Bracha – Page 23 – Peninim on the Torah

וישכן ישראל בטח בדד

Thus, Yisrael shall dwell secure, solitary. (33:28)

Bilaam harasha, the wicked, whose curses turned into blessing, made a similar statement concerning Klal Yisrael. Hein am levadad yishkon, “Behold! It is a nation that will dwell in solitude” (Bamidbar 23:9). Is there a difference between the two? Apparently, they both underscore the importance of Klal Yisrael living in solitude and not comingling with the nations of the world. Second, why did Moshe Rabbeinu specifically choose the importance of solitude as the blessing that would ensure the growth of Klal Yisrael as a Torah nation? Horav Leizer Brody, Shlita, observes distinctions between Moshe’s blessing and that of Bilaam. Bilaam…

Home -> 5778 -> Ki Savo

והיית ממשש בצהרים כאשר ימשש העור באפלה

Sruly Schnair In Ki Savo, 5778

You shall grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in the darkness. (28:29)

The Yalkut (also Talmud Megillah 24b) questions the implication of this curse. Does it matter to the blind person whether it is dark or not? He does not see anyway. Rabbi Yosi explains that he once had an experience which provided an answer for him. It was late one night when he saw a blind man walking down the dark street with a torch in his hand. “I questioned him, ‘What is the torch to you?’ He replied, ‘When the torch is in my hand people see me and prevent me from falling into pits.’” What a powerful lesson for…

Home -> 5778 -> Ki Savo

ובאת אל הכהן אשר יהיה בימים ההם ואמרת אליו הגדתי היום לד' אלקיך כי באתי אל הארץ

Sruly Schnair In Ki Savo, 5778

You shall come to whoever shall be the Kohen in those days, and you shall say to him, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d, that I have come to the Land.” (26:3)

The mitzvah of bringing Bikurim, the first fruits, is paradigmatic of the middah, character trait, of hakoras hatov, gratitude. This middah is one of the most fundamental principles of human and Heavenly relationships. Indeed, one who is makir tov, acknowledges his debt of gratitude to Hashem, even in the areas that affect his interpersonal relationships with people (he understands that what he receives is from Hashem, with people serving as His agency) will ultimately achieve shleimus, completion/perfection, in his relationship with Hashem. The nature of man is to focus on what he is still missing, rather than on what he…

Home -> 5756 -> Mishpatim

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5756

“Come up to Me to the mountain… and I will give you the tablets of stone, and the law and the commandment which I have written that you may teach them.” (24:12)

We have two festivals dedicated to the Torah. On Shavuos, we celebrate the giving of the Torah and our acceptance of it. On Simchas Torah, we joyfully express our gratitude to Hashem as we conclude the annual Torah reading. We may wonder at the need to have two festivals. Would it not have been more appropriate to celebrate Simchas Torah on Shavuos, the day we received the Torah? Horav Simcha Zissel Broide, Shlita, distinguishes between two forms of gifts. A gift is valued commensurate with its worth and significance, as well as the stature and eminence of the one who…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5756

Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayechi

And they (the Egyptians) wept for him (Yaakov) (50:3)

Rashi comments that the Egyptians wept for Yaakov because they recognized the material blessings that were manifest as a result of his presence in their country. Indeed, the seven year period of hunger which was destined for Egypt ended five years prematurely with Yaakov’s arrival in Egypt. The Nile River, which is Egypt’s prime source of irrigation, was also unusually blessed. Horav Moshe Rosenstein, z.l., comments upon the Egyptian reaction to the void left by a tzaddik in contrast to our recognition of the value of a tzaddik’s presence in our midst. Yosef was the viceroy of Egypt. It was…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5756

Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayechi

Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days. Assemble yourselves and hear, you sons of Yaakov and listen unto Yisrael your father (49:1,2)

The commentators raise a number of questions regarding the text of Yaakov’s command to his sons to prepare themselves for the final blessings which they were to receive from him: First, why must this message be conveyed in the presence of all the brothers assembled together? Second, what is the significance of the word, “hear/listen”? What else are they supposed to do, if not listen to Yaakov? Third, why does the pasuk begin by referring to the Patriarch as Yaakov and end by calling him Yisrael? Horav Eliyahu Schlesinger Shlita, cites Horav Baruch Epstein z.l., who, in his sefer Baruch…

