Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Like many other parshiot, our parasha received its name based upon the first word in the initial phrase of the introductory pasuk: “Vayigash aluv Yehudah,” “And Yehudah drew near to him [Yosef].” (Sefer Bereishit 44:18)  The word, vayigash, is found in three other verses in Sefer Bereishit. In each case, it signals a major shift in the narrative and a fundamental change in the pre-existing paradigm.
 
The first time we encounter vayigash is in the context of Hashem’s plans to destroy S’dom: “Vayigash Avraham (and Avraham drew near) and said, ‘Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked? … Far be it from You to do a thing such as this, to put to death the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be like the wicked. Far be it from You! Will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?’” (Sefer Bereishit 18:23, 25, this, and all Torah translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  These verses suggest a fundamental shift in the encounter between Hashem and humankind. For the first time, we were true partners in the I-Thou relationship. As such, Avraham approached Hashem with the conviction that his plea on behalf of S’dom would certainly be heard. He understood, as well, that both the Almighty and humankind are subject to the same Torah-based elements of justice.
 
The second instance of vayigash is found in the quiet battle for the future of the Jewish people, fought in the privacy of two desert tents: “And Yitzchak loved Eisav... but Rivka loved Ya’akov.” (Sefer Bereishit 25:28)  Rivka sought to ensure that the bracha Yitzhak intended to bestow upon Eisav would go to Ya’akov:

And Rivka said to Ya’akov her son, saying, “Behold I have heard your father speaking to Eisav your brother, saying, ‘Bring me game and make me tasty foods, and I will eat, and I will bless you before the L-rd before my death.’ And now my son, hearken to my voice to what I am commanding you.” (Sefer Bereishit 27:6-8)
 
Once again, vayigash signaled a singular transition that guaranteed the spiritual future of Ya’akov and his descendants:

Vayigash Ya’akov (and Ya’akov drew near) to Yitzchak his father, and he felt him, and he said, “The voice is the voice of Ya’akov, but the hands are the hands of Eisav.” … “And may the L-rd give you of the dew of the heavens and [of] the fatness of the earth and an abundance of grain and wine. Nations shall serve you and kingdoms shall bow down to you; you shall be a master over your brothers, and your mother's sons shall bow down to you. Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed.” (27:22, 28-29)
 
Clearly the power of vayigash could not be more manifest.
 
The third usage of our term appears within the context of Ya’akov’s first encounter with Rachel. This dramatic moment serves as a pivotal point in Jewish history, as all Jews are ultimately descended from Ya’akov, Rachel, and Leah: “And it came to pass, when Ya’akov saw Rachel, the daughter of Lavan, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Lavan his mother’s brother, vayigash Ya’akov (and Ya’akov drew near) and rolled the rock off the mouth of the well, and he watered the sheep of Lavan, his mother’s brother.” (Sefer Bereishit 29:10)  This eventuated in Ya’akov meeting Lavan, marrying Rachel and Leah, and eventually fathering the 12 Tribes of Israel.
 
The fourth case our term is found at the beginning of our parasha: “Vayigash aluv Yehudah (and Yehudah drew near to Yosef) and said, ‘Please, my lord, let now your servant speak something into my lord’s ears, and let not your wrath be kindled against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.’” (Sefer Bereishit 44:18)  These well-known words are a crucial link in the great chain of events that resulted in the descent of Ya’akov and his family to Egypt, their survival of the worldwide famine, the years of Egyptian servitude, the Exodus from Egypt, the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and all subsequent Jewish history until our present moment. Once again, the verbal fulcrum for these history-changing events is the deceptively simple word “vayigash.”
 
Rabbi Nissan Alpert zatzal (1927-1986) was one of the great roshei yeshivah of Yeshivat Rabbi Yitzhak Elhanan. In Limudei Nissan, his posthumous work of Torah analysis, he notes that Yosef revealed himself to his brothers only once they had physically and psychologically drawn close to him. Moreover, he suggests “… it was at that time that it was revealed before them how much they all truly loved one another and that any separation between them should vanish and be replaced by deep and abiding love for one another.” Rav Alpert concludes that: “When all of the Jewish people will dwell together in deep affection and draw near to one another on the profoundest level, and reject division, this closeness we will bring the Geulah (the ultimate redemption, translations my own).” 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

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 rdbe718@gmail.com.

*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) begins Hilchot Chanukkah with a historical precis of its story:

In [the era of] the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith and refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments. They extended their hands against their property and their daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within, and made the sacraments impure. The Jews suffered great difficulties from them, for they oppressed them greatly until the G-d of our ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and saved them. The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand. They appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple. (3:1, this and all Mishneh Torah translations, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
This type of introduction is highly unusual in the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, since we find nothing of the kind when it comes to Hilchot Pesach and Hilchot Purim, two chagim with the same kind of complex narratives as Chanukkah. In his posthumous work, Days of Deliverance: Essays on Purim and Chanukkah, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, analyzes why the Rambam singles out Chanukkah for this unique treatment:

Those [Pesach and Purim] are biblical narratives. Hanukkah, however, is a post-biblical holiday. When its events occurred, the canon was closed, and prophecy was a thing of the past. The story of Chanukkah was told by the Torah she-be’al peh, the Oral Torah. Hence, Maimonides found it necessary to repeat the tale in his Code, which is a summary of the Oral Law. (Eli D. Clark, Joel B. Wolowelsky and Reuven Ziegler editors, page 168, brackets my own)
 
