YNA Newsletter 1 of 12

In This Issue Parshat Miketz Letter from A Departing Chanukah Talmid Remembering HaRav Aryeh Bina zt"l Part III

HaRav Nebenzahl on Parshat Miketz

Staff Dvar Torah By Rav Benish Ginsburg ~ PLUS 18 more!

Netiv HaChinuch - For Parents and Teachers ALUMNI CHUG IN NY WITH RAV YOEL Petuchei Chotam on Parshat Miketz

Picture Gallery, Dedications, Visitor Log, Mazal T ov' s, T ehilim List, NEW PICTURE GALLERY

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Links There will be an alumni chug next week on Tuesday, Dec 27 (Zot Chanukah) at 8:30 Rabbanit Malke Bina´s PM with Rav Yoel Rackovsky at the home of Tzvi (5763-64) and Gali Goodman, Parsha Glimpse 630 W 246th St Apt 831, Riverdale, NY. Please spread the word.

Rav Yoel will be in the NY area from Sunday night until Wednesday night. He can be reached there at 718-404-8219. ~~~~~~

CHANUKAH AT THE KOTEL

HaRav Bina has once again been invited to light the menorah by the Kotel on Friday,

27 Kislev (Dec 23rd). The Western Wall Heritage Foundation will be live-streaming the lighting and singing at 3:30 PM IST (8:30 AM EST) on the Kotel website here.

CHANUKAH IN THE YNA Newsletter 2 of 12

(Click to view last years Chanukah video)

~~~~~

CHANUKAH SPIRIT Click below to see a YouTube Video of Maoz Tzur made by three of our alumni - Rob Shur (5757-58), Rabbi Mark Mays (5757-65, YNA British Programme Coordinator) and Rabbi Ephraim (Ephy) Greene (5755).

~~~~~ SCHEDULE

The will have Chanukah vacation Sunday-Tuesday

SHABBAT CHANUKAH "IN" SHABBAT

3:30 PM Menorah Lighting at Kotel 4:00 PM Mincha at the Kotel followed by Kabbalat Shabbat on the Porch

6:00 AM Vatikin at the Yeshiva 3:00 PM Mincha at Porat Yosef

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Letter from A Departing Talmid

Dearest Rabbeim,

It's been a long time since I've choked back tears. YNA Newsletter 3 of 12

As you know this week I departed from Yeshiva after 3.5 years of study. I can only use the posuk Ach Tov VChessed Yirdifuni to describe my experience in Yeshiva.Through the Dapim of and Halacha which you have taught me I feel I have attained an understanding of my role in this world as an Eved Hashem, and how to fight the constant struggle for self-improvement.

I also take note of the unique tolerance for my eccentricity, and the second, third and fifteenth chances that I was given when I was caught in violation of the Yeshivas policies.

As I continue on in my education I now have a framework for my life. I have goals which better align with the Torahs views of the way a Jew should live. I wish you success in educating many more Talmidim successfully. As you know my absence in Eretz Yisrael is very temporary. I eagerly await our reunification. We should merit to see the coming of Moshiach and the building of the Beit Hamikdash in Zechut of all the good you have done for generations of students.

Please pass this letter on to Rav Bina as well. Mordechai

Rav Aryeh Bina zt"l

The following is a translation from an Israeli newspaper of an article about HaRav Aryeh Bina z"tl published during the week of his yahrzeit.

Part III- AND MAINTENANCE MAN

The one picture hanging on the wall of HaRav Bina's office was that of HaRav Yerucham Levovitz, the Mashgiach of Mir who had the most influence on him. Stories abound regarding how ethical HaRav Bina was, how well-balanced he was. His standard of ethics extended even to the finest of details. HaRav Re"em HaKohen relates that he was once learning in the Beit Midrash on the afternoon of Erev Rosh Hashana. HaRav Bina entered and collected the papers in the Beit Midrash. He then took his special Rosh Yeshiva chair and moved it to the Ezrat for the Rabbanit to sit on during the Yom Tov.

In his biography - MiMir Netiv Meir, the story is told of a student who poured garbage over the head of one of the Rabbanim, while another poured garbage over a cleaning woman. HaRav Bina elected to expel only the one who threw garbage over the cleaning woman. The Rav in question approached HaRav Bina asking: "what about kavod haTorah?" Rav Bina responded: "you were a talmid chacham before and will remain a talmid chacham, the cleaning lady on the other hand feels downgraded because of her work. The little self-respect she possessed has been taken away and we cannot remain silent. HaRav Re"em HaKohen recalls that immediately prior to the sounding of the Shofar he noted that the radiator in the women's section was blowing out hot air. He went up and closed the vent. "Who even worries about such things at the time of shofar blowing?" wondered HaRav Re-em HaKohen.

