‫בס“ד‬

Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Vayigash 9 Tevet 5770/Dec 26, 2009 Vol. I Num. 11

The Dark Days of Tevet Netanel Javasky

suggests that we fast in memory of variant versions, there would have

This Sunday, the Tenth of Tevet, we Ezra, who died on this day. We been a great disgrace to the
commemorate the day on which commemorate Ezra, the lead figure in authenticity of the Torah; we should
Nevuchadnezzar, King of Bavel, laid the revival and return of the Jewish celebrate the miracle of a unified
siege to Yerushalayim. This day, people to construct the second Beit translation! And yet, our Rabbis have
which ultimately led to the HaMikdash, on the day before the labeled the Eighth of Tevet as a day of
destruction of the first Beit beginning of the destruction of the great tragedy, inaugurating the dark
haMikdash approximately thirty preceding Beit haMikdash. days of Tevet. What do we make of
months later, has been marked for this?
fasting and prayer for more than two On the Eighth of Tevet, at the turn of
thousand years. the third century BCE, King Ptolemy In the Birchot HaTorah which we
of Egypt ordered the translation of recite daily, we say, ‫אשר בחר בנו מכל‬
The Talmud (Taanit 29a) teaches us the Torah into Greek. The Tur writes ‫העמים ונתן לנו את תורתו‬, that HaShem
that G-d “brings about bad things on that this translation, commonly gave us the Torah and so separated us
an already-ominous day.” Indeed, identified with the Septuagint, is the from all the other nations of the world.
the Tur (Orach Chaim 580) includes reason for the first fast of the three; The Torah makes us unique as a
the two days preceding the Tenth of the Bahag deemed it the catalyst for people and separates us from the rest
Tevet as days for fasting. However, three days of darkness. In fact, the of the world. Shemot Rabbah, a
we often overlook those other days, Selichot of Asarah B‟Tevet begin with collection of midrashim, says (47:1)
and their devastating events, when a powerful cry that we were that Moshe suggested to HaShem that
contemplating the tragedy of the subjugated to translating the Torah He write down the Torah in its
Tenth. What happened on the Eighth into Greek in the days of Ptolemy. entirety. Hashem objected that the
and Ninth of Tevet? interpretation of the Torah is what
What was so terrible about this makes the Jewish people unique; if
The Tur includes the Ninth of Tevet translation? Surely the classic account the Torah were written down,
as a day of fasting, but he writes that that seventy great scholars, placed in eventually the non-Jewish nations
the Rabbis did not present the separate rooms, presented the study it and our uniqueness would be
reason for this. This enigmatic identical translation - including a lost.
statement has been the subject of number of very critical modifications
much penmanship; one view, held from the original text! - presents a Preserving the Torah and keeping it
by numerous commentators (see great miracle. Had the Torah been our own makes us special and unique.
Magen Avraham and Turei Zahav), handed to Ptolemy with seventy The fact that on this day we were
forced to abandon an element of our
Parshah Questions Meir Lipschitz exclusive connection, the
interpretation of the Torah, caused
(Sources are provided to help the reader research answers)
great distress and is a tragedy of
 Which of his brothers did Yosef bring before Pharaoh? tremendous magnitude. We must
(Rashi and Baal haTurim to Bereishit 47:2 and Rashi to Devarim 33:18) strive to reclaim our unique ties to the
 Why were the Egyptians happy to hear about Yosef‟s family? interpretation of Torah by
(Ramban, Radak, Seforno, Ohr HaChaim, and Netziv to Bereishit 45:16) strengthening our commitment to its
 What lessons are learned from the name ‫ שאול בן הכנענית‬being recorded? study and practice, and so merit the
(Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Radak, Mizrachi, Chizkuni, Gur Aryeh, Maskil leDovid and R‟ S.R. fulfillment of the verse (Zecharyah
Hirsch to Bereishit 46:10) 8:19), “And the fast of the Tenth shall
 For children: How do we know that Yosef performed the mitzvah of kibud av? become for the house of Yehudah
(Rashi Bereishit 46:29) day[s] of joy and happiness.”
mlipschitz@torontotorah.com njavasky@torontotorah.com

Yeshiva University
Center for the Jewish Future
Sinful Family is Still Family R’ Mordechai Torczyner

