Murphy’s Law and
Rabbi Pauli or the Yetzer is working overtime to stop me. I don’t usually have
the internet which is telephone cable based collapse on me but the router
appears to have gone with the wind so in the worst case scenario, I will have
to beg to use somebody’s else’s line or my cellphone again like the time I put
out the blogspot during a power failure in FL. When three weeks in a row there
are such problems getting out the blogspot this indicates that the Satan is
purposely working overtime to prevent the production. So on the surface it
looks like anything that is bound to go wrong will go wrong but this time it is
a bit more. Finally after 24 hours off line, I am back and most of the
commentary was written without the help or guidelines of Rashi.
Parsha Mekeitz
On the way back to normalcy is the theme in Yosef’s life. He was
bound to be the prince of Yisrael and to rule after Yacov but his brothers got
jealous and Reuven failed to provide the leadership. As with our redemption in
the future there will be a meteoric rise of Moshiach. One minute Yosef is a
jailed foreigner youth and slave and the next minute the Prime Minister and
father like advisor of Pharaoh. No one dared do a thing in Mitzrayim without
the say of Yosef. He is an extremely busy man and manages every detail of the
grain harvest and famine supply. Suddenly, he has time to deal with 10 brothers
who came to purchase food for their families. This year, I want to look into
the second half of the Parsha and run through the first half as the story is
well known and I have covered.
41:1 And it
came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold,
he stood by the river.
It came to pass at the
end: Heb. מִקֵץ. The Targum renders: מִסוֹף, at the end, and every expression
of קֵץ means end. by the Nile: Heb. עַל-הַיְאֹר, lit., by the canal. No other
rivers are called יְאוֹרִים except the Nile, because the entire land is covered
with many man-made canals (יְאוֹרִים), and the Nile rises in their midst and
waters them, for it does not usually rain in Egypt as it does in other
countries.
When the god-king of Mitzrayim dreams it is important and on his
birthday it takes a special purpose for all the kingdom.
2 And,
behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, well-favored and
fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the
river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink
of the river. 4 And the ill-favored
and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So
Pharaoh awoke.
Cattle, sheep, goats, etc. are herbivorous animals and the fact
that they are cannibalistic is especially upsetting as these are clean
animals.
5 And he
slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon
one stalk, rank and good. 6 And,
behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the
seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
This is the same dream in another variation. The fact that the
dream did not come from a normal daily routine shows that it is from HASHEM. As
much as Pharaoh held himself to be a god, he was scared for this not reality.
8 And it
came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and
called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof; and
Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto
Pharaoh.
Pharaoh needed the dream specialists and priests to find him a
solution to lack of knowledge of the meaning.
9 Then
spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying: 'I make mention of my faults this
day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with
his servants, and put me in the ward of the house of the captain of the guard,
me and the chief baker. 11 And
we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the
interpretation of his dream. 12
And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of
the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man
according to his dream he did interpret.
A Hebrew lad, a slave:
Cursed are the wicked, for their favors are incomplete. He mentions him with
expressions of contempt. A lad: a fool, unfit for a high position; A
Hebrew: he does not even understand our language; A slave: and in the statutes
of Egypt it is written that a slave may neither reign nor wear princely
raiment. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:7] [for] each [of us]…according to his dream:
According to the dream and close to its contents. — [from Ber. 55b]
Why the belittling here? Under the laws of Egypt a lad, a
foreigner and slave could not be an advisor to Pharaoh. But when you are a god
like Pharaoh you can revise the constitution of the land and that is what
Pharaoh did.
13 And it
came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was: I was restored unto mine
office, and he was hanged.' 14
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the
dungeon. And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto
Pharaoh.
A Nazir could shave himself, but I have seen hieroglyphics where
the Pharaoh and others had a beard so I assume it is shaving his head and
perhaps other parts of the body certainly he could not present himself as the
hairy prisoner bound for well over two years.
15 And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can
interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hear a dream thou
can interpret it.' 16 And Joseph
answered Pharaoh, saying: 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of
peace.'
Yosef makes a Kiddush HASHEM here. Giving credit where it is due
brings redemption into the world – Perkei Avos.
17 And
Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph: 'In my dream, behold, I stood upon the brink of the
river.
Not I: Heb.
בִּלְעָדָי. The wisdom is not mine, but God will answer. He will put an answer
into my mouth that will bring peace to Pharaoh. — [from Targum Onkelos]
The Nile was the source of Panosa
(income) for all of Mitzrayim and its water the source of life for the
population. The capitol was built on the Nile.
25 And
Joseph said unto Pharaoh: 'The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God is about to do
He hath declared unto Pharaoh.
Again a Kiddush HASHEM.
26 The
seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the
dream is one.
seven years and…seven
years: All of them are only [a single period of] seven. The reason the dream
was repeated twice is that the matter [the good years] is ready, as he
explained to him at the end. “And concerning the repetition of the dream to
Pharaoh twice-that is because the matter is ready…” (verse 32). In connection
with the seven good years it says, “He has told Pharaoh” (verse 25), because it
was near, but in connection with the seven years of famine, it says, “He has
shown Pharaoh” (verse 28). Since the matter was distant and far off, an
expression of “showing a vision” is appropriate.
27 And
the seven lean and ill-favoured kine that came up after them are seven years,
and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they shall be seven
years of famine. 28 That is the
thing which I spoke unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do He hath shown unto
Pharaoh. 29 Behold, there come
seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 30 And there shall arise after them
seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of
Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
And all the plenty
will be forgotten: This is the interpretation of the swallowing.
One could manage this plenty or squander it. I read about a
relative of a black woman who earns money and then drives to certain clubs that
I would never go to and splurge his money on the female dancers and when he
gets low, he goes to cheaper clubs and bars until he runs out of money so it is
important to manage one’s plenty. I remember the money that Mike Tyson earned
and splurged vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger who had less money but invested and
saved and is worth close to a billion today.
