Attitude – Page 107 – Peninim on the Torah

ובאו עליך כל הברכות האלה והשיגך כי תשמע בקול ד' אלקיך

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d. (28:2)

A common attitude of (which we will refer to as) spiritual entitlement exists among some of us, which is indicative of feeling of spiritual superiority and self-righteousness: “Es kumt es mir; “I deserve it/it is coming to me” is a notion that some of us maintain, although we do not explicitly articulate it. The attitude is, “I am good, and, thus, I deserve to be the recipient of abundant reward.” This applies to those who observe Torah and mitzvos and expect a Heavenly check in the mail, as well as to those who have been victims of various forms of…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5776

הרנינו גוים עמו כי דם עבדיו יקום

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Ha'azinu

O’ nations – sing the praises of His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants. (32:43)

Shiras Haazinu ends with the promise that with the advent of the Final Redemption, the world will see Klal Yisrael restored to its original glory, its enemies punished for the suffering that they caused for us. The nations of the world will recognize our greatness and will venerate us as G-d’s People. Ramban views Shiras Haazinu as a historical perspective for us to follow, from which we should learn how to live. It depicts the truth about how we were quick to take Hashem’s favors, but –when we had enough– we rebelled. Our lack of fidelity incurred Heavenly punishment in…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5776

הלד' תגמלו זאת עם נבל ולא חכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Ha'azinu

Is it to Hashem that you do this, O vile and unwise people? (32:6)

Moshe Rabbeinu wonders how Klal Yisrael could have been so vile and unwise as to sin against Hashem. The words, Am naval v’lo chacham, “A vile and unwise people,” is translated by Targum Onkelos as, Ama d’kabila oraisa v’lo chakimu, “A nation that received the Torah who is unwise.” Thus, Onkelos defines naval, which normally means vile or abominable, as, “who accepted /received the Torah.” Should it not be quite the opposite? One who rejects Torah should be considered vile, not one who receives it. The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, explains that the definition is relative, with the reality of our…

Home -> 5776 -> Emor

ויצא בן אשה ישראלית והוא בן איש מצרי בתוך בני ישראל וינצו במחנה בן הישראלית ואיש הישראלי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Emor, 5776

The son of a Yisraelis woman went out – and he was the son of an Egyptian man –among the Bnei Yisrael; they fought in the camp, the son of the Yisraelis woman and the Yisraeli man. (24:10)

It all began with an argument. Veritably, it was not even a serious dispute. It was a question of allowing someone of tainted pedigree to move into the “neighborhood.” Perhaps the ish haYisraeli was justified in his attitude toward the one whose murky roots are intimated by the Torah. One thing is certain: We see the sad consequences of controversy. A machlokes, dispute, can lead to a most egregious and tragic sin: megadef, whereby one blasphemes Hashem’s Name. How did such a terrible sin result from a machlokes? Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, offers a powerful – perhaps frightening – explanation….

Home -> 5776 -> Emor

ושמרתם מצותי... ולא תחללו את שם קדשי...

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Emor, 5776

You shall observe My commandments, you shall not desecrate My holy Name. (22:31, 32)

One would assume that chillul Hashem, profaning Hashem’s Name, occurs only when one commits a transgression, thereby demonstrating that he has little regard for his spiritual dimension. What about an individual who performs mitzvos, but his attitude is lacking? He does what he absolutely must do to fulfill the mitzvah, but does not go the extra mile? He buys a simple Esrog “off the rack” with no regard to its beauty. Hiddur mitzvah means beautifying the mitzvah, showing how much it really means to him; dressing for Shabbos as if he were attending a wedding; glorifying the mitzvah as if…

Home -> 5776 -> Emor

ואשה גרושה מאישה לא יקחו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Emor, 5776

They shall not marry a woman who has been divorced by her husband. (21:7)

In the Talmud Gittin 90a, a debate ensues between Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel concerning when it is “appropriate” to give one’s wife a bill of divorce. Bais Shammai, who is usually more stringent in his approach to rendering a Halachic ruling, says that one may divorce his wife only under such circumstances in which she has acted immorally. Bais Hillel, who is typically lenient, declares that one may divorce his wife for any inappropriate behavior – even if she has burnt his soup! While the position of Bais Shammai is understandable, we wonder how we can permit one to…

