Commitment – Page 50 – Peninim on the Torah

“At the end of seven years, in the set time of the year of Shemittah, during the Festival of Succos…You shall read this Torah before all Yisrael, in their ears.” (31:10-11)

The mitzvah of Hakheil, convening of Klal Yisrael at the beginning of the eighth year, immediately following the Shemittah year, is set at this time by design. The timing of this event, when all Jews gathered together to hear the Torah read by the Melech Yisrael, Jewish king, was scheduled to impart the greatest impression. What is unique about this time? Horav Mordechai Rogov, z.l., explains that after Klal Yisrael has experienced a year of Shemittah, a year of unparalleled faith and trust in the Almighty, they are now attuned to hear and accept what the Torah has to say. They…

Home -> 5776 -> Nitzavim

כי המצוה הזאת... לא נפלאת היא ממך ולא רחוקה היא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Nitzavim, 5776

For this mitzvah… it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. (30:11)

The Ramban writes that “this mitzvah” refers to the mitzvah of teshuvah, repentance. The sinner conjures up a wealth of lame excuses for not repenting. For the most part, the primary hurdle is believing that one can successfully navigate the teshuvah process and return to pre-sin status – both in the eyes of the community and in the eyes of the sinner. The offender has convinced himself that he has gone too far, offended too many, hurt so many close family and friends, so why bother? We are at the gates of Rosh Hashanah, and each and every one of…

Home -> 5776 -> Nitzavim

והיה בשמעו את דברי האלה הזאת והתברך בלבבו לאמר שלום יהיה לי כי בשררת לבי אלך... לא יאבה ד' סלח לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Nitzavim, 5776

And it will be that when he hears the words of this imprecation, he will bless himself in his heart, saying, “Peace will be with me, though I walk as my heart sees fit…” Hashem will not be willing to forgive him. (29:18, 19)

We hear it all of the time, “It is not me… True, bad things do happen, but – to others – not to me.” We have convinced ourselves that we are immune from punishment; disasters happen to others; tragedies are events that we read about – but they do not happen to us. It is almost as if we have sprayed ourselves with Teflon, preventing anything bad from happening directly to us. Ibn Ezra offers a rationale for this delusion: “Peace will be with me, though I walk as my heart sees fit.” I will live in the merit of…

Home -> 5776 -> Naso

ובאו המים המאררים האלה במעיך לצבות בטן ולנפול ירך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5776

“These waters that cause curse shall enter your innards to cause stomach to distend and thigh to collapse!”(5:22)

The parsha of Sotah, the wayward wife, is certainly tragic. Whenever a marriage is broken up due to moral turpitude, it is a stain on the very fiber of our nation’s moral compass. We will not address the sin, but, rather, the punishment. Under normal circumstances, the testimony of a single witness has little to no efficacy. Yet, concerning the sotah’s infidelity, one witness prohibits her from returning to her husband, since there are raglayim l’davar, credible reasons, to believe that the charge against her is true. If we were to put her through the process of the bitter waters, it…

Home -> 5776 -> Mishpatim

ויקח משה את הדם ויזרק על העם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5776

Moshe took the blood and threw it upon the people. (24:8)

The Mechilta teaches that on the last day of the Shloshes Y’mei Hagbalah, three-day waiting period prior to receiving the Torah, Klal Yisrael entered into a covenant with the Almighty. This covenant comprised their commitment to be tied, fastened and bound (keshurim, anuvim, tefusim) to the Torah. Only afterwards, did Moshe Rabbeinu say, “Come and accept upon yourselves all of the mitzvos.” This was followed by the Giving of the Torah. Horav Shmuel Yaakov Burnstein, Shlita, Rosh Yeshivah of Kiryas Melech, derives from here that, before one can actually receive the Torah, before he can enter into a covenant of…

Home -> 5762 -> Re'eh

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Re'eh, 5762

“But this you shall not eat from among those that bring up their cud or have a completely separated hoof…” (14:7)

The criteria for identifying the kosher animal is repeated once again in Parashas Re’eh, thus emphasizing the significance of Kashrus. Two identifying characteristics of kosher animals are mentioned: they chew their cud; and they have completely split hooves. In the entire creation, just four animals have only one kosher sign. The overwhelming majority have neither sign. Only the One Who created these animals can make such an undisputed statement. As the Alter, z.l., m’Kelm notes, this attests to the Divine authorship of the Torah. No human author would publicly make a claim that could be refuted. Yet, there are those who…

