​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
One of the best known pasukim in our parasha and the Passover Haggadah states: “On that day, you must tell your child, ‘It is because of this that God acted for me when I left Egypt.’” (Sefer Shemot 13:8, translation, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan zatzal) In addition, it is the source text in Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 116b for the celebrated statement: “In each and every generation an individual is obligated to view himself as if he went out of Egypt.” These words highlight the notion that Yetziat Mitzraim is not some long ago historical event lost in the sands of time; rather, it is a constitutive element of our people’s identity that must be given voice at the Pesach seder.
 
So much emphasis, however, has been placed upon our verse’s interpretation in the Talmud that its direct meaning has been nearly lost. Yet, we must ever remember Chazal’s assertion: “Ain hamikra yotzai m’yidei peshuto—the simple and direct understanding of the Torah text must never be ignored.” This mode of analysis was prominently championed by the Rashbam (1080-1158), as is evident in his examination of our pasuk:
​
“...it is because of this” Hashem performed miracles for me in Egypt. Therefore, I am performing this sacrificial service. So, too, do we find in the case of the verse: “This is the day that Hashem created for me for I was on the highest of heights, let us rejoice and let us celebrate.” (The latter quote is based upon Sefer Tehillim 118:24, with the Rashbam’s interpolations in bold, translation my own).
 
The Rashbam strongly emphasizes the terms “for me” and “I,” and urges us to focus upon the personal salvation experienced during Yetziat Mitzraim that helped forge a powerful relationship between the Almighty and every member of the Jewish people for all time. As the famed verse in the Shirah proclaims, “…this is my God and I will extol Him, the God of my fathers and I will raise Him up.” (Sefer Shemot 15:2, translation my own) 
 
The closeness of our relationship with the Master of the Universe is underscored by Dovid HaMelech in Sefer Tehillim. These verses reflect his passionate belief in Hashem’s closeness to us:
 
"You are near, Hashem, and all Your commandments are true." (119:151)
 
"Hashem is near to the broken-hearted, and He saves those of crushed spirit." (34:19)
 
"Truly, His salvation is near those who fear Him, so that His glory dwells in our land." (85:10)
 
"Hashem is near to all who call Him, to all who call Him with sincerity." (145:18)
(Translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
A careful reading of these pasukim reveals a fascinating pattern. 119:151 teaches us about Hashem’s status; He is, by definition, “near.” This is somewhat parallel to 34:19 wherein, simply because a Jew is broken-hearted, Hashem is close to him or her. This, too, is a matter of status. In contrast, 85:10 and 145:18 clearly indicate that Hashem’s nearness is contingent upon our behaviors toward Him. This raises a simple and direct question: “If it is Hashem’s ‘nature’ to be close to humankind, why are our actual actions of any import in this regard?”
 
My rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, poses a similar question in his analysis of the Friday night Kiddush. He asks: “If Shabbat is sanctified since the very moment of Creation, why is it necessary for us to say the words of the Kiddush? What can we possibly add to that which the Almighty has already sanctified?” The Rav explains that although the essential kedushah of Shabbat is constant and endures eternally, when we recite Kiddush, we bear testimony to Hashem as the Creator of the Universe and thereby join Him as partners in the act of Creation, shutfim b’ma’aseh Bereishit. As such, our words spoken during Kiddush add to the holiness of Shabbat and raise it to an entirely new level of kedushah.
 
As suggested, I believe the Rav’s approach to Kiddush helps us answer our earlier question, “If it is Hashem’s nature to be close to mankind, why are our actions of any import whatsoever in this regard?” It is true that, by definition, Hashem is close to us. Yet, when we call upon Him in heartfelt sincerity, we reinforce our relationship with Him, just as Ya’akov Avinu did when he declared, “Mah nora hamakom hazeh—How awe-inspiring is this place,” Sefer Bereishit 28:17). Moreover, when we recognize Hashem’s awesome nature, our personal relationship with Him achieves profoundly higher levels of meaning.
 
With Hashem’s help, may we ever strive to call upon Him in sincerity and awe. Then may we proclaim as one: “…this is my God and I will extol Him; the God of my fathers and I will raise Him up.” (Sefer Shemot 15:2) V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Rabbi David Etengoff
​
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The Passover Haggadah lists the makkot in order of their appearance in Sefer Shemot: “These are the Ten Plagues that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt: blood, frogs, lice, wild beasts, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, slaying of the first born.” (Translation, http://www.aish.com/h/pes/h/Ten_Plagues.html) The first seven appear in our parasha, whereas the final three are found in Parashat Bo. The Torah teaches us that the overarching purpose of the makkot was in order that “… the Egyptians shall know that I am Hashem when I stretch forth My hand over Egypt, and I will take the children of Israel out of their midst…” (Sefer Shemot 7:5, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Fascinatingly, while each plague profoundly affected every aspect of Egyptian society, only barad elicited the following statement from Pharaoh: “I have sinned this time (chatati hapa’am). Hashem is the righteous One (Hashem hatzadik), and I and my people are the guilty ones.’” (9:27) Pharaoh’s words contain three separate ideas: The recognition of his personal sin, the acknowledgment of Hashem’s righteousness, and the assertion of his and the Egyptian people’s guilt for having acted cruelly toward us.
 
