Close To Torah

בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר

“Her husband’s heart trusts in her; he shall lack no fortune.”

One of the most important components of any healthy relationship is trust. This is certainly the theme here. The first word of the Torah is “Bereishis” which begins with the letter Beis. The Kesubah, wedding document, specifically begins with a Beis as well (B’Echad B’Shabbos, etc.). Chazal tell us that the Torah did not begin with the letter Alef, but rather Beis was chosen because of its faithfulness and humility. Alef is the first letter of the Aseres HaDibros and begins the word “Anochi- I”, this is what is meant in Chazal that Alef can sometimes be Arur- a curse. The focus of I, ego, can be damaging in a relationship. The Beis however represents Berachah, blessing, as it focuses on the relationship between two people, represented by its numerical plurality.

What is utterly fascinating here is that the Zohar states that the letter Beis begins the first two words of the Torah to give it prominence (“Bereishis Barah”). This is found precisely in this Possuk and in the Kesubah as well. Their first two words both begin with Beis!

My dear Rebbe, Rabbi Asher Zelig Rubenstein shlit”a, shared that he once heard the following conversation and found it to be extremely powerful. “Yaakov, where is your car?”, asked Dovid. “I gave it to my wife to drive today.” “Are you kidding Yaakov, you trust her with your car?!” “Dovid, if I trust her with my life, I certainly can trust her with a simple car….!” This perspective is exactly what the verse is expressing. The Aishes Chayil and her husband have a deep and meaningful relationship founded on mutual respect and trust.

Now it is clear why Rashi explains that the end of the verse states that the couple will be blessed with prosperity in this world and the next. With such deep trust and admiration, they have achieved the ultimate greatness in life!

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב (כו:מב).

 ”I will remember my covenant with Yaakov” (26:42).

Rashi informs us the reason that Yaakov’s name is spelled here with an additional Vav (יעקוב). There are five times that ‘Yaakov’ is spelled with an extra Vav and five times that ‘Eliyahu’ is spelled with his Vav missing (אליה-ו). This is to signify that Yaakov took this letter from Eliyahu’s name as a collateral to assure that Eliyahu would come to redeem the Jewish people from exile! Now, this certainly is a deep Torah secret, but let us delve into it to see what we can glean.

The Chida (Chomas Anach) quotes the following fascinating Chazal. Eisav got his name because he was born highly developed and full of hair. His name shows that he was עשוי, fully made! Yaakov got his name because he grasped on to the heel of Eisav struggling to emerge first, thus עקב, heel. Yaakov stole the Yud of עשוי, making his own name יעקב, and left his brother with עשו. In the future when Moshiach comes, Yaakov will take the Vav of עשו as well thus becoming יעקוב and leaving only עש, moth, a worthless tiny creature! This too is a Torah secret, but perhaps we can gain a practical lesson from it all!

The Chida goes on to explain that Yaakov’s action of taking the letter Vav on five occasions is to hint to two important letters. First and most obvious is the ו,Vav itself, the letter which he took. The second is the number of times that he took it which is five and is equivalent to the hebrew letter ה, Hey, hence ו-ה. These two letters are highly significant for Chazal say, that as long as Amalek are in the world, Hashem’s name (י-ה-ו-ה) is minimized to only י-ה, G-d, and is lacking its ending of ו-ה! Thus, the bringing of Moshiach will restore the final two letters. What does this all mean?

Amalek’s (עמלק) etymological root is מליקה, decapitation of the head. Why is this their name and essence? Hashem gave us freewill by providing us with a brain and a body. Our body has animalistic and earthly drives; it desires the pleasures of this world. Our brain on the other hand knows what is good and true and desires spirituality and perfection. With our conscience decisions we can choose to control our impulses and steer ourselves towards proper actions. The battle rages and victory is only in the hands of one who kings his intellect over his body thereby making his knowledge guide his actions. Thus, a head decapitation signifies a separation from knowledge and bodily application. The body is removed from the head’s control. Amalek strives for us to cut off our heads (knowledge and connection to Hashem) and rather let our bodies rule! The Seforim write that theי-ה of God’s name represents knowledge and the ו-ה at the end represents the body, physical action. Our job is to connect them, whereas Amalek strives to detach them! (Indeed, Eisav, the grandfather of Amalek and founder of their hedonistic worldview died by decapitation and his head was buried in the Cave of Machpayla! His body, the ruler of his life, surely did not belong in that holy burial plot!)

Thus we can begin to understand the above quoted Chazal. Yaakov’s role out of the three Avos was to be the family builder of the Jewish Nation; to show the twelve tribes how to live their lives connected to Hashem. Yaakov desired to connect the ו”הto the י”הand to act accordingly! In fact, when Moshiach comes Yaakov will undermine all of Eisav’s strength by grasping his Vav (physicality), showing that he had conquered it! Yaakov entrusted Eliyahu with this responsibility as well. Thus, the two letters which the Chida found hinted in the words of Chazal (the letter ,ו Vav, and its five times (,ה Hey) that it was taken from Eliyahu) were precisely the letters which represent the practical application (ו-ה) of Torah observance! Eliyahu thereby became the enforcer of Torah law. He was entrusted to act when necessary, to ensure that the Nation was living by Hashem’s commands. Indeed, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 98a) tells us that Eliyahu stated that he will arrive to announce Moshiach when we repent and listen to Hashem’s voice! In Eliyahu’s time he saw that the people weren’t acting properly and thus he made a public display of Hashem’s sovereignty on Mount Carmel. He took action and entreated his fellow brothers to follow his lead! Hashem rewarded Eliyahu by sending him to be present at every Jewish Bris Milah, circumcision, as this act shows our willingness to subjugate every part of our body to act for Hashem. (Incidentally, this is hinted by the word בריתי in our exact verse!)

Eliyahu was a reincarnation of Pinchos the Cohen. Pinchos is most famous for his passionate action for the glory of Hashem when he rose from among the Jews to protest and punish Zimri’s terrible sin against God. The theme here is action! Additionally, Eliyahu HaNavi performed resurrection of the dead on a young boy. That child grew up to be the prophet Yonah, whose book stresses the theme over and again that we must act in accordance with the will of Hashem! This is the precise idea here.

Surely the concepts discussed here are of a very lofty nature, but the lesson that we see is clear. Our job in life is to live by the beautiful truths that we have in our heads and to apply it as best that we can to our everyday lives. Indeed, we all know that although this is often a most difficult task, when we do it we are rewarded with the greatest happiness and fulfillment available to mankind!

ויודע הדבר למרדכי ויגד לאסתר המלכה ותאמר אסתר למלך בשם מרדכי (אסתר ב:כב)

“Mordechai found out (about the assassination plot) and informed Esther the queen who reported the plans to the king in the name of Mordechai” (Esther 2:22).

There is a perplexing line in a Mishnah which needs much understanding.

The Mishnah in Avos (6:6) lists the forty-eight keys for acquiring Torah. The very last one is, “אומר דבר בשם אמרו, when quoting something not originating from your own self, be sure to credit the true producer”. The Mishnah states that this brings גאולה, redemption, to the world! The proof cited is our above quoted verse, “Esther informed the king in the name of Mordechai.”

Haman’s Downfall

Mordechai heard Bigson and Seresh plotting to poison the king. He immediately informed Esther of the plot and the king launched an investigation that ended with the verification of the scheme and their swift execution. At that time, it was recorded in the king’s chronicles for posterity. According to Esther’s statement, it had been Mordechai who had uncovered the plot and this was duly recorded. The event was well forgotten and Mordechai never got any recognition for it. Meanwhile, years later, the king was unable to sleep one night and requested that his records be read to him to review his royal affairs. He was thus reminded of what Mordechai had did for him and realized that he never rewarded him for it. It was at that moment that Haman the Evil arrived before the king to request permission to hang Mordechai. This enraged the king and thus began Haman’s downfall! Hence, it was because Esther stated the original report in the name of its’ true source that the framework for Haman’s destruction was laid!

