Rabbi Shnayer Leiman 

 https://leimanlibrary.com/   https://torahinmotion.org/speakers/dr-shnayer-leiman

Rabbi Nosson Adler

The Chasam Sofer

The Kotzker Rebbe

On Friday, December 13, 2024 of this week my son-in-law was not well and vomiting.  He went to the emergency room at Bethesda West in Boynton Beach.  In the ER, the doctor touched his stomach and asked him if he felt pain.  Danny projected vomit all over the doctor and the ER.  Danny was admitted to the hospital and my daughter, Shoshana, stayed with him over Shabbos.  Due to dehydration, Danny’s kidneys started shutting down.  He was given hydration and antibiotics.  He felt better, but is still weak.  They discharged him right after Shabbos.  The doctor told him not to drive or extend himself for a week  so he could recover.

I heard Rabbi Shnayer Leiman speak three times this Shabbos and Sunday at 10:00 AM.  He was scholar in residence at Anshe Chesed.   All of his speeches were excellent.  I would like to discuss his Shalos Suedas presentation.

Professor Leiman read part of a Tshuva (halachic essay) from the Chasom Sofer.  It was emotional.  However, the part he did not read was more impactful to me.

History:

Kotzker  lived from 1787 to 1859  – 72 years

Kozker’s first wife dies in 1836.  They have one child.

The Kotzker remarries in 1838, at the age of 51.

The Kotzker has twin daughters and two sons with his second wife.

The Chasam Sofer’s teacher  was Rabbi Nosson Adler who lived from  1741 to 1800 – 60 years

The Chasam Sofer lived from 1762 to 1839 – 77 years.

The Chasam’s Sofer first wife dies in 1812.

He remarries in 1813 and has 3 boys and 8 girls with his second wife.

The Chasam Sofer’s children become Torah giants and are still impactful today.

Wikipedia:

Nathan Adler devoted himself to the study of the Kabbalah, and adopted the liturgical system of Isaac Luria, assembling about himself a select community of kabbalistic adepts. He was one of the first Ashkenazim to adopt the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew, and gave hospitality to a Sephardi scholar for several months to ensure that he learnt that pronunciation accurately. He prayed according to the Sephardic ritual (despite being in Germany, ground zero for Ashkenziac tradition), pronounced the priestly blessing every day, and in other ways approached the school of the Hasidim, who had at that time provoked the strongest censures on the part of the Talmudists of the old school.  These were the years of the strongest opposition to Chasidium, with the GRA signing the second ban against Chassidium in 1782.  His followers claimed that he had performed miracles,^[3] and turned visionaries themselves, frightening many persons with predictions of misfortunes which would befall them. The rabbis and congregational leaders intervened in 1779 and prohibited, under penalty of excommunication, the assemblies in Nathan Adler’s house.^[1]

Professor Leiman said that Rabbi Nosson Adler was forced to flee from Frankfort in 1781.  As Rabbi Nosson Adler was leaving Frankfurt, the Chasam Sofer told his Rebbe that the Gemora says that a teacher who goes into exile, his students must go with him into exile.  Rabbi Nosson Adler told him that your family are all in Frankfort, you are not to come with me.  The Chasam Sofer persisted and ran after the carriage for many Parsa’s. A Parsa is about 2.5 miles.  When he caught up with his Rebbe, Rabbi Nosson Adler said, you will come to me, and I will be like a father.  Rabbi Nosson Adler ended up in Boskowitz 1782 and in 1785 returned to Frankfort.  The Chasam Sofer never returned to Frankfort and ended up being the Chief Rabbi of Pressburg, the capital of Slovakia.  Pressburg is now known as Bratsalivia.  

The Chasam Sofer was married to his first wife and they had no children.  She died in 1812 and in 1813, when he was 51, he married a second wife and they had 11 children.  Chasam Sofer died in 1839 at the age of 77.  

Read the below from the writings of the Chasam Sofer.  The Hebrew is on the last page.    

