Bracha – Page 25 – Peninim on the Torah

רב לכם סב את ההר הזה... אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשיו... אל תתגרו בם

Enough of your circling this mountain… you are passing through the boundary of your brothers, Bnei Eisav… you shall not provoke them. (2:3,5)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 1:15) relate that when Klal Yisrael was about to wage war against the descendants of Eisav, Hashem showed Moshe Rabbeinu the mountain where the Avos, Patriarchs, were buried. Moshe understood that the location of the burial place prevented Klal Yisrael from battling Eisav. Apparently, it was in Eisav’s zechus, merit, for honoring Yitzchak Avinu (and by extension Avraham Avinu). This is the meaning of Rav lachem sov es hahar hazeh; “Enough of your circling this mountain.” This means the mountain provides a reason to consider Eisav to be off limits. This was all the result of his…

Home -> 5778 -> Balak

ויעל בלק ובלעם פר ואיל במזבח

Moshe Marcovich In Balak, 5778

And Balak and Bilaam brought up a bull and a ram on each alter. (23:2)

Horav Sholom Schwadron, zl, was a master orator. As a maggid, he was able to reach thousands with his powerful, animated oratory. The manner in which he presented his ethical lessons, couched in stories to which his listeners could well relate, captivated his audience, impacting them with his critical message and sage advice. Yet, Rav Sholom was not happy. He felt that in order to be worthy of lecturing to the masses, he himself should be more “sincere.” There should be no vestige of eminence or haughtiness, no personal interest whatsoever. (This story is related by Horav Reuven Karlinstein, zl….

Home -> 5778 -> Chukas

זאת חקת התורה

Moshe Marcovich In Chukas, 5778

This is the decree of the Torah. (19:2)

Rashi explains the concept of chok, a mitzvah whose Divine rationale eludes us. While Hashem certainly has a reason for every one of the Taryag, 613 mitzvos, the reason behind every mitzvah is beyond our grasp. Understandably, one might say that not all mitzvos are beyond our ken. Ostensibly, specific mitzvos – such as Kibbud Av v’Eim, Honoring father and mother – are rationally based. The Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim) distinguishes between mitzvos sichlios, rational mitzvos (which supposedly anyone who possesses a modicum of intelligence can understand on his own), and mitzvos shlmiyos, mitzvos we accept and perform purely because we…

Home -> 5778 -> Beha'alosecha

והמן כזרע גד הוא... והיה טעמו כטעם לשד השמן

Moshe Marcovich In Beha'alosecha, 5778

Now the Manna was like coriander seed… and its taste was like the taste of dough kneaded with oil. (11:7,8)

The manna which descended daily from Heaven had varied tastes – as described by the Torah. In Shemos 16:4, it is referred to as bread from Heaven, with a taste “like a cake fried in honey” (ibid 16:31). Here it is described as having the taste of dough kneaded in oil. The Talmud Yoma 75b explains that for the young, it tasted like bread; for the elderly, it was like oil; and for the infants, its taste was similar to honey. These three tastes seem to contradict an earlier statement made by the Talmud (75a) that a person who ate…

Home -> Bamidbar -> 5778

תפקדו אתם לצבאתם אתה ואהרן

Moshe Marcovich In 5778, Bamidbar

You shall count them according to their legions – you and Aharon. (1:3)

Hashem commanded Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen, working together with the tribal leaders, to take a census of all males over the age of twenty. Rashi and Ramban offer reasons for making the census at this point. One of the reasons offered by Ramban is particularly striking. Each member of the nation had an inherent right to benefit from the personal attention of Moshe and Aharon. What is a better opportunity for such interaction than a census in which each Jew would come before these two leaders and, after telling them his name, be counted as an individual of personal…

Home -> Behar -> 5778

לא תעבד בו עבדת עבד

Moshe Marcovich In 5778, Behar

You shall not work with him slave labor. (25:39)

The eved Ivri, Jewish bondsman/slave, is not a slave in the generally accepted sense of the word. He is an indentured servant, who, for a specific period of time, neither is free to do as he wants, nor to resign his employment. Nonetheless, their masters must treat them with such delicacy and consideration that Chazal (Kiddushin 20a) say, “One who purchases a (Jewish) slave for himself buys himself a master.” The master is forbidden to assign him to perform degrading work that would be relegated only to a slave. He is to be assigned skilled, dignified labor like hired help….

