Karmiel

Karmiel
Our view of the Galile

Friday, January 6, 2023

Ah Mama's Tish Wish- Parshat Vayechi 2023 5783

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

January 6th 2023!! -Volume 12 Issue 12 13th of Tevet 5783

 

Parshat Vayechi

Ah Mama’s Tish Wish

 

The Rebbi was excited. It had been 19 years since he had last been by “Der Mama”. Before 1948 when the Jordanians had taken control of this holy site the Rebbe had regularly visited and davened by Kever Rachel. It was a place where he felt most connected. Where his tears and supplications for redemption surely would mingle with Mama Ruchel’s in shamayim. He could spend hours there and he did. But for 19 years Beit Lechem was “occupied territory” by our ‘cousins’ as was Chevron and the old city of Yerushalayim and the Kotel. We had no access. We couldn’t come and pray at our holiest sites. For 19 years we were in galus in our own land. And now we had finally returned. In the most miraculous 6 days in modern history in 1967 Klal Yisrael could once again come back to our Tattehs and Mammehs and join our tefillos to theirs. And the Rebbi was preparing for his first visit.

 

Together with his Chasidim they piled on to the bus. The Chasidim that were with their Rebbe were as excited as he was. They couldn’t wait to see their Rebbe’s enthusiasm, heartfelt tears and prayers as he came back to his Mama that he had been longing for so long to visit. They were expecting to see the Rebbe jump off the bus and run to that holy site and bow down and pray and cry and hug her ancient tomb and stones. Yet, they were a bit taken aback when the Rebbe announced that before they went in he would be holding a big tish. A festive meal with food and drink and Torah and song before going inside to daven. The tish lasted for about an hour. It was heartfelt, joyous and inspirational. The Rebbi shared beautiful words and would continuously hand out more and more shirayim of fruits, fish and all of the food that he first tasted to his chasidim on this momentous occasion. The anticipation was building but the Rebbi waited, making sure that everyone had eaten their fill first. Finally as they bentched the Rebbi turned to his chasidim and explained the reason for the tish.

 

Everyone knows how long I’ve waited to visit and see and daven by “Der Mama”. As much as I long to see her though” he said. “She’s been waiting to see her children back again as well. Now everyone knows though that the first thing a Mama wants to know when she sees her children, the first question she will ask her long lost sons is “Hust de shoyn gegessen? – Did you eat already mein teihereh kinder- my dear children. Mama Rochel wants to know her children had a good meal before coming to visit her. She’s worried for us. I wanted to give her nachas that the first thing we do when we come to her- like any good Mama, would be to sit down by the table and eat before talking to her, before telling her about our long journey, before asking her to pray for us, with us for the geula. I wanted to give her the bissel yiddishe nachas- that a yiddishe Mama has when she knows her kinder are well fed…”

 

It’s a great story. I told it to my tourists when they were deciding whether to go out for dinner before we davened at Kever Rochel or to wait until afterwards. The Rebbi I believe I heard the story about was the Tolner Rebbe. {Although I didn’t have any luck googling it- if you know differently please let me know.. You can always count on your good faithful tour Rabbi tour guide to find a good meaningful reason to justify eating before davening- which I knew they wanted to do. It’s why people pay me the big bucks 😊. No reason to feel guilty, I told them. The Mama wouldn’t want you to come hungry to her. Ess mein tehiereh kind- ess gezunt ah heit. We’ll have plenty of time to talk afterwards.

 

This week’s parsha Vayechi, the last of the Sefer of Bereishis recalls to us the death of Rachel. Yaakov, asks his son Yosef to take him out of Egypt and bring him back to Mearat Ha’Machpela to bury him there. At the time he tells Yosef that he shouldn’t feel bad that his own mother Rochel is not buried at Mearat HaMachpela. She was buried in Beit Lechem on the side of the road instead. The reason for this is he explains, our sages tells us and brought down by Rashi is

 

And I buried here there - and did not carry her even the short distance to Bethlehem to bring her into a city. I know that in your heart you feel some resentment against me. Know, however, that I buried her there by the command of Hashem”. And the future proved that Hashem had commanded him to do this in order that she might help her children when Nebuzaradan would take them into captivity. For when .they were passing along that road Rachel came forth from her grave and stood by her tomb weeping and beseeching mercy for them, as it is said, (Yirmiyahu 31:15) “A voice is heard in Rama, [the sound of weeping … Rachel weeping for her children]”, and the Hakadosh Baruch Hu, replied to her (v. 16) “There is a reward for thy work, says the Lord etc. (v. 17) for thy children will return to their own border”

 

The Mameh is crying for her children. She is buried right where she’s supposed to be so that she can awaken the mercy of Hashem with her tears that we would return back home again.

 

I saw an unbelievably mind-blowing idea from  Reb Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer, a 19th century Rav of Krakow great grandson of the Chasam Sofer and father in law of the famous Reb Shabsi Frankel of the “Frankel Rambam” fame. He notes that on the one hand it seems that Rochel was buried there as to be a merit for her children. On the other hand a different Midrash seems, at first glance, to attribute Rochel’s burial as a punishment for her hastiness. The Midrash tells us that when Yaakov was leaving his uncle Lavan’s house by the command of Hashem, he calls his wives Leah and Rachel to field to ask their opinion whether they are ready to leave their home and go to Eretz Yisrael with him. The verse tells us that the women answered as follows.

 

And Rachel and Leah answered; Surely, he regards us as outsiders, now that he has sold us and has used up our purchase price. Truly, all the wealth that Hashem has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, do just as Hashem has told you.”

 

We’re in. We have nothing here with our father. He’s a liar and cheat. Let’s go home as Hashem has commanded you.

 

The Medrash though quotes Rebbi Yehuda who picks up on a nuance here.

 

Why did Rochel die on the road before arriving in Israel? Because she answered before her sister…”

 

Rebbi Yehudah picks up that in recounting the story here, the Torah says that Rochel answered Yaakov before her older sister Leah. At first glance it seems that this was a punishment. She should’ve let her sister speak and answer respond first. It’s not kavodik, to jump ahead and answer. And as a result of that it would seem she therefore is punished and she dies first. See that’s what jumping ahead does for you. She’s not buried with Yaakov but on the side of the road. Rebbi Yosi though in that same Midrash notes the Yaakov originally had called to Rachel and Leah in that order to the field. Rochel didn’t jump the gun. She was the primary wife. Rather he attributes her death to the fact that Yaakov cursed whoever stole the idols of Lavan would be killed. Seemingly Rebbi Yosi would be correct Rachel was called first. As well the opinion of Rebbi Yehudah seems to contradict our Rashi and Midrash that she was buried there to pray for her children. Which one is it? Is it a punishment or is it to daven for us?

 

Perhaps even more perplexing is why, takeh, did Rochel answer before Leah. Why didn’t she let her older sister speak first? And finally, why does Yaakov have to ask them if they want to leave? Hashem told him that it’s what he should do. Does he really need to consult with them about it? What would happen if they say no?

 

Answers Reb Yosef Nechemia magnificently, that all the questions answer one another if you understand one basic principle. The Torah law, which our forefathers observed although they weren’t commanded to keep them is that a man is not allowed to be married to two sisters. It’s a bad thing. Yet, the reason why Yaakov permitted himself to do so, besides that he had divine inspiration and knew that he needed to marry both Rochel and Leah, is because he understood that the function of the mitzvos is to be observed in Eretz Yisrael. It’s here where they have meaning. Everywhere else it’s just to stay in practice until we keep them here in Israel and shine out the light of Hashem from here to the rest of the world. Thus in Chutz La’Aretz he permitted himself to have two sisters as wives. Yet he knew that upon returning to Israel one of them would have to go. Somebody wasn’t going to make it there. He certainly would never divorce a wife, so most likely one would have to die. This conversation with his wives thus becomes much more serious.

