Bracha – Page 57 – Peninim on the Torah

לעיני כל ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

Before the eyes of all Yisrael. (34:12)

The Torah begins with the creation of the world, the creation of mankind, and concludes with death – with the passing of our quintessential leader, Moshe Rabbeinu. The life cycle, from cradle to grave, is exactly that – a cycle. A man is born, lives out his life, and returns sometime later to his source. One ends where the other one starts. A perfect circle is complete in the sense that it unites the beginning with the end. Indeed, there is neither a beginning to a circle, nor is there an end. If one selects a specific point and designates…

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וימת שם משה עבד ד' בארץ מואב על פי ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

And Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there, in the land of Moav, by the mouth of Hashem. (34:5)

The underlying profundity of this pasuk is compelling. The greatest accolade that Moshe Rabbeinu earned for himself is eved Hashem, servant of Hashem. As a servant’s will is supplanted by the will of his master to the point that a servant does not have his own will, so, too, was it with Moshe. Actually, this should be the paradigm for all Jews to emulate – lived for the ratzon Hashem, the will of G-d. Hashem’s will, which was Moshe’s will, should also be ours. Concerning Moshe’s passing from this world “by the mouth of Hashem,” the Talmud Moed Katan 28a…

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ולנפתלי אמר נפתלי שבע רצון ומלא ברכת ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

Of Naftali he said, “Naftali, satiated with favor, and filled with Hashem’s blessing.” (33:23)

Interestingly, prior to emphasizing that Naftali is filled with Hashem’s blessing, the Torah notes that he is a seva ratzon, satiated with favor, or, as we would probably translate it in Yiddish, A tzufridener mench, a happy person. Why does svias ratzon precede blessing? One who is not a “favorable” person does not appreciate the blessing in his life. Conversely, one who is satiated with favor does not require an abundance of blessing. To him, everything is a blessing from Hashem. We say in benching and in Sefer Tehillim 145:16, Poseach es Yadecha, u’masbia l’chol chai ratzon, “You open Your…

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ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה ותקבר מתחת לבית קל תחת האלון. ויקרא שמו אלון בכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5775

Devorah, the wet-nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Bais-Kel, below the plateau; and he named it Allon-Bachus. (35:8)

One expects the Torah to record the lives of the Jewish nation’s most distinguished, intriguing figures. Indeed, the Avos and Imahos, Patriarchs and Matriarchs, were individuals without peer. Their lives represented the Jewish mission; their enduring legacy is the Jewish nation, who are their progeny. Understandably, their lives obscure the lives of those whose impact on the future was less compelling. We are rarely introduced to one of those “obscure” individuals, a person whose impact on the future of the nation, while not as significant as that of the Avos and Imahos, still left an impression. In this parsha we…

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ויברך יעקב את פרעה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayigash

And Yaakov blessed Pharaoh. (47:7)

The blessing that Yaakov Avinu gave to Pharaoh had an enormous effect on Egypt’s agricultural bounty. Indeed, Rashi explains that, following Yaakov’s blessing, the Nile River rose up to “greet” Pharaoh and then irrigated the land. The Satmar Rav, zl, related that, in the twilight of the life of his grandfather, the Yismach Moshe, the heads of the community approached him with a complaint. Apparently, the sage davened privately in a room off of the main bais medrash. This bothered them. They added a few more foolish critiques, which they felt granted them permission to refuse him his meager salary…

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עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live. (31:32)

Yaakov Avinu made a statement, ascribing a premature demise to the one who had taken Lavan’s terafim, idols. He was unaware that Rachel Imeinu had taken them. As a result of our Patriarch’s words – albeit without malice and unwittingly – he catalyzed a tragic impact on his beloved wife. The Chafetz Chaim derives from here a compelling lesson concerning the gravity of one’s words. Yaakov certainly did not want to harm Rachel, but words, once they exit the mouth, cannot be recanted. They are gone, and, sadly, in this situation, they left an indelible mark. Yaakov was very careful…

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וישג לבן את יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

Lavan overtook Yaakov. (31:25)

Imagine how Yaakov Avinu must have felt when Lavan caught up with him. He made an attempt to escape. He knew that if Lavan overtook him, he had little chance to remain alive. No one could best Lavan. So Yaakov kept on running, while Lavan continued his pursuit. The Midrash teaches us that, while Yaakov was running from Lavan, unbeknownst to him, another enemy, his brother Eisav, was also in pursuit. Armed to the teeth with four hundred trusted soldiers, Eisav was finally free to rid himself of Yaakov. His brother would pay a hefty price for appropriating the blessings….

