ספר בראשית
וירא
[והוא יושב פתח אוהל כחום היום [י"ח,א
רש"י says that Hashem made it very hot so that no one would come and bother אברהם, but when Hashem saw that אברהם was in pain because he had no guests he sent מאלכים to him. ר' משה asks why אברהם was in pain that there were no guests. There was no reason for אברהם to be upset, If there are no guests there is no מצוה, it’s even stronger than the biggest אונס. It’s like someone who is upset on Tuesday that it isn’t שבת- it just isn’t possible.
The answer is that אברהם had a love for doing חסד, he had a strong desire to do חסד. Like we see from the פסוק of “אם כסף תלוה ” that there is a specific מצוה that a person should desire to do חסד just like he desires to eat and drink. Just like you want food and drink even if you don't have it, so to with חסד. This was the level of אבינו אברהם.
[והוא יושב פתח אוהל כחום היום [י"ח,א
רש"י says that Hashem made it very hot so that no one would come and bother אברהם, but when Hashem saw that אברהם was in pain because he had no guests he sent מאלכים to him. ר' משה asks why אברהם was in pain that there were no guests. There was no reason for אברהם to be upset, If there are no guests there is no מצוה, it’s even stronger than the biggest אונס. It’s like someone who is upset on Tuesday that it isn’t שבת- it just isn’t possible.
The answer is that אברהם had a love for doing חסד, he had a strong desire to do חסד. Like we see from the פסוק of “אם כסף תלוה ” that there is a specific מצוה that a person should desire to do חסד just like he desires to eat and drink. Just like you want food and drink even if you don't have it, so to with חסד. This was the level of אבינו אברהם.
[ויטע אוהל [כא,לג
The word נטיעה is used pertaining to tents and trees, but there is a big difference in the definition because a tree bears fruit but a tent doesn’t. So to with the צדקה וחסד of אברהם right from the beginning it was like a נטיעה and not just a like a house which doesn’t bear fruit but a נטילת אילן which does bear fruit because אברהם's children and the people of his house learnt to do צדקה וחסד as well.
The word נטיעה is used pertaining to tents and trees, but there is a big difference in the definition because a tree bears fruit but a tent doesn’t. So to with the צדקה וחסד of אברהם right from the beginning it was like a נטיעה and not just a like a house which doesn’t bear fruit but a נטילת אילן which does bear fruit because אברהם's children and the people of his house learnt to do צדקה וחסד as well.
חיי שרה
Throughout the story of Eliezer looking for a wife for Yitzchak, there is only one character trait which is stressed - good Middos. Why is Eliezer only looking for good Middos and not Yiras Shamayim - fear of Hashem, or other essential spiritual characteristics? R' Nosson Zvi Finkel zt”l(the Mir Rosh Yeshiva) explained, as long as a person has proper Middos, they have the ability to change and fashion themselves in all other great traits. But, if one is lacking good Middos, all other traits are almost worthless.
How could Avraham entrust Eliezer with such an awesome responsibility of finding a proper wife for Yitzchak, with whom he would continue the foundation of Judaism? The Netziv in Ha’amek Davar offers an approach based on the Gemara (Bava Basra 16b) which mentions that Avraham had the ability to heal people. Since Avraham was busy caring for the needs of many people, he had to entrust the responsibility of finding a wife to Eliezer. R’ Moshe Sherer (Rabbi Sherer, Artscroll, p. 577 fn) took this point one step further: Because of his devotion to the needs of the public, Avraham could rely on these merits as a guarantee that Yitzchak would find a fitting wife.
Eliezer tests Rivka; if she would offer water for his camels, that would be a sign of her good Middos. (24:19) Rivka responds by giving Eliezer water. Only after he finishes does she offer to bring water for his camels. What was the reason for her hesitation? Ohr HaChayim offers an understanding in Rivka's sensitivity for others. If she would have told Eliezer right away that she was going to bring water for him and the camels, that would put a pressure on him. Eliezer would feel that he had to drink quickly and wouldn't feel comfortable drinking his fill. By hesitating, she gave Eliezer ample time to drink his fill, only then did she offer to bring water for the camels.
תולדות
The Parsha begins with telling us that Yitzchak and Rivka are unable to have children, they pray for the ability to conceive, Hashem accepts their prayer and Rivka becomes pregnant (25:21). Rashi notes, based on the Gemara (Yevamos 64a), Yitzchak’s prayer was the enabling one, for a Tzadik, the child of a wicked person, is incomparable to a Tzadik the child of a Tzadik. Why is this so? Doesn’t a Tzadik from a wicked family have to work so hard to reach the level they have attained? R’ Eliyahu Dessler (Michtav Me’Eliyahu vol. 2 p. 205) answered, granted such a person has grown to great heights. But, a child of a Tzadik can easily outwardly act properly merely based on rote and environment, therefore Yitzchak had a more daunting task and reached a higher level. They have a much greater struggle to define themselves as being truly righteous without just trailing on the laurels of their parents. We should set our goals and ideals based on our personal goals even if they match the ideals of our parents.
