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ואת שעיר החטאת דרש דרש משה והנה שרף

Sruly Schnair
In Shemini, 5785

Moshe inquired insistently about the he-goat of the sin-offering, for, behold, it had been burned! (10:16)

Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen had opposing views concerning the Rosh Chodesh he-goat. The kohanim burned it, because they felt it was kodshei doros, consecrated forever, to be offered again and again. They felt that, since they were onenim, mourners, who had just witnessed the tragic deaths of Nadav and Avihu, they could not partake of the meat. Although Moshe had said they were allowed to eat the first two korbanos (meal-offerings), they were kodshei shah, offering consecrate specifically for the Inauguration of the Mishkan. Moshe, however, felt they could eat the seir Rosh Chodesh, as well. Moshe accepted Aharon’s…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tzav

ואש המזבח תוקד בו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

And the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it. (6:2)

Chazal (Menachos 97a) teach, “When the Mizbayach, Altar, was extant, it would atone for man’s sins (he would offer his korban upon it). Now that we no longer have the Mizbayach, a person’s shulchan, table, atones for him.” Rashi explains that this refers to the piece of bread that he gives to guests. In other words, the tzedakah, material outreach, be it food or material support, that we render, protects us from Heavenly reciprocity for our less-than-noble behavior. The comparison between Altar and table requires elucidation – the time in which one places the meat and blood of a korban…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tzav

ופשט את בגדיו ולבש בגדים אחרים

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

He shall remove his garments and he shall wear other garments. (6:4)

Rashi explains, “This is not an obligation, but rather, proper conduct, so that he not soil, through taking out the ashes, garments in which he serves constantly, garments in which he has cooked a pot for his master…” Therefore, he shall don garments inferior to the ones which he wears when he serves in the Sanctuary. A similar idea is to be found with regard to the clothing we wear on Shabbos. Shulchan Orach Chaim (262:2): “One should try to have for himself nice clothes for Shabbos.” The Mishnah Berurah adds that this is part of honoring Shabbos. This applies…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tzav

והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו יעשה אותה חק עולם

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

The Kohen from among his sons who is anointed in his place shall perform it, it is an eternal decree from Hashem. (615)

The Kohen Gadol offers a minchas chavitin, meal offering, repeatedly baked every day of his tenure. This is his inaugural korban on the day that he becomes Kohen Gadol and continues throughout the period that he serves. It is almost as if every day is a new day of service; as if he is inaugurated anew every day. Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, explains that the Kohen Gadol must be infused with the knowledge that his position is a Heavenly gift that Hashem renews daily, which He can, just as easily, take away. (Hashem can strike him with a mum, physical…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

If he shall offer it for a Thanksgiving-offering. (7:12)

Rashi explains that the Korban Todah, Thanksgiving offering, is brought by a person who had been the beneficiary of a Divine miracle (everything that happens to us is Divinely initiated). For example; One who: crossed the sea; traversed a wilderness, was released from prison/captivity; cured of an illness. Such people are to offer their gratitude to Hashem, as it is written in Sefer Tehillim (107:31,22), “Let them thank G-d for His kindness and His wondrous acts for humanity… Bring offerings of thanks and, with songs of joy, tell of His deeds.” Implied herein is the notion that the obligation for…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5785

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayikra

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

The well-known Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 1:15) derives an important lesson from Moshe Rabbeinu’s behavior: “Any Torah scholar who lacks daas, wisdom, decorum, conduct, and manners is worse than an animal carcass; neveilah is better than he is.” Moshe Rabbeinu, the father of wisdom, the father of prophets, who took the Jews out of Egypt and was the medium through whom many miracles were wrought and who concerned himself with all aspects of the building of the Mishkan, did not enter the innermost chamber until Hashem called him. Rav Yitzchak Hutner, zl, explains why Chazal state that a talmid chacham who…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5785

ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה לד' סלת יהיה קרבנו

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayikra

When a person offers a meal-offering to Hashem, his offering shall be of fine flour. (2:1)

Of all those who bring a korban nedavah, voluntary offering, the Torah refers only to one who brings a Korban Minchah, meal offering, as nefesh, soul (person). This korban is the least costly of all offerings. Thus, it was the korban of choice for the economically challenged, poor man. Hashem says that one who brings this offering is considered as if he had offered his soul. Let us sit back and analyze this idea. A poor man was to take his life’s savings and purchase a large cow as a korban. It makes sense that he was giving everything/his soul,…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5785

אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצוות ד' אלוקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה ואשם

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayikra

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem, his God, that may not be done – unintentionally – and becomes guilty. (4:22)

Asher can be translated as “when,” indicating the inevitability of the ruler’s unintentional sin. It often comes with the territory. Power and wealth make great demands on a person, and sometimes a ruler is distracted or overwhelmed by the stress of his role. Rashi cites Sifra that translates Asher as alluding to Ashrei, fortunate. This implies that the generation whose leader does not resort to cover-up or spin to validate his actions – who concedes that he has erred – is truly a fortunate generation. This is a leader whom we can respect. His integrity is more important to him…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5785

אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדת

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony. (38:21)

Simply, the Mishkan was the abode of the Aron HaKodesh which contained within it the Luchos HaEidus, Tablets of Testimony. Noticeably, the word Mishkan is repeated, alluding to the two Mishkanos. Chazal teach that this refers to the two Batei Mikdash which were taken from us. Mishkan is a resting place. It can also be transformed (changing the vowels) to mashkon, collateral. Thus, the dual Mishkan in our pasuk alludes to the two mashkanos, collaterals (Batei Mikdash), that were taken from us, to be returned only when the collective nation repents and, consequently, is restored to its original glory. We…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5785

עשה את כל אשר צוה ד' את משה

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Pekudei

Did everything as Hashem commanded Moshe. (38:22)

A king commissioned a master craftsman to build a summer mansion. The king gave him the approved architectural drawings and instructed him to build the mansion in accordance with the drawings. The craftsman was a brilliant builder who had ideas of his own which he incorporated into the edifice. When it was completed, he felt that the mansion was far more beautiful than what he would have constructed based upon the architect’s drawings. He was beyond proud of himself. It, therefore, came as a surprise when the king frowned upon seeing and entering the mansion. “What did you do?” asked…

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