במדבר פרק ט, יא
בַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַעֲשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עַל-מַצּוֹת וּמְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ:
In Parshas Bo, the verse only says on Maror it (the Korban Pesach) should be eaten, and Matzos are written separately. Further, it is explained that regarding Pesach in Nissan, the Mitzvah of Matzah is a mitzvah of its own, and not subordinate to the Mitzvah of Korban Pesach.
However, by the second Pesach (in Iyar) if one does not offer a Korban, no separate mitzvah to eat Matzah. Rather, the two items are interconnected.
But Maror is always subordinate to the Korban Pesach, and thus, the verse always mentions the Korban when Maror is mentioned. The reason for this connection is that the eating of meat should be accompanied with something sharp (to bring out the best flavor). However, since mustard or other such sharp items are not in the category of food items, therefore, Maror serves this purpose.
במדבר פרק י, י
וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם
The Sifri says the word שמחתכם refers to Shabbos.
The Gemara (Beitzah 16a) states that all of a person’s material needs for the year are established on Rosh HaShana, except for the expenses of Torah education, and the needs of Shabbos and Yom Tovim. And the Medrosh adds the expenses for Rosh Chodesh. This is supported by this verse which indicates Shabbos, Yom Tovim and Rosh Chadoshim are a unit.
A hint can be found for this concept within the statement of the principal כל המזונות של אדם קצובים לו מתשרי. One could explain the all of one’s expenses are set except from Tishrei (חוץ מ תשרי)
תורה, שבת, ראש חודש, יום טוב
במדבר פרק יא, ה
זָכַרְנוּ אֶת-הַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר-נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם חִנָּם
The Ramban asks, how did the Jews eat fish in Egypt for free? And he answers that the Gemara (Sotah 11b) explains that every time the Jewish women went to draw water, HaShem cause them to draw into their buckets half water and half fish (in order to sustain themselves), and this was the concept that the Jews obtained the fish for “free” (without effort).
Rabbi Epstein explains this is why the verse uses the word דגה and not דג or not דגים. These other words indicate normal or larger size of fish. The word דגה indicates smaller fish, which were small enough to be found in the water buckets of the Jewish women.
BARUCH SHE'AMAR
להגיד בבקר חסדך ואמונתך בלילות (מזמור שיר ליום השבת)
Chesed is connected with good deeds and mercy. However, the concept of faith (אמונה) is not connected with concept of good or with Chesed. Thus, it would have been better to have used a term such as רחמיך או טובתך.
Also, we need to understand the connection of בקר (morning) and לילה (night). Morning and evening are opposing concepts (as in Parsha Behaloscha הענן יהיה עד בקר הערב), as well as day and night. Thus, it should have said בקר & ערב.
The explanation begins with morning blessings. The blessings in the morning expressed appreciation of all the chesed done by HaShem (opening the eyes of the blind, dress the undressed, etc.) We make these blessings in the morning upon rising from sleep.
According to this understanding that we praise HaShem regarding the kindness specifically in the morning, recounting the various forms of loving kindness that He performs.
In contrast, we entrust our soul to HaShem throughout the entire night to a spiritual ascension. HaShem rewards our faith and returns our soul in the morning. Thus, the night is special time for our faith.
בטפשות פה (על חטא של יום הכיפור)
Possibly, the intention is that we did not necessarily sin due to a negative intention, but the sin resulted from a lack of knowledge (foolishness). Similarly we can understand the verse in Parshas Behaloscha, "אל נא תשת עלינו חטאת אשר נואלנו ואשר חטאנו" (BeMidbar 12, 11). Aharon (on behalf of Miriam and himself) said to Moshe, please do not count it as a sin against us, for we sinned due to foolishness (נואל).
Thus, two levels exist within the concept of committing sins. One level is the normal intention (inclination) to commit sin. A second distinct level is that one can also sin due to a lack of knowledge (foolishness). Each level needs its own method of Teshuvah.
HAGADAH OF PESACH
ושאינו יודע לשאול את פתח לו
Many places in the Torah use the word את (female you) in place of אתה (male you). (For example, Bemidbar 11,15: ואם ככה את עושה לי, and many other places). In all of these places, a special learning is derived from the change of word (female in lieu of male).
Rabbi Epstein heard an allusion regarding this change that this son was to be answered completely with all the details regarding the events pertaining to the going out of Egypt. It is not enough to provide the highlights, but one must provide full details from the beginning to the end, as emphasized in the saying from Aleph to Tav (as in the word את).
ויהי שם לגוי גדול מלמד שהיו ישראל מצוינים שם
The word גדול can have two types of explanations: one is greater in quantity, like the great luminary or with great wealth, or the great sea; the second explanation is greater in quality (attributes) like no one in the household as great as him, the Cohen Gadol is greater than his brothers etc. How did the author of the Hagadah know that this phrase indicates the Jews were exceptional (per the second explanation)?
The answer can be found that the Torah used the word גוי in lieu of עם.
The word עם implies a multitude (quantity) of people. The Medrosh (Balak) says the every place the word עם is used it implies a disgrace, such as found in the verse (Bemidbar 11,1) ויהי העם כמתאוננים, and the people were complainers.
In contrast the word גוי implies a great and honored nation, like גוי אחד בארץ, or שני גויים בבטנך (two great nations were in her womb, referring to Yaacov and Esav).
Therefore, in this verse of the Torah, a great nation using the word גוי indicates that the modifier “great” implies an exceptional nation in terms of quality.
GISHMEI BERACHAH
ויחר אף ה' בם וילך (במדבר יב, ט)
Anger is a matter of nature for all people. Some have it less, some have it more. The Torah records that even someone as refined as Moshe Rebeinu or Yaakov Avinu were subject to fits of anger.
However, we do find a distinction between the anger of a fool (Koheles 7,9) and the anger of a Chacham. A Chacham attempts to drive any feeling of anger from his heart (an allusion from the verse above that when anger comes it must go ויחר אף... וילך). Whereas a fool does not attempt to drive the feeling of anger from his heart, but lets it settle in his heart, making a place within for the anger.