Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, 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, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha begins with the dramatic encounter between Yehudah and Yosef: “Vayigash aluv — then Yehudah approached him [Yosef]...” As in many verses of Tanach, these simple 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, will undergo a radical shift in the succeeding millennia of Jewish history for, as we know, it is Yehudah’s descendants that are destined to be the kings of Israel, and not 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.” (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 first need to analyze the dual nature of the covenantal community (the Jewish people), and the vast differences that obtained between Leah and Rachel:

The covenantal community that G-d 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 was the exemplification of dignity and majesty, Rachel’s persona epitomized great sacrificial action:

Rachel is the opposite of Leah. She is the tragic heroine who lives for others and not for herself. She gave up her most precious possessions and her elementary rights in order to make it possible for others to find the happiness denied them…She helped her sister take Jacob away from herself. She brushed aside all her own hopes and cherished wishes because her sister was also entitled to the same happiness which Providence had showered upon her, but denied to her sister. (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” — he virtually 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; 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: 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.
 

​
 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, 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, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
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.
 
Our parasha, however, reveals Yosef’s true mettle and ultimate potential. Pharaoh had two very disturbing dreams that eluded interpretation. He was beside himself with anxiety and mental anguish. Out of desperation, Pharaoh retold his dreams to his confidants and magicians, but remained disappointed with their inadequate interpretations. In a moment of high drama, Pharaoh’s cupbearer declared that he remembered someone who had been in prison with him who accurately interpreted dreams. He described the dream analyst as a “na’ar,” an “ivri,” and an “eved” — a mere youth, a stranger and a slave. In short, Yosef was on the very lowest rung of Egyptian society and hardly worth mentioning. Yet, “desperate times call for desperate measures,” and the cupbearer nonetheless decided to share this information. His goal, of course, was to curry favor in Pharaoh’s eyes. Little did he know, however, that he would begin the chain of events that would eventuate in Ya’akov and his sons coming to Egypt, Yetziat Mitzraim (the Departure from Egypt), Kabbalat HaTorah (the Receiving of the Torah), and, ultimately, the fulfillment of Judaism’s messianic vision of the future.
 
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 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’ve a gift that is now 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” when he declared to Pharaoh: “Bil’adai, Elokim ya’aneh et shalom Pharaoh — it is not through my wisdom [Onkelos] that I shall interpret your dreams; G-d will provide an answer that will bring peace to Pharaoh.” In one fell swoop, Yosef became one of the greatest figures in Jewish history. Rather than responding to Pharaoh in an arrogant and self-serving manner, Yosef presented himself as the humble servant of the Master of the Universe and the mere conduit through whom Hashem’s dream interpretations would flow. Yosef’s humility proved him to be a true son of Ya’akov Avinu (our Father Ya’akov), and one who was worthy of the mantle of leadership that would soon be placed upon his shoulders.

I believe that Yosef’s actions teach us a good deal regarding the proper way to serve Hashem. These ideas were further refined and given powerful voice by the Michah the Prophet when he declared: “He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the L-rd demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk humbly with your G-d.” (Sefer Michah 6:8, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) With the Almighty’s help and our fervent desire, may we 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: 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.

​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, 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, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
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.” In truth, we are no strangers to this term, as it appears each Shabbat 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?” What does it really mean to be Hashem’s people? One cannot help but think that this phrase conceals far more than it reveals.
 
We are very 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 indestructible 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)  What, in turn, does this maxim mean? The Rav analyzes it by first asking, “What did Chazal [our sages] want to express through this expression?” His answer goes a long way in helping us understand the authentic 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 G-d — willy-nilly he belongs to Him.” At this juncture, the Rav points out that we learn from the writings of Chabad that “the Jew has a natural love for G-d, an ahavah tevayit — whether he wants to love G-d, or does not want to love G-d.” This is based on “an instinctual drive, an urge to find G-d that is in the Jew.” As the founder of Chabad Chasidism, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi zatzal (1745-1812) states in his work, 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, therefore, 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 and our most powerful desire, may we be zocheh (merit) to ever express our ahavah tevayit for Him as we continue our life-long journey to find 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: 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, 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, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The beginning of our parasha depicts Ya’akov Avinu’s return to Eretz Yisrael and the preparations he undertook before encountering his estranged brother, Eisav. What thoughts and feelings were racing through his mind as this meeting drew near? The Torah informs us: “Ya’akov became very frightened and was distressed.” (Sefer Bereishit 32:8, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Rashi (1040-1105) notes that Ya’akov’s fear was very powerful — to the extent that “he was frightened lest he be killed.” In the following verse, Ya’akov strategizes and splits his family into two camps, with the hope that at least one group would survive. Once again, Rashi’s midrashically-infused interpretation helps us understand “the story behind the story:”

the remaining camp will escape: … He (Ya’akov) prepared three options: doron — a gift, milchamah — war, and tefilah — prayer. For a doron: “So the gift passed on before him.” (32:22)  For tefilah: “G-d of my father Abraham…” (32:10)  For milchamah: “the remaining camp will escape.” (32:9)
 
This famous gloss contains the essence of Ya’akov’s three-part strategy for confronting Eisav: “doron, tefilah and milchamah.” At first, he sought to propitiate Eisav through gifts of tribute, while simultaneously praying to Hashem in heartfelt and soul-wrenching tefilah. As a last resort, he prepared himself for war should the other two approaches fail to achieve their desired purpose.
 
