Bereishis – Peninim on the Torah

ועפר תאכל כל ימי חייך

And dust shall you eat all the days of your life. (3:14)

Rebbeinu Bachya derives from the words kol yemei chayecha, “all the days of your life,” that the serpent’s punishment will not be mitigated l’asid lavo, after the advent of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. With the arrival of Moshiach, a new world culture will prevail. Harmony and peace will reign, and even the enmity between the serpent and human beings will come to an end. The punishment, “And dust shall you eat all the days of your life,” however, will continue unabated throughout time. In other words, despite the fact that, when Moshiach arrives the world will revert to pre-sin (of eating of…

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ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע לא תאכל ממנו

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5785

But of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Bad, you must not eat thereof. (2:17)

Adam Ha’Rishon was the yetzir kapav shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu, formed and created by Hashem. Yet, he sinned. He had one single mitzvah – not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. He could not withstand the temptation, however, and he sinned. We have 613 mitzvos and are commanded to observe them all. Obviously, a disparity exists between us and Adam. Adam did not have a yetzer hora, evil inclination – nothing to provoke him to commit anything negative; yet, he sinned. In his Moreh Nevuchim, Rambam posits that by sinning, Adam gained his greatest glory: the faculty of bechirah…

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ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5785

And Hashem said, “Let us make man in our Image in our likeness. (1:26)

Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 8:5) teach that, when Hashem set out to create man, the angels organized themselves into groups – pro and con. Chesed, Kindness, “advised” Hashem to create man, because he would behave kindly and benevolently to others. Emes, Truth, disagreed, claiming that man would be filled with lies; thus, his presence in this world would be harmful. Hashem listened to their positions and then proceeded to fling Truth to the ground. This is alluded to in Daniel (8:12), V’sashleich emes artzah, “He threw Truth earthward” (and created Man). This Midrash begs elucidation. If, in fact, man is full…

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זה ספר תולדות אדם

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5784

This is the account of the descendants of Adam. (5:1)

Yalkut Shemoni 41 relates that the Book of Adam HaRishon’s descendants was brought before Adam. As he was perusing through the various entries, he chanced upon David Hamelech’s entry. He saw that David’s portion in this world was but three hours. He immediately interceded before Hashem, saying, “This should not be decreed.” (He should live much longer.) Adam then asked Hashem, “How many years have been allotted to me?” Hashem replied, “One thousand years.” Adam asked, “Can I give some (of my years) as a gift?” Hashem replied in the affirmative. Adam said, “I will give him seventy years to…

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ויאמר קין אל הבל אחיו ויהי בהיותם בשדה ויקם קין אל הבל אחיו ויהרגהו

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5784

Kayin spoke with his brother Hevel. And it happened when they were in the field, that Kayin rose up against his brother Hevel, and killed him. (4:8)

The pasuk does not detail Kayin and Hevel’s conversation. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis 22:7) debate the source of their arguing with one another. First, they contended about the division of the land, with one taking land and the other taking movable property. This arrangement did not work. When Kayin, who had taken the ground, told Hevel, “You are standing on my ground,” Hevel countered, “Everything that you are wearing is mine.” This led to discord, which was the precursor to the first act of murder. A second opinion concerns the area in which the Bais Hamikdash would be built, with…

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נעשה אדם בצלמינו כדמותינו

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5784

Let us make Man in Our image, after Our likeness. (1:26)

Chazal relate that, when Moshe Rabbeinu came to the above pasuk which records Hashem speaking in the plural, as if to say to His Ministering Angels, “Let Us” – together Hashem and the Angels – create man, he asked, “Why do You furnish a pretext for the heretics to maintain (as they do) that there is a plural of divinities?” Hashem responded, “Write: whoever wishes to err will err. Let them instead learn from their Creator Who created all, yet, when He was about to create man, He took counsel with the Angels.” Rashi adds that Hashem’s humility is demonstrated…

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בראשית ברא אלקים

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5784

In the beginning of G-d’s creating. (1:1)

Horav Yehudah Leib/Leibele Eiger, zl, grandson of Horav Akiva Eiger and son of Horav Shlomo Eiger, was drawn to chassidus (in contrast to the way in which he was raised). This was a time in which chassidim and misnagdim, those in opposition, were, to say the least, not on amicable terms. Rav Leibele went to Horav Menachem Mendel, zl, of Kotzk, the famous Kotzker Rebbe. Kotzk was a chassidus devoted to strict adherence to unvarnished truth. The Rebbe did not have a large following, because he had no tolerance for anything that was less than the truth. He did not…

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ויקרא ד' אלקים אל האדם ויאמר לו איכה

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5783

Hashem Elokim called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (3:9)

Hashem certainly knew the location of Adam’s hiding place; rather, He wanted to determine if Adam knew where he (himself) was. One must know where he is with regard to fulfilling his potential. We often sell ourselves short, settling for mediocre success, because we (or others) have convinced (us) ourselves that this is all that we are capable of achieving. One day, we will stand before the Heavenly Tribunal and will be presented with a Heavenly image of who we could have been. Hashem asked Adam, Ayeca, “Where are you,” in comparison to where you should be? This is a…

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ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע לא תאכל ממנו כי ביום אכלך ממנו מות תמות

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5783

But the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad you must not eat thereof; for on the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. (2:17)

Hashem established life as we know it following the sin which Adam HaRishon committed. Hashem warned him not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. He ate and was punished with death (which did not occur for another 930 years). Otherwise, he would have lived forever. Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlap, zl, expands on the change that took place as a consequence of Adam transgressing Hashem’s command. Prior to the sin, life was idyllic; man was to live morally, justly, and perform only positive acts of pure good. We were to create and build – everything was positive…

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ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5783

And Elokim said, “Let us make Man in Our image, after Our likeness.” (1:26)

Chazal (Midrash) teach, “When Moshe Rabbeinu wrote the Torah (as dictated to him by Hashem), he came to this pasuk, “Let Us make…” which is written in the plural, thus implying the notion that there might chas v’shalom, Heaven forbid, be more than one Creator. Ribbono Shel Olam! Why did You give the heretics a pretext to suggest a plural of divinities?” Hashem replied, “Write… whoever wishes to err will do so regardless. Rather, let them learn from their Creator, Who (although He) created all, still consulted with the Ministering Angels.” Thus, Hashem taught us that, regardless of one’s greatness,…

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ועפר תאכל כל ימי חייך

And dust shall you eat all the days of your life. (3:14)

ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע לא תאכל ממנו

But of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Bad, you must not eat thereof. (2:17)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

And Hashem said, “Let us make man in our Image in our likeness. (1:26)

זה ספר תולדות אדם

This is the account of the descendants of Adam. (5:1)

ויאמר קין אל הבל אחיו ויהי בהיותם בשדה ויקם קין אל הבל אחיו ויהרגהו

Kayin spoke with his brother Hevel. And it happened when they were in the field, that Kayin rose up against his brother Hevel, and killed him. (4:8)

נעשה אדם בצלמינו כדמותינו

Let us make Man in Our image, after Our likeness. (1:26)

בראשית ברא אלקים

In the beginning of G-d’s creating. (1:1)

ויקרא ד' אלקים אל האדם ויאמר לו איכה

Hashem Elokim called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (3:9)

ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע לא תאכל ממנו כי ביום אכלך ממנו מות תמות

But the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad you must not eat thereof; for on the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. (2:17)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

And Elokim said, “Let us make Man in Our image, after Our likeness.” (1:26)

YEARS

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