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Home -> 5780 -> Eikev

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

Sruly Schnair
In Eikev, 5780

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

The Torah provides a unique criterion for teaching Torah to one’s children. They should be able to discuss Torah; or, alternatively, when they speak, Torah should emerge from their mouths. Speech is the communication or expression of thoughts. An individual who speaks Torah thinks Torah. One’s cognitive dynamic should be shaped by Torah, so that when he expresses an opinion, a comment, it is Torah-based, the expression of a Torah mind. Thus, Rashi explains, as soon as a child is able to speak, his father should teach him Torah, so that it will be his “language” of communication. Therefore, everything…

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Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

ואתחנן אל ד' ... אעברה נא ואראה ... ויתעבר ד' בי למענכם

Sruly Schnair
In Va'eschanan, 5780

I implored Hashem at that time… Let me now cross and see… But Hashem became angry with me because of you. (3:23,25,26)

Moshe Rabbeinu prayed and prayed. Chazal say that the word, va’eschanan, I implored, implies that Moshe prayed 515 times, which its numerical equivalent. The word, va’eschanan, is derived from chinam, free, alluding to the nature of this prayer. Being one of the ten terms of prayer, it is used when one seeks an undeserved favor from Hashem. Why did Moshe use this term? Surely he was deserving. The righteous never feel that they have a claim on Hashem’s favor. His mercy is reserved for those who feel “worthy” of it. The righteous and the humble feel that Hashem owes them…

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Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

ויאמר ד' אלי רב לך אל תוסף דבר אלי בדבר הזה

Sruly Schnair
In Va'eschanan, 5780

Hashem said to me, “It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to Me further about this matter.” (3:26)

The Midrash Tanchuma (Va’eschanan 4) relates that Moshe Rabbeinu said to Hashem, “Ribon HaOlamim, You referred to me as Moshe, My servant (Bamidbar 12:7). I truly am Your servant. You also wrote in Your Torah (Shemos 21:5) that the eved Ivri, Hebrew bondsman who refuses to leave servitude after the prescribed six years goes through a process and avado l’olam, he remains in servitude until Yovel. Thus, Hashem, I ask to be allowed to remain in my position as an eved and continue serving You.” Hashem replied, “Rav lach, it is too much for you. It has already been decreed…

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Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

ראה למדתי אתכם חוקים ומשפטים כאשר צוני ד' אלקיך

Sruly Schnair
In Va'eschanan, 5780

See, I have taught you decrees and ordinances, as Hashem, my G-d, has commanded me. (4:5)

Chazal derive an interesting halachah from this pasuk. Moshe Rabbeinu enjoins the nation to observe his manner of teaching the law to the nation. Just as he performed his mission gratis, likewise, when a Jew teaches Torah to his fellow Jew, he should not do so for remuneration. Does that mean that the thousands of rebbeim, moros, roshei yeshivah, rabbanim, roshei kollel, menahalim, anybody who teaches and disseminates Torah, should relinquish payment? Does this indicate that their profession is a “non-profession”? You get what you pay for. The salary one commands indicates the significance and value of the position. If…

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Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

שמע ישראל ד' אלקינו ד' אחד

Sruly Schnair
In Va'eschanan, 5780

Hear, O’ Yisrael: Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is the One and Only. (6:4)

Judaism’s seminal verse, the pasuk that accompanies us as we end our sojourn in this world is: Shema Yisrael: Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad; “Hear, O’ Yisrael, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One.” The Tur Orach Chaim 61 rules that one places his hand over his eyes when he recites the Shema. What is the significance of Shema, and why does one cover his eyes upon reciting it? In his preface, the Kol Arye observes that two of Hashem’s Sheimos, Names, are seemingly contrary to one another. The name Elokim/Elokeinu is the Name that represents the Almighty’s, middah, attribute, of…

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Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

והיו הדברים האלה אשר מצוך היום על לבבך ושננתם לבניך

Sruly Schnair
In Va'eschanan, 5780

And these matters that I command you today shall be upon our heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children. (6:6,7)

The Alshich HaKadosh writes: “If these matters will penetrate deep into your heart and not simply be superficial, then your words will be able to penetrate into the hearts of your children/students.” The Sefer HaYashar (Rabbi Zerachyah or Rabbeinu Tam), expresses a similar thought, “Anything that emanates from the heart will enter into the heart (of the listener).” Whatever the mouth simply expresses will not get past the ear. In other words, only one who accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah, who makes it a part of himself, can effectively transmit that Torah to others. Horav Shraga Grossbard, zl,…

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Home -> Devarim -> 5780

ויהי בארבעים שנה... דבר משה אל בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair
In 5780, Devarim

It was in the fortieth year… when Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisrael. (1:3)

Rashi comments, “This teaches us that Moshe Rabbeinu did not rebuke them until immediately before his death.” Rashi continues that Moshe derived this from Yaakov Avinu, who also waited until he was on his deathbed to rebuke his sons. Yaakov said, “Reuven, my son, why did I not rebuke you earlier? It was so that you should not leave me and join up with Eisav, my brother.” This comment begs elucidation. Reuven was a holy person who, for the slightest vestige of sin, sat in sackcloth and fasted for a lengthy period of time. To say that rebuke would drive…

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Home -> Devarim -> 5780

ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

Sruly Schnair
In 5780, Devarim

All of you approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us, and let them spy out the land.” (1:22)

The chet ha’meraglim, sin of the spies, is recorded in the annals of our nation’s history as one of its most egregious sins. It was the precursor of what became our national day of mourning, Tishah B’Av. The ring leaders received their due punishment immediately. The rest of the nation, which capitulated to their self-imposed anxiety, saw their punishment carried out over the next thirty-eight years as they perished in the wilderness. What aggravates the sin most is that the spies were all men of repute, distinguished Torah leaders and princes of their individual tribes. How did such spiritual giants…

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Home -> Devarim -> 5780

אנה אנחנו עלים. אחינו המסו את לבבינו... ואמר אליכם לא תערצון ולא תיראון מהם

Sruly Schnair
In 5780, Devarim

To where shall we ascend? Our brothers have melted our hearts… then I said to you, “Do not be broken and do not fear them.” (1:28,29)

Fear can do terrible things to a person. Fear is the antithesis of hope. Hope is the cure for fear. Chazal (Berachos 10a) teach, “Even if a sharp sword is resting on the neck of a person, he should not despair of Heavenly mercy.” One can chas v’shalom, Heaven forbid, be at the threshold of death – he should still hope; he should not throw in the towel and give up hope. Indeed, we experience every moment of life because Hashem wants us to experience it. We are alive during our present fearful state because Hashem wants us to live….

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Home -> Matos -> 5780

נקום נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף אל עמיך

Sruly Schnair
In 5780, Matos, Masei

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim; afterward you will be gathered unto your people. (31: 2)

Hashem informed Moshe Rabbeinu that he would leave this world once Klal Yisrael destroyed Midyan. Then Klal Yisrael would be avenged. Once Klal Yisrael exacted vengeance, Moshe’s “work” (so to speak) would be complete. Although Moshe was acutely aware that once he completed this mitzvah he would die, he executed the vengeance with amazing alacrity. A mitzvah is a mitzvah, even if it meant that it would hasten his own demise. The Torah writes that the Jewish People waged war with Midyan, and they succeeded in killing all males. Among them was Bilaam ben Be’or, the pagan prophet who was…

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