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Parsha Perspectives by Ozer Alport
(וזאת אשר דבר להם אביהם ויברך אותם איש אשר כברבתו ברך אותם (49:28
“And this is what their father (Jacob) spoke to them and he blessed them; he blessed each (of his sons) according to his appropriate blessing.”
Just prior to his death, Jacob gathered his sons together one last time to charge them with continuing his spiritual legacy. In addition to addressing them collectively, Jacob also spoke to each son individually, and our verse seems to indicate that his message to each son was some form of blessing. This is difficult to understand, as Rashi explains Jacob’s final words to Reuven, Shimon, and Levi more like words of rebuke than of blessing. How was his harsh criticism considered a blessing?
Rabbi Uri Weissblum answers that we must redefine our understanding of a blessing. If somebody is sick but doesn’t realize it, or perhaps knows that he is sick but is unable to diagnose his illness, a doctor who diagnoses the illness and clarifies its treatment is offering him a tremendous gift. Similarly, if someone has a large pot with a hole in the side, giving him gifts to put in the pot which may fall out will leave him with nothing. A better ‘gift’ would be to bring the hole to his attention so that he may fix it and retain his future acquisitions.
Jacob believed that the most appropriate “blessing” he could offer his three eldest sons was to point out the characteristics which needed improvement (Reuven’s impulsiveness and Shimon and Levi’s anger). Calling their spiritual illnesses to their attention would allow them to “plug the holes,” become whole, and ready for future blessings.
Rabbi Yisroel Salanter (1810-1883) points out that everybody has his own personal “holes” which need fixing. He suggests that this is the intent of the Mishnah in Ethics of our Fathers (4:2) ובורח מן העבירה – a person should flee from “the sin.” Rabbi Salanter explains that every person has within himself a bad character trait at the root of his personal struggles. The yetzer hara (evil inclination) attempts to disguise this trait so as to prevent its identification and cure. By calling attention to their individual weak spots, Jacob was indeed giving his sons a tremendous blessing.
The lesson of Jacob’s final words wasn’t limited to his immediate children. It is relevant to everyone. Jacob teaches us that it is not a person’s sins or what lot in life a person receives that is critical, but rather what he makes of the ‘deck he is dealt’. Jacob left this world by teaching us that if a person acknowledges and learns from his flaws and difficulties, he can turn even his biggest mistakes into the greatest of blessings.
talking points - parshas VAYECHI
Rabbi Elazar Meisels
1. Truth In Kindness
“When Jacob realized that he would soon die, he called for his son Joseph. “If I have found favor in your eyes, place your hand under my thigh and act toward me with kindness and truth, and do not bury me in Egypt.’” 47:9
- With Kindness And Truth – The kindness shown to the dead is the truest form of kindness in the sense that it’s totally altruistic since the beneficiary will never be able to return the favor. – Rashi - Although Jacob would eventually reward Joseph with the city of Shechem as a reward for his efforts, he had not yet contemplated doing so. – Rivah
- With Kindness And Truth – The Hebrew word for kindness is “Emes”, and is comprised of the letters, Aleph, Mem, Tof. Each of these letters represents an integral aspect of the burial process. Aleph is the first letter of the word, “Aron” – casket. Mem is the first letter of the word, “Mitah” – bier. Tof is the first letter of the word, “Tachrichim” – shrouds. – Baal HaTurim
The highest form of kindness is that which best emulates the kindness practiced by the Almighty, wherein there is no hope for recompense for there is nothing that we can do to repay the Almighty for all the kindness He bestows upon us. Attaining this lofty objective however, is a monumental and often impossible task, as it requires that we completely negate our selfish interests. Thus, it is imperative that we seek opportunities to practice kindness, which by virtue of their very nature, offer no possibility for remuneration on the part of the beneficiary. Participating in the mitzvah of escorting the dead to their final resting place is a perfect example of just such a golden opportunity and a deserving recipient of the accolade, “Kindness of Truth”.
2.Can’t Stand To Lose
“Zevulun shall settle by the seashores. He shall be at the ships harbor…Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey…” 49:13-14
o Zevulun…Yissachar – Yissachar was actually older than Zevulun, but Jacob addressed him first since he was the primary supporter of Yissachar and enabled him to study Torah undisturbed. – Medrash Tanchuma, Rashi [Devarim 33:18]
o Zevulun…Yissachar - Although a merchant is usually apprehensive before setting out on his journey, unsure of whether he’ll be successful, the merchants of the tribe Zevulun could always depart with confidence and joy knowing that the scholars of Yissachar were back in their tents studying Torah, which guaranteed their success. – Shach [Devarim 33:18]
The best business deals are those in which both sides profit equally. The partnership of Yissachar and Zevulun was a model of just such an arrangement. Yissachar’s Torah study provided an assurance of success for Zevulun, which translated into even greater support for Yissachar. Torah is truly the greatest investment in that its supporters never stand to lose.
