Torah – Page 7 – The Tree of Life

Free Will

Freedom and Responsibility:

Mankind was given free will, as denoted by the two inclinations, inferred, according to the sages, by the doubling of the Hebrew letter “yud,” in the word yetzer, when used to describe the creation of man (Genesis 2:7). Notably, the word, yetzer, when used to describe the creation of animals, only uses one “yud,” because animals only have one inclination, i.e., their “instinctual drive.” (Genesis 2:19). Yet, mankind has both a good inclination and an evil inclination.

Additionally, there are consequences for the choices we make in life: “I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live” (Deuteronomy 30:19, JPS). If we follow our good inclination, by focusing on H’Shem, and performing the mitzvot, we will receive blessings in our lives. Conversely, if we permit our evil inclination to get the better of us, the consequences are described as curses.

We need to establish our proper conduct in this world. We are commanded “to love the L-RD thy G-d, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 30:16, JPS). This includes making rational decisions for ourselves in accordance with G-d’s will. We also need to accept responsibility for the choices we make; if we err, there will be negative consequences.

Doing good starts with awareness of the struggle between the yetzer tov (good inclination) and the yetzer hara (evil inclination). H’Shem encourages to choose the good by way of His promptings. We may do so by attempting to reign over the emotions and desires of our heart, that could otherwise lead us astray. Our rational mind needs to be set above this struggle, in order to make the right decision in any given moment. Sifting through our subjective experience, we need to sort out right from wrong. We need G-d’s directive in order to do so.

Bundle of Life

weekly Torah reading: parasha Vayechi 5784

“Vayechi Yaakov (And Jacob lived).”

– Genesis 47:28, JPS 1917 Tanach

When Jacob arrived with his family, having traveled from the land of Canaan to Egypt, to where Joseph, his son greeted him, he and his family settled in the land of Goshen. Jacob spent the last seventeen years of his life there, comforted by his reunion with Joseph, and the bountiful plenty of the choicest land in all of Egypt. The land of Goshen encapsulated an environment, somewhat removed from Egypt proper, therefore, providing an isolated locale for Jacob’s family to preserve the values of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Moreover, goshen, meaning “drawing near” was a place where the twelve tribes of Jacob could “draw near” to H’Shem; so, with this in mind, Jacob “sojourned” in the land of Egypt” (Psalm 105), while setting his hopes on Olam Haba. For to sojourn means to reside temporarily in a place; while, on the other hand, Jacob knew that his true home was with H’Shem.

During years prior, he was able to transcend his circumstances by prevailing upon H’Shem’s covenantal promises to him, thereby triumphing over Laban and Esau. He endured much while working for his Uncle Laban; he also was greatly disconcerted in regard to his encounter with his brother, Esau. Yet, H’Shem was with him in the midst of his trials – this exemplifies H’Shem’s immanence. At other times, when H’Shem seems more distant from us, this denotes His transcendence, and should compel us to pray to Him, as did Jacob.

In the last seventeen years of his life, Jacob was drawing near to his more permanent home, when he would be “gathered to his people” (Genesis 49:29). The “bundle of life,” wherein the souls of the righteous are wrapped up in the light of G-d in Shomayim (Heaven) is implied by this phrase. To be gathered to his people means to be blessed with G-d’s presence in Eternity. Vayechi Yaakov (Jacob lives); for, his soul continues to live, basking in the light of G-d until the time of the Tehillas HaMeisim (Resurrection of the Dead), when souls are restored to their resurrected bodies, at the beginning of Olam Haba (the World to Come).

parasha Vayigash 5784

Joseph’s identity, hidden from his brothers, was revealed to them in a moment of time, wherein they had a private audience with the Egyptian ruler, who knew them, yet, they did not recognize him. Up until that moment, they had seen him as a cruel ruler, who held authority over them, inasmuch as he could do as he please, by intimidating them, placing them in jail three days, and demanding that they return with their youngest brother. Otherwise, they would not be able to see the ruler, in order to obtain necessary food during the famine; yet, when they finally return, the ruler takes Benjamin as a servant.

After this Judah made an impassioned plea, to take him instead of Benjamin; upon hearing this, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers: “I am Joseph.” Joseph had previously told them, that he fears G-d. No light statement from “an Egyptian ruler;” yet, the brothers may not have accepted this statement as sincere. Now, they see his sincerity demonstrated, inasmuch that he shows them kindness, forgiveness, and mercy, the very qualities valued in Abrahamic legacy. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do his commandments; his praise endures for ever” (Psalms 111:10, Tanach Bible).

