בס“ד Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Vayyigash 5 Tevet 5772/December 31, 2011 Vol.3 Num. 14

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Age: More Than Just a Number Hillel Horovitz נדמיין לעצמנו מפגש פסגה בין שני מנהיגים אברהם בא ללמד אותנו כיצד יש לגשת לחיי משמעותית ביותר ולכן הן גם מקבלות משקל מהגדולים בעולם. האפיפיור מגיע לוושינגטון המעשה בעולמנו . עלינו למלא כל יום בעשייה רב כל כך בחיבור התורה.

לפגוש את נשיא ארצות הברית . הנשיא רואה ולהבין שאין כל חשיבות בימים שעוברים עלינו נוכל גם לענות באמצעות כך על השאלה למולו את האפיפיור ואת המשלחת הנכבדה בעולם הזה מצד הזמן שעובר כי אם מצד התמידית שמהדהדת בין עולם התורה לעולם שעומדת לפניו ושואל לפתע : התוכן שאנו יוצקים אל תוך החיים הללו. המדע . כיצד ייתכן שלפי המדע העולם קיים "בן כמה אתה אדוני האפיפיור? אתה נראה די נוכל אולי באמצעות הבנה זו גם לעמוד על מאות מיליוני ואפילו מיליארדי שנים ואילו מבוגר!" דרכה של התורה בתיאור המהלכים לפי התורה העולם קיים רק 0222 שנה לערך . התיתכן מציאות שכזו ? האם היינו מעלים על ההיסטוריים הקורים בתוכה . במהלך התורה לפי ההבנה בפרשתנו נוכל להגיד גם כן , כי דעתנו שאחד ממנהיגי העולם ידבר כך ? כולה על חמישים וארבע פרשיותיה עוברים אנו יכול להיות שהעולם התקיים שנים רבות לפני כנראה שלא , זו נראית כשאלה מאוד אישית מהלך של 0022 שנה , ניתן לצפות בחישוב בריאת האדם אולם התורה מחשיבה את ואפילו חצופה ופוגעת , אולם בפרשת השבוע פשוט כי כל פרשה תספר על כחמישים שנה . העולם כקיים ונברא רק כאשר יש בתוכו אדם אנו מגלים שאין הדבר פשוט כלל וכלל . יעקב ציפייה זו אינה מתממשת כלל ועיקר שהרי המסוגל להכיר בבוראו , לפתח את העולם אבינו פוגש את פרעה, אבי האומה הישראלית בפרשיות בראשית ונח חולפות להן 0222 שנה . וליצוק משמעות אל תוך היצירה האלוקית . פוגש את שליט האימפריה הגדולה של אותה מפרשת לך -לך ועד סוף פרשת שמות עוברים ניתן להגיד שהעולם באמת היה קיים כבר תקופה ועל מה נסוב הדו -שיח ביניהם ? על כ 002 שנה . בשאר ספר שמות , ספר ויקרא מיליארד שנים אך אין זה קיום שמצדיק גילו של יעקב. וספר במדבר עוברים עוד כ 02 שנה . ואילו ספר ספירה של השנים , אנו מחפשים את משמעות

