After Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, the Parasha recounts the emotions Yaakov faced when told: “They went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to Yaakov their father. They told him; ‘Yosef is still alive’ and he is ruling all over Egypt; Thus, his heart rejected it and did not believe them. However, when they reported to him everything Yosef had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Yaakov revived.” [Bereishis 45:25-27] When the brothers returned from their momentous reunion with Yosef, they told Yaakov the astounding news that his beloved son was still alive. However, their efforts to persuade him were not effective and he refused to believe it. Only after they had literally repeated the very words Yosef had tasked them to tell his father; “Your son Yosef, ‘Hashem has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me without delay.” And after seeing the wagons Yosef has sent to transport him, was Yaakov convinced and stated, “My son Yosef is still alive! I must go and see him before I die.” The obvious question is why Yaakov was so reluctant to believe the news? What code was in Yosef words that resonated so much with Yaakov? Also, what was so special about the wagons that when he saw them his spirit revived? The Zohar informs us that Egypt was the world center of depravity and immorality. Yaakov was convinced that such a beautiful boy as Yosef would not be able to withstand the temptations and surely lost his status of “Son of Yaakov”. He was then mourning that Yosef will no longer deserve to be a “Tribe of Israel”. Therefore, Yosef messaged, “I am your son Yosef” not just Yosef, but your son. In other words, Yosef informed his father he had never sinned and elevated himself above the status of “Tribe”. The Chida says, only someone who has never sinned is rewarded with becoming a ruler. Yaakov’s joy was tremendous and hence said “My son Yosef is still alive”, as the words “My son” refers to the spiritual level while “Yosef” suggests the physical level. Yaakov understood that the tests Yosef endured raised him to almost the level of Patriarch. Chazal say that in some respects he was a Patriarch and in others he was a tribe. How did Yaakov know that Yosef was saying the truth and not altering it out of shame? Regarding the second question, Rashi quotes the Midrash Tanchuma which explains that the wagons were a sign of the mitzvah of the ‘axed calf’ which was the final portion of Talmud Yaakov taught Yosef. This sign finally convinced Jacob that his son was really alive and was on a high spiritual level. W The Darchei Mussar asks that Joseph could have surely given any number or proofs that he was not an impostor. Why did he choose specifically those hints? Moreover, why did these clues accomplish what the brothers could not? The Darchei Mussar answers with a fascinating story involving the Vilna Gaon. A man had failed to return for many years and his wife remained an “Aguna”. Suddenly, a man came and claimed he was the missing husband. He provided a host of proofs that demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was indeed the husband. Thus, the wife was clamoring that he was not her husband. Unsure how to solve the matter, people requested from the Vilna Gaon to question the individual. He informed them that there was no need, “take the man to the Shul and ask him which was his seat.” They obeyed the advice of the Holy Vilna Gaon and indeed the man was incapable of providing the answer and admitted he was just not the husband. The Vilna Gaon explained that since it was conceivable, we were dealing with a high-level con artist who had surely met the real husband and gathered all the details necessary to deceive in a convincingly manner. Thus, since his motives were to quench his thrill for wickedness and immorality, it was then impossible for him to think of any holiness. Hence, he failed to enquire about the husband’s any holy practice. This explains why Yaakov was convinced. Since the signs were all about holiness and Torah it was impossible to be sent by an impostor. Someone driven by deceit and evil is impervious to Holiness. Since Yosef’s only signs referred to spirituality, this was the unquestionable sign he was indeed on a high spiritual level. Yaakov’s joy had no limit! Hereafter is an insightful story where intentions make the difference: Reb Eliezer Lipa was a simple but devout Jew who lived in the town of Tarnow, Galicia. He was not well versed in Torah and could not even understand the meaning of the daily prayers. Thus, he always prayed with a minyan and was scrupulous about performing properly the Mitzvos. He never conversed about mundane matters in shul, and revered Torah scholars and Rabbis. Reb Eliezer Lipa was a laborer main trade was watercarrier. He worked hard, and managed to make a decent living, as he had four wealthy customers who paid him well above the going rate for his services. One day, long before the Baal Shem Tov revealed himself, he arrived in Tarnow. His appearance was one of a simple Jew, who was a gifted storyteller. He used to congregate the manual workers and tell them stories from the Talmud. He would then light up their hearts to the service of Hashem, and explained how much was Hashem pleased with the sincere prayers of ordinary Jews. Reb Eliezer Lipa was once returning from the river in his wagon loaded with water barrels, when he spotted his friend and fellow watercarrier Reb Zalman Dov along with some other workers, gathered around a simply dressed Jew but listening intently to his words. He joined the circle of listeners. The Baal Shem Tov was telling a story related in the Talmud about a wealthy man who lived at the time of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. “The wealthy man was driving a fattened ox to the Temple for a sacrifice. At one point, the massive beast stopped and refused to move. No amount of pushing and prodding made animal budge. A poor man on his way home witnessed the scene. In his hand was a bunch of freshly picked greens for his family dinner. He took the greens and gave them to the animal. Immediately, the ox started walking. “The wealthy man offered his sacrifice and was thankful to Hashem to have deserved to bring such a beautiful animal. His joy knew no boundaries and made a feast for his family and friends. The poor man though, gave only a bunch of greens, which at first glance is not comparable to the wealthy man’s sacrifice. “Thus, that night the wealthy man had a dream. A voice was saying, ‘The sacrifice of the poor man, who gave up the bundle of greens he was bringing to his impoverished family, was a more desirable to Hashem than your fattened ox.’ The Baal Shem Tov concluded, “Hashem desires the heart. Any mitzvah one may do, whether great or small, simple or difficult, is judged by how it is performed. A mitzvah done for Hashem’s sake, with joy and purity of heart, is very precious to the Creator. Hashem calls out to the angels, ‘Look at the mitzvah my son has done!’ Reb Eliezer Lipa’s mind knew no rest. He longed to be able to perform such a Mitzvah. The weeks passed and he could not find no peace, as his heart ached with the desire to be able to do such a Mitzvah. One day, while delivering water to one of his wealthy customers, he had an idea, an idea so perfect that his whole being became flushed with a great sense of pleasure and relief. His four wealthy customers provided him with half of his livelihood. On the other hand, his friend Reb Zalman Dov supplied the town’s four Synagogues, which paid him half-price for their water. “I can exchange my four customers for his four Shuls.” He was anxious to serve Hashem by providing the water for the congregants, which is certainly more valuable than profits. He went home and told his wife about the story he heard from the Baal Shem, and how doing a Mitzvah with joy is like bringing a sacrifice in the Holy Temple. His wife readily agreed to the idea as did Reb Zalman Dov, who sorely needed the extra income. The deal was struck, Reb Eliezer Lipa and his wife were overjoyed at the prospects for their new Mitzvah venture. They never publicized their deed, instead they would daily joyfully go about their business and deliver the water to the Shuls. As they hauled the water, they would concentrate on the Mitzvah and their joy was boundless, as they understood Hashem desires the intent. Reb Eliezer Lipa and his wife had been barren for many years. Thus, shortly after starting their ‘new venture’, they were blessed with two children. Both became luminaries who lit up the Jewish world till today: Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk and Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli. They were the two of the most illustrious disciples of the Baal Shem Tov’s successor, Reb Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch.

By Rabbi Fridmann * [email protected] * 305.985.3461

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