How is Rashi translated? Sefaria, Arscroll, and Chabad say the same thing.
Sefaria – Artscroll says the same Pshat.
Why is this section (Sidra) totally closed? Because, comprising as it does an account of the death of Jacob, as soon as our father Jacob departed this life the hearts and eyes of Israel were closed (their eyes became dim and their hearts troubled) because of the misery of the bondage which they then began to impose upon them. Another reason is: because he (Jacob) wished to reveal to his sons the date of the End of Days (i.e. when Israel’s exile would finally end; cf. Rashi on Genesis 49:1), but the vision was closed (concealed) from him (Genesis Rabbah 96:1).
Chabad from Mesudah:
And Jacob lived: Why is this section [completely] closed? Because, as soon as our father Jacob passed away, the eyes and the heart of Israel were “closed,” (i.e., it became “dark” for them) because of the misery of the slavery, for they (the Egyptians) commenced to subjugate them.
These three English translations say that the Jews in Egypt walked around with a cloud over their heads. They were depressed because they saw slavery starting. It was like being in America for the Jews in 1935
I was shocked. This is not the way I understood this Rashi and this Medresh for the first 70 years of my life. I understood מִצָּרַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד as “from the misery of the enslavement”, not “because of the misery of enslavement.” Meaning the slavery in some fashion started and they did not realize it, consciously or subconsciously. After all, Yosef lived for another 54 years after Yaakov died so they were doing quite well.
Everyone asks that even after Yaakov dies Joseph was viceroy for another 54 years and the slavery did not start for over 20 years after Joseph’s death to when Levi died at 137 years. What does Rashi who quotes the Medresh mean that the slavery started at Yaakov’s death.
Explanations are given but I love Rabbi Riskin’s Vort based on the Rov’s Torah. His Vort is in his Sefer, Torah Lights – Bereshis, quoted below. Pages 307-311.
Everyone asks why couldn’t Yoseph speak to Pharaoh directly? Why did he have to ask בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה? I assume that בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה were high ranking offcials.
There are three answers.
1 – Sferno and Tur HaAruch both say that Yosef could not speak to Pharaoh directly because he was in mourning and wearing sackcloth.
Meshech Chochma says the same thing:
וידבר יוסף אל בית פרעה כו’ כו’ לשיטת רמב”ן אונן כ”ז שלא נקבר אסור לסוך ולרחוץ ולקשט וגם לרמב”ם דאונן שרי אין זה מדרך הנימוס וכבוד אביו לסוך וללבוש בגדי שררות כפי הראוי להיות בבואו אל המלך בעוד אביו מת מוטל לפניו לכן לא היה יכול לכנס אל פרעה לדבר עמו.
This is the simple answer. We see that although Achasverosh loved Esther, she could not approach him unless he called her. There is protocol. You just do not go into the king unless you are summoned or dressed in mourning clothes.
When Yaakov died Joseph’s profile in Egypt was lowered and he no longer had direct access to Pharaoh.
ונלע״ד דמ״מ מיד אחר מיתת יעקב אע״ג דהוה יוסף קיים מיד ראו סימני שעבוד וכדאמרי׳ נמי בפ״ק דסוטה מ״ש מעיקרא דכתיב ויעל יוסף לקבור וכו׳ ויעלו אתו כל עבדי פרעה וכו׳ והדר וכל בית יוסף ואחיו וכו׳ ומ״ש לבסוף דכתיב וישב יוסף מצרימה הוא ואחיו והדר וכו׳ אר״י בתחלה עד שלא ראו בכבודן של ישראל לא נהגו בהן כבוד וכו׳ הרי דמיד אחר מיתת יעקב התחיל סימן לשעבוד שהיו המצריים רוצים להשתרר עליהם ובר מן דין חזי׳ נמי שיוסף עצמו לא היתה גדולתו כ״כ כמו אביו שהוצרך לדבר עם בית פרעה ולחלות פניהם שיתחננו לפרעה שיניחהו לילך לקבור את אביו שכן כתיב אם נא מצאתי חן וכו׳ והיכן גדולתו וקורבתו עם המלך אלא שמיתת הזקן עשתה רושם ולפי׳ זה דייקי שפיר דברי רש״י שכתב מצרת השעבוד וכו׳ ולא קאמר מן השעבוד שלא היה שעבוד ממש אלא סימן המורה צרת השעבוד שהיה עתיד לבוא
3 – Rabbi Shlomo Riskin based on the Rov – Reb Yosef Ber Solovecihik. Gevaldig. The Pshat is as written in the following pages and is that Yosef was asking Pharaoh to bury Yaakov in Israel.This was a very tough ask and Yosef could not ask Pharoh directly. Read Rabbi Yosef Ber Soloveichik’s and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s words of Torah.
Rabbi Soloveichik says his Pshat on verse 50:5 on the first two words of the Pasuk אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי .
Rabbi Risken beautifully uses the above to explain verse 50:4 of why Joseph could not ask Pharoh directly.
He then uses his explanation of verse 50:4 to understand the first explanation of Rashi in verse 48:28
Pages (bottom of) 309, 310, and 311 from Rabbi Riskin’s Sefer, Torah Lights – Bereshis.
“Joseph may have reached the top of the social ladder in Egypt. He speaks Egyptian, dresses as an Egyptian, has become named Egyption (Tzanat – Pane’ah), and is married to a native Egyptoins (perhaps even to his previous master’s daughter). From slave to Prime Minister, Joseph has certainly lived out the great Egyptian dream. Now, however, he is forced to face the precariousness and vulnerability of his position.”
“Ordinately a person wants to be buried in his own homeland where his body will become part of the earth to which he feels most deeply connected. Indeed, in the ancient world the most criticall right of citizenship was he right of burial. The wise Jacob understands that Pharaoh expects Joseph to completely identify with Egypt, to bring up generations of faithful and committed Egyptians after all that his adopted country has given to him. But this was impossible for Jacob- and the pariah hoped that it would also be impossible for his children and grandchildren as well. They were in Egypt but not of Egypt. They might contribute to Egyptian society and economy, but they never become Egyptionas. Jacob understood that his burial in Canaan would be the greatest test of Joseph’ career, and would define the character of his descendants forever. Hence he makes his beloved son solemnly swear not to bury him in Egypt.”
Joseph , too, understood that Pharaoh would be shocked at the request, a petition expressing the Hebrew rejection of the most powerful and civilized nation on earth. Indeed, it is such a difficult and sensitive matter that Joseph could not face his patron Pharaoh directly with it. At that moment Joseph understands an even deeper truth: were he, his brothers, his children and grandchildren to make the choice to live as Egyptians and to die as Egyptians, the chances are that they would be totally accepted in the mainstream of the land and life in that country. However,were they to choose to live as Jews, with their own concept of life and death, they would never be accepted and would probably be persecuted. It is this realization in the aftermath of Jacob;’s death which Rashi correctly sees as the beginning of the slavery of the Israelites. In Egypt, Joseph’s kinsman may have everything: Goshen Heights and Gopshen Green, progeny and patrimony. But as long as they are determined to remain Jews, servitude and persecution are inevitable. They may rejoice in the preferred Egyption status, where they ‘took possession of it and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly’, but they cannot ever pause to enjoy the good fortune. The realization upon Jacob’s death of the transient and illusory nature of their good fortune comes upon them inexorably and imperceptibly, as in the blink of an eye, as in the following sentence without a change of paragraph.”
“And so this portion is closed just as Egypt will soon be closed to their children. Such is the ultimate fate of the children of Israel in every exile.”
How is Rashi translated? Sefaria, Arscroll, and Chabad say the same thing.
Sefaria – Artscroll says the same Pshat.
Why is this section (Sidra) totally closed? Because, comprising as it does an account of the death of Jacob, as soon as our father Jacob departed this life the hearts and eyes of Israel were closed (their eyes became dim and their hearts troubled) because of the misery of the bondage which they then began to impose upon them. Another reason is: because he (Jacob) wished to reveal to his sons the date of the End of Days (i.e. when Israel’s exile would finally end; cf. Rashi on Genesis 49:1), but the vision was closed (concealed) from him (Genesis Rabbah 96:1).
Chabad from Mesudah:
And Jacob lived: Why is this section [completely] closed? Because, as soon as our father Jacob passed away, the eyes and the heart of Israel were “closed,” (i.e., it became “dark” for them) because of the misery of the slavery, for they (the Egyptians) commenced to subjugate them.
These three English translations say that the Jews in Egypt walked around with a cloud over their heads. They were depressed because they saw slavery starting. It was like being in America for the Jews in 1935
I was shocked. This is not the way I understood this Rashi and this Medresh for the first 70 years of my life. I understood מִצָּרַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד as “from the misery of the enslavement”, not “because of the misery of enslavement.” Meaning the slavery in some fashion started and they did not realize it, consciously or subconsciously. After all, Yosef lived for another 54 years after Yaakov died so they were doing quite well.
Everyone asks that even after Yaakov dies Joseph was viceroy for another 54 years and the slavery did not start for over 20 years after Joseph’s death to when Levi died at 137 years. What does Rashi who quotes the Medresh mean that the slavery started at Yaakov’s death.
Explanations are given but I love Rabbi Riskin’s Vort based on the Rov’s Torah. His Vort is in his Sefer, Torah Lights – Bereshis, quoted below. Pages 307-311.
Everyone asks why couldn’t Yoseph speak to Pharaoh directly? Why did he have to ask בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה? I assume that בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה were high ranking offcials.
There are three answers.
1 – Sferno and Tur HaAruch both say that Yosef could not speak to Pharaoh directly because he was in mourning and wearing sackcloth.
Meshech Chochma says the same thing:
וידבר יוסף אל בית פרעה כו’ כו’ לשיטת רמב”ן אונן כ”ז שלא נקבר אסור לסוך ולרחוץ ולקשט וגם לרמב”ם דאונן שרי אין זה מדרך הנימוס וכבוד אביו לסוך וללבוש בגדי שררות כפי הראוי להיות בבואו אל המלך בעוד אביו מת מוטל לפניו לכן לא היה יכול לכנס אל פרעה לדבר עמו.
This is the simple answer. We see that although Achasverosh loved Esther, she could not approach him unless he called her. There is protocol. You just do not go into the king unless you are summoned or dressed in mourning clothes.
When Yaakov died Joseph’s profile in Egypt was lowered and he no longer had direct access to Pharaoh.
ונלע״ד דמ״מ מיד אחר מיתת יעקב אע״ג דהוה יוסף קיים מיד ראו סימני שעבוד וכדאמרי׳ נמי בפ״ק דסוטה מ״ש מעיקרא דכתיב ויעל יוסף לקבור וכו׳ ויעלו אתו כל עבדי פרעה וכו׳ והדר וכל בית יוסף ואחיו וכו׳ ומ״ש לבסוף דכתיב וישב יוסף מצרימה הוא ואחיו והדר וכו׳ אר״י בתחלה עד שלא ראו בכבודן של ישראל לא נהגו בהן כבוד וכו׳ הרי דמיד אחר מיתת יעקב התחיל סימן לשעבוד שהיו המצריים רוצים להשתרר עליהם ובר מן דין חזי׳ נמי שיוסף עצמו לא היתה גדולתו כ״כ כמו אביו שהוצרך לדבר עם בית פרעה ולחלות פניהם שיתחננו לפרעה שיניחהו לילך לקבור את אביו שכן כתיב אם נא מצאתי חן וכו׳ והיכן גדולתו וקורבתו עם המלך אלא שמיתת הזקן עשתה רושם ולפי׳ זה דייקי שפיר דברי רש״י שכתב מצרת השעבוד וכו׳ ולא קאמר מן השעבוד שלא היה שעבוד ממש אלא סימן המורה צרת השעבוד שהיה עתיד לבוא
3 – Rabbi Shlomo Riskin based on the Rov – Reb Yosef Ber Solovecihik. Gevaldig. The Pshat is as written in the following pages and is that Yosef was asking Pharaoh to bury Yaakov in Israel.This was a very tough ask and Yosef could not ask Pharoh directly. Read Rabbi Yosef Ber Soloveichik’s and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s words of Torah.
Rabbi Soloveichik says his Pshat on verse 50:5 on the first two words of the Pasuk אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי .
Rabbi Risken beautifully uses the above to explain verse 50:4 of why Joseph could not ask Pharoh directly.
He then uses his explanation of verse 50:4 to understand the first explanation of Rashi in verse 48:28
Pages (bottom of) 309, 310, and 311 from Rabbi Riskin’s Sefer, Torah Lights – Bereshis.
“Joseph may have reached the top of the social ladder in Egypt. He speaks Egyptian, dresses as an Egyptian, has become named Egyption (Tzanat – Pane’ah), and is married to a native Egyptoins (perhaps even to his previous master’s daughter). From slave to Prime Minister, Joseph has certainly lived out the great Egyptian dream. Now, however, he is forced to face the precariousness and vulnerability of his position.”
“Ordinately a person wants to be buried in his own homeland where his body will become part of the earth to which he feels most deeply connected. Indeed, in the ancient world the most criticall right of citizenship was he right of burial. The wise Jacob understands that Pharaoh expects Joseph to completely identify with Egypt, to bring up generations of faithful and committed Egyptians after all that his adopted country has given to him. But this was impossible for Jacob- and the pariah hoped that it would also be impossible for his children and grandchildren as well. They were in Egypt but not of Egypt. They might contribute to Egyptian society and economy, but they never become Egyptionas. Jacob understood that his burial in Canaan would be the greatest test of Joseph’ career, and would define the character of his descendants forever. Hence he makes his beloved son solemnly swear not to bury him in Egypt.”
Joseph , too, understood that Pharaoh would be shocked at the request, a petition expressing the Hebrew rejection of the most powerful and civilized nation on earth. Indeed, it is such a difficult and sensitive matter that Joseph could not face his patron Pharaoh directly with it. At that moment Joseph understands an even deeper truth: were he, his brothers, his children and grandchildren to make the choice to live as Egyptians and to die as Egyptians, the chances are that they would be totally accepted in the mainstream of the land and life in that country. However,were they to choose to live as Jews, with their own concept of life and death, they would never be accepted and would probably be persecuted. It is this realization in the aftermath of Jacob;’s death which Rashi correctly sees as the beginning of the slavery of the Israelites. In Egypt, Joseph’s kinsman may have everything: Goshen Heights and Gopshen Green, progeny and patrimony. But as long as they are determined to remain Jews, servitude and persecution are inevitable. They may rejoice in the preferred Egyption status, where they ‘took possession of it and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly’, but they cannot ever pause to enjoy the good fortune. The realization upon Jacob’s death of the transient and illusory nature of their good fortune comes upon them inexorably and imperceptibly, as in the blink of an eye, as in the following sentence without a change of paragraph.”
“And so this portion is closed just as Egypt will soon be closed to their children. Such is the ultimate fate of the children of Israel in every exile.”
Rabbi Mark Dratch – Beverley Javasky-Lyons Bar Mitzvah
Sunday the 24th is Aliza Feiga Siegal’s Bas Mitzvah. Shoshana came in from Boynton Beach with Tovah and Tehillah. Friday night Eli ate over and Nechama and Itamer stayed over to be with their cousins. On Shabbos Mordy, Rivky and the Bas Mitzvah girl came over for lunch.
I had too much cake Friday night and it was hard to wake up Shabbos morning. I got up a 6:30 AM and work on the Parsha.
Torah Chiddush:
This year I am not really saying Torah Chidushim. I am more focused on reading the dialogue in the Chumash with the correct emotions and words in English.
I worked extensively on the first Pasuk, Verse 44:18
Yehudah approached him [Yosef] and said, “Please, my master, let your servant speak [now] a word in my master’s ears [before my master], and do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh.”
2 – Artscroll, Gutnick, and JPS translations based on Onkelys:
Then Yehuda approached him and said “If you please my Lord may your servant speak a word in my Lord’s ears and let not your anger flare up at your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.
3 – Charles Kahanah – Toras Yesharah translates it differently based on the Malbim.
And Judah approached him (Joseph) and said, “I cannot base this case on arguments of justice. But I beg you, master, allow me to plead in the hearing of my master for mercy, and be not angry at your servant thinking that I ask you to debase justice, for as governor you have the power, like Pharaoh, to grant a pardon.
What does בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ mean? Most translators translate as Onkelys and Artscroll, “Please, my Master”
There is no Rashi here but there is a Rashi in Berseshis 43:20 on בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ that also translates it as “Please my Master”. There is a Ramban in Bereshis 43:20 that translates it differently than Rashi and an Ibn Ezra.
I want to say first bring down the Kotzker and my Chidush. Then go back to discuss Rashi’s translation in Miketz 43:20.
The Kotzker says on וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה that the אֵלָ֜יו is extra. Therefore the Kotzker says that it means שנגש אל עצמו. Yehuda approached himself; he looked inwards. I believe the Kotzker means that Yehuda paused for a few seconds, steeled himself, and searched for the right argument. The viceroy who was effectively the most powerful man in the world spoke and said Binyamin is staying here. No one debates a viceroy. Just responding to the viceroy may mean death to Yehuda. Picture the scene. Yosef as viceroy was sitting on his throne; around him were his ministers, the captains of the army and it was very frightful. Yehuda had to argue correctly to free Binyamin. Yehdua had to pause for a few seconds and gather himself for the future depended on what he said.
