Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5759

From fifty years of age, he shall withdraw from the legion of work and no longer work. (8:25)

While the Levi must “retire” at age fifty from the heavy labor of carrying the holy vessels on his shoulders, he continues to perform the remainder of Levite services, such as singing, closing the gates and loading the wagons. In Pirkei Avos 5:21, the Tanna addresses the various stages of an individual’s life. At age fifty, his advice is valued. The Bartenura cites this pasuk regarding the Levi who leaves the workforce and stays on to help his fellow Leviim. He serves them through the advice he gives them. The experience he has gathered throughout the years is of great…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5759

When you kindle the Menorah, toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps cast light. (8:2)

Rashi addresses the juxtaposition of parashas ha’Menorah upon the end of the previous parsha. The latter detailed the korbanos, offerings of the Nesiim for the chanukas ha’Mizbayach. When Aharon noticed the involvement of the Nesiim in the dedication, he became chagrined that neither he nor any member of his tribe had been included. It is not that he was jealous; he simply desired to have a part in this sacred inauguration. Hashem calmed him, saying, “Yours is greater than theirs, for you will light the Menorah.” The Ramban explains that the Mishkan/Bais Ha’Mikdash would not always be around. Regrettably, it…

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ואם מזבח אבנים תעשה לי אל תבנה אתהן גזית

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

And when you will make an Altar of stones for Me, do not build them hewn. (20:22)

Rashi quotes the Mechilta where Rabbi Yishmael says: Every example of im (usually translated as if), in the Torah is referring to something which is optional, except for three times. The first of them is the above pasuk in which the im is not discretionary, but rather, translated as “when” you will build an Altar; the second instance (Shemos 22:4), is concerning lending money, im kessef talveh es ami, “if” you lend money, would be the incorrect translation since one must lend money. Hence, it is read “when” you will lend money. Last, is v’im takriv Minchas Bikurim (Vayikra 2:14);…

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ויום השביעי שבת לד' אלוקיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

And the seventh day is Shabbos to G-d, your G-d, on it you shall not perform any kind of (creative) work. (20:10)

Throughout the millennia, when a Jew sought to become more “progressive,” to distance himself from “archaic” tradition, the first tennet that went was Shabbos. The student of history is quite aware that this was the area that caved in first. Almost two hundred years ago, the self-styled secular Jew in Germany took a more intellectual approach to doing away first, with Shabbos, and then, with the rest of the Torah, by defining the above pasuk as, “You shall not do any kind of work.” This distorted the entire concept of Shabbos and undermined its laws of observance. This was the…

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הנה אנכי בא אליך בעב הענן... וגם בך יאמינו לעולם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

Behold! I (Hashem) will come to you (Moshe) in a thick cloud… and also in you they shall believe forever. (19:9)

The seminal event in Jewish history, the experience which transformed us from a tribe of people into a Torah nation, was the Giving of the Torah. Matan Torah. The unparalleled Revelation of the Shechinah which we experienced was much more than a spectacle that we witnessed. Indeed, we were much more than spectators. According to Ramban, every Jew achieved a level of prophecy during this experience. He explains that although Hashem spoke to Moshe Rabbeinu from amidst a thick cloud, the people, having reached a level of prophecy, were able to know prophetically of Hashem’s dialogue with Moshe. The people…

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ויענו כל העם יחדיו ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ד' נעשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

The entire People responded together and said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken we shall do.” (19:8)

When the Kesav Sofer was Rav in Budapest, Hungary, a group of lay people complained concerning a certain Jewish banker who refused to close his bank on Shabbos. They considered this an affront to the entire community. “The Rav must take action,” they demanded. The Kesav Sofer was visibly depressed. Such an act of disgracing Hashem could not be countenanced in his community. This man was making a mockery of the Jewish religion and openly insulting the Jewish community. He sent for the banker to appear before him. The banker had no qualms about coming to visit the Rav –…

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ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש אלה הדברים אשר תדבר אל בני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

You shall be to Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Bnei Yisrael. (19:6)

