HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Vayeishev Volume VI/Number 9 (243) 23 Kislev 5752/November 30, 1991 Parasha Summary The story of the animosity between Yosef and his brothers is one of the most difficult in the Torah. How are we to understand it? On the one hand, Chazal teach that "There is no Tzaddik in the world who does only good, and never sins." Even righteous men such as Yaakov's sons can make mistakes. On the other hand, however, can we imagine a situation where all of the great Roshei Yeshiva and Chassidic Rebbes of our generation conspire to kill one of their number because he is more popular than they? Of course not! How much more so may we be certain that the sons of Yaakov would not, and did not, behave that way. Rashi writes that one of the reasons for the brothers' hatred of Yosef was their father's teaching Yosef - and not them - the "Torah of Shem and Ever". What asks R' Yaakov Kamenecki (pronounced: Kaminetsky), is this Torah? How does it differ from the "Torah of Avraham and Yitzchak"? Avraham and Yitzchak, R' Yaakov explains, lived in different times than did Shem mand Ever. The former established and headed Yeshivot - academies for teaching the world about G-d (see Rashi to B'reishit 12:5). Shem and Ever, on the other hand, lived in the generations of the flood and the Tower of Bavel, generations which were thoroughly wicked and in which there was no opportunity to teach about Hashem. The "Torah of Shem and Ever" is that part of the Torah which teaches us how to live as Tzaddikim in a corrupt society. [Thus we understand the Midrash that Yaakov spent 14 years with Ever between the time he left his parents' home and arrived at Lavan's.] Yosef's brothers thought that Yaakov was teaching this "Torah" to Yosef alone because just as Avraham and Yitzchak each passed on his spiritual legacy to only one heir, so too, Yaakov would do the same. Not wanting to be cut out of receiving a share of the Torah, Yosef's brothers conspired to kill him. Why, in fact, did Yaakov give this part of the Torah to Yosef alone? Perhaps, says R' Yaakov, the patriarch's prophetic instincts told him (albeit subconsciously) that only Yosef would need it. Indeed it was Yosef's fate to spend 22 years separated from the Torah environment of his father's home, while Yosef's brothers remained together nearly all the time. (Yalkut Lekach Tov) There is another reason why Yosef needed the Torah of Shem and Ever more than his brothers did. Several commentators explain that the dispute between Yosef and his brothers arose out of differing viewpoints about how to live as a Jew. Last week we cited the "Vilna Gaon's" view that Yosef represents a way of life in which man strives to succeed through his own efforts, always bearing in mind that his success ultimately depends on Hashem (R' Meir Schlesinger, Shlita: Sha'alu Shlom Yerushalayim). Thus, for example, Yosef used all of his powers to avoid being seduced by Potiphar's wife, yet, in the end, says Rashi, he needed a miracle (his father appeared to him) to rescue him. R' Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook writes that Yosef's service of Hashem included all of the "seven wisdoms" of the world as (unequal) partners with the Torah. [We saw in past weeks (Toldot and Vayetze) that Yaakov was charged with fulfilling his own mission and Esav's, the latter being the proper use of this world. In this regard, Yosef is considered by Chazal as an extension of Yaakov.] According to both of these views, Yosef's need for the Torah of Shem and Ever is understandable: if he is to mix with the rest of the world, a world hostile to Torah life, he must be protected. Yosef's brothers, however, rejected his view. In their opinion, all that a Jew needed could be found within the Torah. So great was the danger that Yosef's brothers saw in Yosef's philosophy, that they felt that the entire future of the Jewish people depended on their eliminating him. Nevertheless, writes R' Kook, they chose not to kill him directly - lest their motives be questioned - but rather, says the Gemara, they threw him into a scorpion-filled pit. In doing so, they adopted Yosef's ways: by the laws of nature, their action should have killed him, but they recognized that Hashem was not bound by those laws. The battle between Yosef and his brothers was a precursor to the Greeks' war against the Jews, and therefore this Parasha is always read on or just before Chanuka. (This also explains why the Gemara interrupts its discussion of the laws of Chanuka to speak about Yosef.) The Greeks, R' Kook writes, accepted part of Yosef's philosophy (the part which held that a Jew should go out among the nations), but they rejected and made war on the most important aspect of Yosef's view. In the Greeks' opinion, one could not recognize both nature and Providence ("Hashgacha Peratit"). One could find fulfillment through sport and other physical pursuits, or one could achieve success through a monastic life style, but not both. This, R' Kook continues, explains why the Menorah and the oil are singled out as both victims and symbols of the Greeks' war on Torah. The Menorah had seven branches symbolizing the seven wisdoms, but Chazal teach that the six outer branches had their wicks turned towards the middle, eternal flame. This reminds us that one type of wisdom, the Torah, is eternal and preeminent. In both the miracle of Chanuka and our lighting the candles we see Yosef's