Sruly Schnair

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Behar

“You shall not subjugate him with rigor and you shall fear your G-d… but over your brethren, Bnei Yisrael, one over another, you shall not rule with rigor.” (25:45,46)

The second admonishment against treating slaves harshly seems redundant. Why was it necessary to repeat the same prohibition three pesukim later? The Chasid Yaavetz explains that since the Torah had previously stated that we may enslave the Canaanites, a distinct possibility exists that we may inadvertently begin to treat the Jewish slave like his Canaanite counterpart. The Torah, therefore, repeats its warning against mistreatment of the Jewish slave. This statement is vexing. Are we to believe that one would unjustly mistreat a Jewish servant, because he is permitted to treat a Canaanite slave as he wishes? How does the treatment…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Behar

“If your brother becomes impoverished… you shall strengthen him. Do not take from him interest and increase.” (25:35,36)

The prohibition against paying interest to a Jew presents a number of difficulties. First, why should interest be forbidden altogether? Second, if taking interest is so bad, why are we permitted to exact interest from gentiles? Isn’t this a form of “double standard”? In response to these questions, Horav S.R. Hirsch z.l. offers an explanation which focuses on the true meaning of this prohibition. It is an accepted norm for one to make use of his home, animals, and various other possessions. He can do this either by personally utilizing them or by renting them out, applying the rental money…

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Sruly Schnair In Emor, 5754

“And you shall not profane My Name, but let Me be hallowed in the midst of Bnei Yisrael.” (22:32)

When we accepted the Torah, we became the bearers of Hashem’s Name as reflected in the lifestyle we lead as individuals and as a community. We are charged to be kadosh, holy, and to radiate this demeanor for the entire world to see and emulate. With every refusal to defer to a life of kedushah and any attraction which draws us away from fulfillment of this charge ,we are kkjnw desecrate, Hashem’s Name. As Horav S.R. Hirsch z.l. asserts, we justify our existence and validate our possessions to the degree of our affinity to kiddush Hashem, sanctification of Hashem’s Name. …

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Sruly Schnair In Emor, 5754

“A widow or one who is divorced or a profaned (woman or a) harlot; these he shall not take.” (21:14)

Why does the Torah prohibit the Kohen Gadol to marry a widow, while the kohen hedyot is only denied marriage to a divorcee? Horav Meir Bergman, Shlita, cites the Moshav Zekeinim, authored by the Baalei Tosfos, which offers an intriguing answer. They state that on Yom Kippur, when the Kohen Gadol reaches the zenith of kedushah and utters the Shem Ha’Meforash, Ineffable Name, he might perchance stare at a married woman. During this brief interlude, the Kohen Gadol might become momentarily captivated by this woman. His attraction to her might cause him to will death for her husband. Such strong…

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Sruly Schnair In Emor, 5754

“Speak unto the kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say unto them.” (21:1)

Rashi explains the apparent redundancy of “speak unto, and say.” He suggests that this is the Torah’s way to emphasize its admonishment for adults to educate minors. The adult kohanim should be extra vigilant in transmitting the laws of kehunah to their sons. This pasuk has traditionally been viewed as a paradigm for parents’ obligation to transmit Torah values to their children. Although Rashi states an essential prerequisite for effective parenting, his concept does not seem to be indicated in the context of this pasuk. The word, ,rntu, “and say,” seems to focus upon adults, consistent with the earlier part of…

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Sruly Schnair In Acharei Mos, 5754

“After the doings of the land of Egypt… you shall not do… and after the doings of the land of Canaan… you shall not do, and in their statutes you shall not walk. My ordinances you shall do and My statutes you shall keep to walk therein.” (18:3,4)

Rashi cites the Sifra which derives from the words “to walk therein” that one should not think that he can exempt himself from mitzvos. In other words, one shall not say, “I have learned the wisdom of Yisrael, I shall now go and learn the wisdom of other nations.” To act in such a manner is equivalent to exempting himself from Torah and mitzvos. This seems vexing. Why should studying the culture of other nations be viewed as being diametrically opposed to a Torah way of life? Horav Boruch Sorotzkin z.l. suggests the following explanation. Limud ha’Torah is not merely…