3.One Man Can Make A Difference
“They came to the threshing place of Atad, which is on the other side of the Jordan, and there they eulogized him and conducted a very great and imposing funeral. He conducted seven days of mourning for his father.” 50:10
- A Very Great And Imposing Funeral – There are nine forms of eulogy that can be offered for a deceased individual, depending on his status. In Jacob’s case, all nine forms were offered, so deeply was his loss felt by the assembled. – Rabbenu Bachya
Our sages tell us that even the animals were saddened by the departure of Jacob. Meshech Chochmah explains that the terrible famine that had struck in Egypt had been arrested upon Jacob’s arrival in the merit of his saintliness. Once he passed away however, the famine returned with a vengeance and all of Egypt suffered greatly from man to beast.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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Dressing For Success By: Mrs. Aliza Bulow
Dear Mrs. Bulow,
I live in New Mexico, and my husband and I recently went to Israel for the first time. While I was in Jerusalem, I noticed that even though the weather was so warm, the Jewish women looked like they were dressed for winter! Why is that?
Sincerely,
Denise S.
Dear Denise,
Wow, your first trip to Israel; that must have been exciting! You are right; many observant Jewish women do dress differently than your average Western woman. They wear skirts that cover their knees, sleeves that reach the elbow or beyond, and high necklines. But, even though Judaism allows for many different ways of dressing within these parameters, it is much more than merely a style or custom. It is an expression of a very fundamental Jewish concept known as “Tznius”or "Tzniut" which is loosely translated as ”modesty”.
I say “loosely translated” because that translation does not really do justice to the Hebrew word, and more importantly to the underlying concept that it represents. To better appreciate their unusual mode of dress, we must first examine this fundamental concept.
The laws, and perspectives of Tznius are a powerful tool for living an enriching life, imbued with spirituality. These laws go far beyond our attire and encompass every activity and every aspect of our lives. A better definition of tznius is, “the practice through which one lowers the voice of the physical so that one can hear the voice of the spiritual” – I would say – “behavioral patterns that de-emphasize the material aspects of life, in favor of amplifying the spiritual aspects of life. Tznius is the focus on the inner essence of a person, or, in a deeper sense, on the soul and its journey on earth.
As you know, human beings are a unique blend of the physical and the spiritual; a body and a soul melded together to form an individual. Although the body occupies the bulk of the space however, in reality, the soul is the true essence of who we are. Given the natural dominance of the body’s presence, we often lose sight of the soul and operate as if it didn’t exist. [When we feel the presence of our souls more keenly, we sometimes refer to that as a “spiritual experience”.] Since however, our soul existed before our bodies were formed, and will continue to exist long after our bodies expire, we can say that, at our essence, we are spiritual beings and we cannot forget that fact as we travel through life. In fact, the Jewish philosophers see our entire existence on earth as a means to facilitate a journey for the soul (for more on this, see part one of Luzatto’s The Way of G-d).
For many reasons, the voice of the body is usually easy to hear, while the voice of the soul speaks more softly. If the purpose of our physical experience is to grant the soul a meaningful experience on earth, it is only natural that Judaism would seek ways to enhance the voice of the soul, and to optimize its ability to direct the actions of the body in an upward and meaningful direction. The laws of Tznius are essential to enabling us to accomplish that lofty goal.
Furthermore, because there is a tendency in many societies to objectify women and value them primarily for their physical attractiveness, it is in the best interest of any woman who seeks to be valued for her true assets to draw attention to those aspects of her personality instead. It is in response to this need as well, that the Halacha (Jewish law) focuses more on female dress.
The general rule, therefore, is that observant women dress in a way that is “attractive, but not alluring” and thereby direct the focus away from the external and towards the essence of who we truly are. Styles may come and go, but the Torah seeks to help us cultivate our inner value, and that never goes out of fashion. I know that these ideas can be foreign at first, but if you reflect on them more deeply, I believe you’ll see why they’ve withstood the test of time and culture. If you would like to explore these ideas further, may I recommend that you have a look at a wonderful book on this subject written by Gila Manolson, titled Outside/Inside.
