Bechukosai – Page 3 – Peninim on the Torah

ונתתי שלום בארץ ושכבתם ואין מחריד

I will provide peace in the Land, and you will lie down with none to frighten you. (26:6)

The blessing of peace, of Jews getting along with one another, is awesome – and also quite daunting. This is especially true when envy enters the question. Jealousy is quite possibly the greatest catalyst for discord among fellows who “used to be” friends. One becomes jealous of the other, or, as often happens, a spouse become jealous, and, by allowing one thing to lead to another, two friends, or even brothers, can suddenly be transformed into rivals – or worse, enemies. In addressing the above pasuk, the Ksav Sofer cites the Alshich Hakadosh in his commentary to Sefer Koheles 5:11,…

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ואולך אתכם קוממיות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Bechukosai

And I led you erect. (26. 13)

Being a true servant of Hashem is not compatible with being/walking erect. Indeed, a little crimp in his walk, a slight curvature, rather than standing fully erect, demonstrates a sense of humility before Whom he stands. Horav Baruch, zl, m’Medziboz, explains that the epitome of hishtachavus, bowing, genuflection, is achieved when one stands straight, externally manifesting a regal, dignified, appearance, while internally he bows before Hashem. In other words, one does not have to show that he is bowing – as long as, in his mind and psyche, he is bent over. Horav Menachem Mendel, zl, m’Vorko, was wont to…

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אם בחקתי תלכו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Bechukosai

If you will follow My decrees. (26:3)

So much has been written concerning the meaning of this pasuk. I would like to submit my understanding. The word teileichu is translated here as “to follow.” It also means to walk/go. Together, these meanings imply that we are to walk/go forward using Hashem’s decrees as our GPS, our moral compass, to provide our sense of direction. In other words, a Jew does not “lead,” he follows – Hashem. Having said that, we might take this idea a bit further; chukim are mitzvos whose reasons defy human rationale. There are reasons for these mitzvos, but these reasons are Divine. Hashem…

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אם בחקתי תלכו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Bechukosai

If you will follow My decrees. (26:3)

Rashi interprets Im bechukosai teilechu, shetiheyu ameilim baTorah, “That you engage in intensive Torah study.” Ameilus means toil, labor. Success in Torah study is not determined by acumen, but by application. Given the spiritual nature of Torah as a result of its Divine origin, it is not who one is, but how he applies himself to studying and reviewing the Torah. Indeed, the greatest gedolim, Torah leaders, achieved their plateau not simply because of their brilliance, but due to their extreme ameilus. The Raavad writes (Teshuvos 39), “I have relinquished much sleep from my eyes; much food became spoiled because…

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אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Bechukosai

If you will follow My decrees and observe My Commandments and perform them. (26:3)

A Torah Jew must be the embodiment of emes, truth. Integrity – both moral and spiritual – must be reflected in his every demeanor. The image of a Torah Jew bespeaks emes under all conditions and circumstances. There is no other way. Hashem’s chosam, seal, is emes. Since we are to emulate the Almighty, we must strive to achieve perfection in this character trait. What is this emes? How does one achieve the appellation ish emes, a man of truth? The roshei teivos, three letters of emes—aleph, mem, tav — are an acronym for the three yesodos, principles, to which…

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ואם תלכו עמי קרי ולא תאבו לשמע לי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Bechukosai

If you behave casually (happenstance) with Me and refuse to heed Me. (26:21)

The word keri, translated as “happenstance,” is used quite often in the Tochechah, Rebuke. Following the text, we observe that chastisement and further punishment are meted out to Klal Yisrael because they behave toward Hashem with happenstance. Thus, Hashem responds by acting toward us in a like manner. The Rambam defines keri as denying Hashem’s role, His orchestration of events. When we view what takes place in the world in general, and around us in particular, as random occurrences, we are acting with happenstance toward Hashem. The Ramban calls ignoring Hashgachah Pratis, Divine Providence, “A path of cruelty.” Horav Noach…

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ואם בחקתי תמאסו ואם את משפטי תגעל נפשכם לבלתי עשות את כל מצותי להפרכם את בריתי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Bechukosai

And if you will consider My decrees revolting, and if your being rejects My ordinances, so as not to perform all of My commandments, to annul My covenant. (26:15)

Chazal teach that the final straw, which is denying belief in Hashem, is part of a descending seven-step process. In other words, one does not just wake up one morning and decide to become a kofer, heretic. He has been slipping slowly over a period of time, and now this trait has finally begun to manifest itself in his denial of the Creator. What makes this process most astonishing is that it takes very little to gain entry into it. All one needs in order to mount the first step is not really a lack of study, but rather, a…

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ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם ונתנה הארץ יבולה ועץ השדה יתן פריו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Bechukosai

Then I will provide your rains in their time, and the land will give its produce and the tree of the field will give its fruit. (26:4)

Interestingly, all of the physical blessings mentioned by the Torah as a reward for mitzvah observance and toiling in Torah are agricultural in nature. Why does the Torah not ensure a person with great wealth, agriculture property or real estate? It seems as if every blessing is: If you observe mitzvos and work hard at studying Torah, you will be blessed with success for all of your hard work in the field. It is almost like saying, if you work hard in the bais hamedrash, then your work in the field will reap great success. Horav Shimshon Pincus, zl, offers…

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ואבדתם בגוים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Bechukosai

And you will become lost among the nations. (26:38)

Horav Mordechai Ilan, zl, observes that, when Klal Yisrael is in exile, they are compared to a lost article. As long as a lost item has a siman, recognizable sign, which the owner can use to identify it, then a din ha’shavah applies, an obligation for the finder to return it. He may not keep something for which the owner has not yet given up hope. If an item does not have a recognizable feature by which the owner can identify it, he will be me’yaeish, despair of getting it back. We derive an important lesson from here. The Jew…

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אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Bechukosai

If you will follow My decrees and observe My Commandments and perform them. (26:3)

At first glance, the pasuk appears repetitious: follow My decrees; observe My commandments; perform them. The Torah is not written in synonyms. Every word – indeed, every letter – has profound significance. How are we to understand what appear to be variegated nuances for heeding Hashem’s word? Rashi explains that the pasuk is teaching us the process by which we proceed from learning to action. The combined meaning of the pasuk is: If you will follow My decrees by engaging in ameilus ba’Torah, intensive Torah study, with the intention that this study will lead to; observe My commandments properly, and,…

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ונתתי שלום בארץ ושכבתם ואין מחריד

I will provide peace in the Land, and you will lie down with none to frighten you. (26:6)

ואולך אתכם קוממיות

And I led you erect. (26. 13)

אם בחקתי תלכו

If you will follow My decrees. (26:3)

אם בחקתי תלכו

If you will follow My decrees. (26:3)

אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם

If you will follow My decrees and observe My Commandments and perform them. (26:3)

ואם תלכו עמי קרי ולא תאבו לשמע לי

If you behave casually (happenstance) with Me and refuse to heed Me. (26:21)

ואם בחקתי תמאסו ואם את משפטי תגעל נפשכם לבלתי עשות את כל מצותי להפרכם את בריתי

And if you will consider My decrees revolting, and if your being rejects My ordinances, so as not to perform all of My commandments, to annul My covenant. (26:15)

ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם ונתנה הארץ יבולה ועץ השדה יתן פריו

Then I will provide your rains in their time, and the land will give its produce and the tree of the field will give its fruit. (26:4)

ואבדתם בגוים

And you will become lost among the nations. (26:38)

אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם

If you will follow My decrees and observe My Commandments and perform them. (26:3)

YEARS

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