“And It was when I poured water on his hands when he first came to Boskowitz, he had a small son and one daughter about 12 years old.  He loved her, the daughter was like her mother, and it was impossible to adequately  speak her praise.    And due to our sins, she died.  (Rabbi Nosson Adler) did not cry.  He was מצדיק הדין – justified God’s judgement  with great joy (effectively saying God gave and God took).  It was wondrous that I did not see that much joy at this time as praying during Simchas Torah.  (Rabbi Nosson Adler had a custom  every Shabbos  of the year to be called up to the Torah twice, once for Cohen and also for Mafter.) On Shabbos Parsha Va’era, during the 7 days of morning he received his normal two Aliyos.  When Rabbi Nosson Adler read the Haftorah of the Parsha, one tear came from his eye and it landed in his hand.  He immediately returned back  to joy and he did not show any sign of sadness and never mentioned his daughter again.  He had no other children.”

A true Talmud watches every action of their teacher.  The Chasam Sofer noticed the tear,  This is true of the Kotzker’s Talmidim.

Professor Leiman added that the Haftorah of Vayera is the story of the Isha Hashunamis, the woman from the city of Shunam, who is the central figure in this haftarah. This Haftorah spoke to Rabbi  Nosson Adler and the loss of his precious daughter.

The story of the Isha Hashunamos:

The prophet Elisha sent his servant, Geichazi, to the Isha Hashumanis to ask her if he could repay her kindness in some way. Elisha was extremely thankful for the hospitality she showed him, always preparing a place for him to stay in her attic when he was in the area.

She asked Elisha for a child and he gave her a bracha, there in the village of Shunam. When Elishas gave her the blessing, she told him not to play with her.  Do not promise and not deliver.  

The Isha Hashunamis gave birth to a boy. Who did this young child become?  Chazal tell us he was the Navi Chabakuk. His name is derived from the word chobeik, to hug, since the pasuk (Melachim Beis, 16:4) describes how Elisha blessed his mother, saying she would be chobeikes ben, hugging a child, within a year’s time.

While working with his father in the fields, the young boy falls ill with a head ailment, perhaps a high fever. His father brings the sick boy to his mother and he later dies in her arms. She goes to find Elisha and shortly after he brings the dead son of the Isha Hashunamis back to life.

The Isha Hashunamis gave birth to a boy. Who did this young child become?  Chazal tell us he was the Navi Chabakuk. His name is derived from the word chobeik, to hug, since the pasuk (Melachim Beis, 16:4) describes how Elisha blessed his mother, saying she would be chobeikes ben, hugging a child, within a year’s time.

The next part was not read by the Professor, but is fascinating.

“And he did not use any (Kabbalistic) means (for his wife to get pregnant and replace his beloved daughter.)  I knew that his wife was older and  did not have the capacity to get pregnant.  He did not want to bother the heavens to change nature, because (if he were to change nature) it could possibly cause death to his wife.  Therefore I did not ask him at all to ask mercy for my first wife for this reason. (The Chasam Sofer’s first wife didn’t have any children.)   If you do not push nature – to change it, then nature will not push you. (meaning if you ask God for a blessing to change what is destined for you, there can be a pushback and something bad will happen to you).   God has many ways of bringing relief and saviour.  God is the healer of those that have broken hearts, and who is imprisoned by their agony.  He will provide closure for their wounds and will rebuild that which is in ruins and will cause their sorrow and agony to flee.”

This is comparable to the Kotzker.  The Kotzker was not one to storm the heavens for himself or his family for blessings. The Kotzker did not pray for his family to be healed or for blessings. 

 He said, if this is the decree from God he is willing to accept it.  God knows what he needs.  He did pray for others.

When the Kotzker Rebbe’s first wife died, he was stoic and did not cry.  When they lowered her body into the grave, he stood over her and two tears fell from his eyes only the body.  Then he told the Chevra Kadisha to pour dirt on the grave and close it.  He remarried at age 51.   

December 7, 2024

Davened at Anshei Chesed with my second cousin, Yosef Morgan

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

Lunch with Yosef Morgan and Rosette Narkunski – Gelernter 

Relationship:

  Lukover Rebbe 1858-1920

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

                  ↓                                                                   ↓                                         ↓

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

   Holocaust survivor             Survived in Siberia

                   ↓                                                                   ↓                                         ↓  

Mitchell Morgenstern          – Second Cousins-          Yosef Morgan                      Rosette

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

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

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

Parsha:

Question #1 – Verse 28:11

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

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

I did not see anyone who has an answer.

