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Home -> 5762 -> Mishpatim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5762

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

It is impossible for any human being to stand up to challenge the truth. Truth is an absolute which no one can circumvent. Ultimately, a person never suffers when he tells the truth. Indeed, one who lies only delays the inevitable. A person cannot elude the truth. His lies come back to haunt him. Regrettably, this is the way of the world – lie whenever it suits you;  bend the truth, if that is what it takes. Tanna D’bei Eliyahu cites the pasuk in Mishlei 19:3, “A man’s foolishness corrupts his way.” A person should be careful to act righteously and…

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Home -> 5762 -> Mishpatim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Mishpatim, 5762

“You shall not revile G-d.” (22:27)

Chazal derive that the word Elokim is a reference both to G-d and to judges. While it is, indeed, forbidden to curse anyone, judges are often the brunt of people’s curses, since they are compelled to render judgment which is not always popular – especially in the eyes of the individual who is on the losing end of a litigation. Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, z.l., served for a short time as Av Beis Din, head of the court, of Horav Yehoshua Leib Diskin, z.l. Once during his incumbency, he was confronted with a bitterly disputed divorce case. He eventually ruled in…

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Home -> 5762 -> Yisro

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Yisro, 5762

“Honor your father and your mother.” (20:12)

The Fifth Commandment, honoring one’s parents, is a bedrock of  our faith. Our tradition is based on the chain of transmission from Avraham Avinu to his descendants who received the Torah at Har Sinai and handed it down in its entirety from generation to generation. This chain links parents with children who later transmit the “Torah” to their own children. Thus, the Fifth Commandment enables the observance of the preceding four commandments. The mitzvah of Kibud Av v’Eim carries with it some profound emotional fulfillment.  For the most part, people have a difficult time  feeling  a sense of indebtedness to others….

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Home -> 5762 -> Yisro

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Yisro, 5762

“Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it.” (20:8)

The Torah introduces the institution of Shabbos in the Fourth Commandment of the Aseres HaDibros, the Ten Commandments. The first three commandments focus on our acceptance of Hashem as supreme Ruler and Creator, forbid us from worshipping other deities, and forbid us from showing Hashem disrespect by taking His Name lightly. Shabbos attests to Hashem being the Creator of the world, for it is a constant reminder that He created for six days and rested on the Seventh Day. When we observe Shabbos, we bear testimony to this fact. Therefore, the commandment of Shabbos should follow in the natural progression after…

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Home -> 5762 -> Yisro

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Yisro, 5762

“And you shall discern from among the entire people, men of accomplishment, G-d fearing people.” (18:21)

Ibn Ezra explains that those who genuinely fear Hashem do not fear people. A judge who is subject to Divine authority is swayed by neither bribery nor threats. He responds to a Higher Authority. This implies that a person’s fear of man diminishes commensurate with his increasing fear of Hashem. With this in mind, Horav Sholom Schwadron, z.l., notes that one who feels that he has achieved yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven, should ask himself how much of earthly/human concerns he fears. Rav Schwadron substantiates Ibn Ezra’s thesis with a famous incident from Navi. Yonah Ha’Navi was fleeing Tarshish. While he…

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Home -> 5762 -> Yisro

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Yisro, 5762

“And you shall make known to them the path in which they should go.” (18:20)

In the Talmud Bava Kama 100a, Chazal indicate that the word bah, “in which,” is a reference to kevurah, burial of the dead. Gedolei Yisrael were extremely meticulous in attending to the needs of the deceased. Horav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Shlita, writes about Horav Chaim Sofer, z.l., one of the preeminent Torah leaders in Hungary, who made it a point to involve himself with those deceased who either did not have a minyan, quorum, by their bedside when they passed from this world or did not have anyone to recite Kaddish for them. In the preface to his sefer, Kol Sofer,…

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Home -> 5762 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Beshalach, 5762

Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Choose people for us and go do battle with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill”. (17:9)

In the Talmud Yoma 52b, Chazal say that the word machar, tomorrow, which is found in the above pasuk, can be interpreted as belonging to the previous phrase: “Choose people for us and go to do battle with Amalek tomorrow.” Alternatively, it can refer to the second half  of  the pasuk: “Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill.” We wonder what is the significance of the word, “tomorrow”? What message regarding the war with Amalek is being taught to us via the word “tomorrow”? Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, z.l., explains that the concept of “tomorrow” plays a crucial…

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Home -> 5762 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Beshalach, 5762

The people contended with Moshe, and they said, “Give us water that we may drink!” Moshe said to them, “Why do you test Hashem?”… Moshe cried out to Hashem saying, “What shall I do for this people? A bit more, and they will stone me!” (17:2,4)

The Torah says that the People “tested” Hashem. Where is this written? We only find that they asked for water. What really is wrong with asking for water when one is thirsty? Is this not the purpose of prayer – to supplicate Hashem for our needs? Furthermore, we find nowhere that Moshe Rabbeinu prayed to Hashem on behalf of the Jews. We do read in the Torah that he felt threatened by them. Why did he not entreat Hashem for water? Horav Yechezkel Levenstein, z.l., explains this with a parable. A student once came to a yeshivah for an entrance bechinah,…

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Home -> 5762 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Beshalach, 5762

“Let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on its day, so that I can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not.” (16:4)

The daily gift of manna, Klal Yisrael’s Heavenly food, was actually  a lesson in Jewish spiritual survival. The Jewish People had witnessed  incredible  miracles  leading  up  to,  and  including,  the exodus from Egypt. Life is all one miracle: an important lesson that so many of us tend to ignore. Many of us go through life with the notion that we are in charge, we make decisions, and we carry out what we have determined is the correct course to follow. It is always “we” or “I”. Whatever happened to Hashem? Why do we always impose upon Him a reason to remind…

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Home -> 5762 -> Bo

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Bo, 5762

“Remember this day on which you departed from Egypt…Today you are leaving in the month of springtime.” (13:3-4)

We are enjoined to remember the liberation from Egypt and to relate it constantly. Interestingly, the Torah seems to emphasize the  fact  that  we  were  redeemed  b’chodesh  ha’aviv,  in  the spring. This is part and parcel of the geulah, liberation. It must be stressed again and again that we left during the spring. Rashi explains that we were redeemed in the spring, at a time when it is not cold or hot, or rainy. Indeed, at a time when the climate is perfect. When we think about it, however, the fact that we left Egypt in the spring is secondary to…

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