Parashat Nasso

Leilui Nishmat Itzhak Ben Esther Ike Bibi A’h by his nephew

Parashat Nasso

Nasso happens to be the longest parasha, with 176 pesukim. Similarly, the Bavli tractate Baba Batra has 176 pages, and the 119th perek of Tehilim has 176 pesukim. The gematria for 176 is leolam, which means “forever.” This is a sign that teaches us that the Torah is forever!

Finding the Message in the Pandemic

Rabbi Nosson Scherman writes in the introduction of Rabbi David Ashear’s new book “Living Emmunah 5” that it’s no coincidence that the pandemic struck Western society in the weeks leading up to Pesach which lingered with us until Shavuot. In Mitzrayim, Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate blood and frogs, but when Hashem brough the plague of Lice, they were forced to admit, “It is a finger of G-d.” Lice were too small for the powers of magic. I suggest that G-d is sending a similar message to the modern world. “Do you, arrogant man, really think that you have mastered the universe and that there is no place for Me in your world? I’ll send you a microscopic virus to infect you with humility! Will you hear My message?” Some of us hear it. How tragic that so many still shut their ears to the truth.

Perhaps the areas of the lockdown can help us focus. Schools and shuls have been closed, and personal contact has been limited by “social distancing.” It may be that we are being shown that, as a Jewish Nation, we have not shown sufficient respect for our shuls and for the outstanding privilege of communal tefillah.

Now if the Pandemic wasn’t enough Hashem has sent this civil unrest to our cities throughout the United States which has left our law enforcement barely able to protect us or our property from Riots and Theft. To add insult to injury, we’re living in a time where the laws are so liberal in many states which in many cases are more lenient to the perpetrators than the victims. May Hashem help and protect us to get through these turbulent times.

Sota

Sota is the service the kohen performed when a married woman went into seclusion with another man after she’d been warned not to. She would be brought to the kohen, who would write the name of Hashem on a parchment which he then dipped into water. The woman would drink that water. If the woman was guilty of having relations with that man, she died an excruciating death on the spot. However, if she did not commit adultery, then she would be blessed with a son that same year. We see from this, that Hashem is even willing to erase His Holy Name for the sake of shalom bayit.

The question is raised: Why did she get a beracha if she went into seclusion with another man after being warned not to, even if she didn’t actually have relations? The answer is that even though she disobeyed her husband and went into seclusion with another man, she was able to conquer her yetzer hara and stop herself from having relations!

Don’t Just Blame Her

Perek 5, passuk 10 reads: “Everyone’s holy things shall belong to him; whatever a man gives to the kohen shall be his.”This passuk is speaking about the gifts we must give to the kohen. Then in passuk 12, the Torah continues: “Speak to B’nei Yisrael and say to them: Any man whose wife shall go astray and commit treachery against him…” This passuk deals with the laws of Sota, which involve a married woman who went into seclusion with another man.

Rashi comments on the juxtaposition of these two topics by stating that if a man is so mean-spirited that he tries to avoid giving gifts to the kohen, ultimately he will bring his wife to the kohen on suspicion of being with another man, so that the kohen can perform the Sota service.

This is similar to the man who doesn’t give the proper maaser tithe to tzedaka. In the end, that money will just be lost to something else, like theft or, lo alenu, medical expenses.

In passuk 12 we read: “ish ish ki tisteh ishto umaala bo maal — Any man whose wife shall go astray and commit treachery against him.” Why does the Torah repeat the word ish, twice? We know that the Torah doesn’t waste a single letter, let alone an extra word!

Rabbi Frand explains that this is because there may be a reason that the woman went into seclusion with another man. Maybe her husband harassed her to the point where he caused her great pain through verbal abuse. There’s no question that what she did was wrong, but what caused her to do what she did?

Don’t Be Stupid!

Rashi then comments on “ki tisteh ishto — if his wife will go astray. The word tisteh is related to the word shtut, or stupidity. “Adulterers do not commit adultery until a spirit of foolishness enters them.” Just look at what is going on in today’s society, where so-called intelligent people — politicians, famous newscasters, and top show-business personalities — are literally throwing their careers and their reputations away for a fling that leads them to do some very stupid things. It’s not only limited to famous people, we see it with all types of people from every different background. They become temporarily stupid and are irrationally willing to destroy their entire life for a fleeting pleasure. Is it really worth it?

Warren Buffett said, “It takes sixty years to build a good reputation, and just one minute to destroy it.”

There’s a man I know who had a family, a good business, and beautiful children. He made a stupid move which ultimately cost him his marriage, his children, his house and his business. Was it all worth it? That’s why Rashi says infidelity stems from pure stupidity.

On the other hand, there’s a famous story of a man in our community who, when he was a young man in the army, was put in a very tempting situation with a beautiful woman. He responded by immediately running for his life like Yosef Hatzaddik. This man ultimately became a pillar of our community. He left a legacy through his children and grandchildren who are all going in the way of the Torah, many of whom have become Rabbi’s or are married to prominent Rabbi’s in our community!

Nazir

This week’s haftorah is about Shimshon, who was a Nazir. This haftorah is read because right after discussing the Sota, this week’s parasha explains the laws of the Nazir.

