Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"… Moshe spoke to the Children of Israel…. After he had smitten Sichon…." (1, 3-4)

The right time

The Torah emphasizes that Moshe rebuked the Jewish people after he had smitten Sichon and Og. Moshe reasoned, "If I rebuke them before they enter at least part of the land, they will say, "What does this man have against us? What good did he do for us? He has come only to vex us and to find a pretext since he doesn't have the power to bring us into the land."

Therefore, Moshe waited until he had conquered Sichon and Og and then he rebuked the people.

(Sifre, cited by Rashi)

Had the people felt that Moshe's rebuke was insincere and that he had ulterior motives, his words would have been ineffective. A person will only accept rebuke if he feels that the rebuker has his best interests in mind.

We also see from here that timing is a major factor in rebuke. In many instances by waiting for an opportune time to deliver admonition a person will be more successful than he would have been had he admonished earlier.

(Love Your Neighbor, Rabbi Z. Pliskin)

SHABBAT SHALOM!!!

Mayer Sasson