Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

You shall not have in your house diverse measures, large and small. A whole and just weight you should have. (25:14,15)

Simply put, one may not keep faulty or dishonest weights in his possession, because it might result in cheating others in a business transaction. What about cheating oneself? Where does the “double standard” fit in? The Torah writes in Vayikra 25:17, “Do not deceive another person.” The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, distinguishes between the actual law, prohibiting one from deceiving others, and the law’s severe implication: Self-deception. Having two sets of measures – one for myself and one for others, – can lead to a serious “double standard.” We are quick to condemn, to repudiate and rebuke – when it involves…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5771

And so shall you do for any lost article of your brother that may become lost from him and you find it; you cannot hide yourself. (22:3)

Horav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg, zl, writes that he once received a brief from a law professor at the University of Buenos Aires lauding the halachic jurisprudence of the Torah. Indeed, the man wrote that he had studied the entire Torah and was able to understand and qualify the rationale for every law in the Torah – except for one. As impressed as he was by the Torah, he was extremely troubled with the one law that does not seem to make sense – at all. This is the law concerning yi’ush, whereby one who despairs of recovering his lost object…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5771

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son. (21:18)

In the Talmud Rosh Hashanah 16b, Chazal teach, “A person is judged only in accordance with his actions/behavior at that moment, as it is written (concerning Yishmael), ‘For G-d has heeded the cry of the youth – ba’asher hu shum – in his present state’” (Bereishis 21:17). The Midrash Bereishis adds: Afilu hu asid l’harshia l’achar z’man, “Even if he will act wicked after time.” Chazal refer to the dialogue between the ministering angels and the Almighty as Yishmael lay sick with thirst. “Ribono Shel Olam!” the angels declared. “To one whose descendants will kill Your children with thirst, You…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5771

When you will go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your G-d, will deliver them into your hands and you will capture its captivity. (21:10)

The Baal Shem Tov HaKadosh says that the war to which the Torah alludes is none other than the war of our lives – the daily battle which we wage against the blandishments of the yetzer hara, evil-inclination. The Torah is teaching us v’shavisa shivyo, “And you will capture its captivity,” essentially, we should grab the yetzer hara, take it captive, and learn from its strategy. Let one study the yetzer hara’s guile, how it ensnares us to sin, disregarding the type or severity of the sin. Who cares? As long as one sins, he is ensnared in the trap…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5771

The Kohen shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, “Hear, O’ Yisrael, today you are coming near to the battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid; do not panic; and do not break down before them.” (20:2,3)

There is a well-known passage in the Talmud Berachos 5a which addresses the strategy one should employ upon being confronted by man’s greatest enemy from within: the yetzer hara, evil inclination. Chazal give us four options which, based upon a person’s spiritual level, should assist him in staving off the yetzer hara’s crippling influence. The first approach is yargiz yetzer tov al yetzer hara, agitate one’s good inclination against his evil inclination. Take the yetzer head on, using the good inclination within oneself to overwhelm the evil. If this does not prove effective, Chazal advise engaging in Torah study. If this…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5771

And do not erect for yourself a matzeivah (idolatrous pillar) which Hashem, your G-d, hates. (16:22)

Much of Sefer Devarim alludes to warnings concerning the idolatrous behavior of the nations inhabiting Eretz Yisrael. The Torah admonishes us not to learn from their nefarious practices, lest we fall prey to the yetzer hara, evil inclination, which seduces one to worship idols. One of the prohibitions is the erection of a matzeivah, pillar of stone, on which they would offer sacrifices. This is forbidden, even if the offerings are to Hashem. Rashi explains that Hashem abhors a matzeivah. He commanded us to make a mizbayach avanim, altar of stones, a mizbayach adamah, altar of earth, but not a matzeivah….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5771

Justice, justice shall you pursue. (16:20)

Rashi explains the Torah’s enjoinment that we pursue justice as a demand that we seek out the most competent, knowledgeable court of law to adjudicate our dispute with another Jew. Sifsei Chachamim adds that, even though the case we have can really be listened to by any decent court of law, the claimant has an obligation to go out of his way to seek the most learned, qualified, impartial bais din available. A din Torah is often “cut and dry.” Reuven owes Shimon, so all that is necessary is a judge who is not “blind,” and who has the courage…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5771

They shall judge the people with righteous judgment. (16:18)

The simple meaning of this command is that the judges who are appointed to adjudicate various disputes should do so with integrity and righteousness, acting with impartiality in maintaining a system of justice that is above reproach. The Midrash Tanchuma adds that the appointed judges were to intercede before Hashem on behalf of the Jewish People and find merit for them. While this is certainly a noble calling, the choice that the Midrash presents as an example of a leader who exemplifies the trait of seeking merit in behalf of Klal Yisrael is enigmatic. The fifth Shofet, judge of the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Re'eh, 5771

You shall surely tithe the entire crop of your planting… And you shall eat [it] before Hashem, your G-d. (14:22,23)

Rashi comments that the pasuk is referring to Maaser Sheini, the second tithe. He also tells us that it cannot be discussing Maaser Rishon, the first tithe, because that tithe was given to the Levi. Thus, when the Torah writes that the fruits of the present tithe may be eaten in any place, it obviously must be a different Maaser. Later, in pasuk 27, the Torah writes, “And the Levi who is in your cities, do not forsake him, for he does not have a portion or inheritance with you.” Rashi comments, “Do not forsake him by refraining from giving him…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Re'eh, 5771

You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations from whom you shall take possession worshipped their gods… You shall not do so to Hashem, your G-d. (12:2,4)

Rashi quotes the Sifrei (61), which offers a homiletic rendering of this pasuk: “Would it enter one’s mind that the Jews (Israel) would shatter their Altars?” What, then, does the Torah mean when it writes, “You shall not do this to Hashem, your G-d?” We would never do to our holy places what we are being commanded to do to the shrines of the idol worshipers. “Rabbi Yishmael taught that Israel (Jews) should [be careful] not to do [deeds] like their deeds (i.e., commit sins that will cause them to be exiled) and [thus] your sins would cause the Bais…

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Back to Home -> Ki Seitzei ->

You shall not have in your house diverse measures, large and small. A whole and just weight you should have. (25:14,15)

And so shall you do for any lost article of your brother that may become lost from him and you find it; you cannot hide yourself. (22:3)

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son. (21:18)

When you will go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your G-d, will deliver them into your hands and you will capture its captivity. (21:10)

The Kohen shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, “Hear, O’ Yisrael, today you are coming near to the battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid; do not panic; and do not break down before them.” (20:2,3)

And do not erect for yourself a matzeivah (idolatrous pillar) which Hashem, your G-d, hates. (16:22)

Justice, justice shall you pursue. (16:20)

They shall judge the people with righteous judgment. (16:18)

You shall surely tithe the entire crop of your planting… And you shall eat [it] before Hashem, your G-d. (14:22,23)

You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations from whom you shall take possession worshipped their gods… You shall not do so to Hashem, your G-d. (12:2,4)

YEARS

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