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Home -> 5775 -> Toldos

ויעתר יצחק לד' לנכח אשתו כי עקרה היא ויעתר לו ד' ותהר רבקה אשתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5775

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him, and his wife, Rivkah, conceived. (25:21)

Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him – by Yitzchak Avinu. Lavan had given Rivkah Imeinu a blessing, Achoseinu, at hayi l’alfei revavah, “Our sister, may you come to be the thousands of myriads” (Bereishis 24:60). It seems like a “reasonable” blessing. The fact that Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by Yitzchak is a clear indication that Lavan’s blessing was unacceptable. Why? A blessing is a blessing – regardless of its source – or is this not true? The Melitzer Rebbe, Shlita, contends that a bircas rasha einah ela kelalah, “The blessing bestowed by a wicked person is…

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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

והיה המזבח קודש קדשים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

The Altar shall be holy of holies. (29:37)

The Torah refers to the Mizbayach HaChitzon, Outer Altar, as Kodesh Kodoshim, “holy of holies,” while the Mizbayach HaPenimi, Inner Altar, which was used for burning the Ketores, Incense, and situated within the Heichal opposite the Aron HaKodesh, is referred to as kodesh, “holy” (only). The kedushah, sanctity, of the Mizbayach HaPenimi was greater than that of the Outer Altar. Why then is it referred to only as “holy.” The Mizbayach HaChitzon, Outer Altar, was also called Mizbayach Adamah, because its inside was filled with dirt; yet, it is called the “holy of holies.” What is the Torah teaching us?…

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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון על שולי המעיל סביב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

A gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate on the hem of the Robe, all around. (28:34)

There is a debate between Rashi and Ramban concerning how the Paamonim and Rimonim, pomegranates and bells, were placed at the hem of the Meil. There were seventy-two pomegranates and seventy-two bells, which allude to the seventy-two possible shades of white which could render someone a metzora, spiritual leper. The Baal HaTurim explains that since the Meil, Robe, atoned for the sin of speaking lashon hora, slanderous speech, the number was appropriate, in that it reminded people of the evils of, and the penalty for gossiping. Rashi posits that each bell was followed by a pomegranate next to it. Ramban…

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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

You shall make vestments of sanctity for Aharon, your brother, for glory and for splendor. (28:2)

Much of the Parsha is devoted to describing the Bigdei Kehunah, Holy Vestments worn by the Kohanim, their construction and materials. Clearly, great significance is attributed to the manner in which the Kohen presents himself. Veritably, it is not only the Kohen – indeed, every Jew must maintain a dress code in which his attire is modest and does not call attention to the person’s body but rather to his personality and character. In order for one’s personality to be noticed, he/she should not be detracting others by having them focus on his/hers clothes – or lack thereof. Jewish People…

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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

They shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination. (27:20)

The Midrash Tanchuma questions the fact that pure, pressed olive oil is required for illumination – although it is not ingested. Yet, the oil used for the Korban Minchah, Meal-offering, which is consumed, does not require such a degree of purity. Horav Eliyahu Meir Kovner explains that there is a difference whether one is acting for himself or when one is acting on behalf of others. The Korban Minchah is a personal offering, which is eaten by the one who offers it. It is a personal “thing”. When it concerns oneself, one’s own comfort zone, the Torah does not demand…

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Home -> 5775 -> Terumah

ועשית את הקרשים למשכן עצי שטים עמדים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5775

You shall make the beams of the Mishkan of shittim wood, standing erect. (26:15)

Rashi teaches that the word ha’kerashim, with the hay ha’yediah, (the beams) with the definite article hay, is written by design. The Torah is alluding to specific shittim wood that was “standing” – designated for the unique purpose of serving as the walls of the Mishkan. Yaakov Avinu took along with him saplings from the shittim trees planted by Avraham Avinu in his eishel, travelers’ welcome house, where he performed his famous acts of chesed, kindness. Yaakov then replanted these saplings in Egypt and commanded his children that, upon leaving the country, they were to take these trees along. He…

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Home -> 5775 -> Terumah

ועשית שנים כרבים זהב מקשה תעשה אתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5775

You shall make two Keruvim of gold – hammered out shall you make them. (25:18)

Rashi teaches that the Keruvim had the image of young children. The Mishkan/Bais Hamikdash was the holiest place on the Jewish spiritual landscape. The Kodesh HaKedoshim, Holy of Holies, was the holiest place in the Sanctuary. The penultimate seat of holiness within the Kodesh HaKedoshim was the Keruvim which rested atop the Ketores, Cover, of the Aron Hakodesh. It was from there that Hashem’s Voice would emanate out to speak with Moshe Rabbeinu. The Keruvim had the image of children. In Sefer Bereishis, when the Torah relates Adam HaRishon’s expulsion from Gan Eden, two Keruvim stood at the entrance to…

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Home -> 5775 -> Terumah

ועשית שנים כרובים זהב... ונועדתי לך שם ודברתי אתך מעל הכפרת מבין שני הכרובים אשר על ארון העדות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5775

You shall make two Keruvim of gold… It is there that I will set My meetings with you, and I will speak with you from atop the Cover, from between the Keruvim that are on the Aron HaEidus. (25:18,22)

It is interesting to note the change in the spelling of the word “two.” At first, the Keruvim are referred to as shnayim Keruvim, while later on they are called shnei Keruvim. Rabbeinu Bachya distinguishes between shnayim which means “two,” but does not denote anything more than a quantity of subjects or items. Shnayim is not used when the “two” are of equal status, such as: Shnei Luchos HaEidus, Two Tablets of Testimony, which were the same; shnei seirim, two he-goats, used for the Yom Kippur service, which were also similar to one another. The Keruvim, however, were male and…

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Home -> 5775 -> Terumah

ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5775

They shall make for Me a Sanctuary, then I will dwell in their midst. (25:8)

Parashas Terumah, which details the construction of the Mishkan is the logical sequel to Parashas Mishpatim, which contains the principal features of the Code of Law and of the Bris, Covenant, built upon the foundations of that Law. The symbolic function of the Mishkan/Mikdash is to express the collective task upon whose fulfillment the Presence of the Shechinah in Klal Yisrael depends. The two accompany one another. If we do not uphold our end of the Covenant, the Mishkan and Hashem’s Presence within the Jewish People will not occur. The construction of the Mishkan, which is the external Temple, is…

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Home -> 5775 -> Terumah

ויקחו לי תרומה מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5775

And let them take for Me a Terumah/portion. (25:2)

The pasuk has been used for much homiletic discourse concerning the attitude one should manifest upon contributing to a worthy cause. In V’chai Bahem from Horav Weiss, zl, the author quotes the well-known concept, posited by the Baal Shem Tov, that the faults a person notices in others are actually his own failings. Since Ein adam ro’eh nigei atzmo, “One does not perceive his own plagues/failings/shortcomings/indiscretions.” We notice everything regarding others, but never that which applies to us. Thus, the pasuk is informing us that, whatever indiscretions one notices in others, are a mirror image of his own failings. Likewise,…

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