I want to add to the Kotzker that Yehuda thought or uttered under his breath the next two words, בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒. “In me Hashem”. Harshem – speak through me the proper words to the viceroy so he may free Binyamin. I am translating בִּ֣י as “in me”. Artscroll on verse 43:20 footnote 7 says that the word בִּ֣י normally means “in me”; however, this translation does not work in the Passuk. I am arguing that this is precisely the definition and the word אֲדֹנִי֒ refers to hashem. Just like we find in Parshas Vayera that the word אֲדֹנִי֒ can be Chol – referring to man or Kodesh – referring to Hashem.
Perhaps you can say it means both. He uttered it to himself and also spoke it to Josef as “please my lord”.
I first heard this Kotzker in the late 1980s from Rabbi Mark Dratch at a cousin’s, (Beverly and Eliot Javasky-Lyons), kid’s Bar Mitzvah at the Shaarei Shamayim Shul in Toronto.As I recall Rabbi Dratch said the Kotzker slightly different. I recall Rabbi Dratch said that Yehuda did an introspection; he asked himself, where do I stand, do I have the moral courage to defend Binyomin?
The Rosh Yeshiva of HTC Skokie Yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Revah, liked it and shook my hand. At the Baral wedding on December 28, 2023 I told over my Torah to Rabbi Doivd Zucker, Rabbi Eliyahu Millen and Rabbi Efraim Twerski. Rabbi Twerski said that he say in two Chassidic Seforim The אֲדֹנִי֒ of thjis Pasuk is a reference to the opening of the Shemonei Esra words of אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ.
Boruch hashem that I found my source for my Torah.
This is an expression of beseeching and supplication, In the Aramaic language (we find a related word with the same meaning) בַּיָּא בַּיָּא. This is Arscroll and they do not translate בַּיָּא בַּיָּא.
We have three places where the Gemora has the words בייא בייא and all three are translated by Seferia and Artscroll as woe, woe. Yuma 59B, Sanhedrin 64A and Yevamos 97A,
Yuma 69B and Sanhedrin 64A are the same Gemora and Rashi in each location are slightly different. The Rashi on the third Gemora in Yevamos is also slightly different from the other two. .
The Gemara recounts the event described in the verses: The verse states: And they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God (Nehemiah 9:4). What was said? Rav said, and some say it was Rabbi Yoḥanan who said: Woe, woe.
Rashi in Yuma – בייא בייא – לשון זעקה וקובלנא: The word קובלנה in the Hebrew-English dictionary is “complaint.”
The Gemora in Sanhedrin 64A is the same Gemora, but Rashi is slightly different.
ת”ש (נחמיה ט, ד) ויזעקו בקול גדול אל ה’ אלהיהם מאי אמור אמר רב יהודה ואיתימא ר’ יונתן בייא בייא
The Gemara suggests: Come and hear another proof, from the verse: “And they cried in a loud voice to the Lord their God” (Nehemiah 9:4). What did they say in that prayer? Rav Yehuda says, and some say it is Rav Yonatan who says: Woe, woe [baya, baya],
Rashi in Sanhedrin 64A
בייא בייא – בלשון ארמי הוי לשון גנחה וצעקה כמו אהבה בלשון הקודש:
The Gemara cites another riddle: Woe, woe [baya, baya] for my brother, who is my father, and who is my husband, and who is the son of my husband, and who is the husband of my mother, and I am the daughter of his wife; and he does not provide bread for his brothers, who are orphans, the sons of me, his daughter.
Rashi in Yevomos – בייא מאח – קובלת אני על אחי שהוא אבי ובעלי ובן בעלי והוא בעלה דאם הולידי מאמי והיינו נמי דהוא אב אלא לאפושי מילי הוא:
Here Rashi translates בייא as קבלת – as a complaint
The problem is that Rashi in quoting בַּיָּא בַּיָּא – woe, woe seems to be more like the Ramban who says that בי אדני is an expression of distress and affliction over a tragedy and mishap, similar to the word avoi in Hebrew. It does not seem that the source of Rashi is the Gemara in Yuma. The standard Chumash I have does not put in brackets any source of Rashi. Look below for the Rambam and Ibn Ezra.
Continuation of Pasuk 44:18
There are three other Rashi’s in the first Pasuk on VaYigash:
ויגש אליו וגומר … דבר באזני אדני. יִכָּנְסוּ דְּבָרַי בְּאָזְנֶיךָ:
ואל יחר אפך. מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁדִּבֵּר אֵלָיו קָשׁוֹת:
How do you read the above Pasuk? Do you read it that Yehuda was meek and asking in a begging tone change his mind as the Malbim seems to says or was he speaking harshly, demanding in his words, but still telling Yosef that he – Yehuda – will become a servant to Yosef like Rashi suggests
Ibn Ezra – בי. לשון בקשה. ולפי דעתי שהוא דרך קצרה. כמו בי אדני העון. והטעם עון במקום הזה כטעם גדול עוני מנשוא והטעם עשה בי מה שתרצה ותשמעני:
OH. Bi adoni (Oh, my lord) is a supplicatory expression. I believe it is an abridged statement. It is like, bi ani adoni he-avon (upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity) (I Sam. 25:24). Avon (iniquity) here has the same meaning as avon in My iniquity (avoni) is greater than I can bear (Gen. 4:13). The meaning of bi adoni he-avon is, do to me as you wish but first listen to me.
Ramban:
בי אדוני לשון בעיא ותחנונים הוא ובלשון ארמית בייא בייא לשון רש”י (רש”י על בראשית מ״ג:כ׳) וזה דבר זר מאד לסמכו אל מלת לשון טורסי ואינה דומה אליה כי בייא כולה מלה לא תשתנה ולא יאמר ממנה בי ועוד שהמלה ההיא אינה לשון בעיא ותחנונים כמו שאמר הרב אבל היא לשון צעקה ותרעומת על שבר ועל עוות דבר כגון מלת אבוי בלשון קדש והיא ידועה בלשון ערב ירגילו אותה בקינותיהם כולן בפתחות הבי”ת ובלשון יון בייא הבי”ת רפא בשו”א יאמרו אותה על הדוחק והצער ובבראשית רבה סדר בראשית (יב ו) מהו סלו לרוכב בערבות ביה שמו (תהלים סח ה) אין לך כל מקום ומקום שאין לו ממונה על בייא שלו אגריקוס במדינה ממונה על בייא שלו אגרטוס במדינה ממונה על בייא שלו כך מי ממונה על בייא של עולמו הקב”ה רוצה לומר שבכל מקום יש איש ממונה על הצעקה ועל העוות והקב”ה ממונה על צעקת העשוקים בעולם הצועקים בייא ועוד לפנינו בפרשת ויגש אליו (ב”ר צג ו) אמר לו יהודה בייא אתה מעביר עלינו שכך אמרת לנו ואשימה עיני עליו זו היא השמת עין ובפרשת ויהי בשלח (כ י) שמא אני מעביר בייא על בריה ובפרשת וישמע יתרו (כז ט) נתמנה אדם ונטל טלית כל טורח ציבור עליו אם ראה אדם מעביר בייא על חברו או עובר עבירה ולא מיחה בו הוא נענש עליו ובפרשת אשה כי תזריע (עיין ערוך ערך ביאה) צווח אנא בייא עליכון וכן במקומות הרבה ואונקלוס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית מ״ג:כ׳) שתרגם בי אדני בבעו רבוני לא שהוציא מלת בי מן בעו אבל רדף הענין שהוא בא בכל מקום בענין הבקשה ורבי אברהם אמר כי בי אדני דרך קצרה בלשון הקדש והוא כמו בי אני אדני העון והטעם עשה בי מה שתרצה ותשמעני ואם כן נכון הוא שיאמר אדם בי אחי או בי שמעני ולא מצאתי שתבא מלת בי רק עם אדני או עם השם הנכבד הנכתב באל”ף דלי”ת שגם הוא לשון אדון ולכן אני אומר שפירושו בי בעצמי אתה אדון ומושל ובאו שני כנויים לחזוק כמו ולי אני עבדך (מלכים א א כו) בי אני אדני (שמואל א כה כד) ודומה לזה כי בי בעזרך (הושע יג ט) בי עזרך בעזרך אני:
‘BI ADONI’ (O, MY LORD). The word bi is an expression of entreaty and supplication. In Aramaic, we have bai bai. Thus the language of Rashi.
Now it is a very strange thing to associate the Hebrew word bi with a word from the Tarsian language, which is unlike it, for the word bai is all one root; it cannot be changed, nor can you obtain the form of the word bi from this Aramaic root.
Moreover, this word bai does not connote entreaty and supplication, as the Rabbi [Rashi] states. Rather it is an expression of distress and affliction over a tragedy and mishap, similar to the word avoir in the Sacred Language. This is well known in the Arabic language, where the poets customarily use it in their elegies, always with a patach under the beth: bai. In the Greek language the word is bia — the beth having a shva — and is used to express distress and grief. Thus you find in Bereshith Rabbah, Seder Bereshith, that the Sages say: “What is the meaning of the verse, Extol Him that rideth upon the skies, the Eternal (‘bayah’) is His Name? There is no place whatever that does not have an officer in charge of its grievances. Agricus is in charge of grievances in his state; Agratus is in charge of grievances in his state. In the same way, who is in charge of the grievances (baya) in His world? [It is] the Holy One, blessed be He.” That is to say, every place has someone in charge of hearing complaints of distress and injustice, and the Holy One, blessed be He, is in charge of the cries of the oppressed, who cry, baya.
Again, before us in the Midrash Bereshith Rabbah of the Parshath (section of) Vayigash Eilav: “Judah said to Joseph, ‘You do baya (violence) against us. You had said to us thus: That I May set mine eyes upon him. Is this “casting an eye” upon him?’”
And in the Parshath Vay’hi B’shalach, you find in Shmoth Rabbah: “Do I ever baya (wrong) any creature?” And in the Parshath Vayishma Yitro, we find in Shmoth Rabbah: “Once a man has been appointed and he has put on the mantle of leadership, all communal burdens are upon him. If he sees a man doing baya against his fellow, or committing some transgression, and he fails to protest it, he is punished on account thereof.” And in the Parshath Isha Ki Thazria we find: “I raise a cry of violence (baya) against you.” And so also in many places.
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Now Onkelos, who translated Bi Adoni here as b’va’u riboni (O please, my lord), did not intend to suggest that the Hebrew word bi is a derivative of the Aramaic ba’u, but he merely translated it in accordance with its context, for the word bi is always found as an expression of supplication.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says that bi adoni is a shortened form in the Sacred Language, and its meaning is as in the verse, Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity, thus meaning, “do to me whatever you wish, but listen to me.” But if this interpretation of Ibn Ezra is correct, it should follow that a person should also be able to say in Hebrew, “‘bi’ my brother,” or “‘bi,’ listen to me.” And yet nowhere do we find the word bi except in conjunction with the word adoni (my lord), or with the Honored Name of G-d when it is written with the letters aleph, daleth, which is also an expression of lordship. It is for this reason that I say that the meaning of the word bi is “by myself”: “By my life! you are lord and ruler.” The two pronouns serve for the purpose of emphasis, just as: But me, even me thy servant;Upon me, my lord, upon me. Similar to this is the verse, That thou art against Me, against thy help, meaning “I serve as your help.”
Sefaria’s English translation of this Rashi is — The word בי is an expression of entreaty (בעיא) and supplication. In Aramaic we have בייא בייא “woe, woe!” (Yoma 69b).
Their Hebrew version says ( בי אדני. לְשׁוֹן בַּעְיָא וְתַחֲנוּנִים הוּא, בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי בַּיָּא בַּיָּא (יבמות צ”ז, סנהדרין ס”ד:
Rashi starts by saying that בי means please and then uses the Aramaic words of בִּיָּיא בִּיָּיא. Seemingly everyone translates this as woe, woe. Aren’t please and woe two different expressions.
Artscroll, Oz Vehadar and Gutnick put in brackets in this Rashi that Rashi’s source for the Aramaic meaning is the Gemora on Yuma 69B. Seferia also links it to the Gemara in Sanhedrin 64A and Yevomos 97B.
We drove back from Toronto to Chicago this past Sunday. December 28th. My mother-in-law came back from Baycrest where she was rehabbing from surgery for a broken hip. She has not changed. Serka came down with Covid and we decided to head back to Chicago. Serka still has a loss of smell and taste. She finished her quarantine since she got Covid and tested positive. I have to quarantine for another week. I am listening to Carlbach as I am writing this.
On Shabbos, I read about 100 pages of the book, April 1865 – The Month that Saved America by Jay Winik written in 2001.
Rabbi Sacks has a 7 page Torah Vort in his book Covenant and Conversation titled, The Future of the Past. Rabbi Sacks focuses on Bereshis 50:19-20 – Pages 341-342:
The brothers told Joseph the following in Verse 50:15- 16
So shall you say to Joseph, ‘Forgive, I urge you, the offense and guilt of your brothers who treated you so harshly.’ Therefore, please forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph was in tears as they spoke to him (see what I wrote from Rabbi Bitterman who explains why Yosef cried. Blog Post Parshas Vayechi December 18, 2021.)
Joseph probably knew that his father never told his brothers what they claimed. Rabbi Sacks says ”Yet Joseph takes his brothers seriously – not because he believes them but because the very fact that they say this indicates that they are still feeling anxious and guilty. His response is majestic in its generosity, as follows:
Besides, although you intended me harm, God intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.
Rabbi Sacks writes in page 342 of his book, “As we have already discussed, this final scene is the resolution of one of the central problems of the book of Genesis: the continuing theme of sibling rivalry. A book replete with tensions, hatred and competition ends with forgiveness. This closing is essential to the biblical drama of redemption, for if brothers cannot live together, how can nations? And if nations cannot live together, how can the human world survive? Only now with the reconciliation of Joseph and his brothers, can the story move on to the birth of Israel as a nation, passing from the crucible of slavery to the constitution of freedom as a people under the sovereignty of God.”
How appropriate that over Shabbos I read about 100 pages from Jay Winik’s book, April 1865. The Civil War pitted brother against brother. It is the same theme that Rabbi Sacks talks about, the need to heal the rupture so that the future can move forward. President Abraham understood that just like he won the war, he had to win the peace.
I quote from page 208 of Jay Winik’s book, “After four bloody years of reaching for the Confederacy’s jugular, Lincoln’s humanity is unchanged, This avatar of total war is a staunch advocate of a soft peace, a generous peace, a magnanimous peace, just as Grant has carried out at Appomattox. It is his River Queen doctrine writ large. So passionately does he feel about this matter that he will directly tell his cabinet today, in no uncertain words, there is “no greater or more important [issue] before us, or any future Cabinet” than Reconstruction.”
Jay Winik writes on page 193. “Appomattox was not preordained. There were no established rules or well-worn script. If anything, retribution had been the larger and longer precedent. So, if these moments teemed with hope — and they did — it was largely due to two men, who rose to the occasion, to Grant’s and Lee’s respective actions; one general, magnanimous in victory, the other, gracious and equally dignified in defeat, the two of them, for their own reasons and in their ways, fervently interested in beginning the process to bind up the wounds of the last four years. And yes. If, paradoxically, these were among Lee’s finest hours, and they were, so, too, were they Grant’s greatest moments.”
General Ulysses S. Grant treated General Robert E. Lee and the surrender of Lee’s army with dignity and tenderness. The Union allowed General Lee’s men to surrender with dignity. There was a stacking of the arms and acknowledgment that the men who were surrendering were honorable and deserving of respect. General Grant carried out President Abraham Lincoln’s orders at City Point (General Grant’s command post) that there will be no bloody work and no hangings. This was atypical of war where the victors exact punishment on the defeated army with hangings, killings, and brutality.
The second half of Rabbi Jonathan Sack’s Torah is what I want to explain and is what animates me.
Yoma 86B states in the name of Resh Lakish:
אמר ריש לקיש גדולה תשובה שזדונות נעשות לו כשגגות שנאמר (הושע יד, ב) שובה ישראל עד ה’ אלהיך כי כשלת בעונך הא עון מזיד הוא וקא קרי ליה מכשול איני והאמר ריש לקיש גדולה תשובה שזדונות נעשות לו כזכיות שנאמר (יחזקאל לג, יט) ובשוב רשע מרשעתו ועשה משפט וצדקה עליהם (חיה) יחיה לא קשיא כאן מאהבה כאן מיראה
Reish Lakish said: Great is repentance, as the penitent’s intentional sins are counted for him as unwitting transgressions, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity” (Hosea 14:2). The Gemara analyzes this: Doesn’t “iniquity” mean an intentional sin? Yet the prophet calls it stumbling, implying that one who repents is considered as though he only stumbled accidentally in his transgression. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Didn’t Reish Lakish himself say: Great is repentance, as one’s intentional sins are counted for him as merits, as it is stated: “And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby” (Ezekiel 33:19), and all his deeds, even his transgressions, will become praiseworthy? The Gemara reconciles: This is not difficult: Here, when one repents out of love, his sins become like merits; there, when one repents out of fear, his sins are counted as unwitting transgressions.
