Holy Land – Page 2 – Peninim on the Torah

ויקח קרח

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

Korach did not wake up one morning and decide that “today” he was going to dispute Moshe’s leadership, thinking: “Today, I will mutiny against Hashem; today, I will demand that Aharon’s position as Kohen Gadol be transferred to me”. It certainly did not happen that way. Korach’s dissent had been festering for some time. He was biding his time, waiting for the most propitious opportunity in which he would have the greatest success. What was there about “now” that provided Korach with the fortuity for fomenting a successful revolt against our nation’s leadership? Horav Bentzion Firer, zl, suggests that it…

Home -> 5776 -> Kedoshim

לא תעמד על דם רעך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Kedoshim, 5776

You shall not stand aside while your brother’s blood is shed. (19:16)

Rashi explains that one may not stand idly by witnessing his friend drowning in the river and not save him. Likewise, if a wild animal or a robber is chasing his friend, he must take action to save him. In the secular world, one who reaches out to his fellow is considered a kind person. One who acts maliciously to hurt his fellow is considered a cruel person. The one who does nothing, acts normally, does not want to get involved, is neither good nor bad. No laws enjoin us to be kind. The Torah has a different view. Torah…

Home -> Devarim -> 5776

וירדפו אתכם כאשר תעשינה הדבורים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Devarim

And they pursued you as do the bees. (1:44)

Chazal teach (Midrash Rabbah, Bamidbar), “We tell the tzirah (bee), Lo miduvshach v’lo mei uktzach, “(We want) neither your honey nor your sting.” Horav Moshe Yechiel Epstein, zl, the Ozrover Rebbe, zl, applies this Midrash to explain the Torah’s analogy to bees. “And they pursued you as do the bees.” At first, Lo avisam laalos, “You did not want to go up.” You were under the influence of the initial slander against Eretz Yisrael. Suddenly, when you saw the error of your ways, your attitude vis-à-vis the Holy Land quickly changed. Now, you were prepared to go. You insisted on…

Home -> 5776 -> Chayei Sarah

ויען לבן ובתואל ויאמרו מד' יצא הדבר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5776

Then Lavan and Besuel answered, and said, “The matter stemmed from Hashem.” (24:50)

In the Talmud Moed Kattan 18b, Chazal view this response (although it came from Lavan and Besuel) as a clear indication that Hashem pre-ordains man’s proper mate. Otherwise, the Torah would not have recorded these words. Any true, believing Jew is acutely aware of Hashem’s management of the marriage process. One who does not see Hashem’s guiding hand in this process either suffers from some form of myopia or, worse, lacks the capability to discern the events that take place in life. Much has been derived from this parsha concerning the manner and approach one should take towards shidduchim, matrimonial…

Home -> 5776 -> Bo

ולמען תספר באזני בנך ובן בנך את אשר התעללתי במצרים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bo, 5776

And so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I made a mockery of Egypt. (10:2)

We celebrate the exodus from Egypt annually on Pesach, when we recall the many miracles which Hashem wrought for us. Veritably, the Exodus was a seminal event, second in importance only to the Giving of the Torah. What happened at that time to our forebears carries weight for us to this very day. After all, had they not been liberated from the Egyptian bondage, where would we be today? Indeed, it makes sense for children to celebrate their parents’ wedding anniversary. Had their parents not wed, the children would never have been born. Therefore, the parents’ wedding celebration is not…

Home -> Bamidbar -> 5776

ולא יבואו לראות כבלע את הקדש ומתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Bamidbar

But they shall not come and look as the holy is inserted, lest they die. (4:20)

Bnei Kehas were blessed to be participants in a very auspicious service: transporting the holy vessels which include the Aron Hakodesh, Holy Ark. One who works with nitroglycerine cannot take any chance. His every movement must be precise and organized. Thus, great care was exerted to see to it that Bnei Kehas approached their service in the Mishkan in the most orderly manner. It is forbidden for anyone other than a Kohen to gaze upon the holiest vessels in their uncovered state. Thus, the Kohanim were given the sole responsibility of inserting these items into their wrapping prior to their…

