Category: Food for Thought

This week’s Torah portion of Terumah discusses the preparations for building the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Torah, when discussing the walls around the Mishkan, says: “And you shall make the planks for the Mishkan of acacia wood upright” (Shemos 26:15).

The Medrish Rabba asks why Hashem used acacia wood. It answers that Hashem is teaching proper manners for all generations; if a person wants to build his house out of fruit trees, tell him: ‘Just as The King Of All Kings which everything is His, but when He said to make the Mishkan He said only to make it out of trees that do not bear fruit, all the more so [you should do the same]’ (Shemos Rabba 35:2).

The Maharz”u, a commentary on the Medrish, explains the Medrish’s question and answer by saying that for many mitzvos, Hashem commands us to spend and essentially lose money –  for example the sacrifices. So why by the Mishkan did Hashem ask strictly for acacia wood which does not bear fruit? To this question the Medrish answers that Hashem was teaching a lesson when building normal buildings.

The Yafeh Toar takes the Medrish’s message a step further. He says that the Medrish was asking that since there are seven types of cedar wood why did Hashem specifically choose acacia wood instead of one of the types of cedar. The answer is because acacia wood does not produce fruit at all; therefore Hashem chose it to teach a lesson in manners to all mankind. (Click here for Hebrew text.)

As The King Of All Kings, King of the Universe and Beyond, we say in our davening three times a week from the beginning of Tehillim chapter 93: “Hashem will have reigned, He will have donned grandeur…” The Medrish Shochar Tov (as quoted in the Artscroll siddur, page 169) expounds that “the concept of grandeur represents Hashem’s revelation as mightier than any force in nature. In man, grandeur, or arrogance, is a contemptible trait, because man’s power is limited at best. But to Hashem grandeur is becoming because all forces owe their existence to Him while He is dependent on nothing.” Indeed, Hashem deserves the best of the best for His dwelling on earth, but for the sake of teaching a lesson to mankind He felt it was worth diminishing His natural honor to teach us this lesson.

It would seem from the Yafeh Toar that cedar wood would have been the ideal type of wood to be used for the Mishkan. It would also seem that cedars don’t really produce a fruit normally eaten by people, but since it has some type of fruit as opposed to the acacia wood, Hashem, all knowing and understanding of Human psychology, made sure to show by using extreme example of something which does not bear fruits at all. We learn from here that when someone wants to teach a lesson he has to be as clear as possible. And a leader should even lower his honor to be sure the lesson is clearly brought across. On the contrary, understanding the message and applying it will give more honor to Hashem in this case.

What is interesting to note is that we see in this week’s haftorah that cedar wood was used in the building of the Beis HaMikdash (the Holy Temple): “And he built the house, and finished it, and he covered the house with paneling and joined planks of cedar. And he built the chambers against all the house, each five cubits; and he covered the house with timber of cedar” (Melachim Alef 6:9, 10). Is Hashem, G-d forbid a hypocrite? How can He use cedar wood for the Beis HaMikdash, His permanent dwelling place on earth, but use acacia wood for the Mishkan to teach mankind not to use wood from fruit bearing trees? The answer, obviously, is  that once Hashem already taught His lesson to mankind in the times of the Mishkan, He of course then deserves and demands the best wood for the Beis HaMikdash.

Leaders at any level are messengers of Hashem to guide their followers, whoever they may be. Hopefully they will be stirred to the right path of service of Hashem. Though the Ramban says in his famous letter to his son: “And now know and see my son, for one who is haughty in his heart towards people is rebelling against The Kingdom of Heaven, for he is glorifying himself with the heavenly majestic clothes as it says “Hashem will have reigned, He will have donned grandeur…” however a leader is still a leader and must be treated with proper respect. A leader, in whatever position of leadership, knowing himself and his responsibility to the people he leads, can also expect to a certain extent the proper respect in order to be a successful leader. However it makes sense that at times he might have to lower or change his standards to send a message across to his people but then he goes back to his normal standards and that is not hypocritical, because teaching lessons and making sure people abide by them is part of his responsibility. People recognizing that and abiding by his word is the ultimate honor.

Besides the weekly Torah portion of Mishpatim, this shabbos we read the first of four special Torah readings leading up to Pesach. The first special portion is Parshas Shekalim, which the Mishna Berura says is designed to remind us of the mitzvah of the half-shekel, which was an obligation for every adult jewish male to donate to the treasury of the Beis HaMikdash each year, at this time, in order to pay for the Korban Tamid –[daily-offering] (Mishna Berura 685:1:1).

The Rabbeinu Bachye says that Moshe, as the king of the Jewish people, enacted a currency based on a silver coin, which he called the  shekel. He called it a shekel because the coin was a pure weight of silver without any disparities.

The reason why a half-shekel was the amount required in contribution, says the Rabbeinu Bachye, is because the Jewish People transgressed all Ten Commandments by the sin of the golden calf and a half-shekel is equivalent to ten gerahs, since a full shekel is twenty gerahs. Therefore, each and every Jew was required to bring ten gerahs as atonement for transgressing the Ten Commandments. Only those over twenty years of age were required to bring it, because the Heavenly Court does not punish people less than the age of twenty.

