From: ajb@access.digex.com (Alan J. Broder)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Hamaayan / The Torah Spring: Parashat Vayigash
Date: 31 Dec 1992 14:29:57 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt MD USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com


[   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. ]


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



                    Hamaayan/The Torah Spring
                      Edited by Shlomo Katz

                        Parashat vaYigash
                   Volume VII/Number 11 (298)
                  9 Tevet 5753/January 2, 1993

   R' Shabtai haKohen (the "Shach") writes that Yaakov never set
foot in Egypt.  Although to all appearances, he was in Egypt, in
fact, Eretz Yisrael went with him, and he never left the Holy Land. 
How are we to understand this, asks R' Yoel Teitelbaum (the "Satmar
Rav"), zatzal (1887-1979)?  Do countries really travel?!

   Some early commentaries ask:  How does the oath which our
ancestors took at Har Sinai (when they accepted the Torah) bind us? 
We were not there.  The "Shlah haKodesh" explains that our souls
were there, and even though the Mitzvot apply to the body as well
as to the soul, the soul can bind that body because it is the
body's life-force.  We see, says the Satmar Rav, that wherever the
essence of something is found, it is as if the entire thing is
there.

   Eretz Yisrael is a holy land because it has a holy "soul." 
Egypt is impure because it has an impure "soul."  Physically,
Yaakov did settle in Egypt, but the soul of Eretz Yisrael (which
only he and his righteous sons could discern) went with him. 
Effectively, then, he never left the Holy Land.

                                          (vaYoel Moshe p.340-41)

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

   "For who is like you, like Pharaoh?"  (45:18)

   Rashi explains:  Yehuda said to Yosef, "Just as you do not keep
your word (for you promised that once we brought Binyamin before
you, you would leave us alone), so Pharaoh does not keep his word."

   Did it really serve Yehuda's interests to insult Pharaoh, the
ultimate authority to whom he would have to appeal Yosef's cruelty? 
asks R' Moshe Feinstein, zatzal (1895-1986).  Rather, we must
understand Yehuda's words as a warning:  "If you persist in this
behavior, people will assume that just as you do not keep your
word, so Pharaoh does not.  You, Yosef are the one who is causing
insult to the king."

   Just as a king's subjects reflect the king's values, so students
are a reflection of their teachers, and children, of their parents. 
Our own deeds can bring honor or dishonor upon our parents and
teachers; this must be a guide for our behavior.

                                                   (Darash Moshe)

              ************************************
   "G-d has made me [Yosef] the master over all of Egypt."  (42:9)

   Did Yosef think that Yaakov -- a person completely devoted to
serving Hashem -- would care what position Yosef had achieved? 
Says R' Yaakov Naiman, zatzal (died 1983):  What Yosef meant to
emphasize was, "G-d has made me the master..."  After all of these
years away from you (Yaakov), I have not forgotten who is the
source of all accomplishments.

                                            (Darchei Mussar p.90)

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

   The Gemara (Shabbat 10b) says, "One should never show favoritism
among his sons, for because Yaakov gave Yosef a silken garment, all
of the Jews were enslaved in Egypt."

   Commentaries ask:  Was this the cause of their enslavement? 
Didn't Hashem decree hundreds of years earlier, and even tell
Avraham, that the Jews would be exiled?  R' Yehoshua Segal Deutsch,
zatzal (1910-1990) explains that the exile could have taken place
within Eretz Yisrael.  In fact, Chazal say that the 400 years of
the exile began with the birth of Yitzchak, and he never left Eretz
Yisrael.  Exile is in the eye of the beholder.  For Yitzchak,
living in an Eretz Yisrael that was ruled by a non-Jewish king was
exile.  However, Yaakov's favoritism towards Yosef led the Jews to
go to Egypt, and there they fell in stature until only actual
enslavement could be considered exile.

                         (Haggadah Shel Pesach Kol Yeshuah p.132)

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

   "And Yaakov traveled, and he came to Be'er Sheva, and he brought
sacrifices to the G-d of his father Yitzchak."  (46:1)

   Be'er Sheva was the place where our Patriarchs went when they
were in need of consolation, writes R' Yaakov Kamenecki, zatzal
(died 1986).  The Midrash says that Avraham planted trees there
which would eventually be used in the construction of the Mishkan,
and his son and grandson therefore went there to be reminded that
all of their troubles and exiles would eventually end, and a
"House" would be built among their descendants where Hashem would
reside (i.e. the Mishkan).

   Yitzchak, for example, went to Be'er Sheva after he was chased
out of Gerar.  Yaakov, as our verse says, stopped in Be'er Sheva on
his way to Egypt.  In fact, the Midrash says that Yaakov chopped
down the trees which Avraham had planted and took them with him to
Egypt.  His purpose in doing so was to give his descendants a
tangible reminder of Eretz Yisrael, and also to remind them of the
Mishkan which they would eventually build.

   The Gemara (Megilah 31b) relates that Avraham asked Hashem,
"What will happen to Bnei Yisrael when there is no Bet haMikdash?"

   Hashem answered, "Let them read about the sacrifices."

   The simple meaning of this exchange is that Avraham wondered how
his descendants would achieve atonement, for the Bet haMikdash is
not standing, and Hashem responded that they would be forgiven when
they study the laws of the sacrifices.  However, we may also say,
in light of the above, that Avraham wondered what would keep the
Jews from disappearing among the nations.  To this Hashem
responded:  They will read about the sacrifices.  This will
maintain their yearning for the rebuilding of the Bet haMikdash and
their belief that Bet haMikdash will indeed be rebuilt.  

                                                  (Emet l'Yaakov)

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

   An American Rabbi relates that as a young man (in 1962) he was
traveling home from two years' study in Israel, when he stopped to
visit friends in London for two weeks.  Hearing that R' Shalom
Schwadron (the "Maggid of Yerushalayim"), shlita, would be speaking
in one of the local Shuls on the student's first Friday night
there, the young man went to hear him.

   The Maggid spoke about that week's Parasha, which was vaYigash,
and told of another son, in another era, who (like this student in
the audience) was on his way to meet his father.

          We can barely imagine the longing that Yaakov and Yosef
          each felt as their meeting approached.  In describing the
          occasion, Rashi writes, "Yosef appeared before his
          father."  Why does Rashi state the obvious?

          Yosef's primary intent was not to gratify his enormous
          person yearning to see Yaakov again.  Rather, his wish
          was to give Yaakov the joy of seeing his son again.  His
          first concern was honoring his father, and this is what
          Rashi is emphasizing.

   It was as if the Maggid was speaking to this student.  Surely
his parents could not have been thrilled with his little side trip. 
Reacting to this "Drashah" (lecture), he flew home on Sunday
morning.

                                         (The Maggid Speaks p.25)

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

           The learning schedule for this Shabbat is:

                          Niddah 5:6-7

                          O.C. 537: 7-9
                           Ketubot 67

                    Yerushalmi - Berachot 31

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

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

                       The Rutstein family
              in memory of father and grandfather,
                  Nachman ben Asher haLevi A"H

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

            Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible

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

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


Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish