THE RAMBAM'S REGRET

Parshas מטות מסעי
ונס שמה רצח מכה נפש בשגגה

The Rambam writes* that he later expressed regret for not including מראה מקומות (sources) in his monumental work Mishneh Torah.

One time, a question was posed to the Rambam regarding a specific halacha in Hilchos Rotzeach.

The Rambam initially suggested that the source could be found in either Maseches Makkos or Maseches Sanhedrin.

However, after careful searching through the Bavli, Yerushalmi, and Tosefta, the inquirer reported that nothing matching could be found.

The Rambam then reconsidered and suggested it may be in Maseches Gittin—yet again, it could not be located.

Only later did the Rambam discover the actual source in Maseches Yevamos, and he called the questioner back to demonstrate it firsthand.

The Question That Lingered for Generations

Many later scholars attempted to identify which exact halacha this referred to in the Rambam’s writings.

It was ultimately identified by the wealthy banker and talmid chacham of Vilna, R' Mattisyahu Strashun, son of the renowned R"Shash.

He pointed to Hilchos Rotzeach Perek 5 Halacha 2, where the Rambam rules that a rotzeach b’shogeg only goes to exile if the victim dies immediately, not if death occurs later as a result of the wound.

This halacha has its source in two places in Shas: Yevamos 120b and Gittin 70b.

— קובץ תשובות ק"מ
The Rambam himself recalled Gittin, but momentarily could not locate it there.

הל' רוצח פ"ה הל' ב

אין הרוצח בשגגה גולה אלא אם כן מת הנהרג מיד אבל אם חבל בו בשגגה אע"פ שאמדוהו למיתה וחלה ומת אינו גולה שמא הוא קירב את מיתת עצמו או הרוח נכנסה בחבורה והרגתהו אפילו שחט בו כל שני הסימנים ועמד מעט אינו גולה על ידו. לפיכך אם לא פרכס כלל או ששחטו במקום שאין הרוח מנשבת בו כגון בית סתום של שיש הרי זה גולה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:

The Canadian Eagle- PARSHAS MATOS

60 years ago the daily Yiddish Newspaper in Montreal was called

“Der Keneder Adler” (The Canadian Eagle)

Der Keneder Adler July 22 1914

Rabbi Greenglasz zt”l a Lubavitcher Chasid wrote a weekly column based on the Lubavitcher Rebbes Sichos.

 It was either Parshas Balak or Parshas Matos (These two 

Parshiyos start with Pasuk Bais), and the question he posed, 

was ,” Why is Pasuk Alef in the previous Parsha and the new 

Parsha (Balak or Matos) starts with Pasuk Bais, the new 

Parsha should have started with Pasuk Alef. He wrote a 

lengthy shtikel Torah to answer his question.

My father A”H wrote to Rabbi Greenglasz, informing him that the Kapitlach ( Chapters)and numbering the Pesukim in Tanach, was done by Christians and it’s highly unlikely, the Goy had in mind his shtikel Torah when he started a new chapter with the last Pasuk of the previous Parsha.

Over the years, I have searched for this shtikel in tens of volumes of Likutei Sichos.  I haven't  found it.

There are three possibilities :

 a) It wasn’t the Rebbes Torah, but his own. 

 b)  After my fathers letter, they realized,  better not to print           this Sicha.

 c) I didn't do a proper search.

Why not to thank צה"ל

 

בור ששתית ממנו אל תזרוק בו אבן      מדרש תנחומא -רבה, פ' מטות           Why not to thank the חיילי צה"ל a) צה"ל is not the one protecting us It is entirely in Hashem's hands. Similarly, when your wife bakes Challah and all goes well, this too is entirely in Hashem's hands. No need to thank her b) They are part of an organization attempting to destroy Yiddishkeit. If a medical Doctor treats a family member, given that he is a member of an organization promoting the killing of unborn babies, the elderly, & the sick, No need to thank him. c) They aren't volunteering it's only because of the draft. When the plumber arrives in the middle of the night to fix a burst pipe, considering he gets paid time & a half  and isn't volunteering to show up, No need to thank him. d) They are not Frum & some are even anti Frum. When the Polish Shiksa takes excellent care of the 100 year  old wheelchair-bound relative, we should presume the  Shiksa is an antisemite No need to thank her. e) The Zionists, by creating the State are at fault for our need for protection. The state was created fifty years before this soldier was even born. Nevertheless, he is at fault and not entitled to a "Thank You" for risking his life protecting us from all the dangerous enemies.

