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Home -> 5762 -> Vayishlach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayishlach, 5762

“Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him, so he divided the people with him.” (32:8)

Should Yaakov Avinu have been scared? Should the person with whom Hashem spoke and promised that He would be with him and guard him wherever he went be afraid? Should the individual who was greeted by guardian angels be distressed? There is a reason why even the great saint Yaakov should fear – “he divided the people with him.” There  was a rift among his people. This gave Yaakov reason to fear. If there was no peace among his people, they would become easy prey for Eisav. As long as a unified front prevailed, as long as harmony reigned in the…

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Home -> 5762 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayeitzei, 5762

“This time I will gratefully praise Hashem”; therefore she called his name Yehudah.” (29:35)

Leah gave birth to her fourth son, an event that evoked a tremendous sense of gratitude within her. She understood that Hashem was giving  her  more  than  her  share.    As  Rashi  explains,  Leah saw b’Ruach HaKodesh, with Divine Inspiration, that Yaakov Avinu would father twelve sons. Since he had four wives, she conjectured that each would be blessed with three sons. Upon giving birth to her fourth son, she was overjoyed with the realization that she had received more than her share. In the Talmud Berachos 7b, Chazal declare that, “From the time of Creation, there was no one who praised…

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Home -> 5762 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayeitzei, 5762

“Hashem saw that Leah was unloved…but Rachel remained barren.” (29:31)

What relationship exists between the fact that Hashem saw that Leah was not loved and Rachel’s infertility? The Alter, z.l., m’Kelm explains that it was specifically Leah’s feeling of being hated that catalyzed Rachel’s barrenness. Leah did so much – she should not have had to feel that her entrance into the Patriarchal home was under question. Rachel should have done everything within her power to assuage her feelings of guilt. This is enigmatic. We are referring here to Rachel Imeinu who relinquished her right to marry Yaakov first, just so that her  sister would not be humiliated. She suffered in…

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Home -> 5762 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayeitzei, 5762

And he (Yaakov) said, “I will work for you seven years, for Rachel your younger daughter.” (29:18)

Chazal teach us that Yaakov Avinu was taken to task for offering to remain in Lavan’s employ and not seeking to return home to his parents. He ended up being away from home for a total of thirty-six years, of which he spent fourteen studying Torah in the Yeshivah of Ever. For the duration of time he spent studying Torah, he was not criticized for failing to honor his parents. For the next twenty years that he spent in the house of Lavan and two years traveling, Chazal feel that Yaakov was derelict in regard to fulfilling the mitzvah of…

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Home -> 5762 -> Toldos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5762

“Eisav harbored hatred toward Yaakov because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him.” (27:41)

The Ozrover Rebbe, z.l., notes the deep-seated hatred that Eisav manifests for Yaakov. The Torah writes that Eisav hated Yaakov because of the blessing that his father had given him. It had nothing to do with Yaakov’s taking the blessing away from Eisav. The mere fact that Yaakov was blessed was enough to ignite this inexplicable hatred within Eisav. We now understand Chazal’s axiom, “Halachah, it is a halachic maxim that Eisav hates Yaakov.” This means that Eisav’s hatred has no rationale. A halachah is a rule or statement, which at times defies rationale. It is an absolute which transcends human…

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Home -> 5762 -> Toldos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5762

“And may G-d give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fatness of the earth.” (27:28)

Rashi notes that at the outset of the text of the blessings the pasuk begins with the conjunction vav, which means “and,” a word which is not consistent with the commencement of blessings. He cites the Midrash which states that this implies a continuous repetitive action, as if to say, “May G-d grant you the following blessing over and over again.” The question is obvious and well-known. When the Torah says, V’yiten lecha, “and may G-d give you,” it already implies constant giving. If so, why do we need Rashi’s comment of yachzor v’yiten, “He will then return and give again”?…

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Home -> 5762 -> Toldos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5762

“When Eisav was forty years old, he took a wife…and they were a source of spiritual rebellion to Yitzchak and Rivkah.” (26:34-35)

Eisav followed in his father’s ways by marrying at the age of forty. That is all that he did like his father. The women he married were from a nation whose evil nature and low moral standard equaled that of Eisav. Indeed, with these marriages, Eisav forever broke his ties with Avraham Avinu’s mission. The Torah states that these women were a source of spiritual rebellion to Yitzchak and Rivkah. “Why does Yitzchak’s name precede Rivkah’s?”, queries the Midrash. The response is that Yitzchak was much more affected by the spiritual filth of idol worship that Eisav’s wives brought into their…

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Home -> 5762 -> Toldos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5762

“The children agitated within her.” (25:22)

Rashi relates the source of Rivkah’s “agitation.” When she walked by a bais ha’medrash, Yaakov would push to come out; and when she walked by a house of idol worship, Eisav would fight to leave. She was concerned: What kind of a child am I bearing? If one moment he attempts to go to the bais ha’medrash and the next moment he is gravitating to the idols, he must be a confused child. When she was told that she was carrying twins, each with his own unique proclivities – one to Torah and the other to idol worship – she was…

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Home -> 5762 -> Chayei Sarah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chayei Sarah, 5762

“Hashem before Whom I have walked, will send His angel with you.” (24:40)

Avraham Avinu’s expression characterizes his relationship with Hashem in terms of one “before Whom I have walked.” Rashi, in Parashas   Noach   (6:9),   distinguishes   between   Avraham  and Noach, about whom it is written, “Noach walked with G-d.” Noach walked with Hashem, he required Hashem’s support to uphold him in his righteousness, while Avraham drew strength from within himself and walked in his righteousness by himself. Horav Nosson Wachtfogel, z.l., explains the depth of Avraham’s “walking by himself” in the following manner. He cites the pasuk in Yeshayahu 51:1-2, where the Navi speaks to the righteous Jews, “Listen to me, O pursuers of…

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Home -> 5762 -> Chayei Sarah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Chayei Sarah, 5762

“Let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say, ‘Please tip your jug so I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will even water your camels,’ her will You have designated for Your servant, for Yitzchak.” (24:14)

The Bais HaLevi submits that Eliezer tested Rivkah in two areas. First, he sought to ascertain if she was a gomeles chesed, one who performs kindness, by giving drink to someone whom she did not know. Of special interest to Eliezer was the fact that she did not have a cup for him. He would have to drink directly from the pitcher. She did not know  if he had germs that would contaminate her pitcher. Would she still offer him to drink, or not? Second, and of extreme significance, is what she would do after Eliezer drank from the pitcher. What…

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