Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

“Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly.” (13:13)

Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlop, z.l., claims that the evil perpetrated by the inhabitants of Sodom was motivated by a philosophy of evil. This is the only way that this evil could have spread throughout the entire community to the point that there were not even ten righteous people to be found. When evil becomes a doctrine, when sin becomes a matter of principle, it is difficult to overcome. The more one speaks out against the evil, the more the evil- doer will adhere to his “convictions” and “beliefs.” There is no room for reason or logic. Horav Charlop attributes the…

Home -> 5770 -> Lech Lecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5770

“Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly.” (13:13)

Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlop, z.l., claims that the evil perpetrated by the inhabitants of Sodom was motivated by a philosophy of evil. This is the only way that this evil could have spread throughout the entire community to the point that there were not even ten righteous people to be found. When evil becomes a doctrine, when sin becomes a matter of principle, it is difficult to overcome. The more one speaks out against the evil, the more the evil- doer will adhere to his “convictions” and “beliefs.” There is no room for reason or logic. Horav Charlop attributes the…

Home -> 5772 -> Lech Lecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5772

“Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly.” (13:13)

Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlop, z.l., claims that the evil perpetrated by the inhabitants of Sodom was motivated by a philosophy of evil. This is the only way that this evil could have spread throughout the entire community to the point that there were not even ten righteous people to be found. When evil becomes a doctrine, when sin becomes a matter of principle, it is difficult to overcome. The more one speaks out against the evil, the more the evil- doer will adhere to his “convictions” and “beliefs.” There is no room for reason or logic. Horav Charlop attributes the…

Home -> 5760 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5760

“And He brought her to the man.” (2:22)

This is the underlying concept of shidduchim, marriage matchmaking – Hashem brings the couple together. It is only the unperceptive who think otherwise. Anyone whose vision is not blurred by secular-induced myopia is acutely aware of the Yad Hashem, Hand of G-d, in this misunderstood area of Jewish life. Horav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Shlita, tells the story of a young man, a talmid chacham and yarei shomayim, Torah scholar and G-d-fearing, who was having a difficult time finding his “bashert,” intended mate. He decided to go to Eretz Yisrael to implore the neshamos, souls, of the tzaddikim, righteous, virtuous Jews who…

Home -> 5777 -> Bereishis

לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5777

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

Eizer k’negdo is translated as – “a helper corresponding to him.” K’negdo usually means opposite him. How is this reconciled? Chazal teach: Zacha – naasis lo eizer; lo zachah – k’negdo, “If the man is worthy, the woman will be a helper; if he is not worthy, she will be against him.” The ideal marriage is not necessarily one of total agreement in all matters. Obviously, a good relationship has to allow for a difference of opinion. By their basic nature and temperament, man and woman are different; thus, they might have discrepant or differing views on various subjects. It…

Home -> 5776 -> Bereishis

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5776

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

The opening pesukim of Sefer Bereishis detail the process of Creation. This process progressed over a period of six Creation days. The last day was yom Shabbos kodesh, the holy Shabbos, a day on which Hashem rested from Creation. It was after these days of Creation that the natural clock of time with which we identify began. The Talmud Rosh Hashanah, 32a, explains that the word bereishis, in the beginning, is much more than a chronological term which describes when it all began; rather, the word bereishis is the word which Hashem employed to commence creation itself. Horav Tzadok HaKohen,…

Home -> 5775 -> Bereishis

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5775

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

The Torah is the charter of man’s mission on this world. It is the “book of directions” which guides us how to live a life of commitment to Hashem. In the Talmud Chagigah 11b, Chazal teach that it is prohibited to expound upon maaseh Bereishis in a class of two students, which means the teacher and one other person. The Talmud presents many Aggadic teachings related to this topic. Literally, maaseh Bereishis means “account of Creation.” Ramban interprets maaseh Bereishis as the wisdom of the natural world. The most widely accepted opinion is that maaseh Bereishis pertains to the wisdom…

Home -> 5773 -> Bereishis

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 -> 5772 -> Bereishis

והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על פני תהום. ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור...ויבדל אלקים בין האור ובין החשך.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5772

When the earth was astonishingly empty, with darkness upon the surface of the deep… G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light… And G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3,4)

Contrary to popular belief, the darkness of which the Torah speaks is not merely the absence of light. It is a specific creation, as it is clearly stated in Yeshayahu 45:7, Yotzeir ohr u’borei choshech – oseh shalom u’borei ra. “(I am the One) Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil.” The Midrash comments, “Great is peace, for Hashem did not commence His creation of the world with anything other than something which represents peace. What is this? It is light.” The Midrash goes on to cite the pasuk in Yeshayahu. We must endeavor to…

Home -> 5768 -> Bereishis

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמתנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5768

And G-d said, “Let us make man in Our image, as Our likeness.” (1:26)

Man was created in Hashem’s image. This means that every humanbeing, regardless of his or her position, shares a unique quality withHashem. This is the Tzelem Elokim, image of G-d. While man’sphysical appearance does not mirror G-d, he has a quality which is uniquelyendemic to man – his ability to exercise free will, which relates him in someway to Hashem. While Hashem always chooses correctly – man does not. Manerrs and is subject to his inclinations which very often reign over him. Thus,man’s ability to choose between good and evil is what makes him G-d-like. Hehas the potential to choose…

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“Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly.” (13:13)

“Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly.” (13:13)

“Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly.” (13:13)

“And He brought her to the man.” (2:22)

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)

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

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)

והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על פני תהום. ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור...ויבדל אלקים בין האור ובין החשך.

When the earth was astonishingly empty, with darkness upon the surface of the deep… G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light… And G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3,4)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמתנו

And G-d said, “Let us make man in Our image, as Our likeness.” (1:26)

YEARS

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