Parshat Miketz – 5780
Rabbi Shaanan Gelman
Dream On – Yosef, the Butler and Rav
Meir Shapiro
Many people know that in Chabad, י"ט כסלו is considered to be a yom tov since that was the date in
which the Alter Rebbe, Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi was released from
prison. But the release from prison, as
fortuitous as it may have seemed at the time, was somewhat of a sham. Only a few years after his initial arrest,
the Alter Rebbe was arrested for a second time – the imperial order arriving on
the second day of Succos in the year 1800, when he was summoned to appear in
the capitol city of St. Petersburg. This
time around things looked more hopeful – instead of being dragged away in a
vehicle reserved for prisoners charged with capital crimes, he was transported
in a private armored black coach, escorted by guards and was given permission
to be joined by two people of his choice who would assist him and help with any
needs. The coach would stop periodically
and Rav Scheur Zalman was afforded the ability to rest in a private
quarter. After several months of
incarceration – the Rebbe was released for a second time on Chanukah – כ"ז כסלו, granted unconditional release and full autonomy to live
anywhere and serve the community as he saw fit. Thus, triggering a lesser known
but, in some ways, an even more significant cause for celebration.
Similarly, Yosef endures two different
stints in prison – the biblical term for Yosef’s place of incarceration is a בור. The first one was a
pit, into which he was cast by his brothers, then sold by Midianites to the
Yishmaelim. The second בור is found in the beginning of Parshat
Miketz:
בראשית פרק מא:יד
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח פַּרְעֹה֙ וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף
וַיְרִיצֻ֖הוּ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיְגַלַּח֙ וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖א
אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה
Much like the
Alter Rebbe, Yosef’s second release is much more decisive – he isn’t turned
into some schlepper, doing menial labor in the house of Potiphar,
instead he is given a shave, dressed in full regalia, and a private audience
with the King!
The question is, how did it happen? Which fortuitous twists of fate allowed our
beleaguered victim to become fast tracked to a
position of prominence on the world’s stage.
Of course, we all know the story – since
we were young, we have known the story.
It all began last week when Yosef noticed a disturbance in the force –
the שר המשקים and שר האופים each had a dream, dreams which Yosef was able to accurately
interpret. The שר האפים was sentenced to death, and the שר המשקים restored to his post. It
was then that Yosef asked the butler to remember him for what he had done – to
not forget about the man who interpreted his dreams:
בראשית פרק מ
(יד) כִּ֧י
אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י
חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֛יִת הַזֶּֽה:
And though it
took some time, the שר המשקים did
fulfill his part, recalling the kindness of Yosef and making the referral to פרעה.
What should
be a moment of celebration, of joyous reflection for Yosef and for all of us –
is turned into a disappointment. There
should be a yuntif, like י"ט כסלו or כ"ז כסלו and instead Chazal rains on our parade, berating Yosef for
putting his faith in the שר המשקים:
בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת מקץ פרשה פט סימן ג
ג (תהלים מ) אשרי הגבר אשר שם ה' מבטחו, זה יוסף, ולא פנה
אל רהבים, ע"י שאמר לשר המשקים זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ ניתוסף לו
שתי שנים, אשרי הגבר אשר שם ה' מבטחו
Because Yosef twice asked the butler to remember him, he was given an
additional two-year sentence in prison!
Why are we
treating Yosef so critically? Is there anything wrong with putting in השדתלות? Consider the approach we take on the verseורפא ירפא, “you shall surely heal”, the Gemara[1] teaches us that the doctor is given permission to heal.
מכאן שניתנה רשות לרופא לרפאות
But this is
not merely a reluctant authorization to put forth our best effort; for,
according to the Chovos Halevavos (שער הבטחון פרק
ד')[2] one is required to do so and not permitted to rely solely upon a miracle?!
ספר חובות הלבבות שער ד - שער הביטחון פרק ד
כי על האדם לבטח בבורא בזה ולהשתדל בהתמדת הבריאות בסבות,
אשר מטבעם זה ולדחות המדוה במה שנהגו לדחותו, כמו שצוה הבורא יתעלה: ורפא ירפא
One possible
answer is suggested by Rav Chaim Volozhiner, in the נפש החיים (שער
א:ח) who argues that there exist different
standards for different people depending upon their background and level of
observance. And so, it follows, that
while for most people it would be perfectly acceptable to appeal to the שר המשקים for assistance, Yosef was on a higher madrega – he was expected
to demonstrate resolute בטחון, relying
solely upon Hashem and no others.
But I want to
share a second answer, based upon an exposition of Rav Yisrael Salanter (אבן ישראל חלק א
דרוש ג).
