Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend
in Karmiel"
January 1st 2021 (Finally!) -Volume
11 Issue 12 17th Tevet 5781
Parshat Vayechi
Yearly Returns
Maybe someone out there can
explain this to me. Are any of you accountants or tax people? Why is it that on
the one hand I can't deduct my 18-year-old and my 22-year-old son as dependents
on my US tax returns anymore and I don't get any child tax credits for them
anymore, despite the fact that I'm paying their tuition in seminary and
Yeshiva, which thank God, praise Israel is a heck of a lot cheaper in Israel
than it is in America. In fact, to be honest, their books in the States cost as
much as the entire tuition I'm paying and I don't even get a scholarship! Yeah
you should move here…But I digress back to our question. So I don't get any
deductions or credits but at the same time those same "non-dependent"
children of mine aren’t entitled to get their own stimulus grant from Israel's
best US president ever because they are considered dependents.
{See how I wrote that there…It's
really to infuriate everyone; those that hate Trump and can't see the word "best
president" next to his name and those that love him will be upset that I
only wrote he is "Israel's best president". I try to be an equal
opportunity offender and sadly in another week or so I won't be able to milk
the Trump thing for much E-Mail material anymore… at least for another four
years shhhh …wink wink nod nod}
But really it doesn't make sense.
Are they dependents or not? OK I’ll admit Yonah, doesn't cost me that much. He
pretty much sits in yeshiva and learns and really barely asks me for an agura.
Although his taxi cab bill for his dating life is starting to add up. But at
least with hotels closed he doesn't have to buy drinks as he just goes on dates
in people's backyards these days. Rivkah on the other hand still shops on
Mommy's credit card, thank-you-very-much-Ali-Express. I don't even know what
she buys and frankly I don't want to know. But I do get nervous when my wife
tells me that it's good that I don't want to know. So seemingly if I'm paying
bills here for them, then I should be allowed to deduct them as dependents or get
a credit for them. And if they're not my dependents than why can't they get
their own stimulus check. Then maybe they won't need Mommy's credit card or
Daddy's Gett Taxi App.
Now I don't want you to think I'm
complaining here. I really really appreciate the fact that there is this
stimulus plan in the first place and that they're even giving me anything,
despite the fact that I don't live in the States and frankly don't think most
Jews should as well. I mean it would be one thing if I contributed a lot with
my taxes to government, but after what they take from me here there isn't too
much left for the Red, White and Blue. So
I'm not complaining at all. I'm happy that there are these stimulus checks and
it's in dollars even. I mean the Israeli stimulus grants I received pretty much
covered a falafel or two or shwarma, but not even in a laffa…which is really
the only respectable way to eat a shwarma. God Bless the USA. I'm just trying
to understand the logic, that's all. Or is there none, which is also fine. I'm
kind of used to Government's rules that make no sense from this whole Corona
thing by now. (It seems that Corona only effects 4-8th graders as
the rest of the grades are allowed to go to school, and I have to gag in a mask
the entire davening, but by Kiddush afterwards it's fine to sit next to
everyone and eat…). I'm just curious if anyone understands this. It would be
nice to get that money too. Let the kids kick some back to the old man…
Now this week's parsha certainly
seems to introduce us to this idea of the children supporting their parents. In
fact, it's in the first verse and perhaps even in the first word. Our parsha
begins with the end of the life of Yaakov. In last week's parsha he had come
down to Egypt with the brothers in the wagons Yosef had sent for him. He met
Pharaoh and as per Pharaoh's query he told him that he was 130 years old. No
spring chicken, for those that didn't read or forgot last week's E-Mail. This
week we fast forward and the parsha begins with the seemingly redundant words
and math calculation for us
Bereishis (47:28) Vayechi- And
Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years, and Yaakov's days, the
years of his life, were a hundred and forty-seven years.
