Parshas Vayigash Divrei Torah and Insights 5780

בּ"ה

Parshas Vayigash

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 Yehuda approached him [the viceroy of Egypt -- Yosef]’ (Bereishis 44:18)

Rashi zt”l explains that from the fact that Yehuda pleads with the “viceroy” not to be angry with him, it clearly implies that he spoke harshly to him.

HaRav Shimon Schwab zt”l quotes that he heard from his Rebbe, HaRav Yosef Leib Bloch zt”l that we see from here how great is the power of accepting responsibility. Since Yehuda accepted upon himself the responsibility of bringing back Binyomin safely to Yaakov, new strengths and might of spirit entered him, and therefore, he had the courage to speak to a powerful ruler harshly. And from this we learn, says Rav Bloch, that if we accept upon ourselves the yoke of the Mitzvos, then we will be given new strengths in order to uphold that resolution.

(Maayan Beis HaShoeivah)

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‘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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‘How can I go up to my father, and the youth is not with me?’ (Bereishis 44:34)

Homiletically, the Seforim glean two wonderful lessons from this statement: #1, How can we go up, after death, to our Father in Heaven, without the days of our youth with us? We can’t just act however we want when we are young, and then only when we get older begin to dedicate ourselves to serving Hashem. And #2, how can we go up after death and appear before our Father in Heaven without ‘the youth(s)’ with us? It is incumbent upon anyone and everyone with children to try their utmost to raise and educate their children properly.

(Brought in Maayanah Shel Torah)

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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 perhaps blamed 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 beautiful 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.

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

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‘Hurry and go up to my father, and you shall say to him: “So said your son Yosef, ‘G-d has placed me as master for all of Egypt (שׂמני אלקים לאדוֹן לכל מצרים).’”’ (Bereishis 45:9)

Aside from the simple good news, Rebbe Yisroel of Ruzhin zt”l explains another significance of Yosef’s message to Yaakov Avinu: The word שׂמני can be translated as ‘I have placed’; thus Yosef said “שׂמני אלקים -- I have placed Hashem, לאדוֹן לכל מצרים -- as the Master of the entire Egypt. I have influenced the people of Egypt and publicized the name of Hashem, that He is the Master.” This was perhaps even better news to Yaakov Avinu!

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HaRav Yaakov Neiman zt”l takes a slightly different tact: Usually, when one is appointed to a position, they say “I got a position from so-and-so.” And all the more so when one is appointed to a high governmental rank or the like, that they would say “The king appointed me as such.” But Yosef HaTzaddik didn’t say that Paroah appointed him as viceroy; nor did he intimate that he, by his own strength, wisdom, etc. got the position. His message was clear: ‘G-d has placed me as master for all of Egypt’. This was the happiest and best news that Yaakov could hear -- despite all the hardships he had endured throughout the years, Yosef still had remained intact in his righteousness, and still had perfect faith that it was Hashem Who had appointed him to this high position.

(Darkei Mussar)

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‘To all of them, he [Yosef] gave -- to each man -- changes of clothing, and to Binyomin he gave three-hundred [pieces of] silver, and five changes of clothing.’ (Bereishis 45:22)

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Is it possible that in the very same thing -- the jealousy of his brothers -- that ended up causing Yosef HaTzaddik so much pain of being sold, and the things after that, he himself would stumble in, by seemingly causing jealousy between them with clothing? Rabbi Binyomin bar Yefes said: Yosef was hinting to Binyomin with the five changes of clothing, that a son was destined to go forth from his offspring who would go out from before the king with five royal garments, like it says about Mordechai (Esther 8:15). (Gemara Megillah 16b with Rashi zt”l).

Asks the Vilna Gaon zt”l; no matter what Yosef was trying to allude to, couldn’t this still bring jealousy among the brothers? And he explains that perhaps each of the garments that he gave to Binyomin were of lesser value than the ones he gave to the other brothers, and therefore the five changes of clothing were equal in value to the amount of clothing he gave the brothers, so there was nothing for anyone to be jealous about. However, the reason he did it this way was to hint to Mordechai, like the Gemara explains.

(Likutim at the very end of Shenos Eliyahu on Seder Zeraim)

Perhaps we may suggest very simply that since Mordechai was a large part of the salvation of all the Jews in the days of the miracle of Purim, then certainly this allusion would arouse no jealousy. Since it was beneficial to all the Shevatim (Tribes).

