Thursday, December 16, 2010

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayechi

The following is a brief summary of a vort said over by R' Frand this evening. I have attempted to reproduce the vort to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

The gemara on Sanhedrin 110 writes that Reish Lakish stated that Korach was very wealthy and that this was his downfall (citing to a pasuk in Koheles). This statement is followed by a saying attributed to R' Chama Bar Chanina that Yosef hid three treasures in Egypt. One of the treasures was revealed to Korach, another to Antoninus and one was hidden for the tzadikim to be revealed at the time of Moshiach.

Rabbi Frand quoted the sefer Pardes Yosef which had an interesting twist on the ma'amar of R Chama. He explains that the treasures were not monetary, but were foundations for life.

The Pardes Yosef explains that the first concept is that one who Hashem desires to be a leader, will in fact be the leader, notwithstanding any actions by others to prevent this from occurring. Yosef was destined to be the second in command in Egypt and had dreams that he would rise to power. The brothers did their best to prevent this from occurring (indeed they even commented - now lets see what will happen to his dreams). However, despite the brothers' actions - Yosef became the second in command in Egypt. This concept was passed to Korach who learned the hard way that people who are destined for positions of power (like Moshe and Aharon) cannot be displaced by another's force of will.

The second foundational concept is that a person should not change the way that he acts merely because he is in a position of power. When Yosef was in Egypt he did not act like the Egyptians and was separate and apart, but was respected and honored. This concept was later seen with Antoninus and Rebbi, as the Gemara in Avodah Zara talks about the close relationship that Antoninus and Rebbi had and how Antoninus honored Rebbi and came to learn with him.

The third foundational concept is that there can be a solution and remedy for sinas chinam/sinas achim. Yosef proved that although his brothers had thrown him into a pit and sold him into slavery, they were capable of repenting and showing that they would not do actions like this again. This concept is unfortunately ganuz and we wonder how will Moshiach come if each sect of Judaism is fighting? The gemara tells us that Yosef proves that the situation can be fixed and that Moshiach will come.

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