Beshalach – Page 11 – Peninim on the Torah

“Hashem shall reign for all eternity.” (15:18)

In the Aleinu prayer, which we recite thrice daily, we implore Hashem “that You may reign over them soon and eternally.” The Meshech Chochmah explains the concept of “soon” in regard to Hashem’s reign over the world. A person carries out his mind’s commands which is in the form of an electrical impulse. The brain decides to act. It sends a message (impulse) via the heart to the specific organs or limbs involved, and the person acts. This is not the case in the event that the mind sends a command that is contrary to the well- being of the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5763

He said, “If you will listen diligently to the voice of Hashem, your G-d, and you will do what is just in His eyes, and you will give ear to His commandments and observe all His statutes, then any of the diseases that I have placed upon Egypt, I will not place upon you.” (15:26)

Life in This World, albeit temporal, grants one incredible opportunity to achieve immense spiritual reward. Chazal teach us that This World is only a vestibule, a passageway to the real world. If we only begin to realize the tremendous opportunity we have for spiritual accomplishment, we would never waste a moments time. Indeed, a simple act of kindness, a moment of spiritual endeavor performed here during one’s lifetime, can never be recaptured after one is gone. All Hashem asks of us is to do, to act, to perform. He will remunerate us beyond our wildest dreams when the appropriate time…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5762

“Let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on its day, so that I can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not.” (16:4)

The daily gift of manna, Klal Yisrael’s Heavenly food, was actually a lesson in Jewish spiritual survival. The Jewish People had witnessed incredible miracles leading up to, and including, the exodus from Egypt. Life is all one miracle: an important lesson that so many of us tend to ignore. Many of us go through life with the notion that we are in charge, we make decisions, and we carry out what we have determined is the correct course to follow. It is always “we” or “I”. Whatever happened to Hashem? Why do we always impose upon Him a reason to remind…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5762

The people contended with Moshe, and they said, “Give us water that we may drink!” Moshe said to them, “Why do you test Hashem?”… Moshe cried out to Hashem saying, “What shall I do for this people? A bit more, and they will stone me!” (17:2,4)

The Torah says that the People “tested” Hashem. Where is this written? We only find that they asked for water. What really is wrong with asking for water when one is thirsty? Is this not the purpose of prayer – to supplicate Hashem for our needs? Furthermore, we find nowhere that Moshe Rabbeinu prayed to Hashem on behalf of the Jews. We do read in the Torah that he felt threatened by them. Why did he not entreat Hashem for water? Horav Yechezkel Levenstein, z.l., explains this with a parable. A student once came to a yeshivah for an entrance bechinah,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5762

Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Choose people for us and go do battle with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill”. (17:9)

In the Talmud Yoma 52b, Chazal say that the word machar, tomorrow, which is found in the above pasuk, can be interpreted as belonging to the previous phrase: “Choose people for us and go to do battle with Amalek tomorrow.” Alternatively, it can refer to the second half of the pasuk: “Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill.” We wonder what is the significance of the word, “tomorrow”? What message regarding the war with Amalek is being taught to us via the word “tomorrow”? Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, z.l., explains that the concept of “tomorrow” plays a crucial…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5761

Hashem said to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to Me?” (14:15)

More than once in his lifetime, a man will face a situation from which there is no escape. He is up against the wall. Anxiety, fear and trepidation set in. What does he do? To whom does he turn? Horav David Bliacher, z.l., one of the preeminent disciples of the Alter m’Novardok, cites this above pasuk in his response to the problems that so many of us face during the course of a lifetime. Klal Yisrael was up against the proverbial wall. In front of them, was the Red Sea; behind them were the cruel Egyptians, intent on “recovering” their…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5761

“The water came back and covered the chariots and the horsemen…there remained not a one of them.” (14:28)

The Daas Zekeinim derives from the words “ad echad”, “not a one”, that one person did survive, namely Pharaoh. Yalkut Shimoni says that Pharaoh repented at the last minute. His teshuvah was accepted, and he eventually became the king of Ninveh. The Alshich Ha’kadosh writes that Pharaoh was enveloped in a large wave, and as he was about to succumb, he uttered the words “Mi chamocha ba’eilim Hashem”, “Who is like You, among the Heavenly powers?” He was so weak that the sound was barely heard. Consequently, the “chaf” of “kamocha” is “weak”, written without the “dagesh,” dot in the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5761

“This is my G-d, and I will beautify Him; the G-d of my father, and I will exalt Him.” (15:2)

Rashi explains that a person’s spiritual position is his legacy, transmitted to him from his ancestors: “I am not the genesis of my holiness. Rather, it is bequeathed to me from my forefathers in whom it was firmly entrenched.” Rashi’s explanation does not seem to coincide with the text. If our spiritual stature has its roots in our forebears, it should have first stated, “the G-d of my father,” and then, “my G-d”. Horav Mordechai Gifter, z.l., explains that avodas Hashem, serving the Almighty, demands both of these perspectives. To serve Hashem, one must serve as an individual, using his…

Home -> 5761 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5761

“Hashem shall reign for all eternity.” (15:18)

In the Aleinu prayer, which we recite thrice daily, we implore Hashem “that You may reign over them soon and eternally.” The Meshech Chochmah explains the concept of “soon” in regard to Hashem’s reign over the world. A person carries out his mind’s commands which is in the form of an electrical impulse. The brain decides to act. It sends a message (impulse) via the heart to the specific organs or limbs involved, and the person acts. This is not the case in the event that the mind sends a command that is contrary to the well- being of the…

Home -> 5761 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5761

He said, “If you will listen diligently to the voice of Hashem, your G-d, and you will do what is just in His eyes, and you will give ear to His commandments and observe all His statutes, then any of the diseases that I have placed upon Egypt, I will not place upon you.” (15:26)

Life in This World, albeit temporal, grants one incredible opportunity to achieve immense spiritual reward. Chazal teach us that This World is only a vestibule, a passageway to the real world. If we only begin to realize the tremendous opportunity we have for spiritual accomplishment, we would never waste a moments time. Indeed, a simple act of kindness, a moment of spiritual endeavor performed here during one’s lifetime, can never be recaptured after one is gone. All Hashem asks of us is to do, to act, to perform. He will remunerate us beyond our wildest dreams when the appropriate time…

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“Hashem shall reign for all eternity.” (15:18)

He said, “If you will listen diligently to the voice of Hashem, your G-d, and you will do what is just in His eyes, and you will give ear to His commandments and observe all His statutes, then any of the diseases that I have placed upon Egypt, I will not place upon you.” (15:26)

“Let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on its day, so that I can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not.” (16:4)

The people contended with Moshe, and they said, “Give us water that we may drink!” Moshe said to them, “Why do you test Hashem?”… Moshe cried out to Hashem saying, “What shall I do for this people? A bit more, and they will stone me!” (17:2,4)

Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Choose people for us and go do battle with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill”. (17:9)

Hashem said to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to Me?” (14:15)

“The water came back and covered the chariots and the horsemen…there remained not a one of them.” (14:28)

“This is my G-d, and I will beautify Him; the G-d of my father, and I will exalt Him.” (15:2)

“Hashem shall reign for all eternity.” (15:18)

He said, “If you will listen diligently to the voice of Hashem, your G-d, and you will do what is just in His eyes, and you will give ear to His commandments and observe all His statutes, then any of the diseases that I have placed upon Egypt, I will not place upon you.” (15:26)

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