Chesed – Page 18 – Peninim on the Torah

ויתן לו את אסנת בת פוטיפרע כהן אן לאשה

And he gave him Osnas bas Potifar, chief of On, for a wife. (41:45)

Certain words in the English language are anathema to the Jewish religion. Coincidence, believing that things “happen” without being designated by G-d, is the antithesis of Jewish belief. We could devote books to support the notion of Hashgachah Pratis, Divine Providence, but why look anywhere but in our parsha? This is, of course, true throughout the Torah, but the story of Yosef and his brothers and the need to have him descend to Egypt so that they would eventually follow, is a classic example of Hashgachah. Yosef’s marriage to Osnas is a classic tale of Hashgachah Pratis as stated by…

Home -> 5778 -> Vayishlach

עכרתם אותי להבאישני בישב הארץ

Roberto Szerer In Vayishlach, 5778

You have decomposed me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land. (34:30)

Although the men of Shechem were collectively guilty of Dinah’s violation, either for harboring the perpetrator or for not preventing the outrage, Yaakov Avinu felt that the actions of his two sons had disgraced him. To the average unlearned student of the “Bible,” this would be another “example” of Jewish obsequisness, fear of retaliation, of taking a stand for what is right. Baruch Hashem, there are those who understand the depth of Yaakov’s shame as being related to his position as the b’chir ha’Avos, chosen of the Patriarchs. Horav Mordechai Ilan, zl, observes that Yaakov’s middah, attribute, was emes, truth….

Home -> 5778 -> Vayeira

וישב אברהם אל נעריו... וישב אברהם בבאר שבע

Roberto Szerer In Vayeira, 5778

Avraham returned to his young men… and Avraham stayed at Be’er Sheva. (22:19)

Avraham Avinu returned home – with his two aides – but where was Yitzchak Avinu? Four people left for the mountain; three returned home. Yitzchak must have taken a different route. The Midrash Rabbah explains that Yitzchak took a detour to study Torah in the yeshivah of Shem (son of Noach). Targum Yonasan adds that Yitzchak studied there for three years, until he met Rivkah Imeinu. Was something wrong with Avraham’s yeshivah? It seems to have sufficed for thirty-seven years. Why did he change? Certainly Shem was not a better rebbe than Avraham. Horav Moshe Neriyah, zl, quotes the Rambam,…

Home -> 5778 -> Vayeira

והאלקים נסה את אברהם

Roberto Szerer In Vayeira, 5778

And G-d tested Avraham. (22:1)

Was it only Avraham Avinu’s nisayon, test? One would think that Yitzchak Avinu, the korban, sacrifice-elect, was playing a leading role in this nisayon. Why is our Patriarch Avraham singled out – as opposed to Yitzchak? Horav Moshe Neriyah, zl, offers an insightful explanation which underscores the significance of Torah chinuch, especially that which is taught at home from parent to child. Avraham taught his son, Yitzchak, to fear Hashem. He taught him well – to the point that our second Patriarch was prepared to become an olah, offering, to Hashem. Va’yeilchu shneihem yachdav; “And the two of them (father…

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

ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע... ויבא אברהם לספד לשרה

Roberto Szerer In Chayei Sarah, 5778

Sarah died in Kiryas Arba… and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah. (23:2)

Rashi explains the juxtaposition of the passing of Sarah Imeinu upon the Akeidas Yitzchak, because it was as a result of the Akeidah that her “sudden” passing came about. The Satan told her that Avraham Avinu was about to slaughter her one and only child, Yitzchak Avinu, and she died from the shock. Before we continue, it must be made clear that Sarah Imeinu died when she was supposed to die. Hashem creates the circumstances. With our limited minds, we unfortunately only see what occurs: an elderly woman succumbs to the news that her son is being slaughtered. It may…

Home -> 5778 -> Lech Lecha

ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן

Roberto Szerer In Lech Lecha, 5778

And the souls they made in Charan. (12:5)

Avraham Avinu was the amud ha’chesed, pillar of kindness. What was his greatest kindness? It was reaching out to people and teaching them about Hashem. To save a person from the clutches of idol worship and inculcate him with belief in monotheism is the greatest act of kindness, because this person has been saved – not only spiritually, but physically as well. We involve ourselves in all forms of chesed projects, but the most basic act of reaching out to our estranged brethren seems to elude us. This is especially true if the subject is in an environment that is…

Home -> 5778 -> Noach

בא אתה וכל ביתך אל התבה

Roberto Szerer In Noach, 5778

Come to the Ark, you and all your household. (7:1)

A teivah is an Ark, a container, a box which holds an object within its confines. Teivah is also a word. The Chassidic Masters, notably the Baal Shem Tov, zl, render Hashem’s command to Noach to “Come into the Teivah” homiletically. Hashem is also saying: “Enter into the words of prayer and Torah study; there you will find a sanctuary of wisdom, meaning and holiness amidst the raging flood waters of life.” The various commentators expound on this play-on-word translation. Perhaps we can focus on the meaning of teivah/word as the reason for the disaster that befell that generation, and…

Home -> 5778 -> Bo

ושמרתם את המצות... ושמרתם את היום הזה לדרתיכם חקת עולם

Roberto Szerer In Bo, 5778

You shall safeguard the matzos… you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree. (12:17)

Procrastination is a major hindrance when it comes to getting something done. Certainly, no one will hire a worker to complete a job knowing that this worker has a reputation as a procrastinator. On the other hand, one would find himself hard-pressed to call a procrastinator evil. Unreliable perhaps, but evil? Certainly not. Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, teaches us that, with regard to mitzvah performance, procrastination, delay of any sort, is characteristic of the pull of the yetzer hora, evil-inclination, over us, and, thus, sufficient reason to refer to it as an evil trait. The Torah admonishes U’shemartam es ha’matzos,…

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…

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ויתן לו את אסנת בת פוטיפרע כהן אן לאשה

And he gave him Osnas bas Potifar, chief of On, for a wife. (41:45)

עכרתם אותי להבאישני בישב הארץ

You have decomposed me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land. (34:30)

וישב אברהם אל נעריו... וישב אברהם בבאר שבע

Avraham returned to his young men… and Avraham stayed at Be’er Sheva. (22:19)

והאלקים נסה את אברהם

And G-d tested Avraham. (22:1)

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)

ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע... ויבא אברהם לספד לשרה

Sarah died in Kiryas Arba… and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah. (23:2)

ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן

And the souls they made in Charan. (12:5)

בא אתה וכל ביתך אל התבה

Come to the Ark, you and all your household. (7:1)

ושמרתם את המצות... ושמרתם את היום הזה לדרתיכם חקת עולם

You shall safeguard the matzos… you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree. (12:17)

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

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