Sruly Schnair – Page 86 – Peninim on the Torah

. ויהס כלב את העם

And Kalev silenced the people. (13:30)

Some of the greatest tragedies result from petty jealousy. At times, one misplaced word purposely rendered to cast aspersion on someone can have deleterious ramifications – for the slanderer. The spies returned with their slanderous report concerning Eretz Yisrael. Yehoshua and Kalev knew these were lies. They attempted to quiet the nation, to get them to listen to reason. Kalev succeeded in getting their attention. The Talmud (Sotah 35a) posits that Yehoshua made a futile attempt, but the people refused to listen to him. They said, Dein rosh ktiya yimallel, “he whose head is cut off is speaking.” This is…

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ויבכו העם בלילה ההוא

Sruly Schnair In Shelach, 5781

The people wept that night. (14:1)

Klal Yisrael wept bitterly on that fateful night. The meraglim incited their fears, and their emotions broke through in profuse weeping. Unfortunately, their weeping was unwarranted, since the spies were spewing nothing but lies which were meant to inject fear in the hearts of the people. Had their faith and trust in Hashem been realized, their reaction would have been completely different. Hashem promised to transform their unwarranted weeping into warranted weeping, and we now commemorate Tishah B’Av, our day of national mourning. It is incredible that all of this tragedy was the result of baseless weeping. Understandably, one should…

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ויאמרו איש אל אחיו נתנה ראש ונשובה מצרימה

Sruly Schnair In Shelach, 5781

So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader, and let us return to Egypt.” (14:4)

The chet meraglim, sin of the spies, was the transgression that put an end to the possibility that the Jews of that generation would settle in Eretz Yisrael. This was a generation that had survived the Egyptian bondage, were privy to the miracles of the Ten Plagues, were liberated from Egypt and experienced the Splitting of the Red Sea; later, they stood at Har Sinai and witnessed the greatest Revelation in history, as they received the Torah. Yet, this generation was barred from entering Eretz Yisrael. It would be their children, instead, who would enter and settle in the land….

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בהעלתך את הנרות

Sruly Schnair In Beha'alosecha, 5781

When you kindle the lamps. (8:2)

Rashi addresses the juxtaposition of the parshah of the Menorah upon the conclusion of the previous parsha, which details the korbanos, offerings, of the Nesiim for the chanukas ha’Mizbayach. When Aharon took note of the involvement of the Nesiim in the dedication of the Mizbayach, he became chagrined that neither he nor any members of his tribe, Shevet Levi, had been included. We must remember that envy is not a word that could ever apply to someone of the caliber of Aharon HaKohen. His spiritual stature obviated any possibility of attributing such a term to him. He was not jealous;…

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בהעלתך את הנרות

Sruly Schnair In Beha'alosecha, 5781

When you kindle the lamps. (8:2)

Rashi explains the term, be’haalosecha, in its literal sense: “When you raise up (the lamps).” The Torah should have used the word b’hadlikcha, which means when you kindle. Rashi offers two explanations which, on the surface, appear unrelated to one another: A) You should light the lamps until the flame rises up by itself (she’t’hei shalheves oleh mei’eileha); B) You should stand on a step (footstool) situated in front of the Menorah. Therefore, “raise up” either means to cause the flame to ascend, or to raise himself up to stand over the Menorah. The Mizrachi (quoted by Sifsei Chachamim) says…

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ומבן חמשים שנה ישוב מצבא העבודה... ושרת את אחיו... לשמור משמרת.

Sruly Schnair In Beha'alosecha, 5781

From fifty years of age, he shall withdraw from the legion of work… He shall minister with his brethren… to safeguard the charge. (8:25,26).

