May The Lord Make you as Ephraim and as Menashe

by Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon

This week's portion, Vayechi, describes Ya'akov's blessing to Ephraim and Menashe, which was adopted as a blessing for sons for posterity. Why was this specific bracha chosen? Why not, for instance "May the Lord make you as Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov", the patriarchs of the nation? The question intensifies when we recall that daughters are blessed with the names of our matriarchs Sarah, Rivkah, Rochel and Leah!

A wonderful explanation appears several times in the writings of R' Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, author of the "B'nei Yissachar":[1]

"And Ya'akov Avinu, when he placed Ephraim before Menashe, saw that Ephraim did not become prideful because of his elevated position, quite the opposite…and that Menashe was not jealous. Therefore he blessed them: 'By thee shall Israel bless' …as Ephraim, with no conceit, and as Menashe with no jealousy of his brother's favor".

Let us expand on this theme. Ephraim and Menashe are unique in their complete absence of rivalry and jealousy. Throughout the book of Bereisheet we find various cases of quarrels between brothers:
Kayin and Hevel – a dispute culminating in murder!
Yitzchak and Yishma'el
Ya'akov and Esav
Yosef and his brothers

In Vayechi, at the end of Bereisheet, Ephraim and Menashe are an example of the only case of brothers who are not bitter opponents. Instead, they are a living example of brothers who live in harmony.

Seeing the Approaching Storm on a Clear Day

by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l
Rosh HaYeshiva, Mercaz HaRav
Rosh Kollel, Eretz Hemda
Chaver, Beit Din HaGadol Yerushalayim

Chazal point out that our parasha begins (Bereisheet 47:28) without the traditional break between sections in the Torah, a phenomenon called stuma (closed). Rashi cites the reason: "Since Yaakov died, the eyes and heart of Israel were closed due to the anguish of the enslavement." Indeed, our parasha technically precedes the actual enslavement and describes a time when Bnei Yisrael still had the advantage of being the family of Yosef, the famous courtier. However, it contains harbingers of the enslavement, which is not formally introduced until Sefer Shemot.

Without the textual break, we are to read our parasha as a direct continuation of the end of Parashat Vayigash: "Israel lived in the Land of the Egypt, in the Land of Goshen, and they settled it, and were fruitful and multiplied there greatly." Rashi points out that the term for settlement was one which shows a strong connection to the land. The family no longer felt as strangers in a foreign land and found themselves all over the land. This was seemingly an ideal situation, which leads to our parasha: "Yaakov lived in the Land of Egypt," which sounds like the wandering Yaakov finally was able to live in tranquility.

On the other hand, there is no mention of the continuation of Yosef’s career. What happened to the relationship with the king who had said about him: "There is no one as wise and smart as you" (ibid. 41:39)? In the one recorded interaction, through an intermediary, Yosef had to plea to fulfill his promise of burying his father in his homeland. We see hints of Yosef’s influence waning. After the Hebrew made his great contributions, he was less the subject of adoration, and he and his people were more the subject of jealousy, peaking with the statement that started the enslavement: "Let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and ... join our enemies" (Shemot 1:10).

How interesting it is that specifically Yosef, even when he was at the height of his success, was the one who sensed in advance the stormy situation ahead and was able to warn his brothers. He coached them to not become too entrenched in Egyptian life, but to stay in a separate region. Both Yaakov and Yosef gave instructions to the family to remember the time that they will return home to the Land of their forefathers and to bury their respective remains there, in the case of Yosef, at the time of national deliverance. It was Yosef, the great believer, whose eyes were not blinded by success, who passed on the code to deliverance: the words "pakod yifkod," which would be used by the eventual savior.

This has been the challenging necessity in each exile and time period, whether in Egypt, Babylonia, Spain, Germany, or Poland: always cling to our unique identity and wait for redemption, without being blinded by the successes of the golden periods. Look during bright days for the clouds that foretell stormy weather ahead and cling to the hope of redemption while weathering the storm.

The End of an Epoch

by Rabbi Dov Berl Wein

The parsha of Vayechi marks the end of the story of the house of Yaakov and the conclusion of the book of Bereshith – the book of the patriarchs and matriarchs of our people. The parsha tells us of the end of an era that spammed many long centuries. People alive at the end of an era oftentimes are unable to realize that they are at the end of what has been so normal and expected for centuries. All of us expect things to continue apace and regularly as they have been until now. Thus great and sudden changes in circumstances always blindside us for we are never prepared for the unknown and completely unexpected. The Jews were aware that neither Yaakov nor Yosef would live forever. But they did not ever imagine how drastically their situation in Egypt would change after the death of the generation of Yaakov and Yosef. It becomes apparent that the presence of Yaakov and Yosef was the deciding factor in the "good exile" of Egypt. Therefore the Torah emphasizes that Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt. Yaakov's presence in the land of Egypt is the protection for his family and descendants from the natural resentment of the Egyptians to what they undoubtedly view as the undue power, wealth and influence of an alien group within its midst. It is the old and worn down Yaakov that saves Egypt from five more years of terrible hunger not the young and confident and wise Yosef. So the emphasis on Yaakov's living in Egypt is the Torah's way of warning us not to be as certain as to why things happen and who are really the main catalysts for the situations of national and personal life.

Yaakov's farewell to his children recorded for us in this parsha indicates his awareness of the problems that will yet face his children. The Torah teaches us that he wished to reveal the entire story of Jewish history to his children even till the messianic era but that the Lord , so to speak, prevented him from so doing. But Yaakov certainly indicated the immediate future that they would have to face – that there was going to be a change in eras and that the past remains the past and not the present and certainly not necessarily the future. The blessings that Yaakov bestowed upon his children were all long range meant to be fulfilled over many years and centuries. Yaakov cannot tell them of the end plot of the story of the Jewish people but he assures them that there is a bright ending somehow to the story. It is again an indication that the central figure in the era of the patriarchs and matriarchs is Yaakov. And therefore the first words of the parsha which indicated that Yaakov lived may also be understood to mean that Yaakov still lives. It is his personality and example that guides all Jewish history and life. We are all still under the influence of our great forefather on whose name –Yisrael – we are called. We should all be aware of this blessing.

Conflict and Purpose

by HaRav Zalman Baruch Melamed
Rosh HaYeshiva, Beit El

Cause for Conflict
When the sons of Jacob returned from Egypt after burying their father in Hebron's Makhpelah Cave, the Torah tells us that, "Joseph's brothers began to realize [the implications] of their father's death. 'What if Joseph is still holding a grudge against us?' they said. 'He is likely to pay us back for all the evil we did him'" (Genesis 50:15).

The Midrash teaches us in the name of Rabbi Levi that, "He (Joseph) did not invite them to dine with him." That is, when Jacob was still alive, the whole family would dine together at Joseph's table, yet when they returned from the burial of Jacob, he no longer invited the brothers to dine with him. Therefore, the brothers suspected that Joseph was now planning to get even with them. Rabbi Tanchuma adds that, "His intentions were purely for the sake of Heaven, for Joseph said to himself, 'In the past my father used to seat me ahead of Judah, the King, and ahead of Rueben, the first born. Now it is no longer fitting for me to sit before them,' They, though, misinterpreted his actions saying, 'What if Joseph is still holding a grudge against us...'" Rabbi Yitzhak gave a reason different than that given by Rabbi Levi, claiming that Joseph had gone and looked into the pit he had been thrown into by his brothers. Again, Rabbi Tanchuma adds that his intentions in doing so were purely for the sake of Heaven, but they misinterpreted his actions saying, "What if Joseph is still holding a grudge against us..."

We see from this Midrash that, while Joseph actually harbored the best possible intentions, the brothers misread his actions and therefore became worried. His reason for not inviting them was sincere consideration for their honor. His looking into the pit, too, was only done in order to thank God for saving his life, and not, heaven forbid, with any intent of getting even with his brothers. Though his intentions were purely for the sake of Heaven, the brothers misunderstood and panicked.

Most quarrels and disagreements are the result of misunderstanding. A few years ago two individuals who had gotten into a conflict came to me to receive my decision in the matter. In the past, the two had been very good friends. They went into business together, and for a few years everything was fine. Then, suddenly, they became entangled in a vehement argument, until finally one of them threatened the other at gunpoint. They came before me in order to hear the Torah law with regard to their disagreement, one demanding payment for losses that the other caused him.

The one began by accusing his partner of having changed the key to the factory, thus preventing him from entering. That, he claimed, is how it all started. I asked the other why he did such a thing. He said that the lock had broken and he had no choice but to change it along with the keys. His partner, it seems, had assumed that it was done intentionally in order to conspire against him, and retaliated accordingly. And so the whole ordeal grew, each one taking action against the other, until they were finally outright enemies.

