Bracha – Page 18 – Peninim on the Torah

כי יהיה לאיש בן סורר ומורה איננו שמע בקול אביו ובקול אמו

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21: 18)

The ben sorer u’moreh, wayward and rebellious son, is an anomaly within the parameters of halachah. The Torah punishes only when one actively sins. The Torah does not mete out punishment just because the individual is destined to sin. Yet, the ben sorer is executed al shem sofo, because of what he will ultimately do in the end, later in life, when he cannot get what he wants. He will murder to satisfy his desires. Kill him now, before he takes an innocent life. Truly an anomaly. Ramban posits that the ben sorer warrants two punishments: one for degrading and…

Home -> 5780 -> Shoftim

לבלתו רום לבבו מאחיו ולבלתי סור מן המצוה ימין ושמאל

Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5780

So that his heart not become haughty over his brethren. And not turn from the commandment right or left. (17:20)

The Torah demands that the Jewish king maintain a sense of humility, shying away from anything that might present him as pretentious and vain. The fact that he is king neither gives him license to act haughty, nor does it allow him to feel that he is better than anyone. With his position comes enormous responsibilities, as well as temptation to accede to a yetzer hora, evil inclination, that will play with his subconscious, encouraging him to act pompously and to use his office for personal gain. Monarchy, as with all leadership positions, is not a free pass. It creates…

Home -> 5780 -> Shoftim

כפר לעמך ישראל אשר פדית

Sruly Schnair In Shoftim, 5780

Atone for Your People Yisrael that You have redeemed. (21:8)

The Midrash Tanchuma (Haazinu) quotes the Toras Kohanim concerning the above pasuk: Kapeir l’amcha Yisrael, “Atone for Your People Yisrael.” This applies to the living; asher padisa; “that You have redeemed,” refers to the departed. This teaches that the living redeem the deceased. Therefore, it is our custom to memorialize the memory of the departed on Yom Kippur by praying for them, setting aside tzedakah, charity, in their behalf. I might think that tzedakah has no effect once a person passes on from this world. Thus, we learn from asher padisa, through the medium of tzedakah. The Midrash continues describing…

Home -> 5780 -> Re'eh

ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה

Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5780

See, I present before you today, a blessing and a curse. (11:26)

It all boils down to choices. It is either a blessing or a curse. We really cannot have it both ways. A blessing that ends up as a curse is not much of a blessing. Why is it that some of us become victim to the “poor choice syndrome”? Why can we not look at a poor choice for what is, and just say, “No”? It is the yetzer hora, evil inclination, who does an excellent job of concealing the curse in our poor choices. In fact, he often presents it as a blessing, and we fall for his ruse….

Home -> 5780 -> Eikev

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5780

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

The Torah provides a unique criterion for teaching Torah to one’s children. They should be able to discuss Torah; or, alternatively, when they speak, Torah should emerge from their mouths. Speech is the communication or expression of thoughts. An individual who speaks Torah thinks Torah. One’s cognitive dynamic should be shaped by Torah, so that when he expresses an opinion, a comment, it is Torah-based, the expression of a Torah mind. Thus, Rashi explains, as soon as a child is able to speak, his father should teach him Torah, so that it will be his “language” of communication. Therefore, everything…

Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

ואתחנן אל ד' ... אעברה נא ואראה ... ויתעבר ד' בי למענכם

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5780

I implored Hashem at that time… Let me now cross and see… But Hashem became angry with me because of you. (3:23,25,26)

Moshe Rabbeinu prayed and prayed. Chazal say that the word, va’eschanan, I implored, implies that Moshe prayed 515 times, which its numerical equivalent. The word, va’eschanan, is derived from chinam, free, alluding to the nature of this prayer. Being one of the ten terms of prayer, it is used when one seeks an undeserved favor from Hashem. Why did Moshe use this term? Surely he was deserving. The righteous never feel that they have a claim on Hashem’s favor. His mercy is reserved for those who feel “worthy” of it. The righteous and the humble feel that Hashem owes them…

Home -> 5780 -> Va'eschanan

ויאמר ד' אלי רב לך אל תוסף דבר אלי בדבר הזה

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5780

Hashem said to me, “It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to Me further about this matter.” (3:26)

