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Parsha Perspectives by Ozer Alport
(והנה שבע פרות אחרות עולות אחריהן מן היאור רעות מראה ודקות בשר (41:3
והנה שבע פרות אחרות עולות אחריהן דלות ורעות תואר מאד ורקות בשר (41
“Suddenly, seven other cows emerged after them (the healthy cows) out of the river, of ugly appearance and gaunt flesh.”
“Suddenly, seven other cows emerged after them, scrawny and of very inferior form and emaciated flesh.”
There are numerous discrepancies between the Torah’s description of the actual dreams of Pharaoh and the way in which he subsequently related them to Joseph. For example, although in Pharaoh’s dream he saw seven cows with ugly מראה – appearance, he related to Joseph that they had ugly תואר – form. What is the difference between these seemingly synonymous words, and why did Pharaoh switch from one to the other?
The Torah praises Rachel (29:17) by noting that she was beautiful in both her appearance and form, her תואר and her מראה. Rashi explains that these apparently equivalent terms are not redundant. The term תואר refers to the external appearance and beauty of a person’s physical face, while מראה describes the internal, spiritual shine which radiates forth from within, and the Torah emphasizes that both of them were present in Rachel.
This linguistic difference can explain why Pharaoh changed one term with the other. Egyptian society was so hedonistic, completely absorbed in the material pleasures of this world, that they were buried with their possessions. They couldn’t imagine an afterlife consisting of anything but more of the same physical pleasures which they viewed as the pinnacle of happiness.
In light of this, Rabbi Mordechai Biser explains that in his dream Pharaoh was shown a destruction which would permeate to the inner core of his corrupt society. Yet precisely because he was so indulgent, he wasn’t able to grasp the hint. In his eyes, beauty was skin deep, and he was unable to describe the animals as anything but ugly in their external appearance.
As Parshas Mikeitz is traditionally read on Chanuka, when we celebrate the victory of the Maccabees over our Greek oppressors, there must be some deeper connection between them and the lesson that we can apply in our own lives. Nachmanides (1194-1270) writes that the Egyptian exile contained within it the roots of all of the other exiles which followed. It isn’t surprising that in the time of the Chanuka miracle, the Greeks were so completely absorbed in the worship of external beauty that they reached the point of outlawing the study of the internal and spiritual Torah.
As 21st-century Americans, we can easily see how history repeats itself and how the superficial values of the Egyptian and Greek cultures permeate the very air that we breathe. As we light our Chanuka menorahs and celebrate the miraculous triumph of our righteous ancestors over these artificial world-views, we should take a moment to internalize the deeper understanding that this wasn’t merely a simple military victory. Rather, the miracle of Chanuka symbolically represents the prevailing of the underlying spiritual philosophy for which the Maccabees stood, a philosophy of inner depth and spiritual beauty that we should strive to emulate and incorporate into our daily lives.
Wishing All Our Partners and Friends A Happy Chanukah!
talking points - parshas MIKEITZ
Rabbi Elazar Meisels
1. Dreaming Of Who?
“And it was in the morning and Pharaoh’s spirit was depressed and he sent and summoned all the sorcerers of Egypt and all her wise men and Pharaoh shared with them his dream, but none could interpret them to Pharaoh.” 41:8
- Interpret Them To Pharaoh – “They interpreted them but Pharaoh did not heed their words and he enjoyed no peace from their interpretations. They foretold that he would father, and bury, seven daughters” – Rashi
Perhaps Pharaoh simply wasn’t interested in receiving such dire personal interpretations and therefore he rejected them outright. The commentators tell us however, that there was a deeper motive for his refusal to accept their interpretations. He was the king of Egypt and as such, he felt that his dreams should refer to matters that affected his kingdom, rather than his own personal self. Joseph’s reading was the only one that spoke of Egypt’s welfare, not Pharaoh’s. A true leader submerges his personal interests in favor of focusing on his constituents. A person dreams about what he thinks about during the day. Pharaoh spent his days thinking about the welfare of his nation, not how many children he would sire.
2. Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
“And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I dreamed a dream and no one has been able to interpret it for me and I’ve heard about you. Listen to my dream and interpret it for me.’ And Joseph responded to Pharaoh saying, ‘Not I. Only Hashem will respond to the peace of Pharaoh” 41:16
o Only Hashem Will Respond – The wisdom is not mine. Hashem will place a proper answer in my mouth for Pharaoh – Rashi
o Only Hashem Will Respond – The information is not released to me due to my greatness but for the benefit of the king. – He’emek Davar
Joseph’s greatness was such that even though he stood to benefit greatly from self-attribution, he refused to do so, and instead, credited Hashem with providing him insight into Pharaoh’s dream. Perhaps it was due to his refreshing honesty and insistence that proper credit be ascribed, that Pharaoh decided to trust Joseph further, entrusting him to manage the affairs of his country although he was an outsider and it was a risky political maneuver. “Surely,” he reasoned to himself, “Such a person would never try to assume the throne for himself.” Joseph’s refusal to take credit that wasn’t his due, not only did not harm him, but it actually helped him earn Pharaoh’s trust.
3. Don’t Blame Me
“And he said to his brother, ‘My money has been returned to my sack and here it is in my sack.’ And their hearts sank and in great fright they exclaimed to one another, ‘What is this [hardship] that Hashem has brought upon us?’” 42:28
It is difficult to fathom how the brothers could have blamed Hashem for what was happening to them, unless we understand that in their own minds, they still believed that they hadn’t done anything wrong. So strong was their conviction in the correctness and moral justification of their decision, that even after witnessing Jacob continuously agonize over his loss, and facing tremendous adversity, they still could not grasp that they were to blame for their troubles. The fact that there was no other sin that they could attribute this to, itself speaks volumes of their personal character. Clearly, the saga of Joseph and his brothers requires a great deal of sensitivity and familiarity with the commentaries in order to accurately comprehend. To merely paint them as a group of jealous and spiteful individuals who were unsympathetic to their brother and father, is to utterly fail to grasp the intricacies and profound undercurrents of this painful episode..return to top
Rabbi Elazar Meisels can be reached at rabbimeisels@partnersintorah.orgThis page is dedicated to, and written for the 6,000 Partners in Torah mentors.
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A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES By: Rabbi Elazar Meisels
Dear Rabbi Meisels, My study partner asked me about the concept of “Evil Eye” and I was hard-pressed to explain it to her. Can you enlighten me as to its source, and why it is a problem? She also wanted to know whether wearing a red string is effective to ward it off.
Thanks, Minna R.
Minna, Thank you for your excellent question. This topic is one that many people wonder about and I’m certain that others will appreciate this information as well. The concept of “Evil Eye” known as “Ayin Hara,” is mentioned numerous times in the Talmud, and there are many customs built around the need to avoid it. Avos D’Rabbi Nassan [Chapter 16] fingers it as one of three things that can curtail ones life. In Bereishis [16:7], Rashi maintains that although Hagar only bore Abraham one child, she was actually pregnant more than once. Due to her impudence however, Sara cast an Ayin Hara upon her and she miscarried. It was only after she followed the directives of the angel who visited her in the desert and returned to Abraham, that she conceived a second time and ultimately bore Ishmael.
Its frequent mention not withstanding, the Talmud does not offer a clear rationale for its effectiveness. It is of course, discussed in the major Kabbalistic works, but those are beyond the purview of this column. I will share with you however, a very sensible and enlightening explanation that I once heard quoted from Rav Shimon Schwab zt”l. Rav Schwab zt”l explained that when Hashem decides to bless a person in a specific manner, the recipient must take care to ensure that the blessing be utilized in the spirit in which it was endowed, for anything less is an abuse of the privilege and renders its subject to revocation. Blessing is conferred upon a person for him to enjoy and derive benefit from. For as long as he uses it to that end, he may rest assured that the blessing is his to keep. It is only when he chooses to flaunt his good fortune in the face of others and cause them pain by highlighting his good fortune against the backdrop of their misfortune, that a question arises whether he is validating his claim to the bounty bestowed upon him. After all, he earned it in order to benefit from it. Others did nothing to deserve it as a source of pain and discomfort. By flaunting it, and acting in an ostentatious manner, he is causing others discomfort, which calls into question the decision to bestow it upon him in the first place.