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

Rembrandt’s Jacob’s Ladder – 1655

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

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

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

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

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

Question #3

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

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

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

Idea #1

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

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

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

The Medresh adds more color to Leah’s prayers.

Bereshis Rabbah 70:16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verse 34:1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shabbos Chanukah – December 9, 2023

On Shabbos January 14, 2024 I finished reading the book, The Jewish Confederates, by Robert N. Rosen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewish_Confederates

Robert Rosen writes about why Jews supported the Confederacy.  The Jewish leaders of the Confederacy, the Jewish fighters, antisemitism, and how the Jews reacted to the defeat of the South.  On January 16, 2024 I finished the book.

There were 20,000 Jews in the South and 100,000 Jews in the North.  Roughly 2,000 Jewish men fought for the South.

The Jews in the South felt welcome.  Many were Jewish immigrants from Germany.   They went from oppression in their home countries to freedom in America.  They breathed fresh air and not the putrid air of repression in Germany and eastern Europe.  They became part of the culture of the South and some had slaves.  They supported the Southern cause and hated the Yankees.  The Jewish women  equally supported the Southern cause.  They looked up to Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.

It is true that in Europe the ghetto walls fell down in Vienna in 1848 and in Germany around the same time; however, it did not approach the freedom the Jews felt in America, especially the South.

Page 14 states:

Thus, overwhelmingly, almost unanimously, some with fear and trepidation, others with courage and enthusiasm, some with reservations, other with a firm unflinching resolve, Southern Jewry cast its lot with the Confederate State of America.  Many like “Ike” Hermannn, had found the land of Canaan.  Othrs, like Gustavus Poznanski, had found their Jerusalem, their Pastime.  Still others, l Marcus Baum, Jacob Samuels, Adolph Proskenaur, and Herschel Kempner had found finally their fatherland.

Pages 15 and 16:

Southern Jews had been breathing the free air of Dixie for two hundred years.

The Jews arriving from Eastern Europe, and the German states such as Prussies and particularly Bavaria, which stood first in the row of intolerant states.” infamous for “its Pharaoh-like registration laws,” its restriction of trade, marriage, and even the Jew;s right to reside in the place of his choice.

The Jews of the South lived in a slaveholding society, and they accepted the institution as part of everyday life.  

There was some anti-semitism in the South before and during the civil war but by and large the Jews were accepted as part of Southern society.

Many Jews married out of the faith.  Judah Benjamin, considered the  most successful Jewish man in the South became a confidant of President Jefferosn Davis and in his war cabinet, married out of the faith.  Nonetheless he was known as a Jew.  Per Wikipedia:

Judah Philip Benjamin, QC (August 6, 1811 – May 6, 1884) was a United States senator from Louisiana, a Cabinet officer of the Confederate States and, after his escape to the United Kingdom at the end of the American Civil War, an English barrister. Benjamin was the first Jew to hold a Cabinet position in North America and the first to be elected to the United States Senate who had not renounced his faith.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_P._Benjamin

Page 356 of Robert N. Rosen books state:

Why did Judah Benjamin’s memory survive?  “Without a question,” Rabbi Korn  wrote, “he achieved greater political power than any other Jew in American  history.”  Rabbi Calisch of Richmond explained his meaning for Southern Jewry in 1902: “I stand here in the name of the Jeiwsh community of this city .  Judah P. Benjamin was born of Jeiwsh parents and reared as a Jeiwsh child.  I have not yet been able to discover if he was an observing Jew or not.  But this I know, had he been a traitor we would have had to bear the ignominy of his wrong doing – but as he was a hero, a statement. a gentleman  and a partrit, we claim the privilege of sharing in the reflection of his glory.” 

The cover of the book depicts Major Adolph Proskauer at Gettysburg.  Major Proskauer, a n immigrant from Prussia to Mobile, led the 12th Alabama Infantry at Culp’s Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg.  This 1999 painting re-creates the moment described in the history of the regiment by Capt. Robert E Ory Park, “Our gallant Jew Major smoked his cigars calmly and cooly in the thichest of the fight.”  (Painting by Dan nance of Charlotte, North Caroline.  Author’s collections.)  Page 360 details life for Adolph Proskauer after the civil war.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolph_Proskauer

Another prominent Jew in the south was David Yulee.  He was born David Levy, but he changed his name to Yulee and became a Presbyterian.  Pages 60 and 61 discusses Yulle’s life.

It appears that the Jews of the South were assimilating.  My guess is that this was also happening in the North and probably by the early early to mid 1900s most of the jews in America at the time of the Civil war assimilated and there are few of their descendants identifying as Jewish.

There were some anti-semitci outbursts but they were short lived and the Jews were defended. Pages 266 through 272 in the book. There is little evidence of anti-semitism in the Army.  To restate, overall the Jews had it good in the South.

Robert N. Rosen concludes in his last three pages of the book.

My questions:

1 – how many Jews in the South and for that matter in the North trace their ancestry back to the Civil war?

2 – what was the  intermarriage rate both in the South and the North?

3 – what changed in the south after the Civil War that the South is/was considered to be heavily anit-semetic?

4 – were the Jews less accepted in the south after the Civil War and did intermarriage go down.

My answer is that because of the Civil War the South became impoverished.  People having troubles blame outsiders and they blamed the Jews.  Before the war, the south was a wealthy country.  Throughout  history when times are hard, jews are blamed.

December 9, 2023

Shabbos Chanukah

Parshas VaYeshev 

I loved the following story about Lt. Colonel Marcus Spiegel in the book. Lt. Colonel Marcus Spiegel also has a wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_M._Spiegel

Marcus M. Spiegel (December 8, 1829 – May 4, 1864) was one of the highest ranking Jewish officers in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War.^[1] He served in the 67th and 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. During the course of the war he became a staunch abolitionist. He served at the Siege of Vicksburg, and was mortally wounded during the Red River Campaign in May 1864.

Early life and education[edit]

Spiegel was born in the hamlet of Abenheim, Germany, near the city of Worms, on December 8, 1829, to a Jewish family that had lived in Germany since the sixteenth century.^[2] While peddling in Ohio he met Caroline Hamlin, daughter of a prominent Quaker. They married and moved to Chicago, Illinois where she studied Judaism and German-Jewish cooking. She converted to Judaism in 1853 in Chicago.^[3] He was the older brother of Joseph Spiegel, founder of Spiegel Catalog.^[4]

Career[edit]

Spiegel volunteered for the Union Army and soon rose through its ranks. He wrote over 150 letters to his wife Caroline during the course of the war, most of which still survive. In one of his letters wrote:

I am [in] favor of doing away with the institution of Slavery…never hereafter will I either speak or vote in favor of Slavery; this is no hasty conclusion but a deep conviction.^[5]

In late 1862 Spiegel was transferred to the recently formed 120th Ohio Volunteer infantry, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He was officially commissioned colonel on March 20, 1863, and took formal command of the regiment.^[6]

He served at the Battle of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863). Soon after the fall of Vicksburg, he was badly wounded by an exploding shell. Spiegel survived the incident and was sent home to recuperate, and in March 1864 he returned to front line duties.^[6] Several weeks after his return, Confederate forces succeeded in ambushing the Union transport ship City Belle, at a location near Snaggy Point on the Red River, during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana. The result of the ambush was a disaster for the Ohioans; most of the 120th infantry were taken prisoner. Spiegel was again wounded by a shell burst; this time fatally.^[6] He died of his wounds on May 4, 1864.

Aliza Feiga’s Bas Mitzvah

Bereshis Pasuk 44:18 

וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃

What Does  בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ Mean

Kotzker Rebbe on this Pasuk

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

וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃

Translations:

1 – Onkelys translates this Pasuk וּקְרֵב לְוָתֵיהּ יְהוּדָה וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ רִבּוֹנִי יְמַלֶּל כְּעַן עַבְדָךְ פִּתְגָּמָא קֳדָם רִבּוֹנִי וְלָא יִתְקֵף רוּגְזָךְ בְּעַבְדָךְ אֲרֵי כְפַרְעֹה כֶּן אָתְּ:

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.

