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Parshat Vayichi
The Forest and the Trees

A publication of YULA Boys High School

Rabbi Aaron Gartner

Candle Lighting Times Candles:

4:30 pm
Shabbat Ends:

5:31 pm Telah Gems

Yonah Hiller 14

The Pussuk (50:13) says, His sons carried him [Yaakov Avinu] to the land of Canaan and they buried him in the cave of the Machpelah field that Avraham had bought as a burial estate from Ephron the Hitite, facing Mamre. There is a very interesting Gemarah (Sotah 13a) that describes Yaakov's funeral: when they reached the Me'aras HaMachpelah, Yaakov's brother, Eisav, came and tried to stop the burial. Eisav claimed that Yaakov had already used his allotted plot in the cave by burying Leah there, and that the remaining plot belonged to him, Eisav. Yaakov's sons reminded Eisav that he sold his birthright to their father. Eisav countered that he had only sold the birthright, but had never forsaken his own burial plot in the cave. This, he argued, would have been his entitlement even as a non-first born. The opposing sides argued back and forth until the brothers said that they had the receipt for the sale of the plot, but that it was in Egypt. The tribes sent Naftali, the fastest runner, to Egypt, so that he could retrieve the document. In the mean time, Chushim, the son of Don, came forward. He was deaf and had not heard the exchange between Eisav and the children of Yaakov. He inquired about the cause of the delay. The brothers explained that they were waiting until Naftali returned from Egypt to bury Yaakov. Chushim was so angry that his grandfather should remain in shame and unburied, that he took matters into his own hands. Chushim took a club, and he hit Eisav over the head, killing him immediately. The dilemma had been solved; Yaakov was buried. Who was on the mark and who was off the mark? Chushim was clearly right. What an insult it was to let Yaakov lay unburied. What nonsense it was to put up with harassment from Eisav. Chushim was the only one with the sensitivity to object to what was happening. What was Chushim's special trait that gave him this clarity of insight? Rav Henoch Leibowitz explains that the difference between Chushim and everyone else was that the former was deaf. Thus, while everyone else became involved in the argument, Chushim was able to keep a healthy distance. When someone is involved in an argument, he sometimes forgets the ultimate objective over which he is arguingthe goal sometimes becomes winning the argument for the arguments own sake. Chushim, however, was deaf, and he was neither caught up in the argument nor was he concerned about who was right and who was wrong. The issue was my grandfather is laying in disgrace, and this cannot continue. How often does this happen to us? We often lose sight of the bigger picture and allow an argument to take on a life of its own. We often forget what the argument is even about. We must never lose sight of the forest because of the trees!

How can one attain proper kavanah during davening? To better understand this question, I think it is essential to take a step back and recognize what tellah is all about. The bulk of our tellos are bakashos, requests of Hashem. Bakashos represent the awareness of our dependence on Hashem for everything in life. By asking the Ribono Shel Olam for health, knowledge, peace, and parnasa, we submit ourselves to Hashem and recognize His role in our personal lives. Rav Twersky explains this concept with the following mashal: if a person is poor due to unemployment, and he nally gets a job opportunity, he will put forth all of his concentration and energy toward that interview. He does so because he recognizes the importance of impressing the interviewer and getting the job. When we daven, it is essential that we recognize who it is that we are standing before so that we may impress the interviewer.

The Ultimate Choice

Parashat Vayechi marks the end of an epic saga about the Jewish patriarchs. Yaakov finally reaches what he has longed for ever since Parashat Vayeshevto settle in Olam Hazeh (this world) in peace. No more is he to experience troubles, such as the incident of Shechem, or the loss of his beloved son, Yosef. Instead, he prepares himself for the final days of his life, and he calls upon his sons and grandsons for some final blessings and rebukes. It seems that Parashat Vayechi serves as a sort of judgment day for the characters involved in Scriptures previous episodes; every character in the Parasha is evaluated for his or her actions. In this great evaluation, some reap rewards, whereas others suffer consequences. It is in this Parasha that we witness Yaakovs early death twenty-two years early in fact because of his downhearted conversation with Pharaoh. It is also here that Reuven is judged for his weak leadership skills, either on the basis of his failed attempt to save Yosef, or on the basis of his disrespectful relocation of his fathers bed to Leahs tent. In any case, Reuvens end is an unfortunate one: he loses his position as the leader among the tribes of Israel, he loses his right to the firstborns double portion of inheritance, and he loses the honor of Kehuna, priesthood. On the other hand, we see that Yaakov gives kingship to Yehuda on the basis of the latters assertiveness (namely, Yehuda immediately admits that it was he who had relations with Tamar. Moreover, Yehuda is the only individual among the brothers who assumes responsibility over Binyamin, and is the only brother who instantaneously bursts into controlled rage as the Viceroy of Egypt attempts to enslave the lad). Therefore, Yehuda is indeed fit to be king and leader among the tribes. As for Yosef, he demonstrates that he is a master over his desires and inclinations. He tenaciously holds unto the principles of his father in the harshest of scenarios, such as the situation with the seductive wife of Potiphar. As a result, Yosef is rewarded with the firstborns double portion of inheritancehis sons, Ephraim and Menashe, replace Reuven and Shimon. It should be noted, however, that Ephraim and Menashe are themselves deserving of such an honor; when Yaakov crosses his hands on the brothers heads, leaving his right hand over Ephraims head, Menashe does not protest, even when Yosef attempts to reorder Yaakovs hands! In this scene, Ephraim and Menashe display their true brotherly love, something the Shevatim lacked when they sold Yosef to the Ishmaelites. Thus, we notice that Ephraim and Menashes spot amongst the Shevatim is, in fact, quite proper. Cause-and-effect is also quite apparent in the very beginning of this weeks Parasha. As Rashi explains, this Parasha is a closed one - it does not begin with a new paragraphs proper indentation. Rather, it is hidden within the passage of the previous Parasha, Parashat Vayigash. One opinion suggests that Vayechi is closed because Yaakovs lips are shut when he wants to reveal the End of Days, Yemei HaMoshiach, to the Shevatim. Yaakov wants to remind his sons of the fearsome Day of Judgment that we all await. Whether by the end of our lives, or by the end of the human project, each and every person will be evaluated by the Heavenly Courts based on his or her actions in Olam Hazeh. Therefore, the message of this weeks Parasha is clear: the younger generation must realize that its actions today affect future. When they make the decision to do their homework, participate in an act of Chesed, or choose a specific Yeshiva or College to attend, teenagers must understand that their actions have consequences. They must be cautious in their approach, for they risk losing their reward in Olam Habba. The older, more mature generation, in the opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein, also has a responsibility; it must learn to never cease to inspire its children towards greater accomplishments, since only through the young can the elderly achieve lasting honor. The common denominator between the two groups is that everyone must work on him or herself to achieve both successes in this world, and in the world to come. Whether it is through studying Mesilat Yesharim, Orkhot Sadikim, or any other Sefer Musar, we must train ourselves to review our activities and keep them in check.

