Deveikus – Peninim on the Torah

והוא תהילתך והוא אלקיך

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5785

He is your praise, and He is your G-d. (10:21)

Hashem should be the sole recipient of our praise. The Mezritcher Maggid, zl, was wont to say concerning this pasuk: If you want to determine the level of yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven, that you have achieved, you must authenticate your level of emunah, faith in Hashem. Analyze your davening, benching and other forms of tehillah, praise, to Hashem. Is it passionate, warm, with deveikus, desire to cling to the Almighty? The manner in which one expresses his praise of Hashem attests to his belief in Him – and vice versa.” The Maggid, zl, m’Warsaw would often use the following…

Home -> 5785 -> Korach

ונתתם ממנו את תרומת ד' לאהרן הכהן

Sruly Schnair In Korach, 5785

And you shall give from it a gift of Hashem to Aharon HaKohen. (18:28)

Chazal (Sanhedrin 90b) prove from the above pasuk that Techiyas Ha’Meisim, the Resurrection of the Dead, is supported min haTorah. The Torah enjoins the people to give their Terumah to Aharon HaKohen. Will Aharon live forever? He did not even enter into the Holy Land. This teaches us that he will one day be resurrected, and Klal Yisrael will again give him their Terumah. In Kovetz Maamarim (Onsham shel baalei middos megunos), Horav Elchonon Wasserman, zl, cites Chazal (Kesubos 111b) who teach that Techiyas Ha’Meisim has one criterion that should not be ignored. Unless one studies/has studied Torah or supported…

Home -> 5780 -> Tzav

וישחט ויקח משה מדמו ויתן על תנוך אזן אהרן הימנית

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5780

And (Moshe) he slaughtered (the ram), and Moshe took from the blood and put it on Aharon’s ear. (8:23)

Moshe Rabbeinu was concluding his brief tenure as Kohen Gadol. Soon, his older brother, Aharon HaKohen, would be invested in the Kehunah Gedulah, High Priesthood, with his descendants following him as Kohanim. Moshe slaughtered the ayil ha’miluim, inauguration ram. It was a Korban Shelamim, Peace-Offering, with this service serving as the conclusion of the process by which the Kohanim were consecrated for their new role in Jewish life. In this pasuk, the word vayishchat, “and he slaughtered,” has the trop, cantillation mark, shalsheles, a sign which rarely appears in the Torah and which gives great emphasis to the word upon…

Home -> Vayechi -> 5780

יששכר חמר גרם ... וירא מנוחה כי טוב ואת הארץ כי נעמה ויט שכמו לסבול

Sruly Schnair In 5780, Vayechi

Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey… He saw tranquility that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant, yet he bent his shoulder to bear and he became an indentured servant. (49:14,15)

Rashi interprets the metaphor of a strong-boned donkey and the reference to the land as alluding to Yissachar’s relationship with the Torah. Yaakov Avinu points out Yissachar’s spiritual role as bearer of the yoke of Torah and cultivator of the spiritual treasures of our people. Why does the blessing include “his seeing tranquility and it was good”? The significance of the blessing is Yissachar’s relentless commitment to bearing the yoke of Torah, even if it might be a challenging task at times. His ability to rest while standing up, without having to remove his parcels, demonstrates that regardless of the…

Home -> 5770 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5770

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 -> 5757 -> Emor

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Emor, 5757

Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and tell them: Each of you shall not contaminate himself to a (dead) person among his people. (21:1)

Horav Chaim Mordechai Katz, zl, observes that Judaism sustains three levels of kedushah, holiness: that of a Yisrael, common Jew; that of a Kohen, member of the priestly family; that of the Kohen Gadol, High Priest. These three distinct individuals represent three ascending levels of Divine sanctity. The average Jew, the Yisrael or Levi who is not a Kohen, is a member of an “Am Kadosh,” holy nation, consecrated to the Almighty, separated from all that is impure and unclean. Just as Hashem is holy and unsusceptible to evil and contamination, the Yisrael who is to emulate Hashem is adjured…

Home -> 5777 -> Eikev

מה ד' אלקיך שואל מעמך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Eikev, 5777

What does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? (10:12)

Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, views ahavas Hashem, love for Hashem, as the yesod, foundation, of the entire Torah. To love Hashem is not a mitzvas asei, positive commandment; rather, it is the principle upon which hinges all of the mitzvos of the Torah. Every mitzvah is just another aspect of our love for Hashem; mitzvos are our expression of love. When we carry out a mitzvah, we are demonstrating our unabiding love for the Almighty. This love is reciprocal, because we understand and acknowledge Hashem’s love for us. A Jew’s commitment to Judaism — the very same commitment that impelled…

Home -> 5777 -> Chukas

לא האמנתם בי להקדישני לעיני בני ישראל יען

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chukas, 5777

Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of Bnei Yisrael. (20:12)

To use the word “sin” with regard to Moshe Rabbeinu is misleading and a distortion of our quintessential leader. Even the word “err” is deceiving, since Moshe neither sinned nor erred – on our relative level. On his supreme level of closeness to the Almighty, his action – or inaction – concerning the rock which brought forth water for the nation, is considered erroneous or, possibly, even sinful. This goes with the territory of leadership. So much more is expected of a person when he achieves such spiritual distinction; the exactitude that is demanded of him can be his undoing….

Home -> 5771 -> Emor

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Emor, 5771

The Kohen who is exalted above his brothers… He shall not come near to any dead person… he shall not leave the Sanctuary… for a crown – the oil of his G-d’s anointment – is upon him. (21:10-12)

There is a hierarchy within the Jewish nation. The Kohanim who serve in the Bais HaMikdash are enjoined with specific laws regarding their spiritual defilement caused by coming in contact with the dead. The Kohen Hedyot, regular Kohen, may come in contact with seven close relatives: father, mother, sister, brother, wife, son and daughter. Otherwise, all other Jewish dead are off-limit. The Kohen Gadol, High Priest, has further restrictions. He may not become tamei, defiled, to anyone – not even his closest relatives. Furthermore, he may not leave the Sanctuary to follow the funeral procession. In short, the Kohen Gadol…

Home -> 5771 -> Vayishlach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5771

When he perceived that he could not overcome him, he struck the ball of his thighbone; and the ball of Yaakov’s thighbone became dislocated as he wrestled with him. (32:26)

Obviously, the dynamics of this “wrestling match” – this spiritual struggle between the forces of evil and falsehood and the forces of good and truth – have created powerful, esoteric implications and ramifications for generations. Chazal shed some light upon this struggle and the meaning of Yaakov Avinu’s “limping” afterwards. Sforno presents an interesting rendering of the phrase: “He could not overcome him” from the pasuk quoted above. Eisav’s angel – who represented him in this struggle to overwhelm Yaakov’s middah, attribute, of emes, truth, and his clinging to Torah – fought in vain to weaken Yaakov’s resolve. He clung so…

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והוא תהילתך והוא אלקיך

He is your praise, and He is your G-d. (10:21)

ונתתם ממנו את תרומת ד' לאהרן הכהן

And you shall give from it a gift of Hashem to Aharon HaKohen. (18:28)

וישחט ויקח משה מדמו ויתן על תנוך אזן אהרן הימנית

And (Moshe) he slaughtered (the ram), and Moshe took from the blood and put it on Aharon’s ear. (8:23)

יששכר חמר גרם ... וירא מנוחה כי טוב ואת הארץ כי נעמה ויט שכמו לסבול

Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey… He saw tranquility that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant, yet he bent his shoulder to bear and he became an indentured servant. (49:14,15)

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

Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and tell them: Each of you shall not contaminate himself to a (dead) person among his people. (21:1)

מה ד' אלקיך שואל מעמך

What does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? (10:12)

לא האמנתם בי להקדישני לעיני בני ישראל יען

Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of Bnei Yisrael. (20:12)

The Kohen who is exalted above his brothers… He shall not come near to any dead person… he shall not leave the Sanctuary… for a crown – the oil of his G-d’s anointment – is upon him. (21:10-12)

When he perceived that he could not overcome him, he struck the ball of his thighbone; and the ball of Yaakov’s thighbone became dislocated as he wrestled with him. (32:26)

YEARS

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