Yisro – Page 14 – Peninim on the Torah

“And wherever I permit my Name to be mentioned I shall come to you and bless you.” (20:21)

It is significant that this pasuk follows immediately after the Har Sinai experience. No code of law, regardless of man’s acquiescence, will be binding – unless he views that law as the direct result of the spiritual foundation of life. Horav Moshe Swift, zl, cites the Talmud Succah 53a which quotes Hillel’s interpretation of this pasuk. “If you will come into My House, I will come into yours.” Hashem tells Bnei Yisrael that My relationship with you is not merely a reward. It is the product of a natural sequence of events. If you will come to Me – I…

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Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5756

And now if you listen well to My voice and guard My covenant you shall be to Me the most beloved treasure of all people. (19:5)

The Da’as Zekeinim in Parashas Vayeira, (Bereishis 18:8) states that when the three angels came to visit Avraham Avinu, they ate basar b’cholov, an admixture of milk and meat. When Hashem prepared to give the Torah to Bnei Yisrael, the ministering angels came before Hashem and demanded that the Torah would be more appropriately welcomed and observed if it remained in Heaven. Hashem responded by reminding them that the Torah demands that one not eat an admixture of milk and meat, an activity which was not consistent with their behavior during their brief visit with Avraham. Immediately upon hearing these…

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Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5756

“When the ram’s horn sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.” (19:13)

One would assume that after such a singular event in history, when Hashem revealed Himself to Am Yisrael for the purpose of giving the Torah, that this mountain would remain eternally holy. Yet, we see that immediately when the Shechinah “left,” the mountain reverted to its natural state; anyone, even the animals, were permitted to walk on it. Shouldn’t some of this distinctive holiness have permeated this mountain, transforming it into a makom kadosh, holy place? Horav Moshe Shternbuch, Shlita, explains that being the designated site for Matan Torah does not give Har Sinai license for eternal kedushah, holiness. It…

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Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5756

“You shall not take the Name of Hashem, your G-d, in vain.” (20:7)

The Torah admonishes us not to swear falsely or in vain. Horav Reuven Katz, z.l., interprets this pasuk homiletically. Do not “raise up/attach Hashem’s Name to that which is false. Do not misguide people by placing Hashem’s endorsement on your illicit behavior. Regrettably, some individuals resort to the most cruel forms of character assassination in order to undermine, and even destroy, communal Torah-oriented endeavors. They present their deeds under the guise of l’shem shomayim, in the Name of Heaven. Their negative propaganda thinly veils an apparent disdain for the individual or organization they seek to defame. These individuals publicly proclaim…

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Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5756

And when you make for Me an altar of stones, do not build them hewn, for you will have raised your sword over it and desecrated it. (20:22)

The Bobover Rebbe, Horav Bentzion Halberstam, z.l., interpreted this pasuk in a novel homiletic manner. He once davened in a shul where the chazan, instead of focusing on achieving proper kavanah, devotion, was priding himself on his ability to enunciate the words clearly with the proper syllables. His melodious voice only increased his arrogance. Witnessing this degradation of the sanctity of Tefillah, prayer, the Bobover Rebbe remarked: The Torah states: “If you will make for Me an altar of stones.”; Chazal teach us that tefillah has replaced the altar with its sacrifices. The Sefer Yetzirah states that in kabbalistic vernacular,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5755

“And Yisro heard…. all that Hashem wrought for Moshe and Yisrael.” (18:1)

Rashi explains that Yisro heard the news of the splitting of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek. These two miraculous events so impressed Yisro that he left his established home in Midyan and joined Bnei Yisrael in the desert. Obviously, all the other nations also heard the news about the remarkable miracles which were occurring for Bnei Yisrael. Yisro, however, applied what he indeed heard to his immediate lifestyle. Horav Chaim Shmuelevitz z.l., was wont to say, “Yisro did not simply hear, he “derhered,” a Yiddish expression which connotes a unique quality of listening. It implies attending to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5755

“And Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe, took Tzipporah, Moshe’s wife… and her two sons.” (18:2,3)

It is interesting to note that the Torah refers to Moshe and Tzipporah’s sons as “her two sons.” Were they only Tzipporah’s sons? Horav Mordechai Gifter, Shlita, asserts that the education parents impart to their child establishes the tenor of the relationship between them. From the time Moshe left Midyan — at the behest of Hashem to lead Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt — until this moment, Tzipporah guided their childrens’ education. This is the reason that they are referred to as “her two sons.” This remarkable insight into parenting and education should serve as a lesson for us all….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5755

“And he (Yisro) said (to Moshe), ‘What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit by yourself?'” (18:14)

The simple interpretation of this dialogue between Yisro and Moshe is that Yisro was concerned that Moshe not overexert himself by attempting to be the sole adjudicator for the entire nation. After all, Moshe was still a human being, and he would not be able to maintain the physical stamina required to continue functioning in this capacity. Horav Dovid Feinstein, Shlita, suggests that Yisro’s concern was not so much for Moshe’s physical well-being, as it was for Klal Yisrael’s educational development. When Yisro came to Moshe, he did not ask, “What are you doing to yourself ?” – but rather,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5755

“And Moshe chose able men from all of Yisrael.” (18:25)

Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch z.l., cites the Sforno who sees a profound implication from this pasuk. After searching for men who possessed all the qualities mentioned by Yisro, he chose “able men” who were well versed in law, diligent in determining the veracity of a situation, and capable of bringing it to a proper conclusion. This definition of “anshei chayil” distinguishes itself from that of the other commentators. Sforno focuses on the individual’s ability to think and use his common sense, coupled with an unremittant desire to make use of these faculties to solve problems. Yisro had suggested four qualifications…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5755

“All that Hashem has spoken we will do.” (19:8)

In Parashas Mishpatim (24:7), Bnei Yisrael reaffirm their acceptance of the Torah with the famous words, “Na’ase V’nishma,” “we will do and we will listen.” Chazal explain that when Bnei Yisrael proclaimed Na’ase V’nishma, they pledged themselves first “to do,” to observe and practice and then to try to understand. When they acceded to first perform and execute and later speculate and rationalize, Hashem sent down one angel for each Jew. The angel placed two crowns on the head of each Jew. One represented Na’ase, we will do, and one represented Nishma, we will listen. We must endeavor to understand…

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“And wherever I permit my Name to be mentioned I shall come to you and bless you.” (20:21)

And now if you listen well to My voice and guard My covenant you shall be to Me the most beloved treasure of all people. (19:5)

“When the ram’s horn sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.” (19:13)

“You shall not take the Name of Hashem, your G-d, in vain.” (20:7)

And when you make for Me an altar of stones, do not build them hewn, for you will have raised your sword over it and desecrated it. (20:22)

“And Yisro heard…. all that Hashem wrought for Moshe and Yisrael.” (18:1)

“And Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe, took Tzipporah, Moshe’s wife… and her two sons.” (18:2,3)

“And he (Yisro) said (to Moshe), ‘What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit by yourself?'” (18:14)

“And Moshe chose able men from all of Yisrael.” (18:25)

“All that Hashem has spoken we will do.” (19:8)

YEARS

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