Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

יהודה אתה יודוך אחיך... בן פורת יוסף

Yehudah – you, your brothers shall acknowledge. (49:8) A charming son is Yosef. (49:22)

In Yaakov Avinu’s blessings to his sons, we see the Patriarch delineate the specific area of avodas Hashem, service to Hashem, of each individual tribe. Together, their service coalesces and the purpose of Creation is realized. Each tribe’s personality was different. This variation reflected a different approach to avodas Hashem. Yaakov’s blessing ensured that the shefa, spiritual flow from Above, would be endemic to the requirements of each individual shevet, tribe. The blessings of the Patriarch singled out two tribes for monarchy: Yehudah and Yosef. Each was uniquely suited for his role of leadership, based upon his individual character traits….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5755

“And Hashem created the man.” (1:27)

There is an interesting Midrash relating to this pasuk. Man was created on the last day. If a person is worthy, he is told, “You came before the entire creation,” since he was the reason for the creation of the world. On the other hand, if he is not worthy, he is told, “Even a gnat preceded you, an earthworm preceded you.” Horav Boruch Sorotzkin z.l., explains this Midrash in the following manner: If man merits to fulfill his purpose in this world, if he is virtuous and carries out Hashem’s mandate, then he precedes creation. The purpose gave way…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5755

“And Hashem said let us make man in our image after our likeness.” (1:26)

Chazal teach us that prior to Adam’s creation, a dispute arose among the angels in Heaven. Those representing the middah, character trait, of chesed, kindness, encouraged his creation since he would perform acts of kindness. Speaking on behalf of the middah of emes, truth, the angels were very negative about his creation, since man is full of falsehood. Hashem responded to this conflict by “flinging” truth to the earth and creating man. This is perplexing. Why would Hashem create man if he would be untrue? Obviously, this act of flinging truth to the earth was more of a response to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5755

“And Hashem saw that the light was good so (and) Hashem separated the light from the darkness.” (1:4)

Rashi explains that Hashem saw that the light was good, but He did not want the light to rule together with or over the darkness. He let the darkness subsist, separating it from the light. This seems enigmatic. Why would Hashem create darkness and light together only to separate them afterwards? Why not simply create two separate entities completely distinct from one another from the beginning? Horav E.M. Bloch z.l., infers an important lesson from this pasuk. From the beginning of creation, Hashem instituted the important principle of separation. Differentiation between two entities does not necessarily occur because they are…

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יששכר חמור גרם רובץ בין המשפתים וירא מנוחה כי טוב... ויט שכמו לסבל ויהי למס עובד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayechi

Issachar is a strong-boned donkey; he rests between the boundaries. He saw tranquility that it was good… yet, he bent his shoulder to bear and he became and indentured laborer. (49:14,15)

The Torah’s characterization of the talmid chacham, Torah scholar, using the simile of a strong-boned donkey, implies Yissachar/the Torah scholar’s spiritual role as the bearer of the yoke of Torah and the cultivator of the nation’s spiritual treasures. As the donkey toils day and night without resting its weary body, so, too, does the Torah scholar incessantly apply himself to his books. The Chafetz Chaim explains that the donkey never tires to the point that it lay down in such a manner that it must have its load removed. It sleeps standing, with its bags still on it. Likewise, the…

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אפרים ומנשה כראובן ושמעון יהיו לי... ומולדתך אשר הולדת אחריהם לך יהיו על שם אחיהם יקראו בנחלתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayechi

Efraim and Menashe shall be mine like Reuven and Shimon… but progeny born to you after them shall be yours; they will be included under the name of the brothers with regard to their inheritance. (48:5,6)

According to Rashi, Efraim and Menashe are considered among the total of the other sons, thus receiving an equal portion in Eretz Yisrael in the same manner as their counterparts among the actual sons of Yaakov Avinu. In the Talmud Bava Basra 121b, Chazal debate whether the new status of Shevet, Tribe, accorded to Efraim and Menashe had any bearing on the amount of land they received in Eretz Yisrael. Rashi and Ramban continue this debate. Rashi is of the opinion that, while Eretz Yisrael would be divided into twelve parts, these portions would not be equal in size. The…

