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.

R' Frand's first vort was based on the Tolner Rebbi and analyzed Moshe's "dialogue" when he observed the Sneh. When Moshe first observes the Sneh, Moshe says in Shemos 3:3 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א. But who was Moshe talking to? And why did he say נָּ֣א which means please? Who was he asking permission from? And in the next pasuk Hashem observes וַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת. But why is it significant that Moshe went to see the Sneh - its not every day that one sees something like that - so of course he went to look.

Before answering these questions, R' Frand quoted the Rabbeinu Ephraim who comments on the pasuk in Shemos 2:14 where Moshe says אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר - now I understand why the Jews are being treated this way. They are informers and they speak Lashon Hara, so I understand why they are being treated this way and that they will never get out of Egypt.

Following this event which took place when Moshe was between 12-19 according to the Ramban, and Moshe does not return to Egypt until he was 80. During this time Moshe ran to many different countries, because he was convinced that the Jews would die in Egypt and that they would never get out. And for the next 60 years he runs, until he winds up in Midyan. But he is constantly thinking - what is the future of the Jews - it wont be these people.

And then Moshe sees the Sneh and he says - Hashem is talking to me as the Sneh must be a metaphor for the Jews. And when Moshe says that he is going to look, he is saying to himself. maybe I was wrong about the Jews. He says this out loud because he needs to convince himself that he was wrong and this is why he says please. Once he does see it, Hashem observes that Moshe changes his mind and admits that he was wrong - and this requires great will. This is what makes him worthy of being a leader, as he admits that he was wrong.'

We also see this quality in Yehudah as he admits that he was wrong about Tamar. This is why Ya'akov gives the Melucha to Yehuda - because a great leader needs to admit that he was wrong.

R' Frand said a second vort based on a Mechilta which discusses how before Moshe marries Tzipporah, Yisro makes him swear that he will give his first born son to be a priest for idol worshio. And Moshe surprisingly agrees and makes a vow as it says in Shemos 2:21 וַיּ֥וֹאֶל משֶׁ֖ה.

R' Frand quoted R' Elya Svei who wonders why Moshe wanted to marry Tzipporah in the first place as she was the daughter of the pope of Midyan and why Moshe swore that he would give up his first born son.

R' Frand answered by quoting the Targum Yonasan Ben Uziel who says that when Moshe fled Egypt and came to Midyan, Re'uel the father of Yisro throws him in a pit for 10 years, lest Pharaoh find out and think that he had been giving Moshe shelter. During that entire 10 years Tzipporah brought Moshe food and drink morning and night. Once Moshe was released he came to Re'uel and saw the Mateh and took it from Re'uel's garden. And then he married Tzipporah. Why? Because he had HaKaras HaTov for all that she did. And he had no concern with Yisro's vow, because he knew that one day Yisro would come to the Jews after Matan Torah and he would forgive the vow.

R' Frand observed that there are three instances of HaKaras HaTov in this story. Moshe marries Tzipporah out of gratitude. And when Moshe shows up, the daughters say  אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ, but this does not refer to Moshe. Its the Egyptian who was beating the Jew who saved us as because of that incident, Moshe fled and came to Midyan. And finally when they tell the story, Yisro says  וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן ל֖וֹ וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם. How can you let him save you and leave him outside - bring him in and let him eat.

R' Frand summarized that because of Tzipporah's acts and Yisro's vision and direction, Moshe married "well below his station" and Yisro got "the best bochur in Lakewood as a son in law."

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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.

The Gemara in Berachos 13b states that R' Yehuda HaNasi would cover his eyes when he said Shema in order to accept Ol Malchus Shamayim. R' Frand said that this is the standard source for why we cover our eyes while saying Shema - so that we won't be distracted.

R' Frand then quoted a Zohar on Parshas Vayigash relating to Bereishis 46:4. Ya'akov had concerns about going down to Egypt as he saw it as a place teeming with Zima. Hashem said to him אָֽנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ. The first part of the pasuk can be simply understood that Hashem told him that Hashem will accompany him down to Egypt and when he is brought back for burial in Canaan. But what is the meaning of Yosef putting his hand on Ya'akov's eyes?

