Chinuch – Peninim on the Torah

והאיש משה ענו מאד מכל האדם אשר על פני האדמה

Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any person on the face of the earth. (12:3)

The Torah describes Moshe Rabbeinu as the humblest of all men. This does not mean that he was unaware of his unparalleled greatness, his extraordinary achievements, or his role as Klal Yisrael’s quintessential rebbe and leader. On the contrary, Moshe understood exactly who he was. Yet, his humility lay in how he perceived the source of his greatness. He felt that he had been granted opportunities that no one else had received. Had others stood at Har Sinai, had they learned Torah directly from Hashem, they, too, could have risen to his level of leadership. Chazal teach that the Torah…

Home -> Bamidbar -> 5786

ואלה תולדות אהרן ומשה ... ואלה שמות בני אהרן

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Bamidbar

These are the offspring of Aharon and Moshe … These are the names of Aharon’s sons. (3:1,2)

The pasuk commences by stating that the following are the offspring of Aharon and Moshe, but goes on to list only Aharon’s sons. What happened to Moshe’s sons? Is Moshe considered a “father” to Aharon’s sons? Chazal (Sanhedrin 19B) infer from here that, Kol ha’melameid es ben chaveiro Torah maaleh alav ha’kasuv k’ilu yoldo, “Whoever teaches Torah to his friend’s child, the Torah regards it as if he had begotten him.” Thus, Moshe Rabbeinu became Aharon’s sons’ spiritual progenitor, because he taught them Torah. This statement is not poetic embellishment. Chazal do not exaggerate. As such, the commentators offer their…

Home -> 5786 -> Emor

ובת איש כהן כי תחל לזנות את אביה היא מחללת באש תשרף

Sruly Schnair In Emor, 5786

The daughter of a Kohen who prepares herself through immorality desecrates her father; she is punished by fire. (21:9)

The above pasuk is chilling –describing tragedy upon tragedy. A young woman ostensibly raised in a refined, hallowed Torah home goes off the derech, acting out her rebellion with acts of moral turpitude. How does such a moral collapse occur – especially in such a family? If I may use my writer’s license, I suggest a homiletic rendering of this pasuk/incident. Several questions surface upon reading the text. First, why does the Torah state that she desecrates her father? It is the sacred institution of Kehunah that she profanes. She is dragging the Priesthood through the mud – not her…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5786

אשר נשיא יחטא

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayikra

When a ruler sins. (4:22)

Asher is translated as “when,” alluding to the fact that it happens that even the high and mighty leader sins. Chazal further translate it as being connected to ashrei, fortunate. This motivates Chazal to assert that a generation whose leader seeks atonement for his unintentional sins is fortunate, because this means that he will surely repent his intentional sins. Chazal underscore the good fortune of a nation whose leader concedes and seeks atonement for his fallibility. On the one hand, this is an enviable character trait – one to which more leaders should ascribe – but, at the end of…

Home -> 5786 -> Mishpatim

כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו – עזב תעזב עמו

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5786

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? You shall help repeatedly with him. (23:5)

“Someone you hate.” Jews are not supposed to hate. V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha; “Love your fellow as yourself” is a cornerstone of our faith. Obviously, this is not the common hatred based on envy and other social flaws. This must be a hate that falls under the rubric of permissibility, such as a fellow Jew who persistently commits sinful behavior – despite being warned and admonished repeatedly to desist from his spiritually egregious activities. Until that time that he listens and repents, he may be the focus of our disdain and even loathing. Such a person harms not only himself, but…

Home -> 5786 -> Bo

והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא

Sruly Schnair In Bo, 5786

You shall relate to your son on that day. (13:8)

One might ask why the Torah emphasizes bincha, your son, rather than talmidcha, your student? After all, every Jew bears the collective responsibility of v’shinantam l’vanecha, which is explained, “You shall teach Torah to all of Klal Yisrael” – not only to one’s biological children. Why is the father-son relationship underscored? Perhaps the Torah seeks to impart an important message. The foundation of Jewish continuity is bolstered in the yeshivah, bais ha’medrash, Bais Yaakov – but it begins at home. Before one can inspire a talmid he must first connect with his ben. The mitzvah of v’higadeta l’vincha is not…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5786

