Peninim on the Torah – Page 55 – Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5783

Now, O’ Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear. (10:12)

Horav Chaim Soloveitchik, zl, offers an outstanding insight into the enjoinment that one fear Hashem. Every moment of one’s life one must ask himself, “What does Hashem ask of me – now?” An hour later, he should ask himself again, “Now, what does Hashem ask of me?” This is the depth of the meaning of v’atah, now. Every moment of one’s life, throughout every circumstance, the question that he should ask is: “What does the Almighty want of me now? How should I act in this situation?” Fear of Hashem is a way of life. One does not simply punch…

Home -> 5783 -> Va'eschanan

ואתחנן אל ד' בעת ההיא

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5783

I implored Hashem at that time. (3:23)

In a homiletic rendering of the pasuk, Horav Moshe Leib Sassover, zl, explains that Moshe Rabbeinu prayed to Hashem that He should strengthen his bitachon, trust, in Him. He prayed that he should only concern himself with b’eis ha’hee, at that time – at that specific time; he prayed for the present without expressing concern for the future. This is much like the famous quote attributed to Ibn Ezra: Ha’avar ayin; v’ha’asid adayin; v’ha’hoveh k’heref ayin; daagah minayin? “The past no longer exists; the future is not yet a reality; the present is but a fleeting moment. Why, then, should…

Home -> 5783 -> Va'eschanan

ונס אל אחת מן הערים האל וחי

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5783

Then he shall flee to one of these cities and live. (4:42)

The Rambam (Hilchos Rotzeiach 8:1) writes: “When a Torah scholar is exiled to an ir miklat, city of refuge, his rebbe is exiled together with him. This is derived from the pasuk, Devarim 19:5, ‘He shall flee to one of these cities and he shall live’ (similar to the pasuk above 4:42). Implied, the idea is that everything necessary for his life must be provided for him. Therefore, a scholar must be provided with his teacher, for the life of one who possesses knowledge without Torah study is considered to be death.” The Rambam follows in line with Chazal (Makkos…

Home -> 5783 -> Va'eschanan

אנכי ד' אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים...וזכרת כי עבד היית בארץ מצרים ויוצאיך ד' אלקיך משם

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5783

I am Hashem, your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt. (5:6)…And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Hashem, your G-d, has taken you from there. (5:15)

Noticeably, yetzias Mitzrayim, our liberation from Egypt, is mentioned twice in the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments. In his commentary to Sefer Shemos 20:2, which is the first time the Aseres HaDibros appears in the Torah, Rashi writes: “It is worth it that I took you out of Egypt that (now) you will be obliged to serve Me.” Ibn Ezra writes: “The special and unparalleled treatment that Hashem accorded Klal Yisrael gave Him the ‘right’ to impose special responsibilities on them.” In his commentary to Devarim 5:6, Rashi writes: “It is for this reason that He redeemed you, so that you…

Home -> 5783 -> Va'eschanan

כבד את אביך ואת אמך... למען יאריכון ימיך ולמען ייטב לך

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5783

Honor your father and your mother… so that your days will be lengthened and so that it will be good for you. (5:16)

The commandment to honor one’s parents is included in the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, which in and of itself indicates its significance. Indeed, it carries such weight that, when Klal Yisrael were still in Marah prior to receiving the Torah, they had already been commanded to observe this mitzvah. Furthermore, rarely does a mitzvah publicize its accompanying reward, as the Torah does regarding the mitzvah of kibbud av v’eim. Arichas yamim, longevity, is nothing to disdain. We should all merit such reward. The Tolner Rebbe, Shlita, related that he had heard from an elderly Jew about an incident that had…

Home -> Devarim -> 5783

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke. (1:1)

