his countenance was enough to influence
”
Hard Times
The Torah Path Will Guide Us Through All Tests
By Rav Moshe Shternbuch
The following was
written by Rabbi Daniel
Yaakov Travis based on
a drasha given on leil
Shabbos by Rav Moshe
Shternbuch, Rosh Av Beis
Din of the Eidah Hacha-
reidis of Yerushalayim.
•••••
LIVING IN TRANQUILITY
“Yaakov wanted to live in tranquility,
yet he was immediately afflicted with the
apparent death of Yosef. When tzaddikim
want to live in peace in this world, the Al-
mighty responds, ‘Is the tranquility I have
prepared for them in the next world not
sufficient? They want to enjoy this world
as well!” (Rashi 37:2).
Rashi’s comment begs the question:
Why is it so terrible if tzaddikim want
tranquility in this world? After all, peace
of mind will further enhance their Divine
service. Why did the desire for a tranquil
life cause such harsh consequences for
Yaakov Avinu?
The Avos laid the foundation for the
character of the Jewish people for all sub-
sequent generations. Avrohom Avinu cre-
ated chessed, while Yitzchok pioneered
din and mesiras nefesh. What was Yaa-
kov’s role in shaping the Jewish people?
Yaakov Avinu suffered greatly through-
out his life. He was driven away from
home by Eisav, he was nearly killed by
Elifaz, he spent 20 years living with the
wicked Lavan, his daughter Dinah was
abducted, his wife Rochel died young,
and his son Yosef was presumed dead.
Yet Yaakov remained the pillar of truth
and Torah and he was always steadfast in
his learning, despite all of his agonizing
tribulations.
For this reason, when Yaakov Avinu
asked for a peaceful life, the Almighty
responded that it was impossible to grant
his request. Yaakov had to pave the way
for learning Torah despite the great suf-
fering and adversity that the Jewish peo-
ple would face in all of the coming gen-
erations. This was Yaakov Avinu’s unique
task in this world. By overcoming this
challenge, he earned himself and all of his
descendants a special place in the World
to Come.
Someone who suffers in this world can
expect tranquility in the next. The Vilna
Gaon once told his talmidim about the
excruciating torments that a person may
endure in the next world. One of his stu-
dents took this terrifying shiur to heart
and passed out. When he came to, the
Gaon told this talmid that the shiur need
not frighten him. He had suffered greatly
in this world and would not receive such
harsh treatment in the next. Each of his
tribulations would detract greatly from
any punishment that was due to him after
leaving this world.
FOR THE SAKE
OF HEAVEN
Yaakov Avinu’s son, Yosef Hatzdadik,
also endured many tribulations during his
lifetime. After being sold by his broth-
ers into slavery, he was harassed day and
night by Potifar’s wife, who wanted him
to act immorally. She threatened him with
all types of physical harm if he did not
Page 56
eretz influences everyone around him.
agree.
Chazal tell us that Potifar’s wife was
acting lesheim Shomayim. She knew
that she would have descendants from
Yosef and was willing to do anything in
her power to actualize that vision. Unbe-
knownst to her, these children would be
from her daughter and not her.
The words of Chazal teach us a valu-
able lesson. We must be very wary of
good intentions, for if they are misguided,
they can cause a person to do a lot of dam-
age, such as by embarrassing others or
causing them financial loss. Sometimes,
the intention of lesheim Shomayim can be
Never lose sight of the fact that the price for your
actions must be paid sooner or later.
a recipe for disaster, if not strictly bound
by halacha.
The Torah writes that Aishes Potifar
wanted Yosef to lie with her, and Chazal
explain that this means in the next world.
Yosef understood that if he gave in to his
desires, he would suffer greatly in the next
world. In Heaven, they would repeatedly
show him the vision of how he had trans-
gressed while he was alive.
The technological advances of the past
century have brought many kinds of me-
dia into existence. All of these technolo-
gies can show or inform us about the past
and the present in a way that was incon-
ceivable in past times. What is their deep-
er significance?
The Chofetz Chaim explained that in the
past, Jews had emunah that the Almighty
knows and sees everything, and that ev-
ery one of our actions is recorded. As the
generations got weaker in their faith, they
needed a more tangible metaphor for this
spiritual reality. Media which capture and
record sounds and images, to be replayed
at a later time, are here to illustrate what it
means that all our deeds are being record-
ed and that we will see them again when
we reach the next world.
Rather than being distracted by the
flashing lights and technological wizardry
of these devices, we should view them as
a message from Above. This is the les-
son of Yosef Hatzaddik: Never lose sight
of the fact that the price for your actions
must be paid sooner or later.
KIRUV BY EXAMPLE
“Yaakov lived in the land that his father
had inhabited (megurei aviv)” (Bereishis
37:1).
The Medrash explains that the words
megurei aviv (literally, the dwelling place
of his father) are a hint to the fact that
Yaakov’s father, Yitzchok, was able to
influence many geirim to join the Jewish
people (megurei referring to geirim, con-
verts). We know that Avrohom, whose pri-
mary middah was kindness, brought many
people close to the Almighty through his
warm, giving nature. How did Yitzchok,
whose main attribute was din and Divine
justice, accomplish this?
