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ויקריבו לפני ד' אש זרה אשר לא צוה אתם... וידם אהרן

Sruly Schnair
In Shemini, 5779

And they brought before Hashem an alien fire that He had not commanded them… And Aharon was silent. (10:1,3)

Much has been written concerning the apparent misstep of Nadav and Avihu in offering what was considered an alien fire, and the reaction of their father, Aharon HaKohen, to their tragic deaths. Chazal have analyzed and explained every word in order to give later generations a clue, a path for understanding and coming to grips with this tragedy. The Torah writes, Asher lo tzivah osam, “That He (Hashem) had not commanded them.” Apparently, their sin was in acting on their own. Discipline is obviously important, but is it that demanding? The Chiddushei HaRim sheds light on this “sin.” He derives…

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Home -> 5779 -> Shemini

ותצא אש מלפני ד' ותאכל אותם וימתו לפני ד'

Sruly Schnair
In Shemini, 5779

A fire came forth from before Hashem and consumed them and they died before Hashem. (10:2)

Chazal enumerate a number of areas of deficiency in the behavior of Nadav and Avihu which, on their lofty level, was considered sinful. One of their shortcomings was manifest in their drinking wine prior to performing the service. Inebriation might find an acceptable place in contemporary society’s morally bankrupt value system, but it certainly did not belong in the Priestly service. While Nadav and Avihu certainly did not entertain the idea of inebriation, this does not preclude their partaking in a glass of wine. Truth be told, they were not commanded against drinking wine prior to performing the service until…

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Home -> 5779 -> Shemini

בקרבי אקדש

Sruly Schnair
In Shemini, 5779

Through those who are close to Me, I will be sanctified. (10:3)

When Hashem carries out His decree of Strict Justice, especially when – as a result of this decree – someone dies, Hashem’s Name is sanctified. There is no greater Kiddush, sanctification, of Hashem’s Name, than missah, death. It indicates that Hashem is in control, that He alone determines how long and under what circumstances one will live. The Talmud (Niddah 30b) comments concerning the pasuk, Ki li tichra kol berech, “To me will every knee bends” (Yeshayahu 45), Zeh ha’missah, ‘This is a reference to death.” Indeed, the solemnity of a funeral – even one that takes place with a…

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Home -> 5779 -> Shemini

'ואחיכם כל בית ישראל יבכו את השרפה אשר שרף ד

Sruly Schnair
In Shemini, 5779

And your brethren, the entire House of Yisrael, shall bewail the conflagration that Hashem ignited. (10:6)

Chazal derive from here that the suffering of a Torah scholar (in this case, Aharon HaKohen and his remaining sons grieving) should be shared by all of Klal Yisrael. Indeed, as Horav Shlomo Kluger, zl, says, all Jews should show solidarity by mourning and grieving over a fellow Jew’s misfortune. Kol Bais Yisrael applies to every generation of Jews. Forever, until Moshiach arrives and wipes away our tears, it is incumbent upon us to shed tears over the tragic and untimely deaths of the two sons of Aharon HaKohen, Nadav and Avihu. Indeed, in the Yom Kippur Machzor right before…

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Home -> 5779 -> Shemini

וכל כלי חרש אשר יפל מהם אל תוכו כל אשר בתוכו יטמא ואתו תשברו

Sruly Schnair
In Shemini, 5779

All earthen vessels into which (something contaminated) falls, all that is within it shall be unclean, and it must be destroyed. (11:33)

Unlike wooden or metal vessels that are rendered (spiritually) unclean by virtue of being touched externally by an unclean object, klei cheres, earthenware vessels, become unclean only when the contaminated object is within the airspace of the vessel. External contact of a Klei cheres is not mitamei, does not render the earthenware vessel unclean. The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, explains this halachah as predicated on the notion that only something of value can be rendered unclean. Wood and metal possess intrinsic value. Thus, they can become unclean. Earth, however, has no intrinsic value, other than the fact that if it is formed…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5779

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו

Sruly Schnair
In 5779, Vayikra

And He called to Moshe; and Hashem spoke to Moshe. (1:1)

Psychologists talk about the importance of living a focused life. One who is focused possesses an inner peace borne from having direction, the knowledge of where he is heading, as well as a plan to get there. To live a focused life takes goals, practice and skill. The Torah does not rely on contemporary psychology. The Torah is the source of all psychology and ethics. Chazal derive from the above pasuk that Moshe Rabbeinu did not enter the Mishkan until Hashem called to invite him to enter. This was a manifestation of the attribute of daas, commonly translated either as…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5779

אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

Sruly Schnair
In 5779, Vayikra

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

Without a Bais Hamikdash where we can offer korbanos, offerings, we rely on our tefillos, prayers, to take the place of these korbanos. As such, our tefillos must be on the madreigah, spiritual plateau, of korbanos. The Sefer HaChinuch (Parashas Terumah, mitzvah of constructing the Mishkan) explains that korbanos, like the Mishkan, availed the Jew the opportunity to express himself to Hashem in a tangible manner. Thus, when a person sinned and brought a korban as penance, he was not getting by with a perfunctionary, Chatasi, “I sinned. I am sorry.” Rather, he offered a korban, an animal which would…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5779

והיה כי יאשם לאחת מאלה והתודה אשר חטא עליה

Sruly Schnair
In 5779, Vayikra

When one shall become guilty regarding one of these matters, he shall confess what he has sinned. (5:5)

Horav S.R. HIrsch, zl, observes that in addressing the concept of vidui, confession regarding a sin, the Torah uses the word, v’hisvadah, which (loosely translated) means, “he shall confess,” but should really be translated, “he shall confess (acknowledge) to himself.” Hisvadah is hispaeil, reflexive form, that denotes a confession of guilt pointed at oneself. The sinner is not expected to “make confession” (as they do in other religions), certainly not to G-d, Who knows everything. He does not require our confession to make Him aware of our sins. It is to himself that the sinner must admit that he “missed…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5779

לא ישים עליה שמן ולא יתן עליה לבנה כי חטאת היא

Sruly Schnair
In 5779, Vayikra

He shall not place oil on it nor shall he place frankincense on it, for it’s a sin-offering. (5:11)

The plain meal offering for a chatas, sin (offering), was brought for specific sins. This korban is part of the Korban Oleh v’yoreid, variable sin-offering, class, which is a dispensation to provide one who is poor the opportunity to atone for his sin with a korban. The variable korban is comprised of either a sheep or a goat, two turtledoves or two young doves, or, in the event that one has no funds, a tenth of an eiphah of flour. While oil and frankincense are put on all other meal offerings, the chatas receives no embellishment of oil or frankincense, since…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5779

בקע לגלגלת מחצית השקל בשקל הקדש לכל העבר על הפקדים

Sruly Schnair
In 5779, Pekudei

A beka for every head, a half-shekel to the sacred shekel for everyone who passed through the census takers. (38:26)

So many people contributed towards the Mishkan. One might think that due to the sheer numbers of contributors, the individual contribution/contributor would become lost in the shuffle. Such thoughts are the result of a small mind or limited cognitive ability. Nothing is insignificant in the eyes of Hashem. Indeed, this is true concerning all spirituality. Everything counts. One never knows what good can result from a single act of spirituality. The following vignettes underscore this idea. A young Kollel fellow maintained an outreach program out of a small shul in central Eretz Yisrael. He was extremely dedicated to his mission…

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