Vayyigash begins with Yehudah‟s brother, and he was only doing what could not return for food ‫בלתי אחיכם‬
shining moment, as the leader puts he had promised to do. Why does ‫הקטן אתכם‬, without their smallest
his life on the line before the Viceroy this fulfillment of a contract tug on brother alongside them. Rav Levi
of Egypt to save his brother Yosef‟s heartstrings? Yitzchak explained that no Jew may
Binyamin, and his father Yaakov. eat, unless every one of our
How dramatic is the moment when Rav Dovid Kviat (Succat Dovid) brothers, even the littlest, is with us.
Yehudah ventures forth wich such suggests that Yehudah did, indeed,
act heroically; he was not obligated The same message underlay a
aggression, while yet speaking with
to defend Binyamin. Yehudah‟s Divine message to Rabbi Shimon bar
such polite eloquence! For millennia,
promise to his father was to prevent Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar
Jews have been inspired by this
,‫אסון‬to keep Binyamin safe from (Shabbat 33b). Father and son
moment of selfless heroism.
sudden enemy threats, and this was escaped Roman threats to their lives
And yet, Rabbi Tarfon contended not what Binyamin faced at the by hiding in a cave for twelve years,
that Yehudah‟s act was neither moment; Binyamin was accused, with studying Torah and subsisting on
selfless nor heroic; Yehudah was evidence on display, of having small quantities of food. After that
simply doing his job. In a stolen the Viceroy‟s silver goblet. As period of time, they received a
conversation with his students about far as Yehudah knew, Binyamin was message that the Caesar had died,
Yehudah‟s royalty (Mechilta 14:22), a thief, and should be required to and his decree threatening their
Rabbi Tarfon rejected the idea that suffer for his own actions. Yehudah lives had been annulled. The two
the monarchy was a reward for was free of any contractual emerged from the cave and saw
Yehudah‟s defense of Binyamin: “If it obligation to his father. people plowing and seeding their
because Yehudah declared [before fields, and they declared, “These
Yosef], „Your servant guaranteed the That Yehudah chose to give his life, people are abandoning eternal life
boy‟s safety,‟ he was a guarantor, despite his lack of obligation, was a and involving themselves in
and a guarantor is always required function of his commitment to saving temporary life!” The targets of their
to pay!” his brother despite his brother‟s gaze exploded in flame. A voice
apparent sin. In this lay a complete emerged from Heaven: “You left the
Indeed, Rabbi Tarfon‟s point is so repentance for the sale of Yosef: At cave to destroy my world? Go back
powerful that it causes us to question the time of the sale, the brothers into your cave!” They returned to the
another midrash. The Torah tells us believed that Yosef had sinned, and cave for another year, and the
that when Yehudah stepped forth to with this they had justified their gemara explains that they were
defend Binyamin, Yosef‟s emotions actions. Now Yehudah defended his forced to endure a twelve-month
were wrenche d. A mi drash brother, despite that brother‟s jailing because the wicked are
(Bereishit Rabbah 93:9) explains that apparent guilt. Family is family, judged in Gehennom for a
Yosef was moved by Yehudah‟s regardless of their problems. maximum of 12 months.
willingness to exchange his own
safety for Binyamin‟s safety – but, Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev made Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son
again, as Yosef knew, Yehudah had the same point, regarding Yosef‟s were right about the relative value of
pledged just such a defense for his statement to his brothers that they Torah and agrarian labor – but they
were punished for their judgmental
approach, on a level equivalent to
the maximum sentence in
Gehennom.
The 613 Mitzvot – Mitzvot 13-14 : None of us are perfect, in any field,
Who may eat the Korban Pesach and perfection is not demanded of
us. Further, we are entitled and
obligated to help other Jews grow
The Torah obligates Jews to reach We must emphasize that this rule is and attain higher levels. At the same
out to those who are not mitzvah- unique to the korban pesach; our time, though, as the Succat Dovid
observant, but not for consumption sedarim do not share this status. One underlines in Yehudah‟s actions,
of the korban pesach. This korban should endeavor to involve all Jews HaShem demands of us that we
may be consumed only by Jews in a seder which will welcome them emulate our royal ancestor and stand
who are committed to the Divine and offer them a meaningful up for all of our brethren as they are.
covenant; to include others would experience.
be to mock the entire meaning of torczyner@torontotorah.com
torczyner@torontotorah.com
the korban.

