Commitment – Page 46 – Peninim on the Torah

“This is the fundamental law of the Torah… and they take unto you a completely red heifer.” (19:2)

The law of the Parah Adumah serves as the paradigm of commitment to Hashem and His mitzvos. So strange is the law of the Parah Adumah that it baffled the minds of the wisest. Shlomo Hamelech says in Koheles (7:13) “I applied all my wisdom, but it remained beyond me.” What makes this law even more puzzling is the paradox that the ashes of the heifer in the spring water despite cleansing the unclean, defiled the priest who performed the ritual. Here is the purest example of a complete obedience to the laws of Hashem. When every attempt to explain…

Home -> 5751 -> Beha'alosecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5751

“If any man shall be unclean by reason of a dead body or be on a distant way.” (9:10)

Rashi explains the “v” in “veujr” has a dot upon it (which makes it to be considered nonexistent) to teach that it does not only mean very far off, but also if he were outside the threshold of the courtyard during the time of the slaughtering. Rashi is stating that distance is not only measured in terms of geographics, but in terms of spirit. The Yerushalmi in Pesachim (9b) emphasizes this concept by stating, “the man is distant, not the journey.” Since the dot acts as a line drawn through the letter “v”, the word is thus read…

Home -> 5775 -> Yisro

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5775

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days will be lengthened. (20:12)

The fifth commandment, to honor one’s parents, is a cornerstone of faith in the entire Torah. Our mesorah, tradition, is based upon a chain that has been transmitted throughout the generations from Har Sinai, where the Torah was given. This mesorah continues through this very day, through the vehicle of the parents of every generation. Each parent serves as a link to his child, maintaining this mesorah when he, in turn, becomes a parent. Without the respect demanded in the fifth commandment, we have no assurance that the other commandments will be observed. Hashem, father and mother are partners in…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5775

האומר לאביו ולאמו לא ראיתיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, V'zos HaBrachah

The one who said of his father and mother, “I have not favored him.” (33:9)

As Moshe Rabbeinu prepares to take leave of his flock, he blesses the members of each tribe. He points out their inherent positive qualities and he underscores those areas of their character which require improvement. To pat a person on the back and not inform him of his shortcomings can be self-defeating. In addressing Shevet Levi, Moshe notes the members’ incredible devotion to Hashem, their commitment which was revealed during the chet ha’eigel, sin of the Golden Calf. When everyone else sinned, they refrained from getting involved in the sacrilege. Moshe had then called out, Mi l’Hashem eilai, “Who is…

Home -> -> Pekudei

ויעשו... כאשר צוה ד' את משה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pekudei

And they made… as Hashem had commanded Moshe. (39:1)

The Torah emphasizes the fact that all of the work for the Mishkan was done according to Hashem’s command to Moshe Rabbeinu. This means that they followed the word of G-d to a “T.” One wonders concerning the superfluity of this statement. Is there a question for one moment that Hashem’s instructions would not be followed to the most minute detail? What, then, is the meaning of underscoring the people’s adherence to Hashem’s command to Moshe? Horav Meir Rubman, zl, derives a powerful lesson from here. Being Jewish means being completely, totally and unequivocally Jewish. “Almost” – “just about” –…

Home -> 5775 -> Vaeira

ונתתי את ידי במצרים והוצאתי את צבאתי את עמי בני ישראל מארץ מצרים בשפטים גדלים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5775

And I shall put My hand upon Egypt; and I shall take out My legions – My People Bnei Yisrael – from the Land of Egypt. (7:4)

Hashem promised to take the Jewish People out of Egypt, dealing with the Egyptians and punishing them for mistreating the Jews. There is no question that the Egyptians deserved a very strong punishment – one which they would remember for all time. They persecuted and murdered an innocent people who had done nothing to them. Now, they would pay not only with their material bounty, but with their own blood. They would suffer as we suffered. While this is all understandable and unquestionably deserved by the Egyptians, did it have to occur before the Jews could be redeemed from Egypt?…

Home -> 5775 -> Tzav

ואש המזבח תוקד בו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tzav, 5775

And the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it. (6:2)

