From: ajb@access.digex.com (Alan J. Broder)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Hamaayan / The Torah Spring: Parashat Vayeshev
Date: 17 Dec 1992 02:11:33 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 vaYeishev
                    Volume VII/Number 9 (296)
                24 Kislev 5753/December 19, 1992

   The Midrash comments on the verse in Shir haShirim (7:14):  "The
flowers ('Duda'im') have given off their scent" - this refers to
Reuven, who saved Yosef's life - "and on our doorstep are all
manner of blossoms" - this refers to the Chanukah candles which are
kindled in the doorways of our homes.  Why should Reuven be
contrasted to Chanukah?

   R' Moshe Teitelbaum (the "Satmar Rebbe"), shlita, explains as
follows:  Kabbalists teach that the proper way to serve Hashem is
with a smile on one's face and dread in one's heart.  Yosef, as the
child who was closest to Yaakov, saw deeper into his father's heart
than did his brothers, and he was therefore, to some degree, a more
morose person than they were.  However, happiness is also a
necessary and very important trait, and Yosef's brothers felt that
Yosef's approach to serving Hashem was wrong, even destructive. 
They therefore sought to ensure that he would not be one of the
progenitors of the tribes which they would establish.

   Reuven, too, saw the seriousness and dread which underlie proper
service of Hashem, but for a different reason.  Reuven is
considered the paradigmatic "Ba'al Teshuva" (penitent), and Chazal
teach that where Ba'alei Teshuva stand, even the righteous cannot
stand.  The former are more easily admitted to Hashem's innermost
circle than the latter, and thus, should serve Hashem with greater
dread.  Reuven understood Yosef's approach, and therefore saved his
life.

   Chanukah, by contrast, is a time of great joy, a time when we
must show our thanks to Hashem.  The Chanukah candles are therefore
lit outside.

    (Letter to R' Chaim Aryeh Lerner, zatzal, Chanukah 5728/1968;
               reprinted in the recipient's Imrei Chaim II p.314)

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   The first time that the word "Re'a" (friend) appears in the
Torah is in connection with Yehuda's friend Chirah, who is referred
to in this week's Parasha as, "Re'aihu haAdulami" - "his Adulamite
friend."  R' Micha'el Forshlager, zatzal (died 1959) asked why the
Torah emphasizes Yehuda's friendship with Chirah, and explained
that the Torah is teaching us what true friendship is.  A friend is
a person to whom one can disclose his innermost secrets, even if
one has committed a sin or an improper act (as Yehuda did with
Tamar).  In light of this, adds R' Shimon Schwab, shlita, we can
understand Rashi's comment on the verse (Devarim 13:7), "When your
friend who is as dear to you as is your life will seduce you [to
idol worship]..."  Rashi states that this "friend" is one's own
father.  A father and mother, says R' Schwab, are supposed to be
individuals with whom a child can share his innermost thoughts and
concerns, just like a true friend.

   The Midrash says that when Hashem first spoke to Moshe (in
Parashat Sh'mot), He spoke with the "voice" of Moshe's father in
order not to frighten the fledgling prophet.  Moshe, who was 79
years old and was standing in the middle of a desolate wilderness,
responded, "Yes, father, what do you wish?"  Only then did Hashem
"identify" Himself.  The Midrash concludes (referring to Moshe), "A
fool will believe anything."  R' Schwab explains that the Midrash
is teaching us that Moshe's prophecy was possible because of the
blind faith -- faith that many would ascribe only to a fool -- with
which he accepted all that his father had taught him about Hashem.

   A young child, too, is like a fool; he will believe anything
that his parents tell him.  (Tanach's word for "fool" - "Peti" -
shares the same root as "Mefateh" - one who seduces.)  For this
reason a parent must be, and is referred to in the Torah, not only
as a "Re'a," but also as an "Omen" (sharing the same root as
"Emunah" - faith - and "Aman" - artist).  Parents must be artists
who mold their child's characters, but in such a way that their
children will always have faith in them and in their teachings.

                                         (Selected Speeches p.94)

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   [Two weeks ago, we presented the thoughts of R' Joseph B.
Soloveitchik, shlita, on the personalities of Rachel and Leah, and
the different traits which each one passed on to the primary tribes
which descended from her, i.e. Yosef and Yehuda, respectively.  As
promised, we continue that essay here.]