It was not beneath the Rosh Yeshiva's dignity, especially in the early years when the Yeshiva was not yet on solid ground, to assist in the maintenance of the Yeshiva. There was once a blockage in one of the pipes. After the students had entered the classroom, the Rosh Yeshiva went out to release the blockage using a makeshift tool. On one occasion he tried to explain to the Arab worker that the sidewalk corner was not laid properly and as a result water may enter the building. At a certain point the Rosh Yeshiva elected to fix the problem himself while still clad in his Rabbinic garb.

HaRav Bina was a man of such integrity that no one received any preferential treatment. One of his students related years later that his father and Rav Bina were good friends from their days in Mir. However, when the young man was suspected of cheating, HaRav Bina did not hesitate to send him home demanding that he return together with his father. Another student, the son of a well-known public figure, attended a Bnei Akiva activity without permission - he too was sent home. Suspending a child would at times have serious effects on the budget - if it involved the son of a public figure who had the power to rescind monies allocated for the Yeshiva. This had no effect on HaRav Bina's decision.

HaRav Bina boasted that his mussar sichot were better than those delivered by the famed Mashgiach HaRav Yerucham Levovitz. Why? For the simple reason that HaRav Bina would carefully study HaRav Yerucham's sichot, choose the most appropriate among them, and add to them. His sichot mussar often included sharp words of rebuke, yet he always waited until the customary time for the sicha - Motzaei Shabbat - before speaking his often sharp YNA Newsletter 4 of 12

words.

HaRav Meir Tauber relates that Rav Bina viewed his Yeshiva as a mussar Yeshiva placing great demands. He wanted his Yeshiva to be an outgrowth of the where they educate to greatness in Torah - just as in Mir there was totality in learning and mussar.

His relationship with his students was one of love on the one hand and toughness on the other. HaRav Re"em speaks in the same breath about Rav Bina's love for his students on the one hand, and their trembling at the sight of him on the other. HaRav Stefansky relates that when the students would hear that HaRav Bina left his house en route to the Yeshiva, still a few hundred meters away, the atmosphere would immediately change. HaRav Mordechai Sternberg, who learned in HaRav Bina's (Rav Bina was a Ra"m in addition to being RoshYeshiva) relates HaRav Bina was not close and informal with his students, yet at the same time was not distant - he remained easygoing and unassuming. HaRav Chaim Sabato describes the discipline of the Mussar Yeshivot of Europe to which the Rosh Yeshiva always remained strongly connected along with the love he showed for his students, at times showing signs of youthful mischief.

He was a man of great stature yet shared a common language with his students. HaRav Grossberg relates that one evening he arrived in the Yeshiva and found it empty - they all decided to hold a kumzitz at Mount Herzl. HaRav Grossberg decided to rebuke them for having left Yeshiva. Upon arriving at Mount Herzl he began speaking at which point the students all burst out laughing for a very simple reason, the Rosh Yeshiva was seated among them. HaRav Bina maintained good relations with his Rabbanim. HaRav Grossberg relates that HaRav Bina did not act as a ruler and in general gave the Ram"im a free hand. He would never insist that they accept his view, yet due to his stature the Ra"amim and students generally conceded to his opinions.

HaRav Grossberg relates that HaRav Bina's multi-faceted approach was beneficial for the students. He would never pressure any student to attend or particular Yeshiva, or for that matter attend Yeshiva at all. He may have identified with the Religious Zionist movement (he was often seen at the Yom Ha'Atzmaut parade wearing his Lithuanian-style kippa), yet he would never stand in the way of anyone wishing to attend a Haredi Yeshiva. HaRav Sternberg, for example, spent time learning in the Knesset Chizkiyahu Yeshiva in Kfar Chassidim before moving on to Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav. He said that HaRav Bina never steered him towards a Haredi Yeshiva while at the same time did not prevent him from studying in one.

HaRav Bina was an independent thinker on the one hand, yet educated his students to respect talmidei chachamim from all streams. HaRav Sabato pointed out that he would often speak with great reverence about the gedolei hador of his time. He would devote much time to telling his students stories of gedolim, many with whom he had a personal relationship. He viewed Netiv Meir as a link in the continued chain of tradition in the way HaRav Zvi Yehuda Kook viewed Mercaz HaRav as a continuation of the Volozhin Yeshiva.

HaRav Sabato says: "HaRav Bina tried to instill in us that we are a direct link in tradition of the Lithuanian Yeshivot. I will never forget, recalls HaRav Sabato, my first year in in Maale Adumim we elected to learn Massechet Rosh Hashana b'iyun during the month of Elul (not one of the standard Massechtot studied in Yeshivot). although the Rav supported me in this, he also chastised me saying "in the Yeshivot in Lithuania they learned only six massechtot in iyun and they knew very well what they were doing).

