"The Book of the Righteous"

Hi,

"Shemuel II 1:18 says, 'And [King David] said to teach the Judeans the bow; this is recorded in Sefer haYashar [The Book of the Righteous].' What is Sefer haYashar?

"Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba cited Rabbi Yochanan: This is the book of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who are called righteous [yesharim], as in Bamidbar 23:10, [when Bilam said:] "'May my death be that of the righteous [yesharim].'...

"Rabbi Eliezer said: This is Mishneh Torah [Devarim]. Why is it called Sefer haYashar? Devarim 6:18 says, 'You shall perform that which is righteous [yashar] and good.'...

"Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachmeni said: This is the Book of Shoftim [Judges]. Why is it called Sefer haYashar? Shoftim 17:6 says, 'In those days there was no king in Israel; one would do that which was righteous [yashar] in his eyes.'..."

(Talmud, Avodah Zarah 25a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Mordechai learned from Yaakov, Yosef and Daniel

Hi,

"[When considering whether to warn wicked Achashverosh regarding the plot against his life, Mordechai said:] 

"Yaakov blessed Pharaoh as in Bereishit 47:7, 'And Yaakov blessed Pharaoh'.

"Yosef revealed the future to Pharaoh.

"Daniel revealed the future to Nevuchadnezzar. 

"I will do likewise.  And so Esther 2:22 says, 'And he told Queen Esther.'"

אמר: יעקב בירך את פרעה שנאמר (בראשית מז) ויברך יעקב את פרעה, יוסף גילה לו, דניאל גילה לנבוכדנצר אף אני כן (אסתר ב) ויגד לאסתר המלכה 

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 39:12)

Purim sameach,

Mordechai

Yaakov and the Angel: A hint to the future

Hi,

"The entire event hinted to the generations of his descendants. There would be a generation among Yaakov's seed over whom Esav would triumph to the point of crushing their seed. There was such a generation in the days of the sages of the mishnah, like that of Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava and his peers… and there would be other generations when they would act thus to us, and even worse. We have suffered all of it, and it has passed over us, as is hinted in, 'And Yaakov emerged, complete.'"

המאורע כלו רמז לדורותיו שיהיה דור בזרעו של יעקב יתגבר עשו עליהם עד שיהיה קרוב לקעקע ביצתן, והיה זה דור אחד בימי חכמי המשנה כדור של רבי יהודה בן בבא וחביריו... ויש דורות אחרים שעשו עמנו כזה ויותר רע מזה, והכל סבלנו ועבר עלינו, כמו שרמז ויבא יעקב שלם:

(Ramban to Bereishit 32:26)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yaakov and the Angel: A unique approach

Hi,

"Following an intellectual approach: 'And an ish battled him' – This is Gavriel, and he is the Active Intellect, per the philosophers, and he is the tenth level of the malachim who are called Ish. 

"Yaakov wished to know whether he could have an intellectual soul, on the level of the Active Intellect which is free of all material, while still attached to the material world. The ish informed him that this would not be possible until the morning rose, meaning, until he would leave the darkness of the body, for the pure light, identified as 'morning'."

(Rabbeinu Bechayye to Bereishit 32:30)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Was Esav Sincere?

Hi,

"‘And he kissed him (Bereishit 33:4)’ has dots atop it, for Esav did not kiss Yaakov with all of his heart.

"R’ Shimon bar Yochai said: It is established halachah that Esav hates Yaakov, but his mercies were reversed at that moment, and he kissed Yaakov with all of his heart."

(Midrash, Sifri Behaalotcha 69)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Proceed with caution

Hi,

"And Esav said to him, "I will go forth with you." He wished to escort Yaakov, but Yaakov did not accept him. When our master went to the government, he would study this portion and not take an Aramean with him. Once he did not study it and he took Arameans with him, and he did not reach Akko before he sold his horse."

(Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit 78:15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A benefit of illness

Hi,

"Until Yaakov came along, people did not weaken before they died. Yaakov prayed for this, and it happened to him, as it is written, 'And he said to Yosef, your father is ill.'"

