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Parshas Miketz Chanuka [year 2]#63 cwwga, vfubj .en ,arp
z e i lnrlMz mi dl i pXpiM dXp n xFk A d mWz sqFi `x wI e
:ia ziAlM(cwwb twwn) ( Yosef named his eldest son Menashefor Hashem has made me forget all my hardship and all my
father's household" [Bereshis 41:52]. This is a strange name to
call one's son. This is a difficult passage to understand that
Yosef would want to forget his father's household. On the
contrary in order to keep his spirituality and holiness that he
received in his father's home, he should always remember
his past and roots. We find that when Yosef and Yaakov met
later on they discussed and continued in the same Torah
when they had departed.
If so, what is the meaning of the possuk he called his son
Menashe for, among other reasons, the fact that Hashem
helped him "forget his fathers house"?
Hagaon Rav Elya Meir Bloch says a beautiful insight to this
Passuk: The Land of Egypt was not by any stretch of the
imagination similar to the atmosphere which Yosef knew in
the Land of Canaan. A person might be tempted to say to
himself: "That which I have here is nothing. There is no
spirituality here. A life of holiness here is impossible!" A
person can become so distressed and distraught at the
spiritual loss he has suffered by a change in geographic
location that he can give up all hope: "Why go on with the
work I need to succeed ?"
Rav Elya Meir writes that Yosef expressed gratitude that
Hashems allowing one to "forget one's father's house" is a
Divine Kindness that allowed Yosef to maintain his
spirituality in Egypt without succumbing to depression and
defeat at having been taken away from his father's
household. "And so too," "do we feel in our current
situation." This insight was written by the Telshe Rosh
Yeshiva in 1943.
Any person who lived in pre-WWII Europe where Torah and
Chassidus and the great Yeshivas existed, and then found
himself "stuck" in America after the War, would have a
tendency to ask: "This is Torah learning? This is a Yeshiva?
This is how Yom Tov is celebrated?" The normal reactionwould be: "This is nothing!"
Two things can happen when contemplating such a contrast.
One might be tempted to say: "Let's throw in the towel. This
is a joke. This is not a Yeshiva. This is not learning. This is
nothing. Let's give up!" Alternatively, a person can say "That
was Europe, but this is America. If we are ever going to
make something out of this country, we are going to need to
start over. It is not going to be the same. It is going to be
different, but we just need to keep on plugging away."All the
Roshei Yeshivos and Admorim who rebuilt the yeshivos
Rosh Chodesh Teves Monday and Tuesday
and their Dynasty, went with this thought and this gave the
the courage and will power to continue on;
they kept the flame burning. The reason why they were ab
to do this is because they were successful in utilizing th
blessing that Yosef alludes to: "Hashem allowed me
forget my father's house." They were successful in removin
Europe from the forefront of their minds and putting it in th
back of their minds. They were able to say "Yes, that w
Europe but this is America." Like Yosef Hatzadik, th
righteous, they were able to make peace with the prese
time and place where fate placed them and to build from th
reality of "what is" rather than just bemoan the gap of th
present from "what had been".
:g mkl cFr d Wi l ci B d l il mzr xd dnl l x U i x n I e(wu dwwn)The Passuk says, "Yaakov asks the brothers Why have yo
done evil to me?" [Bereshis 43:6]. The Midrash says th
although Yaakov makes many suppositions in his dialog wi
his sons that appear to not be accurate, like when he said sxsq?i s xh": Yosef has been torn"; or?d zlk drx d? g "a wi
beast ate him", at some level they may be interpreted as trustatements. For example "Yosef has been torn" may binterpreted as Yosef was ripped away from his father by h
brothers. Likewise the statement "a wild beast ate him" ma
refer to the wife of Potiphar.
However, this is the only instance in the entire dialobetween Yaakov and his sons regarding Yosef; the stateme
"why did you do evil to me?" where the comment of Yaako
was not true in at least some sense. The Midrash comment
"Hashem says "I am busy making his son the ruler in Egy
and he complains about his grief and trouble. "I am tryin
to make your son viceroy in Egypt. I am trying to save th
world from starvation. How can you call it evil? Th
practical lesson of this Midrash is much easier to teach th
to absorb. Many events appear to us in this life as bein
terrible. With the passage of time, however, it becomes cle
that what we deemed to be terrible, was not terrible at all.
This is one of the most difficult ideas for human beings, whare bound by time and space, to accept. We see thing
happening at the time when they are unfolding and w
cannot imagine that they serve any constructive purpose.
According to the Midrash, this was the essence of th
Almighty's chastising Yaakov: "Don't tell Me that what I a
doing to you is bad. I am trying to do for you the greate
favor. This is the lesson of the Torah: "We Should N
Assume What Happens Is Necessarily 'Bad'. In the en
everythings always turns out to be extremely good.
