Emes – Page 52 – Peninim on the Torah

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל בעבר הירדן

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. (1:1)

Moshe Rabbeinu gathered the entire nation (all Yisrael) together to speak to them. The primary purpose of this gathering was to deliver words of rebuke to them for the way they had acted these past forty years. Rashi explains the necessity for having all of Klal Yisrael present, for had he spoken to only part of the people, those who were absent would have said, “Had we been there, we would have rejected him.” Therefore, Moshe called them all together, implying to those who had excuses that they should let them raise their voices and dispute him. We wonder what…

Home -> 5777 -> Chukas

ויבכו את אהרן שלשים יום כל בית ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chukas, 5777

And they wept for Aharon thirty days, the entire Bais Yisrael. (20:29)

Rashi teaches that both the men and the women wept and grieved over the passing of Aharon Hakohen. This was because Aharon was the consummate rodeif shalom, pursuer of peace. He would instill peace and love between parties in a quarrel and between man and his wife. When Moshe Rabbeinu died, the Torah writes, “And Bnei Yisrael wept” (Devarim 34:8), implying that it was limited to the men. Are we to think that Klal Yisrael’s outpouring of grief over the loss of their quintessential Rebbe and leader was limited, because he was less of a “people person” than Aharon? The…

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 -> Behar -> 5777

ולא תונו איש את עמיתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Behar

Each of you shall not aggrieve his fellow. (25:17)

Horav Shlomo Levinstein, Shlita, asks: What is the difference between a tzaddik, righteous person, and a chasid, pious person? Simply, a tzaddik follows halachah to the letter of the law. He is meticulous in his observance, never cutting corners, always doing exactly what is expected of him. A chasid goes the extra mile. He carries out mitzvos lifnim meshuras ha’din, beyond the letter of the law. Not only does he not look for shortcuts, but he also takes the longer, more strenuous route. The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, offers a powerful distinction between these two approaches toward serving Hashem. A tzaddik…

Home -> Bamidbar -> 5777

ביום הכותי כל בכור בארץ מצרים הקדשתי לי כל בכור בישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Bamidbar

On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified every firstborn in Yisrael for Myself. (3:13)

The Torah teaches that, on that fateful Pesach night when the Egyptian firstborn were slain by Hashem, the Jewish firstborn were consecrated to Hashem, to serve Him in the Temple. Should Jewish firstborns be singled out for a life of consecrated service just because their Egyptian counterparts were designated for death? The Alter, zl, m’Slabodka, Horav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, explains that the night of makkas bechoros – when the Egyptian firstborn died during the tenth plague to strike Egypt – it was a night of severe anxiety and tension for the Jewish firstborn. Wherever they went, they saw the bodies…

Home -> 5777 -> Balak

וישב ישראל בשטים ויחל העם לזנות אל בנות מואב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Balak, 5777

Yisrael settled in the Shittim and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moav. (25:1)

Bilaam tried acting out the façade of the righteous prophet who “could not” curse the Jewish people. In the end, his evil advice to have them stray after the pagan women was tragically successful. Bilaam’s wicked intentions willed out. The façade was over. The Talmud Sotah 22b relates that King Yannai was a scion of the Bais Chashmonaim, who had served both as Kohen Gadol and Melech. He became a tzeduki, massacring the chachamim. As a result, he was reviled by the Perushim, who were faithful to the chachamim and meticulously upheld the Torah – both Biblical and Rabbinic. He…

Home -> 5777 -> Balak

כי מראש צרים אראנו ומגבעות אשורנו הן עם לבדד ישכן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Balak, 5777

For from its origins, I see it rock-like, and from hills, I do see it. Behold! It is a nation that will dwell in solitude. (23:9)

Tzurim is a reference to our Avos, Patriarchs. Gevaos refer, to our Imahos, Matriarchs. Meirosh tzurim er’eenu; I see the roots of this nation. They are firmly anchored in the tzurim and geva’os, Patriarchs and Matriarchs. It is part of their DNA. Hen am levadad yishkon. They are different in the sense that they live away from the pagans. They dress differently, eat differently, maintain a different set of morals. Bilaam was amazed by Klal Yisrael’s ability to retain their exclusivity. They stood out in a world that was so different from theirs. They dressed with tznius, retaining a sense…

Home -> 5777 -> Balak

ויפתח ד' את פי האתון

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Balak, 5777

Hashem opened up the mouth of the she-donkey. (22:28)

At times, the truth can be painful. It can be brutal. Why? Because it is the truth. Unembellished truth can be enlightening – but, sadly, not all of us are able to withstand the power of illumination. Balak sought to defeat the Jewish People. He hired Bilaam, an evil pagan prophet, to curse them. Bilaam was a powerful individual who had been blessed with being the pagan world’s response to Moshe Rabbeinu. In the end, Bilaam’s intended negative itent was transformed into positive results. Bilaam was not supposed to accept Balak’s offer, but, true to his evil, weak nature, he…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5771

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Ha'azinu

Let My teachings drip like the rain, may My utterance flow like the dew. (32:2)

The Torah is compared to rain which descends from the heavens, reviving the seeds buried within the earth. The Sefas Emes notes a relationship between adamah, earth, and rain vis-à-vis Adam HaRishon, primordial man, his offspring, and the Torah which is compared to rain. The earth filled with seed is potential vegetation, grass, etc. It is only when rain descends on the adamah that this potential is released and the seeds begin to sprout and produce. Likewise, adam, man, created from adamah, is filled with tremendous potential. Will he realize his potential, or will it continue to lay dormant? Torah…

Home -> Vayeilech -> 5771

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Vayeilech

So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the Bnei Yisrael, place it in their mouths. (31:19)

Chazal (Eiruvin 54b) derive from the words simah b’fi’hem, “Place it into their mouth,” that Torah must be taught in such a manner that the student fully comprehends the material, to the point that he becomes fluent in it. Indeed, Ramban opines that a rebbe, Torah teacher, must review the material as often as necessary until his students are proficient. If the going is slow, he may not become angry; rather he must keep on explaining. In a letter to educators, Horav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, zl, underscored the need for a rebbe to present an amicable countenance, so that the…

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אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל בעבר הירדן

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. (1:1)

ויבכו את אהרן שלשים יום כל בית ישראל

And they wept for Aharon thirty days, the entire Bais Yisrael. (20:29)

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)

ולא תונו איש את עמיתו

Each of you shall not aggrieve his fellow. (25:17)

ביום הכותי כל בכור בארץ מצרים הקדשתי לי כל בכור בישראל

On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified every firstborn in Yisrael for Myself. (3:13)

וישב ישראל בשטים ויחל העם לזנות אל בנות מואב

Yisrael settled in the Shittim and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moav. (25:1)

כי מראש צרים אראנו ומגבעות אשורנו הן עם לבדד ישכן

For from its origins, I see it rock-like, and from hills, I do see it. Behold! It is a nation that will dwell in solitude. (23:9)

ויפתח ד' את פי האתון

Hashem opened up the mouth of the she-donkey. (22:28)

Let My teachings drip like the rain, may My utterance flow like the dew. (32:2)

So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the Bnei Yisrael, place it in their mouths. (31:19)

YEARS

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