Why did Pharaoh make this proclamation solely regarding this plague? Midrash Tanchuma Buber provides us with the following insight:

[Let us learn the reason for Pharaoh’s behavior based upon the manner in which most people would act:] If someone desires to go to war against his fellow man, and be victorious against him, he attacks him in an unexpected [and stealthy manner]. He then kills him and takes every possession that his enemy has. Yet, the Holy One blessed be He acted in an entirely different manner toward Pharaoh and proclaimed to him: “And now, send, gather in your livestock and all that you have in the field, any man or beast that is found in the field and not brought into the house the hail shall fall on them, and they will die.” (9:19) [It was precisely as a result of Hashem’s warning that Pharaoh,] following his experience of the [forewarned] barad, exclaimed, “Hashem is the righteous One.” (Parashat Vaera 20, translation and brackets my own)
 
According to this passage, Pharaoh was completely overwhelmed by Hashem’s merciful warning regarding the mortal danger that barad would entail. Nonetheless, because of his unlimited arrogance, he ignored Hashem’s adjuration, and his people suffered untold death and destruction. When he finally recognized the dire consequences of his behavior, Pharaoh had little choice but to proclaim, “Hashem is the righteous One.”
 
The Kli Yakar (Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz, 1550-1619) takes a different approach regarding the underlying reason for makkat barad, focusing upon the question, “Why was this plague so pivotal to the Almighty’s plan?” He stresses that it was accompanied by thunder: “… Hashem gave forth thunder and hail …” (9:23), which played a crucial role in Pharaoh’s recognition of the Master of the Universe:

The makkat barad and the thunder came upon Pharaoh based upon his refusal to listen to Hashem’s voice with the proper majesty (“b’hadar”) to which it was due. Therefore, Hashem forced him to hear thunder that was both awe-inspiring and frightening in nature. As a result, here, and here alone, he confessed to his sin and declared, “Hashem is the righteous One, and I and my people are the guilty ones,” since [until this point,] he had denied Hashem’s existence and verbally proclaimed His non-existence. As such, Pharaoh sinned through his voice and spoke lashon hara [pejoratively] about his Creator. Consequently, he was punished through the sound of thunder…[Once, however, Pharaoh confessed his sin, Moshe declared,] “The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, in order that you know that the land is Hashem’s.” (9:29, translation, brackets and underlining my own)
 
The Kli Yakar depicts a scenario in which Pharaoh needed to be reminded of the Holy One’s existence and His ultimate majesty and power. This stands in stark contrast to one of the most stirring episodes in the early history of our people, namely Birkat Ya’akov. The first two pasukim of this section are written in the plural and serve as an introduction to everything that follows: “Ya’akov called for his sons and said, ‘Gather and I will tell you what will happen to you at the end of days. Gather and listen, sons of Ya’akov, and listen to Yisrael, your father.’” (Sefer Bereishit 49:1-2) The great third-century Palestinian Talmud scholar, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, suggests this verse is teaching us that Ya’akov was about to foretell the future of the 12 Tribes, the Jewish people, and, by extension, the time of the Mashiach:
 
R. Simeon b. Lakish said: ‘And Ya’akov called unto his sons, and said: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you.’ Ya’akov wished to reveal to his sons the ‘end of the days,’ whereupon the Shechinah [the Divine Presence] departed from him.” (Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 56a, translation, with my emendations, The Soncino Talmud)
 
Ya’akov initially assumed that the Shechinah had abandoned him due to some fundamental flaw in one of his children. As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish so beautifully explains:
​
Said he, “Perhaps, Heaven forefend! there is one unfit among my children, like Avraham, from whom there issued Yishmael, or like my father Yitzchak, from whom there issued Esav.” [But] his sons answered him, “Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God Hashem is One.” Just as there is only One in your heart, so is there only One in our hearts.
 
Ya’akov was so reassured by his sons’ outpouring of faith and loyalty to Hashem that he joyously declared: “Baruch shame kavode malchuto l’olam vo’ed,” a practice we continue until today when we recite the Shema.
 
May we ever choose the path of Ya’akov and his sons and embrace the Oneness of Hashem and the eternity of His Kingdom. Moreover, may our fervent tefilot help bring the Mashiach soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
 Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
A celebrated midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 17:4) teaches us that Adam was given the job of naming the animals of the world. Why was he given this responsibility? Why did Hashem simply not show him a “catalog” of the plant and animal kingdoms and tell him, when he saw this or that plant or animal, “this is the name by which it is to be called.” Why, instead, was Adam designated the active party?
 
I believe we can answer this question by noting Rabbi Eleazar’s famous dictum in Talmud Bavli, Berachot 7b regarding a person’s name:

How do we know that the name [of a person] has an effect [upon his life]?  R. Eleazar said: Scripture says, “Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth.” [Sefer Tehillim 46:9) Read not shammot (desolations), but shemot (names). (Translation, Soncino Talmud, with my emendations to enhance readability)
 
Clearly, a name is a crucial aspect, even a constitutive element, of the person or thing it denotes. If this is the case, we can now understand why Adam was given the task of naming the plants and animals of Creation. By so doing, he became a shutaf im Hakadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit—a partner with the Holy One blessed be He in the Creation of the Universe.
 
