The Posuk tells us that after the brothers put Yosef in the pit they saw a caravan of arabs coming &Yehuda said לכו ונמכרנו לישמעלים וידינו אל תהי בו let's sell him to the arabs; let our hands not be on him.
When Yaakov gives the berachos to the Shivatim in Parshas Vayechi, he praises Yehuda that he sold him instead of killing him. רב אייזיק שר asks, why does he praise him for that? The Gemmara says that to be sold into captivity is a fate worse than death. It also says that when one is a slave he's likely to sin, & its worse to cause a person to sin than to kill him. So why is Yehuda praised for selling him?
Rabbi Diamond asks, why when Potifar's wife grabbed his clothes, didn't Yosef just grab them back before he ran so she wouldn't be able to prove anything?
The Torah is teaching us a very important lesson says רב שר. When a person is faced with a decision to make, & he's not sure what to do, & there is no turning back, what you have to do is step back & let the pieces fall into place like 'ה wants them to. So what Yehuda was doing was saying וידינו אל תהי בו that our hands shouldn't be in it; let's sell him so there's no chance we'll do anything irreversible to him, & let 'ה take it from here.
Maybe that's what yosef was thinking too when he didn't want to take the extra second to grab his clothes back. He had to get right out so as to be sure he wouldn't sin. As for the accusation that now there was proof, he would rely on 'ה & do nothing.
So the Torah is teaching us here that sometimes it's better not to think into things too much. Take yourself out of the equation & cast your burdens on 'ה & He will work things out!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
vayishlach
The Torah tells us that when Yaakov was on the way to meet Eisav he took his wives & children & all his possessions across the river.
Then the Posuk says ויותר יעקב לבדו that Yaakov was left there all alone.
Rashi says the reason he was alone was because he forgot some small jars so he went back to get them.
The Gemmara in Chulin says we see from here that צדיקים חביב עליהן ממונם יותר מגופם that Tzadikim value their money more than their lives.
Reason for this is because they won't steal so they need to make sure to keep what's theirs.
R' Aaron Kutler explains that even though Yaakov was very wealthy at the time, since maybe sometime in the future he might need these jars & he wanted to stay far away from theft, he went to get them so he wouldn't be tempted later on to steal.
Now how are we to understand this that yaakov had to go back to get the jars so he wouldn't be tempted to steal? How could we even think that if he didn't have something he would steal to get it?!?
Rabbainu Bachaya say the reason Yaakov went back was because those jars that he left were the jars that the children drank from & In order that the children wouldn't be put in danger by not drinking on the journey, he put himself in danger to get the jars.
So maybe this is how we could understand what the Gemmara is teaching us, that of course, no matter what Yaakov wouldn't steal, but if he wouldn't have gotten the jugs so the kids could drink, & they would have been in a life or death situation, then he would be tempted to steal to save the kids.
So Yaakov is teaching us that you have to look ahead &prepare yourself so as not to put yourself in a situation where you could be tempted to sin even if know you could justify it later!
Then the Posuk says ויותר יעקב לבדו that Yaakov was left there all alone.
Rashi says the reason he was alone was because he forgot some small jars so he went back to get them.
The Gemmara in Chulin says we see from here that צדיקים חביב עליהן ממונם יותר מגופם that Tzadikim value their money more than their lives.
Reason for this is because they won't steal so they need to make sure to keep what's theirs.
R' Aaron Kutler explains that even though Yaakov was very wealthy at the time, since maybe sometime in the future he might need these jars & he wanted to stay far away from theft, he went to get them so he wouldn't be tempted later on to steal.
Now how are we to understand this that yaakov had to go back to get the jars so he wouldn't be tempted to steal? How could we even think that if he didn't have something he would steal to get it?!?
Rabbainu Bachaya say the reason Yaakov went back was because those jars that he left were the jars that the children drank from & In order that the children wouldn't be put in danger by not drinking on the journey, he put himself in danger to get the jars.
So maybe this is how we could understand what the Gemmara is teaching us, that of course, no matter what Yaakov wouldn't steal, but if he wouldn't have gotten the jugs so the kids could drink, & they would have been in a life or death situation, then he would be tempted to steal to save the kids.
So Yaakov is teaching us that you have to look ahead &prepare yourself so as not to put yourself in a situation where you could be tempted to sin even if know you could justify it later!
Friday, November 12, 2010
vayeitzei
The posuk says סלם מצב ארצה וראשו מגיע השמימה A ladder was set earthward & its top reached heavenward.
The Yismach Moshe says that the ladder is a metaphor for man himself-that man was created from earth & put on earth מצב ארצה & he has a neshama which is heavenly מגיע השמימה.
The Chafetz Chaim says that man is similar to a ladder because on a ladder you don't stand still; you go either up or down. So too, a person is either going up or down - you don't stay in the same place.
The posuk says ויקח מאבני המקום וישם מראשתיו He took from the stones of the place & put them around his head.
Rashi says the reason he did that was to protect himself from the wild animals.
The obvious question is how is putting rocks around his head going to protect him from the animals? The rest of his body is still exposed?!?
The Saba from kelm says this is teaching us that a person's health,parnasa & all he does is really the result of hidden miracles, & all our efforts by themselves would be meaningless if it wouldn't be the will of 'ה. We just have to put in the effort to do our part & 'ה will make it happen.