גור אריה יהודה ... כרע רבץ כאריה וכלביא מי יקימנו

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayechi

A lion cub is Yehudah … He crouches, lies down like a lion, and like an awesome lion, who dares rouse him. (49:9)

The Torah compares five of Yaakov Avinu’s sons to animals: Yehudah – a lion; Binyamin – a wolf; Dan – a snake; Yissachar – a donkey; Naftali – a deer. While four of them are identified directly with the animal, Yehudah stands out as being compared both to a lion cub and a full-grown lion. Chazal address the singular distinction accorded to Yehudah. They explain that, because of his future leadership and monarchial obligations, he was given both the might of a lion and the brazenness of a young cub. As Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, observes, Yehudah was to combine…

Home -> 5786 -> Chayei Sarah

ויהיו חיי שרה ... ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע הוא חברון בארץ כנען

Sruly Schnair In Chayei Sarah, 5786

Sarah’s lifetime was… Sarah died in Kiryas Arba which is Chevron in the land of Canaan. (23:1,2)

It is safe to say that Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu were the first great Jewish parents. As such, the manner in which they raised Yitzchak (Avinu) should serve as a guiding light for us. Every detail of their parenting was rooted in emunah and imbuing that faith into their only son. The discipline and love were real. They were not trying to impress anyone. Their efforts were foundational for setting up the principles upon which we – their descendants—live. Their sacrifices were unique in that they were the first people of whom Hashem demanded sacrifice. Thus, they set the…

Home -> 5786 -> Vayeira

קח נא את בנך את יחידך אשר אהבת את יצחק

Sruly Schnair In Vayeira, 5786

Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, Yitzchak. (22:2)

Akeidas Yitzchak, binding of Yitzchak, is considered Avraham Avinu’s tenth and most challenging trial. This test was to catapult our Patriarch to the apex of avodas ha’Borei, service to the Creator. We wonder if the tenth trial was that difficult, after he had already passed nine earlier trials, with each success refining and enhancing Avraham’s level of mesiras nefesh. For instance, if a person must scale a large mountain, with the last one hundred feet fraught with danger, can we say that it is the same as the fellow who stands at the foot of the mountain prepared to climb? …

Home -> 5786 -> Vayeira

אל ירע בעיניך על הנער

Sruly Schnair In Vayeira, 5786

Be not distressed over the youth. (21:12)

Avraham Avinu experienced ten trials which he successfully passed, elevating himself to Patriarchal status. While focus is placed primarily on the first and tenth, the ninth, which meant sending Yishmael from his home, is glossed over. This is enigmatic, since the nature of the nisyonos, trials, becomes more challenging as they increase in sequence. Sarah Imeinu felt that YIshmael would have an adverse effect on Yitzchak (Avinu), so she demanded that Avraham send him and his mother from their home. Understandably, this was a difficult demand that she placed on Avraham. Hashem agreed with Sarah, and our Patriarch set about…

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והאיש משה ענו מאד מכל האדם אשר על פני האדמה

Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any person on the face of the earth. (12:3)

ואלה תולדות אהרן ומשה ... ואלה שמות בני אהרן

These are the offspring of Aharon and Moshe … These are the names of Aharon’s sons. (3:1,2)

ובת איש כהן כי תחל לזנות את אביה היא מחללת באש תשרף

The daughter of a Kohen who prepares herself through immorality desecrates her father; she is punished by fire. (21:9)

אשר נשיא יחטא

When a ruler sins. (4:22)

כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו – עזב תעזב עמו

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? You shall help repeatedly with him. (23:5)

והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא

You shall relate to your son on that day. (13:8)

גור אריה יהודה ... כרע רבץ כאריה וכלביא מי יקימנו

A lion cub is Yehudah … He crouches, lies down like a lion, and like an awesome lion, who dares rouse him. (49:9)

ויהיו חיי שרה ... ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע הוא חברון בארץ כנען

Sarah’s lifetime was… Sarah died in Kiryas Arba which is Chevron in the land of Canaan. (23:1,2)

קח נא את בנך את יחידך אשר אהבת את יצחק

Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, Yitzchak. (22:2)

אל ירע בעיניך על הנער

Be not distressed over the youth. (21:12)

YEARS

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