Sruly Schnair

“Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.” (28:3)

The Midrash adds to this pasuk. “In the merit of the mitzvos that you perform in the city you will be blessed therein; and in the merit of the mitzvos which you perform in the field, you will be blessed in the field.” What is this message and what are the mitzvos of the city and the field? Horav Mordechai Rogov z.l. interprets this Midrash homiletically. The city is an analogy for rest and solitude, peace and tranquility. It alludes to life in a structured, secure environment. The field, on the other hand, represents a place fraught with danger and…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Savo, 5754

“And you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground… and you shall speak up and say before Hashem your G-d… When you make an end of the tithing of all the tithe… and you shall give unto the Levi, the ger, the orphan and the widow. And you should say before Hashem your G-d.” (26:12,13,25)

The parsha refers to two mitzvos which applied only when Klal Yisrael occupied Eretz Yisrael. They are the mitzvos of bikurim, the bringing of the first fruits, and maaser, the giving of tithes to the Levi, the widow and the orphan. Another tithe was maaser sheni, which was brought to Yerushalayim to be eaten among family and friends in joyful celebration. The fulfillment of each of these mitzvos was accompanied by a tefillah, prayer. One was known as mikra bikurim, the reading of pesukim of thanksgiving for the first fruits; the other was known as viduy maaser, the confession of…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Savo, 5754

“And the Egyptians dealt ill with us and afflicted us.” (26:6)

Most commentators translate the word osanu as lanu, to/with us, referring to the harsh treatment to which we were subjected at the hands of the Egyptians. Horav Mordechai Gifter, Shlita, suggests that the literal meaning is a more propitious definition. When the Egyptian leadership sought to enslave and ultimately destroy the Jewish people, they realized it would be difficult to convince the average Egyptian citizen to participate in this blatant anti- semitism. They understood that first they must perform a successful campaign of vicious character assassination against the Jewish people. This negative propaganda would veil their virulent hatred of the…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Seitzei, 5754

“You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.” (25:19)

What is the meaning of the “remembrance of Amalek”? Is it not sufficient simply to destroy Amalek? Horav S.R. Hirsch z.l. explains that it is not Amalek who is so threatening to the future of humanity. Rather, “zecher Amalek,” the remembrance of Amalek, the glorifying of Amalek’s memory, is the prime danger. As long as in the annals of history the murderers and plunderers are venerated as heroes, as long as these heinous criminals are not buried into oblivion, their names will gradually be “cleansed.” With each successive generation individuals will arise who seek to glorify these “great warriors.” These…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Seitzei, 5754

“Remember what Amalek did to you.” (25:17)

How does one fulfill the imperative to remember Amalek’s treachery towards our ancestors? The mitzvah to blot out Amalek’s name is hardly applicable in contemporary times, while Am Yisrael is in galus, exile — even if we were able to identify clearly a member of this contemptible nation. Horav Moshe Feinstein z.l. infers a profound lesson to be derived from this pasuk. Amalek’s dastardly act demonstrated that man can be aware of Hashem’s infinite greatness and unlimited power and still descend to the nadir of depravity. Indeed, Chazal compare Amalek to one who jumps into a tub of scalding water,…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Seitzei, 5754

“An Amoni or Moavi may not enter Hashem’s marriage group even after the tenth generation… (This is) because they did not greet you with bread and wife water.” (23:4,5)

The spiritual fate of Amon and Moav was sealed not because of immorality, murder, or other vicious crimes, but because of their lack of chesed, kindness. An Egyptian who converts, even an Amalkite, is accepted into Hashem’s congregation after the third generation. This is not the case with an Amoni or Moavi. This exclusion is due to their apparent disdain of the middah, character trait of chesed. Klal Yisrael’s most vicious enemies, perpetrators of the most heinous acts of murder, can one day “make it.” In contrast, the one who rejects chesed can not. This is perplexing! What greater lack…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Seitzei, 5754

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son that will not listen (to) the voice of his father or the voice of his mother.” (21:18)

Chazal make a powerful statement in regard to the ben sorer u’moreh. This boy, who has just reached the age of maturity demonstrates unusual insubordination. He is defiant towards all authority. He simply does whatever he wants, regardless of his parent’s pain regarding his life of spiritual degeneration. His parents together are obligated to bring him to Bais Din for punishment. They must assert their role as prosecutors by clearly stating “this is our son,” “he does not listen to the voice of his father or to the voice of his mother.” Horav Moshe Swift z.l. suggests that this act…

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Sruly Schnair In Ki Seitzei, 5754

“When you go forth in battle against your enemies…. and you see amongst the captives a woman of goodly form… If a man has two wives… If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son .” (21:10,11,15,18)

There are a number of difficulties which confront us when we attempt to interpret the sequences and rationale of these pesukim. Rashi explains the juxtaposition of pesukim in the following manner: The Jewish soldier is permitted to marry the ye’fas to’ar, beautiful captive. This is a concession to human nature as opposed to the yetzer hora, evil inclination. In His infinite wisdom, Hashem saw that man, weak from the tension of war, would succumb to his base desires and marry this woman even illicitly. Consequently, He permitted marriage to her. Such a relationship, however, can not and will not bode…

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Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5754

“And the officers shall speak unto the people saying what man (is there) that has built a new house and has not dedicated it yet… and what man (is there) that has planted a vineyard and has not used the fruit thereof… and what man (is there) who has betrothed a lady and has not taken her…. what man (is there) that is fearful and fainthearted let him go and return to his house.” (20:5,6,7,8)

In these pasukim, the Torah describes Klal Yisrael’s procedure for entering into a milchemes reshus, voluntary war, a war for which the king needed the authorization of the Sanhedrin. We note here an interesting set of laws that were implemented as the men prepared to go into battle. The Kohen Mashuach Milchamah, specially anointed for war, would address the assemblage of would-be soldiers and exhort them regarding the cruelties and dangers they could expect to face. Three groups of people were encouraged to leave, lest their concern regarding affairs unfinished at home pre-disposed them to be excluded from active participation…

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Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5754

“You shall prepare the way and divide the border of your land into three parts… that every murderer may flee there.” (19:3)

In Makos 10b the Talmud states that each crossroads bore the sign “miklat,” refuge, in order to guide the murderer toward the right direction to reach the arai miklat, cities of refuge. The Ponevezer Rav z.l. expounded on this Chazal. Why were directional signs provided only for the rotzeach b’shogeg, unintentional murderer? Why weren’t signs likewise provided for the oleh regel, pilgrims who went up to Yerushalayim for Yom Tov? There should have been signs at the crossroads directing all Jew to the Bais Ha’Mikdash. He responded in the following manner: Man, by nature, detests a murderer. One who has…

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“Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.” (28:3)

“And the Egyptians dealt ill with us and afflicted us.” (26:6)

“You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.” (25:19)

“Remember what Amalek did to you.” (25:17)

“An Amoni or Moavi may not enter Hashem’s marriage group even after the tenth generation… (This is) because they did not greet you with bread and wife water.” (23:4,5)

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son that will not listen (to) the voice of his father or the voice of his mother.” (21:18)

“When you go forth in battle against your enemies…. and you see amongst the captives a woman of goodly form… If a man has two wives… If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son .” (21:10,11,15,18)

“You shall prepare the way and divide the border of your land into three parts… that every murderer may flee there.” (19:3)

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