Va’eschanan – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

ולא תתאוה בית רעך... וכל אשר לרעך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5774

You shall not desire your friend’s house… or anything that belongs to your fellow. (5:18)

In Pirkei Avos, the Tanna underscores the egregious nature of envy. Hakinah, v’hataavah, v’hakavod motziin es ha’adam min ha’olam, “Jealousy, lust and glory remove a man from the world.” The sequence of these deficient character traits intimates that envy has garnered first place. Indeed, it all starts with envy, moves on to lust and self-aggrandizement. The triple crown removes a person from the world – or, perhaps, each one has a negative effect on a person. Regardless, we see that kinah is the worst of the bunch. When one is obsessed with the possessions which his friend has, he may…

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לא מרבכם מכל העמים חשק ד' בכם ויבחר בכם כי אתם המעט מכל העמים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5774

Not because you are numerous than all the peoples did Hashem desire you and choose you, for you are the fewest of all peoples. (7:7)

Toward the end of the parsha, the Torah describes Hashem’s relationship with Klal Yisrael, claiming that it has nothing to do with our being numerous – because we are not. We are a minority among nations. Because we are the fewest of peoples, however, Hashem has decided to bestow His love on us. Rashi explains that size does not actually play a significant role in determining our relationship. Rather, “fewest” means we minimize ourselves, like Avraham Avinu who said, V’Anochi afar va’eifar, ‘I am but dust and ashes” (Bereishis 18:27) and like Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen, who said, Va’anachnu…

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Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5754

“When you shall beget children and children’s children and you will have become old in the land and will practice depravity.” (4:25)

Moshe did not fear the immediate danger of aberration on the part of Klal Yisrael. Rather, he perceived that change would result from being in the land for a while, occurring after the birth of the second and third generations. Horav S.R. Hirsch z.l. interprets the word o,baubu, “and you will become old,” in a different manner. iah is not like iez, the antonym of “young.” Rather, it is more closely related to being the opposite of “new” or “fresh.” This concept is already suggested by the literal meaning of iah as “dark” or “sleep.” Only after the nation has…

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Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5754

“Get up on top of Pisgah … and behold with your eyes for you shall not go over this Yarden… (3:27) Then Moshe separated three cities beyond the Yarden. (4:41) And this is the Torah which Moshe set before Bnei Yisrael.” (4:44)

The parsha begins with Moshe’s supplication to Hashem, entreating Him to be allowed entry into Eretz Yisrael. Moshe realized that his hopes would not be fulfilled, and he stood making his farewell speech to Bnei Yisrael. He reminded them of their past iniquities and exhorted them to remember their obligations to both Hashem and man. It seemed that Moshe’s task in this world had come to an end. Suddenly, Moshe undertook a new mitzvah, one that would not apply until Eretz Yisrael had been conquered and divided. He separated three cities of refuge for the Ever Ha’Yarden. Why did Moshe…

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Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5754

“And you should teach them diligently to your children.” (6:7)

We are enjoined to transmit Torah to the next generation. Rashi adds that “your children” also refers to one’s students. Indeed, teaching Torah to one’s students is a form of spiritual creation. Various interpretations cite the importance of either personally teaching or caring for the Torah education of one’s children. Horav Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld z.l. cites the Talmud in Brachos 14 which states that one who recites krias shema but does not wear tefillin, is viewed as a false witness. In the parsha of krias shema, one mentions the imperative to wear tefillin. To accept the mitzvah of krias shema,…

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וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו כי הוא יעבר לפני העם והוא ינחיל אותם את הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

But you shall command Yehoshua, and strengthen him and give him resolve, for he shall cross before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the Land. (3:28)

Upon a cursory reading of the text, the phrase, “For he shall cross before this people,” is superfluous in light of the following phrase, “And he shall cause them to inherit the Land.” Clearly, if Yehoshua was leading the nation in Eretz Yisrael, he would cross before they did. In his Aderes Eliyahu, Horav Yosef Chaim zl, m’Bagdad, distinguishes the leadership characteristics of Yehoshua’s from that of his Rebbe and predecessor, Moshe Rabbeinu. Yehoshua “crossed” before the nation, very much like a monarch who precedes his people. Moshe, on the other hand, was a roeh, shepherd, who led from “behind.”…