Three Difficulties

There are three fundamental questions here.

Firstly, the idea is simple and understood, but why is it a key for acquiring Torah, it seems to be a key for functioning in society and not dominantly for Torah? It appears to be a very significant key as well because it is the final key listed and it is also the only key which has a scriptural source quoted to prove its’ importance?! How are we to understand this?

Secondly, what is the concept of ‘bringing redemption to the world’ and what does it have to do with acquiring Torah?!

Thirdly, why is this lesson intrinsically tied to Purim, it seems to be a mere detail of the entire event. Why is it that this law stems from Megillas Esther specifically? Even if you see it as a major point in the entire story, still, in Torah we must understand why each lesson was derived from where it is found?

Let us get to the depth of this Mishnah and thereby shed light on one of the most fundamental lessons of Purim!

Simple Steal!

Plagiarism is an easy crime. You heard or read something nice and now you repeat it or copy it and give yourself credit! As long as you are not caught, it is quite easy to get away with. After all, your name is on the work; your mouth expressed the ideas, so why should anyone suspect that you are not the genuine author! Only, it is not the truth! An honest person will give proper credit-citation! Yes, it looks like it is my idea, but I must tell you the true creator!

Torah Worldview

When we learn Torah, it is with the recognition that we are studying the wisdom of Hashem. How can we, physical creatures, understand the Great Hashem and His wisdom through our earthly toil?! The answer is that we can’t, and in truth we have no ability to do so! So how do people achieve understanding in Torah? The answer is that it is all a gift from Hashem! Hashem grants us wisdom as a gift in exchange and recognition for our efforts! Hence, we do not produce Torah ourselves, we receive the endowment of understanding from Hashem. This is a paramount principal regarding our study. We can easily deny Hashem’s assistance and state that we thought of things on our own, but this is plagiarism!

In truth, this idea applies to all areas in life as well. It covers our business endeavors and our every undertaking. Man puts in his effort to produce and God carries out and brings him success, if He so wills. This is how the entire world operates. Our job is to give Him the credit!

If a person tells over an idea of someone else and takes credit for it as if it were his own, he is denying truth. But he is doing much worse than that. He is compromising the entire construct of the world; he is missing the whole theme of reality! The entire goal of the universe is to give credit where it is due! This world is comprised of only Hashem’s bestowments and care; our job is to acknowledge it!

We have previously explained how God’s name is totally absent from the entire Book of Esther. This is to show that the entire greatness of the Jews was that they saw and credited how Hashem operated and controlled the world from behind a mask called ‘nature’. They saw the miracles of God throughout the entire Purim story while an outsider would call everything lucky natural chance! They knew Who was doing everything and they took it to heart!

Answer to Question 1: Its’ Relation To Torah

Now we can understand everything. The purpose of the world is to provide a battleground for freewill to allow man to either ignore or deny God and choose evil or to seek and find God and decide on good. Hashem is waiting to be found and acknowledged! This is what we Jews spend our lifetime proclaiming! “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu…, there is a God who runs the world!” We give credit where it is truly due!

Indeed, this is the path enumerated in the Mishnah for how to acquire Torah. Torah is the ultimate truth and the climax of its’ lessons is the full appreciation of Hashem as Supreme King. This is why this key is given the most prominent focus in this Mishnah listing the keys for acquiring perfection!

Answer to Question 2: Bringing Redemption

The Geula which this key brings to the world is that of personal redemptions and a cumulative contribution that will eventually be large enough to bring the final and ultimate redemption. In all times in life when we give proper credit, we are strengthening our ability to recognize the True Source of everything! This recognition prompts salvations!

Answer to Question 3: Why From Purim

This is learned from Megillas Esther and heavily stressed for this is the essence of the entire lesson of Purim. The Jews were “Omer Davar B’Shaim Amro”. They gave credit to Hashem for all that He did for them under a potentially deniable cover. On the outside, plagiarism and denial were possible, but the Jews saw past those distractions and passionately clung to the true Source of their salvation. They acknowledged that all of their triumph was brought from Hashem!

