THE TORAH TELLS US THAT YOSEF TOLD HIS BROTHERS ABOUT HIS AMAZING DREAM IN WHICH THEY WERE ALL BUNDLING BUNDLES WHEN HIS BUNDLE ROSE AND THEIR BUNDLES BOWED TO HIS. THIS HE RECKONED WAS SYMBOLIC OF HIM BEING THEIR LEADER .THEY WERE HORRIFIED BY THIS SUGGESTION AS THEY WOULD NEVER TAKE HIM AS THEIR LEADER.
THE TORAH CONTINUES BY SAYING THAT THEIR HATRED FOR YOSEF INCREASED DUE TO HIS DREAMS AND HIS WORDS.THE COMMENTARIES ALL WONDER -WHAT WERE YOSEF'S WORDS FOR WHICH HIS HATRED WAS INCREASED?
RASHI POSITS THAT THE WORDS REFERRED TO HERE WERE THE EVIL TIDINGS ABOUT THEM THAT YOSEF BROUGHT TO THEIR FATHER. FOR YOSEF APPEARED TO ENJOY BRINGING WHATEVER NASTY BIT OF GOSSIP ABOUT THEM TO YAKOV.
MY PROBLEM WITH RASHI'S COMMENT IS THAT THE TALE BEARING OF YOSEF HAD GONE ON FOR A LONG TIME EARLIER. WHY WOULD NOW BE THE TIME THAT THIS CAUSED EVEN GREATER HATRED. THEY HAD HATED HIM BEFORE FOR HIS OBNOXIOUS WAYS INCLUDING HIS WORDS-WHAT TRIGGERED ADDITIONAL HATRED?
ABOUT 250 YEARS AGO A TZADDIK IN POLAND WAS KNOWN AS THE YID HAKODOSH I.E.
THE HOLY JEW. HE WAS GIVEN THIS TITLE AS HIS NAME WAS THE SAME AS HIS MENTOR REB YAKOV YITZCHOK OF LUBLIN ,ALSO KNOWN AS THE FAMOUS CHOZEH-SEER OF LUBLIN.
AS IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE TO REFER TO HIM BY NAME IN FRONT OF THEIR REBBE, THE OTHER STUDENTS OF THE CHOZEH CALLED HIM THE YID HAKODOSH, FOR HE WAS INDEED A HOLY JEW.
ONCE A MAN POSSESSED BY A DYBBUK WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE HOLY JEW. THE HOLY JEW DEMANDED THAT THE DYBBUK IDENTIFY HIMSELF. THE DYBBUK REFUSED AND THE HOLY JEW WAS FORCED TO INVOKE MYSTICAL POWERS CALLED YICHUDIM IN ORDER TO PUNISH THE RECALCITRANT SPIRIT AND FORCE HIM TO BE IDENTIFIED. INSTEAD OF CRYING IN PAIN THE DYBBUK BEGAN TO LAUGH. WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING ASKED THE HOLY JEW?
ANSWERED THE DYBBUK BECAUSE YOU ARE EXERTING YOURSELF TO YOUR SOUL'S LIMIT IN ORDER TO REACH THESE YICHUDIM AT 70 WHEN I EASILY DID THEM AT 12!
IF YOU KNOW THESE MYSTICAL THINGS THEN WHO ARE YOU REALLY-FOR HE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AN ORDINARY SINNER AS ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS EVER LEARN THESE SECRETS OF TORAH.
I AM A PROPHET FROM THE FIRST TEMPLE ERA,ONE OF MANY WHOSE WORDS WEREN'T RECORDED FOR POSTERITY ANSWERED THE DYBBUK. THEN WHY DID YOU BECOME A PERSECUTED SOUL? FOR A PROPHET WAS A MAN OF G-D?
THE DYBBUK ANSWERED , I WAS THE FIRST JEW WHO THROUGH AN ESROG FRUIT AT THE PROPHET ZACHARIAH AS HE PREDICTED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE.
OTHERS FOLLOWED MY EXAMPLE AND ZACHARIAH DIED IN THE BARRAGE .I WAS RELEGATED TO WANDERING WITHOUT END AND I ENTERED THE BODY OF THIS MAN IN ORDER TO ESCAPE MY PURSUING ANGELS OF DESTRUCTION WHO HAVE TORMENTED ME EVER SINCE THEN.
HOW COULD YOU A PROPHET HAVE SILENCED A MAN OF G-D ON HIS MISSION?ASKED THE YID.
THE DYBBUK ANSWERED,A PROPHECY UNSAID CAUSES THE DEATH OF THE PROPHET. HOWEVER, IF IT REMAINS UNSAID IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. THEREFORE I OPINED THAT ZACHARIAH REMAIN SILENT AND HAVE SELF SACRIFICE FOR THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE TEMPLE. EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD MEAN HIS DEATH BUT THE TEMPLE AND THE MASSES WOULD BE SPARED!
