Emes – Page 71 – Peninim on the Torah

And will give me bread to eat and clothes to wear… and Hashem will be a G-d to me. (28:20, 21)

The Baal HaTanya and the Kedushas Levi, Horav Levi Yitzchak M’berditchev, were mechutanim, relatives by marriage, through the marriage of their grandchildren. At the wedding, which these two tzaddikim graced by their presence, the Baal HaTanya offered a “l’chayim” to his mechutan: “L’Chayim, mechutan! Hashem Yisborach should help us with gashmius and ruchnius, material and spiritual needs,” said the Baal HaTanya. The Berditchever quickly asked, “How is it that you ask for material needs prior to spiritual needs?” “Is it any different than Yaakov Avinu, who first asked for bread and then asked that Hashem be a G-d to him?”…

Home -> 5759 -> Lech Lecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5759

And Hashem said to Avram, “Go for yourself.” (12:1)

The words “Lech Lecha,” “Go for yourself” have a profound meaning according to the Sifrei Kaballah. Hashem instructed Avraham to go to the source of his neshamah, soul, to introspect, to look deeper into himself. Horav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, zl, explains that man is not expected to achieve a level higher than his potential. He is expected to maximize his competencies to attain a level of success and accomplishment commensurate with his G-d-given faculties. He cites the tzaddik, Rav Zushia of Annipole, who said, “When I arrive at the Olam Ha’Emes, the World of Truth, if they ask me, ‘Zushia,…

Home -> 5759 -> Chayei Sarah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5759

Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaani in whose land I dwell. (24:37)

Avraham Avinu rejected the Canaani as potential mechutanim, people from whom he was willing to take a wife for Yitzchak, because of their moral degeneracy. While his “family” were idol- worshippers, their iniquity was basically in the intellectual realm. Philosophic sin can be cured without leaving a blemish upon the individual’s character. A lack of morality and ethics affects the entire psyche of the person. Such a person was disqualified from being a mate for Yitzchak. We see that the Torah presents a picture of Lavan and Besuel, Rivkah’s brother and father, Avraham’s “family” who were acceptable for a shidduch…

Home -> 5759 -> Chayei Sarah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5759

And Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who controlled all that was his…that you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaani. (24:1,3)

The Torah places great emphasis upon Eliezer’s position in Avraham’s household. Certainly it was a high status position, considering Avraham’s great wealth. Horav M.D. Soloveitchik, Shlita, comments that Avraham Avinu placed incredible trust in Eliezer, appointing him to direct and control all of his material assets. When it involved spiritual pursuits, however, he exacted an oath from him. He did not simply rely upon his proven integrity and devotion. He sought a promise that would bind him to his word. Marriage was a spiritual endeavor for Yitzchak. He and the woman he would marry were to become the progenitors of…

Home -> 5759 -> Shelach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

We arrived at the land…And indeed it flows with milk and honey…But the people that dwell in the land are powerful. (13:27,28)

Realistically, did the meraglim really lie? They simply recounted what they saw. If they related the truth, why were they punished? The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, explains that the fact that a statement is not a lie does not necessarily validate it as the truth. Just because one does not actually lie, he is not necessarily a man of integrity. Truth and faith emanate from the deep recesses of the heart. One does not acquire the truth by looking at it. He must conjure up courage from within to look beyond that which he sees visually. The meraglim saw a powerful…

Home -> 5759 -> Shelach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

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

This parsha follows immediately after the incident in the previous parsha, in which Miriam’s criticism of Moshe Rabbeinu led to her punishment. Rashi explains that the meraglim should have learned the effects of malicious gossip from Miriam. Regrettably, they did not, and they returned to Moshe with vicious slander of Eretz Yisrael. It would seem from Rashi’s explanation that the primary fault of the spies was that they neglected to take heed of what had happened to Miriam. Their error was not their disregard of the general laws of lashon hora, slanderous speech, but rather that they did not derive…

Home -> 5773 -> Yisro

הנה אנכי בא אליך בעב הענן... וגם בך יאמינו לעולם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5773

Behold! I (Hashem) will come to you (Moshe) in a thick cloud… and also in you they shall believe forever. (19:9)

