Vayigash: The U.S.I. – United Strengths of Israel

by Rav Yaakov Shapira, Rosh Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

The portion begins with Yehuda dramatically approaching Yosef – whom he knows only as the viceroy of Egypt, but not that he is actually his long-lost brother – to demand that he release their Binyamin to his father Yaakov. The Medrash describes this encounter as one between powerful kings. Let us seek to understand the profound meaning of this portrayal, even as we also seek to answer these questions: 

1. How did the fathers of the holy Tribes of Israel, who were great tsaddikim, even consider killing their brother Yosef, whom the Zohar refers to as the pillar of [the foundation of] the world?

2. Their father Yaakov said that he wanted no share in the counsel of the instigators (Shimon and Levi; B'reshit 49,6). How, then, did G-d Himself allow the sale of Yosef to take place?

3. Why did Yosef not inform Yaakov of his whereabouts throughout the period that he was the ruler in Egypt?

The Holy Sh'lah (R. Yeshayahu HaLevi Horowitz, born in Prague, died in Safed in 1630) wrote that each of the Tribes has its unique function within the Jewish People, namely, to reveal certain powers and forces in the nation. The dispute here was not just a regular brotherly spat, but rather a struggle over the very future of the Israeli dynasty. The forces of each Tribe do not, in fact, clash with each other – but this had to be made manifest, via a long and painful process.

The dynasty of Joseph, the Sh'lah continues, was slated not to replace the dynasty of Judah, the ancestor of David and his kingdom, but rather to prepare the way for it. Yehuda, who feared that Yosef was demanding the kingship in Israel for himself alone, was accordingly prepared to follow the dictate of the Talmud (Sanhedrin 110a) that "whoever challenges the dynasty of the House of David should be bitten by a snake." Yosef, therefore, knew he had to explain the truth to the brothers. After he revealed to them his true identity (45,3), he explained to them that he had been Divinely sent simply to prepare the way for the eternal Israelite kingdom. 

That is, in order for the Kingdom of Judah/David to be stabilized, it must be preceded by the Kingdom of Joseph. It wasn't only Adam [who lived 930 years, instead of 1,000] who gave 70 years of his life to David, as the Medrash teaches; the Zohar says that Yosef, too, gave years of his life to King David. Yosef is the foundation for the Kingdom of Yehuda and the Dynasty of David. He was sent to Egypt in order to purify that lowly land that is called the "nakedness of the land" – and that is why he originally accused the brothers of coming to spy on the "nakedness of the land" (42,9), as if to say, "That's not your job right now! It's my job to purify this land, and later Yehuda will take over!"

We read that Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead of the other brothers (46,28) to prepare the way for them spiritually. But Yosef's mission had to be first, and this is why he was Divinely sent well before the brothers came. And this mission was not only for then, but for the future as well: The Messiah ben Yosef is the predecessor of the Messiah ben David, for whom he will pave the way.

Responsibility

We know that Yehuda was willing to give his life for the sake of Binyamin, second son of our Matriarch Rachel. The explanation for this is that the Kingdom of Israel actually began with Binyamin's descendant King Sha'ul. Binyamin's strength lies in the fact that he never bowed down to Esav, as the other brothers did, and in that his descendant Mordechai similarly did not bow before Haman; this refusal to accept any authority other than G-d is precisely what is necessary for a King of Israel (Horayot 3,3). 

Yehuda explained to Yosef that he had made himself a "guarantor" (44,32) for Binyamin to Yaakov. This was one reason why Yaakov sent Yehuda to prepare a Torah academy in Egypt; another reason was in order to reveal the attribute of royalty and leadership [in Yehuda's pioneering Torah activities] – for all the actions of the brothers were actually for the purpose of revealing the force of Royalty in Israel.

When Yaakov originally sent Yosef to see how his brothers were doing up north near She'chem and to bring back a report, Yosef fulfilled this mission with great self-sacrifice, for he knew that his brothers were hostile towards him, and he ended up being sold into slavery. But he did so because he wished to connect the Kingdom of Yosef to that of Yehuda, as stated above. 

The Prophet Yechezkel (37,17) foresaw the unity of these two kingdoms. And as explained by HaRav Kook in his famous eulogy for Binyamin Zev Herzl, Israel is destined to combine its two holy forces - Torah and holiness with that of earthy nationalism – to form a nationalism that is not secular but is rather infused with sanctity. May this come to full fruition speedily in our days!