Rabbi Sacks asks – we understand that repentance can change your intent from intentional sins to unwitting transgressions. However, how does your deliberate sin count as merits? How do you change the reality of what you did? It has been done, it is part of the past. Even the Pasuk that Resh Lakish brings down in Ezekial does not support what Resh Lakish says. The Pasuk says that he will live in the future but not that his past wrongdoing is a merit.
Rabbi Sacks answered that “once the brothers had undergone complete repentance, their original intent was canceled out. It was now possible to see the good, as well as the bad consequences of their act – and to attribute the former (good acts) to them. Strpped of their initial aim, the act could instead be defined by what part it played in a providential drama whose outcome was only now fully apparent in retrospect.” God wanted Joseph to be sold down to Egypt. If the brothers had not sold Joseph perhaps on his way back home, Joseph would have been kidnapped. What the brothers did was wrong, however, now since they regretted their actions, their original intent is canceled out and their sale of Joseph is part of God’s divine plan. This is what Yosef told the brothers in Verses 50:19-20.
This is the story of my mother’s life. She made major mistakes in her life. She had to pick herself off the mat, fight for everything, suffer setbacks, and in the end this humble person whose prospects for a good life initially seemed unattainable, became the matriarch of a glorious family. Her children and grandchildren flourished, raised beautiful families, found success in America, and lived the American dream. When my mother died in late 2017 she had over 140 living children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. The number is now approaching 150. My mother’s mistakes ended up becoming the foundation for a great and glorious family. Her mistakes became merits. This is what my sister Karen told my mother after my mother got sick. My mother was confined to the house and no longer able to come and go. All she did was sit and replay her life in her mind. She expressed her anguish to Karen about her mistakes. Karen responded, Ma look what your mistakes produced, a Pesach and an Arela and their families. Look at Lisa and Mitch. We should only be so lucky.
I must add that my grandparents Sholem and Chana Feigal Sklar came to America and stayed Orthodox. They did not change. My grandfather did not change in America, kept his beard, and lived his life as he lived in Europe. Zedi had 6 brothers and sisters in America that came before him and none remained Orthodox. They told him that here in America you have to become American and shave your beard. Initially, his siblings did have success with Esther Diamond brothers getting PHDs from the University of Chicago and working on the Manhattan project. However, in 2020 all his 6 brothers and sisters may have 50 descendants, only two Orthodox. However in terms of success in America Zedi and Bubi’s kids have succeeded beyond expectations in 1923 living on Maxwell Street. They now have over 250 descendents including Torah scholars, doctors, lawyers, businessmen and of course myself.
ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים שבע עשרה שנה כבר הזכרתי (לעיל מג יד) כי רדת יעקב למצרים הוא גלותינו היום ביד החיה הרביעית (דניאל ז ז) רומי הרשעה כי בני יעקב הם עצמם סבבו רדתם שם במכירת יוסף אחיהם ויעקב ירד שם מפני הרעב וחשב להנצל עם בנו בבית אוהב לו כי פרעה אוהב את יוסף וכבן* לו והיו סבורים לעלות משם ככלות הרעב מארץ כנען כמו שאמרו (לעיל מז ד) לגור בארץ באנו כי אין מרעה לצאן אשר לעבדיך כי כבד הרעב בארץ כנען והנה לא עלו אבל ארך עליהם הגלות ומת שם ועלו עצמותיו וזקני פרעה ושריו העלוהו ועשו עמו אבל כבד וכן אנחנו עם רומי ואדום אחינו הסיבונו ביאתינו בידם כי כרתו ברית עם הרומיים ואגריפס המלך האחרון לבית שני ברח אליהם לעזרה ומפני הרעב נלכדו אנשי ירושלים והגלות ארך עלינו מאד לא נודע קצו כשאר הגליות ואנחנו בו כמתים אומרים יבשו עצמותינו נגזרנו לנו ויעלו אותנו מכל העמים מנחה לה’** ויהיה להם אבל כבד בראותם כבודנו*** ואנחנו נראה בנקמת ה’ יקימנו ונחיה לפניו****:
*I thought this was not true. I have written that Pharaoh viewed Yosef as his hatchet man based on a Pasuk in Miktaz. Perhaps both are true that he did love Yoseph. At the same time when needed, he made Yoseph a scapegoat and his hatchet man.
** I believe this was fulfilled in the first half of the 20th century starting with the Balfour Declaration and ending with 1948 when the State of Israel was declared.
*** Perhaps this is what has and is what is happening over the last 50 years starting with the UN and spreading to the EU. They cannot accept Israel’s great success and use it to better the Arab world and the entire world. Rather than harnessing the entrepreneurship and energy of Israel, they choose to attempt to hurt and destroy Israel, keeping over 1 Billion people enslaved to poverty, religious fanatics, megalomaniacs, without hope for the future.
**** We want the world to be a partner with the Jews and Israel, and not face retribution.
ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים וגו’. למה פרשה זו סתומה, אלא כיון שנפטר יעקב התחיל השעבוד ד״א שבקש לגלות הקץ ונסתם ממנו. ד״א שנסתמו ממנו כל צרות שבעולם. כך היא הנוסחא בב״ר (צו א) כפי הנראה שאין סמך מן המקרא לכל הדרשות האלו וכולם כמתנבאים. ואשר נראה לי בזה לפי שמצינו כאן סתימה שלא כדרך הפרשיות הסתומות שבתורה שיש בהם ריוח לפחות כשיעור פרשה סתומה, וכאן אין ריוח כלל ודאי שכונת עזרא הסופר להסמיך פסוק ויחי לפסוק שלפניו וישב ישראל בארץ גושן ויאחזו בה ויפרו וירבו מאד ויחי יעקב וגו’. כאילו היה הכל פסוק אחד, ע״כ נחלקו ג’ לשונות אלו במשמעות דורשין.
כי ללשון ראשון הדורש, שכיון שנפטר יעקב התחיל השיעבוד יהיה קישור שני פסוקים אלו על זה האופן, כי מתחילה אמר וישב ישראל בארץ גושן הורה בלשון ישיבה שהיה להם ישיבה של שלוה ומנוחה, ויאחזו שהיה להם גם אחוזה בארץ ויפרו וירבו מאד, וכל זה היה בזמן ויחי יעקב כי בחייו עמד להם זכות יעקב שזכו לכל אלה, מכלל שבמותו פסק זכותו ופסק הכל, כי לא היה להם עוד ישיבה של שלום מצד השעבוד, וכ״ש שלא היחה להם אחוזה בארץ כי עבדים המה, וכן לא ניתן להם לפרות ולרבות כי בקשו להמעיטם ע״י העינוי באמרם פן ירבה, ולפי זה היתה מיתת יעקב סבת השעבוד.
ונוכל לומר בהפך זה, שהתחלת השעבוד היה סבת מיתתו כי קיצר הקדוש ברוך הוא שנותיו שלא הגיע לימי אבותיו שלא יראה בשעבוד בניו, כי בא הזמן של ועבדום וענו אותם. לכך נאמר ויקרבו ימי ישראל למות ואמרו רבותינו ז״ל (בר״ר צו ד) כל מי שנאמר בו קריבה לא הגיע לימי אבותיו, ובדרך זה יהיה הסמיכות מבואר ג״כ כמו בדרך ראשון, ומספר י״ז שנה דנקט לומר שמכירתו של יוסף שהיה בן י״ז שנה, גרם להם שלא ישבו בשלום במצרים כ״א י״ז שנה.
וללשון שלישי הדורש, לפי שנסתמו ממנו כל צרות שבעולם יאמר הכתוב אע״פ שהיה כל ימיו בצרה וגרות כמ״ש ימי מגורי ק״ל שנה מעט ורעים, מ״מ לגודל השלוה שהיה לו תוך י״ז שנים שראה ישיבת בניו בשלום ויאחזו בארץ ויפרו וירבו נשכחו ממנו כל הצרות הראשונות שעברו עליו והיו כלא היו, לכך נאמר ויהי ימי יעקב שני חייו קמ״ז שנה כי אותן ק״ל שנים לא היו נחשבים מכלל ימי חייו לגודל צרותיו, ועכשיו למפרע נחשבו כולם שני חייו, וזה לפי שנסתמו ממנו כל הצרות שעברו וכאילו היה חי חיים נעימים ועריבים בכל שנותיו, שהרי באמת יוסף היה חי, לכך סמך ויחי יעקב אל הפסוק הקודם, ומה שהשמיט רש״י לשון זה לפי שנראה לו שהיינו הך הלשון ראשון כאשר הוא מבואר למבין בהתבוננות מעט.
ואולם הלשון השני הדורש, שבקש לגלות הקץ ונסתלקה ממנו השכינה, לפי שבא לתרץ מהו שאמר ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים י״ז שנה מאי קמ״ל, וכי עדיין לא ידענו שהיה במצרים י״ז שנה, שהרי בבואו לפני פרעה אמר ימי מגורי ק״ל שנה, וא״כ למה הוצרך לומר שהיה חי במצרים י״ז שנה, ועוד למה לא הזכיר לשון זה באברהם ויצחק או אמהות, אלא ודאי שבא להורות שפרשה השכינה ממנו, לפי שנאמר למעלה ותחי רוח יעקב אביהם, שפירושו ששרתה עליו השכינה מדקאמר רוח יעקב, וסד״א ששרתה עליו רוח הקודש כל הימים עד יום מותו, קמ״ל ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים כי בבואו למצרים חי יעקב אבל לא רוח יעקב שנסתלקה ממנו השכינה מיד, לפי שאמר אמותה הפעם אחרי ראותי את פניך, וא״כ מיד היה מוכן אל הצואה לצוות מחמת מיתה והיה חושש הקב״ה פן יגלה הקץ על כן נסתלקה ממנו השכינה, ועדיין לא ידענו מאיזו טעם נסתלקה שכינה ממנו, ע״כ באה פרשה זו סתומה לסמכה לפסוק וישב ישראל בארץ גושן, לפי שמהידוע שימשך נזק גדול מן ידיעת הקץ, כי הדורות הקודמים היודעים שהגאולה לא תהיה בימיהם לא ידרשו את פני ה’ לבקש על הגאולה ועל התמורה.
וכן פירש בעקידה, על המדרש (ילקו״ש קנז מט) האומר כשבקש יעקב לגלות הקץ אמר הקב״ה ולא אותי קראת יעקב (ישעיה מג כב) ר״ל שלא היית חס על כבודי, כי מידיעה זו ימשך נזק זה שלא יקראו אותי ולא יבקשו פני הדורות הקודמים ויבקשו לישב וכמתיאשים מן הגאולה, על כן סתם וחתם ה’ הקץ האחרון כדי שבכל דור ודור יבקשו את פני ה’ ואת דוד מלכם ויהיו מחכים קץ ישועתו תמיד, כאשר בעונינו מדה זו מצוייה בינינו אפילו בזמן שאין הקץ נודע מ״מ רבים המה עמי הארץ המתישבים בארצות העמים ובונין להם בתים ספונים וחשובים ושל אבנים בנין הקיום, ובסבה זו לעולם אינן דורשין את פני ה’ בכל לב להביאם אל ארצם, וע״כ הקב״ה מניחם שמה,
ולהנחה זו פסוק וישב ישראל בארץ גושן. מדבר באשמת ישראל, שבקשו להיות חושבים ולהיות להם אחוזה בארץ לא להם, ונזק זה בא להם לפי שקץ גלות מצרים היה נודע להם, על כן הדורות הראשונים אשר ידעו בבירור כי לא בימיהם תהיה הגאולה ההוא בקשו להם ישיבה של קבע ואחוזה בארץ מצרים, על כן סמך לפסוק זה פסוק ויחי יעקב דלהורות שנזק זה הנמשך לאותן הדורות מחמת שהיה קצם נודע גרם לויחי יעקב אבל לא רוח יעקב, כי אם יעקב לבדו היה חי כדי שלא יגלה הקץ לאחרון ושלא יתפשט נזק זה לדורות.
I purchased two Seforim at the Lubavitch in Chabad Gate.
The first Sefer is Shem Hagedolim Hachadosh written by Ahron Walden. It is interesting to note that in the Shem Hagedolim Hachadosh’s face page, the author’s name is not listed. The Chida is listed. This Sefer is a continuation of the Chida’s Sefer, Shem Hagedolim. Rabbi Ahron Walden updated the Chida’s Sefer with a list of Rabbis and scholars where the Chida’s sefer ends. The Chida died in 1806 and I think his Sefer came out in 1775..
Rabbi Ahron Walden also compiled Kol Simcha from the Rebbe, Reb Bunim of Peshischa.
The second Sefer purchased was the Tur HaAruch. I was made aware of the Tur HaAruch through Sefaria. I was overjoyed to obtain my own copy of this Reshon.
Spent this week in Toronto. My mother in law is doing well.
December 17, 2021 – Friday night
Davened in the Conservatory building Minyan They require masks and the Gabbai lectured everyone. Very distasteful.
Had a great meal with my mother in law. After the meal went to visit Yosef and Heather Kelman. Yosef Kelman is Auntie Ruthie’s grandson. Auntie Ruthie is my mother-in-law’s sister. Yosef’s mother, Beverly, was my Shadchan. Yosef and Heather’s daughter is getting married in Lakewood during January 2022. Heather is a runner and has corresponded with Beatie Duetsch. We had running in common. I found out that Heather grew up in Denver, CO. In November I was in Denver for the 50th anniversary of Yeshiva Toras Chaim’s first graduation class and we spoke about Denver. Yosef Kelman has a beautiful family and is doing well. The below is a picture of his mother in the high chair, his grandparents, Marvin and Ruth Lister, and his great grandparents, Rabbi Leibush and Zelda Bayla Noble.
Zelda Baila Noble (my mother-in-law’s mother), Ruth Noble-Lister, Rabbi Leibush Noble, with Beverley in the high chair.
December 18, 2021 – Shabbos Morning
Got up at 1:00 AM, read and learned Chumash. Went back to sleep at 4:00 AM. Got up at 8:00 AM. Walked to Ateras Mordechai, Rabbi Bitterman is the Rabbi. It was snowing and for me this was the first snow of the season. The first snow of the season is beautiful and I felt joy, a lightness. I was invited by Jason Lapidus to daven at his Shul. I sat with the South African contingent at Ateres Mordechai.
The Shul is at 230 Arnold, a converted home. I was invited there by Jason Lapidus. They davened relatively slowly. There was a Bar Mitzvah, last name of the family is Dabush. The boy leined nicely. His Bar Mitzvah speech was on the father’s Bracha of Bracha Sh’Petrani.
Rabbi Bitterman spoke nicely on the following Verses 50:15-21, especially Verse 50:17.
Rabbi Bitterman commented on Yosef’s crying. Yosef cried because he realized that their fighting was so counterproductive. He was responsible for the animosity. How much was lost because they fought. They did not grow and lost many opportunities to move forward. People fight over nothing. He mentioned a Rabbi Efraim Goldberg story, https://mishpacha.com/what-kind-of-friend/., how a little mistake can create major fights. Rabbi Bitterman said how many family fights are over nothing and years later, people do not even know why they are fighting. Rabbi Bitterman mentioned the story of Kamtza and Ben Kamitza.
After the davening, I stayed for the Kiddush. Delicious. I sat across from Jason Lapidus, Sheldon Tennabaum, and Stan Vanik; and next to Douglas Chillovitz. Douglas Chillovitz employed my nephew, Dovie Janowski. Dovie’s mother told me that Doug Chillovitz is a nice guy and was good to Dovie. I told them my Torah from this week that I learned in the early morning.
I ended up being the last to leave. I looked around to find someone to walk with however, no one was around. I started walking home. On Atkinson near Clark I saw someone walking in the opposite direction, wearing a knit hat. I stopped him and asked where he Davened this Shabbos morning. He davened at Netivot. I asked him if I could say over my Torah and he said yes. I started and after a few minutes, I said that I do not want to hold him from his Shabbos meal. He said no problem with me saying over the Torah and that he would walk me. I asked, but you are walking the opposite way from your destination, and he said no problem. He turned and accompanied me. After I finished my Vort we were at Clark and Hilda, across the street from my mother in law. I was not sure if he was married and asked if he wanted to come over for lunch? He told me that he is married and has four kids. I apologized for making him late for his family meal. He said no problem. I asked his name and he is Noam Horowitz. He is a Levi and from the Shelah Hakodesh. He learned in the Gush. I told him how much I love Rabbi Moshe Teragin, https://mizrachi.org/speaker/rabbi-moshe-taragin/. Rabbi Moshe Teragin is one of the few people in the world that can say Torah in perfect English, using the right descriptive words, being efficient while speaking, and able to teach and be understood. Additionally, he teaches history while he speaks Torah. I mentioned that my nephews learned at the Gush, Matt and Elyasaf Schwartz. He responded, of course. I am good friends with Matt and that they were also together at YU. His Rebbi was Rabbi Rosenzweig. After Shabbos Matt told me that Noam Horowitz is a great guy, will do anything, has a great wife, and four cute kids. Noam Schartz walking me, and going out of his way is Noam Horowitz. He is an inspirational Rebbe. Gevaldig. I met the only person who knows Matt Schwartz in Toronto.
The picture on the following page is Noam Horowitz and Matt Schwartz. Matt is my nephew. This picture is from December 2023.
Got to my mother in law, walking on a cloud. Had the Shabbos meal, cold cuts sandwiches.
