Baal Teshuvah – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

אל תירא מרדה מצרימה כי לגוי גדול אשימך שם

Do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make a great nation of you there. (46:3)

Yaakov Avinu needed reassurance. He was prepared for the worst, as he had already experienced so much hardship. It is no wonder, therefore, that when he was confronted with the beginning of what was to be galus Mitzrayim, the Egyptian exile, he was afraid. The Patriarch, however, did not fear for himself. His commitment and devotion to Hashem was unwavering. He feared for his children, his descendants who would be born into Egypt’s depraved culture. How were they going to be able to withstand the onslaught of evil and licentiousness, as they confronted an environment permeated with spiritual defilement? He…

Home -> 5773 -> Vayeitzei

ועיני לאה רכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5773

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

Rashi comments that Leah Imeinu’s eyes were tender due to her incessant weeping. She thought that,as she was the older sister; it would be her lot to fall into the hands of Eisav for the purpose of marriage. This was clearly a reason to cry. Tears play a significant role in our relationship with the Almighty, especially in the area of prayer; indeed, weeping is considered a form of supplication. In one of the most moving elegies of the Selichos prayers, we ask Hashem: Yehi ratzon, “May it be Your will, You who hear the sound of weeping, that You…

Home -> Vayeilech -> 5773

ואמר ביום ההוא הלא על כי אין אלקי בקרבי מצאוני הרעות האלה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayeilech

It will say on that day “Is it not because my G-d is not in my midst that these evils have come upon me?” (31:17)

One would think that Klal Yisrael’s acknowledgment of the sins which catalyzed Hashem’s wrath should be considered a sort of teshuvah, repentance. If so, why does it not inspire a reciprocal merciful response from Hashem – instead of continued concealment? Indeed, hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance, is a harsh punishment. What could be worse than being ignored by the Almighty? Ramban points out that, although the pasuk indicates feelings of introspection and an acknowledgment of shortcomings, it does not represent complete teshuvah. One is definitely on the correct road to repentance, but he is not yet there – not…

Home -> 5775 -> Nitzavim

כי המצוה הזאת... לא נפלאת היא ממך ולא רחוקה היא לא בשמים... ולא מעבר לים... כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Nitzavim, 5775

For this mitzvah… it is not hidden and it is not distant… it is not in Heaven… nor is it across the sea… rather, the matter is very close to you. (30:11-14)

The Ramban interprets “this mitzvah” as a reference to the mitzvah of teshuvah, popularly called repentance. The word teshuvah is thrown about very much at this time of year. It is especially appropriate on this last Shabbos of the year to focus on its meaning and necessary impact on our lives. The word repentance is a powerful word and truly does not define the essence of teshuvah. The process of teshuvah is the process of return. Thus, a baal teshuvah is not simply a “born again”– repentant — person, but rather, someone who is returning – either to his original…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5762

זכר ימות עולם בינו שנות דר ודר שאל אביך ויגדך זקניך ויאמרו לך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5762, Ha'azinu

“Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation; ask your father and he will relate it to you; your elders and they will tell you.” (32:7)

argum Yonasan interprets this pasuk as a reference to listening to daas Torah, the Torah’s perspective, as expounded by our gedolei Yisrael, Torah leaders. The answer to all of our questions is in the Torah. A talmid chacham, Torah scholar, using his acutely “Torah- developed” mind, is able to render a response to our every issue, regardless of its mundane nature. Torah encompasses every aspect of our lives. We should look to it and its disseminators for guidance. Nachlas Tzvi cites a powerful story that illustrates the incredible depth of daas Torah: The story is about a young man who…

Home -> Pekudei -> 5776

ומשחת אתם כאשר משחת את אביהם וכהנו לי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Pekudei

You shall anoint them, as you had anointed their father, and they shall minister to Me. (40:15)

“As you anointed their father”: Why did Hashem stipulate that Moshe Rabbeinu’s anointing the sons of Aharon HaKohen was to be carried out in the same manner that Moshe had anointed his brother, Aharon? The Meshach Chochmah offers a powerful and quite practical insight – one that has a profound ring of truth to it. When Moshe anointed his brother, he did not experience even a twinge of jealousy. After all, Moshe was a Navi, Prophet; he had even held the position of Kohen Gadol prior to Aharon. Whatever the role that Moshe was transferring to Aharon was a position…

