Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 07:55:40 +0200 (IST) B"H "Path Markers" Vayeisheiv: 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 Note: ---- First of all thank you for all your comments and questions, sorry if I am unable to answer all your questions, I do read them all. Chanukah 5760: Please have a look at Halachot for Chanuka at: http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16/chanukah.htm And watch the virtual Menorah at: http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16 starting Chanukah B"H. ****************************************************************************************************************** Parsha: "Yosef fled outside": -------------------- We find that there are four places where it is written in this weeks Parsha that, "Yosef fled from Potifar's wife, and ran outside". (At times the Pasuk only mentions that Yosef fled, while at times it also says that he went outside). What is the need to repeat the actions which Yosef took, 4 times? Rav Frand explains that we saw by the "Bris Bein Habsarim" that Hashem made with Avraham Avinu, that Hashem took Avraham outside and told him that he is outside the powers of the natural world. Nature said that Avraham will not have children, yet Hashem told Avraham that he was above nature and thus had children. A Jew has the power to be above nature. Here by Yosef, he went against his nature and was able to overcome his own nature, by Potifar's wife. In this merit, the Yam Suf split in front of the Bnei Yisroel, when they fled Egypt,many years latter. The very fact that Yosef felt that there was no way out, and he still took that challenge and attempted the impossible, by running outside, thus he won the challenge and in his merit, the sea went against its nature in Egypt and split before the Bnei Yisroel, just when they took that "No way out" challenge, and attempted the impossible. One long continuation: --------------------- The Sefer Ha Pardes writes that there is a total of 112 Pesukim in the Parsha of Vayeisheiv. Out of them all, every Pasuk begins with a "Vav" except for eight Pesukim. These Pesukim are hinting to the circumcision, which is done on the eighth day. The Sefer "Shemen Ha Tov" explains that this Parsha seems like one big continuous story, as if one thing led to another, one big "Vav". As if it is all cause and effect. Yet the life of a Yid is above nature, the eight Pesukim show that we are above nature. Seven is nature, eight is above nature, to show that the whole Parsha is not a nice long story, rather the workings behind the scenes were above that of nature, and there was a great plan behind the "story". Nothing is a coincidence. Rav Dessler explains that Chanukah is also eight days. The number six stands for the physical creation, seven stands for spiritual in the midst of the physical (Shabbos - the 7th day), and eight stands for that which is completely outside this world. The victory of the Chashmonaim and the miracle of the oil lasting eight days, teaches us that if we do what we must do, even though its against all odds, succor will come from a higher world - that which is symbolized by the number eight, both for physical and spiritual challenges. We are the "boldest of nations" (Gemarah Beitza 25b). Boldness in the cause of holiness is the secret to success in the service of Hashem. The miraculous oil: ------------------ Rabbi Yisroel Miller writes that we find a similar incident to that of the miracle of the oil burning eight days, in Kings 2 (4:1), where a destitute widow came to Elisha, asking for help, since she had nothing. Elisha asked her what she had in her house, she answered that all she had was a small jug of oil. Hashem gave Elisha the ability to perform a miracle over this single jug, which was able to fill a warehouse full of barrels of oil. The commentators ask, why was there a need for one jar, in order for Elisha to perform a miracle? The answer is, that Elisha could not make something out of nothing, there was first a need for the widow to first provide something to begin with, and once she did the first step, Hashem helped preserve that step through till the end. The same was by the miracle of the oil which burned in the Menorah for eight days. There was enough for one day, and still the Jews went ahead and lit the Menorah, Hashem then preserved that light till they were able to produce new pure olive oil. Rav Y.Miller ends off by stating that Chanukah's falling out during the beginning of the winter months is not a coincidence. This is the time of darkness and cold, every human goes through such times in his life, times of uncertainty, darkness, "no visible light at the end of the tunnel". The lesson of Chanukah is to use the resources which we have, and light that small jar of oil which we may have, and then Hashem will take that light and preserve it with better times. Rely on miracles? ---------------- One may then ask, aren't we commanded not to rely on miracles? The Vilna Gaon explains that there are 2 types of believers. 1) One that wrongly believes, that the world is an independently functioning entity, but he still believes that Hashem in His omnimpotence, may intervene and overrule the laws of nature. This type of person is not supposed to trouble Hashem to produce miracles unnecessarily. 2) One who is aware of Hashem's omnipotence, that he does not perceive nature as a force unto itself at all. He understands that "natural events" and miracles - all occur by the hand of Hashem. Such a person may rely on miracles. As Rabbi Chanina says in Gemarah Ta'anis (25a) - "he who commanded oil to burn, will command vinegar to burn." Both natural and miraculous events don't call on any extra effort, Hashem is directly responsible for both. Let us use these days of Chanukah, when the hand of nature was momentarily lifted, and help attain a level of belief similar to that of Rav Chanina and Elisha. ******* 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.) ------- **********--------- --------***********--------