YOU HAVE A POINT,HOWEVER YOU ARE FORBIDDEN BY OUR HOLY TORAH FROM ENTERING AND HARMING A FELLOW JEW. I BID THAT YOU LEAVE HIM IMMEDIATELY BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY TORAH SAID THE YID.
ALTHOUGH YOUR DECREE WILL PAIN ME HERE I CANNOT LEAVE FOR THE PURSUIT OF MY PROSECUTING ANGELS GIVES ME FAR MORE PAIN!
THE YID SAW THAT HE COULD NOT FORCE THE DYBBUK TO LEAVE. HE THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT AND SAID"WHAT IF I SET UP A BETH DIN TO HEAR YOUR CASE AND IF I FOUND IN YOUR FAVOR WOULD THE ANGELS LEAVE YOU"?ASKED THE YID.
THE DYBBUK SAID"IF THE HOLY TORAH FINDS IN MY FAVOR HERE THE COURT ABOVE MUST COMPLY"!
THE YID BROUGHT IN HIS TWO DAYANIM - JUDGES AND TOGETHER THEY REVIEWED THE CASE OF ZACHARIAH AND HIS ANTAGONIST THE WANDERING SOUL.IN THE END THE BETH DIN CONCLUDED THAT THE SOUL WAS CORRECT IN HIS ACTION AS A PROPHET COULD BE EXPECTED TO HAVE SELF SACRIFICE FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE DYBBUK LEFT IMMEDIATELY FREE TO GO HIGHER INTO THE SPIRITUAL REALMS AND THE ANNALS OF CHASSIDIC LORE HAD AN INSIGHT INTO AHAVAS YISROEL.
HERE WE SEE THAT A PROPHECY UNTOLD IS A PROPHECY UNFULFILLED. IF INDEED THAT YOSEF HAD A PROPHECY,FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT SILENT. FOR ONLY THROUGH SAYING IT COULD THE DREAM COME TRUE.
THE POWER OF SPEECH IS NOT ONLY THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.
RATHER IT IS THE FORCE OF CREATION,THE POWER TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
FOR THIS REASON WHEN WE SAY WE WILL DO SOMETHING, THE WORDS THEMSELVES GIVE US THE POWER TO MAKE IT REAL.
WE MUST DREAM. WE MUST ALSO STATE OUR DREAMS SO THAT THEY BECOME REALITY.WORDS MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IF THEY ARE SAID RIGHT!
WATCH WHAT YOU SAY!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
INACTION OR WISDOM
YAKOV WHO WAS TOTALLY INVOLVED IN DEFENDING HIS FAMILY FROM THE ATTACKS OF LAVAN AND ESAV SUDDENLY DISAPPEARS FROM TAKING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HIS FAMILY AFTER SHECHEM'S ATTACK OF DINAH. THIS SEEMS INCREDIBLE THAT THE PATRIARCH WOULD BECOME TOTALLY INACTIVE AND LEAVE THE DECISIONS TO HIS CHILDREN ONLY TO CRITICIZE THEM AFTERWARDS!
WE CANNOT SAY THAT THIS WAS DUE TO SOME WEAKNESS ON YAKOV'S BEHALF
AS THE TORAH INDICATES THAT YAKOV CAME TO SHECHEM WHOLE IN EVERY WAY!
WE ARE FORCED TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS WAS A DELIBERATE TACTIC ON THE PART OF YAKOV IN NOT AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING DINAH'S ATTACKERS AS WELL AS IN HIS CRITIQUE OF SHIMON AND LEVI. WHAT COULD IT BE?
CHASSIDUS TEACHES US THAT YAKOV'S CONTACT WITH ESAV WAS NOT AN ACT OF DEFERENCE OR FEAR. RATHER YAKOV HAD COMPLETED HIS LIFE'S WORK SPIRITUALLY AND WAS READY FOR THE NEXT OTHERWORLDLY LEVEL.
IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE KABBALAH YAKOV HAD COMPLETED HIS TIKUN AS WELL AS
THE TIKUN OF EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE. THE NEXT STEP AFTER TIKUN IS TOHU
THE WORLD OF CONFUSION AND DESOLATION.
ONE MUST WONDER ;IF INDEED IT IS A WORLD THAT IS HIGHER THAN TIKUN-CORRECTION , THEN WHY IS IT GIVEN SUCH A NAME?
THE ANSWER IS THAT IN TOHU VALUES BECOME CONFUSED . THAT IS WHY IT IS DESOLATE AND CONFUSING. FOR THERE EXISTS A REALITY THAT G-D IS UNAFFECTED BY MAN'S ACTIONS-IF YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS WHAT CAN YOU GIVE HIM?
ON THAT LEVEL ALL ARE EQUAL AND ALL ARE ACCEPTED EVEN ESAV!