Why was it necessary for the Rambam “to repeat the tale in his Code?” The Rav’s answer is clear: “Knowledge of the events is indispensable halakhically for the perfect fulfillment of the mitzvot of Chanukkah.” This is the case, since the Rambam stresses that the act of hadlakat nerot Chanukkah (lighting the candles of Chanukkah) is based upon the concept of hallel ve-hoda’ah, praise and thanksgiving: “The mitzvah of kindling Chanukkah lights is very dear. A person should be very careful in its observance to publicize the miracle and thus increase our praise (shevach) of G-d and our expression of thanks (hodayah) for the miracles which He wrought on our behalf.” (Hilchot Channukkah 4:12)  How is it that these ideas lead us to “the perfect fulfillment of the mitzvot of Chanukkah?” The Rav explains:
The technical performance, the ma’aseh hadlakah, consists of lighting a candle. The kiyyum ha-mitzvah, the genuine fulfillment, expresses itself in an expression of gratitude, which manifests itself in a physical act.  If we are indeed to experience gratitude, it is necessary to know for what we are grateful, for what we extol the Almighty. Therefore, knowledge of the story is essential.
 
The distinction that obtains between ma’aseh ha-mitzvah and kiyyum ha-mitzvah is a constitutive element of the Brisker (Soloveitchik family) conceptual lexicon. As such, the Rav revisits and elaborates upon these terms throughout his public lectures and shiurim. One notable instance is found in his collection of teshuvah drashot, “On Repentance:”

But there are other precepts whose performance and fulfillment are not identical, for example when the performance of the precept is through specific action of some kind, or through a verbal utterance, but its fulfillment is up to the heart. The precept, is, in fact performed by means of an external act, but fulfillment is dependent on attaining a certain degree of spiritual awareness. (On Repentance in the Thought and Oral Discourses of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, translated and edited from the Yiddish, Professor Pinchas HaKohen Peli, page 80)
 
Hadlakat Nerot Chanukkah is an ideal illustration of a mitzvah “whose performance and fulfillment are not identical,” since the ma’aseh ha-mitzvah is accomplished through the simple act of lighting the candles, whereas the kiyyum ha-mitzvah “is dependent on attaining a certain degree of spiritual awareness.” Moreover, as the Rambam stresses in Hilchot Chanukkah, manifest feelings of hallel ve-hoda’ah are crucial elements that enable this spiritual awareness to engender the total fulfillment of this mitzvah. Hence, the Rav concludes: “If we are indeed to experience gratitude, it is necessary to know for what we are grateful, for what we extol the Almighty. Therefore, knowledge of the story is essential.”
 
Each weekday Shemoneh Esrai includes the bracha of birkat binah: “You graciously endow man with wisdom and teach insight to a frail mortal. Endow us graciously from Yourself with wisdom, insight, and discernment. Blessed are You, Hashem, gracious Giver of wisdom.” (Translation, The Complete ArtScroll Siddur)  On this Chanukkah, may Hashem bless us with the wisdom, insight and discernment to imbue our observance of these holy days with the spiritual awareness that will empower us to fulfill mitzvat hadlakat nerot Chanukkah from the depths of our very being. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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 rdbe718@gmail.com.
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The Torah contains eleven instances of the phrase, “aleh toldot,” seven of which appear with the letter “vav” prefixed to “aleh.” Except for Sefer Bereishit 2:4, wherein aleh toldot may be translated as “these are the chronicles,” all other cases of this phrase refer to the generations, or descendants, of a particular individual. As such, we find in Parashat Bamidbar: “These are the descendants (v’aleh toldot) of Aharon and Moshe on the day that the L-rd spoke to Moshe at Mount Sinai. These are the names of the sons of Aharon: Nadav the firstborn, Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar.” (Sefer Bamidbar 3:1-2, this, and all Torah and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  It is crucial to note that in nearly every case we have a complete listing of the children’s names when aleh toldot conveys this meaning.
 
Our parasha contains a glaring exception to the previous observation: “These are the generations (aleh toldot) of Ya’akov: when Yosef was seventeen years old, being a shepherd, he was with his brothers with the flocks, and he was a lad, [and was] with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives…” (37:2)  At this juncture, all twelve of Ya’akov’s sons and his daughter, Dinah, have been born, yet, only Yosef’s name is cited. Moreover, his name is mentioned in the context of a new Torah narrative that eventuates in his sale and transport to Egypt and our forebears’ descent to Egypt, rather than as Ya’akov’s child per se. As we might expect, these issues have been addressed by the meforshim in a variety of ways. In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105) presents a two-pronged approach that reflects both peshat (direct meaning) and midrashic analysis:

“These are the generations of Ya’akov:” And these are those of the generations of Ya’akov. These are their settlements and their wanderings until they came to settle. The first cause [of their wanderings]: when Yosef was seventeen years old, etc. Through this [the events that unfolded], they wandered and descended to Egypt. This is according to the plain explanation of the verse, putting everything in its proper perspective.
 
