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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chukas, 5771

“And our soul is disgusted with the insubstantial food.” (21:5)

We do not find the Jews complaining much about the manna during their forty-year trek in the Wilderness. Suddenly, at the end of their trip, as they stood geared to enter the Promised Land, they issued their complaints concerning the Heavenly bread. Could they have found no other time to register their discontent concerning the manna? Why now? The Chiddushei Ha’Rim offers a practical explanation. Satisfaction is often determined by the character of the individual and his concomitant comfort level. Yes, for forty years the Jews ate the manna and it was delicious and satisfying. However, these were different Jews….

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Home -> 5771 -> Chukas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chukas, 5771

Then Aharon died there on Har Hahar… The Canaanite (King)… heard that (Klal) Yisrael had come… And he warred against Yisrael. (20:28, 21:1)

Rarely do we find a mitzvah in the Torah in which we are told not only to execute a certain deed, but never to forget that we are enjoined in this mitzvah. These mitzvos are zechiros mitzvos in which there is a specific duty to remember a specific occurrence. This act of perpetuating the occurrence will spur us to carry out a specific mitzvah or not to do a prohibited activity. For instance, we are enjoined to remember what Hashem did to Miriam HaNeviah, and how she was publicly censured for speaking ill of Moshe Rabbeinu. Although it was not actual…

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Home -> 5771 -> Chukas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chukas, 5771

Take Aharon and Elazar his son and bring them up to Hor Ha’hor. (20:25)

Rashi teaches that Moshe Rabbeinu was instructed to console Aharon, to calm him now that his mortal life was coming to a close. It was a difficult blow. He did, however, achieve the tremendous nachas, satisfaction and pleasure, of seeing his son ascend to the High Priesthood – something which had eluded Moshe. We derive an important lesson from here. We must make people feel good – regardless of how painful it might be for us personally. Aharon had the true nachas for which every parent aspires: to see his offspring achieve an enviable spiritual plateau. Moshe, the quintessential leader…

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Home -> 5771 -> Chukas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chukas, 5771

Any open vessel that has no cover fastened to it is contaminated/impure. (19:15)

It is sad, but true: A person is most often judged by his external appearance. His manner of dress,  be it  conventional  or “different,”  determines  our first  opinion  of him. We become caught up in the chitzoniyus, externals, and ignore the “real” Jew, the pnimiyus, internal essence of the person who stands before us. I have found this to be a reality, especially in dealing with individuals of both genders who are incarcerated for various felonies – some light, others serious, but felonies no less. At first glance, they might present themselves in an unsavory light, but, upon getting to…

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Home -> 5771 -> Chukas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chukas, 5771

If a man will die in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anything that is in the tent shall be contaminated/impure for seven days. (19:14)

We view a rasha, wicked person, with disdain, when actually it is the sin that we should  hate,  not  the  sinner.  We  do  not  realize  that  regardless  of  a  person’s transgressions, his neshamah, soul, is endowed with kedushah, holiness. Horav Tuvia HaLevi, zl, one of the talmidei Arizal, applies this idea to explain why a Jewish corpse is metamei, ritually contaminates, anyone who comes in contact with it, more so than the corpse of a gentile. A Jewish corpse is metamei both b’ohel and b’maga, by standing over it (whereby you are creating an “ohel”) or touching it, while a…

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