If the names of animals are so singularly important, all the more so are the names of the Creator. Unlike the rest of Creation, however, Adam did not name Hashem; rather, the Almighty, so to speak, named Himself. This is very logical, since the giving of a name suggests a certain amount of control over that which has been named, which would be an absurd notion in the context of our relationship with God, as He is wholly other.
 
The name “Hashem” appears 47 times in Sefer Bereishit, and a number of these instances take place in the context of the Holy One’s direct communication with the Avot. Fast forwarding to our parasha, Moshe asks the Almighty, “What should I tell b’nai Yisrael when they ask: ‘What is His name?’” While providing an immediate answer to Moshe’s question, it seems that the Almighty’s response simultaneously presents us with a serious exegetical challenge: “So shall you say to the children of Israel, ‘Hashem Elokai Avotachem--The Lord God of your forefathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, and the God of Ya’akov, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is how I should be mentioned in every generation.’” (Sefer Shemot 3:13 and 15) This formulation appears to contradict an early verse in Parashat Vaera: “I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya’akov with [the name] A-le Shakai-Almighty God, but [with] My name Hashem, I did not become known to them.” (Sefer Shemot 6:3)
 
In his Commentary on the Torah on Sefer Shemot 6:3, Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra (1092 –1167) presents a deeply insightful resolution to our textual challenge. He opines that it was impossible for the Avot to have been unaware of the name “Hashem” per se, since, as we have noted, it is used liberally throughout Sefer Bereishit. The Ibn Ezra explains that the Avot knew this name as the shame etzem (proper name) of Hashem. They did not, however, know Hashem in terms of His actions that had yet to be performed in order to fulfill His promises. He calls this the shame toar (descriptive name) and emphasizes that this was a newly revealed aspect of God’s name. Moreover, he suggests that the true purpose inherent in Moshe’s agency was none other than: “… to make this name Hashem known [to mankind].” When viewed in this light, the name “Hashem” clearly carries the connotation of “He who fulfills that which He promises;” it was this new persona that Moshe publicized to the Jewish people, and the entire world.
 
May we be zocheh to behold Hashem’s kindness and mercy in the fulfillment of His promises to our people. May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Ezra HaSofer (5th century BCE) was a great leader of the Jewish people. One of his most significant achievements was the establishment of the exact format in which a Sefer Torah must be written. Our parasha contains an outstanding example of his handiwork. At the beginning of all other parshiot in a Sefer Torah, one can clearly see that a new Torah portion is about to begin. This is not the case in our sidrah (please see image at the end of this d’var Torah), which leads Midrash Bereishit Rabbah and Rashi zatzal (1040-1105) to ask: “lamah parasha zu satumah—why is this Torah portion completely closed?” In his gloss on Rashi’s Torah commentary, Rabbi Shabbeti Bass zatzal (1641-1718) offers this analysis of the midrash’s question:

That is to say, we have a tradition from Ezra the Scribe, may he rest in peace, that Parashat Vayechi [beginning with the word “vayechi” itself] is the beginning of an entirely new section and not conjoined to the preceding parasha [that concludes] with the verse “vayeshev Yisrael…” [Parashat Vayechi, however,] does not follow the standard form of a parasha satumah, since [such a section normally has a blank space in front of it] that equals the size of nine letters, yet, in our case, the entire beginning of the parasha is totally closed without any space whatsoever. (Siftei Chakhamim, Sefer Bereishit 47:28, translation my own)
 
Although Midrash Bereishit Rabbah offers three answers to its question, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz zatzal (1550-1619), summarily rejects each of them and states: “It certainly appears that there is no support whatsoever of the Torah’s text for any of these interpretations; consequently, they are like false prophecies.” (Sefer Kli Yakar, Parashat Vayechi 47:28, this and the following translations my own). This leads him to suggest that even though Parashat Vayechi and Parashat Vayigash are two separate parshiot, it is:

…incontrovertibly the case that Ezra the Scribe’s intention [in writing Parashat Vayechi completely satumah] was to have the verse beginning with vayechi juxtaposed to the preceding verse [from Parashat Vayigash] in order for the two pasukim to be read as: “And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly. And Ya’akov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years…” as if they were actually one verse. (47:27-28, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, Kli Yakar translations my own)
 
At this juncture, Rav Luntschitz utilizes this “extended verse” concept to revisit and reinterpret the first answer Midrash Bereishit Rabbah provides to the question, “lamah parasha zu satumah?” namely, “when Ya’akov died, shibud Mitzrayim (Egyptian servitude) began.” In so doing, he offers two approaches for understanding the relationship between Ya’akov’s death and the onset of the shibud:

Initially the text states, “And Ya’akov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years,” and teaches us through the utilization of the word, “vayeshev,” that the Jews at that time dwelt in peace and tranquility, so much so that they were able to acquire significant landholdings in Egypt and greatly expand their population. All of this took place during the time of, “and Ya’akov lived,” for during his lifetime each member of the Jewish community directly benefitted from zechut Ya’akov. From here we may infer that his zechut ceased upon his death, and so, too, all the positive outcomes it had engendered... And, according to this line of thought, Ya’akov’s death precipitated the onset of the Egyptian servitude.
 