(Tal U’Matar)

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What about the money Yosef gave Binyomin, though? The Meforshim (see Rabbeinu Bachya; the Rokeach; Chizkuni; Chasam Sofer zt”l) explain that we learn in the Gemara (Gittin 44a) that a Jew who sells their slave to a non-Jew is penalized up to 10 times the slave’s value. Now, a slave’s value is set by the Torah to be 30 silver pieces. And therefore, since the other brothers took part in the sale or the process leading up to it at least to a certain extent (definitely to varying degrees), the 300 silver pieces that Yosef gave to Binyomin were like a fine to all of them, as they did not receive it.

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‘And he [Yosef] sent his brothers, and they went, and he said to them, “Do not become agitated on the way.”’ (Bereishis 45:24)

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Rabbi Elazar said that what Yosef was telling his brothers was to not become involved in a matter of Halacha while on the road, because perhaps it would cause them to get lost (see Rashi zt”l to this Gemara). Is that so? Didn’t Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Berechiah say that it is very important for there to be words of Torah between people when they are going on the road? There is no contradiction; what it is good to do while on the road is discussion of Torah, but what it is not good is in-depth learning. (Gemara Taanis 10b).

So, in effect, says HaRav Meir Dov Rubman zt”l, Yosef was telling his brothers to not study in-depth while on the road. But the question is; the brother’s had just had the absolutely astonishing experience of Yosef revealing himself, and they surely had a lot to think about -- likely a lot of the occurrences that had transpired over the period of time since the sale of Yosef until now, and about the situation at hand! Were their minds even ready to learn -- much less in-depth?

But Yosef HaTzaddik knew his brothers. He knew that Torah was literally their life, and even in this situation, they likely would not cease their learning -- and yes, in-depth too! Therefore, he had to actually caution them not to engage in such while on the road.

We learn from this, says Rav Rubman, how deeply engulfed we must be in our learning, and we mustn’t let distractions get in the way. For Torah is literally our life! At most all times and situations, we want to continue living, and we don’t want our heart to stop beating, for example, for that is our life-source, as it were. So too, with Torah, which is our very life.1

(Zichron Meir)

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1 Of course we must also involve ourselves in doing other MItzvos, chesed, etc. which are all part of a Torah life.

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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,2 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 revived.’ (Bereishis 45:25-27)

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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 zt”l 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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2 See Rashi zt”l. However, see many other commentators, who have different translations, as well.

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As cited briefly above, Rashi brings from the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah) that Yosef had given his brothers a sign to tell Yaakov, as a proof of their words that he had really sent them: The last topic that Yaakov and he had been studying together. And that subject was the Eglah Arufah -- עגלה ערופה (see Devarim 21:1-9). This is hinted to in the word for wagons, עגלות, which is very similar in root to the word עגלה.

There are many great significances to this. We just saw one, and another one of them is brought in the sefer Pardes Yosef: The author, HaRav Yosef Patzanovski zt”l says that he saw the following explanation: Yaakov Avinu and Yosef were going to reunite. The question was who should go to whom. Should Yaakov Avinu go down to Yosef, or the other way around?

Yosef chose that Yaakov would go down to him. Surely, though, Yaakov -- and others -- would ask him about why he made this choice. This was the significance of the sign of the Eglah Arufah. Because we find regarding it in a Mishnah (Sotah 45b) that if the head of the corpse is found in one place, and the body in another, then you bring the head to the location of the body (even though there is a dissenting opinion on this). Therefore, since Yaakov Avinu was like the head, and Yosef like the body, he needed to go down to where Yosef was.

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‘And He said, “I am the G-d, G-d of your father; do not be afraid of going down to Egypt. . . I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will bring you up”’ (Bereishis 46:3-4)

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The Gemara (Megillah 29a) teaches us a wonderful thing: Whenever and wherever we are exiled, Hashem’s Shechinah goes with us. And in the (very near) future, when He will redeem us, He will literally return with us.

This is not only on a national level, says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l, but on an individual level, as well. If even one Jew is in pain or distress, Hashem is with them in it, like it says (Tehillim 91:15) ‘I am with him in distress’.

Even if a Jew is not on a very high level, and even if they are “at the end of the earth”, as it were; no matter where they are -- Hashem is with them. And He stands ready to help us at any time, if we would but call out to Him in truth.

(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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‘And Yosef harnessed his chariot, and he went up to meet Yisroel his father, to Goshen, and he made an appearance to him, and he fell upon his [Yaakov’s] neck, and he cried upon his neck further.’ (Bereishis 46:29)

Yaakov Avinu, however, did not fall on Yosef’s neck and cry, because he was reciting Kriyas Shema (Rashi zt”l from Derech Eretz Zuta [Hager Edition]).

The question asked by many Meforshim is, if it was indeed time to say Kriyas Shema, why was Yosef not saying it also?