He suggests
that Yosef knew with certainty that he was destined to become the “king”, this
was after all, the subject matter of his initial dreams – 10 bundles bowing down
to his bundle, the stars the moon and the sun bowing towards him!
At some point
Yosef forgot about his own dreams.
Why did
Chazal seize on this exact moment to suggest that Yosef had “lost his
way”? Because this is the point in which
he moves from being a “dreamer” to an interpreter of dreams. Starting with Parshas Miketz, Yosef is
playing a different role, not purveying dreams and regaling others with
fantastic visions that sound too good to be true! Instead he is seen
interpreting the dreams of others, in particular פרעה. His ascendancy will
hinge upon the שר המשקים and פרעה’s generosity and upon their vision.
This critique
is not only leveled against Yosef but is one we each musty consider for
ourselves.
Whose dreams
do you ride to the top? Your own or
someone else’s? When did you stop being
a בעל חלומות?
You used to be the person who believed despite the impractical nature,
the criticism, the lack of popularity and now you are piggybacking off someone
else’s accomplishments and vision!
Its worth
noting that one chapter later when Yosef comes face to face with his brothers –
we are told that he once again recalls his own dreams: וַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת
אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם.
The very dreams he forgot about in prison while latching onto the dreams
of others – Yosef reclaims his footing and can begin his true ascent as a
leader in Israel.
On Chanukah
we must recall the position of Beit Hillel, that each night we add onto the
light from the previous evening – because the Jewish people must never allow an
old hope, an ancient dream to dwindle over time – it is a terrible mistake to
let go of childhood dreams.
I want to
close by telling you about another dreamer – one whose tenacity and stubborn
belief in an idea has changed our world.
Rabbi Meir
Shapiro zt”l, the Lubliner Rav, founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Chachmei
Lublin had an idea. An idea which was
heavily panned and dismissed as pedestrian and certainly unrealistic.
He suggested
that the there should be a national limud – a piece of Torah that was
studied by Jews all around the world each day.
Of course, I am speaking about the daf Yomi. You may have heard this story which was
circulated a few months ago:
An attorney
named Judah Lifschitz from the east coast was traveling once to Columbus, OH
where he was trying a case. As he passed
through the security check in Columbus on his way back home, he noticed a tall
fellow wearing a kippa working as a TSA agent.
The agent, struck up a conversation with Judah and asked him where he
davened and whether he studied the daf that morning? He continued to relate to
Mr. Lifschitz that he participates in a daily daf Yomi shiur but that morning
was particularly difficult and he didn’t understand the daf. He responded in the affirmative and said that
he had half an hour until his flight and that he would be happy to review the
daf! It was a sugya in Mesechet Shabbos
– דבר שאינו מתכוין, and
over the next 20-30 minutes the two conducted an intense dialogue as the other
TSA agents looked on in amazement.
This was
precisely the scenario that HaRav Meir Shapiro envisioned when he introduced
the concept of The Daf at The Agudah’s Knessiah Gedolah in pre-war Vienna,
years before commercial airline flights were scheduled. He envisioned two yidden, travelers by train,
who would meet up on their way to work and instantly connect through the daf
Yomi.
Indeed, it was
a moment of וַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר
יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם, of brothers reuniting over a
shared doctrine and a common belief[3].
As we are about to conclude the 13th
cycle of the daf Yomi, many in this room are finishing for the first or second
time, others have never had the feeling – but anyone can be part of the dream –
it’s not someone else’s חלומות it is
the חלום which belongs to every one of
us.
If daf Yomi
is too ambitious, there is Mishna Berura Yomi, there is a Mishna yomi cycle,
you can come to minyan yomi…starting very soon we will be offering a דף שבועי where anyone can attend and share in the ancient
conversation.
May we never
lose sight of our dreams, may our intensity and love for Talmud Torah grow each
day like the candles of Chanukah – מעלין בקודש ולא
מורידין.
[2]
This is quite interesting given the fact that Rabeinu Bachya himself raises the
question on Yosef’s conduct. The extent of permissible hishtadlus vs
required histadlus is subject to a dispute between the Chovos ha’Levavos
and the Ramban
[3]
Rabbi Reuven Taragin recently emailed a picture of a plaque in his office which
features the names of a handful of his talmidim that have completed Shas, he
sent me a picture because my name is on the plaque. I said to him, youll be happy to know that I'm
about to finish my second cycle – he was naturally overjoyed, but then I
said…Its because of you Rebbe, you were the first person to encourage me to
finish my first mesechta, Ketubot.
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