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אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

At that time, Moshe designated three cities. (4:41)

In Sefer Mishlei 24:30-33, Shlomo HaMelech teaches us the inevitable consequence of indolence. Al sadeh ish atzeil avarti, “By the field of a lazy person I passed and behold, it was entirely covered with thorns, its face covered with weeds, and its wall of stones was in ruins. I saw, and I took a lesson: a little sleep, a little dreaming, a little folding of the hands to rest; your poverty will come racing after you.” The wisest of all men tells us that it does not take much. A little slacking off, and one gets into the habit. Habit…

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ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

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

In his thesis on ahavas Hashem, love of the Almighty, Horav Eliezer Papo, zl, author of the Pele Yoetz, writes, “Love for Hashem – there is no quality/virtue better than it, for all service to Hashem, and (indeed) all Yahadus, Judaism, is derived from it.” Loving Hashem is one of the Taryag, 613, mitzvos. It is a constant mitzvah, one which is fulfilled only through thought and contemplation, resulting in a person’s awareness of Hashem’s beneficence and all that he owes Him. The Pele Yoetz writes that love of Hashem takes on two different forms or dimensions. The first, which…

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ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

And impress them sharply upon your sons, and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk upon the way; when you lie down, and when you get up. (6:7)

A simple reading of the pasuk implies that one is to teach the commandments to his children/students, who are considered like his children. He should also speak words of Torah, with the primary topic of his conversation always being Torah-oriented. Last, he should occupy himself with Torah at all times: when he is in his home: or when he is traveling: at night when he lays down to sleep; and when he arises in the morning – Torah must be his primary focus in life. Perhaps, we might apply writer’s license to interpret the pesukim as an orientation for parents…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5772

“For inquire now regarding the early days… from the day when G- d created man on the earth…Has there ever been anything like this great thing or has anything like it ever been heard?” (4:32)

Horav Nissan Alpert z.l., offers an anecdote in explanation of this pasuk: A Jew once stood before a gentile magistrate, attempting to describe to him the greatness of the saintly Chafetz Chaim z.l. He told how the Chafetz Chaim’s prayers penetrated the Heavens to implore the Almighty’s blessing for those in need. He described the Chafetz Chaim’s spiritual eminence and his ability to have miracles made for him. The judge brushed him aside, refusing to believe all of the stories. Hearing the disdain in the gentile’s voice, the Jew looked into his eyes and, in an accusing voice said, “My…

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ולא תתאוה בית רעך... וכל אשר לרעך

You shall not desire your friend’s house… or anything that belongs to your fellow. (5:18)

לא מרבכם מכל העמים חשק ד' בכם ויבחר בכם כי אתם המעט מכל העמים

Not because you are numerous than all the peoples did Hashem desire you and choose you, for you are the fewest of all peoples. (7:7)

“When you shall beget children and children’s children and you will have become old in the land and will practice depravity.” (4:25)

“Get up on top of Pisgah … and behold with your eyes for you shall not go over this Yarden… (3:27) Then Moshe separated three cities beyond the Yarden. (4:41) And this is the Torah which Moshe set before Bnei Yisrael.” (4:44)

“And you should teach them diligently to your children.” (6:7)

וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו כי הוא יעבר לפני העם והוא ינחיל אותם את הארץ

But you shall command Yehoshua, and strengthen him and give him resolve, for he shall cross before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the Land. (3:28)

אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים

At that time, Moshe designated three cities. (4:41)

ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

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

ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך

And impress them sharply upon your sons, and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk upon the way; when you lie down, and when you get up. (6:7)

“For inquire now regarding the early days… from the day when G- d created man on the earth…Has there ever been anything like this great thing or has anything like it ever been heard?” (4:32)

YEARS

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