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Home -> Pekudei -> 5776

ומשחת אתם כאשר משחת את אביהם וכהנו לי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5776, Pekudei

You shall anoint them, as you had anointed their father, and they shall minister to Me. (40:15)

“As you anointed their father”: Why did Hashem stipulate that Moshe Rabbeinu’s anointing the sons of Aharon HaKohen was to be carried out in the same manner that Moshe had anointed his brother, Aharon? The Meshach Chochmah offers a powerful and quite practical insight – one that has a profound ring of truth to it. When Moshe anointed his brother, he did not experience even a twinge of jealousy. After all, Moshe was a Navi, Prophet; he had even held the position of Kohen Gadol prior to Aharon. Whatever the role that Moshe was transferring to Aharon was a position…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5776

ויביאו את המשכן אל משה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5776, Pekudei

They brought the Mishkan to Moshe. (39:33)

The Midrash offers a perspective on the concept of reward in Olam Hazeh, this world. Klal Yisrael was asked to donate towards the Mishkan. Everyone came forward with his free-willed offering. The Midrash relates that a student of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai left his yeshivah and moved to chutz la’aretz, the diaspora. He returned a while later a wealthy man, having successfully navigated the world of commerce, earning a pretty penny. Apparently, Rabbi Shimon’s remaining students manifested envy concerning this student. They, too, indicated a desire to leave the yeshivah and attempt to be successful making it in the world…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5776

אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדות אשר פקד על פי משה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5776, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony, which were reckoned at Moshe’s bidding. (38:21)

A person’s perspective, his viewpoint on circumstances, his outlook concerning people and situations, is most often molded by his interests, his endeavors, the areas of life in which he is personally involved. In other words, a person’s outlook is controlled by where his “head” happens to be. Let us see how this preface fits into explaining a statement which Chazal made concerning Moshe Rabbeinu’s decision to give a full accounting of every ounce of gold, silver and copper that the people contributed towards the construction of the Mishkan. The Yalkut Shimoni, as cited by Horav Shlomo Levinstein, Shlita, relates that,…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5776

אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5776, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony. (38:21)

Rashi notes the double use of the word, Mishkan. Why the redundancy? He explains that Hashem took the Mishkan away from the midst of the Jews twice as a result of their deficient behavior. Had He not taken the Mishkan, it would have been incumbent upon Him to execute a more definitive punishment. Rashi adds that the words Mishkan HaEidus, Mishkan of the Testimony, alludes to the Mishkan serving as a testimony that Hashem tolerated the sin of the Golden Calf and allowed the Jewish People to live. Rashi’s sequence — first saying that the word, Mishkan, means collateral, alluding…

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Home -> 5776 -> Noach

ויהי כל הארץ שפה אחת ודברים אחדים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Noach, 5776

The whole Earth was of one language and of common purpose. (11:1)

In his well-known commentary to the pasuk, Rashi gives us a perspective on the sin of the Dor HaFlagah, generation of the Dispersion. He asks whose sin was greater: that of the generation of the Flood, who did not plan a mass rebellion against Hashem; or the generation of the Dispersion, who did? He explains that the former, who were robbers that contended with one another, were totally destroyed by the Flood. The latter, however, who worked with one another, getting along amicably for the purpose of executing one goal, were simply dispersed.  Apparently, the strife and contention that prevailed…

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Home -> 5776 -> Noach

וייקץ נח מיינו וידע את אשר עשה לו בנו הקטן. – ויאמר ארור כנען

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Noach, 5776

When Noach awoke from his wine, he learned what his youngest son did to him. And he said, “Cursed be Canaan.” (9:24,25)

Three sons – two acted appropriately – one did not. Noach acted in a manner unbecoming an individual of his sublime stature. It was a temporary lapse, an error in judgment, after having observed the destruction of the entire world.  He did not commit an outrageous sin, but he should have acted in a more exalted manner. Vayachel Noach, “Noach debased himself” (Ibid 9:20). We see that even great people can lose control of themselves and act foolishly. The reaction of Noach’s sons defines their characters. Crisis brings out a person’s true essence. Some children are wonderful, as long as…

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Home -> 5776 -> Noach

ויקח שם ויפת את השמלה וישימו על שכם שניהם וילכו אחרנית ויכסו את ערות אביהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Noach, 5776

And Shem and Yafes took a garment, laid it upon their shoulders, and they walked backwards, and covered their father’s nakedness. (9:23)

Rashi notes the singular term vayikach, implying that he – Shem – was the one who took the garment to fulfill the commandment of honoring his father. Because he exerted himself more than Yafes, his reward exceeded that of Yafes. Shem was blessed with the mitzvah of Tzitzis, and Yafes, who also participated in carrying out the mitzvah, was blessed with burial for his descendants. This refers to the war of Gog and Magog, during which the children of Yafes will be accorded burial in Eretz Yisrael. The commentators question the attribution of the mitzvah of Tzitzis to Shem’s noble…

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Home -> 5776 -> Noach

צא מן התבה אתה ואשתך ובניך ונשי בניך אתך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Noach, 5776

“Go forth from the Ark: you and your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you.” (8:16)

Noach had been living in a sealed ark, together with thousands of animals for over a year.  One would think that when the first opportunity to leave would present itself, he would run as fast as he could. Apparently, this is not what happened. After being in the Ark, slaving all day and night ceaselessly for a year, Noach was not ready to leave. It required Hashem’s command to enable Noach to set foot outside of the Ark. Why? It is not as if he were living comfortably amid luxury. What was holding him back? Perhaps he did not know…

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Home -> 5776 -> Noach

וישאר אך נח ואשר אתו בתבה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Noach, 5776

Only Noach survived, and those with him in the Ark. (7:23)

Rashi quotes Chazal, who teach that Noach survived, but was physically spent.  Alternatively, he was injured by the lion. Apparently, each animal had its individual feeding time. Noach was once late in feeding the lion, who did not take kindly to having to wait for his dinner. When Noach arrived late, the lion took out its anxiety on him with a powerful slap of the paw. Life was not easy for the human beings who comprised Noach’s passenger list. Their involvement with providing chesed, kindness, to the animals led Avraham Avinu to realize the significance of such acts of chesed….

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Home -> 5776 -> Nitzavim

כי הוא חייך ואורך ימיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Nitzavim, 5776

For He is your life and the length of your days. (30:20)

A Jew is defined by his relationship with Hashem. Nothing else is considered living. A person who truly cares about – and values – his life devotes his time to Torah study or to strengthening his relationship with Hashem. Some of us pass through time, not realizing that the greatest Heavenly gift is slipping by with each passing minute. The gift of life is immutable – once it is gone, it is gone forever. Thus, the defining outlook of a Jew is, “How do I value my spiritual life? Is it my primary objective, or does it place a far…

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