Attitude – Page 109 – Peninim on the Torah

כי בענן אראה על הכפרת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Acharei Mos, 5776

For in a Cloud I will appear upon the Ark-cover. (16:2)

The Aron HaKodesh was situated within the confines of the Kodesh HaKodoshim, Holy of Holies, a place where only the Kohen Gadol could enter on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. Otherwise, it was off limits, even to the Kohen Gadol. Ki be’anan eiraeh, “For in a cloud will I appear”: Simply, this means that no one may enter the inner sanctuary because Hashem’s Glory is manifested in the Cloud of Glory that hovers over the Ark. Entering such a place should inspire one with extraordinary fear and awe, for he stands in the Presence of the Divine….

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משה ידבר והאלקים יעננו בקול

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5777

Moshe would speak, and G-d would respond to him with a voice. (19:19)

The pasuk refers to the Giving of the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments. The people heard the first two Dibros from Hashem. The next eight were transmitted by Hashem to Moshe Rabbeinu, who would then repeat them to Klal Yisrael. Millions of people were gathered there. How could Moshe’s voice possibly extend to everyone? How could such a multitude hear his voice? Rashi explains that Moshe spoke and, in order to make it possible for his voice to be heard, Hashem responded by granting him a (loud) voice. Hashem magnified Moshe’s voice. The Yalkut Shimoni (Shmuel 162) asks: We are taught…

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כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5777

So shall you say to Bais Yaakov and relate to Bnei Yisrael. (19:3)

Chazal (Mechilta) teaches that amirah/somar/say implies a mild form of speech, while hagadah/sagid/speak/relate, implies firmness or even harshness of speech. When Moshe Rabbeinu spoke with the women (Bais Yaakov), he expressed the commandments in a manner that was compatible with their compassionate, maternal nature. When speaking with the men (Bnei Yisrael), the tone changed, because the mitzvos had to be transmitted to them with firmness. While this may be true, it is surprising that pasuk 6 concludes with the following words, “These are the words that you shall speak (tidaber) to Bnei Yisrael.” Rashi adds – lo pachos v’lo yoseir…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5777

ולכל המורא הגדול אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, V'zos HaBrachah

And by all the awesome power that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Yisrael. (34:12)

Times change; people change; society and culture change. Change impacts upon our lives to the point that what had been right for one generation might not be right for the following generation. Mentalities change, and the new generation might have a different perspective, a varied approach to life. Different needs require different approaches. Those who are charged with teaching Torah to each ensuing generation has to adjust, adopt new skills and new methods, because their charges are of a different generation. Horav Nissan Alpert, zl, posits that this is why Moshe Rabbeinu shattered the Luchos, Tablets, right before the very…

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וילך ראובן וישכב את בלהה פלגש אביו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5777

Reuven went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. (35:22)

Following the death of Rachel Imeinu, Yaakov Avinu established his primary residence in the tent of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant. Reuven, who was Leah Imeinu’s firstborn, considered this an affront to his mother. He said, “If my mother’s sister, Rachel, was my mother’s rival, does that mean that the handmaid of my mother’s sister should be her rival?” He felt that Yaakov should have moved into Leah’s tent – not Bilhah’s. To defend his mother’s honor, Reuven made the move into Leah’s tent, taking Yaakov’s bed and moving it into Leah’s tent. While this is all that transpired, the Torah takes…

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ויאמר יעקב אל שמעון ואל לוי עכרתם אחי להבאישני בישב הארץ...ויאמרו הכזונה יעשה את אחותנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5777

And Yaakov said to Shimon and to Levi, “You brought trouble upon me by besmirching me among the inhabitants of the land” And they (Shimon and Levi) replied, “Shall he treat our sister like a harlot?” (34:30,31)

When do we act zealously, striking back with force? When do we placate, look for reasons and ways to seek a diplomatic solution? We see two contrasting approaches in our parsha, surprisingly from a father and his sons. Shimon and Levi struck with vengeance. They had no room for negotiation: If you touch a Jewish girl, you and your entire city will pay. Yaakov Avinu was not as quick to seek vengeance. Horav Yisrael Belsky, zl, observes that both approaches have their place in Jewish life. When their sister, Dinah, was violated by Shechem, Shimon and Levi avenged her and…

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ויותר יעקב לבדו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5777

Yaakov was left alone. (32:25)

