Our Father Yaakov’s Legacy

Parshas Vayechi

Posted on January 2, 2015 (5775) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

The last seventeen years of the lifetime of our father Yaakov are, so to speak, the best years of his long and eventful life. When appearing before the Pharaoh of Egypt, Yaakov freely admits that the first one hundred thirty years of his life were sparse and difficult. He experienced a lifetime of troubles and travails from the moment he was born holding on to the heel of his brother Eisav.

He and Eisav will contend for the blessings of their father and for the immortality of founding an eternal people that will live throughout history against all odds. Yaakov will struggle to save his family and possessions from the wiles of Lavan and his sons. Yaakov will wrestle with an angel, be sorely tested and wounded, and yet prevail. Eventually he will receive the blessings of that angel which are encapsulated in the name of Yisrael.

Yaakov will suffer the indignity and trauma of his daughter being raped by Shechem and yet he will disapprove of the bloody revenge that his sons visited upon the community that spawned the perpetrators of that outrage. His beloved wife Rachel dies in childbirth and Yaakov is hard-pressed to recover from that blow.

Yaakov seeks a modicum of peace of mind and body when the greatest tragedy of his life – the story of Yosef and his brothers – rests upon him. In despair, he is convinced that he will go to his grave mourning for his beloved lost son. All in all, Yaakov’s description of his life and its events when standing before the Pharaoh is unfortunately very accurate, if not even understated.

So it comes as no wonder that the final years of his life are called the years that he actually “lived.” He is reunited with his beloved son Yosef, the family is bound together, at peace with one another and is protected, secure and prosperous in their new home in the land of Goshen. Yet Yaakov is aware that this rosy picture of Jewish life in Egypt is a temporary mirage, an illusion that will soon fade and that the years of hardship and bondage are already on the horizon.

The Lord had revealed that future to Yaakov’s grandfather Avraham generations earlier and that bill was now coming due. G-d has promised Yaakov that these future troubles will not be seen by him in his lifetime. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Yaakov is troubled by the darkened future of his people, a future that he is completely aware of.

Yet, we hear no note of pessimism in his final words to the Jewish people. Rather, both he and Yosef reassure the generations to come that the Lord is somehow with them, and that he will redeem them from all of their troubles and fashion them into the most eternal and influential people on the face of the globe.

It is this faith in the future, the belief that good will somehow prevail that is the most important legacy that our father Yaakov has left to us. It is this belief and attitude that is the unique hallmark of the people of Israel and guarantees to us our continuity and ultimate triumph and success.

Shabbat shalom

Rabbi Berel Wein

Seventeen Years of Serenity

Parshas Vayechi

Posted on December 12, 2013 (5774) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

Our father Yaakov lived for seventeen years in the Goshen area of the land of Egypt. These were undoubtedly the most peaceful, serene and happiest years of his long and troubled life. He is reunited with his beloved son Yosef who has risen to power and greatness, albeit in a strange land. No Eisav, no Lavan, no Shechem, no Canaanite neighbors are present to disturb his peace and security. And, with his family in all of its many generations surrounding him, at peace with him and, superficially at least, with one another, Yaakov is content.

Yaakov is finally vindicated in his life’s work and can enjoy the last years of his life. In effect we can understand why the parsha begins -vayechi Yaakov – for it is in these seventeen years that Yaakov truly lived, finally achieving satisfaction and harmony.

The Talmud records for us that the great Rabi Yehuda HaNassi -Rabi – lived in the city of Zippori for seventeen years and the Talmud explicitly connects Rabi’s seventeen year sojourn in Zippori with Yaakov’s seventeen years of life in Egypt.

Aside from the apparently magic number of seventeen being involved in both instances, what connection is there if any between these two events, especially since they took place millennia apart? The seeming word games of the Talmud, linking like words that appear in the Torah, always have deeper meaning attached to them. There is an underlying motif and relevant message to all generations in this Talmudic assertion. It certainly should demand our attention and study.

Rabi was the editor and publisher of the Mishna, the one book that guaranteed the survival of the Jewish people throughout the long exile that stretched forth and that he saw in his mind’s eye. Rabi saw himself, as did his ancestor Yaakov, ensconced in a rare bubble of serenity and opportunity, freed temporarily from the constant persecution of Rome due to his personal friendship with the Roman emperor.

He grasped the moment and exploited the opportunity to codify the Oral Law of Sinai and preserve it for all eternity amongst the Jewish people. Those seventeen years of serenity in Zippori afforded him the opportunity to do so. Yaakov’s seventeen years of family harmony and spiritual strengthening in the land of Goshen enabled him to provide the necessary guidance and insights to his family that would enable them to weather the long night of Egyptian bondage and exile.

The last seventeen years of Yaakov’s life were the preparation for the centuries of hardship that would follow. Yaakov’s ability to shape and guide his family so that they would remain loyal and true to G-d’s covenant with them was matched by the seventeen years of the development of the Mishna by Rabi in Zippori many millennia later.

The actions of the forefathers became the instructional template for the later generations. Thus the lives and patterns of behavior and events of Yaakov and Rabi are bound together over the vast passage of time. Just as Yaakov lives so does Rabi live. And this living is not constricted by years or time but is endlessly eternal.

Shabat shalom

A Glimpse of the Future

Parshas Vayechi

Posted on December 29, 2009 (5770) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

If we could look into the future and discover when the major events in our lives will take place, would we do it? If we could ascertain the exact dates on which we will marry, have children and pass away from this world, would we want to know? Most people would rather live with the uncertainty than face the possibility of an unpleasant certainty.