It did not take too long for it to become apparent to both of them that their bitter disagreement was no more than the result of a chain of misunderstandings. The entire quarrel, that had dragged on for a number of years, stemmed from the fact that they had misunderstood each other. And while it was no simple task to go from being fierce enemies to good friends, soon enough it become noticeable that their relationship was changing for the better. Indeed, after some time they returned to their former friendship. It is quite common that people misinterpret the actions of others, take offense, store it up inside, and thus prepare the way for a quarrel to develop. And even if it never actually reaches the stage of an open dispute, it is bad enough that anger is stored up in the heart.

Perhaps was the source of the conflict between Joseph and his brothers. He had good intentions but his outer actions were misinterpreted. As a result, the rift in the family deepened.

There is an important lesson to be learned here. Before taking offense, before interpreting the actions of others incorrectly, one must attempt to see things from the point of view of his fellow and to assume that his intentions were completely pure. It might very well be that the offense taken is completely unjustified and that all of the revengeful scheming was is completely unwarranted. Not only is this good practical advice, but the Torah itself forbids us from taking revenge, as it is written: "Do not take revenge nor bear a grudge..." (Leviticus 19:18). By so doing, one saves himself unnecisary discomfort and grief. No doubt, if people would follow this path many conflicts would be prevented.

Every Difficulty in Life has its Purpose
With the closing of the chapter of the forefathers, Jacob wishes to reveal to his sons what will be in the End of Days. "Assemble yourselves and I will tell you what will happen to you in the End of Days" (Genesis 49:1). Jacob had desired to reveal what would come to be, when suddenly Divine Inspiration left him. He became concerned thinking, "Perhaps there is among my offspring an unworthy son , lacking proper faith and not deserving of the revelation of the End of Days. Perhaps for this reason the Divine Inspiration has left me." His sons answered him: "Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one! Just as He is unique in your heart, so is He in ours." At that moment Jacob cried out: "Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity!"

What is the significance of the "End of Days?"
In life we face difficulties, troubles, and suffering. It is very frustrating to deal with this plight of ours because we do not understand what the ultimate purpose of all these troubles is. Were we capable of understanding that each difficulty, discomfort, and pain serves a profound inner purpose, our lives would be completely different. We, for our part, though, see only the outer shell of existence, and are not aware of the true inner workings of things. While we may be spiritually aware of the existence of inner purpose and direction, we are incapable of actually seeing it.

The implication of the revelation of the End of Days means actually seeing the inner workings of existence in the course of their development. This is what Jacob wished to reveal, and was prevented. The reason that it remained hidden from even Jacob himself is that ours is a world of personal effort and endeavor, and were man aware of the final implications of every act he performed in life, he would no longer need to struggle and exert himself in life - and this would run contrary to the purpose of existence. The understanding that in the future we will be made aware of the purpose of each and every difficulty we faced in life, that we will recognize and know that for the sake of the complete "Geula," redemption, we had no other choice than the precise path taken despite all of the suffering and hardships which it entailed for the Jewish People - this understanding is very important. True, even today we know that each difficulty has a purpose, but if we knew the exact purpose of each particular difficulty, our way of veiwing the world would experience a complete revolution. We would suddenly know what need be done in order to deal with each and every difficulty, and this undermine our entire purpose here in the world.

Born Free, Die Free, L’Hiyot Am Chofshi

“Give me liberty, or give me death!” This emotional outburst by Patrick Henry, from a speech he made to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775, swung the vote, convincing the convention, to pass a resolution to send Virginian troops, for the American Revolutionary War effort.

It seems the early Americans learned something from the ancient Jews, the value of freedom.

So much so, that the bell that has became known as the Liberty Bell, originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now called Independence Hall), was inscribed with the verse, “Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof,” from the Book of Leviticus (25:10).

A copy of the bell, now graces Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem.

Similarly, modern Israel’s national anthem, HaTikvah, proclaims “L’Hiyot Am Chofshi B’Artzeinu,” to be free people in our land.

Themes of Dror/Liberty and Cherut/Freedom swirl around in my head, as I write this, while the Iron Curtain of Israel’s third “Seger,” CoronaVirus closure/lockdown descends on Israel.

But try what they may, the powers that be in Israel, won’t break us.

Jews have already learned from Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi (Sotah38b), that “Afilu mechitzah shel barzel einah mafseket bein Yisrael L’Avihem shebashamayim, even an iron curtain, can't separate the people of Israel and their heavenly Father.”

We learned it again, in the late 1980s, when the Berlin Wall fell, and again in 1991, with the fall of the Soviet Union, and the massive waves of Aliyah, Jewish immigration to Israel, that came here, yearning to be free.

But, sad to say, Israel’s political class, it seems, has been working overtime to figure out how to better control people.

And, it’s not just happening in Israel. Throughout the democratic west, shades of Chinese-style societal control are emerging, just as I warned of back in June 2020. Politicians have been making power-grabs everywhere in the name of the “crisis.”

Many in Israel, have speculated that Netanyahu has used the CoronaCrisis, to distract from his corruption cases.

Yamina party leader MK Naftali Bennett recently said, “Things didn’t have to be this way. Millions of Israeli citizens are now going into a political lockdown, simply because the Netanyahu government placed political considerations above all else.”

So, we enter another deprivation period, of our basic human rights and civil liberties, in spite of the fact that over 130 doctors complained already back in July, that the government’s policy had no chance of succeeding, and actually caused an increase in morbidity and death rates.

Even the Knesset’s Coronavirus Committee pushed back at the time, on some of the government’s restrictions, but recently, committee chairwoman Yifat Shasha-Biton (formerly of Likud), has left the ruling junta, and joined Gideon Sa’ar’s new political party, New Hope.

Who will fight against Lockdowns and other frivolous policies, from within the belly of the beast (Likud-led government) now?

Will “New Hope” take up the call? After checking out their website, there is no sign of hope, no CoronaVirus Policy is discussed.

Back in July, thousands took to the streets to protest the economic and social damage inflicted to the Israeli body politic.

Will Israelis take to the streets this time?

In September, doctors and scientists in Israel protested the High Holiday Lockdown, and questioned the accuracy of Israel’s CoronaVirus death count.

Also in September, Professor Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford University, expressed his opposition to a second nationwide lockdown in the United Kingdom. He said a lockdown merely “delays the inevitable,” it would push future cases into the winter, when the danger of comorbidities with influenza and/or pneumonia could make the epidemic far more dangerous.

Is that what this third Lockdown will do to Israel?

Or, will they decide to extend the Lockdown, as some officials have already called for, beyond the two to four weeks, further into February, or beyond? While promising a panacea with vaccinations?

Meanwhile, nearly half of Israelis oppose this third Lockdown.

Then again, about 40% of Israelis say, “I don't want them injecting me with anything.”

And, in response to the news of a Health Ministry recommendation, that a mandatory vaccine law, be enacted to deal with vaccine refusers, former MK Moshe Feiglin wrote on his Facebook page, “You'll have to kill me before you stick a syringe in me with this vaccine.”

About two weeks ago, one hundred doctors signed a petition against closures and restrictions. “We, doctors in Israel,” they wrote, “strongly protest against coercive measures to prevent COVID-19 spread, which include lockdown, curfew, shutting down the education system, surveillance, and traffic restrictions. It is our job to warn of the slippery and dangerous slope of violating rights and taking away liberties that the State of Israel is galloping towards.”

They continued, “As far as CoronaVirus is concerned, coercive measures, especially enforcing movement restrictions of any kind, are destructive and dangerous, and have nothing to do with the medical profession. The basis for taking them is not medical.”

And, just about a week ago, members of the Public Emergency Council for the Coronavirus Crisis, which includes senior Israeli doctors and researchers, warned that a third Lockdown would be a “national disaster.”

During their press conference, they stated, “The Public Emergency Council for the Coronavirus Crisis was established, with no economic or political interests, in order to say no to further lockdowns, and that an immediate change in the manner in dealing with the outbreak is required. It is time for the public to know the scientific truth.”

This all follows an international effort by more than 50,000 medical & public health scientists, and medical practitioners, who have joined a movement called, “the Great Barrington Declaration,” warning that the lockdown approach, is having a devastating impact on physical and mental health as well as on societies, as a whole.

Yet, one Israeli newspaper recently wrote in their editorial, regarding the third Lockdown, “While it is legitimate to take the handling of the CoronaVirus crisis into account when deciding how to vote on election day, it is not legitimate to violate the CoronaVirus regulations because of a particular religious or political belief.”

