OnegShabbosפרשת וישב

13 Dec ‘14 כ”א כסלו תשע”ה

North West London's Weekly Torah Sheet

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פ' וישבהפטרה: : עמוס ב' ו'-ג' ח

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ויאמר אלהם ראובן אל תשפכו דם השליכו אתו אל הבור הזה אשר במדבר ויד אל תשלחו בו למען הציל אתו מידם להשיבו

אל אביו: )ל”ז - כ”ב(

Sibling Rivalry .................................................. 2

Eretz HaTzvi ..................................................... 3

Commuters Chavrusa ..................................... 4

The Halachic Conversation ........................... 5

Journey through Nach .................................... 6

Home Grown .................................................... 7

MiYemini Michoel ........................................... 8

Guidelines to Tefilah ....................................... 9

Rabbi Frand ....................................................10

Sparks of Chassidus.....................................11

Rambam ..........................................................12

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Now in London, Manchester, Gibraltar, Bet Shemesh, Yerushalayim, Baltimore, New York, Miami

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S P O N S O R E D

Dr Sara Teichman psy.d.Psychotherapy & Consultation

Sibling Rivalry

Dear Dr T.,My parents have just offered to take our ten year old daughter to Israel next summer. She would love to go and we feel that this is a real opportunity for her.My husband and I are concerned, however, that it would not be fair to send her because her twelve year old brother cannot go. His yeshiva is on the eleven month schedule, so he is in school at the time that my parents are going.What do you think? Is it right for us to let her have this opportunity when her brother does not? Won’t this just cause unnecessary jealousy and bad feelings?

Dr T Answers

Your question is an excellent one and one that is actually fairly common. Do you buy new shoes for two children when only one outgrows her pair? And, do you let your very immature seventeen year old drive at the same age as his super mature older brother? Even people who are confident and comfortable in their role as parents often get stuck when a situation arises that lends itself to the perception that we favor one child over the other. Thus, in our determination to be fair and have our children see us that way, we sometimes decide to hold back a child so his sibling won’t be jealous. Whether this application of ‘fair’ is appropriate and beneficial is the question.

I think we can all agree that it is a parent’s responsibility to do what is in the best interest of each individual child. Every child deserves to have his needs and wants met, even though this may complicate family dynamics. How to accomplish this without causing jealousy or ill will in the family is a complex question. That is a parent, not a child, skill – and the parent may need to work hard to figure out an effective strategy. But, no child should have to sacrifice his wants and needs in the service others. We simply don’t hold back one child for the sake of the other.

When you think about it, fair and equal are not the same thing. Fair does not mean equal. While equal means the same, fair means giving each child what he needs. Despite our child’s protestations to the contrary, different people do need different things. A twelve year old may bike to school; a seven year old would not. A two year old needs his Mom to put him to bed; a fourteen year old does not. Not only are we different in age and gender, but we all have different wants and needs. One child may need stylish clothing to keep up with her peers, while another could care less. While one child may need homework help – or even a tutor- another may be fine on his own. Again, the challenge is not to do the same thing [equal] for every child, but rather to operate in such a way that shows that you have each child’s best interest at heart [fair].

As always, the time to do explain your understanding of fair is before a situation arises. The proactive parent establishes a certain atmosphere in the home that lends itself to the understanding that

we are all different and need different things. Furthermore, that life is dynamic and ever changing. What is called for in one time and place simply doesn’t apply in another. Children can learn to tolerate different treatment as long as they feel safe in the knowledge that they will ‘get theirs.’

But, when we try to make things equal it often backfires because it sets up expectations in the child that everyone could and should get the same treatment. Such unrealistic expectations are the enemy of happiness, because such expectations can lead to disappointment. All too often, when fantasy-driven expectations are allowed to develop in childhood, they may have a negative effect way into adulthood. It is quite painful when that child – now adult – realizes that the world does not operate according to his needs.

Yom tov is coming and Shoshi, married two years. is really ticked off. This Pesach it is her turn to go to her parents, but her mother can’t accommodate her because her older sister Alti is coming back from Israel with her six kids and moving in until she finds a place to live.

This is outrageous!

How can Shoshi be expected to miss her ‘turn’? Especially when Alti used to come every single yom tov when she first got married!

Shoshi rails all yom tov at the unfairness of things. She is really angry at her sister – and her mother too. She cannot enjoy her in-law’s hospitality or the chol hamoed trips because of the injustice of it all.

It is a gift, whenever and wherever possible, to help our children see that life is not a zero sum game where when someone gains, someone else loses. As parents, we want to model in word and deed an interest in our own portion, rather than looking at that of others. We need to teach our children to deal with what is in their lives and avoid comparisons with others. As a wise man once said, ‘The only time we look in someone else’s plate is to check if he has enough.’

It may very well be a struggle for your son to see his sister’s good fortune. But your wishing to save him pain is not a reason to deny your daughter. By not buying into his ‘It’s not fair!’ and encouraging him to take the long range perspective that life holds different promises for us all, you help him develop realistic and healthy attitudes and expectations about his lot in life.

Reprinted with permission from Binah Magazine

לע''נ

ר' יוסף דב בן ר' משה הכהן אלביצקי ז"ל

Dr T

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Eretz HaTzviRabbi Zvi TeichmanCongregation Ohel Moshe, Baltimore, MD

Seeing the LightYosef is about to fulfill his father’s request to check on his brothers’ wellbeing. As he

cheerfully approaches them with admiration, words of praise and blessing (ב”ר פד טז ויפ”ת שם), things take a sudden turn for the worse. One can only imagine the horror Yosef sensed as they unexpectedly and violently rip off all four layers of his garments, stripping him naked and then tossing him into a pit.

The contrast is so stark. By counterpointing these extremes within the breath of the same verse, the Torah seems to be drawing our attention to this dichotomy.

How could it be that although Yosef reaches out so lovingly he encounters such extreme animosity in return? Was he so blind to their true feelings? Were they so immune to his sincere sentiments for them?

,and they stripped Yosef ... ,ויפשיטו את יוסף את כתנתו את כתנת פסים אשר עליו (בראשית לז כג)..his tunic, the cloak of many colors that he was wearing.

The verse seems long winded. We know very well, from the context of the events described, from whom they stripped the garment. Why the introduction, and they stripped Yosef ?

It also seems that there was more than one garment that was removed. The Midrash indeed interprets each reference in the verse as representing another garment; ...1) Yosef, 2) his tunic, 3) the cloak of many colors, 4) that he was wearing, for a total of four. The main issue at hand was their “dethroning” Yosef from the special colorful cloak specifically, that was so fondly bestowed on him by their father Yaakov, the object of their envy and hatred. Why all the added drama?

