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Home -> 5776 -> Naso

זאת חנוכת המזבח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Naso, 5776

This was the dedication of the Altar. (7:84)

In 1925, at the Chanukas HaBayis, dedication ceremony, for Yeshivas Baranovitz, Horav Elchonan Wasserman, zl, its Rosh Yeshivah, quoted the above pasuk in his address. Zos; “This,” was the dedication of the Altar. He observed that the gematria, numerical equivalent, of zos equals that of: tzom, fasting; kol, sound/prayer; mammon, money/charity. This alludes to the idea that in order to build/dedicate/establish a new altar/Torah edifice, in contrast to the amazing joy that accompanies such an endeavor, there must be a tempering of fasting, prayer and weeping. Joy is a mainstay of which our people sadly do not have a surplus….

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Home -> 5776 -> Naso

ויהי ביום כלות משה להקים את המשכן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Naso, 5776

It came to pass, on the day Moshe finished erecting the Mishkan. (7:1)

Rashi observes that the pasuk does not write, “On the day Moshe erected…” This teaches us that, throughout the seven days of inauguration, Moshe Rabbeinu erected and dismantled the Mishkan. On the eighth day, he erected it without dismantling it. This is why the Torah writes, “On the day Moshe finished erecting…” It was on this auspicious day that he culminated his building. Why was it necessary for our quintessential leader to erect and dismantle the Mishkan repeatedly for seven days – only to erect it and not dismantle it on the eighth day? Why could he not have erected…

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Home -> 5776 -> Naso

ובאו המים המאררים האלה במעיך לצבות בטן ולנפול ירך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Naso, 5776

“These waters that cause curse shall enter your innards to cause stomach to distend and thigh to collapse!”(5:22)

The parsha of Sotah, the wayward wife, is certainly tragic. Whenever a marriage is broken up due to moral turpitude, it is a stain on the very fiber of our nation’s moral compass. We will not address the sin, but, rather, the punishment. Under normal circumstances, the testimony of a single witness has little to no efficacy. Yet, concerning the sotah’s infidelity, one witness prohibits her from returning to her husband, since there are raglayim l’davar, credible reasons, to believe that the charge against her is true. If we were to put her through the process of the bitter waters, it…

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Home -> 5776 -> Naso

ופקודיו אשר צוה ד' את משה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Naso, 5776

And they were counted as Hashem commanded Moshe. (4:49)

Ramban observes these three families of Leviim were Divinely designated, each family for its individual service. Furthermore, Ramban asserts that no Levi was permitted to go beyond his specific service. He was not to exchange his service or assist in an area for which he was not designated. Once Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania wanted to assist Rabbi Yochanan ben Gudgoda with the doors, and he was rebuked. The latter said to him, “Return! For you are already liable for death, since I am from those who attend to the gates, and you are of those who sing in the Bais…

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Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

ויקח משה את הדם ויזרק על העם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5776

Moshe took the blood and threw it upon the people. (24:8)

The Mechilta teaches that on the last day of the Shloshes Y’mei Hagbalah, three-day waiting period prior to receiving the Torah, Klal Yisrael entered into a covenant with the Almighty. This covenant comprised their commitment to be tied, fastened and bound (keshurim, anuvim, tefusim) to the Torah. Only afterwards, did Moshe Rabbeinu say, “Come and accept upon yourselves all of the mitzvos.” This was followed by the Giving of the Torah. Horav Shmuel Yaakov Burnstein, Shlita, Rosh Yeshivah of Kiryas Melech, derives from here that, before one can actually receive the Torah, before he can enter into a covenant of…

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Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

ושחד לא תקח כי השחד יעור פקחים ויסלף דברי צדיקים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5776

You shall not take a bribe, for the bribe will blind those who can see and will make righteous words crooked. (23:8)

Rashi teaches that even a Torah scholar who takes a bribe will ultimately become confused, his learning forgotten, and his vision dimmed. This is a very frightening punishment. A person can spend his entire life developing his erudition to the point that he achieves the appellation of chacham, Torah scholar. Yet, if he takes a bribe, it will be the catalyst for his downfall. Veritably, we are all judges in one way or another. We judge people and situations. Imagine if we are bribed because someone comes across as the underdog; we perceive him to be the one who is…

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Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

מדבר שקר תרחק

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5776

Distance yourself from a false word. (23:7)

The Talmud Sanhedrin 97a relates that there was a city called Kushta that was unique in the phenomenon that none of its residents ever lied. Prevarication was to them the ultimate anathema. As a result, they were blessed with extreme longevity. No one in their community died. One Erev Shabbos, a woman came to the door of her friend’s home and asked to see her. Her husband was aware that his wife was preparing herself for Shabbos (combing her hair), so he said that she was not home at the time. As a result of his untruth, his two sons…

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Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו עזב תעזב עמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5776

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? – You shall help repeatedly with him. (23:5)

Azov taazov imo; “You shall help repeatedly with him.” The Talmud Bava Metzia 32 uses imo, “with him” to teach an important lesson concerning helping one’s fellowman. It must be imo, with him. If the intended beneficiary of one’s assistance decides to sit back while he is being helped by others, he is not obliged to help him. We should reach out to those in need, but only when they are willing to work alongside, when they have exhausted every other means of income-generating endeavor. The Kli Yakar adds that this Chazal serves as a response to those aniyim, poor…

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Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

כי תראה חמור שונאך רובץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזור לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5776

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? (23:5)

Rashi places a question mark, bitmiya, after the word v’chadalta, “would you refrain” (from helping him)? Horav Yechiel Michel Feinstein, zl, was wont to say that this is the only instance in the Torah that the Torah turns to the person with a question. This means that the Torah is incredulous concerning a person that would ignore another Jew in his time of need – even if he is a person whom one is permitted to hate. Turning away from helping a fellow Jew is not in the Jewish DNA. How could a person act so callously? A person who…

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Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

והגישו אדניו אל הדלת... ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע ועבדו לעולם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5776

Then his master shall bring him to the door… and his master shall bore through his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. (21:6)

The Talmud Kiddushin 22b explains why the ear, as opposed to the other organs of the body, is bored. Hashem said, “The ear that heard My voice at Har Sinai, at the moment that I said, ‘For Me will Bnei Yisrael be slaves – and not slaves to slaves; yet, this person went ahead and acquired a (another) master for himself.’” This thief — who either was sold by the rabbinical court to repay his debt or sold himself out of poverty– was originally forced into servitude as a result of his predicament. He now seeks to extend his “working…

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