Language of the Heart

Parashat VaYigash


Bereishit 44:18 "...May your servant say something into the ear of my master."

With these words Yehudah began his request to Yosef. He wanted to ask for amnesty, and therefore he wanted to speak directly to Yosef and not through an interperter. However, it would seem that they did not know each other's speech. Beforehand, all the conversations between them were communicated through an interperter. How, then, did Yehudah expect to make himself understood to Yosef without an interperter?

The Gaon of Brisk said that this question recalls a story about the Chofetz Chaim who once appeared before the Prime Minister of Poland to request cancellation of a decree from the Polish Ministry of Education which was very troubling to all the Torah leaders at the time. The words of the Chofetz Chaim flowed from his warm and pure heart as he spoke to the gentile Prime Minister in Yiddish. In the midst of speaking the Chofetz Chaim became very emotional and he began to cry.

One of those who accompanied the Chofetz Chaim arose to translate, but the Prime Minister signalled him to be quiet and said, "It is not necessary. Although I did not understand a word, he has convinced me because these words came from his heart."

The language of the heart is understood in every language. It does not need elaboration or translation. It was with this language that Yehudah wanted to convince Yosef.

-Ma'alot Hamidot

Brit Milah - Parashat VaYigash

Bereishit 45:12 Behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benyamin, that it is my mouth that is speaking to you.

In this week's parsha (Torah reading) we learn how Yosef (Joseph) revealed himself to his brothers. Rashi explains that Yosef proved to his brothers that it was truly him by showing them that he was circumcised and spoke lishon hakodesh (Hebrew). Rashi derives this interpretation from the words of the verse. The phrase "behold your eyes see" refer to something physical that can be seen. This is the brit milah. The next words, "that it is my mouth that is speaking" refers to speech alluding to lishon hakodesh.

The commentators explain that although Yosef instituted circumcision for all of Egypt, only the children of Yaakov performed an additional detail in milah (circumcision) called piriah. Yosef revealed that his circumcision was complete including the pariah. Similarly, with regard to lishon hakodesh although some Egyptians knew the Hebrew language only the children of Yaakov understood the holy nature of the language. This added dimension of holiness is what Yosef conveyed to his brothers.

It is customary that the first Friday night after the birth of a baby boy we celebrate. The name of this celebration is called a "shalom zachor." The commentators give various reasons for this celebration. Let us briefly review some of them.

The Terumas Hadeshen explains that we give thanks to Hashem (G-D) for the child and mother who have survived the dangerous ordeal of pregnancy and birth. This is what the Gemarah (Bava Kama 80) calls "the salvation of the child." The Tur notes the words of Chazal (our sages of blessed memory) "when a male comes to the world peace comes to the world." We celebrate the additional dimension of peace that has come to the world with this child. Indeed, this is why the celebration is called shalom zachar, which is translated as the "peace of the male." Another reason given is to comfort the child whose pure soul has left the spiritual world and has come to a world of darkness. Similarly, Chazal teach us that when the child is in the mother's womb it studies Torah with an angel. Immediately before it leaves, the angel strikes the child causing it to forget all that it has learned. The child is sad because it has forgotten the Torah. We come together at the shalom zachor in order to comfort the child.

Let us now suggest another reason. When Yosef attempted to reintroduce himself to his brothers and prove that he was their brother he did two things. First he showed them that he was a circumcised and second, spoke with them in lishon hakodesh. Likewise, when a child is born, in order for it to be part of the Jewish people it must undergo these two procedures. The first thing is the circumcision that takes place on the eighth day. The second is speaking in the holy language. This is fulfilled by coming together at the shalom zachor and speaking words of Torah in honor of the child. In truth this could be accomplished on any day of the week, however, Shabbat has the special nature that all its speech is holy. The verse says concerning Shabbat "You shall honor it by not pursuing your affairs and speaking words" (Yeshayahu 48:13). Chazal derive from the last words of this verse "vedaber davar," i.e., "and speaking words" that our speech on Shabbat is not to be the same as our speech during the week. On Shabbat we may only speak holy words relating to Torah and prayer and must refrain from all mundane talk. When we come together on the first Shabbat and speak words in honor of the new child we act like Yosef who reintroduced himself to his brothers with "holy language." The holiness of Shabbat enhances the holiness of speech.

