Netziv

1816-1893

Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (1817-1893) was born in Mir, Russia, and died in Warsaw, Poland. He served as the Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhen Yeshiva, the first Yeshiva in the modern Yeshiva movement, with over 400 students. He wrote a peirush on Shas called Meromei Sadeh, a peirush on the Sheiltot of Rav Achai Gaon called Ha’emek She’eila, a peirush on Chumash called Ha’emek Davar, a Haggadah, a Peirush on Shir Hashirim, and teshuvot published as Meishiv Davar.

HebrewBooks: https://www.hebrewbooks.org/59392

Divrei Torah by Netziv

Bereishit

Bereishit 1:1

Bereishit 1:1 — Netziv

by Netziv

Sefer Bereishit is about learning to be Yashar like the Avot

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Midot

Bereishit

Bereishit 1:4

Bereishit 1:4 — Netziv

by Netziv

Hashem made light and dark have in between stages, so too between success and lack of success

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Bereishit

Bereishit 1:5

Bereishit 1:5 — Netziv

by Netziv

Hashem made darkness, it is not just the lack of light, and you don't appreciate that until you are without light

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Emunah

Bereishit

Bereishit 2:7

Bereishit 2:7 — Netziv

by Netziv

Man is considered alive when he lives up to his potential, which is why a rasha is considered dead even while technically alive

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Potential

Bereishit

Bereishit 2:18

Bereishit 2:18 — Netziv

by Netziv

Man needs someone to counter his negative attributes, and not just someone available to mate with (like animals)

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Bereishit

Bereishit 2:20

Bereishit 2:20 — Netziv

by Netziv

People are all different, and Adam did not know what anger was until he identified it in animals, which is why he needed someone just like him to help counter his anger

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