Devarim – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

“May He make you so many more like you a thousand times, and may He bless you as He has promised you.” (1:11)

Just as Moshe Rabbeinu was on the verge of leaving Am Yisrael, he offered up a tefillah, prayer, that the nation be blessed with amazing future growth. He adds one word, however, which sheds light on the Torah‘s perspective upon Jewish survival. Moshe says, “May He make you so many more like you.” The true blessing is that the future generations are “like you,” following in the traditional path paved by their ancestors with blood, sweat, and tears. In order to insure that the Jewish children of today and tomorrow serve as links in the chain of tradition, it is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Devarim

“How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife?” (1:12)

The Midrash in Eichah distinguishes among three prophets who prefaced their prophecy with the word “Eichah.” The first was Moshe, who remonstrated about his obligation to deal personally with all of Klal Yisrael’s strife and complaints. Yeshayahu, the second, lamented Bnei Yisrael’s infidelity with the words vbuzk v,hv vfht, ‘How had the faithful city become like a harlot?” Third, Yirmiyahu, who beheld Klal Yisrael in their disgrace, said, ssc vcah vfht, “Alas, she (Klal Yisrael) sits in solitude.” These three statements apply to our people in the various stages of their development and ultimate disgrace. Horav M. Rogov, z.l., explains…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Devarim

“And you murmured in your tents and said ‘because Hashem hated us, He has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Emori to destroy us.” (1:27)

In Parashas Shelach the Torah extensively addresses the sin of the meraglim, spies. In this parsha, a new dimension to this sin is revealed as Moshe recounts Klal Yisrael’s past iniquities. In their unfounded complaint against Hashem, Klal Yisrael added the above statement, “Because Hashem hated us, He took us out of Egypt.” Such harsh criticism is not offered in any other context. In fact, this explains the eternal punishment effected by the sin of the meraglim. Klal Yisrael experienced the greatest miracles in Egypt. The Red Sea was wondrously split before their eyes. They were fed manna in the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Devarim

“And we circled Mount Seir many days. And Hashem spoke to me saying ‘you have long passed this mountain, turn you northward.'” (2:1,2,3)

The Midrash interprets the phrase vbupm ofk ubp “turn you northward,” as vru,k ofk ubhpmv “hide yourselves for Torah.” This Midrash suggests a profound idea. Throughout our history, we have attempted to solve all of our problems with one common panacea, assimilation. If only we would develop a greater, more open-minded relationship with the gentile world, we would be accepted as equals and all of our problems would dissipate. Unfortunately, a perusal through Jewish history indicates the opposite. Every time we have attempted to break through the religious barriers by assimilating with our gentile neighbors, we have been driven back…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5752, Devarim

“And Di Zahav.” (1:1)

Rashi interprets the place of Di Zahav etymologically to refer to the “excess gold” that Bnei Yisrael acquired upon leaving Egypt. Unfortunately they submitted to their cravings and created the Golden Calf from this abundant gold. Boredom coupled with affluence can create a highly volatile situation. If Moshe’s goal was to rebuke Bnei Yisrael for the Golden Calf, why did he provide them with a defense for this deed? Excess gold may, indeed, have been the reason for the sun of the Golden Calf. Horav Dovid Feinstein Shlita explains that there are two distinct possible orientations towards newly…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5752, Devarim

“You shall not respect persons in judgment, the small and the great alike, you shall listen to, you shall not fear the face of any man, for the judgment is Hashem’s.” (1:17)

Rabeinu Yonah in his Sharei Teshuvah (3:33) cites this pasuk as a reassurance to Torah leadership that they should not fear reprisal from any decision they render. Judgment comes from Hashem and He will protect those who stand resolute in executing His imperatives. We may question the stated rationale for this mandate, “for judgment is Hashem’s”. What relationship exists between the source of judgment and the need for courage in administering legislation? This pasuk may be clarified in the following manner. Chazal made a very strong statement regarding the character of a Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar). Any Talmid Chacham…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5752, Devarim

“And you came near to me all of you.” (1:22)

Rashi explains the words “all of you” to mean the young pushing elders and the elders pushing the heads in a sort of confusion. In essence this was Moshe’s rebuke to Bnei Yisrael. In order to encourage its own growth, the younger generation ought to be able to accept guidance from the elders. In this instance, however, there was complete chaos, as the young gave orders and advised the leadership. What is even more notable is that the elders heeded the dictates of this new “leadership”. Indeed, a similar phenomenon occurred during the near tragic recognition of the infamous false…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5752, Devarim

“Do not contend with them, for I will not give you of their land.” (2:5) – “Be not at enmity with Moav, and do not contend with them in battle.” (2:9) – “Do not harass them and do not contend with them for I will not give of the land of the children of Ammon to you for a possession.” (2:19)

After their lengthy sojourn in the desert, Bnei Yisrael had attained a reputation for their physical prowess which commanded profound respect. They had the “ability” to achieve many more conquests, exterminating their adversaries. Hashem implored them, however, three times to refrain from battle. He declared three adversaries who possessed choice pieces of land to be off limits. The Abarbanel cites Hashem’s desire to educate Bnei Yisrael as the reason for this command. Bnei Yisrael felt confident that they could defeat all opposition with their own strength. In order to curb their audacious attitude, it was essential to place specific controls…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5751, Devarim

“In the vicinity of Paran, Tofel, Lavan, Chatzeros and Di Zahav.” (1:1)

Rashi explains that Moshe rebuked them for not gaining insight from the punishment which befell Miriam in Chatzeiros for speaking slanderously against Moshe. The Maharal Zt”l questions Rashi’s statement, since this rebuke regarding the spies slandering of Eretz Yisroel is derived from the word “Paran”, which connotes the sin of the spies. He responds that Moshe wanted to emphasize another sin to be attributed to the spies – not taking note of what happened to Miriam and reflecting on the evils of a slanderous tongue. According to the Maharal we learn of two sins for which the spies were held…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5751, Devarim

“And Chatzeros and Di Zahav.” (1:1)

Rashi explains that “Chatzeiros” refers to the dispute of Korach and “Di Zahav” refers to the Golden Calf, which Bnei Yisroel made as a result of the abundance of gold that they possessed. This explanation is not in chronological order since the sin of the Golden Calf happened prior to the dispute of Korach. Why then does Moshe change the order of transgressions during his rebuke of Klal Yisroel? The posuk in referring to the people’s request of Aharon to make another “leader” states: And they said to him make for us an oracle (or G-d) to lead us….

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“May He make you so many more like you a thousand times, and may He bless you as He has promised you.” (1:11)

“How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife?” (1:12)

“And you murmured in your tents and said ‘because Hashem hated us, He has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Emori to destroy us.” (1:27)

“And we circled Mount Seir many days. And Hashem spoke to me saying ‘you have long passed this mountain, turn you northward.'” (2:1,2,3)

“And Di Zahav.” (1:1)

“You shall not respect persons in judgment, the small and the great alike, you shall listen to, you shall not fear the face of any man, for the judgment is Hashem’s.” (1:17)

“And you came near to me all of you.” (1:22)

“In the vicinity of Paran, Tofel, Lavan, Chatzeros and Di Zahav.” (1:1)

“And Chatzeros and Di Zahav.” (1:1)

YEARS

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