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Home -> Matos -> 5784

וידבר משה... זה הדבר אשר צוה ד'

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Matos

Moshe spoke… “This is the matter that Hashem has commanded.” (30:2)

Rashi distinguishes between the level of nevuah, prophesy, which Moshe Rabbeinu achieved and the level of the other Neviim. Moshe prophesized with the wording, Zeh ha’davar, “This is the matter,” while the other Neviiam prophesized with the words, Koh amar Hashem, “So said Hashem.” The Malbim explains that “so said Hashem” implies that the Navi is relating what Hashem had earlier communicated to him. Zeh ha’davar implies that Hashem is presently in the process of communicating with those addressed by speaking, as it were, through the medium of the prophet. If so, why when addressing the roshei ha’matos, heads of…

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Home -> Matos -> 5784

ואת בלעם בן בעור הרגו בחרב

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Matos

And Bilaam ben Be’or they killed with the sword. (31:8)

Rashi comments that Bilaam came against Klal Yisrael and exchanged his craft with their craft, for we triumph only with our mouths through prayer and supplication. He came and seized their craft by cursing them with his mouth. They, too, came against him and exchanged their craft for the craft of the other nations, who come/fight with the sword. The power of prayer is awesome – especially when it emanates with sincerity and feeling from a pure mouth. Sometimes it is critical that one know how to pray (how to present his case). A special segulah, aid, to achieving a…

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Home -> Masei -> 5784

אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Masei

These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael, who went forth from the land of Egypt. (33:1)

The Torah makes a point of detailing each and every one of the nation’s encampments in the Wilderness. Clearly, we must derive a lesson from this pasuk. Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, explains (based on the commentaries of the Rishonim) that the idea of yetzias Mitzrayim, the Egyptian exodus, is based on the principle that it and all its accompanying miracles and wonders were revealed for anyone to see. No room existed for even the biggest fool or greatest agnostic to deny what took place. If one possessed a modicum of intelligence, he saw what was clearly Divine intervention in its…

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Home -> Masei -> 5784

והקריתם לכם ערים ערי מקלט... ונס שמה רוצח מכה נפש בשגגה וישב בה עד מות הכהן הגדול

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Masei

You shall designate cities for yourselves, cities of refuge… and a murderer shall flee there – one who takes a life unintentionally… He shall dwell in it until the death of the Kohen Gadol. (35:11,25)

The rotzeiach b’shogeg, unintentional murderer, is sent into exile to one of the designated cities of refuge. There, he will be safe from the wrath and vengeance of the go’eil ha’dam, redeemer of the blood, a close relative of the victim who has the right to exact vengeance against the murderer. The rotzeiach b’shogeg is safe as long as he remains within the confines of the ir miklat. If he leaves and the redeemer catches him, his blood is on his own hands. The rotzieach remains in the ir miklat until the death of the Kohen Gadol, who, on some…

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Home -> 5784 -> Pinchas

פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

Sruly Schnair
In Pinchas, 5784

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen has turned my anger away from Bnei Yisrael by his zealously avenging Me through them. (25:11)

Pinchas saw an outrageous act of moral turpitude, and he immediately acted with extreme courage to eradicate the sinners. Was it his actions in killing Zimri and Cozbi that earned him the accolades, or was it his clarity of vision to discern right from wrong, evil from good? Veritably, every kannai, zealot, who sincerely acts for Heaven’s sake requires both qualities: unabashed clarity of vision; and extreme courage. The reason is that, unlike the zealot who sees clearly, those around him who stand observing with folded hands do not. Furthermore, some are so myopic that they brand the zealot as…

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Home -> 5784 -> Pinchas

ובני אליאב נמואל ודתן ואבירם הוא דתן ואבירם קרואי העדה אשר הצו על משה ועל אהרן

Sruly Schnair
In Pinchas, 5784

And the sons of Eliav: Nemuel and Dasan and Aviram, the same Dasan and Aviram who were summoned by the Assembly, who contended against Moshe and Aharon. (26:9)

The Torah seems to find it necessary to once again introduce the reader to Moshe Rabbeinu’s arch nemeses, Dasan and Aviram. One would think that these two evildoers would be remembered for their continued evil throughout the nation’s nascency. Indeed, their first incursion took place in Egypt when they argued with Moshe and followed up by informing on him to Pharaoh. They told Pharaoh that the Jews had left Egypt, and they later broke the rule not to leave over the manna that descended from Heaven to the next day. They led the charge of Nitnah rosh v’nashuvah Mitzraimah, “Let…

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Home -> 5784 -> Pinchas

יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה

Sruly Schnair
In Pinchas, 5784

May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the Assembly. (27:16)

The emphasis one places on studying Torah, which facilitates one’s knowledge of its wisdom and allows him to understand the mitzvos and how to perform them, is deeply rooted in Torah principles. We are also enjoined, however, to translate the knowledge we garner into action through acts of kindness and by teaching others. The integration of learning and doing is essential for personal growth, as well as the positive contribution it makes to benefit the Jewish community. By combining Torah study with gemillas chassadim, one lives a meaningful life of spiritual learning coupled with practical application, which fosters a harmonious…

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Home -> 5784 -> Balak

ההסכן הסכנתי לעשות לך כה

Sruly Schnair
In Balak, 5784

Have I become accustomed to do such a thing to you? (22:30)

Bilaam’s arrogance was on the same level as his evil. He acted upon his base desires and thought nothing of it. Yet, he took umbrage with anyone who had the audacity to call his malevolent actions to his attention. He was Bilaam, the greatest pagan prophet. As such, he had license to do whatever he pleased. All went well until Bilaam’s donkey gave him mussar, rebuked him. The donkey refused to go forward, because it saw an angel impeding its path. Bilaam, the prophet, did not see the angel.  Thus, he struck the donkey three times for its unwillingness to…

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Home -> 5784 -> Balak

ויאמר בלעם אל בלק בנה לי בזה שבעה מזבחות

Sruly Schnair
In Balak, 5784

Bilaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me.” (23:1)

Balak complied to Bilaam’s request and erected seven Altars upon which he offered seven cows and seven rams. He did this three times for a total of forty-two sacrifices. While Balak’s attempt to curse the Jewish people yielded no immediate effect, it did play itself out negatively generations later in the time of Elisha HaNavi. Chazal (Sotah 47a) teach that forty-two children who cursed Elisha died as a result of the Navi’s response to them. [The commentators explain that these children were products of a prohibited union which was consummated on Yom Kippur. Additionally, Elisha saw through Divine Inspiration that…

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Home -> 5784 -> Balak

לא הביט און ביעקב

Sruly Schnair
In Balak, 5784

He perceived no iniquity in Yaakov. (23:21)

Rashi explains (based upon a Midrash) that, even when Klal Yisrael sins, Hashem chooses not to scrutinize their sin to the full extent of their shortcomings. This does not mean that we are perfect. People sin — and some sin egregiously — but Hashem knows that, despite their nefarious behavior, their neshamah, soul, which is a part of the Divine, remains untarnished, and, as such, it can/will return. While the soul will remain pure, we are still accountable for our actions, and we must strive to live an ethical and moral life. The belief in the intrinsic purity of the…

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