From: "Yeshivat Har Etzion's
Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash"
To: yhe-intparsha@vbm-torah.org
Subject: INTPARSHA -12: Parashat Vayechi
YESHIVAT
HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
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INTRODUCTION
TO PARASHAT HASHAVUA
by
Rav Michael Hattin
PARASHAT
VAYECHI
With the reading of Parashat Vayechi, the
Book of
Bereishit draws to a close. Finally reunited with
his
beloved and sorely missed son, Yaacov lives out the final
seventeen years of his life in the land of Egypt. Yosef's
immediate and extended families, the proverbial 'seventy
souls,' are settled in the region of Goshen, and thus begins
to unfold the story of our ancestors' sojourn in the land of
Egypt. Yosef himself, respected in Pharaoh's court, beloved
in the countryside, is reconciled with his brothers, as the
suspenseful and tense circle of
their tempestuous
relationship is finally closed.
As Yaacov nears death, he summons his son Yosef
and
recounts the promise that God had extended to him regarding
the two cardinal elements of progeny and land.
These
linchpins of nationhood that had been vouchsafed to Avraham
and Yitzchak in turn, are now transmitted to Yosef and to
his two sons, Menashe and Ephraim. In a confirmation of
Yosef's special status and an acknowledgement of
his
assuming the authoritative leadership of the clan, the two
sons are formally inducted into the ranks of the sons of
Yaacov. Hence forward, the tribes of Israel will include
Menashe and Ephraim among their number.
Yaacov, his sight failing, instructs his son to bring
Menashe and Ephraim close to him so that he can bless them.
Yosef draws near and places Menashe the firstborn on his
left and Ephraim the younger on his right. Since Yosef
stands facing his father Yaacov, this arrangement will
ensure that Menashe will be within reach of Yaacov's right
hand and Ephraim his left, so that the firstborn will be the
recipient of a blessing bestowed by Yaacov's
hand of
strength. Yaacov, however, much to Yosef's consternation,
reverses his hands so that his right hand rests upon the
head of Ephraim the younger son. "Yosef saw that his father
was going to place his right hand on Ephraim and it was
improper in his eyes. He grasped Yaacov's
hand and
attempted to remove it from the head of Ephraim, to place it
instead upon the head of Menashe. Yosef said: 'not like
this, my father, for Menashe is the firstborn. Place your
right hand upon his head.' Yaacov refused and said: 'I know
my son, I know. He too will become a great multitude and
will increase. But his younger brother will be greater
still, and his descendents more numerous.' Yaacov blessed
them on that day saying: 'by your name, Israel will bless
its children saying: 'may Hashem make you as Ephraim and as
Menashe' and Yaacov mentioned Ephraim before Menashe."
What is the significance of this incident, and why is
it that Yaacov insists on breaking with accepted
and
widespread convention by placing his right hand on the head
of the younger son? Even more disconcerting, why does his
formula become the paradigm in Jewish tradition for blessing
one's children, until this very day? Has Yaacov of all
people failed to internalize the lesson of diffusing sibling
rivalry by avoiding overt acts or expressions of favoritism?
And why, we might ask, does this exchange constitute one of
the closing events of the Book of Bereishit?
Essentially and in outline, Yaacov's
act is a
confirmation of the fact that Menashe the firstborn will be
eclipsed by his younger brother Ephraim. Yaacov's blessing
should not be misconstrued as the cause of that reality, but
rather as an admission of its inevitability. Ephraim will
be greater, and Yaacov feels obliged to reflect that truth
by his deed. Once we are cognizant of the event's basic
thrust, however, it becomes clear that in fact its theme is
one that permeates every chapter of this Book. In
our
case, the motif involves the younger sibling surpassing the
older one in achievement, and consequently usurping his
role. In the more extreme expressions of this same motif,
the firstborn is consciously rejected from assuming the
mantle of leadership and a younger sibling is designated in
his place.
We may begin our survey by considering the very first
'siblings' in the world, Kayin and Hevel. It
will be
recalled that Kayin was the first born of Adam and Chava,
and Hevel was his younger brother. "After a period of time,
Kayin brought an offering to God from his crops. Hevel also
brought an offering consisting of the firstlings of his
sheep and their fat, and God favored Hevel and his offering.