Why does the Torah describe to us the details of Yitzchak's efforts for the wells (26:18-33)? R' Aharon Bakst explained that there is a very important lesson to be learned from this. Just because one exerts effort and fails doesn't mean that he is doing the wrong thing. Yitzchak could have easily assumed that because the wells were stuffed up, it was a sign from Hashem not to continue. Yitzchak instead teaches us not to give up so easily. If we are doing the right thing, even if at first we fail, that isn't a sign to stop.
When Rivka prepares Yaakov to go to Yitzchak, she gives him Eisav's special clothing (27:15). She had access to them, because Eisav kept them with her. Rashi explains, Eisav wouldn't keep them with his wives because he couldn't trust them. Rav Elchanan Wasserman observed, even a wicked person realizes that he can only trust a righteous person. Another evil person wouldn't care to compromise his deal for personal gain. R' Yerucham Levovitz took this one step further to say, even a wicked person has a deeply ingrained sense of what is really right, and therefore they know whom to trust.
ויצא
In the beginning of the parsha, Yaakov Avinu leaves Ber Sheva to travel towards Charan. Rashi makes a point to explain that the pasuk stresses Yaakov's place of departure, as opposed to his place of destination, because when a tzaddik leaves a city it leaves an impression on all the remaining inhabitants. "Pana hodah, pana zivah, pana hadara."
When a tzaddik leaves a place, the majesty associated with the place leaves with the tzaddik. Ber Sheva was not the same place after Yaakov left. One may wonder however, where was Yitzchak Avinu at this time? Lechorah, he was still in Ber Sheva. How can we say the hodah, ziva and hadara left Ber Sheva when Yitzchak Avinu was still living there? It comes out from here a fascinating lesson on the importance of each individual tzaddik. Of course Yitzchak's presence in Ber Sheva gave the place a level of majesty and kavod so that Ber Sheva was still considered a holy and special place. But it's incomparable to a city where there are two tzaddikim. Two tzaddikim aren't just twice as good as one tzaddik, when two tzaddikim are in a place it's incomparable to what the place is like if one is missing.
While on his way to Lavan, Yaakov stops to sleep. Here he dreams of what is referred to as his ladder. When he awakes, he refers to the area in which he slept as ‘the gates of Heaven’ (28:17). Why does he not call it ‘the doorway to Heaven’? Netziv differentiates between a gateway and a doorway. A doorway is an entry way available only to a few exclusive people whom are given access to the home behind it. A gateway is an entrance way available to all who want to enter. The gates of Heaven are open to all who want to enter.
Yaakov gathered stones before he went to sleep (28:11). Rashi quotes a Medrash that after an argument ensued as to which stone would merit having the Tzadik rest his head on it, the stones joined to make one unit. The question remains, still only one part will have direct contact with his head? The Imrei Emes answered, once something is part of a cohesive unit, there leaves no room for jealousy. This is an important lesson for us to keep in mind, how often do we suffer from jealousy when we are part of a family, staff or organization? If we keep in mind that we have a mutual goal, we can overcome these feelings.
וישלח
Yaakov Avinu is left alone in the dark of night when the Malach of Eisav appears and wrestles with Yaakov until dawn. Suddenly, upon sunrise, when Yaakov has finally conquered the Sar of Eisav, the Malach begs to be released from Yaakov's hold because now is his time to sing shira to Hashem. Chazal tell us that Malachim sing shira to Hashem only once in eternity. Now, the morning after his fight with Yaakov, is Eisav's Malach's time. Why now, from the entire spectrum of time, is it Eisav's Malach's time to sing shira? The fight between Yaakov and the malach is symbolic of the eternal struggle between good and evil. It's important to understand that the existence of evil in this world is the ratzon Hashem. Evil is here to provide a medium for us to have Bechira and choose good from evil and fulfill our ultimate avodah. Eisav, representing evil, is doing Hashem's will in placing hurdles along the road for us to conquer. When Klal Yisroel rejects evil and chooses good, jumps the hurdles placed by Eisav, then Eisav has accomplished his avodah. On the night of Yaakov's fight, when Yaakov beat the malach and good symbolically triumphed over evil, then evil also fulfilled its ultimate avodah. Now is the time for Eisav's Malach to sing shira.