 

Now Leah, knowing that she was the first wife would probably assume that she would enter and Rochel would die. Or alternatively, perhaps since Rochel was the main wife of Yaakov and she really had just been snuck in Rochel’s place into the marriage bed maybe she wouldn’t deserve to live and be buried with Yaakov. Rochel sensing this dilemma of her sister once again jumps up to the plate and answers first.

 

“Don’t worry, Yaakov. It’s alright. We need to go home. You need to bring my children, our children to Eretz Yisrael. If I can’t make it, I’ll accept that fate upon myself. Chutz La’aretz is no place for our children to be. We are strangers here. This is not our home. It’s not where we can reveal the light of Hashem and fulfill our purpose from. Whatever it takes, whatever sacrifice I have to make. Bring my children to Eretz Yisrael.”

 

In this light what Rebbi Yehuda is saying is not that it is a punishment on Rochel for answering before her sister. Rather it is the fulfillment of her request that her children be brought into the land even though she knew that it would mean she wouldn’t be buried with her husband. She would die on the way before entering the land. But for her kinderlach…what wouldn’t a Mameh do.

 

It is this same merit that our midrash tells us that Rochel is still buried there. For when Hashem will turn his wrath upon her children and throw us out of His land for not appreciating our mission here and for not observing the Torah and taking in the supreme significance and holiness of the land, Rochel would turn to Hashem and cry and pray and recall her merit. Hashem, remember how I let my sister marry my husband, my bashert, it is for that act that I was not only giving up my beloved and sharing him with my sister, but I was as well guaranteeing that ultimately, I would not be allowed to return here to Eretz Yisrael and be buried with my husband. I would die in chutz la’aretz, in the Diaspora. I would not see the holy land. I did this for one reason. I did this so that I would have children that would merit to live in the land. I would produce Your 12 tribes that would live here, that would become Your nation. That would bring Your blessing and light to the world. How can You throw them out? When will you bring them back? Look at my kever. Look what I did for Your children… for my kinder… When can I stop crying for them? When will they come home…?

 

Hashem hear that plea and tears of Rachel and He promises her two promises-

 V’Shavu banim mei’eretz oiyev- the children will return from the land of their enemies

V’shavu banim l’gevulam- the children will return to their borders.

 

The Chasam Sofer explains these two promises that seemingly seem redundant. Of course the children will return. Hashem always planned on bringing us back home. He didn’t create the world for Klal Yisrael to stay in exile. He knew that we needed to come back. What are these promises? How is He reassuring Rachel with this?

 

He answers incredibly that Rochel was concerned mostly that if her children went to Chutz La’aretz that they would assimilate there. They would feel too comfortable. That they would love all of their posterity in those goyisheh nations that they were bound to achieve. They would like their Pizza Shops, their Prime Grills, their Yeshivos, their Shuls, their extravagant houses and all of their political influence and pretty things and “friendly” neighbors that Esau sometimes becomes to us.  The children wouldn’t want to come home. They’ll forget why we’re here. They’ll forget that k’nochrios nechshavnu- that we are always foreigners in their land. That it’s not where we belong. They’ll forget how much I gave up for them to come home. They won’t come to visit the Mama.

 

Hashem thus tells Rochel. Don’t worry Mama. I will return the children even before Mashiach comes. They will come home to Eretz Yisrael and return to you… To Me… even before the end of days. They will return from the land of their enemies. The goyim with throw them out. They will be made to realize that they only have one home, one place, one land that they are meant to live in. They will remember the Mama and you won’t just be a picture that they hang on the wall of your tomb. They will return. You will be reunited with your children even before the geulah. Only after that will be final redemption. Only after that will they return to their full borders. Will we get back the other side of the Jordan. Will we return all the way up to Lebanon and down South to Egypt to the borders I promised Avraham. Then will we return to the Bais Ha’Mikdash. Only then, after they are here from the lands of the enemies will the Shechina finally return and we will be redeemed.

