Peninim on the Torah

ולא קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה אשר ידעו ד' פנים אל פנים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, V'zos HaBrachah

Never again has there been in Yisrael a prophet like Moshe, whom Hashem had known face to face. (34:10)

Moshe Rabbeinu merited an outstanding epitaph: the greatest prophet; an individual who spoke panim el panim, face to face, with Hashem. Yet, despite these accolades, Moshe was considered the most humble person to walk the face of the earth. To maintain one’s humility in the face of such incredible, singular praise is in and of itself an uncommon virtue. Surely, Moshe was acutely aware of his eminence. How did he maintain such humility? Veritably, the question applies to so many of our gedolim, Torah giants. These were men of unusual brilliance, who achieved unprecedented heights in Torah achievement. Yet, they…

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ויקבר אתו בגי הארץ מואב מול בית פעור ולא ידע איש את קבורתו עד היום הזה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, V'zos HaBrachah

He buried him in the depression, in the land of Moav, opposite Bais-Peor, and no one knows his burial place to this day. (34:6)

Chazal teach that Moshe Rabbeinu’s grave had been ready for him since the six days of creation. Furthermore, his burial place has never been revealed. The fact that his burial place is one of the ten miraculous phenomena created during twilight on Erev Shabbos of the sixth day of creation endows it with a supernatural makeup. Thus, it has never been discovered. Rashi explains that Moshe was buried opposite Peor in order to atone for the incident of mass immorality which took place there. The sin committed with the pagan women of Moav undermines the very underpinnings of our faith….

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וימת שם משה עבד ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, V'zos HaBrachah

So Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there. (34:5)

The Talmud Kiddushin 22a states that before an eved Ivri, Hebrew bondsman, can have his ear bored with an awl, so that he be allowed to continue his servitude beyond the normal six years, he must twice say the required words, “I love my master, my wife, and my children. I shall not go free!” Since the vernacular in the Torah is, V’im amor yomar ha’eved, “But if the bondsman shall say” (Shemos 21:5), the words, amor yomar, imply that he says this twice. In his commentary to the Talmud, Horav Elchanon Wasserman, zl, (Kovetz Shiurim) cites the words of…

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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…

Home -> 5776 -> Vayishlach

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 קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה אשר ידעו ד' פנים אל פנים

Never again has there been in Yisrael a prophet like Moshe, whom Hashem had known face to face. (34:10)

ויקבר אתו בגי הארץ מואב מול בית פעור ולא ידע איש את קבורתו עד היום הזה

He buried him in the depression, in the land of Moav, opposite Bais-Peor, and no one knows his burial place to this day. (34:6)

וימת שם משה עבד ד'

So Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there. (34:5)

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)

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