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Volume I — Bereis^it
ה ו ע ת ק והוכנס ל א י נ ט ר נ ט
www.hebrlwbooks.org
ע ״ י היים ת ש ם ״ ז
[מי
Rabbi Mos^e Bogowils^
New Expanded Edition
5766.2006
V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U SHALL SPEAK OF THEM
V O L U M E I — BEREISHIT
ISBN 1-8808-8014-8
I S B N 1-8808-8022-9 (set)
iii
Table of Contents
Foreword vii
Introduction viii
Acknowledgments xi
Bereishit 1
Noach 22
Lech Lecha 40
Vayeira 61
Chayei Sarah 86
Toldot 108
Vayeitzei 128
Vayishlach 143
Vayeishev 161
Mikeitz 175
Chanukah-Mikeitz 190
Chanukah 194
Vayigash 207
Vayechi 227
ב״ה
Foreword
Introduction
The name Vedibarta Bam was chosen for the sefer because i t
originated f r o m the w e e k l y Torah sheets whose purpose was to
enhance the Shabbat table, t h r o u g h " T a l k i n g of t h e m " —
discussing the divrei Torah of the parshah sheets.
Searching t h r o u g h m a n y sefarim, I w o u l d select thoughts
w h i c h I believed w o u l d p r o v o k e the interest the reader.
Consequently, the people a r o u n d the table w o u l d engage i n
Torah conversation and "Speak of t h e m . "
Moreover, i t is customary to inscribe the name of the author
i n the title of his sefer (see i n t r o d u c t i o n to Sefer Rokeach).
Therefore, the name Vedibarta Bam was chosen because the
w o r d "Bam" is an a c r o n y m for m y f a m i l y name and also
m y personal name.
M y partner i n life (until 120 years) is m y wife Bracha. To¬
gether w i t h her w e , thank G-d, have raised a beautiful family and
pray that w e merit to see m u c h Yiddish and chassidish nachas.
W h e n w e became chatan and kallah a "Lechaim" was made
for the f a m i l y i n m y parents' home. A t the occasion, m y uncle,
xi
Acknowledgments
Use of Italics:
Transliterated H e b r e w w o r d s are generally g i v e n i n italics
w i t h o u t capitalization, except for proper nouns, w h i c h are
capitalized and, i n the case of names, not italicized. Some
exceptions are made for v e r y familiar H e b r e w w o r d s , such as
"Torah."
English a n d H e b r e w :
Names of Biblical persons and names of the books of the
Pentateuch are g i v e n i n H e b r e w , b u t other books of Tanach are
g i v e n i n English; thus " M o s h e " is preferred to "Moses,"
"Bereishit" to "Genesis," and "Proverbs" to "Mishlei." Generally
English w o r d s are preferred to H e b r e w ones, b u t often the
content requires the use of the H e b r e w .
Exceptions:
Exceptions to these rules most often i n v o l v e forms already
familiar to the English reader, forms that w o u l d otherwise be
a w k w a r d , a n d ones l i k e l y to be mispronounced.
BEREISHIT 1
BEREISHIT בראשית ־
״...״בראשית
"In the beginning..." (1:1)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the T o r a h start w i t h the letter beit,
the second letter of the H e b r e w alef-beit, rather t h a n w i t h the
first letter, alef?
״...״ ב ר א ש י ת ב ר א אלק״ם
"In the beginning of G-d's creating..." (1:1)
Q U E S T i O N : O n Simchat Torah, w h e n w e finish reading all
five books of the W r i t t e n T o r a h , w e i m m e d i a t e l y start reading
all over again f r o m Bereishit. This shows that the T o r a h has no
end, like a circle w h i c h has no b e g i n n i n g or end.
״בראשית ב ר א אלק״ם״
"In the beginning of G-d's creating." (1:1)
Q U E S T I O N : O n this first pasuk of the T o r a h , the Midrash
(Yalkut Shimoni) says that i t w i l l be understood w i t h the saying
"Rosh devarcha emet" — " Y o u r v e r y first utterance is t r u t h "
(Psalms 119:160). W h a t is the connection between these t w o
passages?
״ויה״ ע ר ב ויה״ ב ק ר י ו ם א ח ד ״
"It was evening and it was morning, one day." (1:5)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the T o r a h say "yom echad" — "one
d a y " — a n d n o t "yom rishon" — the "first d a y " (as for the next
five days, w h i c h i t calls "second," " t h i r d , " etc.)?
A N S W E R : Shabbat is a d a y w h e n i t is f o r b i d d e n to w o r k , yet
one spends more m o n e y for Shabbat t h a n for any other day of
the week. A person m a y t h i n k that celebrating Shabbat p r o p e r l y
w i l l make h i m poor. Hashem, however, gave a special blessing
to the Shabbat day: the m o r e one spends for the sake of Shabbat,
the m o r e one w i l l earn d u r i n g the week.
״ ו כ ל ש י ח ה ש ד ה • ר ם י ה י ה ב א ר ץ ו כ ל ע ש ב ה ש ד ה • ר ם י צ מ ח כי ל א
ה מ ט י ר ה ׳ א ל ק י ם ע ל ה א ר ץ ו א ד ם אין ל ע ב ו ד א ת ה א ד מ ה ״
"No shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the
field had yet grown, for G-d had not brought rain upon the earth,
and there was no man to work the ground." (2:5)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi (based o n the Gemara, Chullin 60b)
explains that a l t h o u g h the T o r a h h a d p r e v i o u s l y stated (1:11¬
12) that G-d created a l l p l a n t life o n the t h i r d day of Creation,
the plants g r e w o n l y u p to the surface of the g r o u n d . O n the
sixth day, after A d a m was created, he realized the importance
of r a i n to make the plants g r o w , a n d p r a y e d to H a s h e m for the
r a i n they needed. T h e n the trees a n d types of vegetation
sprouted.
BEREISHIT 9
O u r sages also tell us that the first day of creation was the
25th of Elul, w i t h m a n being created o n Rosh Hashanah, the first
of Tishrei (see Rosh Hashanah 8a). Thus, the first five days of
creation w e r e the last five days of the fortieth yovel year.
ו י ב א א ל ה א ד ם ל ר א ו ת. . ״ויצר ה ׳ א ל ק ״ ם מ ן ה א ד מ ה כ ל ח י ת ה ש ד ה
ויקרא א ד ם ש מ ו ת ל כ ל ה ב ה מ ה ״. . . מ ה ״קרא ל ו
"And G-d formed out of the earth each animal... and brought them
to the man to see what he would name each one, and Adam
assigned names to all cattle." (2:19-20)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d H a s h e m w a n t A d a m to give the
animals their names?
״ו״בן ה ׳ א ל ק ״ ם א ת ה צ ל ע א ש ר ל ק ח מ ן ה א ד ם ל א ש ה ו ״ ב א ה א ל
האדם״
"And G-d built the rib which He had taken from the man into a
woman, and He brought her to the man." (2:22)
Q U E S T I O N : I n the berachot recited under the chuppah, and
d u r i n g the w e e k of sheva berachot, w e say
— "Grant abundant j o y to
these l o v i n g friends, as Y o u bestowed gladness u p o n Y o u r
created being i n the Garden of Eden of o l d . " W h a t happiness
d i d H a s h e m cause A d a m to experience?
BEREISHIT 11
״ ע ל כ ן י ע ז ב א י ש א ת א ב י ו ו א ת א מ ו ו ד ב ק ב א ש ת ו והיו ל ב ש ר א ח ד ״
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall
cling to his wife." (2:24)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the T o r a h make leaving one's par¬
ents a prerequisite for marriage?
״ ו ת א מ ר ה א ש ה א ל ה נ ח ש מ פ ר י ע ץ הגן נ א כ ל ומפרי ה ע ץ א ש ר
ב ת ו ך הגן א מ ר א ל ק י ם ל א ת א כ ל ו מ מ נ ו ו ל א ת ג ע ו בו״
"And the woman said to the snake, 'From the fruit of the trees of
the garden we may eat. But from the fruit of the tree which is in
the middle of the garden, G-d said: You shall not eat of it, nor shall
you touch it.'" (3:2-3)
Q U E S T I O N : H a s h e m had o n l y t o l d t h e m n o t to eat of i t
(2:17). W h y d i d Chavah tell the snake that they had been t o l d
not to touch i t as well?
