Issue 9 ‫בס”ד‬

CHAYUS
A Shabbos Stimulus
 THE EDA AND DAVID SCHOTTENSTEIN EDITION 
In honor of our parents, Tuvia and Lea Schottenstein and Rabbi Yisroel and Chana Sirota

Erev Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz 5781 – December 18, 2020 ‫ תשפ״א‬,‫ ג‘ טבת‬,‫ערב שבת פרשת מקץ‬
Final day of Chanukah ‫זאת חנוכה‬

‫כתר שם טוב‬H
   
  Keter Shem Tov
PORTIONS OF LIGHT Available at Kehot.com

Comparing Individuals

Pharaoh told his servants, “Will we find someone like this, a man in whom there
is the spirit of G-d?” Pharaoh then said to Joseph, “Since G-d has let you know all
this, there is no one as understanding and wise as you!” (Genesis 41:38-39).

A ccording to our Sages, Pharaoh declared to

his officers, “If we were to go around and seek,
would we find anyone like him?”
ranks of wise men and scholars was greater in
wisdom and understanding than Joseph. It would
therefore be impossible—even if they were to dis-
In other words: We may discover other individ- cover another extremely wise individual—to com-
uals with extraordinary intellectual capabilities, pare that other genius with Joseph, because they
but how would we ever know for certain whether were incapable of conducting a test to compare
they are like him? Joseph with another candidate.
In order to properly evaluate an individual’s
wisdom and understanding, a person of superior Focus: Before you can judge others, you
wisdom is required to conduct the testing. The
have to truly understand them.
Egyptians recognized that no one in their own

‫גאולה‬H
   
  Yalkut Moshiach uGeulah al HaTorah
GEULAH Translated by Yaakov Paley

You are Spies

Y osef told his brothers, meraglim atem, “You

are spies!” (Genesis 42:9). Meraglim is related
to raglayim, “feet,” implying that it was their spiri-
Yosef replied, “You will not go out from this place
until your small brother comes here” (v. 15), mean-
ing that you will not be able to leave this respon-
tual duty to support the Jewish people, guiding di- sibility until the soul of Moshiach ben Dovid — for
vine influence down to them. They replied, keinim Dovid HaMelech is referred to as the “small broth-
anachnu, “We are honest!” (v. 11). Keinim is related er” — will come down from the heights of heaven
to kiven and kavanah meaning, “intention,” imply- to this physical world to lead the Jews to redemp-
ing that they preferred not to focus on what was tion. Only then will you be free to focus on “divine
beneath them, but on that which is above them, names” and matters of the higher realms.
concentrating on the mystical secrets of the divine. No’am Elimelech
‫רש“י תניא רמב"ם‬-‫חומש‬H
   
  Synopses: Chumash-Rashi,
STUDY CYCLE FOR SHABBOS DAY Tanya and Rambam

Mikeitz, 7th reading: After the meal, Yosef sent the brothers off. Unbeknownst to them, however, Yosef had instructed
his servant to hide his silver goblet in Binyamin’s pack. Yosef sent his servant to pursue his brothers and the goblet was
Chumash

discovered. By framing Binyamin, Yosef was creating a situation where his brothers could atone for having sold him. When
the brothers would put their own lives at risk to save Binyamin, it would be as if they were doing so to save Yosef; thus,
they would “undo” their crime against Yosef by doing the exact opposite. The brothers returned to Yosef, who informed
them that they were all free to return home except for Binyamin.

Likutei Amarim Ch. 7: When one does something (e.g. eating, or even making humorous remarks) in order to study To-
rah better or to perform a Mitzva, he is extracting the good found in everything which is neutral in the world and elevates
Tanya

it to Kedusha.
Takeaway: Your “neutral” activity (e.g., eating or drinking) can be good or bad. It is in your hands to decide whether you
want to make it divine by using it to foster your relationship with God.

