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Into The Weekly Parsha

DECEMBER 12, 2015 This week's Insights are dedicated in loving memory of Aliza Freydke Bas Chaim VOLUME 6, ISSUE 10 By her son Bernard Zyscovich. “May her Neshama have an Aliya.” 30 KISLEV Based on the Torah of our Rosh HaYeshiva HaRav Yochanan Zweig PARSHAS MIKEITZ

Behold, there came up from the river seven cows good looking cows and fat; and they fed in the reed grass. (41:2)

Rashi (ad loc) makes an extraordinary satiation; everyone will appreciate comment on this verse; “this (the what they have and it will be enough. seven nice looking cows) represents But this is a difficult standard to the seven years of satiety whereupon achieve. In fact, many people don’t all creations look kindly at one even know if they are satisfied let another, no one begrudging anyone alone happy with what they have. else.” Rashi gives us a stunning life lesson Rashi seems to be changing the very for knowing if you’re happy person. meaning of the Passuk. Instead of The years of abundance weren’t translating “nice looking cows” measured in quantity but rather in literally, Rashi explains that it means perspective. If you want to know if they look kindly at each other. you’re happy, examine your reaction Additionally, it is commonly when you look at other people’s understood that successes. Are you Pharaoh’s dreams Having a lot doesn’t happy for them or are represented that necessarily mean you you a little bitter? there were going to have enough. When your neighbor be seven years of gets a new car and abundance followed by seven years of you need one as well, are you happy famine. Yet Rashi translates the “good for them or do you begrudge them a years” as years of satiety not years of little? If the latter, then you aren’t Celebrating the Past, Present, plenty or abundance. happy or satisfied with your own life. For the most part, being happy has and Future Generations Rashi characterizes the good years as very little to do with how much you years of satiety for a simple reason; have, it has to do with how you feel having an abundance doesn’t mean Please join us in honoring about yourself. The path to becoming that one is happy or even satisfied. In a happy person is found totally within other words, abundance and famine The Gammerman Family oneself. This is the deeper meaning to aren’t really antonyms; as having a lot the Mishna in Pirkei Avos, “Who is a Rabbi Yisroel Hill doesn’t necessarily mean you have rich man? He that is joyful with his enough. The Torah is promising that lot.” Personal satisfaction leads to joy Mr. & Mrs. Craig Edelstein the seven years will be years of and ultimately to a lasting happiness.

Tuesday, January 19th 2016 - 6:30 Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus New distribution areas: Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, 20350 NE 26th Ave. NMB, FL 33180 Chile, and France To become a distributor email: [email protected] Couvert:  $180 Per Person Looking for more inspiration? Join one of Rabbi Zweig’s live broadcast classes.  $4000 Corporate Table The Splendor of Shabbos: Wednesdays 10:00 am – 11:00 am To place a reservation or an ad please visit: Parshas HaShavua : Thursdays 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm talmudicu.edu/dinner Business Professional (Parsha): Fridays 6:40 am – 7:40 am RabbiZweig.com One of the more unique aspects of “killed”, “destroyed” etc. for the word Chanukah has to do with a very “beat”. This kind of attitude defines unusual Halacha: Maimonides (Hilchos measuring one’s achievements by not Chanukah 3:4) says that a person who only what you have accomplished but 1. The original war between the lights candles on the first night of also in the demoralization of your Chashmonaim and the Seleucid Greeks Chanukah makes three blessings opponent. Of course this is unfair as lasted three years before the Maccabees (….Lehadlik Ner, She’aso Nissim and a everyone was created with different recaptured Yerushalayim and purified Shehechayanu). Incredibly, one who strengths and weaknesses. Judaism the Beis Hamikdash. In all, it took more than another two decades for the hasn’t yet made the blessings can doesn’t believe in judging oneself in Maccabees to force the Seleucids to recite the second two blessings upon comparison to others. The only retreat from Eretz Yisroel. seeing another person lighting their competition is against yourself. own candles. In other words, you 2. Chanukah wasn’t the only significant Unfortunately, American society has make a blessing on another person’s event that happened on the 25th of adopted this Greek philosophy and it act of fulfilling the Mitzvah. This isn’t Kislev: All the work for the Mishkan was shows in many levels of our culture, found anywhere else! What is it about finished on the 25th of Kislev (but wasn’t from sports to business to even what Chanukah that creates this inaugurated until the first of Nissan). college one wants their child to attend opportunity? (“My son is in Harvard!”). The hardest 3. The foundation laying of the second Beis The holiday of Chanukah, as we know, part is when one loses in any of those Hamikdash was on the 24th of Kislev and celebrates the victory over the Greeks “arenas” - coming to terms with the celebration began that evening (the who tried to eradicate the study of another person’s success means that 25th of Kislev). Torah and its values. One of the by comparison you’re a failure. 4. The 25th word in the Torah is Or (light). greatest differences between Greek However, Judaism celebrates personal culture and Judaism is how we view 5. The 25th place that the Jewish people achievement as measured by one’s our relationships with others. This is camped while journeying through the own innate capabilities. By extension, it very clearly highlighted by the Greek desert was called Chashmonah. means we can celebrate other people’s view on competition. In fact, the lasting successes as it doesn’t come at our 6. Maimonides (Hilchos Chanukah 4:12) legacy that Greek culture has left the expense; we can be genuinely happy says, “The mitzvah of lighting Chanukah world is the Olympics and athletic for others. candles is extremely beloved…Even if one competitions. That is, the Greeks is getting his food as a charity, he must defined themselves by how they That is why on Chanukah, when we are borrow or sell his clothes in order to achieved in comparison to others. The celebrating the triumph of Judaism acquire oil and wicks to fulfill his jargon of competition is so ubiquitous over Greek culture, we make a point to obligation.” that we hardly notice how violent the make a blessing when we see others descriptions are. This team “beat” the fulfilling the Mitzvah of lighting 7. Chanukah is known as the festival of other. One can easily substitute (and candles. We are internalizing the lights. Maimonides (ibid 4:14) states that probably has on more than one message that we are happy for another light in a home promotes Shalom and occasion) the words “slaughtered”, person’s achievements. that the entire Torah was given in order to create peace in the world. 8. The vigilantly observed custom to eat fried foods (Sufganiyot, Latkes etc.) to Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him (42:8) commemorate the miracle of the oil, isn’t Rashi (ad loc) explains that the reason that the brothers didn’t recognize him exactly “diet friendly”. The average is because when he left them he had not yet grown a beard, but now he was Sufganiyah (doughnut) packs 400-600 fully bearded. The commentaries ask on Rashi: the Halacha is that a blind calories and one potato Latke has about person is allowed to be with his wife because he recognizes her voice so how 150 calories. Israelis devour some 24 million Sufganiyot during the eight-day is it possible that the brothers didn’t recognize him from his voice? holiday – adding up to 10.8 billion Think you know the answer? Be one of the first 5 correct respondents and win a calories. prize. Go to the Insights page on RabbiZweig.com to enter

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