The Weekly Dvar Torah
Volume 2 Issue #11
The Secret Strength of Continuity
Vayigash
Adapted from the wisdom of Rav Meir Simcha HaCohen of Dvinsk from the Meshech Chochmoh and Rav Tzadok HaCohen from Pri Tzadik and other works.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This publication, Zichron Yehoshua, is in memory of Yehoshua Yakov ben Moshe-Jeffrey Nussbaum through a generous grant from Dr. Eric Nussbaum and family.
This issue is dedicated Avigail bas Yocheved, may she be blessed.
“And G-d spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said: 'Jacob, Jacob.' And he said: 'Here am I.' And He said: 'I am G-d, the G-d of your father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation.†(Breishit 46: 2-3)
In the Meshech Chochmah, Rav Meir Simcha HaCohen of Dvinsk points out that Hashem’s appearance to Yakov in the nighttime is noteworthy. In contrast to Yakov’s father and grandfather, neither Avraham or Yitzchak experienced visions of Hashem at night. The Meshech Chochmah explains that in the writings of our sages ob’m, the nighttime is a metaphor for periods of exile from the land of Israel. In the aforementioned verses we find Yakov just prior to leaving the land of Israel to spend the rest of his life in Egypt. He was filled with trepidation and anxiety about the impending exile under which his descendants would suffer for 210 years until their final redemption in the times of Moshe.
Hashem’s prophecy to Yakov was great comfort to him; “I will go down with you into Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon your eyes.â€(46:4) At the threshold of exile, Yakov feared the worst – that Hashem would not be there with his descendants at a time when they would most desperately need Him. Hashem’s message to Yakov dispelled his fears and transformed his apprehension to hope. Not only would Hashem stand faithfully at the side of Yakov’s children; He would turn the Egyptian exile into the crucible of the greatest nation that the world has ever known “for I will there make of you a great nation.â€
Hashem’s promise to Yakov not only applied to the Egyptian exile, but to all future exiles as well. Our sages pointed this out in the Talmud “[when our ancestors] were exiled to Babylon the Shechinah was exiled together with them,†and so it would be with all subsequent exiles up to present times. Hashem is with His children even when they struggle in the depths of darkness.
Yakov personifies the struggles of the Jewish people in exile. Our sages teach us that the three times of daily prayer, shacharit (morning), mincha (afternoon), ma’ariv (evening) were instituted by the Patriarchs. Avraham initiated the shacharit prayers, Yitzchak the mincha prayers, while Yakov established the ma’ariv prayers. Prayer in the morning and afternoon symbolize our reaching out to Hashem when the world is illuminated with the Divine presence; when His guiding hand rests securely upon our national shoulders, pointing us in the direction to fulfill our national destiny. On the other hand, prayer at night stands for our faith in Hashem even at times when He conceals His presence behind layers of camouflage. Yakov was able to penetrate the strata of disguise and stand upright in faithful communion with Hashem in the depth of darkness. Yakov possessed night-vision – able to see things in the darkness at times when no one else could: “G-d spoke un to Israel in the visions of the night...â€
Yakov worked hard to elevate himself to this level of faith in Hashem, but he had help from his ancestors in doing so. Avraham and Yitzchak were the foundation of faith upon which Yakov constructed his own tower of emunah (faith). Yakov reached the heights of emunah by connecting himself with the accomplishments of his illustrious forefathers. Avraham and Yitzchak established the lofty ground upon which Yakov was able to ascend even higher. His greatness was built on continuity; on connecting to and extending the path of his ancestors.
Similarly, we find an interesting parallel in the halachah. As a rule, the sacrificial offerings in the Beit Hamikdash are allowed only in the daytime. Sacrifices offered at night are considered halachically invalid. An exception to this rule is the burning of the fats and limbs of the sacrificial offering that can be placed upon the altar even at night. The reason that for this dispensation is that since the sacrifice was slaughtered and its blood offered on the holy altar within the time-period allowed by the halachah, i.e. the daytime, the burning of its fats and limbs is considered a continuation of the daytime service that preceded it rather than a newly initiated act of sacrifice at night. The concept of continuation connects the nighttime service with the daytime service and renders it halachically valid, as if it was offered in the daytime. The light of daytime can be extended into the darkness of night; transforming it into day by virtue of continuation.
Another example of this concept is found in the Book of Yechezkel (1:1):
“1 Now, it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river K’var that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of G-d.â€
Our sages revealed that although prophecy is possible only in the land of Israel, the case of Yechezkel was an exception. But since the river K’var is in Babylon; how was it possible for the Yechezkel to experience prophecy on foreign land? The Talmud answers this by expounding upon the name of this particular river, K’var. The name of the river has the exact same spelling and pronunciation as the Hebrew word that means “already.†Here lies the answer. Since Yechezkel “already†experienced prophecy in the land of Israel prior to their exile, he was able to continue his prophetic connection with Hashem even while in the darkness of exile.
Similarly, our sages teach us that the Shechina does not dwell in any land other than the Holy Land of Israel. This would seem to contradict their teaching that the Shechina accompanies the Jewish people into every exile. The Meshech Chochmah resolves this apparent contradiction by applying the concept of continuity. It is only by the grace and guiding hand of Hashem’s presence – the Shechina that we are able to survive and thrive as a distinct and independent nation while dwelling in cultures of spiritual darkness and physical oppression. Although the Shechinah is “bound†to the land of Israel, as long as we conduct our affairs in a fashion that is congruous with the spiritual glory of our ancestors, through the principle of continuity we remain firmly planted in the Holy Land. As long as we view ourselves as a continuation of the past, soulfully connected to those who dwelled in sacred harmony with Hashem in the Holy Land, we can merit the protective presence of the Shechinah. However, if G-d forbid, the nation attempts to disconnect from the past, we will find ourselves vulnerably alone on foreign land, in a place where the Shechinah cannot dwell.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This publication, Zichron Yehoshua, is in memory of Yehoshua Yakov ben Moshe-Jeffrey Nussbaum through a generous grant from Dr. Eric Nussbaum and family.