In this week’s portion, however, we seem to find an opposite view. As the final minutes of his life draw near, the old patriarch Jacob summons his sons to his bedside. With his great powers of divine inspiration, he sees the long exile of the Jewish people stretching far into the future, but as he continues to look, he also sees the arrival of the End of Days when the exile will come to an end.

“Gather around,” he says to his family, “and I will tell you about the End of Days.” But then he goes on to speak of other matters. What happened? The Sages tell us that Jacob attempted to reveal the end of history to his family. But the Divine Spirit departed from him, and his vision faded away.

The questions immediately arise: Why did Jacob want to tell them when the exile would come to an end? Especially in light of what we now know, that it would take thousands of years, wouldn’t it only have disheartened and discouraged them? Furthermore, if Jacob felt there was a purpose in telling them, why indeed didn’t Hashem allow him to do so?

The commentators explain that Jacob had no intention of revealing the date of the End of Days to his children. There certainly would have been no point in doing so. Rather, he wanted to give them a glimpse of what awaits them in the End of Days. He wanted them to see the idyllic future world suffused with the unrestricted emanations of the Divine Presence, a world of perfect harmony and peace in which all humankind will be blessed with unlimited knowledge and transcendent insight. This was the image he wanted to impress on their minds so that they would not succumb to despair during the tribulations of the dark years of exile.

But Hashem did not allow him to do so. The kindness of a father’s heart had motivated Jacob to reveal this image to his children, but as is often the case, this well-intentioned kindness would ultimately deprive them of immeasurable reward. If the Jewish people had seen a clear prophetic image of the rewards in store for them in the future, they would naturally be motivated to persevere and struggle against all odds to fulfill the Torah and achieve those rewards. In that case, though, they would be doing it for their own benefit rather than out of love for Hashem. But as long as they have no such images in their minds, their continued loyalty to the Creator through the worst of times remains an expression of incredibly powerful faith and love for Him, and their reward will be proportionately bountiful.

A mother gave her two sons jigsaw puzzles and sent them off to play.

A long while later, she went to check on the them. Both boys had completed their puzzles.

One of them jumped up and ran to her. “Look, it’s all done,” he said proudly. “Could you frame it and hang it on the wall?”

“Certainly,” she said. Then she turned to her other son and asked, “Do you want me to frame yours as well?”

The boy shrugged and shook his head. “Nah. It was no big deal. You don’t have to.”

The mother was perplexed. “But your brother wants his framed. Why don’t you want the same for yours?”

“Well, I’ll tell you,” said the boy. “He didn’t look at the picture before he did the puzzle, so I guess it was a pretty big deal for him. But I looked at the picture first, so it wasn’t such a big deal.”

In our own lives, we are all faced with periods of discouragement and even hopelessness during which we would be much relieved if we could steal a glimpse of Hashem’s hidden hand at work. How much easier it would be to deal with the vicissitudes of fortune if we understood how everything leads to the ultimate good. But it is in this very darkness, when we stand on the verge of despair, that we must discern Hashem’s closeness by our faith alone and feel ourselves enveloped in His loving embrace.

Text Copyright © 2009 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.

Family Building

Parshas Vayechi

Posted on December 25, 2012 (5773) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

The holy book of Bereshith comes to its conclusion in this week’s parsha. The story of the creation of the Jewish people through the development of one family over a number of generations and by the perseverance of the great personalities of our patriarchs and matriarchs is now complete.

This raises the question originally posed in Rashi’s commentary to the very beginning of the book of Bereshith – why does the Torah, which appears to be basically a book of laws and commandments, bother with all of this detailed description of creation and continued familial based narrative? Why is this seemingly anecdotal knowledge of the lives of our ancestors so necessary to be included in the eternal Torah and how does it register in the survival of the Jewish people throughout the ages?

In response to this question of relevance, the rabbis taught us that the events that occurred to our ancestors are indeed the harbingers of happenings that will occur to their descendants. But many times it is difficult for later generations to make this connection, except in the most general way of experiencing historic repetitions of circumstances.

This book of Bereshith, which comprises a substantial part of the entire written Torah, contains within it almost no commandments and is basically a book of narrative tracing the development of one family – eventually seventy in number – and of the difficulties that this family encountered over generations. So what therefore is its main message to us living in a far different world, millennia later?

I think that the message of Bereshith is the obvious one of family and its importance. The Torah purposely and in minute detail describes for us how difficult it truly is to create and maintain a cohesive family structure. Every one of the generations described in Bereshith from Kayin and Hevel till Yosef and his brothers is engaged in the difficult and often heartbreaking task of family building.

There are no smooth and trouble free familial relationships described in the book of Bereshith. Sibling rivalry, violence, different traits of personality, and marital and domestic strife are the stuff of the biblical narrative of this book. The Torah does not sanitize any of its stories nor does it avoid confronting the foibles and errors of human beings.

The greatest of our people, our patriarchs and matriarchs, encountered severe difficulties in attempting to create cohesive, moral and cooperative families. Yet they persevered in the attempt because without this strong sense of family there can be no basis for eternal Jewish survival. There is tragic fall out in each of the families described in Bereshith and yet somehow the thread of family continuity is maintained and strengthened until the family grows into a numerous and influential nation.

