Emes – Page 6 – Peninim on the Torah

כי תבאו אל ארץ כנען…ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחזתכם…והנה הנגע בקירת הבית…וצוה הכהן וחלצו את האבנים אשר בהן הנגע הנגע

When you arrive in the land of Canaan… and I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession… and behold, the affliction is in the walls of the house… the kohen shall command and they shall remove the stones that contain the affliction (14:34,37,40)

Chazal (Vayikra Rabbah 17:6) teach that, when the Canaanim heard Klal Yisrael was on their way to take their Heavenly-designated land, they hid their jewelry and precious metals inside the walls of their homes to prevent the Jews from finding them. Thus, when the house is demolished due to the plague, that is on it, the hidden jewelry will be discovered. Obviously, we can say a lot concerning Hashem’s manner of rewarding the Jews. Surely, He must have a better, simpler way of giving them the gold and silver than having them dismantle their homes due to a plague. Let…

Home -> 5785 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5785

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

Rashi explains that the Korban Todah, Thanksgiving offering, is brought by a person who had been the beneficiary of a Divine miracle (everything that happens to us is Divinely initiated). For example; One who: crossed the sea; traversed a wilderness, was released from prison/captivity; cured of an illness. Such people are to offer their gratitude to Hashem, as it is written in Sefer Tehillim (107:31,22), “Let them thank G-d for His kindness and His wondrous acts for humanity… Bring offerings of thanks and, with songs of joy, tell of His deeds.” Implied herein is the notion that the obligation for…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5785

אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצוות ד' אלוקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה ואשם

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayikra

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem, his God, that may not be done – unintentionally – and becomes guilty. (4:22)

Asher can be translated as “when,” indicating the inevitability of the ruler’s unintentional sin. It often comes with the territory. Power and wealth make great demands on a person, and sometimes a ruler is distracted or overwhelmed by the stress of his role. Rashi cites Sifra that translates Asher as alluding to Ashrei, fortunate. This implies that the generation whose leader does not resort to cover-up or spin to validate his actions – who concedes that he has erred – is truly a fortunate generation. This is a leader whom we can respect. His integrity is more important to him…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5785

לא תבערו אש בכל משבתים ביום השבת

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayakhel

You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbos day. (35:3)

The Gemorah records a debate among Chazal (Shabbos 70a) about why the Torah singled out the prohibitive mitzvah of creating fire on Shabbos – as opposed to the other 38 acts of labor. One Tanna opines havarah l’lav yatzas, havarah, kindling fire, was singled out to be a mere prohibition – not a capital crime. The other Tanna contends havarah l’chaleik yatzas, it was singled out to separate the melachos, forms of labor, into distinct categories of liability. Each melachah is an act of chillul Shabbos and carries with it its own punishment. If one performs two melachos, he is…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5785

קחו מאתכם תרומה לד' כל נדיב לבו יביאה את תרומת ד' זהב וכסף ונחושת

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Vayakhel

Take from yourselves a portion for Hashem; everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it, as a gift for Hashem: gold, silver, copper. (35:5)

Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 49:2) teach that zahav, gold, kesef, silver; and nechoshes, copper – all allude to the Avos, three Patriarchs. The connotation of the pasuk (based upon Chazal’s interpretation) is that the Shechinah rests His Divine Presence in the Mishkan in the merit of the three Avos. Gold alludes to Avraham, whose faith was put to a test when he was flung into a furnace – a process which is used to refine gold. Silver represents Yitzchak, who was purified when he was bound upon the Altar. Unlike gold, which is heated in a furnace to test its quality,…

Home -> 5785 -> Tetzaveh

וכפר אהרן על קרנתיו אחת בשנה ... קודש קדשים הוא לדי

Sruly Schnair In Tetzaveh, 5785

Aharon will cleanse its thorns once a year … it is holy of holies to Hashem. (30:10)

Rashi explains that the Mizbayach, Altar, is a Kodesh Kodoshim, Holy of Holies Its sanctity is supreme, designated for this service exclusively. We derive from Rashi that the Mizbayach HaKetores, Incense Altar, is considered Kodesh Kodoshim, since no other service (the application of blood on the horns of the Mizbayach on Yom Kippur) was performed on it. (The daily Ketores, Incense, was also offered on it.) In his commentary to the pasuk, the Malbim posits that the focus of Kodesh Kodoshim is not the Mizbayach, but Aharon HaKohen. Thus, the Torah is informing us that Aharon Hakohen performed the service…

Home -> 5785 -> Mishpatim

ויקחו לי תרומה מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5785

And they should take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him (25:2)