What was so special about this cloak that so stoked their emotions?At the conclusion of Birkas Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing we receive from the Kohanim,

there is a special prayer, Yehi Ratzon many of us recite during each festival it is repeated.Among numerous requests, we also ask: בשעה צדיקך יוסף את שנתת כשם רואינו... כל ובעיני בעיניך ולרחמים ולחסד לחן לאהבה, ותתננו

רואיו כל ובעיני בעיניך ולרחמים ולחסד לחן פסים כתנת אביו And may You grant that we ,שהלבישו find love, favor, kindness and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who behold us; ... just as You granted Yosef, Your righteous one - at the time his father garbed him in a cloak of many colors - that he found favor, kindness and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who beheld him.

Favor, in the eyes of all who beheld him? Wasn’t that the moment that Yaakov erred so fatefully by arousing with this gift the jealousy of Yosef’s brothers?

Rabbeinu Bachya reveals that the “garbing of Yosef” entailed much more than a symbolic article of clothing representing Yosef’s standing among his brothers. He refers us to the 22 letter Name of G-d, א-נ-ק-ת-ם פ-ס-ת-ם פ-ס-פ-ס-י-ם ד-י-ו-נ-ס-י-ם, that emanates from the words of Birkas Kohanim through a special mystical formulation. It appears in the Siddur and is to be scanned with our eyes when reciting this prayer. Yaakov, Rabbeinu Bachya teaches, was evidently transmitting this Name and its powers, among them the ability to find favor, to Yosef, at this very juncture.

What is this power that is inherent within the Priestly Blessing and what is its relationship to Yosef in particular?

The blessing the Kohanim recite makes reference to the holiness invested within them that stems בקדושתו של אהרן, from the holiness of Aharon HaKohen, every Kohen’s ancestor.

Aharon merited this special role as a result of his accepting, with absolute and genuine joy and admiration, his younger brother, Moshe, assuming the leadership of the Jewish nation, despite Aharon being his senior.

(יעוין ברש”י שם) .When he sees you he will rejoice in his heart ,וראך ושמח בלבו (שמות ד יד)The blessing reiterates the need to bless the nation «באהבה”, with love.When the Torah commands the Priests to bestow this blessing it never states a direct

command ”to bless”, it merely mentions (במדבר ו כג) כה תברכו, So shall you bless, making note of the text to be used but never clearly demanding them to.

Many aver that it is precisely because the blessing must be initiated out of a desperate personal desire to bless the people,”באהבה” , with love, rather than just as a fulfillment of a directive from G-d, that the Torah worded it this way.(ספר וידבר משה פ‘ נשא ועוד)

In fact the very first time the blessing was given, at the dedication of the Mishkan, it was absent of any command, but solely out of Aharon’s craving to bestow goodwill upon the nation.

When one removes all notion of self-interest and sees the good in those around him and yearns to ”serve” and care for others, absent of ulterior motive, one has achieved כהונה, a concept that finds its root in the word, כון; to prepare, ready and eager to ”serve”.

The Tur (תרפ”ד records a ”beautiful custom” that has the Torah reading on (או”ח Chanuka begin, not with the offerings that were brought to celebrate the dedication of the Mishkan, but rather, with the paragraph immediately prior to it that describes details of the Priestly Blessings.

In his commentary on Chumash he writes that the juxtaposition of this portion to the dedication of the Mishkan alludes prophetically to the dedication of the Temple in the days of the Chashmonaim, a family of Kohanim to whose credit we celebrate Chanuka.

The Targum on Shir HaShirim (ז ג גבורים relates that the (שה”ש sixty mighty” ,ששים soldiers” who keep the peace, refers to the sixty letters that comprise the Priestly Blessing that powered the Jewish armies to victory.

The Ramban points out, based on Midrashim, that when Aharon was frustrated in the fact that he missed out in participating in the Mishkan dedication’s celebratory offerings, G-d pacified him by informing him that he was destined for something much greater, something

that would endure even after the destruction of the Temple. It was revealed to Aharon the future Mitzva of נר חנוכה, the lighting of the Chanuka Menora that would be instituted by the Chashmonaim and that of the Priestly Blessings that would be performed for eternity.

Clearly there is a pattern developing here. The ability to see beyond one’s own needs and dedicate oneself to others is the key to victory in Avodas Hashem.

favor, too, is the tool one utilizes in conquering the interests and admiration of others ;חןin one’s quest to inspire and represent the הארת פנים, illumination of G-d’s countenance and presence in our lives.

One who radiates the attributes of Aharon is assured to carry out one’s mission in life successfully, enlisting all those he encounters towards a heightened awareness of the source of all illumination, G-d.

Yosef was wearing four garments, corresponding to the four priestly garments the Kohen Gadol donned at the service on Yom Kippur. (מדרש תלפיות ערך יוסף)

All those who viewed ”Yosef” were indeed smitten with his חן, ”favor. Throughout the entire episode whenever the Torah describes the interaction and

relationship between the brothers and יוסף, Yosef, they always relate to ”him”, and not to .”יוסף”

.”...His brothers saw that their father loved him” ;ויראו אחיו כי אותו אהב אביהם (לז ד).”His brothers were jealous of him” ;ויקנאו בו אחיו (לז יא).”They saw him from a distance” ;ויראו אותו מרחוק (לז יח)Yet when יעקב אבינו, Yaakov, relates to his beloved son, the Torah describes, וישראל אהב

.”and Yisroel loved Yosef more than his brothers” ;את יוסף (לז ג)Even when the Arab merchants take Yosef, the Torah tells us, ויביאו את יוסף מצרימה (לז

.”they brought Yosef to Egypt” ;כח)Throughout the entire episode with Potiphar, his wife and the jailed butler, ”יוסף” is

referred to time and time again: ;”he left everything in the hand of Yosef” ;ויעזב כל אשר לו ביד יוסף (לט ו) ;”even though she spoke to ”Yosef” every day” ;ויהי כדברה אל יוסף (לט י).”the butler told his dream to Yosef” ;ויספר שר המשקים את חלמו ליוסף (מ ט)The Torah is teaching us a profound lesson in human relationships. The brothers had

their own agenda. They only related to Yosef insofar as he interfered or assisted them in their own goals. They never stopped to value who he truly was and the greatness that he possessed. They merely saw ”him”, never ”Yosef”.

Rashi tells us that the verse that states ”His brothers went off to pasture” is not describing their pasturing of their father’s sheep, but rather of themselves. They viewed Yosef only through the lens of their own visions, understanding and needs. Would they have stopped to see the true Yosef, they would have understood his greatness and why he truly deserved Yaakov’s special love and regard.

The Arab merchants, Potiphar, his wife and the butler had no preconceived notions, they merely saw him for who he was and what he actually represented and indeed he radiated a special favor that was uniquely ”Yosef”, that was instantly recognized and admired.

Indeed, when Yaakov clothed him in the “colorful cloak”, he was affirming this radiance that was a manifestation of the source of all illumination, the Name of G-d Itself.

He was immediately to find favor ” רואיו כל ,”in the eyes of all who beheld ”him ,”בעיני Yosef!