Miketz: The True Chanukah Message for Today

by Rabbi Dov Lior, former Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Arba/Hevron, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Chanukah occurs every year at the time of year when we read aloud the stories of Joseph and his brothers - including especially how Joseph remained loyal to his faith and family even when he was alone in Egypt. It is clear that the messages of Chanukah are related to these national beginnings of our people, as related in the Book of Genesis. 

Joseph's descent into the darkness of Egypt was for the purpose of laying the groundwork for the construction of the Nation of Israel. The Israelites had undergone quite a process from the time they were a group of individuals in the Land of Canaan, until their recognition as a "people" by none other than King Pharaoh of Egypt. Until then they were known as the "sons of Yaakov," but the king referred to them as "the nation of the sons of Israel" (Sh'mot 1,9). 

The survival of the House of Jacob in the darkness of the exile and impurity of Egypt for over 200 years was made possible by the righteousness of Joseph, Yosef HaTzaddik, who maintained the lifestyle and faith in the G-d of his forefathers just as he was taught in his father's home. Yosef remained a faithful Jew even though he was nearly as powerful as a king, and taught his sons Ephraim and Menashe his traditions as well, so that they would not be swallowed up in the cheap and misguided culture of the Egyptians. 

These days of Chanukah have served, ever since the days of the Hasmoneans and up to today, as days of great inspiration for the Nation of Israel. The mighty and heroic victory over the Syrian Greeks was not limited to its time alone. It rather instilled national pride in our people for generations on end, up until this very day.

Greek culture - that of superficiality and the pursuit of luxury - sought to overcome the powerful spirit of the Torah of Israel and human striving for sanctity of life and eternal values in every situation. Torah’s victory over the Greek culture of yore is that which gives us the spiritual armor to stand, even now, against the dark winds blowing around the world, seeking to prevent the historic return of the Nation of Israel to its Land and the establishment of its kingdom - the Kingdom of G-d - that has forever been the destiny of Israel.

The problem in our time is not one of territory, in that our enemies want our land. It is rather that they object to our very existence. We stand for too much spirit, to their taste, and they cannot take that we reflect it to the world. They are against the State of Israel as the country of the Jewish People, and the ethics and goodness that we grant the world are a constant reminder of all that they hate. As we see clearly, their objections are not becoming lighter or easier - but we are confident that “the eternity of Israel will not lie,” and that our national return to our holy and ancestral land  that began over a century ago will become stronger and stronger, to the point that the light of our Redemption will become a great torch leading the camp. We pray that we will all merit to experience the redemption of our nation and entire Land very soon.

Emuna: Chanukah Candles, Holy Temple Candles

by Rabbi Re'em HaCohen, Rosh Yeshivat Otniel, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

The central mitzvah of the Chanukah holiday - the eighth and last night of which we celebrate tonight - is the nightly lighting of the candles. As is well-known, this practice was instituted to commemorate the miracle of the Menorah lamps in the Holy Temple, which were lit for eight full days even though the oil was sufficient for only one day. We must therefore explain the essential relationship between these two commandments, namely, the lighting of the Menorah lamps and the lighting of the Chanukah candles. 

In the Al HaNissim prayer, we note that after the military victories of the Hasmoneans over the Greeks, and after the purification of the Holy Temple, "Your sons came and… lit candles in Your holy courtyards." We generally understand this as a reference to the lighting of the Menorah – but the Menorah is in the Sanctuary of the Temple, not in the Temple courtyards! The prayer must therefore be referring to the general lighting of Chanukah candles in the Ezrat Nashim and the Ezrat Yisrael, the courtyards of the Temple. But why is it important for the prayer to specify that the Chanukah lightings took place in the courtyards? 

The answer is that there is a difference between the Sanctuary and the courtyards. The Chanukah candles, burning in G-d's courtyards, correspond to the Temple service that is performed there – i.e., that which features human participation. Kabbalah sources identify the Azarah [courtyard] with the worlds of Asiyah, B'riah, and Yetzirah (Doing, Creation, and Creation) – worlds in which activities of differentiation between good and evil take place. This work requires of man to utilize all his strengths in the service of G-d. And in fact, a very large altar stands in one of the courtyards, the Ezrat Cohanim, just outside the Sanctuary; the Talmud (Yoma 21b) teaches that even though the altar fire descends miraculously from the Heavens, it is still a mitzvah for Israel to bring fire from a non-sanctified source. However, this must be done in holiness; that is, every Priest who takes part in the Azarah service on the altar must wash – purify – his hands and feet beforehand.  

