Parshas Vayechi

Yaakov's Bracha to Shimon and Levi is filled with what seems to be rebuke of what they did in Shechem and for what they did to Yosef.

If the afformentioned is indeed the truth, then Rashi on Shimon and Levi's "bracha" is striling.

At the end of the bracha Yaakov says "Va'afitzeim B'yisrael", you shall be spread amongst Yisrael. Rashi says that this refers to Levi not having an official nachalah in Eretz Yisrael. The reason for this is that shevet Levi was the spiritual mentors and the teachers of torah. If yaakov seems to be giving them rebuke and saying that Levi has deficiancies then why should he be the teachers of Klal Yisrael? After getting through all the bad things that Levi did why os Yaakov suddenly blessing Levi with such an honor and responsibility?

To answer this question we must examine what the berchos Yaakov really were. Yaakov was pointing out the stregnths, weaknesses, and uniquenesses in each of his sons before his death. One can use the special talents and traits that Hashem gave him to do great thing or can use them to do very destructive things. Yaakov was pointing out to his sons their special talents so they would be able to use them in productive was.

With this perspective of what a beracha is Rav Kamenetzky answers the question of above. He explains that first Yaakov pointed out to both Shimon and Levi their special trait from Hashom of passion and always being rerady to take care of what needs to be done. Yaakov pointed out the bumps in the road that Shimon and Levi had experienced by using these gifts from Hakadosh Baruch Hu in the episodes of Shechem and Michiras Yosef. Yaakov then went on and said that you have the ability to accomplish great things with these gifts. I therefore want you Levi to be the leaders of Klal Yisrael and the teachers of Torah. You can use your great passion to spread torah and teach Torah and the ways of Hashem to others.

One question remains. Why did Levi become such great teachers and mentors when Shimon did not? What was differant about shevet Levi that hey used their gifts to accomplish great things?

In last weeks parsha Yosef said that all Kohanim of Mitzrrayim did not need to work for him or pay taxes to him. Yosef did this so that when Bnei Yisrael would become enslaved in Mitzrayim there would be people who could sit and learn torah and while doing this they would be able to protect the mesorah. Levi, during the avdus Mitzrayim, were in affect training themselves to gear their talents and gifts from Hakadosh Baruch Hu in the right way. For all this time they were being passionate about learning Torah and preserving the Mesorah. Therefore, Shevet Levi were ready

when beni Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael to be Passionate role models and teachers of Torah. Shevet Shimon on the other hand were Avadim in Mitzrayim for all those years. It was therefore much harder for them to train themselves to use their Kochos for teaching Bnei Yisrael not only Torah but also how to gear your strengths in the right ways.

I Hope you enjoyed this Dvar Torah, dvar torah on the parshas hashavua

Parshas Va'eira

In this weeks’ Parsha we find the episode of the Makkah of frogs. Rashi comments on how the Makkah started. He says that there was one big frog and the mitzrim started hitting it. Everytime they would hit the big frog other frogs would shoot out.

Rashi is qouting a gemarah in Sanhedrin on Daf 87b. The other opinion in that gemarah is that there was one frog which made a great call to all the other frogs, and all the other frogs came to Mitzrayim.

What two ideas are these opinions trying to communicate? Also, why does Rashi only quote one of the opinions?

Perhaphs this gemarah is sheding light about the mindset and approach of the people of Mitzrayim. The opinion that Rashi quotes is that there was one frog that everyone hit and more came shooting out. There is a very basic and simple question that one can ask on this. why didn't the Miztrim stop hitting the frog after realizing that all ot was doing was causing more frogs to come out? Any rational and realistic person would stop! This is exactly what the gemarah is teaching. It is telling us that th Mitzrim had a distorted view of reality. they didn't view the world as a regular person would.

The second opinion is that there was one frog who called all the other frgs and all the other frogs came. In this opinion the frog that called his "friends" represents Pharoh and the frogs that came represent the Mitzrim. Pharoh said that all of Klal Yisraelshould be slaves and should work. All Of the Mitzrim went right along woth their leader and did'nt stand up for what was right and just. The frog s coming towards the Mitzrayim based on just a call from their Lead frog is illustrating the Mitzrim agreeing with Pharoh in a blink of an eye instead of investigating and thinking about what was happening.

These two deficiencies in the Mitzrim contributed to the bringing of the Makkos and at the end their downfall.

If these two opinions are a few reasons that caused the makkos then why doesn't Rashi qoute both?

Parshas Shmos

In this weeks parsha we find the episode of Basya going down to the river and then saving Moshe. Rashi quotes a gemarah from Maseches Sotah 13b. the gemarah said that Basya went down to the river to be Misgayer. There is a machlokes about how Basya got Moshe out of the river. One opinion is that she sent her shifcha and another opinion is that her hand miraculously streched. The gemarah then tells us that her shefachos told her how Pharoh made a decree that no Jewish boys can live. Then Gavriel came and killed all but one shefachos.