philosophy played out. The "Chashmonaim" found only one small jar of oil. It would take eight days to produce new oil, but this jar would suffice for only one day. The Chashmonaim did not despair; they did all that they were able, and then placed the matter in Hashem's hands. [All of the preceding citations of R' Kook are from Shemu'ot Harayah, pp. 78 and 84 (reprinted in Tov Ro'ee on Tractate Shabbat).] Similarly today, the Halacha requires us to fill the Menorah with enough oil to burn for one half-hour and to place the Menorah in a place where the candles will not be disturbed by a draft. If, despite our best efforts, the candles burn out in less than half-an-hour, our obligation is nevertheless fulfilled. After we have done our own part, the rest is in Hashem's hands. The Haftara (Amos 2:6 - 3:8), according to the Malbim, bemoans the Jews' failure to recognize G-d's hand in nature. "Do two people meet, if they have not made an appointment?" the prophet asks (3:3). Nations of the world would not unite to fight Yisrael if Hashem had not previously ordained it. "Can there be trouble in a city if Hashem has not caused it?" (3:6). But just as the failure to recognize Hashem's hand in nature is not good, so too, relying on Hashem to the extent that one never makes an "independent" effort is not good either. As the Haftara writes (see Malbim on 2:9-11), Hashem took several steps to ensure that the Jews would not be exposed to corrupting influences - He took them out of Egypt and eradicated the degenerate Canaanites - but many of the Bnei Yisrael still ended up as idolators. Such a person, who simply allowed events to happen to him, was Yehuda. R' Gedalyah Schorr characterizes Yehuda as a person who completely negated his existence before Hashem. The name "Yehuda" itself derives from Leah's statement (B'reishit 29:35 and Rashi there), "This time I acknowledge that I received more than my share." Yaakov had four wives, and Leah had more than 1/4 of his children, so she recognized that she was not entitled to Yehuda, but that all comes from Hashem. This is what enabled Yehuda to admit (in our Parasha) that Tamar had behaved more correctly that he, even though, according to the Midrash, all of the great people of Eretz Canaan, including Yaakov and Yitzchak, were present to witness his disgrace. His own honor had no meaning to him. At that moment a Heavenly Voice called out, "I caused all of this." (Ohr Gedalyahu) The commentaries' description of Yosef as one who combines human effort with trust in Hashem is alluded to by the Midrash's introduction to the Parasha: "A Tzaddik encounters many evils [i.e. he sometimes places himself in danger], and Hashem saves him from all of them." R' Gedalyah Schorr notes, however, that at the end of the Parasha Yosef makes too much of an effort. He tries too hard to ensure that the Egyptian officer will not forget to remember him to Pharaoh, and he is punished - he must remain in jail for two more years. NOTE: Our regular features will IY"H resume after Chanuka. Next week: More on Chanuka... ************************************ R' Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin ("Netziv") Last week we saw that the Netziv helped to popularize the works of the Geonim. Now we examine other aspects of his study methods. We noted in describing the "Vilna Gaon" in an earlier issue that part of his studies consisted of determining the correct wording of the Talmud. Netziv took this one step farther - and again, he was unique in this - and instead of rejecting and "incorrect" version of a Talmudic statement, he examined it to determine if it contained a kernel of truth which might explain how it was popularized and what lessons we can derive from it. Like R' Chaim of Volozhin, Netziv lectured in the Yeshiva on every Talmudic tractate, from beginning to end. However, no student was required to attend these lectures, for Chazal teach that one can only succeed if he enjoys his studies. (Chazal's statement is often translated, "One should study only what his heart desires," but some commentators, including the Netziv, render it, "One can study..") Nevertheless, Netziv likened his lectures to the "Korban Tamid" - the daily sacrifice - explaining that there could be no break in them, and that a lecture that is missed is lost forever. (Unlike a private offering which can never be made up.) Netziv attached special importance to his lectures on "Parashat Hashavua" (the weekly Torah reading), and out of those lectures he published his Torah commentaries He'emek Davar and Herchaiv Davar. NEXT: R' Chaim "Brisker" Soloveitchik In future issues: "The Mir" Telz and much more ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Kinim 3:4-5 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Please join "Daily Mishnah" learners in beginning "Seder Taharot" tomorrow Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 323: 6-8 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Sukkah 32 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Shmirat Halashon: 10:9-10 or Guard Your Tongue: "Rechilus" p. 183-4 Rambam - Chapter/Day Hilchot Nizkey Mamon: Ch. 14 Sefer HaMitzvot Sh:P171,P153; Su:P153; M:P153; Tu:P153; W:P153; Th:P153; F:P153,P59 ************************************ SPECIAL GIFT OFFER For a limited time only, all HaMaayan sponsors will receive free of charge (upon request) a diskette copy of all of last year's issues of HaMaayan. Sponsorships begin at $18.00