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

And Yaakov departed from Beer-Sheva and went to Charan. (28:10)

The Torah underscores Yaakov Avinu’s departure from Beer-Sheva. This emphasis begs elucidation, because we know that Yaakov left Beer-Sheva. It is the place in which he was living. Obviously, when one leaves – he leaves from home. Rashi explains that when a tzaddik, righteous person, leaves a community, it is no ordinary departure. It is a major event, because the community will never be the same. The departure of a tzaddik creates a stir and leaves an impression. When a tzaddik is in a city, he is its glory, its splendor, and its beauty. When he departs, these qualities leave…

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ויהי ד' את יוסף ויהי איש מצליח... וירא אדניו כי ד' אתו וכל אשר הוא עשה ד' מצליח בידו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayeishev

Hashem was with Yosef, and he became a successful man… His master saw that Hashem is with him, and all that he would do Hashem would make successful in his hand. (39:2,3)

People go through life searching for success. They are seeking that unique elixir that will provide them with favorable achievement in all of their endeavors. Some are fortunate to find it; while, to others, it remains elusive. What is the key to success? Wherein does one find the passport to achievement? Yosef was successful. How did he do it? Rashi explains the phrase, ki Hashem ito, “Hashem was with him,” as Shem Shomayim shagar b’fiv, “The Name of Heaven was fluent in his mouth,” to mean that he would regularly refer to Hashem in conversation. The Midrash Tanchuma elaborates on…

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ויתפלל אברהם אל האלקים וירפא אלקים את אבימלך... וד' פקד את שרה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Avraham prayed to G-d, and G-d healed Avimelech… Hashem remembered Sarah. (20:17) (21:1)

Rashi notes the juxtaposition of Sarah Imeinu’s conception and giving birth to Yitzchak Avinu upon Avraham Avinu’s prayer on behalf of Avimelech. He explains that the Torah put this passage (Sarah’s conception and giving birth) next to the incident of Avimelech to teach that whoever seeks mercy by praying for his friend, while he himself (the individual praying) needs that same thing (for which he is praying on behalf of his friend), he (the one praying), is answered first. Avimelech was in need – Avraham prayed for him; thus, he was answered by Hashem – before Avimelech. Imagine two people…

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לעיני כל ישראל

Before the eyes of all Yisrael. (34:12)

וימת שם משה עבד ד' בארץ מואב על פי ד'

And Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there, in the land of Moav, by the mouth of Hashem. (34:5)

ולנפתלי אמר נפתלי שבע רצון ומלא ברכת ד'

Of Naftali he said, “Naftali, satiated with favor, and filled with Hashem’s blessing.” (33:23)

ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה ותקבר מתחת לבית קל תחת האלון. ויקרא שמו אלון בכות

Devorah, the wet-nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Bais-Kel, below the plateau; and he named it Allon-Bachus. (35:8)

ויברך יעקב את פרעה

And Yaakov blessed Pharaoh. (47:7)

עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live. (31:32)

וישג לבן את יעקב

Lavan overtook Yaakov. (31:25)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

And Yaakov departed from Beer-Sheva and went to Charan. (28:10)

ויהי ד' את יוסף ויהי איש מצליח... וירא אדניו כי ד' אתו וכל אשר הוא עשה ד' מצליח בידו

Hashem was with Yosef, and he became a successful man… His master saw that Hashem is with him, and all that he would do Hashem would make successful in his hand. (39:2,3)

ויתפלל אברהם אל האלקים וירפא אלקים את אבימלך... וד' פקד את שרה

Avraham prayed to G-d, and G-d healed Avimelech… Hashem remembered Sarah. (20:17) (21:1)

YEARS

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