The significance of this pasuk is inspiring. It not only underscores the inherent qualities found within each and every Jew, the amazing potential available to those who seek to maximize it; it also focuses on the future, intimating that our past, regardless how sordid or mediocre, should not hold us back from achieving greatness. In his Sefer Nitzotzos, Horav Yitzchok Herskowitz, Shlita, relates the story of a Kollel fellow, a scholar of note, who would serve as a bochein, tester, in various yeshivos. A few times during the year he would visit various schools and test their students. He was…

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ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

And Yisrael encamped there opposite the mountain. (19:2)

Rashi notes that the verb va’yichan is written in the singular. This teaches that the entire nation encamped k’ish echad b’lev echad, “as one person with one heart,” so great was their sense of unity. Only when we are united in our commitment to Hashem, each of us maintaining a single, unified desire to serve Him, are we worthy of the name Yisrael. No hatred, no envy, only love and caring – that is how we approached Har Sinai. Horav Mordechai Ilan, zl, explains that this is why, in the well-known Dayeinu segment of the Haggadah, we say, “If He…

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ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה ותקבר מתחת לבית קל תחת האילון ויקרא שמו אלון בכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5773

Devorah, the wet-nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Bais Kel, below the plateau; and he named it Allon Bachus. (35:8)

Apparently, the passing of Rivkah Imeinu’s nursemaid must have been of critical significance to the Jewish people. Otherwise, it would not have been prominently mentioned in the Torah. In fact, it is recorded immediately after we are notified of Yaakov Avinu’s establishing a Mizbayach, Altar, in Bais Kel. While it is true that the elderly nursemaid died and was buried there, does her passing warrant such prominent coverage? Furthermore, the place was named Allon Bachus, due to the excessive weeping that took place there. Who was Devorah that she was granted such honor? What role did she play in Rivkah’s…

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ויקחו שני בני יעקב שמעון ולוי אחי דינה איש חרבו ויבאו על העיר בטח ויהרגו כל זכר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5773

And two of Yaakov’s sons, Shimon and Levi, brothers of Dinah, took each man his sword, and came upon the city which was resting trustfully and slew every male. (34:25)

Previously, we read that Ha’kol kol Yaakov, the domain of Yaakov, was the study of Torah. V’ha’yadaim yedei Eisav, the hands belonged to Eisav. Physical violence, raising the sword, war, all belonged to Eisav. It was, therefore, incongruous to their very nature for the sons of Yaakov Avinu, Shimon and Levi, to raise their sword to kill an entire city. This is not the Jewish way of dealing with dispute and adversity. The sword is something we would expect from the descendants of Eisav – not Yaakov. Indeed, the Patriarch took serious umbrage with their actions, claiming that they had…

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From fifty years of age, he shall withdraw from the legion of work and no longer work. (8:25)

When you kindle the Menorah, toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps cast light. (8:2)

ואם מזבח אבנים תעשה לי אל תבנה אתהן גזית

And when you will make an Altar of stones for Me, do not build them hewn. (20:22)

ויום השביעי שבת לד' אלוקיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה

And the seventh day is Shabbos to G-d, your G-d, on it you shall not perform any kind of (creative) work. (20:10)

הנה אנכי בא אליך בעב הענן... וגם בך יאמינו לעולם

Behold! I (Hashem) will come to you (Moshe) in a thick cloud… and also in you they shall believe forever. (19:9)

ויענו כל העם יחדיו ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ד' נעשה

The entire People responded together and said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken we shall do.” (19:8)

ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש אלה הדברים אשר תדבר אל בני ישראל

You shall be to Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Bnei Yisrael. (19:6)

ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר

And Yisrael encamped there opposite the mountain. (19:2)

ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה ותקבר מתחת לבית קל תחת האילון ויקרא שמו אלון בכות

Devorah, the wet-nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Bais Kel, below the plateau; and he named it Allon Bachus. (35:8)

ויקחו שני בני יעקב שמעון ולוי אחי דינה איש חרבו ויבאו על העיר בטח ויהרגו כל זכר

And two of Yaakov’s sons, Shimon and Levi, brothers of Dinah, took each man his sword, and came upon the city which was resting trustfully and slew every male. (34:25)

YEARS

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