Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

ויאמר לו אלקים שמך יעקב לא יקרא עוד שמך יעקב כי אם ישראל יהיה שמך - ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר. ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני... ויאמר לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל

Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me”… he said, “No longer will it be said that your name is Yaakov, but Yisrael.” (32:27, 29) – Then G-d said to him, “Your name is Yaakov. Your name shall not always be called Yaakov, but Yisrael shall be your name.” (35:10)

At first glance the above pesukim seem to convey the same message. After some perusal, however, we are confronted with a number of questions. First, Yaakov Avinu asked Eisav’s angel for a blessing. The blessing turned out to be a name change for the Patriarch; a name change which denoted his spiritual stamina in besting the angel. Yet, when the angel gave the blessing, he began, “No longer will it be said that your name is Yaakov.” Who cares about his original name? It is the new name that is important. Why does the angel introduce the new name with…

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ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5773

Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (32:27)

What was the purpose of the debate/fight that took place between Yaakov Avinu and Eisav’s guardian angel? Perhaps the answer lies at the end of the narrative when Yaakov refused to allow the angel to leave unless he would first bless him. The commentators explain this blessing as a demand from Yaakov that the angel concede to him that he had received Yitzchak Avinu’s blessings by right. Once and for all, Eisav’s complaint that Yaakov stole the blessings must be quieted. While it may be a nice gesture, what was to be gained by the angel’s blessing? Was this the…

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ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5773

Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him. (32:8)

Rashi explains the dual fears that Yaakov Avinu experienced. He was frightened that he would be killed, and he was distressed that, in the course of the battle, he might kill “acheirim,” others. Notably, Yaakov had greater fear concerning the harm he might inflict on others than the harm by which he might be victimized. Apparently, our Patriarch never heard of “collateral damage,” a term which has regrettably been popularized in contemporary society. People’s lives have no value, they are secondary to a higher cause. Some make it; some do not. That is collateral damage. We cannot have it all….

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ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

When a person offers a Meal-offering to Hashem. (2:1)

The Torah uses an unusual term to describe the person who brings a Korban Minchah, Meal-offering, to the Mizbayach. He is a nefesh, a soul. Chazal explain that the Torah is teaching us an important lesson. Usually, the individual who brings a Korban Minchah is poor. Otherwise, he would have brought something more expensive, like a sheep or even an ox. The poor man has very little, and he offers a paltry gift from his pitiful possessions. Hashem understands what is transpiring in the poor man’s mind. He has so very little, what can he really give for Hashem? A…

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וקרבו וכרעיו ירחץ במים והקטיר הכהן את הכל המזבחה עלה אשה ריח ניחוח לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

He shall wash its innards and its feet with water; and the Kohen shall cause it all to go up in smoke on the Altar – an elevation-offering, a fire-offering, a satisfying aroma to Hashem. (1:9)

In the Talmud Menachos 110a, Chazal state the following: “We find that the Torah says regarding a bulky ox brought as an offering, that it is ishei reiach nichoach, ‘A fire-offering, a satisfying aroma’; and in regard to a Minchah, it likewise says, ‘A fire-offering, a satisfying aroma.’” The same expression is used each time to teach you that, Echad ha’marbeh, v’echad ha’mamit, u’bilvad sheyichavein es libo l’Aviv she’ba Shomayim, “Whether one gives a lot, or one gives a little, his offering is equally pleasing to G-d, provided he directs his heart towards his Father in Heaven.” Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz,…

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זכר תמים יקריבנו אל פתח אהל מועד יקריב אותו לרצונו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

He shall offer an unblemished male; he shall bring it to the entrance of the Ohel Moed, voluntarily. (1:3)

The Midrash relates the story of a recaltricant ox whose owner wanted to bring it as a korban. The ox, however, refused the honor. No matter how many people the owner sent to move the ox, they were unsuccessful. The ox was not budging. A poor man came along and noticed the owner’s predicament. He walked over to the ox and produced a single blade of grass from his pocket. He waved the blade of grass in front of the ox’s nose, causing the ox to give a mighty sneeze. As the ox sneezed, it coughed up a needle that…