This is the perspective of Purim which can be applied every day of our lives!

In line with the aforementioned concept, I would like to thank my dear friend Rabbi Chanoch Eliyahu Sofer Shlit”a for helping me think of and develop the above quoted ideas!

It is the eternal mark that we leave in this world that is of the highest regard. Our actions that we do now can plant seeds in the ground to root the essential faculties of Life in the future generations. Not only do those actions establish a future they make the past worthwhile. The now of tomorrow is in our hands, we must protect it from harm. Eventually the time comes when we must pass on this great responsibility and take a step back as our sprouting jewels shine brightly. Such a time is difficult to acclimate to but fear not it shall pass. Our great Father Yaakov expresses this emotion very clearly in the onset of our parshah. As the great commentator the Baal HaTurim notes that the word ויחי is the gematriah thirty-four. Those thirty-four years are the sum total of the years of pleasantry that composed Yaakov‘s life. His life, as the Baal HaTurim concludes was full of pain and sadness for the remainder of his years. It was only the presence of Yosef his son that enabled him to have those years of great happiness. What was it that was so strong about this bond between father and son that made it as though those years were not even lived? It is without question that Yaakov saw that the future was dependant upon Yosef who was in all respects an extension of himself. As the pasuk notes in the previous parshah Yosef is in fact the Toldah of Yaakov^[1] .

What is the vital task that Yaakov requests of Yosef in his last days? It is to ensure him that he will have a proper burial. Note the language of his request, as it is written in the negative. Further on in the parshah Yaakov makes a request to all of his children that they bury him in the place that the rest of his holy family lay, Maaras HaMachpaylah. Being that so why must Yaakov make a special request to Yosef to ensure him that he will not be buried in the Land of Egypt? It is of course not superfluous by any means. There can be several explanations to this question one of which I want to focus upon. There must be something that is inherit about Egypt that brought about such a request. It is of course unlikely that simply speaking Yaakov wanted to be buried in a single location, as he could have directly said that. Yaakov is requesting that his son Yosef ensure him that all that he had worked for in this world not remain here in the Land of Egypt.

Egypt or Mitzrayim is the total antithesis to the Jewish People. As is articulated from the word itself Mitzrayim is a branch of the word Matzar or a strait that is the compression of all physicality. That is seen from the names of the nobleman as they are all associated with aspects of agriculture and the like. The society of Mitzrayim in all fashions is source of the opposition to the Jewish People. There are of course four exiles, but the original exile was from Mitzrayim. Had the sin of Golden Calf not occured we would have gone right into Eretz Yisroel and not had to wander. So too had the sale of Yosef never occurred there would not have been the slavery of Mitzrayim. The actions of the Jewish People as a whole are heavily rooted by the actions of Yosef and his brothers.

It is noted throughout the words of Chazal that the death of Yaakov is in fact not mentioned in the Torah. In fact the Torah even when recording his years states that he is approaching them not reaching them. In the gemarah where this dialog occurs the discussion is preceded by a rather puzzling one. The gemara^[2] states that two amoraim R’Yitzchak and R’Nachmun were eating. One says to the other a statement of R’Yochanan, don’t speak while eating a meal in the event that you may swallow your food and cause it to enter the windpipe causing in suffocation. Following this gemarah after they completed eating one said to the other in the name of R’Yochanan that Yaakov Avinu never died. Rashi says on the spot, that means he lives forever. A puzzling statement on its own right, but even more puzzling is the continuity. Why was this statement said after their meal when we were talk the first statement of R’Yochanan in regards to eating.

