Parshas Devarim

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

Rashi tells us that the mussar Bnei Yisroel receive in this week's Parsha is regarding the maan ("...Bein Tofel v'Lavan..." -- there is no such place, rather it's referring to the lavan - white maan) about which they complained regarding its whiteness. 

In Behaaloscha it explains that they complained that for all the traveling they wanted something substantial to eat to revive their spirits. The Zera Shimshon brings a Gemara in Shabbos that talks about how someone who has bloodletting done should eat meat and drink wine to bring back their nefesh and restore the redness of the blood they lost. Although the maan was easily the most amazing food, and it could taste like anything, they wanted actual meat.

The mussar is speaking to their ingratitude regarding the whiteness of the maan. The Zera Shimshon brings a Gemara in Kesubos that talks about the importance of a smile, showing the whiteness of one's teeth, and how it's worth more than a cup of milk, sustenance. Moshe Rabbeinu is giving Bnei Yisroel mussar for not appreciating the smile Hashem was giving them, the white of the maan, instead they wanted the red, the sustenance. They failed to see the good in what they had.

We learn from this how easy it is to overlook the good that we have in favor of what we think might be better for us.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Devarim

Parshios Matos-Masei

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

Matos

Moshe speaks to the heads of the shvatim, and the mefarshim tell us that the Shechinah spoke directly through his throat unlike other prophets. With other neviim it says "so says Hashem," but with Moshe he says, "this is the word of Hashem."

The Zera Shimshon cites the Amudeh Shivah who quotes the Rama M'Pano who tells us that every neshama in the universe was part of Adam HaRishon (some in his mouth, some in his brain, some in other parts of his body). Thus, every neshama recieved some enjoyment from the cheit of him eating from the Eitz HaDaas and was damaged spiritually. Moshe Rabbeinu was also part of Adam Harishon; however, his neshama was in Adama's trachea (not his esophagus that would have received enjoyment from eating the forbidden fruit). As Adam's trachea received no enjoyment from the fruit, Moshe's neshama was purer, and the Shechinah was able to be projected from Moshe's throat. 

Masei

The pasuk tells us that Bnei Yisroel journeyed from Ramses and they went forth "b'yad ramma," an upraised hand. The Zera Shimshon asks why the Torah says an upraised hand rather than a "strong hand" like it says in many other places.

He answers that different wordage is used to described different types of neisim. "A strong hand" refers to a physical miracle. "An upraised hand" refers to a spiritual miracle.

At the time that the Jewish people were leaving Ramses, the Egyptians were burying their firstborns, which the pasuk tells us Hashem had struck, as well as inflicting punishments on the Egyptians' gods. Hashem had proved, k'vyachol, His power over all their avoda zara and thus it was a spiritual show of His greatness, not a physical one.


Source: Zera Shimshon Parshios Matos, Masei

Parshas Pinchas

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

The Midrash in this week's parsha tells us that as a reward for killing Zimri, Hashem granted Pinchas "great peace." The Zera Shimshon asks why it doesn't say "Pinchas was great and was given the gift of peace," why does it emphasize that the peace was "great"?

The Zera Shimshon brings another Midrash in this parsha that explains that peace is so powerful that even if Klal Yisroel were to be worshipping avoda zara the Satan would not be able to harm them. From this it is extrapolated that peace impedes the Satan's capabilities. (We therefore daven every day that we should have peace and with it the ultimate salvation. Peace is so important!)

This is all referring to regular peace, says the Zera Shimshon. The peace that Pinchas was rewarded was the ultimate peace, utmost protection from the Satan. Pinchas was transformed into a malach and therefore the Satan no longer had any power over him, because death was no longer a factor for him.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Pinchas

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