Say bye bye, to freedom of religion, speech and assembly in Israel. Media supported. Seems eerily similar to the mainstream and social media in America, that worked hard to suppress contrarian views and brought Biden (seemingly) to power.

Then we heard about “Green Passports,” that vaccinated Israelis will get, waiving lockdown restrictions, allowing them access to cultural events, restaurants, and the like. Creating two classes of citizens in Israel, some with less rights than others.

But in America, there’s been a massive pushback against local and state politicians, over gym, restaurant, small business, and religious services closures. Many breaking the law and remaining open. That’s why the Republicans blasted the Democrats down ballot in the recent elections.

Will Israelis, this time learn from the Americans?

So far, I only see Sheeple, not the proud, free Jews of yesteryear, who declared Israeli independence, fought major wars, and ingathered the exiles.

Will a political party arise, that declares “Diyenu–Enough”

Enough of these politicians, and their PoliTrix.

Enough of unelected petty bureaucrats wielding so much control over our lives.

Enough of forced closures.

Enough of destroying jobs, businesses, and livelihoods.

Enough of threatening permanent restrictions, if not vaccinated.

“Live Free or Die,” is the official state motto of New Hampshire, in America.

Israelis could use learning that phrase and internalizing it, before they see what civil rights they still have, eroded.

In spite of the dire warnings by politicians, about the CoronaCrisis, Deputy Attorney General Raz Nizri just said, that political parties will be able to prepare for the elections under the nationwide CoronaVirus lockdown. “Employees, including volunteers, service providers and candidates on behalf of a party, can leave their homes, under the current legal situation, for the purpose of reaching a party headquarters for their activities,’ Nizri wrote. “Party employees are also allowed to leave their homes in order to work in the public space or anywhere else they are required to work in.”

How serious can the CoronaCrisis be, if the PoliTrix people are still allowed to wander outside, and gather indoors?

New elections are set for March 23, 2021, just days before Pesach (Passover). What an irony, just before the Festival of Freedom.

Back in September, a health communication lecturer at IDC Herzliya International School, Dr. Yaffa Shir Raz, in her Facebook post, predicted that a “commission of inquiry” would eventually be established to investigate the “peddling” of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Will justice ever be be meted out to these criminal politicians?

Whether the government’s policies, the vaccines, or just a natural decline of the CoronaVirus through herd immunity will improve the situation, or not, we all should pray, that we be liberated from the political power grabs taking place these days. Elections are coming.

Maybe then we’ll be an “Am Chofshi B’Artzeinu,” free people in our land, as HaTikvah proclaims, just in time for Pesach, the Festival of Freedom.

Ariel Natan Pasko, an independent analyst and consultant, has a Master's Degree specializing in International Relations, Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.

(c) 2020/5781 Pasko

Rope-a-Trope

by Rabbi Steven Pruzansky

On the road the other day, I drove across a tiny body of water that bore a strange name, Jewfish Creek, which is not far from the even tinier municipality of Jewfish in the Key Largo district. I didn’t know whether or not I should take offense at such a name, which probably means that I should not. Of course, taking umbrage at the faintest slight is a cottage industry today but I am extremely difficult to offend. It turns out that some people did complain about the name “Jewfish” in the recent past, and the townspeople could not care less and voted not change it. Jews are not Redskins or Indians, much less Chiefs or Braves, the former sports teams now searching for new names and the latter two on the chopping block as well.

To add insult to injury, some trace the etymology to the fact that this Jewfish, which is a saltwater fish that can grow to be quite huge, is kosher and was widely consumed by the region’s Jews; hence the name. But the Fisheries Society, sensitive to this slippery slur, two decades ago stopped using the term “Jewfish” and instead reclassified it by its scientific name – the Atlantic Goliath Grouper. So not only did they drop the term “Jewfish” but also they renamed this fish for one of the great villains in Jewish history. Now that is an insult. At least the residents of Jewfish and its adjacent creek stuck to their harpoons.

There are people who possess very keen antennae that pick up signals of abuse that most normal people do not. They have very low thresholds for affront and their main interest is not rectitude but power. The shortest route to power is through intimidation, and particularly by controlling the thoughts and words of others. That is why the variety of groups that perceive themselves as victims – American Indians, blacks, women, homosexuals, transgenders, etc. – are always modifying the terms by which they prefer to be referred. Indeed, they categorize all prior references as slurs and try to stifle their use, except, oddly, among themselves, where they liberally use words that are verbotento all others. Again, that is an attempt at power and control, not sensitivity and morality.

The latest addition to this genre is the repeated repudiation of so-called “anti-Semitic tropes,” words or phrases that are supposedly inherently hostile to Jews and brand practitioners as borderline Jew haters. Mentioning things like the Jewish vote, money, influence, media, power, and control, or using “Zionist” as a substitute for Jew, and literally dozens of other phrases, presumably send “dog whistles” to hate-filled ears and can provoke overt violence against Jews. For sure, some of these phrases may and often are used by Jew haters who are trying to instigate even more Jew hatred. The problem, then, is not with the words but with the people, and even if they wouldn’t sound these whistles, their designation as Jew haters would be accurate. Their malevolence is not in their mouths but in their hearts.

The bigger problem is that the accusation of “anti-Semitic tropes” is frequently used against people who have shown themselves to be quite friendly to Jews (Donald Trump, Boris Johnson) and to defend self-hating Jews (like the leftist George Soros) from any criticism. Thus, when the deeds of a non-Jew are objectively favorable to Jews but the individual is otherwise reviled by left-wing Jews and others, the search for “tropes” is pursued madly and always found. Conversely, when the deeds of a left-wing Jew are especially harmful to Jews, Israel, the United States and the rest of the West, his leftist allies (often Jews themselves) will label any criticism of this individual as trafficking in “anti-Semitic tropes.” It also becomes a convenient but vacuous tool to preclude any criticism of Jews for anything except being too proudly Jewish. It comes out that this cliché of the “anti-Semitic tropes” is a club to use against good non-Jews and a shield to use on behalf of bad Jews. We are better than that.

There is real hatred in the world, even real Jew hatred, but we do ourselves (and truth) a disservice by flinging about these accusations recklessly. To accuse friendly people whose actions reflect support and amity for Jews, but whose past words are excavated and scrutinized for hints, allusions, insinuations or just ambiguities that might trouble some Jew somewhere, is especially churlish. This, too, is about power and control, not Jewish self-defense or verbal kindness. Saying that Jews are “smart” is a compliment (I wish it were universally true!), not a blood libel, and should not be construed as a blood libel. Those were false, repugnant, libelous – and deadly.

We should be fearless in labeling Holocaust denial as Jew hatred, not a trope, but genuine Jew hatred. We should be fearless in labeling “anti-Zionism” as Jew hatred, not a trope, but genuine Jew hatred. Those who murder us, deny it happened and wish for it to happen again are Jew haters. Those who advocate that Jews, alone among the peoples of the earth, have no national rights are Jew haters. And this applies also to Jews who profess these malevolent views. These are not tropes or stereotypes but illegitimate expressions of contempt for Jews. They deserve all the opprobrium we can muster and send their way. They are not to be confused with people who send unconscious signals that are picked up by activists with a mission and a gripe.

If it seems like the same people who are apprehensive about “anti-Semitic tropes” are also vexed by team names like Indians and Redskins, it is because they are the same people. They revel in umbrage, and no name is safe. If “Indians” has to go, why not “Cowboys”? “Yankees” surely offends southerners, “Red Sox” and “Reds” those who suffered under Communism, “Angels” and “Devils” cancel out each other, and the mere mention of “Knicks” is irritating to anyone who likes basketball. And there are many more such transgressions.

What is masquerading as sensitivity is actually the toll road to tyranny. The activists should relax a little, get a sense of humor and find worthier causes to occupy their time. The rest of us should just keep speaking like we want to speak as long as we mean no offense by it and respect all people as individuals.

And if the Indians and Redskins are looking for new team names, as far as I am concerned they could do worse than to call themselves the “Jewfish.”

From Holocaust Remembrance to Love of Israel

by HaRav Eliezer Melamed
Rosh HaYeshiva, Har Bracha

Contrary to popular belief, the setting of the day of general mourning (Yom HaKaddish HaClalli) in the month of Tevet by the Chief Rabbinate was not in controversy with the national Holocaust Memorial Day in Nissan, as it was determined before it * The deep significance from the words of our teacher and rabbi, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda HaKohen Kook: before rushing to keep the “mitzvah” to hate the wicked, first one should embellish all the other mitzvot, including the one called Ahavat Yisrael * The Reform Movement never “hunted” Orthodox Jews to “convert” them to Reform Judaism, rather, saved Jews who were already in the midst of secularization and assimilation

It is worth mentioning the Chief Rabbinate’s directive from the twelfth of Kislev 5709 (1949), according to which the fast of the tenth of Tevet was established as the memorial day to commemorate the holy souls who were killed in the Holocaust whose date of death is unknown, and the saying of kaddish (Yom HaKaddish HaClalli) for the murdered who did not merit having family members say kaddish on their behalf. The initiative for this was raised immediately after the Holocaust, in the year 5705 (1945), but for various reasons the Chief Rabbinate delayed determining it.