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO VALUES ? NO! IT MEANS THAT EVERY HUMAN FAILING CAN BE TURNED AROUND AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO CLING INTENSELY TO THE EIN SOF. EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF REACHING THIS LEVEL PROVIDED THEY LET GO OF UNIMPORTANT MATTERS. AT THIS STAGE EVEY SIN CAN BE ELEVATED AND EVEN TEMPORARILY TOLERATED. FOR EVERY SIN CAN BECOME TRANSFORMED INTO GOODNESS.
THIS WAS THE LEVEL OF ESAV'S SOUL THAT YAKOV COVETED AND RECEIVED. IN FACT THIS IS THE LEVEL OF THE MOSHIACH.
FOR THIS REASON MOSHIACH WILL BRING ALL THE WORLD TO WORSHIP G-D'S UNITY
BECAUSE THE MOSHIACH WILL BE NON-JUDGEMENTAL AND SHOW UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. THAT THERE WILL BE THE DESTRUCTION OF ENEMIES AND EVIL IS ONLY TO INSURE THAT THE REST OF MANKIND WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW MOSHIACH WITHOUT THE INTIMIDATION OF THE TALIBAN , NAZIS AND SOCIOPATHS.
IN REACHING THIS LEVEL YAKOV HOPED THAT SHECHEM COULD BE ELEVATED AND WHEN THE BROTHERS GOT THE CITY TO CONVERT HE WAS PLEASED. ONLY WHEN THEY PUNISHED THE CITY WAS HE CRITICAL FOR THEY HAD FRUSTRATED HIS ABILITY TI
BRING THE LAND AND THE WORLD INTO G-D'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE . FOR THEYT ASSOCIATED YAKOV WITH THE VENGEANCE OF HIS SONS.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
WE CANNOT SAY THAT THIS WAS DUE TO SOME WEAKNESS ON YAKOV'S BEHALF
AS THE TORAH INDICATES THAT YAKOV CAME TO SHECHEM WHOLE IN EVERY WAY!
WE ARE FORCED TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS WAS A DELIBERATE TACTIC ON THE PART OF YAKOV IN NOT AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING DINAH'S ATTACKERS AS WELL AS IN HIS CRITIQUE OF SHIMON AND LEVI. WHAT COULD IT BE?
CHASSIDUS TEACHES US THAT YAKOV'S CONTACT WITH ESAV WAS NOT AN ACT OF DEFERENCE OR FEAR. RATHER YAKOV HAD COMPLETED HIS LIFE'S WORK SPIRITUALLY AND WAS READY FOR THE NEXT OTHERWORLDLY LEVEL.
IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE KABBALAH YAKOV HAD COMPLETED HIS TIKUN AS WELL AS
THE TIKUN OF EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE. THE NEXT STEP AFTER TIKUN IS TOHU
THE WORLD OF CONFUSION AND DESOLATION.
ONE MUST WONDER ;IF INDEED IT IS A WORLD THAT IS HIGHER THAN TIKUN-CORRECTION , THEN WHY IS IT GIVEN SUCH A NAME?
THE ANSWER IS THAT IN TOHU VALUES BECOME CONFUSED . THAT IS WHY IT IS DESOLATE AND CONFUSING. FOR THERE EXISTS A REALITY THAT G-D IS UNAFFECTED BY MAN'S ACTIONS-IF YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS WHAT CAN YOU GIVE HIM?
ON THAT LEVEL ALL ARE EQUAL AND ALL ARE ACCEPTED EVEN ESAV!
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO VALUES ? NO! IT MEANS THAT EVERY HUMAN FAILING CAN BE TURNED AROUND AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO CLING INTENSELY TO THE EIN SOF. EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF REACHING THIS LEVEL PROVIDED THEY LET GO OF UNIMPORTANT MATTERS. AT THIS STAGE EVEY SIN CAN BE ELEVATED AND EVEN TEMPORARILY TOLERATED. FOR EVERY SIN CAN BECOME TRANSFORMED INTO GOODNESS.
THIS WAS THE LEVEL OF ESAV'S SOUL THAT YAKOV COVETED AND RECEIVED. IN FACT THIS IS THE LEVEL OF THE MOSHIACH.
FOR THIS REASON MOSHIACH WILL BRING ALL THE WORLD TO WORSHIP G-D'S UNITY
BECAUSE THE MOSHIACH WILL BE NON-JUDGEMENTAL AND SHOW UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. THAT THERE WILL BE THE DESTRUCTION OF ENEMIES AND EVIL IS ONLY TO INSURE THAT THE REST OF MANKIND WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW MOSHIACH WITHOUT THE INTIMIDATION OF THE TALIBAN , NAZIS AND SOCIOPATHS.