The Rabbeinu Bachye later asks that, logically, since Moshe was designating the worth of this new currency, the Shekel, he could have made it worth ten gerahs, requiring the donation of a full shekel.   Why did Moshe create the  currency in this fashion?

The Rabbeinu Bachye answers that this odd currency valuation was done in order to hint that it is befitting for any intelligent person to weigh his actions equally, and to dedicate within himself to give of both his body and soul, each one equally and completely. The right and befitting thing to do is to push one’s body to serve Hashem and to go after its soul, which is the main part of existence. But at times one must also push his soul after his body for certain requirements, like food, drink, and clothing, which one cannot live without. As our Sages have taught us: “By Yom Tov the Torah writes, ‘It shall be a holiday for Hashem your G-D’ (Devarim 16:8). The Torah also writes, ‘A holiday it shall be for you’ (Bamidbar 29, 35). Rebbi Yehoshua says that Yom Tov should be split, half for Hashem and half for you” (Pesachim 68b). It is befitting for one’s efforts towards his bodily needs to be channeled for the sake of his soul. We find this by Yaakov Avinu, who put all of his efforts into his soul for fourteen years, learning in the House of Ever. He then put equal effort for his physical self, by engaging in manual labor for fourteen years, in order to marry the two daughters of Lavan. The purpose of his physical work was to serve his intellectual soul, which the half shekel represents; to figure out what is for the sake of Hashem by weighing all his deeds and actions in an equal manner, so that each one gets what is befitting for it. 

This piece delivers  a very profound message about how we must live our lives. It is easy and perhaps fun to live a care-free lifestyle, doing whatever one pleases, whenever it pleases, with no boundaries, enjoying the physical world to its fullest, partying, acting spontaneously, working off of gut feelings and simply believing and doing whatever one wants; indulge, indulge, indulge.  On the opposite extreme there are those in this world who believe that to reach the ultimate in spiritual heights one must be celibate, living in silence, subsiding on stale bread and water, or by secluding themselves from society.  However we see from here  the Torah outlook is that the middle ground is the optimal.While the main thrust of life is spirituality, the soul, and one’s physical actions should be for that sake, physical needs and wants should also be taken care of, with the attitude that they are being done out of G-D’s will – the point being there is a defined purpose for everything. Hashem wants us to dress nicely at all times, elegantly conservative, and even nicer on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Hashem wants us to eat heartily if needed, and healthily to be strong, to serve Him as well as to have lavish feasts on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Hashem wants us to get married and raise a family, bringing the next generation up to continue a lifestyle of Torah and mitzvos.

In fact ,this might be the ultimate challenge in life, as well as the most difficult. The last Mishna in chapter five of Pirkei Avos says: “Reward is earned according to one’s efforts.” To figure out exactly what Hashem wants of us at any given time, to weigh the options and make the exact proper decisions, is very hard to do. To be able to figure out how much time should be spent on one’s physical needs versus on one’s spiritual needs, and to execute it in exactly the way Hashem wants of each individual, is the ultimate test.

The suffering, pain, and effort one puts into this drive  towards perfection, for the perfect split in meeting one’s spiritual and physical needs, is what Hashem ultimately rewards. This is the lesson of the half-shekel.

What makes a person change course in life and make a lifetime commitment to something different than that with which they grew up? Is it simply inspiration, or must there be an intellectual component to something  seen or heard?

The Torah in this week’s portion of Yisro says: “Yisro, the priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that G-D did to Moshe and his nation of Israel when Hashem took Israel out of Egypt” (Shemos 18:1).  The Mechilta at the beginning of this torah portion gives three version of what exactly Yisro heard that prompted him to come and visit Moshe: 1) Rebbi Yehoshua says he heard about the battle and victory over Amalek. 2) Rebbi Elazar Hamodai says he heard about the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people (according to him Yisro came to the Israel camp after the Torah was given). 3)Rebbi Eliezer says he heard about the splitting of the sea. (According to him Yisro came before the giving of the Torah.) (Click here for Hebrew text.)

In the subsequent pesukim the Torah relates: “Moshe told his father-in-law about all that Hashem had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel, and about all the hardships that had befallen them on the way, and that Hashem saved them. Yisro was happy about all the good that Hashem had done for Israel, that He had rescued them from the hands of the Egyptians. Thereupon, Yisro said, ‘Blessed is Hashem, Who has rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, Who has rescued the people from beneath the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the deities, for with the thing that they plotted, He came upon them’” (Shemos 18:8-11).

The Mechilta elaborates on the conversation Moshe and Yisro had with each other. Moshe intentionally spoke to Yisro about all the events that happened leading up to that point in order to pull him in and bring him closer to Torah. Rebbi Yehoshua says Yisro was ‘stirred and happy over the benefits of the manna that one can taste bread, meat, fish, locust, anything he wants to taste in the world can be tasted from the manna which Hashem gave them.’ Rebbi Elazar Hamodai said Yisro was ‘impressed with the benefits of the “Well of Miriam” (the water which flowed from the rock) for the water which Hashem gave them can taste like old wine, new wine, milk, honey or any sweetness in the world.’ Rebbe Eliezer said Yisro was ‘impressed with the benefits of the Land of Israel for he was told that in the future there will be six good things: The Land of Israel, The World to Come, the Kingship of the House of David, a new world, the Priesthood and the Levites.’