Rashi explains that devarim, words, is a reference to the words of rebuke that Moshe Rabbeinu conveyed to the Jewish people. He did not mince words, nor did he conceal the people’s infractions. He did, however, refer to their sins by allusion in order not to embarrass or offend them. When admonishing someone, it is vital that the rebuker use chochmah, wisdom, and seichel, common sense, or he will only succeed in turning off the subject of his reprimand. Rebuke is, or should be, motivated by love. Hashem reproves us as a father rebukes his errant son. The father cares…

Home -> Devarim -> 5783

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke. (1:1)

There is a telling (Midrash Rabbah 1:1) commentary at the beginning of this parsha. “Before Moshe received the Torah he said, Lo ish devarim anochi, ‘I am not a man of words’ (Shemos 4:10). Once he had received the Torah, however, his tongue was healed, and he started to speak: ‘These are the words that Moshe spoke.’” Torah heals; words of Torah transform the speaker. The power of speech distinguishes man from his animal counterpart. Hashem gave man life by blowing into him nefesh chayah, a living soul, which Targum Onkelos translates as ruach mimalelah, a speaking spirit. When a…

Home -> Devarim -> 5783

ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Devarim

You drew near to me, all of you, and said, “Let us send men ahead of us and they shall spy out the Land for us.” (1:22)

The episode of the meraglim, spies, was the tragic game-changer for the nascent nation, as their reaction to the spies’ reports catalyzed the decree that they would not enter the Land. That night was Tishah B’Av, the calendar date which was to become our national day of mourning. In as much as the reports which the meraglim brought back were true, injecting their own personal opinions concerning the nation’s ability to overcome the challenges they would confront was their downfall. They conveniently forgot the Hashem factor. The Almighty had taken them out of Egypt, triumphed over Amalek, sustained them miraculously;…

Home -> Matos -> 5783

לא יחל דברו ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Matos

He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth, shall he do. (30:3)

Rashi defines Lo yacheil d’varo, “He shall not profane his word.” While he does not necessarily profane his word, the mere fact that he does not use his G-d-given speech/word for a purpose imbued with sanctity is considered profanity. When a person uses his G-d-given speech, it should be elevating, sanctifying, complimentary, obligating himself in higher, more consecrating endeavors. Even a mundane conversation which wastes time that could have been used to improve and enlighten is, by omission, a form of profaning. If we want Hashem to listen to our words, we must see to it that they have value…

Home -> Matos -> 5783

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף אל עמיך

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Matos

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim; afterward, you will be gathered to your people. (31:2)

Chazal (Bamidbar Rabbah 22:2) teach that, had Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to remain in this world for an extended period, he could have just taken his time in carrying out Hashem’s instructions that he take revenge against the Midyanim. Hashem had stressed that (only) after Moshe had dealt with the Midyanim would he leave this world. Moshe Rabbeinu responded immediately, however, appointing an army and its leadership to go forth to battle. Chazal (22:6) draw a distinction between Moshe and Yehoshua. When Yehoshua, Moshe’s successor, fought against the thirty-one kings, the war took a long time, as Yehoshua took his time…

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ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה

Now, O’ Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear. (10:12)

ואתחנן אל ד' בעת ההיא

I implored Hashem at that time. (3:23)

ונס אל אחת מן הערים האל וחי

Then he shall flee to one of these cities and live. (4:42)

אנכי ד' אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים...וזכרת כי עבד היית בארץ מצרים ויוצאיך ד' אלקיך משם

I am Hashem, your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt. (5:6)…And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Hashem, your G-d, has taken you from there. (5:15)

כבד את אביך ואת אמך... למען יאריכון ימיך ולמען ייטב לך

Honor your father and your mother… so that your days will be lengthened and so that it will be good for you. (5:16)

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה

These are the words that Moshe spoke. (1:1)

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה

These are the words that Moshe spoke. (1:1)

ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

You drew near to me, all of you, and said, “Let us send men ahead of us and they shall spy out the Land for us.” (1:22)

לא יחל דברו ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה

He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth, shall he do. (30:3)

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף אל עמיך

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim; afterward, you will be gathered to your people. (31:2)

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