Parashas Vayeishev

This week's parashah concludes with correctly Yosef interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh's Chief Butler and Chief Baker.

The Butler had a vision of himself squeezing grapes into the cup of Pharaoh and placing the cup into the king's hand. Yosef explained that this foretold that the man would be reinstated to his position.

 

 

The Baker had seen himself with baskets on his head, the top one filled with the special pastries he would serve Pharaoh, and birds were eating from the baskets. Yosef explained this dream to mean that  the Baker would be hanged.

 

Many explanations have been given for how one dream indicated the restoration of the person's former stature while the other indicated he would be killed,

 

Some years ago (I think it was in 1977), Rabbi Moshe Weitman zichrono levrachah, founder of Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway, spoke at a melaveh malkah at the Yeshivah of Staten Island, and offered the following insight:

 

Both the Butler and the Baker were providing food.

 

But the Butler was active; he was alive. He would regain his position.

 

The Baker, on the other hand, was passive; he did nothing. He was dead.

 

The true measure of life is not about how much we know. It is about whether we worked to achieve our knowledge. It isn't about how many people are helped though our being passive (although that, too, is rewarded), but through our efforts to help others.

 

Perhaps Descartes was wrong: I think AND DO, therefore I am.

 

Gut Shabbos.

Parashas Vayishlach

This week's parashah recounts how the angel who is Master of Eisav engaged Yaakov in a combat. Although he was unable to overcome Yaakov, he succeeded in injuring Yaakov's thigh at the gid hanasheh, "and therefore the Children of Israel do not eat of the gid hanasheh..."

 

Following their battle, Yaakov insists that the angel bless him. In response, the Angel changes him name from Yaakov to Yisrael, "for you have fought with angels and with men, and you have succeeded."

 

Perhaps we can understand the symbolism and import of this very esoteric episode in the following light:

 

Yaakov/Yisrael was now entering a new phase in his life -- and in the life of the nation that would bear his name.

 

Although he had been living with challenges and in galus for many years, he had been dealing with them, as his name implied, though v'yaakveini, circling around and avoiding or outsmarting his nemesis. He extracted the bechorah from Eisav, he left home when he was later threatened by him, he stayed out in the fields when he worked for Lavan.

 

Now, however, he would be directly engaging with Eisav, sending him gifts, bowing to him, hugging ang kissing him. His children would be going into Shechem -- and leaving booty that included idols and more. Yosef would live in the home of Potiphar and then in the Egyptian palace. And, in the thousands of years since then, living in cultures throughout the world.

 

The blessing of the angel was that when he faces these new challenges, he should emerge victorious. When Avrom's name was changed to Avrohom, he could no longer be called Avrom because his mission, his essence, had fundamentally changed. Yaakov/Yisrael, however, retained both names, because both approaches -- avoiding confrontation and engagement -- were required, depending on the circumstances.

 

The interactions of Yisrael were and are perilous and fraught with dangers both physical and spiritual. But, as the Chinuch explains, the "reasoning" behind the prohibition of gid hanasheh is to encourage the Jew. Although we may be buffeted by the tribulations of exile, we will -- like Yaakov -- emerge victorious.

 

May we merit to soon see that victory.

 

Gut Shabbos.

Parashas Vayeitzei

At the start of this week's parashah we find Yaakov leaving his home, and the Yeshivah of Shem V'ever, to go to the home  of his uncle Lavan in Charan.

 

The sun set suddenly, and he prepared to spend the night at Har Hamoriah, the site where Avrohom had offered Yitzchok as a sacrifice and where the Beis HaMikdash would later stand.

 

The Torah tells us: , וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וַיָּשֶׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו, and he took from the stones of that place and he placed them at his head. Rashi explains that he placed them around his head for protection.

 

Why does the Torah tell us "He took from the stones of that place"? It could simply have told us וַיִּקַּח אַבָנִים he took stones. From where else would he have taken stones? Would we expect him to have traveled carrying a bag of rocks?

 

Perhaps the lesson is that Yaakov had arrived in a new place, and he knew that he had to protect himself against the dangers there.

 

But how does he do that?

 

He realized that the "stones" of Beer Sheva and Shem V'Ever would do him no good at Har Hamoria, as holy a place as it may be. He needed to understand the threats of this new place, and he needed to protect himself against them in an appropriate and effective way.

 

That is why we are told that Yaakov took from the stones of that place to protect himself.

