VaYeishev 5631 Third Ma'amar

The mission of the children of Israel was to recognize and clarify that there is a spiritual component to everything physical.  Every physical thing has spiritual roots.  The physical world exists only because its spiritual roots provide it with existential sustenance much as a tree could not exist without its roots which provide it with life-giving sustenance.  Even though the physical world contains many, many disparate and sundry things, the entire physical world has a common spiritual denominator.  This means, of course, that the world is not abandoned.  Rather, God runs things here.

The Sfas Emes sees an allusion to this concept in Yosef’s first dream, “וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתוֹך הַשָּׂדֶה .../And behold, we are binding sheaves in the middle of the field …” (Breishis 37:7)  A field connotes an abandoned place.  We find, for example, that the Torah calls Eisav a, “אִישׁ שָׂדֶה/man of the field” (Breishis 25:27).  Chazal tell us that Eisav lived with abandonment, killing, having illicit relations and worshipping idols.[1]  This world seems to be “abandoned”.  Like the field, it appears as if the world has an autonomous existence; that there is no one running the show. 

A defining factor of nature and the material world is plurality.  A defining factor of the spiritual is unity.  Since the spiritual underlies the physical, the plurality of the physical is an illusion.  In reality, there is unity in the physical as well.  Binding the sheaves symbolizes this unity.  This unity is the antithesis of abandonment.  The unity underlying the physical world points to Divine Providence.

When we acknowledge that events are not happenstance, that the world is not “abandoned” but rather that there is Divine Providence, we can understand the Midrash on the next part of the dream, “... וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי .../… and behold my sheaf arose …” (Breishis 37:7) 

The word for sheaf – אֲלֻמָּתִי – has the same root as the word for mute – אִלֵם.  The Midrash[2] says that this is an allusion to Yosef’s mother Rachel who refused to speak up when Ya’akov sent gifts for her, and her father Lavan gave them to her sister Leah.  Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, “My entire life I was raised among the sages and I haven’t found a better thing for the body than silence.”  Why was Rachel silent?  Why did she not stand up for herself?  Rachel was silent, the Sfas Emes explains, because she was aware of the limits of her intelligence and abilities in the face of Divine Providence.  She was quiet because she knew that there was nothing she could possibly do to change the Providence that decreed that Leah be married to Ya’akov.  One can only imagine how difficult a test this must have been for her, but she succeeded in subordinating her own desire to Divine Providence.

If events constantly occur that are opposed to our desires.  If our desires are constantly being thwarted, then it’s time to entertain the possibility that God is sending us a message.  Since our intelligence and desires are of no value against Providence, and if they are aligned with Divine Providence, we cannot help but succeed, it is in our best interest to align our will with God’s.

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[1]Breishis R. 63:12

[2]Breishis R. 84:10; see also Tanchuma VaYeitzei 6

VaYeishev 5632 Second Ma'amar

The Sfas Emes teaches that the source of all hischadshus/renewal that we experience comes from outside the physical world.  It comes from the spiritual.  If we seek renewal and newness within the physical, we will be frustrated in our efforts.  Nature belies renewal and novelty.  How can we merit renewal?

The Sfas Emes answers that we can merit renewal by connecting to the spiritual.  How?  We find a pasuk in the chapter of Tehillim (30:2) that we read during Chanuka, “ארוממך ה' כי דליתני .../I will exult You, God, for you have lifted me up …”  The Chiddushei HaRim explains that the word דליתני/you have lifted me up alludes to דלות/meagerness.  It is not much of a kindness if God lifts us up and this causes us to become arrogant.  Therefore, the Chiddushei HaRim quoting the holy Rav of Parshischa explains that God lifts us up in a way in which we remain humble.  He helps us to connect to Him and, remaining humble, we stay connected.  Being connected to God is the only way to experience hischadshus/renewal and novelty in this world.

The Chiddushei HaRim also teaches that this is the meaning of the words that we say every morning, “מגביה שפלים .../He lifts up the lowly …”  When we think about this we are beset with questions.  Once He lifts them up, they are no longer lowly.  But to be of a low spirit is something for which we strive.[1]  Why, then, would God lift us away from lowliness of spirit?  This prayer must be understood differently.  When God “lifts” us up, He is not lifting us away from humility.  Rather, He is bringing us close to Him – connected to Him, as it were.  The Chiddushei HaRim explains that God lifts up those who will remain lowly even after He lifts them up.  He helps us to come close to Him and remain humble.  Again, being close to God, we are open to experience His hischadshus.

