Yosef: A Time for Reconciliation (Parshat Vayigash) by Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider

all right good morning everyone BTO and thank you for joining us this morning for and we'll begin as we do on a regular basis with tahim per Al and we with these words of tahim we have our soldiers in mind we have those that are kidnapped in mind those that have been injured and we pray to Hashem for their safety and for their healing and with the Torah learning that we uh we learned this morning we uh hope that this learning is Aus is a merit and please go please God a safeguard for uh for our soldiers and for Amel for for anyone for all of us who are In Harm's Way Hashem should protect all of us and uh we should see uh peaceful days better days ahead so let me begin with the following which is related to khaka we're still just uh days just a few days from the celebration of kanaka that we completed and the rebi of uh of Z Zev so he had the following Min hug his Minh was not to use oil his minog was to use wax candles and theid turned to the rebi and they said we know that using the olive oil is considered to be the mahadin the best way of lighting the candles why is it that you use the uh the candles and he said the following he says he said that when we light with the oil so um it's it's a it's a clean light and it uses all the oil and there's really nothing left afterwards but with the wax candles the wax candles they burn and then there's you know all the drops from the candle and what remains from the candle and he said that when khaka comes to a close I want to be able to still hold on to the spirit and the joy and the hope of Kaneka I want the wax to still be there so uh I think um all of us are kind of in that uh in that boat in that same boat with khaka just behind us that be that we want to take some of the light and some of the joy of khaka with us during these difficult days and the message of Kaneka the inspiration of khaka and for that to last into the coming days into the coming weeks into the coming months and I like to highlight one idea that is a I believe one of the beautiful themes of khaka and one that is found within the pario that we are reading right now the story of yoseph and the brothers and uh I want to highlight one theme in particular and and to share share a few ideas around that and let me begin with uh with the story and really one of the most dramatic scenes in the story of yoseph and the brothers when the brothers make their way to Tri they make their way to Egypt they are now face to face with Joseph with Yosef and as we know they do not recognize Yosef but Yosef recognizes the brothers Rashi says that Yosef has a beard it's many years later and many years later he's dressed in the Egyptian Garb and they they don't recognize they don't recognize their uh their own brother yoseph but yoseph recognizes the brothers and the P says he recognizes them and then the next p says and he recognized the brothers yose recognized his brothers RAB Sal asked the following question what is his repetition y why why does it say a second time and RAB salv offers a very beautiful answer and he says well the first time that he recognized the brothers he yes he recognized their faces the second time he recognized something within their faces that their demeanor changed that they were not the same brothers who sold yoseph that sold him into slavery they had done shua that he saw and he was looking in their faces and he was looking for that change within them and let me just share with you the words of Ro salvic so beautiful the way that he that he describes this just a couple of lines from RBI salvic studying their faces however he referring to yose discovered a change Ley and shimon's faces soften they did not reflect the same ferocity they had a different look the silly gray eyes turned blue dreamy yehuda's face had matured there was firmness and determination in his features the brothers looked depressed as if they lacked inner peace as if some grizzly fear haunted them they came with a contrite heart so very beautifully R salvic describes yose seeing within them again first recognizing them as brothers but then recognizing something else and that is that he was sensitive that he was able to see that there was a change of heart that they were ready to to make amends that they were ready to do chuva and uh what a beautiful moment that was for Yosef to be able to look for that and to see that within them and to look for that opening for look for that opportunity for reconciliation that there should be a a Oneness within the family within the within the brothers again um the the PK talks about Yehuda when Yehuda is making the argument to go down to MIM and uh to bring Benyamin and he says that I will watch over Benyamin and Yakov doesn't want Benyamin to go he's concerned that he's already lost Yosef that Shimon is in prison and he doesn't want another son and his beloved Son Benyamin to go down to MIM and Yehuda famous says that I will be aury that I will ensure that that Benyamin will be safe that I'll bring back bamin to you and that wordu the wordu becomes a very very important word in terms of our hash in terms of as well what's called arus and that famous line Co that we are all connected to one another that we are shy to one another laab rebbi has a beautiful comment on that uh on that word arvus the word arvus which means that we are connected to one another that we're responsible for one another and he says it doesn't just mean that we're responsible for one another he says that the word arus also relates to the word AR which means like the like we say in the morninga which means that it should be sweet and um just reading from the the rebi AR per then we talk about Aros and one of the meanings of Aros is that there is a sweetness that we have for one another and we and that we see the goodness that we see the best in one another and laabi says that there is another interpretation a third interpretation of the word Aros and Aros means that we are interconnected with one another and let me just read to you a line from the re the word AR is also from the from the term which means a mixture that we are connected or interlocked with one another that when it comes to the Jewish people that were really interconnected with one another that we share one great Nisha that we're pieces of one great Nish that we are interconnected in terms of that that idea of arus and that's what Yehuda says and this is the first time in the Torah that we have this idea which becomes such an important part of what it means to be a Jew and what it means for