Home -> 5776 -> Balak

מה טובו אהליך יעקב משכנותיך ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Balak, 5776

How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Yisrael. (24:5)

Chazal interpret the terms ohalecha, your tents, and mishkenosecha, your dwelling places, as allusions to the habitats, which house our spiritual heritage, namely our bais haknesses, shul, and bais hamedrash, study hall. The ohel is the ohel shel Torah, tent/study hall where Torah is studied; Mishkan is the place where the Shechinah, Divine Presence, reposes, the synagogue. Targum Yonasan ben Uziel elucidates the pasuk uniquely, “How goodly are your study halls, the place where Yaakov, your father/Patriarch, served/studied”. He makes a point of including an inference to our Patriarch for his devotion to Torah study and as the one who…

Home -> 5777 -> Vayishlach

הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5777

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

Yaakov Avinu had but one brother. Why, then, does he ask Hashem to spare him from his brother, from Eisav? His brother was Eisav. The Zohar HaKadosh teaches that when one prays he must be specific in his prayer, articulating exactly about what and for whom he is praying. In some instances, one refers to a close friend as brother. Indeed, Avraham Avinu referred to Lot, his nephew, as brother, Anashim achim anachnu; “We are brothers.” Yaakov could also be referring to an Eisav who was not his brother. Thus, he said, “My brother, Eisav, to clarify exactly whom he…

Home -> 5777 -> Toldos

ויאמר יעקב אל אביו אנכי עשו בכורך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5777

Yaakov said to his father, “It is I, Eisav your firstborn.” (27: 19)

If one studies Chumash only on a cursory level, merely translating the pesukim, he will leave in a state of ambiguity when confronting the lives of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. This is especially true upon studying the life of Yitzchak Avinu and his relationship with his twins – Yaakov and Eisav. On the one hand, we are taught that Yitzchak was the olah temimah, perfect sacrifice, the individual who most represented total selflessness to Hashem, the Patriarch who is singular in Fear of Heaven. On the other hand, we find this same holy Patriarch falling for Eisav’s ruse. Did he…

Home -> Mikeitz -> 5777

על כן באה אלינו הצרה הזאת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Mikeitz

This is why this anguish has come upon us. (42:21)

Yosef challenged his brothers, declaring that they were spies. They, of course, denied his allegations. As proof to their insistence that they were all brothers, Yosef demanded that they leave one brother in Egypt as “security,” while the rest would return home and come back with Benyamin. The brothers now realized that all was not well. Something was wrong. Hashem was sending them a message. The word eileinu, which is translated “upon us,” really means “to us.” The pasuk should rather have been written with the word aleinu, which means upon/on us. In his Lekutei MoHaran, Horav Nachman Breslover, zl,…

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ויקח קרח

Korach took/separated himself. (16:1)

לא תעמד על דם רעך

You shall not stand aside while your brother’s blood is shed. (19:16)

וירדפו אתכם כאשר תעשינה הדבורים

And they pursued you as do the bees. (1:44)

ויען לבן ובתואל ויאמרו מד' יצא הדבר

Then Lavan and Besuel answered, and said, “The matter stemmed from Hashem.” (24:50)

ולמען תספר באזני בנך ובן בנך את אשר התעללתי במצרים

And so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I made a mockery of Egypt. (10:2)

ולא יבואו לראות כבלע את הקדש ומתו

But they shall not come and look as the holy is inserted, lest they die. (4:20)

מה טובו אהליך יעקב משכנותיך ישראל

How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Yisrael. (24:5)

הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו

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

ויאמר יעקב אל אביו אנכי עשו בכורך

Yaakov said to his father, “It is I, Eisav your firstborn.” (27: 19)

על כן באה אלינו הצרה הזאת

This is why this anguish has come upon us. (42:21)

YEARS

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