Parshas Mattos (Parshas Mase'ei)

In this week's parsha, we learn about how devastating making a vow or oath, in vain, can be. Having an understanding of human error, Hashem also instructs us on how to invalidate the vow after the fact. Rebbe Nachman says, if you believe that you can damage, believe that you can fix. There is no sin in the world that cannot be rectified and repented for.

A major world issue right now is weapons of mass destruction, but there is little talk about destroying the idolatry and immorality in the world. More and more people are excepting improper dress and actions as the norm. Hashem told Moshe in this week's parsha to take revenge on the Midyan people for enticing the Jewish people to sin. Moshe immediately took action and started to prepare for battle because he understood how great of a Chilul Hashem such acts in this world on. For us the battle is making the proper separation between ourselves and the goyish nations. Chazal, teach us not to dress like them, not to act like them and to separate ourselves from them. A Jewish soul in its purest spiritual form is completely separated from worldly desires. Step by step as we want to strive to connect ourselves to our Creator, we must remove these desires one by one. As we enter the serenity of the Garden of Eden on Shabbos this week, completely separating ourselves from the other nations, let us look at ourselves and begin to remove the garments that belong to the nations of tuma that we live amongst.