Sruly Schnair

“Also, Lot who went with Avram had flocks, cattle and tents. And the land could not support their dwelling together for their possessions were abundant and they were unable to dwell together.” (13:5,6)

The parsha relating to Lot is difficult to understand. Hashem’s command of “Lech Lecha,” His imperative for Avraham to uproot himself, to leave his country and birthplace, is considered one of Avraham’s ten trials. Yet, Lot accompanied Avraham as a devoted student without being commanded to do so! He went along simply out of a profound desire to be with Avraham and to learn from him. If this is so, how did Lot suddenly transform into a greedy person, willing to throw it all away and live in the degenerate city of Sodom, just for the sake of material gain?…

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Sruly Schnair In Noach, 5756

“They said to one another, ‘Come let us make bricks and burn them in fire.'” (11:3)

The Torah begins the narrative discussing the sin of the Dor Haflagah, generation of the dispersion. Everyone assembled under the leadership of the evil Nimrod, self-proclaimed king of the world, to build a tower ascending to Heaven. From this vantage point they planned to wage war against the Almighty. It seems, therefore, superfluous to mention their comments of, “Let us make bricks.” Do the technicalities of the development of the tower carry any significance with regard to the sin? It is clear that Bavel/Iraq is — as Rashi notes — situated on a plain, where there are no stones available…

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Sruly Schnair In Noach, 5756

“Noach walked (served) with Hashem.” (6:9)

Regarding Avraham Avinu, the Torah states, “Walk before me.” Rashi distinguishes between Noach’s and Avraham’s spiritual plateaus. Avraham was strong enough to walk alone, whereas Noach needed the support of the Almighty. The Midrash presents a parable from which we can gain a better insight into understanding Noach’s spiritual essence. A father who walks with his little child, while the youngster is still unsteady and learning to walk, must lend his total support to prevent his son from falling. As the child grows older, he is weaned from his father’s support. Noach, ostensibly, did not have the spiritual stamina to…

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Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5756

“These are the offspring of Noach — Noach was a righteous man.” (6:9)

The pasuk opens with an introduction to Noach’s offspring, but then continues by mentioning that Noach was a righteous man. Rashi cites the Midrash which explains that the primary progeny of the righteous are their good deeds. Children are our legacy, the chain with which we connect to our future. Children are the way we eternalize ourselves. They carry on from the point where we depart this world. So, too, are a person’s good deeds his precious legacy! He is remembered by them, as they serve to inspire others to continue in the same path upon which he tread. The…

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Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5756

“And Kayin knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Chanoch, he became a city builder and named the city after his son, Chanoch.” (4:l7)

A name carries a great deal of meaning. What is the significance of Chanoch’s name that Kayin selected it over any number of similarly appropriate names? Also, why did he use the same name that he gave to his son for his first city? The Koheles Yitzchak relates a novel explanation for the use of this name, in the name of a Gadol Echod. In retrospect, Kayin was distressed over his reprehensible act of killing Hevel. He asked himself how someone of his stature and nobility could kill his brother in cold blood? Where did he get that burning passion…

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Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5756

“The blood of your brother cries out to Me from the ground.” (4:10)

The word d’mei is written in the plural, lending itself to be translated as “bloods.” Chazal infer from this plural distinction that Kayin’s violent crime was not directed at Hevel alone. Indeed, he is held responsible for shedding the “blood” of all future generations. In an alternative interpretation, Chazal indicate that Hevel bled from different wounds. Not knowing how to kill his brother, Kayin flung sticks and rocks which inflicted many wounds upon his entire body. Only after he struck his neck did Hevel die. Hashem, upon demanding justice from Kayin, emphasized that each and every wound, every bit of…

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Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5756

“And they heard the sound of Hashem… and the man and his wife hid from Hashem… ‘Where is Hevel, your brother?’ and he (Kayin) said, ‘I do not know, am I my brother’s keeper?'”(3:8, 4:9)

Two serious sins were committed in this parsha, one by a father and the other by his son. A remarkable lesson can be derived from the progression of the sins and the apparent degeneration in the attitude that the father and son each demonstrated towards his transgression. When Hashem confronted Adam, the Torah relates that he “hid” from Hashem. The Targum Yonasan comments that he hid out of shame. He simply could not face Hashem after what he had done. When Hashem inquired if Adam had eaten from the Eitz Ha’Daas, Adam immediately confessed his guilt. There was no cover-up,…

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Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5756

“In the beginning, Hashem created.” (1:1)

In the Yalkut Shimoni, Chazal explain why the Torah begins with the letter “Bais.” The Midrash relates that when Hashem was about to create the world, each of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet came before Him and asked that the world be created specifically with its letter. The “Taf” felt it should be first since it begins the word “Torah.” This scenario continued, with each letter vying for the honor of being chosen for this most sublime “occasion.” At the end, the letter “Bais” entered and said it should be selected since the Bais is used for blessing…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeilech

When all Yisrael comes to appear before Hashem…in the place He will choose. You shall read this Torah in their ears… Gather together the people…so that they will hear so that they will learn…and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah. (31:11,12)

Once every seven years, on the first day of Chol Hamoed that followed the Shemittah year, all of Klal Yisrael was enjoined to gather together at the Bais Hamikdash to listen to the king read from Sefer Devarim. He would read pesukim that dealt with our allegiance to Hashem, the Covenant, and reward and punishment. The primary doctrine of Jewish life is the Torah. Without it, we are nothing. With it, we have the capacity for attaining the greatest spiritual rewards. Consequently, it is only proper that all Jews stand in affirmation of the Torah. Chazal infer from the Torah‘s…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeilech

And Hashem said to Moshe, Behold your days are drawing near to die, summon Yehoshua and both of you shall stand in the Ohel Moed, and I shall instruct him. (31:14)

It would seem that Hashem could instruct Yehoshua, even if Moshe’s days were not drawing to a climax. Why does the Torah seem to emphasize that Yehoshua was receiving his instruction only because Moshe’s life was ending? Could Yehoshua not have received his charge after Moshe’s demise? The Netziv, zl, cites Chazal in the Talmud Bava Basra 75a who teach us that the zekeinim, elders of that generation, compared the “face” of Moshe to the “face” of the sun and the “face” of Yeshoshua to that of the moon. The analogy is interpreted in the following manner: The moon receives…

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“Also, Lot who went with Avram had flocks, cattle and tents. And the land could not support their dwelling together for their possessions were abundant and they were unable to dwell together.” (13:5,6)

“They said to one another, ‘Come let us make bricks and burn them in fire.'” (11:3)

“Noach walked (served) with Hashem.” (6:9)

“These are the offspring of Noach — Noach was a righteous man.” (6:9)

“And Kayin knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Chanoch, he became a city builder and named the city after his son, Chanoch.” (4:l7)

“The blood of your brother cries out to Me from the ground.” (4:10)

“And they heard the sound of Hashem… and the man and his wife hid from Hashem… ‘Where is Hevel, your brother?’ and he (Kayin) said, ‘I do not know, am I my brother’s keeper?'”(3:8, 4:9)

“In the beginning, Hashem created.” (1:1)

When all Yisrael comes to appear before Hashem…in the place He will choose. You shall read this Torah in their ears… Gather together the people…so that they will hear so that they will learn…and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah. (31:11,12)

And Hashem said to Moshe, Behold your days are drawing near to die, summon Yehoshua and both of you shall stand in the Ohel Moed, and I shall instruct him. (31:14)

YEARS

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