On the other hand, the lighting of the Menorah takes place in the Sanctuary – where man totally and completely nullifies himself before the Holy One, Blessed be He. Therefore, man's non-sanctified fire has no place in the Menorah, whose fire must be kindled totally from the large fire burning on the Altar. A Priest who merely enters the Sanctuary, even without performing any service, is obligated in purification of hands and feet. The Sanctuary is therefore identified by the Kabbalah with the World of Emanation, the most supreme of the worlds; its essence is totally Divine, and the work of the other worlds - differentiating between good and evil - has no place here.  

As such, the basic difference between the service of the Sanctuary and that of the Azarah is rooted in the Divine task assigned to mortals. In the Sanctuary, man is required to minimize himself and his presence, while in the courtyards, he must actively participate.  

The Medrash notes that the Menorah passage in the Torah is adjacent to the passage recounting the sacrifices offered by the Tribal leaders for the dedication of the Tabernacle – the passage that we read aloud in the synagogue throughout Chanukah. These two passages represent the above two aspects - the Sanctuary and our self-minimization, and the Azarah and our participation. 

As such, the Medrash tells us that the sacrifices in general are offered only when the Holy Temple is extant, whereas the Menorah lamps are forever. The Ramban (to Bamidbar 8,2) explains that these lamps are those of Chanukah, "which we light even when the Temple stands in ruins." 

To fill out the picture of the relationship between the lighting of Chanukah candles and the Menorah lamps, let us delve into the following point: The foundation of the Menorah lighting is linked with "constancy." It must be a ner tamid, a perpetual light (Sh'mot 27,20). The Rambam explains that this means the Menorah must be kindled morning and evening, so that it remain lit at all times. Rashi, however, says that the Menorah must be kindled only every evening, such that it gave off light only at night – but every night! The Medrash Tanchuma says that once it was kindled on Rosh HaShanah, it never went out throughout the entire year. In this context of perpetual Divine illumination, we are commanded to nullify ourselves totally before G-d.  

Furthermore, although the Priest is the one who is commanded to light the Menorah, a non-Priest who lights is not punishable by death as if he had performed a Temple service activity – because lighting the Menorah does not have the status of a mortal Temple activity. 

In contrast with these non-mortal aspects of the Menorah lighting, we see that Chanukah lighting has a more down-to-earth status. For one thing, the Talmud rules that the actual lighting is what effects the mitzvah (as opposed to where it is placed after it is lit), meaning that it is specifically dependent upon man's actions.  

Similarly, the Chanukah candles must be lit at the entrance to one's house – his physical domain.  

What happens when the Temple is in ruins and there is no Temple service? The Menorah service sheds its aspects of "Sanctuary" and of man's minimization, and takes upon those of the Altar and of man's participation in the service of G-d.  

The illuminating power of Aharon HaCohen's teachings is expressed by the lighting of the Menorah. But after the destruction, this power continues to illuminate the light of the Torah through the Chanukah candles, lit by Klal Yisrael and directed outward. They express hope for the very soon return of the illumination of the Menorah, which expresses the inner illumination. That is, ideally Aharon HaCohen – the High Priest –spreads his Torah illumination via the Menorah; but after the destruction, this force continues to shine via the candles of Chanukah, which are lit by Klal Yisrael and are directed outwards. They express the hope for the restoration of the Menorah illumination, the inner light, very soon. 

Vayeshev: Eradicating Hatred in Our Generation

Abridged from an article by the late Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel, prolific Torah scholar and rabbinic teacher in Yeshivat Hesder Rishon LeTzion, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

When we study the weekly Torah portion – this week it is Vayeshev, chapters 37-40 in B'reshit – we must remember that the reason the Sages instituted the public reading of the Torah is not simply so that we should mechanically hear the words. Even to simply understand them, while important, is not enough; rather, the objective is to learn from them what it is we must change in our lives.  

For instance, it is not enough to be saddened each year at the sale of Joseph by his brothers and to register their sin and punishment. We must rather think deeply as to whether we might also be repeating this same disgraceful sin in our own generation, in our own homeland.  

The renowned 15th-century Torah scholar and Spanish statesman, Don Yitzchak Abarbanel, explained what it was that caused our ancestors to suffer in Egypt for so long. In his commentary to the Passover Haggadah, he wrote that it all happened because of the sale of Joseph by his brothers; he was sold to Egypt, there he ascended to power, and to there his brothers later came to seek food and were not allowed to leave for a while. From this we learn the terrible severity of the sin of sin'at ḥinam, causeless hatred.  