As we know the Torah is kind of
cheap on ink. It doesn't have to do math problems for us. If the Torah wanted
us to know how old Yaakov was all it needed to say was that he was 147. Even if
it wanted us to know how long Yaakov was in Egypt for-although I don't know why
we would need to know that, it really doesn't take advanced calculus. He's 147
this week and was 130 last week when he came down to Egypt. Ergo- 147-130= 17
years in Egypt. Even Tully could figure that out and he's in an Israeli cheder.
So obviously the Torah is not just trying to save us time from taking out our
calculators. There must be a lesson in the Torah pointing out and highlighting
for us these 17 years that Yaakov lived in Egypt and most of the commentaries
all come to the same conclusion. But I still don't get it.
The short list of commentaries
that I briefly checked include Daas Zekeinim Baalei Tosfos, the Baal Haturim,
Rabbeinu Bachaya and the Ohr Hachayim Hakadosh and they all note that this is
not the first time we find the number 17 in reference to Yaakov. If we rewind a
bit we find back in Parshas Vayeishev when Yaakov finally settles down in Israel
prior to Yosef's being sold to Egypt, the pasuk tells us
Bereishis (37:1-2) Yaakov
dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. These are
the generations of Jacob: when Joseph was seventeen years old, he was
shepherding with his brother
"Aha!" they all say. Yaakov supported Yosef for 17 years before
he was taken from him and now again the Torah wants us to notice that we find
Yaakov living in Mitzryaim for 17 years, only this time he is being supported
by Yosef. The reason the Torah is telling us this is to teach us that in the
merit that Yaakov supported Yosef for 17 years, he merited that Yosef would be
able to "pay him back" and support him for 17 years. In fact, Rabeinu
Bachaya does a little more brilliant math for us and tells us that 17+17= 34
which is the gematria of the word Vayechi- and he (Yaakov) lived,
that is the title of this Parsha. That is if to tell us that those 34 years
that Yaakov was with Yosef, supporting and being supported, were the only years
that Yaakov truly lived. The rest of his years were filled with trouble and
tribulation. The Ohr Hachayim notes that 17 as well is the gematria of Tov-
good. Those 17 years on both ends of Yaakov's life were the good ones.
Now all of this is nice and good
and the math really works out well, yet it leaves me with two big questions.
The first is, that is it really that big of a deal that Yaakov supported Yosef
from when he was a baby until he was 17 years old. I mean it seems that even
according to the US Tax law one can still claim them as dependents. Hey, maybe
that's where they got it from? But really, jokes aside, it's a parent's job to
support their children. It's a natural instinct, particularly a Jewish parent.
Now some might say that might be true for a Jewish mother, but you know us
fathers we just travel around and tour the country and leave the hard work for
the parent that actually physically brought them in the world and that are
certainly more qualified to do so. But Yosef was an orphan. Yosef, was the son
of his beloved Rachel, of course he was going to take care of him. So what's
the big deal?
Second of all and perhaps even
more perplexing, is the question that is it really such a big reward to have
your children become your providers? I think that most of us hope that by the
time we come of age that we have enough savings that we can provide for
ourselves and even be the good Zaidies and Bubbies that send money to the kids
in Israel, or maybe even treat the whole family to a trip to Israel to tour the
country with its best tour guide. Isn't it sad if we reach that age and we need
our children to take care and support us? I think it's particularly tragic in
Yaakov's case where it seems that at one point he was fabulously wealthy. He
had herds and herds of cattle of sheep of goats, he was blessed by Hashem with
everything and here he was coming down to Egypt in Yosef's wagon and dependent
on Yosef's generous handouts to put bread on his table. What's the big reward
about that?
The answer perhaps to both
questions can be found in a story that I had heard. There was a young boy,
Avremeleh, that was born in a DP camp right after the war. His father had
seemingly disappeared, leaving the mother and child all alone in the world.
They came to America and it was just the two of them. His mother, a heroic
woman, rather than being broken by the devastating circumstances life had dealt
her, placing her in a foreign country with a language she wasn't familiar with
and no chance of getting remarried as she was technically still a married
woman. and with the sole responsibility of providing for this child, picked
herself up and did whatever it took for her son. Her life revolved around
providing for him. She worked hard and made sure that he would have all of the
opportunities life could offer him. And he did.
