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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“Your life will hang in the balance, and you will be frightened night and day, and you will not be sure of your livelihood.” (28:66)

Rashi explains that in exile the Jewish People will be so insecure that they will never be safe from impending violence.  Regarding their livelihood, they will be compelled to rely on daily purchases, never confident that the markets will be available to them the next day.  In the Talmud, Menachos 103b, Chazal explain that this pasuk refers to a situation in which one has less and less to eat, in which he is relegated to go out daily to seek his bread. This is considered the epitome of unhappiness, not knowing whence one’s daily bread will come, living in constant…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d, amid gladness and goodness of heart.” (28:47)

We may infer from the text of the pasuk that the curses to which Klal Yisrael will be subjected are a result of serving Hashem without joy. In other words, regardless of one’s actual performance of a mitzvah, if it is not carried out joyfully it is not considered to be a mitzvah. To the contrary, it is a source of curse. The commentators explore the importance of inherent joy in mitzvah performance. The Baal Ha’Tanya offers a profound explanation for this. Unhappiness indicates a total breakdown of personality. A true Jew must be happy! He is blessed — either…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“Then all the peoples of the earth will see that the name of Hashem is proclaimed over you.” (28:10)

In a novel exposition of this pasuk, Horav Eli Munk, z.l., cites the Zohar Ha’Kadosh who lists four mitzvos by which other nations can “identify” the Jewish People. They are: the Tefillin, which are worn on the head; Shabbos, which is an island in time that distinguishes us from the nations of the world; the Yamim Tovim, which basically have the same distinction as Shabbos and distinguishes us even from those nations who observe a “day of rest”; and the mitzvah of Milah, a permanent sign on our body. In the Talmud, Menachos 55b, however, Chazal only mention the sign…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“Then you shall call out and say before Hashem, your G-d, ‘An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather. He descended to Egypt and sojourned there.” (26:5)

The parsha of the declaration of Bikkurim includes in it the story of the Egyptian bondage. Horav Mordechai Ilan, z.l., explains the need for integrating our past afflictions into the essence of our gratitude to Hashem as we bring forth the first fruits of our labor.  The time of “reishis,” beginning, is a special one for a person.  It is the moment of ultimate fruition and success. Such a heightened moment should be consecrated to Hashem. When a person celebrates the first harvest, he recounts the entire process of the creation of the fruit, as it progressed from a mere…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

Then you shall call out and say before Hashem your G-d, ‘An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather. He descended to Egypt and sojourned there.'” (26:5)

Rashi follows the Midrashic interpretation of the pasuk. The Midrash considers the “Aramean” to be none other than the deceitful Lavan, who left no stone unturned in his quest to destroy Yaakov Avinu.  Yaakov subsequently descended to Egypt to be “greeted” by the tyrannical Pharaoh. The one who is bringing the Bikkurim expresses his gratitude to Hashem(the declaration begins with this pasuk), for without His intervention there would be no “zeicher,” remembrance, left of Klal Yisrael.  Rashi’s choice of instances in which Yaakov was saved from certain destruction is enigmatic. Were these two crises the only situations in which he…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“Remember what Amalek did to you… and he did not fear Hashem.” (25:17,18)

The Brisker Rav, z.l., asserts that in the words, “And he did not fear Hashem,” lies the key to Amalek’s iniquity over that of all other nations who fought us. His lack of yiraas Elokim, fear of Hashem, is sufficient reason for earning him the title of archenemy of Hashem. What specific aspect of his miscreant behavior emphasizes his lack of fear of Hashem? The Talmud, Bava Kamma 79b, distinguishes between a ganov and a gazlan. The ganov is a robber who demonstrates fear of man, by virtue of the fact that he performs his invidious behavior only at night…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and Hashem your G-d redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.” (24:18)

The admonition to remember our status as slaves in Egypt is repeated four times in the Torah. It is mentioned here in regard to taking advantage of the widow and orphan. It is repeated when the Torah details the laws involving giving to the poor and needy. It is again recounted in reference to the laws prohibiting labor on Shabbos. Finally it is mentioned concerning the mitzvah of ha’annakah, sending off the eved Ivri, Jewish servant, with gifts that will raise his self-esteem. Considering the references to these mitzvos, why does the Torah emphasize the liberation from Egypt as the…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“An Amonite or Moabite shall not enter the congregation of Hashem… Because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water… and because they hired Bilaam … to curse you.” (23:4,5)

The Torah clearly presents two reasons for banning an Amonite or a Moabite from marrying a Jew. Rashi, however, cites only their procuring Bilaam to effect our spiritual destruction as grounds for their exclusion. Why does Rashi omit their lack of character refinement as motive for barring them from Klal Yisrael ?  Horav Elyakim Schlesinger, Shlita, responds to this question by first addressing a similar question regarding the death of Lot’s wife. When Lot and his family were escaping the inferno which destroyed Sodom, his wife disobeyed the command not to look back. Consequently, she was turned into a pillar…

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Home -> 5755 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Ki Seitzei, 5755

“If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother.” (21:18)

The halachos which apply to the ben sorer u’moreh, the wayward and rebellious son, are difficult to grasp. Indeed, Chazal comment that the unusual demands made by halacha basically prevent this phenomenon from occurring. Nonetheless, many important lessons in education and parenting may be derived from it. Let us focus on a few of these lessons. We are taught that the ben sorer u’moreh does not “just happen”. A definite pathology is the precursor of such a child’s problem. It all starts with his parents, even before he is born. The laws of ben sorer u’moreh are juxtaposed to the…

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