Analysis:

Bershis 43:20 says וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֑י יָרֹ֥ד יָרַ֛דְנוּ בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לִשְׁבׇּר־אֹֽכֶל׃

“If you please, my lord,” they said, “we came down once before to procure food.  Almost all translations use the word Please.

Rashi comments on  בי אדני.

                  – בי אדני. לְשׁוֹן בַּעְיָא וְתַחֲנוּנִים הוּא, בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי בַּיָּא בַּיָּא

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 Three Gemoras

The Gemara Yuma 69B says:

 ״וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה׳ אֱלֹהִים בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל״. מַאי אֲמוּר? אָמַר רַב, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בִּיָּיא בִּיָּיא

 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:

 אהה means per the dictionary – oh, alas

Gemora in Yevomos 97A – ״בִּיָּיא בִּיָּיא מֵאַח, וְהוּא אַב, וְהוּא בְּעֵל, וְהוּא בַּר בְּעֵל, וְהוּא בַּעְלַהּ דְּאֵם, וַאֲנָא בְּרַתַּהּ דְּאִיתְּתֵיהּ, וְלָא יָהֵיב פִּיתָּא לַאֲחוּהּ יַתְמֵי בְּנֵי בְרַתֵּיה״ 

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:

כי כמוך כפרעה. חָשׁוּב אַתָּה בְעֵינַי כְּמֶלֶךְ, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ סוֹפְךָ לִלְקוֹת עָלָיו בְּצָרַעַת כְּמוֹ שֶׁלָּקָה פַרְעֹה עַל יְדֵי זְקֵנָתִי שָׂרָה עַל לַיְלָה אַחַת שֶׁעִכְּבָהּ (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר מַה פַּרְעֹה גוֹזֵר וְאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם, מַבְטִיחַ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה, אַף אַתָּה כֵן; וְכִי זוֹ הִיא שִׂימַת עַיִן שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לָשׂוּם עֵינְךָ עָלָיו? דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי כָּמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹה, אִם תַּקְנִיטֵנִי אֶהֱרֹג אוֹתְךָ וְאֶת אֲדוֹנֶךָ (בראשית רבה):

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.

Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Torah – The Conflict of Brothers

Yosef’s Forgiveness 

Resh Lakish and Repentance

Life of My Mother Jean Morgenstern

April 1865 – The Month That Saved America by Jay Winick

President Abraham Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant

Surrender at Appomattox

The First Ramban on Parshas VaYechi

The First Kli Yakar on Parshas VaYechi

The Right HonourableThe Lord Sacks

Family Update:

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

  וַיְצַוּ֕וּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף לֵאמֹ֑ר אָבִ֣יךָ צִוָּ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹת֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר׃

So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before his death your father left this instruction:

כֹּֽה־תֹאמְר֣וּ לְיוֹסֵ֗ף אָ֣נָּ֡א שָׂ֣א נָ֠א פֶּ֣שַׁע אַחֶ֤יךָ וְחַטָּאתָם֙ כִּי־רָעָ֣ה גְמָל֔וּךָ וְעַתָּה֙ שָׂ֣א נָ֔א לְפֶ֥שַׁע עַבְדֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ יוֹסֵ֖ף בְּדַבְּרָ֥ם אֵלָֽיו׃

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:

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֛ם יוֹסֵ֖ף אַל־תִּירָ֑אוּ כִּ֛י הֲתַ֥חַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים אָֽנִי׃       

But Joseph said to them, “Have no fear! Am I a substitute for God?

וְאַתֶּ֕ם חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָלַ֖י רָעָ֑ה אֱלֹהִים֙ חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ לְטֹבָ֔ה לְמַ֗עַן עֲשֹׂ֛ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת עַם־רָֽב׃

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.

I saw a very nice Ramban at the beginning of the Sedra:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachmanides

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.

I also spent time on this Kli Yakar:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shlomo_Ephraim_Luntschitz

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.