Bracha – Page 28 – Peninim on the Torah

נברכו בו כל גויי הארץ

And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him. (18:18)

All the nations shall bless themselves through Avraham Avinu, and, by extension, his descendants – Klal Yisrael. Avraham set the standard for the world population to emulate – so should we. Previously, in Parashas Lech Lecha (12.2), Hashem told Avraham, V’heyei brachah; “And you shall be a blessing.” You will have the power to bless whomever you wish (Rashi). Ramban interprets this to mean that Avraham will be the standard by which people will bless themselves. Indeed, this is a powerful and frightening mandate for us – as his descendants. We must live up to our responsibility to set the…

Home -> 5778 -> Vayeira

ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך ויאמר הנה באהל

Roberto Szerer In Vayeira, 5778

They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” and he said, “Behold! She is in the tent.” (18:9)

Three angels, disguised as Arabs, were welcomed by Avraham Avinu to his tent. After “partaking” of a luscious and satiating meal, the angels prepared for their real mission: to inform Avraham and Sarah Imeinu that they would soon be the progenitors of the next Patriarch. The angels inquired about Sarah’s whereabouts, to which Avraham answered, “She is in the tent.” Rashi explains that the angels were quite aware that Sarah was in the tent. The intent of their query was merely to endear Sarah to Avraham by underscoring the fact that she was a tznuah, a modest/chaste woman. Avraham’s vocalization…

Home -> 5778 -> Chayei Sarah

ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Roberto Szerer In Chayei Sarah, 5778

Bareich Aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless upon us… this year.

While a person’s prosperity is decided on an annual basis (hence, we ask Hashem to bless the year), we pray for prosperity on a daily basis. Our allotment can be withheld due to sins on our part. Hashem reviews our behavior during the course of the year. For instance, if on Rosh Hashanah it had been decided that we should be blessed with good fortune, and, during the course of the year, we prove ourselves unworthy of such a fortuitous blessing – it might be reversed. Hashem grants us funds for a purpose. Obviously, our family takes precedence, but, prior…

Home -> 5778 -> Chayei Sarah

ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע

Roberto Szerer In Chayei Sarah, 5778

Sarah died in Kiryas Arba. (23:2)

Rashi expounds on the juxtaposition of the sudden passing of Sarah Imeinu upon the Akeidah, Binding of Yitzchak. Apparently, Satan came and informed Sarah of Avraham Avinu’s intention to slaughter Yitzchak. U’kimaat shelo nishchat, “And before he could have been slaughtered,” she died. Sarah heard that Yitzchak was about to be slaughtered, and she died. Why does Rashi emphasize the fact that she died before he was slaughtered? It is obvious what happened. Rashi could have simply said that the very news that her son was on the way to his death, to be slaughtered by his father, was too…

Home -> 5778 -> Lech Lecha

וגם ללוט ההלך את אברם היה צאן ובקר ואהלים

Roberto Szerer In Lech Lecha, 5778

Also Lot who went with Avram had Flocks, cattle and tents. (13:5)

The Torah relates that Lot, who was traveling with Avraham Avinu, was very wealthy. Since the Torah wastes no words, informing us of Lot’s wealth hardly seems significant. Why does the Torah mention it, and what are we to learn from it? Rashi explains that Lot’s affluence was caused by his traveling with Avraham. How did Rashi understand that this is implied by the pasuk? Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, explains that every physical entity is a manifestation of a spiritual source. If Lot were wealthy, it could be traced back to its spiritual source. Lot’s wealth was not created simply…

Home -> 5778 -> Bereishis

וישלחהו ד' אלקים מגן עדן לעבד את האדמה אשר לקח משם

Roberto Szerer In Bereishis, 5778

So Hashem G-d banished him from Gan Eden to work the soil from which he was taken. (3:23)

The sin of Adam HaRishon had immediate and long-lasting repercussions. It was now impossible for Hashem to allow him to remain a guest in Gan Eden. Eating from the fruit of the Eitz HaDaas had changed him from a creation whose entire focus was spirituality – who had no inclination for anything but good – to a man who could now discriminate between good and bad. He was on a higher spiritual plane than animals, but was no longer on a level on par with angels. Man had now become unique among the terrestrial creatures, just as Hashem is unique among…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5772

תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהלת יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, V'zos HaBrachah

The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the Congregation of Yaakov. (33:4)

This pasuk, which claims that the Torah is our morashah, heritage, seems to contradict Rabbi Yossi’s statement in Pirkei Avos 2:12, “And prepare yourself to study the Torah, for it does not come to you by inheritance.” Is it a yerushah – or not? Horav Meir Lehmann, zl, Rav of Mainz, Germany, explains that, indeed, the Torah is the heritage of the community of Yaakov – but not an inheritance of the individual Jew. The Torah belonging to the Jewish community at large will never be lost, for there will always be men who will see to it that it…

Home -> 5772 -> Bereishis

והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על פני תהום. ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור...ויבדל אלקים בין האור ובין החשך.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5772

When the earth was astonishingly empty, with darkness upon the surface of the deep… G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light… And G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3,4)

Contrary to popular belief, the darkness of which the Torah speaks is not merely the absence of light. It is a specific creation, as it is clearly stated in Yeshayahu 45:7, Yotzeir ohr u’borei choshech – oseh shalom u’borei ra. “(I am the One) Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil.” The Midrash comments, “Great is peace, for Hashem did not commence His creation of the world with anything other than something which represents peace. What is this? It is light.” The Midrash goes on to cite the pasuk in Yeshayahu. We must endeavor to…

Home -> 5770 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

Clearly, one’s interest is piqued when he notes that the Torah begins with the letter bais, the second letter of the alphabet, rather than the first letter, aleph. Why? This question has not eluded the commentators, who offer their varied explanations. The simplest and most straightforward explanation offered by the Midrash is that bais is the language of brachah, blessing, while aleph is the vernacular of arrur, curse. Upon commencing any endeavor, one wants to infuse it with blessing. Creation is certainly no different. How do we define blessing in contrast to curse? If we were to take the Midrash…

Home -> 5769 -> Bereishis

ויקרא האדם שמות לכל הבהמה ולעוף השמים ולכל חית השדה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5769

And the man assigned names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to every beast of the field. (2:20)

One of the seven blessings which comprise Sheva Berachos is Sameiach tesamach reiim ha’ahuvim k’sameichacha yetzircha b’Gan Eden mikedem, “Gladden the beloved companions as You gladdened Your creature in the Garden of Eden from aforetime.” This brachah asks Hashem to gladden the couple who stand before us as He did for Adam and Chavah in Gan Eden. One question confronts us immediately upon grasping the scope of this request: Is it reasonable to expect that every contemporary couple experiences such a heavenly relationship on par with that of the first couple in Gan Eden? Let us face it, we are…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Vayeira ->

נברכו בו כל גויי הארץ

And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him. (18:18)

ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך ויאמר הנה באהל

They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” and he said, “Behold! She is in the tent.” (18:9)

ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Bareich Aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless upon us… this year.

ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע

Sarah died in Kiryas Arba. (23:2)

וגם ללוט ההלך את אברם היה צאן ובקר ואהלים

Also Lot who went with Avram had Flocks, cattle and tents. (13:5)

וישלחהו ד' אלקים מגן עדן לעבד את האדמה אשר לקח משם

So Hashem G-d banished him from Gan Eden to work the soil from which he was taken. (3:23)

תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהלת יעקב

The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the Congregation of Yaakov. (33:4)

והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על פני תהום. ויאמר אלקים יהי אור ויהי אור...ויבדל אלקים בין האור ובין החשך.

When the earth was astonishingly empty, with darkness upon the surface of the deep… G-d said, “Let there be light,” and there was light… And G-d separated between the light and the darkness. (1:2,3,4)

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

ויקרא האדם שמות לכל הבהמה ולעוף השמים ולכל חית השדה

And the man assigned names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to every beast of the field. (2:20)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!