Home -> 5754 -> Chayei Sarah

Moshe Marcovich In Chayei Sarah, 5754

And I said to my master, perhaps the woman will not follow me. (24:39)

Upon meeting with Rivkah’s family, Eliezer recounted his entire discussion with Avraham. Included in the conversation, Eliezer related his anxiety that the prospective bride might refuse his offer. Rashi cites the reason behind this fear. Eliezer, himself, had a daughter for whom he sought Yitzchak as a husband. Upon approaching Avraham with the idea of this match, he encountered a negative response. Avraham’s rejection was based upon the fact that Eliezer, as a descendant of Canaan, was considered cursed, while Yitzchak was blessed. A union between one who is blessed and one who is cursed cannot endure. The spelling of…

Home -> 5754 -> Lech Lecha

Moshe Marcovich In Lech Lecha, 5754

And I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing. (12:2)

Rashi cites the Midrash which explains that “And you will be a blessing” refers to the Shemone Esrai blessing which is concluded with Avraham’s name, Magen Avraham, as opposed to Yitzchak and Yaakov. Prior to World War II, Rabbi S. Shkop z.t.l. rendered a homiletic exposition of this pasuk in relationship to contemporary world events. Eastern European Jewry was greatly affected by the turbulent times. Jewish youth especially were becoming alienated from Torah. Yeshiva enrollment in most areas was rapidly diminishing. It had reached the point that there was fear that the wh The Midrash responds to this suggestion in the negative….

Home -> 5778 -> Tzav

זאת התורה לעולה למנחה ולחטאת ולאשם ולמלואים ולזבח השלמים

Roberto Szerer In Tzav, 5778

This is the law of the Elevation/burnt-offering, the meal-offering, the sin-offering and the inauguration offering, and the feast peace-offering. (7:37)

There are three forms/categories of korban, offering/sacrifice. This means that individuals from varied backgrounds and circumstances determine the category of korban which they offer. Horav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zl, explains the following Chazal (Midrash 3:5) which relates that King Agripas, who was quite wealthy, approached the Kohen in charge of the daily service and said, “I want to bring one thousand Olos (burnt-offering) today. I do not want anyone else to occupy the Mizbayach, Altar, other than me.” (Essentially, one thousand korbanos would preclude anyone else from bringing a korban.) Along came a poor man, and, in his hands, he…

Home -> -> Uncategorized

כל חלב לד'

Roberto Szerer In Uncategorized

All the choice parts for Hashem. (3:16)

Concerning all offerings, all the choicest parts are to be offered to Hashem on the Mizbayach, Altar. Rambam (at the end of Hilchos Isurei Mizbayach) writes that this idea applies to everything across the board: the choicest, the best, is to be designated exclusively for ruchniyos, spirituality. Among the examples that are given is the idea that the shul in which one davens, prays, should be more impressive, fancier than his home. David Hamelech lamented the fact that he lived in a palace made of cedar wood, while the holy Aron, Ark, was ensconced in a tent. It should be…

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רב לכם סב את ההר הזה... אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשיו... אל תתגרו בם

Enough of your circling this mountain… you are passing through the boundary of your brothers, Bnei Eisav… you shall not provoke them. (2:3,5)

ויעל בלק ובלעם פר ואיל במזבח

And Balak and Bilaam brought up a bull and a ram on each alter. (23:2)

זאת חקת התורה

This is the decree of the Torah. (19:2)

והמן כזרע גד הוא... והיה טעמו כטעם לשד השמן

Now the Manna was like coriander seed… and its taste was like the taste of dough kneaded with oil. (11:7,8)

תפקדו אתם לצבאתם אתה ואהרן

You shall count them according to their legions – you and Aharon. (1:3)

לא תעבד בו עבדת עבד

You shall not work with him slave labor. (25:39)

And I said to my master, perhaps the woman will not follow me. (24:39)

And I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing. (12:2)

זאת התורה לעולה למנחה ולחטאת ולאשם ולמלואים ולזבח השלמים

This is the law of the Elevation/burnt-offering, the meal-offering, the sin-offering and the inauguration offering, and the feast peace-offering. (7:37)

כל חלב לד'

All the choice parts for Hashem. (3:16)

YEARS

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