(Talmud, Bava Metzia 87a)

Rashi explains, "So that a person would become weak before dying, and he could leave instructions for his household."

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Whose children are we?

Hi,

"Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachmeni cited Rabbi Yonatan: What is the meaning of, ‘You are our father, for we do not know Avraham and Yisrael does not recognize us, You are HaShem our Father, Your Name was always, ‘Our Redeemer?’

"HaShem will say to Avraham, ‘Your children have sinned to Me.’ He will say, ‘Master of the Universe, they should be destroyed for the sanctity of Your Name!’

"HaShem will say, ‘I will tell Yaakov, who had the pain of raising children and who may daven for mercy upon them.’

"HaShem will say to Yaakov, ‘Your children have sinned to Me.’ He will say, ‘Master of the Universe, they should be destroyed for the sanctity of Your Name!’

"HaShem will say, ‘Logic is not with the elderly, and counsel is not with the children.’ HaShem will say to Yitzchak, ‘Your children have sinned to Me.’

"Yitzchak will say: Master of the Universe! Are they my children and not Yours?..."

(Talmud, Shabbat 89b)

Gmar tov,

Mordechai

In what way is Gd "alone"?

Hi,

Tehillim 86:10 says: "For You are great and You perform wonders; You are Gd alone."

Two midrashim explain "alone" in three different ways:
(1) Unique
(2) Without a partner
(3) The only one who is aware of what You do

""In the beginning, Gd created" – R' Tanchuma began: "For You are great and You perform wonders." R' Tanchum said: If this barrel would have a hole the size of a needle's point, all of its air would escape. Man is formed of tubes and tubes, holes and holes, and his air does not escape. Who does this? "You are Gd alone."

"Alternatively: "For You are great and You perform wonders" – Normally, a flesh and blood king is praised in the land, and the leaders of the land are praised with him for they carry his burden with him. Gd is not thus; He alone created the universe, He alone is praised in the universe, He alone is glorified in His universe. R' Tanchuma said, "For You are great and You perform wonders," Why? For "You are Gd alone," You created the universe alone."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 1:3)

"While Yaakov delayed, where was Esav all that time? R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: He would trap prey and then a malach would release it and chase it away… Gd said, "Yaakov does not know what miracles were performed for him. When he left, Esav entered," as it is written… And so David said, "You are great and You perform wonders; You are Gd alone." You know what miracles and wonders You perform for this person, and he does not know…"

(Midrash Tanchuma Toldot 17)

Worth noting: Rashi to Tehillim 86:10 adopts the second explanation.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Isolation

Hi,

Bereishit 33:12-16 says:
And Esav said: Let us travel and go, and I will go alongside you.
And Jacob replied: My master knows that the children are soft and my sheep and cattle are nursing their young; if they would hasten one day, all of the sheep would die. Let my master pass before his servant; I will travel at my slow pace, according to the task before me and according to the needs of the children, until I will meet my master in Se'ir.
And Esav said: I will delegate to you some of the nation who are with me.
And Jacob replied: Why would this find favour in the eyes of my master?
And Esav returned that day to his path, to Se'ir.

To which R' Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv) commented:

"Esav understood from this that Yaakov's loving company with him was only due to temporary need, and that the idea of companionship with him and his men in general was not pleasing to him, and that Yaakov's eye was really toward dwelling securely, alone."

(Haamek Davar to Bereishit 33:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Jewish Unity

Hi,

"Regarding Esav there were six people and they were listed as many "lives", as it is written, "And Esav took his wives, his sons and his daughters, and all of the lives of his house."

"Yaakov had seventy lives and they were listed as one "life", as it is written, "And they were, the whole life, those who emerged from Yaakov."

"Esav worships many gods, and so his people are described as many lives. Yaakov worships the One Gd, and so he is described as one life."

(Midrash, Vayyikra Rabbah 4:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Taking vows

Hi,

[This passage follows a discussion of the evils of taking vows, arguing that a Jew is not supposed to take vows.]

"Does the Torah not say, 'And Yaakov vowed,' and 'That which I have vowed, I will pay' [in apparent approval]?

