בּ"ה
Parshas Vayechi
This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated l’zechus refuah shleimah mi’heira
to HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel. 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)
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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 an important matter: 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 retroactively almost transform into time well-used1 with true Teshuva from love of Hashem! 2 (See also LaTorah V’LaMoadim on Vayikra 23:15).
(Ach Sameach)
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1 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.
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2 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)
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The famous question asked by many is; why did Yaakov Avinu establish that we should bless our children to be specifically like Ephraim and Menashe?
1) ----- HaRav Shlomo Bloch zt”l: 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 established that even though it is the way of the world -- after Adam and Chava ate from the Eitz HaDaas (Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad) -- that there is Yeridas HaDoros; that each generation is naturally on a lower spiritual level than the previous one,3 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. (M’Shulchan Govoha; see also Yam Simcha).
2) ----- HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin zt”l: Yaakov Avinu looked and saw how much damage that Galus can, Chas v’Shalom, cause to a Jew. Not only physically, but perhaps primarily, spiritually. And then he looked at Ephraim and Menashe; they were born to Yosef, and grew up, while he was serving as viceroy of Egypt, and thus, they surely had just about every opportunity to integrate into Egyptian culture, and become swept up into all kinds of the physical desires it offered.
But despite this, they lived their lives as faithful Jews -- just like their father -- and maintained their proper identity. They even came very often to learn Torah with their grandfather (Yaakov) in Goshen. Yaakov Avinu thus set very fittingly that people should bless their children to be like Ephraim and Menashe -- remaining in the precious heritage of Torah, and not assimilating into foreign cultures. (Oznayim LaTorah).
3) ----- Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov zt”l: When Yaakov Avinu placed Ephraim -- even though he was the younger one, before Menashe, he observed that Ephraim did not become haughty and prideful from this. Just the opposite; he was humbled from it! And as for Menashe, Yaakov Avinu saw that even though his younger brother had been given precedence in the blessing, he still did not become envious. Therefore, one blesses their children to be like Ephraim and Menashe -- that they not become haughty, even in a situation that could possibly induce such a feeling, and that they not become jealous, in a similar scenario. (Igra D’Kallah; see also in Chochmas HaMatzpon).
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3 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)
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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, 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)
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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 good 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. It’s just like a town: You need a baker, a shoemaker, etc. etc. Everyone plays a part to make the town a proper running, town.
(Tal U’Matar)
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We read about in this Parsha how Yaakov Avinu gave a blessing to all of his children before he passed away. But really, if you look at what Yaakov said to Shimon and Levi, notes HaRav Shlomo Wolbe zt”l, does that seem like a blessing to you? It seems closer to a curse, Chas v’Shalom!
Explains Rav Wolbe beautifully: We all have certain middos (character traits) -- some rooted in us from birth, and some acquired later. But they are there. And middos are a very deep thing! If only we would understand our own middos! A person, Rachmana Litzlan, could go through their entire life without even knowing their inherent qualities and points which need working on.
But it is so important to try to take an accounting and determine our personal traits. Someone, for example, who has deeply rooted within themselves a love for honor -- if they don’t dig into themselves and discover this, this very trait could ruin their entire lives!
Therefore, we see that Yaakov Avinu indeed gave his sons the biggest blessing of all: He revealed to them their deep-rooted middos! Because when we know our traits, then we can rescue ourselves from the bad ones, and utilize the good ones. To some of his sons, he revealed the main character flaw that they needed to work on, while to others, he revealed their inner qualities.
(Shiurei Chumash)
HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky zt”l takes this concept even further, perhaps: Yaakov Avinu says that he will scatter Shimon and Levi amongst the Jews. Rashi zt”l quotes the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah), which explains this to mean that Yaakov caused them to be scattered in a respectable way; children’s teachers and Sofrim (scribes) would often come from Shimon, and people from the Tribe of Levi would go around to collect Terumos and Maasros.
Only Shimon and Levi exhibited extreme zealousness and fire when they risked their lives for Dinah. And those very traits would be the exact one’s needed for the jobs/things Rashi enumerates above -- zealousness, and self-sacrifice for Hashem and His Torah. They need people whom, if they see a breach, zealousness for Hashem burns in them, and they will find a way to repair it.
