In Memory of Mr.

Max Glass

In Memory of Mr. Jack Gindi

Likutei Ohr
Editor-in-Chief: Elon Swartz 13

Parshat Vayigash
Our View of Galus

A publication of YULA Boys High School

Rabbi Dov Rosenbluth

Telah Gems

After Yoseph reveals himself to his brothers, Yaakov Avinu and his family travel down to MItzrayim with the distinct honor of being the family of the viceroy. During a meeting with Pharaoh himself, the brothers say, Lagur Baaretz Banu We have come to sojourn in the Managing Editors: land. Interestingly enough, the root of the word Lagur, which means, to sojourn, is Ger, a Micah Hyman 14 stranger. Ariel Amsellem 15 Yosefs brothers were telling Pharaoh that although they were now dwelling in Mitzrayim, it was only a temporary situation. The Jewish nation had neither the intent nor the Layout Editor: desire to settle in this new land. They were constantly aware of where they truly belonged Yair Fax 14 Eretz Yisroel. Marketing: The great Vilna Goan points out that it was in the merit of this ongoing and everlasting Jordan Lustman 15 sentiment that Klal Yisroel was eventually redeemed from Mitzrayim. Unfortunately, Klal Yisroel is still in galuswe are dispersed throughout the world. We Distributors: Mitchell Silberberg 14 as Jews, though, must always have the same feelings that our forefathers had when they entered Mitzrayim. Thisour exile from our true homeis only a temporary situation. We Avi Rosenberg 14 belong in a much holier location where the Shechina rests. We must never become complacent Sta Advisor: in our current galus. Of course, we appreciate and have Hakaros Hatov for the freedoms that Rabbi Arye Sufrin allow us to live our lives based on Torah. Here in America we enjoy a welcoming society, perhaps more welcoming than ever before in our history of Galus. However, we are harshly reminded by various calamities, such as the violent tragedy that befell Americans in Candle Lighting Connecticut this past week, that we, as well as the world, have not yet merited the Geula. As such, we must hold true to the concept that we are only in a temporary dwelling Times place, as we wind down our very long galus. In order to maintain our vigilance and not become satised with our current situation, we only need to look at how Yaakov Avinu approached living in Mitzrayim. As the Pasuk Candles: says, He sent Yehuda ahead to show the way. Rashi brings a Medrash that explains this Passuk: Yaakov sent Yehuda to establish a Beis Medrash a place of learning. By clinging to pm the greatest gift that has been bestowed on us, the Torah, we are able to persevere Shabbat Ends: throughout this long and arduous Galus and maintain the appropriate Hashkafa that we are, in fact, strangers who are always longing for the Geula. pm On Yaakovs way to Mitzrayim, he merited to have Hashem speak to him at night, something that had not occurred with the other Avos. Night is synonymous with darkness - the darkness of Galus. And so, as Yaakov traveled towards Mitzraim, he realized that he was about to enter the rst of many exiles. By holding on to Torah learning, and by maintaining the same views as Yaakov and the shvatim towards our current Galus, may we also be Zoche to see Hashem through the darkness of our Galus until the coming of the long awaited Yonah Hiller 14 Geulah.
Senior Editor: Asher Naghi 14

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There is a story told in a Gemara in Mesechet Shabbos that presents two conicting ideologies. Rava bar Rav Huna would put on ne shoes when praying, as the pasuk says, Prepare yourselves to meet your God, O Israel (Amos 4:12). But Rava would remove his cloak, clasp his hands together, and pray like a servant before his master (Shabbos 10a). Should we exemplify Rava Bar Rav Hunas opinion and wear our nest attire in preparation for our private meeting with Hashem, the Master of the Universe? Should we envision ourselves as prominent advisors, assistants to the king? Or should we, as Rava suggests, remove all fancy garments before tellah and approach the king of all kings with subservient humility? Rav Kook eloquently discusses the aforementioned dilemma and explains that we must ultimately search for a ne balance between the two opinions; we must simultaneously approach Hashem with ahava, love, and yirah, fear, demonstrating both Rava bar Hunas and Ravas ideologies of prayer.

Faith

Senior Editor, Asher Naghi 14

Last week, Yoseph Hatzadik foretold of the great famine that followed the seven years of plenty. In light of the famine, Yoseph recommended to Pharaoh that a grain collection and storage system be set up to combat hunger. The Torah describes a scene in which the people, rich and poor alike, were bereft of food. Only the state granaries were fulldue entirely, of course, to the foresight of Yoseph. : And Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan with the grain that they were buying, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. When the Egyptians ran out of money, they began to sell their livestock; when that source of money dried up, they were forced to sell their lands and themselves. Foreign nations also traveled to Mitzraim to buy food from Yoseph, and,when the famine ended, one fth of all the Egyptian lands produce went to the kings treasury. It was all these sources of revenue that made the government so incredibly wealthy. Hashem had a plan; he caused Yoseph to store this unfathomable amount of money so that the promise made to Avraham would be fullled. When the Jewish nation left Egypt, they left very rich. And so, while famine seems like a bad period, it is secretly very good. Sometimes it is hard to see the good in harsh decrees, and sometimes it is hard to trust Hashem when times are dark. It behooves us, however, to do so, even during the toughest of times. We say in Tehillim, Lehagid Baboker Chasdecah, Veemunatcha Baleylot thank Hashem when times are good and trust in him when times seem bad. This denes one of the most important tenants of JudaismBitachon. In Shemah we say Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad. This literally translates into Hashem is our God, Hashem is one. When we look more closely, however, we see that Hashem, the four letter name of God, connotes the Almightys merciful nature. The next word, Elokeinu, on the other hand, implies the harshness of the Almightys decrees. We then say that Hashem, the merciful, is one. It is explained that although we sometimes see a distinction between the love and justice of God, there truly is no difference. Hashem is one. As we go through our day, our week, and our month, we must pause and think that maybe Hashem has a plan. The famine was a hidden blessing; it led to the fulllment of a benecial prophecy in our exodus from Egypt. That is why Yoseph told his brothers not to argueit was always the plan of Hashem. We should practice and strive for a greater deal of Bitachon in our daily lives. Doing so will, Beezrat Hashem, lighten our lives with happiness.

Halachic Illuminations
From Rabbi Nachum Sauer
Breaking Shabbat in public is equivalent to committing idolatry. A confusing time period of Shabbat is Bein HaShmashot at the end of Shabbat, which starts at Shkiah and ends at Tzet HaCochavim. During this time period, it is a Safek whether it is Shabbos or the regular weekday. Therefore, we have to be Machmir during this time period. In general, both prohibitions from the Rabbis and from the Torah are forbidden during Bein HaShmashot. Importantly, this means one cannot light any ames during this time, including the Havdalah candle. Even if it is so dark that one would not be able to eat Seudah Shilishit, one still cannot light a candle. If, unfortunately, one did light candles during Bein Hashmashot, one cannot benet from the light. There are, however, certain rabbinical prohibitions that one can do during Bein HaShmashot. One is allowed to ask a gentile to light a candle that is necessary for Shabbat during this time period. Keep in mind, however, that the gentile cannot light the Neirot Shabbat, because a gentile cannot be Motzei ones mitzvah. The Mechaber posits that one can tell a gentile to do any Melacha during Bein HaShmashot if it is either necessary for a Mitzvah or would cause one pain if it is not done. The Mishnah Brurah amends the second reason; he says that the pain must stem from missing something from the Shabbos experience, or from a potential business loss. One last important reason to make a gentile do Melacha is to have him or her light a Yarzheit candle that will cause one pain if it is not lit. In this case, one does not have to worry about the fact that a gentile cannot fulll Mitzvot, because lighting the candle is only a Minhag. Compiled By Your Managing Editor, Micah Hyman

Forgiveness

Aviel Ashkenazi 14

Adapted from a piece from Daniel M. Kimmel In this weeks Parshah, Parshat Vayiggash, we can learn a tremendous lesson from Yoseph. Included in our current portion is both the dramatic scene in which Yoseph reveals himself to his brothers, as well as the heartfelt reunion between Yoseph and his father after many long years apart. After the brothers recognize Yoseph as their younger sibling, Pharaoh tells Yoseph that he may invite his entire family to dwell in the land of Egypt, and he promises that the Jewish nation will be treated well. Sending his brothers back to Canaan with the news of his survival, Yoseph instructs the guilty men to not argue over the identity of the responsible party in his sale. Why did Yoseph request that his brothers not argue? Although the brothers had wronged him greatly, Yosef came to terms with the fact that they had changed. They had not forsaken Benyamin; instead, they had put their lives in place of his. Yoseph then felt that dwelling on the past was no longer necessary, and that it was time to look towards the future. Yoseph was able to forgive a grudge - he was able to see past his own feelings. This is a trait that we should all envy and strive toward.

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