Sruly Schnair

“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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Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5754

“If there is a matter concealed from you in judgement between blood and blood, between decision and decision, and between plague and plague, (even) matters of controversy within your gates.” (17:8)

The pasuk encourages one to seek judgement by the higher courts in the event of doubt in various areas of Jewish law. Horav Meir Shapiro z.l. as well as many others have interpreted this pasuk homiletically in the following manner: If you are shocked and exasperated by the bein dam l’dam questions between the blood of nations, (i.e., when nations malign us with blood libels) even though our abhorrence of blood is apparent. If a Jew wishes to eat a piece of meat, he must soak and salt it to the point that no drop of blood remains. Why then are we so…

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Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5754

“You shall surely give him… (because) (that for) this thing that Hashem your G-d will bless you in all your work.” (15:10)

Man must realize that his wealth is bequeathed to him for a specific purpose, so that he will use it to to help others. One should not think that giving tzeddakah, charity, decreases his financial assets. On the contrary, the greatest merit for attaining financial security is to give charity to others. This is the pasuk’s message. The Dubna Maggid offers a parable to elucidate this idea. A man went to the market with a hundred dollars in his pocket, which he later lost. The next day he returned to the market and found a wallet with two hundred dollars…

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Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5754

“You are children of Hashem your G-d, you shall not cut yourselves, nor make a bald patch between your eyes for the dead.” (14:1)

The juxtaposition of topics in this portion of the parsha begs elucidation. The previous perek dealt with the false prophet who instigated people to worship idols. This is followed by the laws concerning an ir ha’nidachas, a place in which an entire population of a city defected from Hashem and committed themselves to idol worship. The Torah goes on to emphasize our unique relationship with Hashem as analogous to the relationship between children and their parents. This unparalleled relationship precludes our unusual out-pouring of grief at the death of a parent. What connection is there between these various laws? What…

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Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5754

“That you shall set the blessing on Har Gerizim and the curse on Har Eival.” (11:29)

Why was it necessary to confer blessing and curse on two disparate mountains? Would it not have been just as effective to have used a single mountain for demonstrating both blessing and curse? This same question arises in Parashas Ki Savo, when the Leviim were told to face Har Gerizim for blessing and to face Har Eival when they articulated curse. Horav Tzvi Hirsch z.l. M’Vilna suggests that Hashem teaches us a profound lesson with this distinction between blessing and curse. This separation is made in order to emphasize that the source of blessing must always be distinguished from the…

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Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5754

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.” (11:26)

The Sforno asserts that this pasuk clearly differentiates Klal Yisrael from the other nations. The fate of other nations is not measured in dichotomies. They are not in a position to be either fully prosperous, on the one hand, or totally devastated on the other. Klal Yisrael, in contrast, is different. Being Hashem’s people means that there is no middle road; Bnei Yisrael will either be blessed or cursed! This, states the Sforno, was Moshe’s message to them. “Behold, see and reflect upon your distinctiveness.” These choices are “before you.” The unique fate of Klal Yisrael is inextricably intertwined with…

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Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5754

“To love Hashem your G-d, to walk in His ways, and to cleave/cling unto Him.” (22:11)

Chazal explain the concept of walking in Hashem’s ways as following in “His footsteps.” This means to emulate Hashem. Just as He is merciful, so should we be merciful. Just as He is charitable so should we be charitable. Emulating Hashem should be the governing factor in our performance of mitzvos. Horav Yaakov Neiman z.l. asserts that to perform a mitzvah for Hashem while simultaneously hurting a fellow Jew even indirectly is wrong and diametrically opposed to Hashem’s intention concerning mitzvah performance. We must remember our responsibility to reflect Hashem’s traits of mercy and caring. In Parashas Va’eschanan 4:9, the…

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Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5754

“And (therefore) you shall place these My words on (in) your hearts and on (in) your soul.” (11:18)

Rashi states that the mitzvos of tefillin and mezuzah are distinct from others in that Bnei Yisrael are expected to continue to practice them even in exile. Thus, when they return to Eretz Yisrael, tefillin and mezuzah would not seem to be new/foreign mitzvos. The Vilna Gaon questions Rashi’s statement from the Talmud Kidushin 3b, which states that any mitzvah whose observance is limited specifically to the land (Eretz Yisrael) is not applicable to chutz la’aretz, countries outside of Eretz Yisrael. Those mitzvos which are not bound to the land, however, are applicable in Eretz Yisrael, as well as outside…

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“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)

“If there is a matter concealed from you in judgement between blood and blood, between decision and decision, and between plague and plague, (even) matters of controversy within your gates.” (17:8)

“You shall surely give him… (because) (that for) this thing that Hashem your G-d will bless you in all your work.” (15:10)

“You are children of Hashem your G-d, you shall not cut yourselves, nor make a bald patch between your eyes for the dead.” (14:1)

“That you shall set the blessing on Har Gerizim and the curse on Har Eival.” (11:29)

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.” (11:26)

“To love Hashem your G-d, to walk in His ways, and to cleave/cling unto Him.” (22:11)

“And (therefore) you shall place these My words on (in) your hearts and on (in) your soul.” (11:18)

YEARS

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