Rabbi Frand on Parshas Vayechi
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion: Tape # 265,
Yahrtzeit. Good Shabbos!
Dedicated This Year Le'eluy Nishmas Chaya Bracha Bas R. Yissocher Dov -
In memory of Mrs. Adele Frand
Yaakov Invokes Heavenly Blessings for His Grandchildren
From "The Angel Who Redeemed Him"
"And he blessed Yosef and said 'the L-rd before whom my fathers walked, the
L-rd who has taken care of me until this day, the Angel who redeems me from
all evil, He shall bless the young lads..." [Bereshis 48:15-16]. This pasuk
[verse] is familiar those who say it with our children at night before they
go to bed. However, if we think about the pasuk, we will discover a basic
difficulty.
Yaakov began giving this blessing to Yosef by referring to the L-rd
(haElokim) with whom his forefathers traveled. We would expect that Yaakov
would invoke the help of G-d in the blessing of the children. However, in
the middle of the blessing, Yaakov suddenly switched and started talking
about "the Angel". Yaakov invoked the blessing of the Angel rather than the
blessing of G-d. Wouldn't G-d's blessing be better than an Angel's blessing?
I saw a beautiful explanation in the Limudei Nissan (Rav Nissan Alpert).
There was a very big difference between the relationship that G-d had with
Avraham and Yitzchak and the relationship that He had with Yaakov. The first
two generations of Patriarchs merited a relationship with G-d that was built
upon open miracles. Avraham, even amongst his peers, was crowned: "a Prince
of G-d are you in our midst" [Bereshis 23:6]. Everyone appreciated who he
was. Likewise, Avimelech initiated a peace covenant with Yitzchak because he
realized who Yitzchak was. They merited a treatment by G-d that was apparent
to everyone.
Yaakov is the Patriarch who symbolizes the Jew in Exile. He existed and
lived in exile and passed on to his children and his descendants the ability
to survive in exile. The providence that Yaakov had was one in which G-d
always saved him, but the salvation came in a way which was much more hidden
than that experienced by Avraham and Yitzchak.
Look at Yaakov's life. He had troubles from Eisav. Then he had troubles with
Lavan. Then he had troubles with Dena. Then he had troubles with Yosef. Then
he had troubles with Shimon. Then he had troubles with Binyamin. Yaakov
literally lived a life of troubles. But G-d was always there. In all of
these instances, in the final analysis, goodness sprouted from what was
perceived as evil.
The twenty years spent with Lavan were the twenty years in which Yaakov
built the future Tribes. The incident with Yosef is what eventually
sustained them in the years of famine. All of these things eventually had a
silver lining - but as they were happening, they were all highly traumatic
situations. It was certainly true that at all times G-d was "pulling the
strings", but it was not necessarily apparent that this was the case.
This typifies Jewish life in the Exile (Galus). In Galus, we live a life in
which the Divine Face of G-d is Hidden (Hester Panim) from us. This means
that G-d is there, calling the shots, but He is behind a cloud. It is often
difficult to identify the "Hand of G-d" in that which transpires around us.
It is difficult to perceive that what occurs to us is "for the best" rather
than sometimes calamitous. This is our life in Exile.
Yaakov is about to bless his grandchildren, Menashe and Ephraim, who are the
first Jews born into Exile. Their experience in the Egyptian Exile would
foreshadow the Jewish experience in many future countries of exile. Yaakov
wanted them to realize that the "Hand of G-d" would not always openly
intervene on their behalf. At times, G-d's presence would not be apparent to
them at all.
Therefore, precisely for this reason, Yaakov gave them the blessing of "the
Angel who redeemed me from all evil..." In Galus, G-d does not deliver the
salvation Himself in an open and apparent way as it was with the earlier
patriarchs. Rather, "the Angel (Malach) who redeems" delivers the salvation.
In Galus, G-d has his representatives (Malachim, literally Angels) who come
to deliver salvation.
The entire blessing can be understood in this light. "The L-rd before whom
my forefathers Avraham and Yitzchak walked" - openly basking in His
Salvation. "The G-d who shepherds me" - this is the same G-d who is like a
shepherd to me. [The sheep do not know that the wolf is lurking in the
background, but it is the shepherd who is always there to make sure that
nothing happens. This is the type of Providence that I merited to have in
Exile.] And this same Providence - that G-d should watch out for you in
Exile even in hidden and indirect ways - is my blessing to you: "The Angel
who redeems me from all evil, he too should bless these young boys..." And
if you can see this hand of G-d in all that occurs and you will remain
upright and steadfast, then "... my name will be called upon you, as well as
the names of my forefathers..." - eventually you will merit to have the open
Providence of G-d which was experienced by Avraham and Yitzchak.
Transcribed by David Twersky; Seattle, Washington.
Technical Assistance by Dovid Hoffman; Yerushalayim.
This write-up was adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tape series on the weekly Torah portion.
The complete list of halachic topics covered in this series for Parshas
VaYechi are provided below:
- Tape # 037 - Establishing Time of Death
- Tape # 079 - The Yissocher-Zevulun Partnership
- Tape # 128 - The Sandik
- Tape # 175 - Embalming, Autopsies, and Cremation
- Tape # 221 - Exhumation: When Is it Permitted?
- Tape # 265 - Yahrtzeit
- Tape # 311 - Funerals in Halacha
- Tape # 355 - Asarah B'Teves
- Tape # 399 - Baruch Shem K'vod Malchuso L'Olam Voed
- Tape # 443 - Aveilus Issues
- Tape # 487 - Determining Date of Moshiach's Arrival
- Tape # 531 - Burial in Eretz Yisroel
New! Yad Yechiel Institute is on-line! Visit http://www.yadyechiel.org !For information via email, you may also write to tapes@yadyechiel.org. Tapes or a complete catalogue can be ordered from: Yad Yechiel Institute
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Call (410) 358-0416 for further information.
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled: Rabbi Yissocher Frand: In Print and is available through your local Hebrew book store or from Project Genesis, 1-410-654-1799.
Rav Frand Books and Audio Tapes are now available for sale! Thanks to www.yadyechiel.org and Artscroll.com.
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