(Emes L’Yaakov)
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‘Zevulun will dwell on the coast of seas, and he will be at the harbor of ships. . . Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey’ (Bereishis 49:13-14)
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Famously, Rashi zt”l brings from Midrashim (Tanchuma; Bereishis Rabbah) that Zevulun would frequent the harbors, because the Tribe of Zevulun would engage in commerce in order to support the members of the Tribe of Yissachar, who would engage in Torah study. This is probably just about the best example of a symbiotic relationship -- where everyone wins. And Baruch Hashem, we find cases of such a relationship all throughout Klal Yisroel, today, as well.
Now, obviously, even a financial supporter of Torah must still try to find time to learn Torah whenever they can, as the Shulchan Aruch indeed rules. But it is quite apparent that they will not have nearly as much time to learn as the “Yissachars” out there. Nevertheless, the Tur (Yoreh Deiah 246) tells us that a person who supports others’ Torah learning -- it will be counted as if they themselves learned! Surely the supporters get rewarded for every bit of Torah study that they funded, as it were, as the Chofetz Chaim zt”l speaks about. What a wonderful partnership!
But there is even more: HaRav Chaim of Volozhin zt”l was the Rosh Yeshiva of the famous yeshiva of Volozhin, and he was also responsible for the the institution’s financial stability. It is a huge responsibility for a Rosh Yeshiva, not only to be responsible for the spiritual well-being of the students but also to have the daily worry about maintaining the place. Once, when times were difficult, Rav Chaim traveled to one of the wealthy men who supported the yeshiva, to thank him for his pledges. While there, Rav Chaim learned that the man had no family. He had one request of the Rosh Yeshiva -- that when his time would come to leave this world, Rav Chaim would undertake to say Kaddish and learn Mishnayos in his memory. They both agreed, and additional money was sent regularly every month. The man became one of the main supporters of the Volozhiner yeshiva.
After many years went by, the man passed away from this world. It was a hot summer day, but remembering his promise, Rav Chaim traveled to the city where the funeral was taking place, and recited Kaddish there. After the funeral, he returned home, wet to the Beis Midrash, and sat down to learn some Mishnayos for the man. During his studies, he encountered a very difficult matter which he could not decipher. Due to his exhaustion from the trip, coupled with the strain of struggling to fathom the passage, and the extreme heat of the day, Rav Chaim fell into a slumber.
The man who had just recently been buried appeared to him in a dream and told him, “Rebbe, I must thank you heartily for saying Kaddish for me. It was a major source of merit for my Neshama, as is your learning of Mishnayos for me. Regarding this Mishnah which you find difficult, I will explain it to you. . .”
Upon awakening, Rav Chaim was astonished. He commented, “I recognize that if a person provides support for Torah, then in the Next World, he will acquire knowledge of Torah. I know that in Heaven he deserves to be granted Torah knowledge, which he enabled others to achieve during his lifetime on this earth. What I did not comprehend is that happens so quickly! It is only shortly after his funeral, and already he can explain a complicated matter in Seder Taharos that I do not understand!”
(A Journey Into Holiness)
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Another beautiful story about supporting Torah study is worthy of mention here: A fellow met an old Jewish peddler selling his wares in some remote town in Russia. Out of pity for him, he bought something and started a conversation. The peddler, seeing that he was dealing with a kind-hearted Jew, poured out his life story -- his ups and downs, his better times and his younger years:
One time, while still a young man, he had overheard a conversation coming from his neighbor’s home. The young lad was crying out to his father that he should send him to a yeshiva to learn Torah, but the poverty that the family endured did not allow for the father to pay even the cheapest form of travel. When he heard that his father refused only because of lack of funds, the son didn’t want to accept this reason, and continued to wail and plead.
“Hearing the boy’s cries,” the peddler continued, “My heart turned for him. But I had nothing to give either. Life was very hard in those pre-war years. You worked for hours and only made pennies. But I made a firm resolution that at the first opportunity that I would have money, I would give it to him.”
“I worked for many hours, and eventually scratched together enough money. It wasn’t easy, but the picture and sounds of a sincere bochur who could not go to yeshiva only out of lack of funds pushed me to work above my limits. Once I had made the necessary amount, I happily presented it to the father. He was very touched and thanked me greatly.”
Turning to his listener, the peddler asked, “Many years have since passed, and I would be happy to know whatever became about this bochur.” When asked as to what the bochur’s name was, the peddler replied “Aharon Kotler”! The Jewish customer, no doubt, explained what became of this Aharon Kotler, who was already famous on the other side of the Atlantic.
