Peninim on the Torah – Page 95 – Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

ויקרא יוסף את שם הבכור מנשה כי נשני אלקים את כל עמלי ואת כל בית אבי

Yosef called the name of the firstborn Menashe for, “G-d has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” (41:51)

After years of overcoming challenges and adversity, pain and enslavement, Yosef is freed and overnight catapulted to undreamed of leadership, luxury and dignity. He marries and is blessed with his firstborn son whom he names Menashe. He chooses this name because of its relationship with nashoh, forget. Thus, Yosef declares: “This name (which implies forgetting) is my declaration of gratitude to Hashem for allowing me to be able to forget my hardship and my father’s household (which was, for Yosef, the beginning of his hardship). A cursory reading of the name and its implications leaves the reader perplexed. Is this…

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אבל אשמים אנחנו על אחינו אשר ראינו צרת נפשו בהתחננו אלינו ולא שמענו

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Mikeitz

Indeed, we are guilty concerning our brother inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us and we paid no heed. (42:21)

People hardly want to accept the blame for their failings in life, for missed opportunities, misadventures and bad decisions. It is so much more convenient to lay the blame at someone else’s doorstep. It is our parents, spouse, children, principal, friends, teacher, doctor, etc. everyone but ourselves. Veritably, no one can prevent an individual from achieving his goal, other than himself. It is easier, however, to rationalize and find an excuse than to take responsibility. The one who blames others is himself a loser. Successful people take their obligations seriously and accept responsibility for their failures. Then they dig in…

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וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Vayeishev

Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojourning. (37:1)

Chazal infer from the variation in the text describing Yaakov’s taking up residence, vayeishev, he settled, from that of his father, migurei, sojourning, which implies wandering that Yaakov sought to settle, finally to relax in one place with a roof over his head and not worry about what tomorrow would bring. No one questions that Yaakov Avinu had his fill of struggles and troubles. Would it be so terrible for him to have a little tranquility? Chazal, quoted by Rashi, say: Yaakov bikeish leisheiv b’shalvah, the Patriarch wanted to settle down in tranquility. As a result, Hashem sent the Yosef…

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וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקנים הוא לו ... וישנאו אתו ... ויקנאו בו אחיו

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Vayeishev

Now Yisrael loved Yosef more than all of his sons since he was a child of his old age… so they hated him … so his brothers were jealous of him. (37:3,4,11)

The controversy that ensued between Yosef and his brothers was much deeper than sibling rivalry. Certainly, it was understandable that their father favored the son born to Rachel Imeinu after years of barrenness. Yosef was an exceptional young man who studied Torah with his father and had much in common with him. Under normal circumstances, they would have overlooked their father’s love for Yosef, but they felt that Yosef was a rodef, pursuer, who was bent on destroying them and assuming their spiritual position. They simply could not ignore this. Nonetheless, we wonder how the brothers questioned the daas Torah,…

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והבור ריק אין בו מים

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Vayeishev

The pit was empty; no water was in it. (37:24)

Rashi comments: There was no water in the pit, but there were serpents and scorpions in it. Horav Elyakim Schlessinger, Shlita explains the halachic ramifications that vary between a pit filled with water and one filled with poisonous serpents and scorpions. It was Reuven who suggested that rather than take action outright against Yosef, they should put him into a pit. Had there been water in the pit, it would not be a direct act of murder. Throwing Yosef into a pit filled with poisonous creatures, however, is no different than tying a person up and placing him in front…

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ותאמר הכר נא למי החתמת והפתילים והמטה האלה ... ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Sruly Schnair In 5781, Vayeishev

And she said, “Identify, if you please, whose are this seal, this wrap and this staff.” Yehuda recognized and he said, “She is right. It is from me.” (38:25,26)

Yehudah and Tamar were progenitors of Malchus Bais David, the Davidic dynasty, and Moshiach Tziddkeinu, who descends from it. When one peruses the story of Yehudah’s encounter with Tamar: how Tamar was prepared to die rather than shame Yehudah; and Yehudah’s ultimate public confession despite the humiliation that would ensue, we see that the entire incident revolves around the middah, character trait, of bushah, shame. Tamar refused to shame Yehudah, because she understood that if word would get out that someone of his spiritual distinction was involved in a less-than-licit affair, it would humiliate not only him, but also what…