״ויאמר ה נ ח ש א ל ה א ש ה ל א מ ו ת ת מ ת ו ך
"The snake said to the woman: 'You will certainly not die.'" (3:4)
Q U E S T I O N : 1) I n the o r i g i n a l H e b r e w , the root w o r d mot
w h i c h means d y i n g is repeated; mot temutun. This seems to be
an extra w o r d . W h y is i t necessary? 2) The snake pushed
Chavah u n t i l she touched the tree, telling her: "Just as y o u
d o n ' t die b y t o u c h i n g the tree, y o u w o n ' t die b y eating its f r u i t "
(Rashi). This logic is difficult to comprehend because w h e n
H a s h e m t o l d A d a m n o t to eat the f r u i t of the tree, H e t o l d h i m :
" O n the day y o u eat of the fruit y o u w i l l die." Since the day was
not yet over, h o w c o u l d the snake convince Chavah that she
w o u l d n ' t die for t o u c h i n g i t or eating the fruit?
ו ת ק ח מ פ ר י ו ו ת א כ ל ״. . . ל מ א כ לyyin ״ ו ת ר א ה א ש ה כ י • ו ב
"And the woman saw that the tree was good for eating...and she
took from its fruit and she ate." (3:6)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the pasuk start t a l k i n g about the tree
a n d conclude w i t h the fruit?
״ויאכל״
"And he ate." (3:6)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y is i t necessary to reveal that A d a m vio¬
lated Hashem's command?
״ויקרא ה ׳ א ל ק י ם א ל ה א ד ם ויאמר לו א י כ ה ״
"G-d called out to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?'" (3:9)
Q U E S T I O N : D i d n ' t H a s h e m k n o w w h e r e A d a m was?
״ ה מ ! ה ע ץ א ש ר צויתיך לבלתי א כ ל מ מ נ ו א כ ל ת ״
"Have you then eaten from the tree which I commanded you not to
eat from it?" (3:11)
Q U E S T I O N : I n the first H e b r e w w o r d of this verse,
"Hamin," the Gemara (Chullin 139b) finds an allusion to the
w i c k e d H a m a n , w h o sought to destroy the Jewish people u n t i l
M o r d e c h a i and Esther t h w a r t e d his plans and he was executed.
"Haman" has the same H e b r e w letters — " " — as i n
"Hamin."
W h a t , however, is the connection between H a m a n a n d the
story of A d a m ' s sin?
״ ו י א מ ר ה א ד ם ה א ש ה א ש ר נ ת ת ה ע מ ד י ה ו א נ ת נ ה לי מ! ה ע ץ ו א כ ל ״
"The man said: 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she
gave me of the tree, and I ate.'" (3:12)
Q U E S T I O N : Is this a v a l i d excuse for a g r o w n man?
A N S W E R : K a y i n a n d H e v e l were b o r n before A d a m a n d
C h a v a h c o m m i t t e d the sin of eating the f o r b i d d e n f r u i t
(Sanhedrin 38b). After being chased o u t of Gan Eden, C h a v a h
gave b i r t h to a t h i r d son. Thus, i m m e d i a t e l y after c o m m i t t i n g
the sin, she began to experience the troubles connected w i t h
rearing c h i l d r e n , w h i l e at a later date she encountered the pains
of pregnancy.
( פ ר ח לבנון- )פון אונזער א ל ט ע ן א ו צ ר
״והוא י מ ש ל בך״
"And he will rule over you." (3:16)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y was this the p u n i s h m e n t for eating the
f o r b i d d e n fruit?
״ ו י א מ ר ק י ן א ל ה ב ל א ח י ו ויה״ ב ה י ו ת • ב ש ד ה ו י ק ם ק י ן א ל ה ב ל א ח י ו
ויהרגהו״
"Kayin spoke to Hevel his brother. Then, when they were in the
field, Kayin rose up against Hevel his brother and killed him." (4:8)
Q U E S T I O N : W h a t d i d K a y i n say to Hevel?
״ ו ת ה ר ו ת ל ד א ת ח נ ו ך ויהי ב נ ה ע י ר ו י ק ר א ש ם ה ע י ר כ ש ם ב נ ו ח נ ו ך ״
"She conceived and bore Chanoch; he became a city-builder, and
he named the city after his son Chanoch." (4:17)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d he give the name " C h a n o c h " to his
son and the city?
NOACH נ ח ־
״כי ה ש ח י ת כ ל ב ש ר א ת דרכו ע ל ה א ר ץ ״
"All flesh has corrupted his way on the earth." (6:12)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d s "et darko" — "his w a y " — seem to
be extra?
״ ו י א מ ר א ל ק ״ ם ל נ ח ק ץ כ ל ב ש ר ב א ל פ נ י כ״ מ ל א ה ה א ר ץ ח מ ם
מפניהם״
"G-d said to Noach: 'The end of all flesh has come before me, for
the earth is filled with robbery through them.'" (6:13)
Q U E S T I O N : " D i v i n e sentence was finally passed upon
t h e m o n l y as a result of their robbery" (Rashi).
O u r sages tell us that Hashem's r e w a r d or p u n i s h m e n t is
midah keneged midah — i n accordance w i t h the nature of the
person's o r i g i n a l act. W h a t connection is there between
h u m a n i t y ' s crime of robbery a n d the flood w i t h w h i c h they
w e r e punished?
A N S W E R : The i n i t i a l 40 days of intense p u n i s h m e n t were a
result of their c o m m i t i n g robbery — the n u m e r i c a l value of the
three letters of "gezel" , the H e b r e w w o r d for "robbery,"
totals 40!
The flood began w i t h 40 days of continuous rain, f o l l o w e d
b y w i t h 150 days of unabated flood before the water began to
descend i n level — a total of 190 days. The n u m e r i c a l value of
the t w o letters of the H e b r e w w o r d "keitz" meaning " e n d "
is 190. The " e n d of a l l flesh" was decided b y Hashem to come
i n the f o r m of 190 days of intense p u n i s h m e n t
״ ע ש ה ל ך ת י ב ת עצי גפר״
"Make yourself an ark of gopher wood." (6:14)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi writes: "There are m a n y ways of relief
and salvation before H i m . W h y , then, d i d H e trouble h i m w i t h
the construction of the ark? I n order that the m e n of the
26 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
ו ה י ה ל ך ו ל ה ם ל א כ ל ה ״...״ ו א ת ה ק ח ל ך מ כ ל מ א כ ל א ש ר ״אכל
"And you, take for yourself of all food that will be eaten...it shall be
for you and for them for food." (6:21)
Q U E S T I O N : N o a c h , together w i t h his f a m i l y a n d thou¬
sands of creatures, w o u l d be i n the ark for l o n g p e r i o d of t i m e ,
a n d w o u l d need a tremendous a m o u n t of food. H o w was i t
possible to store a l l of the food necessary for their survival?
ו ה י ה ל ך ו ל ה ם ל א כ ל ה ״...״ ו א ת ה ק ח ל ך מ כ ל מ א כ ל א ש ר ״אכל
"And you, take for yourself of all food that will be eaten ... it shall
be for you and for them for food." (6:21)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d s "asher yei'acheil" — "that w i l l be
eaten" — seem unnecessary?
A N S W E R : O r i g i n a l l y , m a n k i n d was a l l o w e d to eat o n l y
food that grew f r o m the g r o u n d (1:29). I t was o n l y after the
flood that N o a c h a n d his descendants were a l l o w e d to eat the
flesh of animals, too (9:3). A c c o r d i n g to the Ramban (1:29), this
was a r e w a r d to N o a c h for his saving the animals and caring
for t h e m i n the ark.
״ויאמר ה׳ ל נ ח ב א א ת ה וכל ב י ת ך א ל ה ת ב ה ״
"G-d said to Noach: 'Enter, you and all your family, into the ark.'"
(7:1)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d " T o r a h " derives f r o m the w o r d
"hora'ah" — "teaching." Every detail of Torah teaches us eternal
lessons w h i c h w e can use i n our d a i l y lives. W h a t practical
lesson can w e learn f r o m Hashem's c o m m a n d to N o a c h to enter
i n t o the ark?