We find this concept in a Zohar[2] explaining the pasuk, “טוב ילד מסכן וחכם ממלך זקן וכסיל .../A poor and wise child is better than an old and foolish king …” (Koheles 4:13)  The Zohar says that the child represents the yetzer hatov/good inclination whereas the old king represents the yetzer hara/evil inclination.  The good inclination guides us to be wary of the suggestions of the yetzer hara, to realize that life is fraught with dangers – מסכן/poor has the same root as סכנה/danger – and to fear sin.  The yetzer hatov helps us to be wise.  What is חכמה/wisdom?  The Zohar[3] explains that חכמה comprises the same letters as כח מה'/strength (or potential) is from God.  The foundation of wisdom is to realize that all power and all potential are from God.  The pasuk states this explicitly, “ראשית חכמה יראת ה'/Awe of God is the beginning of wisdom.” (Tehillim 111:10)

When we tread carefully in this world and realize that everything is from God, we “connect” to Him and are able to experience renewal.  Things take on newness.  One who thinks that he is secure on his own experiences only staleness.

We can understand a pasuk in this week’s parsha according to this concept as well, “... והוא נער/… and he was a youth” (Breishis 37:2) referring to Yosef.  The word נער/youth, has the same root as the word התעוררות/revival.  Yosef always had hischadshus because he was always connected with God.

Our nation experienced a tremendous hischadshus on Chanukah as well.  At the time of the Chanukah story, we as a nation were on quite a low level.  The Assyrian Greeks has instituted terrible decrees forbidding us from keeping the mitzvos.  We cried out to God and He saved us through miracles and wonders.  Every miracle was a hischadshus that came from outside the physical world.  This is clearly alluded to in Tehillim (40:2-4), “קוה קויתי ה' ויט אלי וישמע שועתי: ויעלני מבור שאון מטיט היון ... ויתן בפי שיר חדש .../I have greatly hoped for God.  He inclined to m me and heard my cry.  He raised me from the pit of raging waters, from the slimy mud … He put a new song in my mouth …”  The word יון/slimy, in this pasuk alludes to יון/Greece.

May we merit God lifting us close to Him thereby experiencing hischadshus in our lives.

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[1] Avos 4:4

[2] Zohar 1:179a

[3] Zohar 3:28a, Tikunei Zohar 69, 102b

VaYeishev 5633 First Ma'amar

The second pasuk of our parsha, "אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף בן שבע עשרה שנה היה רועה את אחיו בצאן .../These are the descendents of Ya'akov, Yosef was seventeen years old when he herded the sheep with his brothers …" (Breishis 37:2)  The words "אלה תולדות .../These are the descendents …", are usually followed by a list of descendents.  Here, however, these words are followed by the story of Yosef.  Why is this?

Chazal[1] teach us that Yaakov wondered how he would be able to persevere and conquer the generals of Eisav listed at the end of last week's parsha.  At the beginning of this week's parsha, the Torah hints at the answer.  Ya'akov would be able to cope with Eisav through Yosef.  This is alluded to in the pasuk, "והיה בית יעקב אש ובית יוסף להבה ובית עשו לקש ודלקו בהם ואכלום/The house of Ya'akov will be fire, the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Eisav will be as straw; and they will ignite them and consume them …" (Ovadia 1:18)

Why does the pasuk compare Ya'akov to fire and Yosef to a flame?  Is there significance to this association beyond the simple metaphor?  The Sfas Emes teaches that there is.  Elsewhere, we find the Torah referred to as fire, "... כה דברי כאש נאום ה' .../… My word is like fire, declares God …" (Yirmiyahu 23:29) 

The pasuk in Ovadia is teaching us that Ya'akov Avinu is like the Torah.  He is the repository of Torah and has the spiritual power of Torah.  This is a very high level.  The Sfas Emes teaches us that Ya'akov Avinu was on a spiritual level that was beyond nature.  However, because he was on such a high level, he was not able to influence the physical world.  He was beyond the physical world.  The Torah too, is ephemeral.  It needs something to ground it in the physical world.  Just like fire needs to be fanned to spread, the Torah needs a flame as well.  This flame is represented by Yosef.  Yosef is the להבה/flame that will spread the Torah in the physical world.