 

The Chasam Sofer writes this in the early 1800’s when the Jewish population in Eretz Yisrael was about 6000 Jews. We were living in Europe and we thought it was our home. Eretz Yisrael was a dream that only handfuls thought could be a reality before Mashiach came. It was dangerous. It was desolate. It was not a place that was seen as anyone as habitable from a materialistic and even more significantly as a spiritual place where they could raise their children and families as compared to the Torah empire that was in Europe. Less than a hundred years later in 1948 the Jewish population here was 600,000. We had returned from the land of our enemies. We realized that Europe wasn’t our home. We came back to the Mama. The children had returned.

 

I had always thought that would be the last stop. That the return from the land of our enemies was over. The prophecy was fulfilled. V’Shavu Banim L’gvulam is around the corner. Your children Mama Rochel understand what you gave up for us to come home. We don’t need anymore enemies to remind us. We don’t need another holocaust. I hope I am right. Mama, don’t stop crying for your children. Bring that final geula. Your children are hungry. They want to give you nachas. Our hunger though is not for a tish, or for chulent and kugel. It’s a hunger for the shechina, for the korbanos. It’s to see Hashem once again. Mama, your children hub nuch nisht gegessen… - we still haven’t eaten. We’re waiting for that real tish together with you…  

 

Have a inspiring holy Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 ************************

YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 

“Eyn mame dergreykht mer vi a hundert lerers...”.- One mother achieves more than a hundred teachers...

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

5) A city in the Negev established in 1900 is:

Dushara, Al-Uzza and Manat are names of:

A) Stops along the incense trade route

B) Deities in the Nabataean mythology

C) Mounds in the Negev

D) Bedouin tribes in the south of the country

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

 

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/yesimcha  – Parshat Vayechi isn’t complete unless you sing my glorious Yesimcha song from the Parsha Yitz Berry on arrangements!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNIKkk4S1VI   – Avraham Frieds Yesimcha also beautiful

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRtnTGaK4f8  – And of course Shwekey’s Yesimcha

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WV-IlD87xg  -  Ever hear this Gad Elbaz Yesimcha? I never did…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAzVgbZUT8gNever heard this snappy version either of Avremi Roth…

 

 

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

 

War again- 704 BC – After our introduction to Elisha we return to the Kings of Israel and Yehudah and their wars. The King of Yehudah is still Yehoshafat the grandson of Rechavam and son of Asa. Yehoshafat had appointed his son  Yehoram as the King in his lifetime after he was miraculously saved in his last battle that he fought with Achav against the King of Aram. It is in that battle that Achav was killed. Yehoshafat was saved and obviously traumatised and he thus appointed his son to lead in his place so that he could do teshuva. Yet, because of that Hashem restored his title to him as well for this upcoming battle.

 

Over in the North the king who replaced Achav was his son Achazya who didn’t last too long and his son Yehoram replaced him. Yes I know its confusing with two Yehorams here at the same time the King of Yisrael and Yehuda. Yehoram was better than his parents, he removed idolatry from the land. Yet the forbidden Bamos-private personal altars that people would worship to Hashem from were still being used. It seems even he couldn’t shut down those backyard minyanim post-Corona. Yet because of their repentant ways he was able to reunite an alliance with Yehoshafat and thus the table is set for the next war.