Therefore, it is appropriate to pay attention in all minyanim (prayer quorums) to say kaddish for the elevation of the souls of Holocaust martyrs whose day of death is unknown. Namely, in a minyan if there is an avel (mourner) in the minyan who says kaddish every day, he should have kavana (intention) that the kaddish also be for the martyrs of the Holocaust. If there is no avel, one of the worshipers should say kaddish for the elevation of their souls.

This is the opportunity to correct a common misconception that the Chief Rabbinate set this day contrary to the Knesset decision that determined Holocaust Day on the 27th of Nissan, because the month of Nissan is not suitable for days of fasting and mourning. The truth is that the Knesset decision was made on the sixth of Nissan 5711 (1951), two years after the Chief Rabbinate’s decision.

In the Holocaust, Jewish destiny united all of Israel, and from this we continue to ahavat Yisrael (love of all Jews), which leads to a common destiny of building the nation and creativeness.

From the Words of Our Teacher and Rav, Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook
My dear friend, Rav Meir Katz shlita, Rosh Yeshivat ‘Eretz HaTzvi‘ and Mechinat ‘Hosen‘ in the community of Peduel, asked me for a letter of endorsement for his book ‘Me’ir la’Lev‘ composed of teachings, guidance, and halakhic responses. I willingly agreed, and in the book, I found accounts in the name of our teacher and rabbi, Rav Kook, which I like very much.

Rav Meir was asked by a young student about the Gay Pride Parade and LGBT people, whether one should feel disgust and remoteness towards them, or love, as Rabbi Kook said that one should love all creation. He replied that one should love the person but hate the bad deed, like a father who loves his son but does not love his bad deeds. In addition, he added: “I will mention a story from Rav Tzvi Yehuda ztzl”l, which I was privileged to see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears, having sat next to him. It was on a Shabbat Kodesh at the meal during the day. A young, first year student came and asked: “Rabbi, is there a mitzvah to hate the wicked?” I saw how Rav Kook clenched his fists tightly on the table, trembling, and said to him emphatically: ‘Have you already fulfilled all the mitzvot, that now you are looking for this mitzvah?'”

In his book, Rav Meir added that there is tremendous depth in this: only after truly loving Hashem and His creatures, can one also truly hate the bad deeds that harm them.

Heartwarming
A letter from Reb Aharon Granot, which warmed my heart: “I am the head of the ‘Oseh Chayil’ organization, which manages sixteen apartments where nearly 60 soldiers from Haredi backgrounds who were banished from their homes because they chose to enlist in the IDF, live. We are their family, and we provide them with everything: a warm atmosphere, housing, furniture, clothing, food. We come to visit them at their army bases, and are in touch with their commanders. We are parents in every respect.

Some of them are religious and meticulously observe mitzvot, while others are completely secular. They cannot be judged. I try to do everything I can to strengthen the spirit of anyone who desires it.

I once offered a soldier to learn as a chavruta (learning partners) ten minutes a day. I did not know what to study with him. The teachings of Rav Kook ztz”l are too complex for them. All of a sudden, it occurred to me – “Peninei Halakha”. There are several advantages to it: first, it is Torah written in Eretz Yisrael. On the one hand, study of halakha they are accustomed to from home – but in a new way; Torah emanating from a redemptive Beit Midrash in which it is studied extensively – accompanied by deep, conceptual explanations that I call ‘opening the hood of the engine of halakha’. Each halakha is explained in a reasonable and in-depth manner, expanding the horizons of one’s knowledge. At once, the Torah is revealed in all its glory. In the sense of ‘ohr chadash al Tziyon ta’ir’ (shine a new light on Zion) and enlightens their souls, that so yearns for spirituality. If one goes through “Peninei Halakha”, it is as if he has gone through the entire Torah.

Another big advantage to the series is that it also comes in an app that anyone can download, so that our learning does not depend on a specific place. A soldier returns from guard duty and has some free time – he gives me a call, I immediately drop what I am doing, and we plunge into a deep and sweet study.

This was so successful that within two weeks, four more soldiers joined, and then two more. Thus, in the end I have seven chevrutot with seven soldiers every day. I saw it was catching on, so I prepared additional volunteers to study with other soldiers “Peninei Halakha”. Consequently, thanks to the monumental enterprise that you, Rabbi Melamed, have created, soldiers from Haredi families who were thrown out of their homes now set fixed times for Torah study, and this surely is just one of the uses or stories you have received about the benefit that came out of this wonderful and tremendous series of books.

One of our graduates with whom I studied halakhot brachot (the laws of blessings) spent some time abroad. On one occasion, he told me that he had experienced difficult challenges on Shabbat, and did not understand why he should continue keeping Shabbat. We immediately switched over to study the introduction of Hilkhot Shabbat. He attested that since then his Shabbat observance has been considerably strengthened, and feels the learning has given him power to resist the temptation to desecrate Shabbat. Thank you very much, Rabbi.”

Professor Stampfer on Reform Jews
In the wake of the debate over how to relate to the Reform and Conservative movements, I received a supportive opinion from my friend Prof. Shaul Stampfer. Although he has not directly investigated the matter, nevertheless, as a historian of modern Judaism and a researcher of the demographics of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, his opinion is important. This is in addition to his being a native American, for whom the observance of Torah and mitzvot is very dear to his heart, and personally rejects the Reform movement’s approach to halakha.

A summary of his opinion: “One who studies the history of the Jews of Europe and scours the sources will find that wherever the Reform movement appeared, it was preceded by extensive processes of forsaking the mitzvot between man and God. Secularization began on the fringes of Jewish society among the rich and educated who were exposed to their surrounding society, and continued to the growing middle class. The encounter with surrounding society evoked in the Jews a critical view of the society in which they grew up. The rabbis of the generation found it difficult to halt this process – not because there was, God forbid, a failing in their Torah study or in their moral level, but mainly because they did not feel or recognize the intensity of the temptation and challenge faced by those who were inclined to assimilate.

The first assimilators in Europe did not have an orderly, ideological treatise on which they relied to justify their actions. Their desire to integrate was greater than their desire to keep the mitzvot. It was only after such a public had been created that individuals arose who proposed various ideas on how to “correct” Judaism and draw the assimilated public back to the synagogue. One can certainly criticize many of the proposals and goals of those modifiers, but it is also important to remember that the Reform leaders and their advocates could have easily spent their time in other pursuits, but they chose to invest their time and energy in the difficult task of preventing assimilation, and advancing what they believed as Judaism. There are no simple tools to check their success or failure in preventing complete assimilation. It is a fact, however, that the movement continued to exist.

If someone thinks that a personal appeal of a Torah giant to people who had abandoned the observance of mitzvot, learned secular studies, and merged with the surrounding society would have been more effective – he is deceiving himself. Torah scholars who looked radically different in their dress, language, and studies from general society, and were not sufficiently versed in its culture and thought, were too far away from having a useful dialogue with the assimilated public.

The Reform activists did not prey on Jews who were careful to keep mitzvot, and did not try to persuade such Jews to violate Shabbat or eat treifot (non-kosher animals). Nor did they welcome them warmly to their synagogues. They wanted people who seemed to them as enlightened, not the old Jews who they viewed as idlers. It is true that they rejected the traditional way of life, mocked it, and publicly claimed that many of the mitzvot between man and God were not binding. I doubt, however, if there were people who changed their lifestyles because they were convinced by their claims. And if they were, they were few. The fact is that even in places where there were no Reformers, many Jews abandoned Shabbat observance and kashrut at similar rates. For example, among the Jews of Eastern Europe in the past there was a massive process of abandoning religion, even though there, the Reform movement did not exist. They did so under the influence of the surrounding environment, and out of frustration from Jewish society (and their claims against the rabbis were no less severe than those of the Reformers in Western Europe).

It should be clear: a Jew who does not belong to a religious community, who has decided to marry a non-Jewish spouse, will not avoid doing so because a rabbi is not willing to marry him – he will simply turn to civil marriage. Refusing to perform a ceremony will not change reality. Someone who does not want to keep Shabbat does not need a hechsher (kosher certificate) from Reform rabbis to do so.

