Selected and Adapted by Dov Karoll

Quote from the Rosh Yeshiva The commentators point out the seemingly misplaced introduction to our parasha. We would expect the words, "These are the generations of Yaakov" to be followed by a list of Yaakov's "generations," i.e. his sons, but this is not the case. Many different explanations have been offered .... The text goes on to describe a drama involving Yosef and Yehuda. As I understand it, Yaakov's toldot are Yosef and Yehuda, and the final chapters of Sefer Bereishit are devoted mainly to the actions, the building of the families, and the children born to these two sons .... -Harav Yaakov Medan For the development of this idea, see: https://www.etzion.org.il/en/these-are-generations-yaakov-yosef-and-yehuda

Parashat Vayeshev The Dreamer Based on a Sicha by Harav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"I

Based on: https://www.etzion.org.il/en/dreamer

"Behold, the dreamer is coming ... " (37:19). Yosef's brothers certainly hated him for the content of his dreams, which included his domination of them, but here we see that they refer to him as "the dreamer" (ba'al chalomot), indicating their scorn for him over the mere fact that he dreams, irrespective of the content of those dreams. Likewise, the verse "They hated him even more, because of his dreams and because of his words" (37:8) would seem to indicate that they resent "his dreams" (the fact that he dreams) along with "his words" (their content). Yosef was a dreamer, and this fact (along with his brothers' response to it) sets in motion a chain of events that profoundly alter the course of his life. Later, we see that his destiny continues to be shaped by dreams: those of the royal butler and the royal baker in Egypt, as well as those of Pharaoh himself. However, whereas at this later stage Yosef to utilizes his dreams to get ahead and treats them pragmatically, at the outset he is very na·i"ve concerning his own dreams. He starts off not only a dreamer but also overly innocent. When he sees some negative behavior among his brothers, he hurries to report to his father (37:2). There is no reason to suspect that Yosef sought to slander his brothers; rather, it seems, he sincerely sought their benefit and wanted them to mend their ways. It did not occur to him that his actions would spoil his relations with his brothers; he acted out of innocence. Later on, he rushes to tell his brothers about his dream. This also displays astonishing na·i"vete, considering that the content of the dream is certain to arouse hatred and jealousy on their part. Yosef, however, apparently fails to grasp that the significance of the dream is that his brothers will be subservient to him. And once his brothers have already responded harshly to his dream and now hate him even more than they did before, he still does not hesitate to tell them about his second dream. It does not seem reasonable to posit that Yosef sought at this stage to rub salt into the wound. A more likely interpretation of his behavior is that he simply did not perceive what was happening around him ; he saw no reason not to share his dream. We may say that Yosef was na·i"ve, absorbed in his own world and detached from reality, while his brothers were practical people with their feet firmly on the ground. While Yosef's behavior seems undesirable, we cannot reject his experience out of hand. The (Berakhot 14a) teaches that anyone who sleeps 7 consecutive nights without any dream is called "evil." A person must not confine himself completely to the present reality and have no dreams at all. This applies not only to individuals, but also on the communal and national level. Zionism is, to a great extent, a dream. It is the dream of throughout 2000 years of exile, and the dream of a group of individuals during the 19th century, who knew how to translate this dream into reality. Today, there is a prevailing sense that this dream has come to an end: part of it has been realized, part has been buried, and there is nothing left to dream about. A Jew must not feel this way. Even if we withdraw from parts of Eretz Yisrael, we may not relinquish our existential connection to the land. We may not forget the vision and the dream of dwelling in the whole of Eretz Yisrael and achieving the full and complete redemption. Our feeling must be as it was in 1948. On the individual level, a yeshiva student must not lose his dream; he must not look only at reality. Every yeshiva student must have dreams - both in his learning and in building his personality and his fear of Heaven. Even if his dreams are farfetched and impossible to attain, there is still great importance in having a dream - so that at least some of it will be achieved. Limiting oneself too closely to reality weakens one's ability to progress and develop. In this sense, we should all strive to be like "the dreamer." [Adapted by Shaul Barth, Translated by Kaeren Fish] ParashatVayeshev Toldot Yaakov By Rav Yair Kahn