Home -> 5776 -> Eikev

ללכת בכל דרכיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Eikev, 5776

To walk in all His ways. (11:22)

How does one “walk” in the ways of Hashem? Furthermore, should it not have said to walk in Hashem’s footsteps? One walks in someone’s footsteps; one follows in his path. Perhaps, we may suggest that “footsteps” and “ways/path” are variants only when one follows in a path that was ready-made by others. When one forges a path, his footsteps are the path. In other words, Hashem makes the path, creates the derech. Wherever Hashem “walks,” He is teaching us what should be the standards of living, what should be the derech of a Yid. Hashem’s halichah, walking, creates the derech,…

Home -> Devarim -> 5776

וירדפו אתכם כאשר תעשינה הדבורים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Devarim

And they pursued you as do the bees. (1:44)

Chazal teach (Midrash Rabbah, Bamidbar), “We tell the tzirah (bee), Lo miduvshach v’lo mei uktzach, “(We want) neither your honey nor your sting.” Horav Moshe Yechiel Epstein, zl, the Ozrover Rebbe, zl, applies this Midrash to explain the Torah’s analogy to bees. “And they pursued you as do the bees.” At first, Lo avisam laalos, “You did not want to go up.” You were under the influence of the initial slander against Eretz Yisrael. Suddenly, when you saw the error of your ways, your attitude vis-à-vis the Holy Land quickly changed. Now, you were prepared to go. You insisted on…

Home -> Devarim -> 5776

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Devarim

How can I carry alone your troublesomeness, your burdensomeness, and your contentiousness? (1:12)

Parashas Devarim, which is also known as Shabbos Chazon, is read on the Shabbos prior to Tishah B’Av. One of the reasons for this tradition is the above pasuk, which begins with the word, eichah, “How?” This coincides with the Eichah yashvah vadad,”How did she (Klal Yisrael/Yerushalayim) sit alone?” the opening pasuk of Megillas Eichah, the Book of Lamentations, which is read on Tisha B’Av. The Midrash teaches, “Three prophesied with the word Eichah: Moshe Rabbeinu; Yishayahu; and Yirmiyahu. Moshe said, Eichah esa levadi, “How can I carry alone?” Yishayahu said, Eichah haysah l’zonah, “How did she become like a…

Home -> Devarim -> 5776

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Devarim

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

Rashi explains that the term “these words,” applies to the words of rebuke which Moshe Rabbeinu spoke to the Jewish people shortly before he took leave of them. Because the Torah here lists many of the places in which the nation angered Hashem, Moshe put his words vaguely, mentioning the places through intimation, out of respect for the honor of the nation. Administering rebuke, regardless of its nature, is often a double-edged sword. Rebuke expressed in the wrong manner hurts a person, often causing him irreparable shame. One of the most difficult aspects of rebuke is demonstrating to the subject…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Ki Savo ->

ובאו עליך כל הברכות האלה והשיגך כי תשמע בקול ד' אלקיך

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d. (28:2)

הרנינו גוים עמו כי דם עבדיו יקום

O’ nations – sing the praises of His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants. (32:43)

הלד' תגמלו זאת עם נבל ולא חכם

Is it to Hashem that you do this, O vile and unwise people? (32:6)

ויצא בן אשה ישראלית והוא בן איש מצרי בתוך בני ישראל וינצו במחנה בן הישראלית ואיש הישראלי

The son of a Yisraelis woman went out – and he was the son of an Egyptian man –among the Bnei Yisrael; they fought in the camp, the son of the Yisraelis woman and the Yisraeli man. (24:10)

ושמרתם מצותי... ולא תחללו את שם קדשי...

You shall observe My commandments, you shall not desecrate My holy Name. (22:31, 32)

ואשה גרושה מאישה לא יקחו

They shall not marry a woman who has been divorced by her husband. (21:7)

ללכת בכל דרכיו

To walk in all His ways. (11:22)

וירדפו אתכם כאשר תעשינה הדבורים

And they pursued you as do the bees. (1:44)

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

How can I carry alone your troublesomeness, your burdensomeness, and your contentiousness? (1:12)

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל

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

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!