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SUKKOT

Why Moshe Himself Feared Being Doubted

Why Moshe Himself Feared Being Doubted

Part of Sukkot · 16:11

Continues the account of Miriam and Aharon's tzaraas, Moshe's own concern that the people wouldn't believe him, and a hint to the Sukkos water libation in the text.

Audio Transcript
Aharon and Miriam's Leprosy Debate

We're holding here on top here, 转谞讬讗 讻诪讗谉 讚讗诪专, the first thing we learned was when Aharon and Miriam spoke, so to speak, lashon hara against Moshe, we learned in Chumash that Aharon at Miriam became a 诪爪讜专注, became 诪爪讜专注. 讜诇讙讘讬 讗讛专谉 it doesn't say that. And the Gemara quotes an opinion before that it did happen to Aharon too. And when the Torah says the other opinion says it didn't happen to him, 讗讬 the pasuk says, \"讜讬讞专 讗祝 讛' 讘诐\" that Hashem was upset with them, says yes, he was upset with both of them, but the 爪专注转 only she got, but the other opinion says that he also got. But now the Gemara says, 转谞讬讗, we learned, 讻诪讗谉 讚讗诪专, like the one that says 讗祝 讗讛专谉 谞爪讟专注, that Aharon also became a 诪爪讜专注. Dikhtiv it says, \"讜讬驻谉 讗讛专谉 讗诇 诪专讬诐\", Aharon turned into Miriam, \"讜讛谞讛 诪爪专注转\". And 讜讛谞讛 means, and behold, she is 诪爪专注转. 转谞讗, so we learned, what it means he turned, 砖驻谞讛 诪爪专注转讜, he turned means he finished his 爪专注转 and he turned around and says, \"Now she is a 诪爪讜专注.\" In other words, he also had 爪专注转, but he had... Isn't there a famous saying that she should be healed? Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe did, yeah. 讗诇 谞讗 专驻讗 谞讗 诇讛. But this was after, according to this opinion, after he was healed. In other words, he became a 诪爪讜专注, and when he finished his 爪专注转, that's when she got... How long, a day?

Suspecting the Righteous Brings Physical Punishment

讗诪专 Rish Lakish, Rish Lakish says, 讛讞讜砖讚 讘讻砖专讬诐, if someone suspects honest people, he suspects somebody of doing an aveirah when it's not true, he didn't really do it, 诇讜拽讛 讘讙讜驻讜, you will be punished with your body. In other words, Hashem will make something in your body, something happen to your body, not not that you'll lose your money or you'll it'll affect your body. Is that what they were guilty of? Huh? Is that what they were guilty of? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. By Moshe. They were, that's what, Aharon and Miriam, because they suspected him of doing something wrong when they didn't. They said that he separated from his wife. They thought it was wrong of him, and really he did it because Hashem told him. They didn't know that. Huh? Which is cut off of us? Moshe. Oh, that who is this person 讞讜砖讚 讘讻砖专讬诐, meaning... Didn't he daven? Didn't he daven and Hashem accepted, they learned before? Wasn't that Hashem called him, you know? It makes no difference. He did the right thing anyway. But there's two things. 讚讻转讬讘 it says, not that far, no. She wasn't like Moshe. Anyway, so if you 讞讜砖讚 讘讻砖专讬诐, you get punished in your body, 讚讻转讬讘 it says,