There are two pipes in the throat, the trachea and the esophagus or the קנה and the ושט. In the Laws of Pesach we are obligated to eat on the night of Pesach while leaning. The gemarah^[3] asks if leaning on the right side is also acceptable. The gemarah seems to conclude that indeed it is acceptable however there is a prohibition that you may choke. The gemarah^[4] states that the Kunuh is where the voice comes from, and the veshet is where everything else comes in and out. Rashi says that speaking while eating is prohibited for fear that when you speak the kunuh becomes exposed and food may enter it. It is clear they it is the voice of Man that separates him from all other species. It is the power of speech that stems from the Neshamah that he is given. The kunuh personifies all that is spiritual as it is rooted in the air we breath and the words that we speak. The veshet represents all physicality as it is the road for food and drink. The prohibition of talking while eating even though it is by all types of speech it is based on the fear that the physical will oppress the spiritual. The eating on Pesach is the task where we eat like royalty. Not royalty and freeman where we live lives full of the pleasures of this world. Rather we ensure that the spiritual rules over the physical.

This idea of Yaakov Lo Mes is of course a deep one. The Maharshah suggests a simple idea if in fact the continued life of Yaakov is similar to all Tzadikim whom are known to live forever in their spiritual form. No this couldn’t be, as that is obvious it must be even in the physical form. In doing so he remains alive in both worlds, this world and the world to come. Chazal tell us another way to live in both worlds by telling over a D’var Torah in the name of that individual. Says the Maharshah^[5] that through every word of Torah spoken a vessel is created that contains those holy words. It is through the mentioning those words by the one who spoke of them it results in his lips moving in his grave. That is compared to stirring your finger in a glass of fine wine in a pit. When you stir it the fragrance emanates throughout. That is what enables a life in both worlds simultaneously.

That parable that the Chazal tells us that wine in a pit is comparable to living in both worlds is quite profound. It is known that the Torah and Mitzvos are compared to wine. It is also known as previously written that the act of putting Yosef in the pit was the transgression that led to the slavery. It was an empty pit says the Torah, empty of water but full of snakes and scorpions. Meaning that the lack of water means the despair of no Torah. Not only no Torah but secluded with the reptiles associated with evilness and heresy. The way to fix this emptiness is through the wine. Through the Torah and Mitzvos. Through the utilization of the Torah we will call on all of the previous vessels that were previously filled with spiritual power. This is the middah of Yosef. This is the concept of Yaakov Lo Mes. Yaakov was asking his son Yosef to ensure him that all that had been established in spirituality would be utilized and flourished. The desert of Egypt is no place for the fulfillment of the Torah and it must not lay there. The physical life in Egypt cannot stand in the way of the servitude of the Torah, as it will suffocate us!

The language that Yaakov says to Yosef is that he shall support him to do chessed v’emes. Why is that the way to ask him to ensure that his body not lay in the land of Egypt? Chessed and Emes are the pillars of the Torah and they are what must support this existence. We need to take care in our lives that we don’t choke. We need to constantly keep our spirituality before our physicality. We must remember the strength of all that we do comes from the Almighty and that it is the strongest force possible. That strength has been practiced for generations passed down from Avraham Avinu until now. Now we are the bearers of the cup of wine. Contained within it is the power to conjure the actions of every single Jews. It is your power to tip the scale from the middle to the top. Take your finger, stick it in and immerse yourself in the eternal bliss that lays before you.

1. Beginning of Parshas Vayeishev [↩]
2. Taynis, 5, b [↩]
3. Pesachim, 108, a [↩]
4. Brachos, 61, a [↩]
5. Yevomos, 97, a [↩]

The truth is always right but sometimes the false is better. It isn’t as much that the truth hurts but that it is not always ready to be appreciated. No one likes lies, but the other option is sometimes a much greater adjustment that is worth the sacrifice to sit with the lie. The problem is that just like truth is self evident so is the false, it can only masquerade itself for so long until it is detected and dealt with it. Although it is awkward to say, sometimes the false is the truth, as it is the best thing for you to say for all parties involved. Its not that you are saying a fallacy, even though it may not be true you are saying truth and must guard its validity to protect everyone at stake. That doesn’t mean you can lie to get out of trouble. It means that lying will save this marriage or help this person who is having a hard time. If the point is not going to cause more damage then a person who guards the truth would lie to keep the greater truth.

Maybe its worthwhile to read this twice, as the message is deep.