The Zohar states that these words are the secret of Krias Shema. The Shuut Kol Aryeh explains this cryptic statement by quoting a Gemara in Pesachim 50 which asks what is the meaning of the pasuk in Zecharya 14:9 -  וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד? Is there a time that Hashem was not One? 

The Gemara answers in the name of R' Acha Bar Chanina that this world is not like the World to Come. In this world when something good happens we say HaTov V'Hametiv, but when tragedy occurs we say Boruch Dayan HaEmes. But in Olam Haba we will say HaTov V'Hametiv on everything. How is this possible? Because in this world we see good events and bad events, because our perspective on how things occur is limited by time and space.

But in Olam Haba we will have a different perspective and things that seem bad, we will understand why Hashem did certain things. Therefore in Olam Haba it is HaTov V'Hametiv on everything.

In this world we say Shema every morning and night. But the pasuk seems to conflict as we invoke Hashem's names of both mercy and judgment and then we say that it is One. 

The Zohar explains that when a person says Krias Shema he should be thinking that even though I don't understand it, Hashem is both Middas HaDin and Middas HaRachamim. And this is why we cover our eyes, because we say that we believe it, but its too painful right now. 

This is what is meant by Hashem telling Ya'akov that Yosef will place his hand on your eyes. Because Yosef is one person who had many troubles and then became the 2nd in command in Egypt and in so doing saw Hashem's plan and why he had to go through so many troubles. This is the secret of Krias Shema.

R' Frand said he heard this from R' Kalefsky who said it shortly after one of his children was in a car accident which resulted in the death of one of his grandchildren. He was a tremendous Maamin and knew that Hashem is One. But for the rest of us, we need to cover our eyes because we don't understand it.

R' Frand said a second vort on Bereishis 50:16 in which Ya'akov blesses Yosef's sons that וְיִדְגּ֥וּ לָרֹ֖ב בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ. Rashi explains that this was a Beracha that they should multiply like fish.

But a second explanation is that as children of Yosef they would not be influenced by Ayin Hara. Indeed, Ya'akov's beracha to Yosef in Bereishis 49:22 - בֵּ֤ן פֹּרָת֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף בֵּ֥ן פֹּרָ֖ת עֲלֵי־עָ֑יִן - that Yosef will not be influenced by Ayin Hara. (R' Frand referred to the Gemara in Berachos about R' Yochanan sitting outside the Mikva and not being concerned about the influence of Ayin Hara because he is from the offspring of Yosef). The upshot is that because fish are not seen, they cannot be influenced by Ayin Hara.

R' Frand said a second explanation based on the Chizkuni who states that fish are not influenced by Ayin Hara because they are unknown. He notes that Hashem brought all beasts and birds to Adam to be named, but that the fish were not named. This is the way to avoid Ayin Hara - if you are anonymous and do things without drawing attention to yourself, you can avoid Ayin Hara.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayigash

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.

R' Frand began the vort by noting that when Yehuda tried to convince Yosef to pardon Binyamin, Yehuda told him that if Binyamin would not return to Ya'akov it could cause Ya'akov's death. However, at this time Binyamin was already the father of ten children. Why didn't Yehuda try to appeal to Yosef's sense that these children could not live without their father?

R' Frand quoted the Sefer Pardes Yosef who linked this to a story involving the Kotsker Rebbi. A man came to him complaining that he was indigent, but had wealthy children who would not assist him. Meanwhile he had sacrificed to pay for their schooling and made sure that they had what they needed when they lived at home. Is there anything that can be done, he asked? The Kotsker responded that the mercy that a father has for his child is much greater than the mercy the child has for the father - as we see from Yehuda's plea to Yosef which invoked Ya'akov and not Binyamin's children.

He further noted that each Middah that a person has can be traced back to Adam HaRishon. Whether it is anger, or humility or jealousy, each Middah finds its genesis in Adam. However Adam lacked one Middah - he had no feeling of mercy towards his father, because Adam had no father. He had children and his feelings for them were implanted in the human DNA. But he had no concept of a father and as such we do not feel the way about our fathers as we do about our children.

R' Frand closed the vort by quoting the Shela who says that a mother can take care of 10 children, but 10 children cannot take care of one mother.

