Miriam, Leader of the Jews

Hi,

"Deuteronomy 24:9 mentions the redemption [from Egypt] specifically regarding Miriam, teaching that whenever the camps travelled, they did so only with Miriam travelling before them."

(Midrash, Sifri Devarim 275)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why was Miriam named "Puah"?

Hi,

The Sages suggest that the Jewish midwife named "Puah" (Exodus 1:15-21) was actually Miriam, and they offer multiple explanations for how she came about that name:

1. "Puah is Miriam. Why is she called Puah? Because she cooed (puah in Hebrew)."
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)

2. "Alternatively, she spoke (puah) with Divine inspiration, saying, 'My mother will give birth to a son who will save the Jews.'"
(Talmud, Sotah 11b)

3. "She was named Puah for she cried (puah) for her brother, as in Exodus 2:3-9."
(Midrash, Sifri, Behaalotcha 78)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

War is for enemies

Hi,

Devarim 23:10 begins, "When you go to war against your enemy". On this, a midrash (Sifri Devarim 190) comments, "You wage war against your enemies."

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains:
"The Torah establishes that you will battle only those who show themselves to be your enemy, from whose enmity you have suffered, and from whom you anticipate acts of enmity. Therefore, even should you attack them, you shall only defend yourself. This message rejects all wars of conquest."

(Commentary of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch to Devarim 23:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The special favour linking Yosef, Daniel and Esther

Hi,

"'And Gd will show you favour (Numbers 6:25)' – He will give you favour in the eyes of His creations. 

"As in Bereishit 39:21, 'And G-d was with Yosef, and He extended kindness to him, and He made him favourable in the eyes of the warden,'

"And Esther 2:15, 'And Esther was favoured in the eyes of all who saw her.'

"And Daniel 1:9, 'And G-d gave Daniel favour, kindness and mercy.'"

(Midrash, Sifri Naso 41)

"ויחונך"... יתן חנך בעיני הבריות וכן הוא אומר "ויהי ד' את יוסף ויט אליו חסד ויתן חנו בעיני שר בית הסוהר" (בראשית לט:כא) ואומר "ותהי אסתר נושאת חן בעיני כל רואיה" (אסתר ב:טו) ואומר "ויתן האלקים את דניאל לחן ולחסד ולרחמים." (דניאל א:ט)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Israeli prayer

Hi,

"They said in the Sifri (Devarim 80), 'Settling Israel is equal to all of the mitzvot of the Torah', even when Israel is in ruins... For in Israel every prayer and plea ascends to the heavens above and performs its purpose. It is not so in the land of the nations, where a curtain separates..."

(R' Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai, Yosif Ometz 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzedakah Priorities: Local and Israel

Hi,

Devarim 15:7 says, "When there is a pauper, from one of your brethren, in one of your gates, in your land which HaShem your Gd gives you, do not harden your heart and do not tighten your hand from your brother, the pauper."

"'In one of your gates' - Dwellers of your city precede dwellers of other cities.

"'In your land' - Dwellers of the land [Israel] precede dwellers of areas outside the land."

(Midrash, Sifri, Devarim 116)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Was Esav Sincere?

Hi,

"‘And he kissed him (Bereishit 33:4)’ has dots atop it, for Esav did not kiss Yaakov with all of his heart.

"R’ Shimon bar Yochai said: It is established halachah that Esav hates Yaakov, but his mercies were reversed at that moment, and he kissed Yaakov with all of his heart."

(Midrash, Sifri Behaalotcha 69)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A judge's responsibility

Hi,

"Moshe said, 'HaShem, your Gd, has made you great.' This means: Gd elevated and raised you above your judges. He took the punishment [for injustice] from you, and placed the onus [entirely] upon the judges."

(Midrash, Sifri 9)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

As Gd is a witness

Hi,

Gd watches us:

"How do we know that Gd is termed a ‘witness’? As it is written, ‘And I will draw close to you for justice, and I will be a hastening witness, (Malachi 3)’ ‘And I know and testify, this is the word of Gd, (Yirmiyah 29)’ and, ‘And HaShem Elokim will be a witness upon you, from His holy sanctum. (Michah 1)’"

(Midrash, Sifri Devarim 306)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The merit of living in Israel

Hi,

"Rabbi Meir used to say: Israel atones for the sins of those who live there. It is written (Yeshayah 33:24), 'The nation that lives in the land is נשוא עון.'

"But that is still vague [because the term נשוא עון has multiple meanings]! We wouldn't know whether their sins are removed when they live there, or whether the people bear their sins when they live there! The question is resolved by another biblical sentence (Devarim 32:43): 'And His land will atone for His nation.' We see that their sins are removed when they live there."

(Sifri, Devarim 333)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Heaven and Earth: Agents of reward and punishment

Hi,

"Rabbi Benayah would say: When a person is found guilty in court, his witnesses are the first to punish him, as it is written, ‘The hand of the witnesses will be against him first,’ and then others come along.

"So, too, when the Jews do not fulfill Gd’s will it is written, ‘And Gd’s anger will rise against you, and He will close the heavens,’ and then the other punishments will come. And when the Jews fulfill Gd’s will it is written, ‘And it will be on that day – this is the word of Gd – I will answer the heavens…’"

(Sifri Devarim 306)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Peace

Hi,

I know that some believe it's best to lay disputes on the table and fight them out. Nonetheless:

"Peace cannot emerge from the midst of a quarrel."

(Midrash, Sifri to Devarim 286)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Unity

Hi,

"‘Lo titgodidu’ - You shall not split into groups, but rather all of you should be one group, and so it is written, ‘And He established His group upon the land.’"

(Midrash, Sifri Devarim 96)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The style of Prophets

Hi,

"‘And this is the berachah which Moshe blessed’ – Because Moshe spoke harsh things to Israel first… he then went back and told them consoling things… and from him all of the prophets learned to first address the Jews with harsh words and then to return with consoling words. No prophet spoke harsher words than Hosheia, who began with, “Gd, give them what You will give! Give them…”

(Sifri, Devarim 342)

Note: That passage from Hosheia is actually Hosheia 9:14, but it precedes the more merciful passages in the book.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Esav kisses Yaakov

Hi,

"‘And he kissed him’ has dots atop it, for he did not kiss Yaakov with all of his heart.

"R’ Shimon bar Yochai said: It is known halachah that Esav hates Yaakov, but his mercies were reversed at that moment, and he kissed Yaakov with all of his heart."

(Sifri, Behaalotcha 69)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Gd wants us to make others happy

Hi,

Preface: Every three years, the cycle of tithes for Israeli produce is completed. At that point the Jew is instructed to come to the beit hamikdash [Temple in Jerusalem] and declare that he has properly distributed all of the tithes. As part of this, he makes the following declaration: “I have done everything that You have commanded me. [Devarim 26:14]”

On this, the midrash makes a remarkable statement:


“’I have done everything that You have commanded me.’ This means: I have been happy, and I have made others happy.”

(Sifri to Parshat Ki Tavo 7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How to live in Exile

Hi,

Gd's instructions to the Jewish people, regarding exile, show the primacy of Israel over any other place for a Jew to live:

"Even though I am exiling you from the land to live outside of the land, be marked in mitzvot so that when you return to the land they will not be new to you."

(Midrash, Sifri to Devarim, 43)

Have a great day,
Mordechai