Chesed – Page 20 – Peninim on the Torah

Be holy! For I, your G-d, am holy. (19:2)

The Torah’s exhortation to “Be holy” is more than good advice; it constitutes the cornerstone of Judaism. This mitzvah defines the Jews’ ultimate goal. We strive not simply to attain holiness for ourselves; rather, we strive to be Holy – because Hashem is holy. Hashem is not simply to be worshipped; He is to be emulated! Everything we do, every endeavor in which we are involved, must mirror Hashem’s ways. We must strive to be like Him. The Torah details the prescription for G-d-like living: Follow the mitzvos! Parashas Kedoshim provides a sampling of the Torah’s code. It focuses on…

Home -> 5757 -> Chukas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chukas, 5757

And all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead. (20:29)

Chazal tell us that Aharon’s death was “seen” by the people with the disappearance of the cloud that accompanied them throughout their stay in the wilderness. The protection that resulted from the cloud was in the merit of Aharon. With the death of Miriam, another source of sustenance was withdrawn. The well of Miriam, which provided Bnei Yisrael with water, was no longer functional. Moshe Rabbeinu’s merit was the source of manna, the third pillar of sustenance. These three leaders of Klal Yisrael were proof that the maintenance of our people is not determined by physical power, but rather by…

Home -> 5757 -> Chayei Sarah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5757

“And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Let me, please, gulp a little water out of your pitcher.'” (24:16,17)

When one studies the narrative of the entire encounter between Eliezer and Rivkah, he assumes that the length of the text emphasizes Rivkah’s kindness. Eliezer devised a system of testing this young girl to determine if she was worthy to be the wife of Yitzchak, to take her place as the second Matriarch of Klal Yisrael. Yet, one wonders why, after Eliezer saw that the water “rose up” to “greet” Rivkah, he still felt driven to test her. Does the water rise up for every individual? Did he need any greater indication that this was no ordinary young woman? How…

Home -> 5757 -> Bo

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bo, 5757

And you shall say, “It is a Pesach-offering to Hashem, Who passed over the houses of the Bnei Yisrael in Egypt.” (12:27)

The festival commemorating our exodus from Egypt, our liberation from the most cruel bondage, is called Chag Ha’Pesach, the Festival of Passover. This name recalls how Hashem “passed over” the Jewish homes during makas bechoros, when the Egyptian first-born were killed. Considering the nature of the festival and the focus of its commemorating, the name seems like a misnomer. Would it not have been more appropriate to call the festival, Chag Ha’cheirus, the Festival of Freedom? This was no ordinary redemption. It was a liberation from a cruel and intense slavery. The Jews were ensnared by the guile of the…

Home -> Behar -> 5757

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Behar

And if your brother becomes poor, and his means fail with you, then you shall uphold him. (25:35)

One would think that he who helps sustain the poor is to be commended. In fact he is. The poor man who is the object of his beneficence should also be commended for availing the benefactor an opportunity to give. Yet, Chazal say, “Greater is what the baal habayis does for the ani, than is what the ani does for the baal habayis.” What does this mean? Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zl, explains that when we examine closely the middah of chesed of Avraham Avinu, the pillar of kindness, we note a concept of chesed that is not congruent…

Home -> 5757 -> Beha'alosecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5757

The banner of the Bnei Dan, the rear-guard of all the camps, embanked according to its legions. (10:25)

Rashi explains why Shevet Dan traveled at the rear of the procession. They were the most populous of the tribes. They traveled at the rear in order to retrieve and return any item lost by its owner – who had traveled in front of them. Tosfos explain that any member of the other tribes who was detained for some reason would also travel along with them. Bnei Dan were people of integrity, helping out those who straggled behind – both physically and spiritually. Michtav M’eliyahu emphasizes that they collected the “lost souls” along the road, restoring them to Judaism. Why…

