Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)
Parshas Miketz
(Genesis 41:1-44:17)
“And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the
land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the field,
which was round about every city, laid he up in the same". (Bereshis 41:48)
Yoseph gathered and stored grain during the years of plenty, in order to
sustain multitudes of people during the years of famine. This story about
what Yoseph had done, is not meant to relate to us the history of the events
of what transpired in ancient Egypt. This story of Yoseph's accumulating
grain for the years of famine comes to teach each individual a profound
lesson. How does this story relate to us, in our daily lives? Every
person in his life goes through good years and bad year. Therefore,
like Yoseph, every person is required to save during the good years for
the lean Years.
During the good years, when one is healthy, young, string, capable,
and has the opportunities, one should accumulate as much Torah knowledge
and the performance of good deeds as possible, to, save them for the lean
years. What are the lean years? This is the time of one’s life when
they get older, and it becomes increasing more difficult to learn Torah
and perform mitzvoth, due to a lack of physical strength. The following
illustrates this concept. "Remember your Creator [by doing good deeds]
in the days of your youthful vigor, while the evil days [the bitterness
of old age are yet not come" (Koheles 12:1). "Whatever [mitzvot] your hand
can find to do with your might [when you are young-, and healthy] that
for there is no worth, nor experience, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the
nether world, where you- will go," (Koheles '3:11)). “Hillel said do not
say, ‘When I am free I will study [Torah], for perhaps you will not become
free’” (Avot 2:5).
These teachings warn a person not to wait for when it is almost too
late to perform mitzvoth, but one should perform mitzvoth, when has the
opportunity to do so. The previous leader of the Vaad of elders of Breslov
in Yerushalayim, Rav Levi Yitzchak Bender zal, commented in this teaching,
and he gave himself as an example. He was over 90 years old and lost most
of his vision, due to old age, when he gave over this analogy: He said
that it was a good thing he worked hard at studying Torah and prayer before
he became old, lost most of his vision and became weakened by old age.
He was now able to pray most of the prayers and give Torah lectures from
memory. He said that he had accumulated his vast knowledge when he was
younger and in better physical condition. By doing this, he was able
to continue serving Hashem through his memory, in the lean years of his
old age, from that he stored-up in the years of plenty, in his youth. He
had followed the advice that Yoseph gave Pharaoh, and the advice Yoseph
had given to all of us. (Lekutai Halachot: Orach Chayim Hilchot Chanuka
3:7)
“And one of you [brothers]. and let him fetch your brother [Binyamin]
and [the rest of you brothers] you shall be bound [in prison], that your
words may be proven to be true" (Bereshis 42:16)
Why did Yoseph want all 12 brothers to come together? He required that
Binyamin to be brought to Egypt, even though he knew this might kill his
father great anguish? The end of our verse tells us: "That your words
may be proven to be true". Our verse is informing us that only when there
are 12 tribes assembled together can the truth be discerned. It is only
through diversity can Hashem be properly served as was mentioned last week.
Therefore, Yoseph wanted all his brothers present when he revealed himself
to them, so they all could discuss what had happened to Yoseph and arrive
at a truthful conclusion. The Talmud in the end of Brachot emphasizes
that a person should not learn alone on a regular basis. For there
would be no one to correct him if he made a mistake. He could come to derive
the wrong interpretation.
However, when two or more people study the Torah together, they could
discuss each others understanding and discuss where it is not clear.
They would ask questions of each other to come to a better understanding
of the text. Only in this way could the truth be discovered.
Therefore there is a need for 12 tribes and 12 different views to derive
the truth. This is what our verse is alluding to. (Lekutai Halachot:
Choshen Mishpat: Hilchot Geneva 5:31).