 

Rav Moshe Feinstein used to ascribe the complete failure of many chadorim in America to the fact that they tried to emulate the European shtel-approach here. But the challenges of America were different than they were in "der heim". And if there was to be even a slim chance of small success, it had to be with the understanding of the new challenges and with an effort to address them.

 

Indeed, later on, we find that Yaakov taught Yosef everything he had learned in the Yeshivah of Shem V'Ever (37:3). Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky asks: What could Yaakov have learned there that he did not already learn in the house of Yitzchok?

 

Rav Yaakov answers that under Shem V'Ever Yaakov learned the Torah of how a Jew survives in Galus. Yitzchok never left Eretz Yisrael; that was all Yaakov had experienced until then. Shem V'Ever prepared Yaakov for their future.

 

It was that lesson which guided Yaakov as he took from the stones of that place, and it is a lesson we must all understand if we are to succeed in overcoming challenges -- for ourselves and for our children.

 

May Hashem grant us the wisdom and siyata Dishmaya to succeed.

 

Gut Shabbos.

Parashas Toldos

In this week's parashah, we are told how Yitzchok and Rivkah prayed for children and that Hashem responded to Yitzchok's plea and granted them children.
 
Rashi quotes the well known Chazal that the efficacy of the prayer of a tzaddik who is the child of a tzaddik is far greater than the tefillah of tzaddik who is the child of a wicked person, so much so that they are not even comparable.
 
What is the Torah's purpose in telling us this? What lesson is there?
 
It's noteworthy that Yitzchok himself was not the descendant of a long line of righteous people. He had only one generation of righteous forebears, Avrohom and Sarah.
 
One generation of righteousness enhanced the power and efficacy of Yitzchok's tefillah so exponentially that the two were “eino domeh,” beyond compare.
 
The Torah may be trying to impress upon us how profound an impact our choices and deeds have, not only on our own spiritual level and destiny, but also on that of generations to come.
 
Our actions have amazing potential to spiritually empower and strengthen our progeny.
 
May we merit to make the right choices and be motivated to do the proper actions, and may we have the siyata d'Shmaya to succeed for ourselves and for the doros who follow.
 
Gut Shabbos.

Chayei Sarah

This week’s parashah tells the story of the shidduch of Yitzchak and Rivkah.
Rivkah, we are told, was righteous even as a child (see 24:16). She was so great that the water in the well rose up toward her (Rashi 24:17). When she left home to marry Yitzchak – at the age of 3 – she was brought to Sarah’s tent. Upon her entry the miraculous blessings that had ceased with Sarah’s demise – the candles would remain lit from one Friday to the next; the dough was blessed, so that people were satisfied with only a small amount; and a Divine cloud hovered above the tent – all returned (Rashi 24:67).

How could a young girl grow up in a wicked city and a family and know not to act like them?

When Eliezer describes to Rivkah’s family how he met her, they respond “MeiHashem Yatzah hadavar, this is clearly Divine intervention…Hinei Rivkah lifanecha, kach va’leich, behold Rivkah is before you, take her and go… (24:50-51)” Yet, as Eliezer is about to leave with her, they suggest “teishev hanaarah itanu yamim o assor, let the girl remain with us for a year or 10 months (v.55).”

What’s going on?

Later, when Rivkah is leaving to get married, they wish her that the blessings Hashem gave Avrohom following the akeidah should be fulfilled in her children (Rashi 24:60). Apparently, they were well aware of the blessings and firmly believed they would come true. In fact, we continue to invoke their words to this day (see, for example Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 147:3).

So did they believe in Hashem or did they not?

It seems that Rivkah grew up in a family that, intellectually, recognized the truth. The problem was they did nothing about it. Even as they recognized the clear hashgachah pratis and declared, “here is Rivkah, take her and go,” they still tried to stop it. Even as they believed that Avrohom was blessed by Hashem, they could not embrace the Truth of his teachings.

This was nothing new, their grandfather, Terach, had similarly conceded to Avrohom that his idols were powerless. Yet despite this, he continued to worship them and even gave his son over to be killed for challenging their efficacy.

The difference between a righteous person and an evil one isn’t in what they believe, it is in whether the person conducts his life based on his beliefs.

Rivkah grew up in a home where she was exposed to the truth. What distinguished her from those around her was that she – like her uncle Avrohom and aunt Sarah – behaved in accordance with the values she held dear.

Anyone in Rivkah’s family had the tools to become great; only Rivkah used those tools to become a Mother of Klal Yisrael.

May we all learn from her example to live our lives according to the Torah, so that we, too, can “be all that we can be.”

Gut Shabbos.