Yisro was the first person at the time to praise Hashem with a language of blessing: “Blessed is Hashem…” The Mechilta, in fact, admits that this posuk is demeaning the Jews; for out of 600,000+ Jewish people not one of them got up and blessed Hashem until Yisro came around!

The Mechilta goes on to describe Yisro’s enlightenment. Until that point he had not admitted to anything. Even though, as the Vilna Gaon points out, Yisro recognized Hashem previously but now even more. Yisro said that as Hashem’s Name grew in the world people said that initially no slave was able to escape Egypt for it was completely closed, yet now over 600,000 people left Egypt. That is why “Hashem is greater than all the deities;” all the things the Egyptians wanted to use to annihilate the Jews, Hashem used against the Egyptians. The Malbim points out that Yisro recognized how Hashem exacted punishment, measure for measure, on the Egyptians; which only One who is in control of all powers is able to do.
Yisro was known to have tried every type of idol worship in the world. In fact, in the very next verse the Torah says: “Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe, offered a burnt offering and sacrifices to Hashem.” The Malbim says this sacrifice was offered because he had converted to Judaism, but the Mechilta adds that the Torah was showing it’s astonishment, in a good way, that a person who was so involved in worshipping idols, giving libations to them and bowing down to them, could now bring offerings to Hashem. What awesomeness! (Click here for  Hebrew text.)

Yet what convinced Yisro to embrace the truth? Yisro heard in detail from the greatest eyewitness, his son-in-law Moshe, of all the miracles that happened in Egypt and afterwards in the desert. But the Mechilta does not say that Yisro got inspired by the wonders of the plagues, the fact that all liquid turned to blood only for the Egyptians, even sap, juice, and their own saliva, or that hail fell down and cracked into fire, or that the darkness was so thick that the Egyptians could not move for three days. The Mechilta doesn’t even mention all the miracles of the splitting of the sea into twelve parts, the Jews walking on dry land made out of marble with fruit trees to eat from, fresh water streaming out of the salty sea walls, etc. He doesn’t reference the incredible feat of food falling from heaven every day, a rock bringing forth water, and clouds by day and fire by night taking care of and leading the Jewish People through the desert.

So what made Yisro’s heart stir? It was the fact that an entire nation of slaves escaped Egypt which no other slave, not even one, was able to do before; and the fact that Hashem punished the Egyptions with such exactitude that is was directly measure for measure for what the Egyptians inflicted on the Jews. Yisro also was impressed that the food and water they were receiving in the desert tasted like anything in the world, as well as the benefits of the place they were going to and the living conditions they will eventually be living in.

What made Yisro convert was not the glitz and glamour. That might have been what got him in the door and brought him to Moshe to begin with; but he ultimately developed an intellectual appreciation for how Hashem handled things which caused him to embrace the truth.

This dvar Torah is dedicated in dear memory of my brother-in-law Rabbi Yehuda Simes, Yehuda Pinchas ben Yitzchak Isaac zt”l, who passed away this past Tuesday. Rabbi Simes’ and his wife’s involvement in CITE and my life as a whole has had a profound impact on myself as well as on many others throughout the world. May his blessed memory live on forever.

In this week’s Torah portion of Bishalach we have the famous Shiras HaYam, the Song at the Sea. It is the song that Moshe and B’nei Yisrael sang after walking through the split sea.  It is recited every morning during shachris, at the end of pesukei dizimra.

Towards the end of the song it says: “You stretched out Your right hand – the earth swallowed them” (Shemos 15:12). The Rosh comments on the end of this posuk that the reason why the Egyptians deserved to be buried was because they were involved in honoring Yaakov at his burial, and The One who does not deprive any creature from its reward should not deprive them of their reward, measure for measure. (Click here to see Hebrew text.)

The burial of a human being is considered basic human decency, and is done out of respect for the person. Even a person who committed  a terrible sin such as idolatry, or cursing Hashem, which is deserving of  the capital punishment of stoning, the Torah directs the court to not allow his body to hang for too long. The Sefer HaChinuch says that, in fact, this terrible person should be hung at sunset for all to see, to instill fear and trepidation in their hearts in order so that they won’t do such a thing. He is then immediately  buried with the scaffold he was hung from and with  the stone he was stoned with, so that people won’t say ‘this is the tree that so and so was hung on’ (Mitzvah 535). The Gemara in Sanhedrin 46b brings a touching parable to explain the severity of this point, of two twin brothers who looked exactly alike, one who becomes  king and the other who was a bandit and was eventually hung. Whoever would see the hung body would say ‘the king is hanging;’ so the king commanded for the body to be taken down. Rashi there says: so too, each person is made in the image of Hashem and it would not be right to leave a person hanging, no matter what insidious act he has done.

