Masei
מסעיThe Journeys
49 translated essays · 49 total
תרל"א(1870)
Opening Heading For Masei· Essay 1
With the help of Heaven. Masei, in brief. This is the opening heading of the piece, invoking the help of Heaven and noting that the following remarks on Parashas Masei will be set down concisely. Summary: This entry consists solely of the o…
Refuge Through Self Nullification· Essay 2
My grandfather, my master and teacher, of blessed memory, expounded the meaning of "Betzer in the wilderness... and Bosra" (Yehoshua 20:8; Yirmeyahu 48:24). The Sfas Emes opens by citing a teaching of his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, …
Masei תרל"א
תרל”א ב”ה מסעי בקיצור אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל הגיד הטעות בצרה תקלוט כבצר. Chidusei Harim explained the mistake of confusing Batzra for Betzer. (Gemara Makkot 12a explains that in the future HaShem will take vengeance on …
תרל"ב(1871)
Masei — Opening· Essay 1
With the help of Heaven. The author’s traditional opening invocation at the start of Parshas Masei.
Distance Grants Enduring Existence· Essay 2
The Torah writes of the journeys, "and their starting points," and so on — for there are certain places that have no enduring existence except through a person's distancing himself from them; for so it is with all the matters of this world,…
Masei תרל"ב
תרל”ב ב”ה מטות מסעי המסעות שנכתבו בתורה מוצאיהם כו’ The travels of Bnei Yisrael is written: “And Moshe recorded the goings out of their travels etc” שיש מקומות שאין להם קיום רק ע”י שמתרחק האדם מהם ככל עניני עוה”…
תרל"ג(1872)
Separating From Physicality Lishmah· Essay 1
"These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael... according to their goings forth" (Bamidbar 33:1) — the wording at the beginning of the pasuk and at its end are reversed. The Sfas Emes notes a textual difficulty: the pasuk opens by speaking of th…
Wholehearted Acceptance Enables Rectification· Essay 2
My grandfather, my master and teacher of blessed memory, expounded on the verse "For you are coming" (Bamidbar 33:51, regarding crossing the Yarden into Eretz Yisrael). The Sfas Emes opens by citing a teaching of his grandfather, the Chiddu…
Masei תרל"ג
מסעיהם למוצאיהם כו’ הלשונות בתחלת הפסוק וסוף הפ’ מהופכים. “These are the travellings and the going out…and these are their going out in accordance with their travelling” (Bamidbar 33:1). The language (‘going’ and ‘travelling’) i…
תרל"ד(1873)
No Place Earns Refuge· Essay 1
The Midrash, concerning the cities of refuge, expounds the verse "Good and upright is Hashem; therefore He instructs sinners in the way" (Tehillim 25:8). The Sfas Emes opens by citing a Midrash that links the cities of refuge to the verse p…
Boundless Inheritance Through Shabbos· Essay 2
Chazal said that one who delights in the Shabbos is granted an inheritance without boundaries, as it is written, "the inheritance of Yaakov your father" (Yeshayah 58:14). The Sfas Emes opens with the teaching of Chazal that delighting in Sh…
Masei תרל"ד essay
במדרש על ערי מקלט טוב וישר ה’ על כן יורה חטאים בדרך. בגמ’ דייקי בפ’ יתמו חטאים מן הארץ חוטאים לא כ’ רק חטאים כו’. וכמו כן יש לדייק בפסוק זה יורה חטאים. כי החטא עושה רושם כמ”ש ז”ל שנברא משחית מכל חטא…
תרל"ה(1874)
תרל"ט(1878)
תרמ"ב(1881)
Mattos Masei Opening Header· Essay 1
With the help of Hashem. Mattos-Masei. This is the opening header line of the piece, invoking the help of Hashem and naming the parshios of Mattos and Masei under which these divrei Torah are set. Summary: This entry consists solely of the …
Refining Sparks Through Journeys· Essay 2
On the verse "These are the journeys (of Bnei Yisrael)" (Bamidbar 33:1), the Torah links the journeys to the going out from Mitzrayim. The Torah ties the list of journeys to Yetzias Mitzrayim, hinting that the travels carry forward the work…
Masei תרמ"ב
בפסוק אלה מסעי כו’ תלה הכתוב המסעות ביציאת מצרים. Regarding the pasuk (Bamidbar 33:1) “These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael who left Mitzrayim…”. The journeys are actually dependent on leaving Mitzrayim. כי ידוע שכל אלה המקומות היו …
תרמ"ג(1882)
