motzei Shabbos: parasha Vayeitzei 5783
“And they took him and cast him into a pit; now the pit was empty; there was no water in it.” – Genesis 37:24, JPS 1917 Tanach
Joseph faced many nisyanos in his life: however, these were meant to refine his character, and lead to his ultimate success.
parasha Vayeishev (Genesis 37:1 – 40:23) 5783
Joseph trials paved the way toward the preservation of his entire family, seventy people who came down to Egypt for provisions during the famine, and remained, when Joseph provided residential status for them in the land of Goshen.
Yet, his nisyanos (trials) were meant to refine his character, as mentioned, “He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant; His feet they hurt with fetters, his person was laid in iron; Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of HaShem tested him” (Psalms 105:17-19).
parasha Vayeishev 6th aliyah (Genesis 39:7-23)
“Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity
grows with the ability to say no to oneself.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel
Concerning Joseph, who was tempted by his master Potiphar’s wife,
it is written that “he refused, and said unto his master’s wife: ‘Behold, my master,
having me, knoweth not what is in the house, and he hath put all that he hath
into my hand; he is not greater in this house than I; neither
hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How
then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against G-d?’
– Genesis 39:8-9, JPS 1917 Tanach
note: The importance of engaging with Torah cannot be
underestimated. Chasidism teaches that there is a light from Above that
sustains our understanding, and enlightens our eyes to the nature of G-d’s
wisdom, especially while reading the concurrent passage of the day, known as
the aliyah.
“Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things
out of Thy law.”
–
Psalms 119:18, JPS 1917 Tanach
parasha Vayeishev 5783
Judah was the first to leave the derech (path), and the first to return: as is written, “Judah went down from his brothers,” depicting his spiritual descent when he left the company of his brethren; consequently, he went into a business partnership with an Adulamite. Being within those circles of influence that pertain to the commonalities of one’s profession with others of similar interest, he thereby became enamored of the daughter of a prominent merchant. The result being that he married her, who in all likelihood was a Canaanite. Note that Abraham had not permitted Eliezer to take a wife for his son Isaac, from amongst the Canaanites.
Yet, this did not turn out well for Judah. His first son was evil and died. His second son refused to honor his Levirate marriage to his deceased brother’s wife. H’Shem did not approve; so, Judah’s second son also died. Out of superstition, Judah delayed giving his third son to Tamar, the woman in question, after both her husbands died. Yet, justice prevailed for the sake of Tamar’s reputation, who took matters into her own hand.
According to the Zohar, that she had a prophetic vision, concerning Moshiach (Messiah). She envisioned that he would descend from her offspring; for that higher reason, she disguised herself as a harlot and enticed Judah. Incidentally, Judah’s wife had already passed away; this should, at least, be noted in regard to his cohorting with a harlot, who he did not realize was his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Regardless, his conduct may still be seen as morally reprehensible by some. Yet, G-d can bring about light out of darkness. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” (Job 14:4, JPS 1917 Tanach).
Judah’s repents, when he admits in front of many that the staff, cord, and signet that Tamar presented was his own, previously given to Tamar, who he thought was a harlot, as a pledge of payment due, namely, a goat from his flock. Judah’s acknowledgment of sin, ostensibly concerns his not giving his third son to Tamar. “And Judah acknowledged them, and said: ‘She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son.’ And he knew her again no more” (Genesis 38:26, JPS 1917 Tanach).
Yet, when we look at this overall narrative in closer detail, the nature of Judah’s straying off course may be brought into the light. It is implied from the first verse of the passage, that he had a spiritual descent, beginning when “Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah” (Genesis 38:1). He went down in esteem in the eyes of his brothers for his role in selling Joseph, and he turned away from his priorities as a son of Jacob, namely the spiritual heritage of the patriarchs. Only after his repentance of the end result of his misgivings occurred, was he restored.
