Parshas Miketz Chanuka

[year 2]

#63

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z e iln lMz` midl` ip piM d pn xFkAd m ` s `wIe ` r X X Wz qFi x Al (cwwb twwn) :ia` zi M ( Yosef named his eldest son Menashe

for Hashem has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's household" [Bereshis 41:52]. This is a strange name to call one's son. This is a difficult passage to understand that Yosef would want to forget his father's household. On the contrary in order to keep his spirituality and holiness that he received in his father's home, he should always remember his past and roots. We find that when Yosef and Yaakov met later on they discussed and continued in the same Torah when they had departed. If so, what is the meaning of the possuk he called his son Menashe for, among other reasons, the fact that Hashem helped him "forget his fathers house"? Hagaon Rav Elya Meir Bloch says a beautiful insight to this Passuk: The Land of Egypt was not by any stretch of the imagination similar to the atmosphere which Yosef knew in the Land of Canaan. A person might be tempted to say to himself: "That which I have here is nothing. There is no spirituality here. A life of holiness here is impossible!" A person can become so distressed and distraught at the spiritual loss he has suffered by a change in geographic location that he can give up all hope: "Why go on with the work I need to succeed ?" Rav Elya Meir writes that Yosef expressed gratitude that Hashems allowing one to "forget one's father's house" is a Divine Kindness that allowed Yosef to maintain his spirituality in Egypt without succumbing to depression and defeat at having been taken away from his father's household. "And so too," "do we feel in our current situation." This insight was written by the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva in 1943. Any person who lived in pre-WWII Europe where Torah and Chassidus and the great Yeshivas existed, and then found himself "stuck" in America after the War, would have a tendency to ask: "This is Torah learning? This is a Yeshiva? This is how Yom Tov is celebrated?" The normal reaction would be: "This is nothing!" Two things can happen when contemplating such a contrast. One might be tempted to say: "Let's throw in the towel. This is a joke. This is not a Yeshiva. This is not learning. This is nothing. Let's give up!" Alternatively, a person can say "That was Europe, but this is America. If we are ever going to make something out of this country, we are going to need to start over. It is not going to be the same. It is going to be different, but we just need to keep on plugging away."All the Roshei Yeshivos and Admorim who rebuilt the yeshivos

and their Dynasty, went with this thought and this gave them the courage and will power to continue on; they kept the flame burning. The reason why they were able to do this is because they were successful in utilizing the blessing that Yosef alludes to: "Hashem allowed me to forget my father's house." They were successful in removing Europe from the forefront of their minds and putting it in the back of their minds. They were able to say "Yes, that was Europe but this is America." Like Yosef Hatzadik, the righteous, they were able to make peace with the present time and place where fate placed them and to build from the reality of "what is" rather than just bemoan the gap of the present from "what had been".
(wu dwwn) :g` m l cF d Wi`l ci dl i m rx d l l`xUi xn`Ie k r B l z d n

The Passuk says, "Yaakov asks the brothers Why have you done evil to me?" [Bereshis 43:6]. The Midrash says that although Yaakov makes many suppositions in his dialog with his sons that appear to not be accurate, like when he said sxh ":sq?i sxh Yosef has been torn"; or ?dzlk` d x d g "a wild r ? beast ate him", at some level they may be interpreted as true

statements. For example "Yosef has been torn" may be interpreted as Yosef was ripped away from his father by his brothers. Likewise the statement "a wild beast ate him" may refer to the wife of Potiphar. However, this is the only instance in the entire dialog between Yaakov and his sons regarding Yosef; the statement "why did you do evil to me?" where the comment of Yaakov was not true in at least some sense. The Midrash comments: "Hashem says "I am busy making his son the ruler in Egypt and he complains about his grief and trouble. "I am trying to make your son viceroy in Egypt. I am trying to save the world from starvation. How can you call it evil? The practical lesson of this Midrash is much easier to teach than to absorb. Many events appear to us in this life as being terrible. With the passage of time, however, it becomes clear that what we deemed to be terrible, was not terrible at all. This is one of the most difficult ideas for human beings, who are bound by time and space, to accept. We see things happening at the time when they are unfolding and we cannot imagine that they serve any constructive purpose. According to the Midrash, this was the essence of the Almighty's chastising Yaakov: "Don't tell Me that what I am doing to you is bad. I am trying to do for you the greatest favor. This is the lesson of the Torah: "We Should Not Assume What Happens Is Necessarily 'Bad'. In the end everythings always turns out to be extremely good.
Wishing a Happy Birthday to our dear friend Rav Moshe Leib Shochet.Many years of happiness and good health

