Shemini – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

וישא אהרן את ידו אל העם ויברכם וירד מעשות החטאת

Aharon raised his hands towards the people and blessed them; then he descended from having performed the sin-offering. (9:22)

Negativity can destroy the most auspicious objective. It can undermine the most hopeful prayers. It can impugn the integrity of the most promising career. Some people thrive on negativity, because they cannot handle success. They know that as long as they are negative, they are safe. This is, of course, not the Torah way. Indeed, this is the method employed by the yetzer hora, evil-inclination, to undermine the individual’s efforts at prayer. One should not ignore his own shortcomings, but, when he is speaking with Hashem, he should focus on the positive. Concerning the above pasuk, the Tiferes Shlomo says…

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ויאמר אל אהרן קח לך עגל בן בקר לחטאת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5774

He said to Aharon, “Take for yourself a yearling calf as a sin-offering.” (9:2)

Aharon HaKohen brought a Korban Chatas, Sin-offering, comprised of a yearling calf to atone for his part in the chet ha’eigal, sin of the Golden Calf. Klal Yisrael also brought a calf to atone for their role in making the Golden Calf. Their calf, however, was not a Korban Chatas, but, rather, a Korban Olah, Elevation/Burnt-offering. Why is there a distinction between their korbanos? Horav Yisrael Belsky, Shlita, explains this, based upon the distinction between the varied functions of the Olah and Chatas. A Korban Chatas atones for the maaseh aveirah, actual deed of performing the sin. The sinful act…

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וישמע משה וייטב בעיניו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5774

And Moshe listened, and it was good in his eyes. (10:20)

Having just tragically lost his two sons, Aharon HaKohen was an onein, one who had just lost a close relative and, thus, could not partake of the sacrificial offerings. Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu that, despite Aharon’s aninus, he was permitted to eat of those sacrifices that had been offered exclusively for the Mishkan’s consecration. Moshe erred by extending this Heavenly dispensation to all korbanos. Aharon was, therefore, correct in not eating from the other sacrifices. Moshe chastised him for not listening to his instructions to eat from all the korbanos. Aharon was very proper, respectfully replying to his brother, “If…

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ואת בת היענה ואת התחמס... ואת הנץ למינהו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5774

The bas ha’yaanah, the tachmos… and the netz according to its kind. (11:16)

The economic situation in Europe between the two world wars was severe. The Jews, who during good times lived from hand to mouth, found this period to be especially disastrous. People worked from dawn until late at night to earn enough to barely support their family. These were the lucky ones who had jobs. The others suffered the pangs of hunger and deprivation. The Chafetz Chaim, zl, was visiting the Polish manufacturing city of Lodz. A large Jewish population made their home there. Understandably, when a person of such distinction visited, lines of people came to greet him, seek his…

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ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויצאו ויברכו את העם וירא כבוד ד' אל כל העם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5773

Moshe and Aharon came to the Ohel Moed, and they went out and blessed the people – and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people. (9:23)

Rashi describes what occurred behind the scenes which necessitated the entry of Moshe Rabbeinu into the Ohel Moed together with Aharon HaKohen. When Aharon saw that all of the offerings had been brought and all of the service in the Mishkan had been performed, he was greatly concerned. The Shechinah had not descended to Klal Yisrael. In his great humility, Aharon blamed himself: “I know that Hashem has become angry with me, and it is because of me that the Shechinah has not descended to the nation.” Aharon approached his brother and said, “Moshe, thus you have done to me;…

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ויקריבו לפני ד' אש זרה אשר לא צוה אתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5773

And they offered an alien fire before G-d which He had not commanded them. (10:1)

Emotions motivate a person to scale the highest elevations. When a person is positively motivated; when he is inspired to do good, he can achieve success in what otherwise would be considered a difficult task. Positive emotion catalyzes greatness. There is, however, one caveat: the emotion must be harnessed and focused. To live on emotion alone, without direction and discipline, invites dangerous consequences. A student in a yeshivah was extremely devoted to his spiritual development. A sincere and seriously motivated young man, he would spend twenty minutes in deep devotion as he recited Shemoneh Esrai. Thursday night mishmor, when other…

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ויקחו בני אהרן נדב ואביהוא איש מחתתו ויתנו בהן אש וישימו עליה קטורת ויקריבו לפני ד' אש זרה אשר לא צוה ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5773

And the sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, each took his fire pan, they put fire in them and placed incense upon it; and they brought before Hashem an alien fire that Hashem had not commanded them. (10:1)

