בס״ד ּי וַ ֵ ׁשֶ ב VAYEISHEV In loving memory of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, HaRav Yaakov Zvi ben David Arieh zt'l Volume 34 | #9 Happy Chanukah from the US. Look at our 12 December 2020 26 Kislev 5781 website, social media and TheUS.tv for information, programmes and Chanukah events. Shabbat ends: London 4.45pm Sheffield 4.49pm Glasgow 4.47pm Edinburgh 4.41pm Birmingham 4.49pm INSIDE: Southport 4:54pm Jerusalem 5.16pm The Transience of Life by Rabbi Sam Taylor Shabbat Mevarechim Rosh Chodesh Tevet is on Wednesday Celebrating Chanukah in the Please look regularly at the social media and websites Very Best Way of the US, Tribe and your by Rebbetzen Dina Golker community for ongoing updates relating to Coronavirus as well as educational programming and community support. 50 Years Ago: The Leningrad You do not need to sign into Facebook to access the US Facebook page. The US Hijacking Coronavirus Helpline is on by Rabbi Michael Laitner 020 8343 5696. May God bless us and the whole world. Artscroll – p198 Maftir - p766 Haftarah – p1210 Hertz – p141 Maftir – p597 Haftarah – p987 Soncino – p229 Maftir – p829 Haftarah – p857 The Haftarah is the same Daf Hashavua as for Beha'alotecha Sidra breakdown The Transience ּי וַ ֵ ׁשֶ ב Vayeishev by Rabbi Sam Taylor, BES Yavneh, Borehamwood of Life and Elstree Synagogue 9th Sidra in: Parashat Vayeishev The passage from the Midrash ּבְרֵאׁשִ ית begins by stating how, then concludes by describing Bereishit "Yaakov (Jacob) settled how the righteous seek to live in in the land of his tranquillity but the Almighty says, “Is father's dwelling, in the it not enough for the righteous what By Numbers: land of Canaan" (Bereishit 37:1). The awaits them in the next world, that classical commentator Rashi (1040- they seek to live in tranquillity even 112 verses 1105), citing a Midrash (rabbinic in this world?” This Midrash requires 1,558 words teachings), explains that Yaakov an explanation. sought to live in tranquillity, and who Throughout the ages, many 5,972 letters could blame him after the difficulties different suggestions have been with Esav, Lavan, and Dina related offered to explain what exactly earlier on in the Torah? However, Yaakov wanted by seeking to live Headlines: Yaakov, who served as a forerunner in tranquillity, why the Almighty for our nation, was not able to have rejected Yaakov’s request and Joseph’s dreams his wish granted; famously, he then brought upon him the tragedy of and being sold into had to endure the severe anguish and Yosef's sale. Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim pain of the sale of Yosef (Joseph). Luntschitz (1550-1619), the Chief slavery In loving memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion Sidra Summary 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Bereishit 37:1-11 Yaakov settles in the Land of Cana’an (later Israel). Yosef brings negative reports United Synagogue Daf Hashavua to his father about the sons of Leah, his half-brothers (Rashi). Yaakov makes a Produced by US Living & Learning woollen tunic for Yosef, his favourite son. Yosef’s brothers become jealous. Yosef together with the Rabbinical Council of has a dream in which all 12 brothers are binding sheaves in the field. The brothers’ the United Synagogue sheaves gather around Yosef’s sheaf and bow to it. This increases their hatred. Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Yosef has another dream; the sun and moon and 11 stars bow to him. He relates Editorial and Production Team: this to his brothers and to Yaakov, who rebukes him. Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 37:12-22 Joanna Rose Yosef’s brothers shepherd Yaakov’s flock. Yaakov sends Yosef to meet them. His www.theus.org.uk brothers plot to kill him. Reuven dissuades them, advising them to throw Yosef in a ©United Synagogue 2020 pit, but not to kill him. Reuven plans to rescue Yosef and return him to his father. To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 37:23-36 or [email protected] Yosef’s brothers remove his tunic and throw him in the pit. They see a caravan of If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email merchants approaching. Yehuda suggests selling Yosef to the merchants. Yosef is [email protected] Rabbi of Prague, writes in his Kli characterised his residence in This lesson that we see from Yakar, a commentary to the Torah, Canaan. Unlike Yitzchak, who lived the opening of our sidra is also that this Midrash underscores the with an awareness of the temporary applicable to our own lives in this contrast alluded to in the verse nature of physical life and who world. God grants us the years of between the nature of Yaakov's understood that, as the Mishna says our lives and we should treat them, residence in Canaan and that of his in Pirkei Avot (4:21, p. 550 in the not as if we are here permanently father Yitzchak (Isaac). The