Peninim on the Torah

ברוך מבנים אשר יהי רצוי אחיו וטבל בשמן רגלו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, V'zos HaBrachah

Of Asher he said, the most blessed of children is Asher; he shall be pleasing to his brothers, and dip his feet in oil. (33:24)

What made Asher so special that he was considered “the most blessed of children”? Horav Shlomo Levenstein, Shlita, quotes Lechem Lefi HaTaf who explains that the word, shmeinah, richness, which Yaakov Avinu uses to describe Asher – Mei Asher shmeinah lachmo, “From Asher- his bread will have richness” (Bereishis 49:20), – is a reference to Asher’s land which will be so rich in olive trees that it will flow with oil like a fountain. The word shmeinah is comprised of the same letters which comprise the word Mishnah. This alludes to the true “richness” of Asher; his tribe was devoted…

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ויענו בני יעקב את שכם ואת חמור אביו במרמה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

The sons of Yaakov answered Shechem, and his father, Chamor, with guile. (34:13)

Rashi defines the word mirmah, guile, b’chochmah, with cleverness. One who reads the narrative and delves into what occurred and the response of Yaakov Avinu’s sons to the moral incursion into their family, might discover mirmah, more as deceit than cleverness. Their intention was to convince the men of Shechem to have Brisim, circumcisions, for the purpose of weakening them physically. From the very beginning, the intention of Yaakov’s sons was to avenge the degradation of their family. Why is this considered to be “clever”? Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, explains that ramaus, deceit, swindle, is a term that applies to…

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ותצא דינה בת לאה... לראות בבנות הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

And Dinah – the daughter of Leah… went out… to look over the daughters of the land. (34:1)

The Midrash Tanchuma makes a startling statement concerning Dinah’s journey to observe the girls of the land. Poretz geder yishchenu nachash, “One who breaches the fence will/should be bitten by a snake.” (This term is used in the Talmud Avodah Zarah 27b and is based upon a pasuk in Koheles 10:8, “He who breaks down a wall will be bitten by a snake.”) This is strong terminology to be applied to Dinah. Chazal continue: “Her father and brothers were sitting in the bais hamedrash studying Torah, and she went out to observe the girls of the land. As a result,…

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וישא את עיניו וירא את הנשים ואת הילדים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

(Eisav) raised his eyes and saw the women and children. (33:5)

In his commentary to Parashas Toldos, Horav Mordechai Druk, zl, observes the glaring contrast between Yitzchak Avinu and his errant son, Eisav. The Rav begins with the maxim, “A person sees what he wants to see,” or, alternatively, “a person sees who he is.” We are creatures of habit, our human nature comprising who we are and how we live. Indeed, our nature most often dictates our perspective, how we perceive people and situations. Who we are determines how we look at concepts, events, people. A ben Torah whose life is molded by the Torah which he studies and to…

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וישאל יעקב ויאמר הגידה נא שמך ויאמר למה זה תשאל לשמי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

Then Yaakov inquired, and he said, “Divulge if you please, your name.” And he said, “Why then do you inquire of my name?” (32:30)

Yaakov Avinu wanted to know the name of the angel with whom he had wrestled – and won. The angel responded, “Why do you inquire of my name?” The commentators debate if this was a question, more or less, as if the angel were replying, “What difference does it make to you what my name is? You cannot do anything about it. I am not reachable by name.” Others contend that his response was actually his name. In other words: “Why do you ask my name?” is the actual name of the angel. Horav Shabsi Yudelevitz, zl, explains this. When…

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הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו כי ירא אנכי אותו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav, because I fear him. (32:12)

Rashi explains the apparent redundancy continued in the pasuk: Miyad achi, miyad Eisav; “From the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav.” Sometimes Eisav acts like my brother, showing love and friendship which conceal his true, nefarious intentions. Other times Eisav acts like the evil person that he is, challenging me and stirring up adversity for me to overcome. Both the Kedushas Levi and the Chozeh m’Lublin write that Yaakov Avinu prayed to Hashem to spare him the challenge of Eisav, the yetzer hora, evil inclination, who was coming at him in the form of Eisav, his “dear”…

