Iturei Chukkat Astor 1

TORAH-FAX CHUKAT ITUREI

CHUKITU
ITUREI HA-TORAH QUESTIONS
CHUKKAT - BALAK
BY RABBI CARL ASTOR
1. But the Lord said to Moses, "Do not fear him (! of Bashan""#($um% &1'()"%
Iturei Ha-Torah' "Moses *as afraid to fi!ht him +est the merit of A,raham -ou+d
.rote-t him as it sa/s "A fu!iti0e -ame# this *as !%" Rashi
There is a !reat +esson here% 10en thou!h !2s intention *as e0i+ he ho.ed that
A,raham *ou+d ,e ki++ed and he *ou+d take 3ara (a--ordin! to 4ashi in 5en%
1)'1(", in an/ e0ent, sin-e the resu+t *as ,enefi-ia+ to A,raham, it *as a--ounted
as !reat merit for !% 10en Moses *as fearfu+ of this merit and the Lord had to
assure him, "Do not fear him%" 6rom this *e see ho* !reat is an a-t of kindness,
e0en if it is for the *ron! reasons% (R. Yakov Moshe Harlop)
a% 7h/ is an a-t of kindness meritorious e0en if it is for the *ron! reasons8
,% Can /ou !i0e e9am.+es of su-h an a-t8
2. Ba+ak, son of :i..or, sa* a++ that Israe+ had done to the Amorites% ($um%&&'&"
Iturei Ha-Torah: 7hat Israe+ did to the Amorites, the/ sa*% But *hat the
Amorites did to Israe+, that the/ did not see%
a% 7hat is the meanin! of this -ommentar/8
,% Can /ou !i0e -urrent e9am.+es of this tenden-/8
Iturei Chukkat Astor &
ANSWERS
1a% It is ,etter to do the ri!ht thin! for the *ron! reasons than to do the *ron!
thin! for the ri!ht reasons%
1,% ften -ountries *i++ he+. other nations for .o+iti-a+ reasons, /et it is sti++
meritorious% A+so, .eo.+e are sometimes kind and he+.fu+ in the ho.e of
,ein! re*arded% The kindness is sti++ -ommenda,+e%
&a% The *or+d tends to +ook *ith te+es-o.i- 0ision at e0er/thin! that Israe+ does,
!ood or ,ad% But the/ often turn a ,+ind e/e to *hat other -ountries do to
Israe+%
&,% This is true -on-ernin! human ri!hts, hosti+ities and a!reements% Israe+ is
often ,+amed for 0io+ations, *hi+e no one re.orts on *hat +ife is +ike in the
Ara, -ountries for their -iti;ens or for minorities% A!reements are routine+/
i!nored and 0io+ated *ithout re.er-ussions%