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PARSHAT VAYEISHEV

At the beginning of the Torah portion Vayeishev, we are told that, in relating the beginning of his dream to his brothers, Yosef said: "We were binding sheaves in the field." Rashi explains the words "binding sheaves" according to the Targum -- that the phrase means "binding bundles, i.e., sheaves of grain." In terms of our spiritual service, the verse and Rashi's comment imply that the spiritual service of "binding sheaves" involves gathering disparate sparks of holiness and uniting them, just as separate stalks of grain are brought together and bound into a bundle. This manner of service also applies to each individual's soul; he is to gather the disparate elements of his personality and unite them with the Divine.

Herein lies the lesson of Yosef's dream: in addition to tying together and elevating the holy sparks found within each of us and uniting them through the service of Torah and mitzvos, we must also "go out in the field" and occupy ourselves in uniting the elements of holiness scattered throughout the world. We do so in order to bring others back to G-d and the observance of Torah and mitzvos, and to the light of Torah -- its inner dimension -- the "Tree of Life." Rashi elaborates on this theme when he explains that "tying sheaves" means "binding bundles," i.e., that the purification and elevation of the sparks of holiness is to be done in a way that binds them permanently to their source, similar to something that is tied and bound. This will guarantee that the binder will have a lasting effect on the one who is bound, so much so that all the ill winds in the world will be unable to sever his bond with G-d and Torah. Rashi then goes on to explain that, in order for this to be accomplished, we must learn a lesson from "sheaves of grain." Just as kernels of grain yield future crops, so too, when one betters another, it is to be done in a manner such that the beneficiary will in turn have a positive impact on others.

Shabbos is connected to the previous days of the week, for "He who toils before Shabbos gets to eat on Shabbos." Similarly, Shabbos is linked to the days that follow it, for "Shabbos is the day from whence all the coming days of the week are blessed." Shabbos is thus a day that unites the days before it with the days that follow it. During many years the Shabbos of the portion Vayeishev falls between the festival of the Alter Rebbe's liberation on the 19th of Kislev and the days of Chanukah. Since the Torah portions are related to the time during which they are read, it follows that the above-mentioned lesson applies equally to the festival of the 19th of Kislev and to the festival of Chanukah.

One of the pillars of the Alter Rebbe's service was getting Jews to return to Judaism. In fact, the Alter Rebbe related that,

 

upon hearing a particular Torah message from his teacher the Maggid of Mezritch, he decided that it was incumbent on himself to draw all Jews closer to Judaism. He thereafter spent five years traveling from place to place in order to bring Jews on the "outside" closer to Torah and mitzvos. Moreover, it was after the festival of the 19th of Kislev that there

began the service of "spreading the wellsprings outside."

The Chanukah lights are to be lit as well in the entrance of one's home. For they also serve to illuminate and purify the "outside," bringing it back into the domain of holiness. (From: The Chassidic Dimension, Adaptation of Likutei Sichos by Rabbi Sholom ber Wineberg. Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. X, p115-121.)

 

DID YOU KNOW?

"Yosef was seventeen years old... and Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons, for he was his 'wisdom son....' (37:2-3)

"Yaakov taught Yosef everything he had learned from Shem and Ever." - Rashi

This hints to the custom to teach a child to read Hebrew when he is three years old. How so? Yaakov studied in the Academy of Shem and Ever for fourteen years. Yaakov taught this wisdom to Yosef by the time Yosef was seventeen. If it took Yaakov fourteen years to teach it, just as it had taken him to learn it, we see that Yaakov began teaching Yosef at age three! (See Rema, Orach Chaim Yoreh Deah 245:8)

 

A WORD ON CHANUKAH

The unique power of the Chanukah lights is linked to the nature of the miracle they commemorate. The miracle of Chanukah took place in a time of darkness, when the Greeks, who had conquered the Land of Israel, sought to impose their culture upon its inhabitants. Despite the assimilatory influence of Jewish Hellenists, the Maccabees were able to instill in the Jewish people a spirit of mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) and teshuvah (return to G-d).

This inspired them to fight the Greeks, defeat them, and rededicate the Beis HaMikdash. Since the Jewish victory involved the transformation of darkness into light, the Chanukah lights which commemorate it also have this power. And they teach us that when confronted with darkness, we must not resign ourselves to it. Nor may we remain content with lighting up our own homes. Instead, we must reach out and spread light as far as we possibly can, until the public domain too is illuminated.

(From: Timeless Patterns of Time, based on Likutei Sichos.)

The Alter Rebbe told his son the Mitteler Rebbe: Grandfather (the Baal Shem Tov) said that one must have mesirat nefesh (total self-sacrifice and dedication) for ahavat Yisrael (love of one's fellow), even towards a Jew whome one has never seen. (rebbe's hayom yom, kislev 15) *The Alter Rebbe called the Baal Shem Tov "grandfather", since the Baal Shem Tov was the Rebbe of the Maggid, who in turn was the Alter Rebbe's teacher, ie. Spiritual father.