Bracha – Page 58 – Peninim on the Torah

ראה פניך לא פללתי והנה הראה אתי אלקים גם את זרעך

I dared not accept the thought that I would see your face, and here G-d has shown me even your offspring. (48:11)

Yaakov Avinu is overjoyed as he shares his innermost feelings with his long lost son, Yosef. For twenty-two years he had mourned a son who supposedly had been mauled to death by a wild animal. Little did he dream of ever seeing Yosef again. Now, not only does Yosef stand before him, but even Yosef’s children are there waiting for his blessing. Lo pilalti – “I dared not accept/I dared not dream”; after all, it was impossible. Yosef was dead! What is there to dream about? In this vein, pilalti means resignation, a lack of acceptance, an unwillingness to hope,…

Home -> 5775 -> Va'eschanan

ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5775

You shall teach them thoroughly to your children and you shall speak of them. (6:7)

Rashi teaches that banecha, your sons, eilu ha’talmidim, applies equally to one’s talmidim, students. In Nitzotzos, Rav Yitzchak Herskowitz, Shlita, relates a story he heard from a Rosh Yeshivah, who is one of today’s more successful marbitzei Torah, disseminators of Torah, in Eretz Yisrael. Apparently, Torah was not always this individual’s primary interest. As a young, teenage student attending Yeshivas Ohr Yisrael in Petach Tikvah, he was involved in a lot of things, most of which were not Torah-related. Running with a group of like-minded students, he presented a constant challenge for the patience of the yeshivah’s Mashgiach, ethical supervisor….

Home -> 5775 -> Vaeira

ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם והייתי לכם לאלקים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5775

I shall take you to Me for a people, and I will be a G-d to you. (6:7)

The election of Klal Yisrael as the nation upon whom Hashem confers His Name is a concept about which every ben Torah, every observant Jew and Jewess, is acutely aware. Sadly, the term “observant” in this case is more than a mere adjective. It defines those who believe in Klal Yisrael as the am ha’nivchar, “chosen people.” We choose to be chosen, and only we are willing to aspire to be worthy of the mission of “choseness.” Of the millions who carry the name Jewish to define race, only those who are knowledgeable and committed to this mission understand its…

Home -> 5775 -> Toldos

ויעתר יצחק לד' לנוכח אשתו כי עקרה היא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5775

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. (25:21)

Rashi interprets the word va’yeetar to mean that Yitzchak Avinu prayed abundantly for Rivkah. He never felt “I prayed enough.” He finished one prayer; he immediately began to pray again. The first prayer was not accepted; perhaps the next one would be accepted. The fact that, according to the laws of nature, it was biologically impossible for Rivkah Imeinu to conceive, he, nonetheless, understood that his function was to daven, the rest was up to Hashem to decide. The ratzon HaBorei, will of the Almighty, is that we daven. If we care enough about an issue, then we cannot give…

Home -> 5775 -> Toldos

ויעתר יצחק לד' לנכח אשתו כי עקרה היא ויעתר לו ד' ותהר רבקה אשתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5775

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him, and his wife, Rivkah, conceived. (25:21)

Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him – by Yitzchak Avinu. Lavan had given Rivkah Imeinu a blessing, Achoseinu, at hayi l’alfei revavah, “Our sister, may you come to be the thousands of myriads” (Bereishis 24:60). It seems like a “reasonable” blessing. The fact that Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by Yitzchak is a clear indication that Lavan’s blessing was unacceptable. Why? A blessing is a blessing – regardless of its source – or is this not true? The Melitzer Rebbe, Shlita, contends that a bircas rasha einah ela kelalah, “The blessing bestowed by a wicked person is…

Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

והיה המזבח קודש קדשים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tetzaveh, 5775

The Altar shall be holy of holies. (29:37)

The Torah refers to the Mizbayach HaChitzon, Outer Altar, as Kodesh Kodoshim, “holy of holies,” while the Mizbayach HaPenimi, Inner Altar, which was used for burning the Ketores, Incense, and situated within the Heichal opposite the Aron HaKodesh, is referred to as kodesh, “holy” (only). The kedushah, sanctity, of the Mizbayach HaPenimi was greater than that of the Outer Altar. Why then is it referred to only as “holy.” The Mizbayach HaChitzon, Outer Altar, was also called Mizbayach Adamah, because its inside was filled with dirt; yet, it is called the “holy of holies.” What is the Torah teaching us?…

Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון על שולי המעיל סביב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tetzaveh, 5775

A gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate on the hem of the Robe, all around. (28:34)

There is a debate between Rashi and Ramban concerning how the Paamonim and Rimonim, pomegranates and bells, were placed at the hem of the Meil. There were seventy-two pomegranates and seventy-two bells, which allude to the seventy-two possible shades of white which could render someone a metzora, spiritual leper. The Baal HaTurim explains that since the Meil, Robe, atoned for the sin of speaking lashon hora, slanderous speech, the number was appropriate, in that it reminded people of the evils of, and the penalty for gossiping. Rashi posits that each bell was followed by a pomegranate next to it. Ramban…

Home -> 5775 -> Tazria

אדם כי יהיה בעור בשרו שאת או ספחת או בהרת. והיה בעור בשרו לנגע צרעת.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tazria, 5775

If a person will have on the skin of his flesh a s’eis or a sapachas, or a baheres, and it will become a tzaraas affliction on the skin of his flesh. (13:2)

Lashon hora, slanderous speech, which is the cause of tzaraas, is most often the result of envy and controversy in their various states. In the scheme of things, for every dispute among people, every point of contention which catalyzes animus towards one another and the resulting inevitable lashon hora, there is one simple point, one solitary position, that would make the controversy dissolve, if the individual would opt for it. If so, the envy dissipates and harmony continues to reign. What has the power to mitigate dispute, to put an end to contention between people? Vitur, acquiescence, submissiveness. One who…

Home -> 5775 -> Shoftim

מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5775

Who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted? (20:8)

Prior to selecting those individuals who were to represent the nation in war, we find the Kohen Gadol asking all those who had just made family commitments– a new wife; a new house; a new vineyard– to leave the circle and return home. The Kohen left the scene, and the officers took charge. According to Rabbi Yosi HaGelili, the last declaration, which exhorted he who was afraid to leave, focuses on a person who is not as much a coward as he is afraid of dying. He is fearful of the impact that his sins will make on his successful…

Home -> 5775 -> Shoftim

ואמר אליהם שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5775

He shall say to them, “Hear, O Yisrael, today you are coming near to the battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid; do not panic and do not be broken before them. (20:3)

Chazal (Talmud Sotah 44) teach that, during a war, it is absolutely prohibited to run from the enemy. While today, outside of Eretz Yisrael, we cannot really say that the Jewish People are involved in a physical war, we are certainly embattled in a spiritual battle against an anti-Semitic world that does not want to see us observing Torah and mitzvos. What a sad commentary it is that anti-Semitic gentiles have a greater perception of the value of Torah and mitzvos to the Jew than do our secular brethren. They have long ago relegated our People’s treasure, Hashem’s Divinely authored…

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ראה פניך לא פללתי והנה הראה אתי אלקים גם את זרעך

I dared not accept the thought that I would see your face, and here G-d has shown me even your offspring. (48:11)

ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם

You shall teach them thoroughly to your children and you shall speak of them. (6:7)

ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם והייתי לכם לאלקים

I shall take you to Me for a people, and I will be a G-d to you. (6:7)

ויעתר יצחק לד' לנוכח אשתו כי עקרה היא

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. (25:21)

ויעתר יצחק לד' לנכח אשתו כי עקרה היא ויעתר לו ד' ותהר רבקה אשתו

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him, and his wife, Rivkah, conceived. (25:21)

והיה המזבח קודש קדשים

The Altar shall be holy of holies. (29:37)

פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון על שולי המעיל סביב

A gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate on the hem of the Robe, all around. (28:34)

אדם כי יהיה בעור בשרו שאת או ספחת או בהרת. והיה בעור בשרו לנגע צרעת.

If a person will have on the skin of his flesh a s’eis or a sapachas, or a baheres, and it will become a tzaraas affliction on the skin of his flesh. (13:2)

מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב

Who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted? (20:8)

ואמר אליהם שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם

He shall say to them, “Hear, O Yisrael, today you are coming near to the battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid; do not panic and do not be broken before them. (20:3)

YEARS

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