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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“Our hands have not spilled this blood.” (21:7)

Chazal question how anyone could imagine that the elders of Klal Yisrael could be murderers. When they say, “Our hands have not spilled this blood,” they disclaim responsibility for not addressing the needs of the victim as he was leaving town. The Torah demands that leadership respond to the needs of every Jew. How far does this responsibility extend? At what point are the elders not held culpable for their lack of “sensitivity”? The Yerushalmi in the Talmud Sotah makes an interpretation of this pasuk which carries with it remarkable ramifications. They posit that “this blood” is a reference to…

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Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“He (the unintentional murderer) shall flee to one of these cities (of refuge) and live.” (19:5)

The importance of hju, “he shall live,” is underscored by the Rambam in Hilchos Rotze’ach 7:1 where he states, “A student who is exiled to the cities of refuge, his Torah teacher is exiled with him, as it says in the Torah, “He shall live; make it for him that he shall live.” For those who are wise and who seek wisdom (of Torah), the inability to learn Torah properly (without their rebbe) would be like death. This same halachah is applicable in the event a Torah teacher is exiled; his students are exiled with him. Conversely, when addressing the…

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Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“You shall be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d.” (18:15)

Rashi interprets the pasuk as an admonishment against going to the pagans to discover the future. One should follow Hashem with simplicity, accepting His decree without question. The Piazesner Rebbe, zl, offers two approaches towards understanding this pasuk. Every individual accepts upon himself the resolution to do the right thing and live the proper way – in the future. “Tomorrow we will be good” is a popular aphorism among those who choose to defer their responsibility for the moment or simply to gloss over their current errors. The yetzer hora, evil inclination, attempts to persuade us to disregard the present,…

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Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5756

“Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue.” (16:20)

The only virtue which the Torah demands that we pursue is righteousness – the equivalent of emes, truth. On the other hand, sheker, falsehood, is the only negative quality from which the Torah admonishes us to distance ourselves. The Torah in Shemos 23:7 says, ejr, rea rcsn, “From a false word you shall distance yourselves.” The Chidushei Ha’Rim infers a profound lesson regarding the compelling importance in our lives of turning away from falsehood and turning toward truth. The signature of Hashem is emes. Thus, every Jew should strive to be like G-d – by shirking away from any endeavor…

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Home -> 5756 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Re'eh, 5756

“You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt.” (16:12)

Why is it necessary to remember that we were once slaves in Egypt? One would think that remembering the miracle of the Exodus should be the prime focus of remembrance. Horav Shimon Schwab, zl, offers the following rationale. In the Talmud Megillah 4a, Chazal teach that one is obligated to read the Megillah at night and to repeat it the next day. Rashi attributes this halachah to the fact that Klal Yisrael cried out to Hashem at night and during the day. This halachah is perplexing! Are we to celebrate freedom and joy — or are we to remain apathetic,…

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Home -> 5756 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Re'eh, 5756

“If there should stand up in your midst a prophet and he will produce to you a sign or a wonder.” (13:2)

Rashi interprets ,ut, sign, as being a supernatural event in heaven, while he suggests that a ,pun, wonder, is a miraculous event on earth. Horav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, zl, takes a practical approach to understanding these two types of “miracles.” Two phenomena may cause one to turn away from Torah: misguided philosophies or base desires. When the Torah admonishes us not to stray after our heart and eyes, it is a reference to the desires of the heart and the confused and false theories of the mind. “The heart lusts and the eyes see,” writes Rashi at the end of…

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Home -> 5756 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Re'eh, 5756

“You shall deliver the blessing on Har Gerizim…. Are they not on the other side of the Jordan, far in the direction of the sunset…. across from Gilgal, near the plain of Moreh. Only at the place that Hashem… shall choose …. to place His Name shall you seek out His Presence and come there.” (11:29,30 – 12:5)

The Torah describes in detail the exact location of Har Gerizim. The Torah leaves no room for error, designating the simplest and most direct course to the mountain of blessing. In contrast, in regard to the Bais Ha’Mikdash, the Torah offers no “directions.” The Torah demands that we “seek it out.” We are to search for the Bais Ha’Mikdash. No map, no “trip tik” eases our search. Search and you will find -but no directions are offered. Why? Would it not make sense that the Bais Ha’Mikdash, the spiritual center of our People, the holy place where the Shechinah reposes,…

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Home -> 5756 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Re'eh, 5756

“See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse.” (11:26)

If Moshe is addressing all of Klal Yisrael, why does he speak in the singular – vtr – “while the word ofhbpk, “before you” is in the plural form? Moreover, why does he tell them to see? Would it not have been just as effective had he said, “I place before you a blessing and a curse?” Horav David Feinstein, Shlita, suggests that the concept of blessing is in the mind of the individual. Some feel that continued good health is a blessing. In contrast, others feel that mild sickness may even be viewed as a blessing, since it encourages…

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Home -> 5756 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Re'eh, 5756

“See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse.” (11:26)

The Torah is expressing the basic principle of bechirah chafshis, free-will. The blessing, which results from one’s good deeds, is catalyzed by one’s own positive decision. Similarly, one effects the curse by a negative decision. The Sfas Emes posits that there is a bracha for thanking Hashem for the gift of free-will, which distinguishes man from all other creatures. The abilitiy to discern between good and evil and to decide which path to take, raises man above all other creations. Everyday we recite this bracha, vkhk ihcu ouh ihc ihjcvk vbhc hufak i,b rat” Who gave the rooster understanding to…

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Home -> 5756 -> Eikev

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Eikev, 5756

“But take heed to yourselves that your heart does not open itself to enticement and you turn aside and you serve other gods.” (11:16)

Rashi comments that once one “turns away” from Torah, the natural sequence of events is “you will worship strange gods.” Once one leaves the Torah path, he will eventually turn to idols. This is perplexing! We know that the yetzer hora, evil inclination, works in a specific manner. First, it lures one to turning away slightly by performing a simple act of indiscretion. This goes on for awhile as the yetzer hora slowly increases its hold upon the person until it ultimately brings him down completely. Worshiping idols is the last step, the final act of iniquity which is the…

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