When Hagar merited to conceive a baby with Abraham, immediately following her marriage to him, rather than blessing her good fortune and acting with compassion toward Sara who had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for so many years, she instead demonstrated great disrespect toward her. She openly and stubbornly insisted that her ability to conceive so rapidly must be viewed as evidence of her greater piety. This understandably caused Sara great pain, and Hagar’s right to a child did not eclipse Sara’s pain and she lost her child as a result. She used her blessing not only to derive personal pleasure, but also to cause pain to another. It was not given to her for that purpose, so it was immediately withdrawn.
It is as a result of “Ayin Hara’s” destructive powers that it has become a widespread custom to add the phrase “Bli Ayin Hara” [may it not cause an evil eye] when one discusses his good fortune with another. If nothing else, it’s an expression of sensitivity toward the listener who may not have been blessed with the same good fortune. Even more ideal is to avoid discussing one’s good fortune altogether if at all possible. This approach is in direct contradiction to the attitude prevalent in today’s society that views wealth and fame as something to exhibit and discuss candidly. Successful people publish written accounts of their road to success and all its attendant benefits. Celebrities are generous enough to parade all of their wealth for their fans to ogle, and their high-profile marriages take place in full view of an adoring public. While there are numerous reasons for those ill-advised relationships to fail as often as they do, a not inconsiderable share of the blame can be attributed to the fact that subjecting them to the public eye greatly increases the chances of their deteriorating.
Our sages [Medrash Yalkut Shimoni Bereishis 42:148] tells us that even the sacred Luchos [Two Tablets] were victims of too much fanfare, which resulted in an evil eye that led to their being shattered. Only the second set of Luchos, which were presented to an audience of one, and lacked the celebratory trumpets, were not destroyed. Regarding the practice of wearing a red string, it is important to note that there is no kabbalistic source for this practice. The closest one can come to finding a reliable source for this practice is a Tosefta, an early Talmudic work (Shabbos 7-8), which mentions tying a red string to ward off an “evil eye”. The problem with that source is that it clearly states that tying a red string around oneself is severely prohibited. It is characterized as "Darchei Emori," a hollow, superstitious practice, akin to idol-worship. Although later halachic literature implies that the practical halachah might not follow the view of this Tosefta, this still does not make it a commendable practice, but rather an acceptable one.
Certainly, there is no source for obtaining this red string from Rachel’s Tomb, or for paying huge sums of money to obtain it from a “reputable” source. A far more effective method for guarding ourselves against the effects of “Ayin Hara” is by following the Torah’s advice to behave modestly in all regards and to avoid drawing attention to the blessings we receive from Above. Wishing you endless blessings,
Rabbi Meisels
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Rabbi Meisels can be reached at rabbimeisels@partnersintorah.org
The Midrash relates that when the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack, the shevatim (brothers) pounced upon Benjamin, taunting him, ``Thief, the son of a woman who was also a thief! You have brought disgrace upon us by stealing, just as your mother disgraced our father by stealing the terafim (idols) from Lavan''. According to another Midrashic account, the shevatim (brothers) actually began beating Benjamin, until he swore to them by the life of his father that he had committed no crime.
Two powerful lessons may be gleaned from this Midrash. One lesson is that even the holy shevatim (brothers) were ready to instantly accept that their brother Benjamin was a thief. Why was this so? The Talmud (Bava Basra 17a) tells us that Benjamin was one of only four supremely righteous individuals who never sinned, and died only because it had been so decreed as a result of the sin of Adam. Surely, then, he had never been guilty of any thievery before! However, they looked at Benjamin and saw not a tzaddik (righteous man), but the brother of Joseph. Their hatred for Joseph blinded them to the fact that Benjamin surely had not stolen the goblet. If even the brothers could make such a mistake due to their enmity, how much more so must each of us be on guard not to allow our dislike of people to blind us to their true character!