It is noteworthy that the custom is to eat lentils at a shalom zachor. One of the reasons is that the child is in a state of mourning after having left the spiritual world and has forgotten the Torah that he studied in his mother's womb. A lentil is round and has no mouth just as mourner is silent due to his pain. We may similarly suggest that we eat lentils to allude to the verse "it is my mouth that is speaking to you." The Torah records Yosef's speech in lishon hakodesh with the words "it is my mouth." Similarly, we eat lentils that have no mouth to signify that at the shalom zachor we open up the mouth with holy words.

-Hadrash Ve-Haiyan

Hadlakah - Lighting Shabbat Candles

Shabbat Shalom!

Bereishit 24:67 And Yitzchak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother; he married Rivkah, she became his wife, and he loved her; and thus was Yitzchak consoled after his mother.

Rashi notes that as long as Sarah was alive a lamp was lit from one Shabbat eve to the next; the benediction was made over the dough (which she kneeded); and a cloud hovered over the tent.  When she died this all ceased, but when Rivkah came everything began once again.

And a fourth blessing Sarah brought to Avraham's house...their doors were always open wide since she always gave generous alms to the poor.

These three hallmarks of Sarah's tent correspond to the three main duties of the Jewish wife:  to light Shabbat lights (hadlakah), to separate challah from the dough, which assures a blessing from above (challah), and to observe the laws of purity of conjugal life (taharat hamishpacha).  They draw the presence and protection of the Divine Majesty which hovers invisibly over the home as in a column of "cloud over the tent."


Hadlakah (lighting; kindling)

The Sages set forth three reasons why we light Shabbat candles.  First, for peace and harmony in the home (shalom bayit); second, to honor Shabbat and third, to create pleasure.

Our sages tell us that the moments of Shabbat candle lighting are a time of teshuvah, of returning to our spiritual source.  With the flames in front of us, our hands covering our eyes and our focus turned inward, we reflect upon what went right or wrong in the past week and evaluate whether life is leading us in the proper direction.  We ask ourselves whether we are on a path lit by truth, or whether we are still in the dark.  Torah itself is compared to light, because it is the ultimate source of direction and clarity. Thus the Shabbat candles connect us intimately to Torah.  When a Jewish woman lights candles on Friday evening she aligns herself with Torah's eternal order and harmony.  From this place of profound connection, she gains the ability to bring the same clarity to her surroundings.

The candle (ner) symbolizes our neshamah (soul), our intellect, our personal shalom bayit (peace in the house).  Without this light we cannot see, there is no clarity, no relationship to other objects in the room, just as spiritually, without light (Torah), we don't have the clarity to know which path to take that leads to Hashem.  So, the Shabbat candle helps us to not only see physically but also represents a spiritual 'seeing' that is obtained through Torah out of sincere kavanah (feeling) towards learning and living as instructed.

Only then will we experiece true shalom bayit, as both our physical and neshamah will be pulling together to lead us in the same direction....towards the Torah's way..towards HaShem Elokeinu, Baruch Hu.

In the atmosphere created by our candles, we are free to meditate on our common goals as Jews and to experience the repose of peace and harmony that is uniquely Shabbat. By refraining from activities of the week and by bringing G-d into the picture, we acknowledge that we Jews share a belief and
a way of life according to Torah, which is the basis of our identity as a people.  We see others united by virtue of their business or hobbies, but this bond is based only on common interest, rather than timeless values.  The Jewish woman promotes the essential cohesiveness of the Jewish Nation each time she lights.

