Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

ויאמר ד' אל משה מה תצעק אלי דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Why do you call out to Me? Speak to Bnei Yisrael, and they shall travel.” (14:15)

Two specific aspects of the human experience–matrimony and earning a livelihood — are compared to the splitting of the Red Sea. Kasheh zivugan shel adam k’krias Yam Suf, “It is as difficult to bring a man and his bride together as the splitting of the Red Sea.” Kasheh mezonosav shel adam k’krias Yam Suf, “A person’s livelihood is as difficult (to provide) as the splitting of the Red Sea.” The word kasheh, difficult, is a term which creates a dilemma. Is there anything “difficult” for Hashem? He can do as He pleases. Nothing holds Him back. How can any act…

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וחמשים עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצרים...ויקח משה את עצמות יוסף עמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5773

Bnei Yisrael were armed when they went up from Egypt… And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him. (13:18, 19)

Rashi explains chamushim to mean “armed.” In an alternative exposition, Rashi quotes the Midrash which posits that chamushim is derived from chomesh,“a fifth.” This implies that actually only one fifth of the Jewish People left Egypt. Apparently, the bulk of the nation was prepared to adopt the Egyptian lifestyle. They did not want to be slaves, but they were not yet prepared to leave the country. They died during the three-day plague of darkness. In his Shemen Hatov, Horav Zev Weinberger, Shlita, quotes Horav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, zl, of Yerushalayim, who offered an insightful explanation of chamushim, armed. Of what…

Home -> 5773 -> Bereishis

ויקרא האדם שם אשתו חוה כי היא היתה אם כל חי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5773

And the man called his wife’s name Chavah, because she had become the mother of all the living. (3:20)

One mitzvah – that is all Adam HaRishon had to observe. Hashem had commanded him not to eat from the Eitz Hadaas, Tree of Knowledge. It should have been easy to observe this one single mitzvah. Apparently, nothing is as simple as it seems. We have no idea of the guile of the serpent, nor can we perceive the pleasing nature of Adam. His wife had fallen under the serpent’s spell, and Adam deferred to his wife. Everything is relative. We can neither fathom the spiritual plateau of primordial man and woman, nor can we appreciate the depth of evil…

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כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5773

For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (3:19)

Chavah – and by extension every human being who followed after her – was meted with a grave punishment. Death, in its various forms, comes to all of us as a result of Chavah’s transgression. She ate from the forbidden fruit and so her life and that of all her future progeny was put on temporary status. Why was she given such a serious punishment? True, she transgressed Hashem’s command; and true, she had only one command to observe, but still, did she deserve death for that? Is it fair that one woman sins, and the entire world pays? I…

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ואיבה אשית בינך ובין האשה ובין זרעך ובין זרעה הוא ישופך ראש ואתה תשופנו עקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5773

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will pound your head and you will bit his heel. (3:15)

The Midrash HaNe’elam applies a homiletic rendering to this pasuk and uses it as a tactic for prevailing over the blandishments of the yetzer hora, evil inclination. The serpent/yetzer hora/symbol of evil seduces the Jew to trample on the mitzvos with his eikav, heel. The Jew is able to triumph over him by using his rosh, head, and applying himself to the study of Torah. Why the heel? I think it is because the yetzer hora knows that if the mitzvah “gets off the ground,” the Jew will study it and eventually embrace it. It is best not to take…

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ויקרא ד' אלקים אל האדם ויאמר לו איכה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5773

And G-d called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (3:9)

Adam HaRishon was hiding from Hashem. Having committed the first sin, the very first deviation from a Heavenly command, primordial man was cringing with fear, filled with guilt and shame. Hashem turns to him and asks: Ayeca? “Where are you?” Clearly, this is a strange question coming from the omniscient Creator. If Hashem was trying to engage Adam in conversation, then this question is nothing more than an innocuous opportunity for Adam to explain himself. Otherwise, it does not seem to be insightful – especially knowing the Source. At first blush, the question was really focused on Adam’s hiding from…

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לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5773

It is not good that man be alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him. (2:18)

The Torah clearly states that woman was created for the specific purpose of helping her husband. There are two ways to provide help for a person: the individual in need of assistance is aware of his need and understands that he cannot do it alone; the individual is unaware of his need– in fact, he thinks that he needs nothing and no one. In the latter circumstance, the helper must first make the individual aware of his own needs. Likewise, there are two forms of challengers and challenges. In one situation, the individual perceives the challenger as a threat and…

Home -> Bechukosai -> 5773

וכל ערכך יהיה בשקל הקדש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Bechukosai

Every valuation shall be in the sacred shekel. (27:25)

Voluntary contributions to the Sanctuary were a significant source of funding for the maintenance of the Temple. One would think that the laws concerning such valuations would be placed earlier in Sefer Vayikra, which deals with the Temple offerings. Horav S.R. Hirsh, zl, explains that these gifts were excluded by design, lest one think that his contributions replaced mitzvah performance. Voluntary contributions do not atone for laxity in mitzvah observance. The above pasuk teaches us that every evaluation is to be measured in Shekel ha’Kodesh, sacred shekel. Horav Moshe Shternbuch, Shlita, renders this pasuk homiletically to teach us a valuable…

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ואם בחוקתי תמאסו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Bechukosai

But if you disdain My decrees. (26:15)

There are forty-nine kelalos, curses, in the Tochechah, Admonition, of Sefer Vayikra. In the Talmud Megillah 31b, Chazal teach that the entire Admonition must be read in one Aliyah. The reading should not be interrupted for an Aliyah break to call another person up to the Torah. The sages derive this from a pasuk in Mishlei 3:11, Mussar Hashem beni al timaas, “Hashem’s reproach, my son, do not disdain.” In order for one to derive the full benefit of the lesson which is being taught, it is necessary that the lesson not be interrupted. Then the listener can grasp the…

Home -> Behar -> 5773

וכי ימוך אחיך ומטה ידו עמך והחזקת בו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Behar

If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him. (25:35)

Tzedakah, which is generally translated as charity, means much more than exhibiting one’s generosity towards his fellowman. It is not simply the means for imparting a favor; it is justice, derived from the word tzedek. In other words, “I” have, so, therefore, “you” must also have. The world was created with tzedek, justice, so that all are equal. The fact that some have more than others behooves them to share with others. After all, it is only right. The value which the benefactor accrues far exceeds his contribution, so great is the reward for giving the tzedakah. Tzedakah does not…

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ויאמר ד' אל משה מה תצעק אלי דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Why do you call out to Me? Speak to Bnei Yisrael, and they shall travel.” (14:15)

וחמשים עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצרים...ויקח משה את עצמות יוסף עמו

Bnei Yisrael were armed when they went up from Egypt… And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him. (13:18, 19)

ויקרא האדם שם אשתו חוה כי היא היתה אם כל חי

And the man called his wife’s name Chavah, because she had become the mother of all the living. (3:20)

כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב

For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (3:19)

ואיבה אשית בינך ובין האשה ובין זרעך ובין זרעה הוא ישופך ראש ואתה תשופנו עקב

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will pound your head and you will bit his heel. (3:15)

ויקרא ד' אלקים אל האדם ויאמר לו איכה

And G-d called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (3:9)

לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו

It is not good that man be alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him. (2:18)

וכל ערכך יהיה בשקל הקדש

Every valuation shall be in the sacred shekel. (27:25)

ואם בחוקתי תמאסו

But if you disdain My decrees. (26:15)

וכי ימוך אחיך ומטה ידו עמך והחזקת בו

If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him. (25:35)

YEARS

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