Torah #1 – the Theme of Yakov Kissing and being Kissed:
This week I focused on kissing. It seems that more than anyone else in the Torah, kissing played a role in Yakov’s life. How are we to understand this? Is it just happenstance or is there something deeper.
We find Yakov kissing or being kissed in the following six times:
1 – Yitzchok kissing Yakov when he blessed Yakov posing as Eisav. Berehsis 17:27 – וַיִּגַּשׁ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיָּ֛רַח אֶת־רֵ֥יחַ בְּגָדָ֖יו וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר רְאֵה֙ רֵ֣יחַ בְּנִ֔י כְּרֵ֣יחַ שָׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּרְכ֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה
Both reasons are powerful. Yakov found his soulmate, the love of his life, the one who he would give his everything to. Rashi says that Yakov saw with his holy spirit that they would not be buried together. Yakov’s kiss with Rochel was tragic. Yakov sensed that something would happen that would get in the way of true happiness in marriage. He cries over this impending darkness.
Lavan kissed and hugged Yosef not out of love but to see if Yakov was hiding diamonds in his mouth and money around his chest. Lavan reasoned that Eliezer, the servant of Avrohom, come with ten camels full of riches, so he thought Yakov would also be coming with great wealth, Lavan did not see camels laden with riches, so he kissed and hugged to see if Yakov was hiding the wealth on his body protecting it from thieves. This kissing has an ulterior motive. Yakov tells Lavan that he is penniless and the reason as Rashi says in 29:13. .ויספר ללבן. שֶׁלֹּא בָא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹך אֹנֶס אָחִיו, וְשֶׁנָּטְלוּ מָמוֹנוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ
Yakov feels compelled to say what happened. Not sure if Yakov admitted to taking the Brochos deceitfully, but he did reveal that Eisav wants to kill Yakov and he gave his money to Eliphaz. Lavan got the upper hand, as Yakov is a pauper, estranged from his family. He knew that Yakov did something to antagonize his brother and that Yakov could not go home.
This is another example of Yakov divulging too much information. See my Torah from last year.
4 – When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, he kissed his brothers.
It does say in Verse 32:1 that Lavan kissed his daughters and grandchildren – וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם לָבָ֜ן בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְנַשֵּׁ֧ק לְבָנָ֛יו וְלִבְנוֹתָ֖יו וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֶתְהֶ֑ם וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ וַיָּ֥שׇׁב לָבָ֖ן לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃, however, since it was not Yakov we will ignore it.
Let us trace Yakov’s life using the above mileposts.
Yakov is kissed by his father and results in getting the blessings in a deceptive manner. This is the beginning of the tragedy of Yakov’s life and is the סיבּה, the cause of all of Yakov’s trevails. Yakov deceives his brother. His brother swears revenge and Yakov has to flee. As Yakov was making his way to Choron, he is overtaken by Eliphaz who is told to kill Yakov. Yakov gives Eliphaz all of his money and Yakov arrives at Choron penniless. He does not arrive at his uncle’s home as the honored family member. As a result he has to work for Lavan for seven years for Rochel’s hand in marriage. Yakov is tricked to marry Leah and Leah’s justification is that Yakov tricked his own brother Eisav, saying whatever goes around, comes around. Yakov is powerless to dictate anything because he arrived in a weakened position. Had Yakov come with money, Yakov would have been treated as an honored guest and in all likelihood married Rochel immediately without seven years of work and not having to marry Leah. Yakov sensed this tragedy when he kissed Rochel. All this traces itself back to when Yakov deceived his father.
The dysfunction continues. Yakov’s marriage to Leah created friction in his marriages and between the brothers. This friction leads to animosity and the animosity leads to the brothers selling Yosef and splitting the family. Yosef is sold into slavery and Yakov does not see his beloved son for twenty two years. During this time Yosef became monarch in Egypt. Finally at age 130 father and son are reunited. It takes a dramatic scene of Yosef revealing to his brothers that this despot, this Egyptian they were dealing with, is indeed their brother and Yosef kisses them and they cry. This is the kiss of Godliness, of brotherhood, of unity.
Yakov is now 130 years old and is able to live out the last seventeen years of his life in total peace and harmony. As the Medresh Rabah says, 96:1, דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה הִיא סְתוּמָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁסָּתַם מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל צָרוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם and the Kli Yakur elaborates:
וללשון שלישי הדורש, לפי שנסתמו ממנו כל צרות שבעולם יאמר הכתוב אע״פ שהיה כל ימיו בצרה וגרות כמ״ש ימי מגורי ק״ל שנה מעט ורעים, מ״מ לגודל השלוה שהיה לו תוך י״ז שנים שראה ישיבת בניו בשלום ויאחזו בארץ ויפרו וירבו נשכחו ממנו כל הצרות הראשונות שעברו עליו והיו כלא היו, לכך נאמר ויהי ימי יעקב שני חייו קמ״ז שנה כי *אותן ק״ל שנים לא היו נחשבים מכלל ימי חייו לגודל צרותיו, ועכשיו למפרע נחשבו כולם שני חייו, וזה לפי שנסתמו ממנו כל הצרות שעברו וכאילו היה חי חיים נעימים ועריבים בכל שנותיו, שהרי באמת יוסף היה חי, לכך סמך ויחי יעקב אל הפסוק הקודם,
The Kli Yakur is explaining the first pasuk on a deeper level than the plain meaning. The plain meaning is that Yosef lived for 17 years in Egypt and his total life was 147 years.
“Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, so that the span of Jacob’s life came to one
hundred and forty-seven years.”
The Medresh and Kli Yakur are saying that Yakov’s life of 17 years in Egypt was in
such bliss and peace, that Yakov was able to forget the pain and suffering of the first
130 years of his life, so much so that he felt as if he lived for 147 years in
goodness and sweetness. To expand on this, Yakov felt that he did not live the first 130
years. He was tossed and turned by life and he had no control over life. He could not smell
the roses and every breath he took was loaded with stress. Once he went to Egypt and was
supported by Yosef and surrounded by his other kids, did he feel alive. He had a joy of
waking up every day.
Now that Yakov has had 17 years of life of peace and harmony, he is able to kiss his grandchildren with this same kiss of Godliness that Yitzchok blessed him with, however, that kiss ended in tragedy and Yakov kiss was full of light and ended in greatness for his grandchildren.
As Yakov leaves this world, Yosef kisses his father, the kiss of one’s soul being bound up in another soul.
Torah #2:
The Tur HaAruch and understanding the kiss and hug Yakov gave to Ephraim and Menassha:
This past Tuesday I davened in Lubavitch on Chabad Gate in Toronto. There is a bookstore in Lubavitch and they have many older Seforim on sale. I picked up two Seforim that I was looking for for years. One is a Shem Hagdolim Hachodesh by Rabbi Ahron Walden, published in 1864. He has two great paragraphs of a first person account of the Kotzker. It is very poetic and draws on many Pesukim in which one has to understand. I had Barnea Sellavan translate it. The second is the Tur HaAruch. I did not know that the Tur HaAruch existed until I saw it on Sefaria a number of years ago. I was B’Simcha Gedolah when I found these Sefroima nd was able to purchase.
This Pasuk is saying that Yakov was blind from old age and he (Yosef) brought Ephraim and Menashe close to Yakov. Yakov hugged and kissed them.
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The Tur HaAruch says
וישק להם ויחבק להם. שאין שכינה שורה אלא מתוך שמחה וכדרך שנעשה לו שאביו חבקו ונשקו כשברכו:
Yakov hugged and kissed his two grandchildren to create Simcha so that the Schinah should rest on him to bless his grandchildren, just like Yitzxhok kissed Yakov posing as Eisav. However in Bereshis Verses 27:26 and 27:27 speaks to the kiss of Yakov, as follows:
And Yitzchok his father said come close and kiss me, my son. Yakov approaches and kisses his father and smells the smell of his clothes and he blesses him, saying see the smell of my son is that of a field that Hashem has blessed.
However, the Tur HaAruch does not say that Yitzchok’s kiss was done to create Simcha. The Tur HaAruch gives a very practical reason –
גשה נא ושקה לי בני. אמר הנה שני סימנין בקול דומה ליעקב במשוש דומה לעשו אראה עוד סימן ג’ בבגדיו ויכריע בין
ב’ סימנים ועל כן כשקרב אליו והריח ריח בגדי עשו ברכו:
Yitzchok was not sure who was standing in front of him, Yitzchok performed one more test to see if he has an earthy smell or would the person smell like Yakov, so he kissed him to test him. Yirzchok was being practical. Kissing his son, Yizchok smelled the smell of the field (not someone sitting in the Bais Medrash), confirmed in his mind it was Eisav and blessed him.
We seem to have a contradiction in the Tur HaAruch. In Breshis 27:27 the Tur HaAruch gave a practical reason for Yitzchok’s kiss, for a test; however, in the week’s Sedra the Tur HaAruch refers back to Yitzchok’s kiss and said it generated Simcha. Both kisses in VaYicha and in Toldos were for Simcha.
The answer is that while true the purpose of the kiss was very practical, the outcome was that it created great Simcha. What was the joy? On a simple level you can say that Yakov felt he had proof that the person in front of him was Eisav and was now happy that he can give a Bracha to Eisav. In both cases the kiss created joy, by Ephreim and Menashe he hugged and kissed to create joy, by Yitzchok the outcome of the kiss was joy and Yitzchok had clarity. I think the answer is much deeper than this. Yitzchok already had a good meal and wine. Knowing with clarity would seem to bring some joy, but not great joy.
I think the Pshet is that Yitzhok’s kiss created unbelievable joy for him and this is what the Tur HaAruch is saying. Everyone asks the question, what was Yitzchok thinking? He knew Eisav was an evil person, albeit mitigated by Eisav’s fulfillment of honoring his parents. The mainstream answer said by Rabbi Aaron Solovechik in 1974 is that Yitzchok options were to either give the blessing to Eisav and teach Eisav to do good, after all Eisav excelled in the commandment of honoring one’s father and mother; or give the Bracha to Yakov, who was physically and emotionally weak, not equipped with the strength to be the foundation of the Jewish perople. Yitzchok felt it is best to give the blessing to Eisav and Rivka understood the disaster that would occur if Eisav received the blessing.
When Yitzchok kisses the person in front of him and smells a field, it is a field of blossoming floors, a touch of Gan Eden. As Rashi on this Pasuk says,
“ ’וירח וגו AND HE SMELLED etc.— Surely there is no more offensive smell than that of washed goat-skins! But Scripture implicitly tells us that the perfume of the Garden of Eden entered the room with him (Genesis Rabbah 65:22)” .
The smell of blossoming flowers, enhanced by the smell of Gan Eden brought tremendous Simcha to Yitzchok. Yitzchok according to the Tur HaArcuh has now confirmed in his mind that Eisav is standing in front of him ready to receive the blessing and Yitzchok smells Gan Eden. Yitzchok is overjoyed. He confirmed in his mind that he made the right decision, Eisav is the correct person to receive the blessing of the nation of Israel. This was his great Simcha and this is the comparison between the two kisses, one in Toldos and the other in Vayechi.
This is exactly what the Tur HaAruch is effectively saying in his next piece on the next Pasuk, which discusses the actual kiss.
ראה ריח בני כריח שדה. פי’ ראה הוא הדבור במחשבת הלב שאמר בלבו ודאי עשו הוא זה שריח בגדיו מריחים כריח השדה פי’ כציצי הפרחים שהוא איש שדה וקלטו בגדיו ריח השדה ועל כן ברכו. וי”מ שהיה בגדיו מגומרים בבשמים הגדלים בשדה:
ראה ריח בני כריח שדה, “indeed the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of the field.” The meaning of the word ראה here is that the expression does not reflect something Yitzchok saw with his eyes, but that this is what he observed internally, when thinking about what his son Esau’s presence projected. He felt that there could not be any doubt that of his two sons it was Esau who represented the fragrance of blossoming flowers and all the blessings associated with nature when it unfolds. This is why he determined to accord him the blessing. Other commentators see in this statement about the fragrance simply a reference to the perfume with which Esau sprayed his garments, something which matched what could be found in the field.
Torah #3 – Yakov’s blindness and kissing and hugging his two grandchildren are in the same Pasuk, Verse 48:10. Is there a connection?
Pasuk is saying that Yakov was blind because of old age. The same Pasuk that talks about his blindness also says Yakov hugged and kissed his two grandchildren. There seems to be a connection.
I believe that the answer is based on the above Torah. Kissing represents connecting to someone on a deep level, your soul’s touch one arbiter. I believe that the juxtaposition of Yakov’s blindness and his kissing his two grandchildren is to tell us although a poor person and a blind person are both considered “dead”, when Yakov lost his money before going to Choron, this was “death” for Yakov. This led to bad outcomes in Yakov’s life. You can even say that Yitzchaks blindness also led to “death”, to the deception which defined UYakov’s life for years and not seeing Yakov for 22 years. However, in this Parsha Yakov’s blindness did not result in “death”. Yakov saw and radiated light. He woke up every day with joy knowing that he had another day to be with his family, to learn Torah with his grandchildren. He was able to kiss and hug his grandchildren to pass on Yakov’s neshama of purity and holiness.
An alternative explanation and other Reshonim discussing Yakov’s blindness.
The Ohr Hachaim is bothered by this connection and says:
ועיני ישראל וגו’. צריך לדעת למה כתיב הודעה זו במקום זה, ומה קשר ושייכות לדבר זה עם הסמוך לו וישק להם ויחבק להם. עוד צריך לדעת אומרו להם שהיה לו לומר וישק אותם. ואולי ששני דקדוקים אלו כל אחת מתרצת חברתה כי לצד שכבדו עיניו מזוקן היה מחבק שלא במקום החיבוק ומנשק שלא במקום הנישוק ולזה אמר להם ולא אמר אותם והבן:
Israel’s eyes were heavy with old age, etc. Why did the Torah choose this point to inform us of Jacob’s failing eyesight? What does it have to do with his proceeding to embrace and kiss Joseph’s children? Besides, why did the Torah have to describe these kisses as להם instead of אותם? Perhaps one of these details will help us understand the other detail. Jacob embraced the children in the wrong places and kissed them in the wrong places due to his failing eyesight. If that were true the expression להם instead of אותם is quite understandable.
The Ohr Hachaim’s explanation leaves us wanting more.
Contrast Yakov blindness to Yitzchok’s, Verse 27:1
Notice that Rashi does not say that he lost his sight due to old age, even though the Pasuk says he was old. The Rashban says that Yitzchok did lose his sight because of old age.
Rashbam – ותכהין עיניו – מן הזקנה, כמו שמצינו בספר שמואל: ועיניו החלו כהות.
The Netziv in his Hemek Dvar and others say that Yitzchok was only 127 and he was not old enough to lose his sight from age, rather there is another reason.
ותכהין עיניו מראות. אין לפרש שהזקנה גרמה זאת שהרי לא הי׳ זקן כ״כ לפי ערך ימי חייו. שהי׳ חי עוד ששים שנה. אלא סיבה הי׳ מן השמים. וכמבואר עוד ברבה הרבה טעמים וגם דקדקו לשון מראות שהוא מיותר אלא נרמז בזה הסיבה לכך וא״כ צריך לפרש ויהי כי זקן יצחק אירע סיבה שכהו עיניו. אבל הזקנה גרמה לו לחשוב מחשבות כי קרבו ימיו שהוא בעצמו לא שיער שהוא סיבה מן השמים. אלא חשב כי סוף ימיו המה
Why is this section (Sidra) totally closed? Because, comprising as it does an account of the death of Jacob, as soon as our father Jacob departed this life the hearts and eyes of Israel were closed (their eyes became dim and their hearts troubled) because of the misery of the bondage which they then began to impose upon them. Another reason is: because he (Jacob) wished to reveal to his sons the date of the End of Days (i.e. when Israel’s exile would finally end; cf. Rashi on Genesis 49:1), but the vision was closed (concealed) from him (Genesis Rabbah 96:1).
Chabad from Mesudah:
And Jacob lived: Why is this section [completely] closed? Because, as soon as our father Jacob passed away, the eyes and the heart of Israel were “closed,” (i.e., it became “dark” for them) because of the misery of the slavery, for they (the Egyptians) commenced to subjugate them.
These three English translations say that the Jews in Egypt walked around with a cloud over their heads. They were depressed because they saw slavery starting. It was like being in America for the Jews in 1935
I was shocked. This is not the way I understood this Rashi and this Medresh for the first 70 years of my life. I understood מִצָּרַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד as “from the misery of the enslavement”, not “because of the misery of enslavement.” Meaning the slavery is some fashion started and they did not realize it, consciously or subconsciously. After all, Yosef lived for another 54 years after Yaakov died so they were doing quite well.
Everyone asks that after Yaakov dies Joseph was viceroy for another 54 years and the slavery did not start for over 20 years after Joseph’s death to when Levi died at 137 years. What does Rashi who quotes the Medresh mean that the slavery started at Yaakov’s death.
Explanations are given but I love Rabbi Riskin’s Vort based on the Rov’s Torah in Rabbi Riskin’s Sefer, Torah Lights, quoted below.
Everyone asks why couldn’t Yoseph speak to Pharaoh directly? Why did he have to ask בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה? I assume that בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה were high ranking offcials.