It would seem however from this Rosh that the Egyptians  lost even  the right to a proper burial, and  even their reward for having shown the proper respect at Yaakov’s funeral was taken away from them. Only because this was the right thing to do, meaning this is the way Hashem runs the world, measure for measure, were they given a burial; the land opened up and swallowed them after they washed up onto shore, in order for B’nei Yisrael to see their enemy finally destroyed (See Ramban Shemos 15:12).

We see here a whole new dimension in the quality of a good deed. Even if one somehow lost the right to deserve to collect his reward for doing a good deed it still could count for something and invokes strict judgement to be exercised for one’s advantage.

Don’t underestimate the impact of one simple good deed!

Yehuda sure did not underestimate the impact of one simple good deed. Please click here to gain some inspiration from eulogies of this very special person.

Rav Shmuel Niman zt”l, my mashgiach in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim who passed away not too long ago, use to tell us  that we should invest in two things, gold and property: “Buy your own home, but don’t invest in stocks.”

In this week’s Torah portion of Bo we find another reason to own your own home.
The Daas Zekeinim mentions the reason why we have four cups of wine on the seder night of Pesach is representative of the four languages of redemption used to describe Hashem taking the Jewish people out of Egypt:” I will take you out”,” I will save you,” “I will redeem you” and “I will take you” (Shemos 6:6,7). The fifth cup for those that need to drink five (this is Elijah’s cup at our seder,) represents a fifth language of redemption “I will bring you” in posuk 8, as people say, ‘Any servant whose master freed them and gave him all his things into his hands if he does not bring him in to his home what does it help?’ This means that a servant whose master freed him and gave him his own goblet but does not bring him into his house to live what is all the nicety worth to him? So to if Hashem would not have brought them to the Land of Israel what would it help to take them out of Egypt? (See Daas Zekeinim in Shemos 12:8 or click here and here for Hebrew text.)

At first glance we see from this Daas Zekeinim how important it is for a person to have a roof over his head and for a nation to have a homeland. However, if you think about the situation, the Children of Israel were in in the desert compared to their lives in Israel, you will find an incredible insight into human psychology, and another reason why it worthwhile to own a house.

While traveling through the desert the Jewish people were taken care of with open miracles by Hashem, such as having food which tasted like whatever they wanted it to taste like, presentedto them on their door step every day from heaven (if they deserved it). In addition, water flowed out of a rock, clothes never wore out and grew with them, and a flat surface to walk on was provided for them throughout the journey, with theClouds of Glory flattening any mountains or hills and leveled any valley for easy travels. Besides all these luxuries, out of 42 encampments in 40 years, 19 years were spent in Kadesh Barnea. So there was a period of 19 years settled in one place with all their needs taken care of. They had the highest security, the most delectable and nutritious food, no work, and free clothing. On the other hand, once they got into Israel they had to start working, tilling the land, producing their own foods, make their own garments, take care of their housing needs, and traveling on rugged terrain to get from one place to another.  Yet, still in all, being settled in their homeland was better than being unsettled and homeless, even when they were in one spot for 19 years! How could this be?

It would seem that the feeling of being settled in one’s own home trumps the greatest luxuries the world can provide. Imagine going on a tour of the world for  few years, staying in some places longer than others, seeing the most magnificent sights, staying at the most luxurious hotels with people serving you the most elegant and exotic  food 24/7,where ever you go. Yet once you return home and settle down, there is a feeling a relief to again be back in your home sweet home, despite all the troubles life has to offer in maintaining a home.  One still feels more at ease  in his own house, rather than traveling around or even renting for many years. There is a feeling of euphoria, of accomplishment and satisfaction, in  buying and maintaining a house after renting for  a number of years. This is due to the feeling of owning one’s own house and being permanently settled; with all its baggage, it is still a lot more comforting and rewarding to a person then the thought of being unsettled.

To take it one step further, for every Jew, he or she will not be truly settled, even if they own a house in exile,  until the return to their homeland of Israel. That is the ultimate redemption! May it come speedily for all of us in our lifetime!

In this week’s Torah portion of Vaera, the Egyptians are pummeled by seven of the ten plagues. We also see in this parsha that in some instances Pharaoh himself  had a heavy heart and decided not to free the Jews, while in  other instances Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart to not let the Jewish people go.

In fact, the Torah relates before the start of all the plagues: “Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Behold I will make you a master, like an angel, in the eyes of Pharaoh and Aharon your brother will be your prophet. You will speak about all I command you and Aharon your brother will tell Pharaoh and send the Children of Israel from his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and make the signs and wonders numerous in the land of Egypt’” (Shemos 7:1-3).

The Ibn Ezra asks a very fair question: if Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, what did he do wrong? What was his sin? The Ibn Ezra answers that Hashem gives wisdom to a person and implants in his heart a mind to accept the Force on High, to add to his good or to detract from his bad, as he explains more in depth in parshas Ki Sisa (31:18) and in Devarim (5:26): the reason “I hardened his heart” is in order to multiply My wonders (Ibn Ezra on verse 3). (Click here for Hebrew text.)

