When will we learn?!?

Transcription

1 B"H, in our 20th year 984 wfgigie e"dl aryz'd zah a"i JAN 6-7 The Fast of Asara b'tevet begins at 5:22am (Jerusalem) ends at 5:18pm When will we learn?!? Vayeishev - Yosef's brothers are jealous of him. The jealousy led to hatred. The hatred led to plotting against Yosef. Kill him. No, dump him in a deep pit. No, sell him to a passing caravan. Yaakov's grief, Yosef's experiences. Yosef still in prison. Mikeitz - Yosef taken from prison and elevated to viceroy of Egypt. Famine. Yosef's brothers go down to Egypt. Go back to Canaan. Go down to Egypt. Yosef's guiding events. Binyamin on the block. Vayigash - Yehuda confronts the as yet unrevealed Yosef. Yosef reveals himself to his brothers. They are incredulous and fearful. Yosef tries to reassure them. Yaakov and family go down to Egypt. The family grows by leaps and bounds. Vaychi - Yaakov blesses his children and Yosef's. Yaakov dies. The brothers are fearful again (still?) of retribution from Yosef. Yosef and his brothers die. The family is nation-size and will become one after the Egyptian slavery and oppression coming in the Book of Sh'mot. Have the children of Israel learned lessons from Yosef and his Brothers? cont. page 4 Jerusalem in/out times for Parshat Vaychi 4:15pm / 5:30pm Israel Standard Time Checked and double checked for Shabbat VAYCHI See page 3 for other z'manim

2 ParshaPix Explanations on p.52 Merlot Word of the Month If you haven't said Kiddush L'vana yet this month, try for it in the evening without waiting for a minyan and without waiting for Motza'ei Shabbat. Pushing it off is not recommended for Winter time, due to cloudy and rainy skies. Motza'ei Shabbat Vaychi is fine (but don't wait). Last op is Monday night (Jan 9) until 1:21am (of Jan 10). This deadline should be adjusted to your locale. E.g. 6:21pm on Monday evening in NY area. All night Mon-Tue in Melbourne. All Sunday night in LA (no time on Mon. nite). And so on...

3 Candles VAYCHI Havdala next week 4:15 Yerushalayim 5:30 4:21 / 5:36 4:32 S'derot 5:33 4:38 / 5:39 4:30 Gush Etzion 5:31 4:36 / 5:36 4:30 Raanana 5:31 4:36 / 5:37 4:30 Beit Shemesh\RBS 5:31 4:36 / 5:37 4:29 Netanya 5:31 4:35 / 5:36 4:31 Rehovot 5:32 4:36 / 5:37 4:30 Be'erSheva\Otniel 5:33 4:36 / 5:38 4:30 Modi'in\Chashmona'im 5:31 4:35 / 5:36 4:15 Petach Tikva 5:31 4:21 / 5:37 4:15 Maale Adumim 5:30 4:21 / 5:35 4:29 Ginot Shomron 5:30 4:35 / 5:36 4:28 Gush Shiloh 5:29 4:34 / 5:35 4:30 K4 & Hevron 5:31 4:36 / 5:37 4:29 Giv'at Ze'ev 5:30 4:35 / 5:36 4:31 Yad Binyamin 5:32 4:37 / 5:37 4:32 Ashkelon 5:33 4:38 / 5:39 4:16 Tzfat 5:27 4:22 / 5:33 Rabbeinu Tam Havdala - Vaychi - 6:02pm Ranges are 11 days, Wed-Shab Tevet Jan 4-14 Earliest Talit & T'filin Sunrise 5:45-5:46am 6:40-6:40am Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma 9:11-9:13am (Magen Avraham: 8:33-8:35am) Sof Z'man T'fila 10:02-10:05am (Magen Avraham: 9:30-9:33am) Chatzot (halachic noon) Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) Plag Mincha 11:44-11:48am 12:14-12:18pm 3:45-3:52pm Sunset 4:53-5:01½pm (based on sea level: 4:48-4:56pm) Many links just a click away To receive a weekly reminder, tt@ou.org Put Subscribe in the subject In the beginning, Yehuda are coming We end B'reishit here A hiccup, known as synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF), or singultus (from the Latin). In Hebrew, it is called a wed W It is not enough just to "get the ball rolling". There is a little matter of direction that we must first take care of. From "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein CARCAJES The Book of B'reishit 12 of the 54 sedras in the Torah. That's one or two more than each of the other books p'sukim of the 5846 in the Torah. More than 26% of the Torah's p'sukim. 20,612 words of 79,976, almost 26%. 78,064 letters of 304,805 (25.6%). 3 of the 613 mitzvot. Less than ½% - this means, obviously, that B'reishit is meant to teach us more than mitzvot. OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

4 LEAD TIDBIT continued from FRONT page The haftara of Vayigash told us that there will continue to be "problems" between the tribes, and between Jew and fellow Jew, throughout Jewish History. Only the prophecy to Yechezkeil gives us hope for the future. And look what comes on the calendar either Erev Shabbat Parshat Vayigash or between Vayigash and Vaychi - Asara b'tevet. A fast day that commemorates the beginning of the Churban. However you want to analyze the Churban and its causes, continued enmity among Jews is a major factor. If we are one people with one heart, then we are worthy of standing at Har Sinai to receive the Torah. If we are not, then we have problems. Fast-forward through Jewish History. Stop at our time. Press play. The latest form of brother vs. brother is the fanatic fringe (tiny fraction of) chareidim vs. everyone else (it seems), flamed by the reprehensible, totally non-halachic, totally G-d's name disgracing behavior of some fringe elements in the chareidi world. Further exacerbated by the vulgar, obscene, no-excuseor-justification-ever-ever behavior of these fringe chareidi protesters, who in adorning themselves and their children in Holocaust garb and yellow Jude stars - in doing so, aside from disgracing the memory of Holocaust OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772 victims and deeply hurting many survivors, they are also painting swastikas on those of us who disagree with the way they conduct themselves. No Jew should EVER - no matter what the issue - portray himself as a Holocaust victim to any other Jew's portrayal as the tormentors of the Jews. The is a RED LINE that must never be crossed - no matter what. Perhaps worst of all is the telling silence of many in the chareidi world who must know that what is happening is very wrong, but won't/don't speak out. B"H, the OU and the RCA have spoken out. See for their joint statement on the violence in Beit Shemesh. The Torah and halacha teach us that we should encourage and inspire increased Torah and Mitzvot observance and attitude in the most gentle and pleasant ways possible. Spitting, cursing, throwing rocks, burning trash... are NOT among the D'RACHEHA DARCHEI NO'AM - its (the Torah's) ways are ways of pleasantness. A final thought: How can a religious Jew be a sexual predator or a thief or one who sells non-kosher meat as kosher... (etc.)? The answer is they only SEEM to be religious or chareidi - but they are not really.