verse at green siddur), "this world is but an like Yaakov did in Canaan, but with the start of our parasha describes entranceway to the World to Come", a sense of transience like Yitzchak. Yaakov's settlement in Canaan Yaakov attributed too great a sense Living with this attitude will result with the term "vayeishev," which of permanence to the physical life of in us and those around us having connotes permanence and stability. this world. God therefore disrupted a more correct outlook of life, and By contrast, Yitzchak's residence in this comfort and sense of stability through internalising this sacred Canaan is depicted with the word, by bringing upon him the tragedy of message, may God bless us all with "megurei," which stems from the Joseph's sale to Egypt. many tranquil years. word "ger," which means a foreigner in this context. "Lagur", the infinitive verbally related to “ger”, generally refers to a temporary stay in a given location. Therefore, this opening God grants us the verse of Parashat Vayeishev draws years of our lives a contrast between Yitzchak and Yaakov with respect to their attitudes and we should treat towards their residence in Canaan. them, not as if we are Whereas Yitzchak lived with a sense of transience, Yaakov saw his here permanently like dwelling in Canaan as stable and Yaakov did in Canaan, permanent. The Kli Yakar thus understands but with a sense this verse as a criticism of Yaakov, of transience like for the feeling of permanence that Yitzchak. sold on repeatedly (Rashi), eventually arriving in Egypt. The Point to Consider: Why did Yehuda not instruct Shela to brothers dip the tunic in the blood of a slaughtered goat marry Tamar after the death of Onan?(see Rashi to 38:11) and show it to Yaakov, who concludes that Yosef was killed by an animal. 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 39:1-6 Yosef is sold to Potiphar, the Chamberlain of the Butchers. 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 38:1-30 Yosef is very successful and Potiphar places him in charge Yehuda has three sons – Er, Onan and Shela. Er marries of his household. Tamar, but is killed by God. Yehuda instructs Onan to marry Tamar. Onan also dies. Sometime later, Yehuda’s wife 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 39:7-23 dies. Tamar disguises herself and approaches Yehuda at Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Yosef, who rejects her a crossroads. Unaware of her identity, he consorts with advances. One day they are alone in the house. She tries her, for the wage of two kid goats. He leaves her his ring, again and catches his garment; he runs away. With Yosef’s coat and staff as surety. Yehuda sends a friend to take garment in her hand, she summons her household, shows the payment to the unidentified lady but he does not them his garment and accuses Yosef of attempting to find her. Yehuda is later told that Tamar is pregnant and seduce her. Potiphar imprisons Yosef, who earns the trust orders her to be burned to death. As she is taken out, she of the chief prison officer. declares that the owner of the surety is the father. Yehuda recognises the objects and admits his role. Tamar is spared 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 40:1-23 and gives birth to twins, Peretz and Zerach. Pharaoh’s baker and butler transgress against Pharaoh and Celebrating Chanukah in the by Rebbetzen Dina Golker, Very Best Way St John’s Wood Synagogue This article picks up where Alter (known as The Chiddushei hamehadrin’ manner, one should light my previous article for the HaRim, 1799-1866) questions why it is a single candle on the first day and Daf Hashavua (‘Getting universally accepted that one should then add an extra candle each night Ready for Chanukah with try to perform the mitzvot of Chanukah until there are eight candles on the last Zeal’, Parashat Vayeitzei) in a ‘mehadrin min hamehadrin’ night. This is indeed the practice that we left off. In that edition I discussed the fashion (performing them exceedingly follow. A basic fulfilment of the mitzvah importance of preparing for Chanukah scrupulously), but there is no such would involve simply lighting one candle by appreciating the religious freedom expectation with respect to other each day. we currently enjoy. But how do we do mitzvot. Other practical things we can do this? I would suggest that the answer Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Falk (known to enhance the mitzvot of Chanukah lies in our performance of the mitzvot of as the Pnei Yehoshua, 1680-1756) include using olive oil; this is considered Chanukah in a ‘mehadrin’ fashion (the postulates, based on the Talmud the finest type of oil to use, as it very best way), which expresses our (Shabbat 21b), that this additional replicates the kindling of the Menorah in gratitude to God for the ‘extra’ miracles miracle of making the vial of pure oil the Temple.