What is this flame that will spread Torah?  The word להבה/flame has the same root as the word התלהבות/enthusiasm.  In order for us to internalize the fire of the Torah so that we can be influenced by it and use to influence others and the world around us, we need to approach it with enthusiasm.

Rashi[2] explains that the flame enables fire to control that which is far from its source.  The farther a person is from something the stronger his desire to come close to it.  When we are close to something, we do not have a strong desire to come close to it.  We are already there.  It is easy.  However, when we are far from something that we want, we have a strong desire to come close to it.  It is this strong enthusiasm, then, that enables the Torah to spread far and wide.  

This explains, "אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף .../These are the descendents of Ya'akov, Yosef …"  The word תולדות/descendents can be understood loosely to mean anything that comes from Ya'akov, not necessarily his progeny.  It can also mean Ya'akov's Torah.  We've already seen that Ya'akov himself represents the fire of Torah.  The pasuk can be understood then, to mean that Torah will spread only with the desire and enthusiasm represented by Yosef HaTzadik.

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[1] Breishis R. 84:5

[2] Breishis 30:25, ד"ה כאשר

VaYeishev 5632 Third Ma'amar

In this week's parsha, Potiphar's wife attempts to entice Yosef HaTzadik.  He refused to be tempted, "וימאן ויאמר אל־אשת אדניו הן אדני לא־ידע אתי מה־בבית וכל אשר־יש־לו נתן בידי ... ואיך אעשה הרעה הגדלה הזאת .../He refused, and he said to his master's wife, 'Behold, my master is not concerned with anything in the house, and all that he has, he gave over into my charge … so how can I do this great evil …?" (Breishis 39:8-9)  Yosef HaTzadik's logic is that taking his master's wife would be a betrayal of the trust that his master put in him.  Yosef could not allow himself to betray that trust. 

The Sfas Emes advises us to use the same logic to thwart our own evil inclination.  God could have taken away our possibility of choosing.  He entrusts us with choice and expects us to act responsibly.  How can we betray God's trust?

It is also possible that Yosef's argument was for the benefit of Potiphar's wife more than it was for himself.  This can be inferred from the wording of the pasuk.  First, "וימאן/He refused."  Afterward he presents her with his argument.  The implication is that Yosef did not need the argument.  He refused because he was not tempted by her.  He overcame his evil inclination completely.  The argument, then, was for her sake.

Another way to understand the pasuk is that it is impossible to think logically while in the heat of passion.  We must first at least distance ourselves from the immediate danger of submitting to our evil inclination.  Only then can we argue logically.  Yosef first had to refuse her advances.  Only from a state in which there was no immediate danger of submitting to the evil inclination was he able to have the presence of mind to present a logical argument.

VaYigash 5631 Fifth Ma'amar

Ya’akov Avinu’s purpose was to spread holiness in the world.  He was a conduit for holiness.  However, he lived such a spiritual existence, was so removed from the physical world that he was unable, on his own, to do so.  Yosef, on the other hand, was more connected to the physical world.  Elsewhere[1] the Sfas Emes cites the Zohar[2] that refers to Yosef as the שומר הברית/keeper of the covenant.  Conventionally, this refers to his overcoming the temptations presented to him by the wife of his master Potiphar. 

The covenant that he kept was the covenant of the circumcision.  The Sfas Emes teaches though that Yosef, as the keeper of the covenant, represents the holiness that is within the physical world.  How so?  In this world holiness is hidden by gross physicality.  The removal of the foreskin symbolizes unveiling the holiness that lies within the physical world.[3]

 

It was through Yosef and his ability to live in the physical world and yet unveil the holiness therein that Ya’akov was able to act as a conduit for holiness in the natural world.[4]

Descending to Egypt represented a difficult challenge for Ya’akov Avinu.  He would only be able to fulfill his purpose there by descending in levels of holiness.  However, because of Yosef this would not be necessary.

Yosef understood this.  So he sent wagons to his father Ya’akov to ameliorate his concerns.  The Hebrew word for wagon – עַגָלָה – has the same root as the word for circle – עִיגוּל.  The wagons were an allusion that everything physical circles back to its spiritual roots.  Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev writes a similar idea in Kedushas Levi. 

Yosef’s brothers as well represented different ways of spreading Ya’akov’s spirituality in the physical world.  The pasuk tells us, “וַיִּשְׂאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם .../The children of Israel carried their father Ya’akov …”  The Sfas Emes explains that they acted as a chariot to Ya’akov.  A chariot carries its rider from place to place.  Through the chariot, the rider’s influence spreads.  In this sense the tribes were a chariot to Ya’akov.  Through them, his influence would spread throughout the world.

