Parashas Vayeishev

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Vayeishev . The last Parsha finished on the subject of Eisav's descendants and so this Parsha continues with Yaakov's descendants , focusing on Yaakov and Rachel's son Yosef . The Haftorah for this Parsha is Amos 2:6 - 3:8 and connects with the Parsha by referring to the selling of Yosef in the first few verses of the Haftorah .
Yaakov " Vayeishev " - " Settled " in the Land where his Father and Grand-Father sojourned , in the land of Canaan . This Parsha refers to Yosef being seventeen years of age . It was about this time that Leah passed away and seeing that Yosef's Ima Rachel had passed away at the birth of Binyamin , Yosef was actually raised by Bilhah , Yaakov's other wife , linked to Rachel .
Torah refers to Yosef as a "Youth with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah , " for Yosef used to be closer to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah , as the sons of Leah , except Reuvein , used to talk down to Bilhah and Zilpah's sons , referring to them as 'sons of the maid , ' so Yosef ' being the kind of Tzaddik that he was , put his time more to the looked-down-upon sons of Yaakov . Torah refers to Yosef as a " youth " in reference to his teen years being cognizant of his appearance .
Torah Says that Yosef used to bring " Es Dibatam Ra'ah , " - " Evil Reports , " about his brothers . Not that Yosef was Evil , but his intention was that they be Tzaddikim , and he reasoned that reporting them , would give the opportunity for them to be corrected and grow into Tzaddikim .
His reports , were not based on fact , but rather his opinion of what he thought he was perceiving . As an example , he once witnessed his brothers eating from an animal and , because the animal , even though it had been shechted , still quivered , so he perceived that they were eating from a living animal , which they were not . There are certain Halachic rules regarding this , and what they did , did not go against strict Halocha , though he perceived it wrongly . Another time there was question about the animal's unborn , within it , and there again , he doubted their correctness and so , with other instances , did he misunderstand what he saw and reported them to his Father , again not for the reason of malice , but with pure intentions that , they be taught the right way . He should have approached them himself , but he reasoned that due to their ill feeling toward him , they wouldn't listen anyway .
Torah Says that Yaakov loved Yosef more than all the sons since he was a " Child of his old age . " Though this may sound self-explanatory , there is more meaning here. Yosef, would stay home learning , unlike his brothers , and seeing that Yaakov was aging , Yosef , would put himself out to look after his Father and be a physical support to lean on and so does Torah refer to Yosef as a son of Yaakov's old age . Also , Yosef , was a soul very much like his Father , the two looking alike , and having similarities in their life-course , like both having a brother or brothers that hated them , both deaming holy dreams , both marrying women away from their birth-place , both having a total immersed love for HaShem's Law and Learning , and both Yaakov and Yosef , being connected with the woman Yaakov loved , Rachel . Also , Yaakov knew what it felt like when his Father put Eisav as First-born , though Yaakov was the holier , and so , Yaakov did make sure this wouldn't happen again and so was Yosef accredited for his holiness and made the favorite , though this was wrong to the others .
So , to inaugurate Yosef's holiness , his Father did something that would appear as though he was being made higher , for Yaakov made for him a " fine woolen tunic . " Such things , in that day and age , were usually worn by royalty or by those , put in a high position above others , and so , the other sons hated Yosef , as if he was being put over them . Torah Says they couldn't speak to him peacably and so , some of them didn't even speak to him at all , for as Tzaddikim , they couldn't be false and hide their hatred for him with sweet false words , so they rather didn't speak to him at all .
Yosef dreamed a dream and he told his brothers , not in order to boast , but hoping they would respect him more and love him more . He dreamt that they were binding sheaves in the middle of the field and Yosef's sheaf arose and remained standing and his brother's sheaves gathered around and bowed to his sheaf . This was actually a future prophecy , for later on , his brothers did come before him when he was viceroy of Mitzrayim . His intention was not a bad one , but they hated him even more , wrongly thinking that he was after ruler-ship, when he wasn't at all .