"One could answer that in times of trouble this is permitted, as is taught in Bereishit Rabbah, "The Torah says: 'And Yaakov made a vow, to say' – 'To say' means to say to his descendants that they should also vow in times of need."

(Tosafot, Chullin 2b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yaakov, Yosef and sibling jealousy

Hi,

"Reish Lakish said, citing R’ Elazar ben Azaryah: One must not vary his treatment of one child among others, for via the striped cloak that our father Yaakov made for Yosef, ‘They hated him.’"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 84:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shabbat and the ultimate inheritance of the Jew

Hi,

“The gemara states, ‘One who enjoys Shabbat will be given a boundless portion, as it is written, I will feed you the portion of Yaakov… and you will spread…’

“This means the following: We are taught that when Gd said to Yaakov, I will give you the land upon which you lie, He folded up all of Israel and placed it beneath him. This is the root of the concept of ‘the foundation stone,’ which is the root of the world. Yaakov Avinu, the complete man, for whom all was created, merited this foundation site upon which all else depended. There it is written, I will give it to you, and to your descendants, and so all Israel owns a portion of this gift.

“This is fulfilled on the sacred Shabbat, regarding which the sages wrote, ‘I have a great gift in My storehouse, and it is called Shabbat.’

“This is the meaning of the Torah’s statement regarding Shabbat, No man should leave his place. Shabbat gives each Jew a place.”

(R' Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, Sfat Emet to Vayyetze 5652)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Daughter of exile

Hi,

[Isaiah 10:30 says to the Jews, "Give forth your voice, daugther of Galim; listen, Layish!"]

"'Daughter of Galim [גלים]' means 'Daughter of exiles [גולים]' - The daughter of Avraham, regarding whom it is written, 'And there was a famine in the land, and Avram descended to Egypt. The daughter of Yitzchak, regarding whom it is written, 'And Yitzchak went to Avimelech, King of the Philistines, to Gerar.' And the daughter of Yaakov, regarding whom it is written, 'And he went to Padan Aram.'

"'Listen' - Listen to My mitzvot, listen to the words of Torah, listen to the words of prophecy, listen to acts of righteousness and good deeds."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 1)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Keeping the family together

Hi,

Bereishit 46:7 says regarding Yaakov: "His sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters and his sons' daughters and all of his seen, he brought with him to Egypt."

The Netziv commented:
"Yaakov's sons and his sons' sons came with Yaakov [to Egypt] on their own, because they had been instructed by Gd to descend to Egypt, and with them the prophecy of 'Your seed with be strangers' was fulfilled.

"Yaakov's daughters and his sons' daughters and his students were not instructed to do this, and could have married others in Egypt. Yaakov brought them to Egypt, though, to guard them and supervise them for as long as he could."

(Netziv, Haamek Davar to Bereishit 46:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yaakov's final message to his children

Hi,

Regarding Yaakov's last message to his children, in Bereishit 49:

"Those who say that these are blessings are straying, because at the end of the section it says, 'And he blessed them.' But where are the blessings for Reuven, Shimon and Levi?

"Rather, this was Yaakov's prophecy, as it says, 'And this is what their father said to them,' and later he blessed them. But the Torah did not list the actual blessings."

(R' Avraham Ibn Ezra, Bereishit 49:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The sale of Yosef

Hi,

A statement on the cause of our national exile and slavery in Egypt, and a warning to parents:

"Because of the weight of two sela of silk which Yaakov added to Yosef's cloak, the matter developed and our ancestors descended to Egypt."

(Talmud, Megilah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Esav kisses Yaakov

Hi,

"‘And he kissed him’ has dots atop it, for he did not kiss Yaakov with all of his heart.

"R’ Shimon bar Yochai said: It is known halachah that Esav hates Yaakov, but his mercies were reversed at that moment, and he kissed Yaakov with all of his heart."

(Sifri, Behaalotcha 69)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Making a contribution to society

Hi,

"The Torah states, 'And Yaakov camped before the city.'

"Rav said he prepared a currency for them; Shemuel said he prepared marketplaces for them; Rabbi Yochanan said he prepared bathhouses for them."

(Talmud, Shabbat 33b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai