HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Vayechi Volume VI/Number 12 (246) 14 Tevet 5752/December 21, 1991 Parasha Overview This Parasha, the last in the Book of B'reishit, tells of Yaakov's final days, of his blessings to his children and his commands to them, and of his death and burial. Similarly, the Haftara (Melachim I 2:1-12) tells of David's final instructions to his son and heir, Shlomo, and of David's death and burial. The Parasha begins with Yaakov's plea to be buried in Eretz Canaan (i.e. Israel) and ends with a similar request by Yosef. Though Yaakov and his children live in Egypt, they still long for Eretz Yisrael and the fulfillment of Hashem's promise that the land of Canaan will belong to Yaakov's descendants. As the opening verse of the Parasha suggests, "And Yaakov" - together with all that he represented - "lived in the Land of Egypt." (R' A. Buchman: Bedibur Echod). In his final blessing to his children, Yaakov attempts to impart his unique way of life and his special qualities to the tribes which will descend from him (see Ohr Gedalayahu). Yaakov is returned to Eretz Yisrael immediately upon his death, but Yosef's body remains in Egypt for more than a century. The Torah records (B'reishit 50:26), "They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt." Rashbam comments that he is placed in a coffin as if being prepared to be carried away; there is no mention of burial. This is because there is no resting place for Yaakov's children in Egypt. Rather, their physical as well as spiritual resting place is in Eretz Yisrael (Bedibur Echod) Although Eretz Yisrael is the best of all lands in this world, Chazal teach that man cannot truly rest until he is in the next world. "This world is like a corridor," the Mishnah says. "Prepare yourself in the corridor so that you may enter the palace" (Avot, Ch.4). This idea is alluded to in David's admonition to Shlomo: "Behold, I am going the way that the whole world goes; strengthen yourself, and be a man" (Melachim I 2:2). David's death, his going down the road that all men must eventually take, should serve as a reminder to Shlomo his task. The tools that Shlomo has with which to fulfill his mission are described in the next verse: "And you shall watch that which Hashem has commanded to be watched, and go in His ways to observe His decrees, and His commandments, and His laws...in order that you may succeed at all that you do and all that you turn to." Shlomo heeds his father's advice well, as the last verse of the Haftara testifies: "And Shlomo sat on his father's throne, and his dynasty became firmly established." Commentaries note that this alludes to Hashem's promise to David that the eventual Mashiach will descend from Shlomo. This completes the theme begun by our Parasha, for more than Eretz Yisrael in our times, more even than the world set aside for righteous souls, Yerushalayim in the time of Mashiach is the true resting place for all Jews. Sources for next page: R' Shmuel Hominer - Yalkut Lekach Tov R' Kook - Siddur Olat Re'iyah ************************************ R' Simcha Zissel Ziv (the "Alter of Kelm") wrote to his son: "I have never heard anybody say, 'Thank G-d I had enough to eat this year,' only, 'Thank G-d I managed to put away some money this year to support me in the future.' I was therefore amazed to read that Yaakov, a wealthy man, the son and grandson of princes of the land, said 'The G-d who watched over me' (B'reishit 48:15) a phrase which Onkelos renders 'Hashem who fed me.' "I continued to be amazed until I looked at the 'Bentching' ('Birkat Hamazon'), and then I became amazed at myself instead. I have been saying the words but not realizing what I was saying! After all, the entire Birkat Hamazon expresses our thanks for the gift of food which G-d gives us. We are impressed by the miracle of the Mahn that rained down on Bnei Yisrael, yet we are not moved when our sustenance comes to us every day. What fools we are!" (Ohr Rashaz, paragraph 177) ************************************ "Through you shall Yisrael bless [their children] saying, 'May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menashe'." (48:20) This is the source for the blessing which is commonly given to children on Friday night. What was so special about Ephraim and Menashe that they should be the symbols and models for Jewish children for all times? Of all of the founders of the twelve tribes, only Ephraim and Menashe, Yosef's sons, grew up in an environment hostile to Torah [i.e. Egypt]. Nevertheless, when Yaakov arrived in Egypt, he was pleased to learn that his grandsons had not been affected by their surroundings and were fitting bearers of the traditions that Yaakov represented. Despite all of the obstacles that lay in their paths, Ephraim and Menashe had grown up to be Jews that their grandfather could be proud of. This is the blessing that all Jewish parents should wish for their children. (R' Shmuel Hominer) ************************************ "And He will bless you with blessings of Heaven from above [and] blessings of the deep, crouching below...