Derech Eretz – Page 40 – Peninim on the Torah

איש או אישה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

A man or a woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

While Judaism does not encourage extremism of any kind, it nonetheless makes provisions for those who desire or feel that they must live outside or beyond society’s conventional norms. Thus, the Torah channels this tendency, as it does with all human drives (and obsessions), into serving Hashem. The case in question is the nazir who has taken upon himself the added restrictions of abstaining from all wine and grape products – fruit products that otherwise have no Biblical or Rabbinic prohibitions placed on them. Furthermore, as a member of society in which almost all public and private celebrations include wine…

Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ואש יצאה מאת ד' ותאכל את החמישים ומאתים איש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5777

A flame came forth from Hashem and consumed the two hundred and fifty men. (16:35)

Any believing Jew is acutely aware of the harmful effect of machlokes, controversy. It destroys communities, families, and individuals. It causes people to act in the most offensive and debasing manner. It “allows” them to conjure up a justification for acting with disrespect for individuals who not only deserve our respect, but whom the Torah demands that we respect. All of this is well-known. How many of us “believe” that when we cross the line of respect, regardless of how many reasons we have convinced ourselves we have, when we breach the Torah’s perimeter for derech eretz for a Rav,…

Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ויקח קרח בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5777

Korach ben Yitzhar, ben Kehas, ben Levi, took (separated himself). (16:1)

Noticeably, Yaakov Avinu’s name is omitted from Korach’s lineage. Rashi comments that it was the Patriarch himself who prayed that his name be deleted from anything connected to Korach. Simply, Yaakov wanted no association whatsoever, even by name, with Korach. This, of course, does not deny the fact that everyone knows that Yaakov was Levi’s father, and, in turn, the Patriarch of Korach’s lineage, but the deletion of Yaakov’s name declares that no part of Korach’s nefarious behavior had its source in Yaakov. Yaakov is the epitome of emes, truth. Machlokes, controversy, by its very nature, is founded in sheker,…

Home -> 5777 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5777

Korach took (separated himself). (16:1)

Korach was the first prominent demagogue to create a rift in Klal Yisrael when he impugned Moshe Rabbeinu’s leadership, and, by extension, created a mutiny against Hashem. Targum Onkeles defines machlokes, controversy, as: pilug; a split; a breach; a rift. Klal Yisrael is supposed to live in harmony. We must strive to emulate Hashem, Who is Echad, One. Thus, when we live together as one, we give satisfaction to Hashem. Chazal distinguish between a machlokes, which is l’shem Shomayim, for the sake of Heaven, and one which is not. A machlokes l’shem Shomayim is a dispute in which each party…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5777

אך את שבתותי תשמרו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Ki Sisa

However, you must observe My Shabbasos. (31:13)

Tishmoru is written in the plural, implying that the exhortation to observe Shabbos is being spoken to a group. The Chafetz Chaim, zl, commented, “It is not enough that you and your household observe Shabbos. You must see to it that other Jews also observe Shabbos.” Thus, it is not a singular command. Rarely do we find the Torah instructing us not only to personally observe, but also, to see to it that our observance influences others. I write this specifically because our observance, our valuing Shabbos, our sensitivity to this mitzvah is the only way the alienated Jew will…

Home -> 5777 -> Ki Seitzei

כי יהיה לאיש בן סורר ומורה איננו שמע בקול אביו ובקול אמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5777

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not hearken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21:18)

The Torah refers to the father of the wayward and rebellious son as an ish, a man, and then goes on to state the boy’s sin: he does not obey his father and mother. Why does the Torah refer to the ish/father as the boy’s progenitor, as having begotten him, but – in contrast – when it addresses his disobedience, he is considered to be son of both his father and mother? This inconsistency in and of itself might be the precursor for the boy’s degenerate behavior. Parents have a child; it is a boy! The father immediately takes charge….

Home -> 5777 -> Emor

ויצא בן אשה ישראלית והוא בן איש מצרי... ושם אמו שלומית בת דברי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Emor, 5777

The son of a Yisraeli woman went out – and he was the son of an Egyptian man… the name of his mother was Shlomis bas Divri. (24:10,11)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 32) state that Klal Yisrael was redeemed from Egypt due to its high standard of morality. Indeed, not one Jewish man or woman was involved with an Egyptian, except for Shlomis bas Divri, who is singled out in the Torah. This is our Torah’s way of teaching that no other Jew or Jewess had sinned. A powerful statement, attested to by the Torah. How did they do it? It is not as if Klal Yisrael was perfect. Veritably, the people clung steadfast to certain traditions and lifestyles, but to rise above the moral turpitude that was…

Home -> 5777 -> Eikev

למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ד' לאבתיכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Eikev, 5777

In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the land that Hashem has sworn to your forefathers. (11:21)

I just came across a homily published in 1929 by Horav Elazar Meir Preill, zl, Rav of Elizabeth, New Jersey, in which he decries the lack of respect for the “older” generation. There used to be a time (he writes) when the older generation were the pillars of the Jewish community, their advice sought, appreciated and accepted. “Here” (in America at that time), the younger generation has taken charge – relegating their forebears to a place of honor in a nursing home or to a corner of their homes. Not only is their opinion not sought, it is not accepted….

Home -> 5777 -> Eikev

את ד' אלקיך תירא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Eikev, 5777

Hashem, your G-d, shall you fear. (10:20)

Fear is a powerful word which connotes various emotions, from respect to anxiety, love to awe. Since Hashem is beyond anything we can imagine, the definition of fear with regard to the Almighty must also be unique. The notion of comparing the fear one should have for a talmid chacham, Torah scholar, to that which one should have for Hashem begs elucidation. The Midrash Tanchuma (Beha’alosecha) teaches us that the es, conjunctive word, which precedes (es) Hashem Elokecha (tira) instructs us to fear one who has mastered the Torah. (Clearly, such mastery involves much more than erudition. It applies to…

Home -> Devarim -> 5777

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל בעבר הירדן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael on the other side of the Yarden. (1:1)

Rashi explains that, in the last days of his life, Moshe Rabbeinu was giving Klal Yisrael mussar, words of rebuke. Perhaps rebuke is too strong a term. Moshe was guiding them on their future journey, calling to mind their errors of the past. As long as Bnei Yisrael would learn from their earlier mistakes, they would be on a positive road toward spiritual ascendency. Moshe did not spell out in clear terms their mistakes; rather, he alluded to their faults by employing names for non-existent places, but the message was nonetheless clear: the place called Di Zahav refers to an…

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איש או אישה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

A man or a woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

ואש יצאה מאת ד' ותאכל את החמישים ומאתים איש

A flame came forth from Hashem and consumed the two hundred and fifty men. (16:35)

ויקח קרח בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי

Korach ben Yitzhar, ben Kehas, ben Levi, took (separated himself). (16:1)

ויקח קרח

Korach took (separated himself). (16:1)

אך את שבתותי תשמרו

However, you must observe My Shabbasos. (31:13)

כי יהיה לאיש בן סורר ומורה איננו שמע בקול אביו ובקול אמו

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not hearken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21:18)

ויצא בן אשה ישראלית והוא בן איש מצרי... ושם אמו שלומית בת דברי

The son of a Yisraeli woman went out – and he was the son of an Egyptian man… the name of his mother was Shlomis bas Divri. (24:10,11)

למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ד' לאבתיכם

In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the land that Hashem has sworn to your forefathers. (11:21)

את ד' אלקיך תירא

Hashem, your G-d, shall you fear. (10:20)

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל בעבר הירדן

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael on the other side of the Yarden. (1:1)

YEARS

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