One might ask how this answers his question. Meaning, how does Hashem justify sending numerous plagues on the Egyptians to show off His wonders just because he gives wisdom to a person and implants in his heart a mind to accept the Force on High? To add to his good and detract from his bad? In essence the basic question is: What does the answer have to do with the question?

However, if we look more into the matter we will find, in fact, a major claim against Pharaoh. For as was mentioned earlier, Hashem did not harden Pharaoh’s heart throughout the plagues; it was only at various times. The other times Pharaoh himself hardened his heart and refused to give in to suffering inflicted by the plagues. As per example by the plague of hail, the Torah relates: “And Pharaoh saw the rain and hail diminishing as well as the voices and he continued to sin and his heart, as well as the heart of his servants became heavy. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he did not send the Children of Israel as Hashem told, into the hands of Moshe” (Shemos 9:34, 35). The Ibn Ezra relates over there that the verse mentions that now  “he continued to sin” after he admitted ‘I have sinned this time,’ and it was clear what Moshe had said earlier: “And you and our servants I know that it is imminent that you will fear Hashem the G-D.” Yet, still, Pharaoh hardened his heart after this plague, more than the first ones. (Click here for Hebrew text.)

Meaning, Pharaoh himself, throughout the plagues, was very stubborn. And, even when he was about to give in, he buckled down and refused, and as a result of his unwillingness to cave in, “to add to his good and detract from his bad,” Hashem hardened his heart at other times and forced him to suffer the consequences. In fact the Ibn Ezra relates that when Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart after the plague of locust Hashem did this based on a gemara in Shabbos 104a, that one who comes to defile himself Hashem opens the doors to let it happen (Shemos 10:20). (Click here for Hebrew text)

In other words, Pharaoh was punished and caused himself to lose the right to have free will at all times. Hashem created man with a heart and mind receptive to Holy Wisdom from on High. The purpose of this wisdom is to do good and to stay away from bad. Hashem normally provides us with this Heavenly Wisdom to help us with our choices, to constantly grow; but it is all based on our free choice. But when Pharaoh chose to only use his free choice for evil, and to get worse and worse, he lost his opportunity to make his situation better for himself and his people, through his stubborn refusal to budge from his evil plight.

Hashem naturally helps a person to grow and stay away from bad. However we are
endowed with free choice and have the option to choose to go against nature. Pharaoh chose to lose his free will and let himself and his nation be contaminated by his stubbornness. For that he deserved his punishment.

This week’s Torah portion of Shemos begins the second of the five books of the Torah. The Jews are enslaved in Egypt, and Hashem appoints Moshe as the fearless leader to redeem the Jewish people from Egyptian exile. Aharon, Moshe’s older brother, accompanies Moshe to speak to Pharaoh for the first time: “And afterwards Moshe and Aharon come and they say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what Hashem, Elokay Yisrael says, send out My nation so that they will make a holiday for Me in the desert. Pharaoh said, ‘Who is Hashem that I should listen to His voice to send out the Jews, I do not know Hashem and the Jews I will not send out.’ They said, Elokay HaIvrim called out to us that we should please go on a three day journey in the desert and give offerings to Hashem Elokeinu lest we will be smitten by disease or by the sword’” (Shemos 5:1-3).

The shortened version of the Ibn Ezra on this parsha mentions that the holiday they were to celebrate was either Pesach or the giving of the Torah. The longer version of the Ibn Ezra elaborates that after Aharon showed the signs [of the redemption to the Jewish people], both Moshe and Aharon came to Pharaoh and said: ‘This is what Hashem said,’ but Pharaoh never heard of that name of G-D before. They therefore added Elokay Yisrael but not Elokay Yaakov, to include the entire Jewish people. Pharaoh then asked who is this Hashem who is also Elokim (obviously not understanding who Moshe and Aharon were referring to). They answered that this Hashem is Elokay HaIvrim, which the Egyptians did know about, for Avraham was called an Ivri as well as Yitzhak his son, and Yaakov and his sons. They also explained why the Jewish people needed to  leave to celebrate a holiday, which was in order not to have a disease or the sword upon them (both the Jews and Egyptians). Later, when Pharaoh saw the wild beasts come and consume many Egyptians, he told them to go and give offerings to your G-D in our land. But Moshe replied that it would not be right to do that in this land; rather, they must travel three days in the desert, which was the distance to Har Sinai. Again, when the plague of locust struck, Pharaoh gave permission for some of the Jewish people to leave and offer their offerings. A third time, by the plague of darkness, he agreed to let everyone leave, on condition that their sheep would not go with them. Only when death struck the firstborns did Moshe’s words of “lest we will be smitten by disease” became clear to them. If they did not accede to Moshe’s demands, then they would all die (See later on 12:33). So the Egyptians banished them out of their land, to make their sacrifices, even lending them goods on their way out. (Click here, here, and here for Hebrew text.)