Zmanim, Hilchos Chametz uMatzah Ch. 6 — Matzah: The commandment to eat, how to eat, and with which inten-
Rambam (1)

tion. Which ingredients are allowed for making Matzah, how to bake it and with which intention. Who is obligated to eat
Matzah; not to eat Matzah before the proper time. Not to eat (excessively) before eating Matzah. Not to eat after eating
Matzah.

‫שער הבטחון‬H
   
  From Chovot Halevavot
GATE OF TRUST Duties of the Hearts

Anyone, Anytime and Anywhere

A person who trusts in G-d will be held in awe by even the great and respectable people. Even the
animals and stones will seek to do his will and will cause him no harm, as it says in the psalm of He
who dwells in the secret place of the Most High (Psalms 91), from the beginning of the psalm until
the end. And as it says* (Job 5:19-20): In six troubles He will save you, and in the seventh no harm
will touch you. In famine, He redeemed you from death…, and as it continues until the end of the
chapter…
A person who trusts in G-d will not lack food at any time or place, until the end of his days, as
it says (Job 5:20): In famine, He redeemed you from death, and as it says (Psalms 23:1): The L-rd is my
shepherd; I shall not lack. Similarly, it says (Psalms 37:17): They will not be ashamed in time of calam-
ity, and in days of famine they will still be satisfied.
A person who trusts in G-d is secure living in his land and has peace of mind living in the place
in which he lives, as it is written (Psalms 37:3): Trust in the L-rd and do good; dwell in the land* and
be nourished by faith. Similarly, it says (Psalms 37:29): The righteous will inherit the land and dwell
forever in it.
It says in the psalm… And as it says. In this trusts in G-d is referred to as someone who “dwells
chapter of Psalms, which the author quotes by its in the land,” meaning that he can live in one place
opening verse only, and in the following quotation without fear and does not need to move from place
of Job, Scripture mentions a special covenant that to place.
the person who has bitachon has with the stones
of the field and the animals of the wild (Ne’edar Bottom line: A person who trusts in G-d
Bakodesh). will not lack food at any time or place, un-
til the end of his days.
Dwell in the land. We find that a person who
 Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson ‫זצ“ל‬
‫ילקוט לוי יצחק על התורה‬H
   
  By Rabbis Dovid Dubov & Yaakov K. Chaiton
FROM THE REBBE’S FATHER In honor of Yaakov Ben Zina & Leah Bas Shlima

