Emes – Page 84 – Peninim on the Torah

ואתה תחזה מכל העם אנשי חיל יראי אלקים אנשי אמת שונאי בצע

And you shall discern from among the entire people, men of accomplishment, G-d-fearing people, men of truth, people who despise money. (18:21)

Ramban explains that the phrase, sonei batza, “people who despise money,” refers to improperly obtained money. Moshe Rabbeinu is searching for those individuals who are of sterling character, G-d-fearing men who are not swayed by offers of material abundance. Money means nothing to them. Such people can be judges. We wonder why someone who is a person of accomplishment, G-d-fearing and honest, would still have to prove that he despises money gained inappropriately. If he is an ish emes, honest person, false money would be abhorrent to him. Why is it necessary to underscore that the judge must have proven…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5776

ברוך מבנים אשר יהי רצוי אחיו וטבל בשמן רגלו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, V'zos HaBrachah

Of Asher he said, the most blessed of children is Asher; he shall be pleasing to his brothers, and dip his feet in oil. (33:24)

What made Asher so special that he was considered “the most blessed of children”? Horav Shlomo Levenstein, Shlita, quotes Lechem Lefi HaTaf who explains that the word, shmeinah, richness, which Yaakov Avinu uses to describe Asher – Mei Asher shmeinah lachmo, “From Asher- his bread will have richness” (Bereishis 49:20), – is a reference to Asher’s land which will be so rich in olive trees that it will flow with oil like a fountain. The word shmeinah is comprised of the same letters which comprise the word Mishnah. This alludes to the true “richness” of Asher; his tribe was devoted…

Home -> 5776 -> Vayishlach

הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו כי ירא אנכי אותו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav, because I fear him. (32:12)

Rashi explains the apparent redundancy continued in the pasuk: Miyad achi, miyad Eisav; “From the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav.” Sometimes Eisav acts like my brother, showing love and friendship which conceal his true, nefarious intentions. Other times Eisav acts like the evil person that he is, challenging me and stirring up adversity for me to overcome. Both the Kedushas Levi and the Chozeh m’Lublin write that Yaakov Avinu prayed to Hashem to spare him the challenge of Eisav, the yetzer hora, evil inclination, who was coming at him in the form of Eisav, his “dear”…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5776

נפש כי תחטא ומעלה מעל ד' וכחש בעמיתו... והיה כי יחטא ואשם והשיב את הגזילה אשר גזל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

If a person sins and commits a breach of trust against G-d by lying to his friend… so it shall be when he will sin and become guilty, he shall return the robbed item that he robbed. (5:21,23)

The pasuk appears to be redundant, “He should return the robbed item that he robbed.” The words asher gazal, “which he robbed,” are superfluous. Obviously, the item which he robbed is what he is presently returning. What else? He is certainly not returning something which he did not rob. The Sefer Chassidim asks this question and offers an insightful answer which sheds light on the nadir of theft. One who steals from someone and later has a change of heart, and – immediately that same day – returns the item – he will not have to add to the principle….

Home -> Vayikra -> 5776

ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתיך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

You may not discontinue the salt of your G-d’s covenant from upon your meal offering. (2:13)

Rashi teaches that a covenant was enacted during the Sheishes Yemei Bereishis, Six Days of Creation, that ensured the lower waters (the waters of our earth) that they would be offered on the Mizbayach. This is executed through the induction of salt on the Mizbayach and the water libation. Apparently, the waters were appeased for a reason. What was it? In the beginning of Sefer Bereishis, Rashi comments concerning the creation of Heaven and earth which was preceded by the spirit of G-d hovering over the water. This would seem to indicate that the creation of the waters preceded the…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5776

אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayikra

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

Rashi explains that the Torah uses the word adam, man, by design-to recall the Adam HaRishon, Primordial Man. Just as Adam HaRishon did not offer anything from gezel, that was stolen (since everything belonged to him), so, too, may we not offer a sacrifice from an item that has been stolen. We wonder why Adam HaRishon is used as the paradigm to teach the absolute requirement that the korban that is offered may not be derived illegally. After all, everything in the world belonged to Adam. Would it not have been more appropriate to bring a proof from someone who…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5776

