Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1999 07:27:41 +0200 (IST) B"H "Path Markers" Vayeichi: By: Yaacov Silverstein e@mail: hm16@popeye.cc.biu.ac.il HomePage: http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16/ Year: 5760 This Weeks Dvar - Torah was prepared in the memory and merit of: My grandfather: Rav Yitzchak Zev Ben Yisroel Mordechai Hakohen Solomon Z"L Pasuk (42:29): "The time approached for Israel to die, so he called his son Yosef, and said to him, "Please - if I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh and do kindness and truth with me - please do not bury me in Egypt." True Kindness - "Chesed shel Emet": ---------------------------------- Since Yakov felt that his death was near, he sent for his son Yosef, and asked him to swear that he would bring him to Eretz Yisroel for burial in the Cave of Machhpela. Rashi on the Pasuk explains the meaning of "kindness and truth" (Chesed V' Emet)to mean that kindness shown to the dead is the true "kindness of truth" (Chesed shel Emet). For the beneficiary will never be able to return the favor. Rashi uses the term that "one doesn't look for the favor in return", what does Rashi mean by this? Hagaon Rav D. Solveitchick explains that we know from the Gemarah in Nedarim (83b) that when someone eulogizes another person others will do the same to him, when one cries over the dead, others will cry over him, one who buries the dead, others will bury him." If so, then we do see that there is a reward for burying the dead? Answers Rav Solveitchick that this is why Rashi says, "one does not look forward to be paid back", for one would rather stay alive and not receive the favor in return. We can see from here that it is important to look into each word that Chazal write, to see the deeper meaning. Kindness to the dead: -------------------- The Dubna Maggid explains that the oath that Yosef made to Yakov was that of "kindness", for his agreement to make an oath, was out of the love for his father. Yet the keeping of the oath, this was "truth", for he now required himself to keep his oath. Yakov had Yosef make an oath, for he was afraid that Pharoh would try to prevent Yosef from taking Yakov back to Eretz Yisroel for burial. The Sefer Mikdash Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Ilan) writes that the kindness that one does with the dead, is truth. Because "truth" is something which is everlasting. And anything which is everlasting is truth. As we say in our Tefilah "Torah is Emet (truth)". Those who help in the burial process of the dead, are doing kindness to the dead, whose soul (Neshama) is now going from the temporary world to the everlasting world. Thus this is "kindness of truth", since it is tied to the world of everlasting truth. Rav David Feinstein says that Rashi gives an explanation of "Chesed V'Emes" as kindness of truth, for Yakov was requesting a form of kindness which is in itself a form of truth. Hashem created the world for us to use, in Hashem's great kindness, He also gave us the Torah as a manual how to make proper use of this world, to arrive to our destination, the World to Come. One of the main principles of the Torah is to do kindness to others. We should not look at kindness as an optional way of fulfilling the Torah. Rather it is a fundamental obligation that the Torah expects us to fulfill. Since we are human beings, we can't know if our acts of kindness are performed sincerely. Maybe we did it to show off, maybe to earn future benefits... This is the question, which Rashi is answering in his explanation on the Pasuk, that when one does an act of kindness without any possibility of reward, we can know that ones motives were pure. For there is no element of insincerity involved. Rav Yakov Neiman (Sefer Darcei Mussar), explains that in heaven, there is an emphasis placed on looking at the point of truth in a person, and not ones actual actions. Hashem looks at how much ones actions were "Lshem Shamayim". One may ask that when Yosef went to bury Yakov, many great people and kings came and showed respect, maybe Yosef reaped benefits from this burial? The Sefer Darcei Mussar explains that Yakov didn't only ask for kindness, he asked for kindness with truth in it. Even though Yosef had great honor at the time when he took his father to be buried, Yakov requested from Yosef to reach the level that he wont think of the honor, rather only "L'Shem Shamayim". This, one can reach when standing beside the dead, when one sees that there is a final day of death, one rids himself of the wanting of honor. The Ramban asks, why did Yakov require Yosef to swear? We know that Yosef obeyed his fathers wishes, like when he put himself in danger to find his brothers many years before? The Ramban offers an explanation that if Pharoh would forbid Yosef, this extra oath would give him the extra strength to defy Pharoh. Without this oath, Yosef might not have had that extra needed strength to defy Pharoh. This oath gave Yosef the extra motivation to use all in his power, to make what was previously impossible, achievable. When one is truly motivated, one can achieve levels which were unattainable before. Rav Henach Leibowitz explains the Ramban, that we should focus on the impact we have on others, whether it is a patient whom we visit in the hospital, or a family member who we help out. The perception of the significance of even a simple act of kindness, can enable us to achieve levels which we thought were beyond our capacity. It is always possible to surpass our even best efforts. For their is no end to the strength one can gather to climb up the ever ascending spiritual ladder. ******* I would like to thank my mother (S.M.F) for helping me out by looking over the first draft. (The above Halacha is not Psak, it is there to try to help to increase ones Torah awareness, for final Psak, please consult your : Local Reliable Orthodox Rabbi.) ------- **********--------- --------***********--------