Peninim on the Torah – Page 28 – Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

הנה שבע שנים באות שבע גדול בכל ארץ מצרים וקמו שבע שני רעב אחריהן ונשכח כל השבע בארץ מצרים

Behold! Seven years are coming, a great abundance throughout the land of Egypt. And seven years of famine will arise after them; all of the plenty in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. (41:29, 30)

Yosef HaTzaddik was describing to Pharaoh the seven years of famine which were to follow on the heels of the seven years of plenty. He said that the famine would be so fierce and grim that no one would even remember that they had enjoyed seven years of plenty. This idea begs elucidation. Hunger is hunger. Is it necessary to underscore that people would forget the years of plenty? While it is true that the people would no longer have any remaining food, why should that prevent them from remembering that they had once had food? Horav Levi Dicker, zl,…

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קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

Take of the land’s glory in your baggage. (43:11)

Horav Nachman Breslover, zl, explains zimras ha’aretz innovatively. Zimras is derived from zemer, song. Thus, Yaakov Avinu sent his sons to Egypt with a melody of Eretz Yisrael to be sung before the ruler who was causing them so much angst. A melody has a strong influence; a song has immense power and can elevate a person. When Yaakov wanted to send something along with his sons that would have powerful influence on the ruler, he sent a song. What is a Jewish song? (I refer here to traditional melodies handed down through the generations and nuschaos, versions of liturgical…

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קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם והורידו לאיש מנחה

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

Take from the land’s glory in your baggage and bring down a gift to the man. (43:11)

Coping with anger can be challenging, for some more than for others. People do not always act nicely to one another. This is especially true when two highly competitive people are both vying for the same position. Conflicts ensue, relationships are damaged and, at times, negative and even unethical behavior occurs. Anger is a normal emotion, unless one is highly refined and in control of himself. If we would stop for a moment to consider the ramifications, both short and long term, we would think twice before expressing ourselves. This is especially true when one is unjustly harmed, provoking feelings…

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וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayeishev

Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojourning. (37:1)

The commentators have written prolifically about this pasuk. Rashi writes concerning the juxtaposition of the beginning of this parshah upon the closing of the previous parshah, which details the tribal leaders of Eisav’s family. In one of his expositions, Rashi explains Yaakov’s settling, comparing it to a flax merchant whose camels laden with flax entered a town, filled to the brim with their loads of flax. The blacksmith whose shop was along the flax merchant’s route wondered where all this flax could be stored. A clever fellow who overheard the blacksmith piped up and said, “One spark from your bellows,…

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ותאמר הכר נא למי החתמת והפתילים והמטה האלה

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayeishev

And she said, “Recognize, if you please, whose are this signet, this wrap, and this staff.” (38:25)

Rashi explains that, in this context, the word na (ha’ker na, “recognize, if you please”) expresses nothing but request. Tamar replied, “Please recognize your Creator and do not destroy three souls (Tamar and her unborn twins). According to Rashi, when Tamar said, “If you please,” it was simply a plea for mercy, it was an appeal to Yehudah’s sense of yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven.” Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, derives a powerful insight from Rashi. We are accustomed to thinking that the manner and approach for one to develop a profound recognition and perspective of Hashem is through the study…

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ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayeishev

Yehudah recognized and said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

Chazal (Sotah 10b) teach, “As soon as Yehudah confessed and said Tzadkah mimeni, “She is right; it is from me,” a Bas Kol, Heavenly voice, issued forth and declared, “You saved Tamar and her two sons from the fire. By your life, I swear that I will save three of your descendants in your merit. Who are these? They are Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah.” Yehudah’s name is eternalized because he withstood and triumphed over the challenge to his integrity. Targum Yonasan (commentary to Devarim 49:8) says that, due to Yehudah’s confession concerning his involvement with Tamar, Klal Yisrael are called…

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ויהי כדברה אל יוסף יום יום

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayeishev

And so it was – just as she coaxed Yosef day after day. (39:10)

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 67:6) teaches: “The descendants of Rachel Imeinu, in the following two instances, their tests which they endured and their greatness with which they were consequently rewarded were equivalent.” Yosef was coaxed, day after day, to sin. Mordechai (of the tribe of Binyamin) refused to bow down to Haman, day after day. “Their greatness with which they were rewarded, Pharaoh removed his signet ring and appointed Yosef as viceroy. The Persian king removed his signet ring and gave it to Mordechai, granting him a position of unparalleled importance and power.” We wonder why Chazal consider Yosef and…

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עם לבן גרתי ואחר עד עתה

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5784

I have sojourned with Lavan and have lingered until now. (32:5)

Rashi explains Yaakov Avinu’s comment concerning his stay with Lavan. “I did not become a dignitary or a notable, but a mere sojourner. Thus, it does not befit you to hate me, because our father’s blessing, Hevei g’vir l’achecha, ‘Be a lord to your brothers,’ has not been fulfilled in me.” In other words, “Eisav, if you are upset concerning the brachos that I received, do not be, because they were not fulfilled.” Alternatively, Rashi says, the gematria, numerical equivalent, of garti is taryag, 613, as if to say, “I have sojourned with Lavan, yet I have observed all 613…

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ויותר יעקב לבדו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5784

Yaakov was left alone. (32:25)

Our Patriarch was left alone on that fateful night. What does “alone” really mean? Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 77:1) cite the pasuk in Yeshayah (2:11), V’nisgav Hashem levado, “And Hashem alone will be exalted,” which the commentaries explain, “There are no other gods, as everyone in the world will come to recognize on that day – so too, was Yaakov Avinu among men alone in a category all to himself. His spiritual level and strength catapulted him over everyone.” Levado, alone, has a few interpretations, based upon circumstances and the individual. It can be defined as lonely, hopeless, without physical, moral…

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ויהי ביום השלישי בהיותם כאבים ויקחו שני בני יעקב ... איש חרבו ... ויהרגו כל זכר

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5784

And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Yaakov’s sons… each took his sword… and killed every male. (34:25)

Shimon and Levi’s punishment of the supportive cast of Shechem’s violation of Dinah obviously does not sit well with those whose knowledge of halachah is limited. According to the Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 9), the people were held culpable because of their indifference to the crime which one of their own perpetrated. They should have judged him and carried out the appropriate punishment. Because they did not, they are viewed as co-conspirators, participants in the crime. The question that remains is: Why did Shimon and Levi carry out their deed after the men had carried out their circumcision? Why not punish…

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הנה שבע שנים באות שבע גדול בכל ארץ מצרים וקמו שבע שני רעב אחריהן ונשכח כל השבע בארץ מצרים

Behold! Seven years are coming, a great abundance throughout the land of Egypt. And seven years of famine will arise after them; all of the plenty in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. (41:29, 30)

קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם

Take of the land’s glory in your baggage. (43:11)

קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם והורידו לאיש מנחה

Take from the land’s glory in your baggage and bring down a gift to the man. (43:11)

וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו

Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojourning. (37:1)

ותאמר הכר נא למי החתמת והפתילים והמטה האלה

And she said, “Recognize, if you please, whose are this signet, this wrap, and this staff.” (38:25)

ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Yehudah recognized and said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

ויהי כדברה אל יוסף יום יום

And so it was – just as she coaxed Yosef day after day. (39:10)

עם לבן גרתי ואחר עד עתה

I have sojourned with Lavan and have lingered until now. (32:5)

ויותר יעקב לבדו

Yaakov was left alone. (32:25)

ויהי ביום השלישי בהיותם כאבים ויקחו שני בני יעקב ... איש חרבו ... ויהרגו כל זכר

And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Yaakov’s sons… each took his sword… and killed every male. (34:25)

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