Next Week - A Yeshiva in Goshen

HaRav Nebenzahl on Parshat Miketz

HaRav Nebenzahl asks that his Divrei Torah are not read during Tefillah or the Rabbi's sermon.

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"BLINDED BY BIAS" YNA Newsletter 5 of 12

FOOLISHNESS

The Gemara relates: "R' Yochanan encountered the young son of Reish Lakish as he was sitting and reciting the verse: 'ivelet adam tesalef darko ve-al Hashem yizaf libo' 'the foolishness of a man perverts his way but his heart frets against Hashem' (Mishle 19:3). R' Yochanan sat and pondered: He asked: 'is there anything written in Ketuvim that is not alluded to in the Torah?' The boy said to R' Yochanan: 'is this verse not alluded to in the Torah? Is it not written 'and their hearts sank and they were afraid, saying to one another, what is it that Hashem has done to us?'" (Taanit 9a). The brothers acted wrongly against Yoseph and they now wondered what it was that Hashem had brought upon them.

I once heard from my father-in-law zt"l that the "foolishness" refers to the fact that they did not check their sacks. Upon leaving Egypt they should have checked to see if the Egyptians really had put grain in their sacks. Perhaps they had placed rocks in there instead, or maybe not rocks, for that would be too heavy for the donkey, they might have filled them with something else such as feathers, instead of grain. Had they checked prior to leaving Egypt they would have found the money. This is the foolishness alluded to in the pasuk.

STRANGE BEHAVIOR

I believe that their foolishness extended far beyond that. Did they not wonder about the strange behavior of this viceroy? Not just odd, but strange from beginning to end. It is true that Pharaoh, by changing Yoseph's name to Tzofnat Pane-ach, contributed to their not guessing the viceroy's true identity. Had they arrived in Egypt and heard people talking to "Yusuf" they would have figured out his true identity, instead everyone was talking about "Tzofnat Pane-ach". Yet is it so unusual for someone to change his name, or for that matter have the king change it for him? Could these wise and holy tribes not have entertained this as a possibility? It is hard to believe that they did not realize the true identity of the viceroy simply because he went by a different name. It is true that they left behind a Yoseph who was sold into slavery and here before them was Egypt's second in command, but his behavior was so strange, should it not at least raise eyebrows?

At first the brothers are accused of being spies, for no other reason than the fact that they entered via ten different gates. Assuming there are grounds for his accusation, does it then make sense for him to say "I fear G-d" (Bereishit 42:18) and proceed to free nine of the ten spies and send them home because he was concerned for the welfare of their families? Have you ever heard of a ring of ten accused spies, where nine are sent home because of concern for their families? If this viceroy were really so concerned, why did he not just ask the brothers for their home address, they would tell him their address in Hebron and then some Egyptian slaves would be dispatched with packages of food for the families. Whoever heard of nine spies being released due to concern for their families? (Pollard for instance they do not wish to release!).

Let us assume that they found a way to explain his being G-d fearing it may be that he was from the house of Avraham, whom Rambam says numbered tens of thousands and it is conceivable that one of them eventually became the viceroy of Egypt. Then they discover that the viceroy observes a high standard of Kashrut, with careful adherence to the laws of "shchita" (ritual slaughter) the "gid hanashe", etc. Fine, perhaps there is an explanation for this too. Then they find the money in their sacks. Is it so common for spies to receive gifts for their journey home? The man in charge of Yoseph's house explains the gifts: "Peace with you, fear not. Your G-d and the G-d of your father has put a hidden treasure in your sacks. Your payment had reached me" (Bereishit 42:23). Of course they cannot deny the Divine Providence, but it is quite interesting that the hidden treasure they received was equivalent to the amount of money they entered Egypt with, "our own money in its full amount" (Bereishit 43:21), no more no less.

A DINNER INVITATION

Suddenly, the spies are invited to dine with their accuser. Possibly he wishes to have them undergo a lie detector test. What lie detector does Yoseph have? He has wine with which he is planning to intoxicate them. True this is a valid test, but must they be invited to dine with the viceroy for this? Why does he not simply place them in solitary confinement with no water, so they have no choice but to drink wine? This is how one should treat spies, not invite them for dinner!

The Egyptians were not known for their kindness, a fly in the wine or a stone in the bread were punishable by incarceration or hanging. Suddenly we see them acting with silk gloves towards accused spies. Shimon was given YNA Newsletter 6 of 12

even more of this type of care, for when the spies left for their journey back to their father Shimon was released from jail and given food and drink. Did Shimon not realize that there was something quite unusual happening here?