Home -> 5762 -> Acharei Mos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Acharei Mos, 5762

“For on this day, he shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you, from all of your sins.” (16:30)

Yom Kippur provides atonement – if it is not too late. Horav Yitzchak Blazar, z.l., the famous Rav Itzele Peterburger, primary disciple of Horav Yisrael Salanter, z.l., spoke prior to Rosh Hashanah in the Bais HaMussar of Kovno. After his ethical discourse, the assemblage began to recite various perakim, chapters, from Sefer Tehillim. At the end, together they recited the verses of Shema Koleinu, Hear our Voices, a heartrending appeal which follows the Selichos prayer. When they reached the pasuk, Al tashlicheinu l’eis ziknah, “Do not discard us when we grow old,” Rav Itzele stopped, turned around to the kahal, those…

Home -> 5762 -> Metzora

כנגע נראה לי בבית

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5762

“Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house.” (14:35)

Otzar Chaim has a wonderful thought regarding the teshuvah process and how the Kohen or rav can achieve the greatest success with the sinner. In the Mishnah Negaim 2:3, Chazal state that in a house which is dark – and, therefore, difficult for the Kohen to see the nega, plague – we do not open the windows to increase the light and make the nega more accessible. We can derive a profound lesson from this halachah. It is a message to the Kohanim, rabbanim, and anyone whose function it is to rebuke, to reproach, to guide and mentor: Do not search…

Home -> 5762 -> Terumah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5762

“They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – so that I may dwell among them.” (25:8)

The kedushah, sanctity, of the Mikdash, Sanctuary, is commensurate with the amount of “li,” for Me, that one puts into it. When we refer to kedushah, invariably we tend to think of something spiritual, surreal, with no tangibility. Consequently, it cannot have any effect on us. This is where we are wrong. That something is intangible does not preclude its ability to suffuse us with its properties and values. Let me take the liberty to illustrate this idea. The Midrash in Parashas Toldos relates an incident that took place during the Roman destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. The Romans knew that…

Home -> 5776 -> Chayei Sarah

ותמהר ותער כדה אל השוקת ותרץ עוד אל הבאר לשאוב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5776

So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and kept running to the well to draw water. (24:20)

The Shlah Hakadosh notes the exceptional kavod habriyos, human dignity, evinced by Rivkah Imeinu. First, Eliezer drank from the jug, leaving over some water. Rivkah was now in a quandary concerning what to do with the remaining water. If she gave the water in the jug to the camels, it would indicate that she held animals and humans in the same esteem. If she poured it out on the ground, it would impugn Eliezer’s dignity. This is where her wisdom came into play. She began to run with the jug, in such a manner that it would cause the water…

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אל תירא מרדה מצרימה כי לגוי גדול אשימך שם

Do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make a great nation of you there. (46:3)

ועיני לאה רכות

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

ואמר ביום ההוא הלא על כי אין אלקי בקרבי מצאוני הרעות האלה

It will say on that day “Is it not because my G-d is not in my midst that these evils have come upon me?” (31:17)

כי המצוה הזאת... לא נפלאת היא ממך ולא רחוקה היא לא בשמים... ולא מעבר לים... כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד

For this mitzvah… it is not hidden and it is not distant… it is not in Heaven… nor is it across the sea… rather, the matter is very close to you. (30:11-14)

זכר ימות עולם בינו שנות דר ודר שאל אביך ויגדך זקניך ויאמרו לך

“Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation; ask your father and he will relate it to you; your elders and they will tell you.” (32:7)

ומשחת אתם כאשר משחת את אביהם וכהנו לי

You shall anoint them, as you had anointed their father, and they shall minister to Me. (40:15)

“For on this day, he shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you, from all of your sins.” (16:30)

כנגע נראה לי בבית

“Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house.” (14:35)

“They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – so that I may dwell among them.” (25:8)

ותמהר ותער כדה אל השוקת ותרץ עוד אל הבאר לשאוב

So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and kept running to the well to draw water. (24:20)

YEARS

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