MISC section - contents: [1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE Q: We bring up our children with a hope they will love the ideals and personalities we cherish from our “Dati Leumi” (National Religious, basically parallel to what Americans call “Modern Orthodox”) upbringing. However, for a combination of philosophical and pragmatic reasons, we send them to schools which might be classified as “modern Haredi”. At school, our children have heard remarks that are offensive to families like ours, which, although not directed at them, upset them. Now that one of the boys decided to wear a hat on Shabbat, he has started to feel less welcoming treatment from some congregants at “kipa seruga” shuls, although perhaps it is an inaccurate perception. A few weeks ago, we visited in a shul where a man (it turns out, a psychologist!) who does not know us came over twice during davening to say the most obnoxious things to my son about the fact he wears a hat when his father does not. My son, a respectful boy in his early teens, was upset. How do you suggest we go about trying to give our kids the best of “different worlds” and protect them from abuse? A: One cannot hermetically shield his children from abuse any more than he can protect toddlers from falls without tying them down and harming them. In embarking on your take from here and there approach, you should have been aware that few Jewish communities practice full religious pluralism, even between different styles of Orthodoxy. Some don’t believe in pluralism. Others believe in it, but some individuals tend to react negatively to one who dresses in a way that they associate with judgmental and intolerant people. Not everyone notices the hypocrisy involved. Baruch Hashem, most people are not like that, or at least do not express prejudices in an openly abusive way. However, just as from time to time kids will be made fun for their height, weight, intelligence, etc., you and your kids will hear occasional comments about wearing a hat or not wearing one, in different circles, respectively. While your educational goals are your prerogative, please consider the following. You want your children to be exposed to the best of “two worlds”, to love all Jews, and be comfortable among the communities with which they mingle. Understand that, at least in the prevailing socioeligious climate in Israel and other Jewish communities, your children will straddle the fence when they grow up but will choose a side. That does not mean your efforts are in vain. With siyata dishmaya, although your children will end up in whatever community they (not you) decide, they will have learned lessons that most of their peers lack. Undiscerning outsiders may judge them by their mode of dress or other externality, but that does not mean they have not been enriched. To succeed, it is important to expose them wisely to positive elements and personalities of the “world” they are less likely to take part in. This will hopefully not only teach ideals but also expand the part of klal Yisrael with which they have an affinity and love. It is unhealthy to expose your children to schools which inappropriately “bash” things your family stands for. Differing opinions need not be harmful, but their presentation can be. The man who abused your son made a psychological mistake (besides the sin of embarrassing a young guest). Such “pot shots” only distance people from the community one represents, whether it is Dati Leumi or Haredi or whatever. This is a disservice to you, who are trying to impart the positive legacy you were raised on. It is best to minimize such interactions; it is not desirable or possible to avoid them totally. You should figure out how to teach your child, according to his personality, about the dynamics of these matters and prepare him to think healthily and wisely. We respect the difficult educational path you have taken. Realize that it requires more skill to safely swim against the current, but some feel they have no choice and sometimes it leads to the place he needs to go. Make sure you can handle it and, if yes, good luck! Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to info@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Subscribe/English (for the English version) or Subscribe/Hebrew (for the hebrew version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel [2] Candle by Day [3] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively) The power of lashon hakodesh is high- lighted in this week's sedra, Vayigash. When Yosef reveals himself to his brothers and attempts to prove his true identity he says: "Behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Binyamin, that it is my mouth that is speaking to you" (Ber. 45:12). Rashi comments that the proof from his speech was that he was speaking lashon hakodesh. R. Chaim Halbestam of Sanz (1793- 1876) asks the obvious question: How can Yosef prove his identity through language? There were others in Egypt, like the interpreter, who spoke it as well. He answers that when a person speaks in a foreign language, his voice is less recognizable - the pitch, tone, and even the rhythm are all changed. When Yosef first interacted with his brothers in Egypt, he did not use the language of his father's home. When they heard him speak lashon hakodesh, they were finally hearing his true voice and could accept that he was, indeed, their lost brother. Perhaps our own efforts to use and master the language, brought about by our aliya, can be viewed as part of a process of using our voices to reestablish our true identities as Bnei Yisrael in