א ל ה ת ב ה מ פ נ י מ״ ה מ ב ו ל ״.. ״ ו י ב א נ ח
"And Noach came..•into the ark because of the waters of the
flood." (7:7)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi comments o n this: " E v e n N o a c h was one
of those w h o h a d little faith ( i n G-d); he believed, yet he d i d n o t
believe, that the f l o o d w o u l d come. So he d i d n o t enter the ark
u n t i l the waters forced h i m . " This seems to contradict the
o p i n i o n of some of our sages q u o t e d b y Rashi (6:9) that N o a c h
was a t r u l y righteous man?
״ומן ה ב ה מ ה א ש ר א י נ נ ה • ה ר ה ״
"And from the animals which were not clean [kosher]." (7:8)
Q U E S T I O N : The Gemara (Pesachim 3a) asks w h y the Torah
uses the longer expression — " w h i c h were not
clean" (three w o r d s and thirteen letters i n H e b r e w ) instead of
the single w o r d — "unclean" (only one w o r d — and
five letters). The Gemara answers that the T o r a h uses eight extra
letters to teach us the eternal lesson that w e s h o u l d always t r y
to express ourselves i n decent language, even i f i t means using
extra w o r d s .
״וימחו מ ן ה א ר ץ וישאר א ך נ ח ו א ש ר א ת ו ב ח ב ה ״
"They were obliterated from the earth. Only Noach and those with
him in the ark survived." (7:23)
Q U E S T I O N : H o w d i d O g a n d Sichon s u r v i v e the flood?
״וישאר א ך נח״
"Only Noach survived." (7:23)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y is he described here as " o n l y Noach"?
W h a t happened to the previous titles the T o r a h (6:9) gives h i m
— "righteous," "perfect," etc.?
״ ו ת ב א אליו היונה ל ע ת ע ר ב ו ה נ ה ע ל ה ז י ת • ר ף ב פ י ה ״
"And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, there
was a plucked olive leaf in her mouth." (8:11)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d the dove w a i t u n t i l nightfall to r e t u r n
to Noach?
ו י ע ל ע ל ת ב מ ז ב ח ״. . . ״ויבן נ ח מ ז ב ח
"Noach built an altar and offered burnt-offerings on the altar."
(8:20)
Q U E S T I O N : A c c o r d i n g to halachah, i n four cases one is obli¬
gated to t h a n k H a s h e m w i t h a Korban Todah — a t h a n k s g i v i n g
offering ( i n our times w e "bentsch gomeil"). One of the four
cases involves a person w h o travels across an ocean i n a boat
(Orach Chaim 219). W h y d i d N o a c h b r i n g a Korban Olah — a
burnt-offering — and not a Korban Todah?
״ ש פ ך ד ם ה א ד ם ב א ד ם דמו ישפך״
"One who sheds the blood of man in the man, his blood shall be
shed." (9:6)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d , "ba'adam" — " i n the m a n " — seems
repetitious and unnecessary?
״ ו י ר א ח ם א ב י כ נ ע ן א ת ע ר ו ת א ב י ו ויגד ל ש נ י א ח י ו ב ח ו ץ ״
"Cham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and he
told it to his two brothers outside." (9:22)
Q U E S T I O N : The Midrash Rabbah (35:5) states: " D u e to this
incident of seeing a n d telling, a non-Jewish slave is freed w h e n
his master knocks o u t his t o o t h or eye." W h a t is the connection
between these t w o occurrences?
״וימצאו ב ק ע ה ב א ר ץ ש נ ע ר וישבו ש ם ״
"And they found a valley in the land of Shinar and they settled
there." (11:2)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d all the people of the w o r l d w a n t to
c r a m i n t o one small valley?
LECH LECHA ל ך ל ך ־
״ואגדלה שמך״
"I will enlarge your name." (12:2)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi explains that " I w i l l enlarge y o u r name"
is a reference to that w h i c h they say i n Shemoneh Esreih, "Elokei
Yaakov" — " G - d of Y a a k o v . " H o w does A v r a m ' s name become
enlarged i f w e say "Elokei Yaakov?"
״ ו א ע ש ך לגו״ ג ד ו ל ו א ב ר כ ך ו א ג ד ל ה ש מ ך ו ה י ה ב ר כ ה ״
"I will make you into a big nation: I will bless you, and make you
famous and you will be a blessing." (12:2)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi explains that this refers to w h a t w e say
in Shemoneh Esreih, "Elokei Avraham, Elokei Yitzchak, Elokei
LECH LECHA 41
״ ו א ב ר כ ה מ ב ר כ י ך ו מ ק ל ל ך א א ר ונברכו ב ך כ ל מ ש פ ח ת ה א ד מ ה ״
"And I will bless those who bless you and those who curse you I will
curse; and all the families of the land will bless themselves with
you." (12:3)
Q U E S T I O N : Since H a s h e m t o l d A v r a m that all families w i l l
bless themselves to have c h i l d r e n like h i m , w h o w i l l be
"mekallelcha" — "The ones that w i l l curse you"?
A v r a m was v e r y m u c h attached to H a s h e m a n d d i d
a n y t h i n g that H a s h e m t o l d h i m , even i f i t appeared difficult or
he d i d not k n o w its reason or significance. O n the other h a n d ,
Lot accompanied A v r a m only because he calculated that he was
an o l d m a n w h o w o u l d soon die childless, leaving L o t as his
sole heir.
()אשכול ענבים
44 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ויעבר א ב ד ם ב א ר ץ ע ד מ ק ו ם ש כ ם ע ד אלון מ ו ר ה ו ה כ נ ע נ י א ז
בארץ״
"Avram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, and the
Canaanite was then in the land." (12:6)
Q U E S T I O N : W h a t is the connection between these t w o
things?
״ ל מ ה ל א ה ג ד ת לי כי א ש ת ך ה ו א ל מ ה א מ ר ת א ת ת י ה ו א ו א ק ח א ת ה
לי ל א ש ה״
"Why didn't you tell me that she is your wife? Why did you say 'she
is my sister,' so that I would take her as my wife?" (12:18-19)
Q U E S T I O N : I t w o u l d have been enough for Pharaoh to say
" W h y d i d n ' t y o u tell me she was y o u r w i f e ? " W h y d i d he have
to m e n t i o n that A v r a m h a d said she was his sister?
״וילך ל מ ם ע י ו מ נ ג ב ו ע ד ב י ת א ל ע ד ה מ ק ו ם א ש ר ה י ה ש ם א ה ל ה
א ל מקום המזבח א ש ר ע ש ה ש ם בראשונה״...בתחלה
"And he went on his journeys from the South to Beth-el, to the
place where his tent had been in the beginning.... to the place of
the altar which he had made there at first." (13:3-4)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the T o r a h discuss A v r a m ' s r e t u r n
j o u r n e y at such length?
כ״ א נ ש י • א ח י ם א נ ח נ ו ״... ״ א ל נ א ת ה י מ ר י ב ה ב י נ י ו ב י נ ך
"Let there not be any strife between me and you ... for we look
alike." (13:8) (See Rashi)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y is their s i m i l a r i t y i n appearance a reason
for not quarreling?
A l t e r n a t i v e l y , the r u l e of does n o t
a p p l y w h e n heavenly j u d g m e n t is rendered (Rambam, Hilchot
Na'arah 1:14). Hashem reserves the r i g h t to p u n i s h i n d i v i d u a l s
as H e sees fit. Therefore, Hashem emphasized "Dan Anochi" —
" I personally w i l l j u d g e a n d p u n i s h t h e m . " Hence, they w i l l
justifiably b o t h pay and suffer for their i n i q u i t y .
()שארית מנחם
״ותאמר שרי אל אבדם חמםי עליך אנכי נתתי שפחתי בחיקך ותו־א
כי הרתה ואקל בעיניה י ש פ • ה׳ ביני וביניך״
"And Sarai said to Avram: 'My wrong be upon you; I gave my maid¬
servant into your bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived,
I was made light in her eyes; may G-d judge between me and you.'"
(16:5)
Q U E S T I O N : I f Hagar was insubordinate to Sarai, w h y was
A v r a m to blame?