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com
 Ha’Am V’Ha’Aretz
R’ Tzvi Ashkenazi — Chacham Tzvi Russell Levy Petach Tikva
“And I will give her her vineyards from
Rav Tzvi Hirsch ben Yaakov Ashkenazi
Torah in Translation was born in 1656 in Moravia. The
thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of
hope (Petach Tikva)...” (Hoshea 2:17)
Chacham Tzvi 37 grandson of R‟ Eliyahu Ba‟al Shem of
Petach Tikva, also known as "the mother of
Is England a reshut hayachid? Chelm (the first to receive the title Ba‟al
the colonies," is a city located in the Gush
Shem for his mastery of the names of G-d
Dan area of central Israel. It started out as a
[The questioner argued that England, as an and who, according to legend, created a
moshava in 1878, and was declared a city in
island, is considered a private domain. The Golem), his brilliance was recognized at
the year 1937.
questioner concluded that it is, indeed, a a young age .
With the name taken from a passuk in
private domain, but he was concerned that In his youth, he spent time in Sephardic
Hoshea, Petach Tikva is considered the first
such a ruling would cause the laws governing communities. In Salonica, he devoted
of the Moshavaot, although Gei Oni was the
transport in public domains to be forgotten.] himself to the Sephardi Derech
first moshava to be established.
Answer: If the Torah dictated this, then let the haLimmud. He then travelled to Istanbul,
During the years of the Second Aliyah,
laws governing transport in public domains Turkey, where he received the title
many olim came to Petach Tikva to fulfill
fall into disuse! What of it? If England were Chacham, the Sephardi title equivalent
what they felt was the Zionist dream, which
totally surrounded by walls, would you not to Rav. Witnessing the detrimental
included filling out the local workforce.
agree regarding the disuse of the laws of impact the Sabbatean movement had on
After the First World War, Petach Tikva
public domains there, without concern for its the communities greatly shaped his
became a center for the Zionist movement.
camps and highways? Since the same laws response to this anti-traditional sect in
Settlement nucleii were created in Petach
pertain to subterranean and elevated walls, his later years.
Tikva. Many of the country‟s leaders,
what difference would there be - according The father of his second wife was the
including Golda Meir, David Ben Gurion,
to your own assumptions – between an Rabbi of the Three Communities of
and Levi Eshkol, received their basic farm
England surrounded by elevated walls and Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbeck, and
training in Petach Tikva before starting
an England surrounded by subterranean R‟ Ashkenazi founded a yeshiva there.
different settlements.
walls? After the passing of his father in law, he
After the War of Independence the city
In truth, it seems that before you wonder shared the position of Rabbi of the Three
grew rapidly, almost doubling its
about England and Scotland, where one Communities with R‟ Moses Rothenburg.
population in six years. Today, Petach Tikva
could contend that there is no public domain Shortly thereafter, he was appointed the
is a large, modern city with many facilities
at all, go learn from the holy city of Chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazi community
for its residents.
Jerusalem, as well as the Land of Israel as a of Amsterdam.
Adapted from an article original published
whole, regarding which the Talmud (Eruvin In Amsterdam, he, along with R‟ Moshe
by Torah MiTzion.
22b) states that it “is surrounded by rocky Chagiz, denounced a certain member of
For the last years of his life, R‟ Ashkenazi
heights on one side, and the drop of Gader the Sephardic congregation, Nechemiah
travelled between many cities, including
on the other side,” and so it should be Chayyun, as a Sabbatean. Many in the
London (where he was offered to be Rabbi
considered a private domain. This cannot be community took Chayyun‟s side, and
of the Sephardic community), Brelov, and
the case, for the Talmud (Eruvin 22a) also eventually R‟ Chagiz and R‟ Ashkenazi
Apt. For the last four months of his life he
states [in the opinion of R‟ Yehudah, against were placed in cherem. [11 years later, it
was the Chief Rabbi of Lemberg.
that of the Sages RL], “If the gates of was agreed that Chayyun was a
R‟ Ashkenazi passed away on 20 Nissan,
Yerushalayim were not closed at night, one Sabbatean ; after attempting to convert
1718. The collection of his reponsa, Shut
would be liable there for carrying in the Jews to Christianity, he was placed in
Chacham Tzvi, was a major contribution to
public domain.” cherem by the very communities which
the halachic literature, and is often quoted
Furthermore, one could express wonder initially supported him.]
today in halachic rulings. Russell Levy
regarding the whole world! Oceans surround Yerushalayim ought to be considered a
the whole world, as the Gemara states there. public domain. But once they asked from highways are considered a public
Tosafot (ibid, s.v. V‟dilma) asked this Bavel, they ought to have asked domain. Apparently, he rules that only
question, writing, “According to the Sages, regarding the world as a whole! Further, open alleys, that are designated for
all of the Land of Israel should be considered asking regarding the whole world would people of a specific neighbourhood and
a private domain due to Scala Tyriorum! have been a a stronger question, because are not accessible to all, are turned into a
Rather, a natural wall is not considered a then the Sages would have defined no private domain if the gates are closed. A
wall. Even the Sages agree with this public domain at all, a sheer highway, which is accessible to all, will
principle, as the masses will cross it and the impossibility! And if you would say that remain public property even if the gates
wall is nullified.” the world is different because of its are closed.
According to Tosafot‟s understanding, the political divisions, then why did the This seems to be the opinion of R‟
answer to your question regarding England, gemara ask, “The entire world is also, Ephraim, as quoted in the Ba‟al HaMaor
Scotland, and other lands that have the sea as etc!” (R‟ Zerachiah haLevi), and, in truth, it is
a wall is clear: Oone would be liable for Rather, this is a simple matter: Regarding correct. The Gemara [with respect to
carrying in the public domain. a natural wall, the fact that people cross it closing the gates RL] discusses open
In truth, I have a proof for this from the fact nullifies the wall. Regarding a man-made alleys, not highways.
that Tosafot questioned the statement wall, the fact that people cross it does not However, I still question this idea, for I
regarding the Land of Israel, and did not ask nullify the wall. did not find it in any other authority. It is
regarding the whole world [as the gemara In addition to this, I saw in the Rashba‟s especially surprising that the Beit Yosef
itself discussed Israel, Bavel, and the world work Avodat Hakodesh a great novelty (R‟ Yosef Karo) does not quote this, as his
RL]. Had they not asked regarding Bavel, I that is not found in any other authority, style is to quote all opinions, and the
would have said that they chose early or late: He wrote that that even if the words of the Rashba are especially
Yerushalayim because they have proof that gates to the country are closed at night, beloved to him. rlevy@torontotorah.com

