Perek Shirah - Fig Tree Says

Sunday, February 12, 2017 · Posted in ,

תְּאֵנָה אוֹמֶרֶת - Fig Tree Says:


Mishlei 27:18

נֹצֵר תְּאֵנָה יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ
notzer te'enah yochal piryah
He who preserves the fig tree will eat its fruit

Keep a careful watch over the fig tree and in the end you will eat of its fruit. 

This also alludes to faithful attentiveness - diligence - in the tents of Torah study. Chazal expound: Why is Torah learning likened to a fig tree? For even as a fig tree, when cultivated, yields fruit, so too the Torah student. When meditating in the words of the Torah, he always savors new insights. 

The fig tree does not produce ripe fruit all at once. Similarly, no man fathoms the essence and substance of the Torah the very first time he studies. Only through constant meditation (Yehoshua 1:8) do the words of the Torah yield sweet insights and inferences that are "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb" (Tehillim 19:11).

Just as the fig tree is picked every day, and so much be worked daily, the same obtains for the Torah. Thus the verse says in conclusion, "and one who attends upon his master will be honored," which alludes to Yehoshua. The Torah says that "Yehoshua son of Nun..did not depart out of the tent" of Torah study (Shemot 33:11)

Scripture also prescribes the proper sequencing of Torah study. A father should begin by teaching his son the Scriptures, then Mishnah and finally Gemara. Similarly, figs are plucked from the tree in sequence, one after another. (Me'am Lo'ez)

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Perek Shirah - Vine Says

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גֶּפֶן אוֹמֶרֶת - Vine Says:

[Grapevine in Yisrael]


Yeshayahu 65:8

כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא הַתִּירוֹשׁ בָּאֶשְׁכּוֹל וְאָמַר אַל-תַּשְׁחִיתֵהוּ כִּי בְרָכָה בּוֹ--כֵּן אֶעֱשֶׂה לְמַעַן עֲבָדַי לְבִלְתִּי הַשְׁחִית הַכֹּל
ko amar HASHEM ka'asher yimatze hatirosh baeshkol ve'amar al-tashchitehu ki verachah bo ken e'eseh lema'an avadai levilti hashechit hakol
Thus says Hashem, "Just as when wine can be found in the cluster one says, 'Do not destroy it, for there is good in it,' so shall I act for the sake of My servant and not destroy everything."


Nevertheless, do not despair, for G-d will yet bring Redemption - even if you do not deserve it. It will be like the cluster which has a few grapes and will not be destroyed, but be tread upon for its juice, while the pips and rinds are cast away. Thus will G-d extract the "good" in His people and purify them of their "evil rinds." (Me'am Lo'ez)

Don't Be Wasteful

It is forbidden to wastefully destroy any useful object, as we learn from the commandment, "You must not destroy [the city's] trees" (Devarim 20:19). One who wantonly destroys furniture or utensils, tears clothing, or wastes good food, is guilty of violating this commandment. Furthermore, if he does so in anger, it is considered as if he had committed idolatry. One should not destroy anything over which a blessing can be said, as it is written, "Do not destroy [the grapevine] for the blessing [over its wine] is in it." (Yeshayahu 65:8). (Aish . com)


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Bo - Locust Plague

Saturday, January 28, 2017 · Posted in , , ,


וַיַּעַל הָאַרְבֶּה עַל כָּל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וַיָּנַח בְּכֹל גְּבוּל מִצְרָיִם כָּבֵד מְאֹד-לְפָנָיו לֹא-הָיָה כֵן אַרְבֶּה כָּמֹהוּ וְאַחֲרָיו לֹא יִהְיֶה-כֵּן

Vaya'al ha'arbeh al kol-eretz Mitzrayim vayanach bechol gvul Mitzrayim kaved me'od lefanav lo-hayah chen arbeh kamohu ve'acharav lo yihyeh-ken.
10:14 The locusts went up on the land of Egypt, and rested on all the Egyptian territory. It was very severe. Never before had there been such a locust plague, and never again.

There are seven types of locusts mentioned in Scripture:

  1. Arbeh (Arbeh is the only term found in this section. It is also counted as an edible, kosher insect in Vayikra 11;22.)
  2. Salam
  3. Chargol (Vayikra 11:22)
  4. Chagav (Vaykra 11:22)
  5. Gazam (Yo'el 1:4, 2:25; Amos 4:9)
  6. Yelek (Yo'el 1:4, 2:25; Yirmeyahu 51:14, 51:27; Nachum 3:15, 16; Tehillim 105;34)
  7. Chasil (Yo'el 1:4, 2:25; Melachim Alef 8:37, Devrei Hayamim Bet 6:28; Yeshayahu 33:4; Tehillim 78:46)
All these destructive species of locusts attacked Egypt at once. For this reason, the word "locusts" (arbeh) is mentioned seven times in this section. The Torah refers to the plague in general as arbeh, since this species was by far the numerous. (Bachya)

The Torah says that "never again" would there be such a plague referring to specifically to arbeh. Never again would there be so many arbeh all at once. there might be plagues of other types of locusts, and altogether they might outnumber the arbeh of Egypt. No single species, however, would ever outnumber these arbeh.

- Me'am Lo'ez, Bachya

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