Parashas Vayeira

This week’s parashah includes the story of the Akeidah.

Avrohom Avinu, now 137 years old, is commanded to bring his son – the son for whom he had waited 100 years and who was his designated heir – as an offering to Hashem.

Rather than ask questions, Avrohom rises early in the morning and saddles his own donkey for the trip. As Chazal note – ahavah mekalkeles es hashurah, Avrohom’s boundless love for Hashem led him to act with zealousness even as he was going to sacrifice his own son.

Accompanied by his faithful servant and disciple Eliezer, his older son Yishmael, and, of course, Yitzchak, they journeyed 3 days toward their destination. Midrash Tanchumah describes how, over the course of those three days, the Satan attempted various ruses to dissuade Avrohom from his mission, ultimately placing a river in their path. But Avrohom was undeterred.

Finally, on the third day, vayaar es hamakom meirachok, Avrohom saw the place from a distance. Chazal explain that haMakom here referes to Hashem; from the distance, Avrohom perceived a cloud, representing the Shechinah, hovering over Mount Moriah.

He asked the others what they saw. Yitzchak, too, saw the cloud, but Eliezer and Yishmael did not see anything. So Avrohom took Yitzchok, and told the others to stay behind with the donkey – as if to say, teaches the Midrash, that they are just like the donkey that was also unable to see the cloud.

But just because Eliezer and Yishmael had not achieved the elevated level of Avrohom and Yitzchok, does that mean they are as low as animals?

Perhaps the problem was not that Eliezer and Yishmael were unable to see the cloud, but that they did not know where to look for it.

After three days of a challenging mission, Avrohom and Yitzchok looked around until they found the Shechinah, and they saw it was still in the distance. Eliezer and Yishmael, on the other hand, did not look far away. After overcoming the tests of the trip, they expected to see the Shechinah right before their eyes. Perhaps they never looked in the distance. Like a donkey, they expected their gratification to be delivered to them.

Avrohom teaches us that we must not be discouraged when, after overcoming a nisayon, we do not immediately find fulfillment. Sometimes Hashem is still in the distance. It does not mean our efforts were for naught, or that our service is being rejected, it simply means our mission is not yet complete. In fact, seeing Hashem from afar means that we have, indeed, reached the level of being “people.”

May the zechus of the Akeidah protect us, and may we be merit to perceive the Shechinah up close in our own everyday lives, and, soon, as a nation, b’vias goel tzedek.

Gut Shabbos.

Parashas Lech Lecha

In this week’s parashah, we are told of the battle between the four kings and the five kings.

After introducing the kings, we are told, “כָּל אֵלֶּה חָבְרוּ אֶל עֵמֶק הַשִּׂדִּים הוּא יָם הַמֶּלַח, All these joined in the Valley of the Fields, this is the Dead Sea.” Rashi explains that the Valley, which was then full of fields, later became the Dead Sea.

The Torah then describes the juggernaut of the four kings as they vanquished nation after nation, until the five kings went out to wage battle with the four kings בְּעֵמֶק הַשִּׂדִּים in the Valley of the Fields…וְעֵמֶק הַשִּׂדִּים בֶּאֱרֹת בֶּאֱרֹת חֵמָר וַיָּנֻסוּ מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וַיִּפְּלוּ שָׁמָּה..., And the Valley of the Fields had many pits of clay, and the Kings of Sodom and Gomorah fled, and fell there…

Why does the Torah need to tell us where the kings joined together? And why is it important for us to know where they battled? And according to Rashi, the pits were empty holes from which people had previously dug out earth for use in construction. If so, the point is that the Valley had pits, why do we need to be told that they had been formed by digging out the earth for use as clay?

Perhaps this homiletical interpretation can resolve these questions:

The war between the kings was not a battle for basics, but a battle for wealth.

It wasn’t just that the kings got together at a location called The Valley of the Fields. The Torah tells us that the catalyst that brought them together was “the fields,” the draw of property and wealth.

These were fields abundant with pits of cheimar, the dangers associated with the pursuit of chumriyos, materialism.

It was this avarice that had attracted Lot to Sodom and its environs. It was this unfettered greed that defined the people there and into which the kings of Sodom and Gomora fled and fell – it would ultimately lead to their doom. 

The message is that the “Valley of Fields,” materialism, is, in reality, Yam Hamelach, the Dead Sea; a place of such utter desolation that no life can exist there. The field is the mirage that draws man to his own undoing.

May we be granted true blessing and abundance, with success and possessions and that bring life in this world and the next.

Gut Shabbos.