How are we to understand the profound nature of v’yikchu Li– take for Me? Chazal (Sotah 13b) describe Moshe Rabbeinu’s “funeral” and the eulogy which Hashem rendered for him: Mi yakum li im mireim, mi yisyatzev li im poalei aven; “Who will rise up for Me against evildoers? Who will stand up for Me against those who commit iniquity?” (Tehillim 94:16) Now that Moshe was no longer on this earth, who would serve in his capacity? What about Yehoshua, Moshe’s trusted disciple, and the seventy Elders? Why could they not be counted on to step into Moshe’s role? Why could…

Home -> 5785 -> Terumah

ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם

Sruly Schnair In Terumah, 5785

They shall make for Me a Sanctuary/Mikdash, and I will dwell among them (Shemos 25:8)

The language is striking. The Torah should have written V’Shachanti b’socho, “within it.” Rather, it writes, V’Shachanti b’socham, “within them,” which implies that Hashem will reside within them—within the hearts of each and every individual. The Alshich HaKadosh explains that the physical Mishkan was a model and a standard for how, and in what form one should create a space/Sanctuary within his own heart for the Shechinah to reside. The idea that each Jew will create a Mishkan within himself is inspiring and profound. It is also frightening. The inspiration profoundly comes from the realization of what Hashem feels we…

Home -> 5785 -> Mishpatim

לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת ולא תענה על רב לנטת אחרי רבים להטת

Sruly Schnair In Mishpatim, 5785

Do not be a follower of the majority for evil; and do not respond to a grievance by yielding to the majority to pervert the law. (23:2)

Rashi explains that, when one sees wicked people perverting justice, he should not say to himself, “They are the majority. What will I gain by disagreeing with them?” On the contrary, one must do what is right – regardless of how many people do what is wrong – and regardless of the eventual repercussions. The question is obvious: What would possess a person to do something wrong, just because everybody else is doing it? We do not follow reshaim, wicked people. The fact that everybody is acting inappropriately does not make it right. Horav Meir Soloveitchik, zl, explains that a…

Home -> 5785 -> Yisro

ויענו כל העם יחדו ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ד' נעשה

Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5785

The entire people responded together and said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken we will do.” (19:8)

Chazal (Midrash Shir Hashirim 1:24) teach that giving the Torah to Klal Yisrael was not as simple as it seems. The Torah was Hashem’s gift to us, yet, it is the raison d’être of Creation. If we do not observe the Torah, there is no ultimate purpose for our existence. Thus, when Hashem was about to give the Torah, He asked for guarantors who would ensure that Klal Yisrael would abide by the Torah. The nation replied: “Let our ancestors, the three Patriarchs, be our guarantors.” Hashem replied: “Your forefathers themselves need guarantors.” Apparently, as perfect as the Patriarchs were,…

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כי תבאו אל ארץ כנען…ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחזתכם…והנה הנגע בקירת הבית…וצוה הכהן וחלצו את האבנים אשר בהן הנגע הנגע

When you arrive in the land of Canaan… and I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession… and behold, the affliction is in the walls of the house… the kohen shall command and they shall remove the stones that contain the affliction (14:34,37,40)

אם על תודה יקריבנו

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

אשר נשיא יחטא ועשה אחת מכל מצוות ד' אלוקיו אשר לא תעשנה בשגגה ואשם

When a ruler sins and commits one from among all the commandments of Hashem, his God, that may not be done – unintentionally – and becomes guilty. (4:22)

לא תבערו אש בכל משבתים ביום השבת

You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbos day. (35:3)

קחו מאתכם תרומה לד' כל נדיב לבו יביאה את תרומת ד' זהב וכסף ונחושת

Take from yourselves a portion for Hashem; everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it, as a gift for Hashem: gold, silver, copper. (35:5)

וכפר אהרן על קרנתיו אחת בשנה ... קודש קדשים הוא לדי

Aharon will cleanse its thorns once a year … it is holy of holies to Hashem. (30:10)

ויקחו לי תרומה מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו

And they should take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him (25:2)

ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם

They shall make for Me a Sanctuary/Mikdash, and I will dwell among them (Shemos 25:8)

לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת ולא תענה על רב לנטת אחרי רבים להטת

Do not be a follower of the majority for evil; and do not respond to a grievance by yielding to the majority to pervert the law. (23:2)

ויענו כל העם יחדו ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ד' נעשה

The entire people responded together and said, “Everything that Hashem has spoken we will do.” (19:8)

YEARS

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