He then dreamed another dream , where this time the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed to him . Again , this was not his own doing , but prophetic , for eleven of his brothers would in the future stand before him when he would be viceroy in Egypt . Yosef related it to his brothers alone first and then to his Father and Brothers again and his Father scolded him , not because his Father didn't understand Yosef's holiness , but Yaakov tried to play it down so that the brothers wouldn't be so angry at Yosef . Yaakov knew it was prophetic , for Yosef's dream had referred to Yaakov as ' the sun ' a word HaShem called Yaakov when he had the dream of the ladder , so Yaakov knew this dream was from HaShem . The moon, was in reference to Bilhah , who raised Yosef , for Yosef's Ima Rachel had passed on . Yosef's brothers hated him even more .
Yosef's brothers had gone to pasture their Father's flocks in Shechem , and Israel Yaakov called his son Yosef to check on their welfare and the welfare of the flocks and so Yaakov sent Yosef from Chavron to Shechem . On the way , Yaakov taught Yosef the Law of the man who is a stranger and visitor to a town and is found killed and no one knows who killed him and what the closest town does . That would be the last time Yaakov would see his son for as many years as Yaakov went away from his Father . Torah Tells us how Yosef couldn't find his brothers and came across a man in the field . This man was actually the Malach Angel Gavriel , who told him , " They have journeyed on from here , for I heard them saying ' Let us go to Dothan . ' " This was actually a warning hidden , to Yosef , meaning that his brothers had now 'gone far away from brotherhood towards him and have journeyd on to Dothan , ' where Dothan is from the root " Dat " which means ' to judge ' in other words they have gone to sit in judgement against Yosef . Yosef , knowing in the beginning when his Father asked him to go , that hs brothers hated him , could have said no , but being a Tzaddik , he obeyed his Father and said , as his Great Grand-Father Avraham used to say to HaShem , " Hineini , " - " Here I am , " ready to do Your Bidding HaShem , no matter what the cost , I trust You HaShem .
The brothers saw him from afar and wanted to Judge him as to be killed Chas Ve Shalom and Levi said , " Look , the dreamer comes . " Simeon was the one who said to kill him and throw him into one of the pits and say a wild beast killed him . Simeon knew full well that these pits contained snakes and scorpions as Simeon had once had a previous encounter almost falling into one of these pits and almost getting bitten and so , was that the character of Simeon , wanting Yosef killed . Reuvein , the eldest , knowing he had lost the First-born right to Yosef , still wanted to try save Yosef and so he intervened . Reuvein said he should not be killed first , intending to rescue Yosef from their hands and return him to his Father . And so , they stripped Yosef of his fine woolen tunic , beat him and threw him into one of the pits . Ishamaelites came with spices and it says that Midianite traders bought Yosef , for Yosef was sold from one set of travellers to another , a few times , before he got to Egypt. The Midianite traders who first bought him , didn't at first believe such a handsome and pure looking person as Yosef , could be these men's slave boy , but again Simeon spoke up and a bill of sale was written out as a guarantee that they had a right to sell him . Ishmaelites usually traveled this route from Gilead to Egypt , to sell their spices and wares , and so , Yosef was brought to Egypt , crying and longing for his Father and his home . Reuvein had left to go pray , as he did day and night , repenting for his Aveirah of disarranging his Father's couch , and when he returned , he found the pit empty and Yosef gone and so , asked , " where can I go , " in reference to him ( Reuvein ) being the First - borne and losing that position to Yosef , because of Reuvein's Aveirah , and so wondering that if now Yosef is gone , what position is Reuvein now in level spiritually and also that he felt responsible now for coming back and not finding and being able to save Yosef .
