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Home -> 5777 -> Vayeira

ויאמר ד' אל אברהם למה זה צחקה שרה... היפלא מד' דבר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayeira, 5777

Then Hashem said to Avraham, “Why is it that Sarah laughed?”… Is there anything beyond Hashem?” (18:13,14)

Sarah Imeinu wondered how a woman of her age could possibly conceive and bear a child. Hashem’s response is one that should be on our lips all of the time. Indeed, it should be the Jew’s mantra: Ha’yipalei mei Hashem davar? “Is there anything beyond Hashem?” Nothing is beyond Hashem’s capabilities. The Midrash cites a meaningful mashal, parable. A man carrying two links of a metal chain that had snapped came to the blacksmith shop. “Can you possibly repair my chain?” The blacksmith looked at the man somewhat incredulously and asked, “If I can fashion a new chain from raw…

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Home -> 5777 -> Vayeira

ויאמר מהרי שלש סאים קמח סלת לושי ועשי עוגות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vayeira, 5777

And he said, “Hurry! Three se’ahs of meal, fine flour! (18:6)

Kemach is meal; solas is fine flour. They are not the same. The Talmud Bava Metziah 87a wonders how we reconcile these contrasting “flours” in the same cakes. They explain that Avraham Avinu asked for fine flour. Sarah Imeinu responded with inferior flour. Chazal conclude from here, that we may derive that a woman is stingier than a man toward guests. Anyone who studies Torah understands that this dialogue between Avraham and Sarah contains more than meets the eye. Especially noteworthy is the fact that Hashem had earlier instructed Avraham to listen to Sarah, because she was greater than him…

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Home -> Vayeilech -> 5777

כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Vayeilech

For it will not be forgotten from the mouth of its children. (31:21)

What is the secret of our continued survival? It is not as if we have acted perfectly as children of Hashem. Yet, we continue to survive, to endure the vicissitudes of life, until that day when we have completed our mission. Regardless how distant we have allowed ourselves to move away, how far we have fallen, how low we have sunken as a result of our collective sins, we still have one redeeming value, one merit, one blessing that accompanies us through the abyss of darkness that resonates through our life: the Torah. As soon as we return to the…

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Home -> Vayeilech -> 5777

ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Vayeilech

So now, write this song for yourselves. (31:19)

Chazal derive from the above pasuk that each Jew is commanded to write a Sefer Torah – or, at least, participate in the writing of a communal Sefer Torah. As this is the last of the 613 mitzvos, we glean from here that the entire Torah must be recorded for the purpose of knowing and understanding its mitzvos. Without learning, there can be no knowledge; and, without knowledge, there can be no observance; and, without personal observance, we have nothing to transmit to the next generation. Why is the mitzvah to write a Sefer Torah enjoined to the individual as…

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Home -> Vayeilech -> 5777

וילך משה ויהושע ויתיצבו באהל מועד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Vayeilech

Moshe and Yehoshua went and stood at the Ohel Moed. (31:14)

Chazal teach that Moshe Rabbeinu asked Hashem to transfer the reins of leadership to Yehoshua, his worthy disciple. Rather than insist that Yehoshua come to Moshe’s tent to study and hear the word of G-d, Moshe went to Yehoshua. Their roles were now reversed, as the student became the leader, and the Rebbe took the place of his student. The Pillar of Cloud descended over Yehoshua, separating him from Moshe. When the Cloud ascended, Moshe asked Yehoshua, “What did the Word (Hashem’s communication) say to you?” Yehoshua responded, “When Hashem appeared to you, did I know what you were told?”…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5777

ואני בבאי מפדן מתה עלי רחל בארץ כנען בדרך...ואקברה שם בדרך אפרת.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Vayechi

But as for me – when I came from Paddan, Rachel died on me in the Land of Canaan on the road…and I buried her there on the road to Efras. (48:7)

Yaakov Avinu seems to be apologizing to Yosef for not having done for Rachel Imeinu as he was expecting Yosef to do for him. “Although I trouble you to bury me in the land of Canaan, though I did not do so for your mother, for, see now, she died near Beis Lechem”; “And I did not even take her to Beis Lechem, to bring her into the Land, and I know that there are hard feelings in your heart against me. But you should know that by the Word of G-d I buried her there so that she should…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5777

ואני בבואי מפדן מתה עלי רחל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Vayechi

But as for me, when I came from Paddam, Rachel died on me. (48:7)

Rashi explains that Yaakov Avinu was validating his burial of Rachel Imeinu outside of Eretz Yisrael, because it was Hashem’s decree that she be “available” to assist her descendants. “When Nevuzaraden will exile them, they will pass by her grave and Rachel will go out and pray on their behalf.” There is a very telling story connected with this pasuk. Although the story has very little direct connection with the pasuk, it does give us insight into the mind and heart of a secular Jew who, for all intents and purposes, never had any exposure to real Torah learning and…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5777

ויקרבו ימי ישראל למות ויקרא לבנו ליוסף

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5777, Vayechi

The time approached for Yisrael to die, so he called for his son, Yosef. (47:29)

Religion believes that life has purpose; each person’s existence has a clear raison d’etre. One who has no religion does not ascribe to a system of principles and beliefs; he lives a random, carefree life of abandon, without purpose or meaning. One who lacks religion lacks purpose; hence, he has no identity. The secular culture surrounding us – which is the result of a society where decadence is no longer taboo, but in vogue – has little use for religion. From the average “Joe” to the most powerful politicians and world leaders, religion will, at its best, receive nothing more…

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Home -> 5777 -> Vaeira

הירא את דבר ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vaeira, 5777

Who among the servants of Pharaoh feared the word of G-d. (9:20)

The Torah tells us that the G-d-fearing Egyptians brought their animals indoors for fear of the hail which would strike the country. Chazal derive from here Tov she’b’nechashim ratzutz es mocho, “The best of snakes, smash his head.” (In other words, there is no such thing as a good snake.) Chazal base this statement on the fact that, when Pharaoh required chariots and horses, he had to obtain these horses from someone. Since all of Egypt’s animals had been killed, from where could Pharaoh have gotten the animals? Apparently, the G-d-fearing Egyptians who had saved their animals by listening to…

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Home -> 5777 -> Vaeira

הן בני ישראל לא שמעו אלי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vaeira, 5777

Behold! Bnei Yisrael have not listened to me. (6:12)

Moshe Rabbeinu raised the issue of his inability to speak well. Furthermore, he thought that the people had lost confidence in him, because his earlier intercession with Pharaoh had catalyzed greater work for them. Nonetheless, despite Klal Yisrael’s probable unenthusiastic response to him, Hashem still sent Moshe to them. Why?  If they would not listen, perhaps it would be best that he not come. We must remember that consecrated words do not simply go into oblivion. When someone of the calibre of Moshe speaks, his words are not wasted – ever. If they do not penetrate the ears of the…

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