שואל פרעה את יעקב , " הכַּמָּ ייְמֵ שְ נֵי חַּ יֶּיָך " , דברים כולו נכתב בחמישה שבועות . אם כן מה הימים ולא את מספרם ולפיכך אנו סופרים פשר החלוקה ההיסטורית התמוהה הזאת? את שנות העולם מבריאת האדם ולא מקיומו כלומר , בן כמה אתה ? היינו חושבים שיעקב הפיזי של העולם. יתעלם מהשאלה המביכה בנוגע לגילו ויחליף ניתן לתרץ שאלה זו בצורה דומה . התורה באה את נושא השיחה בדיפלומטיות , אולם יעקב ללמד אותנו שאין אנו מסתכלים על מספר יעקב מסביר בצורה דומה לפרעה שהחשיבות עונה לפרעה ובפירוט רב : " יְמֵ ישְ נֵימְ גּורַּ י השנים שעברו ולפי כך קובעים את סדר אותה פרעה מייחס לגילו של יעקב , אינה שְֹלשִׁים ּומְ ַאת שָּ נָּה מְ עַּטוְרָּ עִׁ ים הָּ יּו יְמֵ י שְ נֵי התורה , התורה אינה באה ללמד היסטוריה משמעותית. יעקב בא ללמד את פרעה ששימור חַּיַּיוְ ֹלאהִׁשִׁ יגּו אֶּ ת יְמֵ ישְ נֵיחַּ יֵי אֲ יבֹּתַּ בִׁ ימֵ י יבשה . אין אנו מאמצים את גישתו של פרעה הגוף והארכת השנים אין בהם עניין מצד מְ גּורֵ יהֶּם ". מה עומד מאחורי הדו -שיח לפיה הימים והשנים הם העיקר ) כך גם נבין עצמם קל ועיקר. מסביר יעקב לפרעה שאמנם המיסתורי הזה בין יעקב לפרעה ? ומה פרושה מדוע האדם הראשון בהיסטוריה של תורה הוא חי מאה ושלושים שנה אך בתוך שנים של התשובה המסובכת לכאורה שיעקב עונה? שחוגג יום הולדת , הוא פרעה שכן הוא מחשיב אלו לא כל הימים היו מנוצלים כפי שרצה , ידוע לנו כי המצרים היו נוהגים לחנוט את את מילוי השנה כערך בפני עצמו ( , גישתנו היא דבר שכביכול מוריד מערך שנות חייו . יעקב מלכיהם על מנת שתשתמר צורתם . יש שהתוכן הממלא את הימים הוא העיקר . משום מלמד את פרעה שהחיים אינם העיקר , התוכן מסבירים שמקור המנהג היה בעובדה כך עד שאברהם לא בא ומכיר בבוראו אין מי אותו אנו יוצקים אל תוך חיינו הוא שהמצרים ראו כח רב בגוף , ובהארכת ימיו שיפיץ את שמו של ה ' בעולם וממילא 0222 המשמעותי ביותר. ושנותיו של הגוף , ברכה . לכן מעשה החניטה השנים שהעולם קיים בהם עד להולדת אברהם