בּ"ה
Parshas Vayeishev
May this edition of Shabbos Sparks, and the learning that comes from it be as a zechus for
a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira to HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel, who is in need of Tefillos.
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‘And Yaakov dwelt in the land of the sojournings of his father, in the land of Canaan.’ (Bereishis 37:1)
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Rashi zt”l brings from Midrash Bereishis Rabbah (on verse 2) that when Yaakov sought to dwell in calm, the troubles of Yosef being sold, etc. sprang upon him. The righteous seek to dwell in calm. Says HaKadosh Baruch Hu; “It is not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them for the World to Come, but they seek [also] to dwell in serenity in This World!”
This is very difficult to understand on many different levels. For one, does Hashem, Chas v’Shalom, not wish for the serenity of Tzaddikim, even in this world?! And there are other points that require explanation. Below are a few elucidations that give us insight into this Chazal:
1) ----- HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l: Of course Hashem wants righteous people to have serenity. Rather, the intent of this Midrash is regarding education of children. Yaakov Avinu thought that he didn’t need to worry anymore about educating his sons, for they were all great and righteous people themselves! Therefore, the troubles with Yosef came upon him, to show that the duty to teach and guide children how to behave continues on -- even if the children are the greatest Gedolim. (Darash Moshe).
2) ----- HaRav Gedaliah Schorr zt”l: First explanation: Chazal teach us (Berachos 5a) that suffering can help to cleanse us. The Maharal of Prague zt”l explains that suffering can cleanse the Tzaddik of anything that may be holding them back from reaching an even higher level of closeness to Hashem. But this is only if the suffering is accepted with contrition and love. If it is, then it can bring a person closer to Hashem.
Yaakov Avinu really was worthy of dwelling in serenity and peace, but truth be told, he needed a little more suffering to help him continue to reach even higher levels and come even closer to Hashem. This would be accomplished, as mentioned above, by his accepting them with love, and indeed, this was his job. And as Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa zt”l says, Yaakov Avinu passed this test with flying colors, and despite all the difficulties and travails he endured during the 22 year separation from Yosef, he not only did not fall from his lofty level, but he even climbed higher.1
Second explanation: As we are taught, there is a principle that the things that occured with the Avos is a sign/hint to what would later happen with their children, Klal Yisroel. Yaakov Avinu himself truly was fitting to settle down in calmness and devote himself to personal growth; however, to pave the way for Klal Yisroel in certain things, he still had more that he needed to do. (Ohr Gedalyahu).
3) ----- HaRav Avraham Yaakov Shapira zt”l: It isn’t that Tzaddikim should not have peace and serenity, Chas v’Shalom. But when the world needs rectification in certain things, namely, that there are people who need to be brought back to the proper path, and this Tzaddik can help to bring that about, then there is no place for them to “settle down” to only their own personal growth. Yaakov Avinu had wished to settle and concentrate on his own Avodah, and not go to faraway places to continue to spread faith in Hashem there, as perhaps it was enough to live amongst the people who had been brought close here. This is why the troubles of Yosef’s sale came upon him -- it led to the descent down to Egypt, which would help to continue to spread faith to others. (Nesivos Shalom; see a very similar explanation in Maayan Beis HaShoeivah here).
4) ----- HaRav Nissan Alpert zt”l: Yaakov Avinu, throughout a lot of his life, had the worry of Esav trying to attack him. But now, after leaving off with him somewhat peaceably, he thought that perhaps his work was finished, and now he could settle down peacefully and concentrate on personal matters. Therefore, the troubles of Yosef sprang upon him, to teach him that all the time that there is still not complete unity amongst Klal Yisroel there is still much work to do -- and in fact, that is the main work. The second Beis HaMikdash was truthfully destroyed not really because the Romans came and attacked, but, as Chazal (Yoma 9) tell us, because of baseless hatred in our own midst. (Limudei Nissan).
