Sruly Schnair – Page 101 – Peninim on the Torah

ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור

And they shall take for you pure, pressed olive for illumination. (27:20)

The oil used for the Menorah had to be absolutely pure from the very beginning (not filtered). Therefore, the oil was made by pressing each olive gently, until only one drop of pure oil emerged. The remaining oil in the olive came out through crushing and was used for the Meal-offering. The Alter, zl, m’Kelm applies the word kassis, pressed, as a metaphor to describe the talmid chacham, Torah scholar, who “pounds” the ground, walking from place to place to study Torah wherever it is available. He quotes Chazal (Bava Basra 8a), “These are the talmidei chachamim who pound their…

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ואתה הקרב אליך את אהרן אחיך ואת בניו אתו... לכהנו לי

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5780

Now you, bring near to yourself Aharon, your brother, and his sons with him… to minister to me. (28:1)

Hashem instructs Moshe Rabbeinu to induct Aharon and his sons into the Kehunah, Priesthood, with Aharon becoming the Kohen Gadol, High Priest. At first, Moshe functioned as the Kohen Gadol, but he lost that status due to his rejection of the opportunity to lead Klal Yisrael out of Egypt. He suggested that Aharon, his older brother, become the nation’s leader. In a second exposition, Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 37:4) teach that Moshe was unhappy when Hashem instructed him to induct Aharon into the Priesthood. Hashem countered, “The Torah was mine, and I gave it to you. If not for it (the…

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ועשית את מעיל האפוד כליל תכלת

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5780

And you shall make the M’eil of the Eiphod entirely of turquoise wool. (28:31)

Chazal (Zevachim 88b) teach that the Me’il was mechaper, atoned, for the sin of lashon hora. Yavo davar she’b’kol v’yechaper al kol ha’ra, “Let something that emits sound (through the ringing of the bell on its hem) come and atone for the sound of hurtful speech.” [The wearing of Bigdei Kehunah effects atonement only in conjunction with the actual repentance rendered by the specific sinner. Furthermore (Maharal), when the Kohen wears the vestments l’kavod u’liferes, “For glory and splendor” (Shemos 28:2), they introduce a sense of loftiness in Klal Yisrael which counteracts the degradation that results from sin.] Horav Reuven…

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והיו על אהרן ועל בניו בבואם אל אהל מועד... ולא ישאו עון ומתו

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5780

They shall be on Aharon and on his sons when they enter the Ohel Moed… and they shall not bear a sin and die. (28:33)

The Torah emphasizes the significance of the Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly vestments, more so than any of the vessels of the Mishkan. The requirement to wear the Begadim, vestments, is such that, if any performance of the Priestly service is without the full complement of the vestments, the offending Kohen is subject to Heavenly death penalty. What more did these garments add to the Kohen’s already exalted state of sanctity, so that without them his service would be considered to be defective? Horav Mordechai Gifter, zl, explains that character traits and abilities are of little to no consequence if one does…

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דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5780

Speak to Bnei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

“Them” refers to the people, to those in charge of collecting funds. It definitely does not refer to Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen. They could not be the collectors, because If Moshe and Aharon were to come knocking on someone’s door and state that they were going door-to-door collecting money, would anyone be so audacious as to say, “no!”? Certainly not. One does not turn his back on the leaders of Klal Yisrael. This is not the way Hashem wanted the Mishkan to be built. It had to be the product of free-will contributions. Furthermore, as Horav Reuven Karlinsky, zl,…

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ויקחו לי תרומה מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו תקחו את תרומתי

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5780

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

Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, interprets this pasuk homiletically, employing it to establish the guideline for tzedakah, charitable giving. Ish asher yidvenu libo; a man whose heart compels him to give, who gives sincerely, has attained a lofty achievement. We all give, because we can, because Hashem has commanded us to give. Do we give out of shame, afraid of what our friends will say? Do we give out of a sense of guilt? How does one reach the plateau of honest, heartfelt giving? He must believe that it is not his money that he is giving to the poor man,…

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ועשו ארון עצי שטים ... וצפית אתו זהב טהור ... ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5780

