Beshalach – Page 7 – Peninim on the Torah

“For the hand is on the Throne of G-d: Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (17:16)

No people is so reviled by Hashem as Amalek, the archenemy of the Jewish People. Regarding no other nation do we have a commandment to obliterate their name (Devarim 25:17-19). Only Amalek has that “distinction.” Why? What is there about Amalek – his hatred of the Jews and everything that they represent – that differentiates him so? I think the answer lies in Amalek’s attack on us. We were leaving Egypt after two centuries of bitter, brutal persecution. We were not bothering anyone. Yet, for some reason, Amalek felt it necessary to attack us. Why? We were not threatening them…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5771

“For the hand is on the Throne of G-d: Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (17:16)

Sensitivity to the feelings of others is a given. No decent, upstanding ben Torah would knowingly hurt his fellow Jew. What about our behavior toward Hashem? Are we cognizant of the effect our actions and words have in the Heavenly sphere? While the concept of “feelings” “emotions,” are corporeal and, thus, do not apply in the spiritual dimension – certainly not to Hashem – that should not excuse our thoughtless behavior. The following vignette is an example to what I am alluding. When the Chafetz Chaim, zl, reached an advanced age, his congregants took note of the fact that the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5770

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, 5770

“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, 5770

“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…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5770

“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, 5770

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, 5769

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…

Home -> 5769 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5769

“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…

Home -> 5769 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5769

“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…

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“For the hand is on the Throne of G-d: Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (17:16)

“For the hand is on the Throne of G-d: Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (17:16)

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)

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)

YEARS

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