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Home -> Vayakhel -> 5785

קחו מאתכם תרומה לד' כל נדיב לבו יביאה את תרומת ד' זהב וכסף ונחושת

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayakhel

Take from yourselves a portion for Hashem; everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it, as a gift for Hashem: gold, silver, copper. (35:5)

Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 49:2) teach that zahav, gold, kesef, silver; and nechoshes, copper – all allude to the Avos, three Patriarchs. The connotation of the pasuk (based upon Chazal’s interpretation) is that the Shechinah rests His Divine Presence in the Mishkan in the merit of the three Avos. Gold alludes to Avraham, whose faith was put to a test when he was flung into a furnace – a process which is used to refine gold. Silver represents Yitzchak, who was purified when he was bound upon the Altar. Unlike gold, which is heated in a furnace to test its quality,…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tetzaveh

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5785

And you should command Bnei Yisrael. (27:20)

On the surface, v’atah, and you, is an unusual formulation for Hashem to use to command Moshe.  Usually, He calls him by his name, Moshe, followed by tzav, command; or dabeir, speak. Noticeably, the Torah does not mention Moshe Rabbeinu’s name in the entire parshah. His missing name is the subject of much exegesis. The Be’er Mayim Chaim posits that v’atah, is a higher level of communication, reflecting a closer relationship with the Almighty than what is represented by calling Moshe by his name. Horav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, zl (Be’er Yaakov), explains that when Hashem speaks to Moshe on the…

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Home -> 5785 -> Terumah

ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם

Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5785

They shall make for Me a Sanctuary/Mikdash, and I will dwell among them (Shemos 25:8)

The language is striking. The Torah should have written V’Shachanti b’socho, “within it.” Rather, it writes, V’Shachanti b’socham, “within them,” which implies that Hashem will reside within them—within the hearts of each and every individual. The Alshich HaKadosh explains that the physical Mishkan was a model and a standard for how, and in what form one should create a space/Sanctuary within his own heart for the Shechinah to reside. The idea that each Jew will create a Mishkan within himself is inspiring and profound. It is also frightening. The inspiration profoundly comes from the realization of what Hashem feels we…

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Home -> 5785 -> Beshalach

שם שם לו חק ומשפט ושם נסהו

Sruly Schnair
In Beshalach, 5785

There he established for (the nation) a decree and an ordinance, and there He tested it. (15:25)

The nation needed to study Torah.  The Jewish People are unique in that sense; without Torah, we descend spiritually and open ourselves up to spiritual failure, which ultimately leads to spiritual extinction.  It had been a three-day journey from the Red Sea, and the people were already complaining, “What will we drink?”  Hashem transformed the bitter waters, and they became sweet.  Seeing how the lack of Torah study caused disaster, the Almighty gave the nation commandments with which to occupy themselves until Kabbolas HaTorah, at which time they would receive the Luchos, Ten Commandments.  He gave them the laws of…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5785

ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים מצרימה ... ויקם מלך חדש... אשר לא ידע את יוסף

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Shemos

And these are the names of Bnei Yisrael who were coming to Egypt… A new king rose… who did not know Yosef. (1:1,8)

Pharaoh soon forgot all the wonderful things that Yosef had done for him and his people.  Sadly, this is not uncommon.  People remember you only when they need your help.  Once they feel they can do it alone, they quickly forget that they were your beneficiaries.  Unfortunately, this is human nature.  It requires a special person, whose character traits are refined, to acknowledge what he owes and offer his gratitude.  Forgetfulness is often a product of self- centeredness.  When a person sees only himself and his immediate needs, he can easily dismiss the benefits and blessings that he has received…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5785

ועתה שני בניך הנולדים לך בארץ מצרים...אפרים ומנשה כראובן ושמעון יהיו לי

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayechi

And now, your two sons who were born in Egypt… Ephraim and Menashe shall be mine like Reuven and Shimon (48:5)

Yaakov Avinu underscores the fact the Menashe and Ephraim were Egyptian-born. He could just as easily have said, “your two sons, Ephraim and Menashe,” without adding their origins. HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky, zl, explains that Yaakov was concerned about his grandsons’ origins because of the harsh, foreign spiritual influences they might have sustained. In order to include them among the Shevatim, they had to have remained on a spiritual plateau in some way equal to the Shevatim. Yaakov intimates that he was bringing Ephraim and Menashe close because, since they were born and raised in Egypt, they needed that spiritual TLC….

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5785

ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך ובנימין בכה על צואריו

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayigash

Then he fell upon his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept; and Binyamin wept upon his neck. (45:14)

Rashi explains that Yosef wept over the two Batei Mikdash, situated in Binyamin’s portion of Ertez Yisrael, which would be destroyed. Binyamin wept over the Mishkan Shiloh, which was in Yosef’s portion, that would be destroyed. The question is glaring: Did they have no other time to weep over these churbanos, destructions?  There is a time for everything: a time for dance; ‘a time for eulogy; a time for weeping’, and a time for joy. This was the moment for which they had both longed. It should have been filled with heightened joy-not weeping. HoRav Mordechai Pogremonsky, zl, cites the…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5785

ואת יהודה שלח לפניו אל יוסף להורת לפניו גשנה

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayigash

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen (46:28)

Yaakov Avinu sent Yehudah ahead of the family to make the proper arrangements for their transition to Egypt. Yehudah was the definitive leader of the brothers, having proven himself in his confrontation with the Egyptian “viceroy.” Rashi quotes Chazal, who delve into the word l’horos, to teach, that Yehudah was actually destined to establish a yeshivah, so that when they arrived they could immediately continue their Torah study. It also shows the Patriarch’s profound insight into Jewish values. Without Torah as the foundation and lodestar for navigating life, the journey is untenable. The Torah is our inspiration and guide, especially…

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Home -> Vayeishev -> 5785

ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Vayeishev

Yehudah recognized; and he said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

In the brachos, blessings, which Moshe Rabbeinu conferred upon the various shevatim, tribes of Klal Yisrael, Reuven’s blessing is juxtaposed upon Yehudah’s blessing. Chazal (Bava Kamma 91A) explain that, during all the forty years that the Jews journeyed in the wilderness, the bones of Yehudah, which the nation took with them to be interred in the Holy Land, were rolling around in the coffin. Moshe came and asked Hashem for mercy on Yehudah’s behalf. He said, “Yehudah was the impetus for Reuven to confess to his sin/error concerning his tampering with his father’s bed.” When Reuven saw that Yehudah made…

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Home -> 5785 -> Vayeitzei

ותאמר הפעם אודה את ד' על כן קראה שמו יהודה

Sruly Schnair
In Vayeitzei, 5785

And she (Leah) declared, “This time let me greatly praise Hashem.” (29:35)

Now, as a mother of one-third of Yaakov Avinu’s twelve sons, Leah paid gratitude to Hashem, because He granted her more than her rightful share. Much has been written about gratitude per se, specifically in interpreting and explaining Leah Imeinu’s gratitude. This is especially critical in light of Chazal’s statement (Berachos 7B), “From the day the world was created, there was no one who paid gratitude to Hashem, until Leah came and thanked Him.” The questions are obvious: How can Chazal suggest that the Avos Hakedoshim, holy Patriarchs, did not thank Hashem? This question is especially pressing when we take…

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