“And the wine goblet (geveah) was found in Benjamin’s sack”
(Bereshis 44:12)
Finding the wine goblet in Benjamin’s sack caused the brothers great pain
and suffering. Just as today when a person goes through trouble,
they worry and-become depressed. However, it was through the trouble
of the of the wine-goblet incident that their entire family came to great
joy. It was through the wine goblet incident that Yoseph revealed himself
to his brothers and they all rejoiced as a result. When a person
is in great trouble and becomes very bitter from his troubles, he should
know and believe that even this trouble is for his good. Hashem’s great
mercy is hidden in the bitterness of his troubles. Therefore, one
should cry and scream for Hashem's mercy to be aroused upon him, and await
patiently for Hashem’s help. All troubles brought upon a person are only
given for the end result to bring that person closer to Hashem and to eventual
eternal joy. How do we know when Hashem's mercy is hidden in one's troubles?
For our verse mentions the word geveah, wine-goblet. If you rearrange the
letters of wine goblet “gaveah”; gimmel, bais, yud, ayin, the result
is, yud, gimmel, and ayin, bais. Yud, gimmel, which has the numerical
value of 13, which this numerical value refers to the well known 13 attributes
of Hashem's mercy. The letters ayin, bais, refer to the word av, which
means cloud or thick in Hebrew. These two sets of letters combined together,
tell us that within the brother's trouble, caused by the geveah, wine-goblet,
there was hiding Hashem's great mercy. This is referred to by the word
geviah, which is broken into two sets if letters, yod, gimmel: Hashem's
13 attributes of mercy -- and av: cloud, thickness, [Hashem's mercy being
very thick] or hidden, like a cloud protects from the harsh rays of the
sun. Also, ayin, bais, refers to one of Hashems names, consisting
of 72 letters [the numerical value of av being 71. This name refers
to Hashem's highest level of manifestation of His mercy to the world.
Therefore, this verse informs us, that within every trouble a person experiences
in life, is where one will find Hashem's great mercy hiding. (Lekutei Halachot
Orach Chayim: Hilchot Hodaah 6:45)
A Little about Chanukah
It was sin that caused the destruction of the temple. The first in the
series of sins that led to the destruction of the temple, transpired when
the Jews were in the desert. It started with the sin of the Jewish
people hearing the evil report given by the spies, when they returned from
their mission of spying-out the land of Israel. The Talmud comments on
this incident: "Hashem said to the Jewish people, you cried [now] for no
reason, I will establish [this day] for you [as a day] of crying for [future
generations" (Tannis 29). The day that this incident occurred as is well
known. It was on the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. On this
very day centuries later, both temples were destroyed. From this
incident we clearly see that the seeds for the destruction of both temples
were sown as a direct result of the sins of Israel. Therefore, knowing
that this sin was the root cause of the destruction of both Temples, Moshe
prayed for the rectification of this sin. Moshe knew that due to the immense
holiness of each Jewish soul, the Jewish people are unable to tolerate
living with sin, even for one day. This is why the Temple was crucial to
the Jewish people's spiritual well-being. The following verse illustrates
this concept. "Righteousness lodged in her [the Jewish people]" (Isaiah
1-21). "[Why was righteousness found in the Jewish people"'] For the daily
morning Tamid sacrifice atoned for sins [that the Jewish people committed
during] the night". "The daily afternoon Tamid sacrifice atoned for the
sins [the Jews committed during] the day" (Rashi). As our verse indicates,
it was essential to offer two daily atonement sacrifices, with great frequency,
since a Jewish soul can't tolerate living with sin even for one day, as
we just mentioned. From the time the temple was destroyed, we haven't had
a mechanism of atonement, which was able to cleanse us of sin as effectively
as the Temple. Moshe Rabbenu knew all these things, and that is why
he risked his life to rectify this sin of the spies, which was the root
cause of the destruction of the Temple. Moshe's prayer of repentance was
the basis for the eventual rededication of the Temple, centuries later,
at the time of Chanukah. How do we know that it was Moshe's prayer that
was partially responsible for the Temples rededication at Chanukah? For
in the verse, which contains Moshe's prayer for the rectification of the
sin if the spies, the word Chanukah is hidden. The first letter of each
word - roshei tavot - contained in the middle phrase of the following verse,
spells the word Chanukah. The translation of the verse is as follows. "[Moshe
said:] Pardon, I beseech You [Hashem], the sin [of the Jews crying upon
hearing the spies' evil report] of this people, according to the loving-kindness,
and as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now" (Bamidbar 14:19).