This issue is dedicated Avigail bas Yocheved, may she be blessed.
“And G-d spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said: 'Jacob, Jacob.' And he said: 'Here am I.' And He said: 'I am G-d, the G-d of your father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation.†(Breishit 46: 2-3)
In the Meshech Chochmah, Rav Meir Simcha HaCohen of Dvinsk points out that Hashem’s appearance to Yakov in the nighttime is noteworthy. In contrast to Yakov’s father and grandfather, neither Avraham or Yitzchak experienced visions of Hashem at night. The Meshech Chochmah explains that in the writings of our sages ob’m, the nighttime is a metaphor for periods of exile from the land of Israel. In the aforementioned verses we find Yakov just prior to leaving the land of Israel to spend the rest of his life in Egypt. He was filled with trepidation and anxiety about the impending exile under which his descendants would suffer for 210 years until their final redemption in the times of Moshe.
Hashem’s prophecy to Yakov was great comfort to him; “I will go down with you into Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon your eyes.â€(46:4) At the threshold of exile, Yakov feared the worst – that Hashem would not be there with his descendants at a time when they would most desperately need Him. Hashem’s message to Yakov dispelled his fears and transformed his apprehension to hope. Not only would Hashem stand faithfully at the side of Yakov’s children; He would turn the Egyptian exile into the crucible of the greatest nation that the world has ever known “for I will there make of you a great nation.â€
Hashem’s promise to Yakov not only applied to the Egyptian exile, but to all future exiles as well. Our sages pointed this out in the Talmud “[when our ancestors] were exiled to Babylon the Shechinah was exiled together with them,†and so it would be with all subsequent exiles up to present times. Hashem is with His children even when they struggle in the depths of darkness.
Yakov personifies the struggles of the Jewish people in exile. Our sages teach us that the three times of daily prayer, shacharit (morning), mincha (afternoon), ma’ariv (evening) were instituted by the Patriarchs. Avraham initiated the shacharit prayers, Yitzchak the mincha prayers, while Yakov established the ma’ariv prayers. Prayer in the morning and afternoon symbolize our reaching out to Hashem when the world is illuminated with the Divine presence; when His guiding hand rests securely upon our national shoulders, pointing us in the direction to fulfill our national destiny. On the other hand, prayer at night stands for our faith in Hashem even at times when He conceals His presence behind layers of camouflage. Yakov was able to penetrate the strata of disguise and stand upright in faithful communion with Hashem in the depth of darkness. Yakov possessed night-vision – able to see things in the darkness at times when no one else could: “G-d spoke un to Israel in the visions of the night...â€
Yakov worked hard to elevate himself to this level of faith in Hashem, but he had help from his ancestors in doing so. Avraham and Yitzchak were the foundation of faith upon which Yakov constructed his own tower of emunah (faith). Yakov reached the heights of emunah by connecting himself with the accomplishments of his illustrious forefathers. Avraham and Yitzchak established the lofty ground upon which Yakov was able to ascend even higher. His greatness was built on continuity; on connecting to and extending the path of his ancestors.
Similarly, we find an interesting parallel in the halachah. As a rule, the sacrificial offerings in the Beit Hamikdash are allowed only in the daytime. Sacrifices offered at night are considered halachically invalid. An exception to this rule is the burning of the fats and limbs of the sacrificial offering that can be placed upon the altar even at night. The reason that for this dispensation is that since the sacrifice was slaughtered and its blood offered on the holy altar within the time-period allowed by the halachah, i.e. the daytime, the burning of its fats and limbs is considered a continuation of the daytime service that preceded it rather than a newly initiated act of sacrifice at night. The concept of continuation connects the nighttime service with the daytime service and renders it halachically valid, as if it was offered in the daytime. The light of daytime can be extended into the darkness of night; transforming it into day by virtue of continuation.
Another example of this concept is found in the Book of Yechezkel (1:1):
“1 Now, it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river K’var that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of G-d.â€
Our sages revealed that although prophecy is possible only in the land of Israel, the case of Yechezkel was an exception. But since the river K’var is in Babylon; how was it possible for the Yechezkel to experience prophecy on foreign land? The Talmud answers this by expounding upon the name of this particular river, K’var. The name of the river has the exact same spelling and pronunciation as the Hebrew word that means “already.†Here lies the answer. Since Yechezkel “already†experienced prophecy in the land of Israel prior to their exile, he was able to continue his prophetic connection with Hashem even while in the darkness of exile.
Similarly, our sages teach us that the Shechina does not dwell in any land other than the Holy Land of Israel. This would seem to contradict their teaching that the Shechina accompanies the Jewish people into every exile. The Meshech Chochmah resolves this apparent contradiction by applying the concept of continuity. It is only by the grace and guiding hand of Hashem’s presence – the Shechina that we are able to survive and thrive as a distinct and independent nation while dwelling in cultures of spiritual darkness and physical oppression. Although the Shechinah is “bound†to the land of Israel, as long as we conduct our affairs in a fashion that is congruous with the spiritual glory of our ancestors, through the principle of continuity we remain firmly planted in the Holy Land. As long as we view ourselves as a continuation of the past, soulfully connected to those who dwelled in sacred harmony with Hashem in the Holy Land, we can merit the protective presence of the Shechinah. However, if G-d forbid, the nation attempts to disconnect from the past, we will find ourselves vulnerably alone on foreign land, in a place where the Shechinah cannot dwell.