5 Vaychi 12th of 54 sedras; 12 of 12 in B'reishit Written on lines in a Torah, ranks parshiot, 7 open and 5 closed In addition, the first part of the sedra is the end of the previous parsha from Vayigash. Vaychi is the only sedra that does not begin at a parsha break. 85 p'sukim - ranks 44th (12th in B'reishit) 1158 words - ranks 44th (12th in B'reishit) 4448 letters - ranks 43rd (12th in B'reishit) MITZVOT None of the 613 mitzvot are found in Vaychi Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p tucha or s tuma. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha. Kohen - First Aliya 13 p'sukim - 47:28-48:9 [47:28 (4) part of the parsha at the end of Vayigash] The sedra begins with Yaakov at age 147, having been in Mitzrayim for 17 years. (Remember that Yosef was 17 when the trouble started. Interesting, no?) The Torah tells us that Yaakov is near death and Yosef is called to his bedside. Yaakov asks Yosef that he (Yaakov) should not be buried in Egypt but rather in Me'arat HaMachpeila. Yosef agrees; Yaakov asks Yosef to swear to it. SDT: Why would Yaakov insist that Yosef swear - didn't he trust him? Among other reasons, the oath might prove necessary in obtaining permission from Par'o for the funeral. Even if Par'o would have been inclined to say "no", he would respect an oath. This, according to Midrash, because Yosef had sworn not to divulge a particular secret about Par'o (that he, Yosef, knew more languages than Par'o - a fact that would not impress Par'o's subjects favorably). Par'o could not say to Yosef, "I don't care what promises you made", etc. There are commentaries who suggest another possible reason for making Yosef swear - Yosef might be upset about his mother's not having being buried in the "proper" place, and he might not be favorable to his father's request. SDT: Yaakov asks Yosef for Chesed v'emet, Kindness and Truth, or True Kindness. It is considered that tending to the burial of the dead is the purest form of kindness, because, among other reasons, it is the one situation in which the recipient of your kindness cannot repay the favor himself. It is an act of kindness OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

6 without recompense. However, commentators question this idea in Yosef's case. We are taught that Yosef merited having his remains taken out of Egypt as a reward for his attention to Yaakov's wishes. How can we refer to what he did for his father as Chesed shel Emet? One answer is that Yosef received reward in kind only by being taken out of Egypt and buried in the Land of Israel. His body spent a long time in Egypt. His act of True Kindness to his father was that Yaakov's body did not spend even a moment buried in Egypt. For this, Yosef was not paid back in kind; his action on behalf of Yaakov's funeral arrangements was indeed Chesed & Emet. Another understanding of the concept of CHESED SHEL EMET is that when one does a favor for a living person, one never knows if things will actually turn out all right. It might look like a good thing to do, but things can turn out "don't do me any favors". An act of kindness to the dead is an unquestioned act of Chesed. [P> 48:1 (22)] Sometime later, Yosef is informed (by Efrayim who regularly ministers to and learns Torah with Yaakov) that Yaakov is sick ("at death's door"). Yosef brings his two sons with him to Yaakov (so that they can receive his blessing). Yaakov is strengthened by the news of Yosef's impending visit (Thus is the power of Bikur Cholim). SDT: As to who told Yosef that his father was sick, it is Rashi who brings the opinion that it was Efrayim, who tended to Yaakov's needs in Goshen while Yosef was in Egypt proper. The Midrash says that it was A-s'nat, Yosef's wife, who told him. Speaking of A-s'nat... The Midrash says that she was Dina's daughter, who was raised by Potifar in Egypt. The Midrash also says that when Potifar's wife accused Yosef of improper advances, it was A-s'nat who privately told Potifar the truth, thus saving Yosef's life. Yaakov tells Yosef of G-d's promises to him and his descendants and of Rachel's death and burial. He then assures Yosef that his two sons, Efrayim and Menashe, will be equal to Yaakov's sons. (This in essence, is the double portion of inheritance that Yaakov is giving to "his heart's firstborn", the elder of his beloved Rachel's sons.) Then Yaakov takes notice of the boys and asks Yosef to present them so that he can bless them. Levi - Second Aliya 7 p'sukim - 48:10-16 Yaakov's eyesight fails him in his old age (as did Yitzchak's - Yaakov's failing eyesight can be blamed on his crying for 22 years for Yosef, as stated in the Midrash) and Yosef brings his OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