The Hebrew of this verse is as follows. Selach nah, la’avaon ha’am [hay]
Hazeh [chuf] C’godel [ches] CHasdecha [vav] V’kalasher [nun] Na’sahsah".
This verse teaches that Chanukah, dedicating and rebuilding the Temple,
can only be achieved through repentance of the "Salach Nah" process.
Therefore, the "selach nah", please pardon, which is achieved by each
individual on each Yom Kippur helps us come closer to the eventual Chanukah
of the future, when the third temple will be dedicated. This accomplished,
each Jewish soul will have regained its lost ability to, attain a full
atonement for sin. In other words, it is the atonement achieved on Yom
Kippur, that is part of and is vital to the "selach nah", process, white
will eventually lead to the rebuilding of the Temple. Moshe had effected
the same thing with his "selach nah", which was partially responsible for
the rededication of the Temple, centuries later, during Chanukah. The rectification
of "selach nah", that is performed on Yom Kippur, will lead is, and cause
us to celebrate the Chanukah of the future building of the third Temple
Amen! (Lekutei Moharan (2) 7-.11)
The days of Chanukah are days of thanksgiving. Giving thanks to Hashem
is the very same joy that the righteous experience in the world. The main
joy of olam habah is to experience the ecstasy that is involved with thanking
and praising Hashem. It is through praising and thanking Hashem that one
gets to know Hashem better and to, get intimately Hashem. Just as very
close friends, family members, or lovers get closer to each other, through
words of endearment and poetry. These type of words are a meeting of the
minds, which binds the two individuals closely together. This closeness
with Hashem, is the greatest possible joy. The Midrash Rabbah proves that
in giving thanks, one can experience the ecstasy of olam habah. The Midrash
says, "That in the future all the sacrifices will become obsolete, except
for the thanks offering". This Midrash implies, that in the future -- which
will be a time of great to be able to experience this joy -- it will only
be necessary to thank and praise Hashem. Learning Torah, and especially
halachot, is also another way to experience the ecstasy of olam habah.
For the more one gets to, know the ways of Hashem, halacha [ways], being
especially suited for this, the closer one gets to Hashem. This is
due to as we mentioned before, a meeting of the minds between two individuals
causes attachment and closeness of the two individuals involved.
Therefore, learning halachot one experiences the joys of olam habah
as the Talmud teaches: "Anyone who learns halachot daily, can trust that
he will merit olam habah" (Niddah 73). This phrase is telling us, that
getting to know Hashem better, which is accomplished through the learning
of halacha, one will experience the joys of olam habah.
To further demonstrate that through learning Halacha one can experience
the joys of olam habah. The Talmud comments on the following verse in Tanach.
"’Hashem was with him [King David]’. This means the halacha was always
according to his [King David's] opinion" (Sanhedrin 93B). The Talmud is
telling us that through King David's learning halacha, Hashem was with
him. Hashem being with a person, close to a person, is the joy of olam
habah. This is accomplished through getting to know Hashem's ways, through
the learning of halacha. (Lekutai Moharan (2) 2:12)
Due to, the limitations of our physical bodies, one can only experience
the joys-of olam habah to a limited degree in this world. However, in the
future world, where we won't be limited by our physical bodies, the joys
of experiencing the closeness of Hashem will be without b-DLtnds.
May we all merit the joys of olam habah to the best of our abilities,
even in this world, where especially on Chanukah, we all can give thanks
and praise Hashem, we all an become close with Hashem Amen.
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