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

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

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

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

​

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

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

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

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

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The concluding section of our parasha presents the first narrative of the Yitzchak and Rivka story. These pasukim contain a verse that conceals far more than it reveals: “Yitzchak went out lasuach ba’sadeh lifnot erev—to meditate in the field toward evening. He raised his eyes and saw camels approaching.” (Sefer Bereishit 24:63, translation, The Living Torah, Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatzal) The phrase, “lasuach ba’sadeh lifnot erev” is quite obscure, fortunately, Talmud Bavli, Berachot 26b helps us understand its meaning: “It has been taught in accordance with R. Jose b. Hanina, ...Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it says, ‘Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening,’ and “meditation”—lasuach—means only prayer...’” (Translation with my emendations, The Soncino Talmud)
 
Rashi (1040-1105) embraces the Talmud’s analysis of lasuach, and interprets the beginning of our pasuk as, “And Yitzchak went forth to pray in the field towards evening.” (Translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The Chasidic master, Rabbi Ya’akov Yosef of Polonne zatzal (1710-184), follows Rashi’s lead regarding lasuach and connects it to the words, “lifnot erev.” Moreover, he looks beyond the straightforward meaning of lifnot erev (toward evening), and suggests a kabbalistically-infused interpretation of this phrase:

Prior to praying, Yitzchak was punctilious in his efforts to remove and distance himself from all manner of “erev.” Erev refers to negative and extraneous thoughts [that can prevent a person from being able to pray effectively and meaningfully]. Yitzchak achieved this to the point that his prayer was as pure as Heaven itself and reached the highest level of utmost purity. (Toldot Ya’akov Yosef, Sefer Bereishit, Parashat Vayishlach, s.v. v'nireh li b’biur, translation my own)
 
Rabbi Ya’akov Yosef’s statement regarding the purity Yitzchak achieved in his tefilah is reminiscent of a well-known formulation in the Iggeret HaRamban, wherein the Ramban (1194-1270) emphasizes the importance of removing “negative and extraneous thoughts” to achieve a meaningful prayer experience: “Remove all worldly concerns from your mind during prayer. Prepare your mind before the Omnipresent One, may He be blessed, purify your thoughts and deeply focus upon about the words [of prayer] before you utter them.” (Translation, my own)
 
The message from these sources is clear: Taharut b’tefilah, purity in prayer, requires hachanah l’tefilah, preparation for prayer. In particular, the Ramban teaches us three steps of hachanah l’tefilah that will enable us to approach the level of taharut b’tefilah:
​

• Prepare your mind before the Omnipresent One, may He be blessed
• Purify your thoughts
• Deeply focus upon the words [of prayer] before you utter them

 
The first step in preparing our minds to stand before the Almighty prior to embarking upon the prayer experience is given voice in a phrase found above many an Aron Kodesh, “Da lifnei Mi atah omeid—Know before Whom you stand.” This means that we must try to achieve a palpable feeling that we are in the presence of Hashem when we attempt to encounter Him in tefilah. Next, we must do everything in our power to “remove all worldly concerns from our minds during prayer,” to purify our thoughts and prepare ourselves to engage with Him. While this is a difficult task, the reward is surely equal to the effort. Finally, we need to understand the content of what we are about to say to Hashem so that we may focus upon each word and pray with kavanah, intention; for only then will we be able to convey our innermost thoughts to Him.
 
With Hashem’s help, may our tefilot ever ascend to the Kisa Hakavode, Throne of Glory, and may they be answered b’chane v’chesed v’rachamim—with favor, kindness and mercy. 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
 
Yishmael’s behavior at the moment he is about to die of thirst presents us with a number of interpretative challenges: “And Elokim heard kol ha’na’ar (the lad’s voice), and an angel of Elokim called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What is troubling you, Hagar? Fear not, for Elokim has heard kol ha’na’ar ba’asher hu sham (in the place where he is).’” (Sefer Bereishit 21:17, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The terms, “kol ha’na’ar” and “ba’asher hu sham” are very difficult to understand. Does kol ha’na’ar refer to Yishmael’s voice, his cry, or something else entirely? Then, too, ba’asher hu sham seems unnecessary on every level, for after all, where else would Hashem have heard Yishmael other than the “place where he is?”

