Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

הוא ינוס אל אחת הערים האלה וחי

He shall flee to one of these cities and live. (19:5)

The purpose of the city of refuge was to protect the inadvertent murderer from the wrath of the goel ha’dam, redeemer/close relative, who seeks to avenge the death of his relative. The word v’chai, “and live,” has a powerful connotation. Chazal teach (Makkos 10b), “If a student goes into exile, his rebbe goes with him; if a rebbe goes into exile, his yeshivah goes with him. Avid lei midi d’tihevei lei chiyussa, “Provide him with arrangements that will enable him to live.” Apparently, another rebbe would not suffice. The inadvertent murderer requires his personal rebbe from whom he had been…

Home -> 5776 -> Shoftim

והיתה עמו וקרא בו כל ימי חייו... לבלתי רם לבבו מאחיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5776

It shall be with him and he shall read from it all the days of his life… so that his heart does not become haughty over his brethren. (17:19,20)

Arrogance is an indication of a defective character. Arrogant people are (often) those who failed to be recognized and respected by others who are important to them. Their solution is to lord it over others to whom they feel superior, thus receiving acknowledgment by force. Most often, the arrogant person has nothing about which to be haughty. It is like air puffed into an empty container. When it dissipates, the container returns to its original vacuous state. Having recently read a “confession” of a “once” arrogant person (the “pin” that releases the air had allowed him to finally see his…

Home -> 5776 -> Shoftim

שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך... ושפטו את העם משפט צדק

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5776

Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities… and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. (16:18)

It is almost that time of year when Hashem makes a reckoning of our deeds of the past year and renders His decisions for the coming year. We all could use “help” in obtaining favorable judgments. The easiest and most propitious way is by doing all that is asked of us. In other words, good people will receive a good judgment. What about those who were not perfect, who made their share of mistakes, who committed sins without malice (of course), but sins nonetheless? What is the best advice for them, other than teshuvah and going through the process of…

Home -> Shemos -> 5776

וילך ויפגשהו בהר האלקים וישק לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Shemos

And he (Aharon) went and encountered him (Moshe) at the mountain of G-d, and he kissed him. (4:27)

According to Rambam, Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen met at Har Sinai. What seems to be a simple meeting of two brothers is described by Chazal as an encounter of two individuals with complementary character traits. “This is what is written, Chesed v’emes nifgashu, tzedek v’shalom nashaku, ‘Kindness and truth met, righteous and peace kissed’” (Tehillim 85:11). Kindness” refers to Aharon, and “truth” refers to Moshe. This is what is meant by “kindness” and “truth” met – “And he (Aharon) met him (Moshe) at the mountain of G-d.” “Righteous” refers to Moshe and “peace” refers to Aharon. Thus, “kiss” corresponds…

Home -> Shemos -> 5776

ומשה היה רעה את צאן יתרו חתנו כהן מדין

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Shemos

Moshe was shepherding the sheep of Yisro, his father-in-law, the Priest of Midyan. (3:1)

The Torah is informing us that Moshe Rabbeinu’s vocation prior to his being selected as the man who would lead the Jewish People from Egypt, and who would shepherd them throughout their desert journey, was a shepherd. The Torah does not waste words. If the Torah mentions Moshe’s background, it is because it is vital to his resume as leader. Chazal explain that our quintessential leader was first given a “trial run” as Yisro’s shepherd, in order to ascertain his leadership abilities. After seeing how Moshe performed as a shepherd, Hashem chose him to lead our ancestors. What did he…

Home -> Shemos -> 5776

ויגדל משה ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Shemos

Moshe grew up, and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

“Moshe grew up”. The Torah teaches us that the definition of “growing up” is assuming responsibility. It has nothing to do with age. Personally identifying with the plight of the Jews; viewing them as his brothers – despite the fact that he had been raised amid royalty and wealth – was a sign of Moshe’s maturation. The next step in his growth process was actually leaving the royal palace and joining together with his brothers in their labor. Last, as the well-known Rashi expounds – Nosan eino v’libo liheyos meitzar aleihem; “He applied his eyes and heart to see their…

Home -> Shemos -> 5776

וימררו את חייהם בעבודה קשה... את כל עבודתם אשר עבדו בהם בפרך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Shemos

They embittered their lives with hard work… All the labors that they performed with them were with crushing hardness. (1:14)