There are three answers.
1 – Sferno and Tur HaAruch both say that Yosef could not speak to Pharaoh directly because he was in mourning and wearing sackcloth.
Meshech Chochma says the same thing:
וידבר יוסף אל בית פרעה כו’ כו’ לשיטת רמב”ן אונן כ”ז שלא נקבר אסור לסוך ולרחוץ ולקשט וגם לרמב”ם דאונן שרי אין זה מדרך הנימוס וכבוד אביו לסוך וללבוש בגדי שררות כפי הראוי להיות בבואו אל המלך בעוד אביו מת מוטל לפניו לכן לא היה יכול לכנס אל פרעה לדבר עמו.
This is the simple answer. We see that although Achasverosh loved Esther, she could not approach him unless he called her. There is protocol. You just do not go into the king unless you are summoned or dressed in mourning clothes.
When Yaakov died Joseph’s profile in Egypt was lowered and he no longer had direct access to Pharaoh.
ונלע״ד דמ״מ מיד אחר מיתת יעקב אע״ג דהוה יוסף קיים מיד ראו סימני שעבוד וכדאמרי׳ נמי בפ״ק דסוטה מ״ש מעיקרא דכתיב ויעל יוסף לקבור וכו׳ ויעלו אתו כל עבדי פרעה וכו׳ והדר וכל בית יוסף ואחיו וכו׳ ומ״ש לבסוף דכתיב וישב יוסף מצרימה הוא ואחיו והדר וכו׳ אר״י בתחלה עד שלא ראו בכבודן של ישראל לא נהגו בהן כבוד וכו׳ הרי דמיד אחר מיתת יעקב התחיל סימן לשעבוד שהיו המצריים רוצים להשתרר עליהם ובר מן דין חזי׳ נמי שיוסף עצמו לא היתה גדולתו כ״כ כמו אביו שהוצרך לדבר עם בית פרעה ולחלות פניהם שיתחננו לפרעה שיניחהו לילך לקבור את אביו שכן כתיב אם נא מצאתי חן וכו׳ והיכן גדולתו וקורבתו עם המלך אלא שמיתת הזקן עשתה רושם ולפי׳ זה דייקי שפיר דברי רש״י שכתב מצרת השעבוד וכו׳ ולא קאמר מן השעבוד שלא היה שעבוד ממש אלא סימן המורה צרת השעבוד שהיה עתיד לבוא
3 – Rabbi Shlomo Riskin based on the Rov – Reb Yosef Ber Solovecihik. Gevaldig. The Pshat is as written in the following pages and is that Yosef was asking Pharaoh to bury Yaakov in Israel.This was a very tough ask and Yosef could not ask Pharoh directly. Read Rabbi Yosef Ber Soloveichik’s and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s words of Torah.
Rabbi Soloveichik says his Pshat on verse 50:5 on the first two words of the Pasuk אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי .
Rabbi Risken beautifully uses the above to explain verse 50:4 of why Joseph could not ask Pharoh directly.
He then uses his explanation of verse 50:4 to understand the first explanation of Rashi in verse 48:28
Pages (bottom of) 309, 310, and 311 from Rabbi Riskin’s Sefer, Torah Lights – Bereshis.
“Joseph may have reached the top of the social ladder in Egypt. He speaks Egyptian, dresses as an Egyptian, has become named Egyption (Tzanat – Pane’ah), and is married to a native Egyptoins (perhaps even to his previous master’s daughter). From slave to Prime Minister, Joseph has certainly lived out the great Egyptian dream. Now, however, he is forced to face the precariousness and vulnerability of his position.”
“Ordinately a person wants to be buried in his own homeland where his body will become part of the earth to which he feels most deeply connected. Indeed, in the ancient world the most criticall right of citizenship was he right of burial. The wise Jacob understands that Pharaoh expects Joseph to completely identify with Egypt, to bring up generations of faithful and committed Egyptians after all that his adopted country has given to him. But this was impossible for Jacob- and the pariah hoped that it would also be impossible for his children and grandchildren as well. They were in Egypt but not of Egypt. They might contribute to Egyptian society and economy, but they never become Egyptionas. Jacob understood that his burial in Canaan would be the greatest test of Joseph’ career, and would define the character of his descendants forever. Hence he makes his beloved son solemnly swear not to bury him in Egypt.”
Joseph , too, understood that Pharaoh would be shocked at the request, a petition expressing the Hebrew rejection of the most powerful and civilized nation on earth. Indeed, it is such a difficult and sensitive matter that Joseph could not face his patron Pharaoh directly with it. At that moment Joseph understands an even deeper truth: were he, his brothers, his children and grandchildren to make the choice to live as Egyptians and to die as Egyptians, the chances are that they would be totally accepted in the mainstream of the land and life in that country. However,were they to choose to live as Jews, with their own concept of life and death, they would never be accepted and would probably be persecuted. It is this realization in the aftermath of Jacob;’s death which Rashi correctly sees as the beginning of the slavery of the Israelites. In Egypt, Joseph’s kinsman may have everything: Goshen Heights and Gopshen Green, progeny and patrimony. But as long as they are determined to remain Jews, servitude and persecution are inevitable. They may rejoice in the preferred Egyption status, where they ‘took possession of it and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly’, but they cannot ever pause to enjoy the good fortune. The realization upon Jacob’s death of the transient and illusory nature of their good fortune comes upon them inexorably and imperceptibly, as in the blink of an eye, as in the following sentence without a change of paragraph.”
“And so this portion is closed just as Egypt will soon be closed to their children. Such is the ultimate fate of the children of Israel in every exile.”
Got up at 4:15 AM Shabbos morning to prepare for my Shiur at Chabad of East Lakeview. Left for the Shiur at 8:30 AM and arrived at Chabad at 10:30 AM. There was no minyan when I arrived as many people were away for Thanksgiving. About 15 minutes later, the Minyan came. Kiddush was great as always. The Cholent is phenomenal. Davened Mincha.
Gave my Shiur at 2:00 PM. It was a smaller Shiur than usual. I went through Perek 29 which starts with Yakov arriving in Haran, meeting Rochel, their mg B arriage, and the birth of their kids. . I read the rich dialogue and explained it using Rashi. I explained the deception, what is like for Yakov to wake up the next morning thinking he married the love of his life and it was someone else; Leah’s prayers changed history, what she must have felt like during the seven years that Yaakov worked for the family, Yakov before he introduced himself kissed Rochel, was she wearing a veil or not, he knew that Rochel is my life mate, but there will be problems, etc, etc.
I said that tragedy and hardships in life produces greatness. I mentioned my mother and June chimed in about her life.
Walked back home at 3:55 PM and got home at 5:40 PM.
Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is fulfilled, that I may cohabit with her.”
Fulfilled is an okay word but completed would probably be a better word. In Hebrew כִּ֥י כלו יָמָ֑י .
There seems to be a Machlokes in how to translate Yakov’s statement כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י. Onkleys and Rashbam says that it means I worked for you for seven years, I fulfilled my end of the bargain. Rashi does not say this but rather it means two things 1) that I have completed the days that my mother told me to stay in Haran and then come back home. 2) It is time for me to get married and raise my family.
I will end up saying that Rashi agrees with Onkelys and the Rashbam, but adds depth to Yaakov’s words.
MY DAYS ARE FULFILLED — which my mother told me to remain with you. And another explanation is: MY DAYS ARE FULFILLED for I am now eighty-four years old and when shall I beget twelve tribes? That is what he meant by adding “that I may go in unto her”; for surely even the commonest of people would not use such an expression. But he said this because his mind was intent upon having issue (to fulfill his mission of rearing children who would carry on the religious traditions of his fathers) (Genesis Rabbah 70:18).
Rashi is Difficult:
The question on Rashi is that the simple meaning is clearly like Onkelys and Rashbam. Why does Rashi come up with two other reasons and does not say the simple meaning. Is Rashi saying that Yakov’s words of כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י is not telling Lavan that I have finished my years of service., but rather the two other things. Yes, says the Maskil L’Dovid. Yakov wasn’t saying that I Completed my service because Lavan knew that Yakov completed the seven years and he did not have to tell Lavan this fact.. The Maskil L’Dovid as quoted by Artscroll page 324, note 2. “Rashi does not understand ‘my days are filled” as referring to Jacob’s term of labor, as Targum Onkelos does, because that would have been obvious to Laban and Jacob would not have needed to mention it.”
I do not agree with the Maskil L’Dovid. There is no question in my mind that Yakov told Lavan, I fulfilled my end of the bargain, now I want you to fulfill your end of the bargain. This is how people talk and especially to an evil person. This Sedra is rich with dialogue and I am sure this is the dialogue between Yakov and Lavan. There was no need for Rashi to explain that Yakov said I have completed my days because this is obvious from the context of the words and anyone reading the Torah would understand this. Rashi does not come to tell us the obvious. Onkelys is a translation so he translates it as we read it.
Why does Rashi then come up with two other explanations for כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י. The answer is that while the reason for Yaakov saying כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י is the obvious reason and Rashi agrees to this, Yakov had other emotions and motivations which he expressed to Lavan. Rashi is speaking to these deeper emotions of Yakov. Yakov told Lavan that it has been 21 years since I left my parents and I want to go back home. Rashi also expresses Yakov’s second motivation, that I am 84 years old and when will I establish twelve tribes if I do not get married now.
(I am not sure if he actually expressed this to Lavan. As I thought about it Yakov who was an Ish Tam did express it. Lavan, who was a Rasha, did not want Yakov to leave because he and his town were blessed because of Yakov. There is a medresh on this that the townspeople did not want to trick Yakov but Lavan convinced them that they had to trick Yaokv to get Yakov to stay in Haran.)
When I told my Torah to Rabbi Revah he disagreed and said just because I feel this way does not make it so. The answer to Rabbi Revah is as follows. How did Rashi know that Yakov expressed these other reasons? The language Yakov used is כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י . The language Yakov should have used is כִּ֥י כלו יָמָ֑י , meaning I ended/completed the terms of our agreement. By using כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י, Yakov is saying other reasons. Yakov is saying I have fulfilled my mother’s statement that you will stay in Haran for יָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֑ים . Verse 27:44. The reason of fathering twelve tribes is in Rashi itself and learning from the end of the Pasuk, וְאָב֖וֹאָה אֵלֶֽיהָ.
Rabbi Mayer Twersky in his Sefer, Insights and Attitudes, adds depth to Yakov’s last reason. He says, page 44, “Upon reflection, there is a remarkable message in Yakov Avinu’s words. On the one hand, he knows through Ruach Hakodesh that he is destined to father twelve tribes. Yet, on the other hand he is very concerned that he may not do so. The message is clear: Hashem may prepare a destiny for us, but he does not not decree fulfillment of that destiny. We must, with alacrity and determination, apply ourselves to realize that destiny. Hashem may assign us a role in history, but we must carry out that assignment. Otherwise, our destiny will remain unfulfilled and Hashem will find other means to guide history according to His will.
Rabbi Mayer Twersky is saying that כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י – I have to complete my days that I was put on this earth to accomplish, I have live my destiny which is to have twelve tribes and create a nation. I cannot lose it.
I compare this to myself. Everything I do has a primary reason and secondary reasons embedded into my primary reason. For example – I love going to Tel Aviv Pizza to eat. What are my reasons?
Primary reason:
The primary reason is to have lunch
Secondary reasons:
When I was a kid, there were no restaurants in Chicago and even if there were, my parents would not have spent the money going to restaurants. Going to restaurants and having someone serve me food without having to prepare the meal is a treat for me. I still feel that deprivation and the subsequent joy of going to restaurants to this day.
To give the owner business
To schmooze with people.
I have an open line of credit and look around to pay for people’s meals.
I love pizza stores and they are needed in the frum world. Frum people need relatively inexpensive places to feed their families. Pizza stores are places of Chesed.
Additional Information:
Maskil L’Dovid – Rav Dovid Pardo (1718-1790)
מלאו ימי שאמרה וכו׳ לא ניחא ליה לרבינו לפ׳ כי מלאו ימי יומי פולחני וכדתרגם אונקלוס דהא הוה ידע לבן שעברו הז׳ שנים ולא הול״ל אלא הבה את אשתי ותו לא.
ומה שהוצרך לפרש עוד שהרי אני בן פ״ד שנה וכו׳ משום שגם בפי׳ ימים שאמרה לי אמי יש בו דוחק דהא לא חזי׳ עד השתא שהזכיר יעקב מידי מהימים אחדים שאמר׳ לו אמו ואיך שייך לומר לו סתם מלאו ימי מהיכן יבין לבן כוונתו
I do not understand what Reb Dovid Pardo means that how would Lavan know. According to Rashi, Yakov told him that he missed his parents and wanted to go back home.
ועל פי׳ הב׳ ג״כ ק״ק דלא שייך בזה לשון מלאו דמשמע נשלמו ומ״ש רש״י על ואבואה אליה והלא קל שבקלים אינו אומר כן וכו׳ ק׳ דמאי נ״מ שלהוליד תולדות אמר כן והלא הקו׳ במקומה עומדת והלא קל שבקלים וכו׳ שהרי יכול להוליד תולדות מבלי שיאמר כן. ונר׳ שכוונת יעקב באומרו ואבואה אליה משום דידוע שיעקב לא הו״ל כסף מידי ולא שוה כסף לקדש את רחל ואם בדמי העבודה הו״ל מלוה וקי״ל המקדש במלוה אינה מקודשת ולכך א״ל ללבן דאפ״ה יקדישנה בביאה ועל זה מקשי רבינו והלא קל שבקלים וכו׳ אינו אומר כן דאפילו דיבור אסור דהויא פריצותא דאמרי׳ רב מנגיד אמאן דמקדש בביאה דפריצות׳ היא ולכך משני שהוצרך לומר כן כדי שלא ידחהו לבן עד שיהיה לו כסף לקדש והוא היה צריך להוליד תולדות לכך הוצרך לומר לו כן
There is a Ramban that discusses this Rashi and I am not sure I understand the Ramban.
Ramban
כי מלאו ימי שאמרה לי אמי ועוד כי מלאו ימי הריני בן פ”ד שנה ואימתי אעמיד י”ב שבטים לשון רש”י (רש”י על בראשית כ״ט:כ״א):
FOR MY DAYS ARE FULFILLED. This means “the time which my mother told me to remain away from home.” Another explanation is: For my days are fulfilled — “I am now eighty-four years old and when shall I beget twelve tribes?” These are the words of Rashi.
29:27
מלא שבוע זאת דבק הוא בחטף שבוע של זאת והן ז’ ימי המשתה גם זה לשון רש”י (רש”י על בראשית כ״ט:כ״ז) ואם כן למה לא פירש הרב מלאו ימי על שני העבודה והתנאי ששלמו כדברי אונקלוס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית כ״ט:כ״ז) והוא משמעות הכתוב באמת ובשביל הימים שאמרה לו אמו גם מפני זקנתו לא יתן לו לבן בתו קודם זמנו אשר התנו שניהם ודי שיקיים תנאו וכדברי אונקלוס הוא שנצטרך לפרש מלא שבוע זאת על ימי המשתה כי ימי העבודה שלמים היו כאשר אמר לו יעקב וכן פירש רבי אברהם (אבן עזרא על בראשית כ״ט:כ״ז) ואני לא ידעתי כי שבעת ימי המשתה תקנת משה רבינו לישראל (ירושלמי כתובות פ”א ה”א) ואולי נאמר שנהגו בהם מתחלה נכבדי האומות כענין באבילות דכתיב (בראשית נ׳:י׳) ויעש לאביו אבל שבעת ימים ומה שלמדו כאן בירושלמי (מו”ק פ”א ה”ז) ובבראשית רבה (בראשית רבה ע׳:י״ט) שאין מערבין שמחה בשמחה סמך בעלמא ממנהגי הקדמונים קודם התורה אבל בגמרא שלנו (מו”ק ט) לא למדוה מכאן ודרשוה מויעש שלמה את החג (מלכים א ח סה) ויתכן לומר כי היה זה מחלוף משכורתו עשרת מונים (בראשית ל״א:מ״א) כי יעקב אמר לו מתחלה כי מלאו הימים ולבן שתק ונתן לו לאה ואחר כן אמר לו לבן מלא שבוע זאת כי עדיין לא מלאו ימי עבודת לאה וקודם זמני נתתיה לך ויעקב שמע אליו וימלא אותם כדברי לבן כי מה יוכל לעשות והוא ברחל יחפוץ ולכן לא אמר הכתוב בתחילה “ויהי במלאת הימים ויאמר יעקב וגו'” ועוד יתכן לומר כי כאשר היה בשנה השביעית אמר יעקב ללבן הבה את אשתי כי מלאו ימי שזו שנת מלאת הימים וכן זקן עם מלא ימים (ירמיהו ו יא) הוא אשר הגיעו לשנת סופו וכן עד יום מלאת ימי מלואיכם (ויקרא ח לג) עד יום השביעי שבו ימלאו ימי המלואים או שאמר “מלאו” בעבור שהיו קרובים להמלא וחשובים כמלאים וכמוהו רבים וכן בסדר האחר (בראשית ל״ה:י״ח) בצאת נפשה כי מתה בהיותה קרובה לכך וחשובה כאילו מתה וזה טעם ואבואה אליה כלומר לא שתתן אותה ואלכה אבל שאשאנה ואשלים מעט הימים אשר עלי כי מעתה לא תירא ממני שאעזבך ורבותינו עשו מדרש (ב”ר ע יח) בלשון “ואבואה אליה” בעבור שאיננו דרך מוסר להזכיר כן אף כי בצדיקים אבל הכוונה היא מה שאמרתי ואחרי כן אמר לו לבן מלא שבוע השנים של לאה זאת כי אולי בעבור שעברתי על דעתך לא תשלים אותן או כדי שיהיה ידוע מתי התחילו ימי עבודת רחל ואז אתן לך האחרת בעבודה אשר תעבוד עמדי לאחר הנישואין:
FULFILL ‘SHVUA’ (THE WEEK OF) THIS ONE. The word shvua is in the construct state for it is punctuated with a sheva. It thus means the seven days of this wife, referring to the seven days of the wedding feast. These too are the words of Rashi.