7 sons and moves them towards Yaakov, who kisses and hugs them. Yosef then takes his sons off of Yaakov's lap, so that he can present them formally to Yaakov, for their brachot. After bowing before Yaakov, Yosef carefully and formally presents his sons to Yaakov with Menashe on his left and Efrayim on his right so that Yaakov's hands will rest on the appropriate heads for the blessings. Yaakov switches his hands, resting his right on Efrayim's head and his left on Menashe's. Then Yaakov blesses Yosef by blessing his (Yosef's) children with the famous HAMAL'ACH HA'GO'EL OTI... Yaakov's reference to fish in his bracha for Efrayim and Menashe (and all Jewish children in perpetuity) is explained on at least two levels. Fish are prolific; Yaakov was blessing his descendants that they should become a large nation. It is also known that the EYIN HARA has no hold over fish (which also had something to do with their survival during the MABUL without being taken into the Ark). And this too was part of his bracha. (The Yiddish name Fischel (fish) is often paired with Efrayim; obviously, this bracha is the source of that name-pair.) Shlishi - Third Aliya 6 p'sukim - 48:17-22 When Yosef realizes that Yaakov has switched hands (and has thus "favored" Efrayim over the firstborn Menashe) he gets (understandably) very upset and tries to "correct" the positions of his father's hands. Yaakov resists, explaining to Yosef that he is fully aware of what he is doing; and that Efrayim will indeed surpass hisbrother in greatness. On this same day, Yaakov blesses them by saying that the traditional blessing for sons shall be: "May G-d make you like Efrayim and Menashe". Think about this... Imagine the panic that Yosef must have felt when he witnessed the potential of "family history repeating itself". How can Yaakov do what he was doing when he was painfully aware of the consequences of favoring one son and of the jealousy that it creates (can create). That's the point! It CAN create jealousy, but it need not. It depends upon the character of the people involved. A parent can "tiptoe" around just so long, making everything equal and even, in the hopes that jealousy will not emerge. But that kind of behavior just postpones the jealousy, it does not eliminate it. Parents have to help build the character of their children, so that they will develop good MIDOT, personality traits. Perhaps Yaakov Avinu saw that his OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

8 two grandsons possessed the qualities that "allowed" him to do what he did. Two major personality traits that a person should strive for (and that parents shall try to help develop in their children) are: not being boastful when in a superior position and not being jealous or resentful when in an inferior position. Efrayim was destined to become greater than his older brother Menashe. These two brothers were such that Efrayim did not lord himself over Menashe, nor was Menashe jealous of Efrayim's prominence. What greater blessing can a father give his sons than "May G-d make you like Efrayim and Menashe!" Yaakov then tells Yosef that he is about to die; that G-d will be with the family-nation; that He will restore them to the Land of their ancestors; and that he (Yaakov) has provided Yosef with an additional portion of the Land. R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya 17 p'sukim - 49:1-17 [P> 49:1 (4)] Yaakov gathers his sons around him with intentions of revealing to them "the end of days" (knowing the future will ease the pain of the difficult times ahead) - but it is not to be! SDT: Rashi says that Yaakov wanted to reveal the "KEITZ" (end of time), but was not allowed to do so by G-d. The original prophecy concerning the exile in Egypt was given to Avraham in the "Covenant between the Pieces". There he was told that his descendants would be oppressed for 400 years. In fact, the people were enslaved for 210 years. (Actually, they were in Egypt for 210 years; actual enslavement didn't begin until Yaakov and all his sons had died, was significantly less.) The additional 190 years is calculated from the birth of Yitzchak - once Avraham had his first descendant, the "clock of exile", so to speak, began ticking. Egyptian exile would have been more tolerable, had our ancestors known about this 190 year "grace period". This is the KEITZ (KUF (100) + TZADI (90) = 190) that Yaakov wanted to reveal to his sons. But this he was not permitted to reveal it. (Of course, this is not the "regular" (P'shat) meaning of the pasuk, but it operates on a REMEZ level.) (The blessings, often mixed with fatherly criticism, combine to become the brachot of the Tribes.) Yaakov's words about Reuven speak of his unrealized potential to have been the leader and the indiscretion that lost him the position of leader. [P> 49:5 (3)] Yaakov refers to the violence of Shimon and Levi. He curses their anger - not them. Important lesson for us all from this point. Don't say to your son, "BAD BOY!" Say, "you did a bad thing". It OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

9 might not seem to be so important, but it is. Especially, because we don't say these kind of things once, but rather countless times over years. [P> 49:8 (5)] Yehuda receives the brightest words - he is promised the leadership and respect of his brothers. The Baal HaTurim points out that the initials of GUR ARYEI YEHUDA - Gimel+Alef+Yud = 14, the numeric value of DAVID. [P> 49:13 (1)] Zevulun is given the blessing of prosperity... [P> 49:14 (2)] and Yissachar will carry the burden of Torah scholarship. (The image of a donkey indicates perseverance, strong will - qualities that are suitable for a scholar.) Together, these two tribes will form a partnership that will be mutually beneficial. [S> 49:16 (3)] Dan will be the judge (and upholder of the honor, the one that will avenge Israel by fighting the P'lishtim) of the people. Rashi says that this is a prophecy about Shimshon, who was from the tribe of Dan. This parsha and Aliya finish with the famous 3-word pasuk: To Your salvation, I hope, HaShem. When a person sneezes, he is supposed to say LISHU'ATCHA KIVITI HASHEM. This is based on the fact that prior to Yaakov Avinu, there was OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772 no sickness before one died. Rather, the soul just left the body as it had been breathed in, through the nostrils, with a sneeze, so to speak. Yaakov acknowledged the "gift" of being sick before death, so that one can put his affairs in order. A sneeze is no longer a sign of death, but just a reminder of illness (sometimes a symptom and sometimes just a reminder). This is why people say ASUTA or LIVRIYUT, or something like that, to a person who sneezes. But the sneezer himself should quote the words of Yaakov Avinu. And even though people are more familiar with ASUTA (or whatever someone else says when someone sneezes), it is closer to a requirement for the sneezer himself to say LISHU'ATCHA KIVITI HASHEM. Learned, a long long time ago, from Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ginsberg `"hily More: One of the commentaries raises the following point: At the beginning of VAYCHI, Yosef is told, "Your father is sick". Proper etiquette (Jewish and maybe general) is not to be so blunt or direct when giving someone bad news. Yosef might have been told, "Your brothers are well", from which Yosef would infer that his father was sick. The answer to this is that because of what we've mentioned above, Yosef might have inferred that Yaakov was dead rather than sick, since there was no sickness associated with advanced age as a precursor to death. Hence, Yosef had