The Levi “retires” at age fifty from bearing the holy vessels on his shoulders. He continues to function in all their Levite services, such as singing, closing the Temple gates and loading the wagons. The Torah writes: V’sheireis es echav, “He shall minister with his brethren”. This refers to giving them wise counsel. The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (5:24) teaches Ben chamishim l’eitzah, “The man of fifty is capable for counsel.” Rav Ovadiah Bartenura explains that this (fifty-year function) is derived from the Leviim who no longer did any “heavy” labor once they reached fifty years of age. They ministered…

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שטו העם ולקטו וטחנו בריחים או דכו במדוכה ובשלו בפרור ועשו אותו עוגות

Sruly Schnair In Beha'alosecha, 5781

The people would stroll and gather it, and grind it in a mill or pound it in a mortar and cook it in a pot or make it into cakes. (11:8)

Three expressions in the text address the “delivery” of the manna. In Sefer Bamidbar (11:9), “When the dew descended upon the lamp at night, the manna would descend upon it.” In Sefer Shemos (16:4), “The people went out to collect it.” Last (Bamidbar 11:8), “The people would stroll and gather it.” We derive from here that, for some, it descended at their front door. Others were compelled to leave the camp and gather it. Last, were those who had to stroll far out of the environs of the camp in order to gather their daily portions. Likewise, we find three…

Home -> 5781 -> Naso

מבן שלשים שנה ומעלה ועד בן חמישים שנה כל הבא לעבוד עבודת עבודה

Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5781

From thirty years of age and up, until fifty years of age, everyone who comes to perform the work of service. (4:47)

Avodas avodah, work of service, seems to be redundant terminology. Chazal (Arachin 11a) explain that this term refers to the musical accompaniment, which was work that was performed to enhance the service. Music has the power to sweep us up into its mood and rhythm. One can be in no particular mood — or even in a depressed state and filled with negativity – but as soon as he hears a catchy tune, lively music or a song, the beat begins to take over and his mood perks up and changes. Our whole energy is transformed and our morose spirits…

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ואם אין לאיש גואל להשיב האשם אליו

Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5781

If the man has no kinsman to whom the debt can be returned. (5:8)

When one has sworn falsely against a monetary claim and subsequently confesses, he pays the principal plus a fifth to the one against whom he has sinned. If the one against whom he has sinned has died, he pays his heirs. A male convert who has had no children since his conversion, or a female convert who has not married or given birth to children, has no heirs. If one has sinned against them and they die, since they have no heirs, the money is given to the Kohanim. Chazal (Bava Kamma 109a) asks “Do you have a person in…

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כה תברכו את בני ישראל אמור להם

Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5781

So, shall you bless Bnei Yisrael, say to them. (6:23)

When we think of blessing, two forms come to mind: Bircas Kohanim, the Priestly blessing; and the brachah of a tzaddik, holy, G-d-fearing Jew. What is the difference in the structure and efficacy of one over the other? One would think – a blessing is a blessing. Does it really matter who is rendering the blessing? Chazal appear to address this question. The Midrash (Tanchuma, Naso 10) notes that the word emor, say (emor lahem) is written malei, full (with a “vov” as opposed to an “O” vowel sound). Chazal derive from here that the blessing rendered by the Kohanim…

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. ויהס כלב את העם

And Kalev silenced the people. (13:30)

ויבכו העם בלילה ההוא

The people wept that night. (14:1)

ויאמרו איש אל אחיו נתנה ראש ונשובה מצרימה

So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader, and let us return to Egypt.” (14:4)

בהעלתך את הנרות

When you kindle the lamps. (8:2)

בהעלתך את הנרות

When you kindle the lamps. (8:2)

ומבן חמשים שנה ישוב מצבא העבודה... ושרת את אחיו... לשמור משמרת.

From fifty years of age, he shall withdraw from the legion of work… He shall minister with his brethren… to safeguard the charge. (8:25,26).

שטו העם ולקטו וטחנו בריחים או דכו במדוכה ובשלו בפרור ועשו אותו עוגות

The people would stroll and gather it, and grind it in a mill or pound it in a mortar and cook it in a pot or make it into cakes. (11:8)

מבן שלשים שנה ומעלה ועד בן חמישים שנה כל הבא לעבוד עבודת עבודה

From thirty years of age and up, until fifty years of age, everyone who comes to perform the work of service. (4:47)

ואם אין לאיש גואל להשיב האשם אליו

If the man has no kinsman to whom the debt can be returned. (5:8)

כה תברכו את בני ישראל אמור להם

So, shall you bless Bnei Yisrael, say to them. (6:23)

YEARS

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