DECEMBER 17 VOL 3, ISSUE 11 8 TEVET 5760

Chabad of Northern Beverly Hills, 409 Foothill Road . Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Rabbi Yosef Shusterman 310/271-9063

PARSHAT VAYIGASH This week's Torah portion, Vayigash, begins with the words "Yehuda came near." Yehuda approached Yosef and asked that his younger brother, Binyamin, be released so that he could bring him to their father, Yaakov. Our Sages tell us that Yehuda was prepared for all possibilities when he approached Yosef, even the possibility of war. Yehuda was willing to do all that was necessary to free Binyamin and return him to his father.

Why did Yehuda adopt such a strong stance? The answer is that Yehuda was personally responsible for Binyamin's welfare, as he explained, "For your servant became surety for the lad." Yehuda had promised his father that he would take care of Binyamin and bring him home; thus he was willing to do anything, even wage battle, to fulfill his promise. But how could Yehuda have even imagined that he could win a

confrontation with Yosef? Yehuda and his brothers were few in number. Yosef, by contrast, was the second highest ruler in all of Egypt, with the entire populace of the country under his command.

In truth, Yehuda could never have been victorious in a war conducted against Yosef. Nonetheless, Yehuda was ready to take even this drastic step should it become necessary. He knew he was responsible for Binyamin, and accepted his role as guardian without question. True, Yaakov had other remaining sons, all of whom were healthy and sound. But Yehuda realized that self-sacrifice is required when the life of even one Jewish child is at stake.

To save Binyamin, Yehuda was willing to give up his own life. This contains an important lesson for every Jewish father and mother. When G-d grants them the blessing of a child, it carries with it a great responsibility. Sometimes it is even necessary for parents to demonstrate self-sacrifice, to make sure that nothing untoward ever happens to even one of their offspring, G-d forbid. One area in which the greatest efforts must be expended is that of education. Providing a Torah-true education for Jewish children is so important that parents must be willing to demonstrate even the highest levels of self-sacrifice in order to make it possible. (From: LChaim #448, 5757, Adapted for Maayan Chai from Likutei Sichot, vol. 1)

"And Yehuda approached him." (44:18) The name Jew (Heb. Yehudi) comes from the name Yehuda. We are not called Jews by coincidence. In Hebrew, a name defines the very essence of a thing. If the name Yehuda means to thank, that must be the essence of being Jewish. We are the "thankers." The Hebrew for "to thank" is l'hodot. However, there is another meaning to the word l'hodot. It can also mean "to admit." What's the connection between giving thanks and admitting? To the extent that we admit we received something that we didn't deserve — to that extent will be our gratitude, to that degree we will give thanks. We are Jews because we thank G-d for everything we have, however big or small. A Jew admits that everything comes from G-d. That is how Yehuda — the Jewish People — are able to approach, to come close to G-d.

The job of the Jewish people in this world is to be quite literally "G-d's witnesses." (Not to be confused with Brand X who would also like to claim this job as their own.) Our job is to testify by the way we live our lives — and, if necessary, with our lives — that there is a G-d in the world. As it states in the prophetic writings: "You are My witnesses." So if our job is to be the Witnesses, why are we called the Thankers, or the Admitters?

The foundation of all belief in G-d is to admit that life is one gigantic gift. If a person doesn't feel that he was given anything, he will never look for G-d, he will never look further than his own nose. If I sensitize myself to the gift, I will sensitize myself to the Giver. Atheism is not the root of ingratitude. Ingratitude is the root of atheism.( Sfat Emet, Isaiah 43:10, www.ohr.org)

"He sent Yehuda ahead of him to Yosef, to teach ahead of him in Goshen" (46:28) Yaakov's descent into Egypt is the paradigm of the descent of the Jewish People into every exile in history. The actions of the fathers are a roadmap with which their children navigate their way through every exile. What does Yaakov do before he enters the land of Egypt, before he arrives in exile? He sends Yehuda "ahead of him to teach." He sends Yehuda to Egypt to open a house of study. Yaakov was sending a message to all his children until the end of history: The survival of the Jewish People in exile, whether that exile is in Egypt or Spain, Babylon or Brooklyn, is secured only by creating a spiritual home for the Jewish People before their bodies arrive. Not the reverse. (Bereishis Rabba 95:3; Rashi, www.ohr.org)

When Jacob met Pharaoh in Egypt, the king asked: "How many are the days of your life? And Jacob said to Pharaoh: 'The days of the years of my wanderings are one hundred and thirty years; the days of the years of my life were few and bad.. '"( 47:8-9) How could Jacob say of "one hundred and thirty years" that they are but few when the average life span after the generation of the flood was one hundred and twenty years? Jacob was the third of the patriarchs and thus most intimately bound up with the third and eternal Bet Hamikdash (Holy Temple) to be built by Moshiach. All his life he yearned for the everlasting peace and tranquillity of the Messianic era. For as long, then, that the Messianic redemption did not happen, he regarded the years of his life as qualitatively few. His years were few and meager because they did not contain that which is most important of all, namely the ultimate and complete redemption. (From: Insights to Geula, Chabad in Cyberspace)

LAWS OF SHABBAT - 39 Melachot: M'amer(Gathering)

M'amer is the collecting or combining of scattered fruits, produce, or any other substance (even nonfood) that grows from the ground. During harvesting, the produce must be gathered and brought to the threshing grounds. Even collecting just two fruits (even of two different varieties) is the Melocho. Consolidating what has already been gathered (e.g. compacting a mound of dates into one solid mass) is also M'amer.

According to many Poskim, there are as many as four separate conditions under which M'amer is exempted. As a result, the restriction of M'amer is quite limited for most practical purposes, and in fact, gathering most objects is usually permitted on Shabbos. The following are the four conditions to M'amer: 1)The item must be earth-grown. 2)It must be gathered in its place of growth. 3)Regathering is not M'amer. 4)The gathered objects must be in their original state.

The Melocho of M'amer is an agricultural step that is typically done with items that grow from the soil and are harvested. It follows therefore, that M'amer is only possible with substances that grow from the ground. Foods or substances that did not grow from the earth are not subject to M'amer and may be gathered together. For example, collecting a pile of spoons and forks to be washed is not M'amer because these objects did not grow from the ground. However, gathering leaves could be M'amer since they grow from the ground. (From: The 39 Melochos by Dovid Ribiat)

Our custom in aleinu (p.84) is to say "for they bow to vanity and nothingness," and markedly not to say "and pray…" This wording is followed also in Musaf for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The expectorating is after these words; the reason is that speech stimulates saliva, and we do not wish to benefit from this saliva. (From Rebbe's Hayom Yom Tevet 9)

He who tills his land will have bread to satisfaction, but one who pursues phantoms shall have his fill of poverty. - King Solomon