10 to be told of his father's illness in a straightforward manner. Chamishi 5th Aliya 8 p'sukim - 49:19-26 [S> 49:19 (1)] Gad will be blessed with good fortune (this is Malbim's interpretation which is by far the most optimistic of the various understandings of the pasuk). [S> 49:20 (1)] Asher's blessing also seems to be that of prosperity (and/or eloquence). [S> 49:21 (1)] Naftali is likened to a swift deer (or spreading tree, according to other opinions) and is blessed with eloquence (and probably, prosperity). [S> 49:22 (5)] Yosef's blessing is extensive and shows Yaakov's special love for him. It is the bracha of Avraham to Yitzchak and of Yitzchak to Yaakov that Yaakov gives to Yosef, son of Rachel. A fruitful son is Yosef. BEN PORAT = 732. The Gimatriya of Efrayim and Menashe: (Efrayim) + 6 (and) (Menashe) = 732 Shishi - Sixth Aliya 27 p'sukim - 49:27-50:20 [S> 49:27 (33)] Binyamin is blessed with success (sometimes qualified). Rashi mentions prophecies of Shaul and Mordechai & Esther. These are Yaakov's words to his 12 sons and he blessed them. Note that Reuven's bracha is in the same parsha as the "introduction" of Yaakov's parting words to his children. Binyamin's bracha is part of the parsha which concludes the sedra, and the Book of B'reishit. Furthermore, some of the sons have their blessing in a parsha p'tucha and some in s'tumot. These are just observations; no suggestion as to significance, if any. Commentaries point out that Yaakov's words don't always seem to be blessings - but they do contain implied blessings and prophecies. Yaakov tells his sons that he is about to die and wants to be buried in Me'arat HaMachpeila. (He does not make them swear as Yosef did, since they might not be able to fulfill an oath.) Yaakov "dies". The wording in the Torah is indirect - the words death or dying are not used - indicating the special "quality of life" (strange term to use here, but purposely chosen) even in the death of Yaakov Avinu. The Torah next tells of the preparation for burial. Yosef tells Par'o of his oath and receives OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

11 permission for the funeral procession to Canaan. The funeral and mourning for Yaakov is elaborate and extensive. When they return to Egypt, the brothers are filled with guilt feelings and offer themselves to Yosef as slaves. Once again, Yosef assures the brothers that all that has happened is G-d's will and for the best. Yosef cries because the brothers are falsely accusing him of planning to take revenge against them. Interesting/sad that part of their original problem was based upon false accusations against his brothers. Sh'VII - Seventh Aliya 6 p'sukim - 50:21-26 Yosef promises to support his brothers and families. Yosef lives to 110 (less than his brothers - punishment for hearing his father humiliated by being referred to as "your servant" and not objecting - so say commentaries). Yosef has helped raise even his great-grandchildren. He tells his brothers that G-d will eventually take them out of Egypt, restore them to Eretz Yisrael, and he asks them to remember him and take his remains with them when they leave. Yosef (and the brothers) dies; thus B'reishit, the book of the Avot & Imahot, ends. According to Seder HaDorot HaKatzar, the brothers died over a period of 22 years, in this order: Yosef, Shimon, Yehuda, Reuven, Binyamin, Yissachar, Asher, Zevulun, Gad, Dan, Naftali, Levi. CHAZAK, CHAZAK, V'NITCHA- ZEIK after Sh'vi'i (or Acharon). Chatzi Kaddish, then the final 4 p'sukim are repeated for the Maftir. (Some say that the person who gets the Chazak aliya should not say Chazak, Chazak...) Haftara 12 p'sukim Melachim Alef 2:1-12 Short Haftara for a short sedra. Just as the sedra tells us of the father on his deathbed giving instructions and blessings to his sons, and requesting an act of Chesed, so too do we find King David at death's door, instructing his son Shlomo concerning matters of Faith, State, and Chesed. Rabbi Julian G. Jacobs z"l, in A Haftara Companion, makes the following observation. In the sedra, the term used for Yaakov's passing on is "to sleep with his fathers", rather than the simpler, "to die". So too for David HaMelech in the haftara. In each case, the father had a worthy son to continue in his ways, and this is a form of "living on" that results in the absence of the verb, to die. As there are similarities between the sedra and its haftara, so are there contrasts. Yaakov speaks to all his

12 children, comforted by their having been reunited and confident in the fact that they all will continue with the way of life of Yaakov and Yitzchak and Avraham before him. David is speaking to only one of his sons and dies knowing of the treachery of other sons and people whom he thought to be friends. mgpn ixac Divrei Menachem In this week's parsha the ailing Ya'akov tells Yosef that, "Your two sons born to you in Egypt shall be mine; Efrayim and Menashe shall be mine like Reuven and Shimon" (B'reishit 48:5). Most commentators suggest that this declaration refers to the parity of portions of Eretz Yisra'el that the two sons would later inherit despite their being born in Egypt. HaRav Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt"l picks up differently on Ya'akov's affirmation that, "Efrayim and Menashe shall be mine." For the Rav, Ya'akov is the "Zaken" - 'the old father' - about whom Yosef quizzed his brothers. He is also the same Ya'akov who is now popularly referred to as "Yisra'el Sava" or Grandfather Israel. For Ya'akov is the arch-typical Zeidi, the first of the Avot to establish communication with his grandchildren. Conquering time and space, Ya'akov is the foundation for the dialogue of the generations, the one who identifies with his ancestors as though they were still alive but yet transmits the Mesorah, the old traditions, onwards into the future. No wonder that Ya'akov, the Father of Jewish continuity, became the father of the emerging Jewish nation that would later bear his name. OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

