This Is Not a Test - Vayeitzei 5771

We learn that Asarah Nisyonos the greatness of Avraham Avinu is mentioned in a Mishna in Pirkei Avos 5:3 (ה,ג  עשרה נסיונות נתנסה אברהם אבינו, ועמד בכולם, להודיע כמה חיבתו של אברהם אבינו). Why Avraham more than Yaakov? Yaakov had his on Nisyonos. He had with Eisav, Lavan, Elifaz, Dinah, Yosef… He had many many difficulties. As a matter of fact if you really want to add them up and you take the Midrashim too, you easily have ten. Why by Avraham Avinu it is called a Nisayon and by Yaakov we say he had Tzoros or difficulties? What marks a Tzoroh as opposed to a Nisayon?

Before this is answered, let me point out that every Tzorah really is a Nisayon. What we mean here is something that stands out as a special Nisayon. What is special about Avraham Avinu’s 10 Nisyonos and how does that influence our lives about when is something a Nisayon and when is something a Tzorah?

There is a Baal Shem Tov that is quoted in numerous places. The Chasam Sofer at the end of Parshas Vayeira says the same idea and Rebbi said it over in 5769 and I have pasted it here.

22:1 The Chasam Soifer in Toiras Moishe, on וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם, addresses why Akeidas Yitzchok is a Nisayoin for Avraham, more so than a Nisayoin for Yitzchok Avinu? L’choirah, it was a Nisayoin for both of them?

The Pashuta Teretz would be that it is easier for someone to give his own life than his child’s life. The Chasam Soifer is still bothered why the Posuk only mentions that it is a Nisayoin only for Avraham. The Chasam Soifer answers, when Hashem gives someone a Nisayoin, part of the Nisayoin is a Hester Panim of Hakadoish Baruch Hu. Sometimes when we are in middle of a Nisayoin, it is hard for us to understand what Hashem wants from us. When the Posuk says וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם it was a time that Avraham was Richuk from Hashem. It was difficult for Avraham.

The Chasam Soifer says this is P’shat in Maseches Sukkah 52b (third line from the top), “שנאמר (תהילים לז) צופה רשע לצדיק ומבקש להמיתו”and “ולא ירשיענו בהשפטו  שנאמ' (תהילים לז) ד' לא יעזבנו בידו.” The Gemarah Darshuns, “ואלמלא הקב"ה שעוזר לו אינו יכול לו.” Which means when a person has a Nisayoin, he has to be Margish Hakadosh Baruch Hu, because if you are not Margish Hakodosh Baruch Hu, it is hard to get through a Nisayoin.

The Chasam Soifer says, that is P’shat in our Posuk, וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם. Avaraham had the Nisayoin, Yitzchok didn’t have this Nisayoin. When Yitzchok understood that he was the Korban, it wasn’t so hard for him. He felt that if the Boirei Oilam wanted this from him, he would do it. However, the Posuk saying וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם is Dafka telling you this idea, that for Avraham Avinu it was a Nisayoin.

One of the Chasiddishe Seforim Taitshes along these lines, the Posuk in 22:4, “וַיַּרְא אֶת-הַמָּקוֹם--מֵרָחֹק.” That Avraham Avinu saw Hamokoim (Hashem) as if he were distant. Our Avoidah when we have a Nisayoin, is to not view Hashem Mairachoik, it should be Maikaroiv, with closeness. As soon as the Nisayoin was over, the Malach calls to Avraham, as it says in 22:11, “יא  וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יֶרוֶָר, מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּנִי”. Rashi says (אברהם אברהם: לשון חבה הוא שכופל את שמו) it is a Lashoin Shel Chibah. However, in 22:1 at the Beginning of the Parshah Akeidah, it only says Avraham once (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי)?

The Lashon Chibah is when there is a Hiskarvus to Hakadosh Boruch Hu, so after the Nisayoin it was Avraham, Avraham. At the beginning of the Nisayoin it was B’davkah Avraham once. In יְשַׁעְיָהוּ 51:2 says, “הַבִּיטוּ אֶל-אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיכֶם, וְאֶל-שָׂרָה תְּחוֹלֶלְכֶם:  כִּי-אֶחָד קְרָאתִיו, וַאֲבָרְכֵהוּ וְאַרְבֵּהוּ”. That Klal Yisrael should look at the example of Avraham and Sarah, כִּי-אֶחָד קְרָאתִיו. The Drush of that is, Hashem called Avraham once when he went through this Nisayoin. Then Hashem was Marbeh him and he was Zoiche to all the B’rachois because he was able to be Oimed in the difficult Nisayoin of Akeidas Yitzchak. The lesson to be learned is, every Nisayoin that comes up in life, the difficulty of the Nisayoin is equal to the distance that a person feels from the Boirei Oilam. The Avoidah is to feel a Hiskarvus which is always difficult.

Yaakov Avinu on the other hand, when he is heading to the house of Lavan, the Ribbono Shel Olam comes to him in a dream and says 28:15 ( וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ, וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-תֵּלֵךְ, וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ, אֶל-הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת:  כִּי, לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ, עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם-עָשִׂיתִי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ) Meaning, I won’t abandon you. If a person has a sense of the Ribbono Shel Olam being with him it is a Tzarah, a type of Nisayon, however, it is not on the level of a Nisayon of Avraham Avinu.

It is an important Yidi’a to have. There are times that a person feels that Hashem is hiding from him and his unhappy with him, a time of (וַיַּרְא אֶת-הַמָּקוֹם--מֵרָחֹק). When it is that time you should know that it is a time that you can achieve greatness. This is because that is a real Nisayon like the Nisyonos of Avraham Avinu.