there to be Jewish peoplehood that it's not just a matter of caring for one another simply caring for one another to be assurity for one another but that we feel a certain sweetness for one another the goodness the kindness that we extend to one another that we see the goodness in one another and on the deepest level spiritually that we are interconnected with one another I want to turn to another part of the of the story and these paraa that we're reading and that is the name that yose gives to his son and one son to highlight in particular and that's mas and the says that he calls his son that is born in Egypt manasha and the PK says and Yosef explains why he ch uses that name elim that Hashem has helped me forget all of my all of my struggles all of my troubles and um it's really a question what that means what yoseph is referring to on the oneand that seems to be a difficult idea to say that here he is in Egypt and he has forgotten somehow all of the all the things that happened the past that he's forgotten his his family and his father's home that doesn't sound like a very positive or appropriate appropriate way to uh to name a child but there's a beautiful interpretation that's offered and what yose is saying is that I have intentionally that I've tried to forget all of those difficulties all those difficult days the falling out that I had with my brothers and that I'm open to reconciliation right very often we hold on to those uh those grudges you know the person said this to me he looked at me the wrong way right episode Between Us I'm not going to forget you know what he what that person did to me and yose says no I'm going to forget it Kim Hashem has helped me and I have made an effort to forget all of those travails and all those troubles all the Amali all those difficult days in the past and I'm and I'm open and I'm looking forward to the possibility and the potential of reconciliation with my with my brothers I think all of these are themes that pick up on one of the beautiful things of khaka something that RAB Sal points out and that khaka is a celebration of unity of am Israel it was a time not only of a war with the Greeks and not only the miracle of the oil but it was actually a very difficult time in terms of peoplehood in terms of a sense of aus and with the miracle of kanaka with those battles with the victories at War the Jewish people came back together and something that uh that we see Happening Here in Israel today in in a very very beautiful away with all of the with all the suffering with all the pain and with all the Death that we're waking up to every morning reading about soldiers and those that have been killed but um but a silver lining to be able to see the beautiful Aus that we that we are witnessing um we're just days away from asares and it's interesting that ju position as well in terms of kanaka where we go from khaka into asares and we know that asares really begins the um those fasts and those days in the calendar which we recall and which we memorialize the the destruction of the BET mikdash and this was the the time that that the Jewish people or Jerusalem and particular that there was a Siege around Jerusalem which began the process of ultimately the destruction of the beta mdash on Tish and we know that one of the themes and this is something so beautifully said by Riv cook one of his most famous one of those one of his most famous teachings and that is if the BET mikdash was destroyed because of sin because there was hatred undue hatred for or free hatred for Jew for the Jews for Jew against one another Jew against Jew so the way that we're going to rectify that the way that we're going to rebuild the BET mikdash said R cook is with with great love with free love with a uh with an overflowing love for one another and sensitivity and Oneness that uh that we can bring to am Isel there's a a beautiful M that that relates to the story of Yosef and the brothers and uh it's it's found in an interesting place and interesting example and that is the BET mdash and the kohen God who enters Into The KES kadash and we know that the AL says that on yum Kipper when he would enter the holy of holies that he would only wear his big day laan that he would only wear the white clothing not the not the big day zahav that he would not have any zahab that he would not have any goal and the way that that's interpreted in the midrash and the gamar says as well is that if we bring the gold inside The KES kadash at a time that the K is asking for forgiveness that the gold is going to remind AEM perhaps of the of the egah of the golden calf and we don't want to bring gold before God where God might see that sin might be reminded of that sin a sin of we don't want to bring that into the The KES and therefore the co when he enters the holy of holies he removes the gold the M then adds the following which is really quite a fascinating idea and he says there's something else that the Ken also does not wear and that is theen that we V theen with all of the with all the jewels and all the names of theim and he says well why not wear that why does the coena remove that as well and he offers the following interpretation and he says well we do not want to bring the Coen gal does not want to bring all the names of the tribes Into The KES kashim because it may remind Hashem as well of that great sin of the sin of the brothers and yoseph that falling out that they were ready to to murder their brother and and the fact that they that they sold Yos into slavery and they removed him from the home the M says we don't want to possibly remind Hashem of that as well and therefore the Coen removes theen and removes the before he enters the um the Kesh kashim and he says the following that there are two kinds of sins there's a sin B sins that we uh that we transgress against God and we can trace that back to the aalah to the golden calf and any sin that we've done since that time echoes in some way it's some residue of that of that initial sin the way that the Jewish people sinned against God at that time when they built the golden calf at at Hari and then he says the following that any time in our history that there is sinso they were sinning against one another where there's a lack of sympathy where there's a lack of love that that is shared between the Jewish people we can trace that sin all the way back to the sin of the brothers the way that the brothers did not have the sensitivity that they should have had the love that they should have shown for another family member and for the family in general and sensitivity to their father yakob what they did so he says those