Still, even Ya’akov Avinu’s connection to the tribes, was made possible by Yosef.  Yosef was the flame of Ya’akov’s fire, so to speak. 

It is for this reason that the Torah tells us that Ya’akov Avinu did not believe the brothers when they returned from Egypt with the good news that Yosef was alive.  Belief implies connection and attraction.  When we believe something we are attracted to that belief and feel a connection with it.  When the Torah tells us that Ya’akov Avinu did not believe the brothers, it is hinting to us this very idea.  Ya’akov was able to relate to the tribes only through Yosef. 

When he saw the wagons and realized that Yosef had sent them as a hint that Ya’akov would be able to remain on his high spiritual level and still influence the world through Yosef, he realized as well, that he would be able to influence the world through the tribes, by way of Yosef.  The tribes were thus able to “carry him”.  Through Yosef they, too, were able to be Ya’akov’s chariot, spreading his influence.

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[1] Mikeitz 5631 Second Ma’amar and VaYigash 5631 Second Ma’amar

[2] Zohar 1:59a

[3]  See VaYeira 5632 First Ma’amar for a detailed discussion of this concept.

[4] See also VaYeishev 5631 First Ma’amar and VaYeishiv 5632 First Ma’amar for more detail on the spiritual relationship between Ya’akov and Yosef.

VaYeishev 5632 First Ma'amar

The first pasuk of the parsha seems to be extraneous.  We know where Ya’akov lived.  Last week’s parsha recounts his return to his father’s house in Hebron.  This week’s parsha recounts Yosef’s descent to Egypt.  Why did the parsha not start from the second pasuk, אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף .../These are the generations of Ya’akov, Yosef …”, the beginning of the story?

A clear understanding of a Midrash that Rashi cites will give us the answer to this question.  The well known Midrash at the beginning of this week’s parsha begins, “בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצַדִיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים בְּשַׁלְוָה וּמְבַקְשִׁים לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶה .../When the righteous are dwelling serenely, they ask to dwell in serenity in this world as well …”  There seems to be redundancy in the wording of the Midrash.  Would it not have been simpler to say, “The righteous ask to dwell in serenity in this world”?  Why does the Midrash first say that the righteous are dwelling serenely and then afterward say that they ask to dwell in serenity in this world?

In order to understand this Midrash we need to understand what dwelling serenely means?  The Sfas Emes explains that the righteous consider it their purpose, their reason for being, to draw holiness into this world.  They want to be the conduit through which holiness descends from the spiritual into the physical.  In order to do this, they must first work on themselves to minimize their own connection to the physical world.  The righteous person who is not drawn by the desires of the natural world, is an appropriate conduit to relay holiness into the world, otherwise, his own pull to the physical world acts as a block. 

Dwelling serenely, then, means reaching a state of minimal connection with the physical world.  It is very serene indeed.  On this level, the physical presents no barrier between the righteous person and God.  On this level, he can be a perfect conduit.  This is the goal of the righteous and this is what the Midrash means by, “they ask to dwell in serenity in the world as well.”

The parsha starts from, “וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב/Ya’akov dwelled” to teach us that Ya’akov was totally connected to his spiritual roots.      וַיֵּשֶׁב/He dwelled, has the same root as repentance – תְּשׁוּבָה – and Shabbos – שַׁבָּת.  The literal translation of תְּשׁוּבָה is return.  When we repent we return to God, the highest spiritual level.  The Sfas Emes explains elsewhere that Shabbos as well, means a state of Divine revelation.  וַיֵּשֶׁב therefore implies that Ya’akov Avinu connected to his spiritual roots.  In fact, Ya’akov Avinu was so successful at separating himself from the physical that he was completely beyond the natural world.  Because of this, on his own, he was unable to act as a conduit to bring holiness into nature.  He needed Yosef.

For this reason when the Torah begins to describe the generations of Ya’akov, it starts from Yosef, “אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף .../These are the generations of Ya’akov, Yosef …”  The word תֹּלְדוֹת/generations, can be understood more loosely to mean any influence a person has on the world, not just offspring.  The Sfas Emes understands it here to mean the holiness that Ya’akov wanted to bring into the natural world. 

The Torah begins describing Ya’akov’s influence on the world by mentioning Yosef to teach us that the holiness of Ya’akov influenced the world through Yosef.  Rashi notes this relationship between Ya’akov and Yosef.  He writes that Yosef was the flame of Ya’akov’s fire.  Fire without flame has little effect.  However fire with a roaring flame can affect areas far from the original source of the fire.  Ya’akov’s “fire” was able to spread far and wide only because of Yosef’s “flame”.

This is the reason, too, that, “... אֹתוֹ אָהַב ... מִכָּל־אֶחָיו ... [Ya’akov] loved [Yosef] more than all his brothers …”  Only through Yosef did Ya’akov have a connection with the brothers and the world.  Although the pasuk tells us that Yosef brought evil tales about his brothers to his father, he brought their good deeds to him as well.  He was the conduit, the go between that enabled Ya’akov’s holiness to descend into and influence the material world.  By the same token, he brings the positive actions of the nation of Israel to Ya’akov who represents the highest level in a spiritual hierarchy[*] that affects the world.

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[*] See Kedoshim 5631 First Ma’amar for more on this concept

VaYeishev 5631 First Ma'amar

This week's parsha relates the story of how Yosef was kidnapped and separated from his father Ya'akov for 22 years.[1] The Midrash says that after his struggles with Lavan, Eisav, and Shechem, Ya'akov Avinu wanted to live a life of peace and calm. This was not to be. Specifically because this was his desire, the distress of Yosef was brought upon him.[2] We usually interpret this Midrash as referring to the physical struggles that Ya'akov endured during the course of his life. However, the Sfas Emes explains that this Midrash is actually referring to Ya'akov Avinu's spiritual struggles culminating in his final spiritual struggle represented by Yosef.

The difficulty for Ya'akov in his journey to and travails with Lavan, Esav, and Shechem was that these troubles took him away from a life of holiness in a place which was conducive for connecting with God, sheltered from the ugliness of the outside world. Metaphorically, Ya'akov's departure from the house of his father Yitzchak, all that happened to him during his exile, and his subsequent return, parallel the relationship between Shabbos and the days of the week. Shabbos is not only a time conducive to connecting to God because we are not distracted by our weekday activities. It is spiritually a higher level day on which the entire world is truly closer to God than during the days of the week. As such, Shabbos is also a concept representing a certain level of closeness to God.

Before Ya'akov went to Lavan, he was on a level of Shabbos in his relationship with God. Just as Shabbos is separate from the days of the week so to Ya’akov was completely separate from anything worldly. His efforts with Lavan, Esav, and Shechem represented a descent into the physical world, a descent from a level of complete separation from the distractions of the world around him, a level of Shabbos, into a level of the days of the week. Ya'akov needed to work hard, paralleling the work of the days of the week, to maintain his connection to God even as he lived in Lavan's house with its accent on the physical world. The beginning of this week's parsha suggests Ya'akov's return to a level of Shabbos, "וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב .../Ya'akov dwelt ..." (Breishis 37:1) The first word of the parsha, וַיֵּשֶׁב/He dwelt, comes from the same root as the word Shabbos.

The difficulties that Ya'akov experienced with Lavan, Esav and Dina were an attempt to separate him from God. Living a life of serenity, of Godliness, even in the physical world is the ultimate desire of the righteous. It means spreading an awareness of God in the physical world, a place were He is normally hidden. It means bringing the level of Shabbos into the physical world. This concept is symbolized by Yosef. This is the deeper meaning of the distress of Yosef mentioned in the Midrash. How so? The word Yosef means to add. The strength of Yosef was the ability to spread an awareness of God in the physical world. If Ya'akov Avinu was on a Shabbos level of attachment to God, then Yosef, the Sfas Emes explains, was tosfos Shabbos/an addition to Shabbos. The Midrash says that this is why Ya'akov Avinu was prepared to meet Esav only after Yosef was born. With Yosef he was able to overcome the this-worldliness that Esav represented.

Shabbos is made for connecting to God. We learn from Ya'akov that we can live a life in which we reveal God during our daily activities as well. We do this by cultivating a desire that the result of our activities be a greater awareness of God. Accepting Shabbos early symbolizes this work because when we accept Shabbos early we are actually bringing the holiness of the Shabbos into what would otherwise be a part of the week. Working to raise our weekday experiences to a Shabbos level, essentially yearning for Shabbos during the week, enables us to accept Shabbos early.
[1] Breishis chapt. 37
[2] Breishis R. 84:3