The brothers slaughtered a goatling in the proper way , thus a middah knegged midah against Yosef who questioned their shechting methods , and they dipped Yosef's tunic into it's blood and brought it to their Father and Yehudah handed it to their Father , and he said similar words to his Father as Yaakov had said to Yitzchak when going to his Father to get the Blessing instead of Eisav , so middah knegged middah , those words returned to Yaakov . Yaakov rent his garments and did not stop mourning for his son . Yitzchak was at this stage around 168 years of age . After the sons had sold Yosef , they sat down to a meal , fully believing they judged him correctly . This Aveirah was carried over the centuries , and exacted from us at the time of the Romans when the famous Jewish martyrs were executed . This we read about in the Service of Yom Kippur . Yosef was changed many times from traders to traders , who finally brought him to Egypt . A man by the name of Potiphar saw him , and personally desired him , and so , bought him only after seeing the right of sale contract signed by the brothers ( not knowing they were Yosef's brother ) . The name ' Potiphar , ' comes form ancient Egyptian dialect from the word ' Potiphara , ' and translates to ' Mutilated one , ' for after a disease that he had when he dared to desire Yosef for his own debased wishes , was punished with ending up like a eunuch . Torah describes Potiphar as " Seris Par'o , " where the word " Seris " can also refer to being mutilated as a eunuch . HaShem Sees all and so , the son Yehudah who would have been listened to , if he would have told the brothers not to do this to Yosef , but said nothing , and also gave his Father such pain , in being the one to say to his Father , when bringing Yosef's tunic with blood , " Identify if you please , " was punished straight away by also losing his own sons and being kicked out by the other brothers , for the brothers saw that their Father was inconsolable , and so blamed Yehudah . So Yehudah moved away from them , or as some Rabbis say , was chased away .
HaShem juxtaposes the story of Yehudah amongst the happenings in Torah of Yosef , To Also Teach us that HaShem Always Punishes for wrong ,in HaShem's Own Time That HaShem Knows Best .
Torah Tells us that Yehudah " Went down from his brothers , " and turned to an Adullamite man Hirah and there met and married the daughter of a prominent Canaanite , though many Rabbis and Onkelos translate the word K'na'ani as merchant . If she was a Canaanite , it might explain one of the reasons she and her two out of three sons had to die , for we , as a people are not to marry Canaanites . Three sons were born to Yehudah and this woman , Er , Onan and Shelach . Yehudah took Tamar for a wife of his first son Er . This woman Tamar , was actually a very holy woman as she was the daughter of Noach's son Shem ( also known as Melchitzeddek that Blessed Avraham after the war of the four kings against five , that Avraham had won and defeated when his nephew Lot had been captured - earlier on in the Book of Bereishis ) . Because Er did not want to spoil her beauty , he reasoned that she should not be made pregnant and so HaShem Caused him to die . Yehudah was the one to whom the Laws of Yibum were first given and so , in Levirate marriage , Yehudah then gave his second son Onan to Tamar , but Onan , thinking the seed would not be his , also did not want to impregnate her and so did not want to bring up children in his brother's honor and so , HaShem Caused him to die also . So did Yehudah feel how it is to lose a son , and in this case Yehudah lost two sons , thus being punished for what he put his Father through .Seeing as he blamed Tamar that she must be a woman who causes her husbands to die ( for he did not know that it was their fault ) , he withheld his third son Shelah from Tamar and had Tamar continue to wait in her Father's house . Tamar saw that Yehudah wasn't going to give Shelah to her , and Yehudah's wife also died , and so she decided , for the reason of genuinely wanting to have progeny through Yehudah's holy line , that she would remove her widow's garb and sit at the crossroads on the road to Timnah. , seeing that Shelah , now grown , was still not given to her as a wife . When Yehudah saw her , he didn't recognise her , as she was always modest in his home , never showing her face but always keeping it covered . She agreed to be with him , had him sign a marriage contract as our Rabbis tell us and he was to leave as a pledge of his