are two sins that are that are paradigms in terms of and those are sins that we don't want to bring into the kadash and therefore the Coen removes those garments before he enters the The KES kadash as he is asking for forgiveness so we see we can sense the serious nature of of that sin and that we want to rectify that sin of of yoseph and the brothers and that's those are the pario those are those that's the lesson really one of the uh the most important lesson that the Torah teaches us as we close saer Bret and I want to share one other one other insight and I'll close with this and this is something that we're going to be reading this coming chabas in parash and in parash it talks about Yakov that he's going to make his way down to mitan right finally he hears the the good news and um and it's remarkable that yoseph is alive the Tor says how he comes back to life that he that he has a sense of sim a sense of Joy again that hasn't had for so long when he hears that ysep is alive and he says before I pass away before I leave this world I want to see Yosef and I want to be with Yosef once again and for the family to come back together once again and the Torah tells us that he stops in beeva that he makes a stop in Beva before he is going to descend to MIT before he's going to leave erisel and go to MIM and to see his son and to be together with the family and the commentaries all ask the question why the Torah makes a point of that and what is the lesson of yakob going to beeva a number of answers are given one answer that's given in the midrash that he's going there and very very fascinating answer why is he going there because it's a place where Abraham lived and we know if we go back a few parot what Aram did in that place and it says that he planted an asell in that Place different interpretations one interpretation is that he had trees that he planted trees in beeva so why is Yakov going there the midra says that he's going there to cut down those trees to have wood wood which would be used for the building of the mishan that he goes to Bea this is what the midash mid Raba it's Sadi B and midash andraes Raba it says that Yakov goes first to beeva in order order to take the trees to take the wood from Beva that he would bring with him to mitzraim that they would have in mitzraim and then they would ultimately use that wood for the building of the mishan there's a very interesting comment that's made by r ralin z in his o Lor he was one of the GM of the past generation who Moved ultimately made his way to erel and is buried here in Yim and he said if you look at that midash the midash says not only that the wood would be used but it says in particular that would be the center piece it would be the piece of wood that would hold up the entire mishkan it would be the the centerpiece the center pole of the mishkan and he says and beautifully he he makes the following comment he says that what Yakov was concerned about was the unity of am Israel and that the brothers and he knew what had gone on in his in his own family and in terms of the future of am Isel the importance of unity the importance of Brotherhood and the mishan is made up of many poles of uh of many many pieces of wood but one piece of wood in the center that would kind of hold all of it together and that was the piece of wood that he took that Asel right what he took from beeva and that he brought down to MIM that would be used as the centerpiece for the mishan and what is the mishan the mishan is the place for all of am Israel right for every sector for every community of am Israel to make their way and to be unified in that one place and that one Center pole which represents that pole that brings all of it together that brings all the planks of wood and all the curtains and all the different parts of the of the mishan of the betam mikdash and it holds all of it together and Yakov was bringing a lesson was conveying a lesson to his children and to all of us as well and that is the importance of unity the importance of Brotherhood the importance of aus of the Jewish people and the way that we're going to survive the long Exile is if we're going to be together if we're going to be brothers and sisters if we're going to feel a sense of love and Oneness with one another and the way that we're going to be successful back in the land of Israel and building the land of Israel and building our people is if if we are one people if we are if we are if we are one nation in the land of Israel and I believe that this is one of the one of the most important lessons that we can take from Kaneka one of the most important lessons for for these days these days of war that we are in um and I think it's something that we are we are we're discovering within am Isel the greater respect that we're having for one another those on those that don't necessarily serve in the army that we recognize in these days how critical that is that we we can't possibly survive without our soldiers and we the our courageous soldiers are heroes and on the other side as well to recognize the uh the Beauty and the need for for all the different segments those that are those that are daving those that are learning those that are learning Torah on behalf of am Israel and for our soldiers those that are volunteering the need for every Community for every sector with an AM Isel and this I believe is one of the the beautiful lessons that we can take from kanaka it was a uh it was a time of of Greater unity in am Israel and as we're moving into uh this era of shabus which is one it's it's Unique in the uh in the fast days that we have a fast day that falls on a Friday that we actually fast on shabas that it's going to go into the first hour of chabas so we don't break the fast until we make Kish on on Friday night actually fasting within an hour of chabas and we see how how critical this this fast day is in terms of the message of the fast as we said earlier in order to build to rebuild the bet mikdash so we need greater greater sense of of a greater sense of unity ofus and togetherness within Isel so we should be Z to that we should be Z to a greater sense of aus of loving one another of caring for one another of going out of our way for one another and uh and with that we should be to uh to see and and uh and salvation and a quickly in our day so we can all join in together appropriately with with the uh with the with theu with the prayer for for our brothers for uh for one another and we'll conclude with that amen I wish everyone a good day everyone should be safe everyone should be well and this s we should share only good news with one another