Home -> 5756 -> Vayishlach

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5756

“So you shall say unto my master Eisav, ‘So says your servant Yaakov, I have sojourned with Lavan and stayed until now.” (32:5)

Rashi explains that the numerical equivalent of the word h,rd is 613, which corresponds to the number of mitzvos in the Torah. Yaakov was proudly relating to Eisav that during his stay with Lavan he kept the entire Torah. His sojourn in the harmful environment of the crooked Lavan had no adverse spiritual effect upon him. A number of issues regarding Yaakov’s dialogue with Eisav should be addressed. First, what did Yaakov imply with his assertion, “And (I) stayed until now”? Did he owe Eisav an excuse for returning so late? Is Eisav his “brother’s keeper” that he must be…

Home -> 5756 -> Vayeitzei

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5756

“She said, ‘Here is my maid Bilhah, live with her, so that she may bear upon my knees and I too may be built up through her.” (30:3)

The precedent for Rochel giving her maidservant, Bilhah, to Yaakov for the specific purpose of having a child was set by Sarah Imeinu, who gave Hagar to Avraham. We must endeavor to understand what there is about transferring one’s maidservant to her husband for the purpose of childbearing that increases one’s “chances” of being blessed with a child. Horav Meir Bergman, Shlita, responds by first citing a Midrash, which recounts the dialogue between Michal bas Shaul and David Ha’melech. Michal criticized David Ha’melech for the manner in which he expressed his joy when the Aron Ha’Kodesh was brought through the…

Home -> 5756 -> Vayeitzei

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5756

“Then Yaakov took a vow, saying, ‘If Hashem will be with me, and guard me on this path…'” (28:20)

Yaakov seems to be asking Hashem for something that Hashem had already granted him. Hashem had previously told Yaakov, “I will not forsake you.” What compelled Yaakov to question his future relationship with Hashem? Horav Nissan Ha’Meiri, Shlita, suggests that Yaakov was asking that Hashem grant him and his descendents the resolve to maintain perspective of the true source of blessing. Regrettably, when one falls on “tough” times, he tends to blame his lamentable state upon Hashem. When the situation changes and he is blessed with success, he attributes this newfound good fortune to his own wisdom and capabilities. In…

Home -> 5756 -> Toldos

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5756

“And he (Eisav) let out a most loud and bitter cry, ‘Bless me too, Father,’ he pleaded.” (27:34)

In the Midrash, Chazal teach us that the bitter tears which Eisav shed merited him the blessings for which he yearned. Horav Shmelke M’Nikolsburg, z.l., made an interesting observation based upon this Midrash. It is a wonder that the few tears shed by Eisav serve as his source for blessing. We have a halachic rule that if an impermissible food falls into a permissible food, the resultant mixture does not become forbidden if there is sixty times as much permitted food as forbidden food. This is referred to as the rule of “batel b’shishim.” Now, Bnei Yisrael have cried oceans…

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וישכן ישראל בטח בדד

Thus, Yisrael shall dwell secure, solitary. (33:28)

והיית ממשש בצהרים כאשר ימשש העור באפלה

You shall grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in the darkness. (28:29)

ובאת אל הכהן אשר יהיה בימים ההם ואמרת אליו הגדתי היום לד' אלקיך כי באתי אל הארץ

You shall come to whoever shall be the Kohen in those days, and you shall say to him, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d, that I have come to the Land.” (26:3)

“Come up to Me to the mountain… and I will give you the tablets of stone, and the law and the commandment which I have written that you may teach them.” (24:12)

And they (the Egyptians) wept for him (Yaakov) (50:3)

Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days. Assemble yourselves and hear, you sons of Yaakov and listen unto Yisrael your father (49:1,2)

“So you shall say unto my master Eisav, ‘So says your servant Yaakov, I have sojourned with Lavan and stayed until now.” (32:5)

“She said, ‘Here is my maid Bilhah, live with her, so that she may bear upon my knees and I too may be built up through her.” (30:3)

“Then Yaakov took a vow, saying, ‘If Hashem will be with me, and guard me on this path…'” (28:20)

“And he (Eisav) let out a most loud and bitter cry, ‘Bless me too, Father,’ he pleaded.” (27:34)

YEARS

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