IN REACHING THIS LEVEL YAKOV HOPED THAT SHECHEM COULD BE ELEVATED AND WHEN THE BROTHERS GOT THE CITY TO CONVERT HE WAS PLEASED. ONLY WHEN THEY PUNISHED THE CITY WAS HE CRITICAL FOR THEY HAD FRUSTRATED HIS ABILITY TI
BRING THE LAND AND THE WORLD INTO G-D'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE . FOR THEYT ASSOCIATED YAKOV WITH THE VENGEANCE OF HIS SONS.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Esav gives up
AFTER ALL OF ESAV'S SABER RATTLING, HE MEEKLY RETIRES TO THE LAND OF SEIR LEAVING YAKOV WITH THE INHERITANCE OF AVROHOM AND YITZCHOK'S LANDS.
AFTER ALL OF HIS ANGER AND THREATS HOW DOES ESAV GIVE UP ON THE HOLY LAND?
THIS IS COMPLICATED BY THE MIDRASH THAT WHEN THE TRIBES WERE BURYING YAKOV IN THE MACHPELAH, ESAV APPEARS WITH HIS DEMAND THAT YAKOV SHOULD BE BURIED ELSEWHERE.IN THE ENSUING FRAY ESAV LOSES HIS LIFE. NOW IF THE LANDS WERE SO MEANINGLESS TO HIM EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PART OF THE DIVINE INHERITANCE, WHY WOULD ESAV BALK AT THE MACHPELAH.
THIS CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE AFOREMENTIONED DISTINCTION BETWEEN A FEELING THAT COMES FROM A G-D GIVEN PERSPECTIVE AND THE HUMAN ONE.
TO ESAV HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER WAS ALL IMPORTANT. THE LAND OF THE COVENANT MEANT NOTHING TO HIM AS HE SAW NO TANGIBLE BENEFIT FROM HOLDING ON TO THOSE LANDS OVER OTHER TERRITORIES IN THE REGION.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO AS THE LANDS WERE CONDITIONAL WITH OUR WILLINGNESS TO BE ENSLAVED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. EVEN WITH THE PROMISE OF REDEMPTION ESAV KNEW THAT MOST OF THE SLAVES WOULD DIE AND REMAIN BEHIND. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ESAV . WHEN YAKOV IS READY TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE, ESAV IS ONLY TOO GLAD TO LET YAKOV ACCEPT THE VEIL OF TEARS THAT WILL BE THE BONDAGE OF EGYPT.
THE BURIAL SPOT AT MACHPELAH IS DIFFERENT . IT MEANS THE LASTING CONNECTION WITH ESAV'S HOLY FATHER YITZCHAK. THIS HE CANNOT BEAR TO PART WITH WITHOUT A FIGHT.
THE REASON HE LOSES IN THIS CONFLICT IS THAT ALL MATTERS OF THE HERITAGE OF YITZCHAK ARE BOUND UP WITH MESIRAS NEFESH=SELF SACRIFICE. EMOTIONAL AND NOSTALGIC TIES ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP GOING.
ESAV LEARNS TOO LATE THAT THE CONNECTION WITH HIS ABRAHAMIC=JEWISH ROOTS
REQUIRE MORE THAN JUST FEELING COMMITTED. THE ACTIONS OF YAKOV LIFE DISTINGUISH HIM FROM HIS BROTHER . IN HIS DEEDS YAKOV HAS BECOME ATTATCHED TO THE INFINITE WILL OF G-D WHILE ESAV ONLY GOES ACCORDING TO THE LIMITS OF HIS MIND.
ORDINARY MINDS AND HEARTS CANNOT BY THEMSELVES SIEZE THE LIGHT OF THE EIN SOF. NOR CAN THEY GRASP THE ROLE OF THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.
AFTER ALL OF HIS ANGER AND THREATS HOW DOES ESAV GIVE UP ON THE HOLY LAND?
THIS IS COMPLICATED BY THE MIDRASH THAT WHEN THE TRIBES WERE BURYING YAKOV IN THE MACHPELAH, ESAV APPEARS WITH HIS DEMAND THAT YAKOV SHOULD BE BURIED ELSEWHERE.IN THE ENSUING FRAY ESAV LOSES HIS LIFE. NOW IF THE LANDS WERE SO MEANINGLESS TO HIM EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PART OF THE DIVINE INHERITANCE, WHY WOULD ESAV BALK AT THE MACHPELAH.
THIS CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE AFOREMENTIONED DISTINCTION BETWEEN A FEELING THAT COMES FROM A G-D GIVEN PERSPECTIVE AND THE HUMAN ONE.