נועד לשמר את צורת הגוף לאורך שנים אינן משמעותיות כשנים שבאו לאחר הולדת )מעובד ע"פ שיעור מאת הרב יוני לביא( ובצורה זו לשמר כביכול את כוחו ועוצמתו של אברהם . בדומה לכך יסודו של עם ישראל האדם הנחנט . כאשר רואה פרעה את יעקב במדבר והמצוות אותם הוא מקבל הן [email protected] מולו הוא מתרשם מהזקנה של יעקב משמעותיות וממלאות את חיי העם בצורה ומהעובדה שהוא מאריך שנים , ושואל אותו בין כמה הוא , כלומר מה כוחו שהגיע לזקנה שכזו . ניתן להבין ששאלתו של פרעה אינה Parshah Questions R’ Meir Lipschitz מזלזלת בכלל , אין הוא בא להקניט את יעקב בנוגע לגילו המופלג, אלא לחלוק לו כבוד בשל גילו שבוודאי מסמל כח וחכמה. (Answers for some of the questions are on the back page)

כאשר מדברת התורה על ימיו של אברהם  Which of his brothers did Yosef bring before Pharaoh? (Rashi and Baal haTurim מציינת התורה כי אברהם “ בא בימים " , (to Bereishit 47:2 and Rashi to Devarim 33:18 מסבירים המפרשים שהכוונה היא שכל ימיו  What lessons are learned from the Torah's mention of Shaul ben haKena’anit של אברהם עסק בקידום העולם ובתיקונו ,among the descendants of Shimon? (Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Radak, Mizrachi ועכשיו כאשר מגיע הוא לזקנה הוא " בא (Chizkuni, Gur Aryeh, Maskil leDovid and R‟ S.R. Hirsch to Bereishit 46:10 בימים " , הוא מביא עמו את הימים שעבר . , Why were the Egyptians happy to hear about Yosef‟s family? (Ramban, Radak התורה מציינת כי אברהם מלא את ימיו (Seforno, Ohr HaChaim, and Netziv to Bereishit 45:16 בעשייה ולא בזבז ולא יום אחד מחייו , כל ימיו היו מלאים עשייה ומנוצלים עד תום , ? For children: How do we know that Yosef performed the mitzvah of kibud av (Rashi Bereishit 46:29) ממילא הוא בא לעולם הבא וכל ימיו בידו . [email protected] Hitoriri: Laws of Jewish Comedy R’ Mordechai Torczyner Jewish Spirituality