What is this gemarah trying to relate to us by telling us Basya was going to be misgayer. Also, we all learn in elementary school that Basya's hand actually grew larger. We all know that midrashim are not always literal, but sometimes try to teach us a lesson. So what is the Midrash telling us by saying that Basya's hand grew large. Thirdly, what is the gemarah trying to teach us by saying that Gavriel came and killed all the shefachos?

Emma suggested that the midrash is teaching us that if we put in our effort, oour Hishtadlus, then Hashem will help us accomplish our goals. We must take this message to heart that we must do what we can and Hashem will help us rreach our goals.

Perhaphs there is an alternative explanation. The gemarah is teaching us a lesson about standing up for what you beleive in and know is right. The gemarah hints this by saying that Basya was converting, and that Gavriel came and killed all the shefachos but one, and that Basya's hand grew and was able to get Moshe.

It was not a popular thing to be Jewish in Mitzrayim. All the Jews were enslaved and were looked down upon. Especially someone in the King's family would despise Jews and their morals. Basya stood up for what she believed in she was converting despite the fact that her father and people would have looked down upon her for it.

When Gavriel came and killed all but one shifcha. He represents standing up and taking action. The gemarah here is teaching us that if we stand up for what is right Hashem will help us through people making fun of us and mocking us for the correct and righteous decisions that we make.

Basya's hand enlarging represents a miracle. Miracle's are sometimes against the normal way of nature. Amiracle is also something that Hashem does to help us . Thus, the gemarah is illustrating that if we stand up for what we know is right and act against the grain Hashem will help us and protect us.

This is also perhaphs the reason why Moshe is called by the name that Basya gave him. Why doesn't the Torah refer to him as Tuvia?

What makes a leader great is standing up for what he knows is right and is the best for his people. Moshe was a leader that possesed this essential quality. We see this in the sttory of the Mitzri who was whipping a Jew. Moshe went up to the Mitzri and killed him. Doing that takes a true leader. We know that then Moshe saw two Jews fighting and he told them to stop. They responded that Moshe Killed a Mitzri so why can't we also fight. Moshe then flees and with Hashem's help survives. We see that we must do our share of standing up for others and going against the grain and hashem will protect us.

Parshas Yisro

The first Rashi in this week’s parsha tells us why Yisro came and joined KlalYisrael. Rashi says that Yisro came because he heard about Kriyas yam suf and milchemes Amalek.

Rashi is actualy quoting a Gemarah that appears on daf 116a in Maseches Zevachim. The Gemarah relates a three way Machlokes of the reason for Yisro's joining klal Yisrael. Rabbi Yehoshua holds it was Milchemes Amalek. Rabbi Elazar Hamoda'e says it was Matan Torah, and Rabbi Elazar holds it was Kriayas Yam Suf.

Why does Rashi only qoute two of the three opinions. He should have also said that Yisro went to Klal Yisrael and converted because of Matan Torah?!

On the same Daf in Zevachim that was qouted earlier, there is a Machlokes of whether Yisro came before or after Matan Torah. Rashi is persumably holding like the view that Yisro came before Matan Torah. It is for this reason that Rashi only qoutes the opinions of events that happened before Matan Torah.

The gemarah in Zevachim had a three way Machlokes as to what inspired Yisro to come to Klal Yisrael and be misgayer. Should'nt Rashi qouted the two opinions seperately instead of giving two reasons together?

The Sifsie Chachamim answer that the two that Rashi qoutes are not arguing rather are running hand in hand.

What is similar about these two opinions. According to the Sifsie Chachamim how are these two Dayos in the Gemarah complementing one another? Also, why wasn't Kriyas Yam Suf enough of a Nes and seeing what Hashem could do for Yisro to come. What is it about Milchemes Amalek that made Yisro finally decide to be Misgayer and join the Bnei Yisrael?

Perhaphs the events of Kriyas Yam Suf and Milchemes Amalek represent two differant types of Nisim that Hashem performs. Kriyas Yam Suf was a Nes that was L'malah Min Hateva and was done purely by Hashem and without the intervention of Klal Yisrael. Milchemes Amalek was a miracle that was done with Tevah and was with the intervention of Klal Yisrael. Klal Yisrael faught and Hashem helped them win. Yisro saw the two ways that Hashem can interact with Klal Yisrael via Nes. It is amazing to see the power of Hshem and the unbelievable things he can do. However, it is also very special and moving to see the close interactons between Hashem and his people. Yisro was definatlely moved by the Nes that Hashem did at Yam Suf, but what happened during Milchemes Amalek, which demenstrated the how close the bnei Yisrael were with Hshem, was the final push for him to join. Yam Suf showed the great power of Hashem and the war with Amalek showed Yisro that Hashem involves us very closely in his power.