signet ( the ring position of the royal line of Judah ) as his wedding ring to her , his wrap ( royal cloak cover ) and staff ( the staff representative of a king ) . Tamar conceived by him and it was told to Yehudah that she was pregnant . Yehudah wanted her taken out and burnt , for she was as a Priest's Daughter ( daughter of Malchitzeddek ) that was still in the bounds of awaiting Levirate marriage to Shelah and if not him , then Yehudah would have been next in line to take her . She did not name Yehudah openly , but only had delivered to him , his signet , wrap and staff and asked " Identify if you please , " the same words Yehudah had said to his Father Yaakov , when hurting his Father with the Tunic of Yosef . Satan tried to hide the pledge she had gotten so as to try kill her and stop the line of Dovid and Moshiach , who would be Satan / Samael's eventual downfall , and HaShem Sent the Malach Angel Michael to retrieve it and make it appear and now it was up to Yehudah , whether he would own up and embarrass himself , or hide his embarrassment and have her killed . Yehudah chose to save her and embarrass himself and so was the line of David born . This story of Yehudah and Tamar , was also interposed here within the story of Yosef , for both Tamar and Zulaicha ( Potiphar's wife ) both foresaw they would have children with this holy family of Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov , yet , Tamar's intention was one of holiness , unlike Potiphar's wife Zulaicha who wasn't at all holy and had no holy intention at all . The Torah narrative returns to Yosef in Potiphar's house . A Hebrew was not looked upon favorably at that time to work in an Egyptian's house ( how that changed when we went into slavery in the Book of Shemos ) and a Hebrew was not even allowed to touch the food of an Egyptian , for they said we contaminate their Treife food . Potiphar saw that Yosef was very special and honest and trustworthy and eventually put Yosef in charge of his house , everything except , as Torah Says , " The Bread he ate , " for as I mentioned , we were not allowed to touch an Egyptian's food . Potiphar couldn't help but notice that Yosef was very physically appealing and nor did Potiphar's wife Zulaicha . Yosef felt more at ease in Egypt now , and so HaShem very quickly reminded him that a Jew should never feel totally comfortable and relaxed in Galus , and So , Sent Against him , the bear personality Zulaicha . Zulaicha saw in her astrology that she would have a family connection with Yosef and so she took it to mean that she would have children with him . This was totally incorrect , for the only family connection she would ever have with him , would be that he would marry her adopted daughter Osnas , who wasn't Egyptian at all , but in fact , the Grand-daughter of Yaakov , Dinah and Shechem's daughter , who ( Osnas ) had been also brought to Egypt . Thus she was actually Jewish . Zulaicha was completely taken by Yosef's looks to the point where she thought about being with him night and day . She persued him continuously , changing and redressing herself five times a day to try and attract his attention , but Yosef would not even look at her . In fact , Yosef tried his best to avoid her and not serve her , but she continually called him , to run her bath , set her clothes , cream her , which he refused and fix her perfumes . Day after day , she hounded him and day after day , he refused her , saying he would not insult his G-D and his boss master Potiphar . She even offered to kill her husband , but nothing worked and he removed himself from her presence . Yosef served his master Potiphar faithfully and whatever Potiphar would ask to drink , hot or cold , it would instantly be put that way by Yosef , into Potiphar's hand . Potiphar even asked if Yosef is a maguician , able to perform such magic , and Yosef , told Potiphar that it was all the Work Of HaShem , Whom Yosef taught Potiphar about . HaShem , revealed Himself to Potiphar , for the sake of Yosef , as a Spiritual Light above Yosef and so , Potiphar could not deny Yosef's holiness . Thus Yosef could not be swayed by Zulaicha . Zulaicha's friends noticed how Zulaicha was depressed and she invited them to dine with her and she called in Yosef , to show how she must look at him all the time and desire him . They too were taken with his looks , which he had obviously gotten from his Mother Rachel , and they advised her to command him to her will , but that too didn't work . Yosef would not sin against HaShem .