TO ESAV HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER WAS ALL IMPORTANT. THE LAND OF THE COVENANT MEANT NOTHING TO HIM AS HE SAW NO TANGIBLE BENEFIT FROM HOLDING ON TO THOSE LANDS OVER OTHER TERRITORIES IN THE REGION.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO AS THE LANDS WERE CONDITIONAL WITH OUR WILLINGNESS TO BE ENSLAVED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. EVEN WITH THE PROMISE OF REDEMPTION ESAV KNEW THAT MOST OF THE SLAVES WOULD DIE AND REMAIN BEHIND. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ESAV . WHEN YAKOV IS READY TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE, ESAV IS ONLY TOO GLAD TO LET YAKOV ACCEPT THE VEIL OF TEARS THAT WILL BE THE BONDAGE OF EGYPT.
THE BURIAL SPOT AT MACHPELAH IS DIFFERENT . IT MEANS THE LASTING CONNECTION WITH ESAV'S HOLY FATHER YITZCHAK. THIS HE CANNOT BEAR TO PART WITH WITHOUT A FIGHT.
THE REASON HE LOSES IN THIS CONFLICT IS THAT ALL MATTERS OF THE HERITAGE OF YITZCHAK ARE BOUND UP WITH MESIRAS NEFESH=SELF SACRIFICE. EMOTIONAL AND NOSTALGIC TIES ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP GOING.
ESAV LEARNS TOO LATE THAT THE CONNECTION WITH HIS ABRAHAMIC=JEWISH ROOTS
REQUIRE MORE THAN JUST FEELING COMMITTED. THE ACTIONS OF YAKOV LIFE DISTINGUISH HIM FROM HIS BROTHER . IN HIS DEEDS YAKOV HAS BECOME ATTATCHED TO THE INFINITE WILL OF G-D WHILE ESAV ONLY GOES ACCORDING TO THE LIMITS OF HIS MIND.
ORDINARY MINDS AND HEARTS CANNOT BY THEMSELVES SIEZE THE LIGHT OF THE EIN SOF. NOR CAN THEY GRASP THE ROLE OF THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.
Influence and Advice
THE RABBIS TELL US THAT YAKOV WAS PUNISHED WITH THE VIOLATION OF DINAH BECAUSE HE WITHHELD HER FROM HIS PHILANDERING BROTHER ESAV! FOR SHE COULD HAVE TURNED ESAV AROUND.
NOW THIS IS NOT ONLY STRANGE IT IS ILLOGICAL!
AT THE TIME DINAH WAS 6 YEARS OLD WHILE ESAV WHO HAD NUMEROUS WIVES AND COUNTLESS MISTRESSES WAS 97. HOW IS A LITTLE GIRL OF 6 GOING TO CONTROL AND CHANGE THE LIFE OF A MAN WHO HAS SPENT 97 YEARS IN SIN?
THE ANSWER MAY BE FOUND IN THE MIRACULOUS NATURE OF DINAH'S BIRTH. THE RABBIS TELL US THAT DINAH SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BOY EXCEPT THAT LEAH, HER MOTHER , REALIZED THAT IN THAT EVENT RACHEL, HER SISTER WOULD WIND UP MOTHERING ONLY ONE OF THE 12 SONS OF YAKOV. SINCE YAKOV WOULD ONLY HAVE 12 SONS,THAT WOULD LEAVE RACHEL AS THE LEAST OF THE 4 WIVES OF YAKOV.
SO SHE PRAYED THAT LEAH BE TURNED INTO A GIRL . WHILE DINAH MIGHT HAVE APPEARED AS AN ORDINARY PRETTY GIRL , HER FEMININITY WAS FROM A MYSTICAL,OTHERWORLDLY SOURCE.
FOR THIS REASON, AFTER SHECHEM ,THE PRINCE OF THE AREA THAT YAKOV HAD SETTLED IN, VIOLATED HER HE STILL DESIRED HER. THIS SEEMS STRANGE. FOR IN THE ONLY OTHER STORY OF A SEXUAL ATTACK, THE PERVERTED AMNON DETESTED THE DESIRED TAMAR AFTERWARDS.THE RABBIS EXPLAIN THAT STOLEN WATERS ARE SWEETEST.THEREFORE WHAT IS THE SECRET OF THIS CONTINUED INFATUATION WITH DINAH? AFTER ALL, SHECHEM PROBABLY HAD DONE THIS BEFORE. WHY WOULD HE SUBMIT TO CIRCUMCISSION IN ORDER TO MARRY HER LEGALLY WHEN HE WAS THE RULER OF THE AREA ?
OBVIOUSLY DINAH REFUSED TO BE HIS WIFE WITHOUT HER FATHER'S BLESSING AND SHECHEM COULD NOT BEAR HURTING HER. WHY WOULD THIS CALLOUS LOW-LIFE BE SO SMITTEN AS TO SUBMIT TO DINAH'S WISHES AND EVEN UNDERGO AN OPERATION FOR HER AFFECTIONS?