31 and
the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows;
for it shall be very grievous.
7 years of famine can destroy the country, starving people may
riot and tremendous deaths among the population the whole economy of Mitzrayim
will collapse.
32 And
for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is
established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Double dreams on the same subject are sure to come true.
33 Now
therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the
land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do
this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part
of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty.
Yosef up until this point shows that he knows how to interpret the
dream. At this point, Yosef shows that he knows how to manage the crises too as
he comes up with a solution either via prophecy or from his own wisdom on how
to deal with the impending disaster.
35 And
let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn
under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 And the food shall be for a store
to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of
Egypt; that the land not perish through the famine.' 37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes
of all his servants.
Yosef knows not only the interpretation but also the solution of
the problem he interpreted in all aspects and details.
38 And
Pharaoh said unto his servants: 'Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom
the spirit of God is?'
Even though Pharaoh is leader and god of Egypt still he is wise
enough to consult with his advisors who will of course yes man his advise here.
39 And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is
none so discreet and wise as thou. 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall
all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.'
Yosef is now assistant Pharaoh or vice-Pharaoh.
Pharaoh will now give him the second chariot horse and make him
the boss. I might be so bold as to assume that Pharaoh had more gold on his
chariot and Yosef perhaps gold and silver.
42 And
Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand,
and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.
43 And he made
him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him:
'Abrech'; and he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Abrech = On your knees for Yosef was THE representative of Pharaoh
in everything being prime minister and head of all things related to finance
and agriculture in Egypt.
44 And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up
his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.'
You have my backing to give orders and administrate the land.
45 And
Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath
the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On. And Joseph went out over the land of
Egypt.—
Pharaoh was wise enough to know that the prime minister might want
to meet him at any time. Perhaps Pharaoh had a harem as under Yosef the
ministers were Eunuchs or at least those who dealt with the food handling. So
Yosef is given a wife like Pharaoh has a wife so he will be able to handle his
Yetzer. In the Medrash, Asenath is identified with the daughter of Dina and
Schem.
46 And
Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.--And
Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land
of Egypt.
It is now 13 years since Yosef was a shepherd in another time and
place where there is enough hatred to murder him. He is not interested in
contacting them. Perhaps he even heard of the plans to slaughter a goat and use
the blood to imply that he was dead.
47 And in
the seven years of plenty the earth brought forth in heaps. 48 And he gathered up all the food of
the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the
cities; the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in
the same. 49 And
Joseph laid up corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until they left off
numbering; for it was without number.
Without computers how can Yosef measure the grain? The numbering
system did not perhaps go higher than 100,000 or 1,000 of 1,000’s aka a
million. Billions, trillions, sextillions and other numbers were not dreamed up
until relatively modern times and in my early days in science the numbers
existed in astronomy only not in budgets that would become public knowledge.
50 And
unto Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath the
daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore unto him.
The question arises has Yosef forgotten his heritage if he has not
contacted his family and where is his fear of heaven?
51 And
Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: 'for God hath made me forget
all my toil, and all my father's house.' 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: 'for God hath
made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.'\
This is the first indication that he still has fear of heaven and
remembers his roots despite the fact that he is deep in the land of idolatry
and the sheep god.
53 And the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt,
came to an end. 54
And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said; and
there was famine in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 And when all the
land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh
said unto all the Egyptians: 'Go unto Joseph; what he says to you, do.'
Don’t complain to me as he has the solution let the buck stop with
him and not me.
56 And
the famine was over all the face of the earth; and Joseph opened all the
storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore in the land
of Egypt. 57 And
all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because the famine was
sore in all the earth.
42:1 Now
Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons: 'Why do
ye look one upon another?' 2 And
he said: 'Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Get you down
thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.' 3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down
to buy corn from Egypt. 4 But Benjamin,
Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said: 'Lest
peradventure harm befall him.' 5
And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came; for the famine was in
the land of Canaan. 6 And Joseph
was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the
land. And Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down to him with their faces to the
earth. 7 And Joseph saw his
brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spoke
roughly with them; and he said unto them: 'Whence come ye?' And they said:
'From the land of Canaan to buy food.' 8
And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not.
Now how in the world could the brothers know Zaphenath-paneah? He
is dressed and talks like all the Egyptians through an interpreter perhaps has
eye make-up on and completely Egyptian in dress and manners not like Yosef of
the people of Canaan. As Yosef was a thin youth with perhaps a scrawny beard
and here is a man with a full beard and after 20 to 22 years a middle-aged man.
Reuven, Shimon and Levy were adults and now their hair was most likely graying
but not too much different from the earlier days.
9
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them:
'Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.'
Suddenly, Yosef remembered the dreams when it came to his brothers
as they were physically bowing before him. The dreams always have some nonsense
and since his mother had passed on the Sun and the Moon could not bow down to him.
10 And
they said unto him: 'Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. 11 We are all one man's sons; we are
upright men, thy servants are no spies.' 12 And he said unto them: 'Nay, but to see the nakedness of the
land ye are come.' 13 And they
said: 'We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of
Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.'
They had been searching the capitol for a slave named Yosef but no
such person existed there so they were accused of spying seeing that they had
split up and were searching the areas even the bad neighborhoods.
14 And
Joseph said unto them: 'That is it that I spoke unto you, saying: Ye are spies.
15 Hereby ye shall be proved, as
Pharaoh lives, ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come
hither. 16 Send one of you, and
let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be
proved, whether there be truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely ye are
spies.' 17 And he put them all
together into ward three days. 18
And Joseph said unto them the third day. 'This do, and live; for I fear God:
He pretended that HASHEM came to him in a dream that is the sudden
fear of G-D. However, the 3 days were measure for measure for the time they
kept him in the pit.
