Derech Eretz – Page 30 – Peninim on the Torah

And Hashem Elokim said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

In much the same way that Creation was not complete until Adam, man, was created, and Hashem declared him to be the crown of Creation, Hashem did not pronounce His “tov,” good, until woman, man’s corresponding helpmate, was created. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, notes that the Torah does not write, lo tov l’adam l’heyos levado, “It is not good for man to be alone,” but, rather, “this is not good; man being alone.” The emphasis is on Creation. As long as Man stands alone, it is altogether not yet good. The goal of perfection which the world is to attain…

Home -> 5769 -> Bereishis

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5769

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth (1:1)

The Midrash relates what Rabbi Yehudah ben Pazi and Bar Kappara expounded regarding the Creation: “Why was the world created with a bais – Bereishis, in the beginning? Because it is an expression of brachah, blessing. And why not with an aleph? Because it is an expression of cursing, arirah.” The commentators point out that Chazal’s statement is not necessarily consistent with other pesukim in Tanach in which the letter bais is not always used as blessing. Indeed, we find in Yeshayah 24:1, “Behold, Hashem empties (bokeik) the land and lays it waste (bolkah).” Also, in Yechezkel 16:40, “They will tear/pierce…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5768

ויבכו בני ישראל את משה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5768, V'zos HaBrachah

Bnei Yisrael bewailed Moshe. (34:8)

Rashi notes that only the men wept for Moshe. This is indicated by the term Bnei Yisrael, sons of Yisrael, implying the male population. In recording the death of Aharon HaKohen, however, the Torah writes, “the entire House of Yisrael [wept for him]” (Bamidbar 20:29), which includes both men and women. Rashi explains that Aharon loved and pursued peace, creating harmony between husband and wife and man and his fellowman. His relationship with the common man was more “common.” He was constantly with them, promoting peace. As the king, leader and quintessential rebbe of the entire Jewish People, the relationship…

Home -> 5768 -> Bereishis

וגם אחרי כן אשר יבאו בני האלהים אל בנות האדם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5768

And also afterward when the sons of the rulers would consort with the daughters of man. (6:4)

The nephillim, giants, had apparently been around for some time. Thoroughly evil, they were given the title nephillim, a derivative of nafal, to fall, because they had fallen and caused others to fall. The Midrash Rabba explains their iniquity, saying, “The latter did not learn (a lesson) from its predecessors.” The generation of the Flood did not derive mussar, an ethical lesson, from the generation of Enosh when one third of the world was flooded. Likewise, the generation of the Dispersion did not derive a lesson from the generation of the Flood. While it is certainly important to learn from…

Home -> 5768 -> Bereishis

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמתנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5768

And G-d said, “Let us make man in Our image, as Our likeness.” (1:26)

Man was created in Hashem’s image. This means that every human being, regardless of his or her position, shares a unique quality with Hashem. This is the Tzelem Elokim, image of G-d. While man’s physical appearance does not mirror G-d, he has a quality which is uniquely endemic to man – his ability to exercise free will, which relates him in some way to Hashem. While Hashem always chooses correctly – man does not. Man errs and is subject to his inclinations which very often reign over him. Thus, man’s ability to choose between good and evil is what makes him G-d-like….

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5766

שמע ה' קול יהודה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5766, V'zos HaBrachah

Hearken, O’Hashem, to Yehudah’s voice. (33:7)

Shimon did not receive an individual blessing. This was the result of the involvement of the tribe of Shimon in the Shittim tragedy, when their Nasi, Prince, Zimri, had illicit relations with Kozbi, the Midyanite princess, and they supported him. Therefore, Moshe Rabbeinu concealed Shimon’s blessing within Yehudah’s by using the word shema, listen. The root of the name Shimon is also shema, hear, as Leah Imeinu said when she named Shimon: Shama Hashem b’anyi, “Hashem heard my affliction” (Bereishis 29:33). Shimon’s tribe received a portion in Eretz Yisrael, but the Torah does not refer to it as “Shimon’s portion.”…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5765

וישכן ישראל בטח בדד עין יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5765, V'zos HaBrachah

Thus, Yisrael will dwell secure, solitary, in the likeness of Yaakov. (33:28)

Rashi explains that one day, when the enemy is driven out, there will no longer be a need for Jews to band together and live in large communal groups for protection. Then, they will be able to live individually, secure, “each under his vine and under his fig tree.” In an attempt to define the concept of badad, solitary, the Yalkut Shimoni makes the following remarks: “It will be badad – not like the badad of Moshe Rabbeinu, who said, Hashem badad yanchenu, “Hashem alone guided them” (Devarim 32:12). It will also not be like the badad of Yirmiyahu HaNavi who…

Home -> 5765 -> Bereishis

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5765

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

Sefer Bereishis is aptly given its name since it is the “first” of the Chumashim. The Talmud in Avodah Zarah 25a has another name for Sefer Bereishis: Sefer HaYashar or Sefer Yesharim, the Book of Righteousness. Yashar means more than righteousness. It means straightfor- wardness, integrity, mentchlichkeit, human decency. Sefer Bereishis chronicles the lives of the Avos, Patriarchs, men who exemplified righteousness to G-d and mentchlichkeit to all human beings. In the preface to his commentary on Sefer Bereishis, the Netziv, zl, expands on this idea. The Patriarchs distinguished themselves not only in their relationships with Hashem, which was on the…

Home -> 5763 -> Bereishis

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5763

TIn the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and earth. (1:1)

The Baal HaTurim notes that the last letters of the words Bereishis bara Elokim — taf, aleph, mem — spell out (when rearranged) the word emes, truth. This teaches us that the world was created via the attribute of emes. Interestingly, the Torah alludes to the word emes in an indirect manner, since the sequence of the letters is out of order. Horav Shmuel David Walkin, zl, infers a profound lesson from here. The Torah teaches us that one must strive for the truth, regardless of the situation. One is not obligated to be truthful only during times of smooth sailing…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5763

וללוי אמר תמיך ואוריך לאיש חסידך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5763, V'zos HaBrachah

FOf Levi he said, ‘Your tumim and your urim befit Your devout one.’ (33:8)

First, Moshe Rabbeinu stressed Levi’s position as the tribe from which the spiritual leadership, the Kohanim, of the nation emanated. Then, Moshe turned to the tribe as a whole, focusing on its bravery and steadfast loyalty in the desert. He then blessed the Leviim as the teachers of the nation. The commentators note the omission of Shimon from the blessings. This is due to the fact that Shimon was severely criticized by Yaakov Avinu for the tribe’s later participation in the worship and consequent moral deviation concerning the Baal Peor idol. The Sifri notes that at one time, Shimon and Levi…

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And Hashem Elokim said, “It is not good that man is alone; I will make him a helper corresponding to him.” (2:18)

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth (1:1)

ויבכו בני ישראל את משה

Bnei Yisrael bewailed Moshe. (34:8)

וגם אחרי כן אשר יבאו בני האלהים אל בנות האדם

And also afterward when the sons of the rulers would consort with the daughters of man. (6:4)

ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמתנו

And G-d said, “Let us make man in Our image, as Our likeness.” (1:26)

שמע ה' קול יהודה

Hearken, O’Hashem, to Yehudah’s voice. (33:7)

וישכן ישראל בטח בדד עין יעקב

Thus, Yisrael will dwell secure, solitary, in the likeness of Yaakov. (33:28)

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and the earth. (1:1)

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ

TIn the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and earth. (1:1)

וללוי אמר תמיך ואוריך לאיש חסידך

FOf Levi he said, ‘Your tumim and your urim befit Your devout one.’ (33:8)

YEARS

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