Hey, I never knew that! By Ozer Alport
Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha
Q: In his work Darkei Mussar, Rabbi Yaakov Neiman notes the striking contrast in Pharaoh’s actions over the span of just a few short years. In our parsha, Pharaoh had no problem accepting all of Joseph’s interpretations and recommendations, even though Joseph made it clear that his explanations emanated from Hashem while Pharaoh himself was an idolater (41:38-39). Yet a short while later, the very same Pharaoh had completely forgotten Hashem’s existence and all of the benefits that he had received through Joseph, asking Moses (Exodus 5:2) who is Hashem that he should listen to Him and free the Jewish slaves. How can this radical change in such a short period of time be understood?
A:Rabbi Neiman explains that Pharaoh was an idolater to the core who never truly believed in Hashem. Although he was taken by Yosef’s uncanny ability to interpret dreams, first those of the cupbearer and baker and subsequently those of Pharaoh himself, he never for a moment replaced his belief in his false deities with a belief in Hashem. Rather, Pharaoh’s attitude toward Hashem was purely utilitarian. If Hashem’s purported agent approached him with a message which was favorable to him, Pharaoh was more than willing to listen, and if the instructions were not to his liking, he had no qualms about brazenly disregarding them. Therefore, it was much easier for him to pretend to “believe” in a Hashem Who sends His agent (Joseph) to bring him satiety and riches than in a Hashem Who sends His agent (Moses) to order him to free millions of slaves.
Q:After Joseph was freed from prison in order to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, he explained that they foretold seven years of abundance to be followed by seven years of famine. Therefore, he recommended the appointment of a wise advisor to oversee the project of storing for the famine during the years of plenty. Upon hearing this proposal, Pharaoh responded that there was nobody more fitting for the role than Joseph himself, who demonstrated great insight by suggesting such an idea (41:39). Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian asks an obvious question: what intelligence do we see on the part of Joseph? Any rational person should realize that if one anticipates good years followed by bad years, the obvious solution is to save for the future during the good years.
A: Rabbi Lopian explains that from the fact that Joseph is indeed praised for his wisdom, the Torah is revealing to us a deep insight into human nature: the prevalence of short-sightedness. Even though our minds recognize the need to prepare for the future, we have great difficulty looking past the affluent present. Therefore the Talmud teaches (Tamid 32a) that a wise person is one who sees the future – and plans for it accordingly. The time we have in this world is analogous to the years of plenty. When we are young, the time we have left in this world seems abundant, almost infinite, and it is quite easy and natural to let it go to waste. Americans even have a concept called “killing time.” However, there inevitably comes a time when we must leave this world and enter the next. In that world, we won’t have any more time available to perform mitzvos and continue our spiritual growth. We can learn from Yosef what it means to be wise and “save” by studying Torah and performing mitzvos during our time in this world so that we will have them to take with us when we pass on to the next world.
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Ozer Alport can be reached at ozer@partnersintorah.org
Table Talk: For discussion around the Shabbos Table
?) Rashi writes that the additional two years of jail time Joseph served was his punishment for his sin of asking the cupbearer to intercede with Pharaoh and secure his release instead of placing his trust in Hashem. As a person is required to make reasonable efforts to achieve his objectives, what was Joseph’s sin in attempting to arrange for his freedom after years of imprisonment? (Beis HaLevi by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Lev Eliyahu by Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian, Darash Moshe by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein)
?)Yehuda suggested that all of the brothers, including Binyomin, should become slaves to Joseph as punishment for Binyomin’s “sin” of stealing Joseph’s goblet. The parsha ends with Joseph replying that only the perpetrator – Binyomin – should be punished, while the rest of them were free to return home. Next week’s parsha begins with Yehuda’s harsh response, in which he challenges Joseph’s treatment of them. Why was he originally agreeable that all of them should become slaves, but when Joseph attempted to lighten the sentence and punish only the criminal, he was no longer amenable? (Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh by Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, Tiferes Yonason by Rabbi Yonason Eibeshutz)
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