This perseverance of family building, in spite of all of the disappointments inherent in that task, is the reason for the book of Bereshith. It is the template of the behavior of our ancestors that now remains as the guideposts for their descendants. The task of family building remains the only sure method of ensuring Jewish survival.

Shabat shalom

Rabbi Berel Wein

A King-Size Mistake

Parshas Vayechi

Posted on December 12, 2013 (5774) By Rabbi Yochanan Zweig | Series: Rabbi Zweig on the Parsha | Level: Beginner

 “…foremost in rank and foremost in power. Water-like impetuosity – you cannot be foremost, because you mounted your father’s bed…”(49:3,4)

Yaakov rebukes Reuvein for acting in an impetuous manner when moving his father’s couch to Leah’s tent. As a result of this action, Reuvein loses his right to the monarchy and Priesthood for which he was destined.¹ Why does Yaakov condemn Reuvein’s impetuosity? Would the sin not have been greater if Reuvein would have acted in a calculated manner? Does acting impetuously not mitigate the transgression?

The Torah teaches that it is prohibited to remind a penitent as to his past transgressions.² Reuvein is the quintessential penitent; the Torah relates that Reuvein was not present when the brothers sold Yosef, for he had returned to his sackcloth and fasting to atone for his transgression concerning moving his father’s couch.³ Why then does Yaakov rebuke Reuvein for a transgression for which he had already been repenting for at least thirty-nine years? Why is the quid-pro-quo for Reuvein’s transgression the loss of his leadership position in Klal Yisroel?

When repenting for a transgression which we have committed, we very often focus on the transgression, rather than the character flaw which is at the root of the transgression. Yaakov’s intention in rebuking Reuvein was not to condemn him for the transgression for which Reuvein had already repented; Yaakov was identifying for Reuvein the character flaw which caused him to commit the transgression, impetuosity. Impetuous behavior is symptomatic of a lack of self-control.

This is not the first time we find Yaakov censuring Reuvein for behaving in a manner which lacks forethought. When the brothers explain to Yaakov that Yosef has incarcerated Shimon and is refusing to release him unless they bring Binyamin before him, Reuvein offers his own two sons’ lives as a guarantee that he will return Binyamin home safely. Here too, Yaakov admonishes Reuvein for his foolish suggestion. Clearly, Yaakov is sensitive to Reuvein’s character flaw, his impetuosity.

In addition to effectively controlling his subjects, one of the primary functions of a leader is to teach his subjects self-control. For this to be possible, the leader must himself project and image which reflects the highest standards of self-control. Therefore, Reuvein, who has displayed that he behaves in an unrestrained manner, is denied the opportunity to have the monarchy stem from his descendants. Similarly, the responsibility for the sanctity of the Priesthood can only be placed in the hands of a person who epitomizes self-control, for holiness manifests itself wherever self-control is found.⁵

1. 49:4, See Rashi and Ramban 2. Shmos 22:20..3. 37:29, See Rashi 4. 42:7, See Rashi verse 38 and Ramban 5. Rashi Vayikra 19:2

The Lion’s Burden

“And white-toothed from milk” (49:12)

Many commentaries interpret this passage literally, as a description of Yehuda’s suitability for royalty, i.e. that he was a man of regal appearance.¹ The Talmud, however, offers the following homiletic interpretation: The person who makes his teeth white by smiling affectionately to his fellow man, has done more good than the person who offers his fellow man milk to drink. Rather than interpreting the verse “u’leven shinayim maychalav” – “teeth white from milk”, one should read “u’levone shinayim maychalav” – “showing the whiteness of your teeth is more beneficial than milk”.² What is the connection between the homiletic and literal interpretations? Why should this message be relayed in the blessing of Yehuda?

The Talmud teaches that were it not that Hashem provided for the animals, each animal would be suited for a particular profession. The fox would be most competent as a storekeeper and the lion as a porter.³ The Maharal explains that the fox symbolizes shrewdness, a trait necessary for a storekeeper, to convince his customers to purchase his wares. A lion symbolizes strength, and therefore, is physically suited for the job of a porter.⁴

It is difficult to understand why the lion, who is the symbol of sovereignty, the lion being the symbol of Yehudah⁵, would be depicted as a porter, which is from the least respectable of professions. Chazal must be teaching us that the unique nature of Yehuda’s sovereignty is that he is the ultimate servant of the people. Yehuda does not beat his subjects into submission to fulfill his own agenda; rather, he serves and caters to the needs of his people, submitting himself to their agenda. Therefore, the lion is appropriately described as a porter, who is willing to carry the burden of all those whom he serves.

Yehuda’s nature is aptly depicted in last week’s parsha, when he is willing to become a slave to Yosef so that Binyamin may go free.⁶ Yehuda sets aside his own personal agenda for the well-being of another.

The notion of greeting everyone with a genuine smile so that they will feel appreciated and significant reflects the same quality portrayed by Yehuda. A person is required to set aside all thoughts or worries which trouble him, and relay a genuine sense of joy for the well-being of another.

1. Rav Saadya Gaon, Bchor Shor, Akeida 2. Kesuvos 111b 3. Kiddushin 82b 4. Chiddushei Agados ibid. 5. 49:9 6. 44:33

Maintaining Strong Family Bonds

Parshas Vayigash

Posted on December 26, 2011 (5772) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

As the story of Yosef and his brothers unfolds and reaches its climactic end in this week’s parsha, we are left with the bewildering sense that there is no absolute right or wrong in the unfolding tale. Yosef is judged wrong in his original behavior towards his brothers in bringing inaccurate tales regarding them to their father. The brothers are judged wrong in casting him in a pit and thereafter selling him into slavery.