Wishing a Happy Birthday to our dear friend Rav Moshe Leib
Shochet.Many years of happiness and good health
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Story of the Week*****The Belzer Rav brings a Yid to do Teshuva by the Chanuka candles*****
(By Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
In the year 1927, 22 days in Cheshvon the Great Rebbe Reb
Yisocher Dov from Belze passed away. His son Reb Aron took
over for him. In 1928 Reb Aron traveled to Vienna to visit a
doctor to heal his eyes and stayed there for a short while. In a
neighboring city called Seilish there was a Belzer Chosid Reb
Psachia Seilisher who yearned to visit the Belzer Rebbe in
Vienna. However he was very poor and had no means to rent a
wagon or go on a train, so he relied on hitches or to walk. He
finally arrived in Vienna and rushed to the train station to see if
he can still catch the Rebbe. He ran as fast as he can but to his
disheartening the train has closed its doors. The Rebbe waved
goodbye to the Chassidim. But as soon as the Rebbe noticed
Reb Psachya coming close to the train station, the Rebbe yelled
out to a Chassid who was dressed as a modern businessman, to
take care of Reb Psachya and help him with whatever he needs.
The Chassid acknowledged this and he went over to RebPsachya and told him to come into his wagon. He said he will
take him to his house to eat and rest up. reb Pshachya was
grateful to him and went along to his house. At the meal he
asked Reb Psachya what did he need in particular? Reb Psachya
answered: He has a wooden foot which is very heavy and his
walking takes a big toll on him. He would like to get a lighter
wood and be able to walk easier. The Chassid said that will be
no problem as here in Vienna there are many orthopedic doctors
who can help you and as to the money part, I will take care of
everything. Reb Psachya was elated and after a few weeks he
was fitted with a modern foot which made his walking so mucheasier. Reb Psachya thanked his host for his tremendous
kindness and chesed, and asked how is it that you were so kind
to me and you spent hours of your time as well as money to
help me, a total stranger? The Chassid answered that the Belze
Rebbe told me at the train station to help you in whatever you
need and I listen intensely to the Rebbe! Reb Psachya asked
why is that so? The Chassid answered Ill tell you the
reason:
My great grandfather was a very wealthy Jew but was not
observant. On the contrary, since he was wealthy he had to try
anything to satisfy his desires whether it being food or doingsins. Nothing would stop him from satisfying his desires. My
great grandfather had a neighbor who was a Belzer Chassid
who wanted to travel to the Rebbe to participate by the Candle
Lighting one Chanukah night and enjoy the warmth of the
Heilige Niggunim sung then, as well as the Dvar Torah that the
Rebbe will deliver at the Tish. The Chassid approached my
great grandfather, and told him of the geshmak and enjoyment
that he would gain if he came along with him to the Rebbe.
Well he had never felt a desire before to do this, he decided to
try it out too. He mocked the Rebbe and the Chassidim along
the way and even when he came to Belz and the Rebbe w
lighting the candles, he was making fun of the whole situatio
The lighting of the candled was done and the whole crowd w
quiet when all of a sudden the Rebbe calls my great grandfath
over to him. Here he became a little sincere and he walked ov
slowly to the Rebbe. The Rebbe asked him who he was an
where he was from? The rebbe asked if he would like to be h
guest at the Tish and he said Ok! The Rebbe took him by h
hand and started walking to the Tish and minute by minute m
great grandfather started feeling regret and doing Teshuva
all his bad ways. As he was sitting by the Tish near the Rebb
he walks over to the Rebbe and said I want to do Teshuv
Rebbe! Help me. The Rebbe told him that after the Tish h
would talk to him. After the Tish the Rebbe spoke private
with my great grandfather and gave him a path to Teshuva.
My great grandfather promised the Rebbe that he will send h
children to learn Torah and will be from now on an observa
Yid. They said good bye to each other. My great grandfath
changed his life as well as his childrens and got the be
teachers for his children. They became Torah Scholars.
Now the Chassid concluded to Reb Pesachya: I am
observant Yid in the zechus of the Belzer Rebbes grandfathe
I have tremendous Hakaras Hatov - show of appreciation- to t
Belzer Rebbes and what ever they would ask me to do I will n
refuse. That is why I did all what I did for you after the Rebb
requested me to do so. Reb Psachya learned a great lesson
Hakaras Hatov. This Yid was Makir Tov to the grandson of th
Belzer Rebbe. Here he saw the greatness of the Chanuka ligh
which shone deep into the heart of a Yid an
caused him to do Teshuva.
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a''ryzelqk`''iiavl`xyi'xzawiprhlwdwax
zcledl i''p opgei 'xd icicil oa i''p a''b dyn 'xl aeh lfnoa i''p o`nlbew ield wgvi jlnil` 'xd icici eingle zad
miig 'x lebcd icicile b''ar `''hily a`f `hty x''xd icic
l`pzp xwid epa ly devn xad lbxl i''p `ixel xfrl` A publication ofSeforim World seforim@gm
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Wishing all of Klal Yisrael a
Freilichen Chanuka