Peninim on the Torah – Page 159 – Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Yehudah recognized; and he said, “She is right: it is from me.” (38:26)

Tamar could have saved herself and the two fetuses that were growing in her womb – at the expense of Yehudah. She was not prepared, however, to step on someone in order to save herself. Potifar’s wife wanted very badly to be married to Yosef. She wanted to contribute to Klal Yisrael. Yosef was not prepared to take the wife of his master. This was not only immoral; it was also prohibited. Chazal teach that both women had noble intentions. They both wanted a role in building Klal Yisrael. Something was apparently lacking in the l’shem Shomayim, acting for the…

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וישמע ראובן ויצלהו מידם ויאמר לא נכנו נפש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayeishev

And Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand; he said, “We will not strike him mortally.” (37:21)

What is the meaning of “Reuven heard”? Was he not present together with his brothers? He did not “hear” from afar; he was there! The Midrash explains that, indeed, Reuven was there; it is just that he viewed the situation from a different vantage point than his brothers did. It was as if he had heard differently than they did. When Reuven heard Yosef relate his dream, he heard something which the other brothers either did not hear, or to which they did not bother listening: Yosef mentioned that there were eleven stars. This indicates that he still included Reuven…

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כי שמע אלקים אל קול הנער באשר הוא שם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

For G-d has heeded the cry of the youth as he is, there. (21:17)

Avraham Avinu had a son, Yishmael, who deviated from the derech, path, which his father had surely encouraged him to follow. Likewise, Yitzchak Avinu had a son, Eisav, who paved for himself a path to infamy. Two sons – two reshaim, wicked men; yet, Yishmael repented, while Eisav died as he had lived – a rasha. One might suggest that Yishmael was made of finer spiritual material, better middos, character traits. This is not true. The angel told Hagar that her son would be a pera adam, a wild man, similar to a wild donkey– his hand in everything and…

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ויתפלל אברהם אל האלקים וירפא אלקים את אבימלך... וד' פקד את שרה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Avraham prayed to G-d, and G-d healed Avimelech… Hashem remembered Sarah. (20:17) (21:1)

Rashi notes the juxtaposition of Sarah Imeinu’s conception and giving birth to Yitzchak Avinu upon Avraham Avinu’s prayer on behalf of Avimelech. He explains that the Torah put this passage (Sarah’s conception and giving birth) next to the incident of Avimelech to teach that whoever seeks mercy by praying for his friend, while he himself (the individual praying) needs that same thing (for which he is praying on behalf of his friend), he (the one praying), is answered first. Avimelech was in need – Avraham prayed for him; thus, he was answered by Hashem – before Avimelech. Imagine two people…

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ויגש אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Avraham came forward and said, “Will You even obliterate righteous with wicked?” (18:23)

Avraham Avinu took the decree to obliterate Sodom seriously. Indeed, Rashi teaches that the word vayigash, “and (Avraham) came forward,” has three connotations – each one apparently applying to our Patriarch. We find “coming forward” used with regard: to war; to conciliation; and to prayer. Avraham undertook all of these approaches. He spoke strongly, arguing forcefully to establish his point; he appealed to Hashem to have mercy; and he prayed. He did all of this for the people of Sodom! Why? These were the most reprehensible people of the time. They made life miserable for anyone who had the misfortune…

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כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך ד' - המכסה אני מאברהם את אשר אני עשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Shall I conceal from Avraham what I do? (18:17) – For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem. (18:19)

The Torah relates that Hashem sent angels to Avraham Avinu to inform him of the Almighty’s plan to destroy Sodom. Why were they sent to tell Avraham about the impending destruction? The Torah explains, Ki yedativ, “Because I have loved him,” means because he [Avraham] teaches his offspring about Hashem, thereby encouraging them to observe His mitzvos. The reasoning begs elucidation. What relationship exists between the fact that he has dedicated his life to educating his children and the fact that Angels were sent to inform him of the impending destruction of Sodom? The sons of the Chasam Sofer, zl,…

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וירא מנחה כי טוב... ויט שכמו לסבל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayechi

He saw that serenity is good… He bowed his shoulder to bear. (49:15)

