Sruly Schnair – Page 7 – Peninim on the Torah

אמר אל אהרן קח מטך ונטה ידך על מימי מצרים

Say to Aharon, “Take your staff and stretch out your hand on the waters of Egypt.” (7:19)

Rashi comments that, concerning the plagues of blood and frogs, Aharon HaKohen was the one who struck the water. Moshe Rabbeinu owed a debt of gratitude to the natural resource because it was the Nile that protected him as a newborn infant. The obvious question is: Does water have a mind? Does water have feelings? It is inanimate. Why does one have to maintain a sense of gratitude to it? Indeed, Chazal teach, Bira d’shasis bei maya al tizrok bo even, “The well from which you drink, do not throw a stone into it.” It would seem that this is…

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ושמתי פדות בין עמי ובין עמך למחר יהיה האות הזה

Sruly Schnair In Vaeira, 5786

I shall make a distinction between My people and your people – tomorrow this sign will come about. (8:19)

Simply speaking, Moshe Rabbeinu informed Pharaoh when each plague would begin. This was meant to underscore the miraculous nature of the plague. Horav Shalom Bentzion Felman, zl, explains this pasuk homiletically: “I will make a distinction between My people and your people.” What is this distinction? In which area of belief do we see a separation between Jew and non-Jew? Tomorrow, this sign will come about. It is with regard to the concept of “tomorrow” that we differ. The Jew who believes in Hashem lives with a constant awareness of “tomorrow.” Even if today appears bleak and filled with hardship,…

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ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים מצרימה

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Shemos

And these are the names of Bnei Yisrael who were coming to Egypt. (1:1)

The second book of Chamishah Chumshei Torah is known as Sefer Shemos –— Names. This is how it begins, with a list of the families that arrived in Egypt. Their descendants are the ones who, after acculturating into the Egyptian lifestyle, ultimately became slaves to an oppressive despotic leader and nation. They were eventually liberated, received the Torah and built the Mishkan. This is the essence of Sefer Shemos. Where does “names” fit in? Furthermore, in translation, the second book is called, “Exodus,” which refers to departure or redemption. Once again, where does “names” fit in? The English and Hebrew…

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וראך ושמח בלבו

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Shemos

And when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart. (4:14)

Moshe Rabbeinu refused to undertake the mission to lead the Jews, lest his older brother, Aharon HaKohein, who heretofore had been their leader, feel bad over being passed over for his younger brother. Hashem assuaged Moshe’s feelings that his brother was overjoyed to hear the good news. Chazal underscore that this was not superficial joy, but true, genuine joy born of love for Moshe. As a result of Aharon’s selflessness, he merited to wear the Choshen HaMishpat, BreastPlate, over his chest. The Urim V’Tumim were inside the Choshen, elevating the Choshen to unparalleled spiritual status. All this was because Aharon…

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תכבד העבודה על האנשים ויעשו בה ואל ישעו בדברי שקר

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Shemos

Let the work weigh heavier on the men, and let them engage in it and let them not engage in words of falsity. (5:9)

Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 5:18) teach that the Jews had Torah scrolls (scrolls that contained words of Torah) in which they would delight from Shabbos to Shabbos. Those scrolls imbued them with deep faith that Hashem would soon liberate them. They were able to learn from those scrolls because Shabbos was their official day off. (Moshe Rabbeinu convinced Pharaoh that he would receive maximum benefit from his slave if he allows him a day to rest and rejuvenate. Pharaoh agreed, and Moshe suggested Shabbos be that day of rest.) When Pharaoh saw the people enjoying Shabbos by learning Torah, he quickly…

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ויברכם ביום ההוא לאמר בך יברך ישראל

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayechi

So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you shall Yisrael bless.” (48:20)

Yaakov Avinu assured his son, Yosef, that, for all time, Jewish parents would remember that he was the father of sons – Ephraim and Menashe — who achieved shevet, tribal, status equal with Yaakov’s sons. Parents will strive to see their sons reach such a level. The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, offer explanations for the elevation of Menashe and Efraim to tribal status. Most focus on their characters and the fact that they were able to maintain their extraordinary commitment to Torah and mitzvos, despite the spiritual bankruptcy of the society in which they lived. Nothing of…

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גור אריה יהודה ... כרע רבץ כאריה וכלביא מי יקימנו

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayechi

A lion cub is Yehudah … He crouches, lies down like a lion, and like an awesome lion, who dares rouse him. (49:9)

