Derech Eretz – Page 2 – Peninim on the Torah

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5786

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

We wonder why the Torah chooses to write yaarichun, they will lengthen, rather than aarich, I will lengthen. It is as if the Torah were saying that, by honoring your parents, you cause your children to lengthen your life. Horav Chaim Meir, zl, m’Vishnitz, answered this question after first relating an incident in which three sons/brothers sought his advice concerning their aged father’s care. Apparently, they felt it was difficult for them, and the question on the table was: Do they continue with home care with its various difficulties, or move him to a nursing home? The Rebbe (Imrei Chaim)…

Home -> 5786 -> Beshalach

ולא נחם אלקים דרך ארץ פלשתים כי קרוב הוא

Sruly Schnair In Beshalach, 5786

Hashem did not lead them by way of the land of Plishtim, because it was near. (13:17)

Our lives are filled with miracles. Yet, we do not take the time or make the effort to study them and to employ them as a pathway for deepening our bitachon, trust, in Hashem. When Klal Yisrael left Egypt, two paths were before them: the short and easy route through the land of Plishtim; the long circuitous route through the wilderness. Rabbeinu Chananel (quoted by Rabbeinu Bachya) explains that Hashem chose the long way which, albeit took them through the wilderness, provided the opportunity for exposure to additional miracles. A trip straight through Plishtim would not have availed them the…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5786

ויבאו מצרימה יעקב וכל זרעו אתו ... בניו ובני בניו אתו בנתיו ובנות בניו וכל זרעו הביא אתו מצרימה

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayigash

And they came to Egypt… Yaakov and all his offspring with him … His sons and grandsons with him, his daughters and granddaughters and all his offspring he brought with him. (46:6,7)

The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh comments concerning the redundancy of the text. It previously said that Yaakov v’chol zaro, with all his offspring, came to Egypt. Why does the Torah reiterate that his sons and grandsons came? Were they not part of his offspring? The Torah goes on to mention daughters and granddaughters, following the word ito, with him. First, why are they separated from the rest of the offspring? And why is the extra word ito added as a separation between sons/grandsons and daughters/granddaughters. The Ohr HaChaim explains that, indeed, with regard to their attitude, the different groups were not…

Home -> Vayeishev -> 5786

וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Vayeishev

Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand. (36:21)

Mechiras Yosef is one of the greatest tragedies recorded in the Torah. It was not merely a family quarrel or a dysfunction in the Patriarchal family (as those lacking in Torah and yiraas Shomayim would contend); it was the near dissolution of the future Shivtei Kah, the very foundation stones of Klal Yisrael. What makes the episode (for which we are still paying in the present) more painful is that it was rooted in misconception and misjudgment. The brothers were all noble and devoted to Hashem; yet, they misread Yosef’s character. They saw what they saw, or perhaps what they…

Home -> 5786 -> Toldos

ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו ורבקה אהבת את יעקב

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5786

Yitzchak loved Eisav for game was in his mouth, but Rivkah loved Yaakov. (25:28)

Rashi explains tzayid b’fiv as “cunning in his mouth.” Eisav was extremely smooth and able to articulate halachic questions, thereby giving the ruse that he was meticulous in his observance – which he was not. The obvious question is: How did Eisav pull one over Yitzchak Avinu? To suggest that, due to his immense level of kedushah, our Patriarch was slightly “naïve” in the evil ways of the world demeans the greatness of Yitzchak. Being holy does not mean being naïve. Indeed, Torah study makes one wiser and equips him with greater acuity. We have no question that Yitzchak knew…

Home -> 5786 -> Toldos

וישטם עשיו את יעקב

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5786

Now Eisav harbored hatred toward Yaakov. (27:41)

David Hamelech dedicates an entire perek Tehillim (109) to Eisav ha’rasha, wishing that this representative of evil incarnate receive his due via serious, painful punishment. He writes about the type of sins Eisav committed, the wrongs that he did, and he sums it up with what seems to be an enigmatic detail of his sins: Yizacheir avon avosav el Hashem, v’chatas imo al timach; “May their ancestors’ wrongs be recalled by G-d, the sins of their mothers not erased” (109:14). Obviously, the literal translation and actual meaning of the pasuk do not align. The Avos and Imahos did not sin. …

