Vayeishev Parsha Sheet
רמב"ן על התורה Selected Pieces from the Ramban’s Commentary on the Torah מלוקט ע"פ קונטרוס של הרה"ג ירחמיאל פרייד פרק
לז
לח
פרק לז
לח
לט מ
פסוק
ב ד"ה והוא טו יז ד"ה נסעו כב ג ז ח כד
ענין
ביאור המחלוקת שהיתה בין יוסף לאחיו הגזירה אמת והחריצות שקר ,הכל סיבה מאת ה' האיש שהדריך יוסף לאחיו היה גבריאל דהוי שליחות מה' לא ידעו אחי יוסף מהנחשים ועקרבים .ועוד. חשיבות השם של כל אדם ואדם זרע הצדיקים מבורך ואין שכול אצלם יבום קודם מתן תורה הטעם שפסק יהודה חיוב מיתה לתמר
גור אריה להמהר"ל Selected Pieces from the Maharal’s Gur Aryeh מלוקט ע"פ קונטרוס של הרה"ג יהושע דוד הרטמן
אות )ע"פ הוצאת ממכון ירושלים(
ג,ד ו,ז ט יב יד יט לג לו מ מב ב ג ט,יא יט כו ג ו יד
ענין
ירושת עשו את הר שעיר וירושת יעקב את א"י יוסף הוא עיקר תולדות יעקב שלשלת חלקי דבה הרעה שראה יוסף באחיו הנהגת ה' להורות קודם לאדם שחטא ,ואח"כ מענישו יוסף הוא "בן זקונים" אע"פ שצעיר מיששכר רק בשנה ביאור כוונת יוסף בסיפור חלומותיו לאחיו ביאור כוונת ראובן שהציע להשליך את יוסף לבור מלא נחשים ועקרבים סדר השתלשלות וחילופי הרשויות במכירת יוסף כיצד השבטים שתפו את הקב"ה עמהם שלא לגלות מכירת יוסף ליעקב ההסבר מדוע יעקב לא קבל תנחומין על יוסף האם השבטים נשאו כנעניות חשיבות השמות ,כי שמא הוא גרם כיצד יהודה עשה את מעשה תמר דין תמר בשריפה ,אע"פ שהיתה פנויה ובעולה זרח ופרץ ותולדותיהם כיצד ראה פוטיפר שה' עם יוסף אי אפשר לומר "חטאתי" על אינו מצוה ועושה עונש יוסף שבטח בשר המשקים
5 Parsha Highlights for Further Discussion : Rashi quotes that Yaakov wanted some serenity in his life, and Hashem thenמי השלוח ח״א פ׳ וישב ד״ה ויהי ער brought about the story of Yosef. This midah, of wanting to shy away from risks in this world was passed on in a negative form to Er and Onan who didn’t want to risk Tamar’s beauty by having a child with her. Sometimes a small weakness or deficiency that we have is magnified when passed on to the next )generation. (Full text can be found here: http://cl.ly/3X412f281Q2p : Perhaps we should praise Yehuda for suggesting that Yosef be sold to Egypt. Thatמשך חכמה ד״ה מה בצע decision saved Yaakov’s family from famine and fulfilled the promises to Avraham. Neverless, his intentions where Yehuda admits that although Tamar did the wrong thing,ספורנו לח:כוwere improper… Contrast with she did so for the right reason. : Hashem did not reveal to Yaakov that Yosef was alive in Mitzraim, since itשפת אמת תרל״ה ד״ה מה שלא גילה would be too painful for him to bear. Meaning, that for Yaakov to know his son was alive and possibly being !influenced by the temptations of Egypt was worse than not knowing
5 Parsha Highlights for Further Discussion (cont.) מידם ויצילהו ד״ה כא: לז החיים אור: A person has the ability to change destiny through freedom of choice. Reuven argued that if the brothers killed Yosef, they would never know if his dreams were true, since they has altered Yosef’s future. (This has major implications for the extent and power of free will in the face of nevuah…) ( )בסוף לא: לח בחיי רבינו: The asara harugei malchus atoned for the sin of selling Yosef, but while 10 sages were killed, only 9 brothers were responsible, since Binyamin wasn’t there and Reuven tried to save him. Rabbeinu Bachya suggests that Yosef himself is the 10th brother since he was ultimately the instigator.