Why is the viceroy so concerned with the health and well being of the spies' father? Furthermore, is the youngest spy always blessed by his accuser: "G-d be gracious to you, my son" (Bereishit 43:29). Is this also an accepted way to relate to spies? There should be no end to their questions. Then the goblet is found in Binyamin's sack. The brothers may have had reason to believe that Binyamin really did steal it, after all his mother, Rachel, had stolen the idols, yet does it not occur to them that Binyamin's protest that he is not guilty may be correct - after all they found money a second time in their sacks! Should they not have put the two together and said that just as they did not steal the money, Binyamin did not steal the goblet!

There are questions after questions with no end. Eventually after all the accusations, Yoseph suddenly reduces Binyamin's sentence. He tells the brothers that by the letter of the law the sentence should be: "anyone among your servants with whom it is found shall die" (Bereishit 44:9), yet he is going to act "beyond the boundary of judgment" (Brachot 7a) and "the man in whose possession the goblet was found, only he shall be my slave, and as for you - go up in peace to your father" (Bereishit 44:17). Suddenly all the spies are freed and sent home with the exception of the thief!

THE MAGIC GOBLET

In my opinion the greatest difficulty lies in explaining how Yoseph was able to use his goblet to determine the respective ages of the brothers: "The firstborn according to his seniority and the youngest according to his youth" (Bereishit 43:33). Rashi tells us that the goblet was even able to relate what they spoke about in the privacy of their bedroom. Incredible, a magic goblet! What a mind reader! Let us say they thought that this was the influence of gods and spirits, perhaps the goblet contained some power of impurity that knew how to read minds. Did it not dawn on them that the power of the goblet ceased the day Yoseph was sold! The goblet was able to relate details of every event prior to the sale of Yoseph, such as Shimon and Levi wiping out Shechem, this the goblet does know, suddenly, following the sale of Yoseph the goblet's power ceases, and was unable to reveal their private conversations about anything that occurred subsequent to the sale of Yoseph, such as the incident involving Yehuda and Tamar. Are they not curious as to why this is so? The goblet is unable to tell Yoseph how their father is. Why must Yoseph ask if their father is still alive and how he is, why does he not just ask the goblet?

Even if all this does not prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the viceroy is indeed Yoseph, should it not at least be entertained as a remote possibility? We are not dealing with fools here, these were very wise people! How is that they do not solve this puzzle? Granted it does not take any great genius on our part to solve the puzzle because we have all studied the book of Bereishit and have learned the ending that the viceroy indeed was Yoseph. Nevertheless, I ask myself, how is it that wise people such as these could not have figured out the truth?

The reason that the brothers were unable to recognize the Egyptian viceroy as their brother Yoseph even when the facts were staring at them in their faces was because they were certain that Yoseph was indeed a "rodef" and if not killed, he should at least have deserved to have been sold as a slave to Egypt. To assume that this man was Yoseph would mean a denial of everything they believed! They would rather accept any other explanation, or even be left with a question than admit the error in their ways. This is what Chazal meant when they attributed the verse "the foolishness of a man perverts his way" to Yoseph's brothers. Far be it for us to speak this way about the holy tribes, but the explanation uttered by Reish Lakish's young son was accepted by R' Yochanan.

AN INABILITY TO ACCEPT FACTS

The word in the pasuk for "foolishness" is "ivelet" which comes from the word "ulai" - perhaps, perhaps it is anyone other than Yoseph. They were willing to accept any other explanation just not that it is Yoseph. They were so envious of him, their jealousy was so deep-rooted, that they were willing to believe any far fetched answer rather than accept the fact that Yoseph was now Egypt's second in command. To them the dreams were all lies based on Yoseph's visions of power and grandeur "would you then reign over us, would you then dominate us" (Bereishit 37:8). The obvious answer that Yoseph's dreams had come true and they really had bowed down to him was an impossibility in their minds. Yoseph told them that he dreamt: "Behold! we were binding sheaves in the middle of the field, when, behold! - my sheaf arose and also stood; then behold! - your sheaves gathered around and bowed to my sheaf" (Bereishit 37:7). Is it not obvious that this is precisely what happened? This cannot be! Any other explanation is possible, just not this one!

The story is told of a Bible critic who refused to accept that Moshe Rabenu wrote the Torah, he would hear of anyone except Moshe. YNA Newsletter 7 of 12

Finally, pushed against the wall he conceded that maybe it was Moshe "but it must be referring to my cousin named Moshe". On a different note, there was a Jew in Russia who was in need of a passport in order to enter another area. He did not have his own so he decided to borrow his neighbor's. As he was traveling he kept reminding himself "my name is not Abramowitz, it is Rabinowitz; my name is not Abramowitz, it is Rabinowitz". He arrived at the point of entry where the clerk there asked him "who are you", to which he responded: "Not Abramowitz!"

