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Into The Weekly Parsha

DECEMBER 19, 2015 This week's Insights are dedicated in loving memory of Rav Shmuel ben Rav Usher VOLUME 6, ISSUE 11 Zelig Halevi z"l, father of Kalman Finkel, on occasion of his Yahrzeit “May his Neshama have an Aliya.” 7 TEVET Based on the Torah of our Rosh HaYeshiva HaRav Yochanan Zweig PARSHAS VAYIGASH

So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, See that you fall not out by the way. (45:24) Before dispatching his brothers to their sibling rivalry or jealousy, it will likely father in Eretz Yisroel, Yosef issued one manifest itself when it comes to final instruction to them; “Do not argue peripheral family issues like deciding in any halachic matters lest you lose whether to place a parent in a nursing your way” (see Taanis 10b and ad home or deciding which child should loc). The Maharal in the Gur Aryeh on which of the family heirlooms. No this Passuk questions why Yosef felt one wants to sound petty and say that that he needed to instruct the brothers they're just plain jealous. Rather they if his father had not already previously begin to claim that their sibling is done so. In other words; if Yaakov uncaring or self-centered or any one of hadn't felt that this was an issue then a hundred pejorative complaints. But why was Yosef concerned? the real issue is never the issue at hand, it is always how they feel about A prominent counselor once each other, the latest issue is only the proclaimed that out of the five frustration outlet. hundred or so couples that had come to him to consult on What Yosef realized Shalom Bayit issues, Address and treat the was that his siblings about sixty percent of core causative issue were now faced with the sessions started their colossal failure to with one of the spouses complaining him as a brother. Yaakov hadn't that the other spouse was either too considered that it might be an issue Celebrating the Past, Present, religious or not religious enough. because he was, as of yet, unaware of Within two sessions he would be able their role in Yosef’s disappearance. On and Future Generations to get them to agree that their issues the other hand, Yosef was aware of had nothing to do with religion. their personal disagreements, he knew Invariably, the spouse with the that inevitably they would begin to Please join us in honoring complaint had a deeper rooted issue, blame each other. He knew that even if The Gammerman Family whether it was a control issue or a they would start a seemingly resentment for some perceived innocuous discussion on a Halachic Rabbi Yisroel Hill mistreatment, religion was only a issue it would inevitably lead to what concrete way to express the deeper seems like a “kosher” disagreement; a Mr. & Mrs. Craig Edelstein issue. In reality, religion was never the halachic discussion. However, due to real issue. Once the couple realized Yosef’s understanding of human Tuesday, January 19th 2016 - 6:30 that the religious disagreement was nature, he knew it would further merely a symptom, it became possible devolve into a personal fight over who Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus to address and treat the core causative was responsible for what happened to issue. him. This personal fight could easily 20350 NE 26th Ave. NMB, FL 33180 cause them to be distracted and lose This is true in almost all relationship their way. Thus he instructed them not Couvert: issues; for example, when there is to have an intense Halachic discussion.  $180 Per Person  $4000 Corporate Table New distribution areas: Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, To place a reservation or an ad please visit: Chile, and France talmudicu.edu/dinner To become a distributor email: [email protected] And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them; and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him… (45:27) Yaakov had two main wives (Rochel Rashi (ad loc) explains that the wagons question is why? What is so remarkable and ) and two other wives (known sent by Yosef hinted to the last Torah about this Mitzvah that made it as maidservants) that had a lesser topic exchanged between father and relevant to the current events that had status. The Torah sometimes refers to son before Yosef departed - the mitzvah transpired? the latter wives as “Pilagshim”. A of Eglah Arufah. The Midrash (Beresishis Clearly, Yosef (and pretty soon Yaakov Pilegesh, commonly translated as Rabba 94:3, 95:3) notes the similarity of as well) had come to the realization that concubine, actually has Halachic status the words "Eglah," calf, and "Agalah," a this was the beginning of the fulfillment of a wife though with lesser rights (e.g. wagon. In response to finding a corpse of Hashem’s punishment to Avraham A Pilegesh doesn't have a Kethubah in the Land of , the elders of the that his children would be in a foreign which is the security and financial closest town would decapitate a calf, an country for four generations. The only protection that regular wives are Eglah Arufah that was a communal thing worse would be the possibility provided). atonement for this crime proclaiming that they would never leave. However, that the townsfolk did not shed his It is very interesting that the word in order to leave they first had to blood (Deuteronomy 21:1-9). Pilegesh is really a contraction of two become a nation by overcoming the words Plag and Isha. Plag means half Perhaps while escorting his son on his final barrier to achieving nationhood: and Isha means woman. In other journey, Yaakov taught Yosef the appreciating the value of each and words, a Pilegesh means half a mitzvah of Eglah Arufah, the calf whose every member. That is why in the woman. This explains a fascinating neck was axed by the elders of the process of Eglah Arufah, an atonement, verse in the Torah. After Leah gave nearest town upon the discovery of a is brought “for those that left Egypt”. birth to her fourth child the Torah says murdered corpse. It was commonly Because it was on that condition that “She stopped giving birth” (29:35). understood that a person who was not they left Egypt and became a nation. What this means is that she was properly escorted from a city would Yosef, remarkably, had already supposed to have four sons and her easily fall prey to thieves and addressed this issue with his brothers. maidservant was supposed to have murderers. But there is a fascinating Firstly, he wanted to see if they would two and Rochel was supposed to have element to this law. The abandon Shimon after he took him four and her maidservant was (Horayos 6a) explains that this captive. When they returned with supposed to have two. Each “Pilegesh” atonement is actually for the generation would have exactly half the amount of Binyomin he created the whole charade that left Egypt. In fact, we learn a very the main wives! Unfortunately because of accusing Binyomin of stealing his important Halacha from here; that a Rochel “sold” Yaakov for the Dudaim silver “magical” goblet to determine nation is a corporate entity and that a she lost two of the children that were whether or not his brothers had finally corporate entity is eternal. Even though supposed to be hers (Yissacher and internalized the lesson that they must the actual generation that left Egypt Zevulon) and Leah ended up with six be “one for all and all for one”. The was long gone, the national identity children. brothers passed this test with flying remains and therefore an atonement colors when they all equally agreed to But in the end, of course, Hashem can be brought even for those that left serve as slaves in place of their brother guides everything to the end that is Egypt because the corporate entity Binyomin. supposed to emerge. In this week's remains. Parsha we actually see how it all work Yosef never really held them Why would Yosef choose this Mitzvah out – Leah has thirty two descendants responsible for what they did to him on out of everything he studied with his and her maidservant has exactly a personal level. His real issue with father to send to Yaakov as a sign? In sixteen and Rochel has fourteen them was whether or not they had fact, as Rashi explains, it was something descendants and her maidservant has what it takes to become a nation. They of a contrived message because Yosef exactly seven. Each Pilegesh has finally proved that they did, and this didn't actually send the wagons, exactly half the descendants of the was the message he sent back to Pharaoh did! Yosef went out of his way main wife! Yaakov. We will survive this exile into a to make sure that the brothers strange land. conveyed this lesson to his father. The

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