Today's Learning Rosh Hashanah 3:2-3 Sponsored by O.C. 98:2-4 the Rutstein family Bava Batra 54 in memory of father Yerushalmi-- and grandfather Ta'anit 1 Nachum ben Osher haLevi A"H HAMAAYAN/THE TORAH SPRING edited by Shlomo Katz VAYIGASH Vol. IX, No. 11 (395), 7 Tevet 5755, December 10, 1994 When the Egyptian viceroy revealed himself to his brothers as Yosef he said, "I am Yosef your brother who you sold to Egypt." Why did he say, "your brother"? Rav Shalom Noach Brazovsky shlita explains that Yosef loved his brothers even at the very moment that they were selling him into slavery. This is an awesome accomplishment--how can it be attained? The secret is to perfect oneself, particularly in the area of morality. That trait is known in kabbalah as "Yesod"--"foundation" because it is the basis of all perfection. Yosef's experience with Potiphar's wife proves that he had perfected that trait. In general, improving oneself is the secret to seeing others favorably. Looking at others is like looking in the mirror, and one tends to see his faults in others. Thus, if one has no faults and possesses the inner peace which comes from moral behavior and thoughts, he will not notice the faults of others. (Netivot Shalom I p.92) ************************************ "Come down to me, do not delay." (45:9) The Ba'al HaTurim notes that this word "redah" ("come down") appears one other time in Tanach: "Come down and lie with the uncircumcised" (Yechezkel 32:19) Rav Meir Horowitz of Dzikov zatz'l explains the connection between these two occurrences. Rashi (B'reishit 47:19) states that there were two reasons why Yaakov did not want to be buried in Egypt. One is that the dust of Egypt would eventually turn to lice (i.e., in the third plague). The other is that the at the time of techiyat hameitim (the resurrection of the dead), the dead who are buried outside of Israel will have to tunnel their way to Eretz Yisrael. Yosef was afraid that Yaakov would not come to Egypt lest he die there and be buried there. But Bnei Yisrael were in Egypt for 210 years, and all ten plagues occurred during the last year. Therefore Yosef said, "Come down to me." The gematria of "redah" is 209--the number of years before the plagues. Yosef meant, "Even if you die here and are buried here ('Come down and lie with the uncircumcised [Egyptians]'), we will be sure to take you out of Egypt before the plagues start." But Yosef did not think of the second reason. (Imrei Noam) ************************************ "Pharaoh said to Yaakov, 'How old are you?' "And Yaakov responded, 'My years are 130, few and bad were they, and they did not attain the years of my fathers'." (47:8-9) The midrash says that for each of the 33 words in this exchange, one year was subtracted from Yaakov's life. We can understand that Yaakov was punished for his complaint, but why should he be punished for Pharaoh's question? Yaakov looked so old that Pharaoh thought that he must have lived for centuries. It was for allowing himself to look this way (thereby causing Pharaoh to ask his age) that Yaakov was punished. Gray hairs come from worry, but if Yaakov had accepted all of his life's travails with perfect equanimity and faith, he would never have turned gray. (Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zatz'l)3 ************************************ "They told [Yaakov] saying, 'Yosef is still alive,' and that he is ruler over all the land of Egypt; but [Yaakov's] heart rejected it for he could not believe them. However, when they related to him all the words that Yosef had spoken to them and when he saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him, then the spirit of Yaakov was revived." (45:26-27) Chazal (quoted by Rashi) explain that Yosef sent a sign to Yaakov, reminding him that the last subject they had studied together was eglah arufah--the laws of the heifer which is killed as an atonement when a murder victim is found on the highway. An atonement is necessary in such a case because the citizens of the nearest city should not have left this man to travel alone and without provisions. What was the sign that Yosef sent? It appears from Rashi that it was the wagons. "Wagon" in Hebrew is "agalah", a spelling identical to "eglah"--"heifer." However, says Rav Ahron Soloveitchik shlita, there was more to Yosef's message than that play on words. The sin of the nearby city for which an eglah arufah atones is lack of compassion. When the Torah says that "[Yaakov's] heart rejected it for he could not believe them," it does not mean that Yaakov denied that Yosef was alive. What Yaakov could not believe was that the Yosef who was alive in Egypt was the same religious, moral son who had left Yaakov's home 22 years before. But when Yaakov saw the wagons, when he saw how Yosef had provided for Yaakov's and his family's travel to Egypt in comfort and style, Yaakov knew that the same Yosef was indeed "alive." (Logic of the Heart, Logic of the Mind p.20) ************************************ Rav Yehoshua Isaac Shapira ("Reb Eizel Charif") born 5563 (1803) - died 4 Tevet 5633 (1872) Rav Eizel was born near Vilna, the "capital" of the world of mitnagdim (opponents of the chassidic movement), to a chassid of Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi. Reb Eizel's early teachers included the chassid and kabbalist, Rav Aharon of Staroselje, but when the young student moved to the yeshiva of Minsk he abandoned his chassidic roots. Eventually, he became a fierce mitnaged. While still young, Rav Eizel was hired as a maggid (preacher) in Minsk. In the 63 months that he spent in Minsk, he completed the study of the Talmud 63 times. His first full rabbinic post was in Kutna, but he could not remain in that chassidic town. Next he moved to the prestigious rabbinate of Tiktin. In 1853, he became Rabbi of Slonim. Rav Eizel was greatly respected among his colleagues. Already during his lifetime he was known as the "Charif"--"the sharp one." When a dispute arose between the two heads of the yeshiva of Volozhin, Rav Eizel was one of the arbitrators who was called in. (The arbitrators' decision resulted in the Netziv's heading that yeshiva.) In addition to his brilliance, Rav Eizel had far ranging knowledge. For amusement, guests at weddings which he attended would challenge him to recite whole works by heart. He used to say, "My father in law made me charif--the acronym of 'Chatan (son-in-law of) Rav Isaac Fein'--but my mother-in-law is responsible for my vast knowledge because she cared for all my needs." Rav Eizel authored numerous works. When he was asked the reason for this he said, "Some have the custom that if a hair falls out of their beard they hide it in a sefer. Today, so many modern Jews are shaving that we need more sefarim." ************************************ DONATIONS TO HAMAAYAN ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE ************************************ You can now have the e-mail version of Hamaayan faxed to you on Tuesday night. Written requests only, please.