ויאסור יוסף מרכבתו ויעל לקראת ישראל אביו גשנה וירא אליו ויפול על צואריו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayigash

Yosef harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father in Goshen. He appeared before him, and fell on his neck. (46:29)

Rashi explains that neither did Yaakov Avinu fall upon Yosef’s neck, nor did he kiss him, because, at the time of their meeting, Yaakov was preoccupied with reciting Shema. Yosef was not. This leads up to the obvious question: Was it the time for reciting Krias Shema — or not? If it was not Krias Shema recital time, why did Yaakov find it necessary to choose this unique moment of their meeting to capitalize on Krias Shema? Could the meeting not have waited a few moments? The commentators grapple with this question, each offering his own insight into this seeming…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5776

ואת יהודה שלח לפניו אל יוסף להורות לפניו גשנה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayigash

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

Chazal teach that Yaakov Avinu sent Yehudah to Goshen for the purpose of establishing the first yeshivah, from whence Torah and its teachings would be disseminated. Why did Yaakov choose Yehudah over any of the other brothers – especially Yissachar, who was the paradigm of Torah study and scholarship? The Midrash Tanchuma teaches a novel idea to explain why Yaakov made this choice. Apparently, for years, ever since the disappearance of Yosef, when Yehudah was the one who presented Yosef’s bloodied tunic, the Patriarch had suspected Yehudah of culpability in (what he believed to be) Yosef’s death. Now that he…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5776

ויזבח זבחים לאלקי אביו יצחק

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayigash

He slaughtered sacrifices to the G-d of his father, Yitzchak. (46:1)

Yaakov Avinu was moving to Egypt. Although he knew quite well that his ultimate home would be Eretz Yisrael and that Egypt was a galus, exile, which he would have to endure – the move to Egypt was not an easy one. Galus has a transformative effect on a person. Some feel the need to adapt, to eschew past practices and beliefs. Otherwise, how can they survive in an environment that is foreign to them? Yaakov taught his children to remain focused on the future, on their return to the Holy Land, on their eventual redemption. With hope, one can…

Home -> 5776 -> Vayeitzei

ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5776

He reached the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. (28:11)

Darkness can be overwhelming. The symbolism inherent in darkness can be debilitating, since it evokes hopelessness; when there is no hope, there is no life. Hope is the candle that lights up the darkness, regardless of the size of the candle. Sadly, consistent with the well-known proverb, too many of us are too busy cursing the darkness to seek out a candle to counteract the darkness. We are too intensely involved in complaining about the miserable hand that has been dealt to us to focus on the positive, in order to engender hope into our lives. Yaakov Avinu had two…

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ואתה תחזה מכל העם אנשי חיל יראי אלקים אנשי אמת שונאי בצע

And you shall discern from among the entire people, men of accomplishment, G-d-fearing people, men of truth, people who despise money. (18:21)

ברוך מבנים אשר יהי רצוי אחיו וטבל בשמן רגלו

Of Asher he said, the most blessed of children is Asher; he shall be pleasing to his brothers, and dip his feet in oil. (33:24)

הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו כי ירא אנכי אותו

Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav, because I fear him. (32:12)

נפש כי תחטא ומעלה מעל ד' וכחש בעמיתו... והיה כי יחטא ואשם והשיב את הגזילה אשר גזל

If a person sins and commits a breach of trust against G-d by lying to his friend… so it shall be when he will sin and become guilty, he shall return the robbed item that he robbed. (5:21,23)

ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתיך

You may not discontinue the salt of your G-d’s covenant from upon your meal offering. (2:13)

אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לד'

When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

ויאסור יוסף מרכבתו ויעל לקראת ישראל אביו גשנה וירא אליו ויפול על צואריו

Yosef harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father in Goshen. He appeared before him, and fell on his neck. (46:29)

ואת יהודה שלח לפניו אל יוסף להורות לפניו גשנה

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

ויזבח זבחים לאלקי אביו יצחק

He slaughtered sacrifices to the G-d of his father, Yitzchak. (46:1)

ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש

He reached the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. (28:11)

YEARS

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