Chukat 5775

The Kli Yakar gives an important reason as to why Bnei Yisroel did not have any water after Miriam died. They did not grieve for her as they did for both Aharon and Moshe; they merely buried her and went on their way without missing her. Hashem then punished them for their lack of appreciation for Miriam. By drying up the well, Hashem showed Bnei Yisroel that it was only because of Miriam's merit that they had water for 40 years. The Torah is stressing how one person can make a difference and how important it is to honor and give tribute to the unsung heros of society.

Shelach 5775

The posuk (15:39) tells us that by looking at the tzitzis we will be reminded of all the mitzvos. How so? What about the tzitzis will remind us? Rashi explains that the numerical value of the word "tzitzis" is 600. It consists of 8 strings and 5 knots. That adds up to 613, the total amount of mitzvos. The Ramban says our reminder comes from the techeiles string. The root of the word "techeiles" is "tachlis," meaning "purpose." The blue string reminds us of our purpose in life, to bring G-dliness into the world through the mitzvos.