Ben Adam lChaveiro
Torah Wellsprings | February 13, 2025
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Ben Adam lChaveiro

Torah Wellsprings | June 27, 2025

The final words of the Aseres Hadibros are (20:14) ֶָךֵעלְר ֶרֲׁשא וְכֹל, "Everything of your friend." Tzaddikim say that this tells us that the pinnacle point of the Aseres HaDibros, which is the purpose of the entire Torah, is that a person should do kindness with his fellow man and be cautious never to embarrass or harm his fellow man, chalilah.

It states (20:21) ֶתא ָיוָלע ְָּתַחוְזָב לִּי ֶהֲׂשַּעת ָהָמֲדא ִזְבַּחמ ֶָיךָמְׁלש ֶתוְא ֶָיךעֹלֹת , "A mizbeiach of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall slaughter beside it your korbanos..." The Ruzhiner zt'l explains that the pasuk teaches how to bring korbanos even when there isn't a Beis HaMikdash. How? By way of ָהָמֲדא, which can also mean silence, as in ִיָּהֻמד (see Tehillim 65:2). The Torah is saying that one should be quiet and not answer back when someone says something harsh to him. If one does so, ֶָיךעֹלֹת ֶתא ָיוָלע ְָּתַחוְזָב, it will be considered as if you brought a korban olah, which is wholly offered before Hashem. Furthermore, with this attitude, you will attain ֶָיךָמְׁלש ֶתוְא, perfection (שלימות) in your behaviors.

The Torah (20:13) writes ַחִרְצת לֹא. The nekudah פתח is under the letter 'צ. This is how it is read when one studies Chumash (and in some communities, how it is read in shul on Shabbos Yisro and Va’eschanan). However, when the Torah is read before the community on Shavuos, it is read תרצח לא with a קמץ under the 'צ.

The final words of the Aseres Hadibros are (20:14) ֶָךֵעלְר ֶרֲׁשא וְכֹל, "Everything of your friend." Tzaddikim say that this tells us that the pinnacle point of the Aseres HaDibros, which is the purpose of the entire Torah, is that a person should do kindness with his fellow man and be cautious never to embarrass or harm his fellow man, chalilah.

It states (20:21) ֶתא ָיוָלע ְָּתַחוְזָב לִּי ֶהֲׂשַּעת ָהָמֲדא ִזְבַּחמ ֶָיךָמְׁלש ֶתוְא ֶָיךעֹלֹת , "A mizbeiach of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall slaughter beside it your korbanos..." The Ruzhiner zt'l explains that the pasuk teaches how to bring korbanos even when there isn't a Beis HaMikdash. How? By way of ָהָמֲדא, which can also mean silence, as in ִיָּהֻמד (see Tehillim 65:2). The Torah is saying that one should be quiet and not answer back when someone says something harsh to him. If one does so, ֶָיךעֹלֹת ֶתא ָיוָלע ְָּתַחוְזָב, it will be considered as if you brought a korban olah, which is wholly offered before Hashem. Furthermore, with this attitude, you will attain ֶָיךָמְׁלש ֶתוְא, perfection (שלימות) in your behaviors.

The Torah (20:13) writes ַחִרְצת לֹא. The nekudah פתח is under the letter 'צ. This is how it is read when one studies Chumash (and in some communities, how it is read in shul on Shabbos Yisro and Va’eschanan). However, when the Torah is read before the community on Shavuos, it is read תרצח לא with a קמץ under the 'צ.

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