Emes – Page 92 – Peninim on the Torah

“And he (Eisav) cried out with a great and exceedingly bitter cry. (27:34)

The Torah depicts two brothers who go their separate ways. Eisav was the quintessential hunter, blood thirsty, shrewd and cunning. With his eloquent pious fraud, he was able to cultivate the love of his father. Yaakov, on the other hand, was the son who inherited his fathers characteristics. He was the simple student, the home loving son who served his parents obediently and piously. Moreshes Moshe points out that these two sons grew up with divergent lifestyles. Yaakov requested that Eisav transfer the spiritual birthright to him because it had no meaning to Eisav. Eisav readily agreed to the arrangement,…

Home -> 5753 -> Lech Lecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5753

“As for Me, behold My Covenant is with you, and You shall be the father of a multitude of nations.” (17:4)

Rashi explains that as Avraham became the father of the world, he would attain “spiritual paternity” over all nations. Avraham feared that the isolation which resulted from his circumcision would create a barrier separating him from the uncircumcised world. This obstacle might serve to confine his spirit from radiating out to the pagans, preventing him from bringing them closer to Hashem. He was threatened with the failure of his whole life’s work. Converted pagans would not acquiesce to the imperative of circumcision. Thus, Hashem solemnly assured Avraham that he would become the spiritual father of a multitude of nations. The…

Home -> 5753 -> Bereishis

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5753

In the beginning (Hashem) created. (1:1)

The Talmud (Megillah 9a) tells us about king Ptolemy, who gathered seventy two elders and implored them to translate the Torah into Greek. Rather than translating it in the correct form, in their translation.they wrote “,hatrc trc ohekt” – “Hashem created the Beginning.” Rashi attributes the deviation from the original text to logical reasoning. One would not have expected the name of the Creator to precede the creation itself (M’harsha). Therefore, had the elders preserved the sequence of the original text, Ptolemy might have misconstrued the Greek word for “in the beginning” to be the proper name for another deity…

Home -> 5751 -> Nitzavim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Nitzavim, 5751

“For this commandment… is not concealed from you… neither is it far off… it is not in heaven… nor is it beyond the sea… But the word is very near unto you, in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it.” (30:11-14)

It is puzzling to find these distances expressed as such extremes. Why are we told that it is not in heaven nor beyond the sea, but actually it is to be found within us? It should be sufficient to state simply that this mitzvah is not beyond our reach. This statement is, however, far from extreme, and conveys a basic truth. Man is composed of two contrasting entities, the physical and spiritual. He has the ability to soar to the most sublime spiritual heights, or to sink to the nadir of decadence and depravity. Indeed the range of man’s perception…

Home -> 5751 -> Ki Savo

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Savo, 5751

“And you shall be mad at the sight of your eyes which you shall see.” (28:34)

In today’s society, when the world is filled with so much distortion of the truth, and overwhelmed with deceit and hypocrisy, it is indeed viritually impossible for people to see the truth. There are, however, individuals who, because they maintaining a Torah true observance, have access to a clear perspective of what society should be. Their clarity of vision is nonetheless denounced, their message is distorted and treated as the ramblings of madmen. This can be the interpretation of the above posuk. Those who, because of their ability to see, have chosen not to follow the decadent course taken by…

Home -> 5776 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע ביום טהרתו והובא אל הכהן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5776

This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification: He shall be brought to the Kohen. (14:2)

This pasuk is rendered homiletically by the Roshei Besamim, based on a statement made by the Zohar HaKadosh (Parashas Pekudei). The Zohar states that the merit of prayer and study of the individual who prays to Hashem without kavanah, proper intention and devotion, or studies Torah she’lo lishmah, not purely for the sake of learning Torah, hangs in limbo in a specially designated spiritual sphere. The first time that he prays with proper kavanah, or learns for the appropriate purpose of lishmah, this prayer or Torah-study will gather all of those other tefillos which hang in limbo and elevate them…

Home -> Masei -> 5776

ואת הערים אשר תתנו ללוים את שש ערי המקלט אשר תתנו לנס שמה הרצח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Masei

The cities that you shall give to the Leviim: the six cities that you shall provide for a murderer to flee there. (35:6)

Forty-eight cities were set aside for the Leviim. Of these, six cities were specifically for the rotzeach b’shogeg, unintentional murderer. One wonders why men of such spiritual distinction were relegated to live with individuals who had blood on their hands. True, the murders that they committed were unintentional, but there are various levels of lack of intent, some of which border on carelessness. Only Hashem knows the truth. The Leviim led very spiritual lives. Obviously, their families had a different moral and spiritual compass than that which guided the rest of the nation. Is it fair that these fine, upstanding…

Home -> 5776 -> Lech Lecha

אל תירא אברם אנכי מגן לך שכרך הרבה מאד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5776

Fear not Avram, I am a shield for you; your reward is very great. (15:1)

In his He’Emanti Va’Adabeira, Horav Moshe Toledano, Shlita, cites the Peninei Ben Ish Chai, who quotes the Aderest Eliyahu that Hashem is mavtiach, assures/guarantees those who observe Hashem’s mitzvos, with great reward, commensurate with their performance. Chazal teach (Kiddushin 39b) s’char b’hai alma leka, “There is no (payment of) reward in this world.” In other words, mitzvah performance is rewarded in Olam Habba, the World to Come. The commentators wonder how this reward is reconciled with the pasuk in the Torah, B’yomo titein s’charo, “On that day shall you pay his hire” (Devarim 24:15). A day-laborer must be paid each…

Home -> 5776 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5776

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

Korach had it all, but it was not enough for him. If someone else had something that he did not have, it angered him to the point of obsession. He, too, had to have it. When Elitzaphan ben Uziel was placed in charge of the family of Kehas, Korach became irrational. Why should his cousin have a role that placed him in the position of Korach’s superior? Korach was a rodef achar ha’kavod, one who pursued honor, craved recognition, was obsessed with being in the limelight. This is the most corrosive desire that one can have. Ramchal (Mesillas Yesharim, end…

Home -> 5776 -> Korach

ויקח קרח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5776

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

The “Korachs” of every generation seem to be thriving. Sadly, there is no shortage of malcontents who rise up to usurp the authenticity and authority of our Torah leadership. What about their followers? How do these scoundrels always find individuals that follow their organized animus toward everything holy? Korach was able to lure 250 heads of the Sanhedrin. This was no simple feat. They were not the shleppers that hang around with nothing to do with their lives. They were distinguished leaders, men of stature and repute. Yet, they were ensnared by Korach’s invective, lured by promises of even greater…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> Toldos ->

“And he (Eisav) cried out with a great and exceedingly bitter cry. (27:34)

“As for Me, behold My Covenant is with you, and You shall be the father of a multitude of nations.” (17:4)

In the beginning (Hashem) created. (1:1)

“For this commandment… is not concealed from you… neither is it far off… it is not in heaven… nor is it beyond the sea… But the word is very near unto you, in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it.” (30:11-14)

“And you shall be mad at the sight of your eyes which you shall see.” (28:34)

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע ביום טהרתו והובא אל הכהן

This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification: He shall be brought to the Kohen. (14:2)

ואת הערים אשר תתנו ללוים את שש ערי המקלט אשר תתנו לנס שמה הרצח

The cities that you shall give to the Leviim: the six cities that you shall provide for a murderer to flee there. (35:6)

אל תירא אברם אנכי מגן לך שכרך הרבה מאד

Fear not Avram, I am a shield for you; your reward is very great. (15:1)

ויקח קרח

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

ויקח קרח

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!