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Home -> 5773 -> Toldos

אולי ימשני אבי והייתי בעיניו כמתעתע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5773

Perhaps my father will feel me, and shall seem to him as a deceiver. (27:12)

Chazal derive from the Torah’s use of the word k’masatea, as a deceiver, that one who disguises his speech, so that he would not be recognized, is considered as if he worships idols.  The Meiri explains that machlif b’diburo, the term used by Chazal for one who disguises his speech, applies equally to one who does not keep his word.  They cite the pasuk in Yirmiyahu 10:15, which employs the root of titua: heimah maaseh tatuim, “They (idol worship) are vanity, the work of deception,” as support for this statement.  The connection between Yaakov Avinu’s act of “misrepresentation” and idol…

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Home -> 5773 -> Toldos

ויצא הראשון אדמוני כולו כאדרת שער ויקראו שמו עשו. ואחרי כן יצא אחיו וידו אחזת בעקב עשו ויקרא שמו יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Toldos, 5773

The first one emerged red entirely like a hairy mantle; so they named him Eisav. After that his brother emerged with his hand grasping onto the heel of Eisav; so he called him Yaakov. (25:25, 26)

Rashi teaches that Eisav was named by everyone present at his birth.  In contrast, the “he” referred to in the phrase, “so he called him Yaakov,” was actually Hashem, Who gave Yaakov Avinu his name.  The name is a play on the word eikav, heel, a reference to Eisav’s heel which Yaakov grasped at birth.  The fact that Hashem named Eisav as a result of this incident, suggests that Yaakov’s holding onto Eisav’s heel has considerable cosmic significance.  A number of questions present themselves.  First, did Yaakov grasp Eisav’s heel by design or by chance?  Furthermore, is it not most…

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Home -> 5773 -> Tetzaveh

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת...והיו על אהרן ועל בניו בבאם אל אהל מועד...לשרת בקדש...חקת עולם לו ולזרעו אחריו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5773

And make holy garments for your brother Aharon, for honor and distinction… They shall cover Aharon and his sons when they enter into the Ohel Moed… to serve in the Sanctuary…It shall be a statute forever for him and for his descendants after him. (28:2,43)

The idea of clothing making the man is a Madison Avenue stratagem. In truth, as we see from the Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly vestments, clothing is actually a reflection of the man. They do not make a person, but they do convey a message and allow us a window into the wearer’s personality and character. The Bigdei Kehunah were an essential part of the character of the Kehunah, Priesthood. Their significance is evident from the instructions concerning their construction. The validity of the sacrificial service is dependent upon the priestly garments. Indeed, they are a chukas olam, statute forever, such that,…

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Home -> 5773 -> Tetzaveh

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5773

And make holy garments for your brother, Aharon, for honor and distinction. (28:2)

Seeing the Kohanim resplendent in their Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly vestments, must have been a glorious sight. These garments were similar to those worn by monarchs. Indeed, in the Yom Kippur Musaf, a prayer describes the appearance of the Kohen Gadol. Emes mah nehedar hayah Kohen Gadol, “True! How majestic was the Kohen Gadol.” I have always wondered how it was that this wondrous sight did not impact all of Klal Yisrael. Some Jews, albeit a minority, did not buy into the program. After seeing such majesty and splendor, one should be enthusiastically filled with exceptional pride. Yet, we see that…

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Home -> 5773 -> Tetzaveh

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלות נר תמיד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5773

And you shall command Bnei Yisrael and they shall take pure olive oil, crushed, for illumination, to light the eternal light. (27:20)

Yirmiyahu HaNavi says: Zayis raanan yifei pri toar kara Hashem shemeich. “A flourishing olive tree, a beautiful and shapely fruit Hashem has called Your Name” (Yirmiyahu 11:16). What did Yirmiyahu see that catalyzed his comparison of our ancestors to an olive tree? All types of liquids mix with one another, but oil stands by itself. So, too, Klal Yisrael does not mix with the non-Jews. As it says, V’lo sischatein – “You shall not be married to them.” The Sfas Emes explains that oil’s nature prevents it from mixing with water. Hashem has made the unique nature of the Jewish…

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Home -> 5773 -> Terumah

ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם. ככל אשר אני מראה אותך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5773

They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – so that I may dwell among them. Like everything that I show you. (25:8,9)

The Mishkan, Sanctuary, was an edifice dedicated to the service of Hashem. A structure of stone and mortar becomes consecrated through the devotion and commitment to G-d of those who build and maintain it. Anything not built solely for G-d has little to no meaning. Man’s ability to transform and elevate mere mundane, physical ingredients into a structure of holiness indicates the incredible spiritual powers vested within him. K’chol asher Ani mareh osecha, “Like everything that I show you,” is a reference to Hashem showing Moshe Rabbeinu the exact form of each of the Mishkan’s vessels. Thus, Moshe had before…

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Home -> 5773 -> Terumah

מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו תקחו את תרומתי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Terumah, 5773

From every man whose heart motivates him, you shall take My portion. (25:2)

Much has been written in praise of those who generously open their hearts and their wallets to help those who are in need. What about those who volunteer to raise funds for people and organizations in need? The commentators write that he who contributes charity, receives his due reward regardless of his motivation – be it l’shmah, for the sake of the mitzvah or the person and organization in need, or he is acting beneficently to promote himself. The same does not hold true with regard to the one who has the “fun job” of raising money. He must do…

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Home -> 5773 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5773

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:2)

Tzaraas, spiritual leprosy, is not visited upon a person in a vacuum. There is a profound reason that this Heavenly punishment just happens to show up one day on a person’s body, clothing, or home. In fact, there are a number of reasons, which all have one common thread coursing between them: interpersonal relationships. The metzora is a motzi ra, brings forth slander, evil speech, arrogance – all these and much more – in their various forms. Everyone has excuses to justify their slanderous talk, whether they feel they are only telling the truth, protecting the public, calling it the…

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Home -> 5773 -> Shoftim

ועשיתם לו כאשר זמם לעשות לאחיו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5773

And you shall do to him as he planned to do to his brother. (19:19)

In the beginning of Meseches Makkos, the Mishnah asks the question: “In what manner do witnesses become zomeimim?” Hazamah is the process by which witnesses are proven false by testimony that places them elsewhere at the time that the alleged incident took place. The penalty for hazamah is reciprocal punishment, meaning the punishment the false witnesses sought to impose on the dependent by their testimony is meted out to them, be it monetary payment or corporal punishment. This is the meaning of, V’asisem lo kaasher zomam laasos l’achiv, which is the Scriptural reference to the reciprocal penalty incurred by those…

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Home -> 5773 -> Shoftim

על פי התורה אשר יורוך... תעשה לא תסור מן הדבר אשר יגידו לך ימין ושמאל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Shoftim, 5773

According to the teaching that they will teach you… shall you do; you shall not deviate from the word that they will tell you, right or left. (17:11)

One must obey the decision of the court even if he is convinced that the court has erred in its ruling. Even if the ruling seems to be saying that right is left and left is right – you must obey. It goes without saying that, if one is certain that the court has ruled correctly, he must obey its decision. The law is timeless. We must listen to daas Torah, the wisdom of the Torah as interpreted and expounded by our Torah leaders. The Sefer HaChinuch comments: “In every generation, we must listen to the rulings of the wise…

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