Chesed – Page 26 – Peninim on the Torah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5755

“And the man took a golden ring of half a shekel (its) weight and two bracelets for her hands, of ten (shekels) of gold was their weight.” (24:22)

In the Midrash, Chazal suggest that this “jewelry” symbolizes a deeper spiritual entity. The golden ring of a half shekel alludes to the machatzis ha’shekel, the half shekel which each Jew gave for the Mishkan ; the two bracelets represent the two luchos which were joined together; and the ten-shekel weight denotes the Aseres Ha’Dibros which were engraved on the luchos. We must endeavor to understand the underlying message of these pieces of jewelry. Horav Mordechai Rogov z.l., implies that the lessons to be gleaned from the machatzis ha’shekel and the luchos with the Aseres Ha’Dibros underscore the foundations for…

Home -> 5755 -> Vayeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5755

“Let a little water now be taken and wash your feet.” (18:4)

The pasuk implies that Avraham sent an agent (Yishmael) to bring the water. Rashi states that Avraham should have personally attended to the guests. As a result of his personal non-involvement, when Hashem responded to Avraham’s descendants, He also sent an agent (Moshe) to give water to them. Why is this? The act of chesed, kindness, was performed, albeit through an agent. Why then should there be negative repercussions? The Chofetz Chaim offers two insights. First, it is always more propitious to personally attend to the mitzvah, rather than to delegate it to an intermediary. Second, it is a greater…

Home -> 5755 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5755

“And Hashem said let us make man in our image after our likeness.” (1:26)

Chazal teach us that prior to Adam’s creation, a dispute arose among the angels in Heaven. Those representing the middah, character trait, of chesed, kindness, encouraged his creation since he would perform acts of kindness. Speaking on behalf of the middah of emes, truth, the angels were very negative about his creation, since man is full of falsehood. Hashem responded to this conflict by “flinging” truth to the earth and creating man. This is perplexing. Why would Hashem create man if he would be untrue? Obviously, this act of flinging truth to the earth was more of a response to…

Home -> 5774 -> Terumah

והבריח התיכן בתוך הקרשים מבריח מן הקצה אל הקצה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5774

The middle bar inside the planks shall extend from end to end. (26:28)

The Briach HaTichon was an amazing component of the Mishkan. It basically kept the walls together, thus stabilizing the Mishkan structure. The Targum Yonasan ben Uziel explains how this pillar functioned. Avraham Avinu planted a tree in Beer Sheva. When Klal Yisrael walked through the miraculously split Red Sea, the angels uprooted the tree and flung it into the sea. The tree floated on top of the water. At that point, an angel proclaimed, “This tree was originally planted by the Patriarch Avraham; it was at this tree that the Patriarch would pray and call out to others in the…

Home -> 5774 -> Re'eh

כי יהיה בך אביון... לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפץ את ידך מאחיך האביון

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Re'eh, 5774

If there will be among you a needy man… you shall not make your heart unfeeling and not close up your hand to your brother, the needy man. (15:7)

Literally, the translation of this pasuk is: “You shall not do violence to your heart.” Horav S. R. Hirsch, zl, observes that the Torah is teaching us that Jews are, by nature, good-hearted and sensitive towards others. It is, therefore, assumed that if Jewish hearts are permitted to give free rein to their natural impulses, they will do good. On the other hand, the individual who does not act with feeling and consideration is selfish and calculating, going against his true-self. Jewish hands are also, by nature, open to the poor and are closed up only by unnatural selfishness. As…

Home -> 5774 -> Lech Lecha

ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself (14:21).

