Va’eschanan – Page 11 – Peninim on the Torah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5759

Go say to them: “Return you to your tents.” (5:27)

Prior to the Giving of the Torah, the prohibiton against intimacy between husband and wife was emphatically expressed: “Do not go near to a woman” (Shemos 19:15). Now, however, when they are permitted to resume their family relationship, it is alluded to with the words, “Return to your tents.” Ostensibly, if one applies himself to the statement, the message that the Torah is conveying is apparent. We may wonder why the message is clear and emphatic when the goal is to prohibit, while only hints are provided when the purpose is to give permission. Horav Zalmen Sorotzkin, zl, explains that…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5759

Not because you were more in number than any other people did Hashem set his love upon you, nor choose you (but) because you were the fewest of all peoples. (7:7)

There is something special about being Jewish. There is a uniqueness about our People which Hashem sought and for which He selected us as His nation. It certainly was not because of our size. Chazal add something in their interpretation of the pasuk that sheds light on this uniqueness. In the Talmud Chullin 89a, they say, “You are the fewest; you are the smallest in numbers” – “You are the ones who hold yourselves small.” Avraham Avinu said, “I am but dust and ashes.” Moshe and Aharon asked, “What are we?” Our People have long realized that the material assets…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5757

Let me now cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Yarden…And Hashem said to me, “It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to me further about this matter.” (3:26,27)

Moshe was not permitted to enter into Eretz Yisrael regardless of the sincerity of his abundant prayers. It just was not to be. The Midrash adds a profound insight into Hashem’s refusal to sanction Moshe’s request to enter Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Levi comments, “Moshe Rabbeinu said to Hashem; Ribbono Shel Olam the bones of Yosef Ha’tzaddik shall enter Eretz Yisrael (for burial) and I shall not?’” Hashem responded, “He who acknowledged his land merits to be buried there; he who did not acknowledge his land is not buried there.” When Yosef was falsely accused of making advances to the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5757

And make known to your children and your children’s children – the day that you stood before Hashem at Choreiv. (4:9,10)

In the Talmud Kiddushin 30A Chazal infer from this pasuk’s command to teach Torah to one’s grandchildren that one who does so is considered as if he received the Torah from Har Sinai. This is derived from the juxtaposition of the revelation at Har Sinai to the mitzvah of talmud Torah. In a lecture in Hilchos chinuch, Horav Reuven Grosovsky, zl, explains that one who teaches Torah becomes a shaliach, agent, of Hashem to transmit Torah to future generations. He parallels Moshe Rabbeinu, the quintessential teacher and lawgiver, who transmitted the Torah to Bnei Yisrael. This unique relationship gives rise…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5757

Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes beheld, and lest you remove from your heart all the days of your life, and make them known to your children. (4:9)

We are admonished to retain focus on Torah study, lest we forget any part of it. It is not easy to remember everything that we learn. After all, we are only human, so we forget. A chasid once came before the Chidushei Ha’rim with such a complaint. How was he to be expected to remember everything that he had learned? The Rebbe responded, “Tell me, my dear friend, did you ever forget to do something that your life depended on, such as eating or sleeping?” The chasid responded emphatically, “Of course not!” The Rebbe countered, ” Eating and sleeping are…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5757

Only beware of yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes have beheld, and lest you remove them from your heart all the days of your life, and make them known to your children and your children’s children – the day that you stood before Hashem, your G-d, at Choreiv. (4:9,10)

During Matan Torah, the receiving of the Torah, Klal Yisrael reached an unparalleled spiritual level – the level of Adam Ha’rishon before he sinned by eating of the Eitz Ha’daas. This level, however, was short lived. The sin of the Golden Calf mitigated Bnei Yisrael‘s spiritual stature. After Adam sinned, Hashem asked him, “Ayeca?” , literally translated as, “Where are you?” but interpreted by Chazal as “How were you?” This infers that Adam was constantly to reinforce his original persona in his psyche. He was never to forget what he was, how high he had reached, his spiritual level of…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5756

“Let me go over, please, and see the good land… the goodly mountain and the Levanon.” (3:25)

Rashi cites the Sifri who interprets the “mountain” as a reference to the Har Ha’Bayis, the mountain on which the Bais Ha’Mikdash stood. The Sifri also views Levanon as an analogy for the Bais Ha’Mikdash. The word Levanon is a derivative of lavan, which means white. The Bais Ha’Mikdash is that place which “whitens” — or provides atonement — for our sins. The Yalkut Shimoni differentiates among the words with which our ancestors referred to the Bais Ha’Mikdash. Avraham Avinu referred to it as “har,” mountain; Yitzchak called it a “sadeh,” field, while Yaakov viewed it as a “bayis,” house….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5756

“And you will find Him, if you will seek Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (4:29)

Chazal teach us that sheker, falsehood, has no “legs/foundation;” ultimately, it must fall. Whatever is built upon a foundation of falsity, be it blatant deceit or merely insincerity, will not endure. If so, why do we find that so many reshaim, wicked people, whose goals are to manipulate the minds and lives of their followers, seem to succeed in their endeavors? In response to this critique, Horav Yisrael Salanter, zl, commented that they act with an emes; these people approach their reprehensible work with a “sincerity” that perhaps has greater veracity to it than the emes that we perform. Regrettably,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5756

“And you shall not covet your fellow’s wife, you shall not desire your friend’s house… or anything that belongs to your fellow.” (5:18)

In the beginning of Parashas Kedoshim, the Ramban demonstrates how the Aseres Ha’dibros are parallel to the mitzvos presented at the beginning of Parashas Kedoshim. He cites the Midrash that equates the prohibition, “Do not covet,” with the positive command, “You shall love your fellow man as yourself.” This is a remarkable chiddush, novel idea. How is not coveting correlated to caring for one’s fellow man? One would think that coveting is a consequence of envy and insecurity. How is it analogous to lack of friendship? Horav Simcha Zissel Broide, Shlita, infers from here that the root of desiring that…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5756

“You shall love Hashem your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your resources.” (6:5)

Chazal teach us that regarding he who places greater significance upon his material abundance than on his own body, the Torah says, “With all your resources.” For he whose body has greater importance than his money, the Torah says, “With all your soul.” Regardless of what is important to us, we must be willing to sacrifice it in the service of Hashem. The Chofetz Chaim examines this statement. What is the most important possession of a Jew? What takes precedence over everything? The Torah! It is our life. Without it, we simply cannot exist. Yet, declares the Chofetz Chaim, the…

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Go say to them: “Return you to your tents.” (5:27)

Not because you were more in number than any other people did Hashem set his love upon you, nor choose you (but) because you were the fewest of all peoples. (7:7)

Let me now cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Yarden…And Hashem said to me, “It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to me further about this matter.” (3:26,27)

And make known to your children and your children’s children – the day that you stood before Hashem at Choreiv. (4:9,10)

Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes beheld, and lest you remove from your heart all the days of your life, and make them known to your children. (4:9)

“Let me go over, please, and see the good land… the goodly mountain and the Levanon.” (3:25)

“And you will find Him, if you will seek Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (4:29)

“And you shall not covet your fellow’s wife, you shall not desire your friend’s house… or anything that belongs to your fellow.” (5:18)

“You shall love Hashem your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your resources.” (6:5)

YEARS

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