The Ibn Ezra is clearly indicating that Pharaoh and the Egyptians knew who Hashem was. He was the G-D of Yosef and the Jewish people, who accurately predicted and sent forth the seven years of famine and of plenty. Still in all Pharaoh was unfazed by Moshe and Aharon’s request.  When the plagues began striking the Egyptians, and when wild beasts started eating up many Egyptians, Pharaoh began to stir, but still he played games, and refused to completely agree to their wishes. The plagues continued, locust came, and then darkness, and Pharaoh was still playing games. He did not take Moshe and Aharon seriously even though the warning was clear that disease or the sword could come at any moment, affecting not only the Jews but the entire Egyptians people, Pharaoh included. Hashem, out of His benevolence and mercy sent many signs of the forth coming doom, but Pharaoh and the Egyptians refused to fully acquiesce, and refused to accept that Hashem really meant business, until a disease wiped out all the firstborn.  If Pharaoh and the Egyptians knew of Hashem and His abilities and saw them first hand, why did they not give in to His demands sooner? Were they in denial? And if they were, how could they remain in denial to the brink of national suicide?

It would seem that it is tremendously hard to give in to a request if it goes against everything you stand for or agree with. Whether for ideological reason, out of habit, or just because of the comfort state that one lives in, it is hard to make big changes or allow something to be done which you are in disagreement with. This extends even to the point where one knows who the petitioner is, the abilities He has and is starting to send warning signs of the impending doom but still they will not change until the brink of national suicide.

However the Ibn Ezra takes this one step further. He said: “But when they saw disease come and strike the firstborn then Moshe’s words of ‘lest we will be smitten by disease’ was clear to them and they said we will all die.” Meaning, their refusal to change was not simply denial; it reached the point where they were able to lose sight  of the clear and present danger they were actually in, even though they knew  and saw what they were potentially up against. And this continued until the danger was staring them straight in their face and it was almost too late. That is how far one’s stubbornness to not change can blind a person, and even a nation!

There is a mysterious phrase written in the siddur after Shachris, immediately following the Thirteen Principles of Faith. It states in Hebrew and Aramaic: “For Your salvation I do long, Hashem. I do long, Hashem for Your salvation. Hashem, for

Your salvation I do long.”

  “לישועתך קיויתי ד’. קיויתי ד’ לישועתך. ד’ לישועתך קיויתי.”

This phrase is based on verse in this week’s Torah Portion of Vayechi, which is the first part of the phrase “For Your salvation I do long, Hashem” (49:18). This sentence is then arranged in two different ways. The Rabbeinu Bachye on this verse states that the Kabbalists, who know various names of Hashem, say in their incantations that within this verse, spelled forward and backwards, is one of the Names of Hashem, which wards off enemies on the path and forces them to retreat in order that one can go on his way freely (if said properly).

This verse is part of the blessing Yaakov gave to his son, Dan, at the end of his life: “Dan will avenge his people, like one, the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent on the road, a viper on the path, which bites the horse’s heels, so its rider falls backwards. For Your salvation I do long, Hashem” (Breishis 49:16-18).

The Rabbeinu Bachye and virtually all the other early commentaries say that Yaakov based this blessing on a prophetic vision of Dan’s descendant Shimshon, the last of the Judges. Shimshon was blessed with unusually great strength from birth, when his mother swore he would be a nazir for life. The Rabbeinu Bachye  said that Shimshon did not need anyone’s assistance, nor a sword, shield, bow and arrow, or any other weapon of war; rather, he attacked  the Philistines with a donkey’s jaw, as Shimshon is quoted as saying: ‘With a donkey’s jaw I killed a thousand men’ (Shoftim 15:15, 16). The Torah compares him to a snake for a number of reasons. One of them is because Shimshon did not battle his enemy like other kings or judges with great armies; rather, he went out by himself in sudden ambush, like a viper jumps out of its lair (v. 16, 17).

The Rabbeinu Bachye says that Yaakov ended his blessing towards Dan with a prayer: “For your salvation I do long, Hashem.” And in fact Shimshon, knowing he could not rely on his strength anymore, used this pasuk, pronouncing Hashem’s name inside it, at the end of his life in order to knock down the pillars and kill himself and all the Philistines gathered inside the temple where he was bound. (Click here and here for Hebrew text.)

The Daas Zekeinim has a different understanding of why Yaakov ended his blessing to Dan the way he did. “When Yaakov Avinu prophetically saw the might of Shimshon he said that even though he will be a triumphant, mighty warrior it is not right to praise his might. We actually find when he (Shimshon) praised himself and said ‘with a donkey’s jaw I killed a thousand men,’ immediately afterwards he felt like he was going to die of thirst until he acknowledged and said ‘you gave [the enemy] in to the hand of your servant as a salvation…’ (Shoftim 15:18). He acknowledged that his strength only came from Hashem. This is the intent of the verse ‘Dan will be a serpent on the road’, and never the less the might and victory is Hashem’s as it is written, ‘For Your salvation I do long, Hashem.’” (Click here and here for Hebrew text.)