In sum, according to this view, Ya’akov’s death ended the golden age described in 47:27-28, when our forebears “dwelt in peace and tranquility.” In addition, the fledgling Jewish people ceased to be landowners and became enslaved to the Egyptians who embittered their lives. As such, Ya’akov’s death precipitated shibud Mitzrayim.
 
The Kli Yakar takes the polar opposite tact in his second analysis of the juxtaposition of the last verse of Parashat Vayigash and the first pasuk of our parasha. In this scenario, rather than Ya’akov’s death triggering shibud Mitzrayim, shibud Mitzrayim led to Ya’akov’s death:
​
And it is possible to say exactly the opposite, namely, the beginning of the servitude was the reason for his death, as the Holy One blessed be He shortened the years of his life so that he did not live as long as his fathers in order for him to be spared seeing his children in bondage, for the time had now arrived [as foretold to Avraham] of “and they will enslave and oppress them for four hundred years.” (Sefer Bereishit 15:13) 
 
I believe the Kli Yakar is suggesting something quite fascinating regarding Ya’akov Avinu’s persona. Our standard perception of Ya’akov is an ish tam yosheiv ohelim (Sefer Bereishit 25:27) who represented the highest heights of truth, as we find in the celebrated verse: “Tetane emet l’Ya’akov-You shall give the truth of Ya’akov, the loving-kindness of Avraham, which You swore to our forefathers from days of yore.” (Sefer Michah 7:20) Little wonder, then, that we often overlook the emotional sensitivities with which Ya’akov was infused. The Kli Yakar, however, fully embraces this idea and teaches us that Ya’akov was simply incapable of seeing his children suffer in abject slavery. As a result, the Master of the Universe mercifully allowed him to die before his time in order to spare him the pain of such heart-wrenching scenes. In a very real sense, we can now understand why Ya’akov was the perfect husband for Rachale, for they were united in their empathy for the Jewish people. As the pasuk states: “So says Hashem: ‘A voice is heard on high, lamentation, bitter cries, Rachale, weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children for they are no more.’” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 31:14, translation with my emendations)
 
May the time come soon, and in our days, when Rachale will no longer weep for her beloved children, and Ya’akov will no longer fear for our physical and spiritual welfare. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Our parasha begins with the dramatic encounter between Yehudah and Yosef: “Vayigash aluv—then Yehudah approached him [Yosef]...” Like many verses in Tanach, these words conceal far more than they reveal. At this moment, Yehudah is the spokesman for his family, whereas Yosef, unbeknownst to his brothers, is the second-in-command of Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world. This asymmetrical power dynamic, however, undergoes a radical shift in the succeeding millennia of Jewish history, since it is Yehudah’s descendants that are destined to be the kings of Israel, rather than Yosef’s.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, notes that “Joseph wanted to be king, to combine political and economic power with spiritual leadership. He dreamt of sheaves and he also dreamt of stars.” In contrast, “Judah was not a dreamer. Yet, apparently there was something in his personality which commanded respect and obedience…And now Judah is in the forefront; he is the one who argues with Joseph…He was a very strong and powerful personality who radiated authority.” (This and the following quotations, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Vision and Leadership: Reflections on Joseph and Moses, David Shatz, Joel B. Wolowelsky, and Reuven Ziegler editors, page 40)
 
Why did Hashem choose Yehudah over Yosef to lead the Jewish people? After all, Yosef would seem to have been the “natural choice,” since he, rather than Yehudah, was well-practiced in all aspects of social and political leadership. According to the Rav, in order to better understand Hashem’s choice, we must analyze the dual nature of the covenantal community, and the vast differences that obtained between Leah and Rachel:

The covenantal community that God established with Abraham displayed two characteristic moral streaks, two tendencies which prima facie are contradictory and mutually exclusive. First, the covenantal community does not shrink from power…Without power one cannot be majestic and dignified. Majesty and dignity are not sinful, they are moral virtues.
 
The pursuit of power in the service of majesty and dignity is counterbalanced by the second constitutive element of the covenantal community, namely, sacrificial action:

…the covenantal community displays another trait as well: sacrificial action, the ability to give away and to renounce basic inalienable rights for the sake of a great vision, an ideal, or for the benefit of another human being or community…Covenantal man knows when to act like a warrior—majestic, dignified and proud—and when to part with everything he has. (Pages 41-42)
 
In the Rav’s estimation, these two essential qualities of the covenantal community were embodied by Leah and Rachel:

Leah and Rachel were not merely people. Leah was the personification of middat ha-gevurah, of dignity and majesty…She symbolized the strength of Jewish character and the unshakable will of the Jew throughout the ages and millennia. It is because of that persistence, that stubbornness and tenacity, that we still remain a living people after thirty-five hundred years of persecution and massacres. (Page 43)
 
While Leah exemplified dignity and majesty, Rachel epitomized great sacrificial action:

Rachel is the opposite of Leah. She is the tragic heroine who lives for others and not for herself. She gave up her most precious possessions and her elementary rights in order to make it possible for others to find the happiness denied them…She helped her sister take Jacob away from herself. She brushed aside all her own hopes and cherished wishes because her sister was also entitled to the same happiness which Providence had showered upon her, but denied to her sister. (Page 44)
 
As in so much of the Rav’s writing, Leah and Rachel are presented as nearly pure archetypes. Within this conceptual construct, Leah is gevurah and Rachel is tzimtzum (withdrawal) and sacrificial action. Fascinatingly for the Rav, each mother endows their respective sons (in this instance, Yehudah and Yosef) with their most powerful personality trait: “Leah represented gevurah, and Judah was a son of Leah. Judah’s personality radiated power, authority, and prestige…Judah is self-asserting, valiant, and fearless; he personifies dignity and majesty.” In stark contrast:

Joseph was the son of Rachel, to whom was assigned a mission to sacrifice, to retreat from positions won with blood and tears…He retreated many times, thus sacrificing himself, but his real sacrifice was the way he treated his brothers when they were at his mercy: “Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here” (Sefer Bereishit 45:5)  He was not the least bit vindictive.
 
The Rav now explains how Yosef could have acted in a way that was “mevatel et atzmo,” that is, he all but nullified himself before his brothers:

Only a son of Rachel could have done that. Only the son of Rachel, who had sacrificed her love for Leah’s sake, could down-grade his own self and offer friendship and kindness to his brothers who were responsible for all the misery and agony he had experienced. Joseph was the representative of hesed (kindness) and kedushah (holiness, page 45).
 
We are now ready to ask our question once again, “Why did Hashem choose Yehudah over Yosef to lead the Jewish people?” The Rav formulated this question, and its answer, in the following manner:
​
Who then should be the king: the representative of gevurah or the representative of hesed and kedushah? The problem was submitted to the Almighty, and He decided in favor of gevurah. The king is the trustee and the leader of the people; he must possess all facets of gevurah: the ability to acquire, to defend, to possess and to protect. Sacrificial life is good as far as the individual is concerned. But the king cannot be a sacrificial type at the expense of the nation. (Page 45)
 
Based upon the Rav’s trenchant analysis, we are in a much better position to understand Hashem’s choice of the tribe of Yehudah for kingship, and ultimately, messianic leadership. Yehudah, like his mother Leah, is gevurah, whereas Yosef, like his mother Rachel, is tzimtzum, hesed, and kedushah. Our kings must represent the highest aspects of gevurah if they are to lead and protect; and only Yehudah could fulfill this role.
 
May the time come soon and, in our days, when we will witness the return of our nation’s kingship in the person of the Mashiach, and the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

​
 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Who was Yosef? While some reinterpret the direct meaning of the text and teach us that Yosef was always Yosef HaTzaddik (Yosef the Righteous), a straightforward analysis of the beginning of Parashat Vayashev simply does not support this interpretation. Rashi (1040-1105) quotes the Midrash Bereishit Rabbah (84:7) on Bereishit 37:2 on the words: “v’hu na’ar—and he was a young boy” and says: “that he [Yosef] practiced babyish actions such as primping his hair and using eye shadow in order to beautify himself.” As the Midrash notes, these certainly were not the actions of a 17-year-old young man. Instead, they were the behaviors of a vain and self-indulgent individual. Clearly, at this point in the Torah’s narrative, Yosef is someone other than a tzaddik.
 
Subsequently, our parasha reveals Yosef’s authentic self, and the basis for his descriptive name, Yosef HaTzaddik. Pharaoh had two very disturbing dreams that defied interpretation. He was beside himself with anxiety and mental anguish. Out of abject desperation, Pharaoh retold his dreams to his confidants and magicians whose analyses failed to comfort him. In a moment of high drama, his cupbearer declared that he remembered a dream interpreter who had been in prison with him who accurately explained dreams. He described him as a “na’ar,” an “ivri,” and an “eved”— a mere youth, a stranger and a slave. In short, Yosef was on the lowest rung of Egyptian society and hardly worth mentioning. Yet, as Hippocrates (460-370 BCE) said so long ago: “desperate times call for desperate measures,” and the cupbearer nonetheless shared this information. His goal, of course, was to curry favor in Pharaoh’s eyes. Little did he know, however, that he would begin the great chain of events that would eventuate in Ya’akov and his sons coming to Egypt, Yetziat Mitzraim, Kabbalat HaTorah, and, ultimately, the fulfillment of Judaism’s messianic vision.
 
Yosef was summoned from his pit and prison of despair. He shaved, changed his clothes and came before Pharaoh, the most powerful man on the planet. Pharaoh told Yosef that he had heard he was capable of accurate dream analysis. Let us think for a moment as to how most of us would have responded to the all-powerful ruler at this time. We probably would have said: “Yes, I can interpret dreams very well. In fact, your majesty, I haven’t been wrong yet. I have a gift that is at your service. What did Pharaoh dream? Allow me to interpret its meaning.” Instead, in perhaps his finest moment, Yosef was transformed into “Yosef HaTzaddik” and declared to Pharaoh: “Bil’adai, Elokim ya’aneh et shalom Pharaoh—it is not through my wisdom [Onkelos] that I shall interpret your dreams; God will provide an answer that will bring peace to Pharaoh.” In one fell swoop, Yosef was transformed into one of the greatest figures in Jewish history. Instead of responding to Pharaoh in an arrogant and self-serving manner, he presented himself as the humble servant of the Ribono shel Olam and the mere conduit through whom Hashem’s dream interpretations flowed. Yosef’s humility proved him to be a true son of Ya’akov Avinu, and one who was worthy of the mantle of leadership that would soon be placed upon his shoulders.
 
