Attitude – Page 84 – Peninim on the Torah

ויום השביעי שבת לד' אלוקיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה

And the seventh day is Shabbos to G-d, your G-d, on it you shall not perform any kind of (creative) work. (20:10)

Throughout the millennia, when a Jew sought to become more “progressive,” to distance himself from “archaic” tradition, the first tennet that went was Shabbos. The student of history is quite aware that this was the area that caved in first. Almost two hundred years ago, the self-styled secular Jew in Germany took a more intellectual approach to doing away first, with Shabbos, and then, with the rest of the Torah, by defining the above pasuk as, “You shall not do any kind of work.” This distorted the entire concept of Shabbos and undermined its laws of observance. This was the…

Home -> 5773 -> Yisro

ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש אלה הדברים אשר תדבר אל בני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

You shall be to Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Bnei Yisrael. (19:6)

The significance of this pasuk is inspiring. It not only underscores the inherent qualities found within each and every Jew, the amazing potential available to those who seek to maximize it; it also focuses on the future, intimating that our past, regardless how sordid or mediocre, should not hold us back from achieving greatness. In his Sefer Nitzotzos, Horav Yitzchok Herskowitz, Shlita, relates the story of a Kollel fellow, a scholar of note, who would serve as a bochein, tester, in various yeshivos. A few times during the year he would visit various schools and test their students. He was…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5773

וקרבו וכרעיו ירחץ במים והקטיר הכהן את הכל המזבחה עלה אשה ריח ניחוח לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

He shall wash its innards and its feet with water; and the Kohen shall cause it all to go up in smoke on the Altar – an elevation-offering, a fire-offering, a satisfying aroma to Hashem. (1:9)

In the Talmud Menachos 110a, Chazal state the following: “We find that the Torah says regarding a bulky ox brought as an offering, that it is ishei reiach nichoach, ‘A fire-offering, a satisfying aroma’; and in regard to a Minchah, it likewise says, ‘A fire-offering, a satisfying aroma.’” The same expression is used each time to teach you that, Echad ha’marbeh, v’echad ha’mamit, u’bilvad sheyichavein es libo l’Aviv she’ba Shomayim, “Whether one gives a lot, or one gives a little, his offering is equally pleasing to G-d, provided he directs his heart towards his Father in Heaven.” Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz,…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5773

זכר תמים יקריבנו אל פתח אהל מועד יקריב אותו לרצונו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

He shall offer an unblemished male; he shall bring it to the entrance of the Ohel Moed, voluntarily. (1:3)

The Midrash relates the story of a recaltricant ox whose owner wanted to bring it as a korban. The ox, however, refused the honor. No matter how many people the owner sent to move the ox, they were unsuccessful. The ox was not budging. A poor man came along and noticed the owner’s predicament. He walked over to the ox and produced a single blade of grass from his pocket. He waved the blade of grass in front of the ox’s nose, causing the ox to give a mighty sneeze. As the ox sneezed, it coughed up a needle that…

Home -> 5773 -> Vayeira

וימהר אברהם האהלה אל שרה...ואל הבקר רץ אברהם...ויתן אל הנער וימהר אתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5773

So Avraham hastened to the tent of Sarah…Then Avraham ran to the cattle…and he gave it to the youth who hurried to prepare it. (18:6, 7)

There seems to be an unusual amount of “hurrying” and “running.” Also, did Avrham Avinu have to serve his guests personally? The Alshich HaKadosh writes: “Avraham teaches us two proper courses of action in carrying out mitzvos. First, zerizus, alacrity. Second, whatever one can do personally is preferred.” The Patriarch ran personally to serve his guests. Zerizus is one of the fundamental attributes listed by Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair as leading up to kedushah, holiness. Indeed, alacrity/enthusiasm is a fundamental step in mitzvah observance and toward leading a productive life. One who acts with zerizus does not defer to tomorrow…

Home -> 5773 -> Vayeitzei

ועיני לאה רכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5773

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

Leah Imeinu had good reason for her excessive weeping. She feared that she would be relegated to marry the wicked Eisav. After all, it made sense. Rivkah had two sons; her brother Lavan had two daughters. It was only “right” that the older daughter Leah would marry the older son, Eisav. For this reason, she cried. When we think about it, especially through the spectacles of contemporary society, what really was so bad about marrying Eisav? As an ish sadeh, man of the field, he was out there making money. Eisav would not settle for a mediocre paycheck. He certainly…

