Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

כי יקח איש אשה חדשה... ושמח את אשתו אשר לקח

When a man marries a new wife… he shall gladden his wife whom he has married. (24:5)

During the first year of marriage man is exempt from being drafted into the army, because he is supposed to stay home to “gladden his wife.” The Torah writes, V’seemach es ishto, “He shall gladden his wife.” Rashi comments, “This pasuk is interpreted by Targum Onkelos as, v’yachdei yas itsei, “he shall gladden his wife,” but one who translates the pasuk as, v’yechdai im itsei, “he shall gladden with his wife,” is in error because this is not the translation of v’seemach, but rather, of v’samach.” In Rabbi Sholom Smith’s, A Vort From Rav Pam, he quotes the Rosh Yeshivah,…

Home -> 5773 -> Ki Seitzei

כי ד' אלקיך מתהלך בקרב מחנך... והיה מחנך קדוש ולא יראה בך ערות דבר ושב מאחריך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5773

For Hashem, your G-d, walks in the midst of your camp… so your camp shall be holy, so that He will not see a shameful thing among you and turn away from behind you. (23:15)

Dressing and acting appropriately are prerequisites for Torah-oriented behavior. “Your camp shall be holy” applies not only to the “camp” in the wilderness; it also applies to our homes, schools, shuls – wherever observant Jews congregate. One’s personal camp should not be ignored either. This means that, although one may be respectful of the laws of tznius, modesty/chastity, upon entering a holy edifice, he should not forget that he is himself a holy camp. Thus, how one dresses represents his attitude with regard to Hashem. To dress in an immodest manner is to put G-d to shame and cause Him…

Home -> 5773 -> Ki Seitzei

לא יבוא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ד'...על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים... לא תתעב מצרי כי גר היית בארצו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5773

An Ammoni or Moavi shall not enter the congregation of Hashem… because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water… You shall not reject an Egyptian for you were a sojourner in their land. (23:4, 5, 8)

Gratitude plays an important role in Judaism. The Torah does not countenance ingratitude. It is considered an indication of selfishness and mean-spiritedness – character deficiencies which do not integrate well into the Jewish nation. Thus, members of the nations of Ammon and Moav, both descendants of Lot, whose lives were spared as a result of our Patriarch’s actions, are not accepted by members of the Jewish nation for marriage. They may convert, but their genes are unacceptable, due to their character flaw of ingratitude. The Egyptian, however, upon conversion, is accepted. Although we suffered greatly at the hands of the…

Home -> 5773 -> Ki Savo

ארור האיש אשר יעשה פסל ומסכה... ושם בסתר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5773

Cursed is the man who makes a graven or molten image… and sets it up in secret. (27:15)

Hypocrisy is a moral failing, which, upon being added to sinful behavior, makes the act even more repugnant, thus deserving of a curse. The Torah enumerates a group of sins which, as a rule, elude the attention of human courts of justice. These sins, upon which the added curse has been placed, are of a kind that remains covert due to their nature. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, observes that the Torah adds the word ba’seisar, in secret, in the beginning and end of the series of curses, to emphasize that it is especially the undisclosed character of these particular offenses…

Home -> 5773 -> Ki Savo

הסכת ושמע ישראל היום הנה נהיית לעם לה' אלקיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5773

Be attentive and hear, O’ Yisrael: This day you have become a people to Hashem, your G-d. (27:9)

Something seems out of place. We are standing forty years after the Revelation, forty years after Klal Yisrael’s resounding acceptance of the Torah amid a resonating declaration of Naase v’Nishma, “We will do and we will listen!” Why does the Torah say that hayom – “this day,” you became a nation? Had this not occurred forty years earlier? The Talmud Brachos 63b asks this obvious question. Chazal respond that while the Torah had actually been given forty years earlier, it is so valued and appreciated by those who study it, it is as if they had just received it today….

Home -> 5773 -> Ki Savo

ובאת אל הכהן... ואמרת אליו הגדתי היום לד' אלקיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5773

You shall come to whomever will be the Kohen… and you shall say to him, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d.” (26:3)

The individual who brings the Bikurim makes a declaration: “I have come to the land that Hashem swore to our forefathers to give to us.” Rashi comments concerning the necessity of making a declaration which underscores our gratitude to the Almighty for giving us the land, She’eincha kafui tovah, “That you are not an ingrate.” It is a requirement for the landowner to express his gratitude. As a result of human nature, people do not want to be beholden to anyone. They look for any and every opportunity or excuse not to express their gratitude. The mitzvah of Bikurim serves…

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ולקחת מראשית פרי האדמה... אשר ד' אלקיך נתן לך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5773