I believe that Yosef’s behavior informs us how we can best serve Hashem. Moreover, and much later on in Jewish history, the ethical underpinning of these actions was given powerful voice by the Michah the Prophet when he famously declared: “He has told you, O’ man, what is good, and what Hashem demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Sefer Michah 6:8, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) With the Almighty’s help, may we ever strive to emulate Yosef’s humility and declare as one, “Bil’adai!”
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach.
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

 













Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Al HaNissim is recited in the Shemoneh Esrai and Birkat Hamazon on the two rabbinically-enacted chagim of Chanukah and Purim. Chanukah’s version contains the expression “am’echa Yisrael—Your people, Israel.” We are no strangers to this term, since it is found in Tefilat Minchah for Shabbat: “Atah echad v’shimchah echad, u’mi k’am’echa Yisrael, You are one and Your essence is one, and who may be compared to Your people Israel?” Yet, what does it really mean to be Hashem’s people?”
 
We are fortunate that my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, analyzed our expression in a public lecture delivered in Boston on December 18, 1971. (The following quotes are based upon my partial transcription of the shiur.) The Rav notes that am’echa Yisrael first and foremost means “we belong to Thee, even when we go astray, [and that] we are still committed to Thee even when we are guilty of certain offenses and certain sins.”
 
The Rav continues the theme of the inextricable link that eternally joins our people to the Master of the Universe by noting, “in am’echa what comes to expression is the old idea, ‘Yisrael af al pi sh’chata Yisrael hu’—A Jew, even when he sins, remains a Jew.” (Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 44a) The Rav analyzes it by first asking, “What did Chazal want to express through this expression?” His answer helps us understand the genuine meaning of “am’echa Yisrael:”

It means that there is an eternal commitment in the Jew to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Sometimes it is a conscious commitment, sometimes it is a non-conscious commitment, but there is a commitment…[and] that commitment is like a load resting upon the frail shoulders of every Jew…He might fight this commitment, he might hate this commitment —but there is a commitment on the part of every Jew.
 
For the Rav, am’echa Yisrael means that there is “compulsory belonging on the part of the Jew to God—willy-nilly he belongs to Him.” At this juncture, the Rav notes that we learn from the writings of Chabad that “the Jew has a natural love for God, an ahavah tevayit— whether he wants to love God, or does not want to love God.” This is based on “an instinctual drive, an urge to find God that is in the Jew.” As the founder of Chabad Chasidism, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi zatzal (1745-1812) states in Tanya, I:19, “There is an “ahavah tevayit of the divine soul that is found in all Jews, the intrinsic desire and will to be attached to its origin and source in the light of the Ein Sof (He who is without end).” For the Rav, the Jewish people’s natural love of, and search for, Hashem reflects the very essence of our being and thereby represents what it ultimately means to be am’echa Yisrael.
 
With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh to ever express our ahavah tevayit for Him as we continue our life-long journey to stand before His holy presence. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach!
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ

The beginning of our parasha mentions Leah and Rachel, and Ya’akov’s strategy to protect them from Eisav and his 400 soldiers:

Ya’akov lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, Eisav was coming, and with him were four hundred men; so, he divided the children with Leah and with Rachel and with the two maidservants. And he placed the maidservants and their children first and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and her Yoseph last.” (Sefer Bereishit 33:1-2, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
This is one of the last pasukim in Chamishah Chumshei Torah where the names “Leah” and “Rachel” are mentioned in the same verse. As such, it is the proper time to ask: “In the context of the masorah (spiritual tradition) of the Jewish people, who were Leah and Rachel?” My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, examines this question at length in his posthumous work, Vision and Leadership: Reflections on Joseph and Moses. His response is based on his position regarding how the “Judaic masorah community” conceptualizes and experiences time, a topic he addresses in his celebrated essay, The Lonely Man of Faith:

[The Judaic masorah community] represents not only a formal succession within the framework of calendric time but the union of the three grammatical tenses in an all-embracing time experience. The masorah community cuts across the centuries, indeed millennia, of calendric time and unites those who already played their part, delivered their message, acquired fame, and withdrew from the covenantal stage quietly and humbly with those who have not yet been given the opportunity to appear on the covenantal stage and who wait for their turn in the anonymity of the “about to be.” Thus, the individual member of the covenantal faith community feels rooted in the past and related to the future. The “before” and the “after” are interwoven in his time experience. (Pages 69-70, underlining and brackets my own)
 
Given this interpretation of the covenantal faith community’s experience of time as being rooted in the past and related to the future, we can readily understand why we feel the Avot and Emahot are “with us daily,” and are far more than mere historical figures from an all-but forgotten time. Accordingly, what did Leah and Rachel add to the covenantal faith community? To truly appreciate their contributions, we must first understand the nature of power and sacrificial action:
​
The covenantal community that God established with Abraham displayed two characteristic moral streaks, two tendencies which prima facie are contradictory and mutually exclusive. First, the covenantal community does not shrink from power…Without power one cannot be majestic and dignified. Majesty and dignity are not sinful, they are moral virtues…the covenantal community displays another trait as well: sacrificial action, the ability to give away and to renounce basic inalienable rights for the sake of a great vision, an ideal, or for the benefit of another human being or community…Covenantal man knows when to act like a warrior—majestic, dignified and proud —and when to part with everything he has. (This and the following quotations, Vision and Leadership: Reflections on Joseph and Moses, pages 41-44)
 
In the Rav’s estimation, these essential qualities of the covenantal community were embodied by Leah and Rachel:

Leah and Rachel were not merely people. Leah was the personification of middat ha-gevurah, of dignity and majesty…She symbolized the strength of Jewish character and the unshakable will of the Jew throughout the ages and millennia. It is because of that persistence, that stubbornness and tenacity, that we still remain a living people after thirty-five hundred years of persecution and massacres.
 
While Leah was the exemplification of dignity and majesty, Rachel’s persona epitomized great sacrificial action:

Rachel is the opposite of Leah. She is the tragic heroine who lives for others and not for herself. She gave up her most precious possessions and her elementary rights in order to make it possible for others to find the happiness denied them…She helped her sister take Jacob away from herself. She brushed aside all her own hopes and cherished wishes because her sister was also entitled to the same happiness which Providence had showered upon her, but denied to her sister.
 
As is his wont, the Rav deploys archetypes in his analysis of Leah and Rachel. Within these conceptual constructs, Leah is gevurah, and Rachel is tzimtzum (contraction) and sacrificial action. Which of these middot (behavioral qualities) is to be preferred? According to the Rav, both are necessary, for, as we have seen, “Covenantal man knows when to act like a warrior—majestic, dignified, and proud—and when to part with everything he has.” Therefore, Leah’s gevurah and Rachel’s tzimtzum are two constitutive elements of the Jewish persona and are at the core of our existence until this historical moment.
 
May the Master of the Universe grant us the wisdom to know when to act with Leah’s gevurah and when to channel Rachel’s tzimtzum so we may serve Him for evermore. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Ya’akov Avinu’s reaction to his vision of the ladder connecting Heaven and earth is one of the most celebrated passages in Sefer Bereishit:

And Ya’akov awakened from his sleep, and he said, “Indeed, Hashem is in this place, and I did not know [it].” And he was frightened, and he said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” (Sefer Bereishit 28:16-17, Parashat Vayetze, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The meaning of the expression, “Indeed, Hashem is in this place, and I did not know [it],” is difficult to comprehend. At first glance, it seems that Ya’akov’s failure to recognize Hashem’s presence was based on his inability to do so. If this was the case, however, the translation of the phrase, “and I did not know [it],” should be followed by an exclamation point, and not a period, as we find in some English translations. Nonetheless, many translations of our phrase do not follow this approach. This leads to the following question: “Is the expression, ‘Indeed, Hashem is in this place, and I did not know [it],’ an exclamatory or declarative statement?” That is, did Ya’akov berate himself for failing to perceive Hashem’s presence, or did he simply acknowledge his inability to sense the nearness of the Shechinah? This is a fundamental query as the answer leads us to a deeper understanding of Ya’akov’s spiritual persona.
 
The Spanish exegete, Rabbi Avraham Saba zatzal (1440-1510), in his classic work of Torah analysis “Tzror Hamor,” maintains that our phrase is a declarative statement, since Ya’akov “was not a famous prophet on the level of Eliyahu and Elisha who said, ‘Let her be, for her soul is bitter to her, and Hashem hid it from me and did not tell me.’” (Sefer Melachim II: 4:27, this and the following Tzror Hamor translations and brackets my own) This pasuk suggests that based on his extraordinary prophetic powers, Eliyahu should have been able to perceive the bitterness of soul of the woman standing before him yet was prevented by Hashem from so doing. In stark contrast, Ya’akov lacked Eliyahu’s ability to perceive Hashem’s presence, the recognition of which caused him to declare, “Indeed, Hashem is in this place, and I did not know [it].”
 
At this point Rav Saba analyzes the nature of knowing, and the recognition of that which is known, to foster our understanding of Ya’akov’s behavior in the context of this prophetic experience:

It is well-known that an individual who comprehends a certain matter does so based upon two possibilities, either because he has prepared himself to do so or because of the preparation fostered by the environment. This is the case, since, on occasion, a person who is unprepared will be helped by the preparation afforded by the environment. A case in point is when our Sages, may their memory be a blessing stated, “The air of the Land of Israel makes one wise.” So, too, did Kohelet declare, “I am Kohelet, I was King over Israel in Jerusalem.” (Sefer Kohelet 1:12) This suggests that Kohelet gathered [mastered] all the various branches of knowledge. As it states, “And he was wiser than all men…” (Sefer Melachim I:5:11) The reason for this is because he was the King of the Jewish people, a wise and discerning nation. So, too, was he in Yerushalayim, the very place where knowledge and wisdom stood at the center of the world.
 
