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Parsha Perspectives by Ozer Alport
(וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו בארץ כנען (37:1
“And Jacob settled in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.”
After emerging triumphant from his struggles against his wicked father-in-law Lavan and his brother Esau, Jacob returned to Canaan to settle in his homeland. In his commentary on our verse, Rashi notes that the Torah uses the expression “settle,” which connotes permanence, instead of the more temporary “sojourn.”
Rashi explains that the Torah deliberately used this phrase to teach that after his lengthy exile, Jacob desired to finally settle down in tranquility. Hashem rejected Jacob’s request, arguing that given the tremendous reward waiting for the righteous in the World to Come, it is inappropriate for them to seek comfort in this world as well. As a result, Jacob’s suffering continues as the parsha unfolds with the kidnapping of his beloved Joseph.
It is difficult to understand the error in Jacob’s reasoning. If he sought a bit of peaceful tranquility after the recent emotional roller coaster he had experienced, it could only have been for the purpose of allowing him to focus his time and energy on properly serving Hashem. If so, why did Hashem reject Jacob’s request, which was rooted in his desire for greater spirituality?
Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, known as the Brisker Rav (1886-1959), answers that while it seems logical, this question is predicated on a false premise. People assume that the ideal situation is one in which they have no distractions so that they can completely focus on serving Hashem with all of their time and energy. In reality, Hashem specifically prefers that people serve Him despite all of their difficulties and preoccupations, as this makes their efforts to serve Him that much more valuable and praiseworthy.
The Mishnah in Ethics of our Fathers (2:4) teaches that a person shouldn’t say, “I will study when I have free time,” because he may never find himself with free time. However, in line with our theme, Rabbi Soloveitchik suggested that it can be reinterpreted it as follows: A person shouldn’t say, “I will learn when I have free time,” because perhaps Hashem specifically desires the Torah that he studies precisely when he is has no free time.
With this understanding of the value of mitzvos performed under sub-par conditions, we can appreciate the following story. One year during the Rosh Hashana prayers, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, known as the Kotzker Rebbe (1787-1859), announced to his chassidim that he knows exactly what they are all praying for. To their astonishment, he proceeded to explain that they were begging Hashem to give them less parnassa (income), which would leave them with fewer business obligations and more time to spend doing mitzvos and acts of kindness for less fortunate.
However, their collective wonder at his apparently prophetic knowledge was quickly dashed, as he continued to inform them of Hashem’s response to their entreaties. Hashem rejected their requests because He specifically prefers the good deeds that they struggle to perform in spite of all of their distractions and difficulties.
We live in a society which constantly develops new technological gadgets which promise to save us valuable time. Yet the demands we each face in our individual lives – from family, work, and play – seem to only increase with each passing day. At times when we feel that we would gladly make time for G-d if only He would give us a few moments to catch our breaths, we should remind ourselves that it is specifically the efforts we make and the good deeds we perform during these pressured moments that give Hashem unparalleled pleasure and pride.
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talking points - parshas VAYISHLACH
Rabbi Elazar Meisels
1. Strong Allies
“He commanded them saying, “This is what you should say to my master, Esau. ‘Your servant, Jacob says, I lived as a stranger with Lavan, and was delayed until now.’” 32:5
- I Lived As A Stranger – The gematria [numerical value] of the word, “garti”(lived), is 613. By using this term he implied, “I have lived with the wicked Lavan and yet have faithfully observed the 613 commandments and have not learned from his wicked deeds.” - Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105)
What point was Jacob trying to convey to Esau by referring to his piety while living with Lavan? Why did he believe that doing so would somehow affect Esau’s decision to attack him? Jacob understood that militarily, Esau was far too powerful to encounter in battle. Consequently, Jacob sought to dissuade Esau from pursuing his evil designs by impressing upon him that his physical strength would fade in the face of Jacob’s spiritual might. The twenty years he spent in the presence of the master sinner Lavan without succumbing to temptation, virtually guaranteed that Hashem would be on his side and help him defend himself against Esau and his formidable army.