As time and life went by Mom got
older and sicker. She was placed in a nursing home, but Avremeleh would visit
her regularly with his children. She would teach them the songs she remembered
from her youth and play with them. Yet time and age has a way, and sadly,
slowly over the years she deteriorated, She no longer had her faculties and
ultimately she fell into a vegetative state. Yet her Avremeleh would still
visit, sit with her, stroke and comb her hair and sing the songs that she had
sung him.
But after a few years of this it
was becoming more and more challenging. The Doctors were putting pressure to
ease up on the life-sustaining measures she was being given. There really was
nothing left of the mother he once knew and the doctors had said there really
was no point in continuing spending the money, the resources and the time as
she would remain like this indefinitely. There was no real life left in her.
Avremeleh was torn. He knew that
he would continue to do anything he could for his mother who had given him
life, but he needed chizuk. Was this really the right thing to do? Maybe
he should, as the doctors put it, "let her finally be at peace"?
What was the point in all of this? So he went to his local Orthodox Rabbi for
some guidance, for strength, for the right answers and inspiration about the wisdom
of the Torah's way and Hashem's plan. He didn't leave disappointed.
In perhaps one of the most
powerful insights of his life his Rebbi told him something special about his
mother that he would never forget.
"Listen Averemleh, I know
your mother well. Her entire life was dedicated to you. She lived each day and
each moment for you to make sure you had the best life. There was no one else
more important, there was nothing that she wouldn't do. It was her greatest
joy, it was what gave her pleasure and meaning.
Do you want to know why she is still here? Do
you want to know what meaning her life still has? She is still here because she
wants to give you still. Because she can't stop giving you. And do you know
what she is still giving you? She is giving you the gift of long life. She is
giving you the merit of fulfilling the mitzvah of honoring your mother and
caring for her for which the Torah tells us one merits longevity. Her holy
neshoma knows that as long as she can hang on in this world, that every time
you visit her, she is granting you that merit. It is her final gift to you and
she hasn't finished giving it yet. That's the reason your mother is still with
us. That's the type of person she still is."
My Bubby Zeldy Z"L lived for
a few months longer after the inspiration Rabbi Duetch Z"L of Detroit gave
to my father. Yet that last message of her final years always remain with me.
We asked, what was the big deal
about Yaakov providing for his son Yosef, for all of those years? I don't
believe the merit that Yaakov had was that he provided the physical sustenance
for Yosef, in as much as that Yaakov provided the spiritual foundation that
Yosef would need for life. In those 17 years, Yosef learned everything he
needed to know about his father and his values. Those lessons kept him and
stayed with after 20 years of separation where he would still see his father's
image before his eyes that would inspire him to remain at his holy state in all
of his challenges. The verse tells us "These were the generations of
Yaakov, Yosef." Yaakov had 12 children, but to Yosef, because of that
immense love he had from his father, he felt like he was an only child. And it
was that love and that vision that gave him the fortitude to transform the
entire Egypt and rise to the greatest success in order to prepare it for our
ultimate exile there.
In the merit of those 17 years of
the spiritual greatness that Yaakov had given Yosef, he merited the ultimate
gift that he would bear the fruit of that selfless work. He lived for 17 years
in Mitzrayim. Egypt, was the cesspool of the spiritual world. Yaakov is known
as the bechir of the Avos, the chosen and the culmination of all
of our forefathers. His image is emblazoned on Hashem's holy throne. How could
that holiness survive in Egypt? Imagine putting Reb Chaim Kanievsky Z"L in
Eilat, in Las Vegas, in Thailand… It's incomprehensible. Yet Yaakov lived
in Mitzrayim. He had tov/good=gematria 17, in Mitzrayim. He was able to
do that because he had nurtured Yosef and now it was time for the realization
that although he couldn't give Yosef that spiritual nurturing in Egypt, he
could at least receive it and in doing that he was as well giving Yosef the
gift of allowing him to give back and sustain him.
