Ramazei DiOraysa: Hints in the Torah Volume 1 Issue 12

רמזי דאורייתא
Ramazei DiOraysa: Hints in the Torah
Volume 1 Issue 12

It is said (Bereishis 46:28) vies Yehudah shalach lifanav el Yosef lihoros lifanav Goshnah vayavou artzah Goshen, he sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen; and they arrived in the region of Goshen. The Binei Yissachar writes that the word Goshnah equals the word Moshiach. It is noteworthy that the word shalach, which means he sent, can also be read shaal, he asked (the letters aleph and ches are interchangeable). The Gemara (Sukkah 52a) states that when Moshiach ben Dovid will witness the death of Moshiach Ben Yosef, he will become afraid, and when HaShem asks Moshiach ben Dovid what he desires, Moshiach Ben Dovid will respond , “all I ask for is life.” This request has its source in a verse where it is said (Tehillim 21:5) chaim shaal mimcho nasata lo, life he requested of You, You gave it to him. Thus, we can interpret our verse here as follows: and Yehudah, i.e., Moshiach ben Dovid, who descends from Yehudah, shaal (rearranging the letters of shalach and substituting the aleph for the ches) asks for life, because lifanav el Yosef, he witnesses before his eyes the death of Moshiach ben Yosef. The verse alludes to Moshiach as the gematria of the word Goshnah equals the word Moshiach (358).

It is said (Bereishis 47:29) sim na yadcha tachas yireichi, please place your hand under my thigh. Why did Yaakov instruct Yosef to place his hand under his thigh? Perhaps the idea is that when the Avos would want to demonstrate their connection to Eretz Yisroel, they would have someone place their hand under their thigh, as the thigh is a metaphor for Bris Milah, the area where they were circumcised. It is for this reason that Avraham, when seeking a wife for his son Yitzchak, instructed Eliezer (Ibid 24:2) to place his hand under his thigh. Avraham had instructed Eliezer to bring a wife back to Eretz Yisroel for Yitzchak, and Yaakov instructed Yosef to bury him in Eretz Yisroel. Rashi (Ibid 17:2) writes that receiving Eretz Yisroel was predicated by the performance of Bris Milah, circumcision. It was for this reason that the Avos instructed others to place their hand under their thigh. It is noteworthy that the words na yireichi equal in gematria the word eretz , land (291).

It is said (Bereishis 47:31) vayishtachu Yisroel al rosh hamitah, then Yisroel prostrated himself towards the head of the bed. Rashi writes that Yaakov prostrated himself because taalah bidinei sagid leih, a fox in its time, i.e. Yosef, bow down to him. It is noteworthy that the word vayishtachu (730) equals in gematria the words taalah bidinei sagid (729). It is further fascinating that the word rosh, head, equals in gematria the word taalah, a fox, alluding to the idea that when the fox is “the head,” one should bow down to him.

It is said (Bereishis 48:2) vayischazeik Yisroel vayeishev al hamitah, so Yisroel exerted himself and sat up on the bed. Rashi writes that from here we learn that cholkin kavod limalchus, one accords honor to the kingship. It is noteworthy that the words vayischazeik Yisroel (1072) equal in gematria to the words shehayu cholkim kavod limalchus, that they accorded honor to the kingship (1073).

It is said (Bereishis 48:11) vayomer Yisroel el Yosef rioh fanacha lo filalti vihinei herah osi Elokim gam es zarecha, Yisroel said to Yosef, “ I dared not accept the thought that I would see your face, and here G-d has shown me even your offspring.” This verse contains a fascinating allusion to the exiles of the Jewish People. The word filalti can be arranged as follows: the letter fey equals in gematria 80, alluding to the years that Yosef reigned in Egypt. The letters lamed lamed yud equal in gematria 70, alluding to the Babylonian exile which lasted for seventy years. The letter taf equals in gematria 400, alluding to the Egyptian exile which HaShem decreed to last 400 years. The words vihinei herah osi Elokim gam es zarecha, “and here G-d has shown me even your offspring,” allude to the Gemara (Taanis 5b) that states that Yaakov did not die. Te Gemara expounds on a verse that teaches us that just like his descendants are alive, also Yaakov is alive. Thus, our verse here alludes to that, as Yaakov said “and here G-d has shown me even your offspring.” This teaches us that Yaakov will, so to speak, be alive and he will see his descendants alive.

It is said (Bereishis 48:14) vayashes al rosh Ephraim vihu hatzair, and laid it on Ephraim’s head. The Baal HaTurim writes that the words vihu hatzair equal in gematria the words hu hiktin atzmo, he humbled himself, alluding to the idea that Ephraim humbled himself and therefore he merited to have Yehoshua as a descendant, and Yehoshua was filled with wisdom. It is noteworthy that the name Yehoshua (391) equals in gematria to the words hu hiktin atzmo (392).

The Gemara (Sota 13a) relates the incident where Chushim ben Dan, the grandson of Yaakov, heard that Esav was delaying the burial of Yaakov, so Chushim killed Esav. It is noteworthy that the name Chushim ben Dan alludes to this incident, as Chushim means quickly, ben means understand, and Dan means mete out justice. Thus, his name alludes to the idea that he acted quickly and with understanding and meted out to justice to Esav.




