עוד יוסף חי – 26:54
“תמעיט נחלתולרב תרבה נחלתו ולמעט ” – “To the Shevet of many you shall increase its inheritance and to the Shevet of few you shall lessen its inheritance.” There are two עסקים, matters, which a person needs to deal with: matters of the Nefesh and matters of the Guf. It is proper that one should follow the counsel of his Yetzer Tov for both, and allow it to rule him. One might think that for matters of the Nefesh the Yetzer Hatov should rule, while for matters of the Guf the Yetzer Hara should rule. This is not the proper thing to do, for aside from the Yetzer Hara causing the person to sin with matters of the Guf, he will also infringe on the rights of the Yetzer Hatov, and cause him to sin in all matters, which will ultimately completely destroy the person. If there is a case of Pikuach Nefesh on Shabbos, the Yetzer Hatov will rule that the person should be Mechalel Shabbos to save his life. Although the Yetzer Hatov’s primary purpose is the Nefesh, he will act in manners which also take into account the Guf, and ensure that the Guf is taken care of. While the Yetzer Hara, he advises for the good of the Guf without any regard for the Nefesh. He does not mind if the advice that he dispenses for the needs of the Guf causes the person to transgress many Aveiros, and sully his Nefesh.
Moshol – There was a wealthy person riding on a horse outside the city. He meets a pauper on the road and gives him money. The pauper then asks the wealthy man for a ride to the city that the man was headed. The wealthy man was happy to oblige, and had the pauper ascend the horse, and sit in front of him. The pauper took the reins of the horse, and travelled into town. When they reached the city limits, the pauper told the wealthy man to get off his horse, and walk away. The wealthy man started yelling at him, asking him how he had the audacity to speak to him like that when he was so nice to him. The pauper began to yell to all the people in the street that this man was trying to take his horse. The people believed the pauper, thinking that he was the owner of the horse, and the wealthy man was attempting to take it from him. They went to court, and the judge said, that while he does believe the wealthy man, he cannot rule in his favor. The bottom line was that the pauper was riding in the front, as well as he was the one holding the reins. These two points implies ownership, and it cannot be taken from him. If one gives anything to the Yetzer Hara, he will hijack the Yetzer Hatov and will only do bad. “לרב” – this is the Yetzer Hatov, for it is Kedusha, that continues to become greater, and has great wisdom. “תרבה נחלתו” – the Yetzer Hatov should receive more than his portion – not only should he be in charge of the Nefesh, but should also be in charge of the Guf. “ולמעט” – This refers to the Yetzer Hara, which is from the side of Klipah, which becomes smaller – he should receive less than his portion, he should not receive the matter of the Guf, rather the Yetzer Hatov should receive his portion, and also take the matters of the Guf.
רבינו יואל – 26:53
“לאלה תחלק הארץ” – “To these shall the land be divided” – the last letters of the words, “לאלה תחלק הארץ” – spell “הקץ.” (The Gemara in Bava Basra 122a says that unlike the division of land in this world in the times of Yehoshua, the division in the times of Moshiach, “הקץ”, will be very different. In Olam Habah there will not be a single person who does not have land on a hill, in a valley, and in a ravine. Furthermore, in the times of Moshiach, Hakodosh Boruch Hu will Himself divide the land among them).
נתיבות שלום - 26:53
“לאלה תחלק הארץ” – Bava Basra 117a – Rebbe Yoshiyah says that the Land was apportioned to those who left Mitzrayim, while Rebbe Yonason says that the Land was apportioned to those who entered the Land. Their Machlokes can be explained in terms of Avodas HaShem. There are two parts of Avodas HaShem, “ועשה טוב –סור מרע ” – “turning away from evil, and doing good.” Leaving Mitzrayim represents turning away from evil – separating Klal Yisroel from the Klipos, the Tumah – impurity, of Mitzrayim. Those coming to the Land of Eretz Yisroel represent the doing good, going into the holy Land of Eretz Yisroel, and performing many positive Mitzvos. While all are in agreement that the complete Avodas HaShem can only come through both, turning away from evil and doing good, they argue about which of these two parts is the Ikar, the more important part. It is known that Klal Yisroel who left Mitzrayim were known as the דור דעה, the generation of knowledge. The Zohar Hakodosh says that there never was such a generation before them, nor would there ever be one after them. The generation which left Mitzrayim, the greatness was in each and every individual, while the generation that entered Eretz Yisroel were great as a Tzibur, based on their Mishpacha, their family. The generation that entered Eretz Yisroel had something unique to them – Yehoshua 24 – “ויעבוד ישראל את ד' כל ימי יהושע” – “And Yisroel served HaShem all the days of Yehoshua.” In truth, “אלו ואלו דברי אלקים חיים” – “Both these and these are words of the living G-d” – the purpose and main part of Avodas HaShem is both, turning away from evil, and doing good. One needs to have both the Midah of “דעת”, knowing – turning away from evil, and “יגיעה”, toiling, and doing Mitzvos. When one acts with both of these Middos, he is truly Zoche to the purpose of the inheritance of the holy Land of Eretz Yisroel.
שפתי כהן - 26:54
“לרב תרבה נחלתו ולמעט תמעיט נחלתו” – This Posuk refers to one’s share in Olam Habah. “לרב” – The numerous one – one who performs many Mitzvos and attains many Zechuyos, “תרבה נחלתו” – will be granted an increased portion in Olam Habah. “ולמעט” – The fewer one – one who does not perform many Mitzvos, and does few good deeds, “תמעיט נחלתו” – will lessen his inheritance in Olam Habah. Whatever one accomplishes in Ruchniyos in this world, is what Olam Habah will be for him.
קרן לדוד – 26:54
“לרב תרבה נחלתו ולמעט תמעיט נחלתו, איש לפי פקדיו יתן נחלתו” – “For the numerous one you shall increase its inheritance, and for the fewer one you shall lessen its inheritance; each one according to his count shall his inheritance be given.” The last words of the Posuk do not seem to be adding anything, just repeating what was said in the beginning of the Posuk. Koheles Rabbah 1:34 – A person dies with half of his desires in his hand – meaning that he has not fulfilled half of his desires. One who has a hundred, wants two hundred. One who desires to have more possessions gets into a vicious cycle. The more possessions he obtains, the more he desires. So instead of his obtaining possessions causing his desires to be fulfilled, and therefore satisfied, they just continue to grow. Mishlei 10:22 “ברכת ד' היא תעשיר” – “It is the blessing of HaShem that enriches.” However, the “blessing of HaShem” is what causes one to become truly wealthy, for he will have what he needs and will not desire more. As it says in Pirkei Avos – “איזהו עשיר השומח בחלקו” – “Who is the wealthy one, he who is happy with his lot”, for if one is not happy with his lot, he always desires more, and is therefore not truly wealthy for he is lacking in that which he desires. “לרב” – refers to one who is on a high Madreiga and understands that he should not desire more than he has, “תרבה נחלתו” – his inheritance is increased – not necessarily actually increased, but enough to make the person content and joyous. “ולמעט” – however someone who is on a low Madreiga, “תמעיט נחלתו” – even if he has a lot, his inheritance is lessened, for he always desires more. The Posuk then goes onto explain why this is so. “איש לפי פקדיו יתן נחלתו” – what each person will get is based upon the level of that person. Each individual makes his own determination as to what he will get, depending on his level, and recognizing that he who desires more, will always have less, while he who is content with his lot, is very wealthy and will have much inheritance.