LECH LECHA 55
A N S W E R : A c c o r d i n g to an o p i n i o n i n Midrash Rabbah
(47:1), i n order to obtain a for the name A v r a h a m , H a s h e m
took the ( ״ י ״w h i c h equals 10) f r o m the name Sarai a n d gave
58 VEDIBARTA B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ו״מל בשר ערלתם בעצם היום הזה כאשר דבר אתו אלק״ם״
"And he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day as
G-d has spoken to him." (17:23)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the T o r a h emphasize that all the
circumcisions took place "on that very day" that he received the
command? (See Rashi.)
* * *
VAYEIRA ו י ר א ־
A N S W E R : Whenever A v r a h a m h a d guests he w o u l d n o t
o n l y sustain t h e m w i t h physical f o o d , b u t also encouraged
t h e m to live a meaningful a n d s p i r i t u a l l y enriched life.
A N S W E R : Onkelos w r i t e s as follows:
— " A n d w h i l e all the nations
w e r e b l i n d l y f o l l o w i n g the idols they made, H a s h e m b r o u g h t
me close to fear h i m . "
W h e n A v i m e l e c h w e n t to v i s i t A v r a h a m , he t o o k w i t h h i m
General Fichol. During their conversation, Avraham
c o m p l a i n e d to A v i m e l e c h about the stolen w e l l . A v i m e l e c h
apologized a n d said, " I d o not k n o w w h o d i d this t h i n g . " Then
A v i m e l e c h t u r n e d to Fichol a n d said to h i m ,
" — לי״W h y d i d n ' t y o u tell me that y o u r soldiers d i d such a
terrible t h i n g to A v r a h a m ? " Fichol r e p l i e d ,
— " I , too, d i d n o t hear about this t i l l w e came here
today." (Thus, Fichol was i n s i n u a t i n g that A v r a h a m had made
u p a story.)
()אלשיך
* * *
״והאלק״ם נ ס ה א ת אברהם״
"And G-d tested Avraham." (22:1)
Q U E S T I O N : I n H e b r e w the usual t e r m for test is "Bechinah"
. W h y doesn't i t say, ?
״והאלק״ם נ ס ה א ת אברהם״
"And G-d tested Avraham." (22:1)
Q U E S T I O N : W h a t constitutes the greatness of A v r a h a m ?
T h r o u g h o u t history Jews w e r e m a r t y r e d for the sake of
Hashem!
״והאלק״ם נ ס ה א ת אברהם״
"And G-d tested Avraham." (22:1)
Q U E S T I O N : The Akeidah, the b i n d i n g of Yitzchak o n the
altar, w o u l d n o t have been possible w i t h o u t Yitzchak's
cooperation. W h y d o w e o n l y refer to i t as a test of A v r a h a m
w i t h o u t m e n t i o n i n g Yitzchak?
״וישא אברהם א ת עיניו וירא והנה איל אחר נאחז בסבך בקרניו״
"And Avraham lifted up his eyes, and saw, behold a ram afterwards,
caught in the thicket by its horns." (22:13)
Q U E S T I O N : W h a t does the w o r d "achar" — "afterwards"
— allude to? I t seems to be superfluous, because the pasuk
c o u l d merely have said "Behold a r a m caught i n the thicket."
(See Rashi.)
״ שרה״n ״ויהיו חיי שרה מ א ה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים שני
"And Sarah lived one hundred years, twenty years and seven years,
the years of Sarah's life." (23:1)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi explains that the T o r a h repeats the
w o r d s "the years of Sarah's l i f e " to let us k n o w that
" — ל ט ו ב ה ״they w e r e a l l equal i n goodness." H o w c o u l d w e say
that a l l her years w e r e equally g o o d i f d u r i n g her life she was
barren for m a n y years a n d was h e l d i n c a p t i v i t y b y p h a r a o h
a n d Avimelech?
״ויבא א ב ר ה ם ל ם פ ד ל ש ר ה ולבכתה׳
"And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and weep for her." (23:2)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi comments: "The narratives of Sarah's
death a n d the B i n d i n g of Yitzchak f o l l o w one another, for
t h r o u g h the announcement of the B i n d i n g , that her son h a d
been prepared for slaughter a n d h a d almost been slaughtered,
her soul fled f r o m her a n d she d i e d . "
״ויבא א ב ר ה ם ל ם פ ד ל ש ר ה ולבכתה״
"Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and weep for her." (23:2)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y is the w o r d — " a n d weep for
her" w r i t t e n w i t h a small ?
A N S W E R : A v r a h a m i n a d d i t i o n to h a v i n g a son, Yitzchak,
also h a d a daughter n a m e d " B a k o l " (Bava Batra 16b). W h e n
A v r a h a m w e n t w i t h Yitzchak to M o u n t M o r i a h , she remained
home w i t h her mother. W h e n Sarah d i e d u p o n hearing about
Yitzchak a n d the Akeidah, her daughter, Bakol, also d i e d .
CHAYEI SARAH 89
A v r a h a m w a n t e d the Cave of M a c h p e i l a h v e r y m u c h
because A d a m and Chavah were b u r i e d there. To h i m , this
piece of l a n d was priceless.
advanced i n age, his son Yitzchak stood at his side and was
totally dedicated to his welfare. H e took care of everything
A v r a h a m needed to make his o l d age pleasant a n d comfortable.
Such a c h i l d is indeed a blessing to a parent.
()חתם סופר
CHAYEI SARAH 101
,
״לא אכל עד אם דברת״ דבר ״
"I will not eat until I have spoken my words." (24:33)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d Eliezer refuse to eat before negotiat¬
i n g the shidduch (marriage)?
״ויתן א ב ר ה ם א ת כ ל א ש ר לו ל י צ ח ק ולבני ה פ י ל ג ש ם א ש ר ל א ב ר ה ם
נתן אברהם מתנות״
"And Avraham gave everything that he had to Yitzchak, and to the
children of the concubines...he gave presents." (25:5-6)
Q U E S T I O N : I f he gave a w a y e v e r y t h i n g he h a d to Yitzchak,
w h e r e d i d he get the presents?
״ ו א ל ה ימי ש נ י חיי א ב ר ה ם א ש ר ח י מ א ת ש נ ה ו ש ב ע י ם ש נ ה ו ח מ ש
שנים״
"And these are the years of Avraham, which he lived, a hundred
years, seventy years, and five years." (25:7)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d s " w h i c h he l i v e d " seem redundant?
TOLDOT • ת ו ל ד ו ת
״ ו א ל ה ת ו ל ד ת ״ צ ח ק בן א ב ר ה ם א ב ר ה ם הוליד א ת ״ צ ח ק ״
"And these are the offspring of Yitzchak son of Avraham; Avraham
gave birth to Yitzchak." (25:19)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the T o r a h repeat that Yitzchak was
the son of A v r a h a m and that A v r a h a m was the father of
Yitzchak? M o r e o v e r , at the end of Parshat Chayei Sarah i t says
" — ״ ו א ל ה ת ל ד ת י ש מ ע א ל בן א ב ר ה ם ״A n d these are the offspring of
Yishmael, A v r a h a m ' s son" (25:12) — not repeating that
A v r a h a m was the father of Yishmael. Moreover, regarding
Eisav, the Torah states " — ״ ו א ל ה ת ל ד ו ת ע ש ו ״A n d these are the
offspring of Eisav" (36:1), not m e n t i o n i n g that he is the son of
Yitzchak, or that Yitzchak was the father of Eisav.
״ ו י ע ת ר י צ ח ק ל ה ׳ ל נ כ ה א ש ת ו כי ע ק ר ה ה י א ו י ע ת ר לו ה ׳ ו ת ה ר
רבקה אשתו״
"And Yitzchak entreated G-d opposite his wife because she was
barren, and G-d accepted his prayers, and Rivkah his wife
conceived." (25:21)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the pasuk at first refer to "his w i f e "
w i t h o u t m e n t i o n i n g her name, o n l y to conclude " R i v k a h , his
wife?"