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But whatever the explanation, HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l provides a very good summing-up comment: We learn from here that no matter whether it is in Torah study or in Mitzvah performance, we must never be satisfied that we have done enough. We must always continue to try to strive forward and higher.
(Divrei Mordechai)
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1 Very worthy of mention here is the following wonderful story: The stress of everyday life was starting to drain the joy out of Avraham. He never felt rested. He never felt calm. He never had enough money or enough time. As a result, every little setback seemed to be too much. He had to admit the truth; he was not a happy man. He knew he should be grateful for all the precious gifts he had -- a wife and children, a loving family, his health, a job -- but he couldn’t rouse the feelings out of his exhausted, sunken heart.
He thought back nostalgically about his idealistic days in yeshiva, and he wished he could reach back and grasp some of that old inspiration to carry him through his challenges. HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim, had always been an exemplar of how to serve Hashem with faith and joy. “Maybe the Rosh Yeshiva could help me now,” Avraham thought. He decided to call.
Avraham picked up the phone and dialed the number, After a few rings, a faint voice answered. It was the Rosh Yeshiva himself. Avraham introduced himself.
“How is the Rosh Yeshiva doing?” he asked politely.
“How am I doing? I am doing morahdik (awesome)! Absolutely great!”
The Rosh Yeshiva said those words with such happiness and pure faith that Avraham was taken aback. He knew that Rav Nosson Tzvi faced major challenges every day, including his own battle with an aggressive Parkinson’s disease.
“How can the Rosh Yeshiva say he is morahdik?” Avraham asked. “The Rosh Yeshiva is not a well man. The Mir Yeshiva is millions in debt. There are hundreds of young men who turn to you with the pressing problems they are facing, and it’s all on your head. I don’t think too many people would say ‘morahdik’ in that situation.”
Rav Nosson Tzvi had no trouble explaining. “Hashem loves me more than I love myself,” he said. “He knows what is best for me and gives me whatever I need. If it could be better, it would be. If I had a choice to pick a different portion in life again, I would pick the same one. It couldn’t possibly be any better than it already is. So indeed, life is amazing. It’s the best.
“Now, how can I help you, Avraham?”
“The Rosh Yeshiva has already helped me,” Avraham replied. “Thank you. Have a good day.” Avraham no longer needed to ask his questions nor present his problems to Rav Nosson Tzvi. They were already answered. (Stories That Unite Our Hearts).
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As we know, in this Parsha there is the mystifying account of Yosef HaTzaddik and his brothers, and the animosity, etc. they felt towards him because of many things.
HaRav Avraham Yaakov HaKohen Pam zt”l elucidates the matter: The dispute between Yosef and his brothers requires explanation. It is an error to understand it as a situation akin to petty sibling rivalries for a parent’s affection or money. Nothing could be further from the truth, because Yosef and his brothers were Tzaddikim who formed the very foundation of Klal Yisroel.
The following historical episode, he says, can put this parsha into proper perspective: In the middle of Cheshvan 5618 (1857) a great din Torah (court case in Beis Din -- Jewish Court) began in Volozhin. The Yeshiva Etz Chaim, founded a half century earlier by HaRav Chaim of Volozhin zt”l, the chief disciple of the Vilna Gaon zt”l, had been going through a period of turmoil. Contention arose due to the differences in the styles of learning of the two Roshei Yeshiva, HaRav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin zt”l (the Netziv) and HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l (the Beis HaLevi).
Four great Rabbonim were summoned as a Beis Din to judge the dispute and formulate a workable compromise:
Before the deliberations began, Rav Velvele -- the Maggid of Vilna zt”l, who was one of the four Rabbis on the Beis Din -- asked to speak: He said, “As a maggid, I always speak on the Parsha. But I must tell you that as I stand here in the presence of great Rabbonim, I see Parshas Vayeishev. You may ask me how I see Vayeishev just a few weeks after Sukkos and I will explain.