19 if ye
be upright men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go
ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses; 20 and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be
verified, and ye shall not die.' And they did so. 21 And they said one to another: 'We are verily guilty concerning
our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and
we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.' 22 And Reuben answered them, saying:
'Spoke I not unto you, saying: Do not sin against the child; and ye would not
hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.' 23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for the
interpreter was between them. 24
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and
spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their
eyes.
Why Shimon? Levi although a bit temperamental was a Tzaddik;
however, Shimon was more or less a plain hot head and an average Ben Yisrael
but not a Tzaddik.
25 Then
Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with corn, (meaning
grain as in old English corn = grain) and to restore every man's money
into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and thus was it done
unto them. 26 And they laded
their asses with their corn, and departed thence. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in
the lodging-place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his
sack. 28 And he said unto his
brethren: 'My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack.' And their
heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying: 'What is
this that God hath done unto us?'
A ben Yisrael (in our days we would say a Jew) must review daily
his deeds and the happenings to him for nothing happens without a purpose and
they did what we call a real Cheshbon Nefesh similar to before Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur.
29 And
they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all
that had befallen them, saying: 30
'The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of
the country. 31 And we said unto
him: We are upright men; we are no spies. 32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the
youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 33 And the man, the lord of the land,
said unto us: Hereby shall I know that ye are upright men: leave one of your
brethren with me, and take corn for the famine of your houses, and go your way.
34 And bring your youngest
brother unto me; then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are
upright men; so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the
land.' 35 And it came to pass as
they emptied their sacks that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his
sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were
afraid. 36 And Jacob their
father said unto them: 'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and
Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; upon me are all these things
come.' 37 And Reuben spoke unto
his father, saying: 'Thou shalt slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee;
deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him back to thee.'
Reuven really said a stupid thing and proves that he is no leader.
He is not only saying about his two sons but Yacov’s grandsons. Now what
pleasure or reward will a Tzaddik like Yacov get if he slays Reuven’s sons this
is not the type of guarantee that Yacov can rely on.
38 And he
said: 'My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only
is left; if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down
my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
I will die from grief. He is all that remains of my beloved Rachel
all the other children are derivatives of my love for Rachel and you want to
take that away from me?
43:1 And
the famine was sore in the land. 2
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out
of Egypt, that their father said unto them: 'Go again, buy us a little food.' 3 And Judah spoke unto him, saying:
'The man did earnestly forewarn us, saying: Ye shall not see my face, except
your brother be with you. 4 If you
wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food; 5 but if thou wilt not send him, we
will not go down, for the man said unto us: Ye shall not see my face, except
your brother be with you.' 6 And
Israel said: 'Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye
had yet a brother?'
You country bumpkins! Did you not learn a least a little cunning
from your grandfather Lavan must you be like women washing clothes together in
the stream telling all sorts of gossip? Did you put your brains in order before
speaking so rashly?
7 And
they said: 'The man asked straightly concerning ourselves, and concerning our
kindred, saying: Is your father yet alive? Have you another brother? and we
told him according to the tenor of these words; could we in any wise know that
he would say: Bring your brother down?' 8
And Judah said unto Israel his father: 'Send the lad with me, and we will arise
and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little
ones. 9 I will be surety for
him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set
him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.
Recall – it was Yehuda who suggested the sale of Yosef as he
feared for the youth’s life. He had 3 older brothers of which the main conspirators
were Shimon and Levi so he had to respect them but also save a life. Now Yehuda
was willing to be surety not only in this world but also assuring Yacov with
his place in the next. Now Olam HaBa is Yacov’s reign and he was moved by this
over en the strength, bravery and fighting ability of Yehuda.
10 For
except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.'
For the man is no dummy, he knows how much food we need for our
families.
11 And
their father Israel said unto them: 'If it be so now, do this: take of the
choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a
little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts, and almonds; 12 and take double money in your hand;
and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry back in your
hand; peradventure it was an oversight; 13
take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man; 14 and God Almighty give you mercy
before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin.
And as for me, if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.'
He is no ordinary man. He is the Gadol HaDor and a Bracha from him
is most powerful as with Avraham’s blessing to Eliezer.
15 And
the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and
Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with
them, he said to the steward of his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and
kill the beasts, and prepare the meat; for the men shall dine with me at noon.'
17 And the man did as Joseph bade;
and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. 18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into
Joseph's house; and they said: 'Because of the money that was returned in our
sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against
us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.' 19 And they came near to the steward
of Joseph's house, and they spoke unto him at the door of the house, 20 and said: 'Oh my lord, we came
indeed down at the first time to buy food. 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we
opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack,
our money in full weight; and we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And other money have we brought
down in our hand to buy food. We know not who put our money in our sacks.' 23 And he said: 'Peace be to you, fear
not; your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your
sacks; I had your money.' And he brought Simeon out unto them. 24 And the man brought the men into
Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave
their asses provender. 25 And
they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon; for they heard
that they should eat bread there. 26
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand
into the house, and bowed down to him to the earth. 27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said: 'Is your father
well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?' 28 And they said: 'Thy servant our father is well, he is yet
alive.' And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
Yosef died 10 years earlier for letting them call his father a
servant and this also had an effect of Yehoshua Bin Nun’s age.
29 And he
lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and said:
'Is this your youngest brother of whom ye spoke unto me?' And he said: 'God be
gracious unto thee, my son.' 30
And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his brother; and he sought
where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 31 And he washed his face, and came
out; and he refrained himself, and said: 'Set on bread.' 32 And they set on for him by himself,
and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by
themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for
that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his
birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marveled one
with another. 34 And portions
were taken unto them from before him; but Benjamin's portion was five times so
much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
This was before Matan Torah and they did not have the laws of
Kashrus but that of a Ben Noach for elsewise how could they eat the food of
this non-Jew on his plates. Now he gave them presents of garments but to
Benyamin he gave 5 and he wanted to see if they would be jealous. But they did
not show it. Remember that Benyamin is the baby of the family and not a Bechor
like Yosef for Yosef might become the king if Yacov had his way.
