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Friday, December 21, 2018

Parshas Vayechi Messages 5779

בּ"ה

Parshas Vayechi

This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated l’zechus refuah shleimah mi’heira

to my Rebbe, HaRav Elyakim Getzel ben Sarah. May Hashem send him a

complete recovery very speedily.

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‘And the days of Yisroel came close to die’ (Bereishis 47:29)

The Zohar asks; why does it say ‘days’ in the plural? Doesn’t a person die on one day and furthermore at one moment? So seemingly shouldn’t it have said ‘And the day of Yisroel came close to die’?

Answers the Zohar; when Hashem takes a person from this world, all the days of the person’s life come up before Him, and there is an accounting. Fortunate [alt. praiseworthy] is the portion of a person, says the Zohar, whose days come close before HaKadosh Baruch Hu without any disgrace or shame. . . And therefore it is written with Tzaddikim that their days ‘came close’, because their days come close before Hashem without any shame [i.e. because the righteous used them well]. And that is why, explains the Zohar, it says ‘the days of Yisroel’; because it is not talking about the day of death, but rather about when a person’s days come before Hashem for an accounting [of how they were used].

Based upon what the Zohar says, we may delve into a deep concept: Each of us are given a certain amount of days -- and minutes -- of life. And we have an obligation to try to use them well, i.e. for the Service of Hashem.

But, time passes. And we end up looking back at all the days in our past that are seemingly now gone. . . What can we do, though? The past is the past and once a day -- or a moment, for that matter -- is over, then it’s gone, right?

The answer is no. At least not necessarily. The time that we use to serve Hashem and for good things is never gone and never lost. It all stays with us, and is actually not in the past.

However, if, Chas V’Shalom, we are indolent, and thus don’t use our time properly, then we will end up losing so much precious time. And one day, we will gaze at the past, and feel extreme sadness at all that is lost. . .

But alas! What about the time we misused in the past? Can we ever get it back? Or is it lost for eternity? The answer can be found in the Gemara (Yoma 86b): ‘Reish Lakish said: “Great is repentance for [through it] intentional sins become unintentional sins. . .” [Asks the Gemara], Didn’t Reish Lakish say that ‘great is repentance for [through it] intentional sins become merits’. . .? There is no difficulty; here [i.e. in the first place, he was speaking of repentance] from love [of Hashem] and here [the second place] from fear [of Hashem].’

From this encouraging Gemara we see that even time which we, unfortunately, did not use properly in the past, we can almost transform into time well-used with true Teshuva from love of Hashem!* * (See LaTorah V’LaMoadim on Vayikra 23:15).

(Ach Sameach)

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* Although this is true, we certainly cannot, Chas V’Shalom, use time on bad things and/or do bad and just think to ourselves that we will do Teshuva later, whether from love or fear. Someone who does that faces severe consequences -- see Mishnah Yoma 8:9.

* Based in part on different things.

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‘And he [Yaakov] blessed them [Ephraim and Menashe] on that day saying, “In you will Israel bless, saying: ‘May G-d put you like Ephraim and like Menashe’”’ (Bereishis 48:20)

Asks HaRav Shlomo Bloch zt”l; why did Yaakov Avinu set the blessing that Jews should be specifically like Ephraim and Menashe?

And he answers; we find that Yaakov Avinu said to Yosef (48:5), “Your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt. . . they are to me; Ephraim and Menashe, like Reuven and Shimon they shall be to me.” When Yaakov Avinu said this, it was testimony to, and determined firmly that even though it is the way of the world [after Adam and Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad] that there is Yeridas HaDoros -- that each generation is on a lower spiritual level than the previous one,* with Ephraim and Menashe, they were on the same level as the sons of Yaakov themselves. They would literally be equal in level to Reuven and Shimon, and Yeridas HaDoros would not apply to them.

Says Rav Bloch zt”l, therefore there is no more beautiful a beracha than this; to bless someone that Hashem make them like Ephraim and Menashe.

(Brought in M’Shulchan Govoha)

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* Although this is true, the Alter of Slabodka zt”l -- quoted in Sparks of Mussar -- tells us that, nevertheless, we are still created in the Image of Hashem, and we have the ability to regain the former heights. This actually fits in very nicely with Rav Bloch’s comment, truthfully.

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‘And Yaakov called to his sons and he said, “Gather and I will tell to you what will happen to you in the End of Days.”’ (Bereishis 49:1)

Many Rabbonim teach that Yaakov Avinu was also trying to give his sons advice here -- if they would gather together in unity and have Achdus (oneness), then that will bring the End of Days, i.e. Mashiach. May Hashem help us to do so, and send him very swiftly in our days.

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‘And Yaakov called to his sons and he said, “Gather and I will tell to you what will happen to you in the End of Days.”’ (Bereishis 49:1)

Yaakov Avinu called his sons together right before he passed away, and blessed each one of them. Each with an individual blessing. And yet, he also alluded to them (see the previous comment) that they should come together in unity.