THE RAMBAM'S REGRET

 

Parshas  מטות מסעי ונס שמה רצח מכה נפש בשגגה The Rambam writes* that he regrets not entering מראה מקומות (sources) in his משנה תורה. Once someone asked him for the source of a הלכה in הל' רוצח  The Rambam answered that it is probably in מס' מכות or מס' סנהדרין. The person came back to the Rambam & told him that he checked the בבלי ירושלמי & תוספתא of both Mesechtos and couldn't find it there. The Rambam then said he thinks it might be in מס' גיטין. The Rambam searched מס' גיטין and couldn't find it. After the person left the Rambam finally found it in מס' יבמות. The Rambam called the person back and showed him the source of the Halacha. Many have wondered & tried to figure out which Halacha in Rambam did they have difficulties finding the source?   It was a wealthy banker תלמיד חכם in Vilna ר' מתתיהו שטראשון son of the ר"שש who finally came up with the answer. The Rambam in 'הל' רוצח פ"ה הל' ב writes that the only  time a רוצח בשוגג goes to גלות is if the victim dies immediately but not if the victim dies at a later time of his wounds. The source for this Halacha appears twice in Shas יבמות קכ ע"ב & **גיטין ע ע"ב  * קובץ תשובות ק"מ **The Rambam did remember גיטין but couldn't find it there 'הל' רוצח פ"ה הל' ב אין הרוצח בשגגה גולה אלא אם כן מת הנהרג מיד אבל אם חבל בו בשגגה אע"פ שאמדוהו למיתה וחלה ומת אינו גולה שמא הוא קירב את מיתת עצמו או הרוח נכנסה בחבורה והרגתהו אפילו שחט בו כל שני הסימנים ועמד מעט אינו גולה על ידו. לפיכך אם לא פרכס כלל או ששחטו במקום שאין הרוח מנשבת בו כגון בית סתום של שיש הרי זה גולה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:

 

No תחנון on his Yahrzeit

 

RIDDLE There is only one Yahrzeit mentioned in the entire Torah.        Who?    When?      Where?

Answer To Riddle- Parshas Matos Masei

 

Riddle

 There is only one Yahrzeit mentioned in the entire Torah. 

   Where, Who, & When?       


There is only one Yahrzeit mentioned in the entire Torah. 
  Where במדבר ל"ג : ל"ח- פ' מסעי

  Who, אהרן הכהן

   When  Rosh Chodesh Av 
וימָת שָׁ֑ם --- בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֖י בְּאֶחָ֥ד לַחֹֽדֶשׁ    

How old was Bilam when he was killed?

 1)   33 - 34    yrs.  Sanhedrin 106b

2)   over 60   yrs.  Zevachim 116a  Da'as Zekeinim mi Ba'alei Tosfos (Shmos 1)

3)   over 140 yrs.  Sanhedrin 106a Da'as Zekeinim mi Ba'alei Tosfos (Shmos 1)

4)   over 210 yrs.  Sanhedrin 106b Rashi

5)   over 400 yrs.  Sanhedrin 105a

1) A Min asked R. Chanina How old Bilam was etc.

2) The Goyim consulted Bilam during Matan Torah. The D.Z m B.T. assumes

Bilam at that time was at least 20 yrs. old, plus the 40 yrs. in the Midbar.

3) Bilam was one of Paroh's advisors when Moishe was born. Bilam at that time was at

least 20 yrs. old plus 80(in Mitzrayim) plus 40 (in Midbar)

4)  Bilam was one of Paroh's advisors when the Bnei Yisrael went down to Mitzrayim

5) Bilam and Lavan were both the same person.

Machlokes Rishonim  a) if it was the same Bilam or one was his grandfather,

b) if the Midrashim  argue with each other. 

It is almost impossible to fulfill this obligation

Parshas Hashavua/ Daf Hashavua (Pesachim 13a)

והייתם נקיים מה' ומישראל

The Chasam Sofer (Shut 6 : 59) writes. "There are two obligations 

1) To come clean from Hashem

2) from Bnei Yisroel. 

It is much easier to fulfill the first obligation than the second one. The punishment for the second

obligation is also much greater. (Chillul Hashem).

You can have a person doing something which is Halachicly  correct, but isn't careful  and some

"שותי שכר" (beer drinkers) mistakenly accuse him of wrongdoing, such a person has not  fulfilled his

obligation of והייתם נקיים .

It is almost impossible to fulfill this obligation. It is likely Shlomo Hamelech had this in mind when he

wrote this אין צדיק בארץ

We find in this weeks Parsha the Bnei Gad etc. followed Moishe Rabbeinu's advice and fought along

with the other Shevatim for 14 years. They were punished  to be sent to Galus before the rest of Klall

Yisroel, because* they haven't fulfilled 100% the obligation of והייתם נקיים ."

*see Midrash Rabbah (Matos) other reasons