Peninim on the Torah

ועתה לא אתם שלחתם אותי הנה כי האלקים

And now: it was not you who sent me here, but G-d. (45:8)

Veritably, on the surface, to the unlearned reader, it appears that the brothers catalyzed Yosef’s descent into Egypt. Yosef underscores the fallacy of such a viewpoint. Hashem pulls the strings; He manipulates events from behind the scene. We think that we are in charge, but we must be aware that we are not. We might make decisions, but Hashem’s Will stands and is always executed. Hashem wanted the Jewish People to go down to Egypt as part of His Divine Plan. Thus, he manipulated events in such a manner that Yosef was the first to go down, with Yaakov Avinu…

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ועתה אל תעצבו ואל יחר בעיניכם כי מכרתם אתי הנה כי למחיה שלחני אלקים לפניכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayigash

And now, be not distressed, nor reproach yourselves for having sold me here, for it was to be a provider that G-d sent me ahead of you. (45:5)

Does the realization that it was all part of Hashem’s plan mitigate the evil that one has wrought against another person? Is it so simple to overlook, to forgive the evil, the hurt, the pain and misery that had been a constant accomplishment for years, just because one is aware that the perpetrator is G-d’s agent? For most of us: probably not. For Yosef: the above pasuk states that he told them, “Do not lose sleep over what you had done; you were G-d’s agents.” Maavir al midosav, “Passing over one’s faults,” disregarding the bad middos, character traits, of those…

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ולא יכל יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים עליו ויקרא הוציאו כל איש מעלי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayigash

Now Yosef could not restrain himself in the presence of all who stood before him, so he called out, “Remove everyone from before me!” (45:1)

Yosef was taking an enormous chance with his life. He was one person – not characteristically physically strong. Standing opposite him were his ten brothers, each of whose individual strength was without peer. Indeed, if any one of them would have lifted a finger against Yosef – he would have been smitten. All ten together could easily have taken down Egypt. Yet, Yosef sought no protection, asking that no one remain in the room with him at this moment of truth, the moment in which he would reveal himself to his brothers. In his Tiferes Yehonasan, Horav Yehonasan Eibeshutz, zl,…

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ולא יכל יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים עליו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayigash

Now Yosef could not restrain himself in the presence of all who stood before him. (45:1)

Yosef was ready to reveal himself, to share his identity with his brothers, but he could not bear to do so in the presence of so many bystanders. He was concerned for his brothers’ dignity, lest he shame them in public. Veritably, there was nothing holding him back from revealing himself – or was there? Furthermore, following his revelation, the Torah writes that he fell on Binyamin’s neck. Rashi explains that, in this expression of emotion, Yosef wept over the destruction of the two Batei Mikdash which would be destroyed in Binyamin’s portion of Eretz Yisrael. Why was mourning over…

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עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה... ולא ידע יעקב כי רחל גנבתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live… Now Yaakov did not know that Rachel had stolen them. (31:32)

Yaakov Avinu uttered the curse, because he suspected that one of the pagan servants had stolen the teraphim. Had he known that it was Rachel Imeinu who had taken them, he certainly would not have pronounced the curse. Sadly, the curse took effect, catalyzing (in some way) Rachel’s untimely death. Every word that exits our mouth must be carefully weighed. One never knows… We find this occurring a number of times in Tanach. One notable instance occurred when the brothers returned from Egypt and related to their father, Yaakov Avinu, the troubles that the Egyptian viceroy had caused them. Imagine,…

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הבה לי בנים ואם אין מתה אנכי... ויחר אף יעקב ברחל ויאמר התחת אלקים אנכי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

“Give me children – otherwise I am dead.” Yaakov’s anger flared up at Rachel, and he said, “Am I instead of G-d?” (30:1,2)

Ramban says that, undoubtedly, Yaakov Avinu prayed for Rachel Imeinu. He admonished her for wrongly implying that a tzaddik, righteous person, has the power to “coerce” Hashem to respond to his wish. Thus, when Rachel saw that relying on Yaakov’s prayer was not an option, she prayed herself to the One Who listens and responds – Hashem. The Avnei Nezer of Sochatchov was a brilliant Gaon who hardly ever left his home. He was constantly involved in Torah – either studying or teaching. One day he announced to his students that he was attending the Bris of the son of…