״ ו י ע ת ר לו ה ׳ ו ת ה ר ר ב ק ה א ש ת ו ״
"G-d accepted his [Yitzchak's] prayers, and Rivkah his wife
conceived." (25:21)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi explains that H a s h e m a l l o w e d H i m s e l f
to be entreated b y h i m and n o t b y her because the prayer of a
tzaddik the son of a tzaddik (Yitzchak) is superior to the prayer of
a tzaddik the son of a rasha (Rivkah). Does this not contradict the
Gemara (Berachot 34b) that a ba'al teshuvah is greater t h a n a
tzaddik?
A N S W E R : Yitzchak a n d R i v k a h b o t h p r a y e d to H a s h e m for
a c h i l d . Rivkah's prayer was, "please G-d, m y husband is such
a great tzaddik and the son of a tzaddik; he indeed deserves a
c h i l d . " Yitzchak prayed and said, "please G-d, m y w i f e g r e w
u p i n the home of such w i c k e d people as Betuel and L a v a n , yet
110 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ויתרצצו הבנים ב ק ר ב ה ״
"And the children struggled together within her." (25:22)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi says that w h e n R i v k a h passed the ye-
shivah of Shem and Eiver, Yaakov w a n t e d to j u m p o u t of her
w o m b , a n d w h e n she passed a place of i d o l w o r s h i p , Eisav
w a n t e d to j u m p out. W h e n a c h i l d is i n his mother's w o m b an
angel teaches h i m the entire T o r a h (Niddah 30b). W h y d i d
Yaakov w a n t to leave the angel a n d go to the yeshivah of Shem
and Eiver?
H e thus w r o t e ב ״- א- ו- א- י- כ- ו. ״These letters have the
n u m e r i c a l value of 46. The first letters of the w o r d s
or also have the n u m e r i c a l value of 46.
TOLDOT 113
״ויגדלו הנערים״
"And the boys grew up." (25:27)
Q U E S T I O N : They n o w became 13 years of age, and Eisav
began to w o r s h i p idols. O n this d a y A v r a h a m d i e d at the age of
175 (Rashi).
Yitzchak w i l l prove his case b y stating the fact that he, too,
had a son w h o was far f r o m being a tzaddik, and yet he l o v e d
h i m merely because he was his son. Thus, Yitzchak l o v e d Eisav
because t h r o u g h h i m he h a d "food for argument" w i t h w h i c h
to defend the Jewish people and assure their s u r v i v a l .
()ר׳ מאיר מפרימישלאן זצ״ל
״וימשהו ויאמר ה ק ל קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו ולא הכירו כי היו ידיו
כידי עשו אחיו שערת ויברכהו״
"Yitzchak felt Yaakov and said, 'The voice is Yaakov's voice and the
hands are Eisav's hands.' He did not recognize him because his
hands were hairy like those of Eisav his brother, so he blessed
him." (27:22-23)
Q U E S T I O N : I f the voice and the hands seemed to be of t w o
different people, then there was a strong d o u b t as to the
person's identity. W h y then d i d Yitzchak give h i m the berachot?
120 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
,
״את בכרת״ ל ק ח והנה ע ת ה ל ק ח ברכת ״
"He took my birthright, and now has taken away my blessings."
(27:36)
״ויען יצחק אביו ויאמר אליו הנה משמני הארץ יהיה מושבך ומסל
ועל חרבך תחיה ואת אחיך תעבד והיה כאשר תריד:השמים מעל
וישסם עשו א ת יעקב על הברכה אשר:ופרקת עלו מ ע ל צוארך
ברכו אביו״
"And Yitzchak his father answered and said to him: 'Behold, of the
fat places of the earth shall be your dwelling, and of the dew of the
heaven from above. And by your sword you will live, and your
brother you will serve; and it shall come to pass, when you will
break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.' And
Eisav hated Yaakov because of the blessing with which his father
blessed him." (27:39-41)
״ויאמר עשו בלבו יקרבו ימי אבל אבי ואהרגה א ת יעקב אחי״
"Eisav said in his heart; 'May the days of mourning for my father
arrive then, I will kill my brother Yaakov.'" (27:41)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d Eisav w a n t to w a i t t i l l Yitzchak died?
ANSWER: Yaakov learned Torah day and night. Eisav k n e w
v e r y w e l l that the m e r i t of learning Torah w o u l d protect Yaakov
and he w o u l d not be able to h a r m h i m . (See Gemara Shabbat 30b.)
W h e n a close relative passes away, the m o u r n e r is an Onein
u n t i l the b u r i a l and is f o r b i d d e n to study Torah. Eisav's calcula¬
t i o n was that at the t i m e of Yitzchak's demise Yaakov w o u l d
not be learning Torah, and thus lack protection, so that i t w o u l d
be easy to k i l l h i m then
VAYEITZEI ו י צ א ־
A N S W E R : Yaakov h a d t w e l v e c h i l d r e n b o r n i n the
f o l l o w i n g order: Reuven, S h i m o n , L e v i , Y e h u d a h , D a n , N a f t a l i ,
Gad, Asher, Yissachar, Z e v u l u n , Yosef, B i n y a m i n . W h e n he was
ready to give a son as ma'aseir, he b r o u g h t t h e m all into a r o o m
according to the order i n w h i c h they w e r e b o r n . A f t e r w a r d s , he
took t h e m o u t f o l l o w i n g the order of the last one i n , first one
out.
A N S W E R : W a n t i n g to poke f u n at Yaakov, L a v a n t o l d h i m ,
" I n our city the people are v e r y honest. W e do not do a n y t h i n g
unethical. I n your city, y o u were really the younger and y o u r
brother Eisav was y o u r senior. Y o u made a crooked deal, and
suddenly y o u became the older one and y o u r brother the
younger one. H o w e v e r , i n our city such things are f r o w n e d
u p o n . Rachel is the younger and w i l l r e m a i n the younger, and
she cannot m a r r y before her older sister."
()בית הלוי
138 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
A N S W E R : O r i g i n a l l y , Yaakov w a n t e d to m a r r y Rachel, b u t
L a v a n fooled h i m and gave h i m Leah instead. Yaakov
suspected a t r i c k and therefore arranged secret signs between
them. W h e n Rachel saw that her father was g o i n g to substitute
her sister Leah for her, she became concerned lest her sister be
embarrassed. Therefore, she conveyed the secret signs to Leah.
ויאמר לבן הגל הזה:״ויקרא לו לבן יגר שהדותא ויעקב קרא לו גלעד
עד ביני ובינך היום על כן קרא שמו גלעד״
"And Lavan called it 'Yegar-sahaduta,' but Yaakov called it
'Gal'eld.' And Lavan said, 'This heap of stones is a witness between
me and you this day.' Therefore he called it 'Gal'eld.'" (31:47-48)
Q U E S T I O N : O r i g i n a l l y , L a v a n called i t "Yegar-sahaduta";
w h y d i d he change his m i n d a n d call i t "Gal'eid"?
VAYISHLACH וישלח ־
ויה״ לי שור וחמור צאן ועבד ושפחה:״עם לבן גרת״ ואחר עד עתה
ואשלחה להגיד לאדני למצא חן בעיניך״
"I have sojourned with Lavan, and lingered until now. And I have
oxen, and donkeys and flocks, and men-servants and maidservants;
and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes."
(32:5-6)
QUESTION: W h y was i t necessary for Yaakov to tell Eisav
"va'eichar ad atah" — " A n d I lingered u n t i l now"?
ANSWER: M a n y years had lapsed since Yaakov and Eisav
had last met, and n o w Yaakov endeavored to f i n d favor i n his
eyes. Yaakov thought that Eisav c o u l d question the messengers:
" I f Yaakov is such a good friend of mine, w h y has he not both¬
ered to contact me all these years?"
H e therefore instructed t h e m to tell Eisav that the reason w h y
"va'eichar ad atah" — " ' I lingered u n t i l n o w ' — and d i d not come
to meet y o u earlier — was because I was a poor shepherd,
w o r k i n g w i t h the herds of our uncle Lavan. I was sure y o u
w o u l d be disappointed and h u r t to hear of the poverty I was
experiencing. However, n o w that ' I have oxen, and donkeys,' I
a m contacting y o u and i n f o r m i n g y o u of the good news, because
I a m sure y o u w i l l be pleased b y m y success, and that ' I m a y f i n d
f a v o r i n y o u r e y e s .
