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Home -> 5781 -> Mishpatim

כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5781

You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan. (22:21)

It is understandable that one should not afflict the widow and orphan. Why would anyone who has a modicum of human decency have to be commanded not to take advantage of the weak and defenseless? Apparently, when a profit can be made, or one can assuage his ego by dominating over others, human decency has little meaning – and even less influence. Horav Yechiel Meir, zl, m’Gustinin was asked why the Torah emphasizes that one many not afflict a widow and an orphan, as if one is permitted to do so to an ordinary Jew who is not a victim…

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Home -> 5781 -> Mishpatim

וגר לא תונה ולא תלחצנו כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5781

You shall not taunt or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (22:20)

The Torah shows its concern for the proper treatment of the weak, helpless, abandoned and the stranger/convert, who feel alone, estranged, although they should be welcomed and embraced. It is sad that there exist among us the few who lord over others due to their own insecurities. These people consider themselves better, privileged, powerful when, in fact, they are the ones who are weak and pathetic. The prohibition against any mistreatment of a ger, convert, is prefaced with a serious reminder to look back to our own history, when we were strangers in the land of Egypt. A newcomer to…

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Home -> 5781 -> Mishpatim

ויקם משה ויהושע משרתו ויעל משה אל הר אלקים

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5781

Moshe stood up with Yehoshua, his student, and Moshe ascended to the Mountain of G-d. (24:13)

Yehoshua was neither commanded to accompany Moshe Rabbeinu, nor did he have any function at the mountain. Nonetheless, as the loyal student and servant, he accompanied his Rebbe and waited for him at the foot of the mountain for forty days until he returned. The question is obvious: What did Yehoshua achieve by waiting at the bottom of the mountain? If he thought he would miss something, he could have set his “alarm clock” for forty days later (in the morning) and run up to the mountain and wait for Moshe. Why did he camp out at the mountain for…

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Home -> 5781 -> Yisro

ואתה תחזה מכל העם אנשי חיל יראי אלקים אנשי אמת שנאי בצע

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5781

And you shall discern from among the entire people, men of accomplishment, G-d-fearing people, men of truth, people who despise money. (18:21)

Yisro advised Moshe Rabbeinu to seek Judges who possessed four exemplary attributes; most important, they were seeking anshei chayil, men of accomplishment. Rashi interprets accomplishment as referring to men of means who would not be swayed, who could resist pressure, thus enabling them to render their judgment not subject to external influence. Sforno interprets chayil to mean men who possess good judgment, common sense, and the ability to recognize when truth is being related and when it is not. Interestingly, after sifting through the ranks of the people, he found numerous anshei chayil, which is a strong indication of the…

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Home -> 5781 -> Yisro

ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5781

You shall be to Me a kingdom of ministers/priests and a holy nation. (19:6)

The Torah hereby informs us of our mission statement, the identity which we must strive to achieve as members of Klal Yisrael. The Kohanim stand at the spiritual helm of the nation as mentors and paradigms of moral/spiritual perfection. They have dedicated their lives to the service of Hashem – a mission which the Torah expects all of us to complete. Second, we are to become a goy kadosh, holy nation. Holiness is achieved via separation and removal of oneself from the moral temptations and conflicts that would destroy our spiritual ascent. One can hardly live a life of abandon,…

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Home -> 5781 -> Yisro

והגבלת את העם סביב... כל הנוגע בהר מות יומת

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5781

You shall set boundaries for the people roundabout…Whoever will touch the mountain will surely die. (19:12)

Nogea means to touch inappropriately or to reach up/out. It is the act of going beyond one’s domain into that of another. One may extend himself indecorously or even correctly, but, in any event, he goes beyond himself into another otherwise inaccessible area. He reaches/touches elsewhere. The Jewish People were warned not to touch the mountain. It was off-limits to them. It was theoretically beyond their reach, out of the sphere of their purview. The Chafetz Chaim, zl, cited this pasuk in a letter admonishing the head of a medical conference against tampering with the Torah-study of yeshivah students. Apparently,…

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Home -> 5781 -> Yisro

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5781

Honor your father and mother so that your days shall be lengthened. (20:12)

Kibbud av’v’eim is a difficult mitzvah to fulfill properly because there is no shiur, measurement, to it. The mitzvah has no limits, because one can always do more. Indeed, the great Amora, Abaye, who was an orphan (his father died before he was born, and his mother died in childbirth), considered himself fortunate, since he never transgressed this mitzvah (Kiddushin 31b). Why is arichas yamim, longevity, the stated reward for Kibbud av v’eim? Each generation is a link in a continuum that goes on until the advent of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. This link is as strong as the relationship one has…

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Home -> 5781 -> Yisro

וכל העם ראים את הקולת

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5781

The entire people saw the thunder. (20:15)

Thunder is a sound which one hears, not sees. Yet, the nation was able to see the thunder: Ro’im es ha’nishma, “They saw what is (ordinarily only) heard.” This indicates that during the Revelation, the nation transcended human/normal physical limitations, rising to the level of superhuman comprehension, whereby they could see what had otherwise only been heard. Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, zl, writes (Kerem HaTzvi) that he came across an innovative satirical explanation of ro’im es ha’nishma. At that time (early 20th century England/Europe) Jewish observance was hemorrhaging, decreasing with each passing day. One of the obvious reasons for this…

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Home -> 5781 -> Beshalach

ויהפך לבב פרעה ועבדיו אל העם

Sruly Schnair
In Beshalach, 5781

And the heart of Pharaoh and his servants became transformed regarding the people. (14:5)

What possessed Pharaoh to pursue the Jewish People, whom he had just (forced by Hashem) released from bondage? What was running through his mind when he made such an about-face? He had just suffered ten devastating plagues, with the death of the firstborn Egyptians striking very close to home. His people were demoralized, his country in ruin; yet, he was chasing the Jews. Did he require more proof of Hashem’s power? He arrived with his soldiers at the banks of the Red Sea and saw that the sea had miraculously split, and the Jews were crossing through on dry land….

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Home -> 5781 -> Beshalach

ויצעקו בני ישראל אל ד'

Sruly Schnair
In Beshalach, 5781

Bnei Yisrael cried out to Hashem. (14:10)

The Midrash Tanchuma (9) teaches that when Klal Yisrael saw that their situation was dire, they grasped the umnos, “profession,” of their ancestors/Patriarchs and reached out to Hashem through the vehicle of prayer. The efficacy of prayer cannot be overstated. It should not be our last – but rather, our first – resort. A Jew speaks to Hashem, his Father in Heaven, through the medium of prayer. Chazal are teaching us, however, that the Jewish People turned to Hashem in prayer just because the situation was bleak. How is this to be compared to the prayers of our Patriarchs, who…

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