The Succah & The Clouds - Mishpatim 5771

23:14 – 16 (יד  שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים, תָּחֹג לִי בַּשָּׁנָה טו  אֶת-חַג הַמַּצּוֹת, תִּשְׁמֹר--שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ לְמוֹעֵד חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב, כִּי-בוֹ יָצָאתָ מִמִּצְרָיִם; וְלֹא-יֵרָאוּ פָנַי, רֵיקָם טז  וְחַג הַקָּצִיר בִּכּוּרֵי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, אֲשֶׁר תִּזְרַע בַּשָּׂדֶה; וְחַג הָאָסִף בְּצֵאת הַשָּׁנָה, בְּאָסְפְּךָ אֶת-מַעֲשֶׂיךָ מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה) The GRA says a Pshat regarding the Sholosh Regalim. It is interesting to note that Sukkos is referred to here in Parshas Mishpatim and in Parshas Ki Sisa as (חַג הָאָסִף). (חַג הָאָסִף) means the holiday that takes place at the time that the Tevua is gathered in from the fields. Later in Parshas Emor in 23:34 ( דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר:  בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם, לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה, חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, לַירוָר) and Parshas Re’ey 16:13(חַג הַסֻּכֹּת תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים:  בְּאָסְפְּךָ--מִגָּרְנְךָ, וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ) the Yom Tov is referred to by its more popular name of Sukkos.

The greater significance of this fits with the Shittas HaGRA in Shir Hashirim that talks about the Sukkos that we sit in on Chag HaSukkos are according to one Man D’omar K’negged the Ananei Hakavod (the clouds of glory) that surrounded Klal Yisrael in the Midbar. Most Meforshim understand that this refers to the fact that the entire 40 years in the Midbar the Ananei Hakavod protected Klal Yisrael.

There are many difficulties with this. The Tur’s Kasha of why such a Yom Tov should be celebrated in Tishrei instead of Chodesh Nissan where it belongs?

The Kasha of why the Ananei Hakavod are remembered with a Yom Tov more than the Man or the B’air Hamayim? These 3 go together because it was in the Zechus of Moshe, Aharon, and Miriyam. Why would the Ananei Hakavod have a special Zechus that there is a Yom Tov K’negdom?

Due to these questions and others, the GRA explains that Negged the Ananei Hakavod doesn’t mean the protection of the Ananei Hakavod at all. Instead he says it refers to the Ananei Hakavod in the following instance.  As we know that when Moshe Rabbeinu was up at Har Sinai, Klal Yisrael sinned with the Cheit HaEigel. The Shechina which had resided amongst Klal Yisrael was no longer among them. They were forgiven on the 10^th day of Tishrei, Yom Hakippurim and Moshe Rabbeinu came down from Har Sinai on the 10^th day. On the 11^th day of Tishrei he commanded Klal Yisrael to build a Mishkan. Klal Yisrael responded by bringing donations for two days (as can be seen in Parshas Vayakheil 36:3 (וַיִּקְחוּ מִלִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה, אֵת כָּל-הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר הֵבִיאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִמְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ--לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָהּ; וְהֵם הֵבִיאוּ אֵלָיו עוֹד, נְדָבָה--בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר) by the words (בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר)). Those two days were the 12^th and 13^th days of Tishrei. On the 14^th day of Tishrei the work began, the Chachmei Leiv gathered and received their instructions on how to build the Mishkan. On the 15^th day of Tishrei the actual physical work of building the Mishkan commenced. At that time, the Anan which represented the Shechina, protected Klal Yisrael and not the Ananei Hakavod and the Anan came back and resided among Klal Yisrael.

Says the GRA, it is that return of the Anan on the 15^th day of Tishrei which the Mitzvah of sitting in a Sukkah on Sukkos is in observance of. The Mitzva is an observance of that return of the Ananei Hakavod. As the GRA says, on Yom Tov we say Ata V’chartanu Mikol Ho’amim Ahavta Banu V’ratzisa Banu. Where Ata V’chartanu Mikol Ho’amim is K’negged Pesach, when Klal Yisrael was chosen. Ahavta Banu, the love of Hakadosh Baruch Hu is a reference to Chag Hashavuos, the Chuppah and marriage of Klal Yisrael. V’ratzisa Banu which is a language of forgiveness is a reference to Chag Hasukkos. The Mitzvah of Sukkos on Sukkos is a remembrance of the Kappara and the return of the Ananei Hakavod. All of this is in the GRA on Shir Hashirim. 

We now return to Parshas Mishpatim. In Parshas Mishpatim and Parshas Ki Sisa which are the Parshios that were said prior to the Cheit Ha’eigel, this Yom Tov is called (חַג הָאָסִף). There was as of yet no Mitzvah of sitting in a Sukkah. This Mitzvah of sitting in a Sukkah didn’t come until after the Cheit Ha’eigel. This was after the 15^th day of Tishrei when the Anan returned and there was something to remember. Therefore, here it is called (חַג הָאָסִף). After the Cheit Ha’eigel in Parshas Emor and Re’ey it is called (חַג הַסֻּכֹּת).

It is also Miduyak beautifully that when it says (אֶת-חַג הַמַּצּוֹת) in this week’s Parsha, it is mentioned that Matzah should be eaten for seven days. When it mentions (חַג הָאָסִף) it doesn’t refer at all to eating in a Sukkah. The reason is, here it was not yet part of the Yom Tov. It was a holy day (חַג הָאָסִף) but not yet (חַג הַסֻּכֹּת). A beautiful GRA L’shitosoi. So this is one idea here in the end of the Parsha.