Bereishis – Page 8 – Peninim on the Torah

And Hashem said to Kayin, “Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door.” (4:6,7)

The Baal HaTanya, zl, derives an important lesson concerning human nature from this pasuk. We note that the individual outlook of people varies in perspective. There are those who see negativity all of the time. They care about mitzvah observance and seek every opportunity to strengthen it, but at what expense? Everywhere they go, whatever comes into their line of vision, they see sin. Everyone but themselves, of course, is not observing Torah and mitzvos properly: Shabbos observance is not what it should be; people are not learning enough; their manner of dress reflects western society’s moral bankruptcy – and the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5771

“Sin rests at the door. Its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it.” (4:7)

Herein lies the folly of man. True, the yetzer hara, evil inclination, is constantly on guard, looking for ways to entice us into sin. Man, however, does not have to succumb to its blandishments. He can prevail – if he really wants to: In Rashi’s immortal words, Im tirtzeh tisgaber alav. “If you want to, you will overcome it.” It is all up to us. If we want, we will succeed; if our desire to succeed is lackadaisical, we will fall into the clutches of the yetzer hara. The following episode gives meaning to the essential idea that it is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

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

Clearly, one’s interest is piqued when he notes that the Torah begins with the letter bais, the second letter of the alphabet, rather than the first letter, aleph. Why? This question has not eluded the commentators, who offer their varied explanations. The simplest and most straightforward explanation offered by the Midrash is that bais is the language of brachah, blessing, while aleph is the vernacular of arrur, curse. Upon commencing any endeavor, one wants to infuse it with blessing. Creation is certainly no different. How do we define blessing in contrast to curse? If we were to take the Midrash…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

With darkness upon the surface of the deep…and G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3)

The darkness about which the Torah speaks is not merely the absence of light, but a specific creation, as we find in Yeshayah 45:7: Yotzeir ohr u’borei choshech, “He Who fashions the lights and creates darkness.” Chazal teach us that until light and darkness were separated by Hashem, they functioned b’arvuvya, in a mixture, implying that patches of light and darkness were intertwined with one another. Ultimately, the wonderful light that originated during Creation was of too great an intensity. Its spiritual quality was too pristine for the wicked of this world to enjoy. They were simply not worthy. Thus,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

“Let us make man in Our image and in Our likeness.” (1:26)

Adam, man, is the yetzir kapav shel Ha’kadosh Baruch Hu, fashioned by the hands of Hashem. He is the ultimate creation, exceeding all that preceded him. This is reason enough to reflect upon what it is that distinguishes Adam from all other creations. The commentators focus on various human attributes, which enable man to soar far beyond Hashem’s other creations. Let us focus on one of these attributes. Horav Simcha Bunim, zl, m’Peshischa traces the root of the word adam to damah, compare and contrast, distinguish and differentiate, analyze and understand. Man is gifted with the power to think and…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

And Hashem Elokim said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

In much the same way that Creation was not complete until Adam, man, was created, and Hashem declared him to be the crown of Creation, Hashem did not pronounce His “tov,” good, until woman, man’s corresponding helpmate, was created. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, notes that the Torah does not write, lo tov l’adam l’heyos levado, “It is not good for man to be alone,” but, rather, “this is not good; man being alone.” The emphasis is on Creation. As long as Man stands alone, it is altogether not yet good. The goal of perfection which the world is to attain…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

And Hashem Elokim said to the woman, “What is it that you have done!” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (3:13)

Sforno interprets Hashem’s query of Chavah as a rhetorical question. Clearly her actions were obvious. She ate from the tree. Hashem was not seeking information; rather, He wanted to present her with an opening, an opportunity to express remorse and begin the process of teshuvah, repentance. Ben Ish Chai writes in his drashos/Od Yosef Chai that we may derive from Hashem’s dialogue with Chavah a powerful lesson concerning Hashem’s goodness, His love and kindness to us. He wanted Chavah to provide some form of justification for her sin. Thus, He asked, “What is it that you have done?” This really…

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בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5769

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

The first Rashi in the Torah is famous: “Amar Rabbi Yitzchak, ‘The text of the Torah should have commenced with Sefer Shemos 12, in which the commandment regarding the month of Nissan is written. Instead, the Torah begins with Creation. This is to indicate that Hashem created the world. Thus, it was His prerogative to give Eretz Yisrael to whichever nation He chose. He gave the Holy Land to the Jewish People as an inheritance.’” This statement is questionable, since many basic teachings and lessons can be derived from Sefer Bereishis, such as: Maaseh avos siman l’banim, “The actions of…

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בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5769

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth (1:1)

The Midrash relates what Rabbi Yehudah ben Pazi and Bar Kappara expounded regarding the Creation: “Why was the world created with a bais – Bereishis, in the beginning? Because it is an expression of brachah, blessing. And why not with an aleph? Because it is an expression of cursing, arirah.” The commentators point out that Chazal’s statement is not necessarily consistent with other pesukim in Tanach in which the letter bais is not always used as blessing. Indeed, we find in Yeshayah 24:1, “Behold, Hashem empties (bokeik) the land and lays it waste (bolkah).” Also, in Yechezkel 16:40, “They will tear/pierce…

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ויברא אלקים את התנינם הגדלים... ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5769

And G-d created the great sea-giants… G-d blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. (1:21; 2:3)

Upon studying the story of Creation, we confront what seem to be two inconsistencies in the language of the text. On the fifth day of Creation, Hashem created the taninim ha’gedolim, the great sea-giants. Interestingly, this is the only creation of which the Torah does not conclude with the words, va’yehi chein, “and it was so.” Why is this? Clearly, if Hashem created them, then it was so. Why is this creation different than the others? Rashi cites a comment from Chazal in Meseches Bava Basra 74b that these giant sea-creatures are none other than the Livyasan and its mate….

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And Hashem said to Kayin, “Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door.” (4:6,7)

“Sin rests at the door. Its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it.” (4:7)

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

With darkness upon the surface of the deep…and G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3)

“Let us make man in Our image and in Our likeness.” (1:26)

And Hashem Elokim said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

And Hashem Elokim said to the woman, “What is it that you have done!” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (3:13)

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

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

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth (1:1)

ויברא אלקים את התנינם הגדלים... ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אתו

And G-d created the great sea-giants… G-d blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. (1:21; 2:3)

YEARS

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