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.

Rabbi Frand's first vort related to Ya'akov crossing his hands when blessing Ephraim and Menashe so that his right hand would be on Ephraim, although Yosef had aligned the boys in age order so that Ya'akov would have placed his right hand on Menashe's head.

But why did Ya'akov cross his hands? Wouldn't it have been easier to just move the boys from one side to the other?

R' Frand quoted the Chizkuni who answered that this was done out of sensitivity for Menashe who was the bechor. It already was an affront to him that his grandfather was placing his right hand on his younger brother because his grandfather had nevuah that Menashe's descendants would be greater. But to physically move him to a lesser position would be a more public slight and Ya'akov did not want to hurt his feelings any more.

R' Frand told a story about an MD from Minnesota who was an expert on epilepsy who attended a conference in Jerusalem. While speaking at the conference, he noticed a Yerushalmi who was sitting in the audience. The doctor approached him and asked, what is your specialty? The man responded, I am not a doctor. The man explained that he had a daughter with epilepsy and whenever there were conferences he would attend to hear the latest treatments.

At the close of the conference the Yerushalmi approached the doctor and asked if he would like to spend Shabbos at their home. The doctor accepted the invitation and when they were walking to the home, the Yerushami told the doctor that he had five daughters and he was certain that the doctor would not be able to tell which was the epileptic. This daughter was perfectly normal and did not act differently unless she was having an incident. The doctor said - yes I can tell. They even bet on it.

After the Friday Night meal, the doctor correctly identified who was the epileptic (of course out of earshot). The Yerushalmi asked - how did you know? The doctor answered that he saw that when the Yerushalmi gave the Brochos he had more intense concentration when he gave that daughter the Beracha - even his heart rate increased. There was nothing that the girl had done to give away her condition. It was her father's concern which gave it away.

R' Frand said a second vort on the pasuk where Yosef tells his brothers not to feel bad, as Hashem had this as part of his plan. The Torah states in Bereishis 50:20 - וְאַתֶּ֕ם חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָלַ֖י רָעָ֑ה אֱלֹהִים֙ חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ לְטֹבָ֔ה לְמַ֗עַן עֲשׂ֛ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַֽחֲיֹ֥ת עַם־רָֽב. Although much of the pasuk seems simple, why did Yosef use the words לְמַ֗עַן עֲשׂ֛ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה - what happened on a day like today?

R' Frand quoted the Be'er Moshe who tied the pasuk to a pasuk in Parshas Vayeshev which is in the middle of the story of how the wife of Potiphar attempts to seduce Yosef on a daily basis. The Chumash writes in Bereishis (39:11) that one day -וַֽיְהִי֙ כְּהַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א הַבַּ֖יְתָה לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת מְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨ין אִ֜ישׁ מֵֽאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת שָׁ֖ם בַּבָּֽיִת. 

When Yosef invokes the term Kayom Hazeh in Parshas Vayechi, he is in effect telling the brothers that Hashem had a plan and He needed me to be there in Egypt to resist the urges of the wife of Potiphar. Based on my resistance, the Jews will be able to survive their time in Egypt and emerge from a country which was on the lowest level of tumah, intact. As a result I am not only keeping the people alive based on the food I have gathered, but I will be able to keep the Jews spiritually alive so that the Jews could fight the yetzer harah to be mezaneh in Egypt.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayigash

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Dovid Heber as R' Frand had a back issue which prevented him from giving shiur 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' Heber. 

R' Heber began his parsha vort by asking why Yosef did not send word back to his father that he was alive once he was made the second in command? It was understandable why he did not send a message when he was enslaved to Potiphar and later when he was in prison. But why not tell his father that he was alive and well and Pharaoh's number 2?

R' Heber gave an answer by the Shvan HaSofer in the back of the Yerushalmi in Zeraim. He said that when Yosef was sold into slavery after being thrown in the pit, he never had a chance to discuss the issue with his father. As a result he thought that maybe his father was involved in the sale and that his father was upset at him for telling loshon hara about his brothers.

Once he spoke with the brothers and they told him that his father was mourning his loss and that he would not allow Binyamin to go down to Egypt, he knew that his father was not involved.