Home -> 5756 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5756

“An Amoni or a Moavi shall not enter into the congregation of Hashem… because they did not meet you with bread and water… and because they hired against you Bilaam… Nevertheless Hashem would not listen to Bilaam. (23:4, 5, 6)

The Torah places great emphasis upon the imperative to distance the nations of Amon and Moav from our midst. Why? What did these nations do that was so invidious that they may never be accepted into the fold of Judaism? What crime did they commit that castigates them for all time? The Torah offers two responses. First, they did not come forward and welcome us with food when we passed by them during our trek in the desert. Second, they hired Bilaam to work against us. These actions, especially the second one, are unquestionably reprehensible. Are they worse, however, than…

Home -> 5756 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5756

“Our hands have not spilled this blood.” (21:7)

Chazal question how anyone could imagine that the elders of Klal Yisrael could be murderers. When they say, “Our hands have not spilled this blood,” they disclaim responsibility for not addressing the needs of the victim as he was leaving town. The Torah demands that leadership respond to the needs of every Jew. How far does this responsibility extend? At what point are the elders not held culpable for their lack of “sensitivity”? The Yerushalmi in the Talmud Sotah makes an interpretation of this pasuk which carries with it remarkable ramifications. They posit that “this blood” is a reference to…

Home -> 5756 -> Beha'alosecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5756

“There were men who were contaminated by a human corpse and could not make the Pesach-offering on that day… Those men said to him (Moshe)… ‘Why should we be diminished by not offering Hashem’s offering in its appointed time?'” (9:6,7)

That a portion of the Torah was dedicated to these people suggests that they had great merit. Indeed, Chazal teach us that they deserved this distinction. Chazal discuss the identity of these individuals. According to Rabbi Akiva, they were Aharon Ha’Kohen’s cousins, who tended to the bodies of Nadav and Avihu. Horav Meir Bergman, Shlita, derives two significant lessons from the incident of Nadav and Avihu which should be mentioned. Aharon was rewarded for his unparalleled kiddush Hashem, sanctification of Hashem’s Name. What really was the kiddush Hashem? Horav Bergman cites the Rashbam who imputes the kiddush Hashem to be…

Home -> Bechukosai -> 5756

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5756, Bechukosai

“I will remember My covenant with Yaakov and also My covenant with Yitzchak and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember.” (26:42)

Rashi comments on the order in which the Patriarchs are listed in this pasuk. The order implies that the merit of Yaakov is sufficient to bring redemption to his descendants. If his merit is found to be insufficient, we can turn to Yitzchak in whose merit our redemption will be effected. If this is still not enough, we rely upon Avraham Avinu’s merit to bring about our redemption. We may question the reversed sequence of the Avos. Is not Yaakov considered to be the bchir ha’Avos, chosen of the Patriarchs? Why, then, is he listed first? In sequence, Yaakov should…

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Be holy! For I, your G-d, am holy. (19:2)

And all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead. (20:29)

“And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Let me, please, gulp a little water out of your pitcher.'” (24:16,17)

And you shall say, “It is a Pesach-offering to Hashem, Who passed over the houses of the Bnei Yisrael in Egypt.” (12:27)

And if your brother becomes poor, and his means fail with you, then you shall uphold him. (25:35)

The banner of the Bnei Dan, the rear-guard of all the camps, embanked according to its legions. (10:25)

“An Amoni or a Moavi shall not enter into the congregation of Hashem… because they did not meet you with bread and water… and because they hired against you Bilaam… Nevertheless Hashem would not listen to Bilaam. (23:4, 5, 6)

“Our hands have not spilled this blood.” (21:7)

“There were men who were contaminated by a human corpse and could not make the Pesach-offering on that day… Those men said to him (Moshe)… ‘Why should we be diminished by not offering Hashem’s offering in its appointed time?'” (9:6,7)

“I will remember My covenant with Yaakov and also My covenant with Yitzchak and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember.” (26:42)

YEARS

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