This is a lesson for us all: We are all individuals, with unique abilities, gifts, etc. But on the other hand, it is our responsibility to be one with our fellow Jews. We can both be individual and also together. And what a beautiful thing this can be -- us all being so unique, and yet together as one.

Yet, unfortunately, and may Hashem help us, we do see dissension at times -- yes, amongst Klal Yisroel. But perhaps it, in large part, comes back to an interesting and important point:

I was once speaking to one of my dear friends about two certain things in Judaism that are very different. And I was talking about how they aren’t really that different in my mind and they can be together. My friend, however, said something very profound: He said to me that just because things are different doesn’t mean they are contradictory.

And perhaps this is the message: Many people, when they see others doing things differently than them -- holding by different customs, etc. they look at it as contradictory.

However, we must realize that it is not: As my friend said, we are all going towards one goal. And that is to serve Hashem. We are all unique, but yet together as Children of Hashem. And when we take this to heart, and, B’Ezras Hashem, put it into practice, then we will see Moshiach very speedily. May it be so.

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And there is another lesson on this which my mother, the Rebbetzin shetichyeh explained: The sum is greater than the parts: We all have individual powers and strengths, but when we come together as a People, the strength and greatness is much bigger than if we just measured all individuals alone.

And she compares it to a town: You need a baker, a shoemaker, etc. etc. Everyone plays a part to make the town a town.

(Tal U’Matar)

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|~Maaseh~| The Ishbitzer Rebbe {Rebbe Mordechai Yosef Leiner zt”l} used to give a Gemara shiur at a very late hour, and there was a Chossid who attended for a very long time when he was young.

When this Chossid got older, people would ask him about it. He told them that it was a long time ago, and he really didn’t remember much of the shiurim. But one thing he would never forget: How the Rebbe kissed the Gemara after the session. The tremendous love and passion for the Holy Torah that the Rebbe exhibited stayed engraved in his memory.

(Heard from my Rebbe, HaRav Binyomin Goldstein shlit”a)

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Chazak Chazak V’Nischazaeik!

Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

Friday, December 14, 2018

Parshas Vayigash Messages 5779

בּ"ה

Parshas Vayigash

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

There are times when you might feel very lonely and not loved. But the Torah reminds you ‘היש לכם אב או אח’, ‘do you have 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, and sisters (fellow Jews) out there who also care about you. You are never alone. . .

(Tal U’Matar)

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

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

But this was all until they heard these two words from their brother: “אני יוֹסף” -- “I am Yosef” -- and immediately all questions, wonderment and doubts were removed, and the matter 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 השם” -- “I am Hashem”. It will answer all the questions and the wondering about 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.

(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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‘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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‘And they [the brothers] went up from Egypt, and they came to the land of Canaan, to Yaakov their father. And they told to him saying; “Yosef is still alive!” and that he is ruler in the entire land of Egypt; and his [Yaakov’s] heart changed,* because 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 brought alive.’ (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 עגלות -- ‘wagons’, which triggered something in Yaakov Avinu and enabled him to overcome his disbelief. Rashi zt”l references the Midrash which explains that Yosef relayed that the last Torah ideas which they discussed were about עגלה ערופה (see Devarim 21:1-9) which was alluded to by the עגלות, wagons, [because of the similarity with the word עגלה]. 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 would 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 עגלות, 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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* See Rashi zt”l. However, see many other commentators, who have different translations, as well.

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|~Maaseh~| In Novhardok, the home of the famous Yeshiva that also bears this name, there were no dormitory facilities. Rather, the bachurim needed to rent rooms in town. The majority of landlords were happy to have Yeshiva boys as tenants, since they were clean and considerate.

One lady, a widow, had a huge, twenty room house. Often, she was bitter, and made all sorts of trouble for the bachurim who stayed at her place. Later, she would even yell at them, and at times cause other problems, yet.

After some time, most of the boys decided it wasn’t worth staying by her house, and all the boys moved out. All, that is, but one: Yosef Gefen.

One morning, as Yosef was walking “home”, the woman noticed him approaching and began to scream at him, “You must be crazy! How can you still stay in my house? You see that all the other boys have moved out -- why do you insist on staying? Why not get out like they did?”

He answered her gently, in his sweet voice: “I stay here for your sake. I realize that you live alone, and I fear that one night you might fall, or become ill. You will call out for help, but there would be no one to hear your cries. I understand that you are only yelling at us because of your frustration at being widowed and because you struggle to support yourself.”

The woman’s demeanor instantaneously changed. She turned pale. Expecting a sharp remark from the boy, she was instead stunned by his caring remarks. She fell to her knees and begged his forgiveness. And forevermore, she never said anything but kind words to the Yeshiva bachurim. She was no longer mean or nasty, and the boys began to move back into the house. How amazing it is when someone just takes a moment to understand the predicament of another person!

(A Journey Into Holiness)

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

Friday, December 21, 2018

Parshas Vayechi Messages 5779

Friday, December 14, 2018

Parshas Vayigash Messages 5779

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