R' Heber tied this to a famous gemara in Gittin where two siblings were thrown into a jail because their masters wanted their slaves to mate. They cried all night until in the morning they realized that they were siblings. There was such Agmas Nefesh because they did not realize that they were siblings but could not see it because of the galus. So too, Yosef because of his galus in Egypt could not see the truth that his father was not involved. 

R' Heber linked this to the tragic story of the hostages in Gaza who were accidentally killed because the soldiers could not tell that they were Israeli hostages and not terrorists. This due to the pain and cloud of Galus. During Galus there is confusion as Yavan is Choshech - they mistranslated the Torah and distorted it (with the anniversary being earlier this week) so that other religions could miscast the truth.

How do we rectify this? Only through Shalom as the Sinas Chinam comes from misunderstanding and confusion. The offset to this is Ahava, where we love fellow Jews without condition.

R' Heber closed the vort by saying that the only Friday afternoon that we ever lain is when Asarah B'Teves falls on Friday. He then noted the gemara in Eruvin which states that Eliyahu HaNavi will never come on Friday because everyone is busy getting ready for Shabbos. Which means that every time that we fast for the Churban we know that Eliyahu HaNavi can come that day, except for tomorrow. 

On Asarah B' Teves which falls on Friday we know that Eliyahu HaNavi cannot come. But we also do something unique. The Rama (251) states that on Friday we are supposed to minimize our learning in order to prepare  for Shabbos. This is why we never lain on Friday. But the one time that we do lain is that one moment that we are fasting for the Churban but knowing that Eliyahu HaNavi cannot come now. In so doing we are saying to Hashem, every other Friday we don't lain, but today I am ready for Shabbos - because we are coming to Shul in lain. We are showing that there is no tircha because we are ready for Shabbos and sitting in Shul doing something that we never do. In so doing we say to Eliyahu HaNavi - we are ready for you to come now, there is no tircha - so Hashem now that we are ready please send Eliyahu HaNavi. 

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Mikeitz

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.

Rabbi Frand's vort related to Bereishis 42:3 which states וַיֵּֽרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם. Rashi asks - why are they called the brothers of Yosef and not the sons of Ya'akov or Yisrael? He answers that they are called the brothers of Yosef because at this time they had charata - regret for the sale of Yosef.

Rabbi Frand then asked - if they were showing regret for the sale of Yosef now, why did they need to undergo the ordeal of the rest of Mikeitz and Vayigash where they were accused of being spies and had various imprisonments and were threatened with the loss of Binyamin? 

Rabbi Frand answered by quoting the Sfas Emes who observes the same quandary by Yosef. When Yosef did not stray when being seduced by the wife of Potiphar he earned the title HaTzadik. The Rambam in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah writes that someone who does not commit a sin because of fear or for kavod can be compared to Yosef HaTzadik. So why did Yosef undergo multiple years in prison after rising to the challenge?

The Sfas Emes answers that when Hashem sees that a person has made a major step up in his teshuva or yirah, now I can test him. The brothers realized that they were wrong and did real teshuva and that put them on a higher level, so Hashem said - they can handle more. So too by Yosef, once he showed that he could withstand the wife of Potiphar, he demonstrated to Hashem that he could handle more.

Rabbi Frand gave his own example of a person who takes steps in becoming a ba'al teshuva - eventually closing their business on Shabbos and becoming frum in all ways. And there are stories about people who lose their business, or their spouse leaves them because they don't want to be frum. This may not seem fair to us, but Hashem knows that this person can handle more and He knows what is best.

Rabbi Frand said a second vort based on the pasuk in Bereishis 41:50 - וּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלָּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָֽרָעָ֑ב. The Ba'al HaTurim notes that the word וּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף appears one other time in the Torah - in V'Zos HaBracha where the Torah writes in Devarim 33:13 - וּלְיוֹסֵ֣ף אָמַ֔ר מְבֹרֶ֥כֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה אַרְצ֑וֹ מִמֶּ֤גֶד שָׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִטָּ֔ל וּמִתְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֥צֶת תָּֽחַת.

What is the connection?

