Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

And Eisav saw that the daughters of Canaan were evil in the eyes of Yitzchak, his father…He took Machlas, the daughter of Yishmael…in addition to his wives, as a wife for himself. (28:8,9)

Thus ends part one of the narrative about Yaakov and Eisav. Many commentators have devoted much to telling about their relationship. Their apparent discord climaxed when Yaakov received the berachos in Eisav’s place. This incident provoked Eisav’s anger, and hatred toward Yaakov, to the point that Eisav took it upon himself to kill Yaakov. While Yaakov fled Eisav’s fury, Eisav decided to take another wife for himself. Does the Torah present this in accurate chronological sequence or simply as an historical vignette about Eisav? The Shem Mishmuel opines that Eisav’s decision to marry another wife was a critical component in…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5759

And Eisav was forty years old and he took a wife…and they were a source of bitterness for Yitzchak and Rivkah. (26:35)

Rivkah Imeinu is compared to a rose among thorns. She remained righteous despite the thorn of evil which surrounded her: her father, her brother; indeed, her entire environment was replete with evil. She rose above her environment, above the negative influences that permeated her background. Chazal describe her exemplary virtue. When Yitzchak married Rivkah and brought her home to his mother’s tent, the three blessings which had been present during Sarah’s lifetime returned: a lamp burning from one Shabbos eve to the next; her dough was blessed; a cloud signifying the Divine Presence hung over her tent. All of these…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5759

Yitzchak loved Eisav for game was in his mouth. (25:28)

Eisav used guile to fool Yitzchak. He was “tzayid b’fiv“, a hunter with his mouth. He ensnared his father with halachic questions. He portrayed himself as a devout scholar, concerned about the intricacies of giving Maaser, tithing crops. “How does one tithe salt? How does one tithe straw?” he asked Yitzchak, knowing fully well that Maaser does not apply to these two substances. Chazal interpret the words “tzayid b’fiv“, to be descriptions of Eisav’s cunning. He used his mouth for subterfuge. Should one assume that Yitzchak yearned for Eisav’s “hunt”? Surely, he had sufficient sheep and cattle that he did…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5759

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

This pasuk seems redundant. Obviously, if Yitzchak is Avraham’s son, Avraham must have begotten Yitzchak. The commentators respond with various explanations. Ibn Ezra interprets “Avraham begot Yitzchak” as a reference to the fact that Avraham raised and educated Yitzchak. Educating a child is equivalent to begetting that child, since one “creates” a human being through the process of education. Horav Nissan Alpert, zl, suggests that by using this apparent redundancy the Torah addresses a question that plagues students of the historical narrative of the Patriarchs. How would two brothers, Yaakov and Eisav, who were raised by the same parents, who…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5759

Now these are the chronicles of Terach, Terach begot Avram, Nachor and Haran…Haran died in the lifetime of Terach his father. (11:27,28)

The Torah traces the genealogy of Avraham Avinu. It records the names of his two brothers, Nachor and Haran, and adds that Haran died during his father Terach’s lifetime. Rashi cites the Midrash that claims that Haran actually died because of his father. Terach was an idol merchant who complained to the wicked Nimrod that his son, Avraham, had smashed his wares. Nimrod could not tolerate that someone “defaced” his idols, so he threw Avraham into a fiery furnace. Haran was challenged to decide between his brother and his king. Should he follow Avraham, whose belief in monotheism made sense?…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5759

They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top will be in the heavens, and we will make a name for ourselves. (11:4)

“We will make a name for ourselves” is the attitude one would expect from an individual with an insecure ego. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, remarks that becoming aware of one’s ego can lead to two possible attitudes: humility or arrogance. An obsession with one’s insignificance can either stimulate one to do something for the common good, to serve humanity, or it can drive him to defy what he believes is an inexorable destiny, to break the shackles of human limitations by revolting against Hashem. The people of that generation chose arrogance. They could not accept the fact that one’s worth,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5759

Cham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. (9:22)

Noach’s other two sons, Shem and Yafes, remained outside the tent out of respect for their father. They had no desire to take part in their father’s degradation. Not so Cham, who boldly entered the tent and emerged later to relate the scene that he had witnessed. Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer comments on the depravity of Cham. He himself was a father who should have set an example for his own children. He should have felt different about debasing his father, knowing fully well the impression this would leave on his own children. No, he took pleasure in observing and relating…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5759

Hashem said to Noach, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with robbery through them.” (6:13)

The people had become overtly corrupt. At first they committed immorality and idolatry. Then their sinning “progressed” to blatant robbery. Their covert sins led to overt corruption, for which Hashem would not forgive them. Rashi cites Chazal, who say that, indeed, Hashem did not seal their verdict until they began stealing from one another. This is enigmatic. Is stealing more sinful than immorality, idolatry and murder? Horav Dov Eliezrov, zl, explains that while stealing is certainly not as evil as the three cardinal sins of immorality, murder and idolatry, it is, however, the bitter root of evil. It indicates the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5759

Noach was a righteous man…Noach walked with Hashem. (6:9)

Noach walked with Hashem. This seems to be a positive comment about Noach’s virtue, until we note that the Torah writes about Avraham Avinu, “Hashem before whom I walked,” (Bereishis 24:40). Rashi notes that Avraham walked in front, without assistance. Noach walked with Hashem; he needed the support of the Almighty to maintain his spiritual strength. Without prompting from Above, Noach would have faltered. Avraham, on the other hand, had the spiritual fortitude to single-handedly override the challenges that confronted him. Chazal use the term, “hisorrerus d’l’eila,” inspired from Above, in reference to Noach’s spiritual commitment. In contrast, Avraham…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Mikeitz

They had left the city…and Yosef said to the one in charge of his house, “Get up, chase after the men…and you are to say to them, ‘Why do you repay evil for good?'” (44:4)

Yosef’s choice of words, “Why do you repay evil for good?” is questionable. One who does evil in place of good is not “repaying.” He either did not do good, or he performed evil. The term simply does not apply when one is acting wrongly. One does not pay evil for good. Horav Yitzchak Goldwasser, Shlita, explains that when we delve into the psyche of a kafui tov, one who denies the gratitude he owes and instead acts inappropriately, we note a remarkable phenomenon of human nature. One who has benefitted from another fellow is literally in debt to him. …

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And Eisav saw that the daughters of Canaan were evil in the eyes of Yitzchak, his father…He took Machlas, the daughter of Yishmael…in addition to his wives, as a wife for himself. (28:8,9)

And Eisav was forty years old and he took a wife…and they were a source of bitterness for Yitzchak and Rivkah. (26:35)

Yitzchak loved Eisav for game was in his mouth. (25:28)

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

Now these are the chronicles of Terach, Terach begot Avram, Nachor and Haran…Haran died in the lifetime of Terach his father. (11:27,28)

They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top will be in the heavens, and we will make a name for ourselves. (11:4)

Cham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. (9:22)

Hashem said to Noach, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with robbery through them.” (6:13)

Noach was a righteous man…Noach walked with Hashem. (6:9)

They had left the city…and Yosef said to the one in charge of his house, “Get up, chase after the men…and you are to say to them, ‘Why do you repay evil for good?'” (44:4)

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