The Midrash Tanchuma (Va’eschanan 4) relates that Moshe Rabbeinu said to Hashem, “Ribon HaOlamim, You referred to me as Moshe, My servant (Bamidbar 12:7). I truly am Your servant. You also wrote in Your Torah (Shemos 21:5) that the eved Ivri, Hebrew bondsman who refuses to leave servitude after the prescribed six years goes through a process and avado l’olam, he remains in servitude until Yovel. Thus, Hashem, I ask to be allowed to remain in my position as an eved and continue serving You.” Hashem replied, “Rav lach, it is too much for you. It has already been decreed…

Home -> Devarim -> 5780

ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

Sruly Schnair In 5780, Devarim

All of you approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us, and let them spy out the land.” (1:22)

The chet ha’meraglim, sin of the spies, is recorded in the annals of our nation’s history as one of its most egregious sins. It was the precursor of what became our national day of mourning, Tishah B’Av. The ring leaders received their due punishment immediately. The rest of the nation, which capitulated to their self-imposed anxiety, saw their punishment carried out over the next thirty-eight years as they perished in the wilderness. What aggravates the sin most is that the spies were all men of repute, distinguished Torah leaders and princes of their individual tribes. How did such spiritual giants…

Home -> Matos -> 5780

ויאמר בני גד ובני ראובן אל משה... עבדיך יעשו כאשר אדני מצוה ... עבדיך יעברו כל חלוץ צבא לפני ד' למלחמה כאשר אדני דבר

Sruly Schnair In 5780, Matos, Masei

Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven said to Moshe… Your servants shall do as my lord commands… And your servants shall cross over, every armed person of the legion, before Hashem, to do battle, as my lord speaks. (32:25,27)

Moshe Rabbeinu exhorted Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven to assume their share of the battle of conquering Eretz Yisrael, concluding, “V’nichb’shah ha’aretz lifnei Hashem, v’achar tashuvu, “And the Land; shall be conquered before Hashem, and then you shall return” (ibid 32:22). Chazal (Midrash) comment that Moshe’s statement, V’achar tashuvu, “And then you shall return,” was fulfilled b’m’lo muvan ha’milah, to the word. Every member of Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven returned home from the war and apportioning of the Land, a total of fourteen years. Not a single one died, not even of natural causes! Tzaddik gozeir v’Hakadosh Boruch Hu…

Home -> Matos -> 5780

אלה מסעי בני ישראל ... ויכתב משה את מוצאיהם למסעיהם על פי ד'

Sruly Schnair In 5780, Matos, Masei

These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael… Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem. (33:1,2)

The journeys of Klal Yisrael from the time they left Egypt until their arrival in the Holy Land are significant, since the Torah underscores them. The Torah only contains events that have importance for posterity. Moshe recorded these journeys by the word of Hashem, because (according to Rambam), in this way, the nation would remember the miraculous events which occurred in the wilderness for all time. Veritably, some of these miracles were clearly evident, such as the Clouds of Glory and the manna. As we all know only too well, however, memory fades, and doubters and skeptics are likely to…

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כי יהיה לאיש בן סורר ומורה איננו שמע בקול אביו ובקול אמו

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21: 18)

לבלתו רום לבבו מאחיו ולבלתי סור מן המצוה ימין ושמאל

So that his heart not become haughty over his brethren. And not turn from the commandment right or left. (17:20)

כפר לעמך ישראל אשר פדית

Atone for Your People Yisrael that You have redeemed. (21:8)

ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה

See, I present before you today, a blessing and a curse. (11:26)

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

ואתחנן אל ד' ... אעברה נא ואראה ... ויתעבר ד' בי למענכם

I implored Hashem at that time… Let me now cross and see… But Hashem became angry with me because of you. (3:23,25,26)

ויאמר ד' אלי רב לך אל תוסף דבר אלי בדבר הזה

Hashem said to me, “It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to Me further about this matter.” (3:26)

ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

All of you approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us, and let them spy out the land.” (1:22)

ויאמר בני גד ובני ראובן אל משה... עבדיך יעשו כאשר אדני מצוה ... עבדיך יעברו כל חלוץ צבא לפני ד' למלחמה כאשר אדני דבר

Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven said to Moshe… Your servants shall do as my lord commands… And your servants shall cross over, every armed person of the legion, before Hashem, to do battle, as my lord speaks. (32:25,27)

אלה מסעי בני ישראל ... ויכתב משה את מוצאיהם למסעיהם על פי ד'

These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael… Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem. (33:1,2)

YEARS

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