בס“ד Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov Parshat Vayechi 16 Tevet 5773/December 30, 2012 Vol.4 Num. 15 ל"ז Sponsored by Dan and Karen Valter for the yahrtzeit of Dan's father, Yitzchak ben Shalom Valter We want Mashiach whenever Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner On his deathbed, the patriarch - son (Yeshayah 6:11), Chavakuk (Chavakuk progressing according to a specific plan, and grandson of men who knew the 1:2), Zecharyah (Zecharyah 1:12) and and with a particular end in mind. Almighty intimately, of women whose Daniel sought to know the date of insight mirrored the Divine plan - Mashiach's arrival. He then wrote, "How Perhaps this was the understanding of pledged to entrust to his children the could they fail to seek the Divine human events that Yaakov intended to secrets of the universe. With little message, the time when He will come convey to his children, as he passed to strength or time remaining, Yaakov and be seen, in order to find tranquility them the mantle of leadership. The summoned his children and intoned, for their spirits, to rest from their point was not to have them mark down "Gather, and I will tell you what will struggle, to flee from their trouble?" on some millennia-long calendar that befall you in the end of days." Then, However, this does not explain how the Mashiach would come in Tevet 5773. abruptly, the ancient sage altered his sons of Yaakov, who knew no suffering Perhaps the point was for them to focus, speaking more neutrally, in Egypt, would benefit from knowing understand, as leaders of the Jewish "Gather, listen, sons of the circumstances of Mashiach's arrival. nation, that there is an "end of days" at Yaakov." (Bereishit 49:1-2) He all, that the events of their lives are continued to convey blessings, but We might answer our question with a invested with purpose. [Indeed, Yosef spoke no more of the end of days. closer look at the Jewish view of history. tried to tell them this himself, insisting In his work Zakhor, Professor Yosef that his sale had been according to a Commentators offer a range of Haim Yerushalmi noted that the plan. Of course, even Yosef ("G-d sent approaches to explain why Yaakov modern study of history clashes with me here to provide food") didn't realize changed his plans, but perhaps we the traditional Jewish approach to the scope of that plan ("your children might offer our own answer by first studying history. As he put it, "To the will be slaves in a land not their own").] asking a fundamental question: Why degree that this historiography is indeed did Yaakov wish to inform his children "modern" and demands to be taken Nonetheless, G-d determined that of the "end of days", at all? What seriously, it must at least functionally Yaakov would not share this vision with benefit would there be in telling them repudiate premises that were basic to his children, and perhaps this decision of the end of a story not to play out for all Jewish conceptions of history in the was motivated by their own welfare. thousands of years? Indeed, informing past. In effect, it must stand in sharp People who are told that their lives and them could even be hazardous; might opposition to its own subject matter, actions have automatic and inherent they, or their descendants, abandon not on this or that detail, but historical meaning, irrespective of their the book, knowing that they would concerning the vital core: the belief that personal decisions, might abandon never live the last page? divine providence is not only an themselves to the determinism of Fate. ultimate but an active causal factor in If Mashiach is going to come in Tevet Don Isaac Abarbanel suggested that Jewish history, and the related belief in 5773, and my actions in 2255 will the eternal question of "When will he the uniqueness of Jewish history itself." automatically play some butterfly's wing come?" is rooted in our desire to In other words, the modern study of of a role in bringing about that ultimate escape our current suffering. In his history contends that all events in hurricane regardless of my free will, Maayanei haYeshuah (1:2), Abarbanel history occur without an underlying then why should I value my own catalogued the history of the Jewish plan or purpose. Traditional Judaism, decisions and choices? Whatever will longing to know when the end will on the other hand, insists that history be, will be! Knowing how the story plays come, noting that such figures as King is a story written by a Hand, out could yield generations of Jews who David (Tehillim 74:10), Yeshayah would view themselves not as