28 Dec HASHEM IS BEHIND EVERYTHING

The Torah (45:23) states, ולאביו†≠†שלח†כזאתÆÆƆעשר†חמרים†≠†נשאים

מטוב†מצרים†, “To his father, [Yosef]

sent ten donkeys, carrying the goods of Mitzrayim…” Why did Yosef send specifically†donkeys¨†and†why†precisely†Tenø

The†Maharal†©Gevuras†Hashem†10®†explains†that†when†an†owner†loads†his†donkeys†with†merchandise¨†the†donkeys†carry†the†load†but†don’t†know†what†they†are†carrying†and†why†they†are†carrying†itƆYosef†sent†ten†donkeys†to†hint†to†his†father†that†he†shouldn’t†be†angry†at†his†ten†children†for†selling†Yosef†because†they†didn’t†know†what†they†were†doingÆ

The†Marahal†writes¨†“Yosef†was†hinting†to†his†father†that†he†shouldn’t†punish†his†children†for†selling†him¨†because†it†was†decreed†from†heavenÆ

When†the†shevatim†sold†him¨†they†were†like†a†loaded†donkey†that†doesn’t†know†why†it†carries†its†loadsƆLikewise¨†when†the†shevatim†sold†Yosef¨†they†didn’t†know†what†they†were†doingƆHakadosh†Baruch†Hu†decreed†that†they†should†go†down†to†MitzrayimƆThey†intended†to†sell†Yosef†because†of†their†hatred†towards†himƆHowever¨†the†true†purpose†was†to†bring†Yaakov†and†his†children†to†Mitzrayim…”

Yosef†told†his†brothers†©†ועתם†לא

אתם†שלחתם†≠†אתי†הנה†45:8 כי†האלקים†)

¨†“and†now¨†it†wasn’t†you†who†sent†me†hereƆIt†was†Hashem…”†©The†Shem†MiShmuel†said†that†a†Yid†should†repeat†those†words†every†dayÆ®

Yosef†acknowledged†that†his†brothers†weren’t†guilty†of†selling†him†to†Mitzrayim†because†even†that†was†from†HashemƆIn†this†week’s†parashah, it says, אל†תרגזו†בדרך†Æ†The

brothers†were†returning†home†to†tell†Yaakov†Avinu†the†good†news†that†Yosef†was†still†aliveƆThey†wanted†to†rush†home†to†share†this†wonderful†newsƆHowever¨†Yosef†warned†them¨†אל†תרגזו†בדרך†¨†don’t†be†too†hasty

because†you†anyway†won’t†be†able†to†change†Hashem’s†planƆThe†moment†destined†for†Yaakov†to†know¨†he†will†know¨†and†not†a†moment†soonerƆYosef†told†them†to†go†quickly¨†מהרו†ועלו†אל

( אבי†45:9 ®†but†don’t†rush†too†much

because†you†will†anyway†not†be†able†to change the time decreed from aboveÆ

The†Power†of†Resolve†In†this†week’s†parashah¨†Yehudah†explained†to†Yosef†why†he’s†pleading†Binyamin’s†case†more†than†the†other†brothersƆYehudah†said (44:32) , כי†עבדך†ערב†≠†את†הנער†“It

is†because†your†servant†guaranteed†the†lad…”

Rashi†explains¨†“If†you†will†ask¨†why†I’m†pleading†for†Binyamin†more†than†all†the†othersø†They†aren’t†so†connected¨†but†I†am†bound¨†with†a†strong†knot¨†to†be†banned†from†both†worlds†˛if†I†don’t†return†Binyamin†to†my†father¸Æ”

This†bond†is†expressed†in†last†week’s†parashahÆ

Initially¨†Yaakov†refused†to†send†Binyamin†to†Mitzrayim†because†he†feared that he might die on the wayƆYehudah†convinced†Yaakov†to†send†Binyamin†when†he†promised†to†bring†Binyamin†backƆYehudah†said†©43∫9®†אנכי†אערבנו

מידי†≠†תבקשנו†אם†לא†≠†הביאתיו†¨אליך

והצגתיו†≠†לפניך†וחטאתי†לך†≠†כל†הימים†“I

will†be†his†guarantor…ƆIf†I†don’t†return†him…†to†you¨†I†will†be†in†sin†before†you†forever”†and†then†Yaakov†agreed†to†send†HimÆ

Why†did†Yehudah’s†promise†convince†Yaakov†to†send†Binyaminø†If†Yehudah†failed†in†the†mission¨†Yaakov†would†have†even†greater†distress†because†Binyamin†would†be†lost¨†and†also†Yehudah†will†be†in†a†niduy†©excommunicated®Æ†So†how†did†Yehudah’s†words†convince†Yaakov†to†send†Binyaminø

The†Avnei†Nezer†zt’l†explains†that†every†person†has†amazing strengths in†himƆIt†is†known†and†documented†that†people†have†supernatural†capabilities†during†emergenciesƆEven†a†weak†person†can†perform acts that the†strongest†people†in†the†world†cannot†do†under†normal†circumstancesÆ

People†can†lift†cars¨†jump†tremendous†heights¨†and†run†great†distances†when†in†dangerƆThey†find†strength†they†previously†didn’t†know†they†possessedƆThose†powers†were†always†within†themª†they†just†come†to†the†fore†in†a†time†of†needÆ

This†is†what†Yehudah†accomplished†when†he†accepted†on†himself†a†ban¨†a†niduy¨†if†he†fails†to†return†with†BinyaminƆA†niduy†is†a†very†serious†matterƆIt†would†mean†that†Yehudah†will†be†banned†from†the†yeshivah†shel†maalah†as†well†©as†the†Gemara†says†in†Sotah†7®Æ

Since†Yehudah’s†future†was†at†stake¨†Yaakov†knew†that†Yehudah†would†use†all†his†revealed†and†latent†powers†to†bring†Binyamin†back¨†and†indeed†he†succeededÆ

Related†to†our†topic†is†the†concept†of†שבועה†¨†oathƆGenerally¨†we†shouldn’t

make†oaths†because†there†is†a†risk†of†transgressing†them¨†which†is†a†severe†sinÆ

Yet¨†if†someone†sees†that†he’s†lax†with†a†particular†mitzvah†©or†if†he†is†continuously†transgressing†a†certain†aveirah®†and†he†wants†to†motivate†himself†to†be†more†cautious¨†he†may†at times, make a שבועה†Æ†As†it†states¨

נשבעתי†ואקיימה†≠†לשמר†משפטי†צדקך†¨†“I

swore…†to†keep†your†righteous†laws”†©Tehillim†119∫106®Æ

How†does†the†שבועה†help†him†keep

the†mitzvosø†The†answer†is¨†as†we†discussed¨†the†stronger†the†resolve¨†the greater are the chances of his successƆThe†obligation†to†uphold†an†oath†increases†one’s†resolve¨†which†multiplies†the†likelihood†of†succes