God's eyes and will, in fact, hasten the redemption. TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu’a [4] Wisdom and Wit Shmuel Himelstein has written a wonderful series for ArtScroll: Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit; A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit; and "Wisdom and Wit" — available at your local Jewish bookstore (or should be). [5] Portion for the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum But we find a verse in the parsha that seems strange. When the news of the arrival of Yosef's brothers to Egypt reached Par'o's ears, the verse says "Par'o and his advisors were pleased" (45:16). And it was Par'o who invites Yaakov and his descendants to come to Egypt. "I will give you the best land in Egypt. You will eat the fat of the land" “(45:18) Par'o even gives them wagons with plenty of food for the journey to Israel and to bring back the whole family. It seems that Egypt had a monopoly on the construction of wagons at that time. They could only be sent out of Egypt with Par'o's explicit permission and that was only to nations who were on good terms with Egypt. Why was Par'o so intent on having Yaakov and his family come to Egypt that he commanded Yosef to send wagons laden with “Egypt's finest products” (45:23), grain, bread, and food such as peas, fava beans, figs, raisins, dates , millet, and spelt (Ibn Ezra)? What was in it for him? The phrase used is “VAYITAV BEINEI PAR'O” - Par'o was pleased, is the same phrase used when Par'o hears the interpretation of his dream from Yosef (41:37). There Par'o was pleased with the interpretation Yosef gave, and here he is pleased with Yosef's yichus. Par'o was happy to hear that the slave boy/prisoner who he had appointed to be his viceroy was not really a slave boy, but came from a special lineage. Yosef was an Ivri, a descendant of Abraham, who had won the “world war” of his day and defeated the Kings. Abraham also ruled over many lands. Par'o's choice of Yosef seemed more appropriate now. He also hoped that Yosef's family members were as gifted as Yosef and Abraham and would bring more benefits to the land of Egypt. He was looking out for the interests of Egypt. FUL MEDAMES - Egyptian Fava Beans [6] Parsha Points to Ponder - VAYIGASH 2) Why does G-D communicate to Yaakov twice in what the Torah describes as nighttime visions (46:2 and 28:11-12) to communicate with him and never does so with the other forefathers? 3) Why does the Torah relate that Yosef settles his family (47:11-12) and then suddenly interrupt with seemingly irrelevant information about Yosef’s policies regarding the Egyptians (47:13-26) before returning back to Yaakov and family settling and succeeding in Goshen (47:27)? THESE ARE THE ANSWERS 1) Rav Moshe Feinstein answers that the first declaration referred to the fact that he was physically their brother, Yosef. However, Yosef wanted to assure his brothers that he maintained the beliefs and attributes of their forefathers and would deal with them compassionately. The second I AM YOSEF proclaimed this identity on a spiritual level. 2) The Meshech Chochma explains that G-D appeared to Yaakov in this fashion before the two times that he was sojourning for long periods of time outside of the Land of Israel which the other forefathers never did. The night- time visions were used to symbolize to Yaakov that G-D’s presence was with him even during the darkness of exile. 3) Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky teaches that the story of Yosef and his policies with the Egyptians are an integral part of the story of Yaakov and his family settling in Egypt. The three policies which Yosef enacted - that no Egyptian owns his own land, that Egyptians were moved to new cities, and that priests were exempt from taxes - all served to insure the spiritual survival of Yaakov’s family in Egypt. The first two established that no Egyptian could feel empowered to persecute this family of foreigners since all Egyptians were essentially foreigners with no rights of ownership. This freed Yaakov’s family to focus on their spiritual pursuits regardless of how different this made them appear. The tax exemption freed the tribe of Levi to serve as kohanim of this nation thereby enabling them to focus on their spiritual needs. Thus, these policies were essential to Yaakov’s family settling comfortably into their new lives, and is a seamless continuation of the story. Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman, who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim, Tiferet, and Machon Maayan in Beit Shemesh and RBS and is the author of "DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith",just re-published by Feldheim, ppp@israelcenter.co.il [7] Torah KidBits After twenty-two long years of separation, Yaakov's family is finally on their way to join Yosef in Egypt. But leaving Eretz Yisrael is not a simple thing to do. First Yaakov must stop in Beer Sheva to receive G-d's blessing and approval. (Beer Sheva is where both Avraham and Yitzchak received blessings from Hashem.) In Beer Sheva, Yaakov has a dream. G-d appears and tells him: Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I shall make you into a great nation. I shall go down with you to Egypt and I shall also bring you up. Now Yaakov is ready to continue his journey, but do you think he and his family are happy to go to Mitzrayim? Of course they were happy to be with Yosef. They would be his honored guests. They would be protected, fed and treated royally. And Hashem promised to bring them back home. But still, they would be strangers in