As bearers of light, women draw down from above the spiritual clarity of Shabbat, and then disseminate it throughout the week to come. The candle light of Shabbat expresses the inherent peace of the individual and collective Jewish soul.  It is no wonder then that candle lighting is a woman's obligation, since it is she who unifies and creates peace in her household.

On this day, at the behest of the Torah, we are to refrain from all productive activity. For this one day we relinquish our domination over the world and its resources. This is why the Hebrew name of this day is Shabbat, which does not mean "rest" but "cessation of activity." On this day we, so to speak, restore the world to G-d, and thus proclaim, to ourselves and to others, that our life in this world has higher, spiritual aims.

Preparation for lighting the Shabbat Candles

Place candles on the table where you plan to eat dinner, or in a prominent place where you can see them from the dinner table.

Single women may prepare either one or two candles.  A married woman generally prepares two candles.  She may add an additional candle for each of her children.  (Young girls of three or older, who are capable of
understanding the concept of Shabbat, can be provided with a candlestick and taught to kindle Shabbat lights.)

Some have a custom of putting a few coins in a charity box ("pushke") prior to lighting.

It is important to light your candles on time.  Candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset every Friday. Young girls should light just prior to this time.

Click the following link for candle lighting times in your area:  http://www.radwin.org/hebcal/?c=on


Procedure for lighting Shabbat candles

1)  Light the candles.  Next, spread your hands in a circular motion around the candles, drawing your hands inward towards yourself each time to indicate the acceptance of Shabbat.

2)  Cover your eyes and recite the following blessing:

Baruch atah HaShem Elo-heinu Melech Ha-olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.

Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the light of the Shabbat.

3)  Uncover your eyes and look at the Shabbat lights.  At this time, you may wish to add your own words of prayer or thanksgiving.

A woman should light the Shabbat lamp with joyous heart and with pleasure, for it is a supreme honor for her. It serves as a source of great merit for her to be blessed with holy sons who will be a source of light to the world in Torah knowledge and fear of G-d,and will bring more peace into the world. She also thereby causes her husband’s lifetime to be prolonged. For all of these reasons, she should be meticulous in the lighting of the Shabbat lamp. (Zohar: Bereishit).

Some people prepare two wicks [or candles] for the Shabbat lamp, one corresponding to the commandment “Remember the day of Shabbat,” and the other corresponding to the commandment “Observe the day of Shabbat.” 

The Tur states that the Beit Yosef and the Kolbo quote the Tanchuma on this matter which states,

“All the matters of the Shabbat come in pairs, e.g. two lambs are offered at the Holy Temple as an additional offering for the Sabbath, the Psalm of Shabbat uses the repetetive wording - “A song, A hymn for the Sabbath day” (Psalms 92), and a double portion of Mann descended for Shabbat. Therefore, we also light two lamps (Tur Orach Chaim 263).

Our sages, with their unique gift for epigram, expressed in the Passover Haggadah the fact that the Sabbath contains the sum and substance of Jewish life and thought in the words:

"If G-d had not brought us to Har Sinai and had only given us the Shabbat, it would have been enough."

It would indeed have been enough, for Shabbat epitomizes the whole of Judaism.

___________________


Source Commentaries:


Call Of The Torah - Chayei Sarah, Rabbi Munk
MeAm Lo'ez - Chayei Sarah - Rabbi Culi
Women in Judaism.  The Jewish Renaissance Center - http://www.jewishrenaissance.org/ .
The Sabbath: A Guide to its Understanding and Observance

Life of Sarah - Chayei Sarah

Parashat Chayei Sarah
Bereishit 23:1 - 25:18
Haftarah 1Melachim 1:1-31

Life of Sarah
(Picture is burial of Sarah)

Bereishit 23:2 Sarah died in Kiryat-arba which is Chevron in the land of Kena'an; and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her..