 

It’s fascinating to think of our neighbors at that time in Moav and the political goings on. It seems that Mesha the king of Moav who had been conquered by Omri and by his son Achav had been paying tribute to the Kings of Israel of 100,000 sheep and rams. If you figure that the price of a sheep is about 1000- 1500 shekel, your talking about a few millions sheks. Not bad! Well, Mesha decided he had enough and with the new king that seemed a bit more docile than his father Achav, stopped sending that tribute. Yehoram wasn’t going to take that sitting down so he sent out messengers to Yehoshafat and asked him to join him in battle against Mesha. Yehoshafat agrees and he tells Yehoram that “I am like you, my men are like yours, my horses are like yours”. Yet in order to be most strategic about this battle and to catch Mesha by surprise, they decide to go through the south rather than directly across the Jordan River. Instead they would head to the Negev and around through the land of Edom. Edom was under the control of the Kings of Israel and no great fan of Moav either. The King of Edom joins the fight and together they marched around to Moav and the battle is set.

 

As I said the political ramifications of this battle are historic. Israel is united in battle and the King of Edom is joining us to fight against our neighbours in Jordan. What makes this even cooler and more fantastic is that in the 1800’s a inscription known today as the Meshe Stele was discovered written by the Mesha himself the King of Moav that describes this battle. It is the oldest and longest inscription from this time period and it corresponds mostly to the battle that takes place written in ancient Canaanite script. What happens by this battle? Stay tuned next week.

 

  

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE JEWISH MOTHER  JOKES OF THE WEEK

 

Shaindy and Moishy decided to take their little Berel from the heat of the city to his first visit to the beach. Dressed in his little sailor suit and hat and pail and shovel in hand, Berel happily played at the water's edge as his mother and father spread their picnic blanket. Then suddenly, to his parents' horror, a huge wave crashed down on the boy and then dragged him far out to sea. As neither of his parents could swim, his mother began to wail and cry, "Hashem, be merciful. Return our son to us!"

Suddenly another huge wave cast the boy back up on the sand at his parents' feet. Shaindy inspected her son and then quickly looked back towards the heavens and said, "He had a hat!"  

 

 During a regular early morning shul service, Rabbi Levy couldn't help noticing 21 year old Benny sitting at the back of the shul looking very sad. He had his head in his hands. So at a convenient moment, Rabbi Levy goes over to him and asks, "What's wrong, Benny? Tell me. Maybe I can help."

"Oh rabbi," replies Benny, "I just don't know what to do. Every time I bring a girl home to introduce her to my parents, no matter how wonderful the girl is, my mother always tells me that she does not like her at all."

"I've heard this story many times before," says Rabbi Levy, "but you'll be pleased to hear that I have a tried and tested solution for you. Next time you choose a girl, make sure she not only looks just like your mother, but also talks like your mother, laughs like your mother, cooks like your mother, and dresses like your mother. Believe me, Benny, if you find such a girl, your mother will absolutely love her."

Many weeks go by before Benny finds someone just like his mother. And not only that, but the girl very quickly falls madly in love with him. So Benny invites her to meet his parents and this time is feeling very optimistic that all will go well.

 

At the next shul service, Rabbi Levy notices that Benny is once again sitting at the back of the shul looking unbelievably unhappy. So once again, during a break in the service, Rabbi Levy goes over to Benny. "What's wrong Benny?" asks Rabbi Levy. "Couldn't you find someone like your mother?"

"Rabbi," replies Benny, "miraculously, I found a girl just like my Mom. Not only did she look just like Mom, but she also talked like Mom, laughed like Mom, cooked like Mom, and dressed like Mom."

"So everything should have worked out okay for you," says Rabbi Levy.

"No, rabbi, it didn't," replies Benny. "My father didn't like her."

 

As a fundraiser the local Hebrew School decided to hold a talent show for the community. The night of the show finally arrived and the auditorium was packed with community people. Judy Goldberg looked on her as her pride and joy Chezky was playing piano and singing his beautiful composed Ani Maamin. During her performance she noticed a man in the audience clearly moved and crying. 

After the show she walks over to him and says "isn't it touching that the younger generation is carrying on our tradition?"

The man says "I don't know I'm not Jewish".

"So why were you crying?" she asks him.

"Oh that's because I am a musician"

 

 A man is laying on the operating table, about to be operated on by his son, the surgeon. The son reassures his nevous father that there is nothing to worry about. It's a simple procedure that he has done many times before. 