Moshe's Concern About the People's Belief

Moshe Rabbeinu said to Hashem, when Hashem told him to go to Mitzrayim, by the burning bush. So he said, \"Go tell them that the Eibershter came to me, told me that you're going to go out.\" So Moshe asked, \"What happens 讜讛谉 诇讗 讬讗诪讬谞讜 诇讬, they're not going to believe me?\" 讙诇讬讗 拽诪讬 拽讜讚砖讗 讘专讬讱 讛讜讗, the Eibershter knew 讚诪讛讬诪谞讬 讬砖专讗诇, the Yidden were will believe. 讗诪专, the Eibershter said, 讗讬谞讛讜 讛讬谉 诪讗诪讬谞讬诐 讘谞讬 诪讗诪讬谞讬诐, what are you talking about, they're not going to believe, they are believers, children of believers, 讜讗转讛 讗讬谉 住讜驻讱 诇讛讗诪讬谉, you're not going to believe. The end will be you're not going to believe. 讛讬谉 诪讗诪讬谞讬诐, where do we see that the Yidden are believers? 讚讻转讬讘 it says, \"讜讬讗诪谉 讛注诐\", it says mefurash, the Yidden believed. Where is it 讘谞讬 诪讗诪讬谞讬诐? How come Hashem said that he's not going to believe? What's he not going to believe? One second. Oh. And 讘谞讬 诪讗诪讬谞讬诐, they're children of believers, where is that? It says by Avraham, \"讜讛讗诪谉 讘讛'\", that he believed in Hashem. But 讜讗转讛 讗讬谉 住讜驻讱 诇讛讗诪讬谉, you're not going to believe, 砖谞讗诪专 it says, \"讬注谉 诇讗 讛讗诪谞转诐 讘讬\" by when he hit the rock. Hashem said, \"You're not going to go into Eretz Yisrael because you didn't believe in me.\" That's the pasuk \"讬注谉 诇讗 讛讗诪谞转诐\", \"I told you to speak to the rock, and you didn't believe me.\" That includes Moshe? Huh? That includes Moshe? Yeah, he heard to Moshe. Who did he say it to? To Moshe and Aharon. \"讬注谉 诇讗 讛讗诪谞转诐 讘讬\", that's why you're not going into Eretz Yisrael. He referred to it that you didn't believe in me, because as if he didn't believe, \"I said to hit, to speak to the rock, not to hit. I didn't say to hit, and you didn't believe me.\" But he said it. Huh? Moshe said that you're going to be not not believe in me, so he cannot stop it, because Hashem knew that he's not going to believe in him. Hashem said to him this, no? Right, but Hashem said to him by the 住谞讛, your claim is the Yidden are not going to believe, that's not true, the Yidden believers, and they come from believers. You are not going to believe eventually. 40 years from now, yeah. That's what I'm saying, he said, \"You are not going to believe.\" So Hashem knew that he's not going to believe. Sure. 注讘讜讚讛 Hashem knew, so? So there is no way to stop him? No, Hashem knows that there's bechirah. Hashem knew that he's... That's like by everybody. You know it's bechirah. We all have free choice, but Hashem knows. He knows anyway. Hashem knows that he's that he's not going to believe, so... Hashem told him, \"讜拽讞 讗转 诪讟讱 讘讬讚讱\". Yeah, but he didn't tell him to hit. What did he take it for? That's the segulah, that he has a stick always has this. What is the segulah without using it? With holding it, yeah, not to hit. Talk, to talk to it. But he The truth is, that it says he spoke to a different rock, he didn't realize. Yeah. And then didn't give him the water, so he went and hit it. And also water was simple, they moved around. Moved around. Plus, 40 39 years earlier, the stick. same thing happened and Hashem told him to hit the rock. Hashem did, yeah. It says in Parashat Beshalach when they went out of Mitzrayim they came to a place there was no water, Hashem said to him, \"Take the rock, take your stick and take your stick and hit the rock.\" So when Moshe spoke to the rock... and it didn't work, cuz he spoke to the wrong rock, but he thought probably it's the same thing like then. Especially Hashem told me to take the stick along! So we understand what happened, but the bottom line is, is that he didn't do what Hashem said. That stick had a power... No, Hashem told him, but Hashem said clearly, \"Speak!\" 讜讚讘专转诐 讗诇 讛住诇注, Hashem said. But how come Yidden are believers, the children of believers, and Moshe, the leader of Yidden, is not a believer? In his level. Huh? In his level it wasn't that he didn't believe. It was not a simple stick. That stick was an amah thick. An amah, about a foot, about a or a foot and a half, or two feet thick, square. Stick like this. It wasn't the sticks we have... And what was Moshe going on? He had something when he said they're not, they're not gonna believe. Did he have He had obviously experience with the Jews. No, he didn't. What about by Datan va-Aviram? That's not believing. That was that they're 诪住讜专讬诐. That's not about believing. Living in Mitzrayim he used to hang out with, you know, amongst the Jews, he didn't... No, he didn't hang around Jews, he was in the palace. No, when that's when he went out and he walked the first time, that's when he ran away, came from Mitzrayim. Anyway, so what we're trying to bring out is if a person suspects something that's not true, will be punished in his body. Now