Home -> 5773 -> Va'eschanan

ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources. (6:5)

In his thesis on ahavas Hashem, love of the Almighty, Horav Eliezer Papo, zl, author of the Pele Yoetz, writes, “Love for Hashem – there is no quality/virtue better than it, for all service to Hashem, and (indeed) all Yahadus, Judaism, is derived from it.” Loving Hashem is one of the Taryag, 613, mitzvos. It is a constant mitzvah, one which is fulfilled only through thought and contemplation, resulting in a person’s awareness of Hashem’s beneficence and all that he owes Him. The Pele Yoetz writes that love of Hashem takes on two different forms or dimensions. The first, which…

Home -> 5773 -> Va'eschanan

וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו כי הוא יעבר לפני העם והוא ינחיל אותם את הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5773

But you shall command Yehoshua, and strengthen him and give him resolve, for he shall cross before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the Land. (3:28)

Upon a cursory reading of the text, the phrase, “For he shall cross before this people,” is superfluous in light of the following phrase, “And he shall cause them to inherit the Land.” Clearly, if Yehoshua was leading the nation in Eretz Yisrael, he would cross before they did. In his Aderes Eliyahu, Horav Yosef Chaim zl, m’Bagdad, distinguishes the leadership characteristics of Yehoshua’s from that of his Rebbe and predecessor, Moshe Rabbeinu. Yehoshua “crossed” before the nation, very much like a monarch who precedes his people. Moshe, on the other hand, was a roeh, shepherd, who led from “behind.”…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5773

שמח זבולן בצאתך ויששכר באהלך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, V'zos HaBrachah

Rejoice, O’ Zevulun, in your excursions, and Yissachar in your tent. (33:18)

The definition of a good life is relative. Clearly, there are those who have very few material comforts, yet they never complain. After all, they do not sense a need for anything more than what they have. In contrast, there are those who seem to have everything, but it is never enough. Yissachar and Zevulun characterize a utopian approach to Torah living. Yissachar devotes all of his time to Torah study. His material needs are addressed by his devoted brother, Zevulun, whose day is spent toiling in the world of commerce. Why is this considered utopia? Zevulun understands the need…

Home -> 5773 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tzav, 5773

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

Life is wonderful. This is especially true when one considers the alternative. In any event, the fact that the Torah has us bringing a Korban Todah, Thanksgiving-offering, upon being saved from serious illness, released from prison, or having survived a dangerous journey indicates that staying alive is a good thing. It is definitely something which we should make the most of. It is, therefore, perplexing that Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel debated one another for two and one-half years concerning the very same issue: Would it have been better not to have been created, or is creation beneficial? Clearly, there…

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ויום השביעי שבת לד' אלוקיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה

And the seventh day is Shabbos to G-d, your G-d, on it you shall not perform any kind of (creative) work. (20:10)

ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש אלה הדברים אשר תדבר אל בני ישראל

You shall be to Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Bnei Yisrael. (19:6)

וקרבו וכרעיו ירחץ במים והקטיר הכהן את הכל המזבחה עלה אשה ריח ניחוח לד'

He shall wash its innards and its feet with water; and the Kohen shall cause it all to go up in smoke on the Altar – an elevation-offering, a fire-offering, a satisfying aroma to Hashem. (1:9)

זכר תמים יקריבנו אל פתח אהל מועד יקריב אותו לרצונו

He shall offer an unblemished male; he shall bring it to the entrance of the Ohel Moed, voluntarily. (1:3)

וימהר אברהם האהלה אל שרה...ואל הבקר רץ אברהם...ויתן אל הנער וימהר אתו

So Avraham hastened to the tent of Sarah…Then Avraham ran to the cattle…and he gave it to the youth who hurried to prepare it. (18:6, 7)

ועיני לאה רכות

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources. (6:5)

וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו כי הוא יעבר לפני העם והוא ינחיל אותם את הארץ

But you shall command Yehoshua, and strengthen him and give him resolve, for he shall cross before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the Land. (3:28)

שמח זבולן בצאתך ויששכר באהלך

Rejoice, O’ Zevulun, in your excursions, and Yissachar in your tent. (33:18)

אם על תודה יקריבנו

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

YEARS

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