December 7, 2024

Davened at Anshei Chesed with my second cousin, Yosef Morgan

See my cousin’s website about his product, Kotzker Phfarma

Lunch with Yosef Morgan and Rosette Narkunski – Gelernter 

Relationship:

  Lukover Rebbe 1858-1920

Avrohom Meir Morgenstern        -Brothers-       Yosef Ahron Morgenstern – both died in Holocaust 1942

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Yisroel Yakov Morgenstern    -First Cousins-            David Morgan     ————– Esther  ————Mina            

   Holocaust survivor             Survived in Siberia

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Mitchell Morgenstern          – Second Cousins-          Yosef Morgan                      Rosette

Avrohom Meir and Yosef Ahron Morgenstern were brothers.  My grandfather, Avrohom Meir, was a businessman in Warsaw and Yosef Ahron was a Talmud Chacom who had a Yeshiva in Warsaw on the first floor of the apartment building where he lived.  I believe that Yosef Ahron was a type of person who learned nonstop and would never look at a woman.  About 15 years ago, I met Mina, another sister of David and Esther..  I believe it was she who told me that when my father got engaged in 1938, Yosef Ahron did not go to the Vort.  I believe he felt it was Bitul Torah and not wanting to mingle with women.

Mina told me a story and confirmed by Rosette that both Mina and Esther remembered that as kids in Warsaw, many times on Shabbos they had to eat in the kitchen and at times there was not enough food for them.  This must have been because he invited guests over who were in Shul. In Europe, it was common for people who traveled to go to the local Shul on Shabbos to sleep and to be invited out for meals.  The guests were served first and the kids always ate last.  I read about this phenomenon in Europe.

Look at the Yad Vashem testimony on Yosef Ahron Morgenstern. https://www.geni.com/photo/view/6000000010251693211?album_type=photos_of_me&photo_id=6000000062687105050

Parsha:

Question #1 – Verse 28:11

וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

 When does it say וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם.  It should say “and he took stones” why does it say “of the place”.

I did not see anyone who has an answer.

Yakov falls asleep.  He dreams of a ladder which Hashem is standing over to protect Yakov.  Rashi says that Yakov was at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.  Then in 28:17 it says that really Mount Moriah moved north to Bais El.  It seems that Rashi contradicts himself.  

Rembrandt’s Jacob’s Ladder – 1655

The following is a painting by Rembrandt that shows Jacob not lying on the ground but in the middle of the ladder. Rabbi Meir Yakob Soloveichik feels that he drew Jacob in the middle of the ladder due to the advice and Torah of Menashe Ben Israel.  I recall Rabbi Soloveichik saying that just like Jerusalem is the middle of the world, Jacob and the Jews are the center of the world and this is why he drew jacob in the middle of the ladder.

Yaakov makes it to Charan – Padan Aram.  He meets Rachel, kisses her. I have Torah on “he kissed” her.   Yakov has an agreement with Lavan that he will work seven years for the hand of Rachel in marriage.  

Question #2:   Verse 29:20 says וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד יַעֲקֹ֛ב בְּרָחֵ֖ל שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְעֵינָיו֙ כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹתָֽהּ׃

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

The reality should be the opposite.  It should have seemed forever to him. They had seven years of talking , planning.  It is a long time that should have been excruciating.

Question #3

Verse 29:21 – וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֤ב אֶל־לָבָן֙ הָבָ֣ה אֶת־אִשְׁתִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י וְאָב֖וֹאָה אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

Rashi – מלאו ימי. שֶׁאָמְרָה לִי אִמִּי, וְעוֹד מָלְאוּ יָמַי, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֲנִי בֶן פ”ד שָׁנָה וְאֵימָתַי אַעֲמִיד י”ב שְׁבָטִים? וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וְאָבוֹאָה אֵלֶיהָ, וְהֲלֹא קַל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּים אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר כֵּן? אֶלָּא לְהוֹלִיד תּוֹלָדוֹת אָמַר כֵּן:

The plain meaning is that Yakov worked the seven years of the agreement.  I have completed my seven years of working and held up my end of the bargain.  This is how the Rashbam and the Ibn Ezra explain the Pasuk.  However, the truth is that the words of כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י are extra. The previous Pasuk says that he worked for seven years, so obviously he completed his days.   Rashi is telling us the deeper understanding of what Yakov was saying.  Not only did I agree to my part of the bargain, but my mother wants me home and I have to get married to have 12 children.  Maybe this understanding of the Pasuk that Yakov is telling Lavan will leave to go home, resulted in Lavan plans to detain Yakov so that  he and his city continues to get a blessing from Yaakov’s presence.    