R' Frand said a second vort related to the children of Binyamin. He made reference to a Rashi in Mikeitz which provides the dialogue between Binyamin and Yosef in Bereishis 43:30. In so doing, Rashi relates that Yosef asked about Binyamin's children and he was told that each child was linked to Binyamin's feelings about his "lost" old brother. One of these children was Huppim - because Yosef did not see Binyamin's Chuppa and Binyamin did not see Yosef's. 

R' Frand quoted the Pnei Menachem who cited the Mishna in Pirkei Avos 1:6 which states עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר. The Rambam explains that the friend who is referred to is someone that a person can share all of his experiences with - be it his triumphs or failures, with no fear that the person will think less of him because of these acts. 

He further explained that we saw this in Parshas Vayeshev 38:20 in that Yehuda sent his "payment" with רֵעֵ֣הוּ הָֽעֲדֻלָּמִ֔י. The Pnei Menachem notes that this is the first time that the word רֵעֵ֣הוּ is used as friend in Chumash and we certainly see how much faith Yehuda had in his friend. This is the meaning of the Mishna in Pirkei Avos which prioritizes "buying" a friend vs "acquiring" a rav. Because a friend can be there for you throughout your life. 

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Mikeitz & Bonus Chanuka Vort

Although R' Frand did not deliver his live shiur this evening, R' Frand did post a pre-recorded Parsha vort on OU Torah which I have summarized here. This week's vort can be found at https://outorah.org/p/212506 and I have attempted to reproduce the vort to the best of my ability in this post.  Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to the maggid shiur.

R' Frand noted that Parshas Mikeitz often falls on Shabbos Chanukah and he said a vort which linked the two topics.

R' Frand began by quoting Rashi on Bereishis 42:1 which states - וַיַּ֣רְא יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ לְבָנָ֔יו לָ֖מָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ. Rashi explains that Ya'akov was saying to his sons - why do you want to appear before the children of Esav and Yishmael like you have food? There was enough food, but he did not want them to appear that you have when others don't. Therefore he sent them on the difficult journey to Egypt to get food.

R' Frand next quoted Devarim 2:3 which states - רַב־לָכֶ֕ם סֹ֖ב אֶת־הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה פְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם צָפֹֽנָה. The Klei Yakar says that the word צָפֹֽנָה could mean north and it could also mean hidden. The Klei Yakar explains that the message was - if you are successful while in Galus - hide it. The reason is that the descendants of Esav are jealous and they never got over the fact that Ya'akov "stole" the Berachos. The Klei Yakar then quotes Rashi cited above and stated that the children of Yishmael also feel that the Jews are not entitled to their wealth. The Klei Yakar states that in his generation, someone with 100 pretends that they have 200 and they flaunt their wealth.

R' Frand mentioned a Gemara in Ta'anis which states that if there is a fast declared in a city because of a need, a person who travels to that city must fast as well. And even if the visitor did not realize that it was a fast, he should not continue eating, because he should not be eating while others are fasting. The Gemara in Ta'anis also quotes Mikeitz and uses this as a proof that one should not appear to have when others do not.

R' Frand then cited a vort from R' Pa'am that although there is a requirement to be Mefarsem the miracle, once the candles go out, close the shades. Because the neighbors don't need to see your chandelier or silver candlesticks. As there already is a deep seated jealousy and enmity, don't add "fuel" to the fire - close the shades after the candles go out.

Bonus Chanukah Vort - As I mentioned above, R' Frand did not give his shiur tonight. Instead, R' Heber was the maggid shiur. I wanted to briefly summarize one of his vorts (with the same rules as usual - these are just my efforts to transcribe the thought and any errors are mine).

Rabbi Heber noted that there are seven liquids which can transmit Tumah as we learn from the Mishna in Machsirim - wine, oil, milk, dew, honey, blood and water. R' Heber said that each of these connect with a holiday - wine - Purim, blood - Yom Kippur (because we reduce our blood and they sprinkled it in the avodah), oil - Chanukah, milk - Shavuous, dew is Pesach, honey is Rosh Hashanah and water is Sukkos. He remarked that these beverages have importance and the Yomim Tovim give importance to our lives.