God did not favor Kayin or his offering..." (Bereishit 4:1-
5).
Similarly, although Yefet is in all probability
the
first born of Noach (see the listing of genealogies in
Bereishit Chapter 10), it is Shem his younger sibling who is
chosen to be the servant of God: "Noach said: 'Blessed be
Hashem the God of Shem. Canaan shall be his slave. May God
extend the borders of Yefet and dwell in the tents of Shem.
Canaan shall be their slave.'" (Bereishit 9:25-26).
Returning to more familiar territory, we
find that
Avraham's firstborn Yishmael is not designated as
the
progenitor of the future nation (much to Avraham's initial
misgivings, see Bereishit 17:15-21), but rather Yitzchak his
younger half-brother is selected. Of Yitzchak's two sons,
it is Yaacov the younger to whom God extends the blessings
and responsibilities of the covenant, and not to Esav his
older brother. Among Yaacov's own children, Reuven the
firstborn is rejected by his father from functioning as the
leader of the family, and this responsibility is instead
transferred to Yehuda and Yosef. Yehuda's own firstborn Er
is deemed 'wicked in the eyes of God'
and perishes
prematurely, as does Onan his younger brother, leaving only
Shela the youngest sibling to remain. Of Yehuda's children
by Tamar, it is Peretz, the technical second of the twins,
whose descendents achieve prominence. Finally, in
our
Parasha, Yosef's firstborn Menashe is cast aside in favor
of Ephraim.
Upon closer examination, we find that elsewhere in the
Torah a similar trend is at work. Considering
Moshe's
lineage, we find that his ancestor Levi (Son of Yaacov)
begat three sons, namely Gershon, Kehat and Merari. It is
the family of Kehat that is selected for the unique role of
carrying the most holy elements of the Tabernacle. Moshe
himself has two older siblings, Miriam and Aharon. Although
both achieve great renown in their own right, it is Moshe
who becomes preeminent. Of Aharon's four sons, Nadav the
firstborn and Avihu his second perish for offering 'strange
fire.' It is Elazar the third born son who then assumes the
leadership of the priestly class.
What might be the significance of this pattern? Why do
all the firstborn children in the Torah seem to meet with
rejection and reversal, as their younger siblings preempt
them? What profound facet of human existence and
our
corresponding relationship to God is indicated by this
recurring idea?
In order to address the issue, let us
consider the
firstborn as an abstract concept. As an idea, the firstborn
represents the beginning, the primary expression of his/her
parents' creative propensities. The birth of a firstborn
child is apt to be preceded by great ebullience, fervent
expectations, and glorious visions of future greatness. To
a more pronounced degree than subsequent births,
the
firstborn tends to embody all of the enthusiasm
and
exuberance of first-time parenthood. The child's every
developmental advance, incremental as it might be,
is
eagerly anticipated and lovingly charted for posterity. It
is quite natural that the birth and growth of the firstborn
should consequently be invested with a higher degree of
expectation and anticipation than his/her
succeeding
siblings.
If, however, we ask ourselves what the firstborn
has
done to merit such attention and love, we will be hard
pressed to provide an answer. The truth of the matter is
that the firstborn has done absolutely nothing to deserve
the singular honors bestowed upon him/her. Through
an
'accident' of birth, one child is born first and others
follow. That initial child is born into the comforting
embrace of parental afand the protective warmth of tender
devotion, but in reality has accrued no previous personal
merits that could justify the preferential
treatment
received. In short, the firstborn as a paradigm represents
all of life's advantages that are accorded to the individual
through no efforts or labors of his/her own. These might
include blue-blooded ancestors, wealthy forebears,
or
politically connected parents. The so-called 'rights of
the firstborn' might more accurately be
described as
'undeserved largess.'
The theme of the younger sibling, on the other hand, is
the antithesis of this notion. The younger sibling is not
fortunate enough to have been born first and so must labor
diligently to achieve those advantages. As a conceptual
model, the younger child represents all
of life's
accomplishments that are the product of personal effort and
sacrifice, rather than privilege and entitlement.
