Weekly Reading Insights

Overview of the Weekly Reading

To be read on Shabbat Vayeishlev, 21 Kislev 5772/Dec. 17

Torah: Gen.37:1-40:23; Num. 7:18-23; Haftorah: Amos 2:6-3:8

Vayishev is the 9th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and it contains 5972 letters, in 1558 words, in 112 verses

Vayeshev describes how Yosef shepherded with his brothers and brought bad reports of them to Yaacov. Yosef was Yaacov's favorite son, to whom he gave a colorful coat, but this favoritism bred jealousy towards Yosef. By reporting in detail two dreams he had, Yosef provoked even more jealousy. One day, the brothers went to shepherd in Shechem, and Yaacov asked Yosef to go to them. Seeing Yosef approach, the brothers plot to kill the 'dreamer'. Reuven stopped them and suggested throwing Yosef into a pit instead, in the secret hope of saving Yosef later. After removing his coat, the brothers threw Yosef into the pit. In Reuven's absence the remaining brothers sold Yosef to merchants who were on their way to Egypt. To hide their deed, the brothers dipped Yosef's coat in goat blood. Believing his son killed by wild animals, Yaacov grieved inconsolably. Yosef was sold to Potifar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. Meanwhile, Yehuda married and had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shela. Er married Tamar. When Er died in consequence of a sin, Yehuda told Onan to marry Tamar and have a child to carry on Er's name. Onan died as well due to his sins. Yehuda was reluctant to let her marry his third son. When Yehuda went to shear sheep, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and became pregnant from Yehuda. As payment to the 'prostitute' he doesn't recognize, Yehuda promised a goat, and as collateral gave her his seal, wrap, and staff. Sentenced to death for unlawful pregnancy, Tamar sent Yehuda his seal, wrap and staff, hinting to her innocence but protecting him from embarrassment. Yehuda declared Tamar's righteousness. Tamar gave birth to twin boys, Peretz and Zerach. In Egypt, Yosef became manager of Potifar's house, but attracted the attention of Potifar's wife. Because Yosef evaded her advances, she became angry and accused Yosef of trying to rape her. Yosef was subsequently imprisoned. He became the supervisor of the other prisoners. Pharaoh's butler and baker were imprisoned in the same dungeon. Each dreamt a dream which Yosef interpreted correctly: The baker was to be sentenced to death, but the butler would be returned to his position. Yosef asked the butler to mention him to Pharaoh, hoping this would free him. Yet when the butler was released, he forgot his promise to Yosef.

"Jacob sat in the land where his father had lived." (Gen. 37:1)
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (the Alter Rebbe) writes that each word here alludes to a separate spiritual concept. The word "sat" specifically refers to the lowering of oneself, drawing something from above to below as we see that the head comes down when a person sits. The name "Jacob" (in Hebrew, "Yaakov") is a composite of two concepts: the first letter, yud, the first letter of G-d's name, is referring to the highest levels of spiritual reality; the rest of the word, "eikev", means "heel" and refers to Jacob's special strength to invest the divine in the physical. "Land" is an obvious reference to the physical world. "…In the land where lived", (in Hebrew M'gurei") is usually understood as from the word "gar", meaning "lived", is also sometimes understood in biblical sources as self nullification to the spiritual truth. "Father" is understood as supernal wisdom, just as the first of the sefirot, chochma (wisdom), corresponds to the partzuf of Abba.

We can therefore read the verse as follows: "Jacob was able to draw down into the physical world supernal wisdom via his humility."

You might want to say that this is a perfect example of how Judaism, specifically Kabbala and Chasidut, seems to go off the deep end and relate itself to people who are totally immersed in its ideas, leaving the rest of us outside. But the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe took pains to show the opposite. He wrote that the key to understanding the Inner Torah is for a person to focus on G-d's purpose for the world, that all of the highest spiritual revelations are ultimately meant to be revealed in the lowest planes.

Jacob's father in-law was not called Laban (in Hebrew, "Lavan", meaning "white") only by coincidence. However difficult Laban was to deal with was a hint that our forefather Jacob was grappling with very high spiritual forces. All of Jacob's work as a shepherd was to draw down these energies into the physical plane, creating an environment in which the physical could accept them from that time and onward. One reason that Isaac, Jacob's father, never left Israel was because he was unsure if this could be accomplished. This is another way to read the verse: "Jacob drew down to the land, what his father feared (could not be accomplished)."

The sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe summarizes all of the above so that it touches each of us. Sometimes the most distant and apparently difficult situations have concealed in them the potential for the most important positive effects. Rather than being put off by a difficult situation, we have to see it as an entranceway to draw the divine into the physical and therefore fulfill our purpose. Judaism itself can be used as the broadest example of this. Only through the Jewish people consistently learning Torah and performing the commandments (spiritual acts in a physical world) will we be able to bring the ultimate good, that of Mashiach, into reality.

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For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the archive.

FROM THE CHASSIDIC REBBES

". . . Joseph brought [the brothers'] evil report to their father." (37:2)

That is, whatever the world does without an awareness of G·d is an aspect of evil, for "the soul without knowledge [of G·d] is not good" [Proverbs 19:2]. But, Joseph would bring their evil report to their father. That is, he would bind them to their root.**
(Degel Machane Ephraim [from //baalshemtov.com])

**The Tzaddik, represented by Joseph, would uplift to his Father in Heaven all the deeds performed in the world without a consciousness of G·d.

For more than a decade of "From the Chasidic Rebbes" on this Weekly Reading, see our archives

MOSHIACH THIS WEEK

"When she gave birth, there were twins..Peretz….and he called his name Zarach." (Gen 38:27-30)

Peretz is the direct ancestor of King David and Mashiach. His name alludes to the Messianic prophecy of "The poretz (the one who breaks through) is gone up before them" (Michah 2:13)
Zarach, Peretz's twin, also alludes to the redemption. His name means "shining forth." The Messianic Kingdom will shine forth and illuminate throughout the world. All mankind will benefit from its bright light, as it is written: "Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by the brightness of zarchech (your shining forth)" (Isaiah 60:3)

For nearly a decade of "Moshiach This Week " on this Weekly Reading, see our archives

From the Kabbalah Commentaries on the Chumash ("5 Books of Moses")

13th century - "RambaN" - Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman

14th century - "Bachya" - Rabbi Bachya ben Asher

16th century - "Alsheich" - Rabbi Moshe Alshech of Tsfat

18th century - "Ohr HaChayim" - Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar

a sample for this week:

Or HaChaim

"They have moved away from here, for I have heard them say, etc." (37:17)

Our sages' interpretation of what occurred - that the Torah reveals that the angel who spoke to Joseph had given him a veiled warning - is perfectly in order. Proof that Joseph had not understood this is that the Torah reports Joseph as searching "for his brothers." He was under the impression that they still considered him their brother.
The question we must all ask is that if the angel remained deliberately so vague that Joseph did not understand his warning, why did he direct him to a location which was so fraught with danger for Joseph? Perhaps, after having become aware that Joseph's intention was to find brotherliness, i.e. "I seek my brothers", the angel wanted to increase the merit Joseph would accumulate by persisting in such a worthwhile endeavor. For all we know, this is how Joseph acquired the merit necessary to qualify ultimately as the ruler of Egypt and the provider of his family.

Selected with permission from the five-volume English edition of Ohr HaChaim: the Torah Commentary of Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar, as translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk.
The holy Rabbi Chayim ben Moses Attar was born in Sale, Western Morocco, on the Atlantic in 1696. His immortal commentary on the Five Books Of Moses, Or Hachayim, was printed in Venice in 1741, while the author was on his way to the Holy Land. He acquired a reputation as a miracle worker, hence his title "the holy," although some apply this title only to his Torah commentary.

A MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE

Specifically, for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists, and more,
click to Vayeishev

When a person transgresses once, he is confronted with the test of another sin so that he may be aroused to repent, whereby the first sin will be atoned. The evil inclination tries to overpower the person to continue to sin until he is entrapped.

With every repetition of a physical act, the influence of that act seeps deeper and deeper into one's soul. With a third sin, all three levels of his soul - his nefesh, ruach and neshama - are caught up in the kelipot and the paths of repentance are withheld from him, until G·d has mercy on him.

For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the our weekly Kabbalah magazine

The lead article an important insight into Jewish prayer by the Magid of Mezritch (successor to the Baal Shem Tov)
whose yahrzeit is on 19th Kislev this week, as is the anniversary day of the first publication of Tanya (an important primer for Kabbalah and Chasidut)
and of the liberation of its author from prison a few years after (see articles 3-4).
The second article concerns dreams, a major topic in both this week's reading and next.

The concept of prayer is therefore [the key with which] each individual enters through his own gate. We are thus taught that prayer is "the ladder standing on earth, with its head reaching the heavens". (Gen. 28:12) Each gate has its own combination, and it is for this reason that there are different orders of prayer. [Each of the twelve tribes has its own liturgy.]

Weekly Reading Insights: Vayeishev 5772

a sample for this week:

Or HaChaim

Weekly Reading Insights:
Vayeishev 5772