Obviously, we could say that Yosef had read it beforehand or would do so afterwards, as the Maharal of Prague zt”l points out -- but he rejects this notion, stating that surely, Yaakov and Yosef would have both had alacrity to the Mitzvah and done it around the earliest possible moment -- and thus, at the same time.

He therefore gives two different explanations: #1, Yosef indeed also said Kriyas Shema then; however, he was holding like Rabbi Yehuda (Berachos 13b) that one is permitted to interrupt in the middle of Shema to greet out of fear/reverence. Therefore, out of reverence for his father, Yosef interrupted to greet him. #2, Perhaps it was that when Yaakov Avinu saw Yosef -- after all those years of the pain of being separated from him -- as a king, in an honored state, he became enveloped in love for Hashem, because he saw with his own eyes how Hashem is fair and just, and indeed rewards those who serve Him. Therefore, he recited Kriyas Shema, which includes both the accepting of the Yoke of Heaven, and also love of Hashem.

(Gur Aryeh)

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Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kotzk zt”l says that at this moment, when Yaakov Avinu saw Yosef, whom he hadn’t seen in so long, and had presumed to be dead, understandably, an incredible love for his precious son was stirred within him. Therefore, he said Kriyas Shema, and directed that powerful love towards accepting the Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven upon himself.

(Pardes Yosef)

The Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa {Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchok Rabinowitz zt”l} posits that when Yaakov was reunited with Yosef, he felt that some of his bursting love for him might be a physical, and not spiritual love, being that he had not seen him all those years. And therefore, he put that love into saying Kriyas Shema. Yosef, however, did not need to do that, because he was putting this love into the Mitzvah of honoring his father.

(Ibid.)

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‘And Yisroel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen’ (Bereishis 47:27)

Asks HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l; why does the Torah have to repeat that Goshen was in Egypt? Don’t we already know this from previous verses? And he answers in his wonderful way: It comes to teach us that even though they needed to be in exile in Egypt, nevertheless, they still had to try to not mix too much with the non-Jews around them, and to not hang around them much, so that they wouldn’t learn from their ways. The verse thus says, even though we had to dwell in Egypt, we dwelled in the land of Goshen -- a specific, somewhat isolated, place.

(Darash Moshe)

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~ Maasim Tovim ~ After the tragic Holocaust, HaRav Shlomo Reichenberg, one of the survivors, came over to Eretz Yisroel. He took a ship to Haifa, and ended up on a religious kibbutz. However, he had a strong desire to study in a Yeshiva.

Rav Reichenberg relates: I turned to the secretaries of the kibbutz, and requested to learn in a yeshiva. And in response, they gave me the names of two yeshivos: Ponovezh, and Kol Torah. I traveled to Bnei Brak, the location of the Ponovezh yeshiva, and entered the yeshiva building. There, someone asked me, “Who are you searching for?” “Rav Kahaneman [the Rosh Yeshiva],” I replied. “I am he,” the man replied. “What do you want?” I told him that I wanted to learn in a yeshiva. He asked me where I came from, and I told him. He was full of admiration and excitement at my reply, for I wished to learn in a yeshiva, even after going through the ravages of the war. “You were in a [concentration] camp? This is the first time I have seen something like this.” He asked where I had learned before the war, and I told him where. “Do you remember anything from what you learned?” he asked.

I was not sure. But I understood that he wanted to test me, and so I said, “The Rav can ask me, and we will see.” “In which Masechta?” he asked, and I replied “Maseches Chullin.” The Rav then asked me if I remembered any difference of opinion between Rashi and Tosafos in this Masechta, and I related one such case. When I finished, the Rav hugged me, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. After that, he took me by the arm and told me to come with him. He led me through the streets of Bnei Brak, until we reached a small house. It was that of the Chazon Ish zt”l.

Rav Kahaneman opened the door and called out with great feeling, “HaRav! I met this boy from a concentration camp, and I asked him if he knew a dispute between Rashi and Tosafos, and he knew well.” The Rav continued, and kept mumbling “The greatness of the Torah. . . The greatness of the Torah.” And he added that if a concentration camp could not succeed in making a Jew forget their Torah learning, then certainly the Torah will never be forgotten.

Afterwards, when the Ponovezher Rav calmed down, he instructed me to stay and talk with the Chazon Ish. I did so. The Chazon Ish was very interested in what I told him, about how life had been in the camps, and as I related it to him, he groaned deeply. I stayed by him for around two hours, and at the conclusion he said to me: “This is your house, and it is open before you. . .”

(Maasei Ish, vol. 3)

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה

Friday, January 3, 2020