Through the recurring motif of the
firstborn being
rejected in favor of a younger sibling, the
Torah is
indicating that insofar as spiritual achievements
are
concerned, the most significant determinant factors have
precious little to do with pedigree or silver spoons, and
everything to do with effort and sacrifice. A human being
may not be born with the advantages of affluence, power, or
pedigree. Nevertheless, he/she is capable of devotion to the
service of God with even greater ardor than
one in
possession of those opportunities. What is important to
bear in mind is that we are understanding the notion of
'firstborn' not so much in its literal sense at
all.
Rather, it is a generic term that describes all of those
aspects of our lives that confer benefit, without being the
direct product of our own exertions.
Perhaps the most glaring illustration of this concept
is preserved in a Mishna at the conclusion of Tractate
Horayot, which the Rambam (12th century, Egypt) incorporates
into his discussion of the laws of Torah study.
"Three
crowns were conferred upon Israel - the crown of Torah, the
crown of Priesthood and the crown of Royalty. Aharon and
his descendents merited the crown of Priesthood...David and
his descendents merited the crown of Royalty...but the crown
of Torah is set aside, waiting and ready for each Jew.
Whoever desires, may come and take it...the crown of Torah
is greater than the other two. Our Sages have declared that
even a mamzer who is a Torah sage takes precedence over a
high priest who is an ignoramus..." (Laws of Torah Study,
Chapter 3:1-3).
In this passage, priesthood and royalty are contrasted
with Torah. The former two are of course paragons of unfair
advantage, since one is either born into their ranks or one
is not. The non-cohen Israelite can never serve in the
Temple, and the non-descendent of David can never be king.
The lineage of the High Priest or the King is therefore
emblematic of the most illustrious class benefits conferred
by heredity that one could imagine. Study of Torah, in
contrast, is the paradigmatic pursuit in which success is
predicated upon personal labor, individual effort, and
nothing else: "Whoever desires, may come and take it."
In the striking formulation of our Sages "a mamzer who
is a Torah sage takes precedence over a high priest who is
an ignoramus." Here, the mamzer who is the offspring of an
incestuous or adulterous relationship, represents the lowest
imaginable lineage. So much so, that a
mamzer is
halakhically disqualified from marrying anyone else but a
fellow mamzer. Nevertheless, such an individual,
when
devoted to Torah study to become a scholar, is held in
greater esteem than a high priest who is an ignoramus. This
high priest may be in possession of the most exalted stemma
in ancient Israel, but that is an accident of birth rather
than a result of conscious and conscientious effort. If the
high priest remains an ignoramus, then his high birth is
worth precious little.
Significantly, of all of the personalities mentioned in
the Book of Bereishit, only one seems to have
been a
firstborn achiever: Avraham. "These are the descendents of
Terach: Terach begat Avram, Nachor and Haran, and Haran
begat Lot" (Bereishit 11:27). If the
advantage of
'firstbornhood' represents potential, than only Avraham
succeeded in realizing that potential. The other firstborn
protagonists were not sufficiently devoted to the service of
God to deserve the uniqueness of their status. They were
therefore demoted, because greater opportunity carries
enhanced responsibility and more pronounced consequences.
In more general terms, we may describe the entire book
of Bereishit as the story of individuals struggling to find
God, to establish a relationship with Him and to achieve
perfect trust. The concluding Parasha
emphatically
introduces a corollary theme that threads its way through
all of the Book's narratives. To undertake this endeavor
which is life's greatest journey, and to even
achieve
spiritual 'renown,' is not predicated on any special or rare
preconditions, except one: that a person be devoted to the
search, and committed to the quest.
Shabbat Shalom
YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433
Copyright (c) 1999 Yeshivat Har Etzion
All Rights Reserved
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Torah/Commentary: Parashat Vayehi -- (Genesis 47:28-50:26)
Commentary on the Weekly Torah Reading for 16 Tevet, 5760 (December
25, 1999)
by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Chief Rabbi of Efrat, Israel
EFRAT, ISRAEL, Yom Revii (Fourth Day - "Wednesay"), 13 Tevet, 5760
(December 22, 1999), What does the onset of the Third
Christian Millennium mean to us as Jews?
As we approach the Third Christian Millennium, January 1st, 2000, we
can divide the world into four groups:
1. Those whose heartbeats will rapidly increase as the ball comes
down in Times Square and will start assessing any damages wrought by
the Y2K computer bug.