Kiryat-arba, the old name for Chevron.  Why does Torah give the original name since it immediately adds the name, Chevron, normally used?  Rashi explains that the word arba refers either to the four giants living there or to the four couples (Adam & Chavah, Avraham & Sarah, Yitzchak & Rivkah, Ya'akov and Leah) buired there.  The Zohar, however, sees in the name kiryat-arba a reference to the four letters of the Divine Name (i.e., the Tetragrammaton).  Just as Aharon, Miryam, and Moshe all expired by the Divine kiss, Sarah too died innocent and pure, in "the enclosure (kirat = city, surrounding wall) of the four" letters of the Ineffable Name.

The Torah stresses in verse 19 that Sarah died in the land of Kena'an and was buried there.  This detail can give us the explanation of why she died in Chevron.  She had lived in Be'er-sheva and no explanation is given for her moving from there.  However, one can see why her death and burial should have taken place in Kena'an and not in Be'er-sheva, which was located in Pelishti (Philistine) territory.  Indeed, it was essential for the future of the Jewish people that the tombs of the patriarchs be situated in the Promise Land.  Throughout the centuries of history, in all the lands of the dispersion, they represented the eternal symbol of the homeland and the rallying point for the whole nation.  And so, Sarah's move to Chevron, where she died, was an act of Providence.  Avraham would have had no valid reason for wanting to buy the cave of Machpelah from the sons of Chet had Sarah died in Be'er-sheva and not in Chevron.

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Mishma Dumah Massa

Bereishit 25:12 These are the descendants of Yishma'el, Avraham's son, whom Hagar the Mitzrian, Sarah's maidservant, bore to Avraham.  13 These are the names of the sons of Yishma'el by their names, in order of their birth: Yishma'el's firstborn Nevayot, Kedar, Adbe'el, and Mivsam,  14 Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,  15 Chadad and Tema, Yetur, Nafish, and Kedemah.  16 These are the sons of Yishma'el, and these are their names by their open cities and by their strongholds, twelve chieftains for their nations.  17 These were the years of Yishma'el's life: a hundred and thirty-seven years, when he expired and died, and was gathered to his people.  18 They dwelt from Chavilah to Shur - which is near Mitzrayim - toward Ashshur; over all his brothers he dwelt.

It is customary to read the verses containing the names of Yishma'el's sons each day as part of the Ma'amadot.

Each verse teaches us a lesson:


Mishma Dumah Massa

If one hears (mishma) people insult him but remains quit (dumah), all his sins will be lifted away (masa).  His reward will be Chadad Tema Yetur Nafish Kedmah - He will become very sharp (chadad) in his knowledge of the Torah, and he will be able to speak of its (tema) mysteries.  G-d will keep (yetur) him and make his name as great (nafish) as the sages of old (kedmah). (Imrey Noam)

Rambam speaks of the Moslem oppression of the Jews at the end of his Epistle to Yemen (Igeret Teyman).  He quotes this verse containing the names of Yishma'el's children and explains, "Our Sages enjoin us to bear the treachery of the Yishma'eli and their lies with indifference.  This they derived from the verse which names the children of Yishma'el.  The names mean shema dom vesa (listen, be quiet, and bear it)."

Yishma'el's sons were very famous; they founded great, fortified cities, and dominated the broad area between Chavilah and Shur, and Baghdad, in what was the land of Assyria.  Thus, G-d's promise to Avraham regarding Yishma'el (21:13) was fulfilled.

Because Yishma'el went to the trouble of coming from the desert to attend Avraham's funeral, he deserved the names of his sons to be written in the Torah. (Yafeh Toar p. 371)

Yishma'el died in the year 2171 (1590 b.c.e.).  According to Rashi, Yishma'el's lifespan is given in order to make a connection with the years which Ya'akov lived.  Ramban adds that our Sages gave other reasons as well (Rabbah 62), but that the essential motive is the fact that Yishma'el had repented and became tzaddik.  Consequently the Torah gives his lifespan just as it does for other tzaddik.