The Ba'al HaTurim explains that Yosef held back from marital relations during the time of famine as although he lived in the palace, everyone else was suffering. As a result he was rewarded that his tribe would receive the most fertile land in Israel

R' Frand quoted R' Matisyahu Solomon who notes that the word Sneh appears twice in the Chumash. Moshe's first encounter with Hashem is at the Sneh and in Devarim 33:16 Yosef is blessed - וּמִמֶּ֗גֶד אֶ֚רֶץ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ וּרְצ֥וֹן שֹֽׁכְנִ֖י סְנֶ֑ה. When Hashem greets Moshe He is in the Sneh to show that he is with the Jews in the their time of oppression in Egypt. Yosef who showed that he was together with the people in their time of trouble, is blessed with the land of sweetness by the One who dwelled in the Sneh.

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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's first vort related to the pasuk in Bereishis 32:5 wherein Ya'akov instructs his messengers to tell Esav  כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי. Rashi famously has two interpretations of Ya'akov's message. The first is that Ya'akov is telling Esav - even though I received the berachos they did not come to fulfilment. The second interpretation was that Ya'akov was telling Esav, even though I lived with Lavan, I kept the Torah and did not learn from Lavan's evil ways.

R' Frand quoted the Klei Yakar who observes that the two interpretations of Rashi seem to be polar opposites. In order to explain the seeming conflict, the Klei Yakar states that what Ya'akov is telling Esav is that the berachos did not come to fulfilment even though I kept the Torah while as at Lavan, because I obtained the berachos through trickery. As such Esav you should not hate me as I have not received the benefit of the berachos because of the method that I obtained them.

R' Frand said a second vort on this Rashi in the name of R' Levi Gurevitz. He explains that Ya'akov was lamenting to Esav that even though he lived with Lavan he did not learn from him. Ya'akov observed that Lavan pursued his evil deeds with passion and excitement. Ya'akov lamented that he had not learned from Esav how to become as passionate in doing mitzvos.

R' Frand connected this with a story involving R' Gifter. He had traveled to Mexico City to collect for the Telshe Yeshiva and had been attempting to collect from a man, but had difficulty finding him at home. After much effort he was able to meet him at work at a very early hour. He asked the man how he found time for his family and the man responded in Yiddish - you have to "live in the business." R' Gifter returned to the yeshiva and told the bochurim in a shmooze that they need to "live in Torah" like he "lived in the business."

R' Frand said a second vort based on the pesukim which compared the Avos to objects in nature. Avraham was compared to the stars in the sky, Yitzchak was compared to the sands of the sea and Ya'akov was compared to the dust of the earth.

Yet when Ya'akov was praying before he met Esav in Bereishis 32:13 he said - וְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֔רְתָּ הֵיטֵ֥ב אֵיטִ֖יב עִמָּ֑ךְ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב. But this was Yitzchak's metaphor? 

R' Frand explained that sand has a unique quality. One grain of sand can accomplish nothing, but sand when it adheres to itself can stop the surge of the sea. He was thus saying to Hashem, the only way that the Jews can vanquish Esav is when they are together like many grains of sand.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayeitzei

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 has often said that you can find the concept of HaKaras HaTov in every parsha and this parshas is a prime example (and the fact that today was Thanksgiving played into the concept as well). R' Frand said a number of vorts related to Leah being the first to publicly thank Hashem.

R' Frand noted that after Leah said thank you to Hashem, she stopped having children, as it states in Bereishis 29:35 - וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֨עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָֽרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַתַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת. 

But why should her thanking Hashem be a reason that she stops having children?

R' Frand quoted the Tur al HaTorah (written by the Ba'al HaTurim) who explains that the problem was that Leah said thanks but did not make a request for the future. When a person thanks Hashem for what is received, you should keep asking, because without asking for more, you say "I am set." R' Frand gave the example of someone who wins a $300 million powerball lottery and thinks he is set. But the next day he could be diagnosed with cancer, or some other issue that is not addressed with money. No matter how much money a person has, he is never set.

R' Frand quoted the the Rambam in Hilchos Berachos which states the general principle that when he thank Hashem, we should always cry out for the future and thank Hashem for the past. We cannot be complacent and say - its enough, Hashem wants us to ask for more.

R' Frand gave various examples from davening, including that in Hallel we end with Ana Hashem Hoshiah Na, Ana Hashem Hatzlicha Na. Even though we are praising Hashem and thanking Him, we still ask. Because HaKaras HaTov needs to have an element that we still need Hashem.