44:1 And he commanded the steward of his
house, saying: 'Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and
put every man's money in his sack's mouth. 2 And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack's mouth of the
youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the word that Joseph had
spoken.
Sefer HaYashar states that when Yosef placed
them in birth order, he pretended to do it by divination through his silver
cup. It was not a surprise then that the steward would then run and search for
the cup (Terrapin like Rachel stole).
3 As soon as the morning was light,
the men were sent away, they and their asses. 4 And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far
off, Joseph said unto his steward: 'Up, follow after the men; and when thou
dost overtake them, say unto them: Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 5 Is not this it in which my lord
drinks, and whereby he indeed divines? ye have done evil in so doing.' 6 And he overtook them, and he spoke
unto them these words. 7 And
they said unto him: 'Wherefore speak my lord such words as these? Far be it
from thy servants that they should do such a thing. 8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we
brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan; how then should we steal out
of thy lord's house silver or gold?
Yosef was a big city man now not a local hick.
He had learned some tricks from Lavan being pampered by Rachel and Yacov in his
early youth. In the meantime, after about 31 years after Lavan, the brothers
had forgotten that lesson and had become stuck with a simple shepherd mentality
in fact after over 22 years they had forgotten their own ruse.
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it
be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.'
They learned nothing from the talk of Yacov
regarding the idols that Rachel stole and her subsequent death. They did not
guard their tongues. In short Benyamin was to be accused of being a thief the
son a thief (Rachel).
10 And he said: 'Now also let it be
according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye
shall be blameless.' 11 Then
they hastened, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every
man his sack. 12 And he
searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the
goblet was found in Benjamin's sack. 13
And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the
city. 14 And Judah and his
brethren came to Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him
on the ground. 15 And Joseph
said unto them: 'What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a
man as I will indeed divine?' 16
And Judah said: 'What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how
shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants;
behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is
found.' 17 And he said: 'Far be
it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the goblet is found, he
shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.'
The brothers did not know this was the test from
Yosef but recognized that HASHEM was testing their brotherly loyalty to the
end. Have they repented for what they did to Yosef or not? We shall find out
next week.
Perceptions Parshas Miketz -
Preparing for the End http://www.torah.org/learning/perceptions/5774/miketz.html?print=1
At the end of two full years, Pharaoh had a dream . . . (Bereishis 41:1)
One of things that always amazes me about Torah is how small things can mean so much. For example, the Hebrew word mikeitz is but three letters—Mem-Kuf-Tzaddi—and yet it teaches us one of the most important lessons of life, if we give the word its due attention.
In the summer of 2001 while teaching at a girl’s seminary in Jerusalem, I concluded the term with a series of classes about the current status of Jewish history, as I had in previous years. I told the girls, all of whom were set to return to the States and enter some college program, that as peaceful as life was in the States for them now, they could expect some major cataclysmic event to occur in the near future (though at the time I had no idea what it would be), that would change the course of history.
Had I made such a remark at the beginning of the term they would have balked and written me off as an extremist, as some kind of End-of-Days nut, and probably would have reported me to management. That’s one of the reasons why I always waited until the end of the term to make my case, after proving myself as a reasonable individual, and after having logically made my point.
Thus it was hard, by that time, for any of my students to argue otherwise. Over the course of three days we had assembled a 6000-year timeline, plotted all kinds of relevant information on it, added some lesser known by equally important Kabbalistic details, and made the case for an End-of-Days scenario. I told that it would seem, based upon what we had carefully drawn on the large white board, that a keitz was coming up, and that something would have to happen to change the situation as it presently stood.
As usual they left somewhat unnerved. But also as usual they mostly forgot about what we had spoken about and returned back to life as normal, and headed for college and the future they had planned for themselves. That is, until a few months later, when 9/11 occurred.
“How did you know?” people asked me after the shock of what occurred began to lessen somewhat.
There answer is because I had learned, including from this week’s parshah, that there are basically two levels of Divine Providence as history goes. One is what many today call “History on Auto-Pilot,” but which others call the “Hidden Hand of God.” The other is called Keitzin, or End-Times, either THE End-Time, as in the End-of-Days, or an End-Time, as in the end of the last two years of Yosef’s incarceration. Either way, it is a pre-designated time by which either redemption or an aspect of redemption must occur.
The difference between the two levels is quite distinct. It’s like the difference between cooking for Shabbos on Wednesday, and cooking for Shabbos two hours before sunset on Friday afternoon. In the case of the former, since so much time remains before Shabbos begins, a chef can afford to be laid back, relaxed, and do everything by the book. You can probably even talk to him or her while he or she does the cooking and baking, since there is less possibility of error, and time to correct what goes wrong.
Cooing on Erev Shabbos, however, is a different story. It is a much more hectic process requiring greater focus since there is more possibility of error, and little or no time to fix it. Sometimes shortcuts even have to be taken, and cooking rules have to be bent to finish the work on time, and well enough for a Shabbos meal.
In-between keitzin, we seem to have significant control over our lives and their directions. We can make plans and carry them out. What we expect to occur naturally seems to occur, or to not occur, again, for natural reasons. In-between keitzin, there are few surprises in life.
But should a keitz come around, it is a very different story. Man may drift through time, but Heaven is single-minded about its goal for history. Heaven is always building towards redemption, even when we do not, and ultimately, the final one. And every once in a while history hits a deadline, a moment in time by which certain aspects of redemption to have been completed.
If history and mankind are on schedule, then life continues as normal. If history and mankind are behind the Divine schedule, then Divinely-ordained corrective measures have to be taken to bring Creation and history up to speed.
That’s what made me think, back in early 2001, that something major was in the works that would alter the course of history. Based upon what I had learned and surmised, it seemed as if a keitz was fast approaching, perhaps even the final one, and that the world, and in particular the Jewish people, just did not seem ready for it.