There is one exception however. ויפשיטו את יוסף, and they stripped Yosef. Here is the only encounter where they regard him as ”Yosef”. What is the message?

The Holy Arizal teaches that of the Ten Martyrs who served as atonement for this grave sin between the brothers, it was the great Kohen Gadol, Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha who corresponded to Yosef. There were many similarities between them. They were both extraordinarily handsome, they were both taken captive when they were young. Just as Yosef was ”stripped”, so too when the daughter of the Caesar begged to retain Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha’s beautiful countenance, the Caesar directed his henchmen to flay his skin from upon his face in order to preserve it. (שער הגלגולים לה)

The brothers stripped Yosef from his most prized possession, his essence. Just as the princess perceived the great Sage’s beauty in the most shallowest way, so

too did the brothers refuse to take an honest look at Yosef, thus stripping the essence of ”Yosef” from him.

The light of Chanuka symbolizes a most powerful beam of light, the radiance of the .the Divine Countenance itself. It burns brightly within each one of us ,שכינה הקדושה

.The spirit of man is the lamp of G-d ,נר ד‘ נשמת אדם (משלי כ כז)Aharon was appeased by the knowledge that forever there will be individuals who will

understand the secret of the Priestly Blessing and the mystical 22 letter Name of G-d that emanates from it. People who would devote themselves selflessly to reflecting His light in all they endeavor. In the kindling of the Chanuka Menorah, Aharon rests assured that his legacy of understanding, dedication and sense of mission would persevere and continue to enlighten a dark world with the light of our souls, the light of Torah.

We must see and appreciate the light that burns brightly within each other so that in the merit of our actions we will herald the ultimate brightness that will inspire an entire world on the day Moshiach will arrive.

May I boldly suggest that חנוכה is a contraction of חנו, from the root חן, his favor, that finds its might from the message of כה, the כה תברכו..., the Priestly Blessing and its call to enlighten our world with understanding and appreciation of one another.

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S P O N S O R E D

The Commuters ChavrusaReb Howard Jacksonon the Train from Yerushalayim to Tel Aviv

www.divreitorah.co.uk

Cluedo: The Butler, in the Prison, Without the Cup

א פרעה את-ראשך, והשיבך, על- בעוד שלשת ימים, ישכנך; ונתת כוס-פרעה, בידו, כמשפט הראשון, אשר היית

משקהו. )מ':י'ג((““In three days, Pharaoh will … give you back

your position and you will place Pharaoh’s cup in

his hand, just as you did before, when you were

his butler. But just remember me … and remind

Pharaoh about me …” (Bereishit 40:13-14) .

After saying ”give you back your position” why does

the verse add ”and you will place Pharaoh’s cup in his

hand, just as you did before”? Also, how could Yosef

put his trust in the butler; shouldn’t he only put his trust

in God?

Rabbi Akiva Eiger explains that if a person is sent

to prison for a misdemeanour, then that person would

resolve that when he is eventually freed he will be very

careful not to make the same mistake again. Similarly,

the butler accepted upon himself that if he ever

regained his former position, then he would be much

more careful that no flies would come into contact with

Pharaoh’s wine. The butler thought he was sitting in

prison because he had been careless. Yosef wanted to

impress upon him that the real reason was otherwise.

Meshech Chochmah expounds that the butler was there

to teach Yosef royal etiquette which would soon prove

to be useful education.

Accordingly, when Yosef told him that he would

return to his position, he also informed the butler that

it would be superfluous to practise greater carefulness

as a butler, because he was only really in prison for

Yosef’s benefit. Hence, Yosef linked the butler’s freedom

to “But just remember me”. Thus, Yosef instructed the

butler ”and you will place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand,

just as you did before”, meaning with the same level of

care as before, but it was not necessary to worry about

the earlier misdemeanour.

Now we can understand that not only was Yosef not

guilty so far of lacking trust in God, but he actually gave

the butler a lesson in God’s Providence, how everything

had been supervised by God.

On the verse ”God was with him (Yosef)” (Bereishit

39:3) , Rashi’s interpretation is that the name of God

was familiar in Yosef’s mouth. Mesiach Ilmim notes

that almost every time Yosef speaks he gives credit to

God (e.g. Bereishit 39:9; 40:8; 41:16; 41:25,28,32; 41:51;

42:18; 43:29; 45:5,7,8; 48:9; 50:19; 50:25) . So, how did

Yosef slip up in his trust of God such that the Midrash

(Bereishit Rabbah 89) teaches that Yosef had to spend

an additional two years in prison as a punishment for

twice asking the butler to remember him?

Rabbi Shimon Shkop observes that for Yosef to

ask once would not have been punished because

once is hishtadlut (putting in one’s own effort) which

is permitted, but to ask a second time is not regarded

as hishtadlut and also discredits the first time. Rabbi

Moshe ben Chaim Alshich comments that Yosef had not

asked the butler to help advance the date of his release,

merely to ensure that action be taken when his release

was due. Nevertheless, on Yosef’s high spiritual level,

this was deemed inappropriate reliance on mankind.

Alternatively, others suggest that Yosef should have just

waited until the end of the three days, until the moment

the butler was due to be released, before making his

request to be remembered.

לע''נ

רות שאשא בת יעקב מאיר ע"ה

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S P O N S O R E D

The Weekly Halachic Conversation

Rabbi Avi WiesenfeldRosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halacha Beis Horaah

Tuck in… Chanukah is coming…

As far as I know, there is no requirement for one to eat specific foods on Chanukah such as doughnuts and latkes, nor is it – contrary to popular belief – one of the mitzvos of Chanukah. However, it is a custom that has been preserved for many years

– which has many sources – to eat foods that are dipped or fried in oil as a reminder of the miracles of Chanukah.

LATKES

Q. What beracha does one say on Latkes?

A. Latkes are commonly made from shredded potatoes, mixed with eggs and spices and fried in oil. Although potatoes are hoadomo, in this case, they are shredded. The question is when a food loses its form, does it still require its original beracha?

There is a machlokes amongst the rishonim as to how much a food must be blended in order for it to lose its original beracha, and say a shehakol on it instead.1 The final halacha is that if a food is blended

to an extent that it is completely unrecognizable (even if one does indeed know which food this was made from), since it lost its form, it loses its beracha too, and a shehakol is recited on it.2 The exception to this rule is when the food still retains its texture. For example, most poskim hold that one recites a hoadomo on mashed potato, even when it is well mashed, since it retains the texture of a potato; the same is true of mashed avocado and banana.3

In the case of our latkes, since the potatoes have been shredded (in a way that they are still recognizable), most poskim say they are not considered as losing their form, thus, a hoadomo is recited. If one makes latkes by pulverising/blending the potatoes first (and for sure if potato flour was used) most poskim agree that it requires a shehakol.4 There are people that have the minhag to always make a shehakol whichever way they are made.5

1 עי' גמ' ברכות לח., רש"י ורא"ש ורמב"ן שם.2 שו"ע ורמ"א סי' רב ס"ז ומ"ב שם.

