Rabbi Shalom Rosner
How could Yosef have been so cruel? He spent so many years away from his father and could not have even sent a postcard? How are we to understand these actions of Yosef Hatzaddik? This question bothers almost all of the me
forshim on our parshah. Two of the many approaches offered, in helping to explain this troublesome portion in the story of our avos, are those of Ramban and Abarbanel.
Ramban (42:9) suggests that all of Yosef’s actions were motivated by the dreams dreamt while still living in Eretz Canaan. He was trying to have his dreams fulfilled (that is, that his family should bow down to him), which could onl
y be accomplished, in Yosef’s mind, by concealing his identity and, in effect, forcing his family to join him in Egypt.
Abarbanel (end of Chapter 41) takes a different approach in explaining Yosef’s actions. He says that Yosef’s actions were directed toward the goal of bringing his brothers to a state of teshuva g’mura. Rambam, in a well known
passage (Laws of Repentance, Chap.2), states, "What constitutes complete repentance? He who was confronted by the identical thing wherein he transgressed, and it lies within his power to commit the transgression, but he nevertheless abstained and did not
succumb out of repentance, not out of fear or weakness."
Yosef wanted to bring his brothers to the same exact situation they had previously experienced when they had sinned and see if they would fail again. That is why he isolated Binyamin and forced the brothers to decide whether they wo
uld leave Binyamin in Egypt, just as they had left him. That is also why, says Abarbanel, he could not reveal his identity to Yaakov. That might have prevented him from being able to bring his brothers to teshuva g’mura. Only upon witnessing their
refusal to part with Binyamin did Yosef reveal himself to them.
Both of the above approaches are adopted by many, yet a strong question still arises. We understand that Yosef wanted to fulfill his dreams or to facilitate his brothers' repentance, but who gave him the right to play G-d? Who gave
him the license to extend his father’s mourning period?
Rav Yaakov Maydan (see Megadim Vol. 2 for this approach in detail) answered this question, based on ideas gleaned from both Ramban and Ababarnel. Rav Maydan explained that we must see what took place in the context of other events i
n Sefer Bereishis. Since the story of Shechem (Chap. 34), in which Yaacov takes a backseat, Yosef had witnessed a power struggle in his family, as to who would be the next Manhig Yisrael. Reuven, on the one hand, was the oldest, yet Yehuda was the
gibor. They were each vying for the recently vacated leadership position. They each tried to assert themselves in the argument about the sale of Yosef (37:22, 26-27), at the realization of the sin (42:22, 44:16), and in regard to taking responsibil
ity for Binyamin in Mitzrayim (42:37, 43:8-9). These are examples of what must have been a constant battle. Shimon and Levi also tried to step up to the post, before being rejected for their actions in Shechem. Yosef, too, as the Bechor of R
achel saw himself as a possible candidate.
According to Rav Maydan, Yosef understood his dreams as a message from G-d, that he was supposed to assume a leadership role in his family, both physically (bundles of sheaves) and spiritually (stars and constellations). He also rec
eived this same message from his father, through the favoritism shown to him, especially in the gift of the ksones pasim, which has many parallels to the clothing of the kohen gadol. Thus, Yosef felt that it was his responsibility to
bring his brothers to teshuva g’mura, as Abarbanel states. He felt that both G-d and his father had given him that license. That is what gave him the right to act as he did.
The Gemara in Ta’anis (21a) relates a story about Rav Yochanan and his friend Ilfa, They had decided to leave their yeshiva to enter the work force and were in the midst of their journey home. That night, Rav Yochanan had a vision t
hat inspired him to return to yeshiva, while Ilfa, who did not merit such a vision, continued on his way. Rav Yochanan, as we know, went on to be a great leader of our nation, while Ilfa, who was the more learned of the two, did not substantively impact o
n our people after parting ways with his friend.
Was this fair to Ilfa? After all, only Rav Yochanan merited the vision? Had Ilfa had such a vision, he would have returned to yeshiva as well? Rabbi Meir Twersky answered that the vision was equally accessible to both of them. Yet Rav Y
ochanon was attuned to the fact that he was having such a vision. He realized that Hashem was sending him a message, and he acted based on that realization.
Messages and signals from G-d come in different forms and media to each one of us every day of our lives. Let us try and follow in the footsteps of Yosef and Rav Yochanan and recognize these personal communications as
divine in origin.
No Grumbling Allowed
Berel Grozofsky
After the brothers broke the news to Yaakov that they couldn't return to Mitzrayim without Binyamin, Yaakov yells at them and says, Lama hareyosem li?! ( - "Why'd you make things bad for me?!"). A certain rabbi once pointed o
ut to me a midrash on this pasuk. The Midrash Rabba says that in his whole life, Yaakov never complained once. This was the first time that Yaakov ever complained. The midrash continues and says that immediately after his complaint, HKB"H sa
id, "I'm making Yosef king in Mitzrayim, and you're complaining?!" This midrash is difficult to understand, and even more difficult to swallow.
