TAKING CHARGE OF OURSELVES

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Eliana. Wishing you a Happy Birthday for next week Eliana. I hope you had a nice trip back home from London, and wishing you a year with much achievement!

This week's Sedra is Chukas and Balak.

At the end of Chukas, Bnei Yisrael start the CONQUEST OF THE LAND by warring with Sichon and liberating Trans Jordan (21:24)

I found the interpretation of verse 21:27 interesting. It says 'Al ken yomru HAMOSHLIM boyu Cheshbon.....'

The simple translation and Rashi's explanation is that Sichon had sought the help of 'hamoshlim' (those who speak in parables ie Bilam) to capture the city of Cheshbon.

The Hebrew word 'hamoshlim' can have 2 meanings ie 'rulers' or 'those who speak in parables.'

The Hebrew word 'cheshbon' can also have 2 meanings ie 'the name of the city of Cheshbon' or 'an accounting.'

The verse is therefore not only describing the history of what occurred with the conquest, but it is also giving us a lesson on how we can TAKE CHARGE OF THAT PART OF OUR NATURE WHICH IS IMPULSIVE

The Baal HaTurim points this out and explains that the first 4 words of the verse 21:27 equals numerically 'Eleh hem hamoshlim beyitzram'. Ie THESE ARE THE ONES WHO RULE OVER THEIR NATURES.

Chassidus helps to explain this as follows: (As mentioned by Rabbi Gordon)

Hamoshlim, those who rule over their animalistic inclinations, boyu, come, cheshbon, and take an accounting of where you are up to, so as to CONQUER THE LAND (TAKE CONTROL OF YOURSELVES)

And similarly, it says in Pirkei Avot 4:1, "..Eizehu gibor (who is a mighty one)? Hakovesh es yitzro (He who conquers his inclinations)...UMOSHEL berucho (and RULES over his nature)...He is greater than one who conquers a city."

Gut Shabbos to all