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Home -> 5782 -> Acharei Mos

אחרי מות שני בני אהרון... והיתה זאת לכם לחקת עולם לכפר על בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair
In Acharei Mos, 5782

After the death of Aharon’s sons… This shall be to you an eternal decree to bring atonement upon Bnei Yisrael. (16:1,34)

The Yalkut Shemoni (Shmuel 2:155) teaches: “On the first of Nissan, the sons of Aharon (HaKohen) just died. Why does the Torah record their passing juxtaposed upon the laws of the Yom Kippur service? This teaches that just as Yom Kippur serves as an atonement, so, too, do the deaths of the righteous (expiate the sinful acts of Klal Yisrael). Why is the death of Miriam HaNeviyah juxtaposed upon the laws of Parah Adumah? This teaches that just as the ashes of Parah Adumah purify one from ritual contamination, so, too, does missas tzaddikim, the death of tzaddikim, atone.” What…

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Home -> 5782 -> Acharei Mos

בקרבתם לפני ד' וימותו

Sruly Schnair
In Acharei Mos, 5782

When they approached before Hashem, and they died. (16:1)

Chazal (Vayikra Rabbah 20:6; Eiruvin 63a) enumerate a number of errors/sins attributed to Nadav and Avihu which precipitated their tragic, untimely deaths. One of these infractions is moreh halachah bifnei rabbo; “renders a halachic ruling in the presence of his rebbe” (in this case, Moshe Rabbeinu). We have no question that to paskin, rule halachically, in front of his rebbe is disrespectful and interrupts the chain of transmission/Mesorah from Sinai, but does it warrant such a devastating punishment? Furthermore, the Torah alludes to the reason for their deaths. B’karvasam lifnei Hashem va’yamussu, “When they approached before Hashem and they died.”…

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Home -> 5782 -> Metzora

והגיד לכהן לאמר כנגע נראה לי בבית

Sruly Schnair
In Metzora, 5782

And declare to the Kohen, saying: “Something like an affliction appeared to me in the house.” (14:35)

Chazal (Arachin 16a) teach that leprous (spiritually induced) marks (tzaraas) afflict a person for seven sinful matters: malicious speech; bloodshed; an oath taken in vain; immoral prohibited relations; arrogance/vulgarity; theft; stinginess. (I have taken the liberty of translating gasus ha’ruach as both arrogance and vulgarity, because the arrogant person is vulgar – even if he does not realize it.) The Tosefta (Negaim 6:6) interprets the word leimor, saying (in the above pasuk), as applying to the Kohen; he says to the afflicted person: “Go home and introspect your actions/behavior and repent your ways, because the tzaraas affliction is only visited…

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Home -> 5782 -> Tazria

וראה הכהן אחרי הכבס את הנגע והנה לא הפך הנגע את עינו

Sruly Schnair
In Tazria, 5782

The Kohen shall look after the affliction has been washed and behold! The affliction has not changed its color. (13:55)

The Zohar Hakadosh notes that the words nega and oneg are comprised of the same Hebrew letters, but in different sequence: nun, gimmel, ayin – nega; ayin, nun, gimmel – oneg. The difference between them is where the ayin is placed – at the beginning of the word (as in oneg, pleasure) or the end of the word (nega, affliction). The metzora is to derive a powerful lesson therein. If he expiates his hurtful speech and changes his life, he transforms his present state of nega to oneg. As long as he is afflicted, however, it indicates that he has…

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Home -> 5782 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5782

If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

Paying gratitude to the Almighty when everything seems to be going our way is very convenient. Everyone would agree that we have an obligation to acknowledge our debt of gratitude. What about when our prayers are answered with a reply that we find “unacceptable” – when the answer is, “No”? Do we still thank Hashem? We should understand that Hashem is either testing our reaction or He is saving the positive response that we crave for another time. Unfortunately, gratitude under unagreeable, trying circumstances requires cognitive deliberation, hindsight as well as foresight, to understand, accept and show our appreciation for…

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Home -> 5782 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5782

If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

Horav Mordechai Schwab, zl, distinguishes between the secular concept of hakoras hatov, gratitude/appreciation, and that of the Torah. Truthfully, this differential applies to all middos, character traits, because, first and foremost, we execute them in response to the Torah’s command that we do so. Derech eretz kodmah l’Torah; human decency/ethical character, refinement, precedes Torah knowledge. One whose middos are flawed will not approach Torah as divrei Elokim Chaim, words of the Living G-d, but as a secular, mundane discipline. As such, Torah will do very little to nothing in terms of transforming him into a ben Torah. Hakoras hatov is…

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Home -> 5782 -> Terumah

דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה

Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5782

Speak to Bnei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

When one contributes to a project, he assumes that he is the one who is giving. If so, why does the Torah refer to the donors to the Mishkan with the term v’yikchu li, “they shall take for Me”? What are they taking? The answer, which is reiterated by the commentators, is that spiritual entities play by different rules. When one contributes to the spiritual sphere, he is taking — in the sense that whatever he gives will be stored away in his merit. Some people cannot deal with the concept of giving. They feel that they have worked hard…

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Home -> 5782 -> Terumah

ויקחו לי תרומה

Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5782

And let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

For some, giving tzedakah, commonly translated as charity, is one of the most difficult tasks to perform. Parting with their hard earned (or otherwise) money is a formidable task. The yetzer hora, evil inclination, works overtime to “protect” the “haves” from the “have nots.” On the other hand, the one who has overcome the challenge and gives freely is one of the happiest people. He does not hide or make excuses; he gives with an open hand and feels good about it. In his Sefer, Peh Eliyahu, Horav Eliyahu Hamuvi, zl, offers an innovative explanation for the pasuk, delineating the…

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Home -> 5782 -> Terumah

מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו

Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5782

From every man whose heart motivates him. (25:2)

The Chasam Sofer explains the significance of nedivus ha’lev, generosity of the heart/generosity of the spirit, in that it is truly the only thing that a person can give. Whether we accept it or not (we certainly do not act it), everything belongs to Hashem. He shares it with us for the purpose of our sharing it with others. Thus, whatever material assets we contribute and share with our fellow man – we are not giving our money. We are making use of Hashem’s money for our purposes. Therefore, the barometer of devotion is nedivus halev – which is the…

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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…

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