Thursday, January 9, 2020

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 49:5, Ya'akov gives his "beracha" to Shimon and Levi and tells them שִׁמְע֥וֹן וְלֵוִ֖י אַחִ֑ים כְּלֵ֥י חָמָ֖ס מְכֵרֹֽתֵיהֶֽם. This is translated as "Shimon and Levi are brothers; stolen instruments are their weapons." Rashi explains the last word as weapons, but also offers an alternative explanation that in the land that they lived in they carried weapons.

R' Frand quoted R' Elya Meir Bloch who was a Rosh Yeshiva in Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland in the 1940s who explains that it did not mean that were armed where they lived. Instead it means that their regular lifestyle was to carry weapons. He further explained that this is not a way to live - there is a time that one needs weapons, but it should not be part of one's regular attire. By example, Ya'akov used trickery when it was needed, but this did not become part of his personality. Ya'akov gave the brothers musar that they should not live their lives in a constant state of being ready for battle.

R' Frand said a second vort on the posuk in Bereishis 49:21 which contains the beracha to Naftali - נַפְתָּלִ֖י אַיָּלָ֣ה שְׁלֻחָ֑ה הַנֹּתֵ֖ן אִמְרֵי־שָֽׁפֶר - translated as "Naftali is a swift gazelle who utters beautiful words."

He quoted the Tolner Rebbi who in turn quoted the Alexander Rebbi who linked this to the parsha of the Nesi'im in Nasso. The nasi for Naftali who was Achira Ben Einan offered the last of the twelve identical sacrifices. Rabbi Frand remarked, it is discouraging for a speaker to speak last but even more so when he is repeating what was said by many speakers before. But Achira did not have this attitude as is seen in his name - Einan - he had an Ayin Yafeh and was genuinely happy for all those who offered their sacrifices before him and was content in being last.

R' Frand linked this to the pasuk in Devarim 33:23 containing Moshe's beracha to Naftali - נַפְתָּלִי֙ שְׂבַ֣ע רָצ֔וֹן וּמָלֵ֖א בִּרְכַּ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה יָ֥ם וְדָר֖וֹם יְרָֽשָׁה - Naftali is satisfied and full with Hashem's blessing... - since Naftali was satisfied, he was filled with Hashem's blessing. This trait was endemic to the tribe and why Achira had no problem being last.

R' Frand closed the vort by returning to the Tolner Rebbi who explained that this is the reason that Naftali utters beautiful words - he said wonderful positive things because he was happy with his lot in life. 

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