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Just as Joseph, so too Judah -- both were destined for greatness, for kingship.  Both were extremely demeaned, and suffered extremely harsh and painful personal losses.  The Torah wants to inform us that only one who knows how to be "lowly of spirit" can be a just king.  That is why the Torah commands that a king write a second Torah scroll of his own '''The king is commanded to write for himself a second Torah scroll''' {{hcite|i/2307n.htm#2|Laws of Torah Scrolls 7:2}}, which must be with him all the time.  So that he is aware, even if the entire world lauds hims, that above him there is the King, King of Kings.
 
Just as Joseph, so too Judah -- both were destined for greatness, for kingship.  Both were extremely demeaned, and suffered extremely harsh and painful personal losses.  The Torah wants to inform us that only one who knows how to be "lowly of spirit" can be a just king.  That is why the Torah commands that a king write a second Torah scroll of his own '''The king is commanded to write for himself a second Torah scroll''' {{hcite|i/2307n.htm#2|Laws of Torah Scrolls 7:2}}, which must be with him all the time.  So that he is aware, even if the entire world lauds hims, that above him there is the King, King of Kings.
  
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Latest revision as of 09:39, 18 December 2009


Vayeshev 5770 - וישב תש"ע
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עברית

וַיַּכֵּר יְהוּדָה, וַיֹּאמֶר צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי, כִּי-עַל-כֵּן לֹא-נְתַתִּיהָ, לְשֵׁלָה בְנִי  (בראשית לח:כו)

הסיפור של יהודה ותמר מפסיק פתאום את הסיפור של הורדת יוסף מצרימה. לשם מה הכניסה כאן התורה את הקטע הזה?

הסיפור הראשי ממשיך בתיאור הורדת יוסף -- לא רק אל מצריים, אלא שבתוך מצריים הורד אל בית הסוהר של פרעה -- המקום שממנו אף אחד לא יוצא, אלא ברצון פרעה. אין מקום "נמוך" מזה בכל ארץ מצריים. יוסף הושפל לגמרי למטה. בקשר לבניו של יהודה, מסופר שלמרות היות יהודה איש ירא אלוהים, בניו לא היו כמותו -- ואין ספק שהעובדה הזאת השפילה אותו. ולבסוף בא אל אישה זונה, ובבוא הזמן נודע לו שהיא לא הייתה זונה, אלא כלתו של בנו המת. ובמקום לכסות על עצמו ולהמשיך ולהעניש אותה כמו שאמר לעשות מקודם, הודה בפני כל העם ש"צדקה ממני". השפיל עצמו לפני העם ולא נתן לה להיענש חינם.

גם יוסף, גם יהודה היו מיועדים לגדולה, למלכות. שניהם הושפלו מאד וחוו הפסדים אישיים קשים ומכאיבים מאד. התורה רוצה לומר שרק מי שיודע להיות שפל רוח יכול להיות מלך הוגן. לשם כך התורה מצווה שמלך יכתוב לעצמו ספר תורה שני הַמֶּלֶךְ מְצֻוֶּה לִכְתֹּב לוֹ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה אַחֵר לְעַצְמוֹ  (הל' ספר תורה ז:ב), להיות תמיד אצלו. שידע שאפילו כל העולם מקלסו, יש מעליו מלך מלכי המלכים.


English

And Judah acknowledged them, and said: 'She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son.'  (Gen 38:26)

The story of Judah and Tamar suddenly interrupts the story of Joseph being taken down to Egypt. For what purpose did the Torah place this tale here?

The main story continues describing Joseph's descent -- not only to Egypt, but within Egypt he descended to Pharaoh's prison -- a place from which no-one escaped, unless Pharaoh wished it. There was no place "lower" in the entire land of Egypt. Joseph was completely and utterly debased. Regarding Judah's sons, it is related that despite Judah being a God fearing man, his sons were not like him -- and doubtless this fact shamed him greatly. Finally, he came to a prostitute, and as time passed it became known to him that she was not a prostitute, rather she was his dead son's wife. And instead of covering up his shame and continuing to punish her as he had commanded be done, he confessed in front of all the people, saying "She is more righteous than I". He demeaned himself in front of the people and did not permit her to be punished for naught.

Just as Joseph, so too Judah -- both were destined for greatness, for kingship. Both were extremely demeaned, and suffered extremely harsh and painful personal losses. The Torah wants to inform us that only one who knows how to be "lowly of spirit" can be a just king. That is why the Torah commands that a king write a second Torah scroll of his own The king is commanded to write for himself a second Torah scroll  (Laws of Torah Scrolls 7:2), which must be with him all the time. So that he is aware, even if the entire world lauds hims, that above him there is the King, King of Kings.



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