HaRav Avraham Leitner shlit”a sums up: This fellow’s merits have not yet finished growing! All of America is indebted to him and many more around the globe! He was the one who brought serious and intensive Torah learning to American shores, which paved the way to establish authentic Judaism there, besides for all those who have emigrated ever since to other corners of the world! From these small investments, one never knows what the outcome will be.
(At Home With Torah)
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‘Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey, crouching between the boundaries. And he saw rest (alt. tranquility), that it was good; and the earth, that it was pleasant; and he inclined his shoulder to bear’ (Bereishis 49:14-15)
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What Rashi zt”l teaches us (from Bereishis Rabbah) about these symbolisms is quite well-known: Yissachar “inclined his shoulder” to bear the Yoke of Torah. And we find that from Yissachar came many outstanding Torah scholars.
Many lessons are derived from this simile, and the wording of it. Among them are the following:
Chazal say (Avodah Zarah 5b) that a person should always apply themselves to words of Torah like an ox to a yoke, and like a donkey to a burden.
The Chofetz Chaim zt”l explains: The strength of the ox is that it can plow the earth in order that afterwards, it will be able to produce fruit. And the donkey’s way is to carry on itself the fruit that already was harvested.
So too should we be with our Torah study; we must toil over words of Torah to understand them, and afterwards, we must “load” them -- the “fruits of our labors” -- onto our hearts, and we must go back over them and review them frequently, so that we will not forget them.
(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)
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What does it mean that he ‘crouched between the boundaries’? Rebbe Yechezkel Paneth zt”l said: The little Torah knowledge that I merited was from just a quarter of an hour. How so? People often say something like, “It’s a quarter of an hour to lunch break; it’s okay to stop learning now.” Or “In a quarter of an hour, we are going to daven Mincha, or Maariv -- the learning session can end now.” I saved all these “quarter-of-an-hour’s” (which add up to a whole lot more time!); through this, I merited the knowledge of Torah that I have. And this is what the verse means ‘crouching between the boundaries’, that Yissachar made sure to utilize even the time in between sessions (bein haSedorim), etc.
(Yagdil Torah)
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HaRav Akiva Sofer zt”l distinguished between tov, ‘good’ and na’im, ‘pleasant’, of the above verse. Something which is tov suggests an enduring form of goodness, while na’im is of a more temporal nature. One who understands the depth of the Torah’s goodness realizes that the joys of This World are ephemeral and do not last. Such a person will “incline his shoulder to bear” the Yoke of Torah, regardless of the hardship that might be entailed in this endeavor.
This is the underlying message of the above passuk: Such an individual sees menucha, tranquility, which the Midrash interprets as a metaphor for Torah, as being good. He understands the true goodness of Torah and its enduring nature. He also sees that ‘the land’ -- the pleasures of This World, are merely na’emah, pleasant. Comprehending the fleeting character of worldly pleasure, he decides that it is only in the reflection of the absolute goodness of Torah that he will enjoy true serenity and joy.
(Peninim on the Torah; sixteenth series)
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Rebbe Yitzchok of Vorka zt”l quotes a certain villager who explained the above passuk in the following manner: If somebody wants to see tranquility in their life, then they should “incline their shoulder to bear” -- i.e. accept patiently and serenely everything that happens. Thus, nothing will make them become angry, and they will have tranquility from everything.
(Ohel Yitzchok #3)
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‘And Yosef’s brothers saw that their father had died. . . and they commanded [messengers to go4] to Yosef, saying: “Your father commanded before his death, saying: ‘Please, forgive now the willful sin of your brothers. . .’”’ (Bereishis 50:15-17)
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Rashi zt”l explains (from Yevamos 65b) that Yaakov Avinu never really commanded thus, but the brothers changed the truth for the sake of peace.
However, the Likutei Megadim suggests that really, the brothers hardly changed the truth much, if any: Yaakov Avinu indeed did hint to this message before his death. He told them ‘Gather [together]’ (49:1) -- and it is impossible to truly come together in unity unless they would all forgive each other’s personal offenses.
(Brought in Maayanah Shel Torah)
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4 Rashi zt”l.
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~ Maasim Tovim ~ ‘And you shall carry me from Egypt, and you shall bury me in their [my fathers’] grave’ (Bereishis 47:30)
In a particular old age home in some far off place in England, Mrs. Finklestein enjoyed living her senior years. Her children would come constantly to visit together with their families. These visits would be quite eventful and enjoyable. They would schmooze and she took interest in all that happened with them during that particular week. She always remembered each grandchild’s birthday and never missed out on buying each one of them birthday presents.
