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Home -> 5782 -> Vaeira

ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם

Sruly Schnair
In Vaeira, 5782

I shall take you to Me for a people. (6:7)

Hashem chose the Jews as His People when He gave them the Torah. This was the watershed event that began with the Jews’ liberation from Egypt where they had been subjugated to the most cruel and debasing enslavement. When Klal Yisrael left Egypt, it was hardly evident that they would, in the space of a few months, be privy to the greatest Revelation of all time and receive the Torah, which would establish them as a nation under Hashem – His Nation. Veritably, the raison d’etre of the Jews’ liberation from Egypt was their receiving the Torah. This might be…

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Home -> 5782 -> Vaeira

הם המדברים אל פרעה... להוציא את בני ישראל ממצרים הוא משה ואהרן

Sruly Schnair
In Vaeira, 5782

They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh… to take Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt; this was Moshe and Aharon. (6:27)

The Torah introduces the partnership of Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen as Klal Yisrael’s designated leaders who were Divinely charged to lead the Jewish People from Egypt. It was through them that Pharaoh and his people were meted out the Ten Plagues. The Torah introduces them here with a genealogical backdrop, beginning with their great-grandfather, Levi, his children and grandchildren, culminating with Moshe and Aharon. This would have been sufficient. The Torah, however, adds, “This was Moshe and Aharon,” which, on the surface, appears to be a superfluous statement. Of course, they are Moshe and Aharon. Who else? Rashi explains…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5782

וימת יוסף וכל אחיו וכל הדור ההוא

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Shemos

Yosef died, and all his brothers and that entire generation. (1:6)

The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 1:8) teaches that as long as any member of the original seventy souls that comprised Yaakov Avinu’s family that descended with him to Egypt was alive, the Egyptians did not enslave them. In other words, shibud Mitzrayim, the bondage to which the Jews were subjected, did not begin right away. Why was this? How did the group of seventy protect their descendants? Horav Aharon Cohen, zl (Rosh Yeshivas Chevron), explains that every member of that unique group enjoyed a close, personal relationship with the Patriarch. As a result, he had greatly influenced and inspired each of…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5782

ויהי כי יראו המילדות את האלקים ויעש להם בתים

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Shemos

And it was because the midwives feared G-d that He made for them houses. (1:21)

The meyaldos, midwives, risked their lives to save and sustain the Jewish infants. Pharaoh was a mass murderer; he would have had no problem adding two more Jewish women to his list of victims. Yet, the Torah underscores not their act of saving the children, but that their behavior was the result of a deep-rooted sense of yiraas Shomayim, fear of Hashem. Imagine, if a Jew who had saved his fellow’s life at great risk to himself is presented to us. Would we laud his yiraas Shomayim or his life-saving efforts? Why does the Torah focus on their fear of…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5782

ותרא את התיבה בתוך הסוף ותשלח את אמתה ותקחה

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Shemos

She saw the basket among the reeds, and she sent her maidservant and she took it. (2:5)

Rashi cites Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 1:21), who expound that amah (translated above as maidservant) means arm (she stretched out her arm), and, according to their interpretation, her forearm became long (stretched) many amos (cubits) to enable her to reach the basket and draw the basket out of the water. Bisyah’s (daughter of Pharaoh) behavior begs elucidation. Apparently, she was a few cubits away from the basket. What possessed her to think that she could just stretch out her hand and reach the basket? She experienced a miracle, since, by natural convention, she should not have been able to reach the…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5782

ויגדל משה ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלתם

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Shemos

Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

Pharaoh did not enslave the members of Shevet Levi, which, considering his evil character, is an anomaly. He was a cruel despot who had no regard for the feelings of others. He considered himself to be a deity, fearing and respecting no one. Why would he be lenient towards Shevet Levi? Horav Yonasan Eibeshutz, zl, offers a practical explanation which goes to the core of the concept of nosei b’ol im chaveiro, sharing the yoke/empathizing with (the plight of) one’s fellow. Pharaoh’s astrologers told him that the man who would be the Jews’ savior would hail from Shevet Levi. Pharaoh…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5782

שלח נא ביד תשלח

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Shemos

Send by the hand of whomever You will send. (4:13)

Rashi comments: “By the hand of he whom You are accustomed to send as Your messenger.” This refers to Aharon HaKohen, who heretofore was Hashem’s emissary and leading spiritual leader of the enslaved Jews in Egypt. Moshe Rabbeinu was reluctant to accept the leadership position of Klal Yisrael, lest he infringe in any way upon his older brother’s current role as leader. Horav Shneur Kotler, zl, related (as quoted by the Tolner Rebbe, Shlita) that his father, the venerable architect to Torah in America, Horav Aharon Kotler, zl, had, throughout his life, never been bested by anyone (his vast erudition…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5782

ועשית עמדי חסד ואמת אל נא תקברני במצרים

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Vayechi

And do kindness and truth with me; please do not bury me in Egypt. (47:29)

Rashi comments that the kindness we demonstrate to the deceased is the true kindness of truth – chesed shel emes, purely altruistic, because the beneficiary will never be able to return the favor. The Maggid, zl, m’Dubno explains that when one performs chesed, an act of lovingkindness, for his fellow men, he does not know for certain that his act of chesed is truly a favor for the intended. For some (for example), giving them material support could actually harm them in the long run. With regard to the deceased, however, we have no question that the chesed is undoubtedly…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5782

ויקרבו ימי ישראל למות

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Vayechi

And the days of the death of Yisrael drew near. (47:29)

A well-known secular quote caught my attention. “When your life flashes before your eyes, make sure it is worth watching” (There are variations to this quote.) A life review, or experiencing a rapid image of one’s life history, is a phenomenon that can occur when one experiences a serious trauma, especially if it is life-threatening. The image, however, has merit – especially in light of the following exposition from Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl (Alei Shur). The Torah describes Yaakov Avinu’s petirah, passing, in an unusual manner: “And the days of the death drew near.” A person dies on one specific…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5782

האספו ואגידה לכם את אשר יקרא אתכם באחרית הימים

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Vayechi

Assemble yourselves, and I will tell you what will happen in the end of days. (49:1)

The Midrash explains that Yaakov Avinu wished to tell his children when Moshiach would come with the hope that the pre-knowledge of an end to the troubles of galus, exile, would, in and of itself, be a source of comfort. Hashem, however, prevented him from making this revelation. Klal Yisrael does not receive solace from deadlines, but rather, from faith and carrying out Hashem’s mitzvos. Veritably, by our actions, we extend the galus. If we would only wake up from our spiritual slumber and realize that Hashem wants to bring about the exile’s end, but we must deserve it. The…

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