Naso – Page 14 – Peninim on the Torah

“On the second day, Nesanel ben Tzuar offered, the Nasi of Yisachar.” (7:12)

The Torah does not contain a single redundant letter. We can derive a lesson even from the different spellings of a given word. Why then is so much space devoted to the korbanos brought by the twelve Nesiim? Would it not have conceivably been appropriate to describe the korban of Nachshon ben Aminadav — who was the first Nasi to bring a sacrifice — then say that each of the other Nesiim followed suit? The commentators address this question and respond with various lessons to be derived from the repetition. The Midrash explains that although the twelve offerings were identical,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5755

“A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem; from new or aged wine he shall abstain …” (6:2,3)

Rashi cites Chazal who explain the juxtaposition of the laws of the Nazir to the laws of the Sotah. They state that one who sees a Sotah in her state of degradation should take a Nazirite vow in order to enforce his abstinence from wine. The Sotah is a woman who has profaned herself by destroying the fidelity of her marriage. She has submitted to her passions by allowing her heart to overpower her mind. Wine stimulates the senses and catalyzes a behavior which, if not controlled, can be detrimental. By abstaining from wine and focusing on the lessons gleaned…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5755

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

Rashi states that Moshe did not accept the offerings from the Nesiim until he was instructed to do so by Hashem. The Netziv, z.l., attributes Moshe’s reluctance to accept their korbanos to the fact that they brought ketores, incense, to be offered upon the Mizbei’ach Ha’Chitzon, outer altar. As Rashi later notes (pasuk 14), we find incense offered neither by a yachid, individual, nor upon the outer altar, except for this instance. It would seem that a special dispensation was made during the dedication of the mizbei’ach in regard to korbanos and the usual place where they were to be…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5755

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

The Torah goes on to enumerate the various gifts offered by the Nesiim for the dedication of the Mishkan. The Midrash notes that, although the korbanos were all identical, they are nonetheless each mentioned separately to indicate their individual uniqueness. Each Nasi formulated his gifts independently, reflecting his own ruach ha’kodesh, Divine inspiration, and symbolizing the various traits and history of his tribe. Inasmuch as externally the korbanos were the same, their inner essence, the reasons and reflections behind them, differed, thereby creating twelve distinctive korbanos. Hence, the Torah lists them separately. We derive from here that although two activities…

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Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5754

“Command the Bnei Yisrael that they send out of the camp every leper, and every zav, and whosoever is unclean by a (dead) person.” (5:2)

Horav Zalmen Sorotzkin z.l. offers a homiletic exposition of this pasuk. Many observant Jews ignore their co-religionists whom they notice acting in an offensive manner. When they see members of their community transgressing the Torah by desecrating Shabbos, eating non-kosher food, and acting reprehensibly, they delegate to the Rabbi the responsibility to chastise the offenders. These individuals refuse to get involved, claiming various lame excuses to justify their apathy to the public travesty against Hashem. They feel that by sharing the details of their friends’ miscreancy with the Rabbi, they have fulfilled their requirements as Jews. Thus, they consider themselves…

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Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5754

“Anything in which grapes have been seeped he shall not drink.” (6:3)

The Torah forbids the nazir to drink any intoxicating liquor or any beverage derived from grapes, even if it contains no alcohol. He may not even eat fresh or dried grapes. The prohibition includes water in which grapes had been briefly soaked, even if only a mere hint of the grapes had been present in the water. Chazal infer from this concept that the taste of a food is regarded as representative of the food itself, or the taste is like the substance. In the Talmud Nazir 37b, Chazal also derive from this pasuk that when a half-measure of permitted…

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Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5754

“Speak unto Aharon and unto his sons saying, so you shall bless the Bnei Yisrael.” (6:23)

Hashem commands that His blessing be conferred only by the kohanim. Horav Moshe Shternbuch, Shlita, suggests a practical reason for this. Regrettably, many people posit that the kohen and his present day counterpart, the Torah scholar are supported by the community without any reciprocation. Many individuals believe that if an individual is not “working” in the way that they are, he is not contributing to the community. This notion is, of course, categorically wrong. The sustaining power of Klal Yisrael is manifest only through Torah and Torah scholars who devote their lives to its study and dissemination. This also applies…

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Sruly Schnair In Naso, 5754

“And it came to pass on the day that Moshe had completed setting up the Mishkan.” (7:1)

Chazal call attention to the first word of this pasuk hvhu, “and it came to pass.” They say that whenever this word occurs in Tanach, it always refers to a tzarah, a period of sorrow and grief. They question the element of grief associated with the Mishkan. The creation of the Mishkan as a place for the Shechinah to repose should surely be cause for simcha, happiness, and rejoicing. What role do despair and anxiety have during a moment of such exaltation? Chazal present an analogy to a king who had a quarrelsome wife, who would not stop her bickering….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“And they shall confess their sins.” (5:7)

The mitzvah of “viduy,” confession, is the prime prerequisite for performing teshuvah, repentance. Indeed, without viduy the teshuvah process has no value. It is puzzling that the Torah chooses to mention the mitzvah of viduy specifically at this point, in reference to the sin of stealing. The Chidushei Ha’Rim explains that actually every transgression committed by man consists of a form of theft. We have been granted life, health, and the ability to perform actions, so that we may serve the Almighty. To employ these G-d given abilities in behavior which violates Torah law is tantamount to theft. Not only…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5753

“And the man shall bring his wife to the Kohen and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an eifah of barley meal, he shall not pour upon it any oil, nor pour frankincense on it.” (5:15)

Rashi cites the Talmud Sotah 12a, which explains the reason for the specific ingredients of this korban. Meal was used instead of fine flour, barley rather than wheat. This modification was due to the repulsiveness of the sotah’s immoral act; because she acted like an animal, her offering is the food of an animal. Oil is not poured over the meal, since oil symbolizes light and the sotah acted in darkness. Frankincense is not placed on the korban, since the Matriarchs are referred to as “levonah,” frankincense, and she deviated from their paths. Horav B.Z. Baruk, z.l., makes a noteworthy…

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“On the second day, Nesanel ben Tzuar offered, the Nasi of Yisachar.” (7:12)

“A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem; from new or aged wine he shall abstain …” (6:2,3)

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

“And the Nesiim brought their offering before the Altar.” (7:10)

“Command the Bnei Yisrael that they send out of the camp every leper, and every zav, and whosoever is unclean by a (dead) person.” (5:2)

“Anything in which grapes have been seeped he shall not drink.” (6:3)

“Speak unto Aharon and unto his sons saying, so you shall bless the Bnei Yisrael.” (6:23)

“And it came to pass on the day that Moshe had completed setting up the Mishkan.” (7:1)

“And they shall confess their sins.” (5:7)

“And the man shall bring his wife to the Kohen and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an eifah of barley meal, he shall not pour upon it any oil, nor pour frankincense on it.” (5:15)

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