One day there was a shocking and unexpected call from the old age home that their mother/grandmother had sadly passed away. The levaya (funeral) took place and the children sat shiva at the home of the eldest son. During the shiva, the phone did not cease to ring as family and friends from all over called to give their condolences.
Until that one particular phone call. Benny, one of the sons of the deceased answered it. It was from the old age home. “Hello,” went the voice on the other end. “Why has no one come to visit me this week?” Benny dropped the receiver and nearly fainted. Everyone present stared at him. “Who was it?” they inquired. Benny was too shocked to answer. He just pointed at the dropped phone as his wife picked it up and talked to the voice on the other end. To make a long story short, it was none other than. . . their own mother on the phone!!
“Where are you. . .?” the son asked.
“What do you think? In my own room,” she answered. “. . . What makes you ask?” she queried.
“Oh it’s nothing. . .” he answered. “. . . I'll be by you shortly,” Benny answered.
The shocked son took off his aveilus (mourning) clothing, washed and shaved and drove out to visit his mother. By the time he arrived at his mother’s side he’d somehow managed to calm down and he chatted with her as if nothing had happened. During the conversation she asked a few times why he had not been to visit like usual.
Each time he brushed away the question, saying that he was sorry, but it was unusually hectic (it was even true! Sitting shiva is normally very hectic.) Anyways, he got up to leave and headed straight for the office. Once there, he broke down and all his emotions came flying out. He demanded an explanation to this weirdest possible story. How on earth was it possible that a week before, his mother had died and been buried and suddenly now she’s back in her room?!
The staff was not sure whether to laugh or cry. On checking their records, it was written that she had perished! But after a short investigation it all became clear. In fact, her neighbor, in the room next door had died and the secretary had mistakenly called the Finklesteins.
Okay, so Mrs Finkelstein never died; that was a happy ending to that side of the story. The mystery was easily solved. The bigger problem was that the staff had to find a way how they were going to inform the family of the real deceased one that their mother had died and even had already been buried behind their very backs.
One office worker picked up the courage and called the family. The son answered and very gently and softly was told the sad news. He did not sound too interested. He coldly answered, “Fine, okay.” The clerk continued “By the way, she has already been buried in the local Jewish cemetery. . .” Before she even finished her sentence, the fellow on the other end suddenly sprung to life. “What? How can this possibly happen? She obviously won the fight. . . I have no words to say. . .” And with that, the phone line went dead.
The secretary stood there in total shock. One of the old ladies who lived in the old age home had overheard the conversation. She watched how the staff was all stunned with the phone call that had just taken place. She offered to explain:
Two weeks before, the son of the deceased had come to visit his mother and an argument had broken out between them. The mother had begged her son to promise that once she left this world, he would bury her in a Jewish cemetery. But her son argued and claimed that since they were anyways non-religious, therefore it did not mean much to him. He would much prefer that her body be burnt and the ashes would sit inside a jar on his desk as a remembrance.
But Hashem had thought otherwise and knew that this woman deserved to be buried like a Jew and one day would perhaps merit some sort of Techiyas HaMeisim (Revival of the dead)!
(Shabbos Gems)
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‘Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey. . .’ (Bereishis 49:14)
The Rogatchover Gaon {HaRav Yosef Rosen zt”l} knew all of Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, by heart. At his fingertips, he could recall the entire Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, and countless other seforim. Still, he would constantly review Shas, making a siyum in honor of completing the entire Talmud regularly, every five months. One time, he requested that his family prepare a seudas siyum (festive meal) just a few weeks after a previous one had been held, on schedule! They questioned the Rav, “Did you actually finish Shas again in such a brief period?”
“Not exactly,” he clarified. “This siyum is for a special session that I maintain during unscheduled waiting periods. You know, people tell me to be ready for a Bris by 8:00 AM, but they don’t pick me up until 8:15. Or they invite me to attend a wedding at 6:30 PM, and it does not start until seven. I have a special session during those waiting periods, and I’ve just completed Shas in accordance with that session.” The Rav indeed loved learning Hashem’s holy Torah, and had actually completed Shas 101 times during his lifetime!
(A Journey Into Holiness)
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Chazak Chazak V’Nischazaeik!
Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!
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