3 מ"ב ס"ק מ, דע"ת למהרש"ם סי' רב ס"ז. וכ"פ הגרש"ז זצ"ל והגריש"א והגרחפ"ש זצ"ל. וע"ע שו"ת בא"מ ח"ב סי' יב אות ה.

4 הגרש"ז זצ"ל מובא בס' ותן ברכה עמ' 408, שו"ת שבט הלוי ח"י סי' מו, הגרי"ש אלישיב זצ"ל מובא בס' שערי ברכה עמ' תקפב.

5 שו"ת באר משה ח"ב. וע"ע בשו"ת תשובות והנהגות ח"ג סי' עד שמנהג לברך שהכל בכל אופן ע"ש טעמו.

DOUGHNUTS

Q. What is the correct beracha on a doughnut?

A. Dough that consists of flour and water normally requires a hamotzi. Nevertheless, there are times when adding certain ingredients may turn it from bread into ”cake”, requiring a mezonos. This is called ‘pas habo bekisnin’.6

For example, if the dough is made sweet before baking by adding sugar and the like, the baked item will often become a mezonos. The most common example of this is cake. Another prerequisite for hamotzi to be made is that it must be baked, not cooked.

This leads us to the question of what beracha does one make on a doughnut. The dough is often the same dough one would use for challah, i.e., not sweet, and it is not baked (normally!), only deep fried, so can one really make a mezonos on a doughnut?

There is a machlokes Rishonim if thick dough was cooked or deep fried, is it a hamotzi or a mezonos.7 Since most Rishonim hold it is a mezonos, that is the conclusion of the Shulchan oruch. Nevertheless, the Shulchan oruch continues and brings the opinion of one of the Rishonim that is machmir, and says that a ירא שמים should treat them as hamotzi and eat them only during a meal (i.e. with bread), and the Ramo says that the minhag is to always say a mezonos.8

The final halacha is that doughnuts are a mezonos, notwithstanding how many one eats, but a ירא שמים should preferably eat them within a meal.

• If the doughnut is made so sweet that one can clearly taste the sweetness in the dough, it will be mezonos according to all opinions.9

• If the dough was originally made with intention to be baked (e.g., for challah or pizza), and subsequently used for doughnuts (i.e., deep fried), if one eats the amount that fills him up, he may have to wash on them.

If the Yom Tov of Chanukah was established by Chazal to give praise for the great miracles that Hashem performed for us, what better way can we fulfil this than by making the correct beracha on our foods during Chanukah.

Enjoy!

6 עי' שו"ע סי' קסח סעי' ו וז'.7 משנה חלה פ"א מ"ה.

8 השו"ע סי' קסח סעי' יג הביא תחילה שיטת הרמב"ן שברכתה מזונות, ואכ"ח כ' דיש חולקין ע"ז וסבר שברכתם המוציא. וסיים השו"ע דירא שמים יוצא ידי שניהם ויאכלם רק בתוך הסעודה ויברך המוציא על לחם אחר.

9 כשאר פהב"כ כמש"כ שו"ע סי' קסח ס"ז.

לע''נ

ר' חיים אליעזר בן ר' יעקב ז"ל

MP3SHIUR.COMBrand New Shiurim

just added Parsha and Chofetz Chayim Yomi

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S P O N S O R E D

Weekly Nach Journey through NachThe material has been adapted from ‘Journey Through Nach’ published by Adir Press and distributed by Feldheim. To pre-order the Journey through Nach two-book box-set or for more info, email danielpfine@gmail.com

Sefer Yehoshua

Perek 7: Achan looted some spoils of Yericho, thereby transgressing

Yehoshua’s commandment. Advisors told Yehoshua that only a few thousand men were required to capture Ai, a small but well-fortified city. The Bnei Yisrael attacked Ai, but were pursued and ultimately suffered around 36 casualties (Chazal tell us that Avraham was aware of what would occur at Ai and its catastrophic repercussions as our first major sin upon entering Eretz Yisrael, and as such made sure to pray there when he entered Eretz Canaan: it was in the merit of these prayers that we suffered so few casualties in the war with Ai). Hashem informed Yehoshua that this calamity was due to someone having taken spoils from Yericho. The entire nation was punished because of this sin, as they did not watch one another (Metzudas David), or, because all Bnei Yisrael carry the burden of each other’s sins (Kli Yakar) especially with a sin that caused Hashem to remove His direct, protective hashgacha over Bnei Yisrael (Malbim). Rav Dessler adds (M’M 2:112), that had Bnei Yisrael as a nation been on the level that taking others’ possessions would have been an anathema, Achan would never have dared to take from the spoils. A lottery was performed, and Achan was singled out. Upon being prompted by Yehoshua, he confessed to his crime. As a punishment, he was stoned and his possessions burned and destroyed. Achan’s family were killed too, because they were aware of what Achan did and nevertheless remained quiet (Rashi). Note that according to some views, Achan repented just before his death and composed the second paragraph of our Aleinu Leshabeyach prayer calling for days of Divine sovereignty and international recognition of G-d: the first three letters of “Al ken nekaveh” spell Achan.

Perek 8: In a second attempt to capture Ai, Yehoshua commanded

30,000 warriors to ambush the city from behind, while the remaining troops would approach the city and pretend to flee. This time the entire army was called upon, to generate a noticeable retreat (Metzudas David). In response to Yehoshua’s soldiers’ retreat, the enemy chased them down, while in the meantime, the 30,000 soldiers waiting in ambush set Ai on fire. Both groups of soldiers then killed all the inhabitants of Ai, with Yehoshua hanging the king (The Ralbag writes that Hashem did not perform miracles in this battle, because miracles were not necessary). Yehoshua offered sacrifices on

an altar he built, and wrote on the stones mentioned earlier. It is disputed as to whether he wrote some mitzvos (Rav Sa’adya Gaon), or some of the Torah. He also read the ‘Blessings and Curses’ to the entire congregation on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival as commanded in the Torah, in Parshas Ki Savo (perek 27).

Perek 9: The Six Emorite nations, including Giveon, heard what

Yehoshua had done to Yericho and Ai. They assumed Yericho and Ai were destroyed as they were independent cities, but they, as a coalition, could not be defeated (Ralbag). Therefore, they united. The residents of Giveon dressed up as travellers from a distant city and approached Yehoshua and the Nesi’im, asking them to make a covenant of peace. Yehoshua and the Nesiim agreed to this ‘Without asking Hashem’ (9:14). When the deception was uncovered, Bnei Yisrael honored their oath and made the Giveonites water carriers and wood choppers for the congregation. Technically, this oath was not binding, since it was procured under deception, and Bnei Yisrael were obligated to wipe out this nation who had earlier declared war on them. Nevertheless, the elders kept their promise because of the chillul Hashem that could result from appearing to renege on this oath.