2. See You Later
“Please my master, go on ahead of your servant. I will lead on gently, in my slow pace, according to the pace of the work that is before me, and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my master in Seir.” 32:14
o Until I Come To My Master In Seir – Jacob set a greater distance for his meeting Esau than he intended to travel, for he intended to go only until Sukkos. He thought to himself: ‘If he intends to harm me, let him wait until I come to him.’ And, therefore, he did not go to Seir. When will he eventually fulfill his promise to meet Esau at Seir? In the days of the Moshiach, as it is said: ‘And deliverers will go up to Mount Zion to judge Mount Esau.’ – Rashi
o Until “I Come” – The Hebrew word for “I come” is “Avo” whose numerical equivalent is 4. Jacob was hinting to Esau that only after the Four Exiles will he meet him, when Moshiach finally appears. – Baal HaTurim (Rabbi Jacob ben Asher, (1270-ca 1340)
o Until I Come To My Master In Seir – The Hebrew word used in this verse for Seir is “Seirah” whose letters comprise the words, “Shaar Yud Hey” which means, the 15th gate. This is a mystical allusion to the Messianic Era when the physical world represented by the number seven, and the spiritual world represented by the number eight, will converge. – Chassidis Masters
Although Jacob temporarily stayed Esau’s hand, he knew that his work was far from complete. It would be a great many years until Esau would agree to permanently set aside his enmity for Jacob and consent to work together with him for the betterment of the universe. This is what lay behind Jacob’s allusion to the Messianic Era; when the non-Jewish world will reconcile with the Jewish people to join hands and collaborate in the service of Hashem.
3. Unprovoked Hatred
“Jacob arrived whole [i.e. safely] at the city of Shechem, that is in the Land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram. He encamped before the city.” 33:18
o Jacob Arrived Whole – The Hebrew word for “Whole” is “Shalem” which is comprised of the letters Shin, Lamed, Mem. These letters correspond to “Shem” [name], “Lashon” [language], “Malbush” [clothing]; the three areas in which a Jew must stand out from the crowd. Our names, language, and form of dress, must be distinctive from our surroundings to assist us in recalling our special role in this world. – Chasam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer 1762 - 1839)
Jacob’s story is a phenomenal example of the power of faith and devotion to Hashem, and the immense benefits they accrue. By all accounts, he should have been dead, or dispirited and impoverished, at best. Lavan and Esau were intent on destroying him and possessed the means to do so, yet he emerged from their presence healthier, wealthier, and wiser, with a beautiful family of exceedingly righteous children. The root source of his success was his steadfast adherence to the principles of Torah and monotheism that he absorbed from his parents and grandparents.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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DECEPTIONBy: Rabbi Reuven Drucker
Dear Rabbi: I find it difficult to understand the story of Rebecca coaching her son Jacob to defraud his father Isaac in order to receive the special blessing, since I believe the Torah places a priority on truthfulness. And then we read about the conspiracy between Rachel and Leah to swindle Jacob into marrying the wrong sister. What’s going on here?
Perplexed and vexed, Celia P.
Dear Celia: You are absolutely correct, Celia, that our Torah places supreme value on truthfulness. Ours is a Torah of truth. The Talmud tells us that G-d’s personal imprint seal reads, “Truth.” As a result, your question is well placed and an explanation is in order.
When Jacob questioned his mother Rebecca about the propriety of deceiving his father to “steal” the blessing away from his brother Esau, Rebecca responded that if he is cursed for this act, she will bear responsibility for it— “Upon me [Rebecca] will rest the curse.” The primary interpreter of the Torah (Targum Onkelos) explains that Rebecca was telling Jacob that she was permitted to perpetrate this deception as a result of prophecy. Most probably, this prophetic advice was given to her years earlier, when she sought an explanation from the prophets for her difficult pregnancy (Genesis 25:23, Rashbam). At that time she was told that she is carrying two sons, and “the older will serve the younger.” If by receiving a blessing it would turn out that the younger son (Jacob) would end up serving the older (Esau), Rebecca understood from the prophet that she would be required to intervene in order to prevent such a switch from occurring. This is the source for Rebecca’s motive. We nevertheless need to explain why deception was an acceptable method.
