Divrei Torah VaYechi
Torah Table of Contents
Bringing Life to Egypt, Divrei Yisrael Coming Close to a Tzadik, Divrei Yisrael The Ba'al Tefilla in Yaakov Avinu's Shul
based on a ma'amar in Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Vayechi
"Vayechi Yaakov b'Eretz Mitzrayim... - And Yaakov lived in Egypt... [Breishis, 47:28]
The Divrei Yisrael explains that our verse can mean that Yaakov Avinu brought life into the land and the very soil of Egypt. Before he came, the land was "dead", as it says [47:19], "Why should we die...both us and our land?" When Yaakov Avinu came to Egypt, the land revived, and the people were able to plant its fields. As Rashi explains [on the same verse, 47:19], "As soon as Yaakov arrived in Egypt, a blessing came to his feet, and they began to plant [and the famine ended]."
This matter needs explanation - what is the connection with the arrival of the tzaddik, Yaakov Avinu, and the fruitfulness of the land? The Divrei Yisrael explains that for the land to bear fruit and/or produce, a two-stage process must take place. The first stage is one of bitul [nullification], manifested by the decay and disintegration of the seed in the ground. The second stage, tzemicha, is the sprouting and growth of the seed into a plant, which ends up with the final product - the produce.
Before Yaakov Avinu's arrival in Egypt, the land was "dead" - it didn't have the ability for these two stages, and was barren. When he came, he restored life to the land, with these two forces of bitul and tzemicha, and the people began to sow their fields once more.
These two forces came from Yaakov Avinu himself. Bitul expresses itself in his Humbleness, as demonstrated when he said, "I am small from all the kindness and truth that you have bestowed upon your servant [Breishis, 32:10]." The force of tzemicha is found in the trait of Truth in which Yaakov Avinu excelled. "Emes me'eretz titzmach - the Truth sprouts from the ground [Tehillim, 85:12]." With these two traits, that of humility and truth, Yaakov Avinu restored the qualities of bitul and tzemicha to the ground, and the people could then proceed with planting again.
This matter is actually hinted at in the words of Rashi quoted above. "As soon as Yaakov arrived in Egypt, a blessing came to his feet..." Why is it necessary to mention "his feet", isn't it enough to say that "a blessing came"? The Divrei Yisrael explains that "his feet" can refer to Humbleness, as the Midrash says, what Wisdom does for the head, Humbleness does for the feet. [The feet are the lowest part of the body, indicating humbleness].
In addition, "his feet" are an allusion to Truth. We are told in the Gemara that Sheker,
falsehood, has no feet, whereas Emes does have feet to support it. [This is actually
demonstrated by the shapes of the letters of these words themselves. The letters of the word
"Sheker - Shin, Kuf, Resh", all have only one tiny leg to stand on, not a firm base. On the
other hand, the letters of "Emes - Aleph, Mem, Taf" all have a wide, firm base on their
bottom.] So Rashi specifically mentions that the blessing came "to his feet" to allude to these two
traits of Yaakov's - Humbleness and Truth.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
based on a ma'amar in Divrei Yisrael
And he (Yakov Avinu) said, bring them to me and I will bless them..(48:9)
The Divrei Yisroel asks, shouldn't Yakov Avinu have asked that his grandchildren come closer to him, rather than requesting that they should be brought to him? When one attempts to become close to a Zadik, the Divrei Yisroel answers, a person has to take his complete self to the Zadik. [One can't put on a religious facade, or come as a tourist looking for a spectacle, when coming to a Zadik. Rather, one must come to a Zadik with his complete self - including all of his "emotional baggage". (Translator's addition)]
Translated by Reb Yehuda Nathan of Brooklyn, a Modzitzer Chasid.
by the "Divrei Yisrael" of Modzitz, Parshas VaYechi
"Naphtali is a gazelle-like messenger, that delivers words of beauty" (Breishis, 49:21)
It is well known that the name Naphtali is from the term tefilla (see Rashi and Onkelos, Breishis 30:8). Naphtali was the ba'al tefilla and shliach tzibbur in Yaakov Avinu's shul (Targum Yonasan and Yerushalmi: "when he would open his mouth in Yaakov's assembly, the language was the choicest of words / sweet like honey.")
The gazelle is the most pious of the animals, and their ba'al tefilla and shliach tzibbur, asking Hashem for food and drink. It is the most merciful. When it pleads for food, it does not think of itself, only for the others. And when the animals eat and drink, it is satiated as if it ate more than any of them. Hashem hears its voice and is filled with mercy. All of this is explained on the verse (Tehillim, 42:2), "Like a gazelle cries out for the springs of water..." by the Yalkut and Zohar (Parshas Pinchas).
Indeed, Rashi on this verse in Tehillim quotes our Sages as saying, "The gazelle is the most pious of the animals. When the animals are thirsty, they gather unto it, that it should lift its eyes on High. What does it do? It digs a hole, places it horns inside and cries out. Hashem has mercy on it, and the abyss brings water up to it."
The Zohar on Parshas Pinchas says that the gazelle "is the most merciful of the animals. When it is pressed for its own food and that of the other animals, it travels very far to bring the food. And it doesn't want to eat until it returns to its place - because all the other animals gather there and it share the food with them...And by sharing with them, it is satiated as if it ate more than all of them."
The Divrei Yisrael goes on to explain our verse: this is the meaning that Naphtali is a gazelle-like messenger. Just like the gazelle is the ba'al tefilla and shliach tzibbur of the animals, and has no intention for itself, only for them, and Hashem hears its request; so, too, Naphtali is the ba'al tefilla and shliach tzibbur of Yaakov's shul, having no kavanna in his prayers for his own benefit, only for Klal Yisrael. And therefore, he "delivers words of beauty", his tefilla is pure and received with compassion and favor before Hashem.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman,of Yerushalaim, a Modzitzer Chasid.
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