Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

“May He make you so many more like you a thousand times, and may He bless you as He has promised you.” (1:11)

Just as Moshe Rabbeinu was on the verge of leaving Am Yisrael, he offered up a tefillah, prayer, that the nation be blessed with amazing future growth. He adds one word, however, which sheds light on the Torah‘s perspective upon Jewish survival. Moshe says, “May He make you so many more like you.” The true blessing is that the future generations are “like you,” following in the traditional path paved by their ancestors with blood, sweat, and tears. In order to insure that the Jewish children of today and tomorrow serve as links in the chain of tradition, it is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Masei

“And they shall be for you cities of refuge . . . so that anyone who inadvertently kills a person shall be able to escape there.” (35:12,15)

One who killed b’shogeg, inadvertently, was to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol. Consequently, not all killers received the same punishment. While some had to remain a considerable length of time, some were liberated quickly. Not so with the deliberate killers. Each one received a similar punishment. Why is there such a discrepancy between the punishments of the deliberate and the inadvertent murderer? The Korban Chagigah offers an interesting response, which serves as a lesson in regard to appreciating the apportionment of punishment. In the case of the intentional murderer, it is difficult…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Masei

“The six cities of refuge.” (35:6)

After Moshe endured the forty years of travel and travail with Bnei Yisrael in the wilderness, he was distressed at not being able to share in their forthcoming joy, entry into Eretz Yisrael. The Abarbanel explains that Hashem, in an attempt to console Moshe, gave him the task of teaching Bnei Yisrael the mitzvos relating to Eretz Yisrael, He also charged him with five specific missions which Moshe was to initiate, but which would not be completed until after his death. They were: to conquer and seize the land from its present inhabitants; to divide it fairly among the twelve…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Matos

“They came close to him and said, ‘we wish to build here sheep enclosures for our sheep and cities for our children.'” (32:16) – “Build for you cities for your children and sheep enclosures for your sheep.” (32:24)

Chazal describe the dialogue between Moshe and the tribes of Bnei Gad and Reuven in the following manner. First they asked for sheep enclosures. Afterward, they requested cities for their children. Moshe corrected them by saying, “Do not turn the unimportant into the essential and the essential into the secondary. First you must provide for your children, and then for your possessions.” Chazal explain that their obsession with their material needs caused these tribes to be the first to be exiled. How true this has been throughout history. As soon as there is a modest improvement in our material sustenance,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Matos

“Of every tribe a thousand, of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Yisrael you shall send to the war.” (31:4)

Rashi explains that the phrase “throughout all the tribes of Yisrael” includes the tribe of Levi with the other tribes. The commentators find this statement difficult to understand. In the next pasuk, the Torah clearly states that only twelve thousand men, representing twelve tribes, went forth as soldiers. “And there were delivered out of the thousands of Yisrael, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.” If the tribe of Levi was included among the soldiers, there should have been thirteen thousand! Rav Avrahom Mordechai M’Gur, z.l., suggests the following explanation. As stated in this parsha, Moshe’s imminent…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5753

“And Hashem said to Moshe, take Yehoshua ben Nun, a man of spirit.” (27:18)

The relationship between Yehoshua, the disciple, and Moshe, the rebbe, serves as the paradigm of a rebbe-talmid relationship. Yehoshua’s constant attachment to his Rebbe, symbolized by the fact that he never allowed even one word of Torah to escape unheard, was a basic reason for his advancement to Am Yisrael’s leadership. His faithfulness and devotion were exemplary; his commitment and diligence were unprecedented. The Talmud in Bava Basra 75a relates that when Yehoshua succeeded Moshe, the elders of the generation remarked, “The face of Moshe was like the sun, while the face of Yehoshua was like the moon.” Most commentators…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5753

“Reuven, the first-born of Yisrael, the sons of Reuven (of) Chanoch the family of the Chanochi.” (26:5)