Foundations
שמות Names The Ramban in this week’s parsha (38:3) emphasizes the importance of every individuals name. The Maharal as well (ch. 38 #3) discusses the significance of names. This week we will explore the concept of naming in Jewish thought and law. 1.
2.
3.
4.
The Significance of a Name a. The Talmud in Brachos 7b based on a verse in Mishlei explains that a person’s name can influence a person’s disposition and character (see also Maharsha there) b. The Sefas Emes (Shmos תרנו )שנת explains that a name relates to one’s life mission that they must live their lives towards. See also his comments תרנז שנת וישלח. c. See Michatv M’Eliyahu vol. 5 (p. 393) where discusses the kabbalistic notion of forgetting your name in the World to Come. Non-Jewish Names a. The Medrash (Vayikra Rabbah 32) says that one of the reason why the Jewish people were redeemed from Israel is because they did not change their Jewish names. b. Some opinions felt very strongly that Jews should not be called by non-Jewish names, most notably Maharam Schick in his teshuvot (Yoreh De’ah #169). c. R Moshe Feinstein (Iggros Moshe Orach Chaim vol. 4 #66) is more accepting of non-Jewish names as he points out several Rabbis in earlier generations had secular names. He is not compelled by those who point out that many Amoraim in the Talmud had Aramaic names since Aramaic may have a special holy status. He also, however, is not convinced that the aforementioned Medrash regarding redemption from Egypt can be used a proof, since it was before the giving of the Torah and once the Torah was given that became the exclusive way in which the Jewish people distinguish themselves. i. Of note see Tosafos Gittin 8a which seems to quote a Baal Tosafos named Peter. d. A distinction can be made between a secular name and a name that specifically relaes to another religion, see Tosafos Gittin 34b who strongly cautions against using an apostate’s name in a get. See also Pischei Teshuva Even Ha”Ezer 129:11 and Teshuvot Chassam Sofer Even Ha’Ezer vol. 2 #38. Names of Resha’im a. Gemorah in Yoma 38b says the names of resha’im should fall i nto disuse. See Tosafos there who cite several exceptions to this rule. Naming after someone who died young a. The Sefer Chassidim (363-364) mentions that we should not name after people who died young. Later opinions have added significant qualifiactions to this rule, for one example, see Iggros Moshe Yoreh Deah vol. 2 #122.
לז
לח
פרק לז
לח
לט מ
פסוק
ב ד"ה והוא טו יז ד"ה נסעו כב ג ז ח כד
ענין
ביאור המחלוקת שהיתה בין יוסף לאחיו הגזירה אמת והחריצות שקר ,הכל סיבה מאת ה' האיש שהדריך יוסף לאחיו היה גבריאל דהוי שליחות מה' לא ידעו אחי יוסף מהנחשים ועקרבים .ועוד. חשיבות השם של כל אדם ואדם זרע הצדיקים מבורך ואין שכול אצלם יבום קודם מתן תורה הטעם שפסק יהודה חיוב מיתה לתמר
גור אריה להמהר"ל Selected Pieces from the Maharal’s Gur Aryeh מלוקט ע"פ קונטרוס של הרה"ג יהושע דוד הרטמן
אות )ע"פ הוצאת ממכון ירושלים(
ג,ד ו,ז ט יב יד יט לג לו מ מב ב ג ט,יא יט כו ג ו יד
ענין
ירושת עשו את הר שעיר וירושת יעקב את א"י יוסף הוא עיקר תולדות יעקב שלשלת חלקי דבה הרעה שראה יוסף באחיו הנהגת ה' להורות קודם לאדם שחטא ,ואח"כ מענישו יוסף הוא "בן זקונים" אע"פ שצעיר מיששכר רק בשנה ביאור כוונת יוסף בסיפור חלומותיו לאחיו ביאור כוונת ראובן שהציע להשליך את יוסף לבור מלא נחשים ועקרבים סדר השתלשלות וחילופי הרשויות במכירת יוסף כיצד השבטים שתפו את הקב"ה עמהם שלא לגלות מכירת יוסף ליעקב ההסבר מדוע יעקב לא קבל תנחומין על יוסף האם השבטים נשאו כנעניות חשיבות השמות ,כי שמא הוא גרם כיצד יהודה עשה את מעשה תמר דין תמר בשריפה ,אע"פ שהיתה פנויה ובעולה זרח ופרץ ותולדותיהם כיצד ראה פוטיפר שה' עם יוסף אי אפשר לומר "חטאתי" על אינו מצוה ועושה עונש יוסף שבטח בשר המשקים