By way of background it is important to note that Jewish law (halachah) clearly forbids deception. For example, it is forbidden to represent that you are selling a car, if there is no engine under the hood. This is called “geneivas da’as,” literally, ‘stealing another’s understanding.’ However, one is only guilty of “stealing” another’s understanding, if that person’s understanding is accurate (in other words, that person’s understanding is not, so to speak, “stolen goods”—i.e., based on false notions). Therefore, Isaac, who was not privy to the prophecy of Rebecca, was operating under a false premise—that Esau should be accorded this special blessing. It turns out that this is a unique case where “deception” would be permitted, since Jacob was “deceiving” a mistaken Isaac. By “deceiving” Isaac, Jacob (and Rebecca) saved Isaac from making an error. Admittedly, this type of “deception” is a potentially dangerous concept, for one might erroneously apply it to any case where he believes another individual is operating under false premises. However, it may only be applied in cases of prophecy, because only under those conditions can one be absolutely certain that the other individual is mistaken, since through prophecy, he has G-d’s knowledge and perspective on the matter. In all other cases, he can’t be absolutely certain that his perception is incontrovertibly accurate.
The truth of the matter is that the collusion between Rachel and Leah to deceive Jacob into marrying Leah is also based on prophecy. The Midrash tells us that there was a popular saying at that time: “Rebecca has two sons (Esau and Jacob) and Lavan has two daughters (Leah and Rachel)—the older daughter will marry the older son (Esau and Rachel) and the younger daughter will marry the younger son (Jacob and Rachel).” Some interpret this statement as a prophecy and not a mere folk rhyme. Jacob, as it turns out, had both the quality of the older and younger son. Although he and Esau were twins, Jacob was by rights the older son, even though he emerged from the womb second, since we are told that he was conceived first. Rashi explains this with the analogy to a narrow tube which is filled with two stones—the first one in is the last out. From the perspective of existence, Jacob was older; from the perspective of life outside the womb, Jacob was younger. Although Jacob was of the opinion that he should marry Rachel, Rachel informed her sister Leah that the prophecy demanded that Leah also marry Jacob, since by rights Jacob is the older son. Only as a result of the accuracy of prophecy would our Matriachs get involved in deception. But, as we mentioned above, it is not deception if you save an individual from erring.
The Jewish people were built on these two seminal events—the special blessing of Isaac and the building of our people from both Rachel and Leah. All twelve tribes emerged from their homes and we are here today as a result. In essence, the Jewish people are unlike any other people—we are built upon the bedrock of prophecy and this is because we have a G-dly mission in the world.
Thank you for your honesty Celia. May you continue to study with a critical eye and discover the depths that lie beneath the surface of our Torah.
Sincerely,
Reuven Drucker
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Rabbi Drucker can be reached at rabbidrucker@partnersintorah.org
Many times, a person finds himself in a situation where he is unsure whether the direction in which he is heading is the path of the yetzer tov (good inclination), or whether he is being led into the snares of the yetzer hara (evil inclination). How can one determine which road to take, and what Hashem wishes him to do?
A lesson can be taken from the actions of Joseph. We see that Joseph did not give in to the extreme pressures exerted upon him by the wife of Potiphar, and he did not allow himself to sin. However, Rashi (to 39:1) says that her intention at the beginning was for the sake of Heaven. Her stargazers had informed her that her family was destined to establish sons through Joseph, and she was not sure if this would come about from her or from her daughter [in the end, Joseph indeed married her daughter (see below, 41:45)]. The obvious question is: How was Joseph certain that this was not the call of the yetzer tov? Why was he convinced that this was a sin? [The simple answer is, of course, that she was married at the time, and no good deed can come from committing a sin.]
Rav Sholom Shwadron used to offer an answer to this question by saying, in his classic way, ``The yetzer tov is not a `nudge.' " As the verse says (39:10): And so it was, just as she coaxed Joseph day after day, so he would not listen to her. When the message is received daily, and the opportunity to carry out the mission is easy, that is a sign that it is a message from the yetzer hara (evil inclination). The yetzer tov (good inclination), on the other hand, states its message and then leaves; part of our challenge is to understand this message and act accordingly.
The Gra (Vilna Gaon) says something similar regarding the narrative of Ruth. Naomi tried to convince Ruth to return to her father's home, but the verse states that when Naomi saw that Ruth was struggling to go along with her, she ceased her efforts at dissuasion. Gra explains that if something comes to a person easily, without a battle and struggle, one must be concerned that it is coming from the yetzer hara. Once a person faces difficulty, this is a sign that it is a mitzvah that he is encountering. A person by nature is formed from dust (yesodo mei'afar), which means that he does not have the natural energy to do mitzvos. It takes effort to overcome this tendency, and to be able to perform mitzvos properly.
