Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

כי יהיה לאיש בן סורר ומורה איננו שמע בקול אביו ובקול אמו

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21:18)

In the Talmud Sanhedrin 71a, Chazal teach, “There never was, nor will there ever be, such a thing as a ben sorer u’moreh, ‘wayward and rebellious son’. Why, then, do we have this law? So that you may inquire into it and receive reward (by your inquiry).” Our sages give us the comforting assurance that the ben sorer u’moreh is not a reality in our history. Never have we had— nor will we ever have— to deal with a child whose rebellious behavior meets all of the criteria of the law which classifies him utterly beyond redemption. Execution is the…

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ולא נתן ד' לכם לב לדעת ועינים לראות ואזנים לשמוע עד היום הזה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5774

But Hashem did not give you a heart to know, or eyes to see, or ears to hear until this day. (29:3)

Moshe Rabbeinu tells the people that only now, after forty years of miraculous sojourn in the wilderness, with danger at every turn, were the people finally able to acknowledge the all-encompassing gratitude they owed Hashem. It takes common sense, wisdom and insight to appreciate fully the debt of gratitude we owe those who have helped us in our achievements. Sadly, many of us refuse to engage our common sense, either because it then behooves us to show our gratitude to others – which is difficult for some – or because a festering bitterness makes us angry and resentful of anything…

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ברוך אתה בעיר וברוך אתה בשדה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5774

Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field. (28:3)

A Jew shall remain blessed whether he is in the city together with his chaburah, social group, or if he is alone in the field, away from everyone. Horav Yaakov Galinsky, zl, recalls his years as a student in the Novaradok Yeshivah, an institution which imbued its students with a sense of commitment to Torah and mitzvos that transcend time and place and even social support. Wherever a Novaradoker student found himself, he was somehow able to transcend the vicissitudes of life and the challenges they presented. For example, Rav Galinsky and a group of students were banished to a…

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והיה אם שמוע תשמע בקול ד' אלקיך... ונתנך... עליון על כל גוי הארץ. ובאו עליך כל הברכות האלה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5774

It shall be that if you listen to the voice of Hashem, your G-d… Then (He)… will make you supreme over the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you. (28:1,2)

The Torah enumerates a number of material blessings which are wide ranging and encompass every area of material life. What should be the primary and most significant blessing? “He will make you supreme over the nations of the earth” seems to be presented more as a hakdamah, prelude, to the rest. One would think that our supremacy in the world, the respect, admiration, and certainly the lack of animus against us would not only be an introduction to the blessing – but rather, the greatest blessing in its own right. Horav Zev Weinberger, Shlita, explains that the Torah is teaching…

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ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך ד' אלקיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5774

You shall rejoice with all of the goodness that Hashem, your G-d, has given you. (26:11)

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh writes that b’chol hatov, “all of the goodness,” alludes to the Torah, for there is no greater “good” other than Torah. He adds that if people would sense the incredible unparalleled sweetness and pleasantness associated with the Torah, people would go out of their minds in pursuit of Torah. Money would have no value; nothing would have value, for the Torah includes within it everything – all of the goodness in the world. In his hakdamah, preface, to his Iglei Tal, the Sochatchover Rebbe, zl, writes, “Chazal’s dictum, Mitzvos lav l’henos nitnu, ‘The performance of mitzvos…

Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem. (19:18)

The principal middah, character trait, on which one must work the most is loving our fellowman. If one truly manifests love, care and sensitivity, he has no place for any of the other character deficiencies. If we always think first of our fellow Jew, we cannot harbor anger, arrogance, lack of sensitivity. If we care for all Jews, then we have resolved our bein adam l’chaveiro, relationship between man and his fellowman; this will also resolve our bein adam laMakom, relationship with Hashem. Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlop, zl, derives this from the above pasuk and the manner in which it…

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לא תשנא אחיך בלבבך הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך ולא תשא עליו חטא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him. (19:17)

Maase avos siman labanim, “The actions of the fathers are a sign/portent for their sons.” Chazal teach that, when the Patriarchs acted, the manner in which they acted, the consequences of their actions, the situations which they encountered, the challenges which they experienced, are all simanim, signs, for us, their children, to follow, to emulate, to study and remember. We must derive a lesson from their responses, so that we are prepared when a similar situation confronts us. Yaakov Avinu had issues with three of his sons, whom he rebuked shortly before his death: Reuven, Shimon and Levi. Likewise, Moshe…

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לא תעמד על דם רעך... ושמתי אני את פני באיש ההוא ובמשפחתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall not stand aside while your fellow’s blood is being shed. (19:16) Then I shall concentrate My attention upon that man and upon his family. (20:5)

There are two pesukim, seemingly unrelated to one another, that both impart the theme of collective responsibility for all Jews. In other words, just because one does not see something happen, he is not relieved of responsibility if he has been aware of it. Likewise, when we cover up the malevolent activities of those close to us, we will answer for it. The Torah first teaches that one must not stand idly by as Jewish blood is spilled. Rashi adds, “To see his death, and you are able to save him.” Rashi is teaching us that, if we are able…

Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני ד' אלקיכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall be holy, for I, G-d, your G-d, are holy. (19:2)

A Jew must achieve a spiritual plateau that towers above pious, virtuous, good, saintly and other such wonderful adjectives. A Jew must strive for kedushah, sanctity, holiness. In Parashas Kedoshim, the Torah outlines a small number of laws which define the character of Jewish life. These are the fundamentals for the social ordinances that govern a communal Jewish life under Hashem: morality; justice; selflessness; and brotherly love. In the previous parsha, Acharei Mos, the Torah detailed the negatives, the immoral behavior that was a way of life for the Canaanites, a way of life that is strictly forbidden to the…

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דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5774

Speak to the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (19:2)

Rashi derives from the communal reference in the above pasuk that Parashas Kedoshim was recited b’Hakhel, at a public gathering of the entire nation, because, as Rashi explains, “Most of the Torah precepts are derived from it.” Ramban explains that the foundations of all the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, are represented in this parsha. Horav Yisrael Belsky, Shlita, opines that the communal element of mitzvah observance is addressed in this parsha. While acknowledging that the Torah begins as a private, individual obligation between man and Hashem, we also embrace a communal aspect, a public obligation to Torah and mitzvos that…

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כי יהיה לאיש בן סורר ומורה איננו שמע בקול אביו ובקול אמו

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21:18)

ולא נתן ד' לכם לב לדעת ועינים לראות ואזנים לשמוע עד היום הזה

But Hashem did not give you a heart to know, or eyes to see, or ears to hear until this day. (29:3)

ברוך אתה בעיר וברוך אתה בשדה

Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field. (28:3)

והיה אם שמוע תשמע בקול ד' אלקיך... ונתנך... עליון על כל גוי הארץ. ובאו עליך כל הברכות האלה

It shall be that if you listen to the voice of Hashem, your G-d… Then (He)… will make you supreme over the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you. (28:1,2)

ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך ד' אלקיך

You shall rejoice with all of the goodness that Hashem, your G-d, has given you. (26:11)

ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ד'

You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem. (19:18)

לא תשנא אחיך בלבבך הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך ולא תשא עליו חטא

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him. (19:17)

לא תעמד על דם רעך... ושמתי אני את פני באיש ההוא ובמשפחתו

You shall not stand aside while your fellow’s blood is being shed. (19:16) Then I shall concentrate My attention upon that man and upon his family. (20:5)

קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני ד' אלקיכם

You shall be holy, for I, G-d, your G-d, are holy. (19:2)

דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל

Speak to the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (19:2)

YEARS

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