5 Parsha Highlights for Further Discussion : Rashi quotes that Yaakov wanted some serenity in his life, and Hashem thenמי השלוח ח״א פ׳ וישב ד״ה ויהי ער brought about the story of Yosef. This midah, of wanting to shy away from risks in this world was passed on in a negative form to Er and Onan who didn’t want to risk Tamar’s beauty by having a child with her. Sometimes a small weakness or deficiency that we have is magnified when passed on to the next )generation. (Full text can be found here: http://cl.ly/3X412f281Q2p : Perhaps we should praise Yehuda for suggesting that Yosef be sold to Egypt. Thatמשך חכמה ד״ה מה בצע decision saved Yaakov’s family from famine and fulfilled the promises to Avraham. Neverless, his intentions where Yehuda admits that although Tamar did the wrong thing,ספורנו לח:כוwere improper… Contrast with she did so for the right reason. : Hashem did not reveal to Yaakov that Yosef was alive in Mitzraim, since itשפת אמת תרל״ה ד״ה מה שלא גילה would be too painful for him to bear. Meaning, that for Yaakov to know his son was alive and possibly being !influenced by the temptations of Egypt was worse than not knowing
5 Parsha Highlights for Further Discussion (cont.) מידם ויצילהו ד״ה כא: לז החיים אור: A person has the ability to change destiny through freedom of choice. Reuven argued that if the brothers killed Yosef, they would never know if his dreams were true, since they has altered Yosef’s future. (This has major implications for the extent and power of free will in the face of nevuah…) ( )בסוף לא: לח בחיי רבינו: The asara harugei malchus atoned for the sin of selling Yosef, but while 10 sages were killed, only 9 brothers were responsible, since Binyamin wasn’t there and Reuven tried to save him. Rabbeinu Bachya suggests that Yosef himself is the 10th brother since he was ultimately the instigator.
Foundations
שמות Names The Ramban in this week’s parsha (38:3) emphasizes the importance of every individuals name. The Maharal as well (ch. 38 #3) discusses the significance of names. This week we will explore the concept of naming in Jewish thought and law. 1.
2.
3.
4.
The Significance of a Name a. The Talmud in Brachos 7b based on a verse in Mishlei explains that a person’s name can influence a person’s disposition and character (see also Maharsha there) b. The Sefas Emes (Shmos תרנו )שנת explains that a name relates to one’s life mission that they must live their lives towards. See also his comments תרנז שנת וישלח. c. See Michatv M’Eliyahu vol. 5 (p. 393) where discusses the kabbalistic notion of forgetting your name in the World to Come. Non-Jewish Names a. The Medrash (Vayikra Rabbah 32) says that one of the reason why the Jewish people were redeemed from Israel is because they did not change their Jewish names. b. Some opinions felt very strongly that Jews should not be called by non-Jewish names, most notably Maharam Schick in his teshuvot (Yoreh De’ah #169). c. R Moshe Feinstein (Iggros Moshe Orach Chaim vol. 4 #66) is more accepting of non-Jewish names as he points out several Rabbis in earlier generations had secular names. He is not compelled by those who point out that many Amoraim in the Talmud had Aramaic names since Aramaic may have a special holy status. He also, however, is not convinced that the aforementioned Medrash regarding redemption from Egypt can be used a proof, since it was before the giving of the Torah and once the Torah was given that became the exclusive way in which the Jewish people distinguish themselves. i. Of note see Tosafos Gittin 8a which seems to quote a Baal Tosafos named Peter. d. A distinction can be made between a secular name and a name that specifically relaes to another religion, see Tosafos Gittin 34b who strongly cautions against using an apostate’s name in a get. See also Pischei Teshuva Even Ha”Ezer 129:11 and Teshuvot Chassam Sofer Even Ha’Ezer vol. 2 #38. Names of Resha’im a. Gemorah in Yoma 38b says the names of resha’im should fall i nto disuse. See Tosafos there who cite several exceptions to this rule. Naming after someone who died young a. The Sefer Chassidim (363-364) mentions that we should not name after people who died young. Later opinions have added significant qualifiactions to this rule, for one example, see Iggros Moshe Yoreh Deah vol. 2 #122.
