Bereishis – Page 9 – Peninim on the Torah

וגם אחרי כן אשר יבאו בני האלהים אל בנות האדם

And also afterward when the sons of the rulers would consort with the daughters of man. (6:4)

The nephillim, giants, had apparently been around for some time. Thoroughly evil, they were given the title nephillim, a derivative of nafal, to fall, because they had fallen and caused others to fall. The Midrash Rabba explains their iniquity, saying, “The latter did not learn (a lesson) from its predecessors.” The generation of the Flood did not derive mussar, an ethical lesson, from the generation of Enosh when one third of the world was flooded. Likewise, the generation of the Dispersion did not derive a lesson from the generation of the Flood. While it is certainly important to learn from…

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ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5767

And G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (1:3)

In Sefer Tehillim (119:130) David Ha’melech says, “The introduction ofYour words illuminates.” The Midrash in Sefer Shemos explains that thispasuk refers to the opening words of the Torah, “In the beginning G-dcreated.” Light preceded all of the rest of Creation. Similarly, the AronHaKodesh, which housed the Torah, also called ohr, light, preceded the othervessels of the Mishkan. Light must precede every other creation; in fact, it mustprecede everything. The ability to see clearly, to understand the basic foundationof knowledge, is a prerequisite for an undistorted view of life. Clarity of visionis the framework upon which all understanding is based. How…

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ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5767

And G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (1:3)

In Sefer Tehillim (119:130) David Ha’melech says, “The introduction of Your words illuminates.” The Midrash in Sefer Shemos explains that this pasuk refers to the opening words of the Torah, “In the beginning G-d created.” Light preceded all of the rest of Creation. Similarly, the Aron HaKodesh, which housed the Torah, also called ohr, light, preceded the other vessels of the Mishkan. Light must precede every other creation; in fact, it must precede everything. The ability to see clearly, to understand the basic foundation of knowledge, is a prerequisite for an undistorted view of life. Clarity of vision is the…

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וירא אלקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5767

And G-d saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. (1:31)

After Hashem created the world in its entirety, the Torah declares that it was not only good, but it was very good. On an individual basis, each creation in isolation may be viewed as inherently good. When everything is combined into the larger context, it becomes very good. Even those creations that appear to be evil – such as misery, pain and even death – have their place in the larger scheme of things. Thus, in the total context of existence, we can view them as being very good. Indeed, the Midrash says: “Tov, good: this is the angel of…

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ארורה האדמה בעבורך... כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5767

“Accursed is the ground because of you…For you are dust, and to dust shall you return.” (3:17,19)

It is difficult to understand the way in which Adam HaRishon, the crown of Creation, Hashem’s handiwork, transgressed His explicit command, a command that was punishable by death. If this is so, as the Rambam states in his Moreh Nevuchim (1,2), why was he punished so severely? Anybody can err. Furthermore, why did Chavah believe the serpent’s assurances over Hashem’s explicit warning? Indeed, something was wrong with her reply to the snake, “Lest we die” (Bereishis 3:3). Did Hashem not say that death would clearly be the punishment? In his Madreigos Ha’Adam, the Alter, zl, m’Novardok, Horav Yosef Yozel Horowitz,…

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לפתח חטאת רובץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5767

Sin rests at the door. (4:7)

The yetzer hara, evil inclination, does not give up. It waits vigilantly for the yetzer hara, evil inclination, does not give up. It waits vigilantly for the opportunity to entice the individual to sin. The Midrash draws a comparison between the evil inclination and the dogs in Rome. Apparently, the dogs in Rome were extremely astute in providing sustenance for themselves. They would park themselves at the back of the baker’s door, where he stacked his freshly baked breads. As the baker stacked the breads, the dog feigned sleep in order not to arouse the baker’s vigilance. As soon as many breads…

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ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5766

And G-d said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” (1:26)

Why is the word naaseh, let us make, in the plural form, used todescribe the creation of man? It should have said, “I willmake.” The Imrei Emes explains that man is not createdcomplete with an array of middos tovos, positive character traits. Therefinement of these character traits entails considerable hard work. Indeed,man is a microcosm of the animal world. The nature of all of the animals thatpreceded his creation is a part of him. He must refine and cleanse himself ofany base character traits as he ascends the ladder of spirituality. He mustrecreate himself and become G-d-like. To accomplish this…

Home -> 5766 -> Bereishis

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5766

And G-d said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” (1:26)

Why is the word naaseh, let us make, in the plural form, used to describe the creation of man? It should have said, “I will make.” The Imrei Emes explains that man is not created complete with an array of middos tovos, positive character traits. The refinement of these character traits entails considerable hard work. Indeed, man is a microcosm of the animal world. The nature of all of the animals that preceded his creation is a part of him. He must refine and cleanse himself of any base character traits as he ascends the ladder of spirituality. He must…

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ויאמר ד' אלקים לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5766

Hashem G-d, said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

Interestingly, the creation of Man is the only creation in which the word tov, “good”, is not mentioned. Regarding every other creation, the Torah writes, “Hashem saw that it was good.” Concerning man, however, the Torah writes, “It is not good that man be alone.” This indicates that man in his “single” state is not good. He is not yet complete. Every creation was complete and, thus, good – except for man, the apex of Creation. He needed a mate, a partner in life, before Hashem would put His seal of approval on him. This is why in the Talmud…

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ויאמר האדם האשה אשר נתתה עמדי היא נתנה לי מן העץ ואכל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5766

The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (3:12)

Adam seems to be placing the blame on his wife and on Hashem for facilitating the shidduch, matrimonial match. This creates a number of difficulties in understanding the meaning of the pasuk. First, why does he not take responsibility for his actions? After all, it is not as if Chavah fed him from the tree. Second, where is his sense of hakoras ha’tov, appreciation and gratitude, to Hashem for giving him a mate? Horav Chaim Mordechai Katz, zl, offers a practical explanation to Adam’s response. He first notes the verbosity of the pasuk. Adam says, “The woman whom You gave…

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וגם אחרי כן אשר יבאו בני האלהים אל בנות האדם

And also afterward when the sons of the rulers would consort with the daughters of man. (6:4)

ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור

And G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (1:3)

ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור

And G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (1:3)

וירא אלקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד

And G-d saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. (1:31)

ארורה האדמה בעבורך... כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב

“Accursed is the ground because of you…For you are dust, and to dust shall you return.” (3:17,19)

לפתח חטאת רובץ

Sin rests at the door. (4:7)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

And G-d said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” (1:26)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

And G-d said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” (1:26)

ויאמר ד' אלקים לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו

Hashem G-d, said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

ויאמר האדם האשה אשר נתתה עמדי היא נתנה לי מן העץ ואכל

The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (3:12)

YEARS

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