Moshe Marcovich

Speak unto the Bnei Yisrael and say to them, A man from you who will bring close an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

Rashi explains the Torah’s emphasis upon the word “adam”, man, as an allusion to Adam Ha’Rishon. His korban did not have a tinge of impropriety connected to it, since everything belonged to him. So, too, may we not offer any korbanos from that which is not rightfully ours. We may question the Torah’s choice of word–adam–as the point of reference for teaching us that we may not use that which is stolen. Throughout the Torah, we derive the prohibition from using that which is gezel, stolen, from the word “la’chem,” yours. That which we use for a mitzvah must belong…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayikra

And He (Hashem) called to Moshe and He spoke to him from the Ohel Moed. (1:1)

The Yalkut comments that actually Moshe had been given ten names, each expressing a different attribute. Yet, Hashem called him by one name–Moshe. The Almighty chose the name that was given to Moshe by Bisyah bas Pharaoh, which refers to her drawing him from the water: “ki min ha’mayim meshisihu,” “for I have drawn him from the water.” This became the name by which Klal Yisrael’s quintessential leader, the Almighty’s eved ne’eman–faithful servant, was to be called. Why? Was there no other name that described Moshe’s character, devotion, self-sacrifice, leadership ability, teaching skills, etc.? Also, the name “Moshe” does not…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayigash

As for the nation, he settled it by cities, from one end of Egypt’s borders to another. (47:21)

Rashi explains that Yosef moved the Egyptians from city to city for a specific purpose. He was concerned that when his family emigrated to Egypt, they would be made to feel as strangers, embarrassed and rejected by Egyptian society. By moving around the Egyptians, he circumvented this problem, since the Egyptians themselves were no longer considered the “natives.” The author of Va’yevch Yosef notes Yosef’s remarkable mesiras nefesh, devotion and self-sacrifice, just to prevent his brothers from being humiliated. His concern for their emotional needs was incredible. He was prepared to move around an entire country, completely disrupt their lives,…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayigash

And Yosef gathered all the money that was to be found in the land of Egypt. (47:14)

In the Talmud Pesachim 119a, Chazal relate that Yosef buried three treasures in Egypt. One of the treasures was revealed to Korach. The other was revealed to Antoninus of Rome, who was a friend of Rabbi Yehudah Ha’Nasi. The third remains hidden, to be revealed in the future. While many commentators understand the words of Chazal to refer to material wealth, as we know that Korach was an unusually wealthy person, the Yalkut Hadrush identifies Yosef’s ideas as the primary aspect of his wealth. Yosef left a legacy–three lessons to be gleaned and studied. The first lesson is one that…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayigash

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

Yaakov sent Yehudah ahead of the family to prepare for their arrival. The Midrash understands the word “l’horos” according to its Hebrew definition, “to teach.” Yaakov sent Yehudah to found a yeshivah, a place where their family could study Torah. We infer from Yaakov’s action that Torah study takes priority over any other endeavor. When a community is being developed, one must first establish a Torah institution, nurturing its inhabitants spiritually. The commentators address the fact that Yehudah, not Yosef, was chosen to establish the yeshivah, even though Yosef was a distinguished talmid chacham, who had already been in…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayigash

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

Rashi interprets the word “l’horos” to mean “to teach.” Yaakov sent Yehudah to prepare a makom Torah, a place for Torah study, to lay the foundation for Torah dissemination in Egypt. The Midrash asserts that Yaakov sent Yehudah because he was on good terms with Yosef. Certainly, Yosef would have done everything within his power to assist any emissary of his father. The Midrash implies, however, that it would have been inappropriate to send Yehudah to establish a yeshivah had his relationship with Yosef not been one of total harmony. This seems difficult to understand. Yehudah was selected because of…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayechi

Shimon and Levi are brothers. (49:5)

In the context of the pasuk, the word “achim,” which is usually translated as “brothers,” is interpreted as “comrades.” Shimon and Levi are paired together as comrades in arms, who conspired together to commit a violent act against the people of Shechem. From the fact that Yaakov calls them “achim,” we may infer that he viewed them as equals, neither one having any distinction over the other. Interestingly, this equality did not last very long. In the end, they went different ways. Levi went to the extreme right, serving as the symbol of Torah. Moshe, Aharon and Miriam, the leaders…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayechi

Water like impetuosity–you cannot be foremost, because you mounted your father’s bed; then you desecrated Him Who ascended my couch. (49:4)

Reuven’s impetuosity cost him his right to national leadership. We may wonder if Reuven’s action was really that inappropriate. After all, he was demonstrating overwhelming respect to his mother. Indeed, the Torah lists Reuven together with the rest of his brothers. This causes Chazal to comment that Reuven was as righteous as they. He did not sin. He erred and was deserving of a formal reprimand. Why, however, should he have lost the bechorah? Horav Zaidel Epstein, Shlita, makes a compelling statement. Reuven was certainly demonstrating concern for his mother’s feelings, fulfilling the mitzvah of kibud eim, honoring his mother….

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayechi

And Yisrael saw Yosef’s sons and he said, “Who are these?” And Yosef said to his father, “They are my sons whom Hashem has given me here.” He said, “Bring them to me if you please, and I will bless them.” (48:8,9)

The Midrash explains that Yaakov obviously knew the identity of Yosef’s sons. He was in Egypt for seventeen years. He certainly had the opportunity to interact with them during this time. Also, Yaakov studied Torah with Efraim. Chazal explain that when Yaakov was about to bless Yosef’s children, the Shechinah departed from him. He foresaw that evil kings would descend from them: Yaravam and Achav from Efraim; Yehu and his sons from Menashe. This vision shocked Yaakov so that he asked Yosef, “Who are these?” meaning, from where did these sons, who are apparently unworthy of blessing, come? Yosef assured…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Vayechi

And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan on the road when there was still a stretch of land to come to Efras, and I buried her there on the road. (48:7)

Yaakov seems to be justifying himself for not burying Rachel in the Me’oras Ha’machpeilah. After all, Yaakov is imploring Yosef to make sure that he is interred in the burial place of the Patriarchs, even though his beloved wife, Rachel, Yosef’s mother, was not buried there! If that was the intended meaning, however, then Yaakov’s “speech” would have been placed earlier in the parsha, where Yaakov asks Yosef to bury him in the Me’oras Ha’machpeilah. In this context his statement is apparently connected to the decision to grant each of Yosef’s sons a special position as an individual tribe among…

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Speak unto the Bnei Yisrael and say to them, A man from you who will bring close an offering to Hashem. (1:2)

And He (Hashem) called to Moshe and He spoke to him from the Ohel Moed. (1:1)

As for the nation, he settled it by cities, from one end of Egypt’s borders to another. (47:21)

And Yosef gathered all the money that was to be found in the land of Egypt. (47:14)

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

Shimon and Levi are brothers. (49:5)

Water like impetuosity–you cannot be foremost, because you mounted your father’s bed; then you desecrated Him Who ascended my couch. (49:4)

And Yisrael saw Yosef’s sons and he said, “Who are these?” And Yosef said to his father, “They are my sons whom Hashem has given me here.” He said, “Bring them to me if you please, and I will bless them.” (48:8,9)

And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan on the road when there was still a stretch of land to come to Efras, and I buried her there on the road. (48:7)

YEARS

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