Achievement – Page 6 – Peninim on the Torah

ואברם כבד מאד במקנה בכסף ובזהב

Now Avram was very laden with livestock, silver and gold. (13:2)

The mere mention of the word Ruzhin conjures up images of wealth and royalty. Indeed, the saintly Ruzhiner Rebbe, zl, was a legend in his own time. Everything about him, from his clothes to his living quarters to his total demeanor was resplendent with wealth and monarchy. Nonetheless, he was regarded as one of the greatest tzaddikim, righteous leaders, of his time. The greatest gedolim, Torah giants, of his generation would travel for weeks just to spend a brief visit with him. They viewed him as a Heavenly agent, dispatched to this world on a Divine mission to reach out…

Home -> Devarim -> 5781

ד' אלקינו דבר אלינו בחרב לאמר רב לכם שבת בהר הזה

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Devarim

Hashem, our G-d, spoke to us in Chorev, saying: Enough of your dwelling by this mountain. (1:6)

Rashi quotes the Midrash which defines rav, enough, as abundance. This refers to the abundance of reward and achievement that Klal Yisrael gained during their one-year layover at Sinai. At Sinai, they received the Torah, built the Mishkan with its accoutrements, and Hashem designated the Zekeinim, Elders, as the leaders of the nation. Now, it was time to move on. The Nesivos Shalom offers an alternate exposition, with a homiletic twist. Chorev may be translated as destruction, referring to the churban, destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. Does this mean that we as a nation in exile are finished? Do we…

Home -> 5781 -> Pinchas

פנחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב חמתי מעל בני ישראל... לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5781

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen, turned back My wrath from Bnei Yisrael… Therefore, say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace. (25:11,12)

Hashem granted Pinchas and his descendants the covenant of peace as a result of Pinchas’ zealous intervention. Why was Pinchas granted this reward more than Moshe Rabbeinu? When Klal Yisrael sinned with the Golden Calf, Moshe intervened on their behalf. He petitioned Hashem to forgive them to the point that he was prepared to see his name erased from the Torah. He succeeded in quelling Hashem’s displeasure with the Jewish nation – not once – but many times. Yet, it was Pinchas who intervened one time during an act of moral profligacy, and, consequently, was credited with turning back Hashem’s…

Home -> Pekudei -> 5781

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Pekudei

On the first day of the first month, you should set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:2)

Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma, Pikudei 11) teach that the construction of the Mishkan was completed within three months. Tishrei, Mar Cheshvan, Kislev. The people did not set up, however, until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, because Hashem wanted the festivities surrounding the erection of the Mishkan to be combined with the celebration of the birth of Yitzchak Avinu. What is there about Yitzchak Avinu’s birth, his entrance into the world, connects with the Mishkan? How do these two celebrations mesh, and what is the message for us? Let us focus on Yitzchak’s name, it source and what it represents vis-à-vis our nation. The…

Home -> 5781 -> Tetzaveh

והיה על מצח אהרן... והיה על מצחו תמיד לרצון להם לפני ד'

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5781

It shall be on Aharon’s forehead… and it shall be on his forehead always, to bring them favor before Hashem. (28:38)

The Tzitz, Head-Plate, was a unique addition to the Kohen Gadol’s vestments. When the Kohen Gadol wore it, the two words that were engraved on it: Kodesh l’Hashem, Holy to Hashem, served to gain Heavenly favor for blood or sacrificial body parts that were offered on the Mizbayach, Altar, while in a state of tumah, ritual contamination, allowing them to be accepted by Hashem. Tzitz meratzeh: the Tzitz caused ineligible offerings to become accepted. Whether this was only when Aharon/Kohen Gadol wore it on his forehead is the subject of a debate in the Talmud (Yoma 7b). One Tanna takes…

Home -> 5781 -> Terumah

ועשית שנים כרבים ... משני קצות הכפורת. והיו הכרבים פרשי כנפים למעלה ... ופניהם איש אל אחיו

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5781

You shall make two Cherubim… from both ends of the Kapores…The Cherubim shall be with wings spread upward… with their faces toward one another. (25:18,20)

The Baal HaTurim writes: Keruvim – Kravya, like young children. He cites the pasuk, Ki naar yoraei v’ohaveihu; “When Yisrael was a lad I loved him” (Hoshea 11:1). The purpose of the Mishkan is to draw and continue hashroas haShechinah, the Divine Presence, into the earthly sphere (thus, bringing sanctity and deeper spirituality into our midst). The primary place where the Shechinah reposed was between the Keruvim, whose facial features were that of young children. The Keruvim aroused Klal Yisrael’s attribute of naarus, an exciting, exuberant and passionate drive to serve Hashem and observe His mitzvos. This is the merit…

Home -> 5781 -> Vayeitzei

וידר יעקב נדר לאמר אם יהיה אלקים עמדי ... וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5781