Ramazei DiOraysa: Hints in the Torah
Volume 1 Issue 12

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Doreish Tov on Medrash Rabbah Parashas Vayigash 5769 (1)

Doreish Tov on Medrash Rabbah
Parashas Vayigash 5769

93:1

The Medrash

The Medrash states that it is said (Bereishis 44:18) vayigash eilav Yehudah vayomer bi adoni yidbaeir na davar avdecho davar biaznei adoni vial yichar apcha biavdecho ki chomocha kiPharaoh, then Yehudah approached him and said, “If you please, my lord, may your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears and let not your anger flare up at your servant – for you are like Pharaoh.” The Medrash cites the verse (Mishlei 6:1-3) that states bini im aravta lireiecha… nokashta biimrei ficha… asei zos…. My child, if you have been a guarantor for your friend (if you have given your handshake for a stranger) you have been entrapped by the words of your mouth (snared by the words of your mouth) do this, (therefore, my child, and be rescued; for you have come into your fellow’s hand). Rabbi Chanina said, “Flee from three and cleave to three. Flee from receiving deposits and from miunim (do not teach your daughter or another woman to refuse a marriage that was arranged when she was a minor) and from being a guarantor (See Matnas Kehunah for explanation). Cleave to chalitzah (when a man dies and leaves his wife childless, the preferred method for the brother of the deceased is to perform chalitzah, a ceremony that releases his sister-in-law from having to marry him) and to annulment of vows and to bringing peace between man and his fellow. Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Abba that it is not called pikadon (a deposit). Rather it is an acrostic of the words pok don, i.e. take this item out of your house that you should not accept it. Alternatively, the words bini im aravta lireiecha refer to Yehudah, who said (Bereishis 43:9) anochi eervenu, I will personally guarantee him. The words takata lizar kapecha, (if you have given your handshake for a stranger) refer to the words that Yehudah stated miyadi tivaksehnu, of my own hand can you demand him. The words nokashta biimrei ficha (you have been entrapped by the words of your mouth) refer to the words that Yehudah stated im lo haviosiv eilecho, if I do not bring him back to you. The words asei zos eifoh bini vihinatzel, do this, therefore, my child, and be rescued, teach us that you, i.e. Yehudah, should cleave to the dust of his feet and accept his kingship and mastery. It is regarding this that it is said vayigash eilav Yehudah.

Question on the Medrash

The Medrash states that one should not be a guarantor on a loan and the implication is that Yehudah was not correct in guaranteeing to Yaakov that he would return Binyomin to him safe. The end of the Medrash implies that Yehudah should have accepted Yosef as king. Is the Medrash faulting Yehudah for taking responsibility for Binyomin? We do not find that Yehudah was faulted for taking responsibility for Binyomin. What then is the Medrash referring to?



The deeper intention of the Medrash

It would appear from the words of the Medrash that Yehudah had taken a big chance by guaranteeing to Yaakov that he would return Binyomin safe. Although Yehudah assumed this great responsibility for Binyomin, the Medrash teaches us that being guarantor is fraught with risk, especially when dealing with a king. It is insufficient for one to take such a risk without humbling himself in the process. The Sfas Emes (5739) understands the words of the Medrash to mean that one has to accept the Kingship of HaShem and through that acceptance one can rectify everything. Yehudah reflected this ideal because Yehudah means hodaah, admission, and Yehudah was able to confess the truth, and once there is admission of the truth, everything can be rectified. Thus, we can understand that although Yehudah had guaranteed Binyomin’s safety, he was required to be truthful with himself and submit himself to Yosef’s authority. Only then could Yehudah rectify his taking the risk of guaranteeing Binyomin’s safe return.

The lesson of the Medrash

This Medrash teaches us to constantly examine our actions. We are always faced with situations where we declare that we will take full responsibility. We must know, however, that the only guarantee that we have of doing things correctly is by submitting to the will of our King, HaShem, Who controls the entire world and all our actions.

Nedarim 7b: Two forms of death

The Gemara states that the source for the precept that poverty is akin to death is from that which it is said (Shemos 4:19) Hashem said to Moshe in Midyan, “Go, return to Egypt, for all the people who seek your life have died.” The Ran explains that this verse, which was said regarding Dasan and Aviram, could not be referring to tzaraas, lack of children, or blindness. They could not have been blind because Dasan and Aviram said about themselves, (Bamidbar 16:14) “even if you would gouge out the eyes of those men themselves we shall not go up.” They could not have been afflicted with tzaraas because it is said regarding Dasan and Aviram (Devarim 11:6) in the midst of all Israel. It cannot be said that they were lacking children, because this would not warrant that they would not be able to stand before Pharaoh. Thus, Dasan and Aviram must have become impoverished, and for this reason they did not have a voice in the royal court. One must wonder, though, why the Torah felt it necessary to describe their poverty in this manner. Perhaps we can suggest that the Torah sought to teach us that poverty is akin to death, and the Torah chose this instance to demonstrate this concept. Yet, it would seem that there is a deeper meaning to the Gemara. When Yehudah told Yosef that his brother had died, Rashi writes that Yehudah uttered a lie out of fear. The Sefer HaKsav V’haKabala (Bereishis 44:20) writes that this does not mean that Yehudah lied outright. Rather, Yehudah made a declaration that could have more than one meaning. When the Torah mentions death, in addition to the conventional meaning of death, one can also interpret death to mean descending a level. Thus, writes the HaKsav V’haKabala, this is the meaning of the Gemara that states that four are akin to death. Death in this sense means that they have descended a level from where most people are at, and this is akin to death. It is for this reason that the Torah chose to state that Dasan and Aviram had died, because by becoming impoverished, they had fallen from their previous stature.