Herein, Rashi interprets toldot as “settlements and wanderings.” He presents a very different explanation, however, in his midrashically-suffused statement: “…whatever happened to Ya’akov happened to Yosef. This one (Ya’akov) was hated, and that one (Yosef) was hated. This one, his brother (Eisav) sought to kill him, and that one, his brothers sought to kill him; and likewise many [other similarities related] in Bereishit Rabbah [84:6].” In this portion of his gloss, Rashi maintains that toldot connotes occurrences. In both sections, however, he deviates from the standard meaning of aleh toldot. Significantly, the Ibn Ezra (1092-1167), in his Commentary on the Torah, also follows the midrash’s path in interpreting this phrase.
 
The Ramban (1194-1270), in his Commentary on the Torah, rejects Rashi’s peshat-level explication of aleh toldot, as he maintains “the term ‘toldot’ has nothing to do with the notion of settlement.” He also rebuffs the exposition of the Ibn Ezra, stating: “a person does not bring about those things that happen to them, and it is only to days can one attribute such things.” Alternatively, the Ramban suggests the following line of reasoning:

The correct interpretation in my opinion is as follows: “These are the generations of Ya’akov: Yosef and his brothers, whom the Torah will mention further on.” The Torah here adopts a concise approach to their names since it already mentioned them above. [35:23-26] But the intent of the verse is to say that these are the generations of Yosef and his brothers to whom the following happened. (Ramban, Commentary on the Torah, Sefer Bereishit 37:2, translation, Rabbi Dr. Charles B. Chavel, underlining my own)
 
In this gloss, the Ramban is pursuing what can be characterized as “fundamental peshat.” In his view, on the etymological level, toldot equals generations and descendants, and any attempt to recast this word in some other manner is unacceptable. In this instance, and unbeknownst to him, he is espousing the methodology of Rashi’s grandson, Rabbeinu Shmuel ben Meir (Rashbam, 1085-1158), who is universally recognized today as the greatest proponent of peshat-level exegesis:

And now, wise ones, look how earlier commentators [that is, Rashi and the Ibn Ezra] analyzed the phrase, “aleh toldot Ya’akov,” namely: “These are the events which happened to him, and the occurrences which befell him.” Behold this [explanation] is utter nonsense! This is the case, since all instances of toldot that appear in Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim signify either an individual’s children or, in many pasukim, the grandchildren of a particular person. (Perush HaRashbam HaShalame al HaTorah, David Rosen edition, Sefer Bereishit, Parashat Vayeshev, 37:2, translation and brackets my own)
 
The range of opinions of these gedolei Torah regarding the meaning of aleh toldot Ya’akov reflects the dynamism and creativity that are the hallmarks of true Torah study. As Chazal declared long ago: “Shivim panim baTorah — there are 70 approaches to the study of the Torah.” (Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 13:16)  Each day we proclaim in our tefilot: “Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu u’mah nayim goraleinu … (“Joyous are we in the goodliness of our [Torah] portion! And how pleasing is our lot [to study Torah]! …)  May we ever recognize the beauty of our Torah inheritance — u’mah yafah yerushateinu! V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: reparashathashavuah.org

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 rdbe718@gmail.com.

*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Parashat Vayishlach begins with the well-known words, “Ya’akov sent messengers (malachim) ahead of him (lifanuv) to his brother Eisav, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.” In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105) champions the opinion of the Rabbanan in Midrash Bereishit Rabbah (75:4) and explains the word, “malachim,” as “actual angels.” (All Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  According to the midrash, if Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, and Eliezer, the servant of Avraham, had visions of malachim, all the more so should Ya’akov have had intense contact with them. As such, we should not be surprised that the malachim went so far as to encounter Eisav on Ya’akov’s behalf.
 
As is often the case in Torah analysis, the near-universal acceptance of Rashi’s commentary sets the tone of future exegetical discussion. As such, if Rashi did not comment upon a word or a phrase, most meforshim will refrain from so doing as well. This is the case concerning the word in our pasuk “lifanuv,” even though it appears to be an unnecessary addition. The Torah could have written, “Ya’akov sent messengers to his brother Eisav, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom,” without changing the verse’s essential meaning. Therefore, the presence of lifanuv should have generated a significant number of analyses by classical commentators; yet, as a result of Rashi’s silence, this is not the case.
 
The Apter Rav zatzal (Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel, 1748-1825) is one of the few meforshim that spends significant time exploring the meaning of lifanuv. He begins by noting that its inclusion in our pasuk is “aino muvan,” in the sense that it is not easily understood. Subsequently, he presents a penetrating examination as to why lifanuv is found in our verse:

Ya’akov Avinu is the root and basis of Kenesset Yisrael (the entire Jewish people) and all generations that descend from him. [Consequently,] all his actions and endeavors that are written in the Torah, everything he said to Eisav, including his words of reconciliation and appeasement, the submissive stance he adopted toward him, the messengers that he sent, and the precise words he commanded them to say, without question, have ramifications far beyond Ya’akov’s personal and immediate needs, and those of the Twelve Tribes: Ya’akov’s intention was to establish [the correct way of responding to our adversaries] for all future generations to come, up to and including the arrival of the Mashiach. (Torat Emet, Sefer Bereishit, Parashat Vayishlach, this and the following translation my own)
 
At this juncture, the Apter Rav expands upon the essence of Ya’akov’s objective:

The way he [Ya’akov] sent messengers to Eisav, and how he attempted to mollify and reconcile with him through his gift giving, is efficacious for all time — whenever nations will intensify their efforts against us and embitter our lives. During those periods, the messengers that Ya’akov sent will rise once again on our behalf. This refers to actual angels …. They will placate and silence Eisav and remove all accusers from upon us.
 