Yaakov went through what we would consider a pretty rough life. He had to run away from home and give up all of his belongings. He married the "wrong" woman and worked for a cheater for fourteen years. His daughter was taken advanta
ge of and his sons wiped out a whole city. Through everything, Yaakov didn't complain once. He didn't even complain when he was told that Yosef was killed. Now, Yaakov is told that they may be endangering Binyamin too, and he lets out three words of frust
ration. Can anyone blame him? How frequent are our sighs of complaint and grunts of frustration? And what was HKB"H's response? "I'm making Yosef king in Mitzrayim, and you're complaining?!" How was Yaakov supposed to know that Yosef was becoming king?
What is a complaint? A complaint is the unwillingness to accept one's present situation, rooted in the feeling that things aren't going right, that things could be better. Rav Meir Twersky shlit"ah remarked that every lack of sim
cha stems from a lack of bitachon, a lack of trust. I once heard from Rav Mendel Blachman shlit"ah that while emunah is the belief in G-d, bitachon is the belief that G-d believes in you. Most of us don't have too much difficulty
believing in G-d. What we find difficult is believing that G-d loves us. What we find difficult is realizing that no matter what we do, no matter how many punishments and rewards we may deserve, G-d's love for us in unconditional and infinite. G-d is not
out to get us. We are in good hands. When someone who knows you better than you know yourself, and loves you with a perfect love is controlling every minute your life there is never any reason to be afraid. When someone who you can trust is taking care of
you, there's no reason to be nervous. There's no reason to get upset or angry.
Even a quick sigh can be an expression of hesitant skepticism. Even a few words could be a lack of trust in G-d. Was Yaakov really supposed to believe that Yosef was alive and becoming king in Mitzratim? Yes. Yaakov was expected to
realize that, no matter what he was presented with in life, there was more to the story than he could see. Things may actually be very much the opposite. The Distributor is a perfect one. We can trust Him. We must always be cognizant that someone else, so
meone who loves us, is running the show.
Knowing Nothing and Loving It
Daniel Sentell
Pharaoh related his dream to them, but none could interpret them for Pharaoh. (41:8) We can be sure, however, that it wasn't for lack of trying. Pharaoh was a stickler for perfection; even a pebble in a loaf of bread could sc
hedule a man for an unplanned visit to the scaffold. These wise men who served the king were, no doubt, the best and brightest of Egypt. Pharaoh wouldn't stand for anything less. These advisors were paradigms of intelligence, the apex of understanding.
Yet, they failed. When faced with dreams about healthy and non-healthy grain, thin cows eating fat ones, the explanations they gave (see Midrash Rabbah Bereishis 41:8) appear ludicrous. Pharaoh would have seven daughters and bury
seven daughters. Egypt would conquer seven countries and those countries would then revolt. What suddenly happened to these great men? Where did such scholars find daughters and revolutions in wheat and cows? Even the amateur interpreter could easily ded
uce some connection to food or farming. Where was the wisdom of the wise men?
Rabbenu Bachaya answers that G-d intervened and distorted the intelligence of Pharaoh's advisors. G-d wanted to provide Yosef a chance to shine, and so He muted the light of those around him. [G-d] turns wise men backwards and makes
their wisdom foolish. (Isaiah 44:25) Even intrinsic intelligence is not beyond Divine reach. There was a goal to be accomplished and nothing could stand in its way.
The Gemara (Niddah 16b) tells us that before a baby is born, G-d determines whether it will be strong or weak, wise or foolish, rich or poor. However, G-d does not decide whether the baby will grow up to be righteous or evil. Rabbi Chan
ina explains that everything is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven. Man has no power aside from his moral observance. Whether to do good or evil is in man's hands. Wisdom, wealth, and power are G-d's domain.
Yet, we fail. We think through a subject and decide it must be right, because it makes sense to us. Since in our minds this is the only way a rational person would act, well, that must be the only way to act. We assume our unders
tanding has led us down the right path, and we no longer double check it against G-d's Torah. Why should we? We have our ideas and conceptions with which we arrive at the undeniable truth.
Yeshiva students and yiddin working in the wide world alike should never feel satisfied that they finally understand it all. The assurance that our knowledge will dictate morality is a false comfort. Examine, reexamine, and pray
that G-d grants us knowledge of His ways and gives us the strength to follow them always.