The Reform movement is not involved in distancing people from the observance of mitzvot, nor does it have the capacity to do so. It does not create reality, rather, reflects reality. Only religious and Haredi Jews who are far from the reality in which the Reform and Conservative movements operate, attribute to them tremendous forces of persuasion that they never possessed.

The fact that there are religious people who stop keeping mitzvot bothers many, and rightly so, and is liable to provoke people to look for the guilty party. However, misidentification of the enemy will lead to failure. Reformers are not the enemy. The future of Judaism is very important to them, and the debate with them is on the foundations and ways to strengthen Judaism.” End of Professor Stampfer’s words.

Indeed, my participation in the meeting with Diaspora Jews at the “Our Common Destiny” conference and its continuation at the ‘Makor Rishon’ Diaspora Conference was devoted to strengthening Jewish identity and brotherhood among all Jews in all communities even though all were aware of the deep differences of opinion, and to the fact that in spite of these differences, our common identity prevails over all disputes.

Israel’s Awful Electoral System

by Victor Rosenthal

Recently I’ve struggled with some technical issues on one of my computers. It’s always a similar process: there is a small problem, but there is supposed to be a solution. Unfortunately the solution doesn’t work, but there is a solution to that. And then when the solution to the solution fails, I try to fix it by doing something really stupid, and my original small problem can be forgotten because now I have a really big problem.

Life is like that.

Today in Israel we are solving the problems caused by elections with more elections. We will have yet another, the fourth in two years, in March. This is particularly unpleasant now in the middle of an epidemic, but fixing things always seems just around the corner. After all, there are only two blocs, Right and Left. The great majority of Jewish Israelis fall somewhere on the right; and even if Arab voters are taken into consideration, there is a right-wing majority. If there were just two parties like in the USA, our “Republicans” would beat our “Democrats.” But unfortunately, in the last election (this March) there were eight parties that passed the threshold to enter the Knesset, out of 29 that ran.

I think these elections can’t produce stable governments because of the structure of our system. Members of the 120-member Knesset are elected by a party-based proportional system. The parties choose their lists of candidates by primaries or other means, and the voters vote for the party of their choice. Each party gets a number of seats in the Knesset according to the proportion of their votes in the total. Unlike the US Congress or British Commons they are not elected from specific districts.

No single party, or even two parties, is able to control more than half of the seats in the Knesset, so every government must be a coalition of numerous parties. Coalition negotiations go on for weeks after an election, and involve the head of the ruling party giving out promises and ministerial portfolios to get other parties to sign on. When one of the two main blocs can’t even get 61 seats together, you get a “unity” government, like the one that just fell apart. In that case the number of promises, portfolios, and jobs given out can become expensive. The ridiculous unity government had 36 ministers. Probably half that would be sufficient.

Historically, even before the founding of the state, Israelis were strongly connected to parties with specific ideologies. Laborites, Revisionists, communists, members of religious parties, etc., all had their ideological stances, and they voted for the parties that best matched their views. But as time went on, voters and politicians alike became more pragmatic, and sometimes personalities or specific issues were as important or more than ideologies.

It also happened that the parties themselves changed. The Israeli Left was originally strongly security-oriented (while still socialist or communist), but as the kibbutz movement faded and it began to become clear to everyone that private enterprise was more productive than state-owned monopolies, it changed into a movement focusing more on peace efforts and social justice. The bloody failure of the Oslo Accords, the Second Intifada, and the rise of Hamas in Gaza, caused a great deal of disillusionment with the program of the Left, and much of its strength was sapped by the rise of new, centrist, parties that were almost entirely ideology-free and pragmatic.

An extreme example is the Blue and White Party, which is splintering as I write, made up of disparate and mutually antagonistic politicians united only by a desire to replace Bibi Netanyahu. At the same time, Netanyahu’s Likud has subjugated its formerly strong right-wing ideology to Bibi’s personal goals. It’s significant that the most serious opposition to Netanyahu today is led by two men, Gideon Sa’ar and Naftali Bennett, right-wingers who were forced out of Likud by Netanyahu – not because of ideological differences, but because Bibi would not allow any challenges to his leadership.

Voters often change which party they vote for from election to election, although they generally stay within the two major left-right blocs. Politicians jump from party to party in a way that would have been unimaginable in the past. Because of the way they are elected, they are not accountable to the people or even to the party leaders.

All of this is a mismatch for a system designed for parties with determinate ideologies. Instead of a government coming into office with a program, we get a collection of politicians looking out for their own parochial, sometimes personal, interests. Netanyahu is a master of controlling the system, and most of his real opposition comes from outside of it, in the unelected legal, media, academic, and cultural arenas that all lean left.

His opponents claim that his control of the political system is “destroying democracy,” but they leave out the undemocratic consequences of the power of the unelected elites that override the wishes of the PM, the will of the Knesset, and the desires of the general population. This is what gives rise to the complaints that the public “votes for the Right but gets the policies of the Left.”

Even the question of who will be PM may be determined by extra-democratic means, if the elites succeed in taking Netanyahu down by legal maneuvers aided by an unrelenting media assault.

At the risk of proposing solutions that will create big problems, I think that our system needs fundamental change, in order to adapt to the political reality in an advanced first-world country (which we have almost but not quite become).

Some things are easy. There should be term limits on the position of Prime Minister. At the same time, he should be immune from prosecution for most crimes during his time in office. That would keep the legal and enforcement establishment at bay, while preventing any one man from building a political empire.

Other things are harder, such as the change from proportional voting to a system in which some or all of the candidates stand for election in geographical districts rather than as a member of a party list. There are many complications here – particularly in drawing up the districts fairly – but the great advantage is the personal accountability of the candidates to the voters.

It’s true that nobody wants to change a system that is working to their advantage. But with election number four coming up, I think everyone should be able to agree that the only ones truly benefiting from this system are our enemies.

Halacha Without Anger

by Rabbi Mordechai Willig

I
Yosef told his brothers, "Al tirgezu baderech - Do not become angry on the way" (Bereishis 45:24). Rashi offers three interpretations: 1) Do not become involved in a matter of halacha, so that the trip should not become a source of anger for you 2) Do not take quick steps 3) He was worried lest they quarrel on the way over the matter of his sale, by disputing with one another saying, "Through you he was sold," "You spoke lashon hara about him and caused us to hate him."

Why not become involved in a matter of halacha? The Sifsei Chachamim, quoting Rashi (Ta'anis 10b), explains that excessive involvement in halacha can lead to a dangerous failure to "watch the road" and thereby stray from the proper path. On the road, one should learn Torah which does not require deep concentration.

The Otzar Chaim suggests that Yosef said do not become involved in the halachic issue which led you to sell me (see Seforno 37:18,25, who describes a halachic decision that Yosef was a rodeif).

Why not take quick steps? The Sifsei Chachamim quotes the Gemara (Ta'anis 10b) that quick steps dim one's eyesight. The Iturei Torah, quoting the Dubna Magid, interprets: when one decides quickly, without yishuv hada'as (calm deliberation), he does not see properly. He can err terribly, as the brothers did when they sold Yosef.

In confirming Rashi's final interpretation, the Netziv adds that it is not wise to get angry about what has already happened. Yosef warned the brothers to avoid recriminations that are pointless and counterproductive.

The Kli Yakar states that anger leads to mistakes in halacha. Yosef warns, do not become involved in matters of halacha when you are angry, lest you err, as anger leads to mistakes (Rashi, Bamidbar 31:21). The Midrash (Koheles Raba 2:9) understands "Af chochamsi amda li" to mean "The Torah that I learned be'af stayed with me." In a remarkable twist, Kli Yakar explains that Torah learned in anger is mistaken. One does not master (omed) a halacha unless he firsts stumbles (nichshal) over it (Gittin 43a). Thus, Torah learned in anger, when the ensuing mistake is corrected, stays with the person forever. To avoid an initial mistake in halacha, Yosef told his brothers not to discuss halacha when they were angry. Chazal extend this instruction to all situations.

II
The Ramban (Bereshis 19:8) analyzes the tragic civil war between the tribes in Shoftim chapter 20, which pitted Shevet Binyamin against the others and which cost 40,000 lives. Neither side was blameless. Both deserved punishment, Binyamin for taking no action against the perpetrators of Pilegesh B'Giva, and the other tribes for launching an illegitimate war. It was up to Binyamin to judge its own members and not the responsibility of the other tribes.