Warmly,
Aliza Bulow
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Aliza Bulow can be reached at abulow@partnersintorah.org
Chovos HaLevavos by Rabbeinu Bachya states that the essence of teshuvah (repentance) is a person's return to the service of Hashem, attaining the status he lost when he strayed. How is this to be accomplished? Chovos HaLevavos explains that the nature of the teshuvah (repentance) necessary is dependent upon the nature of the sinful behavior. He illustrates with an analogy: Two people are ill, both because they were not eating properly. However, while one simply was not eating enough, the other was consuming unhealthy foods that were affecting his health in a negative way. For the first, the remedy is straight forward; he must simply begin to eat the right foods and receive proper nutrition. There is nothing that he must now cease to eat. The remedy for the second person, however, involves two stages. First, he must stop eating the foods that are injurious to him, and then he must replace them with an equal amount of healthy foods. If he persists in his unhealthy eating, eating healthy foods in addition will not cure him.
So too, says Chovos HaLevavos, it is with sinners. Someone who has become lax in his mitzvah observance and is not doing what he should, need only concentrate upon performing his mitzvos with greater zeal; this is his teshuvah. But if one has done aveiros (sins) as well, then it does not suffice for him to perform virtuous acts; he must desist from his evil ways as well.
Chovos HaLevavos lists seven things of which a sinner must be cognizant if he is to attain true teshuvah. (1) He must be regretful and ashamed of his evil behavior. (2) He must know that the deed was wrong, and recognize the wickedness of his act. (3) He must know that Hashem is aware of his misdeed, and that punishment (without forgiveness) is inevitable. (4) He must understand that teshuvah is the cure that he requires. (5) He should make an accounting of all the good that Hashem has done for him. (6) He must contrast this with his own disobedience, and use it as a spur to his resolve not to sin further. (7) He must take concrete steps to avoid sinning again. One who undertakes to satisfy these requirements can attain true teshuvah. return to top
Hey, I never knew that! By Ozer Alport
Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha
Q:Jacob blessed the tribe of Yissochar, whose descendants are known for their dedication to Torah study, by comparing them to a donkey (49:14). What is the significance of comparing the tribe of Torah scholars specifically to a donkey?
A: Rabbi Tzvi Markovitz posits that while the Torah scholars also “carry a load” similar to a donkey, this parallel isn’t sufficient, as there are other animals – such as horses – which are also capable of transporting heavy burdens. Rabbi Markovitz points out that all animals carrying loads must inevitably stop to rest, but there is a critical difference in how they do so. When horses stop for a break, their burden must be removed until they are ready to continue, as opposed to donkeys which are able to lie down and rest even while still carrying the weight on their backs. It is specifically to them that the tribe of Yissochar is compared, as those who “carry the load of Torah” must also periodically stop to recharge, but the distinguishing characteristic of true Torah scholars is that even at these moments, they conduct themselves in accord with their year-round behavior, never casting off their “burden” for a moment.
Q: The blessing which Jacob gave to Yehuda (49:8-12) contains all of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet except for the letter ז (zayin). What is the significance of this missing letter?
A: Rabbeinu Bechaye writes that when spelled out fully, the letter ז (zayin) is written זיין, which is also the Hebrew word for weapons. The tribe of Yehuda is associated with royalty, and Yehuda’s offspring include King David and his descendants. Although many nations associate the power of the ruler with military might and prowess, the Jewish king rules because he was selected by Hashem. Additionally, the wars which he leads the Jewish people to fight are also won not through military strength and an abundance of advanced weaponry, but through Divine assistance. The blessing given to the tribe associated with the king omits the letter which means weapons in order to hint to the true Source of his dominion.
Ozer Alport can be reached at ozer@partnersintorah.org
Table Talk: For discussion around the Shabbos Table
?)In blessing his grandsons Ephraim and Menashe, Jacob crossed his hands in order to place his stronger right hand on the younger Ephraim and his weaker left hand on the older Menashe (48:14). Wouldn’t it have been easier to switch their positions so that he could extend his hands straight across from him onto the appropriate children? (Taam V’Daas by Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, MiTzion Mich’lal Yofee by Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl)
?)Rashi writes (49:5) that Jacob cursed the plans of Shimon and Levi to kill Joseph even though they never came to fruition. According to the Talmudic maxim (Kiddushin 40a) that Hashem doesn’t punish a person for evil plans unless they actually come to fruition, why did Jacob hold them accountable for a scheme that even Hashem wouldn’t punish them for? (Sifsei Chochomim)
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