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Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5754

“Whatever has a split hoof and is wholly cloven footed and chews its cud among the beasts, you may eat.” (11:4)

The two features stated in this pasuk are signs which identify permitted animals. No reason is stated as a rationale for their permissibility. The Abarbanel suggests that animals which chew their cud are not capable of crushing and chewing up bones. Consequently, they feed on plants, and they do not have the ferocity of wild animals. Their split hooves do not have claws, suggesting that these are peaceloving and relatively harmless animals. Indeed, these animals reflect the traits of compassion and mercy, which are the hallmarks of the Jewish personality. In a similar sense, Rabbi S.R. Hirsch z.l. explains that…

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Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5754

“The camel, because she chews the cud, but parts not the hoof, she is unclean to you… and the pig, because he parts the hoof… but chews not the cud, he is unclean unto you.” (11:4,7)

The Midrash notes that even when Hashem describes the impure characteristics of the unclean animals, He identifies their pure features before mentioning the reason for their uncleanliness. This seems enigmatic! The Torah is listing the various unclean animals, such as the camel and the pig. Why does the Torah specify their pure characteristics altogether? What purpose can be served by this? Horav Yerachmiel Shulman z.l. derives an important lesson from this seeming verbosity. The Torah teaches that when we are about to render the pig, camel, or any other unclean animal unacceptable for Jewish consumption, we must be considerate not…

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Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5754

“And the sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, each took his pan… and they offered before Hashem a strange fire.” (10:1)

Nadav and Avihu brought a “strange fire” on the mizbayach, an offering that Hashem had not commanded them to bring. This violation resulted in their immediate death. The Yalkut Shimoni points out that this erroneous offering was the result of their not consulting with Moshe or with each other. This criticism seems questionable. Indeed, they should have consulted with their Rebbe, Moshe prior to offering the fire, but why were they censured for not consulting one another? Indeed, if such erudite and righteous men as Nadav and Avihu reached the same conclusion independently, it would seem obvious that consulting each…

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Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5754

“This is the thing which Hashem commanded that you should do, that there may appear to you the glory of Hashem.” (9:6)

This pasuk seems enigmatic. Bnei Yisrael had already performed everything that was demanded of them. What else were they expected to do? Chazal comment that Moshe said to Bnei Yisrael, “Remove the yetzer hora from your hearts so that you will be imbued with one common awe with which to serve Hashem. As He is one, so, too, should your service to Him be one.” This Midrash begs clarification. The Netziv z.l. offers a classical explanation which carries with it a timeless message. He explains that during Moshe’s tenure as leader, some individuals already charted their own path for experiencing…

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“You shall not subjugate him with rigor and you shall fear your G-d… but over your brethren, Bnei Yisrael, one over another, you shall not rule with rigor.” (25:45,46)

“If your brother becomes impoverished… you shall strengthen him. Do not take from him interest and increase.” (25:35,36)

“And you shall not profane My Name, but let Me be hallowed in the midst of Bnei Yisrael.” (22:32)

“A widow or one who is divorced or a profaned (woman or a) harlot; these he shall not take.” (21:14)

“Speak unto the kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say unto them.” (21:1)

“After the doings of the land of Egypt… you shall not do… and after the doings of the land of Canaan… you shall not do, and in their statutes you shall not walk. My ordinances you shall do and My statutes you shall keep to walk therein.” (18:3,4)

“Whatever has a split hoof and is wholly cloven footed and chews its cud among the beasts, you may eat.” (11:4)

“The camel, because she chews the cud, but parts not the hoof, she is unclean to you… and the pig, because he parts the hoof… but chews not the cud, he is unclean unto you.” (11:4,7)

“And the sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, each took his pan… and they offered before Hashem a strange fire.” (10:1)

“This is the thing which Hashem commanded that you should do, that there may appear to you the glory of Hashem.” (9:6)

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