The Apter Rav explains that not only did Ya’akov Avinu model the exact behaviors we should follow to deal with the many Eisavs we would encounter throughout Jewish history, he guaranteed that we will never be alone, as “the messengers [he] sent will rise once again on our behalf:”

Ya’akov charged the angels with the permanent mission to encounter Eisav whenever “he” will desire to wreck misery upon the Jewish people. Ya’akov had this ability, as they [the Jewish people] are ever intertwined with his spiritual power, since all Kenesset Yisrael descends from him. This is the case even though the Jewish people were not yet extant and only existed in potential, nonetheless, he was able to [protect his future descendants through the agency of the malachim]. This, then, is why the Torah wrote, “lifanuv,” with the connotation of lifnei hadavar hahu (before the matter had come to pass), for even though the Jewish people did not yet exist, Ya’akov provided the us with the refuah to respond, and put an end, to all accusers that would rise against us.
 
I believe that the Apter Rav’s analysis of lifanuv is an exegetical tour de force that can provide hope and light during the dark moments when our enemies contrive against us. As Ya’akov’s spiritual heirs, we are certain that he will ever watch over us and send forth malachim to protect us.
 
May the time come soon, and in our days, when we will no longer have to contend with those who seek our very destruction. For on that day, “Hashem will be one, and His Name one.” (Sefer Zechariah 14:9)  V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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 rdbe718@gmail.com.
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, Chana bat Sarah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha begins with the well-known words: “And Ya’akov left Be’er Sheva, and he went to Haran.” (28:10)  In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105) explains this pasuk with a midrashically-suffused gloss:

And Jacob left: Scripture had only to write: “And Ya’akov went to Haran.” Why did it mention his departure? But this tells [us] that the departure of a righteous man from a place makes an impression, for while the righteous man is in the city, he is its beauty, he is its splendor, he is its majesty. When he departs from there, its beauty has departed, its splendor has departed, its majesty has departed. (These and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Rashi’s celebrated interpretation tells us a good deal about how Be’er Sheva was affected by Ya’akov’s exit. He had been its “beauty, splendor and majesty,” and his leave-taking signaled an abrupt end to all three. What we do not know, however, is how Ya’akov was impacted by his exodus from Be’er Sheva. To fully appreciate the depth of the spiritual and psychological changes Ya’akov was forced to undergo, we must understand the nature of Be’er Sheva at that time.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, describes Be’er Sheva in this manner:

Beer Sheba… was the first home of the covenantal community, the center of spiritual life for the adherents of Abraham’s teaching. Beer Sheba was rooted in a wellspring of kedushah [holiness]. It was a fulcrum for offerings to G-d and a conduit for the Divine Presence…Later on in Jewish history, that kedushah found its home in the place that Jacob encountered on his journey from Beer Sheba: the holy city of Jerusalem. (This, and the following quotations of the Rav, Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David, editor, pages 74-76.)
 
According to the Rav, Be’er Sheva was, in essence, the Beit HaMikdash of the Avot and Emahot in that it was the “center of spiritual life for the adherents of Abraham’s teaching… a fulcrum for offerings to G-d and a conduit for the Divine Presence.” This depiction of Be’er Sheva’s singular import places us in a much better position to understand Ya’akov’s experience when, as the Rav suggests, “he was uprooted by forces beyond his control, [and] compelled to leave a place he loved… to which he had become bonded.” Beyond a doubt, Ya’akov must have felt existentially adrift upon leaving this this holy place, and entering galut.
 
The Rav posits that Ya’akov may also have feared “… that if he left the home of his father and grandfather and the center of their teaching, he would lose his role as leader and the teacher of the covenantal community,” because his “departure from the city of Beer Sheba temporarily detached him from the spiritual destiny of the Jewish people.” In my estimation, this may have been the impetus for Ya’akov’s prophetic vision upon leaving Be’er Sheva:

And he dreamed and behold! a ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and behold, angels of G-d were ascending and descending upon it. And behold, the L-rd was standing over him, and He said, “I am the L-rd, the G-d of Avraham your father, and the G-d of Yitzchak; the land upon which you are lying to you I will give it and to your seed. And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth… And behold, I am with you, and I will guard you wherever you go, and I will restore you to this land, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I have spoken concerning you.” (28:12-15)

In his dream, Ya’akov Avinu was reassured by Hakadosh Baruch Hu that although his connection to Eretz Yisrael, and by extension Be’er Sheva, had been temporarily rent asunder, it would be reestablished. Hashem promised Ya’akov, “I will restore you to this land,” and assured him that both he and his children would inherit it. Then, too, perhaps Hashem’s pledge to Ya’akov, “And behold, I am with you ... I will not forsake you until I have done what I have spoken concerning you,” can be seen as a guarantee that “his role as leader and the teacher of the covenantal community,” would once again be established.
 
