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Home -> 5777 -> Tazria

וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tazria, 5777

On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. (12:3)

While every mitzvah in the Torah is an obligation to observe, mitzvas Milah, the commandment concerning circumcision, seems to be a mainstay – a mitzvah for which Jews throughout the millennia have sacrificed themselves. What is it about this mitzvah that impacts our lives to such an extent? The first time that this mitzvah is mentioned in the Torah is when Hashem commanded Avraham Avinu to circumcise himself. In his commentary to Parashas Emor, the Ramban teaches that with the execution of Bris Milah on his body, Avraham was transformed from a ben Noach, Noachide, to a ben Yisrael, Jew….

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Home -> 5777 -> Shoftim

מי האיש אשר בנה בית חדש ולא חנכו ילך וישב לביתו פן ימות במלחמה ואיש אחר יחנכנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5777

Who is the man who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man will inaugurate it. (20:5)

An individual whose mind is not on the battle, will – due to his fear or lack of enthusiasm – erode the morale of his comrades. The Torah mentions those individuals who return home and are free from joining the army. These are men who had just initiated an endeavor: taken a wife; built a house; planted a vineyard. For practical reasons, their minds are focused elsewhere – not on the battlefield. Rashi remarks concerning one who has built a house and has yet to move in: He is anxious concerning the possibility that he might die and someone else…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shoftim

על פי התורה אשר יורוך ועל המשפט אשר יאמרו לך תעשה – לא תסור מן הדבר אשר יגידו לך ימין ושמאל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5777

According to the teaching that they will teach you and according to the judgment that they will say to you, shall you do; you shall not deviate from the word that they will tell you, right or left. (17:11)

The decision rendered by the courts must be obeyed, even if one is convinced that it is wrong. Even if the judge/Torah scholar seems to be conveying that right is left and left is right, you must listen, accept and execute the law as told. We must maintain unswerving obedience to the directive issued by our gedolim, Torah leaders of the generation. Not everyone warrants the title gadol, Torah giant. Some may qualify as scholars, but, unless one reflects the total demeanor of mussar, ethics, yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven, in addition to being erudite, one does not qualify as…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shoftim

צדק צדק תרדוף

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5777

Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue. (16:20)

The Mishnah in Meseches Peah 8 derives from the above pasuk that one who is healthy, but claims he is crippled or blind, for whatever reason (usually for profit), will not leave this world until he himself  becomes afflicted with what he has claimed to have. Horav Bunim, zl, m’Peshischa questions this statement. Will this, likewise, apply to one who presents himself as a tzaddik, righteous person? Will he also not die before he becomes a tzaddik? If the pasuk teaches us that one must be straight, trustworthy and honorable, can we consider this man honorable? Should he be rewarded…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shoftim

שפטים ושוטרים תתן לך... לא תטה משפט לא תכיר פנים ולא תקח שחד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5777

Judges and officers shall you appoint in your cities… you shall not pervert judgment, you shall not respect someone’s presence; and you shall not accept a bribe. (16:18,19)

The Torah exhorts us to appoint honest judges who will adjudicate accordingly. It then follows up with three rules (so to speak) for keeping the judges “honest”. They should not pervert judgment; they should treat everyone equally, regardless of the litigant’s financial portfolio or eminence and power; last, they should not accept a bribe – even if the bribe comes without strings attached. Once one has accepted anything from another person, he becomes predisposed to him and the judgment that he renders might in some way be biased. The appointment of judges is obviously critical for the healthy growth of…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shoftim

שופטים ושטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך... ושפטו את העם משפט צדק

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5777

Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities… and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. (16:18)

Titen lecha, “Shall you appoint” (Literal translation: shall you put for you/yourself). The Kli Yakar derives from you/yourself that, before one concerns himself with helping others, he must first judge himself. Make absolutely certain that your house is in order before you reach out to others. How true this is. There are some who occupy themselves with reaching out to others as an excuse, in order to delay addressing their own personal issues. In a similar vein, Horav Simcha Bunim, zl, m’Peshischa, explains Shoftim v’shotrim titen lecha, “Judges and officers shall you appoint” in the following way: As long as…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shemini

ואת החסידה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shemini, 5777

And the chasidah (11:19)

An interesting name for a non-kosher fowl. Rashi adds to the ambiguity with his reason for the name chasidah. This bird performs kindness with others of its species by sharing food with them. This is supposedly a compassionate bird, because it shares. Furthermore, its compassion is even noted by its given name – all the more reason that it should be included among the kosher birds. The Chassidic Masters explains that selective chesed with one’s own species, while ignoring the plight of other species, is far from admirable. Jews are not exclusive in their chesed activities. We help everyone. This…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shemini

ואחיכם כל בית ישראל יבכו את השרפה אשר שרף ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shemini, 5777

And your brethren, the entire House of Yisrael, shall bewail the conflagration which Hashem ignited. (10:6)

When we look around today at the Torah world, we are amazed that in a short period of time of some seventy years, we have gone from a nation of broken Jewry, to a world of Torah study unlike anything in previous times. While the numbers of committed, scholarly Torah Jews have probably increased with the level of Torah study and erudition achieved in our yeshivos unlike anything one can remember, the quality of Jewish commitment, the abrogation of materialism that bespoke the average European Jews, is no longer. We may know more and daven longer and understand what we…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shemini

ראשכם אל תפרעו ובגדיכם לא תפרמו ולא תמתו...ואחיכם כל בית ישראל יבכו את השרפה אשר שרף ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shemini, 5777

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)

Two reactions, two varied responses to the same occurrence. The Kohanim were not to interrupt the joy of their service – despite the tragic passing of two of their own. On the other hand, Klal Yisrael must mourn the deaths of two saintly Kohanim. The people must mourn; the Kohanim, however, must continue their joyful service. Two opposites – how is it possible? If it is a joyful occasion, be joyful. If it is a sad time, be sad. How do we reconcile two contradictory emotional responses to the same occurrence? Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, understands that there are vantage…

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Home -> 5777 -> Shemini

בקרבי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shemini, 5777

I will be sanctified through those who are nearest to Me, thus I will be honored before the entire People. (10:3)

Bikrovai ekadeish, “I will be sanctified through those nearest to Me,” are two words that instill fear and awe, because they are words that are often uttered following a tragedy in which the best, those closest to Hashem, are taken from within our midst. One who is exposed to greater inspiration, to greater Heavenly illumination – whose spiritual cognition is more profound – is on a higher spiritual plane. He is nearer to Hashem; therefore, more is expected of him. Horav Chaim Zaitchik, zl, explains that this was the reason for the punishment received by the mekoshesh eitzim, one who…

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