13 VEBBE REBBE Question: I inherited a pair of tefillin from my grandfather, but I already have a pair of apparently more mehudar tefillin. May I sell the tefillin? (As a kollel student, I could use the money.) Answer: There are strict halachot about what can be done with the sales money of a holy article. The mishna (Megila 25b) says that one must use the proceeds to buy matters of higher kedusha than that which was sold, which will not be of much help for you. However, the gemara says that if the city's leadership in the presence of the population sells it, the money can be used freely. The Tur (Orach Chayim 153) says that, similarly, since every individual controls his property, he can sell it and use the money freely. On the other hand, the gemara says that one may sell a sefer Torah only to enable him to learn Torah or get married. The Beit Yosef (YD 270) infers from the gemara's and other sources' use of the singular that it is referring to a privately owned Sefer Torah, and still it is permitted to sell it only in very specific circumstances. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 153:10) cites two opinions on whether it is permitted to sell, under normal circumstances, a privately owned sefer Torah (if a privately owned sefer was given over to community use the matter is more severe.) While there is not a consensus in deciding between the opinions, many have been lenient on the matter (see sources cited in Piskei Teshuvot 153:19). Regarding the selling of privately owned tefillin, the matter is significantly simpler. Besides the fact that the sanctity of a Sefer Torah is higher than of all other religious articles, there is a special mitzva to write/ possess one. Thus, if one sells his only sefer Torah, he may be uprooting the fulfillment of that mitzva, which is normally forbidden. However, if it was acquired in a manner that one did not fulfill the mitzva, then it is more likely to be permitted to sell (see Pitchei Teshuva, Yoreh Deah 282:16). Likewise, if one has another Sefer Torah and thus will continue to fulfill the mitzva even after the sale, there are greater grounds for selling it (see Igrot Moshe, YD 163). In any case, the Magen Avraham (153:23) says that the prohibition for an individual to sell does not apply to holy articles other than a Sefer Torah, such as tefillin. While not everyone agrees (see Bi'ur Halacha to 153:10), the consensus seems to be to be lenient on the matter (see Shevet Halevi I, 41). In your case, there are further reasons for leniency. Obvious it cannot always be forbidden to sell tefillin for normal profit, for if it were, what would a producer or merchant of religious articles do? The Beit Yosef (YD 270) says that for them, it is permitted because the holy articles were always slated for sale and not OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

14 for their own personal use. The Kaf HaChayim (OC 153:90) takes this logic a step further. Since it depends on the owner's intent when the article entered his possession, we check an inheritor's intent upon receiving the tefillin. If he planned to use them for the mitzva, then the aforementioned questions arise about switching its designation and selling them. However, if, for example, he already had tefillin and wanted to sell them, then doing so would not be changing their designation and would be permitted. Since you fit into the latter category, leniency is even more strongly indicated. While your financial situation is not our business, you may want to consider the following. If your financial situation is very difficult, it is possible that you need the money so that you can continue learning Torah with the regularity that you desire, which the gemara stated is justification for selling even a Sefer Torah. If your situation is less dire than that, you may be one who gives significant tzedaka, and you may prefer not to sell your grandfather's tefillin but to do the following. Donate the tefillin to someone in need, and the money you save the poor recipient can be credited as your tzedaka, thereby lowering your out-of-pocket tzedaka expenses. Rav Daniel Mann, Eretz Hemdah Institute Rabbi Weinreb s Weekly Column: VAYCHI A Blessed Goodbye There is a statement in Jewish mystical literature to the effect that the end of every story is already implicit in its beginning, and that at least some elements of the story's beginning endure until its end. I have certainly been witness to such stories. But I have also experienced stories in which the end could never have been foretold from the beginning. In these stories, characters and the circumstances become thoroughly transformed so that only a prophet could have predicted at the beginning what the end would be. The story that I have been relating in these weekly columns over the past few months is one whose end was unpredictable. Who would have thought that this group of novices to Jewish religious education would be consulting a variety of advanced reference works on their own? The only required text was the translation of the Chumash, by the early 20th century British Rabbi, J.H. Hertz. Yet in the final session, which I am about to describe, each of the three students had an additional and unassigned textbook at the ready. And who could have anticipated that the shy and bashful Simon would emerge, not only as the first to speak that evening, but also as the spokesman for the entire class? OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

15 "B'racha, blessing," he began. "That is a fundamental Jewish concept, one that we have encountered before in our study, and one which pervades this week's assigned readings." The assignment for this, the last session of the course, was the Torah portion of Vaychi. I could not argue Simon's point. The parsha opens with Yaakov's blessings to his grandsons Efrayim and Manashe, continues with the poetic blessings that he bestows upon his own sons, and culminates with the verse, "All these were the tribes of Israel, 12 in number, and this is what their father said to them as he blessed them, addressing to each a parting blessing appropriate to them" (49:28). Richard, who in the early sessions of the class seemed to be the least serious of the three, confirmed Simon's observation, but he went on to report on some of his own research. "I was intrigued by the concept of b'racha, and so consulted a dictionary to find out its derivation. I learned that some scholars find a connection to the word b'reicha, which means a lake or reservoir of water. I take this to mean that the person who gives the blessing draws upon his inner wellsprings to quench the thirst, or water the garden, of the one being blessed." Leon, whose attitude during the early weeks of the course would have best been described as skeptical, if not cynical, could not suppress his enthusiasm. "I found myself leafing through a Jewish prayer book, and was reminded of something I was taught as a child in Hebrew school. I remember the blessings that we are to make over food and drink. In those blessings, we humans bless the Almighty. In our readings in B'reishit, people bless people. Is it not presumptuous, indeed audacious, for us to bless God?" As I recall these conversations of more than two decades ago, I find myself wishing that I could have responded with some of my more recent experiences. Leon would have been thrilled to hear that a question very similar to his was asked of me by, of all people, then-president George W. Bush. The President had granted a meeting in the White House to a group of rabbis. The president asked us for a blessing. One of my colleagues responded by pronouncing the traditional blessing one makes for a sovereign: "Blessed are You, HaShem, our God King of the universe, who has given of His glory to flesh and blood." The President was taken aback, looked at me, and exclaimed, "I asked the good Rabbi to bless me, but he just blessed the good Lord! How can we mortals bless God?" I gave President Bush the same explanation I would have given Leon, had both Simon and Richard not interrupted. "It's a great question, Leon, no doubt about it. And there are many questions that we have found in the few commentaries we consulted about the concept of b'racha. But we have a much more OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