Rav Lieff says that one person can be on top of the ladder & one person on bottom, but if the one on top is on the way down & the one on bottom is on the way up then the one on bottom is on a much higher level than the one on top he is climbing closer to 'ה
So maybe this is what the Saba from kelm is saying. That all we have to do, even if we're on the bottom, is just to take small steps; to make that little effort to go up & then 'ה will take us all the way to the top!
The Yismach Moshe says that the ladder is a metaphor for man himself-that man was created from earth & put on earth מצב ארצה & he has a neshama which is heavenly מגיע השמימה.
The Chafetz Chaim says that man is similar to a ladder because on a ladder you don't stand still; you go either up or down. So too, a person is either going up or down - you don't stay in the same place.
The posuk says ויקח מאבני המקום וישם מראשתיו He took from the stones of the place & put them around his head.
Rashi says the reason he did that was to protect himself from the wild animals.
The obvious question is how is putting rocks around his head going to protect him from the animals? The rest of his body is still exposed?!?
The Saba from kelm says this is teaching us that a person's health,parnasa & all he does is really the result of hidden miracles, & all our efforts by themselves would be meaningless if it wouldn't be the will of 'ה. We just have to put in the effort to do our part & 'ה will make it happen.
Rav Lieff says that one person can be on top of the ladder & one person on bottom, but if the one on top is on the way down & the one on bottom is on the way up then the one on bottom is on a much higher level than the one on top he is climbing closer to 'ה
So maybe this is what the Saba from kelm is saying. That all we have to do, even if we're on the bottom, is just to take small steps; to make that little effort to go up & then 'ה will take us all the way to the top!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
toldos
ויתרצצו הבנים בקרבה
And the children clashed inside of her.
The Medrash Rabba says that when Rivka would walk by a yeshiva Yaakov would try to get out.
The Bais Halaivi asks why would Yaakov want to leave when we know that a Malach teaches babies the whole Torah when they are in the mother's womb? Isn't it better to learn from a malach then go to yeshiva?
R' Maimon Elbaz asks why did Yaakov have to trick Eisav into selling him the Bechora? Why couldn't 'ה just make yaakov come out first?
Similarly, you could ask why couldn't Yitzchok have seen Eisav for what he was, & give the brochos to Yaakov outright?
The posuk says Eisav says to Yaakov,
הלעיטני נא מן האדם האדם הזה
Please pour into me that very red stuff.
But later on in the Parsha when he brings his father food he just says father, get up, unlike Yaakov who said to his father please get up. Wouldn't it have made more sense for Eisav to say please to his father than to his brother??
Also, why was he asking for red stuff? The stuff was lentils & after they're cooked they're no longer red.
So the Chavas Yaer says that the way you translate נא over here is not please but raw. So what Eisuv was saying was give me that raw red stuff! He couldn't even wait for it to cook before he ate it. We see from here that Eisav's motto was instant gratification - no waiting. He wants it now & with no effort; just pour it down my throat.
This is the opposite of Yaakov. For this reason R' Elbaz says Yaakov had to buy the Bechora. 'ה wanted to see if Yaakov really wanted it & was willing to sacrifice for it!
This really answers the Bais Halevi's question. The reason Yaakov wanted out even though he was learning with a Malach was because he wanted to do it on his own. He didn't want to be spoon fed by the Malach.
Same with the Brachos; since he got them by risking his life for them they have much more meaning than just getting them for nothing. He's teaching us that to maximize our lives we have to work hard & not take the easy way out!
And the children clashed inside of her.
The Medrash Rabba says that when Rivka would walk by a yeshiva Yaakov would try to get out.
The Bais Halaivi asks why would Yaakov want to leave when we know that a Malach teaches babies the whole Torah when they are in the mother's womb? Isn't it better to learn from a malach then go to yeshiva?
R' Maimon Elbaz asks why did Yaakov have to trick Eisav into selling him the Bechora? Why couldn't 'ה just make yaakov come out first?
Similarly, you could ask why couldn't Yitzchok have seen Eisav for what he was, & give the brochos to Yaakov outright?
The posuk says Eisav says to Yaakov,
הלעיטני נא מן האדם האדם הזה
Please pour into me that very red stuff.
But later on in the Parsha when he brings his father food he just says father, get up, unlike Yaakov who said to his father please get up. Wouldn't it have made more sense for Eisav to say please to his father than to his brother??
Also, why was he asking for red stuff? The stuff was lentils & after they're cooked they're no longer red.
So the Chavas Yaer says that the way you translate נא over here is not please but raw. So what Eisuv was saying was give me that raw red stuff! He couldn't even wait for it to cook before he ate it. We see from here that Eisav's motto was instant gratification - no waiting. He wants it now & with no effort; just pour it down my throat.
This is the opposite of Yaakov. For this reason R' Elbaz says Yaakov had to buy the Bechora. 'ה wanted to see if Yaakov really wanted it & was willing to sacrifice for it!
This really answers the Bais Halevi's question. The reason Yaakov wanted out even though he was learning with a Malach was because he wanted to do it on his own. He didn't want to be spoon fed by the Malach.
Same with the Brachos; since he got them by risking his life for them they have much more meaning than just getting them for nothing. He's teaching us that to maximize our lives we have to work hard & not take the easy way out!
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