Fwd: A Time to Weep

R

Vayigash MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 2 TEVET, 5776 ב"ה וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוְּארֵי בִנְיָמִן אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ וּבִנְיָמִן בָּכָה עַל צַוָּארָיו (בראשית מה, יד) And he fell on his brother Binyamin's neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck. (Bereishis 45:14) A Time to Weep The Torah relates that when Yosef revealed his identity to Binyamin, they embraced one another and wept. According to Rashi, they cried because they each prophetically foresaw the destruction that would take place on the other's territory in the Land of Israel. Yosef wept for the two Batei Mikdash, the First and SecondHoly Temples, which would stand in Binyamin's territory, but would be destroyed, and Binyamin wept for the Mishkan that would be erected in Yosef's territory, in Shiloh, but would ultimately be destroyed. Strangely, Rashi implies they each cried only in anticipation of what would befall the other, but not for the misfortune that would befall their own territory. This is because inasmuch as tears are a natural expression of pain, the benefit of crying really depends on what—or whom—is the source of your sorrow. By and large, crying is only a coping mechanism. It may alleviate some of your pain or sorrow, but it obviously does not correct the issue causing you grief. (The exception is tears of teshuvah, repentance, expressing one's heartfelt remorse for his misdeeds, which are themselves a part of his rehabilitation.) Now, the knowledge that your fellow is bringing spiritual ruin upon himself should certainly make you upset. Nevertheless, in the end, only he can stop that destruction from happening. So if you have prayed for him and attempted to lead him to the right path but have been unsuccessful, his impending ruin should bring you to tears. For the pain of such devastation is great, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Conversely, when you become aware that you are bringing ruin upon yourself, the correct response is not to alleviate the pain of your unfortunate state through tears, but actually to do something about it! In fact, crying can distract you from addressing the issue, as you may console yourself that your painful awareness of the problem is already significant… Accordingly, Yosef and Binyamin each cried not for the Temple that would be destroyed his own territory—and the spiritual decline that would cause that destruction, but for the misfortunes that would befall the other. For over their own issues, to cry would entirely miss the point. —Likkutei Sichos, vol. 10, pp. 148-149 Sponsor a Lightpoints email A project of Or Hachassidus ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר

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The Urgent Need for Change

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Daily Lightpoints" <peninim@likras.org>
Date: December 13, 2015 at 6:02:01 AM EST
To: "abcvin@gmail.com" <abcvin@gmail.com>
Subject: The Urgent Need for Change
Reply-To: <peninim@likras.org>

Vayigash SUNDAY, December 3 1 Tevet, 5776 ב"ה מַהֲרוּ וַעֲלוּ אֶל אָבִי וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר בִּנְךָ יוֹסֵף שָׂמַנִי אֱלֹקִים לְאָדוֹן לְכָל מִצְרָיִם רְדָה אֵלַי אַל תַּעֲמֹד (בראשית מה, ט) Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, "So said your son Yosef: G-d has made me master over all of Egypt. Come down to me, do not tarry." (Bereishis 45:9) The Urgent Need for Change Twenty-two years had passed from when Yaakov had last seen his son Yosef. These twenty-two years corresponded, according to Rashi (Bereishis 37:34), to the twenty years that Yaakov lived with Lavan and the two years that he lingered on his journey home, during which he had not fulfilled the mitzvah of honoring his own father and mother. Accordingly, we can understand why when Yosef revealed his identity to his brothers he instructed them to return home immediately and quickly bring Yaakov to Egypt. "Come down to me, do not tarry!" he insisted. For now that Yaakov's punishment had run its course, Yosef desired that Yaakov be reunited with him immediately and not suffer for even one extra moment. This detail in the episode of Yaakov and Yosef teaches us an important lesson. At times, we encounter situations that demand a harsh or even punitive response on our part, what our Sages call "distancing with the left hand" (Talmud, Sotah 47a). We must be extremely careful, however, to take this approach only to the extent that it is absolutely necessary. The moment that such strict discipline is no longer required, we must urgently and hurriedly revert to being compassionate and accepting—in the words of the Talmud, "bringing close with the right hand." —Likkutei Sichos, vol. 15, p. 390 Sponsor a Lightpoints email A project of Or Hachassidus ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר

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Living the Dream

Mikeitz / Chanukah SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 24 KISLEV, 5776 ב"ה וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם (בראשית מא, א) At the end of two years, it came to pass that Pharaoh was dreaming (Bereishis 41:1) Living the Dream The exile of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt came about through a series of dreams. Yosef's dreams caused his brothers to hate him and sell him as a slave. After changing hands a few times, Yosef ended up in Egypt, where he was eventually jailed. In jail, he earned fame as an interpreter of dreams, and ultimately, his interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams landed him the powerful position of viceroy of Egypt. His father Yaakov and his family came to live near him in Egypt temporarily, which resulted in some two hundred years of Egyptian subjugation and oppression of Bnei Yisrael. The significant role that dreams played in bringing about the Egyptian exile is explained in Chassidic teaching as an allusion to the spiritual reality of galus, exile; it is akin to a dream (Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 28c).  And in light of the Arizal's teaching that every exile and subjugation of the Jewish people to foreign rule is rooted in the original exile in Egypt (Likutei Torah, Ki Seitzei), it follows that the dreamlike reality that characterized the Egyptian exile essentially also defines our current exile as well (see Tehilim 126:1—"we have been like dreamers.") In a dream, even obvious contradictions seem plausible. The subject of a dream might reflect our conscious reality, but the context in a dream can be entirely unrealistic. Similarly, our lives in galus aboundwith spiritual contradictions. We might experience a selfless love of G-d while praying, yet simultaneously harbor selfish and materialistic lusts, even for that which is prohibited by the Torah. A life filled with such inconsistencies is but a dream. Nevertheless, the contradictions that plague our spiritual lives while in galus must not discourage us.For the dreamlike nature of galus that allows us to add in our devotion to G-d notwithstanding our internal flaws, also brings about another similarity between galus and dreams. Namely, just as we wake from our dreams when it becomes light around us, the same is true of galus. By abundantly adding in the light of Torah and mitzvos in our surroundings despite the spiritual contradictions that plague our galus lives, we will ultimately force ourselves awake from the dream of galus to the bright world of Moshiach. —Likutei Sichos vol. 1, pp. 85-88 Sponsor a Lightpoints email A project of Or Hachassidus ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר

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Weekly Torah Portion/Parsha Hashavua: Vayeshev