This perhaphs also answers why Yisro b'davka joined Klal Yisrael as opposed to being a Jew in his comfortable home of Midyan. Yisro wanted to be part of the nation of Klal Yisrael because he realized through the event of Milchemes Amalek how Hshem deals with Bnei Yisrael as a tzibur and as an Am.

Parshas Mishpatim

In this week's Parsha there is a sequence of Halachos that seem to not have any progression. In Perek 9 the Torah teaches us the halachos of shmira and gnevah v'aveida. It continues by mentioning the Halachos of what happens if a Jew rapes or seduces a besulah.Then it tells us that it is asur to practice witchcraft. Following this is the issur of sleeping with an animal. Then comes the issur of bringing a Korban to a someone besides aHashem.This halacha is followed by the din of treating an orphan and widow with extra care and let them feel comfortable. The Torah continues to discusses a Din about halva'ah. This is followed by the issur of cursing Hashem...

I heard from Rav Tanchum Cohn that the Torah is purposely placing Halachos that have no progressin. The Torah is teaching us that we can't be bipolar when it comes to avodas Hahem. We can't say that we can do Mitzvos that are Bein Adam L'chaveiro and not Bein Adam L'makom. One can't say that he will keep the Mitzvos that pertain to Karbanos but not the Mitzvos that pertain to Geirim and to Almanos and Yisomim. The Torah is teaching us that we must be consistent in our Avodas hashem and perform all the Mitzvos to the best of our ability. We can't be biplor when it comes to Mitzvos and do the Mitzvos that we enjoy more or that are easier for us.

We all know the famous line of Rabbi Akiva that the Klal Gadol batorah is "V'ahavtah L'reiacha Kamocha." This is only one of the opinions in the gemarah another Tanah says that the Klal Gadol batorah is 'Es hakeves haechad ta'aseh baboker v'eis hakeves hasheini ta'aseh bein ha'arbaim." That the Korban tamid you should sacrificce in the morning and and also one in the evening. Why is this a Yesod of Torah. Rabbi Joel Cohn beautifully explained that the Karban tamid was brought as a sacrificed two times a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. He explained that this is the challenge of Avodas Hashem. We must strive to be consistent in our Mitzvos and must always try to perform the mitzvos and be ovdei Hashem 365 days a year. It is some times very hard to daven everyday and many times we lose our excitment over doing Mitzvos. The Klal Gadol Batorah is to strive to be consistent ovdei Hashem and even if it is not the most convinient time to perfom the Mitzvah at hand or you don't enjoy doing the Mitzvah so much we must be ike the Korban Tamid, es hakeves haechad ta'aseh baboker v'es hakeves hasheini ta'aseh bein ha'arbaim.

Some Mifarshim say that the end of parshas Mishpatim is the conclusion of the matan torah and the aseres hadibros. My Father explained that the Torah is teaching that being an oveid Hashem doesn't only require one to follow the ten princibals of the aseres hadibros. Rather one must follow all of the Torah's commandment's.

Parshas B'shalach

The pasuk states, "Hareim es Matcha..." the Midrash says that when Moshe first told the sea to split the sea told him that Moshe has no authority over me rather go to the nile where you are the ruler. The midrash continues with Moshe going to Hashem and telling Hashem what had transpired. Hashem told Moshe that when a servant refuses to listen and obey his master, the master beats him with a rod. Therefore, you should lift up your staff and strike the water Moshe. Moshe then went and struck the sea and the sea refused to split. Hashem then came down. When the sea saw Hashem coming the sea split immediatly and flowed in the opposite direction. Moshe then asked the sea why it was flowing away. The sea answered that Moshe is mistaken. Moshe you think that I am flowing away from you but I am really running away from Hashwm who is the world's creator.

An undeveloped idea: Bnei Yisrael's internal struggle about staying at Yam Suf and waiting for it to be split, and the option of turning around and going back to Mitzrayim.

The Midrash says that the Bnei Yisrael were able to make the Mahn taste the way they wanted. For instance, if a kid wanted it to taste like Pizza it could taste like Pizza or if an adult wanted it to taste like steak it could taste like stake.

If this Midrash is literal, then why did Bnei Yisrael want meat so badly. they could make the Mahn taste like any meat or quail they wanted it to taste like.

Abba suggested that there are two things that food does to a person. It gives them energy and it also makes you phycologically feel full and satiated. At the surface the Mahn seems to be a substane that let Bnei Yisrael get energy and have stregnth. The Midrash is telling us that the Mahn plaed a dual purpose. It not only gave Klal Yisrael energy in the midbar, but it also satiated them psychologically.

dvar torah parshas hashavua