“For each Parsha from Bereishis until Vayeishev,” he illuminated, “It is easy for me to prepare a drosha (lecture) because the Torah clearly contrasts the Tzaddik to the rasha (wicked person). In Bereishis, the Torah contrasts Adam with the serpent. In Noach, it is Noach versus the Dor HaMabul (Generation of the Flood). In Lech Lecha, Avraham opposes the four kings. In Vayera, the righteous Avraham is contrasted with the wicked people of Sodom, and in Chayei Sarah, Eliezer Damaseik is contrasted with Lavan. In Toldos, the opponents are Yaakov and Esav, and, in Vayeitzei, they are Yaakov and Lavan. In Vayishlach, again Yaakov and Esav are contrasted.
“But when it comes to Vayeishev,” continued Rav Velvele zt”l, “I have great difficulties. All of Yaakov’s children are righteous. Who are the rashaim? This is why I say that in the dispute between Rav Naftali Tzvi and Rav Yosef Dov, I see Parshas Vayeishev. Both people are great Tzaddikim, leaders of this generation, and their intentions are for the sake of Heaven. It will not be an easy matter to decide who is right and who is wrong. . .” (See Rishon L’Shalsheles Brisk p. 128 for an account of the entire incident and its conclusion.)
Now explains Rav Pam zt”l; in discussing the disagreement between Yosef and his brothers this has to be our outlook as well. The source of the dispute wasn’t simple petty jealousy. It was a question of Halacha. The brothers felt that Yosef was a rodef, a pursuer who was out to kill them. They felt they had the legal right to defend themselves and even kill him (see Gemara Sanhedrin 72a).
(From The Pleasant Way)
Indeed, HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky zt”l proves from various things in our Parsha that the entire episode of the sale of Yosef and what led up to it must be understood according to the different explanations of why certainly Yosef and his brothers were not acting on a mere petty level.
(Emes L’Yaakov; see there for his beautiful words!)
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‘And he [Yaakov] said, “Go please, and see the welfare (שלום) of your brothers”’ (Bereishis 37:14)
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Says Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa zt”l: Yaakov Avinu was telling Yosef that he should try to see the perfection (שלימות -- related to the word שלום of our verse) of his brothers, i.e. their good points and not their bad points.
(Kol Simcha)
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‘And the pit was empty; no water was in it’ (Bereishis 37:24)
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There was no water in it -- but there were snakes and scorpions in it (Shabbos 22a).2 We therefore see, HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin zt”l points out, that the verse tells us a quality and a defect about the pit: The quality, in this case, was that there was no water in it. And the defect was that it had snakes and scorpions. But note that the quality is said explicitly, while the defect of the pit is only hinted to. Says Rav Sorotzkin, if this is so with a pit -- how much more so when we speak of a fellow human being! We should speak complimentarily of them clearly, and if we must, for a very compelling reason (see Shemiras HaLashon for the halachos in this area), speak of a defect in them, we should still try to do so in a more subtle way.
(Oznayim LaTorah)
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In a different vein, the Vilna Gaon zt”l explains another beautiful lesson we learn from this passuk: If we are empty of Torah -- which is compared to water -- Chas v’Shalom, then ‘snakes and scorpions are in it,’ we are liable to become filled with all kinds of dangerous and bad traits. The Torah is one of the main components to a person being a Tzaddik; without it, we will likely sink to low levels.
(Shaarei HaKodesh, brought in Divrei Eliyahu)
Based upon this, we can glean yet another insight from our verse: A person might think that even if they don’t put Torah as an integral part of their lives, they can still be filled with lots of nice ideologies and live a “full” life. The truth, however, is that ‘the pit was empty; there was no water in it’ -- if we don’t have Torah in us, then we are, in effect, empty.
(Tal U’Matar)
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2 However, neither Reuven nor any of the other brothers knew that (Ramban zt”l and Torah Temimah). But see also Kli Yakar, Sifsei Kohen, and Levush Yosef.