It is implicit from the Daas Zekeinim that Yaakov, from the fact that he had to reinforce Dan’s blessing, and Shimshon, from the incident of thirst, were both impressed by Shimshon’s brute strength. Yaakov therefore had to remind himself and Shimshon required a sign from Hashem in order to prompt him to acknowledge that Hashem is the one who gives people the strength and ability to win wars.How could Yaakov been “fooled”, even for a slight instant, by Shimshon’s brute strength and success? First off, he saw it in a vision from Hashem, Himself. Furthermore, Yaakov was known as “the simple man, who lived in tents,” as opposed to Esav, “the hunter”. Meaning, Yaakov focused his life on learning Torah in the beis medrish and was unimpressed with Esav’s strength and wild outdoor life; why was he so  awed by Shimshon?

Indeed, why did Shimshon require a reminder? He of course knew that he was a nazir and that if not for the extraordinary gifts which Hashem had endowed him, he would not be strong at all. He was living a life in which he was constantly reminded of  his nazirite status; how could he forget where all his might came from?

We must say that the show of brute strength, with all the accompanying glitz and glitter of success, was so striking that it could impress even Yaakov one of the greatest believers in Hashem, even at a time of prophecy, albeit for a slight moment. And even though Shimshon was a judge, a leader of the Jewish people, and had a constant reminders of whence his power came, still he needed to be faced with death in order to  remind him that his success came from Hashem. The lesson being that we have to constantly reinforce ourselves with faith in Hashem.

In this week’s Torah portion of Vayigash, Yosef reveals himself to his brothers in Egypt, after which he sends for his family to live with him.In response, Yaakov sends Yehuda on ahead of the family, to work with Yosef on setting up a Yeshiva and a place for the family to live in Goshen.

There is a fascinating Medrish Tanchuma (Parshas Vayigash, paragraph 9) which the Etz Yosef says describes why Yaakov picked Yehuda out of all the brothers, particularly given that Reuvain was the firstborn. “And Yehuda was sent before him to Yosef to take charge before he comes to Goshen and they came to the land of Goshen” (Breishis 46:28). On this the medrish says: “This was the intent of the verse in Yeshaya: ‘And the jealousy of Ephraim was removed’  (11:13). Our forefather Yaakov thought that Yehuda had killed Yosef when his special  coat was brought to him, as it says: ‘And he recognized it and he said, this is my son’s coat a wild animal has devoured him’ (Breishis 36:33). The wild animal refers to Yehuda, as it says: ‘Yehuda is a lion cub’ (Breishis 49:9). Yaakov thought about telling Yehuda that he was the one who killed him.Therefore Yaakov tore his garments…All the years that Yosef was away from his father, Yaakov felt in his heart that Yehuda had killed him. How do we know this? From Binyamin, for this is what Yehuda said to Yosef: ‘for your servant has guaranteed the safety of this lad.’[ First,]  he was willing to risk his life for Binyamin, and [second] it was discovered that Yosef was alive, and Yehuda was cleansed of any guilt. This is the application of the verse: ‘And the jealousy of Ephraim was removed,’ and therefore: ‘And Yehuda was sent before him.’” (Click here for Hebrew text.)As mentioned earlier, the Etz Yosef observes: “The medrish is giving another reason why Yehuda was sent in front of the family, and not Reuvain, who was the firstborn, or any other brother. And it is saying that because it was removed from his (Yaakov’s) heart the jealousy that he had for thinking that he (Yehuda) killed Yosef and now that he saw he was suspicious of him for naught he wanted to honor him to the opposite extreme by appointing him as the go between, between Yosef and the family which made him most honorable amongst the brothers…” (See also Brieshis Rabba 95:2 with the Maharz”u.)

In summary, we see that Yaakov had hatred and jealousy towards Yehuda as he thought he had killed Yosef. Only once Yehuda demonstrated that he was willing to risk his life for Binyamin, and Yosef was found to be alive, was Yehuda completely exonerated in Yaakov’s eyes.

We must say that this feeling of hatred and jealousy was on a very minute level, albeit had some kind of effect on him, for Hashem’s presence left him all the years that Yosef was away; “And he saw the wagons Yosef sent to carry him and Yaakov, their father’s spirit was rejuvenated” (Breishis 45:27). Rashi says on that pasuk that the Holy Presence rested upon him, which had previously left him( see Medrish Tanchuma , parshas Vayeshev,  paragraph 2). We cannot, however assume that this hatred and jealousy had any other further effect than to rid Yaakov of prophesy through Hashem’s presence. This is because, first off,  he is our forefather, one of the greatest human beings in the history of mankind and there is no indication anywhere that he had left this lofty status. Secondly, Yehuda was his son and there is a natural love from father to son, no matter how badly the son acts; especially if there is no concrete evidence of his wayward deeds. Third, we don’t find anywhere that this hatred manifested itself in the slightest bit outwardly towards Yehuda. He was never excommunicated by his father and, in fact, Yaakov never even said anything to him, and quite the opposite – he even entrusted him with Yosef’s brother Binyamin’s life when they went down to Egypt. It must be that this hatred was on a very miniscule level!