R' Heber says that the five holidays which start with Pesach and run through Sukkos connect with five liquids, but wine and oil connect with Purim and Chanukah. These two liquids require man's efforts whereas the other beverage are all used in their natural state. R' Heber said that when we come out of Sukkos and we enter a long dark winter that we need to carry until Pesach - we have two holidays which strengthen us and we need the effort to create the oil and wine for the holidays. These holidays were not given to us, we needed to work for them. And we don't have Krias HaTorah which relate to them - as we yearn for what is missing.

R' Heber quoted Halichos Shlomo that we eat Sufganiyot on Chanukah because the Greeks had defiled the temple and we needed to cleanse it, but the stones of the Mizbeach which could not be cleansed had to be cut out and put away. R' Heber said that the reason that we eat Sufganiyot is not only because they are fried in oil, but because we make an Al Hamichya - which invokes the Mizbeach which we don't mention in Benching. When we eat the donut we yearn for the Mizbeach and the real Chanukas HaMizbeach in the future. R' Heber also noted that Hechalecha is in Al Hamicya and not in Benching except when we say Al Hanissim.

R' Heber then added that we eat Mezonos on Purim and this ties into a Gemara in Megillah which states that the angels argued before Hashem that the Jews should not be destroyed. It ties into the Pasuk in Esther 1:14 - וְהַקָּרֹ֣ב אֵלָ֗יו כַּרְשְׁנָ֤א שֵׁתָר֙ אַדְמָ֣תָא תַרְשִׁ֔ישׁ מֶ֥רֶס מַרְסְנָ֖א מְמוּכָ֑ן. The angels cited to each word to say that the Jews do something to serve Hashem which the gentiles do not. More specifically there is a citation to אַדְמָ֣תָא where the angels ask - do the gentiles bring sacrifices on a Mizbach Adama like the Jews do? R' Heber said that this conversation is hinted to by the fact that we make an Al Hamichya which invokes the Mizbeach.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayeshev

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.

R' Frand began his first vort by quoting Rashi who explains that the reason that the Tamar-Yehuda story interrupts the discussion of the Yosef story is to compare the acts of Tamar and the wife of Potiphar. Rashi explains that both women acted L'Shem Shamayim as even the wife of Potiphar saw through the astrologers that she would be the ancestor of children through Yosef, she just did not know if it would be through her or her daughter.

R' Frand told a story involving R' Shalom Schwardon which connected to this thought. R' Schwadron had been in a shul on Parshas Zachor in which a man had pushed his way to lain. Why? Because he said that it was a Hiddur for the person who read Zachor to have a beard and the young Ba'al Koreh did not. R' Schwadron saw this occur and he left the shul. He remarked - how can we be Mekayem Mechiyas Amalek - this man did an act of Amalek?

R' Frand then made a reference to a story in the Gemara Yoma about two Kohanim who were running up the ramp to have a chance to do the Avodah. One took a sacrificial knife and stabbed the other. The father of the victim came to examine his son and when he realized the son was still alive he remarked that it was fortunate the son had not been killed as the knife could be used for the Avodah.

The Gemara then asks -what motivated him? Was his motivation that they could bring the sacrifice an act of Tzidkus or Rishus? Was the import of bringing the sacrifice paramount? Or was murder not significant in those days?

R' Frand said that R' Schwadron told the Gemara to the person who chased the young Ba'al Koreh away. Did you do so because the mitzva of hearing Zachor from a bearded person is so important? Or is it because you had no regard for the feelings of the Ba'al Koreh.

To return to the story of the two women - the reason that Tamar is viewed favorably is because she was concerned about Yehuda's Kavod - even if it meant that she would die and not have the child, it was more important that Yehuda not be embarrassed. Meanwhile the wife of Potiphar when she met an obstacle was ready to publicly embarrass Yosef.

R' Frand said a second vort in the name of R' Akiva Eger related to the interplay of Yosef and the Sar Hamashikm. When Yosef tells him the butler the meaning of his dream, the Torah recounts in Bereishis 40:13 that Yosef tells him that in three days he will be restored to his old position and that he will place Pharaoh's cup in Pharaoh's hand as was his former practice when he was the cup bearer. 

R' Akiva Eiger asked - why does the Torah need to tell us at the end of the pasuk the mechanics of what the butler did and will do? Why not just say that he will get his old job back? What is added by telling him that he will put the cup back in Pharaoh's hand just like originally?

