5776

וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישמו תחתיו וישב עליה

Moshe’s hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. (17:12)

Moshe Rabbeinu’s hands grew heavy from fatigue. Therefore, Aharon HaKohen and Chur supported his arms. Moshe sat on a stone, rather than on a pillow, because he was not about to sit on a soft pillow while his people were in danger and suffering. The Talmud Brachos 54a enumerates a list of places in which miracles occurred, stating that if one were to see any of these places, he would be required to offer praise to Hashem. One of these places is the stone upon which Moshe sat. The Maharsha wonders why the stone upon which Moshe sat retains such…

Home -> 5776 -> Beshalach

אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael chose to sing this song to Hashem. (15:1)

The Shabbos during which the Shirah is read is unique. Indeed, it is called Shabbos Shirah – the Shabbos of the Song. Horav Yitzchak, zl, m’Varka once asked the Chidushei HaRim why the Shabbos on which we read the Shirah has become Shabbos Shirah, when this phenomenon does not occur on any other Shabbos. We do not refer to the Shabbos on which we read Parashas Yisro (which records Kabbolas HaTorah) as Shabbos Mattan Torah. Likewise, other Shabbosos do not derive their name from the contents of the parsha that we read on that particular week. The Chidushei HaRim replied…

Home -> 5776 -> Beshalach

ויבואו בני ישראל בתוך הים ביבשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

And Bnei Yisrael shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land. (14:16)

The Tosefta Berachos 4:16 teaches that when the Shevatim, Tribes, came to the banks of the Red Sea, they stopped; a discussion ensued concerning which one was not going in first. Each tribe pushed the “honors” of entering the water onto someone else. Finally, Shevet Yehudah took the initiative by rising to the occasion and jumping in. They all followed after him. We wonder why the people refused to enter the water. Am Yisrael is a nation in which mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice for Hashem, is part of their DNA. Throughout the generations, we have never restrained ourselves from a willingness…

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ויצעקו בני ישראל אל ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

And Bnei Yisrael cried out to Hashem. (14:10)

Rashi cites Yalkut Shimoni who comments: Tafsu umnos Avosam, “They adopted the craft of their Forefathers.” The Avos HaKedoshim, holy Patriarchs, conversed with Hashem through the medium of prayer. Apparently, what was good for the Avos was good for their offspring. Horav Nosson Wachtfogel, zl, derives a powerful lesson from the Yalkut. A craft is one’s trade,his vocation, the medium by which he earns a living. Prayer is our trade, our umnos. One who has a profession must be serious about it, or his work will be for naught. Someone who has studied a trade, mastered a course, and received…

Home -> 5776 -> Beshalach

ויסב אלקים את העם דרך המדבר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

So God turned the people toward the way of the wilderness. (13:18)

The Midrash teaches that this pasuk, which relates that Hashem caused the people to journey in a circuitous (va’yaseiv) manner, is the source for the halachah that requires each Jew – even one who is poverty-stricken – to sit at the Seder table, b’haseibah, reclining. Apparently, the only connection between the halachah and the pasuk is the word va’yaseiv; they are related by the root, sov. The question before us is obvious: What is the relationship between reclining on Pesach and the manner in which the Jewish People traveled from Egypt? Horav Zaidel Epstein, zl, suggests a significant principle to…

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YEARS

וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישמו תחתיו וישב עליה

Moshe’s hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. (17:12)

אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת לד'

Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael chose to sing this song to Hashem. (15:1)

ויבואו בני ישראל בתוך הים ביבשה

And Bnei Yisrael shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land. (14:16)

ויצעקו בני ישראל אל ד'

And Bnei Yisrael cried out to Hashem. (14:10)

ויסב אלקים את העם דרך המדבר

So God turned the people toward the way of the wilderness. (13:18)

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