Journeys That Carry Menuchah· Essay 1
The Midrash teaches regarding one who flees [from danger] that he may desecrate the Shabbos, and so forth. The Sfas Emes opens by citing a Midrash that touches on the law that someone fleeing for his life may even violate Shabbos to escape …
Receiving Shefa Through Nature· Essay 2
In the Midrash it is taught that before Bnei Yisrael entered the Land, the blessing was simply that of "He who sustains" (Birkas HaZan); but once they entered, the blessing was "for the Land and for the food," and so forth. The Midrash note…
Bittul Transforms The Land· Essay 3
On the pasuk "You shall drive out [the inhabitants of] the land" (Bamidbar 33:53), Rashi explains: When you will have driven out the idolaters, you will endure in it, etc. The pasuk commands Bnei Yisrael to drive out the inhabitants of the …
Masei תרמ"ג
במדרש הבורח מה שיחלל השבת כו’. The Midrash (Tanchuma Masei 1) Asks wether one is allowed to transgress the Shabbos to run away from danger. הענין כי המסעות היו מקומות שהוצרכו להלחם עם הסט”א כמ”ש ויהי בנסוע כו’ קומה ה…
תרמ"ד(1883)
Journeys Of Masei· Essay 1
An explanation of Parashas Masei, in brief. This is a heading noting that what follows is a concise treatment of Parashas Masei, the parashah recounting the journeys of Bnei Yisrael through the wilderness. Summary: This brief entry serves a…
Journeys As Lifelong Battles· Essay 2
On the verse, "These are the journeys [of Bnei Yisrael], who went out from the land of Mitzrayim" (Bamidbar 33:1). The Sfas Emes opens with the verse that begins Parshas Masei, which lists the journeys of Bnei Yisrael and ties them to their…
Eretz Yisrael Spiritual Root· Essay 3
Regarding the verse "This is the land that shall fall to you" (Bamidbar 34:2), the Midrash comments on the word "to you" — "it is fitting for you." The Sfas Emes opens with a verse about the land "falling" to Bnei Yisrael, and notes the Mid…
תרמ"ה(1884)
Spiritual Journeys And Battles· Essay 1
On the verse, "These are the journeys (of Bnei Yisrael)" (Bamidbar 33:1), the Torah writes "their goings out according to their journeys" and then "their journeys according to their goings out" (Bamidbar 33:2). The Sfas Emes opens on the do…
Torah Revealed Through Deed· Essay 2
In the Midrash it states: 'When you come... this is the land that shall fall to you... according to its borders...' The Sfas Emes opens with the verse from Masei describing Bnei Yisrael's entry into the land and its borders, setting up the …
תרמ"ו(1885)
Ascending Through Wilderness Journeys· Essay 1
The verse links these journeys to the exodus from Mitzrayim, for regarding the journeys too it says 'their goings forth' (Bamidbar 33:2), since all of these places required the salvation of Hashem, as it is written, 'And it was when the Aro…
Eretz Yisrael Illuminating the Neshamah· Essay 2
The Midrash teaches on the verse "This is the land that shall fall to you" (Bamidbar 34:2): it is fitting for you, as the verse says "Portions have fallen to me in pleasant places" (Tehillim 16:6), and "Yes, my inheritance is beautiful to m…
תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח(1886)
Journeys That Rectify Generations· Essay 1
In the Midrash there is a teaching that the word "Nachis" is a notarikon (an acronym). The Sfas Emes opens by citing the Midrash that reads the word "Nachis" as an acronym hinting at a deeper meaning. The allusion is this: that these journe…
Bnei Yisrael Sanctifying The Land· Essay 2
The Midrash teaches on the verse "When you come... this is the land that shall fall (to you as an inheritance)" (Bamidbar 34:2): Does the land actually fall? Rather, (it means that when Bnei Yisrael entered the land, the Holy One, Blessed i…
Earning the Land's Blessing· Essay 3
In the Midrash: Moshe Rabbeinu instituted the berachah of HaZan; when Bnei Yisrael entered the Land, they instituted the berachos 'for the Land and for the sustenance,' for there is nothing more beloved before the Holy One, Blessed is He, t…
Returning To Rectify Departures· Essay 4
