Commitment – Page 34 – Peninim on the Torah

לא האמנתם בי להקדישני לעיני בני ישראל יען

Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of Bnei Yisrael. (20:12)

To use the word “sin” with regard to Moshe Rabbeinu is misleading and a distortion of our quintessential leader. Even the word “err” is deceiving, since Moshe neither sinned nor erred – on our relative level. On his supreme level of closeness to the Almighty, his action – or inaction – concerning the rock which brought forth water for the nation, is considered erroneous or, possibly, even sinful. This goes with the territory of leadership. So much more is expected of a person when he achieves such spiritual distinction; the exactitude that is demanded of him can be his undoing….

Home -> 5777 -> Balak

וישב ישראל בשטים ויחל העם לזנות אל בנות מואב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Balak, 5777

Yisrael settled in the Shittim and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moav. (25:1)

Bilaam tried acting out the façade of the righteous prophet who “could not” curse the Jewish people. In the end, his evil advice to have them stray after the pagan women was tragically successful. Bilaam’s wicked intentions willed out. The façade was over. The Talmud Sotah 22b relates that King Yannai was a scion of the Bais Chashmonaim, who had served both as Kohen Gadol and Melech. He became a tzeduki, massacring the chachamim. As a result, he was reviled by the Perushim, who were faithful to the chachamim and meticulously upheld the Torah – both Biblical and Rabbinic. He…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5771

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, V'zos HaBrachah

The one who said of his father and mother, “I have not seen/favored him”; his brothers he did not recognize and his children he did not know.” (33:9)

As Moshe Rabbeinu blesses Shevet Levi, he details their qualities and the perfection of their souls, which they exhibited while standing up for the Glory of Hashem and His Torah. They withstood enormous challenges to their spiritual persona and emerged better people, to the point that their individual personal lives had no meaning to them. They lived for Hashem. When Moshe stood in the midst of the Jewish camp following the tragic sin of the Golden Calf, he called out, Mi l’Hashem eilai! “Who is for Hashem should come forward and stand by me!” It was the tribe of Levi…

Home -> Vayeilech -> 5771

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Vayeilech

“Then this song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

The Torah guarantees us that it will not be forgotten. This refers to the Torah in its entirety. It will be with us until the end of time. This assurance has been put to the test during each generation, reaching epic proportions during some of our darkest periods of history. In his Chayei Olam, the Steipler Rav, zl, takes the reader on a journey throughout history, recounting the many challenges that we have confronted: We were hurt; we were exiled; we were persecuted; but our commitment to the Torah remained intact. The Torah has undergone nine exiles: Bavel; North Africa;…

Home -> 5771 -> Nitzavim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Nitzavim, 5771

And you will return unto Hashem, your G-d, and listen to His voice, according to everything that I command you today. (30:2)

Ideal repentance is not motivated by fear, but by love, preceded by an intellectual appreciation of what a Torah way of life revolving around a profound belief in Hashem can do for a person. Unquestionably, Teshuvah, return/repentance, is a major step for anyone to undertake. This is, of course, especially true when one returns from a life of total assimilation and alienation. A word of warning, however, is in order: Teshuvah is much more than a step. It is a lifelong process that must continually grow as one’s commitment becomes stronger and more concrete. All too often, people begin the…

Home -> 5771 -> Ki Savo

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5771

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d. (28:2)

The word v’he’sigucha, “will overtake you,” is enigmatic. Are we running from blessing, that it must overtake us? If that is the case, let us stop running! The answer is simple. At times, a person thinks he is chasing blessing, when, in truth, what he is pursuing is far from a blessing. What he thinks is beneficial and fortuitous could actually catalyze his downfall. Thus, the Torah tells us that the blessing, the real blessing – the one which we mistakenly thought was not a blessing – will overtake us, even though we have done everything to prevent it from…

Home -> 5771 -> Ki Seitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5771

You shall not have in your house diverse measures, large and small. A whole and just weight you should have. (25:14,15)

Simply put, one may not keep faulty or dishonest weights in his possession, because it might result in cheating others in a business transaction. What about cheating oneself? Where does the “double standard” fit in? The Torah writes in Vayikra 25:17, “Do not deceive another person.” The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, distinguishes between the actual law, prohibiting one from deceiving others, and the law’s severe implication: Self-deception. Having two sets of measures – one for myself and one for others, – can lead to a serious “double standard.” We are quick to condemn, to repudiate and rebuke – when it involves…

Home -> 5771 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Re'eh, 5771

See/Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. (11:26)

When one peruses Jewish history, it is apparent that the pendulum of Jewish fortune swings to extremes. We have been blessed with either incredible prosperity or drastic misfortune. Even concerning the individual, one is either highly successful, very observant, or sadly, the extreme opposite. While it may not be obvious to the casual observer, if one were to cogently look at life, he would see that for the Jew, life is either about ceaseless blessing or unbearable curse. Even with regard to sin, the Torah relates in the parsha of Krias Shema: He’shamru la’chem pen yifteh levavechem – v’sartem, va’avaditem…

Home -> 5771 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5771

“Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” (3:25)

A fascinating Midrash relates part of the dialogue between Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem concerning his plea that he be allowed to enter the Holy Land. Moshe asked, “Ribono Shel Olam, the bones of Yosef HaTzaddik will enter Eretz Yisrael, and I will not enter?” (Why is Yosef different than I?) Hashem replied, “One who conceded, who acknowledged his Land, deserves to be buried there. One who did not acknowledge his Land is not buried there.” Chazal note that when Potifar’s wife failed in her attempt to seduce Yosef, she cried out, “Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to sport…

Home -> 5771 -> Korach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5771

This distressed Moshe greatly. (16:15)

Moshe Rabbeinu had just experienced the nadir of chutzpah: Korach and his rebels had openly defied his authority. When Klal Yisrael’s leader, the individual who had led the nation out of bondage, asked them to appear before him with their grievances, they flatly refused. However, that was not all. They read off a list of concocted complaints which were blatantly false. Talk about chutzpah! They referred to Egypt, the country that had enslaved them for over two centuries as, “the land of milk and honey.” Egypt – not Eretz Yisrael! They laced into Moshe for the sin of the meraglim,…

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לא האמנתם בי להקדישני לעיני בני ישראל יען

Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of Bnei Yisrael. (20:12)

וישב ישראל בשטים ויחל העם לזנות אל בנות מואב

Yisrael settled in the Shittim and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moav. (25:1)

The one who said of his father and mother, “I have not seen/favored him”; his brothers he did not recognize and his children he did not know.” (33:9)

“Then this song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

And you will return unto Hashem, your G-d, and listen to His voice, according to everything that I command you today. (30:2)

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d. (28:2)

You shall not have in your house diverse measures, large and small. A whole and just weight you should have. (25:14,15)

See/Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. (11:26)

“Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” (3:25)

This distressed Moshe greatly. (16:15)

YEARS

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