פרשת ויגש ב

Dvar Torah

Giving back happiness

(בראשית מו:כט) וַיֶּאְסֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ וַיַּעַל לִקְרַאת־יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִיו גּשְׁנָה וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו וַיִּפֹּל עַל־צַוָּארָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָיו עוֹד:

Finally, the great reunion of Yaakov with his dearest son, Yosef is about to take place.  The Torah tells us, that Yosef, at the time of meeting his father after 22 long years away from him cries.  Rashi (46:29) points out that the Pasuk only tells us that only Yosef was crying, and it tells us nothing about Yaakov’s emotions.  Rashi explains, that at the time of this great reunion Yaakov was reciting Kriyat Shema and therefore could not cry on his son’s shoulder.  The question is, Yaakov knew he would be meeting his son, could he not have recited the Shema earlier? 

The Shema is a way for us to declare Hashem as our King.  In Shema we say, “and you should love Hashem your G-D with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your money (possessions).”

In truth, Yaakov could have recited the Shema at any other time but when a person does a Mitzvah they should do it with their fullest ability.  Part of doing Mitzvot fully is doing them happily with all our heart.  For the last 22 years of Yaakov’s life, his joy was cut down since he had not seen his beloved son.  At this great moment of reuniting with Yosef, his heart became filled with the greatest joy he had ever felt.   He then grasped that happiness to fulfill the Mitzvah of, “and you should love Hashem your G-D with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your money (possessions)” to an even greater level than imaginable.  

From here we can learn, how important it is for us to give it our all when doing a Mitzvah. 

Shabbat Shalom!

Classroom Check-in!

Questions about what we are learning in class

1) Who wrote Sefer Shoftim? Why?

2) How can we learn Middah K'neged Middah (a measure for a measure) from Adoni Bezek?

3) Who was Atniel Ben Knaz?

4) What did Kalev give his daughter Achsa along with her wedding gift? 

Kollel Quiz 

#1 Who Am I?

1. I hint to Mordechai.

2. We were each worth a fifth.

3. We were not intended for jealousy.

4. We were for the youngest.

#2 Who Am I?

1. I atone.

2. I am not a wagon.

3. I was a sign to Yaakov.

4. Death can cause me.

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