Even many religious Jews over the last 100 years have become overly rooted in the Diaspora, and lack redemption consciousness. This has to change, it seemed to me, and to others who were on the same historical and philosophical page. It would have to change either through education, which did not seem forthcoming, or through historical incidents that would wake people up and make them focus on the larger goals of the Jewish people, such as the Final Redemption.
The point is this. In-between keitzin, we write the music, so-to-speak, to which history seems to dance. However, when a keitz approaches, then it, again so-to-speak, writes the music to which we must dance, meaning that our lives seem to now be at the mercy of its will, that is, the will of Heaven for that keitz.
Depending on the size of the keitz and its needs, we lose control of our lives. Plans often go astray, and whatever peace we may have enjoyed until then is usually interrupted, if not shattered altogether. In the Holocaust, Jews went from being lovers of life to desirers of death, when the keitz became too intense for many to handle.
Back to our parshah. Based upon the idea of a keitz, it’s not that Pharaoh never dreamed until this week’s parshah. Obviously he dreamed all the time, except that in the past, either his dreams never bothered him, or if they did, he found satisfactory interpretations for them amongst his myriad of priests and magicians.
But a keitz had arrived at the doorstep of Pharaoh’s palace. This meant that Yosef, a young Jewish slave boy accused of adultery with his master’s wife, had to be released from prison, proven innocent, and unprecedentedly and instantly catapulted from the depths of Egyptian society to its heights.
Therefore, Pharaoh was made to dream, and not just any dreams, but dreams that would force him to go in search of an accurate interpretation, one that could not be rendered by his palace staff. This way, the wine steward would be compelled to reveal the talents of Yosef HaTzaddik, against his better judgment, and put him on track for the greatness Yosef himself had dreamed about 12 years earlier.
Such is the power of a keitz. Even greater will be the power of the final one.
That’s why things can change so fast in history, and often do. Overnight, and for reasons not foreseen by experts, the stock market can crash. Within a week, in ways that no one anticipated, countries can make decisions that affect the fate of millions, if not hundreds of millions of people, for either good or bad. Within a short month, the entire world can change in ways that most would have thought only occur in disaster movies. It already has many times before.
What can a person do to avoid being run over by a keitz, especially the final one? A great rabbi had this to say about the matter:
I heard in London from the holy Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, quoting the Chofetz Chaim, that our Rabbis say that the war of Gog and Magog will be threefold. After the First World War, the Chofetz Chaim said that it was the first battle of Gog and Magog, and that in about 25 years time, a second world war would occur that would make the first one seem insignificant. And then, there will be a third battle . . . Rav Elchanan concluded that one must suffer the pangs of Moshiach. However, the wise man will quietly prepare himself during that time, and perhaps he will merit to see the comforting of Zion and Jerusalem. (Leiv Eliyahu, Shemos, p.172)
Thus, though there may be nothing one can do to stop a keitz from occurring, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for it. Indeed, it only seems to really hurt, as the story of Chanukah reveals, when we are not. For to be prepared for a keitz, as we learn from Mattisyahu and his small army of Maccabees, is to be able to take advantage of an opportunity for victory, on our terms. Chanukah Samayach. Copyright © 2013 by Rabbi Pinchas Winston and Torah.org.
This Tale of another Yosef HaTzaddik
occurred about 200 years ago as told me about 44 plus years ago by Michael
Gurwitz a great-great grandson
Yosef Gurwitz (Horowitz) was traveling through the woods in
Russia during a terrible icy winter storm and was exhausted from trekking in
his heavy winter coat through the snow to the next town. He was exhausted so
when he saw a house in the forest with a light on, he knocked on the door to
see if he could warm up by the fire. The lady of the house let him in. She had
not seen her husband for days. As he removed his coat and warmed up by the fire
she made advances to towards him.
He was in such a state of shock that he fled the house leaving
his coat into the cold and ran and ran towards the town. The Chassidic Rebbe
there I believe Avraham Ha Malach (angel) and the people came towards him as
the enraged husband caught up with him, he was greeting in Russian as Yosef
HaTzaddik. The husband understood the reason and if he returned the coat to a
third party it is not known but he understood what type of a woman he was
married to.
The light in the window
During World War II there was a group of fighting partisans who had
broken out of the Nazi camps in Poland. The group comprised a few Jews and some
former Polish army officers. They organized a resistance force that used to
harass the Germans.
On one of their missions, they found an old, starving rabbi who had
been left for dead by the Nazi murderers. One of the Catholic partisans took
mercy on the man and nursed him back to health. The rabbi was of no real use to
the partisans, so he was given the job of cooking and praying for the safety of
the fighting men. Remarkably, this group of partisans suffered no casualties
for the rest of the war.
When the war was over the group broke up. Some went back to Poland;
others traveled to Latvia. Others became wandering people with no homeland. As
the Russian government clamped down on the people, depriving them of their
freedom, those of the group that were still in Russia decided to flee together.
A plan was made to leave the Russian territories by night. An
informant helping these escaping partisans told them, "You must cross the
river in the winter when it is frozen. When you reach the other side of the
river you'll be entering no-man's land. There you will find a hut. This hut is
used by a Russian soldier who is in charge of preventing border crossings by
all unauthorized people. His job is to shoot anything that moves. However, at
one o'clock in the morning he leaves his hut and walks a few miles to the next
hut, where he meets another soldier. There the soldiers exchange reports and
supplies. Then he returns to his watch. The complete trip takes him
approximately two hours. During that time, you can warm yourselves in his hut
but you must be out of there by the time he returns."
This group of brave men consisted only of the younger people. Most
of the older people had given up hope, deciding to remain behind in the Russian
territories. The only old man willing to travel with them was the rabbi. A
heated argument broke out: "Let's leave him," said one. "After
all, he can find food in one of the towns. We really do not need to be slowed
down by a frail, old man. We have done our share."