Idea #1

I asked years ago.  What did Yakov and Rochel think about the older sister, Leah.  Rochel was the younger sister.  Didn’t she worry that Leah would have to marry Eisav, the evil one.  

Rashi on Verse 29:17 says – רכות. שֶׁהָיְתָה סְבוּרָה לַעֲלוֹת בְּגוֹרָלוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו וּבוֹכָה, שֶׁהָיוּ הַכֹּל אוֹמְרִים שְׁנֵי בָנִים לְרִבְקָה וּשְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת לְלָבָן, הַגְּדוֹלָה לַגָּדוֹל וְהַקְּטַנָּה לַקָּטָן (בבא בתרא קכ”ג):

רכות TENDER — She thought she would have to fall to the lot of Esau and she therefore wept continually, because everyone said, “Rebekah has two sons, Laban has two daughters — the elder daughter for the elder son, the younger daughter for the younger son” (Genesis Rabbah 70:16).

The Medresh adds more color to Leah’s prayers.

Bereshis Rabbah 70:16

Leah’s eyes were delicate and Rachel was of beautiful form and of beautiful appearance” (Genesis 29:17).

“Leah’s eyes were delicate” – Rabbi Yoḥanan’s disseminator interpreted: Leah’s eyes were weak. *From birth. He said to him: ‘Your mother’s eyes were weak.’ What is delicate? They were delicate from weeping, as they *People would say. would say: ‘These were the stipulations: The elder to the elder and the younger to the younger.’ *Leah was to be married to Esau and Rachel to Jacob. She would weep and say: ‘May it be His will that I will not fall to the lot of that wicked man.’   Rav Huna said: Prayer is powerful, as it nullified the decree. Moreover, she preceded her sister.

It seemed that according to Rav Huna, Leah’s prayer changed the world.  Was this good or bad?  Should Leah have married Eisav?  Perhaps it was not good for the world.  

Rabbi Yinon Ben Moshiach showed me a beautiful Brisker Rov.  The Brisker Rov brings down on Toldos Verse 27:45.

עַד־שׁ֨וּב אַף־אָחִ֜יךָ מִמְּךָ֗ וְשָׁכַח֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ וְשָׁלַחְתִּ֖י וּלְקַחְתִּ֣יךָ מִשָּׁ֑ם לָמָ֥ה אֶשְׁכַּ֛ל גַּם־שְׁנֵיכֶ֖ם י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃

The Brisker Rov asks why would Rivka lose both kids on the same day?  He answers that if Yaakov is killed then there is no chance for Eisav to become good so it will be as if she lost both of them on the same day.  Based on this Brisker Rov, you see that Rivka wanted her older son to repent and become good.  This also could have happened with Leah and then Dinah.  Both could have reformed Eisav.

We see from the Medresh that Leah was destined to marry Eisav.  Perhaps this is why they did not step in to find Leah a marriage partner.  They knew that she was to marry Eisav.  Were they concerned that Leah would be marrying an evil monster?  Yossi Frank suggested based on my Torah on Dinah that Leah also had a tremendous power to influence people positively.  This is why she was destined to marry Eisav.  We know that Eisav was to be a Zevulam, supporting Yakov.   Perhaps had Leah and afterwards Dinah married Eisav, Eisav would have done Teshuvah and become a good person that would have changed the world.  Unfortunately this did not happen.   See my Torah on Parshas VaYishlach on Verse 34:1

Yossi Frank’s Pshet fits in with Rashi on Parshas VaYishlach on Verse 34:1. Rashi says that  Dinah was just like her mother.  Perhaps It means that both had a tremendous capacity to be a positive influence on the world and this is what Rashi means that both were יַצְאָנִית – they were able to go out, speak to people, and bring the world closer to God.  Just like Avrohom.