Armed with this analysis, Rav Saba examines Ya’akov’s failure to recognize Hashem’s presence:

Ya’akov really was saying that I could see on my own that I was unprepared because of the trials and tribulations of traveling, and the anguish, anxiety and fears generated by my brother, Eisav. It is very well known that the Schechinah will only dwell with an individual who is experiencing joy Nonetheless, I saw visions of Hashem! Given this was the case, what enabled me to experience these visions? I analyzed this and determined that it happened because this holy place prepared me to do so.
 
We can now understand our initial pasukim. In Rav Saba’s view, “indeed, Hashem is in this place,” connotes the idea that “based on the nature of this place [I have now been able to perceive Hashem’s presence,] since, on my own it is obvious that I was not prepared to do so.” Moreover, “this, then, is the correct way to interpret, ‘and I did not know [it].’ It means that on my own I have been unable to find sufficient preparation to merit this vision.” Little wonder, then, that given Ya’akov’s awareness of his lack of preparation to perceive the Schechinah, he proclaimed, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Clearly, he participated in a miraculous and awe-filled experience, recognizing it as a life-transforming event when he declared the land upon which he stood to be “none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
 
Unlike Ya’akov Avinu we continue to live in a seemingly never-ending period of hester panim. Nevertheless, we must ever recognize that we, too, experience wonders and miracles. As Chazal teach us in Birkat Hoda’ah in the Shemoneh Esrai, “We gratefully thank You … for Your miracles that are with us every day, and for Your wonders and favors in every season—evening, morning and afternoon.” (Translation, The Complete Artscroll Siddur)
 
May the Holy One blessed be He bring Mashiach soon and in our days and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash; for then we will stand shoulder to shoulder as one united and holy nation and declare, “How awesome is this place!” V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
​
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

​

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
In many ways, Parashat Toldot can be thought of as “the parasha of brachot,” since both Ya’akov and Eisav received blessings from their father Yitzchak. Whereas Ya’akov’s first blessing was initially designated for Eisav, the second one he received was specifically formulated for him. In contrast, Eisav received only one bracha. Yet, on a certain level we can readily ask, “Why was Eisav given a bracha at all?” After all, in close textual proximity to Yitzchak’s announcement that he was prepared to give Eisav his blessing, the Torah informs us that Eisav married two Hittite women, Yehudit bat B’ari and Bashmat bat Alon. These women were a total “vexation of the spirit to Yitzchak and to Rivka” since, as Rashi (1040-1105) explains, “they worshipped idols.” (Sefer Bereishit 26:35, Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
A number of meforshim wrestled with our question and, as in most instances of Torah exegesis, gave many different answers. In my estimation, Rabbi Chayim ben Moshe ibn Attar (1696-1743) offers one of the most cogent interpretations:

The reason why Yitzchak desired to bestow a bracha upon the evil Eisav was because he thought that based on the many blessings contained therein, he would alter his behavior and acquire positive ethical characteristics and thereby improve his actions. This is the case, since the tzaddikim suffer greatly when their children act in an evil manner; as such, he [Yitzchak] tried to bring him [Eisav] to improve his ways. In addition, it is entirely possible that this could have succeeded, for as our sages teach us, Ya’akov was punished for withholding Dinah from Eisav, since she would have had the ability to bring him back to all that is good… (Sefer Ohr HaChayim, Parashat Bereishit 27:1, translation my own)
 
In sum, according to Rav Attar, Yitzchak sought to bless Eisav for two reasons: To alleviate his own pain and suffering, and to help his eldest son do teshuvah and return to the path of proper behavior. Unfortunately, neither of these potentialities were achieved, and Eisav’s anti-Semitic descendants ceaselessly plague us today. As Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai so poignantly taught us: “It is a well-known fact that Eisav hates Jacob…” (Sifrei Bamidbar 69)
 
In 1732, the British poet, Alexander Pope, coined the now proverbial phrase, “Hope springs eternal...” (An Essay on Man) While this is true for humankind in general, it is particularly true for the Jewish people. We ever hope for a nobler and gentler tomorrow wherein all people will recognize the truth of Hashem’s existence, accept His kingship, turn toward Him, reject false idols and stand shoulder to shoulder to create an equitable world for one and all. These messianic hopes and visions are given prominent place in the second paragraph of the Aleinu:

And so, we hope in You, Hashem our God, to soon see Your splendor when You will sweep idolatry away so that false gods will be utterly destroyed and You will perfect the world through Your kingship. Then, all humanity will invoke Your name, and all the evil ones of the earth will turn unto You. Then all who live will know that unto You every knee must bend, every tongue pledge loyalty. May all bow in worship to You, Hashem. May they give honor to Your glory; may everyone accept Your dominion. Reign over all, soon and for all time. Kingship is Yours in glory, now and forever. As it is written in Your Torah: “Hashem reigns for ever and ever.” And so, too, does it state: “And Hashem will become King over all the earth; on that day Hashem will be one, and His name one.” (Translation, Sefaria.org with my extensive emendations)
 
With Hashem’s help, may we witness the realization of Zechariah’s stirring words soon and in our time: “And Hashem will become King over all the earth; on that day Hashem will be one, and His name one.” (14:9) V’chane yihi ratzon.
Shabbat Shalom
 
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
​
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.