Rosh Chodesh Teves Monday and Tuesday

Story of the Week

*****The Belzer Rav brings a Yid to do Teshuva by the Chanuka candles*****
(By Yehuda Z. Klitnick)

In the year 1927, 22 days in Cheshvon the Great Rebbe Reb Yisocher Dov from Belze passed away. His son Reb Aron took over for him. In 1928 Reb Aron traveled to Vienna to visit a doctor to heal his eyes and stayed there for a short while. In a neighboring city called Seilish there was a Belzer Chosid Reb Psachia Seilisher who yearned to visit the Belzer Rebbe in Vienna. However he was very poor and had no means to rent a wagon or go on a train, so he relied on hitches or to walk. He finally arrived in Vienna and rushed to the train station to see if he can still catch the Rebbe. He ran as fast as he can but to his disheartening the train has closed its doors. The Rebbe waved goodbye to the Chassidim. But as soon as the Rebbe noticed Reb Psachya coming close to the train station, the Rebbe yelled out to a Chassid who was dressed as a modern businessman, to take care of Reb Psachya and help him with whatever he needs. The Chassid acknowledged this and he went over to Reb Psachya and told him to come into his wagon. He said he will take him to his house to eat and rest up. reb Pshachya was grateful to him and went along to his house. At the meal he asked Reb Psachya what did he need in particular? Reb Psachya answered: He has a wooden foot which is very heavy and his walking takes a big toll on him. He would like to get a lighter wood and be able to walk easier. The Chassid said that will be no problem as here in Vienna there are many orthopedic doctors who can help you and as to the money part, I will take care of everything. Reb Psachya was elated and after a few weeks he was fitted with a modern foot which made his walking so much easier. Reb Psachya thanked his host for his tremendous kindness and chesed, and asked how is it that you were so kind to me and you spent hours of your time as well as money to help me, a total stranger? The Chassid answered that the Belze Rebbe told me at the train station to help you in whatever you need and I listen intensely to the Rebbe! Reb Psachya asked why is that so? The Chassid answered Ill tell you the reason: My great grandfather was a very wealthy Jew but was not observant. On the contrary, since he was wealthy he had to try anything to satisfy his desires whether it being food or doing sins. Nothing would stop him from satisfying his desires. My great grandfather had a neighbor who was a Belzer Chassid who wanted to travel to the Rebbe to participate by the Candle Lighting one Chanukah night and enjoy the warmth of the Heilige Niggunim sung then, as well as the Dvar Torah that the Rebbe will deliver at the Tish. The Chassid approached my great grandfather, and told him of the geshmak and enjoyment that he would gain if he came along with him to the Rebbe. Well he had never felt a desire before to do this, he decided to try it out too. He mocked the Rebbe and the Chassidim along

the way and even when he came to Belz and the Rebbe was lighting the candles, he was making fun of the whole situation. The lighting of the candled was done and the whole crowd was quiet when all of a sudden the Rebbe calls my great grandfather over to him. Here he became a little sincere and he walked over slowly to the Rebbe. The Rebbe asked him who he was and where he was from? The rebbe asked if he would like to be his guest at the Tish and he said Ok! The Rebbe took him by his hand and started walking to the Tish and minute by minute my great grandfather started feeling regret and doing Teshuva of all his bad ways. As he was sitting by the Tish near the Rebbe, he walks over to the Rebbe and said I want to do Teshuva, Rebbe! Help me. The Rebbe told him that after the Tish he would talk to him. After the Tish the Rebbe spoke privately with my great grandfather and gave him a path to Teshuva. My great grandfather promised the Rebbe that he will send his children to learn Torah and will be from now on an observant Yid. They said good bye to each other. My great grandfather changed his life as well as his childrens and got the best teachers for his children. They became Torah Scholars. Now the Chassid concluded to Reb Pesachya: I am an observant Yid in the zechus of the Belzer Rebbes grandfather. I have tremendous Hakaras Hatov - show of appreciation- to the Belzer Rebbes and what ever they would ask me to do I will not refuse. That is why I did all what I did for you after the Rebbe requested me to do so. Reb Psachya learned a great lesson in Hakaras Hatov. This Yid was Makir Tov to the grandson of the Belzer Rebbe. Here he saw the greatness of the Chanuka lights which shone deep into the heart of a Yid and caused him to do Teshuva.
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Wishing all of Klal Yisrael a Freilichen Chanuka