The Shabbos Table – Vayeishev: R’ Y. Sacks Shlita: HaGezeirah Emes V’HaCharitzus Sheker
This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my mother Chaya Rochel Bas Dovid Tzvi A”H, my sister Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my paternal grandmother Channah Freidel Bas Avraham A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein,
It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:
-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel
-My grandmother Shulamis Bas Etta
-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL
-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili
_R’ Simcha Yitzchak Ben Mirela Yudka
-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis
-Yonatan Menachem Mendel Ben Orly, Eli Aharon Michel Ben Chaya
-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of HaRav HaGa’on V’Sar HaTorah Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Ben HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky A”H, Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam), COVID-19, and other tragedies.
-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael during this dire time, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.
The wounded should experience Refuah Shileimah, the captives should be returned safely, the fallen should experience Kevurah and Aliyah for their Neshamos and Nekamah for their Dam, their Krovim should experience Nechamah, the Chayalim should be Matzliach and Minatzei’ach, and Am Yisrael should experience Geulah.
בס”ד
Be”H, I will be translating / transcribing / paraphrasing Divrei Torah of my Rebbi, HaGaon R’ Yonason Avner Sacks Shlita. (Any inaccuracies, whether added, misrepresented, or due to omission and/or points lost in translation or context should be attributed to me alone. * = My addition.)
Vayeishev
“HaGezeirah Emes V’HaCharitzus Sheker”
Based on:
Sichah – Vayeishev: Emunah/Bitachon vs. Hishtadlus (2014)
https://www.landertorah.com/shiur/5410/sicha-parshas-vayeishev:-emunahbitachon-vs.-hishtadlus
“HaGezeirah Emes V’HaCharitzus Sheker” (Yomim MiKedem – Parshas Vayeishev, Page 56)
“Midas HaBitachon” (Yomim MiKedem – Parshas Vayeishev, Page 179)
“רַבּ֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת ה׳ הִ֣יא תָקוּם” (Mishlei 19:21)
The Ramban points out that throughout Parshas Vayeishev, virtually everything that happened to Yosef was L’Ma’alah MiDerech HaTeva (beyond the natural means). One episode after another, Ramban explains that each one points to the fact that “רַבּ֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת ה׳ הִ֣יא תָקוּם”-“The plans of man are many, but the counsel of Hashem is what will be upheld” (Mishlei 19:21).
Exhibit A – “וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יוֹסֵף” (Bereishis 37:13)
Yosef’s father had asked him to go seek out the welfare of his brothers. Netziv however comments that the Torah switches from referring to Yaakov by his usual name Yaakov to his national, spiritual name “Yisrael” to show that Yaakov’s strange decision to risk Yosef’s life was completely influenced by Hashem.
Exhibit B – “מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרוֹן” (Ibid. 37:14)
When Yaakov sends Yosef, the Torah specifies that he sent him, “מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרוֹן”-“from the Valley of Chevron.” Rashi points out that, of course, Chevron wasn’t a valley, but a, “Har,” a mountain. Rashi explains that “Eimek” refers to the “Eitzah Amukah” (deep counsel), the counsel and plan of which Hashem had already warned Avraham Avinu at the Bris Bein HaBisarim. It was with that plan that Yaakov was caused to send Yosef.
Exhibit C – “וַיִּמְצָאֵ֣הוּ אִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תֹעֶ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה”
The Torah tells us that on while on his way, Yosef was helplessly lost, wandering in the field. There was no way he was going to meet up with his brothers. Then, all of a sudden, “Vayimtza’eihu Ish”-“and a man found him” (Bereishis 37:15). And as Rashi tells us, Hashem designated a Moreh Derech (someone to show him the way) as Malach Gavriel points Yosef in the appropriate direction.
Ramban summarizes the lesson of the Parsha, “Ki HaGezeirah Emes V’HaCharitzus Sheker” (*”that the decree [of Hashem] is true [enduring], and [human] diligence / exertion is [ultimately] false”). That means that the Gezeiras Hashem is what is real, and that man’s industriousness is false (*it does not determine fate).
Emunah / Bitachon vs. Hishtadlus
It is perhaps with this understanding of the intense demonstration of Hashgachas Hashem in our Parsha that Yosef is faulted at the end, for his reliance on the Sar HaMashkim to free him from prison.
Surely, we might have suggested that a degree of Hishtadlus is appropriate. And yet, the Ramban and the Beis HaLevi explain that Lefi Madreigaso (according to his stature), the Charitzus, the exertion by Yosef HaTzaddik was a miscalculation, a display of overreaching.
But perhaps even more so, we could suggest that all of the circumstances which led Yosef to his current fate should have been an indicator of the Hashgachas Hashem.
Ultimately, we must position ourselves and engage in measured, reasonable Hishtadlus. But, we do so with awareness this Yesod from our Parsha that “HaGezeirah Emes V’HaCharitzus Sheker.”
We should all be Zocheh to strike the appropriate balance between Emunah / Bitachon and Hishtadlus and Hashem should free Klal Yisrael from the prison of Galus with the Geulah and the coming of Moshiach, Bimheirah BiYomeinu! Have a wonderful Shabbos Chanukah!