That you shall take of the first of every fruit of the ground… which Hashem, your G-d, gives you. (26:2)

The parsha of Bikurim is unique, in presenting the celebration and pomp that accompanies bringing the Bikurim to Yerushalayim. In vivid detail, Chazal relate how everyone was caught up in this mitzvah. Of course, any act of hakoras hatov, gratitude, should be publicized, so that more people will acknowledge the vital role of our benefactor, Hashem, in everything that we do. The Mishnah in Meseches Bikurim describes how the farmer would enter his field and notice a fig tree that had bloomed. He would immediately pick its first fruit and set it aside for Bikurim. The Te’einah, fig tree, is…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5773

אם שנותי ברק חרבי ותאחז במשפט ידי אשיב נקם לצרי ולמשנאי אשלם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Ha'azinu

If I sharpen My flashing sword and my hand grasps judgment I shall return vengeance upon my enemies and upon those that hate Me shall I bring retribution. (32:41)

In the Midrash, Chazal derive from the words, v’socheiz ba’mishpat Yadi, “and My hand grasps judgment,” that Hashem’s meting out of punishment is unlike that of human judges. A human being who lets the arrow leave the bow, or allows the bullet to exit the chamber, knows that there is no turning back. Once the arrow/bullet is released it is “deadset” on reaching its target. There is no pulling back, no reprieve. It is too late. For Hashem, it is never too late. The Almighty can retrieve His arrows, call back His bullets at any time. Hashem is always in…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5773

כי גוי אבד עצות המה ואין בהם תבונה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Ha'azinu

For they are a nation bereft of counsel, and there is no discernment in them. (32:28)

One would think that an individual who is unable to render sound advice lacks discernment. There is a reason we refer to it as “sage” advice. One who “can” renders advice. One who is unable to determine, make distinction, perceive, is not one whom we seek out for advice. If so, the pasuk is redundant. “For they are a nation bereft of counsel” – means that they are too foolish for their indiscretions. Why does the Torah add that “there is no discernment in them”? Obviously, they are not rocket scientists if they cannot figure out the course of events….

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5773

זכור ימות העולם בינו שנות דור ודור

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Ha'azinu

Remember the days of old, consider the years of each generation. (Devarim 32:7)

Remembrance is a major part of Jewish service to Hashem. Much of our tradition is based upon remembering what once was, our highs and lows, joys and travails. Most important, however, is the ability to see the Yad Hashem, guiding Hand of G-d, throughout all that occurs. The Bostoner Rebbe, zl, put remembrance into perspective when he said, “Remembrance is important, but we must know what to remember. Even concerning those tragedies closest to our own time, such as the Holocaust, are we to remember the pain – or the self-sacrifice – what its victims died for – or what…

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כי יקח איש אשה חדשה... ושמח את אשתו אשר לקח

When a man marries a new wife… he shall gladden his wife whom he has married. (24:5)

כי ד' אלקיך מתהלך בקרב מחנך... והיה מחנך קדוש ולא יראה בך ערות דבר ושב מאחריך

For Hashem, your G-d, walks in the midst of your camp… so your camp shall be holy, so that He will not see a shameful thing among you and turn away from behind you. (23:15)

לא יבוא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ד'...על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים... לא תתעב מצרי כי גר היית בארצו

An Ammoni or Moavi shall not enter the congregation of Hashem… because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water… You shall not reject an Egyptian for you were a sojourner in their land. (23:4, 5, 8)

ארור האיש אשר יעשה פסל ומסכה... ושם בסתר

Cursed is the man who makes a graven or molten image… and sets it up in secret. (27:15)

הסכת ושמע ישראל היום הנה נהיית לעם לה' אלקיך

Be attentive and hear, O’ Yisrael: This day you have become a people to Hashem, your G-d. (27:9)

ובאת אל הכהן... ואמרת אליו הגדתי היום לד' אלקיך

You shall come to whomever will be the Kohen… and you shall say to him, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d.” (26:3)

ולקחת מראשית פרי האדמה... אשר ד' אלקיך נתן לך

That you shall take of the first of every fruit of the ground… which Hashem, your G-d, gives you. (26:2)

אם שנותי ברק חרבי ותאחז במשפט ידי אשיב נקם לצרי ולמשנאי אשלם

If I sharpen My flashing sword and my hand grasps judgment I shall return vengeance upon my enemies and upon those that hate Me shall I bring retribution. (32:41)

כי גוי אבד עצות המה ואין בהם תבונה

For they are a nation bereft of counsel, and there is no discernment in them. (32:28)

זכור ימות העולם בינו שנות דור ודור

Remember the days of old, consider the years of each generation. (Devarim 32:7)

YEARS

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