The day came which was a festival in Egypt for the overflowing of the Nile , an abundance of water for irrigation , that Egypt celebrated . Potiphar had asked his wife to come with him , but she refused , making out she was ill and she sat in the doorway awaiting Yosef to walk past her , knowing he always came this way . She knew no one else would be in the house and so she planned to catch him . As he walked past her , he didn't even avert his eyes to the scantily clad silk-gowned Zulaicha , who tried to coax him to follow her , but he refused . She put her hands on him and tried her best to get him wanting her , but , seeing an image of his Father Yaakov , he stepped back , thus slighting her , and leaving her rejected . She tried to physically grab him , but he managed to step free , and turn to flee and it was then that she caught the back of his garment and it got left in her hand as he ran away . Knowing she may not be believed by her husband , she got the other wives to also say they had been molested by Yosef and so when Potiphar returned , he found the husbands at his throat verbally , accusing his slave of things Yosef never ever did . Yosef maintained innocence even though Zulaicha argued and so , Potiphar called the Egyptian priests to judge and they asked where the ganment of Yosef was grabbed . Hearing it was in the back , they said , he must have been fleeing and so , she must be lying . Yosef never forgot their kindness to him and repaid them royally when the future famine came . Zulaicha blamed Potiphera for bringing a Hebrew into their home and so , was Yosef judged wrong . Even the adopted daughter Osnas , stood up for Yosef , saying how Zulaicha had constantly hounded him . Potiphar knew Yosef was innocent , but to save face , Yosef was put in prison . Not the usual prison for criminals , but another prison that was kept for those who insulted the royaly of Egypt . HaShem Watched over Yosef and even there , in the prison , Yosef was seen to be a man of worth . At night , Potiphar , the actual head of this Prison , would have Yosef come out , just to clean his house and then have to go back again . Still Zulaicha hounded him , but to no avail .
One day , the Chamberlain of the Cupbearers and the Chamberlain of the Bakers for Pharoah were put in the prison . It was the Chamberlain of the Cupbearers job , to put the cup into Pharaoh's hand , for drinking . That was his job . He had been blamed for an insect that had flown into the cup of wine , purely by accident . The Chamberlain of the Bakers , on the other hand , had purposefully tried to hurt Pharaoh , by putting a stone into what he had baked for Pharaoh . One morning , Yosef saw them downcast and they said they had both dreamed a dream . Both had miraculously dreamed their own dream and hidden , within , the interpretation of the other's dream . Yosef had them relate their dreams , first the Chamberlain of the Cupbearers who dreamed of a grapevine with three tendrils , that budded , blossomed and bloomed into grapes and the Chamberlain squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh's cup and then put it into Pharoah's palm . HaShem Gave Yosef the dream's interpretation which was that in three days , he would be restored to his post and do as he did before in his job . Also Yosef saw a prophecy for our people of how HaShem Would Redeem us from Egypt with three individuals , Moshe Aharon and Miriam . Yosef asked this Chamberlain to remember him , when the Chamberlain would be set free , to please ask for his release , a mistake and lack of trust in HaShem . Then the Chamberlain of the Bakers , who already was given , as I mentioned in his dream , the interpretation of the other's dream , knew that Yosef had with the Help Of HaShem , interpreted correctly , decided to then relate his dream of three wicker baskets on his head , where in the uppermost basket , all kinds of food for Pharoah , where the birds were eating it . So did HaShem Give through Yosef to the Chamberlain of the Bakers , the interpretation of this dream to mean that in three days , Pharaoh's birthday , would hang the Chamberlain of the Bakers . So did everything happen , as HaShem Had Shown to Yosef . The Chaberlain of the Cupbearers tried many times to remember to help Yosef , but was repeatedly made to forget . So ends the Parsha .
