Holy Land – Peninim on the Torah

קדושים תהיו... איש אמו ואביו תיראו ואת שבתותי תשמרו אני ד'

You shall be holy… every man: your father and mother shall you revere and My Shabbasos shall you observe. I am Hashem. (19:2,3)

It was 1945 and Horav Moshe David Tenenbaum, zl, who was then head of the Vaad HaYeshivos in the Holy Land, went for a vacation in a small village in the north. As he was walking one day, a member of a nearby kibbutz approached him and asked if he could serve as the tenth man for a minyan. At first, he thought the fellow was teasing him, since it was a non-religious kibbutz and tefillah b’tzibur, davening with a minyan, was uncommon (to say the least). How surprised he was when he arrived at the kibbutz to meet the…

Home -> 5776 -> Shelach

שלח לך אנשים ויתרו את ארץ כנען

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5776

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

The chapter of the meraglim, spies, follows immediately after the closing chapter of the previous parshah, which details the incident of Miriam Ha’Neviayah’s criticizing Moshe Rabbeinu and the consequential punishment which she experienced. Despite the fact that the spying incident took place shortly after Miriam’s debacle, the spies did not learn a lesson concerning the gravity of malicious gossip. They saw what happened to Miriam, yet they still had no compunction whatsoever about slandering Eretz Yisrael. The commentators question this exposition (Midrash Rabbah 16:6; cited by Rashi). They quote Chazal in the Talmud Arachin 16a, who deplore the speaking of…

Home -> 5776 -> Nitzavim

כי המצוה הזאת... לא נפלאת היא ממך ולא רחוקה היא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Nitzavim, 5776

For this mitzvah… it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. (30:11)

The Ramban writes that “this mitzvah” refers to the mitzvah of teshuvah, repentance. The sinner conjures up a wealth of lame excuses for not repenting. For the most part, the primary hurdle is believing that one can successfully navigate the teshuvah process and return to pre-sin status – both in the eyes of the community and in the eyes of the sinner. The offender has convinced himself that he has gone too far, offended too many, hurt so many close family and friends, so why bother? We are at the gates of Rosh Hashanah, and each and every one of…

Home -> Mikeitz -> 5776

הלא אמרתי אליכם לאמר אל תחטאו בילד ולא שמעתם וגם דמו הנה נדרש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Mikeitz

Did I not speak to you saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ but you would not listen! And his blood as well– behold – is being avenged. (42:22)

Reuven cast the blame for Yosef’s debacle on his brothers, claiming, “I told you so.” Veritably, they did not shed Yosef’s blood, but, since he had been held in captivity all these years, anything could have happened. If something actually had happened to Yosef, the brothers needed to be aware they were responsible. The Yalkut Chamishai quotes the Gerrer Rebbe, zl, the Bais Yisrael, who employs this pasuk as a remez, allusion, that the one who sins with regard to a child is guilty of a grave sin. A child is unable to protect himself, and, thus, he is susceptible…

Home -> 5762 -> Shoftim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shoftim, 5762

“Judges and officers shall you appoint.” (16:18)

Jewish leadership has to be strong – yet flexible. Compassion for, and sensitivity to all Jews are prerequisites for leadership. Strength of character and fear of no man are just as essential. The following narratives demonstrate these two inimical qualities which were the hallmarks of two Torah leaders. Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, z.l., was a talmid chacham without peer. Yet, he had no problem performing the most menial task if it would help another Jew – regardless of his age or station in life. Rav Yosef Chaim was once late in returning home from Shacharis. This was an anomaly, since he was…

Home -> 5762 -> Acharei Mos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Acharei Mos, 5762

“Let not the Land disgorge you for having contaminated it.” (18:28)

Eretz Yisrael will tolerate us as long as we act appropriately, as befits a land that is pure and holy. The Maggid m’Dubno offers a valuable analogy that sheds light on the reason Klal Yisrael is compelled to go into exile. A wealthy man exemplified the middah, character trait, of hachnosas orchim, welcoming wayfarers and providing for their immediate needs. His home was a veritable restaurant that fed anyone in need – from the abject poor to the business traveler who needed a home-cooked meal and a bed. Acutely aware of the varied backgrounds of his guests, he divided his dining…

Home -> 5762 -> Acharei Mos

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Acharei Mos, 5762

“You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out and by which he shall live.” (18:5)

Targum Onkelos explains the words, V’chai bahem, “by which he shall live,” as referring to chayei alma, eternal life. In other words, as the Chafetz Chaim, z.l., explains in his preface to the Mishnah Berurah, the Torah is the spiritual food of the neshamah, soul. By studying Torah in this world, we are preparing ourselves for chayei olam, eternal life in Olam Haba. This is the meaning of the phrase, V’chayei olam nota b’socheinu, “He planted eternal life within us.” With the study of Torah, we plant the seeds from which we will one day subsist in the eternal world. We…

Home -> 5773 -> Kedoshim

לא תקום ולא תטר את בני עמך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5773

You shall not take revenge, and you shall not bear a grudge against members of Your people. (19:18)

The Torah forbids us from taking revenge in any shape or form. Is revenge really that bad? For one individual, it might give him closure to an ordeal which he wants to forget. Another just might desire the fellow who harmed him to feel some of the emotional and physical pain which he had experienced. Some might even consider revenge to be sweet. What they do not realize is that revenge is obsessive and destructive, taking its toll on both parties. The old proverb which states, “He who seeks revenge should prepare two graves,” is very true. Yet, should revenge…

Home -> 5776 -> Metzora

ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחזתכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5776

And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession. (14:34)

Chazal teach that, when Klal Yisrael was informed that their homes in Eretz Yisrael would be visited with plagues, it was actually good news. Apparently, when the Emorites who had inhabited the Holy Land heard that the Jews were coming, they hid all of their treasures in the walls of the houses. For forty years, as the Jews sojourned in the wilderness, the Emorites occupied themselves with hiding their gold and silver, lest the Jews find them. Now, when a Jew acts in such a manner that he deserves that a plague be delivered upon his house, it will ultimately…

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…

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קדושים תהיו... איש אמו ואביו תיראו ואת שבתותי תשמרו אני ד'

You shall be holy… every man: your father and mother shall you revere and My Shabbasos shall you observe. I am Hashem. (19:2,3)

שלח לך אנשים ויתרו את ארץ כנען

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

כי המצוה הזאת... לא נפלאת היא ממך ולא רחוקה היא

For this mitzvah… it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. (30:11)

הלא אמרתי אליכם לאמר אל תחטאו בילד ולא שמעתם וגם דמו הנה נדרש

Did I not speak to you saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ but you would not listen! And his blood as well– behold – is being avenged. (42:22)

“Judges and officers shall you appoint.” (16:18)

“Let not the Land disgorge you for having contaminated it.” (18:28)

“You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out and by which he shall live.” (18:5)

לא תקום ולא תטר את בני עמך

You shall not take revenge, and you shall not bear a grudge against members of Your people. (19:18)

ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחזתכם

And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession. (14:34)

ויקח קרח

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

YEARS

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