Sruly Schnair

“And Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.” (42:8)

The nature of Yosef’s encounter with his brothers for the first time after many years of estrangement is truly enigmatic. True, it had been many years since they had last seen one another. In addition, the circumstances by which they had been separated were unpleasant to recall. The fact that ten brothers who were exemplary in wisdom and perception did not recognize their lost brother seems difficult to accept. Horav Meir Bergman, Shlita, cites Horav Yecheskel Levinstein, z.l., who explains their meeting. Man has the ability to see and perceive, recognize and remember, only by virtue of siyata d’shmaya, Heavenly…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Mikeitz

“Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.” (41:33)

After successfully interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, Yosef offered his unsolicited advice. He counseled Pharaoh to appoint a unique individual who possessed an acute mind and an uncanny ability to organize the entire country during the seven years of plenty. Horav Eliyahu Lopian, z.l., questions the need to appoint someone who is unusually perceptive. This is an undertaking for an individual who is endowed with excellent organizational and administrative skills, not someone who is astute. He responds that it takes one who is especially gifted to “see” the years of hunger at the very moment that he and everyone else are enjoying…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And the chief butler did not remember Yosef, but he forgot him.” (40:23)

Rashi comments that Hashem increased Yosef’s prison sentence by an extra two years. This was because he had placed his trust in the Sar Ha’Mashkim, by asking him twice to remember him before Pharaoh. What would have happened if Yosef had asked him only once? Would he have been punished with only a single year? This question was posed by Horav Shimon Shkop, z.l., to a group of his students during a session devoted to reproving them for behavior unbecoming a ben Torah. The economic conditions in the yeshivah of Grodno, in which Horav Shkop was Rosh Ha’Yeshivah left much…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And the keeper of the prison put in Yosef’s hand all the prisoners… and whatever they did there he was the doer of it.” (39:22)

The pasuk implies that Yosef initiated everything that was accomplished by the prisoners. The redundancy of the text begs explanation. Obviously, everything they did he would do. Horav Moshe Yechiel Epstein, z.l., interprets this pasuk homiletically. Yosef was teaching us a profound lesson in avodas Hashem, serving the Almighty. Yosef was not satisfied with the fact that he upheld all of the mitzvos. He was not complacent with his own mitzvah observance. He was driven to do more, to correct and complete what others had either denigrated or discarded. Yosef was not content simply to abstain from transgressing any aveiros,…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“But Er, Yehudah’s firstborn was evil in the eyes of Hashem, and Hashem caused him to die.” (38:7)

The Matriarchs of the Jewish people were by nature barren. It is perplexing that the Jewish nation, which maintains a singular purpose in Creation should descend from women who by the laws of “nature” could not possibly bear a child. This phenomenon extends to Malchus Bais David, the monarchy of David Ha’melech, who is the sovereign of the Jewish nation. The individual from whom Moshiach will descend also had his roots in the most unnatural setting. Yehudah was the chosen monarch over the tribes. His position was to transfer this role to his eldest son, Er, who was not suitable…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And a certain man found him and behold he was wandering in the field and the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?'” (37:15)

As Yosef was searching for his brothers, he was met by a man who questioned his purpose in the field. Simply, the man wondered for what or for whom Yosef was looking. The Kotzker Rebbe, z.l., interpreted this question in a novel manner, assigning to these words a new meaning, as they teach us (and Yosef) a profound lesson. One must have clear goals. He must continually be prepared to redefine and reaffirm these goals as he is confronted with changing life situations. While he was at home, Yosef was involved in Torah scholarship. His environment was a spiritual utopia,…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayeishev

“And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons, since he was a child of his old age.” (37:3)

Chazal offer a number of interpretations for the phrase, “ben zekunim,” child of his old age. Some of the commentators define “ben zekunim” as “bar chakim,” wise son, referring to Yosef’s remarkable Torah scholarship. Rashi cites the Midrash which comments, “All that he (Yaakov) learned in the yeshivah of Shem and Ever during his fourteen years there, he transmitted to Yosef.” This statement is ambiguous. Did Yaakov teach Torah only to Yosef and not to his other sons? Yaakov provided a Torah education for each of his twelve sons, emphatically raising them all to become tzaddikim. The Midrash in Shemos…

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Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5756

“And it came to pass as her soul was departing — for she died — that she called his name Ben Oni, but his father called him Binyamin.” (35:18)

In focusing upon the disparity between the names given to the child by his respective parents, the Ramban comments that Rachel sought to emphasize the pain and sorrow connected with his birth. In contrast, Yaakov wanted his son’s name to have an optimistic connotation. The word “oni” can be translated as “mourning” or “strength.” Yaakov sought to preserve the name that Rachel had chosen, while giving it a positive undertone. In an article written in the winter of 1943, during the height of the slaughter in Europe, Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, z.l., used the words of the Ramban to encourage…

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Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5756

“Therefore the Bnei Yisrael do not eat of the sinew of the thigh muscle.” (32:33)

We may question the manner in which we commemorate Yaakov Avinu’s miraculous triumph over Eisav’s angel. One would think that such an extraordinary achievement would be remembered through a positive act, rather than a negative one. Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., infers a valuable lesson from the manner of eternalizing Yaakov’s monumental success over adversity. The abstention from eating the gid ha’nasheh addresses the fact that throughout history we are confronted by difficult situations which require Hashem’s interventions which is always there. Nonetheless, we would rather not be tested with such ordeals. In our daily tefillah, we implore Hashem “Do not…

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Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5756

“Therefore the Bnei Yisrael do not eat of the sinew of the thigh muscle… unto this day because he (Eisav’s angel) struck the hollow of Yaakov’s thigh in the sinew of the thigh muscle.” (32:33)

As Yaakov wrestled with Eisav’s angel, he was injured on that fateful night. As a constant reminder of that “conflict,” we are forbidden from eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. In the Talmud Chullin 99b, Chazal comment that giddin, nerves, have no taste. It is, therefore, perplexing that the Torah would prohibit the consumption of a food which has no taste. The Torah ostensibly seeks to provide us with the opportunity for performing mitzvos. Consequently, even if a mitzvah is reasonably simple to perform, it still presents a valuable opportunity for spiritual advancement. Horav Avigdor Nebentzal, Shlita, offers a…

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“And Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.” (42:8)

“Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt.” (41:33)

“And the chief butler did not remember Yosef, but he forgot him.” (40:23)

“And the keeper of the prison put in Yosef’s hand all the prisoners… and whatever they did there he was the doer of it.” (39:22)

“But Er, Yehudah’s firstborn was evil in the eyes of Hashem, and Hashem caused him to die.” (38:7)

“And a certain man found him and behold he was wandering in the field and the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?'” (37:15)

“And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons, since he was a child of his old age.” (37:3)

“And it came to pass as her soul was departing — for she died — that she called his name Ben Oni, but his father called him Binyamin.” (35:18)

“Therefore the Bnei Yisrael do not eat of the sinew of the thigh muscle.” (32:33)

“Therefore the Bnei Yisrael do not eat of the sinew of the thigh muscle… unto this day because he (Eisav’s angel) struck the hollow of Yaakov’s thigh in the sinew of the thigh muscle.” (32:33)

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