Moshe Punished with Leprosy for Doubt

here, Moshe Rabbeinu suspected the Yidden not to believe, and it's not true. So 诪诪讗讬 讚诇拽讬, so where do we see that he got punished in his body? See it says, 讜讬讗诪专 讛砖诐 诇讜 注讜讚, right, Hashem says to him again, 讛讘讗 谞讗 讬讚讱 讘讞讬拽讱, put your hand into your bosom, and he took it out, and it's 诪爪讜专注转 讻砖诇讙, it was a punishment in his body for that. Speaking of getting punished in the body, why did Yaakov have to get hit by the, by the, Esav's angel in his thigh, become crippled? A little bit, yeah. Why did Hashem make it happen? Why did that happen? That was the ruchniyusdike part of it. Right, the peshatus is because he fought and fought, the nes is that he didn't, that he didn't hurt him more! He's fighting with an angel! Yeah, but Yaakov, you won the battle. Okay, fine, the bottom line you won, but he still got hurt. He won, but he still got hurt. I mean, that's normal. The question 讘专讜讞谞讬讜转... The Ramban has something, Ibn Ezra... for the future, for a 讛砖讙讞讛 驻专讟讬转 is... That's one peshat, that's, that's... Do we take that 讙讬讚 讛谞砖讛 of both thighs of the animal? The angel, the angel was touching... Only one side. ...trying to find the spot where he's... We're talking about one 讚专讜砖, one, one of the peshatim, one of... So it become a netzach. Netzach, yeah, look in... 讗诪专 专讘讗, so he said, so this is what where we find that he got hurt, 讘讙讜驻讗. 讗诪专 专讘讗, 专讘讗 said, 讜讗讬转讬诪讗 专讘讬 讬讜住讬 讘专讘讬 讞谞讬谞讗, and some say 专讘讬 讬讜住讬 讘专讘讬 讞谞讬谞讗, 诪讚讛 讟讜讘讛 诪诪讛专转 诇讘讗 诪诪讚转 驻讜专注谞讜转. Good middah is faster, comes faster than a punishment middah. 讚讗讬诇讜 讘诪讚转 驻讜专注谞讜转 讻转讬讘, because when it came to punish him, it says, 讜讬讜爪讬讗讛, he took it out, he said, \"Put your hand in,\" he took it out, then 讜讛谞讛 讬讚讜 诪爪专注转, after he took it out it became 爪专注转. 讜讗讬诇讜 讘诪讚讛 讟讜讘讛, look at the other side, the good side, 讻转讬讘 讛砖诐 said to him, take it, put your hand again in, he took it in, 讜讬讜爪讬讗讛 诪讞讬拽讜, he took it out of his bosom, 讜讛谞讛 砖讘讛, and it's already back like before. So this happened before he took it out. As soon as he put his hand in it got back, when he took it out it was fine. That was to become good. To become bad, it didn't come that fast. After he took it out, then it became bad, became 爪专注转. The lashon of the pasuk, no? So here, you know. Then it says, oh so it says, 讜讬讜爪讬讗讛 诪讞讬拽讜 讜讛谞讛 砖讘讛 讻讘砖专讜. 诪讞讬拽讜, 讜讛谞讛 砖讘讛 讻讘砖专讜. 诪讞讬拽讜, from it being in his bosom, that's when already it came back. I thought it wasn't bad till he took it out. No, became good, I'm sorry, yeah. Became good before, yeah. Then the pasuk, the Gemara 讚专砖谞'住 the 驻住讜拽, 讜讬讘诇注 诪讟讛 讗讛专谉 讗转 诪讟转诐. Aharon came in front of the king, threw down his stick, it became snakes. They also did the same thing, their sticks also became snakes. And then it says the stick of Aharon swallowed their sticks. 讗诪专 专讘讬 讗诇注讝专, 专讘讬 讗诇注讝专 said, 谞住 讘转讜讱 谞住, it's a nes in a nes. It's an interesting thing: his swallowed theirs not while it was a snake, when it turned back into a stick! The stick swallowed the sticks! That's something the The whole thing is a nes, but not such a nes that a stick, a stick should swallow a stick. That's called a 谞住 讘转讜讱 谞住. Hm? By the dreams of Yosef... Skinny 砖讘讜诇讬诐... swallowed each other. You're talking about part of it. dreams. Yeah, in the dreams. At least at least what do you call, you seen cows... No, he's saying is right. In a dream anything could happen, but this is this like happened, exactly. In a real dream, no, there always has to be something a little off. Where'd I used to see that? Yeah. Yeah. 讻转讘, the Mishnah, it says in the 诪砖谞讛, 讛诪讜砖讬讟 讞讬讬讘 讜讛讝讜专拽 驻讟讜专, 砖讻讱 讛讬讬转讛 注讘讜讚转 讛诇讜讬诐. When you go from one 专砖讜转 讛讬讞讬讚 to another 专砖讜转 讛讬讞讬讚, if you hand over, like you're sitting on two porches and you're handing over, you're 讞讬讬讘. If you're just throwing it, you are 驻讟讜专, because the Leviim, that's what they used to do, and the everything is learned off in the 诪砖讻谉. They used to have the two wagons standing next to each other, and they used to pass over the 拽专砖讬诐, the boards. But we don't find in the 诪砖讻谉 that they would throw. Therefore you are 驻讟讜专. So the Gemara vayter, 转谞讜 专讘谞谉, the 专讘谞谉 taught: Wouldn't throw when they sprinkled the blood? That sprinkling is not throwing? We don't learn it out from the it's not from the 注讘讜讚讛, it's from the making of the building, the building of the 诪砖讻谉, not from the 注讘讜讚讛. And anyway, this was all inside. We're talking about from one 专砖讜转 to another. And the chidush of 诪讜砖讬讟 is a strange chidush. It's from one 专砖讜转 讛讬讞讬讚 to another 专砖讜转 讛讬讞讬讚 with a 专砖讜转 讛专讘讬诐 in the middle. That's the thing. And it's higher than 10 讟驻讞讬诐, which higher than 10 讟驻讞讬诐 is 讻讜诇讬 not a 专砖讜转 讛专讘讬诐. And that's the whole chidush of 诪讜砖讬讟 because of the 注讘讜讚转 讛诇讜讬诐. And it's only also not if it's across, but if it's next to each other. If you have the 专砖讜转 讛专讘讬诐 here, and you have one porch here and one porch here, and the guy passes through, you're not 讞讬讬讘. Has to be one porch here and one porch here, and the 专砖讜转 讛专讘讬诐 this way, and he's handing side by side. Whatever, the Gemara has all kinds of 诇讬诪讜讚讬诐. It's a strange 诪诇讗讻讛.