THE ANSWER LIES IN THE FACT THAT AT THE CORE OF A SEXUAL ATTACK IS THE ELEMENT OF VIOLENCE THAT WISHES TO ESTABLISH ONE'S MASTERY OVER SOMEONE ELSE.THIS IS ONLY IF ONE FEELS SUPERIOR TO THE ATTACKED. IN THAT CASE THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR ANY ENSUING RELATIONSHIP FOR THE DOMINATION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED- I CAN DO WHAT I WANT WITH YOU!
IN THE CASE OF DINAH, HOWEVER, DINAH'S FEMINITY CAME FROM A SUPERHUMAN SOURCE. SHE WAS IN EFFECT A MAGICAL LADY WHOSE POWER COULD NOT BE DOMINATED BY A MAN. ANY MAN WHO MARRIED HER WOULD FEEL INADDEQUATE
BESIDE HER. THIS CAUSED THE MAN TO WANT HER EVEN MORE NO MATTER HOW OFTEN THEY HAD BEEN TOGETHER.
SUCH A WOMAN WILL ALWAYS DOMINATE HER LOVER AND INFLUENCE HIM NO MATTER HOW YOUNG AND INNOCENT SHE MIGHT BE. FOR THIS REASON THE WICKED ESAV MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHANGED THROUGH DINAH. HENCE YAKOV WHO KNEW HER POWER HAD BEEN NEGLIGENT IN KEEPING HER FROM ESAV.
FOR THE MORE WOMANIZING THE MAN THE MORE TEMPTING DINAH WOULD BE AS SHE WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER WOMAN. AN ORDINARY MAN WITH ONE WIFE MIGHT MISS THE UNIQUENESS OF DINAH. A MAN OF ESAV'S EXPERIENCE WOULD FIND HER NOT ONLY INTERESTING BUT ENCHANTING.
IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE MEN LIKE ESAV WHO WILL BE CHANGED BY THE ENCHANTMENT OF THEIR JEWISH WIVES FOR THE GOOD AND PERHAPS THEN WILL THE OMISSION OF YAKOV BE CORRECTED.
THE LESSON LEARNED IS THAT WHEN WE INFLUENCE OTHERS WITH OUR OWN IDEAS WE ARE LIMITED IN OUR SUCCESS TO THE EXTENT OF OUR WORDS AND IDEAS. WHEN WE USE THE TEACHINGS OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV AND HIS SUCCESSORS THE PEOPLE RECEIVING THE IDEAS SENSE THAT THESE IDEAS AND ADVICE COME FROM AN OTHERWORLDLY SOURCE THAT BRINGS THE PERSON TO ASK FOR MORE.
NOW THIS IS NOT ONLY STRANGE IT IS ILLOGICAL!
AT THE TIME DINAH WAS 6 YEARS OLD WHILE ESAV WHO HAD NUMEROUS WIVES AND COUNTLESS MISTRESSES WAS 97. HOW IS A LITTLE GIRL OF 6 GOING TO CONTROL AND CHANGE THE LIFE OF A MAN WHO HAS SPENT 97 YEARS IN SIN?
THE ANSWER MAY BE FOUND IN THE MIRACULOUS NATURE OF DINAH'S BIRTH. THE RABBIS TELL US THAT DINAH SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BOY EXCEPT THAT LEAH, HER MOTHER , REALIZED THAT IN THAT EVENT RACHEL, HER SISTER WOULD WIND UP MOTHERING ONLY ONE OF THE 12 SONS OF YAKOV. SINCE YAKOV WOULD ONLY HAVE 12 SONS,THAT WOULD LEAVE RACHEL AS THE LEAST OF THE 4 WIVES OF YAKOV.
SO SHE PRAYED THAT LEAH BE TURNED INTO A GIRL . WHILE DINAH MIGHT HAVE APPEARED AS AN ORDINARY PRETTY GIRL , HER FEMININITY WAS FROM A MYSTICAL,OTHERWORLDLY SOURCE.
FOR THIS REASON, AFTER SHECHEM ,THE PRINCE OF THE AREA THAT YAKOV HAD SETTLED IN, VIOLATED HER HE STILL DESIRED HER. THIS SEEMS STRANGE. FOR IN THE ONLY OTHER STORY OF A SEXUAL ATTACK, THE PERVERTED AMNON DETESTED THE DESIRED TAMAR AFTERWARDS.THE RABBIS EXPLAIN THAT STOLEN WATERS ARE SWEETEST.THEREFORE WHAT IS THE SECRET OF THIS CONTINUED INFATUATION WITH DINAH? AFTER ALL, SHECHEM PROBABLY HAD DONE THIS BEFORE. WHY WOULD HE SUBMIT TO CIRCUMCISSION IN ORDER TO MARRY HER LEGALLY WHEN HE WAS THE RULER OF THE AREA ?