[These blessings] surpass the blessings of my fathers, to the endless bounds of the world's hills." (49:25-26) Yaakov said to Yosef: May Hashem's blessing to you come from the Heavens, where miracles originate, but be wrapped in the laws of nature which crouch below the Heavens. My parents and grandparents were blessed in that miracles were performed for them, but my blessing to you goes farther, for I wish for you a life in which nature itself serves you; life in a world whose bounds are endless. (R' Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook) ************************************ Why did Yaakov want to be buried in Eretz Yisrael? Because when "Techiyat Hameitim" (the resurrection of the dead) comes, it will occur only in Eretz Yisrael. Those who are buried outside of Israel will have to tunnel underground until they reach Eretz Yisrael, and there they will be resurrected. (Ketubot 111a) ************************************ R' Moshe ben Yosef Trani ("Mabit"; a contemporary and colleague of R' Yosef Karo and the Arizal) comments on this Gemara: Moshe Rabbenu and his generation will be resurrected where they died and will travel together to Israel. The reason is that they were already on their way to Eretz Yisrael when their trip was interrupted by the sin of the spies. It seems fitting that they be allowed to complete the "Mitzvah of Aliyah" [Mabit's words], as was their intention. Moshe, too, wanted to make Aliyah in order to perform the Mitzvot which apply only in Eretz Yisrael, and he should be allowed to carry out his intention. This may be true of every Tzaddik who died while on his way to Eretz Yisrael, especially if he died from the rigors or dangers of the trip. (Even though Chazal say that one engaged in performing a Mitzvah will not be hurt, this guarantee refers only to unusual dangers. However, if the road itself is dangerous, a person traveling to Israel can be hurt.) Since he wanted to go to Israel he actually set out on the road, Hashem will not withhold his reward, [part of which is] allowing him to complete the Mitzvah of Aliyah. The proof of this is from Yechezkel's resurrection of the "dry bones." Chazal say that these were members of the tribe of Ephraim who tried to leave Egypt before Moshe came to take them out. Their fate was to die along the road, but in Yechezkel's time they were revived so that they could finish their trip. (Bet Elokim, "Sha'ar Hayesodot", ch.55) ************************************ The Legacy of Brisk - Part 3 When one thinks of R' Chaim "Brisker" Soloveitchik, three words immediately come to mind: "Gavra" ("the person"), "Cheftza" ("the thing"), and "Rambam" (Maimonides). However, these are not the essence of R' Chaim's method, but the details of it. The centerpiece of R' Chaim's method is the phrase "Shtei Dinim" - "two laws." A Halacha can be analyzed two ways, each way producing different results. If the way that we have been looking at a Halacha causes difficulty (e.g. contradicts another Halacha), let us look at it differently. Often this analysis will lead us to introduce the Gavra and Cheftza, and we would then ask, "Is the Mitzvah under discussion an obligation of the person (Gavra) or of the person's object (Cheftza)? For example, does the Torah require a person to have Tzitzit on a four-cornered garment that he wears or does the Torah demand that all four cornered garments owned by people have Tzitzit on them? (A practical difference between these two ways of analyzing the Mitzvah of Tzitzit is whether a four-cornered garment that I own, but will not wear in the near future, requires Tzitzit. If the obligation is on my person, it does not, but if the Mitzvah is on my clothes, even this garment would require Tzitzit.) (Note: This example is not taken from R' Chaim's teachings, but from the Gemara, the origin of the concepts of Gavra and Cheftza.) Another example of Shtei Dinim is "Din Klali" ("general law") and "Din Mesuyam" ("specific law"). For example, when one prays there are two kinds of "Kavanah" (intention) that he must have in mind. There is the "Din Klali" that the performance of Mitzvot demands the intention to perform the Mitzvah (rather than the performance of an act by rote), and there is the "Din Mesuyam" that praying requires attention to the meaning of the words. If one prays without the "general Kavanah," he has prayed improperly; if he prays without the "specific Kavanah," it is as if he has not prayed at all. Sometimes, "two laws" may be at work at the same time, one accounting for certain aspects of the Mitzvah, and the other, for the rest. Sometimes, the Gemara's commentaries may disagree about a Halacha because they disagree regarding the correct approach. One of the best known aspects of R' Chaim's methods is his love for explaining the difference between Rambam's Code and Ra'avad's glosses to it by showing that one is considering the Gavra, and one, the Cheftza (or any other set of Shtei Dinim). (Source: R' Shlomo Yosef Zevin: Ishim V'shitot) TO BE CONTINUED ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Kelim 5:11-6:1 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 328:11-13 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Sukkah 53 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Shmirat Halashon: "Rechilut" 6:1-2 or Guard Your Tongue: L.H. 1:1-2 Rambam: Chapter/day Hilchot Gezaylah V'Aveydah Ch.12 Rambam: 3 Chapters/day Hilchot Geyrushin: Chapters 10-12 Sefer HaMitzvot Sh: N356; Su: N356, P216; M: P217; Tu: N357; W: P220,P218,N358,P219,N359; Th: P223,N104 F: N105,N330,N331,N332,N333,N334 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is sponsored by: Menashe and Rachel Katz on their fifth wedding anniversary Shlomo and Sharona Katz on Chaim Eliezer's first birthday