Humility – Page 16 – Peninim on the Torah

וישלח מלאכים אל בלעם בן בעור פתורה

He sent messengers to Bilaam ben Beor to Pesor. (22:5)

The parsha introduces us to Bilaam ha’rasha, the wicked, evil Bilaam, the prophet who was the designated pagan counterpart of Moshe Rabbeinu. While our quintessential leader certainly had no equal, Bilaam, as the Midrash explains, was the Heavenly response to the pagan world’s request for equal leadership. Although Bilaam could not have been less like Moshe, he did have within him the ability to rise very high in prophetic powers. As we mentioned, he was a degenerate; as such, he was precluded from rising to spiritual ascendency. In which specific aspects of his behavior did Bilaam manifest these shortcomings, which…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Vayakhel

The Nesiim brought the shoham stones and the stones for the settings for the Eiphod and the choshen. (35:27)

The Nesiim were the princes, or leaders, of every tribe. Rashi cites the Midrash which notes the word Nesiim is spelled in Hebrew without the two “yudin” that it would normally have. This defective spelling was deliberate – as a punishment for their not bringing their contributions together with everyone else. They had waited to see what would be lacking, so that they would fill the deficit. To their surprise and chagrin, the national response was so overwhelming that there was almost nothing left for them to give. Chazal note a taint of laziness on their part which caused their…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Ki Sisa

And now if You would but forgive their sin! But if not, erase me now from this book that You have written. (32:32)

Rashi explains that the word, “misifrecha“, “from Your book,” applies to the entire Torah. Rashi suggests a reason for Moshe’s well-known reaction to Hashem’s desire to punish Klal Yisrael with annihilation: “That they should not say about me that I was not worthy to implore mercy for them.” This is mind-boggling! We are referring here to Moshe Rabbeinu, the “anav mikol adam,” the most humble of all men. He is prepared to have his name erased from the nitzchiyus, eternity, of Torah, simply because of what they may say, asserting that he was not capable/worthy of achieving clemency for Klal…

Home -> 5759 -> Noach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5759

They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top will be in the heavens, and we will make a name for ourselves. (11:4)

“We will make a name for ourselves” is the attitude one would expect from an individual with an insecure ego. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, remarks that becoming aware of one’s ego can lead to two possible attitudes: humility or arrogance. An obsession with one’s insignificance can either stimulate one to do something for the common good, to serve humanity, or it can drive him to defy what he believes is an inexorable destiny, to break the shackles of human limitations by revolting against Hashem. The people of that generation chose arrogance. They could not accept the fact that one’s worth,…

Home -> 5759 -> Shelach

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5759

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

This parsha follows immediately after the incident in the previous parsha, in which Miriam’s criticism of Moshe Rabbeinu led to her punishment. Rashi explains that the meraglim should have learned the effects of malicious gossip from Miriam. Regrettably, they did not, and they returned to Moshe with vicious slander of Eretz Yisrael. It would seem from Rashi’s explanation that the primary fault of the spies was that they neglected to take heed of what had happened to Miriam. Their error was not their disregard of the general laws of lashon hora, slanderous speech, but rather that they did not derive…

Home -> 5759 -> Beha'alosecha

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beha'alosecha, 5759

And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble. (12:3)

The word “v’ha’ish,” “and the man,” seems to be superfluous. It should have been written, “and Moshe.” Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch,zl, cites the pasuk in Shmuel I, 15:17, “Though you are small in your own eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Yisrael,” in which the Navi criticizes Shaul ha’Melech for being overly humble. In the end, this misplaced humility resulted in Shmuel telling Shaul, “You have rejected the word of G-d.” Evidently, the only blemish to be found on Shaul’s character was his excessive humility. Should this have been sufficient cause for the Navi to so severely…

Home -> 5773 -> Vayishlach

ויאמר לו אלקים שמך יעקב לא יקרא עוד שמך יעקב כי אם ישראל יהיה שמך - ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר. ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני... ויאמר לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5773

Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me”… he said, “No longer will it be said that your name is Yaakov, but Yisrael.” (32:27, 29) – Then G-d said to him, “Your name is Yaakov. Your name shall not always be called Yaakov, but Yisrael shall be your name.” (35:10)

At first glance the above pesukim seem to convey the same message. After some perusal, however, we are confronted with a number of questions. First, Yaakov Avinu asked Eisav’s angel for a blessing. The blessing turned out to be a name change for the Patriarch; a name change which denoted his spiritual stamina in besting the angel. Yet, when the angel gave the blessing, he began, “No longer will it be said that your name is Yaakov.” Who cares about his original name? It is the new name that is important. Why does the angel introduce the new name with…

Home -> Vayikra -> 5773

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו מאהל מועד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayikra

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

The Baal HaTurim notes that, in this verse, the summons to Moshe, Vayikra is spelled with a diminutive aleph. From afar, it appears as vayikar, not Vayikra. In his great humility, Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to describe the way in which Hashem appeared to him in much the same manner as He appeared to Bilaam. G-d’s prophecy to Bilaam is introduced as vayikar, without the aleph. This word connotes chance and spiritual contamination. Hashem, however, instructed Moshe not to ignore the aleph. Our quintessential leader had great difficulty accepting this. He acquiesced, of course, and wrote the aleph – but in…

Home -> 5773 -> Vayeira

ויגש אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5773

Avraham came forward and said, “Will you also stamp out the righteous along with the wicked?” (18:23)

Unlike his predecessor, Noach, Avraham Avinu prayed for the wicked people of his generation. The Torah makes a point of relating the Patriarch’s dialogue with Hashem to spare the city of Sodom. This was a community inhabited primarily by evil degenerates whose narcissistic desires towered over any sense of humanity they might have had. They were totally evil. Yet, Avraham prayed for them. Likewise, Moshe Rabbeinu prayed on behalf of those Jews who had sinned with the eigel ha’zahav, Golden Calf. The prayer was for the sinners to repent and the sins to be forgiven. This is the area in…

Home -> 5773 -> Metzora

ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהרות ועץ ארז ושני תולעת ואזב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5773

And for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds, cedar wood, crimson thread and hyssop. (14:4)

The erstwhile sinner must purge himself of the character flaw that led to his sinful behavior. One who slanders, who speaks ill of others, thinks that he is better, smarter, stronger, etc. than they are, can blame his haughtiness. Arrogance breeds contempt for those whom one considers to be beneath him. Thus, the metzora’s process of purification, which entails repentance to atone for his misdeeds, must address the moral turpitude which brought him here in the first place. The cedar tree, which grows tall above other forms of vegetation, symbolizes haughtiness. The crimson thread is prepared with a dye from…

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וישלח מלאכים אל בלעם בן בעור פתורה

He sent messengers to Bilaam ben Beor to Pesor. (22:5)

The Nesiim brought the shoham stones and the stones for the settings for the Eiphod and the choshen. (35:27)

And now if You would but forgive their sin! But if not, erase me now from this book that You have written. (32:32)

They said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top will be in the heavens, and we will make a name for ourselves. (11:4)

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

And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble. (12:3)

ויאמר לו אלקים שמך יעקב לא יקרא עוד שמך יעקב כי אם ישראל יהיה שמך - ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר. ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני... ויאמר לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ד' אליו מאהל מועד

He called to Moshe. (1:1)

ויגש אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע

Avraham came forward and said, “Will you also stamp out the righteous along with the wicked?” (18:23)

ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהרות ועץ ארז ושני תולעת ואזב

And for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds, cedar wood, crimson thread and hyssop. (14:4)

YEARS

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