2. Those whose eyes will be turned to heaven waiting for the second
descent of the founder of Christianity, the Second Coming.
3. Those in the third world whose lives haven't yet been touched by
the 20th century, let alone the 21st.
4. And those who will be keeping the Sabbath on that day, for whom
news of the effects of Y2K will have to wait til after havdalah. If,
perchance, the electricity supply does stop, there will be halachic
guidelines as to what to do with the food being kept warm on an
electric stove or a Shabbat elevator stopping between floors. Y2K or
not, the Sabbath must go on.
For this fourth group, indeed, for the entire Jewish world community,
the year 2,000 is not the millennium because for us it is not the year
2,000. It is rather the middle of the year 5760, after the creation of
the world. It is only the "millennium" for the Christian world, whose
count begins with the birth of the founder of Christianity, whom they
consider to be the Messiah.
Judiaism certainly believes in the concept of the Messiah, or
(literally) anointed ruler of Israel during the long awaited period of
peace and tranquility for the world. As Thomas Cahill points out in
his best selling book "Gifts of the Jews", it was the people of Israel
who bequeathed to the world the idea of the progress of history, the
ideal of the ultimate perfection of humanity and human society, the
goal of a messianic age of peace.
The first biblical reference to the Messiah appears in this week's
portion of Vayehi, when Jacob blesses each of his twelve sons. The
major issue for each of the patriarchs is which child will receive the
gift of the birthright, who will carry the mantle of the Abrahamic
blessing for all the families of the earth, the ultimate ingathering
of the nations when a universal acceptance of ethical monotheism will
usher the world into a period of tranquility.
Jacob gives the ultimate prize to Judah:
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the Judicial interpreter
from between his feet, until Shiloh shall come and unto him shall be
the ingathering of nations". [Genesis 49:10]
The meanings of the first parts of the verse and the last part of the
verse are relatively clear: the scepter is a symbol of kingship, the
Judicial interpreter refers to the Princes of the Sanhedrin (great
court), the two merging together the powerful image of a
Philosopher-King, Scholar-Sovereign.
The Hebrew "Yikhat amim" probably means a gathering of nations as in
the word kehillah; (congregation) or Kohelet (a collection).
The difficulty of this verse is found right in the middle of the
blessing where we come up against an etymological mystery: the word
Shilo, which appears only this once in the Bible (except when it is
the name of a city in Israel which housed the Sanctuary, precursor to
the Holy Temple during the period of the Judges.
The second century C.E. Aramaic Bible translation, Targum Onkelos,
renders the word as 'meshicha', the messiah -- anointed King - leader
of Israel during the period of world peace.
Similarly the Babylonian Talmud, in Tractate Sanhedrin 98b, states
that Shilo is a proper noun, the name of the Messiah!
Rashi, our preeminent commentator, also speaks of the word 'shiloh'
with regard to its messianic implications, quoting first from the
Targum Onkelos, and then adding that the etymology is derived either
from the Hebrew pronoun of possession (until the coming of the one to
whom [the kingdom] is his shelo) or a contraction of "the gift (or
prize) is his," shai lo.
The Baal Haturim discovers a striking gematriya (arithmetical
equivalency) between the phrase 'yavo (13) shilo (345)' (shilo comes)
and the word 'meshiach' (messiah, which is 358).
The S'forms takes Shilo as being synonymous with shalom or peace, and
writes that it refers to the ultimate peace.
All these comments make it clear that our Sages understood the initial
reference to the emergence of a messianic line in Judaism to be found
in the blessing to Judah, who is the progenitor of Boaz, Yishai and
David, model and ancestor of the long-awaited Messiah.
An evermore interesting nuance appears in the commentary of the Ibn
Ezra, where he explains 'shilo' in terms of the word 'shilyitah',
which mean womb (see Deuteronomy 28:57).
In making the connection, the Ibn Ezra is insisting that the ultimate
messiah-ruler will be naturally born to woman, the product of a
naturally male-fertilized ovum, a fetus formed by mother and father.
In so interpreting, he is clearly denying the Christological notion of
a messiah born by immaculate conception without male sexual
fertilization.