Many events in Jewish history are attributed to the sins and events of the sale of Joseph, based on the axiom that the destruction of the Holy Temple was rooted in sin'at ḥinam (Yoma 9b). For instance, the Temple was built in the portion of the tribe of Binyamin because he was the only one of Joseph's brothers who did not take part in his kidnapping and sale. In addition, Yehuda did not merit to have the Temple built in his inheritance because, though he tried to save Joseph, he did so weakly, and did not succeed. 

But we must understand: Was the brothers' hatred of Joseph truly "causeless?" They actually had a seemingly good reason, which was that he spoke slanderously about them to their father (37,2). And even though he certainly had good intentions - that their father should reprove and educate them - he should have spoken to them first. In addition, lashon hara (slanderous speech) is such a grave sin that it is likened to the three cardinal sins of idol worship, incest, and murder (Tr. Arachin 15b). Were the brothers not justified in their hatred of Joseph? 

To answer this, we must learn an important point made by the Rambam in his commentary on the Mishna (end of Tractate Sanhedrin), where he outlined his famous Thirteen Principles of Faith. The Rambam wrote: "One who believes in these principles is [officially] an Israelite, and we are obligated to love him and have compassion on him and treat him with love and brotherhood – even if he may have committed a sin because of his lusts and the strength of the Evil Inclination upon him… Only one who heretically departs from these principles of faith may and must be hated…" [I found no rishonim, great Torah scholars of the Medieval Period, who differed with the Rambam in this point.]  

Every hatred of a Jew who is not a heretic is forbidden! It is sin'at ḥinam and a sin that has brought upon us the exile to Egypt and the destruction of the Holy Temple. And the Jerusalem Talmud teaches [Yoma 1,1]: "Every generation in which the Holy Temple was not rebuilt, is considered as if it were destroyed in that generation." This means that since G-d certainly wants to rebuild His Temple, He does not because the sin of causeless hatred is still rampant and therefore prevents it. As such, those who act with hatred towards other Jews are responsible for the continued destruction of the Holy Temple! 

Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai (18th century, Jerusalem), known by the acronym Ḥida, wrote as follows:  

"Hatred stems from arrogance. And the Second Temple was destroyed because of it, even though that generation was otherwise great in Torah and mitzvot (Yoma 9b). And we continue to be guilty of this sin. How then can we merit Redemption while the reason for the destruction – sin'at ḥinam – is still rampant among us?" 

We do not need to be reminded of the many examples of this sin in our midst. Many sectors refer to others with derision and call each other names, while public figures verbally attack each other mercilessly.  

The Chafetz Chaim (Orach Chaim 1, Mishna Berurah and Beiur Halakha) wrote that one must not fight with others regarding the observance of Torah commandments – unless his rivals are heretics who are seeking to uproot Torah observance and he has first sought to make peace with them.  

But regarding our approach to Torah-observant Jews who follow their rabbis – if one engages in disseminating hatred against them, his sin is greater than can be borne. [See my work Otzrot HaMussar, p. 981-982.] One who studies the story of the sale of Joseph and is not shocked to trembling from the causeless hatred that caused it, has simply missed the point. And as the Ḥida wrote (cited above), this has great ramifications for our generation as well.  

The author of the Kitzur Shulchan Arukh, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried, wrote that one who has sin'at ḥinam in his heart for a Jew, his prayers are not heard. And the Arizal states that this is true not only on Yom Kippur, but all year long. We thus hear a terrible warning as to why many of our prayers are not answered, whether for communal matters or those of the individual.  

Just like one would never eat meat whose kashrut is doubtful, one must all the more so run away from any doubtful situation regarding hatred for another Jew. The rabbis of every group must teach this educational point over and over, almost more than any other topic. 

In conclusion, let us see the words of Rav Kook that he wrote in the wake of the terrible dispute regarding the sale of land during the Shemittah year: "We must, in this generation, grasp onto the attribute of peace, and increase love and brotherhood in Israel, and increase the honor of Torah scholars." (Igrot HaR'iyah, Vol. I, p. 347).