It cannot be Yoseph! How does this man know everything that has gone on in our lives he must be a magiciain! The fact that he is G-d fearing we have an explanation for that as well! We see the effect that envy can have, and this is precisely the foolishness Chazal are referring to. Of course we are not permitted to speak in such a fashion about the holy tribes and we cannot judge them. I am only speaking based on our limited understanding and trying to learn what lessons we can extract from this.

Reuven, the firstborn, does make a connection between the unusual behavior of the viceroy and the sale of Yoseph "Reuven spoke up to them, saying 'did I not speak to you saying: do not sin against the boy but you would not listen and his blood as well Behold! is being avenged'" (Bereishit 42:22), but he only feels that he should have had more mercy, acting "lifnim mishurat hadin" "beyond the boundary of judgment" (Brachot 7a) with Yoseph: "Inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us and we did not listen" (Bereishit 42:21). In their judgment of Yoseph as a "rodef", he felt, they reached a true verdict - even he does not draw the conclusion that they had mistakenly judged Yoseph. He is upset at the anguish they caused Yaakov and perhaps at the anguish they caused Yitzchak as well - as Rashi explains in the pasuk "and his blood as well - behold! is being avenged" (Bereishit 42:22). Rashi teaches that the "as well" comes to include "his blood, and also the blood of the elder" - the "elder" may be referring to Yitzchak. Reuven understood that he should have acted differently, but to carry this thought to the end and conclude that perhaps they had treated Yoseph totally unjustly, this he was unable to do. Rashi even tells us that when they went down to Egypt they were hoping to find Yoseph and have him released from slavery. This too, however, does not contradict anything they may have felt before they were looking for Yoseph the slave, not Yoseph the king.

WISHFUL THINKING

We mentioned above that the word for foolishness, "ivelet", comes from the word "ulai" - perhaps. According to the Gr"a when one uses the term "ulai" to mean perhaps, it does not infer that there is strong probability that his doubt has basis, but it is rather a form of wishful thinking. We see an example of this with Eliezer. When asked by Avraham to bring back a wife for Yitzchak, he says "('ulai') perhaps the woman shall not wish to follow me" (Bereishit 24:5). Eliezer expressed this doubt for he had a daughter of his own, and wished for her to marry Yitzchak, thus his "ulai" was wishful thinking. An "ivelet" (foolish) form of doubt is when one convinces himself that the improbable may be true.

Regarding logic and intellect, we are all striving for the same goal to arrive at the truth. When it comes to wants and desires, however, the verse tells us: "one removes himself to court lust" (Mishle 18:1), a person's desires sets him apart from others. When someone asks me regarding a difficulty in the Gemara, I can explain to him that he misunderstood the Gemara. Should he not accept what I say, I can counter with a proof from Rashi. When he responds that Rashi is also difficult, I can prove my point from R' Akiva Eiger. When he finds that difficult as well, then it becomes clear that he is not looking to understand the Gemara, but he "wants" the Gemara to be understood in this manner and there is nothing I can do to convince him otherwise.

The holy tribes were convinced that their judgment of Yoseph was genuine and not driven by envy or jealousy. We are told that even Hashem accepted the "cherem" they took upon themselves not to reveal anything to Yaakov Avinu, what more proof can there be of their justice?

They refused to concede the fact that they were mistaken from beginning to end. It is very hard for a person to accept the fact that his understanding and assumptions were wrong. The Chashmonaim believed in Hashem, while the Greeks believed in their Avoda Zara, in their elephants. The Greeks may have lost the battle but they were unable to acknowledge that their entire outlook was mistaken. They refused to realize that for Hashem it made no difference whether their army was big or small, or whether or not they sent their elephants all the proofs in the world could not convince them of this.

Bilaam was one of the cleverest people who ever lived. Hashem tells him in no uncertain terms not to curse the Jewish people: "You shall not go up with them, you shall not curse the people" (Bamidbar 22:12). Bilaam however believes that he can get away with it - perhaps Hashem will not understand what he is doing. Hashem sees to it that he blesses Am Yisrael. The next time around, Hashem permits him to go with those wishing to curse the Jewish people with the limitation "but the thing that I shall speak to you, that is what you shall do" (Bamidbar YNA Newsletter 8 of 12

22:20). Bilaam, however believes that he can say what he wants to say and not necessarily what Hashem wants. Hashem then produces a great miracle and the donkey begins to talk. Bilaam's reaction is "so what, the donkey talks, I can also talk!" He refuses to acknowledge that Hashem is the one who is giving the donkey the power to talk. Bilaam is still convinced that he can do as he pleases. His attempted curses are transformed into blessings one time, then a second time, yet he insists on trying to curse Am Yisrael a third time. His intent is to curse the Jewish people and nothing will convince him of the futility of his goal, not even the fact that he was not able to stand up to the donkey's rebuke.