16 immediate concern that must be addressed. This is our last scheduled session. Where do we go from here?" I was ready to wager that Leon would ignore the concern of his fellows and press for an answer to his question. But again, he surprised me. "You guys are right. But here is how I would frame the problem. All three of us enrolled in this class to learn some of the basic concepts of our Jewish faith. We learned some concepts; that's a fact. But what we really learned is how much more there is to learn. So now we have to decide what we will be doing to learn more." I was ready for the class to suggest to me that we continue, perhaps studying Sh'mot next. I found myself thinking about my busy calendar and figuring out ways to juggle my schedule to allow for a sequel to this class. But that is not what happened. Simon, this time in unison with Richard, spoke next. "Rabbi, give us a b'racha. You know us now; maybe not as well as Yaakov knew his sons, but quite a bit. Yaakov was not a controlling father. He did not live his children's lives. He blessed them and encouraged them to achieve their maximum potential on their own. That is what we would like you to do. Bless us and release us!" Nothing in any of the teacher training courses that I ever took prepared me for this. At the time, the only experience I had with blessing others was the custom of the Friday night benedictions that I gave to my own children when they were quite young. But I knew that I could not escape this unprecedented challenge to my pedagogical creativity. I can no longer recall exactly what I said. But here is a rough approximation: "Yaakov was careful to recognize the individual differences among his children. He knew that, although they had a lot in common, they each had different talents and virtues. Each blessing he bestowed was tailored for the son who received it. The three of you also have a lot in common. You all were interested in learning about Judaism, which is why you signed up for the course. Now you're all thirsty for more learning. "But you are three very different people, and I suspect that you will find that the method that one of you chooses to learn more Torah will be incompatible with the methods chosen by the others. My blessing to each of you is that you find your own distinct paths to greater knowledge about our Jewish faith. You know that this course was but the first step along that path." They all received my blessing in silence. Only Leon could find the words to bring the class to its conclusion: "Rabbi," he said, "we would like to give you a blessing. We cannot promise you that we will stay in touch with you. But we can pray that one day you will look back upon this class fondly. And we can hope that you find your experience with us OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

17 meaningful enough so that one day you will write about our little story for an audience of thousands." I never did hear from any of the three again. I have often looked back with fond memories of this remarkable teaching experience. And for the past three months, I have shared the story of Richard, Simon, and Leon with all of you. Thank you for being that audience of thousands. TBDATR BIRKAT HABANIM In Parshat Vaychi, Yaakov blesses Yosef's sons and he announces that this will be the standard blessing of (grand)fathers for their (grand)sons throughout the generations. Therefore, the following is not just a note for BKs [Baalei K'ri'a, Torah readers] and those who want to finetune their Hebrew pronunciation, but it is for all people who bless their male progeny on Leil Shabbat. d X p n k e m i x t ` M mi ½ dÿl ` Ĺ n «U i SH'VA, the SH'VA is NACH and a syllable is formed by letter/chirik + letter?sh'va, as in MINCHA, BILHA. When the CHIRIK has a YUD after it, the vowel is long and the letter with the CHIRIK MALEI is (usually) its own syllable, and a SH'VA that follows it is NA and it with its letter belong to the following syllable. As in, Yona's NI-N'VEI (not as many people say, NIN-VEI), I-R'CHA (your city). In Y'SI-M'CHA, the SIN has a CHIRIK not followed by a YUD. We would think it's Y'SIM... but the METEG under the SIN with the CHIRIK makes it a long vowel. Y'SI-M'CHA. Focus on the first word. Is it properly pronounced Y'SIM-CHA or Y'SI- M'CHA? That is, is the SH'VA under the MEM a NACH or a NA? CHIRIKs come in two forms - followed by a YUD and not followed by a YUD. When not followed by a YUD, the CHIRIK is (usually) considered a T'NU'A K'TANA, a short vowel. This (usually) means that if it is followed by a letter with a TT VAYCHI 5772