Based on : https://www.etzion.org.il/en/parashat-vayeshev-toldot-yaakov 1. I Will Go Down to My Son Yosef to She'ol Yaakov manages to survive various external threats - Lavan, Esav and Shekhem. But instead of a serene and tranquil life, his entire family is shaken to its foundations by a series of dramatic and tragic events. Reuven, the firstborn, lies with Bilha, his father's pilegesh. Yosef is almost killed by his brothers and is instead sold into slavery. Yehuda severs himself from his brothers, bands together with Chira the Adullamite, and marries a Canaanite woman. The state of Yaakov's family seems desperate. Of course, the danger to Yaakov and his family is not only personal. The tradition of Avraham is meant to be continued by Yaakov and his offspring. At this point, the realization of that tradition seems unrealistic. Did Yaakov share this concern? Could it be that all that had been accomplished since Avraham embarked on his historic journey to would come to an end? Could all the prophecies and blessings given to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov simply be erased? In this week's shiur, we will explore this question. Let us take a closer look at Yaakov's reaction upon receiving Yosef's bloodstained cloak, presuming the tragic death of his beloved son. Yaakov is inconsolable saying, "I will go down to my son Yosef in grievance and mourning to she'ol " (37:35). To what does "she'ol" refer? cites a which states that she'ol refers to gehinom. Yaakov feared that he was destined for gehinom because, as the midrash explains, Yaakov had a Divine tradition that only if none of his children were to die before him could he be sure that he would be spared gehinom. What is the meaning behind this Divine sign? Why should Yaakov be punished because of the failure of his children? Consider another episode that befell Yaakov and his family. After the birth of Binyamin and the tragic death of , the relates that "Reuven went and lay with Bil ha, his father's pilegesh, and Yisrael heard." After a rare break in the middle of a verse, the verse continues: "And now the sons of Yaakov are twelve." This continuation is very strange, as this fact was established immediately after the birth of Binyamin. Why, then, does the Torah mention this after the puzzling story of Reuven and Bil ha? The Targum Yerushalmi (Pseudo Yonatan) writes: Yisrael heard and felt terrible and he said, "Maybe one of my children is unfit, just as Yishmael was and Esav was." So ruach ha-kodesh (divine spirit) answered him and said, "Do not worry- all of your children are tzadikim and there is no one unfit among them, and as of the birth of Binyamin there are 12 sons of Yaakov." When we read the Torah, we already know that all the children of Yaakov will continue the mesora community. That knowledge tends to prevent us from appreciating the drama and significance of certain events. Apparently, Yaakov wasn't so sure about it. After the Reuven episode, he had to be reassured. 2 Similarly, we know that only Yaakov was chosen to continue Avraham's mesora. Apparently, Yitzchak was not so sure. It seems that Rivka never informed him of the prophecy that she carried two separate nations in her womb. When Yitzchak finally realized that only Yaakov would continue the mesora and that Esav would be rejected, he was terrified (27:33). Rashi quotes the midrash that Yitzchak saw gehinom open up under him . Again we find "gehinom" as punishment for the failure of offspring. I believe that the phrase "gehinom under him" does not refer to personal punishment. This phrase is a reference to the children that will come after him. It means that not all his children will continue the mesora of Avraham . Esav will follow a different path, one that leads to gehinom. Regarding Yaakov as well, the divine sign did not refer to personal punishment. Rather, if all 12 of Yaakov's sons survived him, they would collectively form Knesset Yisrael and continue Avraham's tradition. On the other hand, if one of his children died in his lifetime, it would be a sign that not all the sons would continue the mesora. The process that filtered out Yishamel and Esav would continue for another generation. The legacy of Avraham would be realized only through some of Yaakov's children.