Midrash Pirkei d’ Rabi Eliezer, contextualizes and explains the phrase, “kol ha’na’ar” in this manner:

Yishmael’s very being was exhausted from thirst, and that point, he went and he threw himself under one of the desert bushes. [He then] said: “Master of all worlds! If You have the desire to give me water to drink, give me water to drink and do not allow my soul to depart from me as a result of the extreme thirst I am suffering; for death from thirst is different from and more difficult than all other forms of death!” And the Holy One blessed be He heard his tefilah, as the texts states: “And Elokim heard kol ha’na’ar.” (Chapter 30, translation my own)
 
According to the midrash, “kol ha’na’ar” refers to the heartfelt tefilah Yishmael uttered at his moment of mortal danger. As such, it teaches us something of universal value: Yishmael’s personal prayer experience, and its positive outcome, is available to everyone. David HaMelech gave voice to this idea when he famously declared, “Hashem is near to all who call Him, to all who call upon Him with truth.” (Sefer Tehillim 145:18)
 
At first glance, ba’asher hu sham does not seem connected to kol ha’na’ar and appears completely unnecessary. If so, why is it found in our pasuk? Perhaps this question is one of the reasons Rashi (1040-1105) suggests this interpretation:

Where he is: According to the deeds that he does now he is judged and not according to what he is destined to do (Talmud Bavli, Rosh Hashanah 16b). For the ministering angels acted as accusers and said: “O’ Lord of the Universe, for one [that is, Yishmael’s descendants] who is destined to kill Your children with thirst, You are bringing up a well?!” And He answered them, “What is he now, righteous or wicked?” They replied, “righteous.” He said to them, “According to his present deeds I judge him” (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 53:14). And that is the meaning of “where he is.”
 
In one deft stroke, Rashi’s midrashically-infused analysis teaches us that ba’asher hu sham does not refer to a physical location; rather, it is a description of Yishmael’s existential state at the moment of uttering his tefilah to the Almighty. Consequently, kol ha’na’ar and ba’asher hu sham are closely interwoven, as each advances the understanding of the other. Knowing that Hashem judges us according to our present deeds, instead of any future missteps we may take, infuses us with a sense of security and the ongoing opportunity to draw near to Him through heartfelt mitzvot observance and tefilah. As Shlomo HaMelech taught us some 3,000 years ago: “The end of the matter, everything having been heard, treat Hashem with awe and keep His commandments, for this is the ultimate purpose of man.” (Sefer Kohelet 12:13) 
​
May we ever know that Hashem hears and answers, our tefilot. This thought is given powerful voice in one of the brachot of the daily Shemoneh Esrei: “Hear our voice, Hashem our God, pity and be compassionate to us, and accept—with compassion and favor—our prayer, for God Who hears prayers and supplications are You…” (Translation, The Artscroll Siddur) 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 tragic failures of Adam and Chava, the Dor HaMabul, and Noach enable us to appreciate the unmatched greatness of Avraham Avinu. His spiritual drive led him to discover the truth of Hashem’s existence that had been lost in the sands of time. His “classroom” for so doing was Nature and the Cosmos, and his rebbe was HaKadosh Baruch Hu. My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), presented this idea in his celebrated essay, The Lonely Man of Faith:

Abraham, the knight of faith, according to our tradition, sought and discovered God in the starlit heavens of Mesopotamia. Yet, he felt an intense loneliness and could not find solace in the silent companionship of God, whose image was reflected in the boundless stretches of the cosmos. Only when he met God on earth as Father, Brother, and Friend—not only along the uncharted astral routes—did he feel redeemed. Our sages said that before Abraham appeared majestas dei [the majesty of God] was reflected only by the distant heavens, and it was a mute nature which “spoke” of the glory of God. It was Abraham who “crowned” Him the God of earth, i.e., the God of men. (Kindle edition, pages 47-48, underlining and brackets my own)
 
Make no mistake about it: Avraham was an authentic religious revolutionary who repudiated the underlying “religious” axioms and behavioral norms of the nations among whom he lived. Based on his unceasing efforts, Hashem and His Divine will, rather than idolatry and immorality, would become the brilliant new light that would penetrate the nearly impenetrable darkness of his time. Avraham recognized, as Yeshayahu the prophet taught us so many years later: “shehame mishtachavim l’hevel v’rik, u’mitpallim el ale lo yoshiyah—For they bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to a god which helps not.” (Aleinu Leshaba’ach based on Sefer Yeshayahu 45:20, translation, Artscroll Tanach).
 
Avraham transformed the entire world by introducing the one true God to humankind. This remarkable individual forever altered the history of world. As such, he was, and will ever be, every Jew’s religious model and mentor. Moreover, Avraham’s entrance on the grand stage of world history was a great comfort for Hashem. He was the first person to faithfully rise above each trial he encountered, while worshipping the Almighty in ultimate love and heartfelt devotion. Little wonder then, that Hashem called him both Avraham avdi (Avraham My servant, Sefer Bereishit 26:24), and Avraham ohavi (Avraham My beloved friend, Sefer Yeshiyahu 41:8). At long last, Hakadosh Baruch Hu had a beloved compatriot who loved, served Him and publicized His presence before the entire world.
 
With the Almighty’s help, may we emulate Avraham Avinu and proclaim His glory before one and all. As the Aleinu teaches us: “Aleinu leshaba’ach l’Adon hakol, l’tate gedulah l’Yotzer bereishit—It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Master of primeval creation…” V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
A number of them 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
 
Parashat Noach is preeminently the story of the Flood that destroyed the majority of life on earth. Noach and his immediate family were saved via thee Ark, however, since “he was a righteous man who was perfect in his generations [and] found favor in the eyes of Hashem.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:8,9) Upon emerging from the Ark, Hashem uttered the following eternal oath: “I will no longer curse the earth because of man, ki yetzer lev ha’adam rah—for the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth—and I will no longer smite all living things as I have done.” (8:21, this and the following Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach with my emendations) The phrase, ki yetzer lev ha’adam rah parallels an earlier expression in the Torah preceding Hashem’s decision to destroy the world by the Flood: “And Hashem saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, v’chol yetzer machshavat libo—and every inclination of his heart—was only rah (evil) all the time.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:5) Both these verses connect the word “yetzer” to the word “rah,” and thereby introduce us to the concept of the yetzer harah (the evil inclination).
 
Yetzer harah is an often used but rarely understood expression. Fortunately, Talmud Bavli, Succah 52a helps us better understand this term:

Rabbi Avira or, as some say, Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, made the following exposition: The yetzer harah has seven names. The Holy One, blessed be He, called it rah (Evil)...Moshe called it aral (the Uncircumcised)…David called it tamei (Ritually Unclean)…[King] Solomon called it sonei (the Enemy)…Isaiah called it the michshol (Stumbling-Block)...Ezekiel called it even (Stone)...Joel called it the tzefoni (Hidden One)…(Translation, The Soncino Talmud with my emendations)
 
Rav Ya’akov Ettlinger (1798-1871) explains that these names for the yetzer harah may actually be understood as “seven different aspects that cause the yetzer harah to be such a monumental challenge for the Jewish people.” (Aruch L’Ner, Succah 52a, this and the following translations and summary my own) He then proceeds to explain each name and its underlying significance. Rah teaches us that the inclination to do evil is the source of all varieties of sins and can bring us to terrible forms of death. Moreover, “there is no kind of evil greater than this, which is why the Holy One blessed be He called it rah.” Aral indicates the aspect of the human personality that, “stands before that which is good, to prevent it from entering the hearts of humankind...” Tamei refers to the ability of the yetzer harah to “render impure even those holy and pure thoughts that have already entered a person’s mind...” Sonei “not only affects one who seeks to be under its influence; rather it lies in wait in order to capture a person’s very soul, just as an enemy would do to another...”  Michshol exemplifies the yetzer harah’s ability to injure even someone who can resist obvious forms of evil, as “it continuously schemes and harasses such a person in subtle ways just like a stumbling block in the road can easily cause one to trip and fall when they are unaware of its presence...” Even reflects the “physical” characteristic of the yetzer harah, in the sense that it is “hard and heavy like a stone.” Finally, tzefoni:
​
...refers to that aspect of the evil inclination that is hidden within the heart of a person until they fail to recognize it is lurking within them...As a result, a person might very well think that they are performing a mitzvah, when, in fact, they do not know that they are being driven by the advice of the yetzer harah that has totally penetrated their very essence. Therefore, a person must ever be on guard and must take the necessary steps to recognize the hidden actions of the yetzer harah.
 
Rav Ettlinger’s trenchant analysis of the yetzer harah goes a long way in helping us understand why it is such a formidable foe, and why we must ever be ready to face it head-on and avoid all-too-ready rationalizations. As Hashem told Cain so long ago, “Is it not so that if you improve, it will be forgiven you? If you do not improve, however, at the entrance, sin is lying, and to you is its longing, but you can rule over it.” (Sefer Bereishit 4:7)
 
With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh to fulfill Dovid HaMelech’s inspiring words: “Sur m’rah v’aseh tov, turn away from evil and do good...” (Sefer Tehillim 34:15) 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 Torah begins with the well-known words, “Bereishit bara Elokim ate hashamayim v’ate ha’aretz.” Our classic meforshim disagree as to the meaning of “bereishit.” Does it mean “b’techilah, in the beginning,” or “bishvil hareishit, for that which is first?” Rashi (1040-1105) hints at this difficulty in his first gloss in his Commentary on the Torah: “Ain hamikra hazeh omare elah darshani, this text proclaims nothing other than, ‘Interpret me!’” Next, he cites a section in Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 1:4 that suggests, “bishvil hareishit,” is the correct interpretation of our text: “bishvil haTorah sh’nikrate reishit darko, u’bishvil Yisrael sh’nikrau reishit tevuato, for the Torah that is called ‘the beginning of His way,’ and for the Jewish people who are called ‘the first of His grain.’” This reading of Rashi’s gloss is supported by one of his most celebrated supercommentators, Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi (1455-1525): “The letter ‘bet’ at the beginning of ‘bereishit’ is like the bet found in the verse, ‘va’ya’a’vod Ya’akov b’Rachel, and Ya’akov worked [in order] for Rachel [to become his wife].’” (29:20)
 
The Maharal of Prague (died 1609) is another great Rashi super commentator. In his classic work, Gur Aryeh, he cites Rashi’s focus upon Torah and the Jewish people as the reason for Creation and notes that it is crucial to examine his choices. After all, opines the Maharal, is it not the case that “all actions of Hashem are for His own sake…” (Sefer Mishle 16:4)  Moreover, it states in Talmud Bavli, Yoma 38a: “Everything that has been created in this world was created for the Holy One blessed be He, and for His glory was it created.” Then, too, did not Yeshayahu the prophet proclaim: “Everything that is called in my name was created in My honor.” (33:7) In sum, why did Rashi limit his gloss to Torah and the Jewish nation and exclude other aspects of the Universe, when the rationale for the creation of the world logically should have included everything the Almighty created?
 
The Maharal’s answer speaks to the essence of the unique relationship that obtains between Hashem and the Jewish people:

There is no honor from the created entities except when they fulfill His mitzvot and serve Him; and this is only possible with the Jewish nation, regarding whom it is said: “I formed this people in order that they would speak of My praise.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 33:21) … And the Jewish people do not serve the Holy One blessed be He except through His mitzvot when they fulfill His Torah. This, then, is [why Rashi so clearly emphasized], the world was created bishvil Yisrael, for the Jewish people and bishvil haTorah, for the Torah … (Translation my own)
 
Based upon the Maharal’s trenchant analysis we now understand why Rashi underscored Torah and the Jewish people as the underlying cause for the creation of the world. As Yeshayahu prophesized, our nation was created to praise the Almighty; and as the Maharal notes, this can only be achieved through the Torah and the fulfillment of the mitzvot.
 
David HaMelech declared in Sefer Tehillim 35:10, “kol atzmotai tomarnah, all of my bones will say, ‘Hashem who is like You?’” I believe his message is unmistakable in its meaning, namely, that our very beings praise Hashem when we venerate Him through the performance of the mitzvot found in His holy Torah. As such, let us remember Rashi’s words, “bishvil haTorah u’bishvil Yisrael” did the Holy One blessed be He create the Universe, and may they ever be our guide as we strive to honor and serve 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: 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 public reading of Megillat Kohelet is one of the highlights of Shabbat Chol Hamoed Succot.  One of its standout passages contains the first eight verses of chapter three:

Everything has an appointed season (l’kol zeman), and there is a time for every matter (v’ate l’kol chafetz) under the heaven. A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot that which is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time of wailing and a time of dancing. A time to cast stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away. A time to rend and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. (This, and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
A straightforward reading of the verse, “Everything has an appointed season (l’kol zeman), and there is a time for every matter (v’ate l’kol chafetz) under the heaven,” suggests that it is a preface to the various times found in the subsequent pasukim. The Maharal of Prague (Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Bezalel, d. 1609), however, maintains that it is far more than an introduction to the rest of the chapter. Moreover, he maintains that “l’kol zeman” and “v’ate l’kol chafetz” refer to entirely different subjects: the former emphasizes physical objects and actions, and the latter focuses upon the intellect:

Those matters that are [discussed in Midrash Kohelet Rabbah on our verse] are physical in nature, including Adam entering Gan Eden and his exit therefrom, the destruction of the world [at the time of Noach] and its repopulation, and Avraham’s brit milah. The body is subject to time. It is fitting, therefore, to use the expression, “l’kol zeman,” when referring to these matters. In contrast, something that is purely intellectual in nature, [as signified by “v’ate l’kol chafetz] namely, Kabbalat HaTorah, is removed in its very essence from all physical matter and is not time-bound..” (Sefer Tiferet Yisrael, Chapter 25, this, and the following translation and textual notations my own)
 
The Maharal further expands upon his fascinating analysis in this manner: “This means that the matter [Torah] is completely of the intellect and, therefore, it is not under the control of time. As such, it is permanently in the present (b’atah), even in regards as to when it was given [at Har Sinai] at that particular time…” This  powerful concept enables us to understand why the phrase, “asher anochi metzavecha hayom” (“that I am commanding you this day”), is found no less than 19 times in Sefer Shemot and Sefer Devarim regarding the Torah and its mitzvot. As Rashi (1040-1105) so beautifully explains, “They (the words of the Torah) should not appear to you as an antiquated edict that no one cares about, but as a new one, which everyone rushes to read.” (Sefer Devarim 6:6)
 
We will soon be celebrating Simchat Torah. With Hashem’s help, may this joyous day be one wherein we recognize the timeless nature of the Torah viewing it as a new and precious gift each and every day. V’chane yihi ratzon.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag 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.

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Rabbi David Etengoff
  
The expression, “b’etzem hayom hazeh,” introduces the tragic narrative that portrays Moshe’s impending death: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe on that very day (b’etzem hayom hazeh), saying: “Go up this Mount Avarim [to] Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is facing Jericho, and see the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel as a possession.” (Sefer Devarim, 32:48-49, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on Midrash Sifrei, notes that our expression is used when Hashem’s authority is challenged and the futility that accompanies such an act:

And Hashem spoke to Moshe on that very day: …  here (Sefer Devarim 32:48), regarding Moses’ death, the Torah states, “on that very day (בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה).” B’nai Yisrael said, “We swear by such and such, that if we notice Moshe [ascending the mountain to die], we will not let him do so! The man who brought us out of Egypt, divided the Red Sea for us, brought the manna down for us, made flocks of quails fly over to us, brought up the well for us, and gave us the Torah—we will not let him!” Thereupon, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “I will have Moshe ascend the mountain [to his resting place] in the middle of the day!”
 
What should our ancestors have done for Moshe instead of rebelling against the Almighty? My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as the “Rav” by his students and disciples, suggested this response:

It was not the fault of the Jewish people that Moses made a mistake [by striking the rock instead of speaking to it, Sefer Bamidbar 20:8-13)]. But had the people possessed a sensitivity and love for Moses similar to the love that Moses felt for them, they would have torn the decree into shreds. It was their fault… When he was told that he would not enter the Land of Israel, Moses pleaded for forgiveness. Had the people joined him in prayer, the Holy One would have been forced to respond. But they did not join. Thus, we read in Parashat Va-etchanan that with tears in his eyes Moses tells them, “Va-etchanan” (Devrim 3:23): I prayed alone. It was not va-nitchanan, we prayed. I was a lonely solitary prayerful person; I prayed, no one else joined in with me. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Vision and Leadership: Reflections on Joseph and Moses, editors, David Shatz, Joel B. Wolowelsky, and Reuven Ziegler, page 212, underlining, brackets and bolding my own)
 
The Rav’s answer is so heart-wrenching that it brings one to tears. The depth of Moshe’s love for Am Yisrael was nearly unrequited. Moshe had sacrificed every aspect of his personal happiness to serve his people. He divorced his wife, was a stranger to his children and lived alone. All of this was so he could be ready to communicate with Hashem at a moment’s notice, and quite often, on the nation’s behalf. Yet, where was their recognition for Moshe’s total self-sacrifice? Why did they abandon him? Why did they fail to join him in tefilah? The Rav explained this disconnect between Moshe and his beloved people in this manner:

Moses was too great for his generation. He rose high above them. His vision was too penetrating, his depth superhuman, his sweep too high. They could not follow him; they failed to understand him. Had they understood and appreciated him … Moses would have been admitted to the Promised Land. The people’s guilt consisted in their not opening up to Moses’ influence, in resisting his redemptive and cathartic power, in not being willing to become his disciples. Of course, Moses suffered the consequences. (Page, 214)
 
As the Rav notes, it is incredibly tragic that our forebears failed to advocate on Moshe’s behalf before the Master of the Universe:
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[For] if Benei Yisrael had proven themselves worthy of communing with Moses, of being his disciples, if they had displayed the intellectual and emotional capacity to receive and absorb Torat Moshe [and prayed on his behalf], then Moses would have entered and conquered the Promised Land, and he would have been anointed as the King Messiah. Jewish history would have found its realization and fulfillment immediately upon entering the land. (Page, 214)
 
Sadly, our nation continues to wait for Mashiach and the “realization and fulfillment” of Jewish history. Let us hope and pray that he will not tarry long, and Zechariah the prophet’s vision will be fulfilled soon and in our days: “And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall Hashem 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
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
 
There is a popular saying regarding familiar pasukim: “If Rashi wrote about it, it is shagur b’pive ha’am—it is something that people know.” One such example is found in Sefer Bereishit: “These are the generations of Noach; Noach was a righteous man he was perfect b’dorotov—in his generations; Noach walked with Elokim.” (6:9, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, with my emendations) Rashi famously comments:

in his generations. Some of our Sages interpret it [the word בְּדֹרֹתָיו] favorably: How much more so if he had lived in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. Others interpret it derogatorily: In comparison to his generation, he was righteous, but if he had been in Avraham’s generation, he would not have been considered of any importance. [Sanhedrin 108a, Bereishit Rabbah 30:9, Midrash Tanchuma Noach 5]
 
Rashi underscores the significance of this interpretation in his next gloss:
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Noach walked with Elokim. But concerning Avraham, the Torah says [24:40]: “[Hashem] before Whom I walked.” Noach required [Hashem’s] support to uphold him [in righteousness], but Avraham strengthened himself and walked in his righteousness by himself. [Midrash Tanchuma, Noach 5]
 
Hashem’s earlier words to Avram (Avraham), in contrast, underscore this analysis: “And Avram was ninety-nine years old, and Hashem appeared to Avram, and He said to him, ‘I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be perfect.’” In sum, one of Avraham’s defining characteristics was his ability to walk before Hashem, without any support from Him, and attain perfection. Little wonder then, that Avraham, and Avraham alone, is called “Ohavi, he who loved Me.” (Sefer Yeshayahu, 41:8)

Significantly, our parasha contains several pasukim wherein we find a variation of the infinitive, “lalechet—to walk or go:”

“Vayelech Moshe --And Moshe went, and he spoke the following words to all Israel.” (Sefer Devarim 31:1)
 
… for Hashem, Elokecha, Hu haholech imach —He is the One Who goes with you [Jewish people]. He will neither fail you, nor forsake you. (31:6)
 
… Hashem Hu haholech lefanecha--He is the One Who goes before you (Yehoshua); He will be with you; He will neither fail you, nor forsake you. (31:8)
 
A careful reading of 31:6 reveals that the descendants of the Dor HaMidbar who entered Eretz Yisrael were very much like Noach in the sense that Hashem walked with them. In other words, they did not have sufficient spiritual strength to survive the idol worshipping enticements of the surrounding native peoples on their own, and instead, they needed Hashem’s direct support.
 
Yehoshua, however, was on a very different level, in that “Hu haholech lefanecha,” Hashem went before him and taught him how to lead the Jewish people. Little wonder, then, that the people who entered Eretz Yisrael remained loyal to Hashem until after Yehoshua’s children passed away, in deference to the great leader’s spiritual stature.
 
Moshe Rabbeinu attained the highest level of all: “Vayelech Moshe --And Moshe went, and he spoke the following words to all Israel.” Moshe needed no support from Hashem to perform his holy mission as the greatest navi the world has ever known. In the final analysis, his entire being was engaged in performing one glorious task, namely, to bring the Torah and emunat Hashem to Klal Yisrael. As the Gemara teaches us: “Moshe v’Torato emet--Moshe and his Torah are the ultimate truth.” (Baba Batra 74a:)
 
Shabbat Shalom and Kativah v’Chatimah Tovah
 
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.