They shall make an Ark of acacia wood… You shall cover it with pure gold … and you shall make it on a gold crown. (25:10,11)

The zer zahav, gold crown, was an attachment which symbolized the kesser Torah, crown of Torah (Yoma 72b). Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 34:2) teach that three kessarim, crowns, exist: Kesser Malchus, crown of Monarchy; Kesser Kehunah, crown of Priesthood; and Kesser Torah. The crown of Monarchy is symbolized by the zer, crown, that was on the Shulchan, Table. The crown of Kehunah is symbolized by the zer on the Mizbayach, Altar. Interestingly, concerning the construction of the crown of both the Shulchan and Mizbayach, the Torah writes, V’asissa, “You shall make l’misgarto, for its molding (Shulchan);” V’assisa lo, “You shall make…

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ועשית שנים כרובים זהב

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5780

You shall make two Keruvim of gold. (25:18)

The Baal HaTurim writes: Keravia, like children (corresponding to the pasuk), Ki naar Yisrael v’o’haveihu, “When Yisrael was a lad, I loved him” (Hoshea 11:1). The Alter, zl, m’Kelm explains the connection between this pasuk and the Keruvim, who had the countenance of children, as alluding to the youthful manner, the approach one must maintain with regard to Torah study. We are to approach Torah study and mitzvah performance with raananus, youthful vitality. Excitement, passion, freshness: these are appellations that apply to youth. Horav Yisrael Salanter, zl, explains the above pasukim (from Hoshea) that Hashem especially loves Klal Yisrael when…

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ובשביעית יצא לחפשי חנם

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5780

And in the seventh, he shall go free, for no charge. (21:2)

Overcome with economical woe, a Jew ignores the degradation that he will bring upon himself and resorts to theft to elevate himself from his sorrowful economic state. He is caught, and found lacking in funds with which to make restitution. As a result, he is sold into slavery. In the event that the value of the theft equals or exceeds the estimated value of his six years of work, he is sold as a bondsman. Jewish slavery is unlike any other form of restriction of personal freedom. The Jewish bondsman is treated quite well. Nonetheless, he is still a slave,…

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כי יתן איש אל רעהו כסף או כלים לשמר

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5780

If a man shall give money or vessels to his fellow to safeguard. (22:6)

Our parsha presents the laws concerning people who are entrusted to safeguard someone else’s property. If the pikadon, object (money or vessels) is lost, stolen or damaged, the liability of the shomer, custodian, varies according to the degree of his responsibility. For example, one who receives no compensation (shomer chinam) is responsible only if he had been in the position of safeguarding the article in his charge. One who receives compensation (shomer sachar) or a leasor (socheir) is responsible for loss or theft, unless it occurred in a situation beyond his control, an oneis. A borrower (shoeil) is responsible under…

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ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור

And they shall take for you pure, pressed olive for illumination. (27:20)

ואתה הקרב אליך את אהרן אחיך ואת בניו אתו... לכהנו לי

Now you, bring near to yourself Aharon, your brother, and his sons with him… to minister to me. (28:1)

ועשית את מעיל האפוד כליל תכלת

And you shall make the M’eil of the Eiphod entirely of turquoise wool. (28:31)

והיו על אהרן ועל בניו בבואם אל אהל מועד... ולא ישאו עון ומתו

They shall be on Aharon and on his sons when they enter the Ohel Moed… and they shall not bear a sin and die. (28:33)

דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה

Speak to Bnei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

ויקחו לי תרומה מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו תקחו את תרומתי

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

ועשו ארון עצי שטים ... וצפית אתו זהב טהור ... ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב

They shall make an Ark of acacia wood… You shall cover it with pure gold … and you shall make it on a gold crown. (25:10,11)

ועשית שנים כרובים זהב

You shall make two Keruvim of gold. (25:18)

ובשביעית יצא לחפשי חנם

And in the seventh, he shall go free, for no charge. (21:2)

כי יתן איש אל רעהו כסף או כלים לשמר

If a man shall give money or vessels to his fellow to safeguard. (22:6)

YEARS

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