18 Maharal on the Sedra Where is Yehuda's Rod Today? B'reishit 49:10 - The rod shall not depart from Yehuda nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shilo arrives, and his will be an assemblage of nations. Rashi: The rod, that is, the rulership, shall not depart from Yehuda from King David onward. This refers to the exilarchs in Bavel who ruled with the rod, for they were appointed by royal authority. "Lawgiver" refers to the princes, teachers of the students [from Hillel onward]. Shilo refers to the King Mashiach, for the kingship is his [shelo], as Onkelos renders. The aggadic midrash [Yalkut Shimoni 160] explains Shilo as a contraction of shai lo, a gift to him, as it says [T'hilim 76:12], "They will deliver a gift [shai] to the revered one." Gur Arye: Rashi means Yehuda, that is, the Kingdom of the House of David, shall rule from the ascension of David onward up to and including the days of King Mashiach. Ramban, in his disputation with the apostate Jew and Catholic priest, Don Pablo Christiani, in Barcelona in 1273 [Kitvei Haramban 1, 304:11 and 13] is asked, if this account of Yaakov's blessing is true, how do the Jews account for the absence of Yehuda's rule now? The princes no longer rule in the Land of Israel, nor do the exilarchs in Bavel! The answer lies in a careful reading of the text - it does not say, "the rod will not pass from Israel." Israel, on account of its sins, is not fit to have its king, but when their true ruler returns, he will be from Yehuda, for the rod will never pass from Yehuda. The Kingdom of the House of David is waiting, rod in hand, for the coming of Shilo and the ultimate redemption. A complementary approach to account for the validity of Yaakov's blessing of Yehuda in our time takes note of the irreversibility of the verb yasir [permanently depart]. The Kingdom of the House of David is called "fallen" because it stands ready to be rebuilt. The pieces lie there in a heap, not like a mansion that requires construction from the foundation up, but like a booth [succa] that can simply be erected from the pieces in the heap. In the words of the prophet [Amos 9:11], "On that day I will erect the fallen succa of David." The King Mashiach waits, holding the rod that never was removed from Yehuda. May the Merciful One erect for us the fallen succa of David, speedily in our time. Column prepared by Dr. Moshe Kuhr Dr Kuhr is the author of Lion Cub of Prague - Genesis. The next volume on Exodus and Leviticus is in press. OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

19 Exerpted with permission from Gold from the Land of Israel A New Light on the Weekly Portion from the Writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook by Rabbi Chanan Morrison Fishy Business Adapted from Ein Ayah vol. II, pp Realizing that his death was not far off, Yaakov gave his grandchildren, the sons of Yosef, the following blessing: May [God] bless the lads, and let them carry my name, along with the name of my fathers, Avraham and Yitzchak. May they increase like fish in the land (B'reishit 48:16). Yes, fish have astonishingly large families. But so do frogs and many other animals. Why were Yosef s children blessed to be like fish? Furthermore, the phrase increase like fish in the land sounds like a very mixed-up metaphor. Fish do not thrive on land; they certainly do not increase there! What kind of blessing is this? Immunity from the Evil Eye The Talmud (B'rachot 55b) explains that Yosef shared a special quality with fish: The fish in the waters are concealed by the water, and thus not susceptible to the Evil Eye. So too, the descendants of Yosef are not susceptible to the Evil Eye. What does it mean that Yosef was immune to the Evil Eye like the fish? We explained previously that the Evil Eye is an example of hidden influences that exist between souls. An environment of jealousy and hatred can poison not only the atmosphere but also the soul against whom they are directed. This, however, is only true for weaker souls that are easily influenced. The Evil Eye can only harm those whose sense of self-worth is not fully developed, people who need to live their lives in a way that meets the approval of foreign eyes. But if we are secure within ourselves, and our life is focused on our inner truths, then we will not be susceptible to the Evil Eye of those around us. The Evil Eye has no power over those whose robust sense of self-esteem does not let others dictate what is important and worthwhile. Why are fish immune to the Evil Eye? Fish are not concerned with envious eyes above the water. They live in their own world below the surface, a secluded realm that determines the direction of their lives. Like the fish, Yosef remained faithful to his inner convictions, despite the external pressures and influences of his rollercoaster life. Family estrangement, a foreign land, a foreign culture, temptations, slavery and imprisonment - none of these succeeded in leading Joseph astray. Even when he needed to contend with the hardest test of all - the incredible success, wealth, and OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

20 power as Egyptian viceroy - Yosef was steadfast in his beliefs and inner convictions. Yosef remained true to his own inner world, despite his active participation in a vastly different outer world. Just like a fish in the land. A look at VAYCHI from OzTorah by Rabbi Raymond Apple Blessing the Lads The words with which Yaakov blessed his grandsons Menashe and Efrayim are among the most beautiful we have: The God before whom my fathers Avraham and Yitzchak walked, the God who was my shepherd all my life until today, the angel who saved me from all evil - may he bless the lads; may they be called by my name and the name of my fathers Avraham and Yitzchak, and may they grow into a great people on earth (B'reishit 48:15-16). Here are some interesting features of the blessing: It commences, He blessed Yosef, and said because when children receive a blessing it gives a parent joy: parents great pleasure is in their children. The reference to Avraham and Yitzchak walking before God indicates that they lived in God s presence. The righteous follow T'hilim 16:8, I set the Lord always before me. Living is walking - hence the word halacha, from halach, to walk. God is a shepherd since shepherds care for each of their flock and save them from harm. This verse is the origin of T'hilim 23:1,...HaShem is my shepherd. The blessing first talks about God and then an angel because angels are God s agents. Malach, an angel, literally means a messenger. When Yaakov said that his grandchildren would be called by the names of Yaakov, Avraham and Yitzchak, he prayed that Menashe and Efrayim would honour their ancestors tradition. What does grow into a great people mean? Here great denotes numerous. Yaakov s family would have been much larger if not for centuries of persecution. OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