The Plight of Joseph
The importance of engaging with Toran cannot be underestimated. Chasidism teaches that there is a light from Above that sustains our understanding, and enlightens our eyes to the nature of G-d’s wisdom, especially while reading the concurrent passage of the day, known as the aliyah.
“Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.”
– Psalms 119:18, JPS 1917 Tanach
parasha Toldos 5783
And the children struggled within her.” – Genesis 25:22, JPS
Esau was the first born, while Jacob was born grasping Esau’s heel. This is how Jacob received his name, meaning heel, or supplanter, because, eventually, he supplanted the rights of the firstborn. Additionally, “Jacob’s holding on to the heel of Esau may symbolize that values which Esau would stamp his foot on, would be the very ones Jacob would cherish” (Akeidat Yitzchak 23:1:10, sefaria.org).
This appears to be a reference to the pasuk (verse), “Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters [heels] compasseth me about” (Psalm 49:6, JPS), concerning King David’s fear that the sins of his heels, those that most people disregard, i.e., “trample upon,” would prevent him from entering Olam Haba (the World-to-Come).
Akeidat Yitzchak applies the same verse in a different manner, implying that Esau would tread upon the very values that Jacob cherished, the values that Jacob emulated in his father Isaac, the same values of Abraham. Jacob was destined to supplant Esau in regard to the rights of the first born, so that the legacy of Abraham, replete with the qualities of chesed (kindness), gevurah (moral restraint) and emes (truth) would be continued.
Yalkut Shimoni infers that before they were born, Jacob and Esau were struggling inside the womb, for the inheritance of the two worlds: Olam HaZeh (This World), and Olam Haba (the World to Come). According to this rendering, the struggle was a cosmic struggle (Gur Ayeh), with the victor claiming the greater inheritance, Olam HaBa.
This struggle is reflected by the internal battle within ourselves: the conflict between the yetzer tov (good inclination) and the yetzer harah (the evil inclination). It is a challenge faced by every individual, to aspire towards the good, while rejecting the bad (Isaiah 7:15). We are bound to face many nisyanos (trials) in our lives, so that our souls may be refined.
parasha Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1 – 25:18) 5783
“And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.” – Genesis 23:1, JPS 1917 Tanach
It’s interesting to note, that Judaism is often regarded as a worldly religion, focusing on our earthly lives, while placing less emphasis on the next life, otherwise known as Olam Haba – the World-to-Come. However, when we delve into Torah, looking below the surface of the plain meaning, we begin to see a different picture. Additionally, the teachings of chazal (the sages), can inform us as well, concerning a perspective that brings us into a fuller knowledge of Torah.
Torah itself is compared to the ocean, perhaps, because its depths are unfathomable. Moreover, it is recorded in Torah, that the number of creatures in the ocean are uncountable; perhaps, this also applies to Torah itself, in regard to the many facets of Torah. It is said that there are seventy faces of Torah, connoting the teaching that Torah presents its mysteries in many ways.
The parasha begins with the death of Sarah, a seemingly disconnected beginning to a narrative entitled Chayei Sarah – the Life of Sarah. Yet, the first word of the parasha, vayechi, meaning “life,” according to R’ Bachya implies “something that exists permanently,” thereby, it could be inferred that this hints toward the understanding that her soul would “take up permanent residence in the celestial regions” (R. Bachya, commentary on Genesis 23:1, sefaria.org).
In this respect, Chayei Sarah, the Life of Sarah may be understood as an implicit message or remez (hint), concerning Sarah’s continued existence in Olam Haba. Thus, the title of the parasha points to the promise of an afterlife for the righteous in the World-to-Come.
