Not Even a Donkey, Intangible Unity, A Third of Growth, Prayer for Retribution, Flirting
25 Sivan 5784
Chumash Rashi
“Moses was exceedingly distressed, and he said to the Lord, ‘Do not accept their offering. I have not taken a donkey from a single one of them, and I have not harmed a single one of them.’” (Bamidbar 16:15)
Rashi explains, “I did not take a donkey from any one of them. Even when I went from Midian to Egypt, and I placed my wife and sons on a donkey to ride, and I should have taken that donkey from their property, I took only from my own property.” Why was it so important for Moshe to clarify his impartiality to Hashem at this point? He wanted to make clear that his request for Hashem’s help came with no personal interest. He had been a pure servant from the very beginning, seeking no greatness or wealth for himself at all. Now he made it clear that in turn he expected Hashem’s full help in maintaining his selfless leadership over the people.
Tanya
“And even in the lower worlds there are none that ‘grasp’ Him, even though ‘He permeates all worlds’ and animates them with a life-force suited to each individual created being in particular, [for this vestment] is not like [that of] the soul of a man which clothes itself within his body and is grasped within [it] to the extent that it is affected and influenced by changes involving the body and its pain, such as from blows or cold or the heat of fire and the like.” (Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah Chapter 7)
Why does the Alter Rebbe use the word “וְגַם/even” here when referring to the lower worlds. Wouldn’t it be more likely that the G-d’s essence be revealed to the higher worlds?
The entire point of Chapter 7 is that the creation of the world made no difference in the Divine Unity. The hardest thing to grasp is that this world, with all its material existence/its metzius should have not made any difference to the highly spiritual, intangible concept of Divine Unity. This is what the Alter Rebbe is coming to negate. There is no grasping Hashem even in this “tangible” world. Unlike the soul of man which is highly effected by changes in the body, “The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not affected by any of the changes of this world, from summer to winter and from day to night … for He is not grasped within the worlds at all, even though He fills them.”
Rambam
“Similarly, when a stalk reached a third of its growth before the offering of the omer, one uprooted it and then replanted it after the offering of the omer, and it increased in size. There is a doubt whether it is forbidden because of the increase in size until the offering of the omer the following year or it is not forbidden because it took root before the offering of the omer.” (Sefer Kedushah, Ma’achalot Assurot 10:5)
Let’s unpack this complicated case. First some background:
- Whenever grain took root before the offering of the omer, it is permitted to be eaten after the offering of the omer (10:4)
- Grain that took root after the offering of the omer is forbidden until the offering of that sacrifice the following year (10:4) ‘3. Grain that took root before the offering of the omer, was harvested before the offering of the omer and stored in a jar is permitted to be eaten after the offering of the omer (10:5)
Which of these does our scenario fall under? Does it fall under 1. because it took root before the offering of the omer or does it fall under 2. because it continued growing after being replanted after the offering of that year’s omer, thus being forbidden until the offering of the omer the following year.
The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 293:5) rules that such grain is forbidden because of the doubt.
Toras Menachem
“Moses was exceedingly distressed, and he said to the Lord, ‘Do not accept their offering. I have not taken a donkey from a single one of them, and I have not harmed a single one of them.’” (Bamidbar 16:15)
Why did Moshe plead, “Do not accept their offering”? Weren’t the members of Korach’s assembly super wicked? There was no chance at all that Hashem would accept their offering. Rashi answers to this, “According to its simple meaning, [Moshe said,] ‘When they offer incense before You tomorrow, do not turn to them.’ According to its Midrashic interpretation, he said: ‘I know that they have a portion in the daily communal offerings. Let their portions not be accepted favorably before You. Let the fire leave it and not consume it.’” For him too the literal interpretation does not seem to be sufficient, so he adds a Midrashic interpretation.
The Rebbe explains what the true meaning is at the literal level: Moshe pleaded that Hashem shouldn’t turn to them at all. Not to their offerings and not to their personal merits, whatever they may be. Since Moshe approached them to quell their rebellion and they made no efforts at all to reconcile, he begged that they should not only be punished for offering an unauthorized incense offering, but also for being insidious rebels. Nevertheless, Rashi wasn’t fully satisfied at the literal level, because Hashem knew just as well of their wickedness and didn’t require Moshe’s prayers to decide on the proper punishment. So he offered another interpretation at the Midrashic level which also seeks to totally exclude the members of Korach’s assembly because of their exceptional wickedness.
Halachah
How far may one go when talking with the opposite gender?
It is permitted to talk with the opposite gender regarding necessary subjects. It is forbidden to talk excessively, regarding unnecessary matters. Some Poskim rule that one is not to stare directly at the woman while talking with her. It is Biblically forbidden to flirt with the opposite gender due to a negative command, and doing so is included in Yaharog Veal Yavor (die and don’t transgress).
https://shulchanaruchharav.com/conversations-with-the-opposite-gender/