Home -> 5762 -> Va'eschanan

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5762

“Safeguard the Shabbos day to sanctify it.” (5:12)

Shabbos is more than a mitzvah in the Torah; it is a staple of our religion. Yet, it is one of the first mitzvos that was forsaken during the waves of the European immigration to America. “Shabbos was important,” the immigrants agreed, “but if you cannot make a living, its significance takes second place to survival.” Consequently, shemiras Shabbos, Shabbos observance, was identified with the European shtetl. Much of Orthodoxy and the moral, ethical and social behavior that was endemic to Orthodox Judaism in Europe was discarded along with Shabbos. They were, however, as wrong then as they are wrong today….

Home -> 5762 -> Pinchas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5762

“The daughters of Tzlafchad drew near…and they stood before Moshe.”

The Yalkut Shimoni gives a powerful insight into the episode with Bnos Tzlafchad. Every adam kasheir, pious individual, who stands up for what is right and true, especially during a time – or in an environment – that is antithetical to Torah, will earn the reward for all the members of his milieu. Noach took a stand during the generation of the Flood: he merited their reward. Lot stood up to the evil citizens of Sodom: he received their reward. Likewise, the righteous daughters of Tzlafchad stood up for their beliefs at a time when there were those in Klal Yisrael…

Home -> 5762 -> Pinchas

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5762

“When he zealously avenged Me among them.” (25:11)

Kanaus, zealotry, is truly a noble trait – albeit a dangerous one. Quite often, the well-meaning zealot gets caught up in his enthusiasm, forgetting his original goals and objectives. He forgets that while his adversary is wrong, he is still a human being with feelings and emotions. To say one does not care about the person is to defeat the objective of his actions. The kanai, zealot, is guided by considerations of avodas Hashem, service to the Almighty, and not by any negative spiritual flaw that his adversary might possess. This is most often indicated by the manner in which he…

Home -> 5762 -> Beha'alosecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5762

“Why have You done evil to Your servant… that You place the burden of this entire people upon me? Did I conceive this entire people… that You say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom.’” (11:11-12)

Moshe Rabbeinu despairs of the responsibility of leadership imposed upon him. Sforno explains Moshe’s complaint in the following manner: Parents often have children with whom they are in dispute. Yet, despite the existing conflict, a basic feeling of trust exists deep within the children, asserting that their parents truly love them and will do them no harm. This nation, however, had not demonstrated such trust in Moshe, and they were constantly testing to see how he would react to them. Moshe’s grievance still needs to be understood. Imagine if a great rav or rosh yeshiva would lament, “Why do I not…

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“At the end of seven years, in the set time of the year of Shemittah, during the Festival of Succos…You shall read this Torah before all Yisrael, in their ears.” (31:10-11)

כי המצוה הזאת... לא נפלאת היא ממך ולא רחוקה היא

For this mitzvah… it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. (30:11)

והיה בשמעו את דברי האלה הזאת והתברך בלבבו לאמר שלום יהיה לי כי בשררת לבי אלך... לא יאבה ד' סלח לו

And it will be that when he hears the words of this imprecation, he will bless himself in his heart, saying, “Peace will be with me, though I walk as my heart sees fit…” Hashem will not be willing to forgive him. (29:18, 19)

ובאו המים המאררים האלה במעיך לצבות בטן ולנפול ירך

“These waters that cause curse shall enter your innards to cause stomach to distend and thigh to collapse!”(5:22)

ויקח משה את הדם ויזרק על העם

Moshe took the blood and threw it upon the people. (24:8)

“But this you shall not eat from among those that bring up their cud or have a completely separated hoof…” (14:7)

“Safeguard the Shabbos day to sanctify it.” (5:12)

“The daughters of Tzlafchad drew near…and they stood before Moshe.”

“When he zealously avenged Me among them.” (25:11)

“Why have You done evil to Your servant… that You place the burden of this entire people upon me? Did I conceive this entire people… that You say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom.’” (11:11-12)

YEARS

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