The fire of one’s avodas Hashem, service to the Almighty, should burn passionately bo, “within him.” In other words, he should do nothing during his service to Hashem that in any way offends, takes advantage of, or imposes upon someone else. The well-known Chazal (Sukkah 28) relates the level of intensity evinced by the Torah-study of the Tanna, Yonasan ben Uziel. His intensity was to the extent that when he studied Torah, birds flying over the roof of his house would be burned. The Sfas Emes was presented with the Chazal accompanied by the following question: If this was the…

Home -> 5775 -> Terumah

ועשית שנים כרבים זהב מקשה תעשה אתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Terumah, 5775

You shall make two Keruvim of gold – hammered out shall you make them. (25:18)

Rashi teaches that the Keruvim had the image of young children. The Mishkan/Bais Hamikdash was the holiest place on the Jewish spiritual landscape. The Kodesh HaKedoshim, Holy of Holies, was the holiest place in the Sanctuary. The penultimate seat of holiness within the Kodesh HaKedoshim was the Keruvim which rested atop the Ketores, Cover, of the Aron Hakodesh. It was from there that Hashem’s Voice would emanate out to speak with Moshe Rabbeinu. The Keruvim had the image of children. In Sefer Bereishis, when the Torah relates Adam HaRishon’s expulsion from Gan Eden, two Keruvim stood at the entrance to…

Home -> 5775 -> Shoftim

ואמר אליהם שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5775

He shall say to them, “Hear, O Yisrael, today you are coming near to the battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid; do not panic and do not be broken before them. (20:3)

Chazal (Talmud Sotah 44) teach that, during a war, it is absolutely prohibited to run from the enemy. While today, outside of Eretz Yisrael, we cannot really say that the Jewish People are involved in a physical war, we are certainly embattled in a spiritual battle against an anti-Semitic world that does not want to see us observing Torah and mitzvos. What a sad commentary it is that anti-Semitic gentiles have a greater perception of the value of Torah and mitzvos to the Jew than do our secular brethren. They have long ago relegated our People’s treasure, Hashem’s Divinely authored…

Home -> 5775 -> Shemini

להבדיל בין הטמא ובין הטהור ובין החיה הנאכלת ובין החיה אשר לא תאכל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shemini, 5775

To distinguish between the contaminated and the pure, and between the creature that may be eaten and the creature that may not be eaten. (11:47)

Due to the spiritual repugnance associated with maachalos asuros, forbidden foods, they affect and compromise the Jewish consciousness, which is particularly sensitive to spiritual incursion. Thus, a Jew whose body has been satiated and nourished on tarfus, unkosher, unclean foods, lacks the spiritual finesse and ethical/moral qualities inherent to Jews who are spiritually refined. Throughout the millennia, Jews have sacrificed themselves to remain loyal to the Torah’s code concerning the laws of kashrus, maintaining a strong degree of personal stringency in adhering to its halachic demands. The following episode demonstrates how a grandfather’s fidelity to the laws of kashrus impacted…

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“This is the fundamental law of the Torah… and they take unto you a completely red heifer.” (19:2)

“If any man shall be unclean by reason of a dead body or be on a distant way.” (9:10)

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days will be lengthened. (20:12)

האומר לאביו ולאמו לא ראיתיו

The one who said of his father and mother, “I have not favored him.” (33:9)

ויעשו... כאשר צוה ד' את משה

And they made… as Hashem had commanded Moshe. (39:1)

ונתתי את ידי במצרים והוצאתי את צבאתי את עמי בני ישראל מארץ מצרים בשפטים גדלים

And I shall put My hand upon Egypt; and I shall take out My legions – My People Bnei Yisrael – from the Land of Egypt. (7:4)

ואש המזבח תוקד בו

And the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it. (6:2)

ועשית שנים כרבים זהב מקשה תעשה אתם

You shall make two Keruvim of gold – hammered out shall you make them. (25:18)

ואמר אליהם שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם

He shall say to them, “Hear, O Yisrael, today you are coming near to the battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint; do not be afraid; do not panic and do not be broken before them. (20:3)

להבדיל בין הטמא ובין הטהור ובין החיה הנאכלת ובין החיה אשר לא תאכל

To distinguish between the contaminated and the pure, and between the creature that may be eaten and the creature that may not be eaten. (11:47)

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