"Over all his brothers he dwelt"...literally, "he fell."  The next verse begins, "And these are the offspring of Yitzchak."  This teaches you that when Yishma'el falls at the end of days, only then will the history of Yitzchak commence, under the reign of the Mashiach (Baal HaTurim).


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Source:


MeAm Lo'ez - Chayei Sarah - Rabbi Culi
Call Of The Torah - Chayei Sarah, Rabbi Munk
Baal HaTurim

Parashat VaYera - And He Appeared

Bereishit 18:1 - 22:24
Haftarah 2Melachim 4:1-37

And He Appeared
Sedom's Sins

Bereishit 18:17 And HaShem said, "Shall I conceal from Avraham what I do, 
18 now that Avraham is surely to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him?  
19 For I haved loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of HaShem, doing charity and justice, in order that HaShem might then bring upon Avraham that which He had spoken of him."   
20 So HaShem said, "Because the outcry of Sedom and 'Amorah has become great, and because their sin has been very grave, 
21 I will descend and see: If they act in accordance with its outcry which has come to Me - then destruction! and if not, I will know."

Sedom was a very wealthy city, exporting gold and precious stones. The area had so many resources that its populance had not financial worries. No other city was blessed like Sedom. (Pirkey Rabbi Eliezer) The people, however, were very wicked.  In general, Sedom was distinguished by four sins. (Sanhedrin, Chapter 10)

1) Sexual immorality. A 6-hour journey from Sedom, there was an oasis containing pleasant springs and beautiful fruit trees. Every July, the people of the five cities, Sedom, 'Amorah, Admah, Tzevoyim and Tzo'ar, would come together and have a carnival. For four days and four nights, there would be eating, drinking, and revelling. Men and women would go together without regard to marital status, or family relationship. Sins such as adultery, incest and homosexuality were the norm at such celebrations. (Sefer HaYashar)

2) Would not allow travelers to pass through their cities. An agreement had been made that no hospitality be given, and that any traveler would have to spend the night in the street. Even the trees around the city were cut down so that birds would not receive any hospitality. (Pirkey Rabbi Eliezer)

3) Crime and Corruption.

4) Murder. The warped system of justice in these cities caused many people to be killed unjustly.

The people of Sedom were so wicked and corrupt that they deserved to be utterly destroyed. Even if they had repented, they did not deserve to have been forgiven. Still, HaShem had mercy on them, and gave them every opportunity to change their ways.

These cities stood for 52 years. For 25 years before they were destroyed, G-d provided them with portents from heaven that they were destined for calamity. Great earthquakes shook the area, and after each earthquake, a rainbow was visible (Bereishit 9:16). Torrential rains fell also; and the priests read all these as signs of impending doom. Still, they did not change their ways. (Yafeh Toar)

Hospitality is one of the mitzvot of the Torah, but the Torah had not yet been given. One might wonder why this was considered a sin, since hospitality is not included among the 7 universal mitzvot. Hospitality is such a logical act of kindness that people should do it without being commanded. How can a person see a fellow human being dying of starvation without having pity? (Bachya)

In general, G-d takes revenge when a person is hard hearted toward the poor. The cry of the poor ascends to heaven. One must also be very careful not to give the poor reason to curse him.G-d hears their cries even when they are without reason. (Tosafot, Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 1).

For all these reasons Sedom deserved to be annihilated.

Before destroying Sedom, G-d informed Avraham of His plans.

