Middas HaDin – Peninim on the Torah

הנסתרות לד' אלקינו

The hidden things are for Hashem, our G-d. (29:28)

People sin. This is a fact of life. Some sin publicly, such as the fellow who has the temerity to show his disregard for the Torah and mitzvos. Some sin privately, often the result of spiritual lapses, personal and internal conflict. Public sins affect society, creating a chillul Hashem, desecration of Hashem’s Name. Such sin requires public repentance in order to expiate the assault on the spiritual, moral compass of the community. Private acts of spiritual betrayal are no different than societal betrayal. We have an obligation to serve Hashem by upholding His mitzvos. To violate our Heavenly trust indicates…

Home -> 5784 -> Bo

קדש לי כל בכור פטר כל רחם

Sruly Schnair In Bo, 5784

Sanctify for Me every first born, the first issue of every womb. (13:2)

Chazal (Kiddushin 29b) derive from here that the term b’chor, firstborn, applies only to the firstborn of the mother. A firstborn who is the first for the father, but not the mother, does not become consecrated b’kedushas bechorah, the sanctity of the firstborn. We wonder why this is so? The bechorim are sanctified due to the miracle concerning their salvation when all the heathen firstborn of Egypt were slain. The Jewish firstborn were spared. Regarding the Egyptian firstborn, no distinction was made whether it was the father’s or mother’s firstborn – they all died. Indeed, if no firstborn was in…

Home -> 5782 -> Vaeira

וידבר אלקים אל משה ויאמר אליו אני ד'

Sruly Schnair In Vaeira, 5782

Hashem spoke to Moshe and said to him, “I am Hashem.” (6:2)

We relate to Hashem through various Names which are attached to His Attributes. Elokim represents Din, Strict Justice, while Hashem represents Rachamim, Mercy. Thus, when the pasuk begins with the Name Elokim, we know that Middas HaDin, the Attribute of Strict Justice, comes into play, and that what Hashem is about to say or do will reflect Din. The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 6:1) notes that Middas HaDin wanted to harm Moshe Rabbeinu for the manner in which he complained about the Jews’ enslavement. He was a powerful advocate, but one does not accuse Hashem of not acting justly (so to…

Home -> Pekudei -> 5781

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Pekudei

On the first day of the first month, you should set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:2)

Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma, Pikudei 11) teach that the construction of the Mishkan was completed within three months. Tishrei, Mar Cheshvan, Kislev. The people did not set up, however, until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, because Hashem wanted the festivities surrounding the erection of the Mishkan to be combined with the celebration of the birth of Yitzchak Avinu. What is there about Yitzchak Avinu’s birth, his entrance into the world, connects with the Mishkan? How do these two celebrations mesh, and what is the message for us? Let us focus on Yitzchak’s name, it source and what it represents vis-à-vis our nation. The…

Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich In Kedoshim, 5758

You shall be holy for Me;……and I have separated you from the peoples to be Mine. (20:26)

Rashi cites Chazal who explain this pasuk in the following manner: If you keep yourselves separate from the nations and their life styles, you will be Mine; otherwise, you will belong to Nebuchanetzar and his ilk. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya adds, one should not say, “I do not eat pig because I do not like pig meat.” Rather, one should say, I would like to eat pig meat, but Hashem has prohibited me from eating it and has commanded me to separate from the other nations to be His, and only His” Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zl, remarks that essentially…

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…

Home -> 5777 -> Ki Savo

השקיפה ממעון קדשך מן השמים וברך את עמך ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5777

Gaze down from Your abode, from the heavens and bless Your people Yisrael. (26:15)

Rashi explains that this prayer implies: “Hashem, we have carried out Your wishes. We have done that what You decreed upon us; now, You do what behooves You.” The word hashkifah, “gaze (down)” is unique in that it is almost always used to denote careful examination to determine the appropriate punishment. In other words, it is not used in connection with something positive about to occur. Rashi observes this in his commentary to Bereishis 18:16, Vayashkifu al pnei Sodom; “They (the angels) gazed towards Sodom.” The angels who had come to visit and participate in the healing of Avraham Avinu,…

Home -> Behar -> 5777

וכי ימוך אחיך... והחזקת בו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Behar

If your brother becomes impoverished… you shall strengthen him. (25:35)

The Pele Yoetz writes: “Chesed, performing acts of kindness, is a pillar of the world. It is one of those mitzvos whose fruits are eaten in this world, but whose principal remains for him (generating reward) in Olam Habba, the World to Come.” The Chafetz Chaim writes that the performance of chesed can engender such incredible merit that it has the power to overwhelm the Middas HaDin, Attribute of Strict Justice. Rebbetzin Miriam Shmuelevitz, wife of the venerable Rosh Yeshivah of Mir Yerushalayim, was very involved in a successful chesed organization that reached out to Jews all over Yerushalayim. I…

Home -> 5771 -> Toldos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5771

And these are the generations of Yitzchak, the son of Avraham, Avraham begot Yitzchak. (25:19)

The opening pasuk of this Parshah is seemingly redundant. We are about to detail the story of the offspring of Yitzchak Avinu, son of Avraham Avinu, but first the Torah repeats the fact that Avraham begot Yitzchak. One would assume that we have already been informed of Yitzchak’s pedigree when it was related that he was the son of Avraham. Rashi quotes the Midrash which informs us that the leitzanei ha’dor, scoffers of that generation, individuals who had really nothing else to do but slander and denigrate, claimed that Yitzchak’s real father was Avimelech. After all, Sarah had spent some…

Home -> 5774 -> Tetzaveh

והם יקחו את הזהב ואת התכלת ואת הארגמן ואת תולעת השני ואת השש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tetzaveh, 5774

They shall take the gold, the turquoise, purple and scarlet wool, and the linen. (28:5)

Moshe Rabbeinu was commanded concerning the construction of the Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly Vestments. For this purpose, he was to obtain gold, turquoise, purple and scarlet, various colors of dyed wool, from the people which were to be used to make the Eiphod, Cheshev ha’Eiphod, Choshen and Avnet. Sheish is flax/linen. Thus, the Bigdei Kehunah were constructed of shatnez, a mixture of wool and linen. Given the reality, one would conjecture that while shatnez is prohibited to be worn by a Jew, the Bigdei Kehunah constituted an exception to the rule. In other words, a dispensation is made for the Priestly…

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הנסתרות לד' אלקינו

The hidden things are for Hashem, our G-d. (29:28)

קדש לי כל בכור פטר כל רחם

Sanctify for Me every first born, the first issue of every womb. (13:2)

וידבר אלקים אל משה ויאמר אליו אני ד'

Hashem spoke to Moshe and said to him, “I am Hashem.” (6:2)

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

On the first day of the first month, you should set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:2)

You shall be holy for Me;……and I have separated you from the peoples to be Mine. (20:26)

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

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)

השקיפה ממעון קדשך מן השמים וברך את עמך ישראל

Gaze down from Your abode, from the heavens and bless Your people Yisrael. (26:15)

וכי ימוך אחיך... והחזקת בו

If your brother becomes impoverished… you shall strengthen him. (25:35)

And these are the generations of Yitzchak, the son of Avraham, Avraham begot Yitzchak. (25:19)

והם יקחו את הזהב ואת התכלת ואת הארגמן ואת תולעת השני ואת השש

They shall take the gold, the turquoise, purple and scarlet wool, and the linen. (28:5)

YEARS

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