Emes – Page 67 – Peninim on the Torah

ויצא הכהן אל מחוץ למחנה וראה הכהן והנה נרפא נגע הצרעת מן הצרוע

The Kohen shall go forth to the outside of the camp; the Kohen shall look, and behold: the tzaraas affliction has been healed from the metzora. (14:3)

The atonement of the metzora does not occur overnight. He must spend time in quarantine, away from people, alone with himself, so that he can reflect on his misdeeds. He was better than others – or so he thought. His haughtiness bred contempt for others – because, after all, he was better than they were. Being alone allows him the opportunity to realize how much “better” he really is. As soon as he comes full circle and comes down from his lofty perch, he is ready for atonement. The spiritual healing process has begun. The three-stage process of purification may…

Home -> Matos -> 5774

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים... וישלח אתם משה... ואת פנחס בן אלעזר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Matos

Exact the revenge of Bnei Yisrael from the Midyanim… Moshe sent them… with Pinchas ben Elazar HaKohen. (31:6)

Hashem instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to exact revenge against the Midyanim for their role in causing Klal Yisrael to sin with the Moavite girls and worship the Peor idol. Moshe himself did not lead the way; instead, he chose Pinchas. Rashi attributes Moshe’s reasoning to the fact that Pinchas had begun the deed of reckoning, by slaying Kozbi, the Midyanite Princess, who had cohabited with Zimri, the renegade Prince of the Tribe of Shimon. Let the one who initiates the revenge carry on to the next phase. Alternatively, Pinchas was a descendant of Yosef HaTzaddik who was sold by his brothers…

Home -> 5774 -> Lech Lecha

ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself (14:21).

The king of Sodom had no problem with what seems to have been an audacious request. As a victor of the war, Avraham Avinu was entitled to all of the spoils. The king said that he would like his subjects to be returned to him, and Avraham could keep the money. Avraham had no intent in personal gain, especially from a pagan who would certainly claim that he was the source of Avraham’s wealth. Avraham conveyed his feelings to the king of Sodom and then returned everything to him – people as well as money. In the Talmud Nedarim 32a,…

Home -> 5774 -> Lech Lecha

ואברכה ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה. ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you, I will curse. (12:2)

Avraham HaIvri is the name given to our first Patriarch, the individual who, with his own cognitive ability, was able to understand what had eluded an entire world: there is a Creator; He is One; He is the G-d of Creation and of history. With simple – but penetrating – logic, Avraham reached out to a pagan society and imbued them with faith and conviction in the Almighty. Yet, he was all alone, literally b’eiver echad, on one side – the opposing side of everybody else. Hence, the name Avraham HaIvri. We, his descendants, are heirs to this proud appellation,…

Home -> 5774 -> Korach

ותנו בהן אש ושימו עליהן קטרת... והיה האיש אשר יבחר ד' הוא הקדוש רב לכם בני לוי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5774

And put fire in them and place incense upon them. Then the man whom Hashem will choose – he is the holy one. It is too much for you, O offspring of Levi. (16:7)

Rashi asks a simple, but piercing, question: Korach was far from a fool. Indeed, he was well-known as a pikeach, wise, intelligent man. If so, what did he see that motivated him to commit to such a foolish act? He knew that there could be only one winner. Offering Ketores, incense, was not child’s play. It had to be done correctly by the right person, or else the person who offered it became history. Only a fool would risk so much. Korach certainly was no fool. We wonder why Rashi asks this question with regard to the Ketores. Why not…

Home -> 5774 -> Korach

ומדוע תתנשאו על קהל ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5774

Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem? (16:3)

In his commentary to Sefer Yechezkel (18:6), Radak writes that once a Jew, always a Jew. “There is a covenant between Hashem and Klal Yisrael, stating that those who are descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov (who are of the Patriarchal lineage) will never cease their commitment to Judaism. Those, however, who, over time, apostatized themselves and reneged on their faith in Hashem had never been real descendants of the Patriarchs. They are the offspring of the asafsuf, those insincere individuals who attached themselves to the Jewish People.” In his Igeres Teiman, the Rambam makes a similar statement: “Those who…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5774