But if so, [i.e., if Rashi interprets shvua as referring to the seven days of the wedding feast rather than, more simply, the seven years of labor, thus implying that the seven years of work had been completed], why did not the Rabbi [Rashi] explain the verse above, my days are fulfilled, as referring to the years of work and the condition which were completed, as Onkelos has it, and which is the true sense of the verse, [instead of explaining it as referring to the length of time his mother told him to remain there or to his advanced age]? For merely because the days his mother told him to remain with him were completed or because of his advanced age, Laban would not give him his daughter before the mutually agreed time, and it is enough to expect of Laban that he fulfill his condition. It is according to Onkelos, [who says that Jacob’s seven years of work had been completed], that we are bound to explain, fulfill ‘shvua’ this one, as referring to the seven days of the wedding feast for as Jacob had told him, the days of work had already been completed. So also did Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explain it.
And I do not know [how the reference here could be to “the seven days of the marriage feast,” as Rashi claims], for “the seven days of the wedding feast” is an ordinance established for Israel by our teacher Moses. Perhaps we may say that the dignitaries of the nations had already practiced this custom of old, just as was the case with mourning, as it is written, And he made a mourning for his father seven days. And that which the Rabbis have deduced from here in the Yerushalmi and in Bereshith Rabbah, “One must not mix one rejoicing with another,” that is merely a Scriptural intimation based upon the customary practices of the ancient ones prior to the giving of the Torah. But in our Gemara, the Rabbis did not derive it from here, [i.e., from Laban’s statement], but instead they deduced it from the verse, And Solomon held the feast etc.
Now it is possible to say that this was part of “the changing of the hire ten times” of which Jacob accused Laban. For Jacob told Laban originally that the days were fulfilled, and Laban kept quiet and gave him Leah. Later, Laban told him, “Fulfill ‘shvua’ this one, for the work period for Leah has not been fulfilled, and I gave her to you before the time I had agreed upon.” And Jacob listened to Laban and completed the days as defined by Laban, for he desired Rachel, and what could he do? Therefore, Scripture does not say at first, “And it came to pass when the days were fulfilled, and Jacob said, etc.,” [for this would have indicated mutual agreement concerning the completion of the work period, whereas Laban, as explained, claimed that that time had not yet arrived].
It is also possible to say that when the seventh year arrived, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, meaning that this is the year in which the days will be fulfilled. Similarly, The aged with him that is full of days, which means, “he who is attaining his final year.” Similarly, Until the day of your consecration be fulfilled, which means, “until the seventh day in which the days of your consecration will be fulfilled.” It is possible that Jacob said, My days are fulfilled, because they were about to be fulfilled and are considered as if fulfilled. There are many similar examples in Scripture. Likewise, in the next Seder (portion of the Torah), As her soul was departing, for she died, which means, “when she was near death, and was considered as if she had already died.” And this is the meaning of the expression, that I may come unto her, that is to say, Jacob said, “My request is not that you give her to me and I will then leave, but rather that I marry her and complete the few days which are still obligatory upon me for now that the period is almost over, you will not be afraid that I might leave you.” Our Rabbis have given a Midrashic interpretation to the words, that I may come unto her, because it is not the ethical way to mention it in this manner, the more so with righteous people, but the intent is as I have said.
Laban then told Jacob, “Fulfill the seven years of this one, Leah, for perhaps since I transgressed your will by giving you Leah instead of Rachel you will not fulfill them.” Perhaps he mentioned it in order that it be known when the days of work for Rachel begin, and then he told him, “I will give you the other daughter, Rachel, for the service which thou shalt serve with me after the wedding.”
History of the Maskil L’Dovid – Rabbi Dovid Pardo
The twelfth of Sivan is the yahrzeit of Rav Dovid Pardo (1718-1790). Born into a rabbinical family in Venice, he was orphaned at a young age. He and his sister were raised by a wealthy, childless relative named Shmuel Ashkenazi. Mr. Ashkenazi left his fortune to the sister, Rachel, as she had helped him with household chores, with the stipulation that she marry a worthy young man. Unfortunately, she died before she had a chance to marry.
The executors of the estate refused to allow the fortune to pass to Rav Dovid because they felt that since it had never passed to his sister, he had no rights to it. Instead, they gave it to nephews of Mr. Ashkenazi. Desperate for funds and upset at the outcome of the inheritance, Rav Dovid moved to Croatia where he took a position as a tutor. There he became a student of Rav Avraham Dovid Papo, who was the rav of Split, and after his passing Rav Dovid was appointed as rabbi.
Halachic queries from all over the Balkans were sent to Rav Dovid and he opened a yeshiva in which a number of leaders of the next generation were educated. In 1761 Rav Shlomo Shalem, the rav of Belgrade, moved to Amsterdam to take up a position. Rav Dovid went to Belgrade with the understanding that the position would be given to him, but then found out that Rav Shlomo was refusing to relinquish the title despite his moving to Amsterdam. In 1773 Rav Dovid was appointed rav of Sarajevo where he spent nine years. His student Rav Shabsi Ventura took his place in Split. Most of Rav Dovid’s seforim and piyyutim were authored while he was in Sarajevo. He also opened a yeshiva there and founded Torah study initiatives for the lay people and created welfare institutions for the community.
In 1775 Rav Dovid traveled to Livorno to publish a sefer and met the Chida who was there raising funds for Chevron Kollel. The two immediately became close friends (although they often argued about interpretations of Chumash) and Rav Dovid’s son Avraham married Simcha, the daughter of the Chida. While in Livorno, Rav Dovid also met Rav Yom Tov Elgazi and Rav Yaakov Chazan who were also traveling to raise funds for the community in Yerushalayim. They wrote approbations for his seforim and ignited within him a desire to move to Eretz Yisrael. He also met Rav Chaim HaKohen Dwek in Belgrade while Rav Dwek was there raising funds for the community in Teveriah.
Rav Dovid arrived in Yerushalayim in 1782 and was immediately invited by the Ri”t Elgazi to join the Bais Din. Shortly thereafter he was invited to serve as rosh yeshiva in Yeshivas Chesed L’Avraham. He lived in Yerushalayim until his passing.
Rav Dovid was a prolific writer. Among his more well-known seforim are Chasdei Dovid a Rashi-like commentary on the Tosefta and Maskil L’Dovid a super-commentary to Rashi’s commentary on Chumash. He also wrote on mishna and halacha.
October 20, 2023: We started off the week in DelRay Beach, FL. We spent four weeks in Florida, solely to help my kids in Boynton Beach. Time to head back. We said goodbye to the kids and were on the road by 8:30 AM. We drove 13 hours and stopped overnight at a Comfort Inn in Manchester, TN.
October 21, 2023: This is me davening the next day outdoors. When I stop overnight I always daven outdoors. The air was crisp and refreshing.
We had a good breakfast of oatmeal and were back on the road at 9:30 AM. Normally I take 65 in Kentucky up through Louisville and into Indiana through Indianapolis. However, Google maps led us to the western part of the state through Henderson, KY which is a twin city across the river to Evansville, IN, up through Terre Haute, IN traveling along Route 41. Going through Indiana on Route 41 was using the back roads of Indiana. I drove through many small towns and stretches of farmland, ending up in Hammond, Indiana. Quite scenic.
In Henderson,Kentucky I stopped by Simon Shoes. Simon Shoes was honored by Rand Paul in June 2022 on the Simon Bros 100th year anniversary. I receive Rand Paul’s monthly newsletter. Since then I wanted to stop by and say hello. They are the remnants of the Jewish merchants that dotted small town America throughout the South and the entire country. They are an old style shoe store that fits their customers and they shoe generations of families. There are also few of these types of stores that fit shoes properly. Many of these communities had Shuls and Jewish cemetaries. Brian Simon, the third generation to operate the store, told me that Jeiwsh merchants just closed up shop when they were old. Mostly, their children were not interested in keeping the store going. July 5, 2022 article when they were honored by the Governor of Kentucky, Rand Paul..
A downtown Henderson shoe store has risen from humble beginnings to honors from a senator
Chuck Stinnett Special to The Gleaner July 5, 2022
HENDERSON, Ky. – Simon’s Shoes has long been an anchor in downtown Henderson, a magnet for shoppers from near and far seeking quality shoes in a range of sizes wider than a typical department store offers.
It could hardly have had more humble beginnings. Yet more than a century later, a U.S. senator recently visited the store to present it a statewide honor that celebrates its rich history.
Store founder Jacob W. “Jake” Simon immigrated to Henderson from Lithuania in 1910, following his two brothers who made Henderson their new home years before.
He disembarked from a train at the local Union Station and hailed a fellow who provided transportation with his horse and wagon. Simon, who knew essentially no English, uttered three words he had memorized: “Mrs. Youngbecker’s Hotel.”
That’s where, in an earlier letter, his older brother Ben had told him to go.
“Mrs. Youngbecker was German, and I could talk to her,” Simon told a Gleaner reporter more than 60 years later.
“Her hotel was located where Tapp’s Funeral Home is now,” he recalled. “The food there was wonderful — good German dishes.”
Within a few weeks, Simon had gone into business for himself. Like many immigrants without a trade, he became an itinerant peddler. His brother bought him his first $26 of merchandise to peddle.
“I had a big pack on my back and two smaller packs under my arms,” Simon, who stood 5-foot-6 as a young man, said in the mid-1970s interview. “They were filled with buttons, laces, combs, bedspreads and needles. I carried all my stock.”
His first sale was a comb, for 10 cents, according to a short history written many years later by his granddaughter, Ellen Simon.
“I walked into the county to sell my wares. I went to Baskett Station, Spottsville, all those little country towns. Because I couldn’t speak English, the people were at first a little suspicious of me,” Simon said.
In those early days, farmers unsure of this foreigner would permit him only to sleep in their barns. “Sometimes he was so lonesome he would cry because they wouldn’t keep him at night,” Ellen Simon wrote.
“After a while, my face became familiar to them and my language seemed a little less strange,” Jacob Simon recalled. “Then the children began to look forward to my visits as if I were Santa Claus. The wares in my packs fascinated them.
“In the hot summer months, elderly ladies would spot me coming down the road and run out to the cistern where they kept cold jugs of buttermilk. They would draw me out a cup full, and it would taste better than anything. Those ladies began to call me their ‘boy.’ When they saw me walking toward their houses, they would say, ‘Here’s my boy!’ “
Eventually, some came to trust the young peddler and allowed him to spend the night in their farmhouses.
“In a short while, I grew to love these people … I was a stranger in a strange land, and they made me feel at home,” Simon recalled warmly.
Jacob Simon gradually prospered. Within two years, he was able to afford a horse named Prince and a buggy — perhaps a Delker-brand buggy manufactured in Henderson.
In 1916, he became an American citizen and he mastered English, speaking with only a “very slight” accent, according to his son, Larry.
After four years on the road, Simon established a small dry goods’ business on Elm Street, then moved to First Street. In January 1918, he sold his business to enter the army in World War I, though the war ended before he was deployed overseas.
Simon returned to Henderson and went into partnership with Arnold Kahn, who operated a small shoe and clothing store at First and Main streets. A year later, Kahn sold his interest to Simon.
On Jan. 19, 1919, Simon’s store was established, though it rented only a fraction of the big brick building it occupies today. In the 1950s, for instance, a portion of the ground floor of the building housed the Dairy Whip lunch counter and a jewelry store; the second floor directly above Simon’s held a lawyer’s and a doctor’s office, while the top floor housed a meeting hall.
The store proved to be a life-changing event for Jacob Simon, and not merely professionally. He periodically visited Louisville, where he purchased merchandise from a wholesaler named Louis Grossman. He became acquainted with his supplier’s daughter, and in 1921 Goldie Grossman became his wife. They remained together more than a half-century.
The store survived the Depression. But his poor upbringing, his lean early years in America and the turmoil of the Depression left a powerful impression on Jake Simon.
“He was a very conservative man,” like many who lived through the Depression, Larry Simon said in a Gleaner interview several years ago.
“My dad was always very conscious to pay his bills on time,” he said.
“He was very frugal,” Larry said. “He was a concerned person, a worrier.”
Simon’s in recent decades has principally been a shoe and leather goods store. But for decades, it sold other merchandise, ranging from men’s suits and ties to long underwear. Beneath a large Florsheim sign on the side of the building in 1955, a smaller sign advertised Duck Head overalls. It even sold tobacco canvas that was used to protect tender young plants from late spring freezes.
During the infamous 1937 Ohio River flood, “We had to stay open on Sundays. Farmers wanted hip boots,” Larry Simon said.
“Farmers came in February or early March and bought on credit,” he said. “In November, after they sold their tobacco, they’d pay him.”
Larry joined the business in 1949 and, despite resistance from his father, nudged the business toward specializing in footwear.
Eventually, Larry bought the business, then later purchased the big building at First and Main. Years later, he acquired the former J.C. Penney building next door, which helps house the store’s large inventory.
During the past generation, Simon’s Shoes has become a destination store, drawing customers from Evansville, Owensboro, Louisville, even St. Louis, plus tourists traveling on Ohio River riverboats in recent years.
Today, the business is owned by Larry’s son, Bruce, who became the third generation of the family when he joined the business in 1979.
In 1975, then-85-year-old Jake Simon told The Gleaner, “When I draw my last breath, that store will be in my consciousness.”
The elder Simon might well have been astonished that U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, on June 28 visited the store to proclaim Simon’s Shoes the Senate Small Business of the Week.
“Congratulations to the entire Simon family and to the whole team at Simon’s Shoes,” Paul said in a statement entered into the Congressional Record. “I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Kentucky.”
Brian Simon and myself purchasing socks.
We arrived back in Chicago at 7:30 PM.
October 24, 2023:
On Tuesday October 24, 2023, I was back in Yeshiva. Tonight is Sori Chase’s wedding in Lakewood, NJ. I had tickets but cancelled.becuase I could not miss Yeshiva. I called Ephraim Chase, the Kallah’s father, the night before and said I cannot make it to the wedding. At 10:00 AM my son-in-law calls me and insists that I go into the wedding. He booked a ticket on the 2:17 PM flight to Newark. Normally I would be in the Bais Medrash at this time and would ot even know I was getting a phone call. My Chavrusa was late and I was pacing out of the building listening to a Shiur. My proble was how to get to Lakewood from Newark. B’Siatta Dismaya, Uri Kahanow was on the flight. He was leaving the NIC conference early. He was a customer of mine when I worked and had wanted to contact me. He had a driver picking him to to take him and Avi Katz home to Lakewood and I got a ride with him.
I was able to surprise the family by showing up at the wedding. I stayed at the wedding until the end at 12:30 PM, went to Yakov Chase’s house and took a LYFT to the airport at 1:45 PM. Took the 6:00 AM flight back to Chicago and was back at yeshiva at 10:00 AM.
The Chosson and Kallah.
Aaron Chase, Ephreim and Chavie Chase’s son.
October 25, 2023
I come back to the Yeshiva and discover that Chaim Weg is a new Bais Medrash Rebbe. I walked into his Shiur and hugged him. He told me that I am a Navi because I told him six months ago that he should be.will be a Rebbe in Skokie Yeshiva. I sold him my previous house in 2021 and he paid top dollar for it. I felt terrible that he paid such a high price. I only used a broker because I did not want to meet the people purchasing my house at the top of the market. I did not want to get involved at all, but it did not work. I told him that I would guarantee appliances for twelve months. I gave him $20,000 to pay for repairs and other incidentals, and gave him another $2,000 to support a Talmud Chacom. Last month I had the outside railing of the house scraped and painted. I had wanted to do this for years. If I would not have given him the money I would not have been able to look him in the face. He is a Talmud Chacom and I am associated with him. Boruch Hashem.
October 26, 2023
Dairy Star is closing for the season and I loaded up.
First Shabbos back since we were in Florida. We left for Florida on September 20, 2023. On Friday night Naftoli Glenner ate with us and Naftoli has to have liv-liv, so I get to eat chopped liver.
On Shabbos morning Serka and I walked to Congregation Yehuda Moshe on Touhy Avenue. It is 2.8 miles from our house. It was the Auf Ruf of Jeffrey Ostro. He is marrying Noelle Bruno. His mother, Gail Ostro, is our cousin, and my wife Serka is very close with her. It was great having Kiddush with the Ostros and Gail’s family.