Rav S.Z. Broyda (Sam Derech, Parshas Vayeshev p. 308) explains that each shevet is a nation unto itself (Rashi Devarim 33:19: "The nations of the tribes of Yisroel"). In his view, this began with the sale of Yosef. Although their hatred was based on an erroneous and hasty halachic decision that Yosef was a rodeif, it was rewarded by twelve separate paths through Yam Suf (Bereshis Raba 84:8). Each shevet has its own place and path, and its own gate and custom (Mishnah Berurah 68:4). Each shevet's uniqueness merges into a unified Klal Yisroel.

III
The Torah community, together with all of humanity, is in the midst of a dangerous journey known as COVID-19. Like the brothers of old, we are divided in our response to the crisis, in matters of life and death. Each group must follow the halacha as understood by its Torah decisors. How should we relate to other groups who respond differently?

The eternal message of the Torah is: do not get angry over matters of halacha. In most cases, do not even discuss these matters with members of other groups. Instead of convincing others, these discussions are usually a source of anger. Sometimes they degenerate into pointless quarreling and recriminations.

Decisions and statements by doctors and Torah leaders require calm deliberation and consultation, and should not be made hastily. Explaining and defending one's position should not descend into polarizing rhetoric or ad hominem attacks. Anger leads to mistakes. If one errs because of haste, anger or simply by being misinformed, the corrected decision is more likely to be accurate and accepted.

Calls to demean and vilify other groups and some of their Torah leaders must be forcefully rejected. It is not the responsibility of one group to address the faults of another. An illegitimate war of words is counterproductive and endangers the unity of Torah Jewry. Notwithstanding fundamental disagreements on matters of life and death, each group should strive to respect others, as is the case with other ideological and religious disputes.

The current availability of the vaccine has triggered vituperative statements by anti-vaxxers. There is no point in debating these individuals. Halacha demands that we follow medical experts. All recognized experts, and, as a result, the overwhelming majority of gedolei Torah, strongly encourage vaccination, with many leading by example. One must follow one's doctor's advice. This is a halachic imperative. Angry responses to those who disagree on vaccination, like those who disagree on masking and social distancing, violate the timeless Torah lesson of al tirgezu baderech.

We hope and pray for a speedy end to the terrible COVID-19 crisis. May we emerge healthy in body and spirit, with the unity that we merit the ultimate redemption.

The Yishai Fleisher Show - Surviving the Famine and the Lockdown

In the Bible, a famine brings the family of Israel down to Egypt. In our time, Covid lockdowns, Jihadist terror, and a broken Knesset threaten Israel with a kind of famine. However, Yishai's guests bring out the good light! First, Malkah Fleisher on Ishmalites vs. Phillisties and why "settlers" are the most inclined to celebrate the 'Abraham Accords'. Then, Rav Mike Feuer on how the Biblical Joseph overcame his bitterness and accepted that it was who God sent him into Exile - and will bring him and Jacob back to the Promised Land.

Rav Kook's Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook, Introduction

We are now beginning a new project on Rav Kook’s writings. We will be translating a selection of his letters, as found in Mosad Harav Kook’s classic edition of Igrot Hare’aya, starting with volume I.

Our introduction to the volume is based in part on the introduction of the work’s editor, HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaKohen Kook, zecher tzaddik livracha. Rav Tzvi Yehuda, as he was belovedly called by his many direct and indirect talmidim, was Rav Kook’s only son and was his successor, both as the head of the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva and as a spiritual beacon in the path of his illustrious father.

The letters in the first volume cover the period from 1888-1910. In the beginning of this period, Rav Kook was a 23-year-old rabbi in Zaumel, Lithuania. Later on, he took up a position in Boisk, and in 1904 he moved to Eretz Yisrael, then under Ottoman Rule, to become the rabbi of Yafo (Jaffa), where he remained during the remainder of this period.

Following are some excerpts from Rav Tzvi Yehuda’s introduction:

1. “The letter, like the countenance of the face and the pace of the movement of the body and limbs and the manner of speech and the form of one’s writing and its style, provides expression, both by subject and by style, of the very essence of its possessor and serves as a proof and a clarifying tool of his direction and his nature. The main characteristic of a letter is that it possesses the internal nature of the ‘private domain,’ by expressing the ideas of natural spirit in an unadulterated manner from a person to his friend, from an individual to an individual or to several individuals. The relationships of the individuals and the matters [between them] are also aligned and are appropriate to the depths of the ‘private domain’ of the spirit.”

2. Rav Tzvi Yehuda explained that the addressing of the letters’ remarks to an individual or a group of individuals, as opposed to addressing all of Klal Yisrael, gives the igeret a “framework of a relating of the spirit” focused on the one who received the letter.

3. “In other teachings of Torah and wisdom, in all their subjects and the shades of their sanctity, their main purpose is the learning, according to their levels, of the matters at hand, and it is not important who said them. The personal appearance of the author makes almost no difference …” He goes on to say that it is important to relate teachings in the name of their authors, in part in order to be able to learn from the ways of the individual rabbi. This is along the lines of the concept, gadol shimusha yoter milimoda (roughly, it is better to spend time with a great rabbi than to learn his teachings). This is something that letters helps facilitate.

How we change who we are

by Rav Binny Freedman

There is an oft repeated quote, attributed to Albert Einstein:

“The definition of insanity is to perform the same experiment over and over again, expecting different results”

In order to achieve different results, one has to at least change a significant component in the experiment. And if we have not yet achieved the results we seek, it means there is still work to be done.

David Allen in his book Getting things done defines work as:

“Anything that you want or need to be different than it currently is”

To change our current reality then, we need a different system; we need to change the experiment or the process.

It is interesting to note therefore, that Maimonides, in his Hilchot Teshuva (Laws of Repentance 2:1) suggests that the accomplishment of real change can only be assured when the circumstances are exactly the same! The Rambam (Maimonides) suggests that one can only be certain he or she has succeeded in letting go of past mistakes and negative behavior patterns, when a person is in the exact same situation (read experiment ) but sees different results.

Only if a person is in the exact same situation, with the same desires and yet this time succeeds in resisting those desires, can we be sure real change has occurred. So which is it? Do we change the experiment or repeat it?

This week’s portion, Vayigash, presents us with Judaism’s take on how we change who we are, and become who we always wanted to be.

Following the story of Joseph and his brothers as they are re-united after so many years, one cannot help but wonder what is really going on.

Joseph, now the Viceroy of Egypt, and one of the most powerful men on his earth, recognizes his brothers who have journeyed to Egypt in search of food during a regionally devastating famine. They, however, twenty-two years after having thrown him in a pit and allowing him to be sold as a slave, do not recognize him as an adult in a completely different role. So Joseph begins a series of calculated manipulations designed to … what?

Accused as spies, forced to depart Egypt without one of their lot (Shimon) who is kept behind in prison as a hostage, and subsequently forced to return with their youngest brother Binyamin who is then ‘played’ and accused of theft, one can only imagine the angst and stress this must cause the brothers.

Why is Joseph doing all this? What is the outcome he desires?

Some have suggested he is in it for revenge. But given the emotions this process invokes in Joseph, causing him to weep again and again (Genesis 42:24;43:30) this explanation hardly seems plausible; a vengeful person would not weep; he would exult.

Perhaps Joseph recognizes he has an opportunity to help create a different future, where the brothers will learn to live together in peace and harmony, where Yaakov will be blessed to once again be surrounded by all of his sons living and working together towards a better future.

But in order for this to occur, two things have to happen: Joseph has to forgive the brothers and the brothers have to repent. In short, everyone has to let go.

It is clear from the story (45: 5-7) that Joseph is ready to let go. He clearly views all that has transpired as Divine providence and is in a better position to understand the dreams he had as a lad, which led him to his position of power today.

But are the brothers equally ready to let go of their adolescent hatred for the favorite son of Yaakov?

What is repentance? Judaism actually calls this process Teshuva from the root shuv: to return. In the end Teshuva is about wanting to go back, to return to become the person I always thought I could be. Teshuva is an attempt in effect, to be reborn as the person who could never have made all those mistakes in the first place. If a thief truly wishes to repent or ‘do Teshuva’; he must become the person who could never have stolen in the first place, and certainly a person who will never steal again. That is true Teshuva. So how does one accomplish this? The Rambam suggests three stages:

1. Hakarat haChet: recognizing one’s mistake. We cannot change unless we know what we are doing is wrong and realize it is a mistake which prevents us from accomplishing our goals.
2. Charata: regret: Sometimes we know something is a mistake, but we don’t regret it enough to change our behavior, like a smoker who knows it’s a mistake but does not really regret it enough to let go.
3. Kabbalah le’Atid: A conscious decision to change the future coupled with the sure knowledge that, given the same situation, this time one’s behavior will be different. And here the Rambam suggests the only way one can be sure he or she has really accomplished this, is to be in the same situation and see a different outcome. And why can we expect a different outcome this time around? Because although the story or experiment remains the same, the person (or subject of the experiment) has changed! We are no longer the same person; we are better; so we can expect a better outcome.