A Yontof a Sheiner
Pinchas Wechter
When one thinks of the Yom Tov of Chanukah, one rightfully thinks of lighting the Menorah. This is because the Gemara in Shabbos (21b) answers the question of Mai Chanukah with a description of the mir
acle of the Pach Hashemen, where oil, found in a single, sealed vessel which somehow survived the Greek defilement, miraculously burned for eight days. The following year, the Sages established these eight days as a holiday of Hallel
and Hodoah, song and praise.
There is a popular question asked on this Gemara. From the Gemara it seems that the whole Yom Tov of Chanukah was established to commemorate the finding of the last, small jug of pure oil, yet in Al Hanisim, the Tefilla
h added to celebrate Chanukah, there is no mention of this Nes at all.
Rav Yitzchok Goldwasser, in his Sefer Shir U’Rnanim, develops an answer based on the fact that one only offers Hallel and Hodoah when he has been saved physically. Al Hanisim, therefore, does not mention the
Nes of the Menorah, a miracle that was L’Tzorech Govoha. Being able to light the Menorah did not save us physically. Defeating the Yivanim in battle is the miracle mentioned in Al Hanisim, because we, ourselves, w
ere saved.
Rav Goldwasser continues that the Gemara, by only mentioning the miracle of the Menorah, is illustrating that the whole reason for instituting Al Hanisim was to show us the importance of that miracle. The Nes of
the Menorah illustrates the fact that the Chashmonaim only merited defeating the Yivanim because of their Hisarvus-- entwinement-- with Hashem. This relationship with G-D allowed them to defy nature and defeat an army t
hat they had no business beating. In allowing Himself to be revealed through the miracle of the Pach Hashemen, Hashem alerted us to the fact that He was responsible for the military victory as well. The miracle of Chanukah teaches us that it
is Hashem who is responsible for everything. Although, one may try to attribute the military victory over the Yivanim to great strategy and a well-prepared army, not to the hand of G-D, the miracle of the Pach Hashemen reminds us of
Hashem’s role. So too, we must make every effort to seek Hashem's involvement in all aspects of our lives.
Chanukah, the People's Holiday
Moshe Blitz
V'achar ken ba'u banecha,... vkavuh shmonas yemai Chanukah eilu-- and afterwards the sons came and established the eight days of Chanukah. As we all know, the holiday of Chanukah was established by the Beis Din in the time
Chashmonaim. Who then is the tefilla of Al Hanisim referring to when it accredits the establishment of Chanukah to the "sons", and why do they get credit for the work of the Beis Din? Furthermore, why do we not find a parallel
reference in the tefilla of Al Hanisim recited on Purim?
Rav Hutner, quoting "one of the great ones of the
generation", explains a yesod in a famous Gemara in Megilla. The
Gemara tells us that the decree of one Beis Din can only be repealed by another if the second Beis Din
is greater both in chachma and minyan, wisdom and number. How can we tell if one Beis Din is wiser than another? This would appear to be totally subjective! This gadol asserts that if either Beis Din has within them
neviim, prophets, it is, by definition, greater. In fact, he
continues, a Beis Din lacking neviim would be unable to prove its superiority over another Beis Din. The Gemara goes out of its way in describing how the Kneses
HaGdolah, which institued Purim had prophets amongst its one hundred and twenty members. The Gemara is explaining to us why their decree is final and can never be overturned. Since the establishment of Purim was instituted by nevi
'im, it can never be overturned. However, Rav Hutner adds, Chanukah was not instituted by a Beis Din of nevi'im rather by the Beis Din of the Chashmonaim, amongst whom sat no nevi'im. Therefore, it was entirel
y possible that another Beis Din would come along at a later date and repeal the holiday of Chanukah.
This, however, is not completely true. As we know, there are two pillars on which takanos dirabanan rest. One, as we've mentioned, is the strength of a takanah's emanating from a great Beis Din. The other is the str
ength of klal yisroel accepting the decree and incorporating it into their lives. By continuing to perform the mitzvos associated with the holiday, the holiday itself becomes entrenched in our mesorah and in minhag. Since the Beis Din of the Chashmonaim lacked nivi'im, Chanukah rests solely on the second pillar. In fact, it is the only chag for which this can be said. It has not been the strength of Beis Din that has made Chanukah a lasting pa
rt of the Jewish religion, but its acceptance amongst the people. Now we can understand the tefilla of Al Hanisim that we started with. Ba'u banecha, the children came, vkavu shmones yemai Chanukah, and they established the eig
ht days of Chanukah. It was only the acceptance of Chanukah as a holiday amongst klal yisroel that assured its perpetuation forever.
The war that the Chashmonaim waged against Yavan was not as much a physical one as it was a religious one. Yavan wanted to destroy our religion, our mesorah. How fitting then, that every year that we kindle t
he lights of the menorah we are actually involved in entrenching deeper and deeper the chag of Chanukah into our mesorah and halacha.
