Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The word “mishpatim,” the namesake of our parasha and its singular form “mishpat,” is found many times throughout Chamishah Chumshei Torah. We encounter it first in Sefer Bereishit 18:18-19, wherein, Hashem describes the charismatic nature of Avraham Avinu, and his singular ability to pass down the masorah of our newborn faith-community:

And Avraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the world will be blessed in him. For I have known him because he commands his sons and his household after him, that they should keep the way of Hashem to perform righteousness and justice (mishpat), in order that Hashem will bring upon Avraham that which He spoke concerning him. (This and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press complete Tanach)
 
Mishpat in this passage clearly has the connotation of “justice.” We find this meaning, as well, in perhaps the most famous verse employing our term:

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 (mishpat)? (Sefer Bereishit 18:25)
 
Mishpat, it appears, is so fundamental to the fabric of Hashem’s Creation that even He must accede to its legitimate demands. Little wonder then, that we find mishpat employed in this manner within the description of His attributes of action: “The deeds of the [Mighty] Rock are perfect, for all His ways are mishpat; a faithful God, without injustice He is righteous and upright.” (Sefer Devarim 32:4, with my emendations for clarity)
 
Another meaning of “mishpat” and “mishpatim” is that of the category of rational laws, which had they not been stated, would have been naturally derived and set in to motion. As Talmud Bavli, Yoma 67b states: “Our Rabbis taught: ‘You should perform my mishpatim’ (Sefer Vayikra 18:4). These are matters that were they not actually written it is logical that they would have been.” In sum, mishpatim are laws that we could have derived on our own if left to our own devices. In this sense, they are “natural laws,” even though their obligatory status directly derives from Kabbalat HaTorah at Har Sinai.

Mishpat is also employed in reference to ultimate judgment or decision. This is reflected in the following pasuk:

You shall place the Urim and the Tummim into the breastplate of judgment so that they will be over Aaron’s heart when he comes before Hashem, and Aharon will carry the judgment of b’nai Yisrael over his heart before Hashem at all times. (Sefer Shemot 28:30, with my emendations)
 
The expression “the breastplate of judgment” appears in the original Hebrew as “choshen hamishpat” with the letter “heh” preceding the term “mishpat.” This means that this garment of the Kohane Gadol provided practical advice regarding various kinds of issues and revealed the ultimate judgment of the Almighty. This concept is beautifully portrayed by Rashi (1040-1105) in his glosses on Sefer Shemot 28:15 and 30:
​
a choshen of judgment: … Another interpretation: [The choshen is referred to as] judgment because it clarifies its words and its promise comes true, dere(s)nement in Old French, [meaning] a clear statement… But this one [use of the word מִֹשְפָט] serves as an expression of the clarification of words, [meaning] that it explains and clarifies its words. the judgment of the children of Israel: [that is, the solution of] the matter about which they [b’nai Yisrael] are judging and debating, whether or not to do something. (Emendations my own)
 
In sum, we find that the Torah utilizes the word “mishpat” and its plural form “mishpatim” in at least three different ways:

• Justice
• A logically determinable law that nonetheless was given to us directly by Hashem
• The ultimate judgment of our Creator

 
In all cases, we recognize these three different applications of our term as emanating from HaKadosh Baruch Hu. As such, they serve as a continuation of the commanding Voice we heard at Har Sinai. May we, our children, and our children’s children throughout all future generations be zocheh to hear and heed the Voice for evermore. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
Many 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
 
Our parasha contains a pasuk that strikingly underscores the unique relationship of Klal Yisrael with Hashem: “And now, if you obey Me and keep My covenant, you shall be to Me segulah out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire earth.” (Sefer Shemot 19:5, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In his Commentary on the Torah on this verse, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch zatzal (1808-1888) examines the meaning of segulah in light of our relationship with Hashem:
​
Consequently, “segulah” is a singular possession to which no one else may lay claim. It, therefore, has no connection whatsoever to anyone other than its owner. A fundamental condition thus emerges in reference to “segulah;” namely, this concept demands of us in reference to our relationship with Hashem, that we will be His sole possession in a total and complete sense, in the very fiber of our spiritual being, in every aspect of our persona and with our entire desire and lives. In addition, we must see ourselves as depending upon Hashem alone, and never upon some other power or being. Then, too, this principle must shape the trajectory of our lives and influence the essence and approach of all our actions. (Translation from the Hebrew edition my own)
 
Rav Hirsch presents a treasure trove of ideas regarding the definitional structure and conceptual underpinnings of “segulah:”

1. Segulah is a singular possession to which no one else may lay claim, and by definition, has no connection to anyone other than its owner.
2. When viewed in reference to our relationship with Hashem, segulah demands that we will be His sole possession in the very fiber of our spiritual and physical beings.
3. Segulah requires that we depend exclusively upon Hashem, rather than upon some other power or being.
4. Application: “This principle must shape the trajectory of our lives and influence the essence and approach of all our actions.”