This is also seen in Shemoneh Esreh - even after after Hoda'ah, we still ask Sim Shalom - because without peace, everything goes down the drain.

R' Frand said a second vort on the Rashi which states that Leah said thank you because she received more than she deserved - so now I have a reason to say thank you. R' Frand quoted in the name of R' Benzion HaKohain Kook that the imahos knew there would be 12 sons - divided by four meant that each would have three. But now that Leah sees that she has four, she realizes that the three is not a given. Maybe someone could have one or two. Now that I see that I have four, I realize that my assumption that I would have three is incorrect. So now I have a reason to say thanks, because there is nothing that is "given."

R' Frand said a third vort based on a Gemara in Berachos which says that from the day of creation until then, no one said thanks before Leah. But that is not accurate. Noach brought sacrifices after the flood and Eliezer bowed to Hashem in thanks for finding Rivka.

R' Frand quoted R' Fisher who observed that Leah did not have an easy life. Everyone had told her that since she was the older she was going to marry Eisav. Although that did not happen, everyone realized that she was switched at her sister's wedding. She cried as a result and felt that she was the Senuah. Her whole life she asked - why am I suffering? After she has her fourth child she has an epiphany and thanks Hashem as she realizes that this was a reward for all of her suffering. This is unique, as everyone else had thanked Hashem for the good things, but she had thanked Hashem for the tzoros. 

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Toldos

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 noted that both this week's parsha and Parshas Noach begin with almost identical words (the only difference being a vuv before the Eileh in Toldos). So why is it that we call Noach by his name and this week's parsha is called Toldos?

R' Frand answered by quoting the sefer L'Romeim who explains that the Avos lived their lives to teach their children and give them guidance in Derech HaEmes. He noted that the pasuk in Lech Lecha in which Hashem states כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו  (Bereishis 18:19) - Rashi explains that Hashem is using language showing Chiba - why do I love Avraham? Because he teaches his chilldren to following Derech Hashem. 

In contrast, Noach made no lasting impact on his generation and had no legacy among his descendants. Therefore his parsha is named after him, because there is no mesorah. However, because Yitzchak did teach his children and had a lasting impression, the parsha is called Toldos.

R' Frand linked this to a vort by the Alter Zedeh (R' Elya Lopian) who notes that the pasuk in Shma (Devarim 11:19) - וְלִמַּדְתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֛ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֨ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ - begins plural and ends singular. Why? Because it demonstrates that if you want to teach your children to follow the Torah, you need to show them that you follow it when sitting at home, travelling on the road, etc.

R' Frand said a second vort which began with a reference to Parshas Vayeitzei, wherein Rachel approaches Ya'akov and asks him to pray for her to have a child, to which he responds,   הֲתַ֤חַת אֱלֹהִים֙ אָנֹ֔כִי? (Bereishis 30:1-2). Rashi there explains that Rachel said - your father prayed for your mother to have children (in this week's parsha) can't you pray for me? To this he responds - its different, there he had no children, but I already have children from my other wives. How can this be viewed as anything but callous? 

To answer the question, R' Frand told two stories. The first involved a man who had been married seven years and had no children. He had been to doctors, rabbanim, mekubalim, but was still childless. He was told to see R' Dovid Abuchatzeira. So he took a bus and got there at 11 AM and was told by the assistant to wait his turn. He sat with a gemara, but by 2 had still not been seen. He asked and was told it was not his turn. He waited until 9 PM and saw many people who had arrived after him being given entry. He was then told that he would have to come back another day. The man had enough and walked out and sat on a bench and cried to Hashem. The assistant approached and said - maybe I can try to get you in now, but the man was not interested. As he was about to leave the assistant came to him again and said R' Dovid wants to see you now. He came in and R' Dovid said - why are you here, you have been answered already?

R' Frand tied this cryptic statement to  a potentially apocryphal story about the Kotsker Rebbi. One day his sister came to him and begged him to daven for her. He told her that he could not do so. She went out the door and wept and said aloud - Hashem, even my brother won't help me, I have only you to rely on. The Kotsker opened the door and embraced his sister and said - that was what I was waiting for. 

This is why R' Dovid said - you have already been answered - and 1 year later they were blessed with a baby boy!

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