Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

We can translate the first pasuk of the Torah in a number of ways. Homiletically, the word “bereishis” can be translated as “bishvil reishis,” “because of the beginning.” This implies that the world was created as a result of things that are called “reishis,” things that are of such prime significance that the Torah refers to them as reishis. Chazal accord two entities this distinction: the Torah and Klal Yisrael. Using this hypothesis, Hashem created the world so that Klal Yisrael would accept and observe the Torah. The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh adds by inference that one who studies Torah,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

Speak to the Bnei Yisrael and say to them that they shall make tzitzis on the corners of their garments. (15:38)

There is an inconsistency regarding the manner in which the mitzvah of tzitzis is introduced. The term “dibur,” speak, is lashon kasheh,strong form of the verb, while “amirah,” saying, is lashon racah, the soft form. Why would the mitzvah of tzitzis be presented through two opposite expressions? Kol Yehudah explains that there are two aspects to the mitzvah of tzitzis. First, there is one who wears a four cornered garment. He must put tzitzis on the four corners of his garment. Regarding him, the Torah speaks – “You must put on tzitzis.” There is another situation which is what we…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

In this wilderness shall they cease to be, and there shall they die. (15:35)

The final punishment was death in the wilderness. There was no reprieve, no suspension of sentence; they were simply not leaving the midbar. For every other sin, Hashem forgave them. When they rebelled with the Golden Calf, He forgave them. When they complained for no reason, Hashem forgave them. When they sinned when they followed Korach in contesting Moshe and Aharon’s leadership, Hashem forgave them. The only sin for which there was no room for forgiveness was the chet ha’meraglim, sin of the spies. They slandered; they were punished. Why? They cried that night, a weeping that was called a…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in their eyes…the people wept that night. (14:12)

The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, explains that this was one of their sins. It is one thing to be bothered by their own lack of self-image, but why should they care what the pagans thought of them? This criticism remains with us to this very day. We are bothered by what others think of us. Why? We have a mission to accomplish in this world – to serve Hashem and be His emissaries to the world community. This position demands that we act in a manner becoming Hashem’s People. Why would we be concerned with what others think of us –…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

We arrived at the land…And indeed it flows with milk and honey…But the people that dwell in the land are powerful. (13:27,28)

Realistically, did the meraglim really lie? They simply recounted what they saw. If they related the truth, why were they punished? The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, explains that the fact that a statement is not a lie does not necessarily validate it as the truth. Just because one does not actually lie, he is not necessarily a man of integrity. Truth and faith emanate from the deep recesses of the heart. One does not acquire the truth by looking at it. He must conjure up courage from within to look beyond that which he sees visually. The meraglim saw a powerful…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

This parsha follows immediately after the incident in the previous parsha, in which Miriam’s criticism of Moshe Rabbeinu led to her punishment. Rashi explains that the meraglim should have learned the effects of malicious gossip from Miriam. Regrettably, they did not, and they returned to Moshe with vicious slander of Eretz Yisrael. It would seem from Rashi’s explanation that the primary fault of the spies was that they neglected to take heed of what had happened to Miriam. Their error was not their disregard of the general laws of lashon hora, slanderous speech, but rather that they did not derive…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

Send forth men,if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

“Anashim” is not a word to indicate plain men; rather, it is a description of the men. They were distinguished men, people of stature, breeding – truly tzaddikim worthy of leading their respective tribes. What went wrong? How did tzaddikim go off the derech, correct path, virtually overnight? In fact, this is not the only instance where noble men, leaders of the Jewish People, “lost it.” In the previous parsha, we learned about the “asafsuf“, complainers, who “lusted a lust.” There is a difference of opinion in the Midrash Tanchuma as to the identity of these malcontents. One opinion is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5759

And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble. (12:3)

The word “v’ha’ish,” “and the man,” seems to be superfluous. It should have been written, “and Moshe.” Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch,zl, cites the pasuk in Shmuel I, 15:17, “Though you are small in your own eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Yisrael,” in which the Navi criticizes Shaul ha’Melech for being overly humble. In the end, this misplaced humility resulted in Shmuel telling Shaul, “You have rejected the word of G-d.” Evidently, the only blemish to be found on Shaul’s character was his excessive humility. Should this have been sufficient cause for the Navi to so severely…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5759

Moshe said to him, “Are you being zealous for my sake ? Would that the entire people of Hashem would be prophets.” (11:29)

When Moshe delegated authority to the seventy Elders, he was teaching a significant lesson regarding the dissemination of Torah throughout Klal Yisrael. Moshe brought the Elders to his own tent. This was the tent from which he taught Torah, from which the “bottom line” in halachah was decided and disseminated for one purpose – to instruct the elders in their goal as teachers of Klal Yisrael. They were given the lofty responsibility of transmitting Torah throughout Klal Yisrael. Indeed, Chazal say that the day of the appointment of the Zekeinim, Elders, was as beloved to Hashem as the day He…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5759

On the day the Mishkan was set up, the cloud covered the Mishkan…And in the evening there would be upon the Mishkan like a fiery appearance until morning. (9:15)

This is the way it always was: a cloud by day and a fire at night. Horav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, zl, says this is a foreshadowing of our future: a cloud by day and a fire at night. When man is doing well, when his success is encouraging, the sun shines brilliantly before him. At such a time, he must remember that it is not always going to be like this. There will be times when the cloud will cover the sunshine, and the radiance will not penetrate. Conversely, he who is plagued with suffering, overcome with pain and affliction,…

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In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

Speak to the Bnei Yisrael and say to them that they shall make tzitzis on the corners of their garments. (15:38)

In this wilderness shall they cease to be, and there shall they die. (15:35)

We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in their eyes…the people wept that night. (14:12)

We arrived at the land…And indeed it flows with milk and honey…But the people that dwell in the land are powerful. (13:27,28)

Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

Send forth men,if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble. (12:3)

Moshe said to him, “Are you being zealous for my sake ? Would that the entire people of Hashem would be prophets.” (11:29)

On the day the Mishkan was set up, the cloud covered the Mishkan…And in the evening there would be upon the Mishkan like a fiery appearance until morning. (9:15)

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