2. The Significance of Twelve At numerous points throughout Sefer Bereishit, Rashi suggests that it was necessary for Yaakov to have 12 sons (see Rashi 29:21, 29:34). Throughout the story of the sons of Yaakov, the future tribes of Israel, 12 remains a critical number. As a result, when Yaakov assumes that Yosef has been killed, he realizes that he has not completed his mission. Perhaps the divine sign means that if one of his children would die, if those 12 do not all survive, then the nation of Israel must wait another generation to be born. Therefore, Yaakov says, "I will go down to my son Yosef in grievance and mourning to she'ol." However, we are still left to ponder why it is so critical that the nation be comprised of 12 tribes. The Ram ban, on the phrase, "And God had blessed Avraham ba-kol (in all things)" (24:1), cites the midrash which says that he was blessed with the attribute of "kol." While the Ramban says that this midrash is rooted in a deep mystical understanding, he hints as to the meaning of this blessing. His basic conclusion is that it is something complete that contains everything within it. The Ramban asserts that this attribute is related to "Knesset Yisrael," which he refers to as being complete and all-inclusive. Knesset Yisrael must be comprised of every aspect of existence, as a nation, rather than a sect. The latter can be one-dimensional, usually with followers of a charismatic leader who imposes his will forcibly on the entire sect. But a nation, in order to be fully developed, must be multi-dimensional, with the richness of perspectives that allows for diversity of opinions. The idea of Knesset Yisrael is a greater whole, "kelula min ha-kol" (containing all), as the Ram ban says, because it is comprised of many perspectives. The Torah retained the independent identity of various tribes even after from Egypt in order to create a nation of rich, deep harmony, comprised by different elements and various components. The harmonious coexistence of different elements of Israel is expressed in many contexts. For example, Chazal understand the relationship between Yissakhar and Zevulun, hinted at in Deva rim (33:18), as a type of partnership. As Rashi quotes from the midrash: Zevulun and Yissakhar made an agreement. Zevulun would do business and support Yissakhar who would learn Torah. It was a harmonious coexistence based on mutual respect. Each had different, complementary strengths, thereby forming a greater whole. A similar relationship pertains between the "machane Shekhina" and "machane Yisrael." Am Yisrael, as a nation, cannot remove itself from the mundane context of human existence. However, the members of the tribe of Levi, the Kohanim and Levi'im, give meaning and value to that context. By separating themselves from the necessities of day to day life, supported by terumot, ma'asrot, and living in the Mishkan, they are a force of sanctity and purity that affect all of Knesset Yisrael, giving both legitimacy and meaning to a mundane existence. This does not mean that the tribe of Levi is more important than the rest of the nation. Both are needed in order to realize the vision of a holy nation. However, retaining the differences and the diversity of the various segments of Kial Yisrael contains inherent danger as well. One danger is the reversal of roles. What happens when the Kohanim try to usurp the role of Yisrael, and attempt to gain political authority? According to the Ramban, this happened at the time of the Chashmonaim. The Ram ban (Paras hat Vayechi) notes that the Chashmonaim should have withdrawn after defeating the Greeks and relinquished the political authority. By assuming the role of king, usually reserved for the descendants of Yehuda, they invited the tragic events that followed. This danger of reversal of roles, or of one segment usurping the role of another, disturbs the harmonious existence of Kial Yisrael. However, there is another danger that can also destroy the fabric of Knesset Yisrael. In Parashat Vayeshev, which presents Am

3 Yisrael at its infancy, we find an expression of the threat of disunity. Already at the beginning of the parasha, we are told that Yosef would go to his father and speak lashon ha-ra about his brothers. The brothers, on their part, were unable even to speak to Yosef in peace. There was a total breakdown of communication, which led to tragic consequences. Because of that rift, Yosef was almost killed. Yehuda severed his relations with his brothers, leading to the story ofYehuda and . The Torah therefore compares (and contrasts) Yehuda, who goes down from his brothers, with Yosef, who is sent down to Egypt. Yehuda is the leader of the children of , while Yosef is the leader of the children of Rachel. They represent different ways of serving Hashem. When these two brothers join forces, they have endless potential. When they are at odds with each other, it is critically dangerous. In order to prosper as a nation, Kial Yisrael must accept diversity of opinions. But this diversity must be creative and productive, not disjunctive and diseased.