OBVIOUSLY DINAH REFUSED TO BE HIS WIFE WITHOUT HER FATHER'S BLESSING AND SHECHEM COULD NOT BEAR HURTING HER. WHY WOULD THIS CALLOUS LOW-LIFE BE SO SMITTEN AS TO SUBMIT TO DINAH'S WISHES AND EVEN UNDERGO AN OPERATION FOR HER AFFECTIONS?
THE ANSWER LIES IN THE FACT THAT AT THE CORE OF A SEXUAL ATTACK IS THE ELEMENT OF VIOLENCE THAT WISHES TO ESTABLISH ONE'S MASTERY OVER SOMEONE ELSE.THIS IS ONLY IF ONE FEELS SUPERIOR TO THE ATTACKED. IN THAT CASE THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR ANY ENSUING RELATIONSHIP FOR THE DOMINATION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED- I CAN DO WHAT I WANT WITH YOU!
IN THE CASE OF DINAH, HOWEVER, DINAH'S FEMINITY CAME FROM A SUPERHUMAN SOURCE. SHE WAS IN EFFECT A MAGICAL LADY WHOSE POWER COULD NOT BE DOMINATED BY A MAN. ANY MAN WHO MARRIED HER WOULD FEEL INADDEQUATE
BESIDE HER. THIS CAUSED THE MAN TO WANT HER EVEN MORE NO MATTER HOW OFTEN THEY HAD BEEN TOGETHER.
SUCH A WOMAN WILL ALWAYS DOMINATE HER LOVER AND INFLUENCE HIM NO MATTER HOW YOUNG AND INNOCENT SHE MIGHT BE. FOR THIS REASON THE WICKED ESAV MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHANGED THROUGH DINAH. HENCE YAKOV WHO KNEW HER POWER HAD BEEN NEGLIGENT IN KEEPING HER FROM ESAV.
FOR THE MORE WOMANIZING THE MAN THE MORE TEMPTING DINAH WOULD BE AS SHE WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER WOMAN. AN ORDINARY MAN WITH ONE WIFE MIGHT MISS THE UNIQUENESS OF DINAH. A MAN OF ESAV'S EXPERIENCE WOULD FIND HER NOT ONLY INTERESTING BUT ENCHANTING.
IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE MEN LIKE ESAV WHO WILL BE CHANGED BY THE ENCHANTMENT OF THEIR JEWISH WIVES FOR THE GOOD AND PERHAPS THEN WILL THE OMISSION OF YAKOV BE CORRECTED.
THE LESSON LEARNED IS THAT WHEN WE INFLUENCE OTHERS WITH OUR OWN IDEAS WE ARE LIMITED IN OUR SUCCESS TO THE EXTENT OF OUR WORDS AND IDEAS. WHEN WE USE THE TEACHINGS OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV AND HIS SUCCESSORS THE PEOPLE RECEIVING THE IDEAS SENSE THAT THESE IDEAS AND ADVICE COME FROM AN OTHERWORLDLY SOURCE THAT BRINGS THE PERSON TO ASK FOR MORE.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
why YItzchak
THE QUESTION WE MUST STRUGGLE WITH IS WHY YITZCHOK IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE PATRIARCHS CAPABLE OF SEEING THE GOOD IN SINNERS?
THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SPIRITUAL ROLE OF EACH PATRIARCH.
AVROHOM WAS THE TEACHER OF HIS AND ALL SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS.
YAKOV WAS THE HEADMASTER, EXAMINING AND TEACHING THE DEPTHS OF AVROHOM'S DOCTRINE.
IN OTHER WORDS AVROHOM WAS THE FOUNDER AND MECHADESH-ORIGINATOR OF THE ABRAHAMIC DOCTRINE OF MONOTHEISM. YAKOV WAS THE ROSH YESHIVA WHO PLUMBED THE DEPTHS OF THE ABRAHAMIC TEACHINGS.
YITZCHOK ON THE OTHER HAND WAS A BUSINESSMAN RELATIVE TO THE OTHERS. HIS INTERESTS WERE TO EVALUATE EVERYTHING AT ITS' SOURCE. A LECTURER OR PROFESSOR ,EVEN A ROSH YESHIVA HAS A LIMITATION THAT THE BUSINESSMAN DOESN'T HAVE.
THAT IS THAT THE MAN INVOLVED IN COMMERCE SEES THE POTENTIAL IN EVERYTHING.
HE SEES THE POSSIBLE PROFITS IN EVERY ASPECT OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR. WHEREAS A ROSH YESHIVA IS BIASED BY THE NEED TO HAVE UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS,THE
ENTREPRENEUR SEES THE POTENTIAL IN EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY PERSON!
MANY YEARS AGO A CERTAIN STUDENT WHO WAS NOT PARTICULARLY A GOOD STUDENT APPROACHED ONE OF THE VENERABLE SPIRITUAL GUIDES OF THE LAST GENERATION ASKING HIM HOW TO SERVE HIS CREATOR IN CHASSIDIC PRAYER ONLY TO BE BRUSHED OFF THAT IT WASN'T FOR HIM!
