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Home -> 5759 -> Emor

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Emor, 5759

The Kohen who is exalted above his brethren – upon whose head the anointment oil has been poured. (21:10)

The Kohen Gadol “stands” above the other Kohanim as a result  of certain qualities with which he has been vested.  Chazal enumerate five areas in which he was “greater” than the others.  One of these was strength.  The Kohen Gadol was exceptionally strong.  This is indicated by Aharon Hakohen’s ability to consecrate twenty-two thousand Leviim – in one day.  This process involved physically raising each one  and moving them back and forth, up and down.  The magnitude of this task is evident when one realizes that this was all performed in the space of one day! Let us analyze this…

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Home -> Bechukosai -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Bechukosai

If you will not listen to Me and will not perform all of these commandments. (26:14)

Rashi explains that “not listening” to Hashem refers  to an individual  who studies Torah without ameilus, toil. One who does not labor in Torah, but rather takes a complacent, back-seat attitude, will eventually refrain from performing Hashem’s mitzvos.   Rashi adds that this is just the first step in a seven step chain-reaction of sin, in which  one regresses from a lack of intensity in Torah study to the point that he denies the very existence of Hashem.  This is a remarkable statement.  To think that a lack of intensity, a weakening of one’s resolve to toil in Torah study, leads …

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Home -> 5759 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5759

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow. (19:17)

The mitzvah of tochachah, administering rebuke to a fellow Jew who is erring, has two criteria that should be met.  Indeed, if these two conditions are not met, it is better that one does not rebuke.  First and foremost is l’shem Shomayim: He must be acting for the sake of Heaven.  He has no ulterior motives; he does not hate the sinner; he simply cannot tolerate to see Hashem’s Torah denigrated: He cares for his fellow-Jew who probably does not realize the seriousness of his actions.  He speaks from the heart, out of love and caring.  His words will thus…

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Home -> 5759 -> Yisro

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Yisro, 5759

The entire people responded together and said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken we shall do.” (19:8)

Chazal praise Klal Yisrael’s affirmative response, their ability to accept the challenge of performing Hashem’s command without demanding a rationale.  “Naase v’nishma,”  – “We will do and we will listen,” was the clarion cry of our anscestors as they accepted the Torah.  Chazal cite the awesome reward that Klal Yisrael received for declaring “naase“, we will do, before “nishma,” we will listen.  Indeed, Hashem queried, “Who revealed this secret to My children, a phrase that only the ministering angels use?”  Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves: What difference does it really make?  In the end, they accepted both aspects- to…

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Home -> Pekudei -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of testimony. (38:21)

The Midrash relates that Hashem told Klal Yisrael, “When you made the eigel ha’zahav, Golden Calf, you angered Me by saying,  ‘Eilah elohecha Yisrael,’  ‘This is your god, Yisrael.’  Now that you made the Mishkan using the words, ‘Eilah pikudei HaMishkan,’ ‘These are the reckonings of the Mishkan,’ I have reconciled with you.” We must endeavor to understand the significance of the word, “eilah,” particularly its role in the sin of the Golden Calf and its role in the reconciliation vis a vis the Mishkan.  It seems that the primary sin of the eigal was the proclamation of,  “This is…

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Home -> 5759 -> Vaeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vaeira, 5759

Pharaoh saw that there was a relief, and kept making his heart stubborn. He did not heed them. (8:11)

Every time Pharaoh was down and the plagues were getting to him, he ran to Moshe Rabbeinu and implored him to pray to Hashem.  The instant he experienced relief, he forgot who Moshe was, he forgot that Hashem could just as well send another devastating plague.  He did not care.  He experienced relief at that moment.  The Midrash claims that this is the way of the wicked.  When it hurts, they cry.  When circumstances change and life becomes tolerable, they forget about Hashem and immediately proceed to revert to their old ways. One of the gedolei ha’mussar after citing this…

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Home -> 5759 -> Vaeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Vaeira, 5759

Aharon cast down his staff before Pharaoh…and it became a snake…and they too, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their incantations…and the staff of Aharon swallowed their staffs. (7:10, 11, 12)

Moshe came before Pharaoh and demanded that the Jews be released from slavery, so that they might serve Hashem.  Pharaoh responded in the expected manner, questioning who is Hashem who is and what powers He has that would impress him.  Moshe asked Aharon to throw his staff down before Pharaoh, and it was transformed into a snake.  Pharaoh was not impressed.  Indeed, he called out his magicians, who duplicated Aharon’s miracle.  Egypt was the center of magic and necromancy.  Such a feat was child’s play for the Egyptians.  To prove this point, Pharaoh called out his wife, who transformed a…

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Home -> 5759 -> Tetzaveh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5759

You shall make vestments for Aharon your brother, for glory and splendor. (28:2)

The Kohanim, especially the Kohen Gadol, were to wear vestments that reflected the nobility of their station and service.  The commentators offer a number of explanations for the terms “glory” and “splendor,” as well as the reasons for demanding that the Bigdei Kehunah be such garments that are similar to those worn by royalty.  Let it suffice that the Torah demanded that the vestments worn by the Kohanim were to be unique in their beauty, thereby dignifying the Kohanim and Hashem, Whom they served.  Indeed, if a Kohen served in the Bais Hamikdash mechusar begadim, not wearing all of the…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Shemos

It happened in those days that Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren…and he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man. He went out on the next day and behold! Two Hebrew men were fighting. (2:11,13)

Moshe grew into a position of responsibility.  He became ready to minister to the needs of his people.  Horav Zeev Weinberger, Shlita, feels that Moshe had two distinct goals in mind when he began to serve Klal Yisrael:  His first objective was to expunge the evil that the Egyptian environment had engendered.  Second, he sought to correct and bring back the Jewish People.  The occurrences related in the pesukim on the two days that Moshe “went out” to his brethren demonstrate these two faci. On the first day,  Moshe encountered an Egyptian beating a Jew. He immediately “corrected” the problem,…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Shemos

And she gave birth to a son. She saw that he was good and she hid him for three months. (2:2,3)

Rashi attributes Yocheved’s ability  to conceal Moshe Rabbeinu at home for three months to the fact that he was born prematurely – six months after conception.  Hence, the Egyptians had no reason to search for a baby.  When the nine-month period was up,  she was forced to hide him in the water.  Hashem could have saved Moshe Rabbeinu in any manner that He chose.  He arranged for Moshe to be born prematurely, so that he would be home with his mother for three months. Then he was  taken away from her, only  to be returned to her later on in…

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