Yaakov Avinu went back for pachim ketanim, small jars. The Patriarch’s actions beg elucidation. Our commentators, each in his own manner, explain why Yaakov returned for a few small jars whose monetary value was probably negligible. Chazal explain that the righteous place a premium on their material possessions, because they represent items acquired under the strictest conditions of integrity. Anything that might even smell of a tinge of impropriety will not pass through their hands. Thus, Yaakov returned for these jars, because they represented the highest ideals of veracity. Horav Chaim Vital, zl, quotes his saintly Rebbe, the Arizal, who…

Home -> Vayeishev -> 5777

ולא שמע אליה לשכב אצלה להיות עמה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayeishev

If he would not listen to her to lie beside her, to be with her. (39:10)

Yosef HaTzaddik suffered greatly from the attempt of Potifar’s wife to seduce him. Chazal (Yuma 35b) describe her machinations in order to take Yosef down: “Every day, she would attempt to seduce him with words. The clothes she wore for him in the morning, she would not wear for him in the evening. The clothes she wore for him in the evening, she would not wear for him in the morning. After varying her wardrobe in order to arouse him, she said, ‘Surrender yourself to me.’ He responded, ‘No!’ She threatened to have him put in jail. He responded, ‘Hashem…

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כי ראתה כי גדל שלה והיא לא נתנה לו לאשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayeishev

For she saw that Sheilah had grown, and she had not been given to him as a wife. (38:14)

Tamar waited – and waited. Tamar was determined to have children from Yehudah. When she noticed that Sheilah had not been given to her, she decided to take undignified steps to realize her dream. If her children could not emanate from Yehudah’s sons, they would emanate from Yehudah himself. She was going to be the progenitress of the Davidic /Messianic dynasty. The Baal HaTurim adds to the above (Rashi’s) p’shat, explanation. When Tamar saw that she was not being given to Sheilah, she became anxious, filled with pain at the thought that she would not play a role in carrying…

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וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו...ויראו אחיו כי אתו אהב אביהם מכל אחיו וישנאו אתו ...ויקנאו בו אחיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayeishev

Now Yisrael loved Yosef more than all of his sons…His brothers saw that it was he whom their father loved most of all his brothers so they hated him…So his brothers were jealous of him. (37:3,4,11)

Clearly the story of Yosef and his brothers is one of the most difficult passages in the Torah to understand. One must view everything which occurs in the Torah and the Torah’s description of these events through a spiritual lens, understanding full well that the actions of our ancestors are beyond our understanding, and completely inexplicable from a simplistic, secular perspective. Do we even have an idea concerning the spiritual persona of Yosef HaTzaddik – or his brothers, the Shivtei Kah? In a passage of the Midrash (Midrash Eileh Ezkerah), Chazal say the following: “Rabbi Yishmael said, ‘When I returned…

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כי בענן אראה על הכפרת

For in a Cloud I will appear upon the Ark-cover. (16:2)

משה ידבר והאלקים יעננו בקול

Moshe would speak, and G-d would respond to him with a voice. (19:19)

כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל

So shall you say to Bais Yaakov and relate to Bnei Yisrael. (19:3)

ולכל המורא הגדול אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל

And by all the awesome power that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Yisrael. (34:12)

וילך ראובן וישכב את בלהה פלגש אביו

Reuven went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. (35:22)

ויאמר יעקב אל שמעון ואל לוי עכרתם אחי להבאישני בישב הארץ...ויאמרו הכזונה יעשה את אחותנו

And Yaakov said to Shimon and to Levi, “You brought trouble upon me by besmirching me among the inhabitants of the land” And they (Shimon and Levi) replied, “Shall he treat our sister like a harlot?” (34:30,31)

ויותר יעקב לבדו

Yaakov was left alone. (32:25)

ולא שמע אליה לשכב אצלה להיות עמה

If he would not listen to her to lie beside her, to be with her. (39:10)

כי ראתה כי גדל שלה והיא לא נתנה לו לאשה

For she saw that Sheilah had grown, and she had not been given to him as a wife. (38:14)

וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו...ויראו אחיו כי אתו אהב אביהם מכל אחיו וישנאו אתו ...ויקנאו בו אחיו

Now Yisrael loved Yosef more than all of his sons…His brothers saw that it was he whom their father loved most of all his brothers so they hated him…So his brothers were jealous of him. (37:3,4,11)

YEARS

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