The Torah's warning "for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise" (Devarim 16:19) is not limited to monetary bribes. Preconceived notions and desires and ambitions can also blind a person to what is happening right before his eyes.

The term "ivelet", foolishness appears in another verse in Mishle: "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a youth; the rod of discipline will distance it from him" (Mishle 22:15). At times there is no other way to point out how foolish someone's actions are except to use the stick. However, we are also told: "chastisement frightens an understanding one more than smiting a fool a hundred times" (Mishle 17:10) to a clever person, one sharp word can have a greater effect than physically disciplining him one hundred times.

The pasuk states "If you crush a foolish person in a mortar with softened grain and pound him with a pestle you will not remove his foolishness from him" (Mishle 27:22). Why is "the softened grain", required for this analogy, could the pasuk not have simply said "if you crush a foolish person in a mortar and pound him with a pestle you will not remove his foolishness from him"? One explanation is that pounding a foolish person does serve to remove his foolishness. When, however, another object is pounded at the same time "you will not remove his foolishness from him". The fool will convince himself that he is not the object of the pounding! It is true that I am taking quite a beating, but what do you expect when you stand next to soft grain. The beating is intended for the grain, I just happen to have gotten in the way!

We have to open our eyes and see that we are not as clever as we think we are - that Hashem is leading the world. We must think with our minds not with our desires and ambitions. When the Torah commands us "do not explore after your heart and after your eyes" (Bamidbar 15:39) it does not mean to tell us not to "look" with our eyes, rather not to "explore after our eyes". The eyes see, but they do not issue the final ruling. By the same token, our hearts can desire and feel, but they cannot be the "". When we use our minds we will see the truth Hashem guides the world. We will then realize that it is His will to bless the Jewish people and to accept Yoseph for the tzaddik that he is. The Torah wants us to open our eyes and hearts, but only if we use our minds to decipher what we are seeing. Then we will truly understand that Hashem is the Guiding Hand in this world.

Staff Dvar Torah By Rav Benish Ginsburg

DOWNLOAD ALL 19 OF RAV GINSBURG'S CHANUKAH DIVREI TORAH (zip file)

WHY CHANUKAH FALLS AROUND PARSHIYOT VAYESHEV/MIKETZ

The yom tov of Chanukah always falls out on the calendar near the parshiyos of Vayeshev and Mikeitz, when there are two Shabbasos of Chanukah, the first day of Chanukah is Shabbos Parshas Vayeshev while the eighth day is Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz. Nothing in the halachic world happens by chance, there must be a reason for this phenomenon. What is the connection between these parshiyos and Chanukah? I would like to present two approaches to this question.

This first approach is based on the midrash in the beginning of Parshas Mikeitz. The Torah writes, "Mikeitz shnasayim ya'mim," at the end of two years, and then Paroh had a dream. The midrash says, "keitz sam l'choshech (Iyov 28:3)," that Hashem set aside the amount of time that the world should be in darkness. The midrash continues, "...zman na'san l'Yosef kamah shanim ya'aseh b'afeilah beis ha'assurim." Hashem set aside an amount of time Yosef would be in the darkness in jail, and when the end of that time arrived, then Paroh had a dream. This midrash is teaching us that we have to reorient ourselves about the cause and effect in the story of Yosef in Mitzrayim. When you read the Chumash, it sounds like Yosef is in trouble, Yosef is in jail, then Paroh has a dream, and his dream was the cause which led to Yosef getting out of jail. The cause is Paroh's dream and the effect is Yosef being freed from jail; that is what the Torah sounds like in the simple p'shat. This midrash is teaching us- no, just the opposite. Hashem has a plan for the world. Hashem governs world events, Hashem decided that it was time for Yosef to leave jail. That was the cause. In general, Hashem does not intervene in the world in the manner of neis nigleh. Rather, Hashem governs world events b'derech neis nister, working within the rules of nature. Therefore, Hashem wanted Yosef to leave jail in a way that fits within the rules of nature. Therefore, Paroh has a dream and this dream ultimately starts the process of Yosef leaving jail. But, the dream is not the cause of Yosef leaving jail. The dream is YNA Newsletter 9 of 12

the effect of Hashem's decision that Yosef should leave jail. Yosef getting out of jail is the cause, and the dream is the effect. That is the p'shat of the first midrash in Parshas Mikeitz.

This is of course one of the main themes of Chanukah. Hashem governs world events. Events that appear to be natural are governed by Hashem. Military victories tend to have natural explanations. However, we know that Hashem is the One who provides us with our victories. On Chanukah, Hashem performed the miracle of the pach shemen, of the oil. The meforshim explain that based on the neis nigleh of the oil we are supposed to learn and understand that all of nature and world events are really governed by Hashem. Nature and world events appear to run naturally. But, no! It is all coming from Hashem.

