Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Va'era

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts 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.

After the plague of עָרֹֽב, Pharaoh calls Moshe & Aharon and tells them that he is ready to allow the Jews to sacrifice to Hashem, albeit only in Egpyt (Shemos 8:21). Moshe then responds to Pharaoh in the next pasuk - וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה לֹ֤א נָכוֹן֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת כֵּ֔ן כִּ֚י תּֽוֹעֲבַ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם נִזְבַּ֖ח לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ הֵ֣ן נִזְבַּ֞ח אֶת־תּֽוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ.

R' Frand asked - how is it that Moshe was concerned about the Jews being stoned by the Egyptians for offering this sacrifice? Wouldn't Hashem have protected the Jews? In fact it almost seems like an affront to Hashem to even make this statement!

R' Frand enhanced his question by quoting R' Paam who cited a pasuk in Ezra, where Ezra HaSofer says that he called a fast because he is embarrassed to ask the king for help in protection from the army. After all, we have Hashem to protect us. So why is Moshe worried about the Egyptians attacking them, when Hashem can protect them.

R' Frand quoted the Chassam Sofer who explained that Moshe was not worried that the people would attack them. Instead, Moshe's concern was that it was לֹ֤א נָכוֹן֙ - its not right to do it in front of people, as its not Menschlich. Moshe's response to Pharaoh was - you have us pegged wrong, as we don't do this in front of people and make them feel bad.

R' Frand quoted a story about R' Paam's father who was the Rav of a city in Lithuania. While he ate gebrokts, he would only do so privately as he had members of the community who were Chassidim and did not eat that. Meanwhile, the prior Rav would show a bowl of Matza balls in the main thoroughfare. But R' Paam's father did not want people to feel bad. The lesson is respect others and don't make them feel bad.

R' Frand said a second vort from the Chassam Sofer as quoted in the Sefer Arzei HaParsha. The vort related to the pasuk in Shemos 6:13 - וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֒ וַיְצַוֵּם֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם.

R' Frand noted that this is the pasuk which precedes the Makkos. Rashi explains that Hashem was telling Moshe & Aharon to be patient with the Jewish people during this time and to show respect to Pharaoh when they dealt with him.

R' Frand asked - why is it that they are receiving the instruction to show respect now? They had already visited with Pharaoh and spoke with him previously! Additionally the pasuk implies that because they were treat Pharaoh with respect, it would allow them to take the Jews out of Egypt. But what is the connection?

The Chassam Sofer explains that embarrassment can atone for one's sins. And this is the easiest form of atonement, rather than suffer physical or financial injury. Hashem was telling them, if you don't show respect and you embarrass him, I won't be able to bring down these punishments on him. Don't let your emotions control you, treat him with respect so that I am able to punish him.

R' Frand connected this with a story about a couple who had problems conceiving and were childless after 20 years of marriage. They went to R' Chaim Kanievsky and after listening, he told them that perhaps that was what was meant to be. They went back and asked for an Eitza and he said - get a beracha from someone who was publicly embarrassed and did not answer back.

At some point later they were at a Bar Mitzva where a woman was publicly humiliated by someone calling her a thief in connection with an apartment. The woman had been taken to a Din Torah and prevailed, yet here she was being called a thief at a Bar Miztva. The couple ran over to her and said - please don't answer back. She complied and they asked her for a Beracha of being able to have children. She gave them the Beracha and after 21 years of marriage they had a child.

R' Frand remarked that he has told that story several times, but he has a proof to it from Chumash. In Parsha Vayeitzei, Rachel asks Leah for the Duda'im that her son had brought her. In response, Leah says to Rachel in Bereishis 30:15 - הַֽמְעַט֙ קַחְתֵּ֣ךְ אֶת־אִישִׁ֔י וְלָקַ֕חַת גַּ֥ם אֶת־דּֽוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י. 

Rachel could have answered back - your husband? He was mine and was supposed to marry me first, but our father switched us. And, in order to prevent you from being humiliated - I gave you the signs that Ya'akov had taught me. So how can you say I took your husband?

But Rachel did not say anything...and eight pesukim later she gave birth to Yosef.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Shemos

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts 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.

In Shemos 2:23, the Torah states וַיָּ֨מָת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָֽנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ. The pasuk seems a bit illogical as the death of Pharaoh would seem to be something that the Jews should have celebrated and not mourned. Rashi explains that Pharaoh did not die, instead he was afflicted with Tzara'as which is equivalent to death. In order to treat his condition, Pharaoh killed the Jewish children and bathed in their blood.

