PARSHAT VAYESHEV - THE LESSONS OF THE TWO MASHICHIM

[TorahZionist]

BS"D

YESHIVAT HARA'AYON HAYEHUDI
Jerusalem, Israel
HaRav Yehuda Kreuser SHLIT"A, Rosh Yeshiva

PARSHAT VAYESHEV
21 Kislev 5768/30 November-1 December 2007


THE LESSONS OF THE TWO MASHICHIM

In this week's parsha we are introduced to the two major players among
the twelve tribes: Yehuda and Joseph. These two powers have accompanied the
Jewish people throughout our long history as the two Mashichim, Mashiach ben
David and Mashiach ben Joseph. In every generation the potential is there
for the forces of the Mashichim to come out - if only the generation would
be worthy.

The holy GRA teaches us that all that befell Joseph in his life, will
befall “Zion”- the Land of Israel - as we find that the numerical value in
Hebrew of Joseph and Zion are one and the same.

“Yet the chamberlain of the cupbearers did not remember Joseph, and he
forgot him.”

Rashi tells us concerning the above sentence: “Since Joseph depended
upon him to remember him, he had to remain imprisoned two more years, as it
says: Fortunate is the man who has placed his reliance upon Hashem and not
turned to the arrogant ones. This means: Do not rely upon Egypt, which is
called the arrogant one.

Rabbi Meir Kahane HY"D of blessed memory writes: “A Jew who seeks help
from a non-Jew out of despair and fear lest G-d not help him, commits a
grave sin. Had Joseph approached the steward with a demand because the
steward owed him a favor, that would not have been considered a sin. Yet by
petitioning him with a request, indicating that he needed a favor from the
non-Jew, he profaned G-d’s Name, showing that he did not trust in G-d but
only in flesh and blood.”

It seems to me, in my humble opinion, that what Joseph had requested
from the steward far outweighed the service which Joseph had given over to
the steward. For we find that Joseph had simply interpreted the dream of the
steward, telling him that he would go free. Even if Joseph had not
interpreted the dream, the steward would still have been set free the
following day. It was not because of Joseph that the steward was set free;
all Joseph did was to relieve the agitation of the steward. On the other
hand. Joseph requested from him a great favor by speaking up to the king on
his behalf. It was Joseph who was beseeching the steward to speak up before
Pharaoh on his account.

It would be during the next two years in prison that Joseph would learn
the lesson of trust and faith in Hashem, a trait that would be inherited by
Mashiach ben Joseph - the physical redeemer of the Jewish people and their
Land.

From here Rabbi Kahane delivers a great lesson regarding receiving aid
from a non-Jew, and so he wrote: “If the non-Jew gives it as part of mutual
aid, or payment fror what he owes the Jew, that is allowed. If, however, we
approach a non-Jew or a country with a request, like a pauper standing at
the door, there is no more severe Chilul Hashem and lack of trust in G-d
than this."

Concerning Judah, it states: “And he (Judah) went up to the shearers of
his sheep, he and his Adullamite friend, Hirah - to Timnah. . . Judah saw
her, and he thought her to be a harlot because she covered her face. So he
turned to her on the road and said: Prepare, please let me come to you.”

From this union of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar, whom Judah had
mistaken for a harlot, came forth the line of the redeemer of the Jewish
people, Masiach ben David. Our Rabbis teach us that since Tamar was modest
when she lived in her father-in-law's house, G-d said: I decree that kings
should come forth from her, as it is from the tribe of Judah that I decreed
kings should be established in Israel.

And if you ask, how is it possible that from such a union of a
father-in-law with his daughter-in-law could come forth the holy Mashiach?
Our rabbis have already told us that the ways of the Redemption and Mashiach
are likened to a snake, hidden from all. Precisely a union like this, the
last place the “Satan”- the prosecuting angel - would look for holiness,
came forth the greatest light the world will ever know. The Mashiach will
enter though the back door, so to speak. Later on, Judah’s descendent,
David, would also have his lineage examined. As we find by King Saul who
asked his adviser if David comes from the line of kings; the advisor
answered: Before you can ask about that, ask if David is really a Jew, for
he comes from Ruth the Moabitess, who many thought at that time could not
enter the Jewish people. Once again, we find the line of the Mashiach is
coming in thought the back door. David himself fathered Solomon, who would
follow him sitting on the throne only after he took Bat-Sheva for a wife,
who was married to another although not according to halacha. Still,
certainly not a place where the prosecuting angel would look.

The two Mashichim, Judah and Joseph, each with their own lessons for the
Jewish people. Faith, perfect faith in Hashem, relying only upon Him and not
the nations of the world. And when all seems lost - never give up hope in
Hashem’s salvation, for it will come in through the last expected place -
the back door.

With love of Israel,
Levi Chazen



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