Perek 10: Adoni Tzedek, king of Yerushalayim, united the five

Emorite nations to fight against Giveon for making peace with Yehoshua. Giveon called on Yehoshua for help, and Yehoshua obliged, honoring Bnei Yisrael’s treaty (as a master looks after his servants [Radak]). Hashem rained down large hailstones to kill the Emorite nations, and caused the sun to stay still so they could finish the battle. The war was on Friday, and Yehoshua feared that if the battle would last too long, Bnei Yisrael would desecrate Shabbos. Thus, he lifted up his hands to make the sun stop on Friday for thirty-six hours (Radak). It is a dispute among the Midrashim whether the sun stopped only for Yehoshua or for the entire world. Yehoshua sang a shirah to Hashem for this miraculous victory. Found hiding in a cave, the five kings were killed by Yehoshua, hung on separate trees until evening and then buried in the cave with a monument established outside. Bnei Yisrael successfully captured the south of Israel – though the territory from Azah until the sea was not yet conquered (Rashi 10:41).

לע''נ

ר' שלום שכנא בן ר' חיים יעקב ז"ל

7

S P O N S O R E D

Home Grownfrom the Golders Green KolelThis week: Rabbi Yitzchok Firestone, Rosh Chabura in Golders Green Kolel

Regarding the pit, the posuk says:

...Vehaboir rake ain bo mayim (Kapitel 37:24). Rashi quotes the Gemoro Shabbos 22a: Mayim ain bo, nechoshim v’akrabim yesh bo.

Were the Shevotim aware of this pitfall?

Why did Yosef return to the pit after the burial of

Yaakov?

How is this connected to Chanukah?

Yosef Hatzaddik was placed in the pit on the advice of Reuven. Chazal tell us that although the pit was empty of water, there were snakes and scorpions in it. The Ramban (1) notes that the snakes and scorpions couldn’t have been visible, the pit was either very deep or they were hidden within cracks and crevices. Had they been visible, when the Shevotim removed him from the pit, and found him unharmed, it would have been clear to them that he was a tzaddik and it was against Hashem’s Will to harm him and would never have sold him to the Midyonim.

The Ramban makes no mention of whether Reuven was aware or not of the snakes and scorpions in the pit.

Many meforshim bring from the Zohar Hakodosh that Reuven was aware of the snakes and scorpions, but his intention was to save Yosef from the hands of the brothers, who were ba’alei bechiroh and to place him into the hands of snakes and scorpions, who are not ba’ale bechiroh. Hakodosh Boruch Hu lets ba’alei bechiroh go against his wishes (kavyachol) whereas snakes and scorpions can only harm if it is Hashem’s wish to do so. Reuven was convinced that Yosef was righteous and therefore Hashem would not let him be harmed.

However, the Mizrochi argues with this and suggests that Reuven was also unaware of the creatures in the pit. Since his intention was to save Yosef, and return him to his father, he certainly could not have hoped to rescue him by casting him into an infested pit. The Mizrochi proves this from a Gemoro in Yevamos (2) that allows a woman to remarry on the testimony that her previous husband was thrown into a pit infested with snakes and scorpions.

The Medrash at the end of Parshas Vayechi (3) brings that Yosef Hatzaddik revisited this pit returning from the levayah of Yaakov. The reason for this visit, says the Medrash, was to recite the berocho ‘Boruch sheoso li nes bamokom hazeh’ Blessed is the One Who has a performed a miracle for me at this place. The Meshech Chochomoh (4) quotes the Abudraham (5) that this berocho is only said on a supernatural nes, not on a nes nistar, a

nes which is within the bounds of nature. With this the Meshech Chochomoh explains the juxtaposition of the two sayings of Reb Tanchum in the Gemoro Shabbos (6). The above saying that the pit contained snakes and scorpions and a second saying that a Chanukah light that was lit higher than twenty amos is posul.

The main nes that happened to Yosef was that he rose from the depths of the pit to eventually become a world leader. However, this nes would not require a berocho since it did not defy the laws of nature. The berocho that Yosef made was solely for the nes that saved him from the snakes and scorpions, which defied the laws of nature.

Similarly, regarding Chanukah, the main nes for Klal Yisroel was the victory of the Chashmonoyim against the Greeks and the return of the Jewish ruling power for two hundred years, until the churban (7) . A great nes indeed, but within the boundaries of nature. The berocho of ‘Sheoso nisim’ is recited on a smaller nes, the nes of the menorah burning for eight full days, since this is a supernatural nes. In as far as the main nes, it would suffice to light the menorah higher than twenty amos as long as it could somehow be seen. But since the berocho is on the nes of the menorah, this needs to be within twenty amos, to remind us of the menorah within the Heichal that was twenty amos high.

The Medrash (8) brings it was after Yosef’s visit and contemplation by the pit that the Shevotim got worried that Yosef would start hating them and avenge all that they did to him (9). They did not perceive that Yosef was actually blessing Hakodosh Boruch Hu for the nes. Why should the brothers assume this? Using the above, one can perhaps explain that since the brothers had no knowledge of the snakes and scorpions in the pit, in their view there was no miracle defying the laws of nature, therefore Yosef could not have been making the berocho ‘Sheoso li nes bamokom hazeh’.

It is incidental to note that when the posuk (10) discusses the throwing of Yosef into the pit it says ”Vayikochuhu, vayashlichu oso haboroh” which translates ‘they lifted him up and threw him into the pit’. Says the Shem Mishmuel the word ‘vayikach’ suggests a lift. This sojourn in the pit actually gave Yosef a spiritual uplift, when he realised at this point that his Tzelem Elokim was intact, and even snakes and scorpions could have no affect on him.

(1) Ramban Vayeishev 37:22

(2) Yevamos 121

(3) Rabbah 100:8, Tanchuma 17

(4) Vayeishev

(5) Orach Chaim 219:9

(6) ibid

(7) Rambam Hilchos Chanukah perek 3

(8) ibid

(9) Vayechi 50:15

(10) Vayeishev 37:24

לע''נ

חיה שפרה בת יהודה ע"הכז סיון תשעד לפ"ק

8

S P O N S O R E D

MiYemini MichoelRabbi Michoel JablinowitzRosh Yeshiva Ateret Yerushalayim

There is a well known Rashi in the beginning of the parsha which teaches that the words, Vayeshev Yaakov, indicate that Yaakov was ready to settle down in peace, Bikesh Yaakov Leishev B’Shalvah. However, the next pasuk immediately relates, V’Eileh Toldos Yaakov Yosef, no sooner did Yaakov settle down and the difficulties with Yosef ensued, Kafatz Alav Rogzo Shel Yosef. The Medrash Rabbah (84, 3) derives this idea from the pasuk in Iyov (Chapter 3, Pasuk 26), Lo Shalavti V’Lo Shakateti V’Lo Nachti Vayavo Rogez. The Medrash learns that each statement indicating a lack of rest means a lack of rest from the previous difficult encounters. Lo Shalavti M’Eisav, V’Lo Shakateti M’Lavan, V’Lo Nachti M’Dinah, Vayavo Olai Rogez, Bah Olai Rogzo Shel Yosef. The Medrash explains this is a reference to Yaakov Avinu, who didn’t rest from his original encounter with Eisav and he had to deal with Lavan. After finally leaving Lavan behind, he found himself dealing with Dianh being kidnapped by Shechem. And after all this, the fear and worry of Yosef was thrust upon him.

