Bracha – Page 39 – Peninim on the Torah

He encountered the place and spent the night there…He took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place. (28:11)

Yaakov Avinu left for Charan without any assurances. The road was dangerous. His brother, Eisav, who had sworn to do him bodily harm, was after him. He was on the way to the home of Lavan, the corrupt swindler, to a house filled with idols. One wonders what motivated him to go to Charan. Did Hashem promise him safe passage? No! Hashem was allowing him to go to Charan, but had made no promises. Yaakov was basically on his “own,” or as much on his own that anyone ever is. One is never on his own – only in his mind….

Home -> 5771 -> Toldos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5771

And it came to pass, when Yitzchak became old, and his eyes dimmed from seeing, that he summoned Eisav, his older son. (27:1)

Yitzchak Avinu saw that his mortal years were slowly coming to a close. He called Eisav to grant him his fatherly blessing, as befits the first-born son. Rivkah Imeinu understood what was about to transpire, and she manipulated the situation, so that in the end it was Yaakov Avinu who received the blessings. One shudders at the thought of Eisav receiving the blessings. Yet, this was Yitzchak’s intention. How are we to reconcile ourselves with this? What did Yitzchak see in Eisav that prompted him to view him as worthy of blessing? True, Eisav was a fraud, a very talented fraud,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5771

And these are the generations of Yitzchak, the son of Avraham, Avraham begot Yitzchak. (25:19)

The opening pasuk of this Parshah is seemingly redundant. We are about to detail the story of the offspring of Yitzchak Avinu, son of Avraham Avinu, but first the Torah repeats the fact that Avraham begot Yitzchak. One would assume that we have already been informed of Yitzchak’s pedigree when it was related that he was the son of Avraham. Rashi quotes the Midrash which informs us that the leitzanei ha’dor, scoffers of that generation, individuals who had really nothing else to do but slander and denigrate, claimed that Yitzchak’s real father was Avimelech. After all, Sarah had spent some…

Home -> 5771 -> Chayei Sarah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5771

“…That you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites.” (24:3)

Avraham Avinu was adamant: Yitzchak was not to marry a girl from his Canaanite neighbors. Eliezer, Avraham’s student, must go to Aram Naharaim to find Yitzchak’s bashert, Heavenly-designated spouse. These two places had one thing in common: The people worshipped pagans. Avodah zarah, idol worship, was a way of life in both places. Therefore, what did Avraham gain by going elsewhere? At least, if Yitzchak’s wife were to come from Canaan, Avraham would be acquainted with the family. Kli Yakar focuses on this question and presents us with an important explanation. He explains that there is another fear that concerned Avraham….

Home -> 5771 -> Vayeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5771

And it happened after these things/words that G-d tested Avraham. (22:1)

The nisayon, trial, of Akeidas Yitzchak, the Binding of Yitzchak, was the greatest of the ten trials which our Patriarch, Avraham Avinu, underwent. His triumph over the various challenges to his faith and his emotions, both as a father and as the first Jew, serves as a paradigm for – and major intercessor on behalf of – his descendants. The Akeidah epitomizes the Jew’s determination to serve Hashem, despite his difficult circumstances. Pesikta Rabbasi teaches that the Akeidah took place on Rosh Hashanah. For this reason, it serves as the Torah reading for the second day of Rosh Hashanah. That, together…

Home -> 5771 -> Vayeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5771

“Because the outcry of Sodom and Amorah has become great, and because their sin has been very grave.” (18:20)

The outcry of the victims of Sodom’s physical and mental abuse was too much. The tears of the oppressed seeking liberation from their misery had reached the Heavenly sphere. The Talmud Sanhedrin 109b cites a number of cases depicting the perverted sense of justice which characterized Sodom. One of the more infamous decrees was their approach to hospitality. In fact, the “Sodom bed” has become a catchword for describing a situation where something is made to fit – regardless of its size. The custom was that when a visitor came to Sodom, they would lay him down on a bed…

Home -> 5771 -> Vayeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5771

“What if the fifty righteous people should lack five? Would You destroy the entire city because of the five?” And He said, “I will not destroy if I find there forty-five. (18:28)

Simchah, joy, plays a significant – almost critical role – in our avodas Hashem, service to the Almighty. Without simchah, we are unable to sustain a meaningful and enduring relationship. The ultimate goal of a Jew is to bond with Hashem. Without joy, this is impossible, since the Shechina cannot rest in a place of atzvus – loosely translated as sadness, but as the Baal HaTanya defines it, a total absence of feeling. A sad person has feelings. A person in atzvus is mute, without emotion. This is why simchah and sadness can coexist, such as on Tishah B’Av. They are…

Home -> 5771 -> Lech Lecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5771

And He said, “Gaze, now, toward the Heavens, and count the stars if you able to count them!” And He said to him, “So shall your offspring be!” (15:5)

The Divrei Chaim explains the analogy to stars. Seen from the distance of the earth, stars appear miniscule. However, when seen in close proximity from above, their actual size is remarkable. Likewise, Klal Yisrael might be viewed as being diminutive and inconsequential in comparison to the nations of the world. But, upon Heavenly examination, their image changes immensely. Their true size increases as they are viewed through a Heavenly perspective. Horav Meir Shapiro, zl, offers a practical explanation for our being compared to stars. Hashem instructed Avraham Avinu to gaze upon the Heavens and count the stars – something which is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5771

Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generations… And Noach, and his sons… went into the Ark because of the waters of the Flood. (6:9; 7:7)

Upon perusing the commentaries, we note contrasting opinions concerning the true nature of Noach’s tzidkus, righteousness. The Torah begins by stating that Noach was righteous – in his generations. This leads to a debate among the commentators concerning Noach’s status had he lived in a generation blessed with such a saint as Avraham Avinu. Was Noach a relative tzaddik, in relation to the wicked of his generation, or could he have passed the litmus test even in Avraham’s generation? In the next chapter, the Torah tells us that Noach entered the Teivah, Ark, “because of the waters of the Flood.” This…

Home -> 5771 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5771

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. (1:2-4)

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…

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He encountered the place and spent the night there…He took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place. (28:11)

And it came to pass, when Yitzchak became old, and his eyes dimmed from seeing, that he summoned Eisav, his older son. (27:1)

And these are the generations of Yitzchak, the son of Avraham, Avraham begot Yitzchak. (25:19)

“…That you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites.” (24:3)

And it happened after these things/words that G-d tested Avraham. (22:1)

“Because the outcry of Sodom and Amorah has become great, and because their sin has been very grave.” (18:20)

“What if the fifty righteous people should lack five? Would You destroy the entire city because of the five?” And He said, “I will not destroy if I find there forty-five. (18:28)

And He said, “Gaze, now, toward the Heavens, and count the stars if you able to count them!” And He said to him, “So shall your offspring be!” (15:5)

Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generations… And Noach, and his sons… went into the Ark because of the waters of the Flood. (6:9; 7:7)

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. (1:2-4)

YEARS

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