All of the brothers including Yosef are judged to have caused their aged father pain and suffering in not revealing to him the story and Yosef himself is criticized for not revealing himself to Yaakov for the first nine years of his rise to power in Egypt. Yet in spite of all of the negativity and guilt involved, the Torah portrays the reunion of the family in happy and complimentary terms.

This is true even though all of them realize that the family will reside in Egypt for a long time and that the return to the Land of Israel is to be a long postponed dream yet to be realized. Families are not perfect and events within them do not always proceed smoothly. However the parsha emphasizes that the family unit must overcome all of the obstacles that lie in its way and must strive at all costs to preserve the sense of family amongst all of its members.

The story of Yaakov’s family is the story of almost all later Jewish family life – of quarrels, misunderstandings, misjudgments, and yet somehow of goodness, kindness, tolerance and reconciliation. Jewish tradition teaches us that all later disputes within the Jewish world – and there have been many bitter ones over the millennia – are already foretold in the story of Yosef and his brothers. And yet in spite of it all, the Jewish people remain a family with shared ideals and an optimistic vision for its future.

The Torah records for us that Yosef’s revelation of his identity to his brothers was a simple two word statement – ani Yosef – I am Yosef. Implicit in that statement is the demand of Yosef to be seen by the brothers as a unique individual and not as a carbon copy of his father or of any of his brothers. Yosef is the ultimate nonconformist in the family and the entire dispute arises due to his brothers’ unwillingness to allow him that nonconformist role in the family.

Every family has nonconformists in its midst. How the family deals with this situation is truly the measure of its inherent unity and purpose. Many of the problematic issues that plague the Jewish world generally stem from the fraying of family bonds and the loss of an overriding sense of family under all circumstances. All human failings – greed, jealousy, mean-spirited behavior, spitefulness and even violence – are evident in family situations. Recognizing the symptoms of such behavior before they develop – and become chronic – is one of the keys of maintaining the necessary sense of family bonds that alone can prove vital and successful under all circumstances.

Shabat shalom,

Rabbi Berel Wein

An Escort for Life

Parshas Vayigash

Posted on December 22, 2009 (5770) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

This week’s parashah opens with the dramatic confrontation between Judah and the inflexible Egyptian viceroy. The tension builds to a fever pitch, and reaches its stunning climax with the revelation that the viceroy is none other than the long-lost Joseph. An emotional reunion follows, but Joseph’s immediate concern is to send a personal message to his father Jacob. This important message has to prove that he, the Egyptian viceroy, is indeed Joseph. Concurrently, it must also alleviate Jacob’s inevitable concerns about Joseph’s spiritual condition after having lived apart from his family for so many years in the Egyptian den of corruption and immorality. So what message did Joseph choose to send?

He chose to remind his father that during their last meeting they had discussed the Torah laws regarding the ritual of the eglah arufah, which is performed when a wayfarer is found murdered on the open road and the assailant is unknown. The Torah (Devarim 21) commands that the elders of the city nearest to the scene of the crime come out and declare, “Our hands did not spill this blood!”

Joseph’s knowledge of this private conversation was certainly clear proof of Joseph’s identity, but how did it reassure Jacob that his son had maintained his high spiritual levels?

Let us take a closer look at the remarkable statement the elders when they visit the scene of the tragic crime. “Our hands did not spill this blood!” Are the elders really suspects in this unsolved murder case? Of course not, says the Talmud (Sotah 45b). The elders were declaring that the wayfarer had not been turned away from their city without being offered food and a proper sendoff on his journey.

But is the failure to offer a wayfarer food and a warm sendoff such a terrible thing? Why does the Torah value extending hospitality so highly that the failure to do so is considered “spilling blood”?

The commentaries explain that hospitality is not only meant to satisfy a person’s physical needs. It also nourishes his very heart and soul. A wayfarer, separated from the support system of his home and family, inevitably feels forlorn and demoralized. But when he is welcomed into a home with warmth and affection, he once again feels connected and secure. And when he is given a warm sendoff, he is filled with renewed confidence and self-esteem. He holds his head a little higher, his shoulders are squared back, and there is a buoyant spring in his step. Such a person is an unlikely target for the predators that roam the highways. It is the beaten-down traveler who feels isolated and lost that is most vulnerable to attack. The restorative gifts of hospitality can fortify and sustain a person for the long road ahead to an immeasurable degree, and therefore, withholding these gifts is tantamount to “spilling his blood.”

Joseph was addressing this concept between the lines of his message to his father. Do not be concerned that I have lost my spiritual bearings, that I have become an immoral Egyptian, he was saying. The spiritual gifts I received in your house during the years of my youth were my suit of armor all these years. They gave me the strength and courage to resist the corruption of Egypt and kept me on the exalted level of a future tribal patriarch of the Jewish people. Remember our discussions about the eglah arufah. Just as the wayfarer is fortified for his journey by a few hours of hospitality, I, too, was fortified for my whole life by my youth in your home. You need not worry. I am the same Joseph you once knew, only a little older.

This is a lesson of critical importance to all of us. We sometimes do not appreciate how profoundly the things we do and say can affect others. Certainly, our children deserve that we bring them up with warmth, sensitivity and strong values. If we do, they will always hold their heads a little higher, because we will have given them the confidence and self-esteem that will nourish them for the rest of their lives. But even in our myriad daily contacts with other people, we can do so much with a helping hand, a kind word, a simple smile. The smallest gesture of warmth and sincere compassion can sometimes penetrate the heart of a lonely wayfarer on the road of life and give him the restorative gifts that will enable him to reach his destination safely.

