Shabbat

Portion of Matos- Masei

Portion of Matos- Masei
 
Based on Rav Moshe Tzvi Neriya 's works - 
 
What was the equivalence of the sin of Bilam and the Midianite women?
 
Instead of respecting the Israelites who endured 40 years in the desert to follow G-d's will -
they tried to destroy Israel 
and destroy the hope for a better world - the message of the freed slaves !!!
 
So in the war the holy Israelite soldiers had mercy on the women of Midian - but
 
Moses reprimands the army for allowing the Midianite women to be captured.
 
"It was they that caused a venereal disease! It caused 24000 Israelites to die!
 
Rav Neria about 40 years talked of the seduction of the Jews by the Midianite women -
 
and the cursing of Bilam the sorcerer 
(who STAYED OVER in Midian TO CURSE AND PLOT- against us - until he was killed)
 
Mercy and respect to the non-merciful and non-respectful was a danger then (as the Torah states in this portion)
and today? Iran? ISIS? 
 
What an important lesson this week's portion teaches.
 
The reasons we are in Israel and in the world - is
 
to teach something the world needs more of-
 
BASIC MORALITY - which MAY NEVER be COMPROMISED
 
So let us teach our children to respect - and to teach respect in the world - but not to legitimize destructive forces.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz