Sruly Schnair – Page 22 – Peninim on the Torah

קחו מאתכם תרומה לד' כל נדיב לבו יביאה את תרומת ד' זהב וכסף ונחושת

Take from yourselves a portion for Hashem; everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it, as a gift for Hashem: gold, silver, copper. (35:5)

Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 49:2) teach that zahav, gold, kesef, silver; and nechoshes, copper – all allude to the Avos, three Patriarchs. The connotation of the pasuk (based upon Chazal’s interpretation) is that the Shechinah rests His Divine Presence in the Mishkan in the merit of the three Avos. Gold alludes to Avraham, whose faith was put to a test when he was flung into a furnace – a process which is used to refine gold. Silver represents Yitzchak, who was purified when he was bound upon the Altar. Unlike gold, which is heated in a furnace to test its quality,…

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והם הביאו אליו עוד נדבה בבקר בבקר

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayakhel

But they continued to bring him free-willed gifts morning after morning. (36:3)

In his Avodas Ha’Gershuni, commentary to Shir HaShirim, the nephew of the Gaon, zl, m’Vilna (son of Horav Avraham, the Gaon’s brother) writes that he heard from his revered uncle a reason why Succos is celebrated during the month of Tishrei (fifteenth), rather than Nissan which coincides with the liberation from Egypt. The Torah (Vayikra 23:43) indicates that the Succos festival was initiated because, “I caused Bnei Yisrael to dwell in succos/huts when I took them out of the land of Egypt.” If so, why is Succos not celebrated in Nissan? The Gaon explains that the underlying reason for Succos…

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זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקודים מחצית השקל ... עשרים גרה השקל

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Ki Sisa

This shall they give – everyone who passes through the ranks of census – a half-shekel of the sacred shekel, the shekel is twenty geras. (30: 13)

The Torah command those twenty-years old and up to give one half-shekel as part of the census. The Torah counts men to be participants in the census over al ha’pekudim, everyone who passes through the ranks of the counted. The pasuk implies that two groups exist: those who are among the counted; and those who are not. The mass of people about to be counted are, upon giving their half-shekel, now among the ranks of the counted. This is an amazing transformation which occurs when the individual drops a half-shekel into the pushke box. The giver is now among the…

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העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט ממחצית השקל

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Ki Sisa

The wealthy shall not increase, and the destitute shall not decrease, from half a shekel. (30:15)

The mitzvah of machatzis ha’shekel, half a shekel, as outlined by the Torah ensures equality in contributing to the korbanos tzibur, communal offerings. However, Horav Elimelech, zl, m’Lishensk sees a deeper meaning in its spiritual symbolism. It is a message that applies to every Jew – he who is spiritually wealthy and has performed a treasure trove of mitzvos, and his destitute brother, whose spiritual achievements are lacking. The poor, representing those who feel spiritually deficient due to their errant behavior, are reminded not to despair. Even if they personally feel themselves to be distant from Hashem, He still loves…

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ויחל משה את פני ד' אלקיו

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Ki Sisa

Moshe pleaded before Hashem, his G-d. (32:11)

A distinction exists between a sin that reveals an essential moral flaw and a spiritual shortcoming and one that is the result of circumstantial pressures. A surface-level sin is an error in action or inaction resulting from impulsivity, ignorance or external pressures. This type of sin, although baneful, does not necessarily reflect the sinner’s true character or values. The sins are nonetheless significant, but rectifiable via the medium of teshuvah, repentance. A sin which is deeply-rooted in a spiritual flaw reveals deeper issues within a person’s moral/spiritual psyche. His actions are not isolated errors, rather of profound misalignment with Torah…

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וחנתי את אחן ורחמתי את אשר ארחם

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Ki Sisa

I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy. (33:19)

Hashem revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu that there are instances in which He shows favor and mercy to people who are (for whatever reason) not deserving of these gifts. Hashem essentially intimated to Moshe that, even though someone had sinned egregiously, there was still hope for him, and Moshe should pray for his forgiveness. Horav Avraham Pam, zl (cited by Rabbi Shalom Smith in Messages from Rav Pam), derives a powerful insight from this. Hashem not only shows mercy and favor to those who are undeserving, [Undeserving is a strong term, because we have no idea who does and who does…

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ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5785

And you should command Bnei Yisrael. (27:20)

On the surface, v’atah, and you, is an unusual formulation for Hashem to use to command Moshe. Usually, He calls him by his name, Moshe, followed by tzav, command; or dabeir, speak. Noticeably, the Torah does not mention Moshe Rabbeinu’s name in the entire parshah. His missing name is the subject of much exegesis. The Be’er Mayim Chaim posits that v’atah, is a higher level of communication, reflecting a closer relationship with the Almighty than what is represented by calling Moshe by his name. Horav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, zl (Be’er Yaakov), explains that when Hashem speaks to Moshe on the…

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ואלה הבגדים אשר יעשו חושן ואפוד

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5785

These are the garments that they shall make: a Choshen and an Eiphod. (28:4)

Midrash Tanchuma (Shemos 27) explains that the Choshen, Breastplate, which included the Urim v’Tumim worn over Aharon HaKohen’s heart, was middah k’negged middah, reward measure for measure. When Hashem charged Moshe Rabbeinu with leading Klal Yisrael out of Egypt, he initially refused to accept the role. He claimed that his older brother, Aharon, had been serving as the leader of the people. He did not want to hurt his feelings. Hashem told him that, not only was Aharon not upset, he was actually filled with joy over his younger brother’s selection. Thus, Hashem said, “The heart that was happy over…

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תרשיש ושהם וישפה

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5785

Tarshish, Shoham and Yashfeh. (28:20)

Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 71:5) teach that the yashfeh was the stone of Binyamin. Being the son of Rachel Imeinu, who remained silent when her sister took her place on the night that she was to be married, he symbolizes silence. Thus, he is represented by the yashfeh stone, which stands for yeish peh, there is mouth; something can be said, but he remained in control and was silent. As a result of Rachel Imeinu’s commitment to the middah, attribute, of shetikah, her two sons personified the maintenance of self-control in speech. Indeed, although Binyamin was well aware that Yosef has…

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וכפר אהרן על קרנתיו אחת בשנה ... קודש קדשים הוא לדי

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5785

Aharon will cleanse its thorns once a year … it is holy of holies to Hashem. (30:10)

Rashi explains that the Mizbayach, Altar, is a Kodesh Kodoshim, Holy of Holies Its sanctity is supreme, designated for this service exclusively. We derive from Rashi that the Mizbayach HaKetores, Incense Altar, is considered Kodesh Kodoshim, since no other service (the application of blood on the horns of the Mizbayach on Yom Kippur) was performed on it. (The daily Ketores, Incense, was also offered on it.) In his commentary to the pasuk, the Malbim posits that the focus of Kodesh Kodoshim is not the Mizbayach, but Aharon HaKohen. Thus, the Torah is informing us that Aharon Hakohen performed the service…

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קחו מאתכם תרומה לד' כל נדיב לבו יביאה את תרומת ד' זהב וכסף ונחושת

Take from yourselves a portion for Hashem; everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it, as a gift for Hashem: gold, silver, copper. (35:5)

והם הביאו אליו עוד נדבה בבקר בבקר

But they continued to bring him free-willed gifts morning after morning. (36:3)

זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקודים מחצית השקל ... עשרים גרה השקל

This shall they give – everyone who passes through the ranks of census – a half-shekel of the sacred shekel, the shekel is twenty geras. (30: 13)

העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט ממחצית השקל

The wealthy shall not increase, and the destitute shall not decrease, from half a shekel. (30:15)

ויחל משה את פני ד' אלקיו

Moshe pleaded before Hashem, his G-d. (32:11)

וחנתי את אחן ורחמתי את אשר ארחם

I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy. (33:19)

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל

And you should command Bnei Yisrael. (27:20)

ואלה הבגדים אשר יעשו חושן ואפוד

These are the garments that they shall make: a Choshen and an Eiphod. (28:4)

תרשיש ושהם וישפה

Tarshish, Shoham and Yashfeh. (28:20)

וכפר אהרן על קרנתיו אחת בשנה ... קודש קדשים הוא לדי

Aharon will cleanse its thorns once a year … it is holy of holies to Hashem. (30:10)

YEARS

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