Rabbi Zweig explores why Moses approached the war against Midian with joy while knowing it would lead to his death, while the Jewish people went reluctantly, revealing that happiness comes from focusing on what we do for others rather than what happens to us.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes a puzzling contrast in Parshas Matos regarding the war against Midian. While God commanded Moses to wage this war knowing it would precede his death, Rashi (רש"י) indicates Moses fulfilled this command with happiness and enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the Jewish soldiers had to be "delivered" to war because they were reluctant, knowing their beloved leader would die afterward. This presents a fascinating paradox: why was Moses, who faced personal death, happy, while the people, who would merely lose their leader, were reluctant? The Rabbi first addresses technical questions raised by the Ramban (רמב"ן) about the troop count. According to Rashi, all tribes including Levi were supposed to send soldiers (13,000 total), yet the Torah (תורה) only counts 12,000 fighters. Rabbi Zweig suggests that the Levites, being naturally outward-focused in their divine service, went willingly and didn't need to be "delivered" like the other tribes. The core insight emerges from examining the different language God and Moses used. God told Moses to take "revenge of the Jewish people," focusing on Israel's vindication. However, Moses told the people to take "God's revenge," reframing the mission as serving the Almighty rather than themselves. This shift from self-focus to God-focus explains Moses's joy despite his impending death. Rabbi Zweig expands this principle universally: happiness depends not on circumstances but on focus. People in identical situations - caring for aging parents, recovering from illness, or facing financial constraints - experience vastly different levels of contentment based on whether they focus on what's happening to them or what they're accomplishing for others. Those absorbed in self-measurement against external standards remain perpetually dissatisfied, while those who define themselves by their contributions to family, community, and God find fulfillment. The Rabbi illustrates this with contemporary examples: the cardiac patient who sees opportunity to spend more time learning versus one who mourns his former athletic abilities; families moving to Israel seeking happiness through changed circumstances rather than changed perspective; people living in unprecedented comfort yet feeling impoverished compared to neighbors. Underlying this dynamic is a fundamental question of worldview: do we live in an egocentric universe where everything is owed to us, or a theocentric universe where everything is a gift? Those who feel entitled to health, wealth, respect, and recognition can never be satisfied when receiving what they believe they deserve. Those who see themselves as guests in God's world experience gratitude and joy for every blessing. The Torah teaches that happiness is not circumstantial but attitudinal. Moses exemplified this by focusing on serving God rather than his personal fate, finding joy in meaningful action regardless of personal cost. This timeless lesson applies to every aspect of life: marriage, parenting, career, and community involvement become sources of happiness when we measure ourselves by our contributions rather than our acquisitions.
Rabbi Zweig challenges Freudian psychology by arguing that the basic human drive is not pleasure-seeking but rather the painful awareness of non-existence, and explains how only a relationship with God can provide the feeling of true existence and simcha.
An exploration of the deeper meaning of 'amirah' (saying) as empowering others by recognizing their uniqueness and building meaningful relationships through authentic, individualized communication.
Parshas Matos, Bamidbar 31:1-5
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