 
In sum, for Rav Hirsch, the concept of “segulah,” must define who we are and positively inform every encounter we have with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and the world at large.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and disciples, presents a complementary approach to Rav Hirsch’s position when he defines “segulah” as “singularity”:

The word “singular” means “being only one,” “exceptional,” “extraordinary” and “separate.” The word segulah in Hebrew similarly connotes singularity. In Exodus (19:5), the Torah enunciates the doctrine of the election of Israel [Am HaNivchar] as a cardinal tenet of our faith. (Rabbi Abraham R. Besdin, Reflections of the Rav: Lessons in Jewish Thought adapted from Lectures of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, this, and the following citations, are from page 119, brackets and underling my own)
 
The Rav continues this line of reasoning and emphasizes that “segulah” is not solely a theological construct. Rather, it plays a crucial role in human interaction:

Segulah may also describe relationships between people. For example, Jacob loved Rachel, but he did not hate Leah, despite the verse, “And the Eternal saw that Leah was unloved” (senuah, Sefer Bereishit 29:31). His bond to her merely suffered by comparison with Rachel… his relationship with Rachel was singular.” There was a segulah dimension in this special love. It involved an intertwining of souls, a union beyond verbal description. It was more than emotional love; it was a oneness achieved, which is the highest rung of identification.
 
Significantly, Rav Soloveitchik notes that Hashem’s unique relationship with the Jewish people is parallel to Ya’akov’s marital bonds with Rachel and Leah:
​
Similarly, the people of Israel are a segulah people, singularly valued by God; this involves no denigration of other nations. It is a specialness—a nation, one of its kind, which God has designated to preserve and disseminate His Divine teachings. This is singularity.
 
Clearly, for the Rav, the segulah nature of the Jewish people does not translate into a declaration of superiority over, or a rejection of, the other nations of the world. Instead, each nation has its unique part to play in Hashem’s grand plan.
 
May we, soon be zocheh to witness the fulfillment of Zechariah’s stirring words: “And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall Hashem 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
 
Many 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 mann is one of the great nissim found in our parasha:

It came to pass in the evening that the quails went up and covered the camp, and in the morning, there was a layer of dew around the camp. The layer of dew went up, and behold, on the surface of the desert, a fine, bare [substance] as fine as frost on the ground. When the children of Israel saw [it], they said to one another, “It is manna,” because they did not know what it was, and Moshe said to them, “It is the bread that Hashem has given you to eat.” (Sefer Shemot 16: 13-15, this, and all Torah translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The mann was a paradox from the moment of its creation, since while it was spiritual and metaphysical in its inception and essence, its presence was wholly physical. In a word, it was simultaneously bread from Heaven (lechem min hashamayim) and food on earth. As such, its very presence in the terrestrial sphere was a contradiction in terms and, consequently, beyond our grasp and comprehension. The mysterious, ephemeral, and otherworldly nature of the mann is first found in the pasuk wherein our forebears declared to one another in wonderment: “Mann hu?” (“What is this?”). The Torah relates the reason for their amazement in a phrase that conceals far more than it reveals: “ki lo yadu mah hu—for they did not know what it was,” Sefer Shemot 16:15).  Rashi (1040-1105) opines “they did not know what it was,” really means that they did not know “so that they could [not] call it by its name.” (Translation, Rosenbaum and Silverman, brackets my own)
 
Rashi’s comment underscores the completely new status of the mann. It was so utterly different in kind and degree from any earthly substance previously encountered that our forebears could not even give it a name. Indeed, the Torah’s description of the physical properties of the mann continues to defy our understanding until our own present moment: “The layer of dew went up, and behold, on the surface of the desert, a fine, bare [substance] as fine as frost on the ground.” (Sefer Shemot 16:14) Even the closely parallel pasuk from Sefer Bamidbar 11:7: “Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance was like the appearance of crystal,” does little to add to our understanding of its constitutive nature. Little wonder, then, that although Moshe explicitly told them: “It is the bread that Hashem has given you to eat,” (Sefer Shemot 16:15) and could, therefore, have been called “lechem min hashamayim,” it has retained its title of mann forevermore.
 
While the mann itself remains an impenetrable mystery, we can nonetheless ask a simple and straightforward question: “Why did b’nai yisrael merit the mann?” The answer to this question is far from clear. Many of us are familiar with the legitimate arguments and complaints of Uzzah, the angelic representative of the Egyptians, in his dispute with Hashem that took place on the evening prior to kriyat yam suf. He bitterly complained to the Almighty that He was saving the Jewish people while the Egyptian hordes were drowning. To Uzzah, this was patently unjust, and a violation of Avraham’s famous question and theological premise: “Will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?” (Sefer Bereishit 18:25)
​
I do not understand why You [God] support Your people, the Jews, and are angry at my people, the Egyptians. Your people do exactly what my people have been doing. These worship idols and these worship idols. They dress and look alike. So what is the difference really? What do You want from my children? You, Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu, are just and truthful, so why do You want to punish my children? (Midrash Tehillim 15, Buber edition, translation by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal in The Lord is Righteous in all His Ways: Reflections on the Tisha be-Av Kinot, p. 189)
 
We are now in a particularly strong position to reiterate our earlier question: “Why did b’nai yisrael merit the mann?” The great Chasidic master, Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter zatzal (1847–1905), known as the “Sefat Emet” after the title of his most famous work, offered the following answer to our query: “Beyond question [even given their past history], the entire Jewish people’s most heartfelt desires were [now] devoted solely to heaven; therefore, bread from heaven was given to them.” (Translation and brackets my own) In other words, according to the Sefat Emet, a kind of middah k’neged middah (quid pro quo) was set in motion between Hashem and the Jewish people: We dedicated our neshamot to Hashem, and He, in turn, enabled us to live physically in this world via the mann. Thus, for the Sefat Emet, our newly found commitment and allegiance to Hashem became the preeminent factor in our salvation at the yam suf, and the reason He decided to sustain us with the miracle of the mann.
 
May we emulate our ancestors of old and rededicate ourselves to Avinu b’shamayim so that we, too, may once again receive His lechem min hashamayim. 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
 
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.