May the time come, soon and in our days, when we will witness the fulfillment of Michah’s oft-quoted phrase, “You [Hashem] shall give the truth of Ya’akov (emet l’Ya’akov)” (7:20), when Ya’akov Avinu will take his place as the rightful leader and teacher of the entire Jewish people once again. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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 rdbe718@gmail.com.
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, Chana bat Sarah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
 
Ya’akov Avinu is described in our parasha (25:27) as “ish tam yosheiv ohelim” (“a complete individual who dwelt in tents.” (Translation, Targum Onkelos)  Rashi (1040-1105) helps us understand this phrase by contrasting Ya’akov to Eisav. In his view, Eisav was a hunter who “captured wild animals and birds with his bow,” and ensnared people with duplicitous words. In contrast, Ya’akov, who spoke directly and forthrightly, was inexpert in the art of treachery. The Abarbanel (1437-1508) explains “ish tam” in a similar vein: “…but Ya’akov was an ish tam who was not very sharp in the sense that he was neither a master of deceit nor a man of the field.”
 
The Midrash Tanna de-Vei Eliyahu (ninth century CE) bases its analysis of our phrase upon a creative interpretation of a pasuk found in the last paragraph of the Shema: “v’asu l’hem tzitzit al kanfei vigdehihem l’dorotom” (“…and the Jewish people will make fringes for themselves on the corners of their garments throughout their generations.” (Sefer Bamidbar 15:38)  It suggests that “l’dorotom” can be read without vowels as, “ l’dor tam.” In addition, it maintains: “… there can be no other referent for the word tam other than Ya’akov, since the verse states: ‘…and Ya’akov was complete.’ This means that he never participated in acts of violent stealing, illicit physical relations, and murder.” It is important to note that this interpretation constitutes an indirect comparison to Eisav who, as Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra indicates, engaged in these exact actions prior to meeting Ya’akov and selling his birthright to him. (16b)
 
The portrait of Ya’akov that emerges from these sources is one of a nearly flawless individual who personified honesty, spoke with total integrity and abhorred his brother’s pernicious behaviors. This image is underscored when we examine the final two words of our phrase, “yosheiv ohelim.” What exactly were these tents? What was the Torah communicating to us by adding this to Ya’akov’s description? The answers to these questions are both diverse and fascinating and reveal as much about the commentator as they do about Ya’akov.
 
The Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, 1817-1893), in his work, Ha’emek Davar, opines that these ohelim were “tents” of Torah and Tefilah, that is, Ya’akov was a young talmid chacham who was steeped in Torah study and the art of heartfelt prayer. As such, he was surely fitting to become the founder of the Jewish people. This interpretation clearly reflects the Netziv’s Lithuanian intellectual heritage.
 
The Sforno (Rabbi Ovadiah been Ya’akov, 1470-1550), a true Jewish Renaissance man who mastered Torah analysis, philosophy, mathematics, philology and medical science, interprets “yosheiv ohelim” in two very different ways. The first, perhaps representing his grasp of the animal husbandry of his time, posits that these ohelim are to be taken at face value as the tents and other structures used by sheepherders of his day. The second approach, revealing the Sforno’s spiritual orientation, views ohelim as centers for intellectual and spiritual speculation to enable the apprehension of Hashem’s glory and thereby become sanctified.
 
Rashi’s understanding of the term, ohelim, demonstrates his creative use of midrashic texts. In his view, these ohelim were none other than the study halls of Shem and Aver. By mastering the unique massorot (traditions) of these scholars, Ya’akov was able to become a true talmid chacham. With his worldview based entirely upon thorough knowledge of the principles and axioms of our holy Torah, Ya’akov was transformed into an ish tam.
 
In my estimation, ish tam is directly modified by the expression “yosheiv ohelim.” Even though the latter is a noun, rather than an adjective, when taken together, ish tam yosheiv ohelim becomes a complete description of the young Ya’akov Avinu. This perspective enables us to understand how Ya’akov was able to maintain his spiritual greatness, even in the midst of Lavan’s hostile and corrupt household. As the embodiment of Torah and honesty, nothing could dissuade him from the truth of his convictions and the rectitude of his actions.
 
Chazal teach us that Ya’akov’s face appeared to Yosef during his great trial with the wife of Potiphar (Sefer Bereishit 39:7-13). Just as Yosef was guided by the vision of his father, may Ya’akov Avinu’s image ever appear before us, and serve as our guide when we confront the many challenges of our lives. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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 rdbe718@gmail.com.
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, Chana bat Sarah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha begins with one of the greatest human tragedies, the death of one’s spouse: “And Sarah died in Kiriat Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her.” (Sefer Bereishit 23:2, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Avraham’s beloved wife, confidant and inspiration, was no more. In the midst of his abject misery, it was necessary for Avraham to enter financial negotiations with b’nai Chate, the people upon whose land he was living, in order to purchase a permanent burial plot for Sarah, and, ultimately, for the future Avot and Emahot.
 
