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Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5775

לעיני כל ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

Before the eyes of all Yisrael. (34:12)

The Torah begins with the creation of the world, the creation of mankind, and concludes with death – with the passing of our quintessential leader, Moshe Rabbeinu. The life cycle, from cradle to grave, is exactly that – a cycle. A man is born, lives out his life, and returns sometime later to his source. One ends where the other one starts. A perfect circle is complete in the sense that it unites the beginning with the end. Indeed, there is neither a beginning to a circle, nor is there an end. If one selects a specific point and designates…

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Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5775

וימת שם משה עבד ד' בארץ מואב על פי ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

And Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there, in the land of Moav, by the mouth of Hashem. (34:5)

The underlying profundity of this pasuk is compelling. The greatest accolade that Moshe Rabbeinu earned for himself is eved Hashem, servant of Hashem. As a servant’s will is supplanted by the will of his master to the point that a servant does not have his own will, so, too, was it with Moshe. Actually, this should be the paradigm for all Jews to emulate – lived for the ratzon Hashem, the will of G-d. Hashem’s will, which was Moshe’s will, should also be ours. Concerning Moshe’s passing from this world “by the mouth of Hashem,” the Talmud Moed Katan 28a…

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Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5775

ולנפתלי אמר נפתלי שבע רצון ומלא ברכת ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

Of Naftali he said, “Naftali, satiated with favor, and filled with Hashem’s blessing.” (33:23)

Interestingly, prior to emphasizing that Naftali is filled with Hashem’s blessing, the Torah notes that he is a seva ratzon, satiated with favor, or, as we would probably translate it in Yiddish, A tzufridener mench, a happy person. Why does svias ratzon precede blessing? One who is not a “favorable” person does not appreciate the blessing in his life. Conversely, one who is satiated with favor does not require an abundance of blessing. To him, everything is a blessing from Hashem. We say in benching and in Sefer Tehillim 145:16, Poseach es Yadecha, u’masbia l’chol chai ratzon, “You open Your…

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Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5775

האומר לאביו ולאמו לא ראיתיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

The one who said of his father and mother, “I have not favored him.” (33:9)

As Moshe Rabbeinu prepares to take leave of his flock, he blesses the members of each tribe. He points out their inherent positive qualities and he underscores those areas of their character which require improvement. To pat a person on the back and not inform him of his shortcomings can be self-defeating. In addressing Shevet Levi, Moshe notes the members’ incredible devotion to Hashem, their commitment which was revealed during the chet ha’eigel, sin of the Golden Calf.  When everyone else sinned, they refrained from getting involved in the sacrilege. Moshe had then called out, Mi l’Hashem eilai, “Who is…

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Home -> 5775 -> Vayishlach

ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה ותקבר מתחת לבית קל תחת האלון. ויקרא שמו אלון בכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayishlach, 5775

Devorah, the wet-nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Bais-Kel, below the plateau; and he named it Allon-Bachus. (35:8)

One expects the Torah to record the lives of the Jewish nation’s most distinguished, intriguing figures. Indeed, the Avos and Imahos, Patriarchs and Matriarchs, were individuals without peer. Their lives represented the Jewish mission; their enduring legacy is the Jewish nation, who are their progeny. Understandably, their lives obscure the lives of those whose impact on the future was less compelling. We are rarely introduced to one of those “obscure” individuals, a person whose impact on the future of the nation, while not as significant as that of the Avos and Imahos, still left an impression. In this parsha we…

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Home -> 5775 -> Vayishlach

קטנתי מכל החסדים ומכל האמת אשר עשית את עבדך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayishlach, 5775

I have been diminished by all of the kindnesses and by all of the truth. (32:11)

Kindness is neither an absolute nor a definitive term. Thus, the statement, “all of the kindnesses,” is an appropriate statement. Varied types of kindnesses come in different sizes, shapes and forms. To pay gratitude for all of the kindnesses that Yaakov Avinu received from Hashem is an unqualified statement. There are many kindnesses. Truth, however, is unequivocal. It is conclusive and unmitigated. There is only one truth. There is no “whole” truth versus a “half” – truth, because a half-truth is a full lie! Something is either one hundred percent true, or one hundred percent false. No grey area exists…

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Home -> 5775 -> Vayishlach

קטנתי מכל החסדים ומכל האמת אשר עשית את עבדך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayishlach, 5775

I have been diminished by all of the kindness and by all the truth that You have done Your servant. (32:11)

Rashi explains that Yaakov Avinu feared that his merits had been reduced as a result of the kindness and truth that Hashem had performed for him. He was concerned that, since the time that Hashem had promised to be with him, he had become soiled with sin, and this sin would cause him to be given over to Eisav. Rashi seems to be making two statements. First, the Patriarch was worried that the merits which might have protected him had been reduced by his acceptance of Hashem’s favors. True, he possessed many z’chusim, but he was spared until now from…

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Home -> 5775 -> Vayishlach

ויצו אותם לאמר כה תאמרון לאדוני לעשו, כה אמר עבדך יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayishlach, 5775

He charged them, saying, “Thus shall you say, ‘To my lord, to Eisav, so said your servant Yaakov.’” (32:5)

A number of ambiguities seem to surround the meeting between Yaakov Avinu and his brother, Eisav. Midrash Rabbah posits that Eisav was not on his way to confront Yaakov; rather, our Patriarch instigated the meeting. Yaakov is compared to one who grabs the ear of a dog (Mishlei 26:17) and, as a result, the dog bites him. According to the Midrash, Hashem said to Yaakov, “Eisav is journeying along his way, and you initiate a meeting with him by sending him a message implying that you are his servant, Yaakov.” Chazal indicate that Yaakov erred by getting involved with Eisav….

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5775

על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5775, Vayikra

On your every offering shall you offer salt. (2:13)

Salt is the only “food” which (since it is a condiment) does not have its own value. Its worthiness is noted only when it is mixed with other foods, thereby imparting its taste into that food. Horav Yisrael Chortkover, zl, comments that this is why the Torah demands salt to be placed on every korban, as a way of reminding and imbuing us with the notion that there is no value to the Jew who thinks and cares only about himself. A Jew’s true value is manifest when he devotes himself to others. Life is not about living alone, thinking…

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Home -> Vayikra -> 5775

והפשיט את העלה ונתח אתה לנתחיה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5775, Vayikra

He shall skin the Elevation/Burnt Offering and cut it into pieces. (1:6)

Arrogance may not be the prime motivation for sin, but a sinner is certainly arrogant. His pretentiousness is the result of an exacerbated self-opinion, which allows him to act injudiciously. A more pronounced sense of self will provoke even greater and more audacious sin, while the sinner thinks that, as a result of his self-perceived greatness, he may act with impunity. One who is humble is careful concerning what he says and how he acts. Hence, his indiscretion is less common and certainly less pronounced.  Having said this, the question is: What motivates the arrogance? Every individual knows “himself.” He…

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