Mishkan Boards and the Concept of Throwing

转谞讜 专讘谞谉, the 专讘谞谉 taught: 讞专讜爪讜转 讛讬讜 拽专砖讬诐. The 拽专砖讬诐 at the bottom, see they were put into the 讗讚谞讬诐, they were put into the sockets. So the 拽专砖讬诐 were cut and were put in. The bottom there was indentations, and the 讗讚谞讬诐 were 讞诇讜诇讬诐, they are the sockets were hollow, so they would see the indentation would go in. Then he says, 讜谞专讗讬谉 拽专砖讬诐 讘诇讜诇讗讜转 讻讻讜讻讘讬诐 讘专拽讬注. Now we know that there was the 讬专讬注讜转, and the way the 讬专讬注讜转 of the Mishkan were made, Hashem said to take five and five, make it take five and sew them together, so you have five and five pieces, and then you make hooks and and like and you put them together and then you cover the Mishkan. And the the hooks happened to be in the place where they hung the 驻专讜讻转 between the 拽讚砖 讛拽讚砖讬诐 and the 拽讚砖. But when you looked up to the ceiling, what you saw were these hooks. So he says the hooks looked like like stars, stars in the sky. 转谞讜 专讘谞谉, the 专讘谞谉 taught: 讬专讬注讜转 讛转讞转讜谞讜转, there were two 讬专讬注讜转, and at the end there was a top, a third. Two 讬专讬注讜转 though. A bottom one was made of 转讻诇转 and 讗专讙诪谉 and 转讜诇注转 砖谞讬 and 砖砖, and and each of these things, each material. And 注诇讬讜谞讜转, the top one was made of 诪注砖讛 注讝讬诐, only from the hair of goats. 讜讙讚诇讛 讞讻诪讛 砖谞讗诪专 讘注诇讬讜谞讜转 讬讜转专 诪砖谞讗诪专 讘转讞转讜谞讜转. The chochmah to