The year 2020 is finally coming
to an end. Although we do the Jewish New Year thing, but even we recognize that
at least the tax year ends on December 31st and it has been quite a
taxing year. Yet there has been a lot of stimulus this year as well. It's been
a year where we spent more time with our loved ones for those of us with
families. Even those empty-nesters imaginably have spent more time Zooming,
talking and thinking and praying for our families more than any year. As well
it's been a year where we were all focused at different points on the
significance of our spirituality; our shuls, our prayers, our Torah classes.
It's been a year where we focused on giving, on protecting others and how
dependent we are on each other and Hashem. Those are the best returns we could
ever ask for. They are returns that will, Hashem-willing, last us for our
entire lives. May they be the real stimulus that lengthen our lives, our
children's lives and all our future generations as we await the true end of
what will god willing be the upcoming most amazing Jewish year!
Have a fresh and exciting Shabbos,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
***************************************************
Miss my smiling mug and voice and want more subscribe to
my weekly Whatsapp or Youtube video for my
FREE
My weekly 10 minute or less video short on the Parsha
Here's last week's Tenth of Tevet Video
PLEASURE FAST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lytgo5H8cfg
You can get the weekly Rabbi Schwartz video by
subscribing to my Youtube page on the above link. Or alternatively by Facebook
friending me
***************
" Far kinder tsereist men a velt.." For your children’s sake you would tear the world
apart.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
10)
According to the accepted Muslim tradition, Muhammad’s night-trip was to:
A)
Medina
B)
Mecca
C)
Jerusalem
D)
Karbala
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://youtu.be/heSqWGZAvfU - For you Shtisel fans here's a
little clip from this season's playing a Yiddish song davenen composed by Heshy
Weinberger…. Good to see these boys back…
The Torah tells
us that on the other side of the Jordan all of the Kings of Canaan and Yishmael
see what's going on and they have 7 days of mourning there and then they also
join the funeral march to Chevron. There must have been millions by this time.
Yes, this was the greatest funeral ever. The party almost got stopped by Esau
who tried to stop the whole thing from happening, But it seems he lost his head
a bit and it was all resolved.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN
ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Yoav and Avner Faceoff Part II- 876 BC- After that first battle with Avner's men the score was Yoav's men had killed 360 men from Avner and had lost 19 soldiers plus Ashael. If one takes off that 12 of those 19 were killed immediately at the faceoff fight, then it was 8 men killed about 348 which is about a 50:1 ratio. That's pretty impressive. Avner saw this and he knew he was in trouble so he fled. He fled to the hills of Binyamin to a hill region called Derech Midbar Givon, where he camped on a hill called Givat Amma. Yoav met him there on the opposite hill what would happen next?
"Ha'lanetzach
Toachal Cherev-Will you forever live by the sword. Do you not know the end
will be bitter? How long will you tell the people to refrain from pursuing
their brothers?"
Yankel: "My father is a Navi
(prophet)"
Rebbi: "What makes you say that
Yankel?"
Yankel: "He filled out my daily
health forms for the next three months…
Answer is C – I wasn't positive if this was a trick question or not. I knew that Muhammed went up to heaven on this night journey in their beliefs. There he negotiated with Allah to have "only" five prayers a day instead of the fifty that Allah demanded. One can say he Jew-ed him down… Now I knew he went up in their belief from Jerusalem's Temple Mount on a mystical flying horse. The Koran says he chained his horse to the corner place which in hebrew and Arabic is the katza- thus their mosque there is called Al Aktza. But the question was where he journeyed to and not from. But I went with Jerusalem anyways figuring that this was a tour guide for Israel exam, so it should be an Israel question. And I was right. Turns out he traveled to Jerusalem from Mecca before going up to heaven. So there you have it. All you need to know about Islam bubbeh meisehs…So the score now stands at 8 for Rabbi Schwartz and 2 for the Ministry of Tourism on this exam.
