone is like giving a thirsty man water in a desert. The words, like the water are common and often easy or free to come by, but when they are needed most that is often when they are most sparse.
One of my Rabbis pointed out to me last week that I might have caused some confusion by calling someone the Lubavitcher Rebbe. So I will close with a story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the power of speech and giving people chizuk .
In 1964, Shirley Chisolm was excited when she was elected to represent New York's 12th District, which included her own neighborhood of Crown Heights. She made headlines as the first African-American woman elected to Congress. Shirley approached the Rebbe to ask for an endorsement during her campaign and he said no, he did not get involved in politics. The Rebbe was a wise man.
Shirley had a rocky start to her political carrier, not everyone was excited to work with her. She was placed on the Agricultural committee, although she represented an Urban Brooklyn area.
She was feeling frustrated and angry. Then she got a call from the Rebbe. He asked to meet with her. The Rebbe asked Shirley what was wrong. She told him her situation in congress. The Rebbe told her that God had placed her in her position for a reason. "This country has so much surplus food, and there are so many hungry people. You can use this gift that G‑d gave you to feed hungry people. Find a creative way to do it."
The Rebbe inspired her. On her first day in Congress she met Bob Dole who became a major figure in congress and helped broker a deal for food subsidies from the southern states. She was integral in expanding the food stamp program and creating WIC which helps over 8 Million people get food a year.
She is quoted as saying at her retirement party, "'I owe this because a Rabbi who is an optimist taught me that what you may think is a challenge is a gift from G‑d…And if poor babies have milk, and poor children have food, it's because this Rabbi in Crown Heights had vision.”
Moshe castigates these tribes and compares them to the Spies of nearly 40 years earlier. Rabbi Kamenetzky points out that the rebuke for these tribes was 11 pasukim long. This is the longest single rebuke, Moshe compared these men to that of the spies, why? They had made a simple request.
Moshe castigated them for asking to stay in Jordan because the consequences of their actions could be corrosive. There was a new generation that was excited to finally go in to Eretz Yisroel. It might lower morale if a group of Jews did not enter the holy land. Whatever the reason was it could have a negative impact on the nation as a whole.
This was the sin of the spies and that is why Moshe compared the two.Both the spies and these tribes were through their words alone lowering the morale of the nation.
The power of speech is a main theme of this week’s Parsha. You can listen to a full shiur on thishere.
Words can lift a nation’s spirit or wound its heart. That is why I believe the on-line war of words is so intense regarding the Middle East. Churchill spoke to the British in bunkers when the Nazis bombed them.
Giving words of Chizuk (Inspiration) in a time of need to someone is like giving a thirsty man water in a desert. The words, like the water are common and often easy or free to come by, but when they are needed most that is often when they are most sparse.
One of my Rabbis pointed out to me last week that I might have caused some confusion by calling someone the Lubavitcher Rebbe. So I will close with a story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the power of speech and giving people chizuk .
In 1964, Shirley Chisolm was excited when she was elected to represent New York's 12th District, which included her own neighborhood of Crown Heights. She made headlines as the first African-American woman elected to Congress. Shirley approached the Rebbe to ask for an endorsement during her campaign and he said no, he did not get involved in politics. The Rebbe was a wise man.
Shirley had a rocky start to her political carrier, not everyone was excited to work with her. She was placed on the Agricultural committee, although she represented an Urban Brooklyn area.
She was feeling frustrated and angry. Then she got a call from the Rebbe. He asked to meet with her. The Rebbe asked Shirley what was wrong. She told him her situation in congress. The Rebbe told her that God had placed her in her position for a reason. "This country has so much surplus food, and there are so many hungry people. You can use this gift that G‑d gave you to feed hungry people. Find a creative way to do it."
The Rebbe inspired her. On her first day in Congress she met Bob Dole who became a major figure in congress and helped broker a deal for food subsidies from the southern states. She was integral in expanding the food stamp program and creating WIC which helps over 8 Million people get food a year.
She is quoted as saying at her retirement party, "'I owe this because a Rabbi who is an optimist taught me that what you may think is a challenge is a gift from G‑d…And if poor babies have milk, and poor children have food, it's because this Rabbi in Crown Heights had vision.”
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