The brothers clearly know they made a terrible mistake when they threw Joseph into a pit, and they obviously experience intense remorse for their past mistake. (42:21: “… but we are guilty for our brother when we saw his pain and distress and did not hear his cries…”)

What remains is to see whether they have really changed; will the future be different?

So Joseph orchestrates a scenario which is strikingly similar to the scenario the brothers cannot help but recognize from the past.

Binyamin, beloved (favorite?) son of Yaakov is about to be thrown into slavery. The brothers are told by Joseph (whom they still do not recognize) they can all go home scot free (44:17), all charges dropped, leaving Binyamin behind. Once again, they can rid themselves of the “favorite” son and move on. Twenty-two years later, history seems to have come full circle. But this time, it will different.

No less than Yehuda (Judah); the same Yehuda who proposed selling Joseph as a slave all those many years ago, steps forward as if to say ‘enough’! He offers himself as a slave instead of Binyamin and changes the course of Jewish history. Facing as close to the same situation as one can ever imagine, this time he puts his brother first. As a result, the family of Yaakov will become the Nation of Israel and the dream of a model society that can be a light unto the nations of how brothers can learn to live together in harmony, is reborn.

Four thousand years later, we have to ask ourselves: are we ready not just to learn, but to live this lesson? On an individual level, are we ready to assess the mistakes we make in our lives? Do we regret them? Are we ready to change ourselves and thus change the future? Will we revel in the opportunity, given the same situation to dare to choose a different, better path?

And on a national level, are we equally ready to make this effort as a people? Can we recognize, and are our leaders and teachers ready to recognize our mistakes, and find a way to change things, in order to allow for a better future?

And one more point to consider: it is not enough simply for Joseph to forgive the brothers; the brothers must also be ready to change. Real change often demands partnership. Hence the challenge in today’s Middle East: We yearn for peace with our Arab cousins: but will the most critical part of the experiment change? Do they recognize their mistakes as we do ours? Do they regret them? Are they willing and ready to change? Without that critical part of the process, it would seem there is nothing to talk about.

May Hashem bless us all with the wisdom to build a better future beginning with the journey towards becoming our better selves….

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem.

What You See Is What You Get

by Rabbi David Aaron

“Daddy, where is G-d?”
“Son, wherever you let Him in.”
— Attributed to Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz

How do we open our souls’ eyes to let G-d in?

The Kabbalah says, “There is no king without a nation.” This point requires deep exploration. It may make sense that, in the human world, a king is dependent on having subjects who acknowledge his sovereignty. The last Emperor of China ceased to be emperor when there were no longer people who bowed when he entered the room. Even after the Communist government had exiled him, as long as people recognized him and acknowledged him as their sovereign, he was, in a very real sense, still a king, albeit without the power to rule. But G-d is reality, so how can G-d be dependent on human acknowledgment.

The world that you and I live in is a product of our perception of reality. The philosopher Immanuel Kant probed this concept. He asked: Do we see reality or do we see our perception of reality? Kant’s answer, of course, is that we do not see reality, but only our perception of reality. In other words, is this world reality? No, this world is your perception of reality. Therefore, the focus and clarity of your consciousness will determine the kind of world you live in.

Imagine three people sitting right next to each other in a doctor’s waiting room. Are they sitting in the same room? Let’s say the first person walked in, and complained, “Oh, how small this room is!” The second person entered, and exclaimed, “Look how bright this room is.” The third person came in, and thought, “Ugh, what a messy room.” Now, they are sitting inches apart, but they are not in the same room. The first person is sitting in a small room, feeling really cramped. The second person is sitting in a light room, feeling cheerful. The third person is sitting in a messy room, feeling disgusted.

Essentially, what you see is what you get. The world you live in is a product of what you are looking and willing to see. This is expressed in the Kabbalah classic – the Zohar’s commentary on the story of Jacob as he’s going to Egypt to be reunited with his long-lost son Joseph. Jacob has misgivings about leaving the land of Israel, even to see his beloved son. G-d appears to Jacob and says, “Jacob, don’t worry. Joseph will close your eyes.” The Zohar queries, what does this mean? According to Torah, when a person passes away, someone must close the eyes of the deceased. The Zohar explains that the colors and textures and shapes of this world exist in your eyes. In order to enter a new world, a higher world, after death, the soul must first leave this world. This world exists in one’s eyes, so the eyes must be closed in order to take leave of this world and see a higher world. G-d is announcing to Jacob that he is going to die in Egypt and Joseph will be there to close his eyes to this world, so that he will be able to enter, i.e. see, the next world.

Is the Zohar saying that this world is an illusion? No. The Zohar is saying that this world is your subjective perception. Your consciousness of reality determines the world you’re in. Your consciousness of G-d determines how much of the light and the truth of G- d will be allowed into your world. To the extent that you acknowledge G-d, to that extent G-d will be in your life. This is a very crucial idea. Although G-d is, G-d is not revealed in your perceptual world unless you actively acknowledge and invite G-d in.

A friend of mine had an unpleasant experience with a mother of one his students who was about to be ordained a rabbi. This greatly upset and disturbed this woman who considered herself an enlightened intellectual and looked at organized religion as backward and fanatical. She was very nasty and cynical about her son’s religious convictions. They were on the way to the ceremony when she turned to my friend and said, “Basically, I don’t believe in G- d.”

My friend replied, “O.K., fine! Don’t believe in G-d.” He was the first religious person who had responded to her that way, others tried to convince her. “What?” she exclaimed in surprise.

“You don’t want to believe in G-d?” he said. “Fine, so live in a G-dless world.”

That’s essentially the choice we have. If we don’t want to believe in G-d, then G-d won’t be in our world. That doesn’t mean G-d isn’t real. G-d is real, but not for those who choose do deny that truth.

In other words, if I’ve never tasted papaya, then there’s no flavor of papaya in my life. Whether it’s real or not for others, it’s not in my life. If I’m blind to the color red, then red will not be one of the colors in my life. Mammals do not see colors, so they live in a colorless world. If I’m not willing to see G-d, then my world is godless.

Once I was dating a woman, who I’ll call Daphne, whom I loved very much. I wanted to marry Daphne. It took me a long time to realize that Daphne simply could not acknowledge my love. I did everything in my power to show her that I loved her. Daphne had such a poor image of herself, however, that she couldn’t believe that anyone could love her. It didn’t matter how much I professed my love to her, how many bouquets of flowers I sent her. She couldn’t see my love. So, in a way, it wasn’t there for her.

Everyone is thirsty for love, but how much love you can receive is dependent on how much you believe someone can love you. How much you believe is how much you receive. The more you acknowledge and believe in G-d the more you receive and see G-d in your life.

To the extent that we build our awareness, expand our consciousness, and acknowledge that G-d is the power directing the show, to that extent we see how G-d runs the show for us.

Each one of us has a choice. You can believe that this world is filled with the presence of G-d who cares about it and guides it. Or you can believe that this world is one big accident, a chaotic mess. The choice is yours. But remember what you believe is ultimately what you will see. What you believe creates the world you live in.

The Talmudic Sages taught: “Everything is in the hands of G-d except awe of G-d.”

The Hebrew word for awe, yira, means both “awe” and “will see.” Everything is in the hands of G-d, except for our acknowledging and seeing and being in awe of G-d. If we are in awe we will see G- d. If we are not in awe, if we are not open to seeing G-d, then G-d is not in our world. It’s that simple and that serious.

Some people experience constant Divine presence, which means they see and feel G-d’s care and guidance in their lives. They need $800 to pay for a car repair, and an unexpected check for $800 arrives in the mail. They miss a bus, so they get on the next bus, and the person they sit down next to turns out to be a friend from twenty years ago.

Why are such experiences not part of everyone’s daily life? Because what you see is what you get.

Rav Kook on The Holiness of the Synagogue

“On account of two sins, ignoramuses die young: because they call the Torah ark ‘the cabinet,’ and because they call the synagogue ‘Beit Am’ - the house of the people.” (Shabbat 32a)

What is so terrible about this behavior? Are there no worse sins committed regularly by ignorant people?

Superficial Perception
We are good at seeing the functional purpose of things. You do not need not be a genius to realize that a Torah ark is meant to store Torah scrolls. Even a cursory observation indicates that a synagogue is a place where people assemble together.

