Vaeira – Page 12 – Peninim on the Torah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

Moreover, I have heard the groans of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves. (6:5)

Upon reading the text, one would think that the use of the word “Ani“, “I (heard)” indicates that it was only Hashem who heard Bnei Yisrael cry. If they had been groaning, why was it only Hashem who heard? The Noam Elimelech explains that the groaning essentially had three manifestations. The first type of cry emanated from the common Jew who had been subjected to back-breaking labor, to the affliction of the Egyptains throwing their baby boys into the Nile River. While most of the people cried over the demeaning and cruel slavery to which they were subjected, there were…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm…I shall take you to Me for a People. (6:6,7)

The Torah employs arba leshonos shel geulah, four expressions of redemption, which allude to the distinct stages of the Jews’ liberation from the Egyptian exile. Horav Gedalyah Shorr, z”l, posits that the four expressions relate as equally to the individual as they do to the entire nation. Every person experienced his own personal redemption from the Egyptian culture. Every individual must liberate himself from the shackles of his own enslavement to the yetzer hora, evil inclination. He cites the Sfas Emes, who says that these expressions coincide with the four elements which comprise man: fire, water, wind and dust. The…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Say to Aharon, take your staff and stretch out your hand.” (7:19)

Moshe Rabbeinu initiated the last seven makos, plagues, while Hashem told Aharon to strike the river and the earth for the first three plagues. Chazal attribute Aharon’s designation to the fact that the river and the earth protected Moshe. He was placed in the river as an infant to be concealed from the Egyptians, and later the earth covered the Egyptian that he had killed. Moshe benefited from two inanimate objects. Therefore, he must demonstrate his gratitude. This seems to be excessive. The middah of hakoras tov, appreciation, is one of the mainstays of character development, but is it necessary…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

And Hashem carried out the word of Moshe, and the frogs died–from the houses, from the courtyards, and from the fields. (8:9)

It did not take long for Pharaoh to beg Moshe to implore Hashem to put a halt to the swarms of frogs that were literally infesting his entire country. Moshe prayed to Hashem and the frogs all died. Chazal tell us that the frogs who had entered the ovens miraculously did not die, either in the oven or afterwards! We may question the remarkable reward received by the frogs. After all, if they were commanded by Hashem to enter the ovens, where else should they have gone? A similar question may be asked regarding Chazal’s statement in the Talmud Pesachim…

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Sruly Schnair In Vaeira, 5756

“I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov as K’el Shaddai, but with My Name Hashem I did not make Myself known to them.” (6:3)

The various Names of Hashem each represents a different way in which He reveals Himself. Moshe was privy to the revelation of “Hashem,” the highest manifestation of revelation. Yet, he questioned His ways. The Avos, Patriarchs, maintained the ultimate level of emunah. Even though Hashem revealed Himself to them only with His other Name, K’el Shaddai, they never questioned His ways, regardless of their perplexity. Rashi cites Chazal in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 111a, who “quote” Hashem saying, “Woe to those that are gone and not found. Many times I revealed Myself to the Patriarchs using (only) the Name of K’el…

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Sruly Schnair In Vaeira, 5756

“And you shall say to him… ‘Send out My people that they may serve Me in the wilderness,” (7:16)

Moshe gave Pharaoh no options; he gave Pharaoh no room for discussion or compromise in meeting his demand. The Jews must leave Egypt — unequivocally! There must be a complete liberation. Why? Would it not have been sufficient to halt the labor and insist that the Jews be reinstated as common citizens? The Otzar Chaim offers a simple, but profound, response. He recounts a comment made by the Chasam Sofer, z.l., during the emancipation in Austria. The prejudicial laws were lifted, enabling Jews to hold positions of importance and granting them access to society in general. Everyone was excited about…

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Sruly Schnair In Vaeira, 5756

“Say unto Aharon, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, it shall become lice.'” (8:12)

Similar to the two previous plagues of blood and frogs, it is Aharon who brought about the plague of lice. Aharon had this responsibility because Moshe was not permitted to strike the water or the dust. The water had protected him when he was an infant, and the dust concealed the Egyptian who Moshe had killed. It would have shown ingratitude for Moshe to strike either the water or the ground. Imagine, Moshe and Aharon were involved in the most sublime endeavor of their lives — taking Klal Yisrael out of Egypt. The overriding concern, however, was not to “offend”…

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Sruly Schnair In Vaeira, 5756

“We will go on a three day journey in the wilderness, and bring offerings to Hashem, our G-d.” (8:23)

Why did Hashem tell Moshe to ask Pharaoh for a three-day “pass” to serve Hashem in the desert? Did any obstacle preclude Hashem’s “ability” to have Pharaoh permit Bnei Yisrael to leave indefinitely? Moshe should have simply told Pharaoh, “Our time of servitude is up; we are prepared to leave this country forever.” Regardless of the demand, Pharaoh dissented. Only when he was “encouraged” by the effects of the plagues did he relent and “allow” us to leave Egypt. Another question that confronts us is Pharaoh’s obstinate refusal to permit Bnei Yisrael from taking this short three day retreat. The…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5755

“And I will take you out from under the suffering of Egypt, and I will save you from their bondage, and I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm… And I shall take you to Me for a nation… and you will know that I am Hashem your G-d.” (6:6,7)

Horav Yecheskel Abramski z.l., used to say that without the special “glasses” of the Torah, an individual can not really attain an appreciation of the wonders of Hashem. In the light of the Torah one is better able to acknowledge His Divine guidance of this world in general, and the activities of each individual specifically. Indeed, even the overt miracles which Hashem “performs” make a limited impression upon those who lack the proper Torah hashkafah, outlook/perspective. Horav Abramski applied this theory to the interpretation of the pesukim concerning the geulah, redemption from Egypt, in the following manner: “And I will…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5755

“And I will bring you to the land… and I will give it to you (for) a heritage.” (6:8)

Eretz Yisrael has been given to Am Yisrael as an inheritance. The concept of inheritance implies several lessons regarding our obligation to and relationship with Eretz Yisrael. A yerushah, inheritance, does not mandate a kinyan, a specific act of acquisition. The yerushah becomes the possession of the inheritor, even if his attention is diverted from it at the time. Wherever the inheritor may be, the inheritance becomes his possession. Likewise, notes Horav Mordechai Ilan z.l., is Eretz Yisrael’s relationship with us. Even when we are in galus, exile, it is kept guarded, waiting for our return. Eretz Yisrael is our…

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Moreover, I have heard the groans of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves. (6:5)

I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm…I shall take you to Me for a People. (6:6,7)

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Say to Aharon, take your staff and stretch out your hand.” (7:19)

And Hashem carried out the word of Moshe, and the frogs died–from the houses, from the courtyards, and from the fields. (8:9)

“I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov as K’el Shaddai, but with My Name Hashem I did not make Myself known to them.” (6:3)

“And you shall say to him… ‘Send out My people that they may serve Me in the wilderness,” (7:16)

“Say unto Aharon, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, it shall become lice.'” (8:12)

“We will go on a three day journey in the wilderness, and bring offerings to Hashem, our G-d.” (8:23)

“And I will take you out from under the suffering of Egypt, and I will save you from their bondage, and I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm… And I shall take you to Me for a nation… and you will know that I am Hashem your G-d.” (6:6,7)

“And I will bring you to the land… and I will give it to you (for) a heritage.” (6:8)

YEARS

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