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‘And they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted their eyes and they saw and behold; a caravan of Yishmaelim was coming from Gilad, and their camels were carrying spices, balm and lotus, going to take it down to Egypt. And Yehuda said to his brothers; “What will we gain if we kill our brother and we cover up his blood? Let us go, and we will sell him to the Yishmaelim, and our hand should not be against him, because he is our brother, our flesh” -- And his brothers listened.’ (Bereishis 37:25-27)
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Asks Rashi zt”l from Mechilta; why did the Torah publicize what the Yishmaelim’s camels were carrying? And he brings: To let you know the reward for the righteous, because usually the Arabs carried with them foul-smelling things. But for Yosef HaTzaddik, Hashem arranged it that they should be carrying spices, so that he should not have to smell a bad odor.
What, though, was the big deal of how things smelled? With the entire difficult situation, Yosef might hardly have cared about the minute detail of how things smelled!
Says HaRav Mordechai Pogremansky zt”l: Yosef was going through a very tough time, being suddenly uprooted from his home and his illustrious father and being sent away to a foreign land. He was sure to give up hope of ever seeing his dear ones again. How could he find the strength to stay strong and not give up all he had acquired over the previous years?
For this reason, explains Rav Pogremansky, Hashem arranged for these sweet-smelling items to show him that even between all the hardships of this great trial, there was still hope and the good side can be found if one looks for it. As he was a Tzaddik, Yosef would surely look out to find the good between all the seeming evil that he was enduring. He would notice the difference of the Yishmaelim’s luggage, and see Hashem’s guiding Hand, even when the future looked dark and dull. This is what Rashi means when he writes, “to show us the reward for Tzaddikim.” For a Tzaddik, there is no better reward than to see the Hand of Hashem waving clearly at him, showing him that the One Above does not forsake him!
(At Home With Torah)
HaRav Shalom Noach Berezovsky zt”l (Nesivos Shalom) explains a different thing: We see from here the depth of Divine Judgement and mercy. If it had been decreed for Yosef to be there, in that difficult situation (see Kli Yakar and Sifsei Kohen), then that would happen, and it did; nevertheless, Hashem will not bring any unpleasantness on a Tzaddik for no reason, even a tiny thing like a foul smell!
(Mi’Maayanos HaNetzach, brought in Levush Yosef)
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‘And Reuven returned to the pit’ (Bereishis 37:29)
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But when Yosef was sold, Reuven hadn’t been there. Where was he? He was busy wearing sackcloth and fasting for having moved Yaakov Avinu’s bed [see above 35:22 and Rashi there]. (Rashi zt”l from Pesikta D’Rav Kahana).
The Midrash says that Reuven “opened up” Teshuva, i.e. he was the first to do it. But the question is; don’t we find that Adam HaRishon and Kayin did Teshuva earlier in the Torah? So what was the uniqueness of Reuven’s Teshuva?
1) ----- Ksav Sofer zt”l: Even though Reuven had just beforehand saved Yosef, as the verse testifies, and convinced the other brothers to merely throw him into the pit instead of killing him, he still went and fasted, etc. in repentance for his sin! Because Reuven realized that even doing a Mitzvah can’t just erase a previous sin; he actually still had to do real Teshuva. (Ksav Sofer; Likutim).
2) ----- HaRav Yitzchok Meir Ben-Menachem zt”l: Adam HaRishon and Kayin were first contronted, as it were, by Hashem, about the sin they had committed, and also punished, and only afterwards they did Teshuva. We thus see that their repentance was out of fear, which, while good, is not as good as from love of Hashem. However, we don’t find Reuven being punished nor confronted about what he did, and yet he himself recognized his mistake and did Teshuva for it, which was clearly Teshuva from love of Hashem. (Darkei Mussar).
