5784 – Page 10 – Peninim on the Torah

ובמלאות ימי טהרה ... תביא כבש בן שנתו לעולה ובן יונה או תור לחטאת

Upon the completion of the days of her purity… she shall bring a sheep within its first year for an elevation/burnt offering, and a young dove or a turtledove for a sin-offering. (12:6)

The Baal HaTurim notes that, throughout the Torah, turim, young doves, are mentioned before bnei yonah, turtledoves, except for the korban of the yoledes, postpartum sacrifice, when bnei yonah precede turim. He explains that the korban which the woman brings at the end of her yemei taharah, days of purification, consists of a single bird – either a tor or a ben yonah. The nature of the turtledove (which also goes by the name mourning dove) is that, when it is separated from its mate, it mourns it and refuses to mate with another. Therefore, it is more appropriate to…

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בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

Sruly Schnair In Tazria, 5784

He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:46)

Alone means completely alone – not simply as the result of his impure state. If that would have been the case, he would have been able to congregate in a “metzora colony” where everyone like him was tamei, ritually impure. Indeed, Rashi says that he should be secluded from other metzoraim as well. The reason for this is quite simple. The slanderer is supposed to spend quality time introspecting his own faults, rather than focusing on those of others. When a group of negative people get together, they only see the faults of others, never of themselves. They create an…

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ותצא אש מלפני ד' ותאכל אותם וימותו לפני ד'

Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5784

A fire came forth from before Hashem and consumed them, and they died before Hashem. (10:2)

The Talmud enumerates a number of deficiencies in the elevated rectitude of such tzaddikim as Nadav and Avihu, which led to their untimely tragic passing. One of the comments which begs elucidation is that they would walk behind Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen, with the rest of the nation following them, and they would say, “When will those two elders pass away, and you and I will lead the generation?” Hashem responded, “We will see who will bury whom.” Are we to believe that they were so callous as to “wait” for their father’s and uncle’s deaths; so that they…

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ויאמר משה אל אהרן הוא אשר דבר ד' לאמר בקרבי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד וידם אהרן

Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5784

Moshe said to Aharon: Of this did Hashem speak, saying: “I will be sanctified through those who are nearest Me; thus, I will be honored before the entire people.” And Aharon was silent. (10:3)

What happened to Nadav and Avihu and the circumstances under which their deaths occurred are beyond us. Chazal present various reasons for their untimely deaths, but these reasons apply only to someone who, like them, had reached the capstone of closeness with Hashem. The higher one is, the closer one gets, the more Hashem demands of him. Aharon HaKohen’s reaction (or non-reaction) is equally beyond us. Anyone who has himself – or known someone who has – sustained such a mind-numbing tragedy, either stands in awe of Aharon or questions him. His muted reaction is mind-boggling. As soon as the…

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ואת החזיר כי מפריס פרסה הוא ... והוא גרה לא יגר טמא הוא לכם

Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5784

And the pig, for its hoof is split … but it does not chew its cud, it is unclean to you. (11:7)

The commentators explain the reason the Torah focuses on the pig’s singular kosher sign. The pig, which is the prototypical charlatan, puts forth its kosher sign as if declaring, “See, I am kosher,” expecting people to ignore that it does not chew its cud. Indeed, we have more to fear from those who claim to be observant than from those who do not conceal their estrangement from mitzvos. Despite its despicable nature in attempting to fool people, the chazir has one positive aspect to it, which is alluded by its name – chazir – which means “return.” The Shlah HaKadosh…

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אל חשקצו את נפשותיכם ... ולא תטמאו בהם ונטמתם בם

Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5784

Do not draw abomination for yourselves… you shall not make yourselves impure, therewith, and thus become impure. (11:43)

Chazal (Yoma 39a) teach, “Sin stupefies the heart of a person who commits it.” This is noted from the pasuk, “Do not impurify yourselves with them, so you not be thereby impurified.” Do not read it as v’nitmeisem, and you will become impure. Rather, read it v’nitamtem, you will become stupefied/ befuddled/confused. In Yiddish, we would translate it as farshtupped, stuffed up. He no longer has control over himself; his sinful behavior seriously alters his ability to think rationally. Horav Eliyahu Lopian, zl, derives an important principle from here. When the Torah exhorts us al tishaktzu, do not draw abomination…