My Torah below is inspired by the upcoming wedding of Jeffrey and Noelle Ostro, Noelle being a convert and giving Gail Ostro the Nachas of being able to walk her son to Chupa. She saw her daughter, Elana, walking down with Gail’s grandchildren.
Acco Prison Escape
I was talking to Gail’s sister-in-law, Aurelia Malatzky-Ostro, and she tells me her father was an Irgun fighter in Israel’s war of Independence and that he was imprisoned in the infamous Acco prison. During the famous escape, her father was the one who dropped the grenade between the prison bars to be able to escape. His rabbi was Rabbi Aryeh Levin and Rabbi Aryeh Levin’s son married her and her husband, Mickey Ostro. Quoting from the internet.
Looking to free Irgun and Lehi fighters imprisoned by the British in the fortress in Acco, the Irgun staged a daring and dramatic jail break. Having smuggled information and explosives to prisoners inside the prison, and staged a simultaneous attack from the outside by fighters dressed as British soldiers, the Irgun breached the prison for only the second time in its 800-year history.
By the end of the operation, 27 of the 41 escaped Jewish prisoners made it. Six were killed and eight captured. Of the Irgun attack force, three were killed and five captured; one British soldier was killed. The New York Times hailed it as one of the biggest jail breaks in history, Menachem Begin deemed it heroic, the Jewish Agency condemned it, the Yishuv loved it, and even the British acknowledged how bad it made them look.
The prison break was immortalized in the 1960 film Exodus, starring Paul Newman.
Aurilla Malatzky-Ostro also told me that her Shul, Shaarei Shomayim in Toronto, hosted Rabbi Meir Yaakov Solovechik as a scholar in residence and that he stayed for Shabbos in her house. Serka and I were married at Shaar Shomayim. Aurilla’s son, Jonathanl, is the President of the Shul.
Mikros Gedolos Oz Vehedar:
Last week I purchased a Oz Vehadar Mikros Gedolos. It is a great Sefer and brings understanding of Chumosh to a new level. There was the old Mikros Gdeolos which used Rashi script. When I was younger it was hard to understand. There was also the Penimin Mikros Gedolos from the 1950s which had a Perish Anshei Shem that is no longer printed and is almost gone. I believe this Perish is in the Chok. In 1990 the Hameor Institute redid the Mikos Gedolos, removed errors, and changed the script to block letters, greatly enhancing the learning experience. This is what I have used since it came out. Artscroll came out with their version around 2015, however, I feel that it is really not an improvement over the Hameor and a little harder to use. The Oz Vehadar is just on a completely different universe and leaves everyone in its dust. I could only say the Pshat below using the Oz Vehadar.
At CUFI, banners are posted that say Genesis 12:3. https://cufi.org/about/cufi-team/. As Rabbi Bowman said, “and they believe in the Bible.” Let us analyze the back half of the Passuk וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה.
There are three explanations and a fourth comment:
1 – Rashi – his opinion is in green
2 – Ramban in his second explanation. His opinion is in purple.
3 – Rashbam and Chizkuni. Their opinion is in rust.
4 – Ibn Ezra criticizes the Rashbam and Chizkuni’s Pshat and agrees to the Ramban. His opinion is in black.
I started the Parsha at four in the morning and looked at Rashi on Verse 12:3. I was stunned. I always thought that this Passuk means that the world will be blessed through Avrohom’s merit and great deeds. Not only that Avrohom brings Hashem’s goodness to the world, but through his actions, the world was a better place. Just like Israel today. My son Sholem for my birthday gave me the book, Start Up Nation. The world benefits greatly from Israel’s innovations, discoveries,and patents in medicine, technology, and everything else. If the world let, peace would break out from Israel. Yet Rashi says that the simple meaning is that people will bless their children by saying, you should be like Avrohom.
AND IN THEE SHALL BE BLESSED — There are many Agadoth concerning this but the plain sense of the text is as follows: A man says to his son, “Mayest thou become as Abraham”. This, too, is the meaning wherever the phrase ונברכו בך “And in thee shall be blessed” occurs in Scripture, and the following example proves this: (Genesis 48:20) בך יברך “By thee shall Israel bless their children saying, “May God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh”.
Interpretation 2:
Words of the Ramban on Pasuk 12:2:
He starts by explaining the last two words of Pasuk 12:2.
והיה ברכה אתה תהיה הברכה אשר יתברכו בך לאמר “ישימך אלהים כאברהם” והוסיף עוד כי כל משפחות האדמה יתברכו בו לא אנשי ארצו בלבד או ונברכו בך שיהיו מבורכים בעבורו
The Ramban uses Rashi’s explanation as the meaning of the last two words of verse 12:2 of וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה. and first explains the וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה in 12:3 as a continuation of this idea that not only will your city bless there children saying too be like Avrohom but the entire world.
But then the Ramban has a second explanation for וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה The Ramban says “ ונברכו בך שיהיו מבורכים בעבורו”. The world will be blessed because of Avrohom. You could explain this two ways and both are probably correct; 1 – through his righteous deeds, Hashem will bless the world, or 2 -because Avrohom was moral and good, he was an example for the world and the world was a better place because of him. His goodzkeit spread to the world. He was a world leader and people emulated him.
The Ibn Ezra says Pshat like the Ramban, see the end of this piece of Torah., where I bring down the Ibn Ezra.
What do the Tragumin say? (See Mikros Gedolos Oz Vehadar in their explanation of the Ramban)
And I will bless the priests who will spread forth their hands in prayer, and bless thy sons; and Bileam, who will curse them, I will curse, and they shall slay him with the mouth of the sword; and in thee shall be blessed all the generations of the earth.
Since the Tragum Yonasan uses the same word as the Torah uses, the assumption is that he is learning like Rashi
However Targum Onkelos and Targum Yerushalmi align with the Ramban:
I will bless those who bless you, and he who curses you, I will curse; and through you [and because of you], will be blessed all the families of the earth.
And I will bless him who blesseth thee, and he who curseth thee shall be accursed; and in thy righteousness shall all the generations of the earth be blessed.
How do the English translations line up?
Like Rashi.
JPS 2006:
And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.”
Artscroll 2018 (Avrohom Morgenstern on Targum Onkelos)
And all of the families of the earth will bless themselves by you.
Torah Yesharah – Kahana 1963
all the families of the earth will bless themselves with the wish that they might be like you.”
(רש”י.)
Silverstein – 2013
and they shall bless themselves in you [i.e., in your name] all the families of the earth.
Like the Ramban and Onkelys:
Artscroll 1993:
And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.
Soncino
And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Interpretation #3:
There is a third interpretation of וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה and that is of the Rashbam, Chizkuni, and the Daas Zekeinim. No English Chumashim translate it this way. The word ונברכו is translated as מבריך ומרכיב – grafting trees and layering – bending a tree branch back into the ground to grow a new tree. Meaning that the non Jewish nations will want to marry into the Jewish nation.
Rashbam:
ונברכו – לשון מבריך ומרכיב, כלומר, יתערבו במשפחתך משפחות האדמה, שהרי משקל רפי הוא.
Chizkuni:
ונברכו משקל רפה, לשון ״מברכך ומרכיב״ (שביעית ב,ו), כלומר בך יתערבו משפחות שרי הארץ ולא תחשב כנכרי וגר ביניהם ולפיכך כתב כאן משפחת האדמה.
Daas Zekeinim: ונברכו בך וגו’. כי יתערבו כל המשפחות שהכל יתאוו להתחבר עמך ונברכו לשון המבריך:
What is the source of the Rashbam et. al’s Pshat. It appears to be a Gemora in Kidushim.
And Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed [nivrekhu]” (Genesis 12:3)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Abraham: I have two good shoots to graft [lehavrikh] onto you: Ruth the Moabite, the ancestress of the house of David, and Naamah the Ammonite, whose marriage with Solomon led to the ensuing dynasty of the kings of Judea. “All the families of the earth” means: Even families that live in the earth, i.e., who have land of their own, are blessed only due to the Jewish people. Similarly, when the verse states: “All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18), it indicates that even ships that come from Galia to Hispania are blessed only due to the Jewish people.
Maharsha:
שתי בריכות כו’ לכאורה מכל משפחות גו’ מריבויא דכל דריש אפילו משפחות האסורות לבא בקהל יבריכו בך נקיבות שלהם דעמוני ולא עמונית מואבי ולא מואבית ואך יש לדקדק דמעיקרא דריש ונברכו מלשון הברכה ולבסוף דרשו ליה מלשון ברכה ממש אפי’ משפחות הדרות באדמה אין מתברכות אלא כו’ וע”כ נראה דמלתא באנפי נפשיה הוא בא לדרוש כל דמשפחות גו’ כמו שדרשו כל הגוים גו’ כמ”ש התוס’ והשתא אפשר דמעיקרא לאו מריבויא דכל דריש אלא משום דכל הני קראי דכתיבי כיוצא בזה כמו והתברכו בזרעך מתפרשים כי אדם אומר לבנו תהא כאברהם תהא כאפרים ומנשה אבל הכא שינה הכתוב למכתב ונברכו מלשון נפעל ע”י אחרים דהיינו שיעשה הקב”ה מהן שתי בריכות בתוכך או מלשון שיתברכו מן השמים ודו”ק:
The Gemora in Kedoshim is a little difficult to understand, it does appear that the Gemora translates ונברכו in two ways, grafting and being a blessing.
Rashi clearly does not go like the Gemora in Yevamos at all.. The Rashbam is going like the Gemora in Yevamos, but only in the Gemora translation as grafting. Why did the Rashbam choose grafting and not blessing, It would seem that blessing would be the more plain meaning. Perhaps he felt from the last two words of 12:2 והיה ברכה meaning that the world will be blessed through Avrohom, therefore the Rashbam has to explain that the meaning of Genesis 12:3 is grafting.
The Gemora itself only talks about two people, Rus and Naama. Perhaps the Gemara means Rus and Naama and all converts who convert to the Jewish nation. The genoira seems to be saying that Rus and Naama who converted were beneficial to the Jewish nation and the Jeiwsh nation needed them. The Rashbam says it refers to all converts from all the nations of the earth. The nations of the world will want to be part of the Jewish people and that the converts will be accepted as Jews. The Rashbam seems to be taking it that the non Jewish nations will want to feel a connection to the Jews.
Onkelos wanted to be connected to the Jewish people and he was a Torah scholar. He published the first legitimate translation of the Torah into a foreign language. He may have been the nephew of Titus. Onkelos – Wikipedia.
Ibn Ezra
There is no Ibn Ezra on this Pasuk in the regular Mikros Gedolos, however, the Oz Vehadar brings an Ibn Ezra on 12:3 from another source and it is simply great. The Ibn Ezra was born in 1089 and lived to about 1164. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_ibn_Ezra
The words of the Ibn Ezra:
בשיטה אחרת: חכם גדול אמר בּספרד כי ׳ונברכו בך׳ מגזרת הברכת האילן (עיין רשׁבּ״ם), ולא ידעתי מי הביאו צרה ההזאת. רק ׳ונברכו׳ מבנין נפעל על דרך נכבד, כי ׳מתברך׳ הוא כמו ׳מתכבד׳, והנה הטעם שיהיו משפּחות האדמה בעבורו מבורכות וראה גם מה שכתב רבינו להלן (יח יח) בביאור ׳ונברכו׳[ואינו כפירוש רש”י שאנשי העולם יברכו זרעם בו]
Translated as – a wise man from Spain said it means grafting. I love the Ibn Ezra criticizing the Rashbam’s explanation by saying ולא ידעתי מי הביאו צרה ההזאת. I do not know who brought this trouble.
Perhaps Ibn Ezra wrote this line because of the conversion of his son to Islam in 1140. And perhaps he saw that people converting to Judaism was leading to importing foreign ideas into the Jewish people and in his time it was not beneficial.
Wikedpeia writes:
Little is known of ibn Ezra’s family from outside sources; however, he wrote of a marriage to a wife that produced five children. While it is believed four died early, the last-born, Isaac, became an influential poet and later convert to Islam in 1140. The conversion of his son was deeply troubling for ibn Ezra, leading him to pen many poems reacting to the event for years afterward.[3]
12:4 says that Lot goes with Avrohom. The first Pasuk says that Lot went with Avrohom. 12:5 says that Avrohom took Lot. Is there a difference between the first Pasuk implies that Lot went on his own decision, while the second Pasuk seems to say that Avrohom took him, as if Lot did not know what to do and Avrohom grabbed him and siad your our coming with me. Is there something to be learned from this?
In 12:4 its says וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט and not וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ ל֑וֹט אִתּ֖וֹ . Does this word usage mean anything?
I saw a Ramban that I cannot find that Avrohom had no family going with him and Lot stepped up so Avrohom would have family with him. I cannot find the Ramban.
Why when Hagar was kicked out of Avrohoms’s house and Yismael was dying of thirst, the angels wanted Hashem to deny water to Yismael so he would die. How do we understand this because Yismael will become a Tzadick and we also know that Avorhom loved Yismael. The fact that 1,000 years henceforth, Yishmael’s descendants will kill fleeing jews with thirst, we Jews have plenty of enemies. In fact the Northern kingdom attacked the Yehuda during the first temple period. Do we say that Hashem should have only had two tribes. I will have to answer this next week.
Had a pretty good Rosh Hashana. Friday night’s meal was with Serka, myself and Sholem. Shabbaos, Rosh Hashanah morning go up at 7:00 AM, read the Mizrachi magazine doing a retrospective on the 50th year anniversary of the Yom Kippur war Davening was called for 8:45 AM and I got there at 9:15 AM, still at the beginning of Pesukei D’Zimra. Beautiful davening. Ari Grebel davened Shacharis and Avrohom Morgenstern davened Musaf. I learned little during the davening, rather focusing on the davening itself. Very inspirational.
For the Shabbos meal, we had Rivkie, Mordy, and their three kids, Eli and Xi, Sholem, Hudi and Atara Greenbaum. Atara is Dr. Laura and Avi Greeenbaum’s kid, granddaughter of Zlat and David Gross.
Saturday night was just Serka and myself.
Sunday morning was a carbon copy of the day before except for Shofar blowing by Ben Adlar. However, during Musaf I was putting together some Torah that occurred to me. Sunday lunch, Serka, myself, and Sholem walked to Rivkie and Mordy’s house for the Rosh Hashanah meal.
My Torah for Rosh Hashanah 2023
The Torah Leining for Rosh Hashanah Day 1 is from Genesis Chapter 21 covering the story God remembering Sara, giving birth, Yitzchok’s circumcision, Sara kicking out Hagar and Yismael, God saving them, and lastly the story of Avimelech the king of the Pelishtim approaching Avrohom to make a peace treaty. The Leining of Day 2 is Chapter 22 which is the next Chapter in the Chumosh. It is the story of the Akidah, which ends with Avrohom being told that his brother Nachar had a granddaughter Rivka.
I listened to the last Verse in the story of Sarah kicking out Hagar and Yismael, Pasuk 21:21 – וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר פָּארָ֑ן וַתִּֽקַּֽח־ל֥וֹ אִמּ֛וֹ אִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם. It struck me as odd. Why is Yishmael’s mother finding him a wife? He is 27 and can find a wife for himself. I thought about this Pasuk some more and asked what is this Pasuk telling us? Is it just a concluding Pasuk to let us know what happened after Yismael was saved? Similar to “and they lived happily ever after”. Rashi focused on Yishmael’s wife being from Egypt says:
מארץ מצרים. מִמְּקוֹם גִּדּוּלֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלָהּ שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית וְגוֹ’ (בראשית ט״ז:א׳), הַיְנוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי זְרֹק חוּטְרָא לַאֲוִירָא, אֲעִיקְּרֵיהּ קָאֵי: This Rashi raises a major question. If a person always goes back home, to its source, why didn’t Hagar go back to Egypt and settle there? Why did she and Yishmael live in the desert of Paran? Clearly she went back to Egypt to find a wife for his son.
Insights and issues: A – It is amazing that Yishmael at age 27 follows the advice of his mother. B – She did go back to Egypt to find a wife for his son, however, did not stay there. She stayed in the desert of Paran and did not go back to Egypt. C – What is this Pasuk telling us?
To understand this Pasuk we have to bring in a number of other Pesukim and Midrashim.
Number #1: What did happen to Hagar? In Bereshis Pasuk 25:1 it says וַיֹּ֧סֶף אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה וּשְׁמָ֥הּ קְטוּרָֽה׃. Rashi says that Keturah is Hagar and she is called Keturah for two reasons – קטורה. זוֹ הָגָר, וְנִקְרֵאת קְטוּרָה עַל שֶׁנָּאִים מַעֲשֶׁיהָ כִּקְטֹרֶת (בראשית רבה), וְשֶׁקָּשְׁרָה פִּתְחָהּ, שֶֶׁלֹא נִזְדַּוְּגָה לְאָדָם מִיּוֹם שֶׁפֵּרְשָׁה מֵאַבְרָהָם: She was a good person and performed good deeds. Put in other words, she lived an Abrahamic life, perhaps even setting up an Eshel to provide meals for travelers. She did not marry anyone else from when she left Avrohom. I would expand Rashi and say that she hoped one day to reunite with Avrohom as a wife. This is despite the rejection she must have felt twice. She was actually one her way back to Egypt after both times, and at least at the second time started to worship idols. Both times she saw the hand of God, God saved her and Yishmael, and made Yishmael into a great nation. She decided not to go back to Egypt because she was part of the Abrahamic peoplehood and did not want to marry anyone else and stay “loyal to Avrohom” which paid of at the end, when she remarried Avrohom.