R' Frand quoted R' Eliyahu Mizrachi, who asked - how does Rashi's explanation answer the question of why Pharaoh's death, or Tzara'as condition caused the Jews to cry out from the work? If anything, it gives another reason for their cries - the death of their children!

R' Frand quoted R' Kaminetsky in Emes L'Ya'akov, who cites the Targum Yonasan's explanation that the blood that Pharaoh bathed in was not just from Jewish children - it was specifically the blood of their first born. How was their blood different than any other child? The answer was that it was not - but Pharaoh's rationale for bathing in specifically their blood reveals the answer to all the questions.

R' Kaminetsky explains that Pharaoh knew that the Bechorim would be tasked with performing the Avodah (before they were replaced by the Kohanim). He specifically selected the Bechorim so that there would not be a group to do the Avodah. And if there was no Avodah, there would be no Tefillah and no hope. Pharaoh's diabolical plan to liquidate the Bechorim in order to prevent the Avodah was what the people cried out from and why the pasuk states  וַיֵּאָֽנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה .

R' Frand said a second vort on Moshe's killing of the Egyptian. The Torah states in Shemos 2:12 וַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ. Rashi explains that Moshe saw that there would be no progeny from the man who would convert to Judaism and the Meforshim explain he used the Shem HaMeforash to kill the man.

The Rambam explains that a Nocri who kills would be subject to Misa, but only B'ydei Shamayim and not by a Beis Din, even if they are controlling the land. The Brisker Rav asks - why is the lack of progeny a reason that he could be killed - if he was worthy of the death penalty, what difference does it make?

He answered that if a person is punished B'ydei Shamayim, they first look to see if he has any potential offspring worth saving. And since Moshe killed by using the Shem HaMeforashm it would only work if there was no future offspring.

R' Frand closed the vort by telling a story about a young man who had gotten married at some point in Lakewood [R' Frand was unclear of how many years ago]. At the wedding, his non frum grandfather wanted to speak. They were hesitant but allowed him to do so. The grandfather told a story that there was a city in Europe where there was a boy who was a trouble maker. Once, the boy out a goat in the Aron Kodesh and when they opened it to take out the Torah, the goat jumped out. They investigated and realized it was the trouble maker. The boy's Rebbi then insisted that they expel him from Yeshiva.

In response, the boy asked to take the Rebbi to a Din Torah, which was promptly convened. The boy admitted at the Din Torah that he had been wrong and asked that he not be expelled. He argued that this was the only Yeshiva in the town and if he was expelled he would leave Judaism and marry out. They agreed, and he was not expelled.

The grandfather said - I am that boy and because I was not expelled, my grandson the Chosson, is learning in Lakewood.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayechi

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts 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.

In Bereishis 48:24 Ya'akov says to Yosef - וַֽאֲנִ֞י נָתַ֧תִּי לְךָ֛ שְׁכֶ֥ם אַחַ֖ד עַל־אַחֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָקַ֨חְתִּי֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי. Rashi explains that this was a recognition of Yosef's act of being involved in the burial of Ya'akov. Since Yosef was arranging for the burial in Israel, Ya'akov gave him an extra portion - land in Shechem where Yosef would one day be buried. 

But in discussing the gift, Ya'akov makes a curious statement that he took the land from the Amorites בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי. This raises many questions, since Ya'akov did not capture Shechem - Shimon and Levi did when they avenged Dina. Ya'akov was not involved and did not even know about it until after the fact!

R' Frand quoted the Gemara in Bava Basra 123 which partially answers the question, as it explains that words בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי as meaning with prayer and request to Hashem. Onkelos makes a similar translation of the words as well.

But while the explanation does somewhat answer the question of how Ya'akov could have said that he conquered the land with his sword and bow when he was not involved in the battle. But it also creates another issue - how could Ya'akov have prayed and requested when he did not even know about the war?

R' Frand quoted the Sefer Arzei HaParsha which explains that Ya'akov was not davening specifically for success in the battle, he was constantly davening for his children. He made reference to question asked to R' Chaim Kanievsky about how to succeed in raising children? R' Chaim answered that 50% is davening for the children. A similarly themed question was asked to R' Wolbe as to why there is no Beracha in Shemoneh Esreh for success of one's children. He answered that we only daven Shemoneh Esreh three times a day. That's fine for requests for Parnassah, but not enough for davening for the success of one's children.

Thus when Ya'akov said that he took the land בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי he was referring to his constant state of davening and requesting success for his children.

R' Frand also mentioned a story involving the mother of the Chofetz Chaim. Someone asked her how she was Zoche to have a son like the Chofetz Chaim? She answered that when she got married, her mother gave her a siddur and told her to use it to daven for her children. And so she did from the moment she got married.

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