It is for this reason that in the "al hanissim" tefillah we focus on the military victory. We have to thank Hashem for the "natural" events. The neis of the pach shemen teaches us, enlightens us, and shows us that Hashem is running the world. When a Jew experiences a neis nigleh, he has to understand that all of tevah is governed by Hashem (see Ramban end of Parshas Bo).

This is one connection between the parshiyos which describe Yosef's time in Mitzrayim, and Chanukah. Hashem had a plan that Yosef would go down to Mitzrayim, then be in jail and end up as the viceroy of Mitzrayim, and be in a position to help Yaakov and Yosef's brothers when they come down to Mitzrayim. This is all part of Hashem's plan. Events that appear to be "natural" are all governed by Hashem.

When one looks at the ner Chanukah, he should think about the following. Hashem controls nature, Hashem governs world events. I have to thank Hashem and praise Hashem for the beauties of nature, and I have to turn to Hashem and plea to Hashem for help if Am Yisroel is facing difficulties. In the tefillah of modim, we thank Hashem for the daily miracles He performs for us. This refers to the daily, 'natural' miracles. Based on this approach, one goal of Chanukah should be that we say modim with more kavanah. That is p'shat number one.

The second explanation is offered by Rav Mersky shli"ta (Hegyonei Halacha vol. I 207-209). One of the themes of Chanukah is that when Hashem is governing world events, then the weak can defeat the strong and the few can defeat the many. We say in al hanissim, "giborim b'yad chalashim, v'rabim b'yad me'atim." This idea is also one of the major themes in these parshiyos. Number one, in the dreams of Yosef which was a form of nevuah about the future - eleven bow down to one. A second example, in Paroh's dream, which was also a form of nevuah for the future, we find seven strong cows are consumed by seven weak cows. This is "giborim b'yad chalashim." A third example, Reuven stands up to his brothers. The brothers were originally plotting to kill Yosef, and Reuven says no, do not kill him. This courageous act of Reuven ultimately saves Yosef from death. Finally, and this is the most powerful example, Yosef is the only person in Mitzrayim who believes in Hashem. Yet, he talks about Hashem all the time. He does this in the presence of Paroh. Paroh calls Yosef and says, "I heard that you can decipher dreams," and Yosef responds, "No, Hashem is the One Who deciphers the dreams (Bereishis 41:15-16)." Four different times as Yosef is talking to Paroh he mentions Hashem's name. This is striking. The entire country, including the leadership, including the king himself, does not believe in Hashem. Yosef, alone, not only believes in Hashem but he talks about Hashem and emphasizes Hashem's role in world events. This is a classic example of "rabim b'yad me'atim." This is a theme of Chanukah and this is a theme of these parshiyos.

The message for us is as follows. When a person knows that he is on the side of truth then he can succeed in his struggles even if it is one against the many. If you know you are right, then you stick to your opinion. We, Torah Jews, know that the emes is on our side. We should go through life with that confidence that we are on the side of emes. And therefore, we have to learn to maintain our commitment even when the vast majority of the nations of the world reject the beautiful Torah ideals.

There is a story that is brought down in different seforim. Rav Mersky quotes this regarding Rav Yonason Eibeshitz zt"l. At different times in history various goyim challenged Jews to debates, and sometimes the non-Jewish philosophers or spiritual leaders made the following argument. The Torah itself says, "Acharei rabim l'hatos (Shemos 23:2)," "follow the majority," and the Jewish people are in the minority. So therefore, based on your own Torah you should join the majority view and give up your religion. The answer which the great rabbanim gave is as follows. It is true that the Torah says to follow the majority. But that is only in a situation where there is a doubt, when there is a question. If a case comes to a court and it is a little unclear which side should win, the judges on the court take a vote and they follow the majority. However, regarding our beliefs and our commitment to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, there is no safek! It is a definite! It is a va'dai! So if the truth is 100% clear, then one does not follow the majority. That story exactly reflects one lesson of Chanukah and that is one of the themes of Parshiyos Vayeshev and Mikeitz.

When one looks at the ner Chanukah, he should be reminded of the truths of and strengthen his commitment to stick with the truth despite the influences of the majority of the outside world.