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ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים... ויהי ימי יעקב שני חייו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayechi

Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt… and the days of Yaakov – the years of his life. (47:28)

The popular adage, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life,” rings true in the ears of the committed who are acutely aware of the meaning of every moment of G-d-given life. We have no guarantees. Life is short, and it is up to each and every one of us to make the most of every minute. This is unlike the attitude of some who believe that everything belongs to them. Parashas Vayechi deals primarily with the last mortal days of Yaakov Avinu: how he prepared for death, and the blessings he gave his children before he…

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ולהורות נתן בלבו הוא ואהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayakhel

And the ability to instruct he installed in his heart, he and Ahaliav ben Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan. (35:34)

Rashi notes that Ahaliav ben Achisamach was min ha’yerudin she’b’shevatim, one of the lowliest of the tribes, “Yet Hashem equates him to Betzalel regarding the works of the Mishkan, and Betzalel was from Shevet Yehudah, which was from the greatest of tribes.” The lesson to be derived is quite simple: when it comes to building the Bais Hamikdash, all Jews are equal. Yichus, lineage, regardless of its illustrious origins, does not play a role in granting a person a position of distinction. Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, explains that all of the various masks that exist in the world, masks that…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5774

ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קודש... כל העשה בו מלאכה יומת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayakhel

On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you… whoever does work on it shall be put to death. (35:2)

In the previous parshah (Ki Sisa), the Torah addressed the mitzvah of Shabbos observance, detailing the punishment for its desecration. Why does the Torah reiterate it yet again in this parshah (Vayakhel)? Furthermore, if the primary point is to prevent us from working on the seventh day, why does the Torah preface it by saying, “Six days you shall work”? Why not get to the point? Horav Tzvi Pesach Frank, zl, quotes his brother-in-law, Horav Aryeh Levine, zl, who heard the following explanation from a well-known gaon, Torah scholar. At the beginning of Meseches Pesachim, Tosfos explains why the Torah…

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ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל... זה הדבר אשר צוה ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayakhel

Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael… This is the word that Hashem has commanded. (35:1,4)

Our parsha receives its name from the Hakhel, assembly of the people, so that they could receive their instructions concerning the building of the Mishkan. This gathering together of all the people was an essential prerequisite for the construction of the Mishkan. Why is this? To understand the significance of this gathering, it is important that we understand the power of “one.” In order to do so, we should examine how breaking a large singular item into many parts reduces its potency. Horav Mordechai Miller, zl, cites a powerful analogy from the Yalkut Shimoni on Sefer Tehillim. A king was…

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יהודה אתה יודוך אחיך... בן פורת יוסף

Yehudah – you, your brothers shall acknowledge. (49:8) A charming son is Yosef. (49:22)

“And Hashem created the man.” (1:27)

“And Hashem said let us make man in our image after our likeness.” (1:26)

“And Hashem saw that the light was good so (and) Hashem separated the light from the darkness.” (1:4)

יששכר חמור גרם רובץ בין המשפתים וירא מנוחה כי טוב... ויט שכמו לסבל ויהי למס עובד

Issachar is a strong-boned donkey; he rests between the boundaries. He saw tranquility that it was good… yet, he bent his shoulder to bear and he became and indentured laborer. (49:14,15)

אפרים ומנשה כראובן ושמעון יהיו לי... ומולדתך אשר הולדת אחריהם לך יהיו על שם אחיהם יקראו בנחלתם

Efraim and Menashe shall be mine like Reuven and Shimon… but progeny born to you after them shall be yours; they will be included under the name of the brothers with regard to their inheritance. (48:5,6)

ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים... ויהי ימי יעקב שני חייו

Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt… and the days of Yaakov – the years of his life. (47:28)

ולהורות נתן בלבו הוא ואהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן

And the ability to instruct he installed in his heart, he and Ahaliav ben Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan. (35:34)

ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קודש... כל העשה בו מלאכה יומת

On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you… whoever does work on it shall be put to death. (35:2)

ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל... זה הדבר אשר צוה ד'

Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael… This is the word that Hashem has commanded. (35:1,4)

YEARS

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