Today's Learning Zevachim 6:7-7:1 Sponsored by O.C. 426:3-427:1 Moshe Cohen Chullin 94 in memory of his mother Yerushalmi-- Malka Rivka bat Sanhedrin 16 Rav Avraham Chaim a"h Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Vayetze Vol. XI, No. 7 (490), 12 Kislev 5757, November 23, 1996 Our parashah relates in great detail how Yaakov met and married his wives, built his family, and amassed his fortune. These are not mere stories; indeed, some of the greatest kabbalistic secrets are learned from the story of the different colored flocks (end of chapter 30). Kabbalistic secrets aside, why does the Torah record these details of Yaakov's life? There are three types of behaviors encompassed by the Torah, writes Rav Shalom Noach Brazovsky shlita (the Slonimer Rebbe), and each of the Patriarchs showed us the way to perfect one of them. Avraham served G-d with love, which causes one to observe the positive commandments. Yitzchak served Hashem with fear, and thus perfected the negative commandments. As for Yaakov, he teaches us in this parashah that those actions which are neither mandatory nor prohibited, but rather are reshut or mutar, i.e., "permitted," also are part of serving G-d. Chazal tell us, "Kadesh atzmecha ba'mutar lecha"/"Sanctify yourself through that which is permitted to you." This mitzvah instructs us to eat that which is permitted, but not to be gluttons; to enjoy the world's pleasures, but not to excess. This is alluded to in the name "Yaakov," whose root "ayin-kuf-bet" is made up of the first letters of "Kadesh atzmecha ba'mutar." (Netivot Shalom) ************************************ Parashat Vayetze In Halachah None of the 613 mitzvot/commandments appears in this parashah. (Sefer Hachinuch) Rambam writes: Although the general rule is that one cannot sanctify for the Temple that which does not yet exist, if one vows, "I will sanctify such-and-such an object when it comes into the world," he is obligated to follow through on his vow. The proof is as follows: Yaakov said in our parashah (28:22), "And from all that You will give me, I will tithe it for You." Here he was promising to tithe to G-d ten percent of possessions which did not yet exist. Nevertheless, G-d considered this to be a binding vow, as He said to Yaakov 20 years later (31:13), "I am the G-d of Bet El . . . where you made Me a vow." (Hil. Arachin Vacharamot 6:31-33) Some see in our parashah a source for the instruction of Rabbenu Yehuda Hechassid that siblings should not marry on the same day. (Tzava'at Rabbenu Yehuda Hachassid, section 30) Specifically, when Lavan gave Leah to Yaakov instead of giving Rachel, Lavan said (29:26), "It is not done in our place, to give the younger [girl] before the older." This implies that only in his place it was not done, but elsewhere it was done. In contrast, when Lavan said (verse 27), "Complete this week [of celebration] and then I will give you the other one [Rachel]," he did not say that this was a local custom. This implies that it is a universal custom. (Rav Reuven Margaliot: Mekor Chessed) In general, one cannot halachically acquire that which does not exist. [For example, on cannot buy next year's wheat harvest, although he can buy the right to buy next year's wheat harvest.] Some say, however, that if one promises his employee to give him something which does not yet exist, he is obligated to give it. We see this from the fact that Yaakov asked Lavan for all speckled lambs which would be born, even though they were not yet born. (Ketzot Hachoshen 332:6) ************************************ "And he dreamt, and behold, a ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward, and behold, angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it." (28:12) Rav Moshe ben Yosef Tirani (the "Mabit") z"l writes that this was a vision of techiyat hameitim/the resurrection of the dead. The angels going up and down were the souls of the tzaddikim going up to the heavens and returning to earth at the time of the resurrection. Hashem told Yaakov that he would give him and his descendants the land on which he lay, but that it would be fully theirs only at the time of techiyat hameitim. Hashem also hinted to Yaakov in this dream that techiyat hameitim will take place only in the Land of Israel. Those buried outside of Eretz Yisrael will roll underground to Eretz Yisrael, where they will be resurrected. Why was this told to Yaakov and not to the other Patriarchs? Because Yaakov was destined to be the first Patriarch to die outside of the Holy Land. (Bet Elokim, Shaar Hayesodot ch. 57) ************************************ "And Lavan gathered all of the local people and he made a feast." (29:22) A poor man who was preparing to marry off his daughter poured out his financial woes to Rav Zalman of Volozhin z"l. "There are two weddings described in Tanach," Rav Zalman said, "one made by Lavan and one made by Boaz." "Lavan, who earned his money dishonestly, invited the whole town. Boaz, who was a tzaddik, invited ten people, the minimum needed to recite Sheva Berachot." [See Ruth 4:2] (Chiyuchah Shel Torah) ************************************ From the humor of our sages . . . "Why did you hide . . ., for I would have sent you away with joy and song." (31:27) Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev explained Lavan's question of Yaakov as follows: Why did you live as a hidden tzaddik? Had you lived openly as a tzaddik I gladly would have sent you away. ************************************ Rav Yisrael Friedman z"l ("The Chortkover Rebbe") 10 Iyar 5614 (1854) - 13 Kislev 5694 (1933) Rav Yisrael was one of the countless distinguished descendants of Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin, who was himself a great-grandson of Rav Dov Ber (the "Maggid of Mezeritch"). (Rav Dov Ber was the last chassidic leader before the movement separated into regional dynasties.) Rav Yisrael was crowned as rebbe of Chortkov in his father's presence, hours before the latter's passing on the night of Hoshanah Rabbah 1903. Under Rav Yisrael, Chortkover chassidim were the royalty among chassidim, being at the same time Torah scholars and unusually immaculate in their personal appearance. Perhaps the best known chassid of Chortkov was Rav Meir Shapiro, innovator of Daf Yomi and founder of Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin. Rav Yisrael was a strong supporter of religious settlement in Eretz Yisrael. He once said, "The satan knows that if half-a-million observant Jews settle in the Land, the ultimate redemption would be brought much closer. What did he do to prevent this? He gathered together anti-religious Jews and implanted in them a love of Eretz Yisrael, knowing that when they began to work the Land, the religious Jews would stay away." Rav Yisrael was one of the founders of Agudas Yisrael, whose purpose, he said, included making the rebuilding of Eretz Yisrael a priority for Orthodox Jews. Rav Yisrael also formed an organization of all of the many chassidic rebbes who were descendants of Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin. The group's purpose was to strengthen Torah observance in the region where these rebbes served (eastern Galicia and Marmarosh; today, northern Romania and southwestern Ukraine). Rav Yisrael was among the most respected leaders of European Jewry. Sages such as the Chafetz Chaim and the Gerrer Rebbe used to stand up when Rav Yisrael entered a meeting. Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, the Slabodka rosh yeshiva, said of him, "All we need is mashiach, for we already have a king." ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible