Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShavua — Parshat Vayigash is being sponsored by Aryeh and Lisa Koenigsberg of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated lilui nishmas for Aryeh’s grandparents: Chaya Perel bas Arieh and Yissachar Dov ben Yisrael and dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining deceased hostages and their return home for Jewish ritual burial, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. . To Mishpochat Koenigsberg, many thanks for your sponsorship and continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShavua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShavua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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As a prelude (noun: any action, comment, etc. that precedes something else) to our Parshat Vayigash, we recall in Parshat Vayeishev that Yaakov sends his favored son Yosef to check on the welfare of his brothers who are shepherding their father’s flocks near Shechem. The brothers, who share enmity (noun:a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; antagonism) toward Yosef due to his dreams of ruling over the family and his tale-bearing, throw Yosef into a pit full of snakes and scorpions. When a caravan passes, the brothers pull Yosef from the pit and sell him into bondage in exchange for some pieces of silver. The brothers then manufacture a story to tell their father that Yosef was killed by a wild beast and display his blood-stained cloak.
We then learn that through a subsequent transaction, Yosef lands in the ownership of Pontiphar who trusts Yosef with the running of his house. Yosef is noticed by eishet Pontiphar (Pontiphar’s wife) who repeatedly attempts to seduce him. In one attempt, when he ran away from her, she clung on to his cloak and made the false accusation against him leading to his imprisonment.
While imprisoned, Yosef is remembered, albeit after two years, by Pharaoh’s wine cup-bearer for his translation of a dream resulting in Pharaoh seeking Yosef’s interpretation of his dreams.
In Parshat Mikeitz, we learn that Yosef is rushed from incarceration to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams regarding the seven years of plenty followed by the seven years of famine. Yosef explains to Pharaoh that his interpretations of the dreams are Divinely inspired. Pharaoh is soo impressed with Yosef’s ability to accurately understand and interpret his dreams and Yosef’s suggestions for preparations of reserves during the plentiful years for the years of famine that he (Pharaoh) appoints Yosef as Viceroy, second only to Pharaoh’s rule of Egypt.
This author provides excerpts of the narrative from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” on Parshat Mikeitz (page 225) :
So full are the Egyptian storehouses by the time the famine arrives that people from surrounding countries descend upon Egypt to procure provisions in order to survive the devastating crisis. Among those who travel to Egypt… are Yosef’s brothers (excluding Binyamin), who make the journey at their father’s request.
When Yosef’s brothers appear before him he immediately recognizes them. The brothers, however, fail to recognize Yosef.
Yosef deliberately conceals his identity from his brothers and begins to put them through a series of grueling experiences. He… accuses them of spying upon Egypt and imprisons them for three days. Upon their release, Yosef informs them that he will keep one of them in prison [Shimon] while the others return to Canaan with their purchased provisions. He instructs them to return with their… brother Binyamin… Binyamin’s presence will serve as proof of their veracity [noun: credibility, integrity, honesty].
Upon their arrival in Canaan, the brothers relate their experiences to Yaakov. In spite of Reuven’s attempts to convince him, Yaakov refuses to allow Binyamin to descend to Egypt. When the famine worsens… Yehuda is successful in persuading his father to relent. Accompanied by… Binyamin, and armed with gifts and double payment for provisions, the brothers… make their way back to Egypt.
[As the brothers prepare to leave Egypt with their provisions] Yosef…. instructs his servants to surreptitiously place his silver goblet in Binyamin’s bag.
The next morning the brothers begin their journey back to Canaan. No sooner do they leave the city, however, than Yosef instructs his servants to chase them down and accuse them of theft… A search of their possessions reveals Yosef’s goblet in Binyamin’s possession. Yosef [holds] Binyamin alone… as a slave while the others will return… to their father.
Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, in his sefer Kol Dodi renders to English Sefer Breish’t Perek 42, posukim 3 and 21, regarding the brothers’ entry into Egypt to purchase grain, the Viceroy’s accusations of them as spies and their guilt feelings over ignoring Yosef’s pleas. Rabbi Feinstein cites Rashi on the posuk regarding the brothers entry into Egypt to purchase grain (pages 76 – 77) :
“So Yosef’s brothers — ten of them — went down to buy grain in Egypt.” (Sefer Breish’t Perek 42, posuk 3)
“Then they said to one another, ‘Indeed, we are guilty concerning our brother, inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us, and we paid no heed. That is why this distress has come upon us.'” (Sefer Breish’t Perek 42, posuk 21)
Rashi says that by calling them Yosef’s brothers, Torah wants to emphasize that they all regretted having sold Yosef into servitude and therefore went with brotherly affection, determined to find their lost brother and buy his freedom, whatever the cost.
…We may say that the term AhChei Yosef, Yosef’s brothers, in our posuk has an additional implication. If Torah called them Yaakov’s sons, we might have thought that their desire to redeem Yosef was motivated not by brotherhood, but rather out of concern for the feelings of their father. Now, however, Torah testified that they acted as brothers would; they felt genuine concern over Yosef’s sorrow and acted to help him, as brothers should.
The above narrations and Rabbi Feinstein’s citings and commentary sets the stage for transition into our Parshat Vayigash.
Our Parshat Vayigash opens with Yehuda approaching the Viceroy (Yosef) to speak in defense of his youngest brother Binyamin re-asserting that promised his father to be responsible for Binyamin’s welfare.
We now provide excerpts from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s Parsha Summary in his sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” on Parshat Vayigash (page 240):
Yosef, moved by Yehuda’s heartfelt pleas, is unable to maintain his masquerade. He tearfully reveals himself to his brothers and inquires after his father’s welfare. Yosef reassures his stunned brothers, telling them that it was Hashem’s will that he descend to Egypt to act as provider for the entire family.
Yosef instructs the brothers to return to their father with news of Yosef’s survival and success. He further urges them, with Pharaoh’s approval, to bring Yaakov and the entire household to Egypt. If the extended family settles nearby, in the region of Goshen, Yosef argues, he will be able to provide for its members during the years of continuing famine.
The brothers return to Yaakov laden with wagons bearing gifts and with the news that Yosef is still alive. After initial disbelief, and upon seeing the wealth that Pharaoh and Yosef have sent back with the brothers, Yaakov comes to the realization that his beloved son has indeed survived. Excitedly, Yaakov gathers his household and begins the descent to Egypt.
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin introduces a section of his vort on Parshat Vayigash entitled “The First Ghetto” and asks a question in his Sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” on Sefer Breish’t (pages 254 256):
After the descent of Yaakov’s family to Egypt, Yosef prepares… his brothers for an interview with the Egyptian king. He counsels them to specify that they are shepherds so that Pharaoh will settle them separately in the region of Goshen, “since all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Breish’t, Perek 46, posukim 31-34)
Why does Yosef specifically counsel his brothers to identify themselves with a profession that Egyptians [Mitzriyim] find repulsive?
The Abravanel… maintains that Yosef…desires [that his brothers be shepherds], a simple, humble, “sacred” livelihood (Rabbi Goldin citing Abravanel on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 46, posukim 28-34).
According to Rabbeinu Bachya, shepherding was an intrinsically advantageous profession with clear physical and spiritual benefits. Through seclusion the shepherd found time for self-examination and spiritual growth. Rabbi Bachya [notes that] many great figures of… [our] history, including Moshe, Shmuel, Shaul and David, were shepherds at some point in their lives. (Rabbi Goldin citing Rabbeinu Bachya on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 46, posuk 32)
Numerous other commentaries, … see Yosef’s efforts in a totally different light.
Yosef, they claim, instructs his brothers to identify with a profession that will distance them from Egyptian society. Forced to live separately, the members of Yosef’s family and their progeny will have a greater chance of maintaining their own identity.
In the words of the Netziv: “Yosef’s intent was to ensure that his family would dwell apart from Egyptian society. Although [Yosef’s plan] would cause his father and his brothers to be degraded in Pharaoh’s eyes, nonetheless, all was worth sacrificing to guarantee the preservation of Israel’s sanctity.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Ha’amek Davar on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 46, posuk 34)
Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch adds: “The disgust of the Egyptians for their [the brothers’] profession… was the first means of preservation of that race [the Jews] which was destined for an isolated path throughout the ages… That is why Yosef acted with the express purpose of obtaining a separate province within which his family would settle.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 46, posuk 33)
Yosef realizes that for members of his family to retain their status as “strangers and citizens” [as was Avraham’s concern when seeking a wife for Yitzchak] over generations and in the face of an overwhelming Egyptian culture, they would have to live in our people’s first ghetto.
Rabbi Goldin notes (“Unlocking the Torah Text” on Sefer Breish’t, pages 256-257):
Yosef’s plans were put to the test.
While the sojourn in Egypt should have been viewed by Yaakov’s family as temporary, the Torah testifies that: “Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen, and they secured a permanent foothold and they were fruitful and multiplied greatly.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Breish’t, Perek 47, posuk 27)
And, although the Jews were meant to remain in Goshen, [after the passing of the generation of Yosef and his brothers] the text continues: “And the B’nei Yisrael were fruitful, multiplied, increased, and became strong… and the land became filled with them.” (Rabbi Goldin rendering to English Sefer Shemot, Perek 1, posuk 7)
Building upon an earlier Midrashic tradition (Rabbi Goldin citing Yalkut Shimoni of Sefer Shemot, Perek 1), the Netziv comments: “They filled not only the land of Goshen which had been especially assigned to them, but the whole of the land of Egypt… Wherever they could purchase a dwelling, there the B’nei Yisrael went… They wished to be like the Egyptians.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Ha’amek Davar on Sefer Shemot, Perek 1, posuk 7)
…In spite of Yosef’s careful planning, the B’nei Yisrael… assimilate[d] into Egyptian culture and society. A tragic pattern emerges — a pattern that is destined to be repeated over and over again across our long national journey. The harder the Jews try to fit in, the more… they try to be like those around them, the more they incur the enmity of their neighbors and set the stage for their own persecution. They were soon enslaved [and persecuted in Egypt].
Unlike the brothers who felt guilt over their previous emnity toward Yosef and their actions toward him leading to his being in Egypt, and their subsequent actions in on behalf of Binyamin which proved to Yosef that they regretted their actions toward him and their attitudes had changed; we have seen, throughout the generations, divisiveness and animosity between factions of Klal Yisrael, whether Misnagdim vs Chassidim, Ashkenazim vs Sephardim, Secular, or as the case may be Religious Zionists vs Chareidim, etc, who keep repeating the divisiveness without remorse (noun: deep or painful regret for wrongdoing).
Also, as has been noted in previous vorts, this divisiveness, in large part, led to Hamas, Islamic Jihad seeing our division and perceived weakness and striking on Simchat Torah.
Additionally, the lesson that Torah teaches of Egyptian enslavement and bondage, and the subsequent pattern repeated throughout our history remains unlearned by the Jews living in Chutz L’Aretz who compromise and rationalize away their Judaism until it is unrecognizable in their fruitless efforts to be like those around them, i.e. “I’m an American first.”
Large segments of Israelis, including, to varying degrees, much of Israel’s governance, police and justice system have similarly compromised and rationalized away their Judaism, their spirituality in longing to be “a nation of all its peoples” thinking erroneously that they would be loved by the nations. The response of the nations is always the same — laws enacted to alienate and persecute the Jews, increasingly violent anti-semitic attacks in the United States and Canada and throughout the world as well as accelerated Arab terror attacks such as the recent pogrom in Amsterdam and the capture and murder of the Rabbi in the United Arab Emirates, severe injuries and loss of lives of Jews here in Israel and worldwide.
In retrospect, we learn that the Yeshiva in Goshen saved lives. The only Jews who escaped the enslavement and persecution were the Levi’im who stayed in the Goshen Yeshiva.
Will world Jewry ever collectively learn and internalize the lessons which Yosef tried to teach us? Will we ever learn and spiritually understand who and what we are, where we belong and collectively move to make large-scale Aliyah a reality?
May our government and military bring about the total and complete, Final and Decisive victory over Hamas, their 7 October so-called “civilians(sic)” collaborators and the entire terror cabal, B’Yad Hashem, and become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.”
May we see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May we see our Chayalim totally eradicate Hamas, Islamic Jihad, those so-called “civilians(sic)” who collaborated on 7 October, as well as Hezbollah, the Houthies, the Mullahs of Iran and all their terror accomplices while liberating the remains of all deceased hostages and their return home for Jewish ritual burials, B’Yad Hashem and mandated by a government secure in it’s foremost service of, and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his sixth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recoveries of the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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