The seminal event in Jewish history, the experience which transformed us from a tribe of people into a Torah nation, was the Giving of the Torah. Matan Torah. The unparalleled Revelation of the Shechinah which we experienced was much more than a spectacle that we witnessed. Indeed, we were much more than spectators. According to Ramban, every Jew achieved a level of prophecy during this experience. He explains that although Hashem spoke to Moshe Rabbeinu from amidst a thick cloud, the people, having reached a level of prophecy, were able to know prophetically of Hashem’s dialogue with Moshe. The people…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5773

וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף הנמצא בארץ מצרים... ויבא יוסף את הכסף ביתה פרעה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayigash

Yosef gathered all the money on hand in the land of Egypt… and Yosef brought the money to Pharaoh’s house. (47:14)

The Ramban notes that Yosef was an ish emunim, man of impeccable integrity, refusing to take one penny for himself if it did not belong to him. Yosef could easily have justified “dipping into the till.” If not for him, there would be no money. This earned him the respect and admiration of Pharaoh and the Egyptian people. One who lacks integrity, even if it is with regard to a simple misdemeanor in which there is no real monetary loss, is still, in effect, a liar and a thief. It might only be theoretical in nature, since the loss is…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5773

ויאמר פרעה אל יעקב כמה ימי שני חייך. ויאמר יעקב אל פרעה ימי שני מגורי... מעט ורעים היו ימי שני חיי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayigash

Pharaoh said to Yaakov, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” Yaakov answered Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourns… few and bad have been the days of the years of my life.” (47:8,9)

Yaakov Avinu comes across as issuing a subtle complaint, as he, with a hint of bitterness, was telling Pharaoh that he had had a rough life. Clearly, the Patriarch was not complaining about his life, but rather, explaining why his appearance bespoke a life of hardship: “Yes Pharaoh, I appear old and haggard, because life has not been easy for me. I am not complaining, but I am not able to conceal the truth.” Yaakov was punished for this. Heaven views our actions with a Heavenly measuring stick. Therefore, the “few” and the “bad” caused him to lose thirty-three years…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5773

ויאסר יוסף מרכבתו ויעל לקראת ישראל אביו... וירא אליו ויפל על צואריו ויבך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayigash

Yosef hitched his chariot and went up to meet his father… He appeared before him, fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck. (46:29)

Yosef made a point to harness the horses personally in preparation for his long anticipated meeting with his father. It would be no ordinary meeting. It was Yosef and Yaakov Avinu, two individuals whose relationship with one another was unusual, in the sense that Yosef was a spiritual replica of his father. Separated for over two decades, one can only begin to imagine the pent-up emotion that was welling up within each one – father and son. Yet, we see a number of anomalies concerning this meeting. Yosef hitched the chariot himself, probably out of excitement and growing anticipation. “Yosef…

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And will give me bread to eat and clothes to wear… and Hashem will be a G-d to me. (28:20, 21)

And Hashem said to Avram, “Go for yourself.” (12:1)

Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaani in whose land I dwell. (24:37)

And Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who controlled all that was his…that you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaani. (24:1,3)

We arrived at the land…And indeed it flows with milk and honey…But the people that dwell in the land are powerful. (13:27,28)

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

הנה אנכי בא אליך בעב הענן... וגם בך יאמינו לעולם

Behold! I (Hashem) will come to you (Moshe) in a thick cloud… and also in you they shall believe forever. (19:9)

וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף הנמצא בארץ מצרים... ויבא יוסף את הכסף ביתה פרעה

Yosef gathered all the money on hand in the land of Egypt… and Yosef brought the money to Pharaoh’s house. (47:14)

ויאמר פרעה אל יעקב כמה ימי שני חייך. ויאמר יעקב אל פרעה ימי שני מגורי... מעט ורעים היו ימי שני חיי

Pharaoh said to Yaakov, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” Yaakov answered Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourns… few and bad have been the days of the years of my life.” (47:8,9)

ויאסר יוסף מרכבתו ויעל לקראת ישראל אביו... וירא אליו ויפל על צואריו ויבך

Yosef hitched his chariot and went up to meet his father… He appeared before him, fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck. (46:29)

YEARS

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