Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi Volume 6 Number 45 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Parshat Vayigash – Dual Flames Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles The Torah tells us that when Yaakov and his two stones and rub them together to create the yetzer tov will overcome the yetzer hara family went down to Egypt, he sent Yehuda fire. He then made the blessing Borei meorei and create light. The Zohar says the greatest ahead to prepare for them a place in Goshen. ha’aish. Another Midrash in Pirkei d’rav Eliezer light emanates from darkness. If we invest all Rashi explains that he sent him to set up a notes that fire was not Adam’s initiative. our strength and effort to fight evil, Hashem beit midrash, a place to learn or a place to Hashem sent down a pillar of fire to light his will help us emerge victorious. live. The Midrash Tanchuma writes on the way and protect him from evil. When Adam verse, “And Yehuda he sent ahead of him,” saw that Hashem hadn’t left him, he said the We face two battles in our avodat Hashem, the that the blessing on the havdala candle is not blessing Beorei meorei ha’aish. What actually inner battle of Yosef and the outer battle of said until we get pleasure from its light. We happened? The Shvilei Pinchas says both Yehuda. Maharal explains that evil is learn this from Hashem. First, He saw the midrashim are correct. everything that conceals Hashem. Goodness light was good and then He made a distinction is a manifestation of Hashem, who is the between light and darkness. Similarly, after The Gemara in Yoma says there cannot be an ultimate reality. The yetzer hara can be we benefit from the light, we say hamavdil awakening above unless there’s an awakening defeated by bringing Hashem into the picture making the distinction between Shabbat and from below. We have to create fire from below just as Yosef did when he saw the image of his the rest of the week. How does this relate to so we can draw down fire from above. Adam father. If one feels on the edge of sin one can Yaakov sending Yehuda ahead? took the initiative. He rubbed two stones simply say, “Hashem is here now,” and make together and was met with fire from above. that truth real. If one realizes that evil is an The Daat Sofrim explains that the idea of Every motzai Shabbat, we too create fire and illusion the battle is over. Yehuda’s philosophy havdala is seeing the difference between two Hashem responds. The Ramak says when we was to struggle with darkness head on and things. Yehuda’s mission was to separate the say borei meorei ha’aish, four angels come create a kidush Hashem in public. In contrast light and holiness of Torah from the darkness down, Michael, Gavriel, Rafael and Uriel. They Yosef said, “I’m not getting involved in this of the outside world. This too is the havdala bring the great light of the Shechina to guard world.” He wouldn’t eat with the Egyptian we make on motzai Shabbat. The Beer Yosef and illuminate our way throughout the week. people. He maintained his Judaism despite all echoes this idea. Yaakov was worried that the The custom to bend our four fingers before the odds in a hidden way. Yosef is called Tzafnat young children shouldn’t be exposed for even havdala flame hints to these four angels. We Paneach. The Sefat Emet explains that Yosef’s one moment to the impurity of Egypt. say beorei meorei ha’aish on two wicks hiddenness was his strength that allowed him Therefore, he sent Yehuda ahead to prepare symbolizing the intertwined fires, our fire below to unravel what was concealed. When Yaakov a separate place for them to live. Havdala is and Hashem’s fire from above. sent Yehuda ahead he was teaching us that the clear distinction between the ways of there are two ways to make havdala between Egypt and the ways of Yisrael. Wherever we The yetzer hara is called tov meod because good and evil, the hidden and public way. are, we have to have the foresight and when good overcomes evil, good takes on a When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers sensitivity that as Yaakov separated himself higher dimension. Struggling with and there was a reversal of roles. Yosef entered from the Egyptians, we should separate overcoming the yetzer hara brings us to into the arena of the outside world while ourselves and our youth from the negative greater heights. Adam did not comprehend the Yehuda was silent. environment around us. We must be sensitive repercussions of his sin until motzai Shabbat to how much of the outside world we let in, when darkness overwhelmed him. His The ultimate goal is not one or the other, but and at the same time invest effort to make the negative side, the part he had never met appreciating both. Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead light of Torah and mitzvot bright enough to before, stood before him and he was so that he would meet Yosef. The uniting of overshadow the darkness. overcome by terror. Then Hashem in His great these two opposite paths was like Adam mercy taught Adam how to create fire by rubbing the two stones together. When The Midrash says that on the first motzai rubbing two stones together. The lev ha’even Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben Shabbat Adam encountered darkness. He (heart of stone) is the yetzer hara. Hashem Yehuda will come together and take on the was afraid that evil would overcome him. hinted to Adam, instead of being frightened by quality of each other, it will inspire the ultimate Hashem gave him prophetic insight to take the evil inclination take both inclinations and light of redemption. rub them together. Once engaged in struggle, Class 2 – Shema Yisrael Declaration of Faith Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller We say in Shema, “Shema Yisrael Hashem intervention. Nature makes no choices. can have varying levels of relationship with Elokeinu Hashem echad.” Why do we call There’s no real inner difference between the Hashem. Those who draw closer to Him, Hashem, Elokeinu (Our Master)? Doesn’t varied species of flowers. They’re all part of become more like Him, and draw Him more Hashem rule the entire world? one kingdom with its own rules designed by intensely into their lives. Those who take the the Creator. Therefore Hashem doesn’t relate divine and corrupt it, who turn giving into Hashem interacts with the world in two ways: to each flower differently. taking and kindness into cruelty, become hashgacha klalit and hashgacha pratit. progressively more distant from Hashem. The Hashgacha klalit is generalized divine In contrast, humans, who have free choice, forces of evil are the choices we make that Continued on Page 2 Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 1 Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi Volume 6 Number 45 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Class 2 – Shema Yisrael Declaration of Faith Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller Continued from Page 1 block goodness and light. The more a person world. You can’t put together a puzzle if you a manifestation of Hashem's energy and chooses good, the closer he draws to don’t know what the picture will be. The Jews creativity, and at ourselves as a part of that Hashem. The more he distances himself from and the Torah provide that picture. The nations giant spectrum, our picture of ourselves, the Hashem the less Hashem reveals himself to of the world and all of creation are analogous world, and Hashem changes. The Jewish him. We have enormous power to change to the puzzle pieces. Each one has its place. people are one. This is hinted at in the word ourselves and the world. Yet the actual form is meant to come via the echad. Aleph refers to shevet Levi who is Torah, which is the world’s blueprint, and the unique among the tribes. Chet are the eight In our own life there are times we are closer Jews who actualize its commandments. The tribes who descended from the matriarchs. to goodness and truth and times we are far reward and punishment of the non-Jews are Daled are the four tribes who came from the away. In response, there’s a reciprocal level of mystically entwined with the fate of the Jewish handmaidens. We are all interwoven and energy from Hashem manifested through people. No one’s deeds are irrelevant. But our share a unique capacity to know Hashem’s hashgacha pratit (individual divine interven- closeness to Hashem and the level of oneness. tion). But it isn’t always visible to us so that intervention we receive is unique as the verse we don’t lose our free choice. When a person says, “Karov Hashem l’chol korav.” (Hashem is Each of us has a special purpose. How do we does a good deed the external side of it may close to those who call out to Him.) know what it is? We have to ask ourselves, have a defined end, but the internal side of it “Where is my point of conflict? Where do I affects our soul and our relationship with When we say Hashem is echad (one) we need to proactively choose?” For one person it Hashem.