Chanukah Sameach, B. Ginsburg YNA Newsletter 10 of 12

Netiv HaChinuch - New! For Parents and Teachers

Netiv HaChinuch shares the insights and wisdom of an adam whom we have recently lost - HaGaon HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt"l - Rosh Yeshivat Ponovezh l'Zeirim. From his early days in Ponovezh, HaRav Bina Shlit"a maintained an especially close connection with HaRav Lefkowitz zt"l. Our weekly series will contain excerpts from Imrei Da'at - HaRav Lefkowitz' sichot and letters to educators in the area of chinuch. #12 THE SABBA MiSLOBODKA

The story has been told of the Sabba MiSlobodka zt"l who on one occasion was sitting down to eat his son-in-law HaRav Sar and a guest visiting from the United States. During conversation Rav Sar pointed out that a particular student was not on the level he had once been one - "he is going downhill". The Sabba zt"l immediately got up and left the room with no explanation. The guest turned to Rav Sar asking who was the student in question, to which Rav Sar responded: "if you wish to know, simply go to the Yeshiva and see who my father-in-law is speaking to now." So it was - the Sabba was so devoted to his students that he could not wait even a single moment to see what he could do to help. (The end of the story was that this student rose higher and higher eventually becoming one of the gedolei hador).

Many of his students have said in the name of his wife, that he would spend long days fasting worrying about the welfare of his students - this was the level of his devotion to educating towards Torah and yirat Shamayim. The Sabba was known to try to uncover the unique characteristics of each student and monitor his progress from the moment he entered the Yeshiva for many more years. This is a classic example of educating "according to his way" which helps a student grow and remain on the correct path even as he reaches advanced age. This will not be accomplished when a student acts simply out of fear - once the fear has gone there is a danger that he may not remain on the path.

Petuchei Chotam on Parshat Miketz

Rav Chanan Bina will be teaching a passage from the sefer Petuchei Chotam each week on the parshat hashavua. The sefer was written by HaRav Yaakov Abuchatzeira zt"l.

Click here to listen.

Dedications, Picture Gallery, Visitor Log, Mazal Tov's, Tehilim List

Dedications Parnas Hayom Learning at the yeshiva on 24 Kislev was dedicated by Richie Grossman (5746, President of the Alumni Association) and Anita Grossman and family l'ylui his father Moshe Mordechai ben Yisrael Mendel z"l.

Picture Gallery YNA Newsletter 11 of 12

EILAT PART II

Visitors

The following people visited/learned in the Yeshiva:

Zvi Ormonde (5765-66) Elliot Young (5769-70) Jordan Kent (5770-71)

Mazal tov's

Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh would like to wish a mazal tov to:

David Rabinowitz (5763-64) on his marriage to Aliza Katz. Steven (Shocky, 5760-61) and Rivky Klar on the birth of a baby boy. Paul (5739) and Sharon Kreditor on the marriage of their son. Adam (Aari,5753-54)and Jenny Itzkowitz on the birth of a baby girl. Michael (5761) and Pamela Talanskyon the birth of a baby boy. Mordechai (5761-62) and Melanie Calvert on the birth of a baby boy, Yehoshua Gavriel.

Tehilim List

The following members of our extended YNA family need our tefilot:

Michoel Pinchas ben Frachah Yaakov Dov ben Blima Chana Miriam Rivka bat Adina Leah Ada Bat Miriam Rachel bat Chana Reuven ben Tova Chaya Yehuda Pinchas ben Asna Aharon ben Simah Sagit bat Esther Shayna bat Chava Fruma bat Ita Zev eliezer ben Chaya Shaindel Chaya bat Grunia Avram Gershon ben Tzippa Tamara Nechama bat Karmela Reuven HaLevi ben Sheina Ester bat Chaya Ari ben Rivka Binyamin Yonatan ben Leikah Yosef ben Golda Chaya Chana bat Alta Rivkah Esther bat Brana Yosef ben Hilda Miriam bat Shulamit Maron ben Hadas Esther Rivka Chava bat Rachel Daniel ben Shira Tzvia Margalit Chaya bat Rachel Chinoam Rina bat Avital Hoday-ya David ben Leah Ditza bat Vardit Tali bat Devorah Bina Elizabeth bat Annette YNA Newsletter 12 of 12

Akiva ben Gittel Yitzchak Shraga ben Chava Chaya bat Chana Shmuel Chai ben Hadassa Evelyn bat Dina Alyza Sarah bat Yehudit Avraham Elizar ben Chana Pesha Inbal bat Nelya Dovid Halevi ben Emunah Chana Ahuva Toba bat Ronis Ester Mordechai Eliezer Hacohen ben Esther Rav Avraham Zev (Levi) ben Faiga Miriam Daniel ben Shira Tzivia

And of course we are always davening for the release of

Jonathan Pollard (Yehonatan ben Malka Pollard)

Submit Names to the list.

Send Us Your Announcements

Please, if you have any smachot or chas v'shalom, less happy occasions, let our office know so we can keep everybody updated. Are you visiting ?- let us know! We'd love to host you for a shabbat meal, davening, a shiur and would love for you to stop by.

Shabbat Shalom, Rav Bina,

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