The king of Sodom had no problem with what seems to have been an audacious request. As a victor of the war, Avraham Avinu was entitled to all of the spoils. The king said that he would like his subjects to be returned to him, and Avraham could keep the money. Avraham had no intent in personal gain, especially from a pagan who would certainly claim that he was the source of Avraham’s wealth. Avraham conveyed his feelings to the king of Sodom and then returned everything to him – people as well as money. In the Talmud Nedarim 32a,…

Home -> 5774 -> Ki Seitzei

לא יבוא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ד' על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם וביין... ואשר שכר עליך בלעם... לקללך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5774

Neither an Amoni or Moavi may enter the congregation of Hashem… because they did not greet you with bread and water… and because he hired Bilaam… to curse you. (23:4,5)

The Amonite and Moavite nations are forever barred from marrying a Jewish woman – regardless of the sincerity and irreproachable nature of his conversion. Why? The Torah gives two reasons for this discrimination: they did not greet our ancestors with bread and water during their difficult journey through the wilderness; they hired Bilaam to curse the Jews. These reasons beg elucidation. If it is due to their lack of chesed, kindness, what qualifies other nations for acceptance as converts? Have we not suffered at their hands throughout the millennia? Furthermore, what connection is there between their lack of kindness and…

Home -> 5774 -> Ki Seitzei

לא יבוא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ד' על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם וביין... ואשר שכר עליך בלעם... לקללך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5774

Neither an Amoni or Moavi may enter the congregation of Hashem… because they did not greet you with bread and water… and because he hired Bilaam… to curse you. (23:4,5)

The Amonite and Moavite nations are forever barred from marrying a Jewish woman – regardless of the sincerity and irreproachable nature of his conversion. Why? The Torah gives two reasons for this discrimination: they did not greet our ancestors with bread and water during their difficult journey through the wilderness; they hired Bilaam to curse the Jews. These reasons beg elucidation. If it is due to their lack of chesed, kindness, what qualifies other nations for acceptance as converts? Have we not suffered at their hands throughout the millennia? Furthermore, what connection is there between their lack of kindness and…

Home -> 5774 -> Chayei Sarah

ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה. ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5774

Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead. (23:2,3)

Avraham Avinu eulogized his life’s partner: the woman with whom he had shared his spiritual goals; the mother of his son, Yitzchak; the first Matriarch of the Jewish Nation. This is a tall order. There must have been so much to say, so much to emphasize about a woman who had lived life so well, who was such a vital component of Avraham’s success as leader of the world, father of the Jewish People, paradigm of the morally perfect, ethically correct, spiritually replete individual. Yet, when one peruses the pesukim, not one word is mentioned concerning the eulogy Avraham must…

Home -> 5774 -> Chayei Sarah

ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים שני חיי שרה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5774

Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (23:1)

The Midrash quotes the pasuk in Tehillim 37:18, Yodea Hashem yemei temimim, “Hashem attends the days of the perfect.” This refers to Sarah Imeinu, who was perfect in her actions. Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, derives from Chazal the concept of, tamim b’maaseh, “acting perfectly.” This means that an activity is carried out in perfect harmony, focused on serving the Almighty. “Everything” means exactly what it implies: every aspect, all of the person’s organs, limbs, working together in perfection to serve Hashem. This was Sarah: tamim b’maasehah, “perfect in her actions.” The Mashgiach observes that, when Avraham Avinu addressed the needs…

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“And the man took a golden ring of half a shekel (its) weight and two bracelets for her hands, of ten (shekels) of gold was their weight.” (24:22)

“Let a little water now be taken and wash your feet.” (18:4)

“And Hashem said let us make man in our image after our likeness.” (1:26)

והבריח התיכן בתוך הקרשים מבריח מן הקצה אל הקצה

The middle bar inside the planks shall extend from end to end. (26:28)

כי יהיה בך אביון... לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפץ את ידך מאחיך האביון

If there will be among you a needy man… you shall not make your heart unfeeling and not close up your hand to your brother, the needy man. (15:7)

ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself (14:21).

לא יבוא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ד' על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם וביין... ואשר שכר עליך בלעם... לקללך

Neither an Amoni or Moavi may enter the congregation of Hashem… because they did not greet you with bread and water… and because he hired Bilaam… to curse you. (23:4,5)

לא יבוא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ד' על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם וביין... ואשר שכר עליך בלעם... לקללך

Neither an Amoni or Moavi may enter the congregation of Hashem… because they did not greet you with bread and water… and because he hired Bilaam… to curse you. (23:4,5)

ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה. ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו.

Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead. (23:2,3)

ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים שני חיי שרה

Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (23:1)

YEARS

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