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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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Home -> 5773 -> Va'eschanan

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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Home -> 5772 -> Va'eschanan

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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Home -> 5772 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5772

“Guard the Shabbos day to sanctify it, as Hashem, your G-d, has commanded you.” (5:12)

Rashi explains that Hashem commanded us to observe the Shabbos in Marah, even before the Giving of the Torah. Likewise,  in  regard  to  the  mitzvah  of  Kibud  Av v’Eim, honoring one’s parents, Rashi cites Chazal who assert that we were commanded to honor our parents in Marah. This is enigmatic, since in the parshah that tells about the manna, the Torah also details the laws of Shabbos. Why do they not say, “kaasher tzivcha,” “As He commanded you,” in the parsha of the manna? Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, z.l., gives a practical response to this question. The mitzvos of Shabbos and…

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Home -> 5772 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5772

“Do not kill and do not commit adultery, and do not steal, and do not bear false witness against your fellow. And do not covet.” (5:17–18)

Noting the order of these prohibitions, we may assume that they are written in a logical, descending order. The prohibition against murder, clearly the most grievous sin, is first, followed by the other “lesser” sins. In this manner, the Torah tells us that all of these acts are prohibited – not only the more serious ones. We wonder why the Torah joins these transgressions with the prefix “vav” – “and”? Horav David Feinstein, Shlita, explains that the Torah emphasizes to us that all mitzvos have equal significance. Had the Torah not used the “vav”, “and” prefix, we might think that…

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Home -> 5772 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5772

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

Throughout the millennia, Hashem has tested the Jewish nation. He has challenged us collectively as a nation, as well as personally as individuals. We have been subject to the most cruel and inhuman ordeals, and we have survived. We have maintained our faith in the Almighty with all of our heart and all of our soul. Today, most of us live in areas where threats to our physical survival rarely present themselves. There is, however, another area in which the committed Jew is tested: in the area of material advancement. We live in a society in which people are regrettably…

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Home -> 5771 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5771

“Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” (3:25)

A fascinating Midrash relates part of the dialogue between Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem concerning his plea  that he be allowed  to  enter  the Holy  Land.  Moshe asked, “Ribono Shel Olam, the bones of Yosef HaTzaddik will enter Eretz Yisrael, and I will not enter?” (Why is Yosef different than I?) Hashem replied, “One who conceded, who acknowledged his Land, deserves to be buried there. One who did not acknowledge his Land is not buried there.” Chazal note that when Potifar’s wife failed in her attempt to seduce Yosef, she cried out, “Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to sport…

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Home -> 5771 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5771

And you shall not steal. (5:17)

We live in a day and age during which the idea of theft has lost much of its aura of malevolence. Stealing used to be an anathema. Regrettably, people have discovered loopholes whereby what used to be evil no longer carries such a negative stigma. Horav Sholom Schwadron, zl, relates the story of a distinguished student of the Arizal, a wealthy businessman who owned two factories in Tzfas. In one factory, he employed only men; in the other factory, only women. One day, the student visited his revered Rebbe. When he entered the room, the Rebbe said, “I see on…

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Home -> 5771 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5771

You shall love Hashem, your G-d. (6:5)

The Talmud Yoma 86b delineates between chillul Hashem, desecrating Hashem’s Name, and Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying Hashem’s Name. Four varieties of penance atone for the sins one commits. First is teshuvah, repentance, which atones without the need for added yissurim, pain and troubles. There are sins for which teshuvah requires Yom Kippur as an added penance. We have so far alluded to three forms of teshuvah: teshuvah alone; teshuvah with yissurim; teshuvah with Yom Kippur. One last sin goes beyond the parameters of teshuvah, yissurim and Yom Kippur. It is a transgression that is neither atoned for by Yom Kippur, nor…

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Home -> 5771 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Va'eschanan, 5771

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart… And these words… shall be upon your heart. (6:5,6)

The pasuk tells us that one should love Hashem with all of his heart. This is followed by the  admonition  to  place  “these  words”  on one’s  heart.  A connection  must  exist between the two “hearts” mentioned. The Sifri asks how does one manifest his love for Hashem? The Almighty is not a mortal. He has no corporeality. How does one experience this sense of love? Chazal answer that the key lies in the words, V’hayu ha’devarim ha’eileh… al l’vavecha, “And these words … shall be upon your heart.” By inscribing Hashem’s words on our heart, we come to recognize, acknowledge…

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