Bamidbar – Page 12 – Peninim on the Torah

“But they shall not come and look as the holy (object) is inserted, lest they die.” (4:20)

Rashi explains that this pasuk refers to the insertion of the holy objects into their coverings, a task performed by the Kohanim. The Leviim are not permitted to view this procedure. The Ibn Ezra adds two similar opinions. One view suggests that this pasuk is an admonition against the Leviim entering to see the dismantling of the paroch’es, partition/ curtain from before the Aron Ha’Kodesh. The other view contends that the Leviim are prohibited from seeing the Aron when it is uncovered or revealed. This opinion is confirmed in the Midrash, which cites the Navi in Shmuel I 6:19, in…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Bamidbar

“Take the sum of all the congregation of Bnei Yisrael by their families, by their father’s households… from twenty years and upward.” (1:2,3)

In Jewish life, as well as in contemporary society, the family unit constitutes the most basic social unit. The center of Jewish life always has been — and will always be — the home. The home is the place in which parents prepare their children physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually to serve Hashem in the Jewish way. The collapse of traditional Judaism in America has followed the breakdown of the Jewish home as it has functioned for thousands of years. The secularization of the Jewish family, effected by assimilation into American society, was the precursor of the spiritual decline of…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Bamidbar

“Every man with his own camp and every man with his own flag.” (1:52)

The inclination to be orderly is an essential prerequisite for achieving shleimus, completion, in character development. One who is generally lethargic in his attitude and thoughtless in executing his responsibilities is often a confused person. Such an individual is frequently unreliable and inconsiderate. It is vital for an individual to have a systematized approach to planning out his daily endeavor, so that he can set priorities and act upon them accordingly. Horav Simcha Zissel M’Kelm z.l. cites several sources from Chazal to illustrate this point. The heads of the yeshivos in Bavel were crowned with the title of “reish sidrah”…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Bamidbar

“And these (are) the generations of Aharon and Moshe… and these (are) the names of the sons of Aharon.” (3:1,2)

In response to this pasuk, Rashi cites the Talmud in Sanhedrin 19b. Although the Torah mentions Aharon and Moshe’s generations, it goes on to enumerate only Aharon’s children. Chazal derive from this pasuk that the scripture considers an individual who teaches his neighbor’s son Torah as if he has actually begotten the child. The Talmud in Sanhedrin 99b offers a slight variation to this statement. Chazal view the Rebbe as the one who fashioned the child. Is there a difference between uskh, begotten, and uvag, fashioned or made him? Each in their own distinct manner, the commentaries cite differences between…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Bamidbar

“And the charge of Elazar the son of Aharon the kohen shall be the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, the meal offering and the annointing oil, the oversight of the Mishkan and all of that is in it, as to the sanctuary and as to its vessels.” (4:16)

At the end of the parsha, the Torah records in minute detail the various functions delegated to Bnei Levi. Each member of the tribe was given specific tasks to execute. Most notable is the multi-faceted charge allocated to Elazar. He was assigned the position of Nasi, prince, of the leviim. He also undertook to carry the vessels mentioned in the above pasuk. Chazal question Elazar’s ability to carry everything himself. Indeed, it seems logistically impossible to perform all of these duties at once. The Midrash explains that he carried the oil in his right hand, the incense in his left,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Bamidbar

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai.” (1:1)

The Midrash states that the Torah was given through the media of fire, water, and wilderness. The commentators differ in communicating the message of this Midrash. Horav M. Shapiro, z.l., suggests that these three elements reflect the magnitude of Klal Yisrael’s devotion to Hashem to the point of their self-sacrifice. Fire alludes to the fiery caldron into which Avraham Avinu was thrown because of his staunch belief in Hashem. This, however, only illustrates self-sacrifice on the part of the individual Jew. Water, which symbolizes Klal Yisrael’s passage through the Red Sea, represents our unwavering devotion to Hashem as a whole…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Bamidbar

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai.” (1:1)

Chazal note an integral relationship between the “midbar,” wilderness, and the Torah. Much of the Torah’s narrative takes place in the wilderness. The Torah itself was given in the wilderness, a point which Chazal emphasize frequently. It is, therefore, appropriate that the Torah reading immediately prior to Shavuos, the festival of the giving of the Torah, is Parashas Bamidbar. Chazal suggest many explanations for this connection. Horav S.R. Hirsch, z.l., expresses a simple, but profound, idea regarding the Torah’s ideology in forming the framework of each Jew individually and Klal Yisrael as a unified entity. Hashem chose the barren, free…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Bamidbar

“And Nadav and Avihu died before Hashem when they offered a strange fire … and they had no children.” (3:4)

The Midrash states that had Nadav and Avihu taken wives and had children, they would not have died. The Chasam Sofer explains that innocent children have the need to receive proper guidance from their parents. It would, therefore, have been in the children’s merit that Hashem would have granted the parents life. Chazal, however, state other reasons for Nadav and Avihu’s tragic deaths. Two reasons which are emphasized are: Nadav and Avihu’s entrance into the Mikdash after having drunk wine; and their inappropriate rendering of a halachic decision in the presence of Moshe, their rebbe. These latter two reasons do…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Bamidbar

“And Moshe counted them according to Hashem’s word.” (3:16)

Horav Moshe Swift, z.l., notes a disparity between the census of Bnei Yisrael and that of Bnei Levi. Bnei Yisrael were counted from age twenty and over, thereby facilitating an easy count. Bnei Levi, who were counted from age one month upwards, demanded a more difficult count. The Midrash emphasized this by noting that Moshe asked, “How can I enter their tents to determine the number of babies in each family?” Hashem responded, “You do your share, and I will do mine.” The Midrash continues that Moshe stood at the doorway of each tent. The Shechinah preceded him, and a…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Bamidbar

“These things are the burden of the Bnei Kehas.” (4:15)

The Midrash illustrates the moral superiority of the Leviim by citing the difference between the footwear each wore. While members of the other tribes wore sandals, the Leviim who were responsible for carrying the Mishkan and its vessels, walked barefoot. Chazal also observe that the virtuous Bnei Kehas, the actual transporters of the Aron, walked backward, so that they did not turn their back on the Aron. This Midrash demands explanation. While walking barefoot and backward are noble ways to express reverence to the Aron, these acts do not demonstrate the Leviim’s unique virtue. In order to clarify this Midrash,…

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“But they shall not come and look as the holy (object) is inserted, lest they die.” (4:20)

“Take the sum of all the congregation of Bnei Yisrael by their families, by their father’s households… from twenty years and upward.” (1:2,3)

“Every man with his own camp and every man with his own flag.” (1:52)

“And these (are) the generations of Aharon and Moshe… and these (are) the names of the sons of Aharon.” (3:1,2)

“And the charge of Elazar the son of Aharon the kohen shall be the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, the meal offering and the annointing oil, the oversight of the Mishkan and all of that is in it, as to the sanctuary and as to its vessels.” (4:16)

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai.” (1:1)

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai.” (1:1)

“And Nadav and Avihu died before Hashem when they offered a strange fire … and they had no children.” (3:4)

“And Moshe counted them according to Hashem’s word.” (3:16)

“These things are the burden of the Bnei Kehas.” (4:15)

YEARS

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