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Home -> 5783 -> Beha'alosecha

והעם לא נסע עד האסף מרים

Sruly Schnair
In Beha'alosecha, 5783

And the people did not journey until Miriam was brought in. (12:15)

Rashi teaches that Hashem instructed the entire Jewish nation to wait for Miriam Ha’Neviah to be healed before He allowed them to move on to their next encampment. This was her reward for the extra moments she spent at the river to keep an eye on her baby brother, Moshe. What did she really do that was worthy of such extraordinary reward, that an entire nation waited for her? She did very little, and, after all, it was for her brother. Such devotion is to be expected. Yet, Hashem recorded those moments, because “little” things, simple actions, are what define…

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Home -> Bamidbar -> 5783

והלוים למטה אבתם לא התפקדו בתוכם ... וידבר ד' אל משה לאמר אך את מטה לוי לא תפקד

Sruly Schnair
In 5783, Bamidbar

The Leviim, according to their father’s tribe, were not counted among them. Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, “You shall not count the tribe of Levi.” (1:47,48,49)

Apparently, Moshe Rabbeinu did not count the Leviim even before Hashem instructed him to exclude them from the census. Ramban and Sforno rationalize Moshe’s decision. Every shevet, tribe, had a Nasi, leader, who represented the tribe. Shevet Levi did not, because Hashem did not tell Moshe to appoint one. As a result, Moshe deduced that Hashem had other plans for the tribe of Levi. While this is all well and good, we wonder why Hashem did not preempt Moshe’s decision by telling him up front that Shevet Levi was not to be counted. Horav Mordechai Gifter, zl, explains this with…

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Home -> 5783 -> Kedoshim

איש אמו ואביו תיראו

Sruly Schnair
In Kedoshim, 5783

Every man: Your father and mother shall you revere/fear. (19:3)

Interestingly, in the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, the Torah commands Kabeid es avicha v’es imecha, “Honor your father and mother” (Shemos 20:12), without adding the word ish, every man.  It is almost as if the Torah were intimating a special command to one who is an ish, that he must fear his parents. What is the difference between kavod, respect, and mora, fear? Horav Yosef Tzvi HaLevi Dunner, zl (Mikdash HaLevi), explains the disparity homiletically. The Torah is teaching us a valuable and vital lesson – one that I think is quite obvious in today’s society. The Torah world, for…

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Home -> 5783 -> Kedoshim

לא תלין פעלת שכיר אתך עד בקר ... לא תקלל חרש

Sruly Schnair
In Kedoshim, 5783

You shall not withhold a worker’s wage with you until morning… You shall not curse the deaf. (19:13,14)

The deaf person will not hear your curses. Nonetheless, one does not curse his fellow. Certainly, if he can hear and is aware of the curse, such deplorable behavior is an anathema for a Jew. The Baal HaTurim expounds on the juxtaposition of withholding wages upon cursing the deaf. Even if one has a valid complaint, i.e. he worked hard through sweat and toil, and he put in a full day’s work. He now wants/needs to get paid. He has no food at home. His children are starving. His earnings were to be used to purchase the vital necessities to…

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Home -> Vayakhel -> 5783

ויעש בצלאל את הארון עצי שיטים ... ויצפהו זהב טהור מבית ומחוץ

Sruly Schnair
In 5783, Vayakhel

Betzalel made the Aron of Shittim/Acacia wood … He covered it with gold within and without. (37:1,2)

The Aron Hakodesh represents Torah and its disseminators. Torah is the lifeblood of our people. Thus, the Aron received special status within the framework of the Mishkan. It was a box constructed of wood, which was covered inside and outside with gold. All one saw was the gold. While the Torah scholar receives enormous esteem (or should) from the ha’mon am, general community, the wood is a reminder to him not to allow the accolades to make him lose sight of his inner essence. Humility should prevail over external praise. Rabbeinu Chananel views the arrangement of gold on wood as…

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Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5783

וישכימו ממחרת ויעלו עולות ויגישו שלמים וישב העם לאכל ושתו ויקומו לצחק

Sruly Schnair
In 5783, Ki Sisa

The next day they rose early, offered up burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and drink, and they got up to make merry. (32:6)

Horav Yaakov Galinsky, zl, posits that this pasuk offers us a window into the mindset of the idol worshippers. At first, it begins with burnt offerings, which are wholly burnt and offered up to the higher being whom they claim to worship. This step is filled with idealism. After all, the entire animal is offered up, indicating the participants’ desire to give up their money and their lives on the altar of idealism. They still think that something will happen; their idol will speak to them. This step does not last very long, because nothing happens – no response from…

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Home -> 5783 -> Tetzaveh

ונתת אל חשן המשפט את האורים ואת התמים והיו על לב אהרן

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5783

You shall place the Urim and the Tumim into the Choshen HaMishpat, so that they will be over Aharon’s heart. (28:30)

When Hashem revealed Himself to Moshe Rabbeinu in the burning bush, instructing him to go to Egypt and serve as the medium for redeeming the Jewish People – Moshe did not respond with an outright “no.” Rather, he said, “Send whom You are accustomed to send” – Aharon HaKohen. Moshe feared overshadowing Aharon, his older brother, who had until now been the preeminent leader of the Jewish People. He refused to dethrone him out of his overwhelming sensitivity for his brother’s feelings. It was only after Hashem told Moshe that Aharon was on his way to greet him and V’ra’acha…

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Home -> 5783 -> Mishpatim

כי תקנה עבד עברי

Sruly Schnair
In Mishpatim, 5783

If you buy a Jewish bondsman. (21:2)

The Torah begins Parashas Mishpatim presenting the many mitzvos that cover the gamut from social/welfare relationships to the appropriate manner of service to Hashem, including the laws of the eved Ivri, Jewish bondsman. One would think a number of other mitzvos would also serve as an appropriate opening to Parashas Mishpatim. The various commentators address this question by offering explanations for what seems to be an anomaly, but we know that no anomalies exist in the Torah. Everything is sorted out and presented by Heavenly design. Horav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv, zl, comments that the very foundation of the laws concerning…

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Home -> 5783 -> Yisro

אנכי ד' אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים מבית עבדים

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5783

I am Hashem, Your G-d, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. (20:2)

Kabbalas haTorah, the Giving/Receiving of the Torah, was the crown of Creation. As the Abir Yaakov (Horav Yaakov Abuchatzeira, zl) writes, the purpose of Creation is to recognize Hashem’s Monarchy. It is understandable that the world cannot exist without Torah, which guides us how to serve Hashem. In this sense, the world was not completed until Klal Yisrael received/accepted the Torah on Har Sinai. With this in mind, the Abir Yaakov explains the first pesukim of the Torah: Bereishis bara Elokim, “In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth…darkness was on the face of the depths, and the…

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Home -> 5783 -> Yisro

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Sruly Schnair
In Yisro, 5783

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

Every mitzvah is accompanied by halachos, laws, and customs which guide its fulfillment. If one does not adhere to them, the fulfillment of the mitzvah is nullified. Some mitzvos have numerous halachos, while others are simple and basic. The mitzvah of kibbud av v’eim, honoring one’s parents, which is one of the most difficult mitzvos to carry out properly, has a considerable amount of laws and criteria which must be met in order to appropriately execute this mitzvah. Determining what is included in the term kavod, honor, and what is not and who is deserving of honor (i.e. an abusive…

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