3) ----- HaRav Yaakov Neiman zt”l: It is a lot easier to do Teshuva for something when you know that it was a sin. In the cases of Adam HaRishon and Kayin, their infractions were clearly sins, and so it might not have been quite as hard for them to do Teshuva. But if someone did a sin thinking it was a Mitzvah, it must be very hard for them to do Teshuva for that! The sin of Reuven was, as Chazal tell us, that after Rachel died, Yaakov Avinu moved his bed into the tent of Bilhah, her maidservant, instead of into Leah’s tent. Reuven was upset at this seeming insult to his mother, and so he moved Yaakov’s bed. If so, he was under the impression that this was actually a Mitzvah -- honoring his mother! But yet, afterwards, he realized that it had been a sin, he did Teshuva! This was the uniqueness of Reuven’s repentance. (Ibid.).
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The Torah relates that Yehuda had three sons: Er, Onan, and Sheilah. Er married a woman named Tamar, but he was very wicked, and so Hashem put him to death. But since he and Tamar had not had any children, Yehuda told Onan to perform Yibum (levirate marriage; see Devarim 25:5-10) and marry Tamar, to establish offspring for his brother through her. Onan was selfish, and decided that he did not want to have kids with Tamar, and he acted very wickedly as well, so Hashem put him to death, like Er. Although logically, Tamar would have married Sheilah next, Yehuda wanted Tamar to wait until Sheilah had gotten a little older.
After some time, Yehuda’s wife died. And Tamar still had not been given to Sheilah. So she devised a plan: She covered her face and pretended to be a zonah (harlot), and when Yehuda passed by and saw her, he wanted to be intimate with her. Continuing the guise, she asked him what he would give her as a payment, and he told her that he would send her a baby goat, but she still asked for a pledge in the meantime. So he gave her some things of his as a pledge, was intimate with her, and she became pregnant by him, and bore twins.
This account is very mystifying, to say the least. But, even though I will not cover all the ramifications and explanations now, with the following three insights, we can perhaps understand the situation in a different light:
#1: The Ramban zt”l (to 38:8) explains that in those days, before the Torah forbade this, the custom was for Yibum to be performed by any of the close relatives -- even the father of the husband who had died. Therefore, Yehuda was in a position, according to this, to perform a legitimate Yibum with Tamar.
#2: Daas Zikeinim M’Baalei Tosafos brings that Yehuda would not have turned to her when she was pretending to be a zonah, but Tamar prayed to Hashem, saying, “Will I not have the merit to bring forth a wise person from this Tzaddik (Yehuda)?” and so He sent an angel to turn Yehuda back towards her. Similarly, the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 85:8) says that basically an angel was sent to try to cause Yehuda’s desires to be aroused, and convince him to come to Tamar.
#3: The Daas Zikeinim brings further that some Meforshim actually say thay Yehuda performed Kiddushin with Tamar before he was intimate with her. And, according to this, that is why Tamar asked for a “fee” -- she was asking, ‘With what will you perform Kiddushin?’, for, as we know, one of the ways to do Kiddushin is through money (see Kiddushin 2a). When he replied that he would send her something, she asked for something now -- a pledge. And one of the items that Yehuda gave as a pledge was his signet ring. We thus see that he did Kiddushin with her by a ring! And even though we find (Kiddushin 8) that a pledge doesn’t work to affect Kiddushin, maybe in this case, Yehuda actually gave her the ring outright, and only afterwards stipulated that she would give it back to him if he would send her a young goat.
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‘And she grabbed him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” and he [Yosef] left his garment in her hand, and he fled and he went outside.’ (Bereishis 39:12)
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The Torah relates how Potiphar’s wife saw Yosef HaTzaddik, and she kept nagging him to lie with her, but he kept refusing. Until one day, she even grabbed his garment demanding that he lay with her, but he still remained steadfast in the face of this test.
The fact, though, that she grabbed him by his garment, has great significance. Explains the Divrei Yechezkel, Rebbe Yechezkel Halberstam zt”l: Yosef HaTzaddik, as Rashi zt”l brings from Midrash Tanchuma, began to play with his hair more in Egypt. What was the reason for this? Yosef saw that the Egyptians were wicked, and he wanted to help them improve and become better people. For this reason, he began to play with his hair, trying to make himself look really nice, and wear the kind of clothing that the Egyptians would, so that they would want to associate with him and he could thus improve them. But even for this good reason, it still wasn’t right for him to abandon his Jewish dress code and dress like the non-Jews. Therefore, Potiphar’s wife grabbed him by his garment. Hashem was hinting to him through this the source of the problem.