Rashi explains the Torah‘s intent in emphasizing Bnei Yisrael’s genealogy. The gentile nations might think that they would be able to dominate the Jewish mothers, just as the Egyptians dominated the Jews’ lives. Hashem, therefore, placed His Name upon them in everlasting testimony to their pure lineage. This statement seems puzzling. Do the gentiles study Torah so that they can become versed in our genealogy? Even if they were to study Torah, would they believe, as we do, in the Torah‘s immutability? Horav Chaim Elazary, z.l., explains that the Torah was given to Klal Yisrael to study and believe. Hashem…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5753

“And the name of the man of Yisrael who was slain . . . (was) Zimri ben Salu . . . And the name of the woman who was slain, the midyanis (was) Casbi bas Tzur . . . (25:14,15)

The Yalkut Reuveni cites the Ra’mah Mi’Panu, who states that the famous Tanna Rabbi Akiva was the gilgul nefesh (reincarnation) of Zimri. The wife of Turnus Rufus, on the other hand, who later became Rabbi Akiva’s wife, was in reality the gilgul of Casbi. Indeed, the illicit advances which Casbi made to Zimri were “corrected” through her future gilgul’s marriage to Rabbi Akiva. He explains that this is the reason that Rabbi Akiva died in such a torturous manner, by having his flesh raked off his body with metal combs. When Zimri came before Moshe with Casbi, he grabbed her…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5753

“(Pinchas) has turned away My wrath from the Bnei Yisrael in that he was jealous for My sake among them (so) that I did not consume the Bnei Yisrael in My jealousy.” (25:11)

In its purest form, zealousness is contingent upon three criteria. The zealot must perform his act totally “le’shem shomayim,” for the sake of Heaven. There should be no personal prejudice or vested interest which “motivates” his urgent reaction. Second, it is imperative that the zealot not remove himself from the community. He must challenge any incursion from within. Running away and hurling stones at the sinners does not reflect true kana’us, zealousness. Horav Nissan Alpert, z.l., points out that a third contingency is regrettably often overlooked. Those individuals who exhibit unbounding devotion to Hashem’s ideals may react zealously and swiftly…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5753

“In that he was jealous for My sake.” (25:11)

Through his zealous action, Pinchas was in fact carrying out the halachah of uc ihgdup ihtbe ,hnrt kgucvw “One who is intimate with a gentile is to be struck down by zealous people.” This injunction refers to those who are so sensitive about the sanctity of Hashem’s Name that any incursion against it is intolerable. Why, then, is Pinchas lauded and praised? Indeed, he was doing only what was expected of him. Horav M. Gifter, Shlita, explains that this halachah is unique in that its fulfillment is to performed only by one who is a “kana’ie,” a zealot. He explains…

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“May He make you so many more like you a thousand times, and may He bless you as He has promised you.” (1:11)

“And they shall be for you cities of refuge . . . so that anyone who inadvertently kills a person shall be able to escape there.” (35:12,15)

“The six cities of refuge.” (35:6)

“They came close to him and said, ‘we wish to build here sheep enclosures for our sheep and cities for our children.'” (32:16) – “Build for you cities for your children and sheep enclosures for your sheep.” (32:24)

“Of every tribe a thousand, of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Yisrael you shall send to the war.” (31:4)

“And Hashem said to Moshe, take Yehoshua ben Nun, a man of spirit.” (27:18)

“Reuven, the first-born of Yisrael, the sons of Reuven (of) Chanoch the family of the Chanochi.” (26:5)

“And the name of the man of Yisrael who was slain . . . (was) Zimri ben Salu . . . And the name of the woman who was slain, the midyanis (was) Casbi bas Tzur . . . (25:14,15)

“(Pinchas) has turned away My wrath from the Bnei Yisrael in that he was jealous for My sake among them (so) that I did not consume the Bnei Yisrael in My jealousy.” (25:11)

“In that he was jealous for My sake.” (25:11)

YEARS

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