   Rachel was the silent mother, the one who sacrificed so that her
counterpart, Leah, could achieve greatness.  We find the same
relationship between Yehuda and Yosef.  We read in this week's
Parasha that Yosef had two dreams:  In the first, his brothers'
sheaves bowed to Yosef's bundle; in the second, the sun, moon, and
eleven stars bowed to Yosef himself.  These two dreams represent
different things, says R' Soloveitchik.  The first represents
material success - Yosef's brothers do not bow to him; their wealth
bows to his wealth.  By contrast, the second dream - in which the
heavenly bodies bow to Yosef himself - represents Yosef's future as
a king of Israel.

   However, that future was not to be.  Yosef cleverly planned how
he would bring his eleven brothers together to bow before him, but
nowhere in the Torah do we read that Yaakov bowed to Yosef.  When
father and son were reunited after 22 years, Yaakov did not even
kiss Yosef, for a kiss, too, can be taken as a sign of recognizing
royalty.

   Yosef's first dream was realized.  As prime minister of Egypt,
he achieved greater material success than any of his brothers.  But
it was Leah's son, Yehuda, who achieved royalty - a process whose
first step, ironically, was taken when Yehuda was ostracized by his
brothers for selling Yosef and went to marry - while Yosef
remained, like his mother, in the shadows.

                                             (Yemei Zikaron p.66)

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   Chazal say that Yehuda's brothers criticized him, saying, "Just
as we obeyed when you told us not to kill him, so we would have
done if you had said that we should send him home."  R' Moshe
Schwab, zatzal (1918-1979) explains that Yehuda saw a problem and
he seized the moment, so-to-speak.  Why then was his response only
halfhearted?  Why didn't he throw all of his authority behind his
intervention?

   This is a criticism which can be leveled against most observant
Jews, says R' Schwab.  Keeping the Torah can be a sacrifice, but
having made that sacrifice, are we doing so fully or only
halfheartedly?  Why do we not realize our full potential?  Only we
can take the initiative!  Chazal (end of tractate Sotah) list the
many evils which will befall the world in the period preceding
Mashiach's arrival.  Chazal conclude, "We will have no one in whom
to trust, other than G-d."  This, says R' Schwab, is one of the
evils.  We believe that the world is so bad that we have no
obligation to fight for what is right.  However, this view is
incorrect.  We who faithfully keep the Torah have already begun the
fight for good, and we must see it through, starting with ensuring
that we will be proper role models.

                                          (Ma'archei Lev II p.24)

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                            Chanukah

   The Gemara (Shabbat 21b) relates the story of Chanukah and
concludes, "The following year, they instituted these days as a
holiday."  Why did they wait until the following year, rather than
establishing the holiday immediately after the miracle occurred? 
R' Zalman Rotber, shlita (among others) explains that there are
many miracles which occurred in our history, and we cannot possibly
establish a holiday for every one.  The test of whether a
particular miracle is truly worthy of being commemorated is
whether, when the anniversary of that miracle comes, we can feel
the spiritual awakening which that miracle originally caused being
reawakened.  At the time of the original Chanukah miracle, the
sages were not certain whether the occasion warranted a holiday,
but, a year later, they felt the miracle's effect again, and they
established Chanukah.

   In fact, continues R' Rotberg, the Chanukah miracle was itself
the reawakening of the spiritual "memories" created by an earlier
event.  Chazal say that when Moshe built the Mishkan (Tabernacle)
in the desert, he completed it on the 25th of Kislev (the date of
Chanukah).  For various reasons, Hashem decided to postpone the
dedication until the month of Nisan, but the 25th day of Kislev had
to be compensated for its loss.  This compensation was the miracle
of Chanukah.

                                     (Tuv Da'at III pp. 139, 147)

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   The Halachically preferable place to light the Chanukah candles
is in the doorway, on the left side, opposite the Mezuzah.  R'
Yisrael Alter (the "Gerrer Rebbe"), zatzal (died 1977) explained
this as follows:  We read in Mishlei (3:16), "Long life is in the
right hand; in the left hand is wealth and honor."  The right
represents the eternal values of Torah; the left represents wealth,
which in turn brings honor.  The Mezuzah, which is placed on the
righthand doorpost, contains verses stating our acceptance of G-d. 
With man's spiritual values set aright, he can enjoy the material
world.  However, even man's passions and possessions must be
sanctified by Mitzvot.  The left side, too, must be "enlightened"
by Torah, and thus the Chanukah candles are placed there.

                            (quoted in Seasons of the Soul p.140)

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           The learning schedule for this Shabbat is:

                          Niddah 1:6-7

                         O.C. 527:21-23

                           Ketubot 53

                    Yerushalmi - Berachot 17

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Posted by Alan Broder, ajb@digex.com (uunet!digex!ajb), who 
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