Parshas Bimidbar

"Isn't he embarrassed?? He mentioned in his lecture, something he
learned from a 10 year old!!"

"And G-d spoke to Moshe in the desert of Sinai." (Bimidbar 1:1) The
Medrash Rabbah 1:7 says "whoever doesn't make himself open and free like a
desert will not be able to acquire wisdom and Torah." According to the
Matnas Kehuna, this refers to humility and the ability to learn from
everyone !!

"Who is wise? One who learns from everyone." (Pirkei Avos 4:1)

Have a great Shabbos !!

Rabbi Chaim Flom

Dear Rabbi Flom,
Why do you write "Bimidbar" and everyone else writes "Bamidbar"?
Thanks.
Lynn

Dear Lynn,
Actually, if you look in the Chumash it says "Bimidbar Sinai". Therefore I write Bimidbar. A quick dikduk (Hebrew grammar) point will show you why everyone else write "Bamidbar".In Hebrew, "bi" means "in". "Ba" means "in the". Therefore if you would write "In the desert" you would write "Bamidbar". However, when you write "In the Sinai desert" you would write "Bimidbar Sinai", because having the name of the desert gets rid of the need to write "Ba". Since the first word of the book is "Bimidbar" that's what I write. Others write "Bamidbar", because without the "Sinai" it is "Bamidbar".
I hope this wasn't too confusing.
Take care.
Rabbi Flom