The Zohar brings a pasuk from Sefer Yeshayahu (Chapter 14, Pasuk 3) which states, V’Hayah B’Yom Hani’ach Hashem Lecha M’Atzbecha U’Miragzecha. On the day that Hashem will bring you rest from your sadness and worry. The Zohar teaches that the words B’Yom Hani’ach are a reference to Shabbos, the day of Menucha. The pasuk is therefore teaching that Shabbos is a day in which we receive a respite from our fear and sadness. And the pasuk in Yeshayahu uses the same word U’Miragzecha that is used by Chazal regarding Yaakov, Kafatz Alav Rogzo Shel Yosef. The word “Rogez” means fear and trepidation. How does this idea in the Zohar of Shabbos being a respite from sorrow relate to Yaakov’s worry and fear over Yosef’s fate?

The Mishnah in Shabbos 73A teaches that there are thirty nine Melachos on Shabbos. The Mishnah expresses this number not as thirty nine, but rather as “Arba’im Chaser Achas”, forty minus one. Rav Tzadok HaKohen asks, why does the Mishnah teach the number in this seemingly awkward manner?

He answers with the following. The Gemara in Shabbos 49B teaches that the 39 Melachos correspond to the 39 times the word Melacha appears in the Torah. The Gemarah, however, has a doubt concerning two times that the word appears, as to whether it is referring to actual work or not, and therefore whether they are counted. One time is the pasuk in Shmos (Chapter 36, Pasuk 7), V’HaMelachah Haysa Dayam, and the other pasuk is in our parsha (Chapter 39, Pasuk 11), Vayavo HaBaysah La’asos Melachto. What is the doubt that the Gemara has?

Rashi quotes the famous disagreement between Rav and Shmuel which is also brought in the Gemara in Shabbos above. One says that Yosef came in that day to do his work, and the other posits that Melachto doesn’t refer to actual work, but rather Yosef came to be with Potifar’s wife, and was dissuaded from the averiah when he saw an image of his father, at which point he ran out of the house. According to the first position, our pasuk is one of the 39 times we find the word Melacha in the Torah. According to the second position, it is not referring to work, and therefore is not included in the counting.

Rav Tzadok teaches that the reason the Mishnah uses the term “Arba’im Chaser Achas”, is because even though there are thirty nine actual Melachos, the fortieth reference to Melacha has a connection to Shabbos as well. It serves to round out and complete the work of the 39 Melachos to the number forty. According to the position that Yosef went to do actual work, then it is counted in the 39 references to Melacha. If so, the pasuk V’HaMelachah Haysa Dayam is not referring to work, but rather it means they stopped bringing materials to the Mishkan. If so, this is the fortieth reference which rounds out the Melachos. After the work of the six days of the week, there needed to be rest. This is similar to what Rashi comments on the pasuk in Bereishis (Chapter 2, Pasuk 2), Vayechal Elokim Bayom HaShevi’I, Ba’as Shabbos, Ba’as Menucha, Kalsah V’Nigmarah HaMelachah. The completion of the work of the six days of the week took place on Shabbos with the ”creation” of Menuchah. This is the ”fortieth” Melachah on Shabbos, the completion of the work as expressed in the Menuchah of Shabbos.

According to the other position, Yosef didn’t come to work, but rather he came to be with Potifar’s wife. Accordingly, V’HaMelachah Haysa Dayam is a reference to the actual work in the Mishkan being completed. And the fortieth Melchah which completes and rounds off the 39 is our pasuk, Yosef going to be with Potifar’s wife. How can this idea be the topping off and the completion of the concept of six days of work?

Rashi brings on the first pasuk of Chapter 39 the words of Chazal that Potifar’s wife knew that she or her daughter were destined to have children with Yosef. And certainly Yosef knew this as well. He thought that perhaps it was appropriate to have a child with her. After all, this child would be one of the tribes of the future nation of Israel. But then he saw the form of his father and realized that it was only his yetzer hara attempting to confuse him and convince him to sin. The midah of Yaakov, Emes, overcame the confusion that Yosef experienced and he ran out of the house.

Similarly, during the six days of the week when we are involved in the mundane activities of our life, we tend to view things in a skewed manner. Our temptations affect our thinking and we can reach very incorrect conclusions. And the problems we face in life can be blown out of proportion and we experience worry and fear. Shabbos is the day when we have clear light and can get a better perspective on things. The ”Melachto” of Yosef represents the completion of the six days of Melacha, it is the number forty. It is this notion of clarity of thinking which allows us to not be consumed by the mundane matters of our life. The thirty nine Melachot are completed by the notion of the vision of Yaakov appearing to Yosef and giving him clarity of thought and action. The work in our lives is lacking without this notion of Melacha number forty.

This is what the Zohar above means. The day of Shabbos is the respite from our sorrow and fear. It is meant to appease the sense of

“Rogez” that we feel. And it is the light of Shabbos which was meant to ease Rogzo Shel Yosef for Yaakov. Because it is precisely this light of clarity which Yosef received from his father, which ultimately guaranteed the purity of his future generations.

לע''נ

יפה שינדל בת ר' יחזקאל ע"ה

9

The Davening DiscussionRabbi Elozor Barclay Rabbi Yitzchok Jaegerauthors of the Guideline Series

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The Obligation cont.

12. Are women obligated to daven mussaf?

Opinions differ about this, and the custom is

for women to make an effort to daven mussaf.

13. Are women obligated to daven ma’ariv?

No. Although men accepted upon

themselves to daven ma’ariv, women did not

do so. A woman who wishes to daven ma’ariv

on a regular basis (e.g. on Friday night) should

have in mind that she is doing so b’li neder, in

order not to become permanently bound by it.

14. Are women obligated to recite hallel?

No, this is a time-bound mitzvah and women

are exempt. If they wish to recite hallel on the

appropriate days, they may do so. A woman

who has limited time and wishes to daven

either mussaf or hallel, should daven mussaf

rather than hallel.

15. Are children obligated to daven?

• Boys should be trained to daven

shacharis and mincha from the age of

six or seven, but opinions differ whether

one must train them to daven ma’ariv.

See also question 94.