But then, a religious Christian partisan exclaimed, "If we
leave him, we are all doomed. I will not leave without him." So,
reluctantly, they included the rabbi.
It was a cold and miserable night. A blizzard broke out. Sure
enough, the leader was correct: the old man could not keep up with the rigorous
climbing and running. The blizzard increased and more than once they had to
stop to carry the old rabbi. As light as he was, he was now a big burden,
slowing down the entire group. More than once, they argued if they should just
leave him.
It was one o'clock in the morning when they arrived at the hut
which, by now, was half buried in the snow. They could smell the fire and
warmth coming from the hut. They waited and waited for the soldier to leave. It
seemed like forever. It wasn't a moment too soon that the soldier left. Almost
frozen to death, the fleeing group fell into the hut, each one trying to get
his icy hands and frostbitten feet closer and closer to the fire.
The old rabbi moved away from the group. He opened a small bag and
took out an old and rusty menorah. Then he took a small piece of string,
rolled it into a wick and proceeded to fill the menorah with some oil
from a small tin bottle that he somehow had managed to bring with him. The act
taking place put everyone into a trance. Not a word was uttered nor a sound
heard. Spellbound, everyone watched the rabbi.
In a barely audible voice, the rabbi recited the blessings for the
lighting of the menorah, picked up the menorah, and placed it by
the window of the hut. Then he lit the menorah and began to sing an old
Jewish song traditionally sung after lighting the Chanuka candles: "Maoz
Tzur" - "Rock of Ages," which speaks of G-d's miracles for
his people through the generations.
Like an erupting volcano, the leader was jolted out of his stupor
and yelled, "Put out that light!" You will bring the Russian soldier
back here. We will all be caught and shot."
The rabbi tried to explain that it was the first night of Chanuka
and that he had kindled the light in order to keep the commandment of
remembering the miracle of Chanuka. "No," said the rabbi. He would
not extinguish the flame. "It must burn for half an hour. This is
according to the ancient Hebrew law."
Suddenly the door of the hut flew open. A tall soldier holding a
machine gun yelled at the startled group to put their hands up into the air.
The Russian soldier approached the old rabbi, looked at the menorah, and
said to him in Russian, "I, too, am a Jew. I have not seen a menorah
in six years." He kissed the rabbi's beard and broke into tears.
The soldier proceeded to tell the group, "After I left the hut
I suddenly remembered that I had left some reports in a drawer. As I was
returning I saw a light coming from the hut. I couldn't believe my eyes-a menorah
in no-man's land, in the middle of a blizzard, right in my hut."
The soldier told the group that they were safe and proceeded to
take out a large bottle of vodka, giving each one a drink. He said, "It's
good that I was on guard. Another guard would have killed all of you! Come, I
will show you how to cross the border. Remember me, Rabbi. Pray that I have a
Chanuka miracle and will be able to leave the army safely and be with my
family."
The very shaken but relieved little group followed the soldier out
across the border. Somehow they made their way to freedom and then they all
went their separate ways. The old rabbi went to Israel. He told his story to
fellow survivors. One of them, in turn, told it to me as a small boy.
[Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from an article by Rabbi Eli
Hecht written for //LchaimWeekly.org, and then reprinted by
"Living Jewish" (a Jerusalem weekly).]
The Good Shabbos Story this week brought me to
write this. Shabbos and Chanucha in the army
One is not master of his own destiny in the army
and I want to share two little incidents that occurred with me. I was once
patrolling the border with Syria in the area that had held up during the Yom
Kippur War from Quneitra to the middle of the way up Mt. Hermon. There was an
area up the mountain that was not worth based on the terrain to put in a border
fence on the border but a bit inwards. Every morning we would patrol from
approximately 6 AM to 6 PM and it was late Nov. or early Dec. and it was cold
and just before Chanucha. I would bring my Tallis and Tephillin and pray in the
patrol vehicle on 5 minute breaks. On Friday night I went to our intelligence
outpost over the border into the bunker where the fellow watched the Syrian’s
below from the Hermon-it above. A short time before sundown, I lit the Shabbos
candle and as the fellow gathered his stuff and we closed up the gate to his
post going down the eastern side of Mt. Hermon I sang for the fellows Lecha
Dodi as I accepted the Shabbos. It was strange to me lighting a candle on the
other side of the border fence.
One time, I was ordered to deploy to somewhere
in the Negev. I was in a tent where they had sent me with my supplies on the
cot and had just lit the Menorah a few minutes earlier when I was ordered to
immediately move out to a tent elsewhere and as a paramedic one does not
question immediate orders which turned out for a pilots training course. I had
no choice of waiting a few minutes more and I had to blow out the candles. I
re-lit them in my new tent and asked the soldiers if they cared to bless upon
seeing the light. I was lucky in that in the new tent, I had enough candle to
burn 30 minutes in one place.
Reminder Erev Shabbos we light the Chanucha candles before the
Shabbos Candles and they must be able to burn a half an hour after dark. Motzei
Shabbos we make Havdallah and then light the candles.
Maybe it JFK and his emphasis on physical fitness that ingrained
it in me. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_142770.html
From
Ruth: Violence in Jerusalem again against a
child and his mother
Oh
just a ten year old boy getting choked and his mother being beaten, go
back to sleep folks it is all well. go to sleep religious jews its
only your woman and children being beaten in the streets of Jerusalem, don’t
worry. its business as usual.
Except
that this time Ruth got involved and went to grasp the youngest doing the
beating. Swearing and cursing and with all the power i have, could not hold him
because he was wild, out of control and drugged out of his head. maybe 15 years
old, skinny and so strong and wild i could not control him. and that has never
happened to me before. so he swung around and hit me in the face as well.
He
threatened the mother to kill her, he was screaming. the mother was screaming
for someone to call the police, of course no one did and people were passing
who were not religious. a religious man walked by i called him, he ignored me
and i cursed him.