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אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

In the Talmud Chullin 60a, Chazal teach that the bull offered by Adam HaRishon as a korban, sacrifice, was quite unique. Its horns appeared before its hooves. They derive this from the pasuk in Tehillim 69:32, V’sitav l’Hashem mishor par makrin mafris, “It shall be more pleasing than a yearling bull with horns, with hooves.” Apparently, the primordial bull, first shor to be created, was fashioned fully grown from the earth, with it rising from the earth the way it stands. Thus, its horns materialized prior to its hooves. Indeed, as the Talmud continues, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, “All…

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ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו מאהל מועד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

The Baal HaTurim notes that, in this verse, the summons to Moshe, Vayikra is spelled with a diminutive aleph. From afar, it appears as vayikar, not Vayikra. In his great humility, Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to describe the way in which Hashem appeared to him in much the same manner as He appeared to Bilaam. G-d’s prophecy to Bilaam is introduced as vayikar, without the aleph. This word connotes chance and spiritual contamination. Hashem, however, instructed Moshe not to ignore the aleph. Our quintessential leader had great difficulty accepting this. He acquiesced, of course, and wrote the aleph – but in…

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וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף הנמצא בארץ מצרים... ויבא יוסף את הכסף ביתה פרעה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayigash

Yosef gathered all the money on hand in the land of Egypt… and Yosef brought the money to Pharaoh’s house. (47:14)

The Ramban notes that Yosef was an ish emunim, man of impeccable integrity, refusing to take one penny for himself if it did not belong to him. Yosef could easily have justified “dipping into the till.” If not for him, there would be no money. This earned him the respect and admiration of Pharaoh and the Egyptian people. One who lacks integrity, even if it is with regard to a simple misdemeanor in which there is no real monetary loss, is still, in effect, a liar and a thief. It might only be theoretical in nature, since the loss is…

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ויאמר פרעה אל יעקב כמה ימי שני חייך. ויאמר יעקב אל פרעה ימי שני מגורי... מעט ורעים היו ימי שני חיי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayigash

Pharaoh said to Yaakov, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” Yaakov answered Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourns… few and bad have been the days of the years of my life.” (47:8,9)

Yaakov Avinu comes across as issuing a subtle complaint, as he, with a hint of bitterness, was telling Pharaoh that he had had a rough life. Clearly, the Patriarch was not complaining about his life, but rather, explaining why his appearance bespoke a life of hardship: “Yes Pharaoh, I appear old and haggard, because life has not been easy for me. I am not complaining, but I am not able to conceal the truth.” Yaakov was punished for this. Heaven views our actions with a Heavenly measuring stick. Therefore, the “few” and the “bad” caused him to lose thirty-three years…

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ויאמר לו אלקים שמך יעקב לא יקרא עוד שמך יעקב כי אם ישראל יהיה שמך - ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר. ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני... ויאמר לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל

ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני

Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (32:27)

ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו

Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him. (32:8)

ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה לד'

When a person offers a Meal-offering to Hashem. (2:1)

וקרבו וכרעיו ירחץ במים והקטיר הכהן את הכל המזבחה עלה אשה ריח ניחוח לד'

He shall wash its innards and its feet with water; and the Kohen shall cause it all to go up in smoke on the Altar – an elevation-offering, a fire-offering, a satisfying aroma to Hashem. (1:9)

זכר תמים יקריבנו אל פתח אהל מועד יקריב אותו לרצונו

He shall offer an unblemished male; he shall bring it to the entrance of the Ohel Moed, voluntarily. (1:3)

אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו מאהל מועד

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף הנמצא בארץ מצרים... ויבא יוסף את הכסף ביתה פרעה

Yosef gathered all the money on hand in the land of Egypt… and Yosef brought the money to Pharaoh’s house. (47:14)

ויאמר פרעה אל יעקב כמה ימי שני חייך. ויאמר יעקב אל פרעה ימי שני מגורי... מעט ורעים היו ימי שני חיי

Pharaoh said to Yaakov, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” Yaakov answered Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourns… few and bad have been the days of the years of my life.” (47:8,9)

YEARS

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