Avraham began his discussion with b’nai Chate with these words: “I am a stranger (ger) and a resident (toshav) with you. Give me burial property with you, so that I may bury my dead from before me.” (23:4)  The second part of the pasuk is exactly as we would expect; the first part, however, is confusing. After all, how can one simultaneously be both a ger and a toshav? My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993), known as the Rav by his students and followers, asked this question in a lecture delivered in 1964: “Are not these two terms mutually exclusive? One is either a stranger, an alien, or one is a resident, a citizen. How could Abraham claim both identities for himself?” (Rabbi Abraham R. Besdin, Reflections of the Rav: Lessons in Jewish Thought Adopted from the Lectures of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, page 169)  The Rav utilized Avraham’s self-description as a lens for examining our identity as Jews, and our the role in the world at large: “Abraham’s definition of his dual status, we believe, describes with profound accuracy the historical position of the Jew who resides in a predominantly non-Jewish society.” In other words, Avraham’s declaration of being simultaneously a ger and a toshav represents an existential statement that bespeaks his very being, and his approach to the non-Jewish world.
 
On another occasion, the Rav described Avraham as a model citizen, or resident: “He erected tents, raised sheep, involved himself in business deals with kings and princes and established treaties with them. He learned their language and paid taxes — and when called upon, went to war to protect the land.” Yet, the Rav pointed out, at one and the same time: “…he lived as well on the other side of the river…from those distances Avraham took something with him, in a word, the vision of the Master of the Universe, of the new world order and new ethical system. This vision of the other side of the river never left Avraham’s sight.” Avraham’s vision has always been with us. It is a large part of who we are, no matter where we have wandered. The Rav describes it as the essence of our being:

We Jews have crossed many rivers. We have lived in many lands. We remain, however, spiritually, ideologically, and religiously firmly rooted on the other side of the river. We view this inheritance of the other side of the river, this inheritance of holiness, of purity, and specifically the life of the heroic gesture as found in the blessing “ozar Yisrael b’gevurah” (Who girds the Jewish people with mighty strength) as the center point of our being. (Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, Chamash Drashot, “Avraham Haivri,” page, 75)
 
For the Rav, Avraham’s dual identity is something conferred upon all Jews, for all time: “Where the freedom, dignity, and security of human life are at stake, all people — irrespective of ethnic diversity — are expected to join as brothers in shouldering their responsibilities.” (Besdin, p.170)  Yet, as the Rav stresses, these universal responsibilities must never contravene our unique Jewish identity:

The Jew, however, has another identity which he does not share with the rest of mankind: the covenant with G-d which was established at Mt. Sinai over 3,000 years ago. All of Jewish history only makes sense in terms of the validity of this covenant, which entrusted the Jewish people of all generations with a particular national destiny and a distinctive religious heritage. This identity involves responsibilities and a way of life which are uniquely Jewish and which, inevitably, set the Jew apart from non-Jews. It is particularistic rather than universalistic. (Besdin, p. 170)
 
In my estimation, the Sages of the Anshei Kenesset HaGadolah had many of these concepts in mind when they formulated the Aleinu prayer. A careful reading of this tefilah reveals the particularism of the first paragraph in that it emphasizes key theological principles of Judaism. These include the existence and omnipotence of Hashem, Hashem as the ongoing Creator of the Universe, and the uniqueness of the Jewish people regarding chelkanu (our portion, the Torah) and goralanu (our destiny). Since these essential beliefs constitute our very being as a nation, this paragraph was given precedence of place.
 
The second paragraph of Aleinu is universalistic in nature. It depicts the time of Mashiach “…when the world will be perfected under the sovereignty of the Almighty, when all humanity will call on Your name, to turn the earth’s wicked toward you,” and proclaims the implications of these great changes for all the nations of the world, when they:

…will kneel and bow down and give honor to Your glorious name. They will accept the yoke of Your kingdom, and You will reign over them soon and forever. For the kingdom is Yours, and to all eternity You will reign in glory, as it is written in Your Torah: “The
L-rd will reign forever and ever.” And it is said: “Then the L-rd shall be King over all the earth; on that day the L-rd shall be One and His name One.” (Translation, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zatzal, The Koren Mesorat HaRav Siddur, page 198)
 
With Hashem’s greatest blessing and our most fervent hope, 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
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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, Chana bat Sarah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
 
Beyond question, the Akedah represents the ultimate trial that any parent could possibly bear. It must have been exceedingly difficult for Avraham Avinu, who was the personification of gemilut chasadim. With his four-door tent perpetually open to passing wayfarers, his pleas to Hashem on behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and countless other deeds, Avraham was the embodiment of chesed in action. As such, Hashem’s direct command to him to bring his son as a korban olah (completely burnt offering), appears astonishing.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, explained the Akedah from the perspective of sacrifice in the service of Hashem: “… the idea of sacrifice is a cornerstone of Judaism, and the Akedah has inevitably introduced sacrificial action as part of our historical drama.” (Abraham’s Journey: Reflections on the Life of the Founding Patriarch, page 11, so, too, the following quotes)  An analysis of this aspect of avodat Hashem (the service of G-d), is essential to understanding humankind’s relationship with the Almighty. The Rav interpreted avodat Hashem as “service awareness,” that is, our entire being is under Hashem’s control:

Man is a servant of G-d. He belongs completely to G-d — body and soul. G-d owns human existence at every level, physical, spiritual, and social. Every movement of our muscles is related to G-d. Every thought that flashes through our minds belongs to Him. Every feeling, stirring of the soul, every joyful anticipation or sad expectation is not the property of man. (10)
 
The Rav urges us to keenly recognize the Almighty’s total mastery over the universe and ourselves:

