Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5755

“And they journeyed from the Mountain of Hashem a three day distance.” (10:33)

The Midrash views this journey from the Mountain of Hashem in an uncomplimentary manner. Chazal equate Bnei Yisrael’s departure with a “child who is running away from school,” happy to leave the holy place where he received mitzvos. Inasmuch as their venture away from the Har Hashem was in accordance with Hashem’s will, Bnei Yisrael’s attitude reflected a haste that was unbecoming and inappropriate. We must endeavor to understand the analogy to a child running from school. After all, Klal Yisrael was not delinquent in their departure. Horav Elyakim Shlesinger, Shlita, gives the following insight into this analogy. Why does…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5755

“When you kindle the lamps.” (8:2)

The parsha begins with the section which deals with the maintenance of the menorah. It follows immediately after the conclusion of Parashas Naso, which is concerned with the dedication of the mizbei’ach. Chazal address the juxtaposition of these two topics. They remark that upon witnessing the ceremonial activities and involvement of the nesiim in the altar’s dedication, Aharon Ha’Kohen became pained by his own and his shevet’s exclusion from them. Hashem responded to this concern by emphasizing Aharon’s unique opportunity to prepare and kindle the menorah. The Ramban notes the difficulty inherent in this statement. Aharon had the responsibility for…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5755

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

The Torah goes on to enumerate the various gifts offered by the Nesiim for the dedication of the Mishkan. The Midrash notes that, although the korbanos were all identical, they are nonetheless each mentioned separately to indicate their individual uniqueness. Each Nasi formulated his gifts independently, reflecting his own ruach ha’kodesh, Divine inspiration, and symbolizing the various traits and history of his tribe. Inasmuch as externally the korbanos were the same, their inner essence, the reasons and reflections behind them, differed, thereby creating twelve distinctive korbanos. Hence, the Torah lists them separately. We derive from here that although two activities…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5755

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

Rashi states that Moshe did not accept the offerings from the Nesiim until he was instructed to do so by Hashem. The Netziv, z.l., attributes Moshe’s reluctance to accept their korbanos to the fact that they brought ketores, incense, to be offered upon the Mizbei’ach Ha’Chitzon, outer altar. As Rashi later notes (pasuk 14), we find incense offered neither by a yachid, individual, nor upon the outer altar, except for this instance. It would seem that a special dispensation was made during the dedication of the mizbei’ach in regard to korbanos and the usual place where they were to be…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5755

“A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem; from new or aged wine he shall abstain …” (6:2,3)

Rashi cites Chazal who explain the juxtaposition of the laws of the Nazir to the laws of the Sotah. They state that one who sees a Sotah in her state of degradation should take a Nazirite vow in order to enforce his abstinence from wine. The Sotah is a woman who has profaned herself by destroying the fidelity of her marriage. She has submitted to her passions by allowing her heart to overpower her mind. Wine stimulates the senses and catalyzes a behavior which, if not controlled, can be detrimental. By abstaining from wine and focusing on the lessons gleaned…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“But they shall not come and look as the holy (object) is inserted, lest they die.” (4:20)

Rashi explains that this pasuk refers to the insertion of the holy objects into their coverings, a task performed by the Kohanim. The Leviim are not permitted to view this procedure. The Ibn Ezra adds two similar opinions. One view suggests that this pasuk is an admonition against the Leviim entering to see the dismantling of the paroch’es, partition/ curtain from before the Aron Ha’Kodesh. The other view contends that the Leviim are prohibited from seeing the Aron when it is uncovered or revealed. This opinion is confirmed in the Midrash, which cites the Navi in Shmuel I 6:19, in…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“And they should spread a cloth entirely of turquoise wool over it, and adjust its staves.” (4:6)

The accepted translation for uhsc unau in this pasuk is “and adjust its staves.” The verb unau is usually translated as “and they shall place it,” which implies that the badim, staves/poles, would now be inserted in the rings of the Aron. This translation, however, is not consistent with the halacha, which commands that the badim of the Aron never be removed from their rings. Consequently, we discern that the term unau refers to placing the badim upon the shoulders of the Leviim— or their adjustment within the rings of the Aron in order to facilitate the Leviim’s task of…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“Count the sons of Levi, according to their fathers’ household, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up shall you count them” (3:15)

The Leviim were counted in a completely different manner than the rest of Klal Yisrael. While the other tribes were counted between the ages of twenty and sixty, the Leviim were counted from the age of one month. Indeed, no minimum age requirement restricted the counting of a Levi; the one month minimum was to ensure the viability of the newborn. In addition, no maximum age limited the counting of the Leviim. Regardless of their advanced age, they were counted. This indicated that the sanctity of Shevet Levi transcended the constraints of physical age and strength. At the end of…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“From twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the legion in Yisrael, you shall count them.”

Rashi explains that the minimum age for serving in the army was twenty-years-old. We may wonder why it was necessary to wait so many years past the age of bar mitzvah to enter the Jewish army. Even as teenagers the youths were probably physically mature and competent to fight as soldiers. Horav Tzvi Hirsch Farber, z.l., offers a homiletic response to this question. A young man, a rgb, is also called an okg. This term is derived from the fact that he is still an enigma, his actions are ohnkgb, concealed. Since he has not quite matured, we are still…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Vayechi

“And Yosef said to his brothers, I am dying and Hashem will surely remember you…and you shall bring up my bones from here.” (50:24,25)

After a distinguished career leading Bnei Yisrael, Yosef prepared to leave them with the words of encouragement that were to ring in their ears forever. Hashem will remember you! Yosef entreated his brothers to be sure to remove his bones from Egypt when they departed from exile. Yosef was not interred with the Patriarchs in Me’oras Hamachpailah. Rather, he was buried in Shechem. Horav Avigdor Miller, Shlita, suggests the following reasons for this. First, Yosef’s burial place was to serve as a monument to Hashem’s justice and His Providence. Yosef’s ordeal began in Shechem and it ended there some 250…

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Back to Home -> Beha'alosecha ->

“And they journeyed from the Mountain of Hashem a three day distance.” (10:33)

“When you kindle the lamps.” (8:2)

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

“A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem; from new or aged wine he shall abstain …” (6:2,3)

“But they shall not come and look as the holy (object) is inserted, lest they die.” (4:20)

“And they should spread a cloth entirely of turquoise wool over it, and adjust its staves.” (4:6)

“Count the sons of Levi, according to their fathers’ household, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up shall you count them” (3:15)

“From twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the legion in Yisrael, you shall count them.”

“And Yosef said to his brothers, I am dying and Hashem will surely remember you…and you shall bring up my bones from here.” (50:24,25)

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