Verse 34:1

וַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙ בַּת־לֵאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב לִרְא֖וֹת בִּבְנ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land.

Rashi says בת לאה. וְלֹא בַת יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם יְצִיאָתָהּ נִקְרֵאת בַּת לֵאָה, שֶׁאַף הִיא יַצְאָנִית הָיְתָה (בראשית רבה), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתֵּצֶא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ (וְעָלֶיהָ מָשְׁלוּ הַמָּשָׁל כְּאִמָּהּ כְּבִתָּהּ):

Bava Basra 123 talks about Leah praying to God not to marry Eisav:

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שֶׁמַּתְּנוֹתֶיהָ אֲרוּכּוֹת. רַב אָמַר: לְעוֹלָם רַכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ, וְלֹא גְּנַאי הוּא לָהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁבַח הוּא לָהּ. שֶׁהָיְתָה שׁוֹמַעַת עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: שְׁנֵי בָנִים יֵשׁ לָהּ לְרִבְקָה, שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת יֵשׁ לוֹ לְלָבָן, גְּדוֹלָה לַגָּדוֹל וּקְטַנָּה לַקָּטָן. וְהָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים וּמְשָׁאֶלֶת: גָּדוֹל מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? אִישׁ רַע הוּא מְלַסְטֵם בְּרִיּוֹת. קָטָן מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? ״אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״. וְהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה, עַד שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ רִיסֵי עֵינֶיהָ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּרְא ה׳ כִּי שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה״ – מַאי ״שְׂנוּאָה״? אִילֵּימָא שְׂנוּאָה מַמָּשׁ; אֶפְשָׁר בִּגְנוּת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה לֹא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, בִּגְנוּת צַדִּיקִים דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב?! אֶלָּא רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁשְּׂנוּאִין מַעֲשֵׂה עֵשָׂו בְּפָנֶיהָ, 

Rav says that there is a different explanation of the verse: Actually, the verse means that her eyes were literally weak, and this is not a denigration of her but a praise of her. As she would hear people at the crossroads, coming from the land of Canaan, who would say: Rebecca has two sons, and her brother Laban has two daughters; the older daughter will be married to the older son, and the younger daughter will be married to the younger son.

וְהָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים וּמְשָׁאֶלֶת: גָּדוֹל מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? אִישׁ רַע הוּא מְלַסְטֵם בְּרִיּוֹת. קָטָן מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? ״אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״. וְהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה, עַד שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ רִיסֵי עֵינֶיהָ.

Rav continues: And she would sit at the crossroads and ask: What are the deeds of the older son? The passersby would answer: He is an evil man, and he robs people. She would ask: What are the deeds of the younger son? They would answer: He is “a quiet man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27). And because she was so distraught at the prospect of marrying the evil brother, she would cry and pray for mercy until her eyelashes fell out. Since the weakness of her eyes was due to this cause, characterizing her eyes as weak constitutes praise. This is Leah’s prayer for mercy to which Rabbi Yonatan referred.

וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּרְא ה׳ כִּי שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה״ – מַאי ״שְׂנוּאָה״? אִילֵּימָא שְׂנוּאָה מַמָּשׁ; אֶפְשָׁר בִּגְנוּת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה לֹא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, בִּגְנוּת צַדִּיקִים דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב?! אֶלָּא רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁשְּׂנוּאִין מַעֲשֵׂה עֵשָׂו בְּפָנֶיהָ, ״וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת רַחְמָהּ״.

The Gemara comments: And her desire not to marry Esau is the basis of that which is written: “And the Lord saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb” (Genesis 29:31). What is the meaning of “hated”? If we say that she was literally hated, is it possible? The verse there did not speak to the disparagement of even a non-kosher animal, so did the verse here speak to the disparagement of the righteous? Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, saw that the behavior of Esau was hated by her, and therefore: “And He opened her womb.”