Torah Fax
Friday, December 14, 2007 - 5 Tevet, 5768
Torah Reading: Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 - 47:27)
Candle Lighting: 4:10 PM
Shabbat ends: 5:15 PM
Just Passing Through
After Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, as recounted in this week's parsha, he sent them back to Canaan to bring their father Jacob to Egypt . Before they left, Joseph gives them some instructions about the journey itself. Joseph's final "traveling tip" to them was, "Al Tirgazu BaDerech." This can be translated as “Do not argue along the way” or possibly as “Do not cause anger along the way.”
Rashi provides three explanations as to what Joseph meant with these words:
The first explanation is that they shouldn't engage in any legal discussions, for that will distract them and make the journey fraught with danger.
Rashi's second explanation is that they should not walk quickly (literally: "make large strides") and be sure to enter the city when the sun is still shining. In other words, don't travel at night.
The third and simplest explanation is that they should not engage in recriminations and argue as to who was responsible for his sale.
For close to two thousand years, ever since our Holy Temple was destroyed and we were driven off the Land of Israel we have been on a journey back to the Promised Land in both the literal and figurative sense. Now, since the journey of Joseph's brothers was leading them back to the land of Canaan, which eventually becomes the Land of Israel, and back to their father Jacob, there must be a lesson here for us on our journey out of exile back to the land and lifestyle of our fathers.
Indeed, there is a threefold lesson. But before we explore these lessons some words of introduction about traveling are in order.
When we are home or when we reach our destination we are not as vulnerable as we can be when we travel. Many of the problems the Jewish people encountered occurred especially when they were on the road. Amalek , Israel 's most implacable foe, the Torah stresses, attacked us "on the way." Similarly we experienced so many setbacks when we were in the desert on our way from Egyptian slavery to settling our own land.
The return of the brothers to Israel was to Joseph an auspicious trip; it was to symbolize the return of the Jewish people to their land and heritage in all future times, leading to the final return in the Messianic Age.
And it is this journey that Joseph warned required three instructions about how to travel safely that was relevant then and is just as relevant today:
First, Joseph's advice to them was, do not engage in a Torah discussion while traveling.
At first blush, this piece of advice goes against everything we know about Judaism. Study of Torah and discussions with colleagues about matters of Torah punctuated our long history and it is what is hailed as the source of our survival. How could Joseph tell them (read: us) to desist from discussing matters of Torah?
It is obvious that Rashi is not referring to Torah study, but to the divisions that differences of opinion can cause. Judaism thrives on discussion and debate. Indeed, Judaism's most important work, the Talmud, is almost entirely a collection of arguments and debates between the greatest Jewish minds. Certainly, that could not be considered an obstacle in our journey. Instead, Joseph was referring to the way legitimate differences of opinion can lead to division and hatred and how, in the most vulnerable of times, we have to be mindful of the potential for unnecessary discord and strife.
Moreover, frequently academic disputes and differences actually mask personality clashes or other political divisions. Some use Torah interpretations as ways of advancing their own personal agendas.
Joseph realized that his brothers had ideological differences that led to their actions against him. But he also knew that his brothers harbored deep resentment to him. The question in his mind was which came first. Did they resent him and were jealous of him? And as a way to rationalize their hatred they found legitimate ideological differences between them to dignify their hatred of him. Or, perhaps, it was the other way around. Their ideological differences were so sharp that they degenerated into personal feelings of animosity. Either way it was unhealthy and led to his sale into slavery.
Joseph thus counseled them, that when they travel and are vulnerable they should desist from engaging deeply in a discussion of their ideological differences because of where it can lead. If the animosity between them preceded their differences, engaging in an "academic" debate might mask their true feelings of resentment towards one another and make it difficult to uproot these deep rooted negative feelings.
And, conversely, if they were so strident in advancing their ideological positions that it would lead to personal animosity, then it would be ill advised to engage in these discussions when they were traveling. Traveling, as noted earlier, is when we are more vulnerable and it is much more difficult to discern between one's intellectual differences and one's emotional differences.
The second piece of advice was they should not walk quickly (literally: "make large strides") and be sure to enter the city when the sun is still shining. The meaning of "walking quickly" and "making large strides" is to not be over confident of one's own position vis-à-vis another, which leads to impulsive decisions that can cause pain to others.
Joseph was concerned that now that they were on their way to the reunification of Joseph and their father Jacob, they would make their decision as to how they should prepare Jacob without much deliberation. Joseph further counseled them not to travel at night. Metaphorically, this means that one should not make decisions when their minds are clouded and things are murky.
And finally, Joseph's message to them was not to blame one another for their role in the sale of Joseph. Although Teshuvah (repentance or return) is a necessary part of one's return to our Land of Israel and to the reunification of all Jewish people with their Father in heaven, Teshuvah requires that one takes full responsibility for one's own actions and not find fault with others.
All of this can be applied to our own final trek through the paths of exile on our way to the Promised Land and the Messianic Age of Redemption.
We have been blessed with the special responsibility of bringing the two thousand year journey to and end and it is only natural that we will confront some obstacles precisely because we are anxious and vulnerable.
There are three "traveling tips" of which we must be mindful:
First: We shouldn't allow our ideological differences, though legitimate they may be, to mask our internal divisions and personality clashes. We should certainly not allow these academic differences to degenerate into ad hominem attacks against those with whom we differ.
Second: We shouldn't be hasty in deciding how to get others to join our plans, especially when things are not so clear in our own minds. We must be deliberate and have a clear mind before making crucial decisions. This clarity we get from studying the teachings of the Torah concerning the Redemption and how to connect with others.
Third, we must not look to blame others when we realize how long we have been waiting for the Moshiach to take us out of exile. It is natural for us to place the blame on others for their behavior that might have delayed the process.
That is not the right approach. Instead we should look at our own behavior and decide what we need to do to correct what we did wrong and to increase in our own acts of goodness and kindness to hasten the ultimate reunification of all the Jewish people in the Promised Land of Israel under the inspiration and leadership of Moshiach.
Moshiach Matters
The prophets comprehended G‑d on such a deep level, they experienced an immense joy from being close to Him. When Moshiach comes, we will all attain that great level of prophecy and experience that great level of spiritual bliss. (Derech Mitzvotecha, From the Tzemach Tzedek, third Rebbe of Chabad)
Moshiach - It’s a Jewish issue. For more info, visit www.moshiach.com
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