From: ajb@access.digex.com (Alan J. Broder)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Hamaayan / The Torah Spring: Parashat Miketz
Date: 24 Dec 1992 04:19:39 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt MD USA
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[   HaMaayan is published weekly for the edification and enjoyment
of the reader who is lacking the time or ability to study the
weekly Parasha on his own. HaMaayan's goal is to acquaint the reader 
with the broadest spectrum of traditional Torah commentary, from 
the "rationalism" of Rambam (Maimonides) and Abarbanel to the 
"mysticism" of Alshich and the Chassidic Masters.

While the editors hope these brief "snippets" will engender further
discussion of Torah topics ("L'Hagdil Torah U'L'Ha'adirah"), they
unfortunately lack the time to respond to lengthy questions.

Shabbat Shalom. ]


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                    Hamaayan/The Torah Spring
                      Edited by Shlomo Katz

                         Parashat Miketz
                   Volume VII/Number 10 (297)
                 2 Tevet 5753/December 26, 1992

   One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Chassidic
approach to serving Hashem is the importance of song.  R' Chaim
Meir Hager (the "Vizhnitzer Rebbe"), zatzal (1888-1972) found
allusions to this custom in several verses.  For example, in
Tehilim (75:10) we read, "I will tell the world, I will sing to the
G-d of Yaakov."  Said the Rebbe:  Yaakov, in this verse refers to
my father (the previous Rebbe, whose name was Yisrael, another name
of the Biblical Yaakov).  The devotional tunes which he hummed had
the potential to provide both inspiration and reproof to the
sensitive listener.  Thus the above verse can be read:  "When I
wish to tell the Mussar (reproof) to the world, I, Yaakov
(Yisrael), will sing to my G-d."

   Often, Chassidic melodies are nothing other than the tunes that
the peasants sang at work or over a drink, but set to Yiddish or
religious themes.  This, said the Rebbe, is alluded to by Yaakov's
statement to his sons (in this week's Parasha -- 43:11), "Take from
the harvest ('Zimrat') of the land as a gift to the man (i.e.
Yosef)."  The word "Zimrat" is related to the word "Zemer" (song),
and the verse can thus be read, "Take from the songs of the land,
as a gift to Hashem" (who in some verses in Tanach is referred to
metaphorically as "Man").

                                 (quoted in Kedosh Yisrael p.145)

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   One who studies Yosef's first conversation with Pharoh will
notice a strange thing:  Yosef repeatedly addresses the Egyptian
king as if he is a G-d fearing man (which he undoubtedly was not!) 
(See e.g. 41:16 and 28).  R' Yehuda Ze'ev Segal, shlita, explains
that Yosef's words contain a hidden message for us.  "Days are
coming which will be days of famine -- prepare yourself now.  If
you are now studying Torah full-time, use your time well because
you may eventually have to leave the Yeshiva.  If you now have free
time, use it well, because someday you won't.  Since you are now
alive, take advantage of the time and perform Mitzvot and study
Torah, because when you die, that chance will be lost."

                                         (Yir'ah vaDa'at II p.59)

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    "Yosef called his eldest son 'Menashe' saying, 'For Hashem has
caused me to forget ("Nashani") my hard work and my father's
house'."  (41:51)

   Yosef was Yaakov's favorite son and prize pupil.  Chazal teach
that Yaakov taught Yosef aspects of the Torah which he did not
teach Yosef's brothers.  How then can we understand the fact that
Yosef was thankful to forget his father's house?

   The Gemara (Baba Metzia 85a) relates that when R' Zera moved
from Bavel to Eretz Yisrael, he fasted for 100 days in order to
forget what he had learned in Bavel.  R' Simcha Zissel Broide,
shlita, explains that R' Zera did not (G-d forbid) want to forget
the Torah which he learned; he did, however, wish to distance
himself from it somewhat.  Why?  Because learning Torah in Eretz
Yisrael would be a different challenge than learning in Bavel had
been, and old habits would have to be broken in order for R' Zera
to succeed in that new challenge.

   Similarly, the Gemara (Shabbat 88b) states that with each of the
"Ten Commandments" a beautiful fragrance filled the world, but that
before the next Commandment could be uttered, Hashem sent a wind to
clear the air.  Again, says R' Broide, this is because in order for
Bnei Yisrael to accept the challenge which each new Commandment
presented, they had to clear their minds of all of the previous
ones.