Yitzchok Avinu did not go out and try
to influence the masses like his father did.
He spent most of his time in isolation,
deeply consumed with his Divine service.
Yet his righteousness and integrity shone
so brightly that anyone who met him im-
mediately perceived that his ways were
the right path in life. The very sight of
YATED NE’EMAN
many people to adopt the Torah’s way.
Chazal ask: how does one sanctify the
Almighty’s name? When a ben Torah is
honest in his dealings and deals cordial-
ly with others, this elicits the response:
“Happy are the parents who taught him
Torah! Happy is the rov who taught him
Torah!”
While speaking to the Almighty, Av-
rohom asked, “If there are ten tzaddikim
in the midst of the city, will You save
it?” The Chofetz Chaim explains that the
words “in the midst of the city” refer to
people who have a positive influence on
their place of residence. If the upright cit-
izens keep to themselves, however, their
merit will not be sufficient to save the city
from destruction.
Even though Yitzchok was not actively
involved with geirus and kiruv, he had a
huge indirect impact which brought many
people into the fold. Rav Shternbuch’s
rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Shneider zt”l,
would tell his talmidim, “A Jew who
walks in the streets of London with a
yarmulka and tzitzis and acts with derech
At the Shabbos Table
with Rabbi Juravel
By Rabbi Dovid Juravel
Yosef Hatzaddik was in prison for
ten years. He asked the sar hamash-
kim to intercede with Paroh on his be-
half, but he did not. Hashem caused
Paroh to have dreams, which resulted
in Yosef’s sudden release and his rise
to greatness.
The Chofetz Chaim says that the
normal course of events is that ev-
erything looks hopeless prior to the
salvation from Hashem. He cites as
an example the episode when Dov-
id Hamelech was with his troops in
Plishtim, and the Amaleikim attacked
Tziklag, burned the city and took the
women and children captive. “They
The normal course of events is that everything
looks hopeless prior to the salvation from Hashem.
raised their voices and cried, till they
had no more strength to cry,” the po-
suk says. Dovid Hamelech’s troops
blamed the attack on his being absent
from Tziklag and they wanted to stone
him. “But Dovid strengthened him-
self in Hashem.” He inquired of the
Urim Vetumim, which told him that
he would succeed if he would pursue
the Amaleikim. They encountered an
Amaleikite slave who had been aban-
doned because he was ill and was left
to starve. He led Dovid Hamelech to
the Amaleikim and Dovid defeated
them and rescued all the captives.
The Chofetz Chaim cites another
example. When Aram besieged Shom-
ron, the hunger was so great that the
people ate a donkey’s head, which
cost eighty silver coins. Fuel was
scarce and dove droppings had to be
used for fuel. The king blamed Elisha
Hanovi, claiming that he hadn’t dav-
ened properly, and ordered him killed.
This was the way of Yitzchok Avinu.
Noach was a tzaddik, but he did not
influence others around him to follow
his lead. On the other hand, Avrohom
and Yitzchok, each in their own way, had
a major impact on their surroundings.
Because of their actions, many people
came to recognize the greatness of the Al-
mighty’s ways.
We should learn from the Avos and do
whatever we can to bring Jews closer to
Torah. This is a great source of protec-
tion for ourselves and the entire Jewish
people.
•••••
Rav Shternbuch’s shiurim on the par-
sha are being prepared to be published
by Feldheim Publishers as a sefer. For
information about dedication opportuni-
ties, ideas for the title of the sefer, or shai-
los for the rov, contact dytravis@actcom.
com.
•••••
Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kol-
lel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is
the author of Shaylos U’Teshuvos Toras
Chaim and “Praying With Joy - A Daily
Tefilla Companion,” a practical daily
guide to improving one’s prayers, avail-
able from Feldheim Publishers. For more
information about his work, contact dy-
travis@actcom.com.
At the last moment, the king realized
his mistake and rescinded his order.
As a reward, Elisha received a nevuah
that the next day, food would be plen-
tiful. One shekel would buy a se’ah of
wheat or two se’ah of barley. Hashem
caused the soldiers of Aram to hear
the sound of troops. Thinking that the
Yidden had hired alien armies to assist
them, they left their belongings and
fled. The Yidden found these belong-
ings and the prophecy was fulfilled.
The Chofetz Chaim says that it will
likewise appear to be bleak before
our final redemption and this is hint-
ed in the posuk which states, “It was
evening and it was morning,” mean-
ing that it will appear dark before the
light of Hashem’s yeshuah shines. The
Chofetz Chaim exhorts us not to lose
heart.
Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l says that
this is reflected in the story of Chanu-
kah. All seemed hopeless to the Yid-
den. Many Yidden had already been
killed and the end was nowhere in
sight. Then Hashem caused the small
group of Chashmonaim to defeat the
Greeks and brought about the miracle
of the oil lasting for eight days.
May we take faith in Hashem for
both our personal difficulties and those
that plague Yidden as a whole when
the situation appears totally hopeless.
And may Hashem reward this faith by
alleviating our personal situations and
by bringing the final redemption.
•••••
To have Rabbi Juravel speak at
your function, call 646.320.3125.
1 Teves 5770 • December 18 2009