3. The Duda'im Gave Fragrance The friction between Yehuda and Yosef can be traced back to Rachel and Leah. In the strange parasha of the duda'im (the plants that Reuven finds and brings to his mother Leah), Rachel says, "Let me have them" - an innocent request. Leah snaps back, "You already stole my husband, now you want the flowers of my child!" How are we to understand this exchange? The mid rash sharpens the exchange. Leah accuses Rachel: "Is it not enough that you stole my husband, that you seduced him to run after you!" And Rachel answers, "Your husband?! My husband! Thanks to me he became your husband:' This is no discussion, just one sister attacking another. Each one feels that only her position is justified! Leah, because of the conniving of Lavan, was the first to marry Yaakov. Seven days later, Rachel married Yaakov, and Yaakov ignored Leah. Each felt wronged by the other, to the point that Rachel innocently asks for flowers and the response is shocking. However, the verse continues, "Therefore he shall sleep with you tonight:' The lbn Ezra explains that the duda'im were a plant they believed had fertility powers. As such, Rachel was asking Leah not simply for a flower, but to give up her singular connection to Yaakov. Yaakov loved Rachel, but Leah was the mother of his children. By asking for duda'im, she was asking for the opportunity to give birth herself. Ultimately, Leah and Rachel agreed. There began a certain harmonious existence. Each was willing to sacrifice a little bit. They were able to talk to each other and work things out together. The story continues. Leah has a fifth son, declaring: "God gave me my sakhar - my reward - for giving my maidservant to my husband:' She doesn't mention it, but the wordplay clearly refers to the sakhar for the duda'im as well. Leah called her son Yissakhar for giving her maidservant to her husband, but Hashem knew that this was the sakhar - reward - for Leah and Rachel coming to terms. The midrash goes even further: "R. Levi said: What was the greatness of these duda'im, that because of them two shevatim arose - Yissakhar and Zevulun? Yissakhar is engrossed in Torah and Zevulun goes to sea and provides for him:'This is a portrait of a beautiful, harmonious coexistence between two different tribes, with diverse characteristics, who cooperated in order to achieve a common goal. Ultimately, Yosef and his brothers come to terms with one another. Yehuda is willing to sacrifice himself for a son of Rachel - for Binyamin. Regarding Yosef, the brotherly love overcomes the hate. Finally, the two sides come together. When Yehuda approaches Yosef, Yosef is unable to withhold himself. Brotherly love overcomes all the differences. Once again, unity is created. As Sefer Bereishit concludes and the 12 brothers form a unit, the filtering process ends as well. We have outlined the process from the dawn of creation. After the flood, Man is separated from the animal kingdom. In Bavel, national units are formed with Avraham separated as father of the chosen people. Of Avraham's children, only Yitzchak will continue. From Yitzchak, only Yaakov is chosen. Despite the initial tension, Rachel and Leah cooperate. Despite the meltdown that occurred between Yaakov 's children, in the end they return to form a unit. At this point, the stage for the establishment of the nation of Israel is set and Sefer Bereishit can end.

The Structure and Meaning of the Daily Prayer

Shiur #09: Kaddish and Barkhu By Rav Ezra Bick

Based on: https://www.etzion.org.il/en/shiur-09-kaddish-and-barkhu

4 The subject of last week's discussion, Pesukei De-Zimra, is framed by two blessings, Barukh She-Amar at the beginning and Yishtabach at the conclusion. The next unit is Shema with its blessings. The Rambam records the order of the prayers at this point as follows: It is already the custom to read verses before them [the chapters from ] and after them, and they enacted a blessing before the hymns, which is Barukh She-Amar, and a blessing after them, which is Yishtabach, and afterwards he recites the blessing on Keriat Shema and recites Keriat Shema. In reality, however, there are two short elements between Yishtabach and the blessings of Keriat Shema. First, the chazzan recites the Kaddish, which is then followed by the call of"Barkhu:' Our task in this shiur is to understand these two recitations.