When one peruses the brachah, blessing, given to Yissachar, it appears as a lesson in contradiction. Yissachar symbolizes the ben Torah who devotes himself to Torah study under all circumstances. One would think that, if he is confronted with peace and serenity, it would be an opportunity for relaxation and rejuvenation; rather, the Torah tells us that the peaceful repose is not Yissachar’s reaction to serenity. Instead of rest, Yissachar girds himself for hard work. Is this not counterproductive? Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, explains that, if one wants to raise a healthy, content and happy child, showering him with material…

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ויקרא בהם שמי ושם אבתי אברהם ויצחק

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayechi

So that my name and the names of my Fathers, Avraham and Yitzchak, may be called in them. (48:16)

Yaakov Avinu blesses his grandsons with a blessing that has become the standard for parental blessing throughout the ages. V’yikarei bahem shemi v’shem avosai, Avraham, v’Yitzchak, “So that my name and the name of my fathers, Avraham and Yitzchak, may be called in them.” The commentators wonder why the Patriarch placed his name first in the sequence of the Avos, Patriarchs. Simply, I would venture to suggest that he was alluding to the sorry state of affairs that exists when one must revert back to the previous generation to find someone whose spiritual repute is worth emulating. Sadly, we find…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5775

ראה פניך לא פללתי והנה הראה אתי אלקים גם את זרעך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayechi

I dared not accept the thought that I would see your face, and here G-d has shown me even your offspring. (48:11)

Yaakov Avinu is overjoyed as he shares his innermost feelings with his long lost son, Yosef. For twenty-two years he had mourned a son who supposedly had been mauled to death by a wild animal. Little did he dream of ever seeing Yosef again. Now, not only does Yosef stand before him, but even Yosef’s children are there waiting for his blessing. Lo pilalti – “I dared not accept/I dared not dream”; after all, it was impossible. Yosef was dead! What is there to dream about? In this vein, pilalti means resignation, a lack of acceptance, an unwillingness to hope,…

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ועתה שני בניך הנולדים לך בארץ מצרים עד באי אליך מצרימה לי הם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayechi

And now, your two sons who were born to you in Egypt before my coming to you in Egypt shall be mine. (48:5)

Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, derives from this pasuk that the symbol of the pertinacity of a Torah education; its staying power, and ability to overcome challenge, is whether it is still perceived in later generations. An education that endures generations is a good education. This idea is gleaned from Yaakov Avinu’s statement concerning Yosef’s children who were born prior to the arrival of the Patriarch in Egypt. Li heim, “They are mine!” has meaning only if they had been born and raised in the moral filth of Egyptian society without Yaakov Avinu to serve as a positive influence, as the…

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ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Yehudah recognized; and he said, “She is right: it is from me.” (38:26)

וישמע ראובן ויצלהו מידם ויאמר לא נכנו נפש

And Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand; he said, “We will not strike him mortally.” (37:21)

כי שמע אלקים אל קול הנער באשר הוא שם

For G-d has heeded the cry of the youth as he is, there. (21:17)

ויתפלל אברהם אל האלקים וירפא אלקים את אבימלך... וד' פקד את שרה

Avraham prayed to G-d, and G-d healed Avimelech… Hashem remembered Sarah. (20:17) (21:1)

ויגש אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע

Avraham came forward and said, “Will You even obliterate righteous with wicked?” (18:23)

כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך ד' - המכסה אני מאברהם את אשר אני עשה

Shall I conceal from Avraham what I do? (18:17) – For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem. (18:19)

וירא מנחה כי טוב... ויט שכמו לסבל

He saw that serenity is good… He bowed his shoulder to bear. (49:15)

ויקרא בהם שמי ושם אבתי אברהם ויצחק

So that my name and the names of my Fathers, Avraham and Yitzchak, may be called in them. (48:16)

ראה פניך לא פללתי והנה הראה אתי אלקים גם את זרעך

I dared not accept the thought that I would see your face, and here G-d has shown me even your offspring. (48:11)

ועתה שני בניך הנולדים לך בארץ מצרים עד באי אליך מצרימה לי הם

And now, your two sons who were born to you in Egypt before my coming to you in Egypt shall be mine. (48:5)

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