someone else's land. And they didn't know what the future would bring. Countless times throughout the ages, the Jewish People were forced to leave their homes. (That's why we're called Wandering Jews.) We were exiled twice from Eretz Yisrael. We spread out to Bavel, Spain, Africa and Europe. We travelled as far away as China, India, America and Australia. Sometimes we stayed a long time in a country. (We were in Spain and in Poland for almost one thousand year!) But sooner or later, we were expelled from every one of these places. Yet each time we were forced to leave, we always remembered the promise Hashem made to Yaakov: I am with you and I shall protect you wherever you go. I shall bring you back to this land . Today, almost half of the Jewish people in the world have returned to Eretz Yisrael. We pray that the rest will return soon. Thousands of years have passed since G-d made his promises to the Avot, but Hashem doesn't forget. He'll keep His promises to us, but we have to remember something too. We have to remember that G-d wants the Jewish People here, in Eretz Yisrael, in His Holy Land. Hopefully, as soon as we all try our best to return home, Hashem will take care of the rest of the arrangements! Meanwhile, aren't you glad you're already here? [8] Torah from a Talmid(a) In Yosef's speech, three pesukim stand out which truly show his righteousness. Yosef states, "And he said: I am Yosef your brother - me, whom you sold to Egypt. And now, be not distressed, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, for it was as a supporter of life that God sent me ahead of you… And God has sent me ahead of you to insure your survival in the land and to sustain you for a great deliverance. And now: It was not you who sent me here, but God" (B'reishit 45:4-8). From his speech, it is obvious that Yosef followed in the way of God and forgave his brothers who have repented. But much more can be learned. Yosef walked in the ways of God not like many other people would, by telling his brothers that it was not they who had sold him to the Ishmaelites, but that God had a mission for him. Here Yosef not only forgives his brothers, but fulfills the words of the Rambam, "As if he never sinned," (Hilchot Teshuva 7:4) by transferring all the blame, so to speak, of the sale from them unto God. Aside from imitating God, we see that Yosef was also concerned with the feelings of his brothers. In the first pasuk, Yosef uses the word "sold" which reminds the brothers of their sin. But as Yosef continues, we see from the second pasuk the transition from "sold" to "sent" which tries to show how Yosef did not view the act of selling as a sale but rather as a divine mission, thereby relieving his brothers of the shame they were feeling. And finally, in the third pasuk, the word "sent" is only mentioned and the sin is eradicated from the minds of the brothers. There were many righteous people throughout the Torah, but it is none other than Yosef, the viceroy of Egypt who receives the name "Yosef Hatzadik". He earned this honor for his pursuit of "vehalachta bid'rachav" (the Rambam teaches that just as G-d forgives, so too, all shall strive and forget the wrongs that were committed against them once the transgressor has repented, thus fulfilling the command to imitate God) and his carefulness with the feelings and emotions of his brothers. The goal of Yeshivat Shvilei Hatorah is to develop a generation of Modern Orthodox Jews who integrate Torah into their daily lives, future professions and community activities. Our yeshiva inculcates the knowledge and grounding necessary for our students to function as Torah observant Jews and leaders in both the Jewish and secular worlds. The YSH program combines serious Torah study, chesed opportunities, personal attention, and informative tiyulim in a growth-oriented environment that emphasizes identification with the land, people, and destiny of the Jewish nation. We uniquely offer two tracks: one Gemara intensive and the other, a broad array of shiurim on Tanach, Jewish Philosophy, Modern Jewish History and Gemara and Mishna. www.shvileihatorah.org [9] MicroUlpan [10] ASARA B’TEVET FYI: Asara b'Tevet falls on Sunday (29.9%), Tuesday (27.9%), Friday (20.1%), Thursday (18.1%), Wednesday (3.9%). And, in our fixed calendar, never on Monday or Shabbat. [11] Divrei Menachem In contrast, recalling Hashem's message to his grandfather (B'reishit 15: 13-14), Yaakov has a premonition that a long harsh exile lay ahead, so that when he offers a sacrifice on the way to Egypt, he does so to, "The G-d of his father Yitzchak". Our rabbis indicate that Hashem is referred to as "Pachad Yitzchak" - 'The Dread of Isaac' - and that by invoking his father, Yaakov is, in fact, imploring Hashem to soften the harshness of the upcoming ordeal implied by this stern title. Perhaps this explains why Hashem appears to Yaakov, then as always, at night, thus demonstrating that He would always remain with him and his descendants despite the darkness and despair. This might also explain the interpretation that the 'missing' progeny among Leah's children who went down to Egypt (listed as 33 when only 32 names appear, cf., ibid 46:14) was in actuality the Sh'china, the Divine Presence. Now, thousands of years later, even as we live in Eretz Yisrael, the challenge remains as to how to turn the Exile (within us) into a temporary phenomenon and, concurrently, draw down the Divine Presence into our topsy-turvy world. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff [The Parshat Vayigash Homepage]
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