• According to most opinions, girls should

be trained to daven shacharis and mincha

from the age of six or seven, but do not

need to be trained to daven ma’ariv.

16. Must a person daven with the same nusach as his parents?

Generally speaking, a person should adhere

to the nusach of his parents. This is derived

from the verse, ”And do not forsake the Torah

of your mother” (Mishlei 1:8). What if one’s

parents deviated from the nusach of their

ancestors?

According to some opinions, it is a mitzvah

to return to the original nusach of one’s

ancestors.

17. What if one is already accustomed to a different nusach?

If it is difficult for him to change to the

original family nusach, he may continue with

his present nusach.

18. What if one’s parents are not religious and do not daven?

He should attempt to clarify the nusach that

was used by his ancestors. If this cannot be

discovered, he may choose whichever nusach

that he prefers.

19. May a married woman daven with a different nusach from her husband?

She should make every effort to daven with

the same nusach as that of her husband. It is

important for her to do this before her children

begin to daven.

S P O N S O R E D

10

S P O N S O R E D

The Torah Shiurim of Rabbi FrandRabbi Yissochor FrandMaagid Shiur, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Baltimore

Two Factors Which Allowed Yosef To Survive His Ordeal

Yaakov sent Yosef to check on the welfare of his brothers and the welfare of the flocks. The pasuk says: “And behold a man found him and he was lost in the field” [Bereshis 37:15]. This was in the days before GPS. There was no address to type in. It was a big country. He tried to find his brothers and got lost. “The man found him and asked ‘What are you looking for?’”. The Rabbis tell us that the ‘Ish’ [man] alluded to in the pasuk was actually the Angel Gavriel. Gavriel haMalach literally led Yosef by the hand and took him to his appointed place. But before he did this, the Malach asked Yosef “What are you looking for?” (Mah t’vakesh?) There is a word in this pasuk that does not fit in -- namely the word “leimor” which means literally “to say over to others”. This word is not typically used in direct dialogue between two individuals. The pasuk should read ”Vayishaleyhu haIsh, mah tivakesh?” (and the man asked him ‘What are you looking for?’); not

”Vayishaleyhu haIsh LEIMOR mah tivakesh?”

What does the word LEIMOR here mean? The Kotzker Rebbe answers: Yosef is about to embark on an epic odyssey. In the next several parshiyos, Yosef experiences things that should not happen to any individual. He is going to be accused of murder by his brothers, he is going to be thrown in a pit to die, he is going to be ‘rescued’ and sold to a bunch of merchants, he is going to be transported against his will to Egypt, he will be purchased as a slave only to be accused of trying to seduce his master’s wife, and he will be thrown into jail for an extended period of time. Finally, Yosef will get out of jail and eventually become the viceroy of Egypt. This is like a roller coaster, except that most of the roller coaster is down in the valley. How does a person not give up when must contend with all this trauma? How does such a person not throw up his hands in despair? How does he remain strong to his Yiddishkeit? How was Yosef able to stand up to the seduction of Potiphar’s wife? What is the secret of his strength?

The Kotzker Rebbe explains that the Angel was telling him: “Yosef, I will give you the key. The secret is always to keep your mind on one thing: Mah Tevakesh? [What are you looking for?]”. You should constantly keep asking yourself ”What is my goal?” When a person is focused on a goal, he can contend with the vagaries that life throws at him. He knows ”I have a mission to accomplish and I will not let anything get in my way.” When a person has a clear understanding of ”Mah Tevakesh?” then he can be tried with all these tests, all these ‘ups’, but mostly ‘downs’ in life and can remain true to his principles because he knows what his goals are.

This is what LEIMOR means here. It does not mean to say it over to anyone else, it means keep saying it over to yourself! Say it over and over again. Every time you find yourself confronting a test, a challenge, ask ”Mah Tevakesh?” [What is my goal?] This prevents you from giving up, it prevents you from being seduced, and it keeps you honest.

This is one factor which allowed Yosef to survive. The following is a second factor in Yosef’s survival from Rav Mordechai Pogmeransky (who Rav Gifter always used to quote as being the prodigy from

Telshe). The pasuk says that Yosef was sold to a group of Arab merchants carrying spices. Rashi quotes a famous Chazal pointing out that Arabs normally carried oil (some things never change) rather than spices. How was it that suddenly, these Arabs that bought Yosef were carrying spices? The answer is that the Almighty was precise in His execution of punishment. For whatever reason, Yosef had to be sold and transported to Egypt. However, Yosef did not need to suffer from foul smelling oil on the journey down there, so He arranged through Divine Providence that this caravan be loaded with the pleasant aroma of spices.

Rav Mordechai Pogmeransky asks -- What difference does it make to a person when he is being carted off to jail whether he is being transported in the back of a Lincoln Town Car or the back of a paddy wagon? It is unlikely that Yosef, who had to psychologically deal with his separation from his parents, his family, his homeland, to say nothing of his freedom, would be very consoled by the fact that he had the “luck” of being in a pleasant smelling caravan! What is this Rashi teaching us?

There lies herein a very fundamental teaching. If a person has the ability -- to see the Hand of G-d within the ‘tzoros’ [trials and tribulations] he is undergoing, he does not have the sense of abandonment. People throw up their hands in despair when there is no hope. If a person can see the silver lining in the cloud -- but more importantly -- if a person can see the Yad Hashem [Hand of G-d] in the cloud, then one will have the attitude: “I am going to get out of this! I have not been forsaken by the Master of the Universe.” When Yosef saw the strange phenomenon of an Arab caravan transporting spices, he realized that the Almighty was still watching over him regardless of the gravity of the situation in which he found himself.

This idea explains a phenomenon I see all the time, which always amazes me. People go through natural disasters -- hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc. They lose everything. Their entire neighborhood or towns may be wiped out. We may see pictures of the survivors: A woman is standing in front of the camera with her dog or with her wedding album or some kind of sentimental picture. She says, “Thank G-d -- at least my pictures were not lost!” or “At least I have my dog!” Why do they look at it like that? They have lost everything! Are these pictures or the dog going to pay their bills now? How does this help them cope with the tragedy that has befallen them? The explanation is that they are able to find a silver lining within their troubles. In their minds, ”G-d saved me and he gave me something to hang onto.”

That is what gives people the ability to continue. That is what Yosef saw over here. ”In spite of all that happened here, I see that the Ribono shel Olam is watching over me. If the Ribono shel Olam is watching over me, then I have hope.”

These two factors -- ”Mah Tevakesh?” and the fact that he saw the Hand of G-d in the middle of his tzoros gave Yosef the ability to survive.

