One Hundred Words on the Parshah
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One Hundred Words on the Parshah
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יעקב wanted to live in tranquility which caused the צרה of יוסף to happen to him. (רש"י).
R’ Moshe Feinstein teaches that tranquility for a צדיק is normally good, but in this case was a problem because the matter effected was חנוך. When it comes to חנוך, there can be no rest. יעקב thought that his children were צדיקים and therefore didn’t need vigilant חנוך, but he was mistaken. The lesson for us is to not “rest on our laurels” with our children’s חנוך, even when they are doing well. In my opinion, the story of דינה can be similarly explained.
Rav Hutner refers to Avrohom Aveinu as the “Gevarenner” – the one who became, to Yitzchok as the “Geboiriner” –the one who was born into it, and to Yaacov as the “Fafalliner” – the one who fell into it (meaning that he couldn’t get out). Avrohom was a Ger; from Yaacov and on, there is no way out of being a Jew.
Chazal use the term Mitoso Shelima, which Rav Hutner interprets to mean that Yaakov’s children had no way out, as opposed to Eisav who was able to opt out of being a Yid.
The Haftorah of Parshas Vayeishev says that Yaacov will be a fire and Yosef will be a huge raging fire. Rav Hutner understands this to mean that that Yaacov’s fire will be enlarged by Yosef. Although, all of Yaakov’s descendant’s are automatically Jewish, a man can still marry a non-Jew and have non-Jewish children. Yosef’s refusal to marry Aishes Potifar negated that possibility. He led the way in rejecting intermarriage. That’s why Rashi comments in this weeks Parsha, that when Yosef was born, Eisav’s Soton was born.
The question has been asked, after everything that had happened to Yosef because of the כתונת פסים, why did Yosef behave similarly by showing favoritism towards Binyamin?
The terminology used in the pasuk is חליפות שמלות – “changes of clothing” – of which, presumably, he would only wear one set at a time. The multiple garments would not be wore simultaneously, and would therefore be less likely to inspire jealousy since the difference would not directly evident at a glance.
By contrast, the unique beauty and superiority of the כתונת פסים was immediately obvious when it was worn and it therefore inspired jealousy.
This is how the Torah begins. The rest of the Torah is predicated on this verse. If there is a Creator, then it is He who directs the world and personal affairs and commands his creations to live their lives as he instructs. Throughout much of history, most people worshipped gods of their own making, hence the commandment of these deities were likewise manmade.
Nowadays, as most people believe in random evolution as “the creator”, there can be no inherent rules, only people’s rules, most of which are based on not bothering others. However, humans who, as this week’s Torah portion tells us, have a spiritual soul implanted in them by their Creator, feel a need for spirituality. They are not satisfied by a purely physical existence. Many, therefore, seek ideas to “worship” and devote themselves to. But, the real place to look for our lives’ mission is in the Torah, our guide from the Creator.
"ותתכס" Rivka covered herself when she met Yitzchak.
Rashi compares the word grammatically to ותקבר and ותשבר. The Sadigura Rebbe explains that Rashi specifically chose these two words because there are three times in life when people gather to honor another person. 1) at the time of birth (קידוש or ברית) 2) at the time of death (לויה) and 3) at the חתונה. At the times of birth and death, a person is not conscious of the honor. However, at the wedding, the honor might make a person arrogant. There must be a reminder of modesty even at times of the greatest simcha.
The lion in the Teiva hit Noach because Noach was late to feed him. Noach had been feeding him every day and was late only this once. It seems strange that Hashem would allow the lion to injure him for that.
Rav Dessler explains that Chesed was the antidote of “Chomos” – stealing, which was the sin of that generation which contributed in a major way to the need for the world to be destroyed. Chesed, as the antidote to the sickness of Chomos needed to be practiced in the Teivah on a high level of purity and mesirus nefesh to counterbalance the poisonous effects of the sly and pervasive Chomos practiced before the Mabul. Even a slight slacking off, therefore, took on what would otherwise have seem to be a disproportionate importance, but disproportionate it was not. We see that a high level of Chesed can undo a great deal of hurt.
May we merit undoing a lot of hurt.
This Parsha includes a few circumstances that include laughter. • Avraham laughed about the נבואה that he would have children. Sara also laughed about that נבואה. She was held responsible but Avraham wasn’t. What was the difference? • When Yitzchock was born, he was named after Sara’s laughter. Why was it appropriate to name him יצחק? • When Lot told his sons-in-law that Sodom was about to be destroyed, the פסוק says that they viewed him as “laughing” (making a joke).
There are two types of laughter. One is at the limitations of the world and the knowledge that Hashem runs the world and can change it. The other type of laughter is disbelief – that something (i.e. the נבואה) can’t possibly be.
Avrohom laughed in delight at the world’s limitation that he and his wife could not have children, knowing that Hashem promised it to him and it would happen. Sara, it would seem, laughed in disbelief at the possibility that she could have children. Similarly, Lot’s sons-in-law, negated the possibility that the punishment could happen. יצחק’s name is celebrating the overcoming of nature.
May our Simchos defy natural limitations and may we be זוכה to the פסוק about Moshiach “then our mouths will be full of laughter”.
“Where is your wife, שרה?"
The מלאכים asked this question of אברהםto make שרה even more beloved to her husband. Since the answer was that שרה was in her tent, the conversation served to highlight שרה’s great צניעות.
R’ Shlomo Wolbe points out that we learn from here the importance of שלום בית, even for great people, and even in old age. Spouses should appreciate each other and express it, both in words and in deeds. For instance: a wife should appreciate that her husband works to support her. If he learns, she should appreciate that he brings spiritual sustenance to the home. The husband should appreciate the wife raising the children and taking care of the domestic necessities. If the wife works in addition to her domestic duties, then the husband has a double obligation to appreciate her.
"שמח תשמח רעים האהובים כשמחך יצירך בגן עדן מקדם" (שבע ברכות)
May we always be only בשמחה and בשלוםwith our spouses.
Leah named her first son ראובן meaning that Hashem saw her poverty. When the שבטים are named, the Torah first gives the reason this name was chosen and then states the name. The exception to this listing is ראובן. When naming him the Torah says, “ותקרא שמו ראובן כי אמרה כי ראה ה' בעניי” giving the name and then the reason. The Bais Naftali explains that the Torah was hinting that there was more than one reason for the name ראובן. Chazal tell us that Leah’s intention, in addition to the one stated in the Torah, was to declare that her first born would be unlike her in-laws’ first born. עשו wanted to kill his brother for supplanting him, whereas ראובן graciously acceded to יוסך’s replacing him as the בכור.
When Yaakov met Eisav, he hid his daughter, Dina, in a box. He was afraid that Eisav would be interested in her. Chazal have a complaint against Yaakov and indicate that he should have let Dina marry Eisav. Perhaps she could have returned him to the proper path.
The Alter from Slabodka wonders about this. He explains that Chazal meant that even though Yaakov was correct, he should have done this act regretfully. He should have felt bad about having to protect his daughter at the expense of improving Eisav.
There are many times in a person’s life where he must choose not to do a good deed due to other considerations. He should do this reluctantly and certainly not act enthusiastic about not doing this good deed. Even so, he should be B’Simcha understanding that he is doing what’s best under the circumstance.
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All learning should be a zechus for a refuah shelaimah for Yosef Ezriel Ben Chaya Michal