21 The Puah Institute Supervision - The Practice After looking at the halachic basis for supervision of fertility treatments we will now move to the actual practicalities of how supervision is performed. Even though each laboratory has similar elements, each one is built differently and has certain unique methods of working and of use of equipment. Therefore, a careful inspection of the lab has to be performed prior to any supervision being carried out. The embryologists must discuss how they work and how they can accommodate the supervisor in the laboratory. Many lab directors and medical professionals are willing and even happy to permit supervision, especially after we explain the need for supervision to them and that supervision does not suggest that they are dishonest or sloppy in their work. Still, not all embryologists find it easy to work together with supervision or with the supervisors. We often describe this situation with the following example: Many women check rice or lettuce, or other such vegetables that may contain bugs and "unwanted visitors". How many women would be willing to allow another woman to stand behind them and "double-check", pointing out where a mistake had been made? Most people would not be too comfortable with such a scenario of another person breathing down their neck and checking up on them. Some embryologists see supervision in the same way. They do not want or like supervision and it requires a great deal of patience and understanding to know how to convince them that supervision is a halachic necessity and that it will not compromise their work or their success rates. In fact, the opposite may be the case, since couples who have supervision often have a more positive attitude to their treatment and this contributes to the success of the treatment. However, supervision does require that the supervisor has constant and direct eye contact with the treatment. She cannot watch the procedure on a camera or from a different place, but she must be physically present in the laboratory and operating room if necessary, depending on the actual fertility unit. The supervisor needs to be present during the entire procedure to witness the validity of the lineage of the child produced in the lab. She cannot go out to take a telephone call or for her personal needs, and, as we have already written, this is even more strict than the highest standards of kashrut supervision. So the supervisor must be present, must have direct and constant eye contact and still not hinder the medical procedures. How is this possible? More on this next week. OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

22 TTriddles Last issue s (Vayigash) TTriddles: [1] "big snow there will be, and cold" This TTriddle is paired with [3] below - Way back - a little more than 50 years ago, my rebbe for 7th and 8th grade was R' Chaim Segal z"l. If my memory serves me correctly - and I might even have a source before this goes to print - he told us a forwards and backwards Rashei Teivot for the word VAYIGASH. VAV YIHYEH GIMEL SH'VAT - if Friday will be the third of Sh'vat (which it will be this year), then (backwards now) SHELEG GADOL YIHYEH VAKOR, there will be a lot of snow and cold. I have no idea whether this is supposed to be just on that Friday (we'll see), or the whole winter, or where this is supposed to happen. I also have not checked any meteorological records. I did, however, check the calendar statistics. HOLD THAT! My brother came through with a source: The statement is attributed to the ELIYA RABA (Eliya b. Binyamin Wolf Shapira, ) and is quoted in later sources as well. Apparently, it is the whole winter that's supposed to be cold and snowy, but no details as to where. Back to the calendar. Of the 14 different year-types of the Jewish Calendar, only one has the third of Sh'vat falling on a Friday. However, it is the most common year-type, occurring with a frequency of just over 18%. On the other hand, a PEI-HEI-KAF year (P'shuta, plain, 12 months; Rosh HaShana beginning on a Thursday; and the months K'SEDER, meaning Marcheshvan has its regular 29 days and Kislev has its regular 30 days) which this year 5772 is, hasn't occurred since 5758 (1998) - 14 years ago. The winter is still young - we shall see what happens. Meanwhile, find your gloves and warm scarves. Maybe you'll need them; maybe not (I don't think that we are talking about prophecy). For your further calendar information - the 59 days of Tevet (29) and Sh'vat (30) do not follow the LO ADU-like patterns that most of the calendar dates follow. For these 59 days, each can fall on five different weekdays and have only two days of the week that they do not fall on. For 3 Sh'vat, it can be a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Shabbat. Not a Sunday or a Tuesday. [2] A goat in its mother's milk - Why not two days? G'DI BACHALEIV IMO = = 106, the number of p'sukim in Vayigash. So too, LAMA LO (why not?) = = 106. And YOMAYIM (two days) = = 106. [3] This year, the third of Sh vat is on a Friday. Why are we telling you this specifically this OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772

23 week? See [1] above [4] Was Yosef an ALF? ALF is an acronym for alien life form, as was the character ALF from the TV series by the same name, and E.T. of E.T. phone home fame, the extraterrestrial. Yehuda, in the beginning of Vayigash, tells Yosef that Yaakov, when talking about Yosef and Binyamin, mentioned VAYEITZEI HA-ECHAD MEI-ITI, one (meaning Yosef) went away from me... And one went out from E.T. could indicate an ALF. [5] 151 times with one; 16 times with two The name BINYAMIN is usually spelled with only one YUD in Tanach - BET-NUN-YUD-MEM-NUN (sofit). 16 of the 167 occurrences of the name BINYAMIN have 2 YUDs. BET-NUN-YUD-MEM-YUD-NUN. [6] Find the sedras, the letters of whose names are in alphabetical order Not a real TTriddle; just a challenge. The idea came from the What's special about this number? site that is quoted in a box in Vayigash's TT (page 19). On that list of numbers, it was pointed out that FORTY is the only number, the letters of whose name are in alphabetical order. Finding that interesting, we tried it on the list of 54 sedras. The only ones whose spellings are in alphabetical order are EMOR (thanks to its being spelled without a VAV), B'HAR, CHUKAT (no VAV), and BALAK. This is a fun challenge to issue to your (grand)children and Shabbat guests. It works best without recourse to a Chumash. Obviously, with people who know the names of the sedras by heart. Try it too with the months of the year. Only ADAR, IYAR, and AV are spelled in alphabetical order. And only GAD and DAN among the sons of Yaakov or the Tribes. Have fun. That's what TTriddles and the TTriddles reports are for. [7] One Unexplained from the ParshaPix The Kiddush cup was not for the cup that was used to frame Binyamin - that was at the end of Mikeitz, not in Vayigash. Instead, we go to the Yiddish word for a Kiddush cup - BECHER, second listed son of Binyamin. Assuming the list of sons is in birth-order, Binyamin or his wife missed the chance to name their B'CHOR BECHER, rather than BELA. On the other hand, BECHER, spelled BET-CHAF-REISH is made up of second letters: BET = 2, KAF = 20, the second of the tens, and REISH = 200, second of the hundreds in the ALEF-BET. Appropriate for a second child. [8] Old business In last issue's ParshaPix there was a photo of Maj.-General Orde Charles OU Israel Center TT VAYCHI 5772