The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
In discussing Bila'am's discourse with his donkey, the Torah recounts in Bamidbar 22:28 that the donkey said to Bila'am - מֶה־עָשִׂ֣יתִי לְךָ֔ כִּ֣י הִכִּיתָ֔נִי זֶ֖ה שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים? Rashi explains the choice of the words שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים, that the donkey was saying to Bila'am how can you curse the Jews who celebrate the שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים?
But why is the Jews' greatest zechus which is being mentioned? He does not talk about Shabbos, or Taharas Hamishpacha, or fasting on Yom Kippur.
R' Frand observed that during the שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים, the Jews are all together as they go up to Yerushalaim together and bring the same sacrifices and daven in the same place.
R' Frand also quoted a Gemara in Chaggigah which states that there are three tradesmen who are exempt from being Oleh Regel - a leather worker, a metal worker and collector of manure. The reason for this exemption is that all three work in trades which have foul odors and no one will want to stand near them.
R' Frand also quoted a Yerushalmi in Chaggigah which states that during the times that the Jews would be Oleh Regel, certain laws would be relaxed. There were certain people who were careful to only eat tahor food all year round. As a result they were not allowed to eat with Amei Ha'aretz so that there was no danger the food would become tamei. But during the שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים, the law was relaxed and they could all eat together.
R' Frand observed that this was why the mitzva of שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים was mentioned as a zechus - because when the Jews are united they are unbeatable.
R' Frand said a second vort related to the Gemara in Berachos which states that Bila'am had a special power that he knew the precise moment when Hashem would be angry. But why does Hashem need to get angry? The answer is that so there would be Yiras Shamayim in the world. However, Hashem did not get angry at that moment while the Jews were in the Midbar.
R' Frand quoted the Belzer Rebbe who explains that Bila'am knew that no matter what, he would succeed. If he was able to provoke Hashem to allow the Jews to be cursed, then he would be successful. And if Hashem did not get angry, then there would be no Yiras Shamayim. And the plan B would kick in as since the Jews had no Yiras Shamayim, they would stray with the Bnos Midyan and then Hashem would punish them.
If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!
No comments:
Post a Comment