When Jacob arrived in Egypt with his family, his son, Joseph, harnessed his chariot and went out to greet him. Joseph provided for his family to live in the land of Goshen – a land removed from Egypt proper. As a consequence of their living in this location, they were isolated from the rest of Egyptian society. They had more freedom to follow the patriarchal ways of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and foster the character traits that they represented, as opposed to getting caught up in the idolatrous ways, and immorality of their neighbors.

In the midst of the uncertainty, doubt, and fear, that settled in years later, after the children of Israel became enslaved in Egypt, there was the promise of hope in the redeemer. Before Joseph passed away, he told his brother, pekod pekodti, a redeemer will reveal himself to you.

“G-d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land unto the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” – Genesis 50:24

Connecting the Dots

motzei Shabbos: parasha Mikeitz 5784

“And they said one to another: ‘We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.’” – Genesis 42:21, JPS

As conveyed by the midrash, the righteous are content, when submitting to G-d’s retribution in acknowledgment of His Justice. For, His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55). According to R’ Bachya, “It is the customary thing for righteous people to acknowledge mistakes they have made and to acknowledge G-d’s justice when they feel they are being punished for some sin” (R’ Bachya, sefaria.org).

Therefore, how much moreso should we emulate the example of the righteous, by not only acknowledging our mistakes as individuals, rather, also, by accepting the consequences? How many us can accept with equanimity, the consequences of our actions?

As is written elsewhere, concerning our awareness of the blessings and curses in our lives, resulting from our obedience or disobedience toward G-d’s directives. This is an active principle of the Torah, that will draw us back to H’Shem upon its actual realization:

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt bethink thyself [take it to heart] among all the nations, whither HaShem thy G-d hath driven thee, and shalt return unto HaShem thy G-d” (Deuteronomy 30:1-2, JPS).

When we reflect on the causal connection, between our conduct, and the consequences (both curses and blessings) thereof, then, we will do teshuvah, in acknowledgment of the Almighty’s sovereignty over our lives.

Implications of a Guilty Conscience

weekly Torah reading: parasha Mikeitz 5784

When the brothers arrived in Egypt, Joseph was in charge of selling grain to all the peoples who looked to Egypt for food. “And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down to him with their faces to the earth” (Genesis 42:6, JPS). Thus the dream he had as a youth was only partially fulfilled, so far; because Benjamin was not with them, yet, in the dream all of his brothers bowed down to him. Although the brothers did not recognize Joseph, he recognized them. They saw an Egyptian prince standing in front of them; Joseph saw his long-lost brothers. Yet, he spoke to them harshly, insinuating that they were spies; he did this to make a way for Benjamin to be brought down to Egypt.

They said that they were part of a family with twelve sons, “and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not” (Genesis 42:13, JPS).Joseph declared that if they brought the youngest down to Egypt, that would prove that they were not spies. He put them all in prison for three days; then, he kept Simeon in prison as surety for their return.

The brother’s response to this turn of events was such that they realized that the guilt they incurred because of their prior treatment of Joseph twenty years ago was being requited by a divine judgment against themselves. “And they said one to another: ‘We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us’” (Genesis 42:21, JPS). The brothers carried a guilty conscience all of those years; yet, not until the tides were turned did they begin to openly admit this to themselves.

We would be wise to learn from this example. According to the Zohar, the sins that people neglect to acknowledge will accrue over time, until some evil overtakes the person. The Zohar explains that subconsciously the sins that go disregarded by a person, i.e., sins that are not repented of, remain buried in the self, eliciting an unexplained fear.

The Zohar further explains, the source of the fear is the prescient sense of judgment that exists, unrealized, below the surface of consciousness. Perhaps, this is the underlying cause for so many people turning away from reflection upon themselves. Instead, we distract ourselves with endless preoccupations, trying to avoid the inevitable. Rather we should turn to H’Shem, through an examination of conscience, as Joseph’s brothers did, when they attributed their misfortune to their own misdeeds.

shiur Vayeishev 5784

shiur for motzei Shabbat: parasha Vayeishev 5784

Distractions lead toward refinement if taken well. If we understand the higher purpose of distractions in our lives, we may use them for the benefit of the soul. For example, unpleasant circumstances in our lives may compel us to draw closer to Elokim (G-d).

Jacob had hoped to spend the later years of life, settled down in the land of Canaan, relatively speaking, in ease, compared to the hardships that he endured working for his Uncle Laban for twenty years. However, the disappearance of Joseph brought great anguish and grief upon him.

Commentary explains that the righteous are guaranteed a place in Olam Haba (the World to Come); so, they should be content with the reassurance of future bliss. This life, concomitant with all of its hardships, is a proving ground for testing one’s character, with the reward for a life well-lived mostly being in the World to Come.

So, where do we stand in our own lives with the challenges that we confront on a day-to-day basis? In regard to our goals, are we pursuing them in a manner whereof we are not downcast, when obstacles appear along the road to success? The spiritual goals in our lives, should ultimately take precedent; if not, how can we bring them to the forefront of our attention as we walk through this life?