However, there are two blatant questions that can be asked on this Medrish:
(1) What was the jealousy that the Etz Yosef says Yaakov had? Normally we define jealousy as wanting something that someone else has; but that wasn’t  the case between Yaakov and Yehuda.
(2) Why did Yaakov need two things to absolve Yehuda of any guilt? Once he found out Yosef was alive,  no further proof is necessary! Yet it sounds as if  had Yehuda not been willing to risk his life for the sake of Binyamin, he would not have been found completely innocent in the eyes of Yaakov.

The Orchos Tzadikim in the chapter on jealousy gives an insight into the emotion of jealousy. “Jealousy stems from deficiency of the soul. If one is jealous of another’s handsome looks or strength, or wealth, then he does not desire what the Blessed Creator decreed… The one who is jealous robs himself for he is always downcast, his intellect is depleted because of the great jealousy buried within him, and his heart is not free to study and pray with proper concentration and to do good deeds.” (Click here, here and here for Hebrew text.)

The source of classical jealousy sounds like something that could be applied to Yaakov, and certainly the ramifications of this negative character trait can be seen in Yaakov, albeit on his own high level. It would seem that wanting what someone else has is only a manifestation of the feeling of jealousy; the root cause of jealousy lies in the feeling of not being satisfied with the lot Hashem gives you. We can therefore say that, on a very infinitesimal level, Yaakov must have been dissatisfied with what he thought Hashem decreed upon him, which he blamed on Yehuda, and the result was not that his prayers, Torah learning, and mitzvos [good deeds] were effected.  Rather for him, at the spiritual level that he resided, he lost the opportunity of receiving prophesy and the Holy Presence resting on him.

We see from this medrish that one can feel an emotion without it manifesting itself, but the root of the emotion is its essence, and this essence can still have devastating results.

It would also seem that the emotions of hatred and jealousy were engrained so deeply within Yaakov that he would not have been able to view Yehuda as completely innocent  upon the revelation that Yosef was still alive unless Yehuda was able to show that he was completely pure, which he did by risking his life for Binyamin.

It is possible for even a person as lofty as Yaakov Avinu to have  emotions so entrenched inside him that he can’t simply  detach himself from it, even when he knows without a fraction of a doubt that the feelings are a mistake. It might even take required steps on the part of the other party to help one get rid of his character flaw. This is how delicate emotions are in each and every one of us.

In this week’s Torah portion of Miketz, Yosef HaTzadik names his first child Menashe. The Torah gives the reason behind the name: “And Yosef named the firstborn Menashe, for ‘G-D has caused me to forget all my toil and all my father’s house’” (Breishis 41:51).

The Rabbeinu Bachye observes that “based on this verse, Chazal (Bava Basra 12b) call the father’s house of one’s wife ‘Bei Nasa,’ meaning the forgotten house, based on the verse: ‘therefore a man should leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife and be one flesh’ (Breishis 2:24),’ so to a wife with her husband.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

There are many interpretations given for this verse. The Rada”k says that the Torah did not mean to say that a man should leave his father and mother for his wife and not serve them and honor them as best as possible. Rather, , the meaning of the verse is  that one is supposed to leave his father and mother, who he lived with until he got married,  and cling to his wife and live with her in one house. The Ramban adds that one should view his wife as a closer relative than his parents. The Sforno says that since the first woman was intended by Hashem to be similar to man as much as possible, to the extent the He formed her from man’s body, it is therefore proper that every man should attempt to marry a woman suitable for him, fit to cleave to him. Due to the fact that it will be necessary to leave his father and mother, there can be no real cleaving between those who are not alike; that is why it is best to be like-minded. In all their actions they will aim to attain the perfection intended by the creation of man, as if the two were one flesh.

The Rabbeinu Bachye does not directly comment on this verse in the first portion of Breishis, but we can glean a whole new insight based on the fact that he quoted it to explain why Yosef named his firstborn Menashe. It would seem strange that Yosef could forgot his father or would even want to forget his father, one of our forefathers, one of the greatest people in the history of mankind, who loved him and favored him more than any of his brother. Indeed, he was his prime talmid [pupil] in Torah learning; why would he want to forget such an illustrious person?

Furthermore, we know that Yosef did not forget his father. For after Yosef revealed himself to his brothers and sent for Yaakov to come to Egypt, the Torah says: “And the children of Yisrael did as they were told and Yosef gave them wagons upon the orders of Pharaoh and he gave them food for the way” (Breishis 45:21). The Rabbeinu Bachye comments on that verse that Yosef sent a sign to Yaakov that we were separated from each other when you were teaching me the topic of eglah arufa. For this reason the Torah later says: ‘and he saw the agalot (wagons), and Yaakov’s spirit was rejuvenated…;”meaning, Yosef remembered exactly what he was learning with his father at the time  he was sold to Egypt over two decades ago! So what,  according to the Rabbeinu Bachye, does Yosef mean when he says: “G-D has caused me to forget… all my father’s house?”

We must say therefore that of course one does not need to forget his past, and in fact Yosef did not forget his.  But in order to have ultimate quintessential marriage, one must view him or herself as if he or she completely forgot their parents’ house when they enter into marriage, in order to build a new, more powerful relationship  with one’s spouse. The home they build should be focused on developing the relationship between them, creating a bond of unity between themselves and no one else.