The Talmud Pesachim 39a explains that Chazeres/ lettuce, which may be used for marror, bitter herbs, is representational of the type of crushing hard labor to which the Jewish People were subjected by their Egyptian taskmasters. Chazeres begins soft (at first, when one bites into it, it seems soft, almost sweet), becoming marror and bitter tasting overtime; likewise, the Egyptian initiated the Jewish slave labor with sweetness: either by offering them money in reimbursement for their time and toil; or by convincing them of the significance of their labor, etc. Chazal’s statement attributing the use of lettuce to its similarity…

Home -> 5776 -> Shemini

להבדיל בין הטמא ובין והטהר ובין החיה הנאכלת ובין החיה אשר לא תאכל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5776

To distinguish between the contaminated and the pure, and between the creature that may be eaten and the creature that may not be eaten. (11:47)

Being knowledgeable about Jewish law is not just a privilege; it is a critical obligation for every Jew to develop proficiency in halachah. This applies not only in the abstract, but in its practical application. It is at least incumbent upon us to be acutely aware of what is a shailah, halachic question. We are a nation of law; brooking no compromise to illiteracy. One must learn in order to know. Rashi explains the above pasuk as applying to making the delicate and often difficult decision, whereby we must distinguish between things that appear kosher, appear similar, but are not….

Home -> 5776 -> Shemini

ואת אלה תשקצו מן העוף לא יאכלו שקץ הם את הנשר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5776

These shall you abominate from among the birds, they may not be eaten – they are an abomination; the nesher. (11:13)

The nesher, commonly translated as the eagle, is unique among the non-kosher fowl in that its image is on the Kisei HaKavod, Hashem’s Throne. Chazal teach that the image of four creatures are on the throne: man, lion, ox and eagle. In contrast is the yonah, pigeon, which is a fowl that has its share of troubles, preyed on by other fowl, was slaughtered on the Mizbayach, Altar, and used as a korban, offering. How do we reconcile the fact that a non-kosher bird achieves such a lofty status, while the kosher bird, which is “pushed around,” does not? Horav…

Home -> 5776 -> Shemini

את זה תאכלו מכל אשר במים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5776

This may you eat from everything that is in the water. (11:9)

Mikol asher ba’mayim, “from all that is in the water,” implies that an amphibian which has simanei taharah, signs of purity/kashrus, may be eaten. “A fish is a fish”; the question is only whether it is a kosher fish. Its status as amphibian is not relevant. The Mishnah in Meseches Keilim 17:13 appends this idea when it says anything in the water (utensils made from amphibious creatures) are tahor (utensils are considered tahor, ritually pure) except for the kelev ha’yam, sea dog (possibly the otter), since it flees to dry land.” In other words, a sea dog maintains the status…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Shoftim ->

הוא ינוס אל אחת הערים האלה וחי

He shall flee to one of these cities and live. (19:5)

והיתה עמו וקרא בו כל ימי חייו... לבלתי רם לבבו מאחיו

It shall be with him and he shall read from it all the days of his life… so that his heart does not become haughty over his brethren. (17:19,20)

שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך... ושפטו את העם משפט צדק

Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities… and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. (16:18)

וילך ויפגשהו בהר האלקים וישק לו

And he (Aharon) went and encountered him (Moshe) at the mountain of G-d, and he kissed him. (4:27)

ומשה היה רעה את צאן יתרו חתנו כהן מדין

Moshe was shepherding the sheep of Yisro, his father-in-law, the Priest of Midyan. (3:1)

ויגדל משה ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלתם

Moshe grew up, and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

וימררו את חייהם בעבודה קשה... את כל עבודתם אשר עבדו בהם בפרך

They embittered their lives with hard work… All the labors that they performed with them were with crushing hardness. (1:14)

להבדיל בין הטמא ובין והטהר ובין החיה הנאכלת ובין החיה אשר לא תאכל

To distinguish between the contaminated and the pure, and between the creature that may be eaten and the creature that may not be eaten. (11:47)

ואת אלה תשקצו מן העוף לא יאכלו שקץ הם את הנשר

These shall you abominate from among the birds, they may not be eaten – they are an abomination; the nesher. (11:13)

את זה תאכלו מכל אשר במים

This may you eat from everything that is in the water. (11:9)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!