Parshas Vayigash Messages 5778

Parshas Vayigash: 

The Sages Say: 

‘All the souls [כּל הנפשׁ] coming down with Yaakov to Egypt…’ (Bereishis 46:26) 

Says Rashi HaKadosh:  I found in Vayikra Rabbah:  Esav, six souls there were to him [i.e. six people were in his family], and the verse (36:6) calls them ‘the souls of his house’, in a plural language, because they served many idols.   

Yaakov, seventy were to him [i.e. seventy people were in his family], and the verse calls them ‘soul’ (הנפשׁ -- in the singular), because they served one G-d. 

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A Helpful Hint: 

‘And G-d said to Yisroel in visions of the night, and He said, “Yaakov, Yaakov.” And he (Yaakov) said, “Here I am.” And He (Hashem) said, “I am the G-d, the G-d of your father, do not fear from going down to Egypt, because for a great nation I will put you there.  I will descend with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up [אעלך גם עלה]…”’ (Bereishis 46:2-4)  

עלה is written is a ה, notes the Baal HaTurim.  Hashem hinted to Yaakov Avinu that after 5 (the numerical value of ה) generations, He would redeem them [bring them up from Egypt].  Those 5 generations were Yaakov Avinu, Levi, Kehath, Amram, and Moshe Rabbeinu. 

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Chassidishe Vort: 

‘My master asked his servants, “Is there to you a father or a brother?”’ (Bereishis 44:19) 

Sometimes, Chas V’Shalom and Rachmana Litzlan, we might (even for a bit) forget Hashem and/or others.  But we need to ask ourselves the question in this verse:  Do you have a Father or a brother?  Remind yourself:  You have a Father in Heaven and you have brothers -- i.e. fellow Jews!  And this can help you to not get to involved in thinking about yourself only -- or if you already are, Rachmana Litzlan, it can snap you out of it, with the Help of Hashem.

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And there is another lesson here:  There are times when you might feel very lonely and not loved.  But the Torah reminds you ‘ha’yeish lachem av oh ach?’ (‘is there to you a father or a brother?’) -- you have a Father in Heaven Who will always care about you, will always love you and will never desert you.  And you have brothers (fellow Jews) out there who also care about you.  You are never alone…  

(Tal U’Matar) 

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A “Lamdanishe” Insight: 

‘And they (the brothers) went up from Egypt, and they came to the land of Canaan (Israel), to Yaakov their father.  And they told to him saying, “Yosef is still alive!” and that he is the ruler in all the land of Egypt; and his (Yaakov’s) heart changed, for he did not believe them.  And they spoke to him all the words of Yosef that he had spoken to them, and he saw the wagons that Yosef sent to carry him, and the spirit of Yaakov their father was revived.’ (Bereishis 45:25-27) 

Says the Bostoner Rebbe of Yerushalayim (Rebbe Mayer Alter Horowitz shlit”a); there was something in Yosef's words in conjunction with the עגלוֹת -- 'wagons', which triggered something in Yaakov Avinu and enabled him to overcome his disbelief.  Rashi HaKadosh references the Midrash which explains that Yosef relayed that the last Torah ideas which they had discussed together were about עגלה ערוּפה (lit. decapitated calf; see Devarim 21:1-9) which was alluded to by the עגלוֹת 'wagons' (the root words of עגלה and עגלוֹת are very similar). The Rashbam and others explain that Yaakov could discern that the wagons belonged to the royal government of Egypt, which proved the brothers’ story.

Over Chanukah, says the Bostoner, I thought of another explanation:  The Torah reading throughout Chanukah comes from Parshas Nasso, consisting of the Korbanos (offerings) of the Nesiim (princes) of each Tribe during the inauguration of the Mishkan.  Each day of Chanukah, we read about a different Nasi (prince) and his offering, except for the eighth day when the reading continues until the mention of the Menorah in Parshas Behaaloscha.  On the first day of Chanukah we also read about the twelve oxen and six wagons that were brought for use by the Leviim to transport the various materials of the Mishkan.  Each Nasi brought one ox, and together two Nesiim brought one wagon.  As opposed to the individual Korbanos of the Nesiim, these oxen and wagons were all brought together during the opening day ceremony of the Mishkan. 

