From: CFRQC@CUNYVM.BITNET (ToraByte Int'l)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: A Byte Of Torah II,XII Vaychee
Date: 7 Jan 93 05:57:34 GMT
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center


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                                     A                                   BS"D
   Volume II                      B Y T E     The Electronic
     Issue XII                      O F          Torah Weekly
                                 T O R A H
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                           Dvar Torah of the Week
                           ----------------------

"And he (Jacob) blessed Joseph, and he said:
  The G-d before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
   the G-d who has been my Shepherd all my life until today." (Genesis 48:15)

  With what blessing did Jacob bless Joseph? Jacob's blessing was conferring
on Joseph the power and the means to bless others effectively (Or HaChayim).
Alternatively, Jacob did not bless Joseph. Rather, Joseph was blessed through
Jacob blessing his children (Rashbam). This can be attributed to the fact that
one whose children are blessed, is also blessed.
  Why does Jacob say that Abraham and Isaac walked before or in front of
Hashem and not with Him? An individual who has reached the highest level of
righteousness, is considered to walk before Hashem. One who is righteous, but
has not attained the highest levels of righteousness, is deemed to be walking
with Hashem (Keli Yakar).
  Why does Jacob preface his blessing by mentioning Abraham and Isaac? He was
beseeching Hashem to bless Ephraim and Manasseh due to the merits of Abraham
and Isaac, and not necessarily due to his own (Sephoreno). This is also the
precursor of the Silent Prayer which is recited three times daily; it begins
by "reminding" Hashem of the love that He has for our forefathers, Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob (Or HaChayim).


                             Mussar of the Week
                             ------------------

"And Israel sent forth his right hand
  and placed it upon Ephraim's head who is the younger,
   and his left hand on the head of Manasseh.
    He crossed his hands because Manasseh was the firstborn." (Genesis 48:14)

  Joseph had placed Manasseh by the right hand and Ephraim by the left hand,
because the right hand was traditionally put on to the elder brother. However,
Jacob knowingly crisscrossed his hands when he went to bless Ephraim and
Manasseh (Rashi). Why did he do so? Because he knew that in reality Ephraim
was greater than Manasseh, even though Ephraim was younger (see Genesis
48:19). We can learn an important lesson from this. There are too many times
when we judge people by their external appearance and image, especially in our
Western society, which primarily looks at how people present themselves, and
not who the people really are. Rather, one should reserve one's judgment until
one knows the other person, and is not taken by the person's projected persona
(see Tractate Avos 4:20).

Please direct any comments, questions, etc. to bytetorah@israel.nysernet.org,
which will be forwarded to me. Please pass it on to a friend. If you want to
subscribe, please send e-mail to listserv@israel.nysernet.org with the msg:
SUB bytetorah <first name> <last name>.  --Zev Itzkowitz        Copyright 1993
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