Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

  • Reset

Home -> 5777 -> Toldos

ויאמר יעקב אל אביו אנכי עשו בכורך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5777

Yaakov said to his father, “It is I, Eisav your firstborn.” (27: 19)

If one studies Chumash only on a cursory level, merely translating the pesukim, he will leave in a state of ambiguity when confronting the lives of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. This is especially true upon studying the life of Yitzchak Avinu and his relationship with his twins – Yaakov and Eisav. On the one hand, we are taught that Yitzchak was the olah temimah, perfect sacrifice, the individual who most represented total selflessness to Hashem, the Patriarch who is singular in Fear of Heaven. On the other hand, we find this same holy Patriarch falling for Eisav’s ruse. Did he…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Toldos

ויהי כי זקן יצחק ותכהין עיניו מראות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5777

And it was when Yitzchak became old, and his eyes dimmed from seeing. (27:1)

Rashi explains that Yitzchak Avinu’s premature vision loss was due to the smoke that Eisav’s wives raised when they burned incense for their idols. Alternatively, when he was bound upon the Altar of the Akeidah, as Avraham Avinu was about to slaughter him, the Heavens opened up and the Ministering Angels saw what was happening to him. They began to cry, their tears descending and falling on Yitzchak’s eyes, causing them to dim later in life. In his hesped, eulogy, for his son, who had died an untimely death, Horav Shmuel Birnbaum, zl, asked why was it necessary for the…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Toldos

ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5777

Yitzchak love Eisav because game was in his mouth. (25:28)

Horav Chaim, zl, m’Chernowitz, author of the Be’er Mayim Chaim, had a son who had gone off the derech. Nonetheless, Rav Chaim did not turn his back on him, treating him in the same loving manner that he manifest towards his other children. He would say, “I ask of Hashem that He act towards his sons in the same manner that I act towards mine. Thus, when Jews sin and are deserving of censure, Hashem will have mercy on them.” Horav Meir, zl, m’Premishlan was a disciple of Rav Chaim and acutely aware of his revered Rebbe’s love for his…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Toldos

ויאהב יצחק את עשו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5777

Yitzchak loved Eisav. (25:28)

Yitzchak Avinu loved his son, Eisav, despite his nefarious ways. The Satmar Rav, zl, once commented about this. It happened that a student in Yeshivah Torah V’Yirah of Satmar/Williamsburg went off the derech, left the fold. Everyone in the yeshivah was devastated by this tragedy – especially the Rav. One of the rabbanim connected with the yeshivah suggested to the Rav that the reason that this tragedy occurred (in Satmar) might be the size of the yeshivah. The institution was bursting at the seams, and it was no longer possible for each rebbe to give individual attention to every student….

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Toldos

ויצא הראשון אדמוני... ויקראו שמו עשו. ואחרי כן יצא אחיו וידו אחזת בעקב עשו ויקרא שמו יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5777

The first one emerged red… so they named him Eisav. After that, his brother emerged with his hand grasping onto the heel of Eisav so he called his name Yaakov. (25: 25, 26)

Is there an end to the misery that has been inflicted upon us by the descendants of Eisav? While it appears that in the present era our primary national adversity comes from the minions of Yishmael, we may never forget the terror and persecution that have been orchestrated against us throughout history by Eisav’s children, particularly those who maintain the strong tendencies of Amalek. Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlap, zl, observes that, even when Eisav (or his descendants) exhibit themselves as being “first” and stronger, Yaakov still grasps his heel. This implies that Eisav’s rule has limits. Yaakov will hold on…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Tetzaveh

לקח פר אחד בן בקר ואילים שנים תמימים טחם מצות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5777

Take one young bull and two rams, unblemished, with unleavened breads. (29:1)

There are good people, and there are people who perform good deeds. A good person is consistent in his acts of goodness. He does not take a vacation from performing good deeds. It is part of his DNA. His counterpart might have a “good” day during which he acts appropriately. For him “good” just happens upon occasion. It is not a way of life. Having said this, we will segue into the commentary of the Baalei Tosfos to the above pasuk. “The par, ox, was sacrificed in the merit of Avraham Avinu, regarding about whom it is written, v’el habakar…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Tetzaveh

וחשב אפדתו אשר עליו כמעשהו ממנו יהיה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5777

The belt with which it is emplaced, which is on it, shall be of the same workmanship, it shall be made of it. (28:8)

Horav Yosef Chaim, zl, m’Bagdad, derives an important educational principle from this pasuk. One’s children are referred to as begadim, children. This is implied by the Navi Zecharyah (3:4), when Yehoshua Kohen Gadol is admonished, Hasiru ha’begadim ha’tzoim meialav, “Remove the soiled garments from him.” Concerning this, Chazal (Sanhedrin 93a) ask, “Was it the practice of Yehoshua to wear soiled garments?” They respond that the Navi refers to his sons who had married out of the faith. Thus, we see that children are likened to one’s garments. Perhaps, I might add, as the popular maxim goes, clothes make the man;…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Tetzaveh

ואתה תדבר אל כל חכמי לב אשר מלאתיו רוח חכמה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5777

And you shall speak to all the wise-hearted people whom I have invested with a spirit of wisdom. (28:3)

Chachmei lev; “wise-hearted people,” is in the plural form. “Whom I have invested”; m’leisiv, is singular. Is Moshe Rabbeinu to speak to all of the wise-hearted people, collectively, or is he to speak to each one individually? Why does the pasuk change midsentence from plural to singular? Simply, this is referring to Moshe who personally merited to be filled with wisdom. He was to speak to the wise-hearted people, because he was especially filled with wisdom. The Chasam Sofer explains that mileisiv applies to the chachmei lev. Hashem instructed Moshe to speak to each individual craftsman to inform him that…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Terumah

מקשה תיעשה המנורה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5777

Hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

The Menorah consisted of a number of shapes and forms, all of which were hammered out from one large ingot of gold. Nothing was made separately and attached. The Midrash relates that Moshe Rebbeinu had great difficulty in creating the Menorah. He could not visualize the finished product. Hashem went as far as to show him a Menorah made of fire. Still, Moshe felt uncertain concerning making the Menorah in accordance with Hashem’s plan. It was then that Hashem instructed Moshe to fling the ingot into a fire, such that a completed Menorah miraculously emerged.  In other words, the Menorah…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5777 -> Terumah

ככל אשר אני מראה אותך את תבנית המשכן...וכן תעשו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5777

Like everything that I show you, the form of the Mishkan…and so shall you do. (25:9)

Rashi comments, v’chein taasu – l’doros; “And so shall you do” – for generations. This means that, if for some reason it was necessary to make more vessels for the Mishkan, or later for the Bais HaMikdash, the form should be similar to the original vessels used in the Mishkan. Alternatively, the Nefesh HaChaim explains the tzivui, command, of l’doros, for ensuing generations, based upon a statement of the Gaon, zl, m’Vilna who posits that the entire Bais HaMikdash was redolent with a sweet fragrance emanating from the Torah housed in the Aron HaKodesh, situated in the Kodesh HaKedoshim, Holy…

Continue Reading

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

You have Successfully Subscribed!