Higher vs. Lower Mishkan Curtain Craftsmanship

make it concerning the higher ones is greater than the chochmah that to make the lower ones. Why? 讚讗讬诇讜 讘转讞转讜谞讜转 讻转讬讘, by the lower ones it says: 讜讻诇 讗砖讛 讞讻诪转 诇讘 讘讬讚讬讛 讟讜讜, with her hands she wove. 讚讗讬诇讜 讘注诇讬讜谞讜转 讻转讬讘, the higher one it says: 讜讻诇 讛谞砖讬诐 讗砖专 谞砖讗 诇讘谉 讗讜转谞讛 讘讞讻诪讛 讟讜讜 讗转 讛注讝讬诐. The women who their heart was chochmah, it means it was like a greater chochmah to do it. 讚转谞讬讗, we learned 诪砖诪讬讛 讚专讘讬 谞讞诪讬讛: 砖讟讜祝 诪谉 讛注讝讬诐 讜讟讜讜 诪谉 讛注讝讬诐. 砖讟讜祝 讘注讝讬诐, when they made it, there's two things: some of them they wove when they cut off the hair from the goats and they made it into material, and you have to know how to do that too, you had to be smart, but the other one, they did it on top of the 注讝讬诐, while they were still connected, still connected to the animal. They had such a chochmah, they were able to make to weave it while it's connected to the animal. And the question is why? Why was that so important to do that? More fresh? Yeah. Why was it only More lustrous. Why is it only in the top skin and not in the other skin? More alive. More alive like we've been the animals. At the top, I guess. Some say that it was because if a woman was teme'ah, the thing would become tamei. If it was separated. If it's connected to an it's a living, part of a living animal, doesn't become tamei. Then the question is why, what about the other ones? Other ones it wasn't like that. Because it's connected to the ground, you say, and it's not tamei if it's connected to What's connected to the ground? That tumah has to do with No, no, which was connect which was connected to the ground? If the if the hair is on the on the Yeah, the animal, right. Standing on the ground. Then I'm asking so why the other 讬专讬注讜转 didn't matter if they did it off the animal? Is it a problem? Maybe they didn't, maybe they just didn't They were more careful. The colorful ones. Says just the top and not the other ones. Yeah. Maybe the color was different, also from 注讝讬诐? Huh? The colorful was not from 注讝讬诐? Well, there was one thing that was The second was from 注讝讬诐 only. The dark-color ones. Yeah, well they dyed 转讻诇转 and all those things are not from 注讝讬诐. Oh, right, right, right, right! It's pashut. Yeah, they were not they didn't have 注讝讬诐. They were all different materials, yeah. Yeah, this would be only the second was 注讝讬诐, yeah. That's, only the second one was the 砖讟讗驻注谞注 诪谉 注讝讬诐, the other was yeah. 转谞讬讗, it says in a braisa Where this came from, the 转讞砖? Huh? These colors came from this 转讞砖? Yeah, this didn't have 转讞砖. This had just 转讻诇转, 讗专讙诪谉, 转讜诇注转 砖谞讬, 砖砖. What about 转讞砖? No, 转讞砖 was the animal, you know, the special animal that was created special for the Mishkan with colorful skin. Okay, 转谞讬讗, we learned:

Sukkot Water Libation Hint in the Text

专讘讬 讬讛讜讚讛 讘谉 讘转讬专讗 讗讜诪专, 谞讗诪专 讘砖谞讬: Talking about Sukkos. In Sukkos, there are seven days of Sukkos. So the second day when it speaks about the 拽专讘谞讜转, it says 讜谞住讻讬讛诐, that you have the 拽专讘谞讜转 and they are their 谞住讻讬诐, the pouring. 讘砖砖讬, on the sixth day, it says 讜谞住讻讬讛. 讘砖讘讬注讬, it says 讻诪砖驻讟诐. So we have extra 诪, 讬, and a 诪, and 诪, 讬, 诪 makes 诪讬诐. 诪讻讗谉 专诪讝 诇谞讬住讜讱 讛诪讬诐 诪谉 讛转讜专讛. There's a remez that on Sukkos you have to pour water, even though it doesn't say in the Torah. This is only a remez, because a remez, it's really halacha l'Moshe miSinai. Huh? You have to pour water?

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