Vayikra – Peninim on the Torah

אשר נשיא יחטא

When a ruler sins. (4:22)

Asher is translated as “when,” alluding to the fact that it happens that even the high and mighty leader sins. Chazal further translate it as being connected to ashrei, fortunate. This motivates Chazal to assert that a generation whose leader seeks atonement for his unintentional sins is fortunate, because this means that he will surely repent his intentional sins. Chazal underscore the good fortune of a nation whose leader concedes and seeks atonement for his fallibility. On the one hand, this is an enviable character trait – one to which more leaders should ascribe – but, at the end of…

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ויקרא אל משה

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayikra

Hashem called to Moshe. (1:1)

The Midrash underscores the fact that Moshe Rabbeinu had ten names. Hashem called to Moshe, summoning him by the name which Bisyah bas Pharaoh had given to him. This is not the first time that the Torah mentions his name. Why does the Midrash choose Vayikra el Moshe as the place for commenting about Moshe’s name? Perhaps it is the textual relationship – Vayikra, He called, with the naming of Moshe by Bisyah, Vatikra shemo Moshe (Shemos 2:10). The kriah, calling out by Hashem, could be viewed as official confirmation of Bisyah’s kriah in naming him. In any event, the…

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ויקרא אל משה

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayikra

Hashem called to Moshe. (1:1)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah) note that Moshe Rabbeinu actually had ten names, but he is called Moshe, which was the name which Pharaoh’s daughter gave to him. Va’tikra shemo Moshe, va’tomer ki min ha’mayim meshisuhu; “She called his name Moshe, as she said, ‘For I drew him from the water’” (Shemos 2:10). It is a great name which recalls the most memorable event in the life of Bisyah, Pharaoh’s daughter. Linguistically, however, the name appears enigmatic. If Moshe was drawn from the water, he should have been called Mashui, not Moshe. The name Moshe implies the future tense, one who will…

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אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצוות ד' אלוקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה ואשם

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayikra

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem, his God, that may not be done – unintentionally – and becomes guilty. (4:22)

Asher can be translated as “when,” indicating the inevitability of the ruler’s unintentional sin. It often comes with the territory. Power and wealth make great demands on a person, and sometimes a ruler is distracted or overwhelmed by the stress of his role. Rashi cites Sifra that translates Asher as alluding to Ashrei, fortunate. This implies that the generation whose leader does not resort to cover-up or spin to validate his actions – who concedes that he has erred – is truly a fortunate generation. This is a leader whom we can respect. His integrity is more important to him…

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ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה לד' סלת יהיה קרבנו

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayikra

When a person offers a meal-offering to Hashem, his offering shall be of fine flour. (2:1)

Of all those who bring a korban nedavah, voluntary offering, the Torah refers only to one who brings a Korban Minchah, meal offering, as nefesh, soul (person). This korban is the least costly of all offerings. Thus, it was the korban of choice for the economically challenged, poor man. Hashem says that one who brings this offering is considered as if he had offered his soul. Let us sit back and analyze this idea. A poor man was to take his life’s savings and purchase a large cow as a korban. It makes sense that he was giving everything/his soul,…

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ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayikra

And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him. (1:1)

The well-known Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 1:15) derives an important lesson from Moshe Rabbeinu’s behavior: “Any Torah scholar who lacks daas, wisdom, decorum, conduct, and manners is worse than an animal carcass; neveilah is better than he is.” Moshe Rabbeinu, the father of wisdom, the father of prophets, who took the Jews out of Egypt and was the medium through whom many miracles were wrought and who concerned himself with all aspects of the building of the Mishkan, did not enter the innermost chamber until Hashem called him. Rav Yitzchak Hutner, zl, explains why Chazal state that a talmid chacham who…

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נפש כי תחטא בשגגה מכל מצות ד' אשר לא תעשנה

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayikra

When a person will sin unintentionally from among all the commandments of Hashem that may not be done. (4:2)

The Torah goes on to say that one who sins b’shogeg, unintentionally, must bring a korban, offering, to atone his sin. We wonder why one brings a korban for an action which he committed unintentionally, with no malice aforethought? Horav Moshe Soloveitchik, zl (V’Ha’Ish Moshe), compares this with one who is transporting inexpensive glassware. Since their value is negligible, he moves the glasses quickly without giving much thought to his endeavor. What is the worst thing that could happen? Some would break – nu – it is not the end of the world. If one were transporting expensive crystal or…

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ויקרא אל משה

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayikra

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

Ostensibly, the call to Moshe Rabbeinu emanated from Hashem. Was it only to Moshe? What about Klal Yisrael? Chazal teach (Tanchuma 2) that the call to Moshe came in a loud, thunderous voice, but only he heard it. Hashem’s voice is meant for those who are worthy of hearing it. Indeed, Hashem is constantly calling out to us with subtle messages, incidents which are meant to get our attention, to wake us up from our deep slumber and get our act together. We do not always recognize these incidents as being messages. We are so involved with our everyday, mundane…

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ויקרא אל משה

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Vayikra

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

Chazal (Vayikra Rabbah 7:3) say: “Why do they begin the teaching of Chumash to children with Toras Kohanim (Vayikra) and not with Bereishis? Since the children are pure, without sin, and the offerings are pure, it is, therefore, fitting that the pure should come and engross themselves in the study of that which is pure.” One should ask an intelligent person, one versed in pedagogy and proficient in the educational methodology for reaching a young child, captivating his interest for learning: From where should the child begin to learn? At what point should the lesson plan for teaching Chumash on…

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אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצות ד' אלקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Vayikra

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem that may not be done – unintentionally. (4:22)

The other pesukim (addressing private and communal sin) begin with the logical v’im, if (someone sins). Concerning the Nasi, the Torah begins with the word asher, which means when (a Nasi sins). Why, concerning everyone else, it is “if” and regarding the Nasi, it is “when”? It is almost as if the Torah is implying that, for the Nasi, sin is inevitable. It is only a question of when it will occur. Rashi quotes the Sifra that teaches that the word asher alludes to ashrei, fortunate, implying that a generation whose leader sins and seeks atonement for his error is…

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אשר נשיא יחטא

When a ruler sins. (4:22)

ויקרא אל משה

Hashem called to Moshe. (1:1)

ויקרא אל משה

Hashem called to Moshe. (1:1)

אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצוות ד' אלוקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה ואשם

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem, his God, that may not be done – unintentionally – and becomes guilty. (4:22)

ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה לד' סלת יהיה קרבנו

When a person offers a meal-offering to Hashem, his offering shall be of fine flour. (2:1)

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו

And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him. (1:1)

נפש כי תחטא בשגגה מכל מצות ד' אשר לא תעשנה

When a person will sin unintentionally from among all the commandments of Hashem that may not be done. (4:2)

ויקרא אל משה

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

ויקרא אל משה

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצות ד' אלקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem that may not be done – unintentionally. (4:22)

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