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צו את אהרן ואת בניו לאמר

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5784

Command Aharon and his sons, saying. (6:2)

The Torah begins the parshah with the laws concerning the Korban Olah, Elevation/Burnt Offering, in which the entire animal is burnt on the Altar. While the Torah introduces the laws of korbanos with the word v’amarta, “and you should say,” it introduces the Korban Olah with the more emphatic tzav, “command.” Rashi explains that this implies that the Torah is urging the Kohanim to be especially zealous in carrying out this service and to make a point to underscore this exhortation to future generations of Kohanim. Rabbi Shimon (Kiddushin 29a) presents an additional caveat that this exhortation is especially relevant…

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תפיני מנחת פתים תקריב

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5784

A repeatedly baked offering, broken into pieces. (6:14)

The concept of petisah, pitim, breaking the minchah into pieces, applies to all Korbanos Minchah that are baked. The Korban Minchah brought by the Kohen Gadol is slightly different, but the requisite of pitim applies. The Korban Minchah is the korban of choice that the poor man offers, simply due to economics. Horav Aharon Bakst, zl, observes how far the Torah has gone in order to protect the feelings of the poor man (ani). His wealthy counterpart brings a fowl or sheep for a korban. It is large and takes a while to be consumed. The Korban Minchah “disappears” quickly…

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והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו יעשה אתה

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5784

The Kohen from among his sons who is anointed in his place shall perform it. (6:15)

The pasuk refers to a Kohen Gadol who is anointed when he assumes the office of the High Priesthood as the successor to Aharon HaKohen. Concerning Shemos 28:1, “Now you bring near to yourself Aharon, your brother, and his sons with him,” the Midrash comments (Shemos Rabbah 37:4), “When Hashem said these words (Take Aharon your brother and his sons), Moshe Rabbeinu became ill at ease. (He felt bad that he would not serve as Kohen Gadol.) Hashem told him, “I had the Torah, and I gave it to you. If not for it, I would have destroyed My world.”…

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אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5784

If he shall offer it for a Thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

The Korban Todah, Thanksgiving Offering, is special because it allows one who is the beneficiary of Hashem’s kindness to express his gratitude. Indeed, it is important to allow those to whom we reach out to in some manner to repay those favors. Otherwise, they feel humbled by not being able to return the favor. Gratitude does not necessarily have to be commensurate with the favor received. Some people who are the beneficiaries of the largesse of others are just not able to reciprocate. For instance, an individual who has been blessed with extraordinary material bounty is very generous with his…

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ובמלאות ימי טהרה ... תביא כבש בן שנתו לעולה ובן יונה או תור לחטאת

Upon the completion of the days of her purity… she shall bring a sheep within its first year for an elevation/burnt offering, and a young dove or a turtledove for a sin-offering. (12:6)

בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:46)

ותצא אש מלפני ד' ותאכל אותם וימותו לפני ד'

A fire came forth from before Hashem and consumed them, and they died before Hashem. (10:2)

ויאמר משה אל אהרן הוא אשר דבר ד' לאמר בקרבי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד וידם אהרן

Moshe said to Aharon: Of this did Hashem speak, saying: “I will be sanctified through those who are nearest Me; thus, I will be honored before the entire people.” And Aharon was silent. (10:3)

ואת החזיר כי מפריס פרסה הוא ... והוא גרה לא יגר טמא הוא לכם

And the pig, for its hoof is split … but it does not chew its cud, it is unclean to you. (11:7)

אל חשקצו את נפשותיכם ... ולא תטמאו בהם ונטמתם בם

Do not draw abomination for yourselves… you shall not make yourselves impure, therewith, and thus become impure. (11:43)

צו את אהרן ואת בניו לאמר

Command Aharon and his sons, saying. (6:2)

תפיני מנחת פתים תקריב

A repeatedly baked offering, broken into pieces. (6:14)

והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו יעשה אתה

The Kohen from among his sons who is anointed in his place shall perform it. (6:15)

אם על תודה יקריבנו

If he shall offer it for a Thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

YEARS

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