I
called every man walking past to help the control the young man who was so
wild. no one came. a fat Chabad guy walked up and refused to help. i pushed his
hand and he started screaming "DONT TOUCH ME" in such fear. COWARDS
YOU ARE COWARDS AND ENEMIES OF GOD AND LIARS AND HYPOCRITES.
Allah’s follower
proves his manliness by hitting a soldier girl in the face: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4456766,00.html
The
history of the Israeli National Anthem from Sheldon http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NbirbjMkpdY&feature
Bar
tender explains to Obama supporter facts on Iran and Neville Chamberlain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KGr-bd1tBo
An actor/singer in Israel passed away this week. He is famous for
his steadfast refusal to become religious despite his best friend, ex-wife and
children becoming religious so the leftist press did for him what they did not
do for Naomi Shemer (Yerushalayim of Gold), Shoshana Damari, Shakey Ophir, and dozens of others. They wanted to invent a
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef for non-religious and they ignored the other Iranian Reactor
that is being built.
Chanucha
traditional: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gADDmP2UA5I
cute children http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBFR9ClTh1k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Acw66Fdow0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmvs0ShU6Hg
Latkes
aka Potato Pancakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wvpvAQR8GI
From
Steve: Oldest living Holocaust survivor celebrates her 110th
birthday: http://forward.com/articles/188451/worlds-oldest-living-holocaust-survivor-celebrates/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISTYWtSeqpo#t=11
For fun
the night before Chanucha: http://www.frivolity.com/teatime/Songs_and_Poems/The_Night_Before_Chanukah.html
Victims
of terror and a wounded soldier honored on Chanucha: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174626
Inyanay Diyoma
This
jalopy stalls all the time can't get ahead: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4456909,00.html
This is
our reward for helping Haniya’s granddaughter in our hospitals: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174325
What
looked good in paper with N. Korea did not prevent them from going nuclear who
guarantees Iran? http://debka.com/article/23461/Nuclear-deal-reached-between-Iran-and-six-world-powers-in-Geneva
Arab
activity not reported in the mainstream press. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174369
Somebody
else besides Israel is worried about Iran http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174379
In the
meantime Iran is building 2 more nuclear facilities: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4456951,00.html
Gadhafi’s
mother was a captured Jewish Woman in Africa it continues with all non-Muslims:
http://www.jpost.com/International/Nigerian-Islamists-force-Christian-women-to-convert-332781
RJC: Congress Must
Speak Out Against Obama's Iran Deal Washington,
D.C. (November 23, 2013) - Responding to President Obama's announcement of a
flawed deal with Iran, RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said: "Tonight,
Americans saw how much damage a President with naive, misguided ideas can do to
our nation's security and reputation. No matter which of the conflicting
reports are correct as to the deal's specific provisions, the whole world can
see the very alarming bottom line: President Obama's diplomacy is giving cheer
to Tehran's rogue regime and causing alarm among our friends in the region -
including Israel, Saudi Arabia and most the other Gulf states. Congress and the
American people need to speak out against this flawed deal."
The RJC is the national grassroots organization of Jewish
Republicans. Learn more at our web site, www.RJCHQ.org
G-D’s
law every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174411
The
second video is history that is almost verbatim said today and note the cheers for
N. Chamberlain. http://www.cafeconlecherepublicans.com/obama-iran-nukes-like-nukes-can-keep-period/
I guess
if Chicago, San Fran and DC are attacked with dirty bombs and Kerry's boat
becomes radioactive somebody might wake up. http://debka.com/article/23472/Seven-loopholes-favoring-a-nuclear-Iran-in-deal-signed-by-the-world-powers
1979 Tehran embassy hostages react to West's deal with Iran: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4458160,00.html
The USA is giving too much away: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174495#.UpTVWY78LIU
Film
shows second gunman in the Kennedy Assassination. http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/claim-unearthed-jfk-film-shows-2nd-gunman/
Egypt
fights off Al Qaeda despite Obama and Kerry: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Egyptian-army-kills-jihadi-leader-in-Sinai-333083
From Barry Shaw: Iran post Geneva, and the implications for Israel. The 9,500 centrifuges to be given up are old, over-used and warn out. http://israeltheviewfromhere.blogspot.co.il/2013/11/iran-after-geneva-and-implications-for.html
Another toddler with head injures from Arab stones: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174606
Not the
worst thing that can happen in the world - http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4459114,00.html
Al
Qaeda cell destroyed: http://debka.com/article/23480/First-Sinai-based-Al-Qaeda-cell-to-infiltrate-the-West-Bank-eliminated-in-Hebron-hills
Now for M. Wolfberg’s Good Shabbos Story “Light up my life”
Good Shabbos and A Freylichen
Chanukah Everyone. One of
the legendary activists who kept Judaism alive in Communist Russia in the
darkest years of repression was Rabbi Asher Sossonkin, who spent many years in
Soviet labor camps for his "counter-revolutionary" activities. In one
of these camps he made the acquaintance of a Jew by the name of Nachman Rozman.
In his youth, Nachman had abandoned the traditional Jewish life in which he was raised to join the communist party; he served in the Red Army, where he rose to a high rank; but then he was arrested for engaging in some illegal business and sentenced to a long term of hard labor in Siberia. Rozman was drawn to the chassid who awakened in him memories of the home and life he had forsaken.
With Reb Asher's aid and encouragement, he began a return to Jewish observance under conditions where keeping kosher, avoiding work on Shabbat, or grabbing a few moments for prayer meant subjecting oneself to near-starvation, repeated penalties and a daily jeopardy of life and limb.