(Quoted in Divrei Yechezkel Shraga)
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‘And the chamberlain of the cupbearers did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him.’ (Bereishis 40:23)
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Yosef HaTzaddik had been in jail for some time after being thrown in for a false accusation, when the chamberlain of the cupbearers and the chamberlain of the bakers were also put there for offenses against Paroah.
They both had a peculiar dream on the same night, and Yosef interpreted the dreams for them. The chamberlain of the bakers’ dream meant that he would be killed for his offense (which was a worse one, the commentators explain) and the chamberlain of the cupbearers’ dream meant that he would soon be returned to his post. And when Yosef explained to him (the chamberlain of the cupbearers) this, he asked him that when he was restored to position, he should remember him and do him a kindness and mention him to Paroah so that he could be taken out of jail.
But, as the Torah relates, the chamberlain of the cupbearers forgot about Yosef HaTzaddik.
Says Midrash Bereishis Rabbah, the verse says that the chamberlain of the cupbearers forgot Yosef -- Hashem said “The chamberlain of the cupbearers forgot you, but I did not forget you.”
There are many times we feel alone or forgotten; someone forgot to invite us somewhere or return a call; nobody remembered to put in a good word about us to the boss or recommend us for something.
But we need to realize that we are not alone and have not been forgotten. Hashem is always with us and will always remember us, making sure to take care of us and help us.
(Tal U’Matar)
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~ Maasim Tovim ~ Late one night, HaRav Yisroel Salanter zt”l chanced upon a shoemaker’s home, and he saw the shoemaker sitting and doing his work by the light of a flickering candle that was soon to go out.
“Why are you still sitting by your work?” Rav Yisroel asked him, “Isn’t the hour so late? And also, your candle is about to go out, and you won’t have the means to do anything.”
“That’s no problem” answered the shoemaker “All the while that the candle is burning, it is still possible to work and to fix.”
Rav Yisroel was very moved by these words, and he reasoned to himself: If for the needs of the body, one needs to work all the time that the candle is burning and it is possible to work and to repair by its light -- for their spiritual needs, how much more so must a person work and fix whatever is possible, all the time that the Soul, which is compared to Hashem’s candle, illuminates them, i.e. they are still alive.
“Why are you still sitting by your work?” Rav Yisroel asked him, “Isn’t the hour so late? And also, your candle is about to go out, and you won’t have the means to do anything.”
“That’s no problem” answered the shoemaker “All the while that the candle is burning, it is still possible to work and to fix.”
Rav Yisroel was very moved by these words, and he reasoned to himself: If for the needs of the body, one needs to work all the time that the candle is burning and it is possible to work and to repair by its light -- for their spiritual needs, how much more so must a person work and fix whatever is possible, all the time that the Soul, which is compared to Hashem’s candle, illuminates them, i.e. they are still alive.
(HaMeoros HaGedolim
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In the last year of his life, HaRav Tzvi Hirsch Meisels zt”l was in a hospital in New York for Chanukah. But because of the concern of a fire, Rav Meisels couldn’t get permission from the medical staff to let him light his Menorah in his room!
This was very distressing, and Rav Meisels called the head doctor who cared for him. When he came, Rav Meisels cried and pleaded with him, saying that even in the concentration camps, in the valley of death, he had been able to light the Menorah, and how was it possible that here in America -- “a free country” -- he wouldn’t be allowed to light the Menorah?!
When the doctor saw how this matter literally touched the Rav’s Soul, and he was liable to actually come into danger because of his great distress over it, he carried out different ploys until he received permission for the Rav to light the Menorah.
(Mekadshei HaShem vol. 1)
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Gut and meaningful Shabbos and a very Freilichen Chanukah to all!
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