Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

  • Reset

Home -> 5782 -> Mishpatim

ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5782

And these are the ordinances that you shall place before them. (21:1)

Rashi comments, lifneihem, “before them” (Klal Yisrael) and not before those who worship the stars and constellations. When Moshe Rabbeinu descended from Har Sinai and saw the nation’s repulsive behavior, dancing around the Golden Calf that the people had created, he shattered the Luchos, Tablets, that he was carrying; thus, the Torah returned to its Heavenly sphere. It no longer had value in this world, because the Jewish People did not appreciate it. Horav Elchanan Wasserman, zl, distinguishes between secular knowledge/ disciplines – which one can study, and in which he can even achieve proficiency, without adhering to the lessons…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Mishpatim

כי תקנה עבד עברי

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5782

When you acquire a Hebrew bondsman. (21:2)

The Torah selected the laws concerning the purchase of an eved Ivri and the master/servant relationship between the master and his Hebrew bondsman to be the opening mitzvah following the nation’s receiving the Torah at Har Sinai. This Revelation and Giving of the Torah culminated their redemption from Egypt and their becoming Hashem’s select people. In order to understand the preeminence of this mitzvah and its overarching significance for molding the national character of Klal Yisrael, I cite the commentary of the Sefer Chinuch. The mitzvah of eved Ivri is the adjudication of the law concerning the Hebrew bondsman: to…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Mishpatim

כי תראה חמור שונאך רובץ תחת משאו... עזוב תעזוב עמו

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5782

When you see the donkey of your enemy lying under its burden… you must nevertheless raise it with him. (23:5)

Targum Yonasan explains the words, Azov taazov imo; “You must nevertheless raise it with him,” as: Mishbok tashbok b’ha’hi shaata yas sina b’libach alvi v’tifrok v’siton imi, “You should vacate your feelings of animosity (at that time) towards him and assist with him.” Apparently, he interprets azov taazov imo as: vacate your feelings of hatred towards him, while azov taazov applies to one’s negative feeling against this person. [While one should never hate a Jew, this refers to one who has sinned.] Why must he relinquish his animus in order to provide support? He does what he must do because…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Mishpatim

ויבא משה ויספר לעם את כל דברי ד'... ויען כל העם ויאמרו כל הדברים אשר דבר ד' נעשה קול אחד

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5782

Moshe came and told the people all the words of Hashem… and the entire people responded with one voice and they said, “All the words that Hashem has spoken, we will do.” (24:3)

There is a debate among the Rishonim concerning this parsha, which records Hashem’s instructions to Moshe Rabbeinu vis-à-vis the Torah and the nation’s affirmative response. Rashi contends that the events mentioned in this parsha actually preceded the Revelation and the Giving of the Torah – which is recorded in Parashas Yisro. As far as sequence is concerned, we apply the principle: Torah is not necessarily written in chronological order. Other Rishonim, among them Ramban and Ibn Ezra, feel that these events occurred following the Giving of the Torah. In any event, we will digress and focus on the actual Giving…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Yisro

ואתה תחזה מכל העם אנשי חיל יראי אלקים אנשי אמת שנאי בצע

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5782

And you shall discern from the entire people, men of accomplishment, G-d-fearing people, men of truth, people who despise money. (18:21)

Yisro presented Moshe Rabbeinu with a tall order to be used as the criteria for selecting the nation’s judges. He identified four qualities, which, following meticulous consideration, were to become one: anshei chayil, men of accomplishment. Veritably, the commentators, each in his inimitable style, define these four qualities as they see them. Ralbag explains anshei chayil as men who fear no man. They have strong characters, believe in what they are doing, and have robust self-confidence. Yirei Elokim, G-d-fearing, refers to those leaders who have the fear of Hashem written all over their faces. They do not for a moment…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Yisro

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5782

Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it. (20:8)

Horav Moshe Zalmen Grossman, zl, believed that the term shomer Shabbos aptly translated, “You shall guard the Shabbos,” is an exhortation to watch over the Shabbos. A soldier who is charged with guard duty does not dare sleep. Thus, Rav Zalmen Shomer Shabbos, as he was consequently called, remained awake the entire Shabbos, engaged in learning and singing, delving into esoteric studies. It was known that Rav Zalmen could be found all Friday night in the Karliner bais hamedrash in Meah Shearim. In those days, poverty was the primary concern of Yerushalayim’s observant community. People simply had no money to…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Yisro

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו כבד את אביך ואת אמך

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5782

Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it. (20:8) Honor your father and your mother. (20:12)

“Remembering” Shabbos should be a part of our lives. It is the vehicle by which we come closer to Hashem. How can we squander a moment? How can we fail to remember? This mitzvah is followed by the commandment to honor one’s parents. The juxtaposition of these two mitzvos upon one another (they are repeated in Parashas Kedoshim, Vayikra 19:3), in which both mitzvos are included in the same pasuk) implies a special relationship between the two. The fact that in Vayikra, they follow after the enjoinment of Kedoshim tiheyu, “You shall be holy,” indicates that, although every mitzvah consecrates…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Yisro

לא תרצח לא תנאף לא תגנב

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5782

You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal. (20:13)

The Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, comprise the centerpiece of Hashem’s Revelation at Har Sinai. They are the basis of our Torah. One would think that when Hashem “introduces” Himself to the people that He redeemed from Egypt, for whom He wrought unparalleled miracles, a nation that had achieved an extraordinarily high level of holiness, the dor deiah, generation of knowledge, that these commands would be earth-shattering. Yet, Hashem enjoins them to commit to such common sensical prohibitive mitzvos as: do not steal; do not commit adultery; do not murder. One lectures to a group of revered intellectuals concerning profound matters,…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Yisro

לא תגנב

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5782

Do not steal. (20:13)

We all come across people whom we once trusted, until they took advantage of our trust – then we lost it. The problem is that, unfortunately, after one person hurts us, we tend to judge everyone according to that new barometer. Not all people are perfect, and some extenuating circumstances bring out the worst in people. Sadly, it is so much easier to think negatively than positively, because negativity requires less creativity. Once betrayed, we are inclined to dig in and ignore everyone, because we do not want to be hurt again – and again. While everyone deserves the benefit…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5782 -> Beshalach

ואתה הרם את מטך ונטה את ידך על הים ובקעהו

Sruly Schnair
In Beshalach, 5782

And you – lift up your staff and stretch out your arm over the water and split it. (14:16)

I have heard a legend. (I use the word legend, because the veracity of this story has been questioned, as we have no definitive sources that support it.) The story is told that the curators of a Russian museum had obtained a precious stone/mineral that had unique, remarkable powers. The Russian scientists could not fathom the secret of this stone. They did not even know what kind of stone it was. They decided that since German scientists were more advanced technologically, they would send them the stone. The German scientists were, likewise, stupefied by this stone. Among the group of…

Continue Reading

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

You have Successfully Subscribed!