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ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him. (32:8)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 75:13) expound on Yaakov Avinu’s prayer to Hashem, a prayer that was generated by fear of Eisav. Chazal say, V’raah es Eisav she’hu ba mei’rachok, “When Yaakov saw Eisav coming from afar,” he immediately began praying more passionately, until Hashem assured him that all would be well. He would protect Yaakov. Apparently, the closer Eisav came to Yaakov our Patriarch became more fearful, until he actually saw him from afar, at which point he went all out in terms of the intensity of his prayer. Yaakov’s fear of confrontation begs elucidation. It is not as if Yaakov…

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והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

Then the remaining camp shall survive. (32:9)

Yaakov Avinu’s plan to save his family was based on a three-pronged preparation: battle, prayer, tribute. On the surface, these courses of action appear to be incongruent to one another, with aggression and servility sending contradictory messages. Obviously, prayer is first and foremost – and the only effective means of success. Without Divine intervention, we have no hope for success. Nonetheless, Yaakov took a practical approach to his encounter, knowing full-well that Eisav was angry and that he felt his anger was justified. Our Patriarch was, however, acutely aware that practical solutions succeed only when it is the will of…

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ויותר יעקב לבדו ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר... ויגע בכף ירכו... והוא צלע על ירכו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

Yaakov was left alone and a man fought with him until the break of dawn… and he struck Yaakov’s thigh… and Yaakov was limping. (32:25,26,32)

The encounter between Yaakov Avinu and the mysterious man is fraught with questions. First, how can the Torah say that our Patriarch was left alone? A Jew is never alone. Hashem Yisborach is always with us. Melo kol haaretz k’vodo, “The entire world is filled with His Glory.” Furthermore, Hashem promised Yaakov, V’Anochi eheyeh imach, “I will be with you.” Yaakov might have been distant from human encounter, but he certainly was not alone. Second, in the battle that ensued between Yaakov and the “ish”/angel of Eisav, why did the angel choose specifically to strike Yaakov’s ability to move, i.e….

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ותמנע היתה פילגש לאליפז בן עשו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

And Timna was a concubine for Elifaz, the son of Eisav. (36:12)

Timna did not have an easy time carrying out her request to join the family of Avraham Avinu. Chazal teach that Timna, sister of Lotan, daughter of Seir, aluf of Eisav, king of the Chorim, was a princess who had it all – luxury, honor, material satisfaction. Yet, she rejected her pagan upbringing, choosing instead the G-d of Avraham. They (the descendants of Avraham) refused to accept her, due to her Canaanite lineage. The bloodlines are very important to us, and Canaan just was not a nation to which we wanted to attach ourselves. (They certainly saw negative traits in…

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ויקרא יוסף את שם הבכור מנשה כי נשני אלקים את כל עמלי ואת כל בית אבי

Yosef called the name of the firstborn Menashe for, “G-d has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” (41:51)

אבל אשמים אנחנו על אחינו אשר ראינו צרת נפשו בהתחננו אלינו ולא שמענו

Indeed, we are guilty concerning our brother inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us and we paid no heed. (42:21)

וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו

Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojourning. (37:1)

וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקנים הוא לו ... וישנאו אתו ... ויקנאו בו אחיו

Now Yisrael loved Yosef more than all of his sons since he was a child of his old age… so they hated him … so his brothers were jealous of him. (37:3,4,11)

והבור ריק אין בו מים

The pit was empty; no water was in it. (37:24)

ותאמר הכר נא למי החתמת והפתילים והמטה האלה ... ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

And she said, “Identify, if you please, whose are this seal, this wrap and this staff.” Yehuda recognized and he said, “She is right. It is from me.” (38:25,26)

ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו

Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him. (32:8)

והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה

Then the remaining camp shall survive. (32:9)

ויותר יעקב לבדו ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר... ויגע בכף ירכו... והוא צלע על ירכו

Yaakov was left alone and a man fought with him until the break of dawn… and he struck Yaakov’s thigh… and Yaakov was limping. (32:25,26,32)

ותמנע היתה פילגש לאליפז בן עשו

And Timna was a concubine for Elifaz, the son of Eisav. (36:12)

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