The Nazir must bring sacrifices after his period of abstinence from wine has been completed. The question is asked: Why does the Nazir bring a sin offering after a period of sanctity and devotion? According to Ramban, this is because it would have been better for him to continue with his abstinence from worldly pleasures and extend his vow to be a Nazir indefinitely. Therefore, the sin-offering atones for his decision to return to worldly pleasures instead.

Run the Other Way

The Rabbis derive from the juxtaposition of the Sota and the Nazir that “One who sees a Sota in her state of degradation should prohibit wine to himself by taking a Nazirite vow,” as is indicated in Sota (2a).

The reason for this is that the woman succumbed to her sensual passions and let her heart overpower her mind. Her experience was proof that we as people are easy prey to temptation, so when the yetzer hara gets hold of us, even adultery can look like an acceptable option.

The Torah is saying to us clearly, that if we see something that’s improper, we may be sure that it will affect us. We should take the disturbing experience as a sign to do something that will take us in the extreme opposite direction, so that we don’t dare drift anywhere near that thing that we have witnessed.

We are all exposed to the Internet these days, and it has taken hold of so many, causing them at times to lose their families and sometimes even their lives. We must know as Orthodox Jews that the only thing that we should attach ourselves to is our Torah — as we just celebrated the giving of the Torah from Hashem on Har Sinai on the special holiday of Shavuot!

Life Is A Test...

We all experience life’s challenges in one way or another and no one is exempt. A young Rabbi from a fairly wealthy family told a story of his parents who had been married for a few years with no children. His mother had already had two miscarriages and was now in her sixth month of her third pregnancy, hoping for her first child. One day she didn’t feel well and was rushed to the hospital. The doctors determined that the baby was putting her life in jeopardy and they needed to terminate the pregnancy immediately.

At that time, his parents were not observant at all. Nevertheless, his father, desperate to have a child, made a pledge in front of all the people there. He said, “I promise that if this baby is born healthy, I’ll send him to the most religious school in our community!”

Miraculously, just a short while later, the doctors declared that the situation had changed and the pregnancy could continue. A few months later, a healthy baby boy was born, and a few years later, the father fulfilled his pledge and sent him to the most observant yeshivah in his community. That child eventually brought his parents closer to religion and today they are among the most observant people in their community. The baby grew up to become the very Rabbi who was telling over this story and in his own right is bringing many young people back to Torah.

The father, of course now very happy with his new life, got up to speak one day and said, “What seemed to be the darkest time in my life turned out to be my biggest beracha.” He was just so thankful to Hashem for helping him come back to Torah!

Hardships can come in many different forms but Hashem, in His kindness, brings them in ways that enable us to improve and draw closer to Him. This is yet another aspect of Hashem’s Hesed. May Hashem open our eyes to see and appreciate all His kindness and know that everything that Hashem does is only good!

May we all know what’s due to the kohen or, in our days, the poor person, and may we not hold back from giving what is due to him. Otherwise, one way or another, Hashem will take that money from us for something that we’d rather not spend it on. May we learn to have proper middot, so that we do not instill fear into our household and cause our wives or our children to stray and ultimately go against us. May we all have the strength to find Hashem in every situation we’re put into because the very problems we encounter may become our salvation as in the above story! Amen!

Shabbat Shalom!

Discussion Points:

· Are we careful enough to ensure that our spouse has no reason to doubt our loyalty and dedication to them?

· Do we look at our challenges as opportunities to grow?

Le’ilui Nishmat...

Eliyahu Ben Rachel

Rabbi Shimon Chay Ben Yaasher

Avraham Ben Garaz

Sarah Bat Chanah

Esther Bat Sarah

Avraham Ben Mazal

Shulamit Bat Helaina

Rabbi Meyer Ben Chana

Rahamim Ben Mazal

Batsheva Bat Sarah Esther

Rafael Ben Miriam

Ovadia Ben Esther

Rav Haim Ben Rivka

Moshe Ben Mazal

Moshe Ben Yael

Yitzchak Ben Adele

Avraham Ben Mazal

Meir Ben Latifa

Chanah Bat Esther

Yaakov Ben Rachel

Malka Bat Garaz

Moshe Ben Garaz

Avraham Ben Kami

Yaakov Ben Leah

Mordechai Ben Rachel

Chacham Shaul Rachamim Ben Mazal

Natan Ben Rachel

Saadia Ben Miriam

Eliyah Ben Latifa Simhon

Margalit Bat Mazal

Ovadia Haim Ben Malaky

Rabbi Aharon Chaim Ben Ruchama

Anyone interested in Dedicating this Divre Torah L'ilui Nishmat or Refuah Shelemah or In Honor of someone, can email me at jrahmey@rahmeyfinancial.com.

Checks can be made out to “Mikdash Melech” for $101 and mail to 1326 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11230 (please put in the memo “Divre Torah Food for Shabbat”)

Anyone interested in past parshiot please go to the website ParashaPerspective.org

Anyone interested in Dedicating this Divre Torah L'ilui Nishmat or Refuah Shelemah or

In Honor of someone, can email me at jrahmey@rahmeyfinancial.com.

Checks can be made out to “Mikdash Melech” for $101 and mail to 1326 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11230 (please put in the memo “Divre Torah Food for Shabbat”)

Anyone interested in past parshiot please go to the website ParashaPerspective.org