וישב
Yosef Hatzaddik is sold into servitude in Mitzrayim and is sent to work in the house of Potiphar. The chumash explains that the wife of Potiphar was interested in doing an aveirah with Yosef Hatzadik, yet Yosef adamantly refused. However, Eshes Potiphar did not relent, and after days of threats and enticements Yosef was on the verge of capitulation. Rashi brings a gemara in Sota that just as Yosef was about to be nichshal, he saw an image of his father, Yaakov Avinu, which gave him the courage to overcome his nisayon. Pashtus, seeing his father with him in galus, reminded him of his background and mission and gave him the chizuk to withstand the temptation. However, Chazal say that the facial features of Yosef resembled that of Yaakov's (See, Rashi 37:3). Perhaps we can explain, that Yosef, in seeing his father's face, his father who had also withstood the nisyonos of galus by lavan, saw his own potential. Yosef saw himself, what he could accomplish, what he must become and what he must overcome. Yosef saw an older version of himself having been omed binisayon.
מקץ
When Pharaoh was searching for the meaning of his dreams, none of the Egyptian scholars and symbolists were able to interpret them in a convincing manner (41:8). Bothered by the fact that all these intellectual, spiritual and mystical men couldn’t interpret dream, Targum Yonasan ben Uziel teaches us that they were baffled for a reason. Hashem had them all baffled to pave the way for Yosef. Because the time for Yosef’s release had come, Hashem orchestrated that all of these people who would regularly interpret dreams would be confused to enable Yosef’s release. When the time for something comes, Hashem ensures that it will happen!
When Yosef’s brothers come down to Egypt, (42:8) the Torah stresses that they didn’t recognize him. Yosef looked different than anyone else in Egypt. How could the brothers not recognize him? The Ohr HaChayim explains, when a person thinks something is impossible, even if it is staring him in the face, he will miss it.
ויגש
When Yehuda stood up to Yosef, he blamed him for requesting that the brothers bring Binyamin (44:19f). Rashbam explains that Yehuda was telling Yosef to take a step back and realize that whatever grief he got from Binyamin was his own fault. Had Yosef not required them to bring Binyamin the trouble could have been averted. In our lives as well we often play the blame game. If we take a step back and view the course of events we will see that sometimes we could have avoided a mishap or even that we were the real cause of the problem.
Yosef reveals himself to his brother, as 'I am Yosef’ (45:3). The Medrash explains this as a level of rebuke. Rav Pam Zt”l defined this rebuke. At this point, the brothers realize that they completely misunderstood and misjudged who Yosef was. Rav Pam taught a lesson from here: we can never judge and evaluate another person, as we have no way of knowing their whole story and who they really are.
ויחי
The Parsha begins by telling us that Yaakov lived in the land of Mitzrayim (47:28). The Meshech Chochmah was bothered by the fact that the Torah does not mention where Yaakov lived in specific but simply states that he lived in Mitzrayim. He explains that we are being taught a lesson. Despite the fact that Yaakov lived in the city of Goshen, he was able to affect the entire country of Mitzrayim. Even when living in cloistered communities we have the ability to positively influence and enhance the people and the world around us.
Yaakov blesses Menashe and Ephraim, fathers will bless their sons to be like them, (Menashe and Ephraim). Why does he give this blessing, to be like them, right before this he tells Yosef that his sons are like Reuven and Shimon, implying that Reuven and Shimon are greater?
The Sfas Emes explains, the greatness of Ephraim and Menashe was their ability, even in Egypt, to attain the greatness of their predecessors. The blessing fathers are giving their children is to strive and attain the level of those who preceded them, despite the common generational decline.
There is a story told about R' Yaakov Kamenetsky. He was once flying with one of his children. His neighbor was a non-Jewish person traveling with his children. The neighbor was amazed at the respect R' Yaakov's children had for their father, compared to his children's respect (or lack thereof) for him. He asked R' Yaakov for an explanation. R' Yaakov explained, by Jews we understand the source of mankind to be from Adam, therefore children will respect their parents based on the fact that they are closer to the source. While someone who doesn't believe as such, but believes that our source is from apes, the further away one is the more important he is. This carries through with the same idea of striving to out-strive or at least to reach our predecessors.
The Sfas Emes explains, the greatness of Ephraim and Menashe was their ability, even in Egypt, to attain the greatness of their predecessors. The blessing fathers are giving their children is to strive and attain the level of those who preceded them, despite the common generational decline.
There is a story told about R' Yaakov Kamenetsky. He was once flying with one of his children. His neighbor was a non-Jewish person traveling with his children. The neighbor was amazed at the respect R' Yaakov's children had for their father, compared to his children's respect (or lack thereof) for him. He asked R' Yaakov for an explanation. R' Yaakov explained, by Jews we understand the source of mankind to be from Adam, therefore children will respect their parents based on the fact that they are closer to the source. While someone who doesn't believe as such, but believes that our source is from apes, the further away one is the more important he is. This carries through with the same idea of striving to out-strive or at least to reach our predecessors.