Parshas Balak

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

The pasuk tells us "Those that you bless are blessed, and whom you curse will be cursed." The question is why there are two different tenses –– bless in present tense and curse in future.

The Zera Shimshon says that when giving a bracha the blessing is immediate; Bilaam's bracha was immediate. A curse, however, is delayed and takes place at a point in the future, thus the tense is future.

He brings the example of Moshe Rabbeinu when Hashem told him to put his hand into his cloak and when he took it out it was covered in tzaraas. He then put it back into his cloak and before he even took it out it was back to normal. It only turned leprous with tzaraas after he took it out of his cloak, but already it was healed when he returned his hand to inside his cloak even before removing it for a second time. This is because blessing happens immediately, and a curse is delayed.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Balak

Parshas Chukas

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

Rashi in Bamidbar tells us that Miriam HaNaviah's death is written about after the section regarding Parah Adumah to tell us that the death of a tzadik(es) atones for sins the same way a Parah Adumah does.

The Zera Shimshon asks if this is so, why doesn't the Torah write about Miriam's death after the section regarding karbanos that atone for sins (like the chatas) rather than the Parah Aduma which effectively "just" makes those impure pure?

He explains that talking about the death of Miriam after Parah Aduma teaches us an added condition. It isn't just the death of the tzadik that atones, just as with the Parah Aduma the person doesn't just become pure solely from the Kohen sprinkling the ashes. With the Parah Aduma, the person has to not only have the Kohen purify him by sprinkling him with the ashes mixed with water, he must also act on his own behalf and go to the mikveh. We learn too that the death of a tzadik does not automatically bring atonement. The people must also internalize the pain from the loss of such a great person, and this pain will bring them to do teshuva. The teshuva, the people acting on their own behalf, will bring the atonement.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Chukas

Parshas Korach

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

In this week's parsha we learn about Machlokes Korach, and the Torah tells us "Lo yeheyeh k'Korach v'adaso kasher dibear Hashem b'yad Moshe lo." "Do not be like Korach and his congregation, as Hashem spoke regarding him through the hands of Moshe.

The Zera Shimshon quotes the Reish Lakish who says, "We learn from here that it is forbidden to involve oneself in an argument." Rav said "Anyone who chooses to involve himself in an argument is guilty of the negative transgression of 'Do not be like Korach and his congregation'."

Rav Ashi takes this further and says that anyone who involves himself in an argument deserves to be stricken with tzaraas. What's the connection? We see that tzaraas befalls one who speaks lashon hara, but how does it connect to machlokes?

Each person is created in the image of G-d and has part of the Shechinah within him. When someone speaks badly about someone it is as if he insulted the piece of the Shechinah in him. Similarly, someone who willingly involves himself in a machlokes and brings shame to others besmirches their tzelem Elokim (piece of G-d). Machlokes is similar to lashon hara in that they both cause someone to lose their tzelem Elokim.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Korach

Parshas Shelach

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

Before the miraglim went into Eretz Yisroel Moshe changed Yehoshua’s name to give him extra shmeira and Divine Assistance. The Zera Shimshon asks why Moshe didn’t change the names of all the miraglim, only his student Hoshea?

The Arizal says that when the miraglim went into Eretz Yisroel they were given the neshamos of the shevatim. Every spy was given the neshama of the progenitor of his shevet. The shevet of Levi did not send a spy because they were not going to be given a nachala in Eretz Yisroel. However, Yehoshua bin Nun, from shevet Ephraim, received the neshama of Levi enabling the spy of shevet Menashe to receive the neshama of Yosef.

Were Yehoshua to sin while he were in Eretz Yisroel, he would leave a blemish on the neshama of shevet Levi. Therefore, Moshe Rabenu changed his name to give him Divine Assistance.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Shelach