Just as the messiah must be a natural child of a mother and father, so
will he bring about the millennium of peace in natural and normative
ways -- at least according to 12th century Maimonides, probably the
greatest Jewish theologian-halakhist of all time. Maimonides uses as
his proof-text the historical occurrence of Bar Kochba, a courageous,
devout Israeli warrior whom Rabbi Akiva and the majority of second
century C.E. Talmudic sages considered to be the Messiah. Bar Kochba
was a very human being who used politics and warfare as legitimate
means to effectuate Jewish sovereignty and to exercise world
leadership.
"Do not think that the king messiah must perform signs and miracles,
and create new things in the world, or resurrect the dead," insists
Maimonides.
The natural way of things will continue even into the Messianic age,
during which time the Holy Temple will have been built, Israel's
enemies will have been vanquished, and the Israelites, as well as, the
entire world will live in peace, harmony and tranquility under G-d.
"Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and humanity will not
have war anymore. There will be no evil or destruction throughout thy
holy mountain. The knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the
waters fill the seas". [Isaiah 2:11]
Even more significantly, Maimonides logically concludes that anyone
who dies before having fulfilled the messianic goals of redemption and
salvation cannot possibly have been the real messiah. Hence, once Bar
Kochba was "Killed, he could not have possibly have been the Messiah",
insists Maimonides.
If that is the case, although the founder of Christianity may well
have been a G-d-fearing and even charismatic rabbinical figure, once
he was crucified by the Romans he forfeited all claims to the
messiah-ship. Normative Judaism knows of no first and second coming.
[Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings, 11, 12, esp. 11, 13]
Thus the new millennium has no real significance in Jewish theology.
We must continue to prepare ourselves in repentance and good deeds,
especially in the realm of inter-personal relationships in order for
the Messiah to come, but he will arrive only when we are adequately
deservant of receiving him.
A bookseller in Meah Shearim once told me (in 1975) that the Messiah
was in Jerusalem. Despite my rationalistic bent, I found myself
praying at the Western Wall, searching devout faces in the hope of
identifying the savior. At last in despair I returned to my
bookseller, in frustration and perplexity.
"But you told me the Messiah was in Jerusalem!" I accusingly said.
"Rav Riskin, you have it all wrong", he replied. "You think that we
are waiting for the Messiah. In reality, the Messiah is waiting for
us!"
Shabbat Shalom from Efrat,
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
******************************************************************
Commentary from Eddie Chumney:
This is just a reminder to
our members that Orthodox
Jewish commentaries are sent to our members because there are times
when we can glean insights to the understanding of various texts
which can help us in our studies and understandings of our rich Hebraic
heritage in Messiah. The Orthodox Jewish weekly Torah commentaries
also allow us to be educated and understand what traditional modern
Orthodox Judaism really does believe.
This does not always mean that what
is written and said
in the Orthodox Jewish Torah commentaries will agree with what
believers in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah believe. You
can't have pure gold without doing away with the impurities and
sometimes in order to "eat the meat", you have to "spit out the
bones". We have the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) within us to give us
spiritual discernment. It is the Holy Spirit within us with the
knowledge of the WRITTEN Word of God that will allow us to glean
"nuggets" of truth and insights of the text that the Rabbi's
have preserved for us to study, learn and understand.
The purpose of
the newsgroup is to provide you with
INFORMATION that can help you in your studies not to always dictate
what you believe or to persuade you that what you read on the
newsgroup you will or should always agree with.
The
Hebraic concept or principle in this is that it is
said that "Rabbi so and so teaches such" BUT "Rabbi so and so teaches
such and such". It is viewed that by presenting the different views
and various opinions of the text that your OVERALL studies will be
enriched because you have had an opportunity to examine different
views of the text and be able to better discern and interpret for
yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) what the
text is really saying and why. By being able to compare and contrast
different views and the reasons of each view, it is believed that your
OVERALL knowledge of God's Word will eventually increase in time.
This then is a Hebraic principle of learning, studying and
understanding God's Word which is a part of our heritage.
This is the
one of the many purposes of having the
Hebraic Heritage newsgroup.
May
God continue to bless you in your studies.
Eddie
Chumney
Hebraic
Heritage Ministries Int'l