From Slavery To Seventy

...‫וְ ׁ ָשם ִא ָּתנ ּו נַעַ ר עִ ְב ִרי עֶ ֶבד לְ ַ ׂשר ַה ּ ַט ָ ּב ִחים‬
And there with us was a Hebrew lad, a slave of the chief slaughterer... (Mikeitz 41:12)
‫וַ ִ ּי ְק ָרא ַפ ְרעֹה ׁ ֵשם יוֹ ֵסף צָ ְפנַת ּ ַפ ְענ ֵַח וַ ִ ּי ֶּתן לוֹ ֶאת ָא ְסנַת ַ ּבת ּפוֹ ִטי ֶפ ַרע ֹּכ ֵהן אֹן לְ ִא ּׁ ָשה‬
And Par’oi (Pharaoh) named Yosef Tzafnas Pa’ne’ach, and he gave him Asnas
the daughter of Poti phera, the governor of On, for a wife. (Mikeitz 41:45)
Introduction: After Yosef had successfully interpreted has towards his slave is to shower him with gifts upon
Par’oi’s dreams, Par’oi wanted to promote him to be- his release from slavery. This Biblical Mitzvah is called
come viceroy of Egypt. His ministers, however, protest- Ha’anokah — ‫ה ֲענָ ָקה‬.ַ  5
ed against it. As such, Yosef was owed Ha’anokah from those
The Talmud 1 relates: They (the ministers) said to who enslaved him - Potifar, Par’oi and Hashem. 6 They
him (Par’oi): He (Yosef) should know the seventy lan- all participated in his imprisonment and thus each of
guages that all kings’ children learn. The angel Gavriel them rewarded him, upon his release, in a different way.
then came and taught him (Yosef) the seventy lan- Par’oi gifted him with clothing 7 and appointed him
guages, but he could not learn all of them. Gavriel as viceroy. Potifar gave Asnas, his daughter, to Yosef in
then added one letter, the letter hei, to Yosef ’s name marriage.
from the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and What did Hashem give him?
then he was able to learn the languages, as it is stated: 2 He was given the gift of knowing all 70 languages.
‫ֵעדוּת ִ ּביהוֹ ֵסף שָׂ מוֹ ְ ּבצֵ אתוֹ ַעל ֶא ֶרץ ִמצְ ָריִ ם שְׂ ַפת ל ֹא יָ ַד ְע ִּתי ֶא ׁ ְש ָמע‬ This is hinted at in the very same Posuk, where we are
“He appointed it in YHosef for a testimony, told about his gift from Potifar.
when he went forth against the land of Egypt, I It says, 8 “and he (Par’oi) gave him (Yosef) Asenas
heard a language that I knew not”. the daughter of Poti phera (‫)פוֹ ִטי ֶפ ַרע‬,
ּ the governor of On,
for a wife...”
Driving Questions: Strangely, the usual spelling of his name Potifar
1. Where in the Torah is there a hint to (‫)פוֹ ִט ַיפר‬,
ּ is changed in this Passuk to read Potifera — ‫ּפוֹ ִטי‬
Yosef being gifted with the knowledge of ‫פ ַרע‬,ֶ with an added ‘Ayin’.
the 70 languages? 3 Why did the Torah add the letter ‘Ayin’ to Potifar?
It is in this letter where the gift of the 70 languages
2. Why was the letter Hei specifically
is hinted. The numerical value of ‘Ayin’ is 70. Hashem is
added to his name?
providing His Ha’anoka to Yosef with this 70. 9
3. Why was the letter Hei added specifi-
cally between the Yud and Vav? 5.  “You shall surely provide him from your flock, from your threshing
floor, and from your vat, you shall give him from what the Lord, your
God, has blessed you” (Parshas Re’eh, 42:14).
In Egypt, Yosef is referred to as a Hebrew slave 4 (‫ִע ְב ִרי‬ 6.  See footnote 8.
ֶ as it says, “And there with us was a Hebrew lad, a
‫)ע ֶבד‬ 7.  Mikeitz 41:42. Fascinatingly, Rashi translates the ‫( ְר ִבד ַה ָ ּז ָהב‬gold chain)
slave.” which Par’oi gave Yosef as “‫”ענַק‬
ֲ which is the root of the word ‫ה ֲענ ָָקה‬,ַ and
furthermore, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak points out that ‫ ְר ִבד ָ ּז ָהב‬is the Gematria
Thus, Yosef had the status of a Jewish slave, an Eved (numerical equivalent) of ‫ — ֲענַק‬220.
Ivri (‫)ע ֶבד ִע ְב ִרי‬.
ֶ One of the requirements that a master 8.  Mikeitz, 41:45.
9.  The Rebbe analyzed this teaching many times (see fn. 12). The Rebbe
1.  Sotah, 36b.
asks compelling questions not addressed by his father: 1) Why did
2.  Tehillim 81:6.
Hashem owe Yosef Ha’anoka? 2) Why was it added to Potifar’s name
3. This follows the Talmud’s rhetorical question, “Is there anything specifically? 3) Why was the letter Ayin added at the end of Potifar’s
that is written in the Writings that is not alluded to in the Torah?!” name?
(Taanit 9a). Briefly, the idea is that the ‫ ַה ֲענ ָָקה‬from Hashem, like the punishment
4.  Mikeitz, 41:12. of slavery, followed Potiphar’s. Just like his extended two years in prison
 This gift of knowing the 70 languages is also con- ability to absorb an idea, broaden it and reach a com-
nected to the letter Hei and its placement between the prehensive understanding of it.
Yud and Vav: Thus, a Hei positioned between the Yud and Vav of
G-d is referred to by various names. The primary Yosef parallels the order in the name of Hashem, in-
name, the Tetragrammaton, is spelled ‫ה‬-‫ו‬-‫ה‬-‫( י‬Yud-Hei- dicating that Yosef was gifted with Bina. He now had
Vav-Hei). the ability to absorb and retain knowledge of all 70 lan-
Kabbalah 10 teaches (and Chasidus elaborates 11) guages and internalize it until it became one with him. 12
that the first Hei (‫ )ה‬refers to the level of Bina. Since the As the Talmud concludes, 13 “The next day, (when he
soul is a part of G-d and evolves from G-d, it has a mi- appeared before Par’oi, in) every language that Par’oi
crocosm of the same structure. The Ten Divine Sefirot spoke with him, he answered him.”
are mirrored in the human soul. In a person, Bina is the
Toras Levi Yitzchak — Chiddushim uBiurim L’Shas pg. 120 14
( for not having enough Bitachon in Hashem but relying on the butler)
(Yalkut Levi Yitzchak al Hatorah, Vol. 3, ch. 56)
came on the heels of Potiphar’s sentencing him to prison (without
which he would never have been there in the first place!), so too the 12. Hence the verse in Tehillim (81:6) which mentions Yosef with
‫ ַה ֲענ ָָקה‬from Hashem “follows” Potiphar’s (even though it’s the primary the extra Hei, concludes with him hearing (Shema also means
one) — hence it is (alluded to by) being added to (1) Potiphar’s name (2) understanding) a language he previously didn’t.
at the end of it (Sichos Kodesh 5734, Parshas Re’eh). 13.  Sotah, 36b.
10.  Tikkunei Zohar, 6b. 14. See Likkutei Sichos, vol. 24, page 87 and on, where the Rebbe
11.  Tanya, Igeres HaTeshuva ch. 4. devotes an entire Sicha to this teaching, in more depth.