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ויאהב גם את רחל מלאה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

He loved Rachel even more than Leah. (29:30)

Obviously, the interpretation of this pasuk contains more than meets the eye. This is not a romantic tale. This pasuk is laden with profound meaning. First and foremost, when the Torah writes that Yaakov Avinu’s love for Rachel Imeinu was greater than the love he had for Leah Imeinu, it certainly is not referring to an emotional attraction. I came across an interpretation by Horav Moshe Leib Sassover, zl, which I find especially meaningful. He quotes the well-known and often-used pasuk, Tachas asher lo avadita es Hashem Elokecha b’simchah u’b’tuv lev, “Because you did not serve Hashem, your G-d, amid…

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ויירא ויאמר מה נורא המקום הזה אין זה כי אם בית אלקים וזה שער השמים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

And he became frightened and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the Abode of G-d, and this is the gate of the Heaven!” (28:17)

It was the 28th day of Sivan 1930; the crowd gathered to partake in the chanukas ha’bayis, dedication, of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin. While it was not the first yeshivah in Poland, it was the most innovative. This was truly an auspicious occasion. The Gerrer Rebbe, zl, the Imrei Emes, was given the honor of addressing the assemblage. He quoted the above pasuk, asking why a redundancy of the word zeh, this, occurs: zeh Bais Elokim v’zeh Shaar ha’Shomayim; “This is the Abode of G-d; this is the gate of the Heavens.” He cited the Baal Shem Tov, zl, who explained…

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ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. (28:11)

Rashi explains that this “place” was none other than Har HaMoriah, the site where Avraham Avinu had bound Yitzchak Avinu on the Altar of the Akeidah. This was also the future site of the Bais Hamikdash. Chazal interpret this “encounter” to mean “he prayed.” Yaakov Avinu’s encounter was not with a geographical location, but rather, with Hashem. Why did the pasuk not simply state that he prayed? What is the significance of the word, encounter, and what is its relationship to prayer? Various terms express tefillah, prayer; pegia, encountering, is one. I think that pegia refers to a prayer in…

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

And Yaakov went out from Be’er Sheva and went to Charan. (28:10)

In a well-known statement, Rashi teaches that the departure of a tzaddik from a community leaves a void. When the righteous person is in town, he comprises its glory, beauty and glow. When he leaves, its glory, beauty and glow leave with him. This is derived from the word, Vayeitzei (Yaakov), and “he (Yaakov) went out (from Be’er Sheva).” It is not necessary to write his point of departure. That is obvious, since he had been there until this point. All that is required for the reader to know is his destination – unless his departure creates a void. The…

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ועתה לא אתם שלחתם אותי הנה כי האלקים

And now: it was not you who sent me here, but G-d. (45:8)

ועתה אל תעצבו ואל יחר בעיניכם כי מכרתם אתי הנה כי למחיה שלחני אלקים לפניכם

And now, be not distressed, nor reproach yourselves for having sold me here, for it was to be a provider that G-d sent me ahead of you. (45:5)

ולא יכל יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים עליו ויקרא הוציאו כל איש מעלי

Now Yosef could not restrain himself in the presence of all who stood before him, so he called out, “Remove everyone from before me!” (45:1)

ולא יכל יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים עליו

Now Yosef could not restrain himself in the presence of all who stood before him. (45:1)

עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה... ולא ידע יעקב כי רחל גנבתם

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live… Now Yaakov did not know that Rachel had stolen them. (31:32)

הבה לי בנים ואם אין מתה אנכי... ויחר אף יעקב ברחל ויאמר התחת אלקים אנכי

“Give me children – otherwise I am dead.” Yaakov’s anger flared up at Rachel, and he said, “Am I instead of G-d?” (30:1,2)

ויאהב גם את רחל מלאה

He loved Rachel even more than Leah. (29:30)

ויירא ויאמר מה נורא המקום הזה אין זה כי אם בית אלקים וזה שער השמים

And he became frightened and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the Abode of G-d, and this is the gate of the Heaven!” (28:17)

ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש

He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. (28:11)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

And Yaakov went out from Be’er Sheva and went to Charan. (28:10)

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