Vayeishev – Peninim on the Torah

וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם

Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand. (36:21)

Mechiras Yosef is one of the greatest tragedies recorded in the Torah. It was not merely a family quarrel or a dysfunction in the Patriarchal family (as those lacking in Torah and yiraas Shomayim would contend); it was the near dissolution of the future Shivtei Kah, the very foundation stones of Klal Yisrael. What makes the episode (for which we are still paying in the present) more painful is that it was rooted in misconception and misjudgment. The brothers were all noble and devoted to Hashem; yet, they misread Yosef’s character. They saw what they saw, or perhaps what they…

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וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקנים הוא לו

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Yisrael loved Yosef best of all his sons, he was a child of his old age. (37:3)

The Torah teaches us that Yaakov Avinu’s love for Yosef exceeded his love for his other sons. On the surface, this favoritism seems to have been the precursor of the tragic strife that ultimately led to mechiras Yosef. One wonders why Yaakov, who personally knew the pitfalls of partiality and the resulting discord that can reign between siblings, not have taken a different route upon raising his children. The simple, straightforward explanation is that Yaakov’s love for Yosef was not about Yosef, but about his mother, Rachel Imeinu. We all remember the story well. Yaakov came to Charan, met Rachel…

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וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו בארץ כנען

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

Chazal teach that Yaakov Avinu sought to settle, to relax from the many struggles that had heretofore been a part of his life. Hashem responded with the mechiras Yosef. The message is clear: Tzaddikim are not on this world for a tranquil walk in the park. Their tranquility will be their reward in Olam Habba, which they earn in this world. Clearly, Yaakov’s idea of shalvah, serenity, was on a spiritual plane, during which he could spend every waking moment immersed in Torah. Life is about overcoming and living with challenge. Everything that we receive from Hashem comes with a…

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ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

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Yehudah recognized; and he said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

In the brachos, blessings, which Moshe Rabbeinu conferred upon the various shevatim, tribes of Klal Yisrael, Reuven’s blessing is juxtaposed upon Yehudah’s blessing. Chazal (Bava Kamma 91A) explain that, during all the forty years that the Jews journeyed in the wilderness, the bones of Yehudah, which the nation took with them to be interred in the Holy Land, were rolling around in the coffin. Moshe came and asked Hashem for mercy on Yehudah’s behalf. He said, “Yehudah was the impetus for Reuven to confess to his sin/error concerning his tampering with his father’s bed.” When Reuven saw that Yehudah made…

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וימאן להתנחם

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But he refused to be comforted. (37:35)

Refusing to be comforted is understandable. When a person sustains a tragedy (regardless of the circumstances, the age, or the well-being of the deceased, it is still a tragedy – to someone) it is personal; it is painful; the loss feels like an endless void which cannot be filled with words alone. This is especially true when the mourner had been especially close with the deceased. Accepting comfort may feel like a step towards moving on or letting go – something the mourner refuses to entertain. Others may feel guilt over the death of a loved one, wondering if they…

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ויהי כדברה אל יוסף יום יום

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And so it was – just as she coaxed Yosef day after day. (39:10)

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 67:6) teaches: “The descendants of Rachel Imeinu, in the following two instances, their tests which they endured and their greatness with which they were consequently rewarded were equivalent.” Yosef was coaxed, day after day, to sin. Mordechai (of the tribe of Binyamin) refused to bow down to Haman, day after day. “Their greatness with which they were rewarded, Pharaoh removed his signet ring and appointed Yosef as viceroy. The Persian king removed his signet ring and gave it to Mordechai, granting him a position of unparalleled importance and power.” We wonder why Chazal consider Yosef and…

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ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

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Yehudah recognized and said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

Chazal (Sotah 10b) teach, “As soon as Yehudah confessed and said Tzadkah mimeni, “She is right; it is from me,” a Bas Kol, Heavenly voice, issued forth and declared, “You saved Tamar and her two sons from the fire. By your life, I swear that I will save three of your descendants in your merit. Who are these? They are Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah.” Yehudah’s name is eternalized because he withstood and triumphed over the challenge to his integrity. Targum Yonasan (commentary to Devarim 49:8) says that, due to Yehudah’s confession concerning his involvement with Tamar, Klal Yisrael are called…

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ותאמר הכר נא למי החתמת והפתילים והמטה האלה

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And she said, “Recognize, if you please, whose are this signet, this wrap, and this staff.” (38:25)

Rashi explains that, in this context, the word na (ha’ker na, “recognize, if you please”) expresses nothing but request. Tamar replied, “Please recognize your Creator and do not destroy three souls (Tamar and her unborn twins). According to Rashi, when Tamar said, “If you please,” it was simply a plea for mercy, it was an appeal to Yehudah’s sense of yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven.” Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, derives a powerful insight from Rashi. We are accustomed to thinking that the manner and approach for one to develop a profound recognition and perspective of Hashem is through the study…

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וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו

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

The commentators have written prolifically about this pasuk. Rashi writes concerning the juxtaposition of the beginning of this parshah upon the closing of the previous parshah, which details the tribal leaders of Eisav’s family. In one of his expositions, Rashi explains Yaakov’s settling, comparing it to a flax merchant whose camels laden with flax entered a town, filled to the brim with their loads of flax. The blacksmith whose shop was along the flax merchant’s route wondered where all this flax could be stored. A clever fellow who overheard the blacksmith piped up and said, “One spark from your bellows,…

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ותסר בגדי אלמנותה מעליה... ותשב בפתח עינים

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Vayeishev

So, she removed her widow’s garb from upon her… and she sat at a crossroads. (38:14)

The term pesach einayim literally translated, means “at an entrance of eyes.” Here, it is interpreted as parashas derachim, crossroads, because it is point where a traveler must open his eyes and decide which road he will take. The parashas derachim is called pesach einayim, because one cannot continue on the road unless his eyes are open, so that he can determine the best road to take. Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, zl (Kerem HaTorah) relates that years earlier (he published his sefer in 1914), in such Jewish bastions of Torah and avodah, one road existed (which was used by the…

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וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם

Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand. (36:21)

וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקנים הוא לו

Yisrael loved Yosef best of all his sons, he was a child of his old age. (37:3)

וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו בארץ כנען

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

ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Yehudah recognized; and he said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

וימאן להתנחם

But he refused to be comforted. (37:35)

ויהי כדברה אל יוסף יום יום

And so it was – just as she coaxed Yosef day after day. (39:10)

ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני

Yehudah recognized and said, “She is right; it is from me.” (38:26)

ותאמר הכר נא למי החתמת והפתילים והמטה האלה

And she said, “Recognize, if you please, whose are this signet, this wrap, and this staff.” (38:25)

וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו

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

ותסר בגדי אלמנותה מעליה... ותשב בפתח עינים

So, she removed her widow’s garb from upon her… and she sat at a crossroads. (38:14)

YEARS

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