Text Copyright © 2009 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.                                       

 

Piecing Together the Jigsaw Puzzle

Parshas Vayigash

Posted on December 17, 2012 (5773) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

This week’s Parsha continues the gripping narrative of Yosef as he continues the drama of targeting his brothers as dishonest people, threatening to take Binyomin hostage in a trumped-up charge that he stole the viceroys special goblet.

The story reaches a climax when the brothers plead desperately with Yosef for Binyomin’s release. Finally, when tension has reached the breaking point, Yosef lowers the veil of the unrelenting ruler and reveals his true identity, announcing, “I am Yosef, who you sold as a slave to Egypt.” The brothers are dumbfounded. Suddenly, understanding dawns. The string of bizarre events befalling them in Egypt makes sense.

Many commentaries touch upon an interesting point. Why did Yosef have to rub salt on their wounds at this particular moment? He could have simply said “I am Yosef,” without reminding them of their past cruelty to him? The brothers certainly knew that they had sold him to Egypt. Why did he have to remind them of their treachery when he was about to try to reconcile with them?

The famous commentator, the Sfas Emes, offers the following insight. As Yosef revealed his true identity, the brothers were undoubtedly stricken with grief. The first stab of guilt was over having torn Yosef away form their father’s lap at a tender age. Although Yosef had obviously survived despite his immersion in Egyptian society, who knows how much spiritual poison it had infected him with? Had he remained under his father’s tutelage, who could tell what heights he might have reached!

Yosef reassured them on this score. I am Yosef, the person I was intended to become, he told them. Had I not been forced through the ordeal of being sold as a slave and having to rise above the decadence of Egyptian society I would not be Yosef. I could never have accomplished what I needed to accomplish; I would never have risen to the spiritual heights that I have attained. I only fulfilled my life mission by enduring the difficult trials to which I was subjected. Only because my faith was tested did my true spirit emerge. I am Yosef precisely because you sold me to Egypt!

Reflecting on the difficult trials we all face in our lives, this is a powerful message to keep in mind. The harrowing and inscrutable situations that test our moral and spiritual fiber will ultimately come together as a beautiful mosaic. Rather than succumbing to questioning the purpose of this or that challenge, or complaining that we don’t deserve a particular hardship, let us fortify ourselves with the knowledge that Hashem will ultimately reveal Himself and the pieces to His Divine plan will become clear. All the bitter and bewildering events will be part of a wondrous revelation. Let us use all of our spiritual resources to keep our faith intact.

Wishing you a warm and wonderful Shabbos,

Rabbi Naftali Reich                  

Text Copyright © 2012 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.

Where Good Times Are Found

Parshas Miketz

Chanukah

Posted on December 30, 2016 (5777) By Rabbi Label Lam | Series: Dvar Torah | Level: Beginner

The Mitzvah of Chanuka is: A candle for each man and his household! (Shabbos 21B)

And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; with Yaakov, each man and his household came. (Shemos 1:1)

It’s no mistake that the same Talmudic Language used to define the requirement for lighting a Chanukah Candle is the very same expression that describes how the Jewish Nation descended to Egypt: “Ish U Beiso” “a man and his household”. In his Haggadah, Rav Hirsch ztl. notes that the Jewish People were organized as a household unit when they entered the exile and they were also configured as households at the time of the exodus just as we find ourselves on Pesach ever since- not in a stadium but rather at home!

About the importance of the home as a primary survival unit he writes: “To inherit a home and to build a home – this encompasses a Jew’s ethical vocation on earth. Is it not the sine qua non for the hopes and perfection of all nations? If only this great Magna Carta were consulted wherever education and culture, peace and salvation of men and mankind are discussed. For the fate of men, their success or failure, is decided neither in the chambers of rulers nor on the battlefield. It is not decided in business concerns, in colleges and institutions of arts and sciences or in houses of worship. It is sealed only in one place, in the parental home…

There exists no substitute for the home, and if one is looking elsewhere for the source of peace and prosperity, he is searching in vain. All of a nations politics and diplomacy, its theories of national economy and institutions for mass education, its trade and industry, its schools and community centers – none of these will save the people from extinction if they let the parental home become a parody. Are children born for the sake of the state’s false concern instead of the warm love of parents?

Does the census show ever-growing numbers of children without parents and parents without children? Does the nation’s high society make a mockery of morality and modesty? If so, then all the palaces it is building are founded on quicksand.”

A Chanukah Candle in the window shouts, “This is a Jewish home!” Now what if there is there is a shortage of resources and one must choose between lighting a Shabbos candle or a Chanukah candle!? Which Mitzvah takes precedence? Here we can appreciate how Jewish Law-Hallachah shapes our philosophy and not the other way around.

Both are Rabbinical Mitzvos of equal ranking. The reason for the Chanukah Candle is to advertise the Miracle of Chanukah and the reason for the Shabbos Candle is its impact on Shalom Bais- Peace in the Home! When there is light in a home there is peace. Which value wins out? Shabbos Candles because of “Shalom Bais”.

Years back when I was in college and a member of a Fraternity- Phi Tau, (As the butler said, “Es Chatai Ani Mazkir HaYom, I mention my sin today!”) Our Frat house was not the popular one! All the others were giant mansions and on a Saturday night they were pushing in the front doors of every Frat House to enter. Ours had the disadvantage of being like a Swiss Chalet with a big picture window. People passing by could look in and see nobody was in side. The emptier it looked from the outside the emptier it remained.

Then we had a “genius” idea. A bunch of us pressed up against the window so people passing in the street will perceive a packed house. The only problem was that when they came in, they saw a group of guys pressed against the window and an empty house. There was no way to fool the masses.

On Chanukah we dare not advertise to the world what we are not in our essence. Rabbi Avigdor Miller ztl. had said that when you see people out on the prowl late at night searching for good times, don’t be deceived. Similarly, if you find someone at 3 AM at the store buying eggs, you know one thing for sure. They have no eggs at home. The home is where good times are found.

Festival of The Reflecting Lights

Parshas Miketz

Chanukah

Posted on December 11, 2012 (5773) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

We gaze at the delightful dancing lights as we sit before the menorah and sing the traditional songs associated with the festival. Many observe a special ritual of lingering in the delicate radiance of the menorah lights while reflecting on their sublime message. But what precisely is that message? What insights are the tiny flames meant to trigger?

Perhaps the very word “reflect” serves as a signpost on our journey toward internalizing Chanukah’s spiritual treasure. To reflect does not simply mean to contemplate or ponder. It also means to mirror, or to reverberate. When we gaze deep into the menorah lights, what we should see is a genuine reflection of our true selves.

The concept of facing the deeper truth about one’ true self comes to the fore in this week’s Torah portion, as well. This concept is embedded in two words that are seemingly out of place with the flow of the narrative. Yaakov’s sons face Yosef, the Eygptian viceroy, who treats them with unreasonable hostility. He accuses them of being spies and throws them into prison, allowing only one of the brothers to return home and prove their collective innocence by bringing back Binyomin.

Yosef unexpectedly relents a few days later and announces that the brothers can all return home, except for Shimon who will be detained until their return.

The Torah records the brothers’ response to Yosef’s surprising change of heart and generous gesture, as “Vayaasu kein,” and they did so. The verse gives no further explanation about what the brothers actually did. Instead the Torah continues to tell us that the brothers immediately examined their past behavior and severely reproached themselves for not being sensitive to Yosef’s distress when they sold him into slavery. They now assumed that their present misfortune was a direct result of their past callous behavior.

The commentaries explain that Vayaasu kein – ‘they did so’ indicates that Yosef’s brothers followed Yosef’s lead in reevaluating the truth of their own personal conduct.

As viceroy, Yosef ruled Egypt with complete, undisputed authority. He was a powerful unchallenged leader who could do whatever he pleased. From the pedestal of absolute power he decreed that all the brothers would be imprisoned until proven innocent. Yet, without explanation he backed down. What was behind this sudden reversal?

Great people recognize that everything that transpires in life is a message from Heaven that needs to be carefully appraised. The brothers saw Yosef’s about-face as a clear message from Hashem. If the all-powerful viceroy could have a change of heart and mind, they too should reexamine their convictions, especially their firm belief in their innocence.

Even if it involved an ego-bruising realization, it was an exercise they needed to engage in. “Vayaasu kein” …. Like Yosef, the brothers pondered their conduct and motives and found them wanting.

The word ‘kein’ means authentic and genuine – a state of existence in which the external is a perfect reflection of the internal.

When gazing at the light of the menorah we are looking at a reflection of our inner self and beyond, to our very soul and the G-dliness within us. Removing the obfuscating presence of our ego and negative character traits enables the inner glow of the neshama to radiate through the body and light up its surroundings.

When we gaze at the menorah lights, we are internalizing the message of Chanukah-to bring the awareness of G-d’s loving hand directing all aspects of our existence. Hopefully that will lead to take a more inspired role in our daily lives. All too often, we are too invested in our professed opinions and public persona to acknowledge our shortcomings. By letting go of self-justification as did Yosef’s brothers, and being emotionally honest with ourselves, we will be connecting to the message of the Chanukah lights, ensuring that they genuinely reflect our deepest self.

When that self is aligned with the awareness of G-d’s loving presence in all of life’s dimensions, the Chanukah message will burst forth and illuminate all the inner and outer shadows of our existence.

Wishing you a delightful and Freilichen Shabbos Chanukah.

Redefining Grief

Parshas Vayeishev

Posted on December 6, 2012 (5773) By Rabbi Yochanan Zweig | Series: Rabbi Zweig on the Parsha | Level: Beginner

 “All his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to comfort himself…”(37:35)

After Yaakov is shown his son Yoseif’s bloody tunic, he rends his garments and mourns his loss. Although his family members attempt to console him, the verse states “vayema’ein le’hisnacheim” – “he refused to comfort himself{1}.” Why does the Torah use the word “le’hisnacheim” – “to comfort himself”? Would it not be more appropriate within the construct of the verse to use the word “le’hinacheim” – “to be comforted”?

Citing the Talmud, Rashi explains that a heavenly decree exists which assuages a person’s grief by allowing him to forget the deceased after twelve months. However, this decree is effective only when a death occurs; since Yoseif is not actually dead, Yaakov could not be comforted{2}.

A father who suffers the catastrophic loss of a child will carry this grief with him for the rest of his life. How can the Talmud state that a person will forget the deceased after twelve months? Furthermore, asks the Maharal, if Yaakov realizes that he cannot find solace, following the Talmudic dictum, should he not realize that Yoseif is still alive, and therefore not require consolation{3}?