Who brought Hagar back to marry Avrohom? Pasuk 24:62 וְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבּ֔וֹא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב׃. Rashi explains (מבוא באר לחי רואי. שֶׁהָלַךְ לְהָבִיא הָגָר לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִיו שֶׁיִּשָּׂאֶנָּה (בראשית רבה. It was Yitzchok and per Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Yitzchok wanted to reunite the family and bring not only Hagar back but also Yishmael, hopefully he would do Tshuva. Yishmael did do Tshuva as the Torah testifies to this twice, once when Avrohom died and the second time when Yisnael himself died.
Number #2: Yonasan ben Uziel brings down the Perkei D’Rabbi Eliezer that Yismael was married twice. וְיָתִיב בְּמַדְבְּרָא דְפָּארָן וּנְסֵיב אִתְּתָא יַת עֲדִישָׁא וְתֵרְכָהּ וּנְסִיבַת לֵיהּ אִמֵיהּ יַת פְּטִימָא אִתְּתָא מֵאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pharan, and took for a wife Adisha, but put her away. And his mother took for him Phatima to wife, from the land of Mizraim.
The Perkie D’Rav Eliezer is more expansive and tells us that Avrohom went to visit Yishmael three years later and a second time 3 years later. Avrohom left a coded message to Yishmael that his first wife was not good. Yishmael understood the message, divorced his wife, and remarried Phatima, the wife his mother found for him in Egypt. The Chizkuni confirms that the Pasuk’s statement that Hagar took a wife for Yishmael was the second wife.
It appears that despite Yishmael following evil ways, there was some goodness to him. He listened to his mother and felt the love of his father (וידע ישמעאל שעד עכשו רחמי אביו עליו כרחם אב על בנים) . Yishmael had a strong support system. His mother was a good person and she selected a good wife for him. There was a core of goodness in Yismael held that would later lead to his Tshuva and becoming a Tzaddik.
Pasuk 21:21 is telling us that Hagar lived in the desert of Paran and did not go back to live in Egypt, her birthplace. This is because she no longer lived the life of an idol worshiping Egyptian. She was a moral person, believing in Avrohom’s God, and a kind and generous person. She only went back to Egypt to tap her family network, and find a good wife for her son.
Sources:
Perkei D’Rav Eliezer – Chapter 30: Chzikuni
Perkei D’Rav Eliezer – Chapter 30:
הנסיון התשיעי, נולד ישמעאל בקשת ונתרבה בקשת שנ’ ויהי אלהים את הנער ויגדל ונטל קשת וחצים והיה יורה אחר הפנות וראה את יצחק יושב לבדו וירה חץ להרגו וראה זה הדבר שרה והגיד לאברהם ואמרה לו כזה וכזה עשה ישמעאל ליצחק אלא עמוד וכתוב ליצחק כל מה שנשבע הב”ה לך ולזרעך שאין בן האמה יורש עם בני עם יצחק שנ’ ותאמר לאברהם גרש את האמה הזאת ואת בנה כי לא יירש בן האמה הזאת עם בני עם יצחק. יהודה בן תימא אומר, אמרה שרה לאברהם כתוב גט גרושין לאמה ושלח את האמה הזאת מעלי ומעל יצחק בני מן העולם הזה ומן העולם הבא. ומכל הרעות שבאו על אברהם הרע בעיניו הדבר הזה מאד, שנאמר (בראשית כא, יא) וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי אַבְרָהָם עַל אוֹדֹת בְּנוֹ. ר’ יהודה אומר, נגלה הב”ה עליו אמ’ לו אברהם אין אתה יודע שהיתה שרה ראויה לך לאשה ממעי אמה והיא חברתך ואשת בריתך לא נקראת שרה שפחה אלא אשתך לא נקראת הגר אשתך אלא שפחתך כל מה שדברה שרה באמת הגידה אל ירע בעיניך. השכים אברהם וכתב גט גירושין ונתן להגר ושלח אותה ואת בנה מעליו ומעל יצחק בנו מהעולם הזה ומהעולם הבא שנ’ וישכם אברהם בבקר ויקח וכו’ וישלחהו בגט גירושין ולקח בגד אחד וקשר במתניה כדי שיהא שוחף אחריה לידע שהיא שפחה ולא עוד אלא שעמד אברהם אבינו לראות את ישמעאל בנו ולראות את הדרך שהלכו בה.
ובזכות אברהם לא חסרו המים מן החמת, וכיון שהגיע לפתח המדבר התחילה תועה אחרי ע”ז של בית אביה ומיד חסרו המים מן החמת לפיכך ותשלך את הילד. ובן כ”ז (י”ג כ”ד) שנה היה ישמעאל כשיצא מבית אביו ויצחק בן עשר שנים היה.
ותלך ותתע וכו’, אין ותתע אלא ע”ז דכתיב בה (ירמיה י טו) הבל המה מעשה תעתועים. ועייפה נפשו של ישמעאל בצמא והלך והשליך את עצמו תחת חרולי המדבר להיות חרשן עליו ואמ’ אלהי אברהם אבי יש לפניך תוצאות מים קח את נפשי ממני ואל אמות בצמא ויעתר לו שנ’ כי שמע אלהים את קול הנער באשר הוא שם ושם נפתחו להם הבאר שנבראת בין השמשות והלכו ושתו ומלאו את החמת מים שנ’ ויפתח אלהים את עיניה ושם הניחו הבאר ומשם נשאו את רגליהם והלכו אל המדבר כלו עד שהגיעו למדבר פארן ומצאו שם מוצאי מים וישבו שם שנ’ וישב במדבר פארן שלח ישמעאל ולקח לו אשה מבנות מואב ועישה שמה. לאחר שלש שנים הלך אברהם לראות את ישמעאל בנו, ונשבע לשרה שלא ירד מעל הגמל במקום שישמעאל שרוי תמן, והגיע לשם בחצי היום ומצא שם את אשתו של ישמעאל. אמ’ לה, היכן הוא ישמעאל. אמרה לו, הלך הוא ואמו להביא פירות ותמרים מן המדבר. אמ’ לה, תני לי מעט לחם ומים כי עייפה נפשי מדרך המדבר. אמרה לו, אין לי לחם ולא מים. אמ’ לה, כשיבא ישמעאל הגידי לו את הדברים הללו ואמרי לו זקן אחד מארץ כנען בא לראותך ואמר חלף מפתן ביתך שאינה טובה לך. וכשבא ישמעאל מן המדבר הגידה לו את הדברים הללו, ובן חכם כחצי חכם, והבין ישמעאל ושלחה אמו ולקחה לו אשה מבית אביה, ופטימה שמה.
ועוד אחר שלש שנים הלך אברהם לראות את ישמעאל בנו ונשבע לשרה כפעם ראשונה שאינו יורד מן הגמל במקום שישמעאל שרוי שם והגיע לשם בחצי היום ומצא שם אשתו של ישמעאל ואמ’ לה היכן הוא ישמעאל אמרה לו הוא ואמו הלכו לרעות את הגמלים במדבר אמ’ לה תני לי מעט לחם ומים כי עייפה נפשי מדרך המדבר והוציאה לחם ומים ונתנה לו עמד אברהם והיה מתפלל לפני הב”ה על בנו ונתמלא ביתו של ישמעאל מכל טוב ממין הברכות וכשבא ישמעאל הגידה לו את הדבר וידע ישמעאל שעד עכשו רחמי אביו עליו כרחם אב על בנים.
לאחר מיתתה של שרה חזר אברהם ולקח את גרושתו שנ’ ויוסף אברהם ויקח אשה ומדקאמר ויוסף משמע שפעם ראשונה היתה אשתו ועוד לא הוסיף לבא עליה ושמה קטורה שהיתה מקוטרת מכל מיני בשמים. ד”א, קטורה — שהיו נאים מעשיה כקטרת. ילדה לו ששה בנים וכלם נקראו על שמו של ישמעאל, שנ’ ותלד לו את זמרן ואת יקשן.
וכאשה שהיא מתגרשת מן בעלה, כך עמד אברהם ושלחן מעל יצחק בנו מן העה”ז ומן העה”ב, שנ’ ולבני הפלגשים אשר לאברהם וכו’ וישלחם בגט גירושין.
פרקי דרבי אליעזר ל׳:ו׳ Perkei D’Rav Eliezer in English THE TRIALS OF ABRAHAM (continued) THE ninth trial (was as follows): Ishmael was born with (the prophecy of the) bow, and he grew up with the bow, as it is said, “And God was with the lad, and he grew … and he became an archer” (Gen. 21:20). He took bow and arrows and began to shoot at the birds. He saw Isaac sitting by himself, and he shot an arrow at him to slay him. Sarah saw (this), and told Abraham. She said to him: Thus and thus has Ishmael done to Isaac, but (now) arise and write (a will in favour) of Isaac, (giving him) all that the Holy One has sworn to give || to thee and to thy seed. The son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac, as it is said, “And she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son” (Gen. 21:10). Ben Tema said: Sarah said to Abraham, Write a bill of divorce, and send away this handmaid and her son from me and from Isaac my son, in this world and from the world to come. More than all the misfortunes which overtook Abraham, this matter was exceedingly evil in his eyes, as it is said, “And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son” (Gen. 21:11). Rabbi Jehudah said: In that night the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed unto him. He said to him: Abraham ! Dost thou not know that Sarah was appointed to thee for a wife from her mother’s womb? She is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant; Sarah is not called thy handmaid, but thy wife; neither is Hagar called thy wife, but thy handmaid; and all that Sarah has spoken she has uttered truthfully. Let it not be grievous in thine eyes, as it is said, “And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight” (Gen. 21:12).
Abraham rose up early, and wrote a bill of divorce, and gave it to Hagar, and he sent her and her son away from himself, and from Isaac his son, from this world and from the world to come, as it is said, “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water” (Gen. 21:14). He sent her away || with a bill of divorcement, and he took the veil, and he bound it around her waist, so that it should drag behind her to disclose (the fact) that she was a bondwoman. Not only this, but also because Abraham desired to see Ishmael, his son, and to see the way whereon they went. By the merit of our father Abraham the water did not fail in the bottle, but when she reached the entrance to the wilderness, she began to go astray after the idolatry of her father’s house; and forthwith the water in the bottle was spent, as it is said, “And she departed and wandered” (ibid.), Ishmael was twenty seven years old (when) he went forth from the house of Abraham, and Isaac was forty years old. By the merit of our father Abraham the water did not fail in the bottle, but when she reached the entrance to the wilderness, she began to go astray after the idolatry of her father’s house; the water in the bottle was spent, and the soul of Ishmael was faint with thirst.
“And she departed and wandered” (ibid.). The meaning of “and she wandered” is merely idolatry, because it is written, concerning (this root), “They are vanity, a work of delusion” (Jer. 10:15). He went and cast himself beneath the thorns of the wilderness, so that the moisture might be upon him, and he said: O God of my father Abraham ! Thine are the issues of death; take away from me my soul, for I would not die of thirst. And He was entreated of him, as it is said, “For God hath heard the || voice of the lad where he is” (Gen. 21:17). The well which was created at twilight was opened for them there, and they went and drank and filled the bottle with water, as it is said, “And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water” (Gen. 21:19). And there they left the well, and thence they started on their way, and went through all the wilderness until they came to the wilderness of Paran, and they found there streams of water, and they dwelt there, as it is said, “And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran” (Gen. 21:21). Ishmael sent for a wife from among the daughters of Moab, and ‘Ayeshah was her name. After three years Abraham went to see Ishmael his son, having sworn to Sarah that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He arrived there at midday and found there the wife of Ishmael. He said to her: Where is Ishmael? She said to him: He has gone with his mother to fetch the fruit of the palms from the wilderness. He said to her: Give me a little bread and a little water, for my soul is faint after the journey in the desert. She said to him: I have neither bread nor water. He said to her: When Ishmael comes (home) tell him this || story, and say to him: A certain old man came from the land of Canaan to see thee, and he said, Exchange the threshold of thy house, for it is not good for thee. When Ishmael came (home) his wife told him the story. A son of a wise man is like half a wise man. Ishmael understood. His mother sent and took for him a wife from her father’s house, and her name was Fatimah.
Again after three years Abraham went to see his son Ishmael, having sworn to Sarah as on the first occasion that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He came there at midday, and found there Ishmael’s wife. He said to her: Where is Ishmael? She replied to him: He has gone with his mother to feed the camels in the desert. He said to her: Give me a little bread and water, for my soul is faint after the journey of the desert. She fetched it and gave it to him. Abraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, for his son, and (thereupon) Ishmael’s house was filled with all good things of the various blessings. When Ishmael came (home) his wife told him what had happened, and Ishmael knew that his father’s love was still extended to him, as it is said, || “Like as a father pitieth his sons” (Ps. 103:13). After the death of Sarah, Abraham again took (Hagar) his divorced (wife), as it is said, “And Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah” (Gen. 25:1). Why does it say “And he again”? Because on the first occasion she was his wife, and he again betook himself to her. Her name was Keturah, because she was perfumed with all kinds of scents. Another explanation of Keturah (is): because her actions were beautiful like incense, and she bare him six sons, and they were all called according to the name of Ishmael, as it is said, “And she bare him Zimran (Gen. 25:2).
Like a woman sent away from her husband, so likewise Abraham arose and sent them away from Isaac his son, from this world and from the world to come, as it is said, “But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and he sent them away from Isaac his son” (Gen. 25:6), by a deed of divorcement. Corresponding to the name of Ishmael’s son Kedar, the sons of Kedar were so called, as it is said, “Of Kedar, and of the kingdoms of Hazor” (Jer. 49:28). Corresponding to the name of Ishmael’s son “Kedemah” (Gen. 25:15), the “sons of Ḳedem” were so called. Because they dwelt in the territory belonging to Cain, his children were called “sons of Cain,” as it is said, “Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from Cain” (Judg. 4:11). Were not all the sons of Cain cut off by the waters of the Flood? But because they dwelt in the territory of the children of Cain, his children were called “sons of Cain,” as it is said, “Nevertheless || Cain shall be wasted, as long as Asshur shall dwell in thy place” (Num. 24:22). “Nevertheless Cain shall be wasted away” by fire, through the seed of Ishmael, the latter shall cause the kingdom of Assyria to cease. Balaam said: Of the seventy nations that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He did not put His name on any one of them except on Israel; and since the Holy One, blessed be He, made the name of Ishmael similar to the name of Israel, woe to him who shall live in his days, as it is said, “Alas, who shall live when God establisheth him?” (Num. 24:23). Rabbi Ishmael said: In the future the children of Ishmael will do fifteen things in the land (of Israel) in the latter days, and they are: They will measure the land with ropes; they will change a cemetery into a resting-place for sheep (and) a dunghill; they will measure with them and from them upon the tops of the mountains; falsehood will multiply and truth will be hidden; the statutes will be removed far from Israel; sins will be multiplied in Israel; worm-crimson will be in the wool, and he will cover with insects paper and pen; he will hew down the rock of the kingdom, and they will rebuild the desolated cities and sweep the ways; and they will plant gardens and parks, and fence in the broken walls of the Temple; and they will build a building in the Holy Place; and two brothers will arise over them, princes at the end; and in their days the Branch, the Son of David, will arise, as it is said, || “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed” (Dan. 2:44). Rabbi Ishmael also said: Three wars of trouble will the sons of Ishmael in the future wage on the earth in the latter days, as it is said, “For they fled away from the swords” (Isa. 21:15). “Swords” signify only wars, one in the forest of Arabia, as it is said, “From the drawn sword” (ibid.); another on the sea, as it is said, “From the bent bow” (ibid.); and one in the great city which is in Rome, which will be more grievous than the other two, as it is said, “And from the grievousness of the war” (ibid.). From there the Son of David shall flourish and see the destruction of these and these, and thence will He come to the land of Israel, as it is said, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save” (Isa. 63:1).
Chizkuni: The Chizkuni also picks up on this: ותקח לו אמו אשה מארץ מצרים ממקום משפחתה וגדוליה. שבתחלה נשא אשה מבנות מואב ולא היתה הגונה ושלח לו אברהם אביו רמזים ע״י אותה עצמה שהיתה אשתו, שיגרשנה, כי לא היתה רחמנית והגונה ולקחה לו אמו אשה אחרת רחמנית כדאיתא בפרקי דרבי אליעזר והיינו ותקח לו אמו וגו’. ותקח לו אמו אשה מארץ מצרים, “His mother took an Egyptian woman to become his wife.” the place where she grew up and where her family still live. Ishmael first married a Moabite woman but she was not a proper wife for him. He divorced her after his father Abraham sent a message to who had been his wife (Hagar) that this woman was bereft of all virtues. Then his mother took a woman from Egypt for his wife. According to Pirkey de Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 30, Yishmael first married a Moabite woman, and when that marriage did not work out, his mother intervened and chose a second wife for him. This is why the Torah had to report that his mother took a wife for him. His Moabite wife had lacked the Abrahamitic virtue of offering hospitality (even to his father).
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