Commitment – Page 36 – Peninim on the Torah

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the first was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah. (1:15)

Jewish enslavement did not occur overnight. The Egyptians could not have controlled the Jews had the Jews not willingly given up their sense of dignity and their sense of pride, essentially becoming “honorary Egyptians.” Horav Tzvi Elimelech, zl, m’Dinov, explains that Pharaoh knew that the Egyptian midwives were not going to listen to his order to kill the Jewish male babies. Their high moral values would not have permitted them to commit such a heinous act. In that case, why did he bother? The Torah tells us that the names of these women were Shifrah and Puah. Rashi teaches that they…

Home -> 5771 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5771

He encountered the place and spent the night there…He took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place. (28:11)

Yaakov Avinu left for Charan without any assurances. The road was dangerous. His brother, Eisav, who had sworn to do him bodily harm, was after him. He was on the way to the home of Lavan, the corrupt swindler, to a house filled with idols. One wonders what motivated him to go to Charan. Did Hashem promise him safe passage? No! Hashem was allowing him to go to Charan, but had made no promises. Yaakov was basically on his “own,” or as much on his own that anyone ever is. One is never on his own – only in his mind….

Home -> 5771 -> Lech Lecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5771

“Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (12:1)

Elearly, Hashem’s command to Avraham Avinu to uproot himself from his home and travel to a yet undesignated land serves as a metaphor for his descendants. Maaseh Avos siman l’banim, “The deeds of the fathers serve as a sign /portent for their sons/descendants.” We must learn to understand Avraham’s move and its purpose as a model for our own need to move on, move up, and move out – at the appropriate times. In his sefer, Nitzotzos, Horav Yitzchak Hershkowitz, Shlita, relates a shmuess, ethical discourse, given by Horav Chizkiyahu Mishkovsky, Shlita, to a gathering of Lev L’Achim volunteers. His words…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5752

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5752, V'zos HaBrachah

“Moshe commanded us the Torah, an inheritance of the community of Yaakov.” (33:4)

This pasuk, which is so prominent in Jewish life, is the first pasuk which a Jew utters upon rising in the morning and also the first pasuk we teach to our children. Its simplicity is noteworthy; its message is all encompassing. The word varun is linked with the verb arh, to inherit. This implies that Torah is our inheritance, a legacy which is bequeathed from generation to generation. From the first generation which stood at Har Sinai, who experienced the giving of the Torah through Divine Revelation, it is an inheritance. Each generation has the obligation to transmit the Torah…

Home -> Masei -> 5752

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5752, Masei

Cities of refuge they shall be for you. And there shall run the murderer who kills any person through error… And he shall dwell there until the death of the Kohen Gadol.” (35:11-25)

It is well known that one who accidentally murders is exiled to the cities of refuge to reside there until the demise of the current Kohen Gadol. What is the halacha, however, in the event that the Kohen Gadol dies immediately following the announced verdict? Is the murderer to be exiled or is he free to return home? The halacha in this case is clear: He may go home, and it is considered as though he had fulfilled his commitment in the city of refuge. There is yet another situation that must be halachically clarified. If the Kohen Gadol…

Home -> 5755 -> Tazria

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tazria, 5755

“He shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons, the Kohanim. The kohen shall look at the affliction … and declare him contaminated.” (13:2,3)

The kohen is the only one who is able to render decisions regarding the purity or impurity of negaim, physical afflictions. Indeed, Chazal teach us that in the event that the kohen is not versed in the laws of negaim — or can not distinguish between the various types of plagues — a Torah scholar should be summoned. After the scholar considers the situation, he is obligated to relate his decision to the kohen, who, in turn, pronounces the individual tameh or tahor. The kohen must be the one to articulate the judgment. Describing this uneducated kohen, Chazal use the…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5755

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Vayikra

“And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed.” (1:1)

Chazal teach us that Hashem spoke to Moshe with a loud thunderous voice but that only Moshe could hear it. The voice broke off, however, before it left the confines of the Ohel Moed. This was not a lunb kue, low voice, but rather a jfc ‘s kue, a loud mighty voice of Hashem. Yet, it never penetrated the walls of the Sanctuary. What was the purpose of this remarkable “voice”? On the one hand, inside the Ohel it was thunderous and mighty, yet no one heard it outside. If the purpose was only for Moshe to hear it inside…

Home -> 5755 -> Terumah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5755

“And all the pegs of the chatzer (shall be made of) copper.” (27:19)

Rashi explains that these pegs were made of copper and helped secure the curtains of the Ohel and the hangings of the Chatzer. They were tied with ropes around their bottoms, so that the wind would not lift them. At first Rashi questions the technical application of these pegs. He discusses whether they were anchored in the ground or tied and suspended, so that their sheer weight held down the bottoms of the curtains to keep them from moving in the wind. Horav Moshe Feinstein z.l., compares the pegs and curtains to a ben Torah. A ben Torah is apt…

Home -> 5755 -> Terumah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5755

“And you shall make a candelabra of pure gold, hammered out shall the candelabra be made.” (25:31)

Chazal teach us that the menorah was the only vessel which was “mikshah,” hammered out. Its various parts were “drawn out” from an original mass of gold by means of the beating of a hammer. The commentators, each in his own inimitable style, suggest rationales for the distinct technical deviation in the shaping of the menorah. We suggest the following reason. In his commentary on Avos 4:17, the Maharal explains the Mishnah which states: There are three crowns, the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehunah, and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a shem tov, good name,…

Home -> 5755 -> Beshalach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5755

“And the Bnei Yisrael went into the sea on dry land.” (14:22)

The Mechilta describes the scenario and dialogue that took place among the tribes prior to the splitting of the sea. Bnei Yisrael were standing by the shores of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army literally breathing down their necks. Suddenly, they began to argue about who should go into the water first. Each tribe vied for the opportunity to be the first to enter the Red Sea. During the negotiations, Nachshon ben Aminadav of the Tribe of Yehudah, jumped into the threatening waters. The tribe of Yehudah was indeed lauded for this singular act of devotion. As is stated…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> 5771 ->

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the first was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah. (1:15)

He encountered the place and spent the night there…He took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place. (28:11)

“Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (12:1)

“Moshe commanded us the Torah, an inheritance of the community of Yaakov.” (33:4)

Cities of refuge they shall be for you. And there shall run the murderer who kills any person through error… And he shall dwell there until the death of the Kohen Gadol.” (35:11-25)

“He shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons, the Kohanim. The kohen shall look at the affliction … and declare him contaminated.” (13:2,3)

“And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed.” (1:1)

“And all the pegs of the chatzer (shall be made of) copper.” (27:19)

“And you shall make a candelabra of pure gold, hammered out shall the candelabra be made.” (25:31)

“And the Bnei Yisrael went into the sea on dry land.” (14:22)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!