לע''נ

ר' משה בן ר' פנחס ג'יי ז"ל

11

Your Weekly Spark of Chassidus

Rabbi Tal Moshe ZweckerMipeninei Noam Elimelech

שבת מנחה ושלש סעודות3:50 pm

S P O N S O R E D

The Way To Divine Unity Is Awe And Fear

And Yaakov settled in the land where his father dwelled. (Bereishis 37:1)

This verse can be understood with a verse in Tehillim (122:7): ”May there be peace in Your chambers, serenity in Your palaces.” [To explain this we will first bring] the Talmud’s teaching that from the first day of Creation there was no one who addressed Hashem as Adon, Master, until Avraham came along and addressed him as Master (Berachos 7a). What does this teach us, that Avraham called Hashem ”Adon”? We learn that we must always strive to unify the divine Names of Hashem, the fourletter Name of Havayah and Adon-ai.

[The four-letter Name of Hashem is spelled Yud-Hei-Vav-Hei, but it is read the same as Adon-ai. The Zohar teaches that whenever we recite the four-letter divine Name as Adon-ai we should meditate on unifying both of the Names. The Ben Ish Chai teaches that this is done by imagining the names intertwined as follows: From the final hei of the four-letter Name the Name Adon-ai flows and they are combined as YAHDVNH”Y. Many Sefardic siddurim print the Name of Hashem this way.]

Then Hashem will truly be called Master, as we say [in shacharis of Shabbos], ”El Adon al kol hama’asim — Hashem is Master over all creations.” The name El connotes mercy, as the pasuk says, ”The mercy of El is present all day long” (Tehillim 52:3). When we unify the divine Name, we draw down mercy and kindness to the world. This is “El” — the awakening of mercy and kindness through the unification of Hashem’s Name — and then He is “Adon al kol hama’asim,” Master over all creations.

This is the meaning of the pasuk ”Hashem is in His holy palace; all the earth is quiet in His presence” (Chavakuk 2:20). The Name Adon-ai is like an antechamber to the four-letter Name of Havayah, as it is known. [Yirah, fear of Hashem, is often called the ”heichal,” the entryway or antechamber to the service of Hashem. The next stage is ahavah, love of Hashem. The name Adon-ai is associated with din, judgment (Adon-ai has the same letters as dina, judgment), while the name Havayah denotes love. Thus, we first serve Hashem with the attribute associated with Adon-ai, yirah, which is an entryway to ahavah, the attribute associated with the four-letter Name.1]

When His holy Name is unified in the chambers of His palace through the unification of the Name Adon-ai [with the four-letter Name], ”all the earth is quiet in His presence.” The word for ”quiet” in the pasuk, הס , has the same numerical value as Adon-ai (65), indicating that Hashem is called Adon, Master over the world, once the Name is unified. This is the meaning of the verse [in the story of man’s creation] ”There was no man to work the ground” (Bereishis 2:5). אדמה , ”ground,” has the same root as the term * אדמה לעליון , ”I shall liken myself to the exalted One.”2 Man should always strive to compare the creation to its Creator, thereby unifying all the upper worlds together with the unity of the blessed Creator. Thus, “there was no man to work the ground” — before Adam was created, no one existed to unify the worlds, as we just explained. Therefore, ”a mist rose from the ground” — this alludes to the fact that Hashem was [אד]not yet called master [ אדון ], indicating the word for ”mist,” אד , which comprises only the first two letters of the Name Adon-ai, alef and dalet. No one addressed Hashem as ”Master” until our forefather Avraham came and served Hashem through his pure refined intellect. He served Hashem with love and merited to unify the four-letter Name with Adon-ai, as we explained above. Then Hashem was called the “Master” — Adon.

The principal manner by which this is achieved is through contemplating the exaltedness and loftiness of the divine majesty of

Hashem. Awe and fear of Hashem will naturally come after meditating on such lofty wonders. Ideally we should serve Him in this manner — through the wonder and awe that we acquire by meditating on His exaltedness. If so, why do we need to perform the 613 mitzvos? If we contemplated G-d’s awesomeness continuously, without interruption, our very existence would be nullified from overwhelming and awesome majesty. Therefore Hashem, in His great mercy and kindness, commanded us to perform the 613 commandments. We serve Him thus with our physical body, and this allows us to exist in a state of deveikus, cleaving, to Hashem [without losing our existence].

This then is the meaning of ”And Yaakov settled in the land where his father dwelled.” The root of the word for ”settled,” מגורי , shares the same meaning as the words ויגר מואב , ”And Moav was afraid” (Bamidbar 22:3). In other words, Yaakov was firmly established in the level of fear and awe of Hashem, his Father in Heaven. “In the land of Canaan” — [he acquired fear of Hashem] by serving Hashem physically through fulfilling the commandments and learning Torah constantly, for ”land of Canaan” alludes to the physical body. This allowed Yaakov to remain alive and endure while still cleaving to Hashem’s exaltedness through deveikus in meditative thought.

Thus it says, ”May there be peace in Your chambers, serenity in Your palaces.” The words שלום , ”peace,” and שלם , “whole” or “unified,” share the same meaning. And the word for ”your chambers,” חיל , can also mean

”soldiers,” alluding to Hashem’s army, His divine hosts of angels which dwell in the upper worlds. We can therefore read the verse as ”May the divine Names be unified in the upper worlds” — in order that there be

”serenity in Your palaces.” ”Palaces” refers to the physical body and all the limbs with which one serves Hashem and fulfills His commandments. Through this, one will cleave to Him and unify His Name from now until eternity, Amen and Amen. *

The Deveikus of Rebbe ElimelechThe son-in-law of the Rebbe of Dzikov once related that the holy master

Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz was eating shalosh seudos with his teacher, the Noam Elimelech. He sat at the table, observing the Rebbe, and realized that if Rebbe Elimelech continued in his state of rapture, his soul could, Heaven forbid, expire and leave his body. The Ropshitzer banged on the table and said jokingly, ”The verse says that Hashem will turn to us from His place in mercy. One can ask: Are there brooms in Heaven with which to sweep?” (The Yiddish expression kehern, to turn, is the same word used for sweeping with a broom.) ”The answer is that the verse simply means that He should turn from His place with mercy.” This witty remark disturbed the Rebbe, for it had interrupted Rebbe Elimelech’s state of rapture. Rav Naftali Ropshitzer, not wanting to face the Rebbe’s disapproval, fled, running from the table back to his lodgings. Rebbe Elimelech sent someone to call him back. When Reb Naftali returned, Rebbe Elimelech said to him, ”How dare you interrupt my state of deveikus and ecstasy!” Reb Naftali told his holy teacher, “We still need the Rebbe to remain here in this world.” Rebbe Elimelech realized that his talmid’s intentions had been honorable and said, ”Yasher ko’ach!” and he honored the Ropshitzer with leading the bentching. (Devarim Areivim, p. 21; Ohel Elimelech 300)

1. See Introduction to Reishis Chochmah.

2. See the Shelah HaKadosh on Bereishis, which says that even though the name Adam is derived from the word for ”ground,” adamah, because he was taken from the earth, it is also derived from adameh, the word for ”comparison.”

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to be continued...

The Illustrated Story of

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