We can claim some of the brightest A Disqualified Guarantor destructive. As Moshe Chaim lights in modern comedy as our own. Luzzatto wrote (Mesilat Yesharim 5), R’ Ezra Goldschmiedt More than fifteen hundred years ago the scorn is"like a shield anointed with oil, gemara itself endorsed comedy, whether which shunts and staves off arrows [of Due to suspicious loan requirements, via puns (such as Pesachim 9b), rebuke]." The letz will never listen, the Anglo-Palestine Bank of Jaffa (now slapstick (Nedarim 50b-51a) or the because he is too busy tearing down the known as Bank Leumi) received rabbinic advice to start a class with a one offering advice. stinging criticism from 's weekly joke (Pesachim 117a). Still, are there newspaper, Chavatzelet. An editorial in halachic limits to Jewish comedy? The latter brand of leitzanut is pursuit of a 1907 issue of the paper described the valueless activity, which steers us away following incident: The Sages were quite harsh in their from growth. As Maharal wrote (Netivot view of a particular type of comedy and Olam, Netiv haLeitzanut 1), "Man is A religious man, in desperate need of entertainment: leitzanut. The gemara created deficient, and he is perpetually money, had been turned down by the (Avodah Zarah 18b) includes activities becoming… One who is joyous [in the bank for a loan. This was despite the like circuses, theatres and sport manner of leitzanut] is as though he has fact that the man managed to produce hunting within leitzanut, and it lists achieved completeness, without flaw, fourteen individuals as guarantors who penalties like poverty, physical and this itself causes him a flaw." The would help pay the debt should he suffering, descent to Gehennom and Maharal also suggests that the reason default. While the bank claimed that its destruction of the world. What is the Sages said that the yetzer hara rejection was the result of a lack of leitzanut, and why did our mentors enters a person at birth, rather than at reliability among the guarantors, this consider it so harmful? conception, is because we are focused on claim seemed to fall particularly short growth during the months of gestation, concerning one of them – Rabbi demonstrates that and the yetzer hara has no room to . Clearly, the there are two types of leitzanut: (1) function. Pursuit of non-growth is rejection of the great Rav Kook as a Mockery and (2) Worthless pursuits. harmful because it lures us away from guarantor could only mean one thing: our own evolution. The Anglo-Palestine Bank had an anti- The former brand of leitzanut is geared religious agenda and unreasonably toward diminishing the respect shown Based on the sources above, we can discriminated against observant Jews! to any person, activity or ism. As Rav understand what earned the Sages' Yitzchak Hutner explained (Pachad wrath. Comedy which earns laughs is This was indeed a serious accusation, Yitzchak, Purim I), the goal of leitzanut healthy; comedy which mocks people is as well as one that seemed to be well- "is to find the weakness in any destructive. Entertainment which offers founded. Amid the controversy, the structure of Importance, to use it to a limited break to enable future growth bank sent the following reply, which demolish the structure." Rabbeinu is positive; entertainment which makes a was printed in a later issue of Yonah (Shaarei Teshuvah 3:174-177) goal out of emptying the mind and soul Chavatzelet: noted that people might engage in this is harmful. for fun, out of a sense of superiority, to “The rabbi [Rav Kook] is extremely good combat personal insecurity, or for no We do have some of the best comedians, -hearted and gentle by nature. The poor reason at all; the unifying factor is but when we also have the healthiest cling to him, and the only reason there scorn for that which is respected. comedy, then we'll really have something are some beggars who do not knock on to make us smile. his door is because they know he has Aside from the external violence no money. If they only knew that they involved in scorn, leitzanut is self- [email protected] could get money in exchange for a small piece of paper, which he can always grant them, they would give him no peace.” 613 Mitzvot: #121, 123, 129, 138-140 "Besides which, (if he is allowed to be a Atoning for Sin, Feeding the Kohanim guarantor) he will unwittingly put R’ Mordechai Torczyner himself under the burden of debts, from which he will not be able to escape. Mitzvot 121, 123 and 129 outline kohanim who work in the Beit Large amounts of money will be lost, korbanot (offerings) one brings to the haMikdash (mitzvah 139). Some explain and one of the following will suffer: Beit haMikdash in the event that one that a byproduct of this system is that Either the venerable rabbi, and it will accidentally violates biblical law. the kohanim will be supported while be unpleasant for the bank to extract they work in the Beit haMikdash. The money from him, or the bank itself. Most transgressions warrant a chatat, Rama, though, suggests that the Therefore, the bank decided but some warrant a special korban purpose of having the kohanim eat is to unanimously not to honour the rabbi's identified as an asham. There are provide atonement and a disincentive for guarantees." times when one may bring a korban sin. The kohanim who participate in the based on what he can afford; this is meal know whose korban they are (Adapted from 'An Angel Among Men' by called a korban oleh v'yored. Mitzvah eating, which makes the sin R. Simcha Raz, pp. 344-346) 138 and 140 outline the procedures uncomfortably public. (Torat haOlah 2:1) for bringing the various korbanot. [email protected] [email protected] Most of these korbanot include portions to be consumed by the

