Emes – Page 68 – Peninim on the Torah

לא תשנא אחיך בלבבך הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך ולא תשא עליו חטא

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him. (19:17)

Maase avos siman labanim, “The actions of the fathers are a sign/portent for their sons.” Chazal teach that, when the Patriarchs acted, the manner in which they acted, the consequences of their actions, the situations which they encountered, the challenges which they experienced, are all simanim, signs, for us, their children, to follow, to emulate, to study and remember. We must derive a lesson from their responses, so that we are prepared when a similar situation confronts us. Yaakov Avinu had issues with three of his sons, whom he rebuked shortly before his death: Reuven, Shimon and Levi. Likewise, Moshe…

Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5774

Speak to the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (19:2)

Rashi derives from the communal reference in the above pasuk that Parashas Kedoshim was recited b’Hakhel, at a public gathering of the entire nation, because, as Rashi explains, “Most of the Torah precepts are derived from it.” Ramban explains that the foundations of all the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, are represented in this parsha. Horav Yisrael Belsky, Shlita, opines that the communal element of mitzvah observance is addressed in this parsha. While acknowledging that the Torah begins as a private, individual obligation between man and Hashem, we also embrace a communal aspect, a public obligation to Torah and mitzvos that…

Home -> 5774 -> Eikev

לא יהיה בך עקר ועקרה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Eikev, 5774

There will be no infertile male or infertile female among you. (7:14)

We, as human beings, will not be plagued with infertility. The pasuk continues on with a similar blessing for our sheep and cattle. The Baal HaTurim makes note of an incredible gimatria, numerical equivalent, that corresponds with the pasuk, Lo yiheyeh becha akar va’akara, which amounts to 834. Likewise, the words b’divrei haTorah, “in the words of the Torah,” also amount to 834. This implies a connection between Torah study and fertility, which is explained by Horav Shlomo Levenstein, Shlita, as a demand for a person to be mechadesh chiddushim, innovate original commentary and elucidation, to apply creativity to one’s…

Home -> Devarim -> 5774

ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

And let them spy out the Land. (1:22)

There are three words which can be used to make the same statement: “And let them spy out the Land”: v’yasuru; v’yeraglu; and v’yachperu. While it is true that, as synonyms, they all have a similar meaning, their connotations are different. In his Pi Ha’Be’er, Horav Lazer Brody, Shlita, draws upon the insights of Horav Nachman Breslover, zl. He explains that va’yachperu denotes a much more penetrating analysis of a given subject than va’yaturu and va’yeraglu. Va’yachperu means to dig deep, to search for something that, under normal circumstances, would be concealed. It can also mean looking for something for…

Home -> Devarim -> 5774

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden and your arguments. (1:12)

Moshe Rabbeinu seems to be complaining about his difficult workload. Clearly, this cannot be the case. The word, “difficult,” was not in our quintessential leader’s lexicon. Rather, he was expressing his disappointment at the sorry state of affairs. When the people accepted a tiered system of justice, with the addition of many judges to assist Moshe, they did so because they perceived that they would receive personal benefit from the new approach to justice. Moshe was unimpeachable. He had always rendered the halachah in accordance with the law. Furthermore, he was the paradigm of integrity. Thus, whoever presented a case…

Home -> Devarim -> 5774

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden, and your arguments? (1:12)

Rashi explains the three terms: tarchachem; masaachem; rivchem. Tarchachem means your trouble. Klal Yisrael was troublesome. If one individual would observe his adversary winning a case, he would say, “I have witnesses to bring; I have proofs to bring, I am adding judges to you.” In short, they caused trouble. Masaachem means your burden. The people were heretics. If Moshe Rabbeinu left his home early on his way to judge people, they would say, “What did the son of Amram see that led him to leave? Perhaps he is not calm in his house?” They were implying that there was…

Home -> 5774 -> Chukas

זאת חקת התורה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chukas, 5774

This is the chok/statute/decree of the Torah. (19:8)

The term chok is used to describe a mitzvah which, for all intents and purposes, seems inexplicable. While Hashem certainly has a rationale for this mitzvah, our little finite minds have difficulty understanding that which is infinite. We are instructed to serve Hashem out of love and awe – not because it makes sense, it seems the right thing to do, or we understand it. We serve Hashem because He is the Almighty, and, on Har Sinai we accepted to be His People, with a resounding declaration of Naase v’Nishma, “We will do and we will listen,” thereby affirming our…

Home -> 5774 -> Chukas

זאת חקת התורה... ויקחו אליך פרה אדמה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chukas, 5774

This is the chok, statute/decree… take to you – red heifer. (19:2)

Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer, is from its very beginning, a paradox. It is used to purify one who has become spiritually defiled by coming in contact with a human corpse. This is done by burning the cow and mixing its ashes with pure water, with the mixture then being sprinkled on the defiled person. What is the meaning of tumah, impurity, and how is it purified by means of sprinkling water? The paradox goes deeper. The Kohen who burnt the Parah Adumah and sprinkled the water on the defiled person – himself becomes tamei, impure, while the subject of…

Home -> 5774 -> Chayei Sarah

ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה. ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5774

Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead. (23:2,3)

Avraham Avinu eulogized his life’s partner: the woman with whom he had shared his spiritual goals; the mother of his son, Yitzchak; the first Matriarch of the Jewish Nation. This is a tall order. There must have been so much to say, so much to emphasize about a woman who had lived life so well, who was such a vital component of Avraham’s success as leader of the world, father of the Jewish People, paradigm of the morally perfect, ethically correct, spiritually replete individual. Yet, when one peruses the pesukim, not one word is mentioned concerning the eulogy Avraham must…

Home -> 5774 -> Chayei Sarah

ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים שני חיי שרה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5774

Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (23:1)

The Midrash quotes the pasuk in Tehillim 37:18, Yodea Hashem yemei temimim, “Hashem attends the days of the perfect.” This refers to Sarah Imeinu, who was perfect in her actions. Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, derives from Chazal the concept of, tamim b’maaseh, “acting perfectly.” This means that an activity is carried out in perfect harmony, focused on serving the Almighty. “Everything” means exactly what it implies: every aspect, all of the person’s organs, limbs, working together in perfection to serve Hashem. This was Sarah: tamim b’maasehah, “perfect in her actions.” The Mashgiach observes that, when Avraham Avinu addressed the needs…

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Back to Home -> Kedoshim ->

לא תשנא אחיך בלבבך הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך ולא תשא עליו חטא

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him. (19:17)

דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל

Speak to the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (19:2)

לא יהיה בך עקר ועקרה

There will be no infertile male or infertile female among you. (7:14)

ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

And let them spy out the Land. (1:22)

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden and your arguments. (1:12)

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden, and your arguments? (1:12)

זאת חקת התורה

This is the chok/statute/decree of the Torah. (19:8)

זאת חקת התורה... ויקחו אליך פרה אדמה

This is the chok, statute/decree… take to you – red heifer. (19:2)

ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה. ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו.

Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead. (23:2,3)

ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים שני חיי שרה

Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (23:1)

YEARS

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