Dvar for Devarim

Dearest Reader,

Welcome to the concise, relevant Weekly Dvar (this week courtesy of Torah.org). Although there are roughly 19,000 people subscribed to this, very few write back with questions, comments and referrals (although I do appreciate those precious few). So feel free...

* * *

In Parshat Devarim Moshe recounts placing "ministers over thousands, over hundreds, ministers over fifties, and ministers over tens.."(1:15). If there were leaders governing thousands and hundreds, isn't it obvious that they would govern fifties and tens? What does the Torah add by including those specifications?

The Sforno says that there is an implied rebuke in the appointment of judges over Israel, because they could not stop bickering and arguing to the point that every group of ten needed its own personal judge. While the Sforno implies that each person was overly concerned with his own property, in order for an argument to reach the courts, there also needs to be a lack of communication and an inability to reconcile differences.

If needless hatred begins with a lack of communication, then increased communication can remove the hatred and divisions that remain between us. With proper communication, we can not only properly mourn the Temple's destruction, but we can also make our own best efforts to ensure that it is rebuilt!