It would seem, thus, he explains, that עגלוֹת, 'wagons' of transportation are a symbol of Achdus (oneness) and unity between the Tribes of Yisroel.  Perhaps, seeing the wagons gave Yaakov a subconscious sense of unity between his sons and revived his spirit.

(Bostoner Torah Insights)

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Mussar Message: 

‘And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef, is my father still alive?” And his brothers were not able to answer him, for they were in shock before him.’ (Bereishis 45:3) 

The Midrash states: ‘Abba Kohen Bardela says: “Woe to us from the Day of Judgement, woe to us from the Day of Rebuke [i.e. when we go up to Heaven and get our final Judgement]... Yosef was the youngest of the Tribes, and they were not able to stand in his rebuke.  It is as it is written, ‘And his brothers were not able to answer him, for they were in shock before him’.  When HaKadosh Baruch Hu will come and rebuke each one according to what he is… how much more so!” 

Asks HaRav Shimon Yosef Meller shlit”a; what rebuke was Yosef giving that left his brothers speechless with alarm?   

And he answers:  When he said to his brothers, “I am Yosef,” they suddenly realized that they had been living with a false belief for decades.  All of their calculations, their decisions to kill him, to sell him, etc. -- it had all been in error!  Even in the present, they had believed until this moment that they were speaking with an Egyptian ruler.  All their strategies were based on this “fact” -- and suddenly they learned that this “Egyptian” before them was none other than Yosef, their brother.   

This is the greatest rebuke a man can receive, says Rav Meller beautifully; when he is shown that he has been living under a mistaken assumption… and all his plans and actions have been based on falsehood.  

(From The Torah of Brisk and Other Gedolim:  Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur) 

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Chazak V’ematz: 

‘And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef [אני יוֹסף]”’ (Bereishis 45:3) 

In the duration of time since they [the brothers] first came to Egypt to buy grain, says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l, and Yosef had recognized them and spoke with them harsh words and suspected them of being spies, they asked each other many questions -- what is this, and why is this, and they sought advice and they placed blamed on one another.  And similarly with the second time they came, he says, they wondered and they asked, “What is this that G-d has done to us?”  

But this was all until they heard these two words (in Hebrew) from their brother: “אני יוֹסף” -- “I am Yosef”.  And immediately, all questions, wonderment and doubts turned away, and the thing was clearly illuminated to them.

 So will it be, says the Chofetz Chaim in his wonderful way, when the world will hear the two words “אני השׁם” -- “I am Hashem”.  It will answer all the questions and the wondering on how the world is run, and it will make clear all matters, and all flesh will see together that the Hand of Hashem did everything for our benefit.  

(From Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah) 

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Maaseh B’Rabbi…

It was a cold, snowy winter afternoon in Mezibuzh, Ukraine, and the Holy Baal Shem Tov zt”l was with his students when he made this very strange request:  "Get the wagon ready -- I want to go down to the lake." 

No one dared question their holy Rebbe's intentions, and they quickly readied the wagon and rode down to the lake.  As they approached the ice-covered lake, they could see children playing on the ice.  As they got closer, they saw that the children were etching a big image of a cross into the ice. 

The Baal Shem Tov departed the wagon and sat down to watch the children playing.  The Chassidim couldn't understand why their holy Rebbe wanted to sit and watch a bunch of children etch a cross into an ice-covered lake!  But still, they dared not question their Rebbe's intentions.

After a few minutes, the Baal Shem Tov signaled that it was time to leave and they all boarded the wagon and rode back to town.  At this point, one of the students had the nerve to ask, "Rebbe, what was that all about?!" The Baal Shem Tov simply replied in a very somber voice, "When a Jew is icy-cold, it doesn't take long before a cross is etched into his heart."

(From a Dvar Torah of my Rebbe, HaRav Binyomin Goldstein shlit”a).

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A Gut Shabbos to all!