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שבת שלום - פרשת ויגש
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Video Shiur
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Click play to watch the video shiur by Rav Yosef Kaminetsky
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News and Notes
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The entire Yeshiva wishes Mazal Tov to our alumnus, Jordan Brookmyer, on his engagement to Dina Moss. Shetizku livnot bayit ne'eman b'Yisrael!
We wish a tzeitchem l'shalom to our talmid, Dovid Herssein, who is leaving Yesodei HaTorah to attend Yeshiva University after a year and a half at the yeshiva. We are very proud of all that Dovid has accomplished, and wish him tremendous success in the future.
The Yeshiva continued its Chanukah celebrations this week. On Tuesday, following a two day vacation, the yeshiva reconvened with each student attending morning seder at his morning rebbe's house. In place of our regular morning study of Masechet Ketubot, the Rabbeim all taught inyanei Chanukah in a relaxing and food-filled atmosphere.
On Tuesday night the Yeshiva held its annual Chanukah Mesibah, which included a delicious, festive meal, dancing in the Beit Midrash to music by the Yeshiva band, featuring Tuvia Ditchek, Shloimie Spitzer, and Adam Lamport, divrei Torah from our madrichim, Avi Meghnagi and Avishai Gebler, and our annual Chaunkah "Jeopardy!" game, hosted by Rav Kahn.
On Wednesday morning, our Chanukah programming concluded with a fascinating and informative trip to the Shivta army base in Be'er Sheva. Our students were given a tour of the base, and heard a presentation by the base chaplain on religious life in the Israeli army.
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Yaakov's Recitation of Shema
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
After twenty-two years apart Yaakov is finally reunited with his son Yosef. The Torah describes the long awaited encounter:
"Yosef harnessed his chariot and went up to greet his father, Yisrael, in Goshen. [When] he appeared before him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck exceedingly." (Bereshit 46:29)
Rashi quotes a Midrash that states that rather than kissing his son or crying, Yaakov was reciting the Shema. The Maharal of Prague addresses the peculiarity of Yaakov's choice of this life-changing moment to fulfill the twice daily obligation to recite the Shema.
"When Yaakov arrived and saw Yosef his son as a ruler, his heart was filled with love and fear of the Holy One Blessed is He, for the goodness and perfection of His attributes and His reward for those who fear Him. This is the characteristic of the pious, that when good happens to them, they cleave to Hashem for all of the good and truth that He has done for them. This is the reading of Shema in which the oneness of the Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned as well as love of Him. It was appropriate to read the Shema when Yosef approached him after the great suffering that he had because of him, and now he saw him as a king. He loved Hashem who did this for him and accepted His kingship, love, and fear."
The central idea expressed in the opening line of the Shema is that G-d is One. Specifically, the words are Hashem (i.e. the four letter name of G-d) Elokeinu, Hashem echad. In other words, we are declaring that Hashem and Elokeinu are one and the same. What does this mean?
The Nefesh HaChaim explains the relationship between these two names as follows. Both names refer to G-d as the source and ruler over all of creation. The difference is that the four letter name of G-d implies all of creation as a unity, whereas Elokim denotes all of creation as it is perceivable as comprised of distinct and separate forces. This can be understood through an analogy to white light refracted through a prism to produce the spectrum of different colored rays of light. The contents of the light before and after it is refracted are the same. In the white light all of the colors are unified. After passing through the prism, the colors are perceived separately.
Life is full of distinct and often conflicting experiences. We experience good and evil, sickness and health, peace and war. It appears that there are different forces governing the world. Although we know that this is not true, the perception is that of multiplicity. The truth that G-d is the unified source of all is usually a matter of faith rather than perception. We see the refracted spectrum rather than the white light.
There are rare moments when life brings us to a point when we get a glimpse of the unity of G-d's plan. Oftentimes, we experience something negative only to realize years later that it was for the best. At moments like these we understand that what seems good and what seems bad are coming from the same source. Upon seeing Yosef, all of Yaakov's suffering was put into a larger perspective. The purpose of the perplexing and traumatic events became clear. Hashem's plan was in place all along. Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad.
We have just concluded the Holiday of Chanuka. The custom in many communities is to recite Psalm 30 every day. The sentiment expressed in the closing lines of this Psalm are very fitting for Yaakov's feelings that very day.
"You have turned my mourning into dancing. You have loosened my sackcloth and supported me with joy. In order that my whole being might sing to You and not be stilled, Hashem Elokai, forever will I thank You." (Ps. 30:12-13)
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