If a person suffers the loss of a limb, his initial reaction is overwhelming despair. Redefining himself is the only manner in which he will be able to extricate himself from focusing upon his loss. After evaluating how his loss impairs his ability to reach the goals he had set for himself in life, the individual must refocus his energies upon seeking alternative methods to attain similar accomplishments, notwithstanding his handicap. In this manner, he can channel his grief into fulfillment.

The loss of a loved one is akin to the loss of a limb. Focusing upon the loss alone only results in grief. True solace can be achieved if the mourner evaluates the implication of his loss, and redefines himself in an attempt to fulfill those accomplishments which can no longer be performed by the deceased. Very often, a spouse takes it upon him or herself to complete the life endeavor of the deceased, and through doing so, brings themselves comfort. The word “vayenacheim” means “to reconsider” or “redefine” a new course of action. A person does not forget the deceased; rather, he stops focusing upon the loss which brings him grief, and instead attempts to complete the mission of the deceased, thereby allowing their memory to live on.

Hashem Peeking From Behind the Curtain

Parshas Vayeishev

Posted on November 21, 2013 (5774) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

What a stirring saga! Yosef is betrayed and conspired against by his brothers and then thrown into a dark pit where he is doomed to die. At the last moment, the brothers pull him out. Broken in body and spirit, he endures the additional humiliation of being sold as a common slave to a passing trading caravan. What could possibly be more devastating? How utterly hopeless Yosef’s plight appears to be!

In the midst of this hellish scene, the Torah tells us, G-d lightened Yosef’s suffering by arranging for his journey down to Egypt to be in a fragrant, scented environment. The caravan of traders that had purchased him were carrying fine perfumes and spices. A pleasant fragrance wafted through the air around him as he made his way down to Egypt.

What are we to make of this information? Here Yosef is being sold into slavery with no prospects of ever being freed. Betrayed by his brothers, he is at the mercy of lawless people who could abuse and exploit him at will. At such a harrowing time, would he be likely to notice the scent around him? And if he did, what difference would it make to him in his pain and misery?

Yet, we must bear in mind that the Torah informs us about the spices in the caravan for a reason. Embedded in this dire and painful event was a secret note from Hashem to Yosef: ‘Don’t worry Yosef, I love you and I will spare you whatever suffering I can. Look, even here, in your miserable and wretched condition I will show you that I am peaking out from behind the curtain by sending you this little ray of positive encouragement. If only you can decipher my message of caring and love!”

Our lives are a long chain of challenges and difficulties. Although these hardships may be divinely ordained to tone up our spiritual muscles and help us grow, it is often difficult to recognize them as such.

Yet, if we are attuned, we can pinpoint moments in our lives when Hashem demonstrates that he is watching from behind the curtain. All of us can be grateful for the seemingly small but infinitely valuable daily gifts and special messages with which Hashem lets us know that He is taking care of us.

Be it with the blessings of good health, our precious children, beloved family and friends or the innumerable other gifts we enjoy, we are constantly graced with Hashem’s loving beneficence.

By training our emotions to always operate in thankful mode, we can weather life’s disappointments. However, if we allow ourselves to fall into the mode of “entitlement,” as if we are owed life’s blessings and luxuries, we will inevitably suffer a spiritual and emotional setback.

— Rabbi Naftali Reich

Mysterious Events

Parshas Vayeishev

Posted on December 6, 2012 (5773) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

Life generally and Jewish life particularly, is unpredictable, surprising, mysterious and enigmatic. Yaacov expects that after his encounter with Lavan and Eisav the worst is behind him. But the fun is just about to begin. Who could predict that after the sibling controversies between Yishmael and Yitzchak, Yaacov and Eisav that the greatest sibling controversy in Jewish history would now begin?

All sorts of mysterious and inexplicable events conspire to bring this story along. Why does Yaacov give Yosef a special tunic and show such favoritism in front of his other children? Why does he send Yosef on such an apparently dangerous mission to find his brothers? Who is the mysterious man that leads into the lair of Shimon and Levi? And why is the final result of all of this the sale of Yosef as a slave destined for Egyptian bondage?

Later in the parsha, how does Yehuda commit such an apparently immoral act and why is he nevertheless rewarded as being the ancestor of Jewish royalty and messianic destiny? And why does Peretz push his way out of his mother’s womb ahead of Zerach?

The Torah grants us no answers to any of these fantastic events. Midrash offers various comments and interpretations to help us somewhat understand this chain of events. But at the end of the story, it all remains one great enigma wrapped in heavenly mystery. I am very poor at solving mysteries or explaining very difficult, complex torah issues and biblical narrative. Therefore I content myself with observing in wonder the story that the Torah relates to us.

The prophet Yeshayahu taught us that G-d’s ways are not our ways and that his guiding hand in all human affairs remains invisible, mysterious and most wondrous. This is the basic thrust of how Jewish tradition viewed not only Biblical narrative but all of Jewish and human history.

In our time the Holocaust was unforeseen unbelievable and even after its occurrence it is still subject to denial by millions of people. Who could have imagined a Jewish state emerging in the Land of Israel against internal and external odds, expectations and predictions? And how, after millennium of Torah tradition and ritual observance would that State bring forth as an apparent bastion of secularism and even atheism?

Yet all of this has happened, and the wonders of Jewish life continue to expand before our very eyes. Israel has become much more of a Jewish state than a socialist one. Anti-Semitism has never been stronger and yet the Jewish people have never felt as emboldened and strong as it is today.