R' Akiva Eiger also asked on the next pasuk wherein Yosef says "Ki Im Zechartani" - which implies that this is happening so that you will remember me. Why not just say - please remember me?

R' Akiva Eiger answered his questions by stating that if Yosef had just told him that he was getting his job back, the butler would have been a nervous wreck. After all, if he was jailed simply because a fly fell in the wine, what would stop it from happening again. And the next time that the fly was in the wine, he could lose his head. 

In order to calm down the butler, Yosef tells him that he did not do anything wrong. He definitely checked the wine each time. Yosef was telling him that this happened because it is the hand of Hashem. You were put in jail because Hashem wanted this to happen, but it wont happen again. Hashem put you there so that you would meet me and be the vehicle for me to get out of jail. So relax, there wont be another fly in the cup and you will go back to doing all the things that you used to do for Pharaoh. And this is why you should remember me and mention me to Pharaoh.

R' Frand connected this to a story about an Askan named Gary Turgo (sp?) who is involved in many Jewish organizations in Detroit. He told a story of hashgacha pratis which related to Blue Cross-Blue Shield. He had attended a meeting of Blue Cross-Blue Shield where he intended to announce that he was going to resign as he had completed all that he needed to do there. And while he was at the meeting he got a text message from someone who had a loved one in the hospital in NY and needed an operation. 

The problem was that Blue Cross-Blue Shield had not approved the operation and time was of the essence. The person wanted to know of Mr. Turgo knew anyone at Blue Cross-Blue Shield who could help. Since Mr. Turgo was siting next to the head of Blue Cross-Blue Shield, he showed her his phone and within five minutes the operation was approved.

And he did not resign his post.

This was a Ki Im Zechartani situation - this is why he was on the board of Blue Cross-Blue Shield.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayishlach

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.

R' Frand began his vort by discussing the battle between Ya'akov and the angel of Esav who fought until Alos HaShachar. R' Frand noted that the Torah uses the language "Vayeavek" instead of "Vayliachem." Rashi explains that the work "Vayeavek" refers to the dust which was generated by the battle which went all the way up to the Kisai HaKavod. This obviously must be a metaphor, but what does it connote?

R' Frand quoted R' Immanuel Bernstein who cites the Sefer Be'er Yosef which explains that there was a fundamental difference between Esav and Ya'akov as Ya'akov had a connection to Hashem and Esav did not. He notes that Ya'akov went back to retrieve Pachim Ketanim - small jugs. Why was this important to him? Because Hashem gave them to him and therefore they were intended for a purpose. And this is what the angel of Esav wanted to disabuse him of - there is no such thing as Hashgacha Pratis and He certainly does not worry about Pachim Ketanim. The angel wanted to start him on the path to believing that Hashem does not care or is not involved.

The Be'er Yosef quoted the Arizal who states that Tzaddikim view their resources dearly because they came from Heaven and if Hashem gave them to the Tzaddik, it was for a purpose. The angel of Esav wanted to convince Ya'akov that Hashem did not care about these items. And this is why the dust was rising to the Kisai HaKavod - because dust is worthless, yet it still has a relationship with the Kisai HaKavod.

The Be'er Yosef also quoted the Gra who notes that there is a reference to the Kisai HaKavod in the Beracha of Asher Yatzar. Even the most physical, mundane activity rises to the Kisai HaKavod as we recognize that Hashem gives us the ability to relieve ourselves. 

R' Frand also said a second vort related to the story of Dina and Shechem and how Shimon and Levi took revenge. Ya'akov was unhappy about this act and he chastised them. They then responded to him - HaKizonah Ya'aseh Es Achoseinu. R' Frand noted that this was an early dispute about whether we shoud care about public opinion and what the New York Times will say about us.

R' Frand quoted the Or HaChaim HaKadosh who explains that what Shimon and Levi were saying is that - if we don't react it will be open season on Jews - this will just be the first in a series. We need to go out and put fear into them.

R' Frand tied this into what is going on in Israel - the actions in Gaza, decimating Hezballah and bombing Syrian military sites. 1700 soldiers have lost their lives in the process and Israel has paid a price. But sometimes its necessary to take such actions to prevent the world from trampling on Jews.

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