By spiritual, I do not necessarily mean those endeavors that could otherwise be categorized as religious. Rather, I mean those that may be characterized as having to do with our character, morals, and values. If we are informed by a greater set of aspirations, based upon the wisdom of G-d, then we will do well. May an informed conscience lead us in the right direction. As is written, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6, JPS).

parasha Vayeitze 5784

weekly Torah reading: parasha Vayeitze – Prayer Ladder

“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of G-d ascending and descending on it.” – Genesis 28:12, JPS 1917 Tanach

Prayer is a means of communication, between man and G-d – a connection between earth and heaven. The gateway to G-d’s abode in Heaven was revealed to Jacob in a dream. Upon waking from the dream, Jacob said, “this is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:17, JPS 1917 Tanach).

Rashi comments, based upon Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, on the verse, and this is the gate of heaven, a place where prayers would ascend to heaven (sefaria.org). Jacob saw angels of G-d ascending and descending upon the ladder in his dream. The angels ascending towards Heaven represent prayers, and the angels descending from heaven represent the answers to those prayers (Sforno).

parasha Toldos 5784

weekly Torah reading: parasha Toldos 5784 – Wells of Wisdom

“And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham.” – Genesis 26:18, JPS 1917 Tanach

Meor Eynayim explains, that these wells are symbolic of G-d’s wisdom that flowed during the lifetime of Abraham; yet, after his death, his wells were stopped up by the Philistines, representative of the powers of darkness and ignorance, inasmuch that they also impeded the spread of this wisdom (Meor Einayim, Toldos 19; sefaria.org). Symbolically, when Isaac redug the wells of his father, Abraham, he also reopened the flow of divine wisdom into the world.

The wellsprings of wisdom must be dug within ourselves, until we reach the place where the source of wisdom flows. As for the verse, “they have forsaken me, the source of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13), the Meor Einayim explains that “Blessed G-d is the source from whom comes the flow of life-force to all living things in all manners” (Meor Einayim, Toldos 18; sefaria.org).

Thus, the source of life continually flows from G-d; yet, our own ignorance compels us to search elsewhere in this world for the truth. Instead of receiving the “fountain of living waters,” we hew out “cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13, JPS). Moreover, as the result of sin, we cause a blockage of the primary source. Consequently, we are unable to connect to our “upper root,” the source above us that nourishes our soul. However, through teshuvah (repentance), a return to Hashem, our souls may be renewed with G-d’s wisdom.

motzei Shabbos: Chayei Olam 5784

“If those who never lived, now live, surely those who have lived, will live again!”

– Geviha ben Pesisa; found in R’Nissan Dovid Dubov’s To Live and Live Again

In this commentary, the miraculous nature of the Tehillas HaMeism (Resurrection of the Dead) is compared to the miracle of life itself. Do we ever stop to think about this? Judaism teaches that before a soul is fused with the newborn, that soul is waiting in the treasury of souls, to enter this world, upon being assigned a mission. This journey, and the subsequent placing of the soul in a body – if we consider for a moment this amazing feat – is astounding beyond compare; for, where there was no life, there is now a life brought into the world. How much more so should we be able to wonder at the ability of G-d to restore the soul to the body, after the body has been resurrected? And, yet, in reflecting on this, one may begin to ponder even more, whether life itself or life after death is more miraculous.

Chayei Sarah – A Life Well-Lived

weekly Torah reading: parasha Chayei Sarah – A Life Well-Lived

“And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.” – Genesis 23:1, The Complete Jewish Tanach

Commentary notes that there is a specific reason that the word “years” appears after each component number of the total number of years of her life. Inasmuch as each time frame of her life is to be understood in a certain manner, the following rendering is given: her childhood, young adulthood, and adulthood were all equally good (based on Rashi). Imagine an amalgamation of identity, intention, and purpose spanning the entirety of a life.

This may be contrasted with the lives of many of us in modernity. Popular language currently describes different formative years in a negative way, for example, the terrible twos, the rebellious adolescence, and the burdensome task of “finding oneself” given to the young adult through differentiation or individuation.

And, with the proliferation of Wokism, today’s youth face even more challenges in regard to identity formation: falling into different identity groups, assigned by a movement based on identity Marxism. Individuality is cast aside in favor of identification with an external identity-group that is automatically defined by race, sex, and the ever-changing gender categories.

Yet, despite this smorgasbord of identity touted by the Woke Agenda, there is still something to say for the normative values and ways of life defined by the Bible. The wisdom of scripture, inspired by G-d may provide us with a framework of instruction for our lives. Especially, as the values of Western society continue to crumble before our very eyes.