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Home -> 5782 -> Balak

ויאמר בלעם אל בלק... היכל אוכל דבר מאמה הדבר אשר אלקים ישים בפי אתו אדבר

Sruly Schnair
In Balak, 5782

Bilaam said to Balak… “Am I empowered to say anything? Whatever words G-d puts into my mouth, that shall I speak.” (22:38)

Bilaam is a lesson in stark contrasts. On the one hand, he personifies evil and depravity at their nadir. Arrogant, condescending, avaricious and profligate, he was the consummate symbol of unmitigated evil. Yet, this same person spoke to Hashem and was able to maintain a dialogue on subjects that were of the loftiest esoterical and spiritual nature. How do these two polar opposites exist in one person? Horav Eliezer HaLevi Turk, Shlita, quotes from Horav Chunah Kletzki, zl, a student of the Radin Yeshivah, who, in his old age, made his domicile in Lakewood. He related that there was a…

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Home -> 5782 -> Balak

מראש צרים אראנו ומגבעות אשורנו

Sruly Schnair
In Balak, 5782

From its origins, I see rock-like, and from hills do I see it. (23:9)

Bilaam was looking for every way to render Klal Yisrael a death blow. His power was in his tongue, his ability to deliver a curse that would be effective and lethal. He begins his litany by acknowledging that it is difficult to curse a nation whose origins are likened to craggy rocks (Patriarchs) and hills (Matriarchs). He intimated that when he looked back at the roots of the Jews, he saw them as firmly established as rocks and hills. The loyalty to their forebears is what distinguishes them and makes them that more difficult to curse. I would like to…

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Home -> 5782 -> Chukas

זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל

Sruly Schnair
In Chukas, 5782

This is the teaching regarding a man who would die in a tent. (19:14)

Chazal (Shabbos 83b) teach, “One should never refrain from (going to the) Bais ha’Medrash and from studying words of Torah – even during the moments prior to his taking leave of this world.”  Torah reigns supreme and, without it, our lives are not the same.  We should devote every minute that is available to Torah study – even at the time of death.  Furthermore, Ein haTorah miskayemes ela b’mi she’meimis atzmo alehah;  “The Torah is not maintained in a person unless he dies for it.” Adam ki yamus b’ohel, “If a man dies in a tent” has become the catch…

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Home -> 5782 -> Chukas

ויפשט משה את אהרן את בגדיו וילבש אתם אלעזר בנו וימת אהרן

Sruly Schnair
In Chukas, 5782

Moshe stripped Aharon’s garments from him and dressed Elazar his son in them; then Aharon died. (20:28)

Ramban explains that the garments which Aharon HaKohen wore were the begadim, vestments, of the Kohen Gadol.  Elazar, his son, was now being inducted into Kehunah Gedolah, High Priesthood, by wearing these vestments.  Apparently, he had just concluded his Priestly service by: offering the Korban Tamid shel bein ha’arbaim, afternoon continued offering; burning the Incense; and kindling the menorah.  Moshe brought Aharon up to Har Hohor, while he was still wearing the vestments.  He then stripped him of them and dressed Elazar. According to the simple p’shat, plain understanding, Moshe dressed Aharon in tachrichim, burial shrouds.  He then removed Elazar’s…

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Home -> 5782 -> Chukas

ויעלו אל הר ההר ... וימת אהרן שם בראש ההר

Sruly Schnair
In Chukas, 5782

And they ascended Mount Hor … Then Aharon died there on Mount Hor. (20:27,28)

Rashi translates Har Hohor as Mountain of the Mountain, explaining that it was given its unique name due to its unique configuration.  It was like that of a small apple perched on top of a large one, or like one mountain on top of another.  The concept of apple and mountain with mountain above mountain or apple above apple begs elucidation.  Horav Aryeh Leib Heyman, zl, offers a penetrating insight into understanding the double mountain/double apple relationship to Aharon HaKohen.  He posits that Aharon integrated the middos, attributes, of Avraham Avinu with those of Yitzchak Avinu. Avraham was the paradigm…

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Home -> 5782 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Sruly Schnair
In Korach, 5782

Korach separated himself. (16:1)

The literal translation of va’yikach is “and he took,” which, in this case, is translated as Korach separating himself. Rashi explains Lakach es atzmo liheyos nechelak mitoch ha’eidah; “He took himself to one side to be separate from the assembly.” Rashi’s exposition is based upon the premise that lokach is a transitive verb, which means that he must have taken something. What was that something? Thus, Rashi teaches that he took himself by separating himself from the community. Perhaps we might add to this. By his very nature, a Jew wants to observe Torah and mitzvos. Those who do not…

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Home -> 5782 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Sruly Schnair
In Korach, 5782

Korach separated himself. (16:1)

Korach earned the infamous nomenclature of baal machlokes, the paradigmatic quarrelsome person. This is in addition to Chazal labeling him an apikores, heretic. He earned these ignominious titles by virtue of his mutiny against Moshe and Hashem. When we sit back and analyze what took place, we wonder what Korach requested that was inappropriate. He complained to Moshe that he had been passed over for a distinguished leadership position. He said, “My father’s brother had four sons. Amram was the oldest. His two sons, Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen, both took the top positions of leadership. Who then should be…

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Home -> 5782 -> Korach

רב לכם כי כל העדה כלם קדשים ובתוכם ד' ומדוע תתנשאו על קהל ד'

Sruly Schnair
In Korach, 5782

It is too much for you! For the entire assembly – all of them are holy and Hashem is among them. Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem? (16:3)

Nothing is as audaciously offensive as a despot who makes use of his Torah knowledge to undermine Torah leadership and mutiny against Hashem. Korach confronted Moshe Rabbeinu with a halachic query. He and all of his henchmen came dressed in garments fashioned completely of techeiles, turquoise wool. He asked derisively, “Does a tallis made completely of techeiles require one strand of techeiles thread in the Tzitzis?” Moshe replied, “Yes.” The fact that a garment is made of techeiles does not exempt it from the techeiles requirement of Tzitzis. This is what Korach was waiting for. He pounced back, “If a…

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Home -> 5782 -> Korach

וידבר אל קרח ואל כל עדתו

Sruly Schnair
In Korach, 5782

He (Moshe Rabbeinu) spoke to Korach and to his entire assembly. (16:5)

Either debated, dissenting opinions or the fire of controversy can characterize disagreements based in Torah. Chazal (Pirkei Avos 5:17) label the controversy of Korach v’adaso, and his congregation, as a machlokes she’lo l’shem Shomayim, controversy not for the sake of Heaven. It is a disagreement which undermines the very underpinnings of Torah Judaism. Korach v’adaso stand in contrast with the two classic debaters of the Mishnah, Hillel and Shammai, who debated l’shem Shomayim. Interestingly, concerning Hillel and Shammai, both disputants are named, while in the controversy that surrounded Korach and Moshe, it is called the machlokes of Korach v’adaso –…

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Home -> 5782 -> Korach

וידעתם כי נאצו האנשים האלה את ד'

Sruly Schnair
In Korach, 5782

Then you shall know that these men provoked Hashem. (16:30)

The best way to extricate oneself from machlokes is to circumvent it. When a person suffers an indignity, or when someone whom we respect and love suffers an indignity or is slandered, our knee-jerk reaction is to put the other fellow in his place. We want to teach him a lesson, so that he would never again be cavalier with another’s emotions. That, in and of itself, is the beginning of machlokes. The best way to stop a machlokes is to prevent it from starting. The following two stories are about individuals, both holy, both whom I had the z’chus…

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