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Biography of Yehuda Katz | Archives | This Week's Parsha

SHLOCH

"The Children of Israel were in the desert and they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day....................... ................................................................................... Hashem said to Moses, saying ......Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them, that they shall make themselves TZITZIS on the corners of their garments........................ (15:32-----38)

It seems as if the incident of the wood gatherer is a prelude to the Mitzva of TZITZIS, but whats the connection?

In Tanna Debei Eliyahu 26:19, it answers that since on the Sabbath a Jew is not permitted to wear Teffilin which reminds him to keep away from sin, this wood gatherer forgot and thus sinned. Therefore , Hashem had commanded Moses to teach the Jews the Mitzva of TZITZIS which has the ability to remind a Jew of the Mitzvas....(Please refer to Tanna Debei Eliyahu for the exact wording)

Its seems odd that out of the entire nation of Israel which comprised of 600,000 men , only one had forgotten the Sabbath , and as a result the Mitzva of TZIZIS had to be introduced as a preventative measure to ensure no further sinning occurs due to forgetting or absentmindedness concerning G-ds commandments..................................... What is the Torah hinting to us as understood from the Tanna Debei Eliyahus explanation?????????

Perhapes we can learn , Bezrat Hashem, the following lesson: At times people are very unconcerned or laz about sinning and its consequences................However, the Torah is teaching us that even if one Jew sins out of 600,000 men , its effects are astronomical and precautions must be taken to prevent any further laxity towards Hashems commands.Therefore, a solution had to be sought, namely the potent reminder called TZIZIS........ Sinning should never be thought of as someone elses problem, if one person sins then its of concern to all..... Have a Good Shabbos..........................................................

 


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