Then Yaakov took a vow, saying, “If G-d will be with me…and whatever You will give me, I shall repeatedly tithe to You.” (28:20,22)

The word leimor, saying, is an implication to future generations, that they, too, shall vow in times of distress. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis 70) say, “Yaakov was the first to vow, thus all those who vow in the future should attach their vow to him.” Yaakov Avinu merited that all sincere vows be connected and attributed to his vow. He paved the way for people to vow to Hashem. Thus, when anyone commences a mitzvah, a project, an endeavor that will help others or increase service to Hashem, the merit all reverts to he who took the first plunge, who…

Home -> 5781 -> Chayei Sarah

ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו וידבר אל בני חת

Sruly Schnair In Chayei Sarah, 5781

Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead, and spoke to the Bnei Cheis. (23:3)

This group of people, Bnei Cheis, is mentioned ten times in the parsha. The Torah is frugal with words and does not use an extra word unless it teaches a lesson or has unique significance. Therefore, the ten-time redundancy of Bnei Cheis (nine times in this parshah and once in Parshas Vayechi) begs elucidation. Chazal explain that these ten mentions correspond to the Ten Commandments, in order to teach the lesson that whoever assists in the business dealings of a tzaddik, righteous person, it is considered as if he carried out the Ten Commandments. This is a powerful statement. We…

Home -> 5781 -> Bereishis

ויבא קין מפרי האדמה מנחה לד' והבל הביא גם הוא מבכורות צאנו ומחלביהן

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5781

Kayin brought an offering to Hashem of the fruit of the ground… and as for Hevel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and from their choicest. (4:3,4)

Kayin brought his offering, followed by Hevel’s offering. Hashem turned (listened/accepted) to Hevel’s offering, but did not respond to Kayin’s offering. On the surface, the disparity between Kayin and Hevel’s offering was quality. Hevel offered his finest, choicest, while Kayin brought what he did not want for himself. The inferior crops were designated for offering. So begins the first tragic story of brother killing brother. We understand that the Torah’s narrative is replete with powerful messages and lessons. How do we understand this incident between history’s first two sons? First and foremost: Why did Hashem not accept Kayin’s korban, offering?…

Home -> 5780 -> Ki Savo

ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך ד' אלקיך אתה והלוי והגר אשר בקרבך

Moshe Marcovich In Ki Savo, 5780

And you shall be glad with all the goodness that Hashem, your G-d, has given you and your household – you and the Levi and the ger who is in your midst. (26:11)

A farmer toils, labors in the field, at times under grueling conditions. Baruch Hashem, he is successful and his field produces a bumper crop. Obviously, at this point, the farmer will be overwhelmed with joy. Why does the Torah enjoin him to rejoice? One would expect this to be a given. Horav Mordechai Gifter, zl, observes that human nature is such that man is never happy with what he has. Mi she’yeish lo manah rotzeh masaim, “One who has one hundred – wants two hundred.” He is never satisfied. Whatever success he has achieved he always feels that he could…

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ואברם כבד מאד במקנה בכסף ובזהב

Now Avram was very laden with livestock, silver and gold. (13:2)

ד' אלקינו דבר אלינו בחרב לאמר רב לכם שבת בהר הזה

Hashem, our G-d, spoke to us in Chorev, saying: Enough of your dwelling by this mountain. (1:6)

פנחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב חמתי מעל בני ישראל... לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen, turned back My wrath from Bnei Yisrael… Therefore, say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace. (25:11,12)

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

On the first day of the first month, you should set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:2)

והיה על מצח אהרן... והיה על מצחו תמיד לרצון להם לפני ד'

It shall be on Aharon’s forehead… and it shall be on his forehead always, to bring them favor before Hashem. (28:38)

ועשית שנים כרבים ... משני קצות הכפורת. והיו הכרבים פרשי כנפים למעלה ... ופניהם איש אל אחיו

You shall make two Cherubim… from both ends of the Kapores…The Cherubim shall be with wings spread upward… with their faces toward one another. (25:18,20)

וידר יעקב נדר לאמר אם יהיה אלקים עמדי ... וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך

Then Yaakov took a vow, saying, “If G-d will be with me…and whatever You will give me, I shall repeatedly tithe to You.” (28:20,22)

ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו וידבר אל בני חת

Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead, and spoke to the Bnei Cheis. (23:3)

ויבא קין מפרי האדמה מנחה לד' והבל הביא גם הוא מבכורות צאנו ומחלביהן

Kayin brought an offering to Hashem of the fruit of the ground… and as for Hevel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and from their choicest. (4:3,4)

ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך ד' אלקיך אתה והלוי והגר אשר בקרבך

And you shall be glad with all the goodness that Hashem, your G-d, has given you and your household – you and the Levi and the ger who is in your midst. (26:11)

YEARS

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