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Home -> 5786 -> Shelach

שלח לך אנשים ויתרו את ארץ כנען

Sruly Schnair
In Shelach, 5786

Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

The Torah introduces the meraglim stating, kulam anashim, “All were men.”  Chazal explain anashim as a term reserved for men who are honorable, upright, men of stature.  This explanation only intensifies the question that is on everyone’s mind:  How did such distinguished personalities err so egregiously?  Their reaction and the manner in which they later riled up the nation led to the people’s ultimate exclusion from entering Eretz Yisrael, transforming that night – the Ninth of Av – into our national day of mourning.  If these men were such kesheirim, men of integrity, how did they fall so catastrophically? I…

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Home -> 5786 -> Beha'alosecha

דבר אל אהרן ... בהעלתךך את הנרות ... ויעש כן אהרן

Sruly Schnair
In Beha'alosecha, 5786

Speak to Aharon … when you kindle the lamps. Aharon did so. (8:2,3)

Rashi adds, the Torah is underscoring the praise of Aharon – she’lo shinah; he did not deviate in any way from the instructions that Hashem had given him.  This is written after Aharon was consoled, for neither he nor his shevet, tribe (Levi), were to be included in the Chanukas ha’Mishkan, inauguration of the Sanctuary.  Hashem told him, Shelcha gedolah mi’she’lahem, “Yours is greater because you will light the Menorah, which would continue throughout their journey in the wilderness and in the Bais HaMikdash.” (Actually, the lighting of the Chanukah Menorah, which continues to this very day, is a continuation…

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Home -> 5786 -> Beha'alosecha

ויהי אנשים אשר היו טמאים לנפש אדם ...למה נגרע לבלתי הקריב את אדם קרבן ד' במועדו

Sruly Schnair
In Beha'alosecha, 5786

These were men who were contaminated by a human corpse…Why should we be diminished by not offering Hashem’s offering in its appointed time?” (9:6,7)

Some men were ritually impure due to contact with a human corpse, and they could not sacrifice the Pesach-offering on that day … These men said, “We are ritually impure through contact with a human corpse.  Why should we be diminished, so as not to bring the offering of Hashem on its appointed time?”  (9:6) One must be ritually pure in order to offer the Korban Pesach (or any Korban for that matter).  These men were tamei meis, ritually impure, due to their contact with a human corpse.  Confronted with the circumstance, they came to Moshe Rabbeinu and offered their…

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Home -> 5786 -> Beha'alosecha

והאיש משה ענו מאד מכל האדם אשר על פני האדמה

Sruly Schnair
In Beha'alosecha, 5786

Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any person on the face of the earth. (12:3)

The Torah describes Moshe Rabbeinu as the humblest of all men.  This does not mean that he was unaware of his unparalleled greatness, his extraordinary achievements, or his role as Klal Yisrael’s quintessential rebbe and leader.  On the contrary, Moshe understood exactly who he was.  Yet, his humility lay in how he perceived the source of his greatness.  He felt that he had been granted opportunities that no one else had received.  Had others stood at Har Sinai, had they learned Torah directly from Hashem, they, too, could have risen to his level of leadership. Chazal teach that the Torah…

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Home -> 5786 -> Naso

איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

Sruly Schnair
In Naso, 5786

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

The Torah juxtaposes the laws of Nazir upon the previous laws of the sotah, wayward wife.  Chazal (Sotah 2A) derive that one who sees a sotah in her degradation should take a Nazarite vow, thereby prohibiting himself from drinking wine.  One who witnesses the sotah’s punishment and realizes what led to it understands that he has just been availed a window into how easily people fall prey to temptation. He is able to observe how the yetzer hora, evil inclination, can ensnare a person and pull him down to the nadir of depravity.  Let us look at a before and…

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Home -> Bamidbar -> 5786

וידבר ד' אל משה במדבר סיני

Sruly Schnair
In 5786, Bamidbar

Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai. (1:1)

The Torah is Hashem’s greatest gift to Klal Yisrael.  It is more than our guide for living – it is our life.  One would think that the giving of the Torah, which was a seminal experience like none other, would have occurred in a thriving metropolis, a cultured capital – not in a desolate wilderness.  Everything that Hashem does and how He does it is to teach us lessons for life and living.  Obviously, the giving of the Torah in the desert is no different.  Chazal teach that it was, indeed, deliberate.  Each commentator explores his own approach.  Perhaps we…

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Home -> Behar -> 5786

וכי ימוך אחיך ומטה ידו עמך

Sruly Schnair
In 5786, Behar

If your brother becomes impoverished, and his means falter in your proximity. (25:35)

Noticeably, when our fellow begins to falter, the Torah refers to him as achicha, your brother – not rei’acha, your fellow/friend.  A very simple explanation accounts for this textual change.  When a friend falters, suddenly our relationship with him takes an inward (toward ourselves) turn.  We are no longer friends; we are philosophers (hypothesizing reasons why we need not help).  “It is his fault.”  “I warned him, but he refused to listen.”  “Truthfully, we are not really that close.”  “He runs after me. I never sought him out.”  Each excuse is carefully presented – not to present reality, but to…

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Home -> 5786 -> Tazria

אשה כי תזריע וילדה זכר

Sruly Schnair
In Tazria, 5786

When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male. (12:2)

Parshios Tazria/Metzora deal almost exclusively with the laws pertaining to negaim, spiritual plagues, of which tzaraas is most prominent.  These are physical manifestations which represent spiritual flaws in the character of the afflicted person.  Thus, it begs elucidation that Parshas Tazria begins with the laws of tumas yoledes, the spiritual contamination of a woman who gives birth, followed by the exhortation to perform the bris milah on the eighth day of the infant’s life.  How do bris milah and the laws of tzaraas align?  Perhaps the laws surrounding bris milah and its underlying hashkafah, outlook, give us a glimpse into…

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Home -> 5786 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Sruly Schnair
In Metzora, 5786

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14: )

Since Parshios Tazria/Metzora address physical manifestations of spiritual maladies, it was suggested that it would be an opportune time to address both the Torah’s and Chazal’s exhortations concerning taking care of one’s health.  The immediate reaction will probably be, “What do health issues have to do with a commentary on the parshah?”  This is probably a good question.   Due to the importance of reminding everyone that we were placed on the world to serve Hashem, and sick people find it challenging to properly serve Him. It would be prudent for an individual to address his known and even unknown health…

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Home -> 5786 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5786

If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

A KorbanTorah, thanksgiving offering, is brought by the beneficiary/survivor of a life-threatening crisis.  Chazal (Berachos 54b) break this obligation down into four categories: yordei ha’yam, those who have crossed the sea; holchei midbaros, those who have traveled the wilderness; choleh she’ nisrapeh, those who have been healed from serious illness; and chavush she’yotzei mi’bais ha’assurim, those who have been released from captivity.  Obviously, the obligation for gratitude exceeds these four cases, but they serve as primary examples. On a practical level, the Torah instructs the individual who brings the korban to prepare a large, festive meal, and invite all of…

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