G-d is the L-rd of the world and the master of man. Hence, G-d from time to time calls upon man to return to Him whatever is His. He demands that man give not a part but the whole of himself. He requires of man to return divine property to its rightful owner.
(11)
 
In light of this last point, we can gain an important insight as to why Hashem commanded Avraham to bring Yitzchak as a korban olah: Avraham was returning to G-d that which was always His:

The supreme sacrifice is never too much, since G-d owns everything and man possesses nothing. “The soul is Yours, and the body is Your handiwork” (High Holy Day prayers). Total sacrifice was decreed by G-d when He summoned Abraham to offer Isaac on Mount Moriah. (10)
 
When analyzing the Akedah, it is crucial to remember that the Almighty’s commandment to Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchak was absolute and unequivocal in nature:
 
And it came to pass after these things, that G-d tested Abraham, and He said to him, “Abraham,” and he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you.” (Sefer Bereishit 22:
1-2, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Although a direct reading of this passage (peshat) leaves no doubt that Avraham was commanded to offer Yitzchak as a korban olah, toward the end of our narrative, Hashem, through His malach, commands Avraham to refrain from harming Yitzchak and to offer the ram He provided in his place:

And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to slaughter his son. And an angel of G-d called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” And he said, “Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a G-d fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and lo! there was a ram, [and] after [that] it was caught in a tree by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. (22:10-13)
 
Although one might think authentic sacrifice can only be achieved if we fulfill the literal meaning of this term, the Rav teaches us that there are two ways in which this can be realized, namely, the physical and experiential. Therefore, in his view Avraham did indeed sacrifice Yitzchak; the sacrifice, however, was not physical in nature. It was, instead, experiential. As such, the Rav states, it took place in the innermost “recesses of his personality.” For all intents and purposes, then, Yitzchak, in the persona of Avraham’s son, ceased to exist. True, the physical form of Yitzchak remained; nonetheless his experience had transformed him so profoundly that he was now kulu l’Hashem (totally and completely Hashem’s). Moreover, since this change was spiritual and experiential, rather than physical, the Rav opines that it took place before Avraham ever arrived at Mount Moriah:
Abraham implemented the sacrifice of Isaac not on Mount Moriah but in the depths of his heart. He gave up Isaac the very instant G-d addressed Himself to him and asked him to return his most precious possession to its legitimate master and owner. Immediatedly, with no arguing or pleading, Abraham surrendered Isaac. He gave him up as soon as the command “and offer him there for a burnt offering” (Gen. 22:2) was issued. Inwardly, the sacrificial act was consummated at once. Isaac no longer belonged to Abraham. Isaac was dead as far as Abraham was concerned. (11-12)
 
We are not the Avot and the Emahot, yet, we, too, are presented with untold challenges in our lives. What should our response ideally be? Long ago, Dovid HaMelech said it best when he proclaimed: “I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help is from the L-rd, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber.” (Sefer Tehillim 121:1-3) Just as our ancestor, Avraham, “lifted up his eyes” and saw the ram Hashem had provided, so, too, may we raise our eyes and recognize that the Almighty is watching over us, and is ever our Protector. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal
 

 







Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, Chana bat Sarah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
We most often think of the Avot and Emahot as heroic individuals. Nonetheless, there were times when Hashem comforted each of the Avot with the expression, “al tira” (“do not be afraid”). By way of example, we find in our parasha: “After these incidents, the word of the L-rd came to Avram [later to be called Avraham] in a vision, saying, ‘Fear not, Avram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great.’” (Sefer Bereishit 15:1, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Hashem repeated the same words, “al tira,” to Yitzchak in Parashat Toldot (26:24): “And the L-rd appeared to him on that night and said, ‘I am the G-d of Avraham, your father. Fear not, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed for the sake of Avraham, My servant.’” (26:24) So, too, in the case of Ya’akov Avinu in Parashat Vayigash: “And He said, ‘I am G-d, the G-d of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up, and Yosef will place his hand on your eyes.’” (46:3-4)
 
Why were the Avot afraid? Based upon a number of midrashim, Rashi (1040-1105) suggests that Avram’s fear was triggered by his incredible military victory against “Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him:”

After this miracle had been wrought for him, that he slew the kings, he was worried and said, “Perhaps I have [already] received reward for all my righteous deeds.” Therefore, the Omnipresent said to him,” Fear not Abram, I am your Shield” from punishment, that you will not be punished for all those souls that you have slain, and as far as your being worried about receiving reward, your reward is exceedingly great.
 
According to Rashi, Avram’s fear was two-fold. He was afraid he would be punished for the lives that he had taken during the military campaign. In addition, since the battle had been so one-sided in his favor, he feared he would receive no further zechuyot (rewards). Therefore, Hashem assured Avram that he had nothing to fear; he would not be punished, and he would continue to receive great rewards.
 