actors, but as acted upon; not as eventual redeemers, but as eventually redeemed. THE CHALLENGE OF CONTINUITY And so Yaakov's mouth is closed, and so King David, Yeshayah, Chavakuk, Zecharyah and Daniel were turned YOM IYUN FOR WOMEN back, as was Don Isaac Abarbanel. th 10 AM to 12:45 PM, SUN. JANUARY 13 The information is there. The date is known. For us, though, it would be Shiur / Israeli Film (English subtitles) / Workshop better that we not read the last page of the book; rather, it would be better that AT BAYT (613 Clark Ave W, Thornhill) we write it. FREE ADMISSION / REFRESHMENTS [email protected] Please RSVP to [email protected] We are grateful to Continental Press 905-660-0311 Are we allowed to go to a doctor? Adam Frieberg Hitoriri: Jewish Spirituality While many of us enjoy vacation this doesn’t make it clear if these forbidden Yehudah’s Teshuvah week, many doctors are working, practices worked, he does say that had covering shifts for their colleagues. they been permissible, removing them Hillel Horovitz Being a doctor, or participating in the would have been incredibly ridiculous. בפרשת ויחי קורא יעקב לבניו ומברך ומנחה healing of anyone, is a great act, Rambam stresses the importance of אותם לפני מותו . רש " י מביא לנו את דברי fulfilling the verse, “he shall provide for countering Rashi’s position, saying a complete cure” (Shemot 21:19), that the interpretation that King המדרש לפיו יהודה נסוג לאחור לאחר ששמע among other mitzvot. With that in Chizkiyah buried a book which could את הדברים הקשים שאמר יעקב לראובן mind, the following passage of gemara heal all, simply because it decreased ולשני אחיו האחרים של יהודה , שמעון ולוי . Pesachim 56a) should be quite faith in G-d, is absurd. He proves his) יהודה כביכול לא רצה לגשת ליעקב ולשמוע surprising. point by drawing an analogy between את תוכחתו של יעקב . רש " י מבאר כי הוא healing and eating: Would anyone פחד כי יעקב יוכיח אותו על מעשה תמר . ניתן The Talmud quotes an early source that suggest that a hungry person eating a גם לציין שייתכן כי פחד גם מתגובתו של praises King Chizkiyah for doing three piece of bread demonstrates a lack of יעקב למכירתו של יוסף , אולם הניח שיעקב ?things, and admonishes him for doing faith לא יניח את כובד האשמה על אחד מבניו three other things. One of the things he בלבד וכן יישתדל שלא לפתוח פצעים שעודם is praised for doing is hiding away a Our intuition tells us, as the Rambam מגלידים. sefer refuot", seemingly a book of understood, that we must accept the" medicinal remedies. Rashi’s explanation laws of nature, and a cursory glance יעקב מרגיע את יהודה ואומר לו : " אתה of this passage is extremely foreign for through Jewish sources will support יודוך אחיך", ומפרש הכלי יקר , שלפי שהודה the modern mind: Rashi writes that the this position. Yet we also believe in בטעותו , ואמר במעשה תמר " צדקה ממני " , book's secrets were used to quickly heal Divine providence, as seen throughout אל לא לדאוג מתוכחתו של יעקב . הכלי יקר .everyone in need, and it was so effective Tanach and as emphasized by Rashi ממשיך ומפרש כי משום כך , מידה כנגד that sickness no longer humbled These concepts do conflict; if we מידה , יכירו אחיו בזכותו למלכות . יוצא people. Rashi’s interpretation advocates believe a certain event occurs because מכאן שגדולתו של יהודה נובעת מיכולתו for greater trust in G-d. One who is sick of Divine providence, then it cannot be להכיר בבעייתיות של מעשיו, להודות בטעותו ,must pray for healing; the ability to be attributed solely to the laws of nature ואף לפעול בהתאם. perfectly healed by medicine was so and vice versa. However, we must dangerous for society, that King accept both philosophies in some כך נוכל גם לפרש את המשך ברכתו של יעקב , Chizkiyahu, with the support of the measure. We should continue to rely באומרו : " מטרף בני עלית ". המילה טרף Sages, effectively reintroduced sickness on doctors should the need רומזת בצורה בולטת מאוד למילים אותם and disease into the world in order to unfortunately present itself, but increase trust in G-d. remembering the ultimate Healer, and אומר יעקב לאחר שהוא מגלה על העלמותו His ultimate control of the situation, is של יוסף : " טרף טרף יוסף ". ניתן אם כן .To the Rambam, such an approach is prescribed by all להסביר כי יעקב רומז ליהודה שגם מאותו simply untenable. In his Commentary " טרף " מאותו חטא של מכירת יוסף , הצליח to the Mishnah (Pesachim 4:10), [email protected] יהודה לחזור בתשובה כאשר לקח את Rambam explains that the reason King האחריות על כתפיו והגן על בנימין . ) הרשב " ם Chizkiyahu eliminated the book was מתנגד לפירוש זה ואומר כי המילה " בני " because it contained medical practices מתייחסת ליהודה ולא ליוסף , אך לשיטתנו based on idol worship.