Sruly Schnair

והאבנים תהיין על שמות בני ישראל שתים עשרה על שמתם

The stones shall be according to the names of Bnei Yisrael, twelve according to their names. (28:21)

The Choshen Mishpat was the Breastplate that the Kohen Gadol wore on his chest. It was a special addition to his “wardrobe”, in that the front of it contained twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of a different Shevet, Tribe. It is most noteworthy that the stones were engraved with the names of the “children,” rather than that of the “forefathers,” the Avos, Patriarchs. Indeed, the Kedushas Levi wonders why the names of the shevatim are engraved, as opposed to the names of the Avos, in whose merit we always pray and seek salvation and atonement. Actually, the…

Home -> 5779 -> Terumah

דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5779

Speak to Bnei Yisrael, and they shall take for Me a portion. (25:2)

Shlomo Hamelech says in Sefer Koheles (12:1), U’z’chor es Borecha b’yimei bacharusecha, ad asher lo yavou yimei ha’raah, v’higiu shanim asher tomar ein li bahem cheifetz, “So remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the end days come, and those years arrive of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” Mar Ukva says (Kesubos 67b), “Bring me my charity records… my provisions are light and the way is long…” He went ahead and lavished half his assets on charity. The Maharasha explains that tzedakah, giving charity (as in v’yikchu li terumah, “Take for Me…

Home -> 5779 -> Terumah

וצפית אתו זהב טהור מבית ומחוץ תצפנו ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5779

You shall cover it with pure gold, from inside and from outside you shall cover it, and you shall make on it a golden diadem all around. (25:11)

Rashi explains that the zer, diadem, was a sort of crown, going all the way around to the top of the Aron, above its edge… This zer, crown, is a symbol for the Kesser Torah, Crown of the Torah. In Pirkei Avos 4:13, Rabbi Shimon says: “There are three crowns: the crown of Torah; the crown of Kehunah, the Priesthood; the crown of Malchus, Kingship; and the crown of a shem tov, a good name, goes above them.” The question is obvious. The Mishnah states that there are three crowns, and then mentions a fourth crown, the crown of a good…

Home -> 5779 -> Terumah

ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5779

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma) teach that Moshe Rabbeinu had difficulty visualizing the completed Menorah. Hashem showed him a Menorah of fire. Moshe still had difficulty in making it. Hashem then instructed Moshe to hurl an ingot of gold into the fire – and a completed Menorah emerged. This Midrash is laden with commentary addressing Moshe’s difficulty, in as much as we only find two other places in the Torah in which Moshe experienced difficulty understanding Hashem’s command. Obviously, the idea of a Menorah fashioned of fire has a profound message. I came across an inspiring story concerning Chanukah which I think…

Home -> 5779 -> Terumah

ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5779

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

All of the Menorah’s varied shapes and forms had to be hammered out of one large ingot of gold. Nothing could be made separately and later attached. Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma) teach that this feat (the making of the Menorah) proved to be difficult for Moshe Rabbeinu to conceptualize. He simply could not visualize how the Menorah should appear. Hashem showed Moshe a Menorah made of fire. Still, our leader and Rebbe could not properly create the Menorah. Hashem instructed Moshe to fling the ingot into fire, and a completed Menorah emerged. This miracle is alluded to by the words, “shall…

Home -> 5779 -> Mishpatim

ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע ועבדו לעלם

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5779

And his master shall bore through his ear with the awl, and he shall serve him forever. (21:6)

Why does the Torah command the master to bore the Hebrew slave’s ear, rather than any other organ of the body? Rashi quotes Chazal who teach that, “The ear – that heard at Har Sinai (when the Torah was given), ‘For Bnei Yisrael are My servants,’ and this person (eved Ivri) acquired a (new) master for himself – should be bored with the awl… They are My servants and not servants to servants.” The Rosh observes that the gematria, numerical equivalent, of martzea, awl, is 400. Klal Yisrael was to be enslaved by the Egyptians for 400 years. Hashem shortened…