Yitzchak, as well, was haunted by two fears: the fear that G-d might abandon him, and that the Almighty would not bless him and provide him with many children. Hashem, therefore, directly reassured him on both of these accounts: “Fear not, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed…” (Sefer Bereishit 26:24) 
 
Ya’akov’s fears are far more difficult to understand than those of either his grandfather, Avraham, or his father, Yitzchak. The phrase, “do not be afraid,” seem strangely out of place. After all, Hashem comforted Ya’akov with the promise “al tira” after he learned his long-lost son, Yosef, was alive and the viceroy of Egypt. My rebbi and mentor, Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known by his students and followers as “the Rav,” provides us with a trenchant insight that enables us to understand Yaakov’s trepidation. He suggests that two separate and distinct covenants (britot) with Hashem have existed within the history of the Jewish people. The first, and historically more ancient one, is the Brit Avot (the covenant of the Patriarchs). The second is the Brit Klal Yisrael (the covenant of the entire Jewish people) that was entered into at Mount Sinai. While the Brit Klal Yisrael encompasses our entire people and, with the exception of those mitzvot that depend upon Eretz Yisrael, must be fulfilled wherever one lives, the Brit Avot was limited to Ya’akov’s immediate and extended family, and was obligatory solely in Eretz Yisrael.
 
The Rav uses this distinction to explain why Ya’akov was terrified of going down to Egypt: Given the geographic limitations of the Brit Avot, Ya’akov felt that his family and future descendants were facing an impending spiritual tragedy. In his view, their soon-to-be exile in Egypt would all but sever their connection to Hashem’s Torah; as such, he was enveloped by mortal fear. The only antidote to this poisonous dread was Hashem’s promise: “Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up….” Once Ya’akov was assured that the Divine Presence (Shechinah) would accompany him, he ceased to be afraid. With G-d by his side, the area in which the Jews lived in Egypt would be transformed into an extended portion of Eretz Yisrael, the Brit Avot would remain in effect, and the spiritual future of Ya’akov’s family would be guaranteed. With Hashem’s promise to take him down and bring him up from Egypt, Ya’akov had nothing to fear.
 
Beyond a doubt, we live in challenging times. We, too, yearn for Hashem’s reassurance and, like our Avot and Emahot of old, long to hear, “al tira.” Avinu Malkeinu, may we hear these words soon and, in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, Shayndel bat Mordechai Yehudah, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah, Chana bat Sarah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
And the L-rd saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time. And the L-rd regretted that He had made man upon the earth, and He became grieved in His heart. And the L-rd said, “I will blot out man, whom I created, from upon the face of the earth, from man to cattle to creeping thing, to the fowl of the heavens, for I regret that I made them.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:5-7, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
In these closing pasukim of Parashat Bereishit, Hashem’s grand plan to populate the earth with all manner and variety of life comes to a screeching halt. Yet, like a great bolt of lightning in the darkest night, a sudden bright shining moment of hope bursts forth: “But Noach found favor in the eyes of the L-rd.” (6:8)  The very first verse of Parashat Noach tells us why: “…Noach was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generations; Noach walked with G-d.” (6:9)  Noach, therefore, was a tzaddik who reached the state of perfection of his time, and walked with the Almighty in that he followed all His commands. This notion is made manifest in the final pasuk of chapter six: “And Noach did; according to all that G-d had commanded him, so he did.”
 
In his Commentary on the Torah on the phrase, “found favor in the eyes of the L-rd,” the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270) elaborates upon why this was so:

The reason why Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem is because all of his actions before Him were pleasant and pleasing. So, too, do we find [in the case of Moshe where it states:] “And the L-rd said to Moshe: ‘Even this thing that you have spoken, I will do, for you have found favor in My eyes, and I have known you by name.’” (Sefer Shemot 33:17) [Noach, therefore, was similar to Yosef] about whom the Torah states: “The L-rd was with Joseph, and He extended charisma to him, and He gave him favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison.” (Sefer Bereishit 39:21) [In addition, Noach was like Esther] about whom it states: “…and Esther obtained favor in the eyes of all who beheld her.” (Megillat Esther 2:15). Noach having found “favor in the eyes of the L-rd” is mentioned in contrast to the actions of his generation, since all of their actions caused despondency before Him, may He be blessed. [In contrast,] it says regarding him [Noach]that his actions were favorable to Him. Afterwards, [the Torah explicitly states] why he [Noach] was considered good before Him — he was a completely righteous individual. (Translations my own)
 
According to the Ramban, Noach should be seen as someone akin to Moshe, Yosef, and Esther. As such, he was unquestionably a true hero of the spirit and model of righteousness:

The verse mentions that Noah was zakkai v’shalame b’tzidko (free of guilt and complete in his righteousness), to let us know that he deserved to be saved from the deluge because he did not deserve any punishment at all, for he was tamim b’tzedek (perfect in righteousness). The word “tzaddik” refers to someone who is righteous in judgment, the opposite of “rasha,” an evil individual… (Gloss on 6:9)
 
In sum, in the Ramban’s view, Noach emerges as a tamim b’tzedek, the ideal individual to continue humankind in the coming postdiluvian world. Perhaps, Dovid HaMelech had Noach in mind when he wrote:

A song of David; O L-rd, who will sojourn in Your tent, who will dwell upon Your holy mount? He who walks tamim, performs acts of tzedek and speaks emet in his heart. (Sefer Tehillim 15:1-2)
 
With the Almighty’s help and our fervent desire, may we ever strive to walk tamim with Hashem, and may our acts of tzedek and the emet we speak in our hearts enable us to find favor in His eyes. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
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*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** 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: The Rav zatzal