The father says, "Son, think of it this way ... If anything  happens to me, your mother is coming to live with you."

 

A young Jewish man excitedly tells his mother he's fallen in love and going to get married. He says, "Just for fun, Mom, I'm going to bring over three women and you try and guess which one I'm going to marry."

The mother agrees. The next day, he brings three beautiful women into the house and sits them down on the couch and they chat for a while. He then says,

"Okay, Mom. Guess which one I'm going to marry."

She immediately replies, "The red-head in the middle."

"That's amazing, Mom. You're right. How did you know?"

"I don't like her."

 

It was a terrible night, blowing cold and rain in a most frightful manner. The streets were deserted and the local baker was just about to close up shop when Bernie slipped through the door. He carried an umbrella, blown inside out, and was bundled in two sweaters and a thick coat. But even so he still looked wet and bedraggled.

As Bernie unwound his scarf he said to the baker, "May I have two bagels to go, please?"

The baker said in astonishment, "Two bagels? Nothing more?"

"That's right," answered Bernie, "One for me and one for Bernice."

"Bernice is your wife?" asked the baker.

"What do you think," snapped Bernie, " would my mother would send me out on a night like this?"

 

 

A Jewish mother is walking down the street with her two young sons.

A passerby asks her how old the boys are.

"The doctor is three," the mother answers, "and the lawyer is two."

 

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE:

"If you two are going to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!"

 

LESSONS MY JEWISH MOTHER TAUGHT ME

 

My mother taught me RELIGION:

"You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet."

 

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:

"If you don't behave, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

 

My mother taught me LOGIC:

"Because I said so, that's why."

 

My mother taught me IRONY:

"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."

 

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

 

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:

"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

 

My mother taught me about STAMINA:

"You'll sit there 'till all your spinach is finished."

 

My mother taught me about WEATHER:

"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

 

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:

"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times – Don't Exaggerate!!!"

 

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION:

"Stop acting like your father!"

 

My mother taught me about ENVY:

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

 

********************************

OOPS! I forgot to post answer to last weeks question which was who was second president of Israel and and which Prime Minister is on Mt. of Olives

Answer is A -Yeah I knew this one. Yitzchak Ben Tzvi was the longest President of Israel and it’s second one. He was actually raised frum and went to cheder until he became a Zionist and lost it. But he was fundamental in the early founding of the State in all of  military units as well as the settlements. The only prime minister on Mt. of Olives is of course Menachem Begin who didn’t like all the liberals like Ben Tzvi in the great men of the nation plot on Mt. Herzl and instead said he wants to be buried with the real Gedoley Ha’Umah, two soldiers Barzani and Feinstien who blew themselves up in the British Prison in Jerusalem rather than giving the British the pleasure of executing them. So getting better at this my score is now Schwartz 3.5 and 0.5 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.

 

THE ANSWER TO THIS WEEK”S QUESTION THOUGH IS

 B- I got this one half right. I got the first part wrong, It actually took me some time to figure out the right answer even on google. I guessed Dimona which I even knew was the wrong answer, but it was the only one that came to mind, but that wasn’t until the 1950’s so I was way off with that… I googled oldest 1900 settlements and Ruchama came up but that wasn’t built until 1917. So then I realized that perhaps it meant arab cities. And so it hit me to check when Beer Sheva was founded. I knew it was an ancient city and thought it was earlier than 1900. But it turns out that it was actually out of use since Roman times mostly and wasn’t really established until the Turks in 1900. So that’s the right answer. The second part I had no clue on, but I guessed right. I knew it wasn’t the incense trade stops. Ovdat, Mamshit, Nitzana and Shivta were hammered into my brain since my tour guiding course. So that left three choices and I went with deities because Al- Uzza has the word Al which is go in it. And I was right! So the score is 4 for Schwartz and 1 for Ministry of tourism on this exam so far…

 

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