There were 7 reasons for this:

1) Sedom and its neighbors were in the land of Kena'an. Since G-d had given Avraham the entire land of Kenaan, He saw fit to inform him before He destroyed a portion of it. (Rashi; Zohar, p. 105)


2) Avraham was destined to become a great nation; he would be renowned as a great saint and doer of good.  Hearing of the destruction of these cities, people might ask, "Since Avraham is beloved by G-d, why did He not reveal what He was about to do? And if Avraham was informed, why did he not pray for them?" G-d therefore saw that it would be best to inform him. (Ramban)


3) Avraham's nephew lived in Sedom. (Yafeh Toar, p. 284)


4) Avraham was called the "father of a horde of nations." (17:3) It would not be proper to destroy a nation without informing its "father." (Rashi; Bereyshit Rabbah)


5) In Parashat Lech Lecha was described how G-d showed Avraham the punishments of purgatory. Since people cannot see them, however, they do not believe in them. G-d therefore informed Avraham of the sins of Sedom as well as the punishment destined for them. People would then be able to see with their own eyes that Avraham's source of information was accurate, and they would also see an example of divine punishment. (Bereishit Rabbah)


6) Avraham knew all the mysteries of the Torah before it was given [to Yisrael]. He was therefore aware even of the judgments handed down by the tribunal on high. Since nothing was concealed from him, it was fitting that he be made aware of the destiny of Sedom. (Ibid.)


7) During the war between Nimrod and Sedom, when Lot was taken prisoner, Avraham had taken Sedom's side against Nimrod. When Avraham saw that the Sedomi had retreated rather than fight, he assumed that they were pacifists who would do anything rather than take a human life. He thus had a very good impression of them, and could not imagine them as sinners. If G-d had destroyed them without informing Avraham of the reason, he would have thought their destruction was for no reason. (Tanchuma)


For all these reasons, G-d waited in Avraham's house in order to inform him.

R' Judah b. Levi said:

This may be compared to a king who made a gift of an orchard to his friend. Some time later he found that he had to cut down five beams in it. Said he: Although it was mine, and it was I who gave it to my friend, it is not right for me to cut down anything in it without cousulting him. Similarly, when Avraham went up to Eretz Yisrael, the Holy One, Baruch Hu, told him: "Raise now your eyes and look out from where you are: northward, southward, eastward and westward. For all the land that you see, to you will I give it..." (Bereishit 13:14-15). Therefore when He desired to destroy these five cities, Sedom, 'Amorah, Admah, Tzevoyim and Lasha, which according to tradition, were also destroyed, He declared, "I cannot destroy them without Avraham's knoweldge." Hence when He was actually about to overthrow them He took counsel with him, as our text states.

R' Hiyya said:

The Almighty informs the tzaddikim in advance so that they may call the rashim to do teshuvah and thereby avert their decreed punishment. Also, to leave no loophole for any complaint that He punishes unjustly.

R' Eleazar said:

If the Holy One, whose acts are truth and whose ways are just, does not execute His intentions before revealing them to the tzaddikim, so that men may have no possiblity of censuring His acts; how much more mere mortals take care that their actions give no grounds for the spreading of evil reports about them. Thus it is written, "And you shall be clean before HaShem and before Yisrael" (BaMidbar 32:22). (Zohar 1, 104b)

Source commentaries sited:


MeAm Lo'ez - Vayera, Culi
Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation, Kasher

Bereishit - In the Beginning

To begin all over again!

What possibilities lie before us! What unforeseen potential awaits us!

We don't simply begin back where we started from one year ago, we begin all the way back at the beginning. The very beginning, the beginning of beginnings: That is, the book of Bereishit, Genesis, which is not merely an account of the beginning, a narration of how it went, but it is the very blueprint for the beginning that G-d Himself, as it were, consulted when He chose to begin the creation. Its letters, their shapes and sounds, and the words and verses that they form, are the very DNA of the world of darkness and light, day and night, rivers and streams and oceans and mountains, livestock and wildlife, fish and fowl, stars and planets, moon and sun, that we live in.

These letters are the stuff of our very souls, and to study, to examine, to ponder, to immerse ourselves in the depths of the Bereishit reality, is not only an immensely satisfying and gratifying endeavor, but it is part and parcel of the fulfillment of our purpose on this earth: to behold G-d's wonders and to praise Him and draw near to Him. [Rabbi Chaim Richman - The Temple Institute - http://www.templeinstitute.org/]