Rabbi Isaiah ben Avraham HaLevi Horowitz zatzal (1565-1630), known as the Shlah Hakodesh, has a fascinating approach to applying Ya’akov’s tripartite plan to our modern “Eisavs.” In essence, he reinterprets doron as tzedakah, and milchamah as doing teshuvah (returning to the proper path of Torah observance), whereas tefilah maintains its normative meaning:

Just like he [Ya’akov] occupied himself with gifts, prayer, and war, so, too, should we act accordingly with the sons of Eisav…in order to ensure a powerful foundation and the continued existence of Diaspora Jewry… [In our time,] these three things represent teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedakah. Doron refers to tzedakah, tefilah is understood in the standard manner, and milchamah is teshuvah… (Translation my own)
 
 
Moreover, the Shlah Hakodesh views our meritorious actions of teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedakah as key to bringing Mashiach Tzidkanu (the one true righteous Messiah):

…in the time of the Messiah [the Navi] says: “And saviors shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Eisav, and the L-rd shall have the kingdom.” (Sefer Ovadiah 1:21)  The coming of the Messiah is the direct result of the zechuyot (merits) that will accrue on behalf of these three actions (that is, teshuvah, tefilah and tzedakah).
 
With Hashem’s help, and the Shlah Hakodesh’s inspiration, may we successfully encounter the “Eisavs” of our time through teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedakah; and may these zechuyot enable us to witness the arrival of Mashiach Tzidkanu 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: 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.

​
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, 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, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The beginning of our parasha describes the first steps that Ya’akov took on his journey to Haran in order to escape the wrath of his brother, Eisav, and find a fitting wife from his mother’s family: “And Jacob left Beer Sheba, and he went to Haran. Vayifga ba’makom (And he arrived at the place) and lodged there because the sun had set…” (Sefer Bereishit 28:10-11, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The expression, “vayifga ba’makom,” is difficult to understand at face value, since there is as of yet no referent for “the place” in the Torah’s text. We are fortunate that Rashi’s Commentary on the Torah summarizes various Talmudic and Midrashic statements that discuss both words in our phrase, and thereby advance our understanding of these terms. Rashi begins by suggesting the following interpretation of “vayifga:”

Our Rabbis interpreted it as an expression of prayer, as in, “And you, pray not on behalf of this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer, and v’al tifga bi — do not entreat Me for I will not hear you.” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 7:16)
 
Herein, Rashi explains that the terms vayifga and tefilah are functionally equivalent. Therefore, he would read this section of our phrase as, “And he prayed in the place.” In addition to his interpretation of vayifga as prayer, Rashi focuses upon the meaning of makom in our verse and suggests, “The Torah does not mention which place; however, [it refers to] the place mentioned elsewhere, namely, Mount Moriah, concerning which it is said, ‘And he saw the place from afar.’” (See Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 88a)  In sum, Rashi’s reading of this part of our pasuk would look like this: “And Jacob left Beer Sheba, and he went to Haran. And he prayed on Mount Moriah and lodged there because the sun had set…”
 
In contrast to Rashi’s approach suggesting makom as scriptural code for Mount Moriah, a number of midrashic sources interpret our term as an alternative name for Hashem, rather than a physical place. By way of illustration:

Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Ami: “Why did the Torah use a nickname for the Holy One blessed be He [in our verse] and call Him “makom” [instead of one of His more usual proper names]? The reason is, He is the place (makom) of the world, whereas His world is not His place. (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah, Parashat Vayatze 68:9, translation and brackets my own)
 
This midrash identifies the word, “makom,” as an appellation of Hashem, based upon the statement, “He is the place (makom) of the world, whereas His world is not His place.” As this rationale may be difficult to comprehend, Rabbi Yossi bar Halafta focuses upon its explanation in the continuation of the midrash:

Rabbi Yossi bar Halafta said: “We do not know from here [Rav Huna’s statement] why exactly the Holy One blessed be He is the place of His world instead of thinking His world is His place. Yet we have a clear answer from another verse: ‘… Behold, there is a makom — place — with Me, and you shall stand on the rock.’ (Sefer Shemot 33:21)  This teaches us that the Holy One blessed be He is the makom olamo — the ‘place’ wherein His world exists —  rather than olamo m’komo — the place wherein He exists.”
 
Based upon our midrash, we have an entirely different way to read our phrase, namely, “And Jacob left Beer Sheba, and he went to Haran. And there he met the Holy One blessed be He and lodged there because the sun had set…” In addition, this interpretation sheds new light upon Ya’akov’s famous declaration, “Mah nora hamakom hazeh” — “How awesome is this place” — that can now be understood as his proclamation that he had encountered HaMakom in all His manifest glory.
 
We can further extend our midrash’s insight to a well-known verse from Sefer Yeshiyahu that we recite during every Kedushah: “Kadosh kadosh kadosh Hashem tzivakot m’lo kol ha’aretz k’vodo” — “Holy, holy, holy is the L-rd of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (6:3)  A cursory reading suggests that Hashem’s glory is in and of this world; yet, with the midrash’s guidance, we now realize that everything including His glory, exists and can only exist within Hamakom. I believe this is one reason we joyfully sing, “baruch Hamakom baruch hu” — “blessed be Hamakom blessed be He” — during the recitation of the Haggadah, for it is at this exalted moment, perhaps more than any other, that we come closest to apprehending the omnipresence of our Creator and Redeemer.
 
With the Holy One’s help, and our fervent desire, may our new-found understanding of Hamakom lead us to appreciate the magnificent wonders and beauty of our world, as we ever recognize hakol bo — everything is within Him. 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: 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.