Regarding the pasuk, "And Moshe wrote their goings-forth according to their journeys... and these were their journeys according to their goings-forth" (Bamidbar 33:2), there are two reverse orderings here, and we must understand them. The S…
תרמ"ט(1888)
Journeys Above Nature· Essay 1
Regarding the journeys (masaos) that are recorded in the Torah, where it is written, "who went out from the land of Mitzrayim" (Bamidbar 33:1). The Sfas Emes opens on Parshas Masei, which lists the forty-two journeys of Bnei Yisrael, framed…
Hidden Treasures of Eretz Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash, on the verse "For you are coming" (Bamidbar 34:2). The Sfas Emes opens by citing a Midrash on the verse "For you are coming to the land" at the beginning of Parshas Masei's discussion of Eretz Yisrael's boundaries. "Canaan" …
תר"נ(1889)
תרנ"ג(1892)
תרנ"ד(1893)
Fifty Gates Of Binah· Essay 1
Regarding the journeys, which the verse links to the Exodus from Mitzrayim, it appears that just as Yetzias Mitzrayim is mentioned fifty times in the Torah—as the Zohar HaKadosh states—this hints that Bnei Yisrael went out from the forty-ni…
Kohen Gadol Brings Life· Essay 2
The Midrash, in connection with the cities of refuge, brings the verse "He instructs sinners in the way" (Tehillim 25:8); see there. The Midrash links the law of the cities of refuge to the verse describing how Hashem shows sinners the path…
Masei תרנ"ד 2 essay
במדרש בענין ערי מקלט מביא הפסוק יורה חטאים בדרך ע”ש. דענין הגלות של הרוצח ויציאתו במיתת כ”ג כ’ רש”י הטעם שהכ”ג מאריך ימיו של אדם א”נ שהי’ לו להתפלל שלא יארע תקלה כו’. וב’ הטעמים אמת כי כ…
תרנ"ט(1898)
Matos Masei Heading· Essay 1
With the help of Hashem. From the portion of Matos-Masei and Rosh Chodesh Av. This is a heading line opening the piece, noting that it was said with Hashem's help, in connection with Parshas Matos-Masei and the day of Rosh Chodesh Av. Summa…
Settling the Wilderness Through Torah· Essay 2
In the Midrash on the journeys (Masei): the places that Bnei Yisrael received are destined to become settled habitation, as the verse states. The Midrash teaches that the stations through which Bnei Yisrael traveled in the wilderness are ul…
Two Keys Of Redemption· Essay 3
It is written, "The gate of the inner courtyard... on the day of Shabbos it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened" (Yechezkel 46:1). The Navi Yechezkel describes the inner gate of the future Beis HaMikdash, whic…
תרס"א(1900)
Salvation Within Distress· Essay 1
The Midrash teaches: "The great ones of the world fled, yet as for Bnei Yisrael in the wilderness, I did not allow you to flee," and so forth (see there). The Midrash contrasts the great figures of the world, who escaped their troubles by f…
Eretz Yisrael Revealed Light· Essay 2
In the Midrash on the verse "For you are coming (into the land)...". The Sfas Emes opens by citing a Midrash on the verse describing Bnei Yisrael coming into the land. "This generation — see (the word of Hashem)... is the land a darkness...…
תרס"ב(1901)
Rooted Only In Eretz Yisrael· Essay 1
In the Midrash on the verse "When you come (into the land)... it shall fall to you (as an inheritance)" (Bamidbar 34:2) — "to you" means it is fitting precisely for you, as the verse says, "The portions have fallen to me in pleasant places"…
Journeying From Level To Level· Essay 2
On the verse "These are the journeys... which went out from the land of Egypt" (Bamidbar 33:1), the verse links the journeys to the Exodus from Egypt. Just as the Exodus from Egypt was a deliverance for all the generations, which is why the…
תרס"ד(1903)
Finding Hashem Within Distress· Essay 1
In the Midrash: the great ones of the world fled, but I did not allow you to flee; therefore the Holy One, Blessed is He, told Moshe Rabbeinu to write down the journeys, and so on. The Midrash teaches that whereas others escaped danger by f…
Inner Greatness Of Eretz Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "For you are coming" (Bamidbar 34:2) — when the mann descended they instituted the berachah "Who sustains all"; once they entered the Land they instituted the berachah "for the Land and for the sustenance," and this berachah…