Yet these functional definitions are so superficial that they fail to recognize the true essence of these objects. To perceive a Torah ark as simply a cabinet, and a synagogue as a community center, is to lose sight of the unique qualities that make them a source of spiritual influence in our lives.

This is a grave mistake. Failing to see the sanctity of a Torah ark and the holiness of a synagogue is a fundamental error in how we look at life and our relationship with God.

Holiness in the External Aspects of Life
When we reflect on God’s infinite grandeur and transcendental nature, our initial response is to view all human concerns as petty and inconsequential. All of our actions appear to be of no lasting significance, disconnected from that which is infinite and eternal.

Therefore, the most important study is precisely in this area: to understand how life’s external aspects, when they are expressions of serving God, connect to the highest levels of inner Divine knowledge. By binding the entire gamut of human activity to the loftiest contemplations, we can elevate and sanctify all aspects of life.

Life is not just the “still, small voice” - moments of calm introspection, uplifting revelations, inspiring words of prayer and supplication. Life is full of conflicts and challenges. It is noisy and rushed, flowing with joy and grief, anger and satisfaction. Deep contemplation, however, will help us recognize that God’s holiness can find us everywhere, even in our lowly physical state.

This awareness cannot come from intellectual inquiry alone; it requires profound and constant study. For this reason, the Torah is compared to water: just as water flows from mountains to lower regions, so, too, the Torah is not confined to the rarified spheres of metaphysical inquiry, but “flows down” to elevate the emotional and practical aspects of life.

Now we may better understand the true significance of the Torah ark and the error of the ignorant. The ark is not just another cabinet. By virtue of its serving as a receptacle for a sefer Torah, the Torah ark is also a holy vessel. When we recognize the holiness of the Torah ark, we acknowledge the sanctity of life’s external aspects - our actions and deeds - when they are a receptacle for Torah and mitzvot.

The Holiness in Communal Life
While the Torah ark reflects the holiness in the life of the individual, the synagogue reflects the holiness in the life of the community.

One who sees the synagogue as simply a place for people to meet fails to grasp the intrinsic sanctity of the Jewish people. Israel is not just a collection of individuals who pool together their resources for utilitarian purposes, for mutual support and protection. The true value of Israel is in the communal Divine soul that resides within them, a force of collective holiness that transcends the holiness of its individual members.

This quality of the community is especially revealed in the synagogue, a place of communal prayer and study. It is our communal holiness that transforms the synagogue into a House of God and a mikdash me'at, a miniature Temple.

As the ignorant grow in wisdom and Torah knowledge, they will come to recognize the holiness of the Torah ark. They will see that life’s external aspects, our actions and deeds, can be a source of holiness. And they will recognize the special collective holiness of Israel, realizing that the synagogue is not a “house of the people,” but rather a house of God’s Presence.

(Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. III, pp. 169-170 by Rav Chanan Morrison)

Rav Kook on Parashat VaYigash: The Hazards of Leadership

Yosef Dies First
The text implies that Yosef was the first of Yaakov's twelve sons to die:

“Yosef died, and then his brothers and everyone else in that generation” (Exod. 1:6).

Why was Yosef's life shorter than that of his brothers?

The Sages suggested that Yosef's early demise was due to his position of public office. When one assumes a position of authority, “one’s days and years are shortened” (Berachot 55a).

Yet this hardly seems fair. Why should those who dedicate their lives to public service be penalized by having a shorter life?

Yosef's Mistake
Working for the public good is certainly laudable. However, there are certain hazards inherent in such a path. Precisely because one is busy attending to important communal affairs, one may neglect one’s own personal needs. A communal leader may come to view his own needs — whether material, spiritual, or moral — as insignificant.

We may observe this phenomenon in Yosef. As viceroy, Yosef was busy supervising the national and economic affairs of Egypt. He saw his position of public office as the vehicle through which God’s covenant of Bein HaBetarim — which foretold the exile of Avraham's descendants in a foreign land — would be realized.

When Yosef heard his father referred to as “your servant,” he did not object to this display of disrespect toward his father. Yosef was occupied with the overall objective; he did not want it to be compromised due to his obligation to show his father respect.

Yosef's error is not uncommon. This is a universal lesson for all leaders: they should not allow any goal or aspiration, no matter how lofty, to lead them to disregard lesser obligations.

The King’s Sefer Torah
We find a similar idea in the special laws pertaining to a Jewish king. The Torah instructs the king to write his own sefer Torah and keep it with him at all times. In this way, “his heart will not be raised above his brothers, and he will not stray from the Law to the right or to the left” (Deut. 17:20). The Torah specifically cautions the monarch that, despite his involvement in critical national affairs, his public service should not lead him to neglect his private obligations. He is obligated to observe the law in his personal life, like every other citizen.

The Torah promises that a king who heeds this warning will be blessed with a long reign. Unlike those who fail the tests of public office, such a king will not live a life of “shortened days and years.”

Life is not just major goals and aspirations. All of us, even those serving in high public office, must conduct ourselves appropriately in all facets of life. Those who maintain their integrity in their personal lives will be blessed with success in their most important and loftiest goals.

(Sapphire from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. II on Berachot IX: 25 by Rav Chanan Morrison)

The Tenth Day Of Tevet

by Rabbi Dov Berl Wein

Tomorrow, the Jewish world commemorates the tenth day of Tevet, one of the many sad dates that form the Jewish calendar. The date commemorates the beginning of the siege and eventual destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is one of the four biblical fast days that were ordered by the rabbis and prophets of Israel and accepted by all of the Jewish people and observed for many centuries. After the terrible tragedy of the Holocaust the Jewish people and the State of Israel searched for a proper date and method to give expression to their grief and just memory to the innocent victims of that terrible unprecedented slaughter. The State of Israel set a date at the end of Nissan as Yom Hashoah. This observance includes the sounding of a siren, a moment of silence, special memorial programs and somber music and serious programming on the radio and television. The Holocaust has been memorialized in films, museums, books, lectures and almost all other means. However, the rabbinate of Israel sought to commemorate the tragedy in a different, more traditional manner. They set aside the tenth day of Tevet as the day of memorial and of universal recitation of Kadish in memory of the six million victims of the Holocaust. In Jewish history all tragedies were marked and remembered by fasting. Since the tenth of Tevet is a fast day in any event the rabbinate attached the universal Kadish day for the Holocaust to it. Aside from the four usual fast days - tenth of Tevet, third of Tishrei, seventeenth of Tamuz and the ninth of Av - there were additional fast days such as the twentieth of Sivan that Eastern European Jews observed. These fast days commemorated the pogroms and expulsions that Ashkenazic Jewry experienced over the centuries from the Crusades through Chmielinicki and later. Whenever possible the commemorations such as that for the expulsion of the Jews from Spain were attached to the ninth of Av or other fast days. That was always the pattern in Jewish life.

One of the great difficulties of modern Jewry is how to commemorate the enormous events that have occurred to us in the last century. How is the establishment of the State of Israel to be commemorated? How is the memory of the victims of the Holocaust to be sanctified? In Jewish tradition all great events were commemorated within a religious context. However, in our time, when a great section of the Jewish people and its substantial leadership no longer saw themselves bound by traditional religious norms, the questions of commemoration mentioned above have produced very controversial results. Religious Jewry has attempted to install a religious tone into these otherwise secular commemorations. The success of doing so has been only partial and therefore a great deal of ambivalence regarding these commemorations remains. The universal Kadish recital of the tenth of Tevet is the religious attempt to have a unified memorial service in a manner that is dignified, traditional and acceptable to all Jews. My personal impression is that this commemoration has gained some momentum over the past few years. Whether it will ever be able to gain the universal acceptance that the rabbinate hoped that it would achieve remains yet to be seen. As the generation of the Holocaust falls to the attrition of time the difficulty of commemorating the Holocaust in a meaningful fashion to new generations of Jews increases. A universal Kadish day, such as on the tenth day of Tevet, is dependent on some sort of Jewish feeling and emotion. To create such a feeling or emotion without recourse to Jewish tradition, faith and ritual becomes a very difficult task. And thus the tenth of Tevet and its universal Kadish day message reveals the deep problem of Jewish identity and the place of tradition and some sort of religious ritual in our society and lives.

The Jewish world in its historical memory forgets little if anything. Thus the commemoration of events, both tragic and triumphant, in Jewish history remains somehow embedded in Jewish life. The form that remembrance of the events of Jewish history takes may vary from time to time and generation to generation. But we can be certain that Jewish memory and eternity will prevail. Therefore the universal Kadish day on the tenth of Tevet takes on greater importance than just being a day of fasting and commemoration. It is a day of national rededication to the values, history and mission of the Jewish people.