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com Biography: Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein Yair Manas Ha’Aretz

אפרת Rabbi Yechiel Michel HaLevi Epstein Efrat Torah in Translation lived from 1829 to 1908, and was a noted community rabbi and halachic R’ Baruch Weintraub Business on Shabbat authority in Lithuania, respected by Chassidim and Mitnagdim. Efrat is a magnificent mountainous R’ Yechiel Michel Epstein location 12 kilometers (8 miles) south Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 306:1 Born into a wealthy family of military of , in the heart of Gush Translated by Yair Manas contractors, he married the sister of R’ Etzion (the Etzion Bloc). It rises to a Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (the Netziv), height of 960 meters (3150 feet) above the future head of the . sea level and covers about 6,000 It is written, "If you will restrain your feet After the Netziv’s first wife passed away, dunam (1,500 acres). on Shabbat; refrain from accomplishing the Netziv married a daughter of R’ your own needs on My holy day…and you Epstein. R’ Epstein’s son, R’ Baruch The area in which Efrat was will honour it by not engaging in your own Epstein, composed the constructed was the site of a affairs, not seeking your own needs, not on the Chumash. settlement during the Bronze Age. discussing matters." (Isaiah 58:13) One Archaeological excavations have may not perform on Shabbat any business R’ Yechiel Michel Epstein’s magnum revealed a cemetery consisting of a or commercial activity, even if there is no opus is the Aruch HaShulchan, a tumulus built over a platform violation of an av melachah [one of the halachic work structured in the same structure and more than twenty thirty-nine categories of prohibited way as the . The Bronze Age burial caves of the shaft activities]. This is what the verse refers to majority of the sefer was published by R’ tomb type, many of which had been as "your own needs," as if to say weekday Epstein’s daughter, Brina Walbrinska, reused over long stretches of time. needs. The Torah warned us about acting although current editions omit this fact. Additionally, one of the three ancient out our business, as well as speaking In this series, he traces halachah from aqueducts supplying Jerusalem runs about it. the gemara to the sages of the Middle beneath Efrat. Ages to the final halachic decision. Modern Efrat was established in 1983 The Sages expounded that speaking [about Often, he disagrees with his by Moshe Moskovits, who became the business] is forbidden, but thinking about contemporaries. In a recently published first mayor of Efrat, and Rabbi Shlomo it is permitted (Shabbat 150a); one may edition of the Aruch HaShulchan, the Riskin. Over the years, Rabbi Riskin think about his business in one’s heart. publisher included the decisions of the was joined by many former members Nevertheless, on account of oneg Shabbat Chafetz Chaim that disagreed with the of his New York congregation. (pleasure on Shabbat), there is a Aruch HaShulchan, but R’ zt”l reportedly said that one commandment to not think about it at all, Efrat's population is mainly dati tzioni should follow the Aruch HaShulchan and his work should appear completed in [Religious Zionist]. There are more his eyes. when there is a dispute between him and the Chafetz Chaim. than twenty Orthodox synagogues, which are mostly Ashkenazi. Sephardi The Sages only permitted [business] The Aruch HaShulchan often defends the and Yemenite synagogues are present thought which will not cause a discomfort customs of the Jewish people. Even if he as well, along with several yeshivot of the heart and worrying. An example of does not understand the basis for a and kollelim. The population includes this occurs when a person’s business is custom, he often concludes that Jewish native-born Israelis, and immigrants going well and is successful, and there is custom must be followed. who have made aliyah from America, no scattering of the soul. However, thinking England, Australia, France, South which causes worrying and discomfort of Other sefarim that R’ Epstein wrote Africa, Argentina, and Russia. the heart is forbidden, for there could be no include: Aruch HaShulchan He'Atid, a greater abdication of oneg Shabbat. work that discusses the laws that will With a population of around 8,000 apply when the Temple is rebuilt, Or residents, Efrat is the largest A midrash (Mechilta Shemot 20:9) on the L’Yesharim, a commentary on Rabbeinu settlement in the Gush Etzion verse, "For six days you shall work and Tam’s Sefer haYashar, and Leil settlement bloc, which is one of the perform all of your work", explains that all Shimurim, a commentary on the settlement blocs that all Israeli of a person’s work should appear . governments have said they want to completed in his eyes when Shabbat retain under any final-status arrives. It is impossible for a person to [email protected] agreement. complete all of his work in one week. Rather, it should appear to a person on Adapted from each Shabbat as if he had completed all of his livelihood, as recorded in a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efrat his work. There could be no greater oneg Talmudic braita: A righteous person and Shabbat than this. (Tur) had a breach in his field's fence, and http://www.efrata.muni.il/? he decided to fix it. He then CategoryID=353&ArticleID=1506 Similarly, we say in davening [Shabbat remembered that it was Shabbat, and minchah] "a rest of peace and tranquility, he refrained from fixing it. (He did not calm and security, a complete rest that You fix it during the week, either, as a self- desire." Also, in the blessing after meals we imposed penalty for thinking about say, "there should be neither distress nor fixing it on Shabbat.) A miracle grief on our day of rest." (Beit Yosef in the happened, and a caper bush grew [in name of the Ri) the breach], and from this plant he received enough livelihood to support There is great reward for observing this. him and his family (Shabbat 150b). Even in this world, a person is rewarded in