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 Schedule for the Week of December 26, 9 Tevet
Shabbat, December 26
8:00AM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Ramban on the Torah, Or Chaim Wednesday, December 30
Following Hashkama R‟ Azarya Berzon: Parsha and Issues, Clanton Park 11:00AM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner: The Torah of R‟ Shimshon Raphael
1 Hour Before Mincha R‟ Azarya Berzon: Kiddushin in Depth, Mizrahi Hirsch, 239 Franklin, Babysitting provided Women
Bayit Cancelled this Week
Sunday, December 27 8:30PM Meir Lipschitz: Parshah: Peshat, Derash and More, Clanton
9:00PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Masechet Kiddushin in-depth, Shaarei Park Men
Shomayim Thursday, December 31
Monday, December 28 11:00AM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Defining the Arba Minim (Advanced),
8:30PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Rambam‟s Hilchot Talmud Torah, Clanton Park Clanton Park Men
Men 3:30PM R‟ Azarya Berzon, Defining the Issur Muktza (Advanced),
Clanton Park Men
Tuesday, December 29 8:30PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Life Issues and Hashkafat HaRav, Clanton
11:00AM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Defining Yom Tov Sheini shel Galuyot Park Men
(Advanced), Clanton Park Men
10:45AM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner: Parshah, BAYT Women Friday, January 1
1:30PM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner: Trei Asar-The Twelve Prophets, Yarchei Kallah with Westmount Shul; See Above
Shaarei Shomayim Women, with Mekorot Cancelled This Week
8:30PM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner: Minchat Chinuch, Clanton Park Men

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