Home -> 5779 -> Mishpatim

כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון. אם ענה תענה אתו כי אם צעק יצעק אלי שמע אשמע צעקתו

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5779

You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan. If you (dare to) cause him pain …. For if he shall cry out to Me, I shall surely hear his outcry. (22:21,22)

The widow and orphan represent all of the weak and disadvantaged, those who have no one to protect them or to look out for their interests. Sadly, there are those who take advantage of the weak, either because they are easy prey or because the tormentor himself is so insecure that he must “beat up” on the weak in order to maintain a false sense of self-dignity. The Torah tells us in no uncertain terms that Hashem Himself will intervene on behalf of the weak and disadvantaged because, when they cry, their tears go directly to Him. Hashem listens to…

Home -> 5779 -> Mishpatim

אם כסף תלוה את עמי

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5779

When you lend money to My People. (22:24)

Lending money should be simple. After all, if I have and he does not have, why not share? There is always the slight issue of being paid back, but that usually happens. The Torah says, Im kesef talveh es ami, “When you lend money to My People.” The halachah is that if one has some money available for lending purposes, and he has the option of lending either to a Jew or a gentile, he should lend Ami, My People. A Jew precedes a gentile. Naturally, since we are open – minded, progressive, independent individuals, we might question this halachah….

Home -> 5779 -> Mishpatim

ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ד' נעשה ונשמע

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5779

They said, “Everything that Hashem has said, we will do and we will listen.” (24:7)

When a friend comes over to ask for a favor, the usual responses are: “Depends on what you ask”; “If it does not take too much time; “If it does not conflict with my schedule;” “If it is ‘legal.’” Rarely does one respond, “Sure, whatever you want.” Having said this, let us now appreciate Klal Yisrael’s response to Hashem’s Torah: Naaseh v’Nishma; “We will do, and we will listen.” No questions; no stipulations, no reasons: simply, whatever Hashem asks of us we are prepared to do. Veritably, this response is part of our DNA. When Hashem called Avraham Avinu, the Patriarch’s…

Home -> 5779 -> Yisro

לא תחמד בית רעך... וכל אשר לרעך

Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5779

Do not covet your friend’s house… and everything that belongs to your friend. (20:14)

The question is obvious. Why delineate various items that belong (so to speak) to your friend (which you covet) and then conclude the pasuk with, V’chol asher l’reiecha, “And everything that belongs to your friend”? The aforementioned items also belong to your friend. Why not simply write: “Do not covet anything that belongs to your friend”? The simple answer to this question is that a person covets because he sees something that his neighbor has, and this drives him into a frenzy. Why not me? I also want that. Envy is the driving force behind chemdah, coveting, what belongs to someone…

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והאבנים תהיין על שמות בני ישראל שתים עשרה על שמתם

The stones shall be according to the names of Bnei Yisrael, twelve according to their names. (28:21)

דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה

Speak to Bnei Yisrael, and they shall take for Me a portion. (25:2)

וצפית אתו זהב טהור מבית ומחוץ תצפנו ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב

You shall cover it with pure gold, from inside and from outside you shall cover it, and you shall make on it a golden diadem all around. (25:11)

ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע ועבדו לעלם

And his master shall bore through his ear with the awl, and he shall serve him forever. (21:6)

כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון. אם ענה תענה אתו כי אם צעק יצעק אלי שמע אשמע צעקתו

You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan. If you (dare to) cause him pain …. For if he shall cry out to Me, I shall surely hear his outcry. (22:21,22)

אם כסף תלוה את עמי

When you lend money to My People. (22:24)

ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ד' נעשה ונשמע

They said, “Everything that Hashem has said, we will do and we will listen.” (24:7)

לא תחמד בית רעך... וכל אשר לרעך

Do not covet your friend’s house… and everything that belongs to your friend. (20:14)

YEARS

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