Visit us at www.torontotorah.com 3 Parshah Answers Russell Levy

Which of his brothers did Yosef bring vizier to Pharaoh. Upon hearing of the Kena’anit, for she was kidnapped by before Pharaoh? family‟s arrival, their fears were Shechem. After Shimon and Levi  Rashi (Bereishit) explains that Yosef allayed by learning of his true, wiped out the city of Shechem, was worried about his brothers being honourable pedigree. Dinah forced her brother Shimon to drafted into the army, so Yosef only  The Radak elaborates that Avraham marry her. brought his weaker brothers to Avinu's family was known, and they  The Radak and the Chizkuni Pharaoh: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, were pleased to discover that Yosef explains that the brothers were all Yissachar and Binyamin. Rashi was a scion of that family. careful to follow Avraham‟s explains that when Moshe blessed  The Seforno, on the other hand, prohibition from taking a Canaanite the people before his death, he expounds that the Egyptians were wife, but Shimon took a second wife repeated some of the tribes' names, relieved that Yosef's family had who was a Canaanite. Ibn Ezra and not others. Those whose names decided to settle in Egypt. They continues that this is why the others were repeated were the stronger believed that Yosef would now rule the who took a Canaanite wife, Er and tribes, and the names of the weaker country as a fellow countryman, and Onan, are mentioned here as well. tribes were only mentioned once. not as an outsider, and would thus  R’ Hirsch explains that this son was  On the other hand, Rashi elsewhere put all his energy into building the actually the son of Dinah and a real (Devarim) cites an apparently land. Canaanite, Shechem. He further contradictory midrash. There, he  The Ohr haChaim explains that explained that this demonstrates explains that the names of the earlier (47:2), the Egyptians had that the Jewishness of a progeny of a weaker tribes were repeated (in order heard Yosef's cry. They were thrilled non-Jewish father and Jewish to give them strength). Therefore, the to discover that this cry was not of mother is a very old institution. weaker tribes - those brought to sadness, but of joy, on the arrival of (Based on this, it is possible to Pharaoh - were Zevulun, Gad, Dan his family. understand the midrash brought by and Naftali.  The Netziv claimed that the Rashi above that Dinah did not Egyptians hoped that the wisdom of marry Shimon; instead, she forced Why were the Egyptians happy to Yosef's brothers was similar to his, him to support her and her family.) hear about Yosef’s family? and that they would help run the For children: How do we know that  The Ramban explains that the country. Yosef performed the mitzvah of Egyptians were happy to learn of Yosef's family, as they had doubted What lessons are learned from the kibud av? that a respectable family actually Torah’s mention of Shaul ben Rashi explains that when Yaakov came existed. It would have been a haKena’anit among the descendants to Egypt, Yosef harnessed his own national embarrassment for a of Shimon? chariot to go and greet his father. prisoner-slave to have become the  Rashi explains that Dinah is the [email protected] Schedule for December 31– January 6 / 5 - 11 Tevet

Shabbat December 31 7:45 AM R’ Baruch Weintraub: Rav Kook on the Parsha, Or 7:15 PM R’ Ezra Goldschmiedt, Ramban on the Parshah, BAYT not this week Chaim 10:20 AM R’ Baruch Weintraub: Parsha Shiur, Clanton Park 8:00 PM Mrs. Elyssa Goldschmiedt, Malbim on Chumash, TCS, 1 hour before minchah Yair Manas:Gemara Sukkah, women, not this week Mizrachi Bayit 8:00 PM Yair Manas: Minchat Chinuch, Clanton Park 45 minutes before minchah R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Daf Yomi, BAYT Wednesday, January 4 After minchah R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Developing a 10:00 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Dramas of Jewish History, not this week Curriculum: Gemara Avodah Zarah, BAYT BEBY, with Melton 6:40 PM R’ Dovid Zirkind, Parent Child Learning, Shaarei 12:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Medical Ethics Lunch at Shomayim York University Hillel/JLIC: Patient Confidentiality 8:00 PM R’ Dovid Zirkind, Gemara Beitzah Chabura: Discussing Sunday, January 1 Eruv Tavshilin, Shaarei Shomayim 9:15 AM Hillel Horovitz, Parshah Issues, Hebrew, Zichron 8:00 PM Hillel Horovitz, Women’s Beit Midrash, Bnai Torah Yisroel 8:00 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Kitchen Halachah 1 of 3: The 11:50 AM R’ Baruch Weintraub, Hilchot Melachim, Or Chaim Shabbat Kitchen, 26 Meadowbrook #7, women After Maariv R’ Dovid Zirkind, Bava Kama Introduction to 8:30 PM R’ Baruch Weintraub, Rambam: Hilchot Melachim: The Avot Nezikin, Shaarei Shomayim not this week King’s Wife, Shomrai Shabbos, men After maariv R’ Baruch Weintraub, Halachic issues in Israel: Budget Priorities, Hebrew, Clanton Park, men Thursday, January 5 Fast of the Tenth of Tevet 9:15 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Supernatural vs. Superstition: Monday, January 2 Magic, 36 Theodore in Thornhill, women, free 8:30 PM Hillel Horovitz, Siddur: In-Depth, Clanton Park, men babysitting not this week

Tuesday, January 3 Friday, January 6 1:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner, Zecharyah, Mekorot, 8:00 AM R’ Dovid Zirkind, Friday Parshah Preview, Village Shul Shaarei Shomayim not this week

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