Both Kaddish and Barkhu belong to the halakhic category of she-bi-kedusha (matters of holiness), of which the most notable feature is the rule that they can only be recited in a minyan. It is difficult to determine the common theme of the members of this group. It might be expected that they all deal with the sanctity of God, which is surely true of the third example, the prayer we call Kedusha. However, while the Kaddish mentions the sanctity of God, although not in a prominent way, Barkhu has no mention of it at all. It consists only of a call to "bless God," as well as a response, "Blessed is God the blessed for all eternity:' In fact, the central line of the Kaddish is also basically a call to bless God - "Yehei shmei rabba mevorakh le-olam u-le-olmei olmaya" - "May the great name of God be blessed forever and for all eternity:' In R. Soloveitchik's shiur about Pesukei De-Zimra that we discussed last week, he also addressed the role of Kaddish and Barkhu before Keriat Shema. The Rav explained that this is the beginning a section of prayer with a public component. Although one can - and is obligated to - recite the Shema and the Shemoneh Esrei in private, there is an added aspect of reciting them in public, be-tzibbur. This is perhaps more obvious regarding the Shemoneh Esrei, where the concept of tefila be-tzibbur is familiar, but it is also true concerning Shema. The mishna in Megilla (23b) lists among those things which require a minyan, "porsin al shema:' (The exact meaning of this term is debated, but for our purposes we will note that it indicates a public component to the recitation of the shema). How is the tzibbur created? The Rav assumes that tefila be-tzibbur is not merely praying together with 9 other people but is the prayer of an organic unit called the tzibbur. The individual is submerged and the community is praying. What turns 10 disparate individuals into a tzibbur, molding them into a unified body greater than the sum of its parts? The Rav explained that the davar she-be-kedusha recited at the beginning accomplishes this, because unlike the Shema or the Shemoneh Esrei themselves, it cannot be recited without a tzibbur, for "one cannot have a davar she-be-kedusha with less than 1o:'The necessity of minyan for the Kaddish forges the minyan when the Kaddish is recited. By reciting a prayer that can only be recited by the organic unit of tzibbur, a tzibbur comes into reality. This may appear to be a circular argument, but it is actually an example of a great principle of life (and mussar) - necessity is often the father of reality. The challenge of the moment is the catalyst for the realization of potential. I leave it to the reader to contemplate the depths and promise of this idea. This still leaves unanswered why there are 2 instances of davar she-be-kedusha at this point in the prayer: Kaddish and then Barkhu. If the only purpose is to create the unity of tzibbur, one should suffice. The Rav answered that one (Barkhu) is directed to creating the tzibbur for Keriat Shema, while the other (the Kaddish) is meant to create the tzibbur for tefilla, the Shemoneh Esrei. Logically, then, the Kaddish should have been recited right before Shemoneh Esrei, after the Shema. Indeed, this is done at Ma'ariv, with Barkhu is recited at the beginning and Kaddish recited before Shemoneh Esrei. However, during Shacharit, there is a separate requirement to link the final blessing after the Shema ("geula") with the Shemoneh Esrei, prohibiting any interruption at that point. (We will address this requirement in a few weeks). Therefore, the Kaddish is promoted to its position before Barkhu. In reality, however, it is not introducing the section of the Shema, but rather the Shemoneh Esrei. This implies that the tzibbur of Shema and the tzibbur of Shemoneh Esrei are not the same; each one requires the forming of a tzibbur independently. Once again, I leave it to each of you to develop the full implications of this distinction. To return to the question left unanswered before, what is the thematic content of the category of davar she-be-kedusha? I addressed this question in the VBM series on "The Meaning of the Shemoneh Esrei" (which will ;,"ni:::i appear here in the summer -ed.). I will here briefly summarize the conclusion I reached then. A davar she-be-kedusha does not declare the sanctity of God, but rather increases it. It is an act of sanctification. This is accomplished by the principle of"ein melekh belo am" - there is no king without a people. God's presence in the world is dependent on people accepting Him, sanctifying His name, providing a seat for the glory of His kingdom. The opening line of the Kaddish expresses this well - "May His