Emuna for Chanukah: The Third Player in the Contest Between Good and Evil

by Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, Rabbi of the Shomron Regional Council, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

The Talmud tells us the story of the most famous Chanukah miracle: "When the Syrian Greeks entered the Holy Temple, they defiled all the oils in the Sanctuary. When the Hasmonean Kingdom later ascended and defeated them, the Jews wished to light the Menorah – but could find only one flask of pure oil that still retained the seal of the High Priest [attesting to its purity], and even this was sufficient for only one day. A miracle occurred, and they were able to light the Menorah for eight days." (Tr. Shabbat 21b) 

Two Forces 

A battle of titans has been raging for many centuries among various worldwide forces. During the ten generations between Adam and Noach, we note two powers that actually started in the Garden of Eden, represented by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The first struggle began when the world split up into these two parts. Adam and Chava were commanded to both choose good and stay away from evil: "From all the trees in the garden, you may certainly eat, but from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, do not eat" (B'reshit 2,16-17). In this first battle, evil won out, thanks to the wily serpent which tempted Adam and Chava to eat from the forbidden tree, leading to their expulsion from Eden. 

Next came Kayin and Hevel (Cain and Abel), where again the evil emerged victorious over the good. For the ensuing eight generations, G-d gave humanity further chances to choose good, but the final conclusion was: "G-d saw that man's wickedness on earth was great, and that every impulse of his inner thoughts was only evil all the time" (6,5). There was no choice but to flood the world to destruction and rebuild it anew. 

The Triplicate Strand 

What change was to be expected in this new world? Why should the forces of evil not overcome those of good once more?  

The answer is that a triple strand was created. No longer would there be only two forces; to good and evil was added a third one, a mediating force. Just as a court cannot have only two justices, but must include a third one so that a clear decision can be reached, so too the world must not be left alone with only good and bad.  

From then on, the struggle became not simply a head-on clash between good and evil, but rather one in which each side tries to sway the third force to its side. If the forces of good are able to succeed in bringing those in the middle over to their side, the two of them together will overcome evil. But of course the opposite can also be true, Heaven forbid. 

During the next ten generations, from Noach until the Patriarch Avraham, each of the three powers found its place among Noach's three sons: Shem took the banner of the straight and good; Ḥam adopted that which is bad and impure; and Yefet was the intermediary force, blessed by his father accordingly: "May G-d enhance Yefet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem" (9,27).  

The Hashmonaim and the Greeks 

The Torah tells us (10,2) that Yavan (Greece) is descended from Yefet, the intermediary force between purity and impurity. The pious try to eat only when they and the food are pure, but even food that has become defiled is permitted for consumption. Yavan stands for the power of "regular food" - human thought, philosophy, all that shows the greatness of mortal wisdom. Sometimes, human thought joins up with sanctity and dwells in the tents of Shem, and sometimes it descends to the pits of impurity, leading to the ruination of that which is holy. 

When the Greeks rose to power, they chose to descend upon the latter path and join with the forces of evil, of Ḥam. They therefore warred with those who continued the path of Shem – Israel – and defiled all that was sacred. The coalition of intermediary and evil nearly defeated the holy. Many throughout the Jewish Nation were drawn to the immorality of Greek culture.  

But the evil did not reach the highest point of holiness in Israel, and the family of priests, led by the High Priest, remained untouched by the impurity: A flask of oil with the seal of the High Priest was saved – and from it Israel drew its strength to spread its light of purity. The light was increased, and gradually all of Israel was restored and returned to the Beit HaMikdash. Miraculously, the Menorah was lit for eight full days, one day after the other, until purity returned to the Nation of Israel.  

Good and Bad Coalitions 

We are witness today to a great empowering of a force that threatens to swallow everything. Nothing seems to stand in its way as it seeks to trample, expel, and destroy "every good portion" in its path. The non-holy powers that exist in Israel – science, academia, technology, integrity, basic ethics – all these should join up with the holiness in Israel, and together build a country on healthy and worthy foundations.  

Unfortunately, however, the median forces joined up with those of evil in many cases and allowed themselves to totally deteriorate. [Regarding the case of Israel's withdrawal from Gush Katif, which ultimately led to the recent Simchat Torah massacre and subsequent war in Gaza,] the courts that were responsible for basic morality abandoned their post and "legalized" the expulsion of thousands of families from their homes. The academic and media worlds were similarly silent in the face of this injustice, which was allowed to take place with barely a protest from these bastions of democracy. 

Here must come the forces of holiness and rise up with confidence and sense of mission to take up the mantle of leadership. They must attract and draw to them the positive forces that are certainly to be found among the "secular" public.  

The joining up together of holy and secular forces, with the holy leading the way, can and will ultimately shed its light on the negative forces found within our nation. Together, the two will succeed in neutralizing the poison of the evil elements and return them as well to the chain of positive action, to build and not destroy, to plant and not uproot.  

The nation walking in darkness will see great light!