The Parsha is called " Vayeishev " - " Settled , " and starts out with Yaakov finally settling in the Holy Land , not yet ours yet . No sooner does Yaakov feel settled , then tragedy strikes and he is forced to be without his beloved son . HaShem Tells the Tzaddik , " Don't be settled and content yet , in this World of Olam Hazeh , for you have work to do , to bring this World to the Light of HaShem . " HaShem Tells the Tzaddik , that his peace and rest will come only in " Olam Habah " - " The World To Come . " Only in Olam Habah , will we finally " Vayeishev " - " Settle . " Everything else that we go through , every day , as Jews , is just a journey , even from one Gilgul to another , from one incarnation to another .
Both Yaakov and Yosef , were Tzaddikim . Both had to go and Settle in strange lands for both Yaakov and Yosef had to settle in Egypt . But that was not our home . Only Eretz Yisroel is our true home . But wherever we are , HaShem Is Always with us . We are about to celebrate the Festival of Chanukah , where a miracle was performed for us , for where there was only a cruse of Kasher Oil to last for one day , it lasted throughout the Eight days . Again a sign miracle from HaShem , that HaShem Reminds us , that no matter where we find ourselves , our only place of " Vayeishev " - " Settling , " is with HaShem , and not foreign pagan ways . This is the story of Chanukah , and here , in our Parsha , is this message reverberated , for no matter where we find ourselves , we are to keep HaShem's Laws , no matter what outside pressure . Yosef , in Egypt kept to our Laws , and remained a Holy Hebrew . So did Yaakov . So must we . These places of and in Galus , are not our home , but a temporary abode , to do Miztvos and bring the Light of HaShem and raise ourselves to Heaven , Only is Canaan , referred to here , as " Vayeishev " - " Settling . " For only HaShem and His Holy Land ( the Land of our Fore-Fathers ) and HaShem's Way , True " Vayeishev " - " Settling . " We all face many trials and tribulations , and many tempters , like in the Story of Chanukah , that try pull us away from HaShem's Path , Chas Ve Shalom , but these paths of falsity , couched in false religion , will never lead a person to where HaShem Instructs In His Torah . The Way , is only HaShem's Way , and the Truth , Is Only HaShem's Truth , and the " Vayeishev " - " Settling , " is only with HaShem And His Torah True . No Jew who is a True Jew can truly settle in anything else but HaShem and His Way . It may feel physically okay for now , but the Jewish Neshoma cries out to HaShem , and only HaShem's Settlement is True Home . As we light each Candle on the Chanukiah that comes , so must we work to Light up HaShem's Creation with His Light , and as each candle on the Chanukiah burns upwards , so must all our works and actions , be for the sake of HaShem and His Heaven . Eight Days are Chanukah and Eight is the number into the Spiritual , into Olam Habah . It is only in Olam Habah that we Jews can truly " Vayeishev " - " Settle " and it is only in Olam Habah that we as Jews find True Settling Peace . Until we get there , we have much word to do , for we Jews are to be a Light unto the Nations , and lead the World to HaShem's One and Only Truth of Oneness . Chanukah teaches us to be faithful and true to HaShem Alone . This Parsha of " Vayeishev " Shows us that only within HaShem can we truly Settle . So let's use this World of Olam Hazeh to its full potential , and not lose a single opportunity to prove our faithfulness to HaShem's Torah Truth , making this World , into a Place , as Intended , where HaShem Can " Vayeishev , " - " Settle , " Among us , as HaShem Wanted to do in Gan Eiden . May the World finally come to the Knowledge and Truth Of HaShem , for Within HaShem , Is the Only Place to " Vayeishev " - " Settle . " Our Fore-Fathers knew this . So may we all come to know this and do this and make Olam Hazeh , The Present Word , Olam Habah , The World To Come ,in the Loving Care of HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu .
I wish HaShem With Sweet Love a Very Beautiful and Special Shabbos Kodesh and Chag Chanukah Sameach With Love , and to all my fellow Jews , a Very Special and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh and Chag Chanukah Sameach with love . Shabbat Shalom to all Creation . May Olam HaBah come soon in our days .