5 great name be magnified and sanctified in the world He has created." The basis for the kingship of God in the world is a people who glorify His name. The Jewish People bear God's name, and by glorifying that name, they increase and magnify the sanctity of God's name in the world. Hence, the simple statement, "Blessed Is God the blessed for all eternity" can serve as a davar she-be-kedusha if it is recited by a tzibbur as a public declaration of glorification, as it publicizes and hence magnifies God's name in the world. This provides the key to understanding the distinctive quality of tefila be-tzibbur. What makes public prayer special? The Rambam (Hil. Tefilla 8:1) states that "the prayer of the tzibbur is always heard [accepted]." One can explain this as being a matter of covenant - simply that God has made a covenant with the Jewish People to be their God and therefore has obligated Himself to listen to them in a manner that does not apply to the individual. Another explanation can be based on a theory of the Ran (Derashot 1), who suggests that the tzibbur gains from the complementary strengths and merits of the individuals, helping overcome deficiencies. Every individual has a mixed record and bears responsibility for his faults, whereas the tzibbur is the blend of the qualities of all its parts. The deficiency of one person is covered by the strength of another. (This theory makes clear that we view the tzibbur corporately and not only a sum; otherwise, just as the strengths add up, so would the deficiencies. Only by viewing the tzibbur as a unit, can we claim that the whole benefits from the combined strengths of each component, compensating for the individual deficiencies). I am suggesting a further step. The tzibbur is not merely the sum of its parts, even in a corporate sense. The tzibbur has a different type of relationship with God than does the individual, even from the righteous individual. The individual is at best a servant of God, one who does His bidding and fulfills His will. The tzibbur - specifically, the tzibbur that recites a davar she-be-kedusha - is the "chariot of the King," the bearer of God's presence in the world, the cause of God's kingship. The voice of the tzibbur is part of the kingship of God and speaks to God internally, as it were, and not as a message coming from below. Israel, as a people, is God's majesty. By forming a tzibbur through joining together to recite davar she-be-kedusha, as the Rav explained, the individuals radically transform their relationship with God from that of supplicant subjects to the upholders of God's majesty in the world. This perspective changes both Keriat Shema and Shemoneh Esrei, although in different ways. Keriat Shema is a declaration of loyalty, a pledge of allegiance, so to speak. If an individual recites it, it reaffirms his obligation (kabbalat ol malkhut shamayim). If a tzibbur recites it, specifically a tzibbur engaged in building and increasing the immanent majesty of God, it is an act of establishing that majesty. It makes God king, for it is the declaration of His kingship over that tzibbur. For Shemoneh Esrei, the presentation of our needs before God, recitation by the tzibbur changes it from supplication of a poor man begging for benevolence to something more akin to a cabinet meeting of the kingdom, discussing its needs. The king meets with his people to discover the needs of the kingdom. The needs of the people are the needs of the kingdom, and are, therefore, the needs of the king. This justifies the statement of the Rambam, "The prayer of the tzibbur is always accepted." As can be seen from the gemara that is presumably the basis for the Rambam 's statement (see Berakhot 8a), praying in public, be-tzibbur, is the "redemption" of God. The tzibbur not only addresses God, but is constituent in God's majesty, rescuing it from the servitude expressed by the nations of the world, who are idolaters. The gemara there does not even state that God hears the prayer; apparently, it is obvious, for if the prayers are themselves the redemption of God, then of course they are heard by Him. This explains not only why there are two devarim she-be-kedusha, one for Shema and one for Shemoneh Esrei, but it may also explain the difference between them . Barkhu is general, expressing that God is great and blessed by us. That is appropriate and sufficient for the Shem a, the declaration of God's kingship. The Kaddish makes more explicit the idea that we are increasing the name of God - yitgadal ve-yitkadesh shmei. In other words, the Kaddish addresses a situation in which we perceive a deficiency - not in God, of course, but in His majesty in the world. This is even more explicit in the explanation of the Machzor Vitry for the heart of the Kaddish - the "yehei shmei rabba mevorakh." The Machzor Vitry (see Tosafot, Berakhot 3a, s.v. ve'onin) explains: We are praying that His name be completed, as is written, "For the hand is on the throne ["kes," an incomplete form of the word "kisei"] of K-ah [an incomplete form of the full name of God], for neither His name nor His throne are complete until the seed of Amalek is obliterated ... and we are praying that His name be great and complete. The tzibbur that recites the Kaddish is engaged in correcting deficiency, in completing the kingdom of God. The Shemoneh Esrei is where we are presenting our own deficiencies and asking God to complete them. Taken together, we are, as I stated above, presenting before the King the deficiencies of His kingdom. Hence, Barkhu is recited before Shema and Kaddish before Shemoneh Esrei. In doing so, we transform ourselves into the bearers of God's name in the world, and in so doing, transform our prayer as well. To subscribe, or for comments, questions or sponsorship opportunities, please write us at: [email protected]

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