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parasha Lech Lecha 5783 – Pivotal Points
“Ten generations from Noah to Abraham, in order to make known what long-suffering is His; for all those generations kept on provoking Him, until Abraham, came and received the reward of all of them.” – Pirkei Avos 5:2, sefaria.org
“Based upon the merit of Abraham, G-d did not destroy again the whole world. Abraham taught them that repentance was possible, and therefore G-d did not destroy the world.”– English explanation of the Mishnah; sefaria.org
Inasmuch that Noah and his family was spared when “Noah found favor in the eyes of H’Shem,” so, too, according to the mishnah, the world was spared through the merit of Abraham. In light of this comparison, two points become evident. First, the implementation of G-d’s Attribute of Mercy, as a means of relating to mankind, despite His strict Attribute of Justice. Second, that in each case, a righteous person was chosen to offer teshuvah (repentance) to others, and become the means through whom redemption would be offered to all of mankind.
In regard to Noah, it is evident that G-d favored him due to his righteousness, for, following the verse, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the L-RD,” the Torah states that Noah was “a man righteous and wholehearted; Noah walked with G-d” (Genesis 6:8-9). As for Abraham, there is no such immediate mention of his character, when he is called out from the land of Ur, to the land that he would be shown. He is told by H’Shem, that he would become a great nation, that his name would be great, and that the nations would be blessed through him. And, the “persons that they had acquired in Haran” were converts to Abraham’s newfound monotheistic faith.
dvar for parasha Noach 5783
After Adam and Chava partook of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, an admixture of good and evil occurred; evil had entered the world through the original sin, compromising the integrity of Gan Eden. Evil became mixed with good; prior to the first aveirah (sin), only good existed in Gan Eden. Increasingly, over time the yetzer hara (evil inclination) seemed to gain the upper hand amongst all of mankind except for Noah, who served as a kind of repository of good. “And the L-RD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, JPS).
A perplexing dilemma arises, in relationship to G-d’s omniscience; knowing past, present, and future, G-d knew that man would fall as a result of temptation, when seduced by the serpent. Yet, the nature of the free will bestowed upon mankind, is such that at the time, G-d excluded his foreknowledge of man’s fall, from deterring Him with following through on the divine plan. Moreover, as a safeguard, teshuvah (repentance) was also part of the divine plan from the beginning in fine print, so that would give mankind the ability to seek reconciliation with G-d.
Once fallen, mankind would need to be guided toward an everlasting covenant, despite the original sin, so that G-d’s ultimate intentions for man would remain intact. When mankind had gone too far off from the blueprint, G-d sought to find a reason to not entirely destroy His creation. “The L-RD looked forth from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after G-d” (Psalm 14:2, JPS). “Noah found grace in the eyes of the L-RD” (Genesis6:8, JPS). For, “Noah was in his generations a man righteous and wholehearted; Noah walked with G-d” (Genesis 6:9, JPS).
“I will establish My covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark.” – Genesis 6:18, JPS
dvar for parashas Bereishis 5783
וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃
“Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters.” – Genesis 1:2, JPS 1917 Tanach
“The throne of Divine Glory was standing in space, hovering over the face of the waters by the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, and by His command, even as a dove hovers over its nest.” – Rashi, sefaria.org
In the beginning of Creation, “when G-d began to create heaven and earth” (Genesis 1:1, JPSN), the earth was tohu vavohu (formless and empty). “At the beginning G’d created a minute amount of matter out of absolute nothingness. This contained within itself the potential and energy to expand into what we call “heaven and earth” (R’ Bachya on Genesis 1:2, sefaria.org). Prior to the 1950’s, science adhered to the Aristotelian belief that the Universe always existed. When scientists discovered that the universe was expanding, science proffered that there was a distinct beginning, ex nihilo – something out of nothing. So, it took several thousand years for science to “catch up” with the creation account in Torah, as R’Bachya explains (circa 1255 – 1340).
“With the beginning of the manifestation of the King’s will, that is, when the King desired to emanate and create the world, a hard spark made an engraving upon the supernal light. This hard spark [matter], which emanated from the most concealed of all concealed things from the secret of the Endlessness Light took a shapeless form. The spark was then inserted into the center of a circle [from here, it expanded outward]” (Zohar 15a, sefaria.org). That spark is called reishis (first).
The Tree of Life 