' "
״באנו אל אחיך אל עשו וגם הלך לקראתך וארבע מאות איש עמו״
"We came to your brother, to Eisav, and moreover, he is heading
toward you with an army of 400 men." (32:7)
QUESTION: W h y d i d Eisav take so m a n y people w i t h him?
ANSWER: Eisav always tried to seem v e r y scrupulous i n the
mitzvah of h o n o r i n g one's father. H e k n e w v e r y w e l l that
Yitzchak w o u l d be greatly disappointed w i t h h i m and v e r y
angry i f he w o u l d k i l l Yaakov.
Therefore, he took a large c r o w d of people so that he c o u l d
have an excuse for Yitzchak. H e w o u l d tell h i m that i t was not he
146 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
וירא כ״ לא ״כל לו:״ויותר ״עקב לבדו ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר
ויגע בכף ירכו״
"And Yaakov was left alone; and a man wrestled with him, until the
break of the dawn. And when he saw that he prevailed not against
him, he touched the hollow of his thigh." (32:25-26)
QUESTION: W h y d i d the angel wrestle w i t h Yaakov and not
w i t h A v r a h a m or Yitzchak?
״ויזרח לו השמש׳
"And the sun rose up for him." (32:32)
Q U E S T I O N : Hashem made the sun rise earlier i n order to
heal Yaakov's injury (Rashi). W h y was this necessary?
hates the Jew and there w i l l not be any exchange of food between
them.
()עיטורי תורה
״m n ״ויקחו שני בני יעקב שמעון ולוי אחי דינה איש
"Shimon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each man his sword."
(34:25)
QUESTION: Does not the w o r d "ish" — "[each] m a n " —
seem superfluous?
The Rosh i n his Responsa (Klal 16a) writes that the age of
thirteen for Bar-Mitzvah is not based o n a Biblical source, b u t is
like all measurements, a Halachah LeMoshe MiSinai — an instruc¬
t i o n g i v e n to moshe w h e n he was o n m t . sinai
* * *
The difference between the t w o views o n Bar Mitzvah is rele¬
vant to noachides. A t w h a t age are they obligated to p e r f o r m
their mitzvot? i f i t is derived f r o m the case of s h i m o n and l e v i ,
the number 13 w o u l d a p p l y to a Noachide. H o w e v e r , i f i t is
considered an instruction w h i c h was g i v e n to moshe, this w o u l d
not a p p l y to a Noachide. Because, things w h i c h are learned
t h r o u g h Halachah LeMoshe MiSinai are o n l y for israelites and not
for Noachides. Therefore, as soon as a Noachide shows signs of
understanding and responsibility, he is obligated to perform his
mitzvot (Talmudic Encyclopedia, v o l . 3, p g . 361).
* * *
״ואת ב ש מ ת ב ת ׳שמעאןי״
"And [he married] Basmat the daughter of Yishmael" (36:3)
QUESTION: Rashi writes that "above (28:9) she is called
"Machalat." There is a rule that w h e n one converts, ascends to a
position of greatness, or marries, his sins are forgiven. She is thus
called Machalat, because w h e n Eisav married her, his sins were
forgiven."
VAYEISHEV ו י ש ב ־
ויקחו א ת כ ת נ ת..״וישב אל אחיו ויאמר הילד איננו ואני אנה אני בא
יוסף וישחסו שעיר עזים ויסבלו א ת ה כ ת נ ת בדם״
"And he returned to his brothers and said, 'The child is not here
and where shall I go?' And they took Yosef s shirt and slaughtered
a goatling and dipped the shirt in the blood." (37:30-31)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d they w a i t for Reuven's r e t u r n before
d i p p i n g Yosef's shirt i n b l o o d , instead of d o i n g i t i m m e d i a t e l y
w h e n they t o o k off his shirt?
״וימאן׳
"He flatly refused [the request of Potifar's wife]." (39:8)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y is the cantillation (trop) o n the w o r d
״ ו י מ א ן ״a shalshelet?
״והנה שבע שבלים עלות בקנה אחד בריאות וסבות והנה שבע
שבלים דקות ושדופת קדים צמחות אחריהן״
"Behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk healthy and
good, and behold, seven thin ears sprung up after them." (41:5- 6)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y were only the seven g o o d ears of corn o n
one stalk?
, יהושע רמז ט, עי׳ ילקוט שמעוני- ויש סוברים שהיא היתה גיורת,)רבינו בחיי
( שמואל ב׳ פ׳ כ׳׳א,ומדרש שמואל
178 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ויצעק העם אל פרעה ללחם ויאמר פרעה לכל מצרים לכו אל יוסף
אשר יאמר לכם תעשו״
"The people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said, 'Go to
Yosef; do as he says.'" (41:55)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi explains that the people were upset
because Yosef was d e m a n d i n g that they circumcise themselves.
W h y w o u l d Yosef w a n t the Egyptians to be circumcised?
״הם יצאו א ת העיר לא הרחיקו ויוסף אמר לאשר על ביתו קום רדף
אחרי האנשים״
"They had left the city, had not gone far out of the city, and Yosef
said to his house steward, 'Get up, chase after the men.'" (44:4)
״הן כסף אשר מצאנו בפי אמתחתינו השיבנו אליך מארץ כנען ואיך
נגנב מבית אדניך כסף או זהב״
"Behold, the money which we found in our sacks we brought back
to you from the land of Canaan; how then could we have stolen
from your master's house silver or gold?" (44:8)
CHANUKAH-MIKEITZ - ח נ ו כ ה ־ מ ק ץ
ויהי מ ק ץ ש נ ת י ם י מ י ם ״
"And it came to pass at the end of two full years." (41:1)
Q U E S T I O N : Parshat Mikeitz is always read d u r i n g Chanu-
kah. W h a t connection does the parshah have to Chanukah?
* * *
* * *
CHANUKAH חנוכה־
״...״ מ א י ח נ ו כ ה ? ב כ ״ ה בכסלו
"What is Chanukah? On the 25th of KIslev..." (Shabbat 21b)
״ כ ש נ כ נ ס ו יונים ל ה י כ ל ס מ א ו כ ל ה ש מ נ י ם ״
"When the Greeks entered the sanctuary they defiled all the oils."
(Shabbat 21b)
Q U E S T I O N : I f the purpose of the Greeks was to extinguish
the l i g h t of the Menorah and prevent its r e k i n d l i n g , w h y d i d
they defile the oil? They c o u l d have accomplished this more
effectively b y using i t u p or destroying i t .
CHANUKAH 195
2) G r a m m a t i c a l l y , instead of saying
" — כ ה ן ג ד ו ל ״that was lying w i t h the Kohen Gadol's seal" — i t
s h o u l d have said, " — ״ ש ה י ה ח ת ו ם ״that was sealed?"
* * *
* * *
The Menorah required one half lug for each of the seven can¬
dles, a d d i n g u p to a total of 3 1/2 lugim (Menachot 88a). The Ko-
hen Gadol's d a i l y sacrifice required o n l y a total of three lugim of
o i l per d a y (Menachot 87b). Thus, the cruse f o u n d was not suffi¬
cient for even one n i g h t , t h o u g h m i r a c u l o u s l y i t b u r n t t h r o u g h
the entire night.
()חידושי הרי״ם
have been the case had i t been l i t inside. Then, o n l y the Kohanim
w o u l d have seen i t .
״ כ ת ב ו ל כ ם ע ל ק ר ן ה ש ו ר שאין ל כ ם ח ל ק ב א ל ו ק י ישראל״
"Write on the horn of an ox that you have no share in the G-d of
Israel." (Jerusalem Talmud, Chaglga 2:2)
Q U E S T I O N : The Midrash Rabbah (Bereishit 2:4) comments
that the passage "there was darkness o n the face of the abyss"
(1:2) refers to the Greek monarchs, w h o darkened the eyes of
the Jewish people w i t h their harsh a n d cruel decrees. They pro¬
claimed that the Jews should w r i t e o n the h o r n of an ox that
they h a d no share i n the G-d of Israel. W h y d i d the Greeks
specify, "the h o r n of the ox?"
"mop ״ כ ף א ח ת ע ש ר ה ז ה ב מ ל א ה
"One gold ladle of ten (shekels) filled with incense..." (Bamldbar
7:14 — Torah Reading on Chanukah)
— I t m a y be l i t u n t i l people stop
w a l k i n g the streets.
— L i g h t i n g t i m e starts at t w i l i g h t .
— W i t h i n a h a n d b r e a d t h of the
w i d t h of the door, k i n d l e .
()פנינים יקרים
CHANUKAH 205
ה׳ חנוכה
Fifth Day of Chanukah
Q U E S T I O N : W h y do m a n y synagogues h o l d festivities o n
the fifth d a y of Chanukah?
!•ביבו
Dreidel
Q U E S T I O N : W h y o n Chanukah do w e p l a y w i t h a dreidel
and o n Purim w e use a gragger?
206 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
VAYIGASH ו י ג ש ־
״ו״גש אל״ו ״ ה ו ד ה ״
"And Yehudah came up to him." (44:18)
Q U E S T I O N : A c c o r d i n g to the Midrash Rabbah (93:6),
Y e h u d a h was ready to go to w a r w i t h Yosef, and he felt m o r e
responsible t h a n the other brothers because "he guaranteed the
safe r e t u r n of B i n y a m i n . " Y e h u d a h and his brothers were v e r y
strong, b u t greatly o u t n u m b e r e d . W h y d i d Y e h u d a h w a n t to
wage war?
״ו״גש א ל י ו ״ ה ו ד ה ו י א מ ר ״
"And Yehudah came up to him and said...." (44:18)
Q U E S T I O N : Y e h u d a h himself o r i g i n a l l y offered that a l l the
brothers and B i n y a m i n w o u l d be slaves for the theft of the
goblet. Yosef refused this, because i t was not fair. W h y was
Y e h u d a h n o w complaining?
״אדני ש א ל א ת עבדיו ל א מ ר ה י ש ל כ ם א ב א ו א ח ״
"My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or
brother?'" (44:19)
Q U E S T I O N : B i n y a m i n was accused of stealing a magical
silver goblet. H o w d i d Y e h u d a h hope to defend h i m w i t h this
statement?
״ונפשו ק ש ו ר ה בנפשו״
"His soul is bound up with his soul." (44:30)
Q U E S T I O N : H o w d i d their souls become connected?
״ ו ה י ה כ ר א ו ת ו כי אין ה נ ע ר ו מ ת ״
"It will happen that when he sees the youth is missing he will die."
(44:31)
Q U E S T I O N : A t that t i m e , B i n y a m i n already had ten chil¬
dren. W h y w a s n ' t Y e h u d a h w o r r i e d that the c h i l d r e n w o u l d
die i f they d i d n o t see their father r e t u r n i n g home?
״ ולא ״כלו לענות אתו כ״n ״ויאמר ״וסף אל אחיו אנ״ ״וסף העוד אב״
נבהלו מפניו״
"Yosef said, 'I am Yosef; is my father still alive?' The brothers
became frightened of him and were unable to answer." (45:3)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y were the brothers unable to answer
Yosef's simple question?
A N S W E R : W h e n Y e h u d a h defended B i n y a m i n before
Yosef, he asked that he be released o u t of mercy. Y e h u d a h
explained to Yosef that the brothers had an elderly father and
they were afraid that w h e n he saw his son d i d not r e t u r n , he
m i g h t die of grief.
212 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ ו ל א יכלו א ח י ו ל ע נ ו ת א ת ו כ י נ ב ה ל ו מ פ נ י ו ״
"The brothers were unable to answer him because they were
frightened of his face." (45:3)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does i t say "nivhalu mipanav" — "his face
frightened them"? I t s h o u l d have s i m p l y said "nivhalu mimeno"
— "they w e r e frightened of h i m " ?
״אני יוסף א ח י כ ם א ש ר מ כ ר ת ם א ת י מ צ ר י מ ה ״
"I am Yosef your brother whom you sold to Egypt." (45:4)
Q U E S T I O N : The brothers w e r e already saddened a n d bro¬
kenhearted. W h y d i d Yosef a d d to their p a i n and m e n t i o n the
sale?
VAYIGASH 213
״ ו ה נ ה ע י נ י כ ם ר א ו ת ועיני א ח י ב נ י מ י ן כ״ פ ״ ה מ ד ב ר א ל י כ ם ״
"Behold! Your eyes see, as do the eyes of my brother Binyamin,
that it is my mouth that is speaking to you." (45:12)
Q U E S T I O N : Rashi explains that Yosef t o l d his brothers,
" Y o u can believe that I a m y o u r brother because I a m n o w
speaking to y o u i n Lashon Hakodesh — H e b r e w . "
״ ו ה ג ד ת ם ל א ב י א ת כ ל כבודי ב מ צ ר י ם ״
"And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt." (45:13)
Q U E S T I O N : H o w c o u l d a tzaddik like Yosef speak i n a man¬
ner of personal pride?
216 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ ו י נ ש ק לכל א ח י ו ו״בך ע ל ה ם ״
"He kissed all his brothers and cried upon them." (45:15)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d "aleihem" — " u p o n t h e m " — ap¬
pears superfluous?
״ולבנימן נ ת ! ש ל ש מ א ו ת כ ס ף ״
"To Binyamin he gave 300 pieces of silver." (45:22)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d he give 300 pieces of silver o n l y to
B i n y a m i n a n d n o t to any of the other brothers?
ו ע ש ר א ת נ ת ״. . . ״ולאביו ש ל ח כ ז א ת ע ש ר ה ת מ ר י ם
"To his father he sent as follows: ten male donkeys...and ten
female donkeys." (45:23)
Q U E S T I O N : The w o r d "kezot" ( " — ) כ ז א תas f o l l o w s " —
seems extra?
״ויגדו ל ו ל א מ ר ע ו ד י ו ס ף ח י וכי ה ו א מ ש ל ב כ ל א ר ץ מ צ ר י ם ״
"And they told him, saying: 'Yosef is yet alive, and that he is ruler
over all the land of Egypt.'" (45:26)
Q U E S T I O N : U n d o u b t e d l y , the b l o w w h i c h d i s r u p t e d
Yaakov's t r a n q u i l life and left h i m lachrymose was the notifica¬
t i o n of the tragedy that befell his most cherished son, Yosef.
Thus, w e can w e l l imagine the exaltation a n d pleasure he n o w
experienced u p o n hearing the w o r d s "od Yosef chai" — "Yosef is
yet alive." W h y d i d they a d d that "he is ruler over a l l the l a n d
of Egypt"? Surely, for a father w h o yearned so deeply for his
lost son, no p o s i t i o n , regardless of its greatness, c o u l d be of any
bearing i n comparison to Yosef's life.
220 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ וכי הוא מ ש ל בכל ארץ מצרים ו״פג לבוn ״ו״גדו לו לאמר עוד ״וסף
וירא א ת... וידברו אליו א ת כל דבר״ ״וסף,כי לא האמין להם
רב עוד ״יוסף בני חי״...ויאמר...ותחי רוח יעקב...העגלות
"They told him, saying, 'Yosef is yet alive and he is the ruler over
all the land of Egypt.' Yaakov's heart became faint because he did
not believe them. Then they told him all the words of Yosef and he
saw the wagons; the spirit of Yaakov revived and he said, 'It is
enough. My son Yosef is yet alive.'" (45:26-28)
Q U E S T I O N : 1) The w o r d "leimor" ( )לאמרmeans to say —
tell — to someone else. W h a t d i d they w a n t Yaakov to say?
2) The w o r d "od" — " y e t " — seems superfluous.
Should not the text just said, — "they t o l d h i m
Yosef is alive"?
3) W h e n Yaakov spoke of Yosef, he called h i m " m y son."
W h y d i d n ' t the brothers say, "Yosef y o u r son" or "Yosef our
brother"?
'Yosef,' " and "hu mosheil bechol Eretz Mitzraim" — "he rules
over the entire l a n d of E g y p t . "
״ ו י א מ ר ו א ל פ ר ע ה ל ג ו ר ב א ר ץ ב א נ ו כ י אין מ ר ע ה ל צ א ן א ש ר ל ע ב ד י ך
כי כ ב ד ה ר ע ב ב א ר ץ כנען״
"And they said to Pharaoh: 'We have come to sojourn in the land;
for there is no grazing for your servants' flocks, for the famine is
severe in the land of Canaan.'" (47:4)
A N S W E R : W h e n A v r a h a m came to E y g y p t , Pharoah t o o k
Sarah n o t just as a concubine, b u t also for a w i f e (12:19).