One winter, as Chanukah approached, Reb Asher revealed his plan to his friend. "I'll get a hold of a small, empty food can -- the smaller the better, so it'll be easy to hide and escape notice. We'll save half of our daily ration of butter over the next two weeks, for oil. We can make wicks from the loose threads at the edges of our coats. When everyone's asleep, we'll light our 'menorah' under my bunk...." "Certainly not!" cried Nachman Rozman. "It's Chanukah, Reb Asher, the festival of miracles. We'll do the mitzvah the way it should be done. Not in some rusty can fished out from the garbage, but with a proper menorah, real oil, at the proper time and place. I have a few rubles hidden away that I can pay Igor with at the metal-working shed; I also have a few 'debts' I can call in at the kitchen...."
A few days before Chanukah, Nachman triumphantly showed Reb Asher the menorah he had procured -- a somewhat crude vessel but unmistakably a "real" menorah, with eight oil-cups in a row and a raised cup for the shamash. On the first evening of Chanukah, he set the menorah on a stool in the doorway between the main room of their barracks and the small storage area at its rear, and filled the right-hand cup; together, the two Jews recited the blessings and kindled the first light, as millions of their fellows did that night in their homes around the world.
On that first night the lighting went off without a hitch, as it did on the second, third and fourth nights of the festival. As a rule, the prisoners in the camp did not inform on each other, and their barrack-mates had already grown accustomed to the religious practices of the two Jews.
On the fifth night of Chanukah, just as Reb Asher and Nachman had lit five flames in their menorah, a sudden hush spread through the barracks. The prisoners all froze in their places and turned their eyes to the doorway, in which stood an officer from the camp's high command. Though surprise inspections such as these were quite routine occurrences, they always struck terror in the hearts of the prisoners. The officer would advance through the barracks meting out severe penalties for offenses such as a hidden cigarette or a hoarded crust of bread.
"Quick, throw it out into the snow," whispered the prisoners, but the officer was already striding toward the back doorway, where the two Jews stood huddled over the still-burning flames of their candelabra. For a very long minute the officer gazed at the menorah. Then he turned to Reb Asher. "P'yat? (Five?)" he asked. "P'yat," replied the chassid. The officer turned and exited without a word.
We can all be inspired by this amazing story about how two Jews fulfilled the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah Menorah under the most difficult of circumstances. Thankfully, we are able to fulfill mitzvahs without the threat of persecution; we must all therefore take advantage of our opportunities and make sure to be meticulous with the Chanukia lighting. Then we will all merit the tremendous spiritual light which shines down on us during these special days of Chanukah. Good Shabbos and A Freylichen Chanukah Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: In Memory of CHAYA CHAVA BAS REB MOSHE YAKOV In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Shimon (Friedman) of blessed memory Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
In his youth, Nachman had abandoned the traditional Jewish life in which he was raised to join the communist party; he served in the Red Army, where he rose to a high rank; but then he was arrested for engaging in some illegal business and sentenced to a long term of hard labor in Siberia. Rozman was drawn to the chassid who awakened in him memories of the home and life he had forsaken.
With Reb Asher's aid and encouragement, he began a return to Jewish observance under conditions where keeping kosher, avoiding work on Shabbat, or grabbing a few moments for prayer meant subjecting oneself to near-starvation, repeated penalties and a daily jeopardy of life and limb.
One winter, as Chanukah approached, Reb Asher revealed his plan to his friend. "I'll get a hold of a small, empty food can -- the smaller the better, so it'll be easy to hide and escape notice. We'll save half of our daily ration of butter over the next two weeks, for oil. We can make wicks from the loose threads at the edges of our coats. When everyone's asleep, we'll light our 'menorah' under my bunk...." "Certainly not!" cried Nachman Rozman. "It's Chanukah, Reb Asher, the festival of miracles. We'll do the mitzvah the way it should be done. Not in some rusty can fished out from the garbage, but with a proper menorah, real oil, at the proper time and place. I have a few rubles hidden away that I can pay Igor with at the metal-working shed; I also have a few 'debts' I can call in at the kitchen...."
A few days before Chanukah, Nachman triumphantly showed Reb Asher the menorah he had procured -- a somewhat crude vessel but unmistakably a "real" menorah, with eight oil-cups in a row and a raised cup for the shamash. On the first evening of Chanukah, he set the menorah on a stool in the doorway between the main room of their barracks and the small storage area at its rear, and filled the right-hand cup; together, the two Jews recited the blessings and kindled the first light, as millions of their fellows did that night in their homes around the world.
On that first night the lighting went off without a hitch, as it did on the second, third and fourth nights of the festival. As a rule, the prisoners in the camp did not inform on each other, and their barrack-mates had already grown accustomed to the religious practices of the two Jews.
On the fifth night of Chanukah, just as Reb Asher and Nachman had lit five flames in their menorah, a sudden hush spread through the barracks. The prisoners all froze in their places and turned their eyes to the doorway, in which stood an officer from the camp's high command. Though surprise inspections such as these were quite routine occurrences, they always struck terror in the hearts of the prisoners. The officer would advance through the barracks meting out severe penalties for offenses such as a hidden cigarette or a hoarded crust of bread.
"Quick, throw it out into the snow," whispered the prisoners, but the officer was already striding toward the back doorway, where the two Jews stood huddled over the still-burning flames of their candelabra. For a very long minute the officer gazed at the menorah. Then he turned to Reb Asher. "P'yat? (Five?)" he asked. "P'yat," replied the chassid. The officer turned and exited without a word.
We can all be inspired by this amazing story about how two Jews fulfilled the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah Menorah under the most difficult of circumstances. Thankfully, we are able to fulfill mitzvahs without the threat of persecution; we must all therefore take advantage of our opportunities and make sure to be meticulous with the Chanukia lighting. Then we will all merit the tremendous spiritual light which shines down on us during these special days of Chanukah. Good Shabbos and A Freylichen Chanukah Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: In Memory of CHAYA CHAVA BAS REB MOSHE YAKOV In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Shimon (Friedman) of blessed memory Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
Chanucha Samayach and have a good Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
