Naso – Page 15 – Peninim on the Torah

Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5754

“And it came to pass on the day that Moshe had completed setting up the Mishkan.” (7:1)

Chazal call attention to the first word of this pasuk hvhu, “and it came to pass.” They say that whenever this word occurs in Tanach, it always refers to a tzarah, a period of sorrow and grief. They question the element of grief associated with the Mishkan. The creation of the Mishkan as a place for the Shechinah to repose should surely be cause for simcha, happiness, and rejoicing. What role do despair and anxiety have during a moment of such exaltation? Chazal present an analogy to a king who had a quarrelsome wife, who would not stop her bickering….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“And they shall confess their sins.” (5:7)

The mitzvah of “viduy,” confession, is the prime prerequisite for performing teshuvah, repentance. Indeed, without viduy the teshuvah process has no value. It is puzzling that the Torah chooses to mention the mitzvah of viduy specifically at this point, in reference to the sin of stealing. The Chidushei Ha’Rim explains that actually every transgression committed by man consists of a form of theft. We have been granted life, health, and the ability to perform actions, so that we may serve the Almighty. To employ these G-d given abilities in behavior which violates Torah law is tantamount to theft. Not only…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“And the man shall bring his wife to the Kohen and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an eifah of barley meal, he shall not pour upon it any oil, nor pour frankincense on it.” (5:15)

Rashi cites the Talmud Sotah 12a, which explains the reason for the specific ingredients of this korban. Meal was used instead of fine flour, barley rather than wheat. This modification was due to the repulsiveness of the sotah’s immoral act; because she acted like an animal, her offering is the food of an animal. Oil is not poured over the meal, since oil symbolizes light and the sotah acted in darkness. Frankincense is not placed on the korban, since the Matriarchs are referred to as “levonah,” frankincense, and she deviated from their paths. Horav B.Z. Baruk, z.l., makes a noteworthy…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“And this is the law of the Nazir, on the day of the completion of his vow.” (6:21)

At the conclusion of term of the Nazir’s vow, he must bring a korban. The reason for this korban is enigmatic. Is not a korban of this nature brought as penance for a specific sin? Rather than the Nazir be lauded for his great deed, he is seemingly castigated! Rabbeinu Bachya explains that this korban is necessary, since it appears as if the Nazir is departing from his previous lofty relationship with Hashem. For a significant period of time, he was removed from the pleasures of this world, only to return to his previous lifestyle. Although his lifestyle had been…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“On the second day did offer Nesanel ben Tzuar, the Nasi of (the tribe of) Yissachar . . . he presented for his offering.” (7:18,19)

Rashi notes the redundancy of the word chrevw offered, regarding the tribe of Yissachar. In contrast, it is not doubly stated in reference to any of the other tribes. Rashi cites different explanations to resolve this question. Horav M. Wolfson, Shlita, offers a novel response. Nesanel represented the tribe of Yissachar, which was noted for total devotion to Torah study. Indeed, this was their vocation. Their material support came from the tribe of Zevulun, their “partners” in Torah endeavor. This “partnership” could easily cause the ignorant bystander to think that Yissachar, in fact, did not possess anything of his own….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“And when Moshe went into the Ohel Moed that he might speak with Him, and he heard the voice speaking to him.” (7:89)

Rashi points out that the word rcsn, “speaking,” is similar to rcs,n, “in the hispa’el” form (reflexive form of the intensive stem of the Hebrew verb), implying that Moshe heard the voice of Hashem speaking to Itself. The Sforno expands on this idea, suggesting that Hashem “makes it known to Himself” and that the voice heard by Moshe was in reality an “overflow” of Hashem’s words. This is similar to the voice which every Navi receives, each according to his own individual level of perception. Although the words of the Sforno are of a profound nature, an important lesson can…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5752

“When a man or a woman shall commit any sin that men commit… and they shall confess their sin which they have done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and the fifth part thereof he shall add unto it, and give it to whom he has been guilty.” (5:6-7)

The question concerning these pesukim is obvious. The Torah begins its account of the sin in the plural form (uaguw usuu,vu) and sums it up in the singular form (chavu wi,bu)! Horav Chaim Zaitzik Z”l poignantly explains that the succession of events which leads up to an individual’s transgressing suggests that frequently the sin is communal. The individual, who actually executes the misdeed is the product of an environment which has laid the foundation for this sin to transpire. In reality, this sin originates in the community. He cites scenarios to support this hypothesis. For example, let us look…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5752

“Any man whose wife deviates from the right path and commits an act of disloyalty towards him.” (5:12)

The word “vya” means to deviate from a prescribed direction. In this posuk “vya” means to turn aside from the correct moral path. Consequently, we understand Chazal’s statement “One does not commit a sin unless there has entered into him a spirit of foolishness has entered in him (Sotah 3a) in the following way: Every moral lapse is simultaneously a lapse of reasoning. Moral truth and logical truth coincide; man sins when he has lost sight of this connection. The behavior of the wife described in these pesukim does not yet actually imply adultery. It refers to a deviation…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5752

“This was the offering of Nachson the son of Aminadav” (7:17) “This was the offering of Nesanel the son of Tzuar.” (7:23)

The Torah concludes each of the twelve paragraphs which describe the dedication offerings of the Nesiim with the above pesukim. We should note the Torah‘s refrain in its description of these offerings. Indeed, Chazal expound upon the preciousness of these offerings before Hashem. “The offering of the Nesiim is as precious to Hashem as the “song” Bnei Yisrael sang by the Red Sea, for there it says: This is my G-d; and here it says, “this is the sacrifice of Nachson.” Horav Shlomo Breuer Z”l suggests that this reference by Chazal to the “Shira” is intended to clarify…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5751

“Take the sum of the sons of Gershon, also them.” (4:22)

Many commentators discuss the superfluous words “also them”. We learn from this that in order to achieve one’s true potential in life, a person should not underestimate his own abilities and become discouraged. Very often, people do not “rise to the occasion” due to a lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem. Unfortunately, this often applies to the observance of mitzvos and Torah study; one might say, since I will not be a great scholar, why go through the effort if the goal is unattainable. Similarly, many who are approached to contribute to a worthy cause reply that their donation is…

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“And it came to pass on the day that Moshe had completed setting up the Mishkan.” (7:1)

“And they shall confess their sins.” (5:7)

“And the man shall bring his wife to the Kohen and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an eifah of barley meal, he shall not pour upon it any oil, nor pour frankincense on it.” (5:15)

“And this is the law of the Nazir, on the day of the completion of his vow.” (6:21)

“On the second day did offer Nesanel ben Tzuar, the Nasi of (the tribe of) Yissachar . . . he presented for his offering.” (7:18,19)

“And when Moshe went into the Ohel Moed that he might speak with Him, and he heard the voice speaking to him.” (7:89)

“When a man or a woman shall commit any sin that men commit… and they shall confess their sin which they have done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and the fifth part thereof he shall add unto it, and give it to whom he has been guilty.” (5:6-7)

“Any man whose wife deviates from the right path and commits an act of disloyalty towards him.” (5:12)

“This was the offering of Nachson the son of Aminadav” (7:17) “This was the offering of Nesanel the son of Tzuar.” (7:23)

“Take the sum of the sons of Gershon, also them.” (4:22)

YEARS

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