It all boils down to the last four words: Asher lo tzivah Hashem, “That Hashem had not commanded them.” The best laid intentions are of little value if they go against someone’s wishes. In his Sefer Nitzotzos, Horav Yitzchak Hershkovitz, Shlita, gives a practical analogy. Reuven had a good friend, Shimon, whom he had invited to stay at his house whenever he was in the area. Shimon was a welcome guest who would not over-extend his welcome. He would come for a few days, enjoy, and leave. Reuven felt very comfortable inviting Shimon to stay as long as necessary –…

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ויאמר משה אל אהרן הוא אשר דבר ד' לאמר בקרובי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד וידם אהרן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5773

Moshe said to Aharon: Of this did Hashem speak, saying, “I will be sanctified through those who are close to Me, and I will be honored before the entire people;” and Aharon fell silent. (10:3)

The last two words of the above pasuk, Va’yidom Aharon, “And Aharon fell silent,” are, to me, among the most frightening – yet awe-inspiring – words in the Torah. The ability to transcend emotion, to experience tragedy on what should have been the happiest and most spiritually-elevating day of Aharon’s life, is truly inspirational. Aharon HaKohen had worked his entire life to achieve this moment, to be crowned as the Kohen Gadol, High Priest. His response to the mind-numbing tragedy was the true indication of his worthiness of this exalted position. How are we to come to terms with Aharon’s…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5772

“A fire came down from before Hashem…and they died before Hashem…and Aharon was silent.” (10:2-3)

As the joy surrounding the inauguration ritual reached its zenith, tragedy suddenly struck. Aharon’s two oldest sons died during their performance of an unauthorized incense service. Aharon’s classic response – or lack thereof – attests to his greatness, his nobility and his resolute faith in Hashem. He accepted Hashem’s Divine decree. He was silent. He did not exhibit any form of emotion. Hashem’s decree is not to be questioned, because the answer is above us. Chazal tell us that misas tzaddikim, the death of the righteous, is “m’chaper,” atones for our sins. This idea is derived from the fact that…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5772

“Do not leave your heads unshorn and do not rend your garments that you not die…and your brethren the entire House of Yisrael shall bewail the conflagration that Hashem ignited.” (10:6)

Aharon HaKohen’s two eldest sons died in a terrible, tragic fire that consumed their souls, yet left their bodies intact. It was to be a day of heightened joy, the greatest simchah for Hashem, for Aharon and for all of Klal Yisrael. It was the day that the Mishkan was to be dedicated. The festivities were tragically marred. Yet, Aharon and his sons were commanded that, as Kohanim, they could not exhibit any outward signs of mourning. It was Hashem’s day. Their personal grief was not to detract from Hashem’s simchah. On the other hand, Klal Yisrael was adjured to…

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וישא אהרן את ידו אל העם ויברכם וירד מעשות החטאת

Aharon raised his hands towards the people and blessed them; then he descended from having performed the sin-offering. (9:22)

ויאמר אל אהרן קח לך עגל בן בקר לחטאת

He said to Aharon, “Take for yourself a yearling calf as a sin-offering.” (9:2)

וישמע משה וייטב בעיניו

And Moshe listened, and it was good in his eyes. (10:20)

ואת בת היענה ואת התחמס... ואת הנץ למינהו

The bas ha’yaanah, the tachmos… and the netz according to its kind. (11:16)

ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויצאו ויברכו את העם וירא כבוד ד' אל כל העם

Moshe and Aharon came to the Ohel Moed, and they went out and blessed the people – and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people. (9:23)

ויקריבו לפני ד' אש זרה אשר לא צוה אתם

And they offered an alien fire before G-d which He had not commanded them. (10:1)

ויקחו בני אהרן נדב ואביהוא איש מחתתו ויתנו בהן אש וישימו עליה קטורת ויקריבו לפני ד' אש זרה אשר לא צוה ד'

And the sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, each took his fire pan, they put fire in them and placed incense upon it; and they brought before Hashem an alien fire that Hashem had not commanded them. (10:1)

ויאמר משה אל אהרן הוא אשר דבר ד' לאמר בקרובי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד וידם אהרן

Moshe said to Aharon: Of this did Hashem speak, saying, “I will be sanctified through those who are close to Me, and I will be honored before the entire people;” and Aharon fell silent. (10:3)

“A fire came down from before Hashem…and they died before Hashem…and Aharon was silent.” (10:2-3)

“Do not leave your heads unshorn and do not rend your garments that you not die…and your brethren the entire House of Yisrael shall bewail the conflagration that Hashem ignited.” (10:6)

YEARS

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