The story is told that when Rav Chaim Volozhiner first approached his rebbi, the Vilna Gaon, to ask if he should establish the great Volozhin Yeshivah, the Gra was reluctant to give his approval. A year later, when Rav Chaim mentioned this idea again in passing, the Gra responded with his approval and blessing. When Rav Chaim asked what had prompted the Gra to change his mind, he replied, ``When you first approached me a year ago with this idea, I was concerned. I noticed much excitement and enthusiasm in your request, and I was worried that some yetzer hara was mixed in with your pure intentions. Now that you mentioned it without that extra energy, I know that it is a request approved by the yetzer tov. Now you will be successful!" return to top
Hey, I never knew that! By Ozer Alport
Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha
Q: Rabbi Elazar Rokeach, a medieval Rabbi known for his mystical writings, writes cryptically that the 112 verses in Parshas Vayeishev correspond to the 112 words in Psalms 92 (מזמור שיר ליום השבת). As he clearly wasn’t intending to point out a mathematical coincidence, what could be the deeper connection between the events in our parsha and the theme of that chapter of Psalms?
A:Rabbi Mattisyahu Salomon elucidates the common thread between them by explaining that from a rational perspective, the events of the parsha seem completely counterintuitive. The parsha begins with Jacob favoring one of his sons and inciting his brothers’ jealousy, Joseph not recognizing their hatred and recounting to them his dreams in which he rules over them, Jacob sending Joseph to check on his brothers unsupervised, Joseph being thrown into a pit of poisonous animals and emerging unscathed, and a group of traveling merchants passing by at just the right time. None of these incidents makes any logical sense, and the likelihood of them all occurring together is infinitesimal. However, Rashi explains (37:14) that they were part of a larger plan to fulfill Hashem’s prophecy to Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved in a foreign land. The lesson of the parsha’s otherwise inexplicable events is that no matter how much effort a person makes, it will ultimately be futile if Hashem’s plan dictates otherwise. This concept is also the theme of Chapter 92 of Tehillim, which states (92:6-9), “How great are Your acts Hashem, how deep are Your calculations; the foolish don’t understand, but You will always be elevated Hashem.” The world Hashem created is very deceptive, as a person is expected to exert himself to bring about his goals, yet no matter what he thinks should happen, Hashem ultimately runs the world. After all of his hard work, a person must step back and remember that his perspective is quite limited in the grand scheme of things. Only Hashem with His master plan can coordinate what has to happen and when – to each person, at each time, in each generation.
Q:After marrying the daughter of Shua, Yehuda had two sons with her – Er and Onan. She conceived a 3rd time and bore a son and named him Sheilah, and Yehuda was in Ch’ziv at the time of his birth (38:5). Why was it necessary for the Torah to relate this seemingly insignificant and trivial information about Yehuda’s whereabouts during Sheilah’s birth?
A: The Daas Z’keinim explains that the custom at that time was that the father chose the name for the first child, the mother for the second, and they continued alternating with each successive child. This practice is hinted to, as the Torah states (38:3) regarding the first child Er, “And he called his name Er,” but regarding the second child Onan (38:4) the language is in the feminine: “And she named him Onan.” Based on this explanation, it is difficult to understand why the Torah, in relating the birth and naming of the third child, uses the expression ותקרא את שמו שלה – and she called his name Sheilah, indicating that Tamar deviated from the custom of alternating the selection of names and gave a 2nd consecutive name. To address this peculiarity, the Torah found it necessary to explain that Yehuda wasn’t present at the time and was therefore unable to give a name, leaving his wife with no choice but to choose the name herself!
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Ozer Alport can be reached at ozer@partnersintorah.org
Table Talk: For discussion around the Shabbos Table
?) In spurning the repeated advances of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph explained to her at length (37:8-9) that doing so would be an inappropriate lack of loyalty to his master who had trusted him and treated him kindly. Almost as an afterthought, he added that doing so would also constitute a tremendous sin against Hashem. Why did he begin with the secondary reasons instead of focusing on the gravity of the sin involved? (Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi)
?) Rashi writes (40:23) that Joseph sinned by asking the cupbearer to intercede with Pharaoh and secure his release instead of placing his trust in Hashem, and was punished with an additional two years of jail time. As a person is expected and required to live within the natural world and 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)
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