Home -> 5786 -> Chayei Sarah

ויהיו חיי שרה ... ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע הוא חברון בארץ כנען

Sruly Schnair In Chayei Sarah, 5786

Sarah’s lifetime was… Sarah died in Kiryas Arba which is Chevron in the land of Canaan. (23:1,2)

It is safe to say that Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu were the first great Jewish parents. As such, the manner in which they raised Yitzchak (Avinu) should serve as a guiding light for us. Every detail of their parenting was rooted in emunah and imbuing that faith into their only son. The discipline and love were real. They were not trying to impress anyone. Their efforts were foundational for setting up the principles upon which we – their descendants—live. Their sacrifices were unique in that they were the first people of whom Hashem demanded sacrifice. Thus, they set the…

Home -> 5786 -> Bereishis

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

Sruly Schnair In Bereishis, 5786

And Hashem said, “Let us make man in our Image in our likeness. (1:26)

Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 8:5) teach that, when Hashem set out to create man, the angels organized themselves into groups – pro and con. Chesed, Kindness, “advised” Hashem to create man, because he would behave kindly and benevolently to others. Emes, Truth, disagreed, claiming that man would be filled with lies; thus, his presence in this world would be harmful. Hashem listened to their positions and then proceeded to fling Truth to the ground. This is alluded to in Daniel (8:12), V’sashleich emes artzah, “He threw Truth earthward” (and created Man). This Midrash begs elucidation. If, in fact, man is full…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5786

ויקבר אתו בגי

Sruly Schnair In 5786, V'zos HaBrachah

And He buried him in the depression. (34:6)

According to one exposition of Rashi, the Torah alludes to the idea that Moshe Rabbenu buried himself. Nothing is above Hashem and His relationship with Moshe. Indeed, we have no manner of fathoming our leader’s greatness. Thus, burying himself, although certainly possible, is a concept that eludes us. Perhaps, the following story might shed some light on this idea. While no mortal can possibly bury himself, he could perform acts of kindness that earn him a place of burial which, for all intents and purposes, would have otherwise probably not have occurred, as was the case in the following story….

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5786

זקניך ויאמרו לך

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Ha'azinu

Your elders and they will tell you. (32:7)

In his hesped, eulogy, for Horav Elazar M. Shach, zl, Horav Moshe Shmuel Shapira, zl, spoke emotionally concerning the impact Rav Shach had on the thousands of talmidim who were studying Torah during his tenure as Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh. He quoted the Brisker Rav, zl, in his hesped for the Chazon Ish, zl. The Rav said, “Up until now, we have experienced a world with the Chazon Ish alive – and now a world without the Chazon Ish.” “We too,” cried Rav Moshe Shmuel, “are now experiencing a different world” (without Rav Shach). He continued, relating that, when the Chafetz…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Yisro ->

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

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

ולא נחם אלקים דרך ארץ פלשתים כי קרוב הוא

Hashem did not lead them by way of the land of Plishtim, because it was near. (13:17)

ויבאו מצרימה יעקב וכל זרעו אתו ... בניו ובני בניו אתו בנתיו ובנות בניו וכל זרעו הביא אתו מצרימה

And they came to Egypt… Yaakov and all his offspring with him … His sons and grandsons with him, his daughters and granddaughters and all his offspring he brought with him. (46:6,7)

וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם

Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand. (36:21)

ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו ורבקה אהבת את יעקב

Yitzchak loved Eisav for game was in his mouth, but Rivkah loved Yaakov. (25:28)

וישטם עשיו את יעקב

Now Eisav harbored hatred toward Yaakov. (27:41)

ויהיו חיי שרה ... ותמת שרה בקרית ארבע הוא חברון בארץ כנען

Sarah’s lifetime was… Sarah died in Kiryas Arba which is Chevron in the land of Canaan. (23:1,2)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו

And Hashem said, “Let us make man in our Image in our likeness. (1:26)

ויקבר אתו בגי

And He buried him in the depression. (34:6)

זקניך ויאמרו לך

Your elders and they will tell you. (32:7)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!