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נפש כי תחטא ומעלה מעל ד' וכחש בעמיתו... והיה כי יחטא ואשם והשיב את הגזילה אשר גזל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

If a person sins and commits a breach of trust against G-d by lying to his friend… so it shall be when he will sin and become guilty, he shall return the robbed item that he robbed. (5:21,23)

The pasuk appears to be redundant, “He should return the robbed item that he robbed.” The words asher gazal, “which he robbed,” are superfluous. Obviously, the item which he robbed is what he is presently returning. What else? He is certainly not returning something which he did not rob. The Sefer Chassidim asks this question and offers an insightful answer which sheds light on the nadir of theft. One who steals from someone and later has a change of heart, and – immediately that same day – returns the item – he will not have to add to the principle….

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ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

You may not discontinue the salt of your G-d’s covenant from upon your meal offering. (2:13)

Rashi teaches that a covenant was enacted during the Sheishes Yemei Bereishis, Six Days of Creation, that ensured the lower waters (the waters of our earth) that they would be offered on the Mizbayach. This is executed through the induction of salt on the Mizbayach and the water libation. Apparently, the waters were appeased for a reason. What was it? In the beginning of Sefer Bereishis, Rashi comments concerning the creation of Heaven and earth which was preceded by the spirit of G-d hovering over the water. This would seem to indicate that the creation of the waters preceded the…

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אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

Rashi explains that the Torah uses the word adam, man, by design-to recall the Adam HaRishon, Primordial Man. Just as Adam HaRishon did not offer anything from gezel, that was stolen (since everything belonged to him), so, too, may we not offer a sacrifice from an item that has been stolen. We wonder why Adam HaRishon is used as the paradigm to teach the absolute requirement that the korban that is offered may not be derived illegally. After all, everything in the world belonged to Adam. Would it not have been more appropriate to bring a proof from someone who…

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ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו מאהל מועד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed. (1:1)

The parshah of Korbanos, sacrificial offerings mandated by Hashem to be a part of the Jewish People’s service to Him, is rife with ambiguity. The Rishonim offer their rationale to explain and lend meaning to this service. In his Moreh Nevuchim, Rambam explains that the korbanos had a therapeutic effect on the Jewish People after their exposure to the idolatrous cultures in which they had lived. Egypt had elevated idol worship as to a way of life to the point that anything short of paganism was beyond rationale. The korbanos would balance out this perverted ideology. Notwithstanding the Rambam’s view…

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ברוך מבנים אשר יהי רצוי אחיו וטבל בשמן רגלו

Of Asher he said, the most blessed of children is Asher; he shall be pleasing to his brothers, and dip his feet in oil. (33:24)

ויענו בני יעקב את שכם ואת חמור אביו במרמה

The sons of Yaakov answered Shechem, and his father, Chamor, with guile. (34:13)

ותצא דינה בת לאה... לראות בבנות הארץ

And Dinah – the daughter of Leah… went out… to look over the daughters of the land. (34:1)

וישא את עיניו וירא את הנשים ואת הילדים

(Eisav) raised his eyes and saw the women and children. (33:5)

וישאל יעקב ויאמר הגידה נא שמך ויאמר למה זה תשאל לשמי

Then Yaakov inquired, and he said, “Divulge if you please, your name.” And he said, “Why then do you inquire of my name?” (32:30)

הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו כי ירא אנכי אותו

Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav, because I fear him. (32:12)

נפש כי תחטא ומעלה מעל ד' וכחש בעמיתו... והיה כי יחטא ואשם והשיב את הגזילה אשר גזל

If a person sins and commits a breach of trust against G-d by lying to his friend… so it shall be when he will sin and become guilty, he shall return the robbed item that he robbed. (5:21,23)

ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתיך

You may not discontinue the salt of your G-d’s covenant from upon your meal offering. (2:13)

אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו מאהל מועד

He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed. (1:1)

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