   Yosef recognized this too, concludes R' Broide.  Living as a Jew
in Egypt was a different challenge than living in Yaakov's house
had been.  Yosef was thus grateful that he was able to clear his
mind of what had been before, so that he could concentrate fully on
the new challenge which presented itself, and succeed at it.

                                         (quoted in Shai laTorah)

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   R' Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik (the "Brisker Rav"), zatzal
(1887-1959) asked, "Why did Yosef hide his brothers' money in their
saddlebags?"  Answering his own questions, he said, "He wanted to
make sure they would return to Egypt."

   Lest you say that they would surely return, for they needed food
to survive the famine, and, in any case, they had left their
brother Shimon behind in jail -- Yosef could not be certain, said
the Brisker Rav.  They might not return for food, trusting in
Hashem to take care of them.  They might not return for Shimon,
trusting that Hashem would not forsake that Tzaddik.

   But if they found someone else's money in their saddlebags,
then, Yosef knew, they would surely return.

            (quoted in Selected Speeches [R' Shimon Schwab] p.69;
                       see also Chiddushei haGriz [stencil] p.16)

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   The Gemara (Pesachim 7b) uses the following two-part "Gezeirah
Shavah" (i.e. a method of deriving a Halacha from the fact that the
Torah chose to use the same word in two different verses) to learn
that "Bedikat Chametz" (the search for Chametz) should be done by
candlelight:  One verse says, "Chametz shall not be found in your
homes."  A second verse says, "He searched, beginning with the
eldest and finishing with the youngest, and he found the cup in
Binyamin's bag."  The third verse says, "I will search Yerushalayim
by candlelight."

   Said R' Dov Berish Weidenfeld (the "Tschebiner Rav"), zatzal
(1879-1965):  This "Gezeirah Shavah" can allay the fears of those
who feel that it is farcical to put out ten pieces of bread and
then search for them.  What is the point, if we already know where
they are?  Nevertheless, we see that the Torah chooses to learn a
key law of Bedikat Chametz is derived from Yosef's servant's search
for his master's wine cup, notwithstanding that it was the servant
who had hidden the cup in the first place.

                                (quoted in Ta'am vaDa'at I p.233)

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                            Chanukah

   The Gemara (Berachot 63a) states, "If someone loosens his grip
on the Torah, he will be unable to stand at a time of trouble. 
Some add:  even if he loosens his grip on only one Mitzvah." 
Commentaries explain that if a person  has a chance to learn Torah
or do a Mitzvah, he puts it off, he will find it more difficult to
perform that Mitzvah the next time around.  This is also true if a
person does study or perform the Mitzvah, but in a lackluster way.

   This teaches us, says R' Gedaliah Schorr, zatzal (1911-1979),
that if a person does not take advantage of his spiritual
strengths, he will lose them.  This is why Hillel said (in Pirkei
Avot), "Don't say, 'When I have time, I will learn,' because
perhaps you will not have time."  The same learning will be harder
tomorrow, because today's strength is lost if it is not used.

   As its name implies, Chanukah is a time of rededication, a time
to combat our tendency to perform Mitzvot in a lackluster fashion,
and merely out of habit.  This is why the Gemara (Shabbat 23b)
chooses to express the proper time for lighting the Chanukah
candles as "Until the last foot ('Regel') leaves the street." 
"Regel" is related to "Hergel" - habit.  Our task on Chanukah is to
rededicate ourselves and do away with mere habit.

                               (Ohr Gedalyahu Chanukah section 7)

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           The learning schedule for this Shabbat is:

                          Niddah 3:4-5
                        O.C. 531:8_532:2

                           Ketubot 60

                    Yerushalmi - Berachot 24

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            The hard copy distribution of this weeks
                    Hamaayan is sponsored by:

                        The Vogel family
              in memory of mother and grandmother,
                   Miriam bat Yehuda Leib A"H

              Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Edeson and family
                      and Mrs. Ethel Moran
          in memory of father, grandfather, and brother
                       Nathan Salsbury A"H

              ************************************

            Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible

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Posted by Alan Broder, ajb@digex.com (uunet!digex!ajb), who 
should be contacted to request back issues of HaMaayan or to get
on or off the direct email mailing list.

Shlomo Katz can not receive EMAIL, however I will pass on any
comment forwarded to me, or alternately, send your comments care of
yehuda@gwuvm.bitnet