Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

And you, bring near to yourself Aharon your brother… from amongst Bnei Yisrael to minister to Me. (28:1)

We wonder why Aharon received the position of Kohen Gadol, High Priest, as opposed to Moshe Rabbeinu, who was clearly the greatest Jew at the time. The Maggid, zl, m’Dubno gives a practical reason for this selection. The purpose of the Kohen Gadol is kaparah. He is the one who atones for the sins of the people and who must execute that service. Such a person must be from among the people – someone who understands them, whose appreciation of the average Jew is profound. One who understands their many foibles and misgivings is able to make sense of their errant…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tetzaveh, 5771

Aharon and his sons shall arrange it… before Hashem an eternal decree for their generations, from the Bnei Yisrael. (27:21)

There is an inspiring Midrash whose commentary on the pasuk “illuminates” for us the significance of, and proper attitude to the middah, character trait, of ha’koras ha’tov, gratitude. Hashem says, “I ask you to light the Menorah for Me not because I need the light. I want you to light it for Me as I illuminated for you (in the Wilderness). Thus, I will elevate your esteem in the eyes of the nations of the world, for they will then say, ‘Yisrael is lighting for the One Who lights for all.’” The Midrash continues by offering an analogy to a…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tetzaveh, 5771

They shall take for you pure oil…to kindle the lamp continually. (27:20)

Chazal teach that Hashem gave us the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah in the Bais HaMikdash, “not because I need the light.” After all, Hashem is the light of the world. “Rather, I command you to light for Me just as I provided illumination for you in the Wilderness. This will give you the opportunity to return the favor.” Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, derives an important lesson from Chazal: A beneficiary who may, somehow, want to return the favor – let him do it. Chazal are teaching us a lesson in Torah etiquette. When someone does a favor for another…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5771

You shall make the planks/beams of the Mishkan of acacia wood, standing erect. (26:15)

The designation of the shittim tree, which is a variety of cedar, for the Mishkan dates back to Yaakov Avinu, who had cedars planted in Egypt. Prior to his passing, he instructed his sons to take the wood along when they left Egypt. He foresaw that one day they would be used in the Mishkan. In another view found in the Midrash, these cedars were planted by Avraham Avinu when he was in Egypt. Our Patriarch sought to concretize the foundations of our future Sanctuary, which represented to him the anchor of Klal Yisrael’s moral and religious survival through its…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5771

The staves shall remain in the rings of the Ark; they may not be removed from it. (25:15)

The staves/poles were to be left in the rings permanently. One who removed them was in violation of both a positive and prohibitive commandment. This restriction was not applied to carrying the poles of the Mizbayach, Altar, and the Shulchan, Table. Another unique aspect of the Badei HaAron, poles of the Ark, was that they protruded into the Paroches, Curtain, which separated the Kodesh HaKedoshim, Holy of Holies, from the Kodesh, Sanctuary. In other words, they were visible in the Mishkan and later in the Bais HaMikdash, but only through the Curtain – never directly. Indeed, this is the manner…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5771

And let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

The Mishkan was the embodiment of kedushah, holiness, in this world. It teaches us that the mundane can – and should – be elevated. This is the concept of Judaism – elevating the mundane, sanctifying the physical. Whatever Hashem created can be used for a sublime purpose. If this attitude can be applied to simple, physical matters, then surely we can apply it to people. Regardless of one’s background or religious affiliation, one can become holy. The spark within him is a living potential. It only has to be stoked, and the flame will rise. When the Torah commands us…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5771

And let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion. (25:2)

The Bais Yisrael of Gur offers a homiletic rendering of this pasuk that has practical application, especially for those who devote themselves to Jewish outreach. An issue that concerns one who spends most of his time teaching Aleph Bais, the Hebrew alphabet, to those who are returning to Judaism, is that perhaps he might stunt his own personal growth. In addition, such people spend much of their time in environments that are, at best, quite distant from the milieu of a Torah way of life. Thus, this phenomenon has negatively impacted the ranks of those who might otherwise have chosen to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5771

He took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the earshot of the people, and they said, “Everything that Hashem has said, we will do and we will obey!” (24:7)

Our greatest moment in history was when we received the Torah. Our nationhood became fused with our acceptance of Hashem’s Word. The anthem of our faith for all time was our resounding declaration, Naaseh v’Nishma, “We will do, and we will obey!” We set the standard of priorities for Jews for all time: we do/we act. The reason will come later. If we understand – good. If not – also good! That is what being a Jew is all about: uncompromising faith; unequivocal commitment. Yet, over time, people have strayed and alienated themselves and their descendants from the Torah. We can…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5771

Distance yourself from a false word. (23:7)

The admonition against uttering a falsehood, is quite different from other prohibitive mitzvos. Nowhere does it state that one must distance himself from the aveirah, sin. Proximity to the sin, or area which might bring one to sin may not be advisable, but there does not seem to be a specific exhortation against it. Falsehood, however, seems to be very dangerous. It has such a strong gravitational pull that simply being in its immediate environment is dangerous and can influence one to sin. Why is it different than maachalos asuros, forbidden foods, which do not carry such a stringency that one…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5771

If a man shall steal an ox or a sheep, and slaughter it or sell it, he shall pay five cattle in place of the ox, and four sheep in place of the sheep. (21:37)

The Talmud Bava Kamma 79b distinguishes between a ganav, thief – who steals surreptitiously – and a gazlan, robber, who fears no man and steals publicly. The ganav pays keifel, a fine of double the value of the principal, and arbaah v’chamisha, four and five times the principal depending on whether it is a sheep or an ox, in the event that he sells or slaughters the animal. The students asked Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai why the Torah is more stringent concerning the ganav than it is toward the gazlan. Rabban Yochanan replied that the gazlan has equalized the respect he…

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Back to Home -> Tetzaveh ->

And you, bring near to yourself Aharon your brother… from amongst Bnei Yisrael to minister to Me. (28:1)

Aharon and his sons shall arrange it… before Hashem an eternal decree for their generations, from the Bnei Yisrael. (27:21)

They shall take for you pure oil…to kindle the lamp continually. (27:20)

You shall make the planks/beams of the Mishkan of acacia wood, standing erect. (26:15)

The staves shall remain in the rings of the Ark; they may not be removed from it. (25:15)

And let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

And let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion. (25:2)

He took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the earshot of the people, and they said, “Everything that Hashem has said, we will do and we will obey!” (24:7)

Distance yourself from a false word. (23:7)

If a man shall steal an ox or a sheep, and slaughter it or sell it, he shall pay five cattle in place of the ox, and four sheep in place of the sheep. (21:37)

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