Va’eschanan – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו כי הוא יעבר לפני העם והוא ינחיל אותם את הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

But you shall command Yehoshua, and strengthen him and give him resolve, for he shall cross before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the Land. (3:28)

Upon a cursory reading of the text, the phrase, “For he shall cross before this people,” is superfluous in light of the following phrase, “And he shall cause them to inherit the Land.” Clearly, if Yehoshua was leading the nation in Eretz Yisrael, he would cross before they did. In his Aderes Eliyahu, Horav Yosef Chaim zl, m’Bagdad, distinguishes the leadership characteristics of Yehoshua’s from that of his Rebbe and predecessor, Moshe Rabbeinu. Yehoshua “crossed” before the nation, very much like a monarch who precedes his people. Moshe, on the other hand, was a roeh, shepherd, who led from “behind.”…

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אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

At that time, Moshe designated three cities. (4:41)

In Sefer Mishlei 24:30-33, Shlomo HaMelech teaches us the inevitable consequence of indolence. Al sadeh ish atzeil avarti, “By the field of a lazy person I passed and behold, it was entirely covered with thorns, its face covered with weeds, and its wall of stones was in ruins. I saw, and I took a lesson: a little sleep, a little dreaming, a little folding of the hands to rest; your poverty will come racing after you.” The wisest of all men tells us that it does not take much. A little slacking off, and one gets into the habit. Habit…

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ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources. (6:5)

In his thesis on ahavas Hashem, love of the Almighty, Horav Eliezer Papo, zl, author of the Pele Yoetz, writes, “Love for Hashem – there is no quality/virtue better than it, for all service to Hashem, and (indeed) all Yahadus, Judaism, is derived from it.” Loving Hashem is one of the Taryag, 613, mitzvos. It is a constant mitzvah, one which is fulfilled only through thought and contemplation, resulting in a person’s awareness of Hashem’s beneficence and all that he owes Him. The Pele Yoetz writes that love of Hashem takes on two different forms or dimensions. The first, which…

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ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

And impress them sharply upon your sons, and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk upon the way; when you lie down, and when you get up. (6:7)

A simple reading of the pasuk implies that one is to teach the commandments to his children/students, who are considered like his children. He should also speak words of Torah, with the primary topic of his conversation always being Torah-oriented. Last, he should occupy himself with Torah at all times: when he is in his home: or when he is traveling: at night when he lays down to sleep; and when he arises in the morning – Torah must be his primary focus in life. Perhaps, we might apply writer’s license to interpret the pesukim as an orientation for parents…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5772

“For inquire now regarding the early days… from the day when G- d created man on the earth…Has there ever been anything like this great thing or has anything like it ever been heard?” (4:32)

Horav Nissan Alpert z.l., offers an anecdote in explanation of this pasuk: A Jew once stood before a gentile magistrate, attempting to describe to him the greatness of the saintly Chafetz Chaim z.l. He told how the Chafetz Chaim’s prayers penetrated the Heavens to implore the Almighty’s blessing for those in need. He described the Chafetz Chaim’s spiritual eminence and his ability to have miracles made for him. The judge brushed him aside, refusing to believe all of the stories. Hearing the disdain in the gentile’s voice, the Jew looked into his eyes and, in an accusing voice said, “My…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5772

“Guard the Shabbos day to sanctify it, as Hashem, your G-d, has commanded you.” (5:12)

Rashi explains that Hashem commanded us to observe the Shabbos in Marah, even before the Giving of the Torah. Likewise, in regard to the mitzvah of Kibud Av v’Eim, honoring one’s parents, Rashi cites Chazal who assert that we were commanded to honor our parents in Marah. This is enigmatic, since in the parshah that tells about the manna, the Torah also details the laws of Shabbos. Why do they not say, “kaasher tzivcha,” “As He commanded you,” in the parsha of the manna? Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, z.l., gives a practical response to this question. The mitzvos of Shabbos and…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5772

“Do not kill and do not commit adultery, and do not steal, and do not bear false witness against your fellow. And do not covet.” (5:17–18)

Noting the order of these prohibitions, we may assume that they are written in a logical, descending order. The prohibition against murder, clearly the most grievous sin, is first, followed by the other “lesser” sins. In this manner, the Torah tells us that all of these acts are prohibited – not only the more serious ones. We wonder why the Torah joins these transgressions with the prefix “vav” – “and”? Horav David Feinstein, Shlita, explains that the Torah emphasizes to us that all mitzvos have equal significance. Had the Torah not used the “vav”, “and” prefix, we might think that…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5772

“You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your possessions.” (6:5)

Throughout the millennia, Hashem has tested the Jewish nation. He has challenged us collectively as a nation, as well as personally as individuals. We have been subject to the most cruel and inhuman ordeals, and we have survived. We have maintained our faith in the Almighty with all of our heart and all of our soul. Today, most of us live in areas where threats to our physical survival rarely present themselves. There is, however, another area in which the committed Jew is tested: in the area of material advancement. We live in a society in which people are regrettably…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5771

“Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” (3:25)

A fascinating Midrash relates part of the dialogue between Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem concerning his plea that he be allowed to enter the Holy Land. Moshe asked, “Ribono Shel Olam, the bones of Yosef HaTzaddik will enter Eretz Yisrael, and I will not enter?” (Why is Yosef different than I?) Hashem replied, “One who conceded, who acknowledged his Land, deserves to be buried there. One who did not acknowledge his Land is not buried there.” Chazal note that when Potifar’s wife failed in her attempt to seduce Yosef, she cried out, “Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to sport…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5771

And you shall not steal. (5:17)

We live in a day and age during which the idea of theft has lost much of its aura of malevolence. Stealing used to be an anathema. Regrettably, people have discovered loopholes whereby what used to be evil no longer carries such a negative stigma. Horav Sholom Schwadron, zl, relates the story of a distinguished student of the Arizal, a wealthy businessman who owned two factories in Tzfas. In one factory, he employed only men; in the other factory, only women. One day, the student visited his revered Rebbe. When he entered the room, the Rebbe said, “I see on…

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וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו כי הוא יעבר לפני העם והוא ינחיל אותם את הארץ

But you shall command Yehoshua, and strengthen him and give him resolve, for he shall cross before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the Land. (3:28)

אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים

At that time, Moshe designated three cities. (4:41)

ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources. (6:5)

ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך

And impress them sharply upon your sons, and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk upon the way; when you lie down, and when you get up. (6:7)

“For inquire now regarding the early days… from the day when G- d created man on the earth…Has there ever been anything like this great thing or has anything like it ever been heard?” (4:32)

“Guard the Shabbos day to sanctify it, as Hashem, your G-d, has commanded you.” (5:12)

“Do not kill and do not commit adultery, and do not steal, and do not bear false witness against your fellow. And do not covet.” (5:17–18)

“You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your possessions.” (6:5)

“Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” (3:25)

And you shall not steal. (5:17)

YEARS

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