Therefore, he gave her a ketubah — marriage contract — stating
that i n the event she w o u l d s u r v i v e h i m , all his possessions a n d
e v e r y t h i n g he o w n e d w o u l d be hers for the remainder of her
life. I n a d d i t i o n , he u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y gave her the l a n d of
Goshen to be hers forever. Since the l a n d belonged to o u r
m a t r i a r c h Sarah, i t was of sentimental value to the Jewish
people a n d they all chose to live there a n d acquire i t .
( פכ״ז,)פרקי דרבי אליעזר
VAYECHI 227
VAYECHI ויחי ־
״ויחי • ע ק ב ״
"And Yaakov lived." (47:28)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y does the parshah w h i c h discusses the
death of Yaakov start w i t h the w o r d s — "And
Yaakov lived"?
״ויחי י ע ק ב ב א ר ץ מ צ ר י ם ש ב ע ע ש ר ה ש נ ה ״
"Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years." (47:28)
Q U E S T I O N : W e already k n o w that Yaakov was 130 years
o l d w h e n he a r r i v e d i n Egypt. W e also k n o w that he d i e d there
at the age of 147. W h y is i t necessary to state that he l i v e d i n
E g y p t for 17 years?
ש י ם נ א י ד ך ת ח ת ירכי״. . . ״ ו י ק ר א ל ב נ ו ל י ו ס ף ו י א מ ר ל ו
"And he called to his son Yosef and said to him: 'Please place your
hand under my thigh.'" (47:29)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d Yaakov w a n t Yosef to place his h a n d
under his thigh?
״ו״דגו ל ר ב ב ק ר ב ה א ר ץ ״
"Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." (48:16)
Q U E S T I O N : Yaakov blessed t h e m to m u l t i p l y as the fish of
the ocean (Rashi). W h a t was his m o t i v e i n c o m p a r i n g t h e m to
fish?
ו י מ א ן א ב י ו ו י א מ ר. . . . ״ ו י ת מ ך יד א ב י ו ל ה ס י ר א ת ה מ ע ל ר א ש א פ ר י ם
ידעתי״
"He held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head his
father refused and said I know." (48:17, 19)
Q U E S T I O N : W h e n Yosef b r o u g h t E p h r a i m and Menasheh
to Yaakov to receive his blessings, he positioned t h e m so that
Yaakov's r i g h t h a n d s h o u l d rest o n Menasheh and his left h a n d
234 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
A N S W E R : I n E g y p t , E p h r a i m was occupied p r i m a r i l y w i t h
the s t u d y of Torah. Yosef was notified of Yaakov's illness b y
E p h r a i m , w h o frequently visited the home of Yaakov to s t u d y
(Rashi 48:1).
* * *
״בן פ ר ת י ו ס ף ״
"Yosef is a fruitful son." (49:22)
Q U E S T I O N : W h y d i d Yaakov use the t e r m for Yosef?
״ויברך א ו ת ם א י ש א ש ר כ ב ר כ ת ו ב ר ך א ת ם ״
"And he blessed them; every one according to his blessing he
blessed them." (49:28)
Q U E S T I O N : Superficially, do n o t the w o r d s of Yaakov to
Reuven, S h i m o n a n d L e v i seem like rebukes rather than
blessings?
Thus, the pasuk says that Yosef and the entire entourage
returned f r o m the b u r i a l of his father (Yaakov) [ w h i c h took
place] achar kavro et aviv — after [first] b u r y i n g his father [i.e.
Yaakov's father — Yitzchak].
( ראגאטשאוו, ר׳ יוסף דיל ראזין- )צפנת פענח
* * *
״ א ל ת י ר א ו כ״ ה ת ח ת א ל ק י ם א נ י ״
"Do not be afraid, am I like G-d?!" (50:19)
Q U E S T I O N : Yosef s h o u l d have said, " D o n o t be afraid, I
w i l l d o y o u no h a r m ! " W h y d i d he say that he was not like
G-d?
״ ג ם ב נ י מ כ י ר ב! מ נ ש ה ילדו ע ל ב ר כ י י ו ס ף ״
"Also the children of Mochir, the son of Menasheh, were born upon
Yosef's knees." (50:23)
Q U E S T I O N : Yosef was the sandek at the brit of his great
g r a n d c h i l d r e n (Targum Yonatan Ben Uziel). W h y d i d Yosef n o t
f o l l o w the custom n o t to have the same person to be a sandek at
the brit of t w o brothers (Yoreh Dei'ah 265:11, Rama)?
״ ו י מ ת י ו ס ף ב! מ א ה ו ע ש ר ש נ י ם ״
"Yosef died at the age of 110 years." (50:26)
Q U E S T I O N : Yosef d i e d 10 years earlier than he was
supposed to because he heard the brothers referring to Yaakov
246 V E D I B A R T A B A M — A N D Y O U S H A L L SPEAK OF T H E M
״ ו י מ ת י ו ס ף ב! מ א ה ו ע ש ר ש נ י ם ״
"And Yosef died at the age of 110 years." (50:26)
Q U E S T I O N : A few pesukim earlier i t is w r i t t e n , "vayechi
Yosef mei'ah va'eser shanim" — "Yosef l i v e d 110 years." W h y
does the T o r a h repeat that Yosef d i e d at the age of 110?
Appendix
Ahavat Yisrael 2, 23, 46, 47, Mashiach 32, 54, 72, 84, 93,
5 1 , 68, 90, 114, 132, 163, 111, 132, 149, 206, 237-8,
202, 208, 242 243
A p p e a l 96, 129, 228 Modesty—Tzniut 101
Bar Mitzvah 5, 6, 2 1 , 22, 23, "Nachas" 158, 160, 233
58, 107, 113, 127, 130, 141, prayer—Tefillah 30, 147, 164,
143, 151, 155, 163, 172, 186
178, 219, 232, 233, 234,
Purim 16, 205
238-9
Rosh Hashanah 15, 77-84, 176
Beit Hamikdash 116
Shabbat 8, 33, 125, 154
Bikur Cholim 63, 230
Simchat Torah 2
B i r t h of G i r l 93
Teshuvah 170, 185, 214
Brit 6, 59-60, 156, 179, 226,
244 Torah and mitzvot 1, 14, 22,
46, 6 1 , 94, 130, 141, 143,
Chanukah 190-206
144, 1 5 4 , 1 9 5 , 210, 228
Chinuch 19, 2 1 , 6 1 , 75, 79,
109, 124, 127, 151, 172, Tzedakah 4 1 , 96
178, 208, 232 Unity—Achdut 132, 191, 222,
238
Eretz Yisrael 78, 89, 91
Wedding 10-12, 103-104,
Eulogy 85-87, 92
125, 130, 134, 159, 233
Graduation x, 10, 2 1 , 234
Yizkor 159
Hospitality 62, 64-66, 71
Yom Kippur 216, 236
Kashrut 94, 100
לזכות
כ׳׳ק אדוננו פותוורמו
אור זגולם
נזר מש־ראל ותפארתו
־צדקת ד׳ עשה
1פשפס 1זגם שת־זל
1 1
1רפם הש כ פעון
1
פצזזם פעצדל
כן הרב זזגאון התסיד הפקוכל רפ א עתק נ״ע
1
לעילוי נשסת חסי הרה״ח אי״א נו״נ וכוי ר׳ פנזזס כ״ר pmע״ה סודאק
נפטר כשם טוכ וכשיכה טוכה עשרה כטכת תשנ״ז
לעילוי נשסת דודי הרה״ג חו״כ וסי ר׳ כחך כן הרה״ג ר׳ י?גזזק הכה] ע״ה כה]
סחשוכי תלסידי ישיכת ק א מ ק וסיר סח״ס קול תודה ע ל סוגיות הש׳׳ס
נפטר ש״ק פ׳ יתח ח״י ש כ ט תשכ״א
לעילוי נשסת דודתי הרכנית םרי 0םיניא כ ת הרה״ג •צכי הכה] ע״ה קפלן
נפטרה י״כ תסוז תשכ״ה