The Torah compares five of Yaakov Avinu’s sons to animals: Yehudah – a lion; Binyamin – a wolf; Dan – a snake; Yissachar – a donkey; Naftali – a deer. While four of them are identified directly with the animal, Yehudah stands out as being compared both to a lion cub and a full-grown lion. Chazal address the singular distinction accorded to Yehudah. They explain that, because of his future leadership and monarchial obligations, he was given both the might of a lion and the brazenness of a young cub. As Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, observes, Yehudah was to combine…

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לא יסור שבט מיהודה ומחוקק מבין רגליו עד כי יבא שילה

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayechi

The scepter shall not depart from Yehudah, nor a scholar from among his descendants until Shiloh arrives. (49:10)

Chazal teach that Yaakov Avinu was about to reveal the keitz, End of Days, the coming of Melech Ha’Moshiach, and an end to all of our tzaros, troubles. When he saw the Shechinah, Divine Presence, depart from him, he understood that now was not the time for such a revelation. While he did not reveal the “when,” he did allude to the “who” as a descendant of the shevet, tribe, of Yehudah. Dovid HaMelech, a direct descendant of Yehudah, would be the progenitor from whom Moshiach would descend. Indeed, every leader of the monarch level was a descendant of David…

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ויבאו מצרימה יעקב וכל זרעו אתו ... בניו ובני בניו אתו בנתיו ובנות בניו וכל זרעו הביא אתו מצרימה

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayigash

And they came to Egypt… Yaakov and all his offspring with him … His sons and grandsons with him, his daughters and granddaughters and all his offspring he brought with him. (46:6,7)

The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh comments concerning the redundancy of the text. It previously said that Yaakov v’chol zaro, with all his offspring, came to Egypt. Why does the Torah reiterate that his sons and grandsons came? Were they not part of his offspring? The Torah goes on to mention daughters and granddaughters, following the word ito, with him. First, why are they separated from the rest of the offspring? And why is the extra word ito added as a separation between sons/grandsons and daughters/granddaughters. The Ohr HaChaim explains that, indeed, with regard to their attitude, the different groups were not…

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ובני בנימין

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayigash

And the sons of Binyamin. (46:21)

The Torah goes on to record the names of Binyamin’s ten sons. Rashi (ibid 43:30) quotes Chazal that Binyamin named each of his sons for some element of Yosef’s tragedy. For example: Bela, because Yosef was Nivla, swallowed among the nations; Becher, related to be’chor, first born, which Yosef was to Rachel Imeinu; Shavui, because he was taken captive. In this unique manner, Binyamin immortalized Yosef’s memory. Thus, he ensured that every time he called his children, Yosef’s character, his ordeal, and his greatness would come to mind. A vital truth is underscored herein. A person dies twice: Once when…

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אמר אל אהרן קח מטך ונטה ידך על מימי מצרים

Say to Aharon, “Take your staff and stretch out your hand on the waters of Egypt.” (7:19)

ושמתי פדות בין עמי ובין עמך למחר יהיה האות הזה

I shall make a distinction between My people and your people – tomorrow this sign will come about. (8:19)

ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים מצרימה

And these are the names of Bnei Yisrael who were coming to Egypt. (1:1)

וראך ושמח בלבו

And when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart. (4:14)

תכבד העבודה על האנשים ויעשו בה ואל ישעו בדברי שקר

Let the work weigh heavier on the men, and let them engage in it and let them not engage in words of falsity. (5:9)

ויברכם ביום ההוא לאמר בך יברך ישראל

So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you shall Yisrael bless.” (48:20)

גור אריה יהודה ... כרע רבץ כאריה וכלביא מי יקימנו

A lion cub is Yehudah … He crouches, lies down like a lion, and like an awesome lion, who dares rouse him. (49:9)

לא יסור שבט מיהודה ומחוקק מבין רגליו עד כי יבא שילה

The scepter shall not depart from Yehudah, nor a scholar from among his descendants until Shiloh arrives. (49:10)

ויבאו מצרימה יעקב וכל זרעו אתו ... בניו ובני בניו אתו בנתיו ובנות בניו וכל זרעו הביא אתו מצרימה

And they came to Egypt… Yaakov and all his offspring with him … His sons and grandsons with him, his daughters and granddaughters and all his offspring he brought with him. (46:6,7)

ובני בנימין

And the sons of Binyamin. (46:21)

YEARS

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