ועתה אם תשא חטאתם ואם אין מחני נא מספרך אשר כתבת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Ki Sisa

And now if You would but forgive their sin! – but, if not, erase me from this book that You have written. (32:32)

Herein lies the test of the true Torah leader. What are his priorities? Is it now about himself, or is it about his flock? Moshe Rabbeinu’s first priority was to save his nation. The Almighty had threatened to put an end to this nation that seemed to keep on testing Him. Moshe first had to save them. Then he would see to it that they regain their status as the Chosen People. Once again, it is important to underscore that it was not the entire nation that had sinned. It was a group of mixed multitude who had come along…

Home -> 5774 -> Ki Seitzei

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

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5774

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

In the Talmud Sanhedrin 71a, Chazal teach, “There never was, nor will there ever be, such a thing as a ben sorer u’moreh, ‘wayward and rebellious son’. Why, then, do we have this law? So that you may inquire into it and receive reward (by your inquiry).” Our sages give us the comforting assurance that the ben sorer u’moreh is not a reality in our history. Never have we had— nor will we ever have— to deal with a child whose rebellious behavior meets all of the criteria of the law which classifies him utterly beyond redemption. Execution is the…

Home -> 5774 -> Ki Savo

ברוך אתה בעיר וברוך אתה בשדה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5774

Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field. (28:3)

A Jew shall remain blessed whether he is in the city together with his chaburah, social group, or if he is alone in the field, away from everyone. Horav Yaakov Galinsky, zl, recalls his years as a student in the Novaradok Yeshivah, an institution which imbued its students with a sense of commitment to Torah and mitzvos that transcend time and place and even social support. Wherever a Novaradoker student found himself, he was somehow able to transcend the vicissitudes of life and the challenges they presented. For example, Rav Galinsky and a group of students were banished to a…

Home -> 5774 -> Ki Savo

ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך ד' אלקיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5774

You shall rejoice with all of the goodness that Hashem, your G-d, has given you. (26:11)

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh writes that b’chol hatov, “all of the goodness,” alludes to the Torah, for there is no greater “good” other than Torah. He adds that if people would sense the incredible unparalleled sweetness and pleasantness associated with the Torah, people would go out of their minds in pursuit of Torah. Money would have no value; nothing would have value, for the Torah includes within it everything – all of the goodness in the world. In his hakdamah, preface, to his Iglei Tal, the Sochatchover Rebbe, zl, writes, “Chazal’s dictum, Mitzvos lav l’henos nitnu, ‘The performance of mitzvos…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Metzora ->

ויצא הכהן אל מחוץ למחנה וראה הכהן והנה נרפא נגע הצרעת מן הצרוע

The Kohen shall go forth to the outside of the camp; the Kohen shall look, and behold: the tzaraas affliction has been healed from the metzora. (14:3)

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים... וישלח אתם משה... ואת פנחס בן אלעזר

Exact the revenge of Bnei Yisrael from the Midyanim… Moshe sent them… with Pinchas ben Elazar HaKohen. (31:6)

ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself (14:21).

ואברכה ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה. ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר

I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you, I will curse. (12:2)

ותנו בהן אש ושימו עליהן קטרת... והיה האיש אשר יבחר ד' הוא הקדוש רב לכם בני לוי

And put fire in them and place incense upon them. Then the man whom Hashem will choose – he is the holy one. It is too much for you, O offspring of Levi. (16:7)

ומדוע תתנשאו על קהל ד'

Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem? (16:3)

ועתה אם תשא חטאתם ואם אין מחני נא מספרך אשר כתבת

And now if You would but forgive their sin! – but, if not, erase me from this book that You have written. (32:32)

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 listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother. (21:18)

ברוך אתה בעיר וברוך אתה בשדה

Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field. (28:3)

ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך ד' אלקיך

You shall rejoice with all of the goodness that Hashem, your G-d, has given you. (26:11)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!