Moshe Yaghoubian 13

Halachic Illuminations
From Rabbi Nachum Sauer
Jews are the perfect example of unity. Whenever a Jew is in trouble, the whole community, whether with Tefillah or money, rushes to help. Here follows ways Jews can help others fulfill Mitzvot. If one wants to make Kiddush for a widow, it must be done within her house, in the place where she will be eating afterwards. In such a way, one allows the widow to fulfill Kiddush in Makom Seudah - the obligation that the Kiddush is made where one eats the meal. The person making Kiddush does not have to eat in the widows house, nor does he have to drink the wine; the widow, however, must do both. This concept of making Kiddush and not drinking only applies on Shabbos evening and Shabbos day. During the week, if one makes a Bracha to be Motzei someone else, he or she must eat or drink. On Shabbos, however, the Halacha changes, because of the principle that Jews must help one another fulfill obligatory Mitzvot, a concept knownKol Yisroel Arevim Zeh LaZeh since Kiddush is an obligation on Shabbos, a Jew must go out of his way to ensure that others are Yotzei Kiddush. One would think, by applying the above principle, that one could be Motzi someone else for the Bracha of HaMotzi on the Challah without actually eating the bread. HaMotzi is, as we know, an obligation. The Mechaber, however, reports that this is not so: one must eat bread to be Motzi others for the Bracha of HaMotzi. The reason for this Halacha is that on Shabbos, the primary reason for eating is to gain pleasure, also known as Oneg. And since the above concept does not apply to pleasure, one must eat bread to be Motzi. We know that the main reason for eating on Shabbos is Oneg, because if one derives pleasure from fasting, he or she is not allowed to fast on Shabbos. Interestingly, one can make Kiddush on Challah, and can be Motzi others without eating the bread, because here, the bread is used for fulfilling the Chiyuv of Kiddush, not for pleasure.

Compiled By Your Senior Editor Micah Hyman

The Parsha of Blessings

Eitan Wernick 16

In this weeks Parsha, Parshat Vayechi, Yaakov becomes sick at the age of one hundred forty-seven. Parshat Vayechi is a portion filled with blessings; as the Parshah progresses, our patriarch calls his sons and grandsons before him, hoping to advise them before his death. The Parsha begins with Yaakov blessing Yosefs sons, Efraim and Menashe. Yaakov gives each a Bracha that they should merit to become separate tribes when they return to Israel. This gift elevates Efraim and Menashe to the status of Yaakovs own sons. Next, Yaakov blesses his children, and gives each tribe a special blessing. Recognizing that each person is unique and needs to be treated differently, Yaakov is sensitive to the subtleties of his childrens characteristics. He, therefore, attempts to give each tribe special attention. The Brachot that Yaakov gives have two parts. First, Yaakov blesses his sons in a way that hints to their future jobs in the land of Israel. Second, Yaakov blesses his sons in a rebuking manner; he reprimands them for the sins they preformed during Yaakovs lifetime. The Parsha ends with the death our beloved forefather, followed by the death of Yosef. Yaakovs death takes place in the same year that the Brachot are given, and he is buried in the land of Israel, in the cave of Machpelah. Yosef dies when he is one hundred ten years old, but before he passes, he tells his descendants that Hashem will remember them and return them to the land of Israel. At that point, Yosef instructs them not to leave his bones in Egypt and to, instead, carry them back to the holy Eretz Yisroel.

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