The enormous rebirth of Torah scholarship and study within the Jewish people the world over and especially here in Israel is perhaps the greatest surprise of our time. All of this should make us wary of expert predictions, all-knowing politicians and other sages who claim to know our future and what is really in our best interests. Mysteries of the parsha are themselves the message of the parsha.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Berel Wein

Torah Values

Parshas Vayeitzei

Posted on November 19, 2012 (5773) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

Rashi points out for us in the beginning of this week’s parsha (really at the conclusion of last week’s parsha) that Yaakov stopped at the study house of Shem and Ever for fourteen years on his flight from Eisav to his uncle’s house in Aram. This seems to be a strange stopover at first glance.

How will the instruction that he received in the school established by Shem and Ever contribute to his survival and success at the house of Lavan, the master conniver and duplicitous character? The question is phrased in a more current if blunter fashion in the Talmud itself – of what value are the Torah students to society at large?

To meet Lavan, Yaakov apparently needs to train in different forms of legal, commercial and worldly pursuits. Studying Torah is all well and fine, but how does it prepare one for the real world? This question is heard today in thousands of Jewish households and is a most vexing one. Our world today is one of Lavan compounded.

Where does Torah study and Torah knowledge fit into our milieu, into solving our problems and difficulties, in facing down our enemies? Yet, we find that on the whole Yaakov was quite successful in the house of Lavan. He acquires his wives there and his children are born and raised there. He becomes wealthy in spite of all of Lavan’s efforts to cheat him out of his just payments and wages. What courses of study did he take and master in the school of Shem and Ever that enabled him to so succeed?

I have always felt that the answer lies in understanding the place and goals of a Torah education in one’s life. Most people, especially those who view it from the outside looking in, think that Torah education is purely a matter of material covered, of knowledge of facts, of understanding complex and difficult Talmudic concepts and statements. In truth it is all that but it is much more.

A proper Torah education, a study course at the school of Shem and Ever, is meant to impart life-long values and a world view in which to fit the events of one’s life in a proper and moral fashion. One has to learn how to deal effectively with Lavan but one has to be very cautious not to become Lavan in the process.

Self-defense and protection of one’s own interests is part of the Torah value system. But pleasantness, sensitivity, faith in G-d’s justice and promises, and a willingness to tolerate and accommodate others (even unpleasant others) are also a part of the value system of the Torah.

Yaakov enters the school of Shem and Ever to absorb the Torah value system that will allow him to survive Lavan and not to fall spiritually and become Lavan in the form of Yaakov. One of the most difficult tasks that faces Jewish society today is to remain a kingdom of priests and a holy people even when struggling with Lavan, Yishmael and Eisav for our very existence. Our schools have to teach Torah values and not be satisfied merely with knowledge, grades and test scores.

Shabat shalom,

Rabbi Berel Wein

To Achieve Your Goals and not Cause Jealousy

Parshas Vayeitzei

Posted on November 25, 2009 (5770) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov all suffered from success-induced jealous reactions from the local populations where they lived. Avraham is recognized as the “prince of G-d in our midst” and yet is begrudged a grave plot to bury Sarah. Yitzchak is sent away from the kingdom of Avimelech because “you have grown too great from us.” And in this week’s parsha, Yaakov is told by Lavan that everything that Yaakov owns is really the property of Lavan.

The blessings of G-d and the promise that He made to protect the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel save them from their neighbors, relatives and enemies. However, this very success and achievements of this small family, as per G-d’s promise and against all odds and opposition, raises the hatred and jealousy of their neighbors. No matter that the neighbors themselves, such as Avimelech and Lavan benefit mightily from the achievements of Yitzchak and Yaakov.

The rabbis of the Talmud taught us that “hatred destroys rational thought and behavior.” So, instead of gratitude and friendship, the accomplishments of the patriarchs and matriarchs only bring forth greed, jealousy, persecution and always the threat of violence hovers in the background. All efforts to maintain a low profile and to placate Lavan result only in increased bigotry and hatred.

It is not for naught that the Pesach hagada makes Lavan a greater enemy to the survival of the Jewish people than even the Pharaoh of Egypt. But almost all of the enemies of the Jews over the centuries suffer from the same basic moral faults regarding the Jews: ingratitude, jealousy and greed. These are all revealed to us in this week’s parsha.

Someone mentioned to me that perhaps if we maintained a lower profile in the world, didn’t receive so many Nobel prize awards, and were less influential in the fields of finance and the media, anti-Semitism would decrease. “What if” is a difficult field of thought to pursue intelligently.

There is no question that the world and all humankind would be by far the poorer if the Jews purposely withheld their energy, creativity and intelligence from contributing to human civilization. And there certainly is no guarantee that the world would like us any more than it does now if we were less successful and prominent.

The mere fact that G-d blessed the patriarchs with the blessings of success and influence indicates that this is His desire for us. The Torah specifically states that all of the nations and families of the earth will benefit and be blessed through us. So in our case less would not necessarily be more. Yet we were enjoined from flouting our success in the faces of those less fortunate than us. Modesty in behavior and deportment is an important partner to success.

This is also a lesson that our father Yaakov intended to teach us. We are not allowed to rein in our talents and achievements. But we are certainly expected to rein in our egos and bluster. That is also an important Jewish trait that should be a foundation in our lives.

Shabat shalom.

Rabbi Berel Wein