UNDAUNTED THE YOUNG MAN WROTE THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE Z.T.L. ABOUT THIS .
THE REBBE ANSWERED THAT ALL JEWS ARE CAPABLE OF SERVING G-D THROUGH CHABAD MEDITATION, NOTWITHSTANDING THE MASHPIA'S STANCE.
THE REBBE WASN'T INFLUENCED BY THE RECEPTIVE QUALITIES OF THE STUDENT WHEREAS THE ROSH YESHIVA WAS LIMITED BY THE NEED TO HAVE A RECEPTIVE STUDENT.
THE ABILITY TO SEE THE OTHERS' GOOD QUALITIES AND POTENTIAL IS MORE PREVELANT AMONGST THOSE WHO HAVE NO SPECIFIC AGENDA IN OTHERS AND DON'T LOOK FOR SPECIFIC QUALITIES OTHER THAN LOYALTY AND STICKTOITIVENESS.
THESE ATTRIBUTES CAN BE FOUND IN ANYONE AND EV ERYONE!
THIS WAS THE UNIQUE VANTAGEPOINT OF YITZCHOK, THE ABILITY TO SEE THE POTENTIAL THAT RESIDES IN OTHERS.
WHERE YAKOV WAS THE REALIST, YITZCHOK WAS THE VISIONARY. HENCE THE REAL
DESIRE TO BLESS THE WICKED ESAU HOPING THAT THIS WOULD PUSH ESAU INTO TESHUVAH.
THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SPIRITUAL ROLE OF EACH PATRIARCH.
AVROHOM WAS THE TEACHER OF HIS AND ALL SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS.
YAKOV WAS THE HEADMASTER, EXAMINING AND TEACHING THE DEPTHS OF AVROHOM'S DOCTRINE.
IN OTHER WORDS AVROHOM WAS THE FOUNDER AND MECHADESH-ORIGINATOR OF THE ABRAHAMIC DOCTRINE OF MONOTHEISM. YAKOV WAS THE ROSH YESHIVA WHO PLUMBED THE DEPTHS OF THE ABRAHAMIC TEACHINGS.
YITZCHOK ON THE OTHER HAND WAS A BUSINESSMAN RELATIVE TO THE OTHERS. HIS INTERESTS WERE TO EVALUATE EVERYTHING AT ITS' SOURCE. A LECTURER OR PROFESSOR ,EVEN A ROSH YESHIVA HAS A LIMITATION THAT THE BUSINESSMAN DOESN'T HAVE.
THAT IS THAT THE MAN INVOLVED IN COMMERCE SEES THE POTENTIAL IN EVERYTHING.
HE SEES THE POSSIBLE PROFITS IN EVERY ASPECT OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR. WHEREAS A ROSH YESHIVA IS BIASED BY THE NEED TO HAVE UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS,THE
ENTREPRENEUR SEES THE POTENTIAL IN EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY PERSON!
MANY YEARS AGO A CERTAIN STUDENT WHO WAS NOT PARTICULARLY A GOOD STUDENT APPROACHED ONE OF THE VENERABLE SPIRITUAL GUIDES OF THE LAST GENERATION ASKING HIM HOW TO SERVE HIS CREATOR IN CHASSIDIC PRAYER ONLY TO BE BRUSHED OFF THAT IT WASN'T FOR HIM!
UNDAUNTED THE YOUNG MAN WROTE THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE Z.T.L. ABOUT THIS .
THE REBBE ANSWERED THAT ALL JEWS ARE CAPABLE OF SERVING G-D THROUGH CHABAD MEDITATION, NOTWITHSTANDING THE MASHPIA'S STANCE.
THE REBBE WASN'T INFLUENCED BY THE RECEPTIVE QUALITIES OF THE STUDENT WHEREAS THE ROSH YESHIVA WAS LIMITED BY THE NEED TO HAVE A RECEPTIVE STUDENT.
THE ABILITY TO SEE THE OTHERS' GOOD QUALITIES AND POTENTIAL IS MORE PREVELANT AMONGST THOSE WHO HAVE NO SPECIFIC AGENDA IN OTHERS AND DON'T LOOK FOR SPECIFIC QUALITIES OTHER THAN LOYALTY AND STICKTOITIVENESS.
THESE ATTRIBUTES CAN BE FOUND IN ANYONE AND EV ERYONE!
THIS WAS THE UNIQUE VANTAGEPOINT OF YITZCHOK, THE ABILITY TO SEE THE POTENTIAL THAT RESIDES IN OTHERS.
WHERE YAKOV WAS THE REALIST, YITZCHOK WAS THE VISIONARY. HENCE THE REAL
DESIRE TO BLESS THE WICKED ESAU HOPING THAT THIS WOULD PUSH ESAU INTO TESHUVAH.
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