‫פרשת השבוע‬H
   
  By: Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky
PARSHA INSIGHT From: Daily Wisdom #3

Out-snaking the Snake

]Joseph’s servant said,] “After all, this is [the goblet] from which my master drinks; indeed,
he also uses it for divination. What you have done is an evil thing!” (Genesis 44:5)

T he words for “uses for divination” (‫ )נ ֵַח ׁש יְ נ ֵַח ׁש‬are re-

lated to the word for “snake” (‫)נ ָָח ׁש‬. This phrase can
thus mean that Joseph uses his goblet to “out-snake the
sought above all to conceal the truth of G-d’s existence
and involvement with the world. Joseph’s goblet alle-
gorically alludes to sublime, joyous love for G-d. By hid-
snake.” ing this goblet in Benjamin’s sack, Joseph was planting
The snake is associated with slyness and trickery this love in his brothers’ consciousness. It follows that
(see Genesis 3:1); the nature of a trick is to conceal real- through our “goblet,” our deep, joyous love for G-d, we,
ity. It therefore makes sense that Egypt was a land of like Joseph, can neutralized the world’s concealment of
magicians (Exodus 7:22), and Pharaoh, the quintes- Divinity—we can “out-snake the snake.”
sence of Egypt, was envisioned by the prophet Ezekiel Ma’amarei Admor HaEmtza’i, Bereishit, p. 297; Or HaTorah,
as a serpent (Ezekiel 29:3), since the idolatry of Egypt Bereishit, vol. 2, 341a ff; ibid., vol. 6, 1104b-1105a.

A P R OJ E C T O F
in honor and merit to
SHOLOM DOVBER BEN SIMA ESTHER
on his birthday 9th Cheshvon 5781 — October 27, 2020
May he see revealed blessings daily

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