Kahane on the Parsha Rabbi Binyamin Kahane- Parshat VaYigash DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE The Egyptian exile, the veryfirst of our exiles, begins in Parshat VaYigash. Jacob and his sons descend toEgypt, and from that point onward, the arduous and torturous road from galut togeula begins. Since the Rabbis tell us that the final redemption will mirrorthe first, let us examine the Egyptian exile for lessons we can apply to ourown situation. It is interesting that the Egyptian exile- like the exiles that followed it-began as a result of terrible affliction in the Land of Israel. Jacob loses hisson and then a famine forces him and his family to move to Egypt. What is astonishing,though, is that after a very short period of time, the Jews in Egypt (and laterin Babylonia) discover that life in Galut isn't so bad. Indeed, they even beginto thrive and prosper, and their attitude towards living in exile changes. Thefinal verse in our parsha reads, "And Israel dwelled in the Land of Egypt,in the region of Goshen, and they took possession of it (lit., 'they grippedonto it') and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly" (Genesis 47:27).The Kli Yakar comments: "This verse speaks of the Children of Israel's guilt because the L-rddecreed that a 'stranger your seed will be,' but they wanted to be inhabitantsin a place where it was decreed they would be transient...The verse blames themfor dwelling in this manner- for seeking a grip in a land that wasn'ttheirs." What happened here? The children of Jacob were forced to go down to Egypt, andundoubtedly none of them were thrilled about the move, despite the hardships inCanaan. However, they soon had a change of heart. Joseph placed Goshen at theirdisposal, which was the most fertile land in Egypt, and the brothers suddenlybegan to feel, "It's not as bad as we thought; we can even settle down andstudy Torah in peace here." So they "gripped" and clung to Egypt. But by doing so, they rejectedthe Holy Land of Israel. "Seizing" or "gripping" galut,settling in it and feeling good in it, acquiring the mentality that "thereis a life for Jews in the Exile," constitutes rejection of Eretz Yisrael. Indeed, the Kli Yakar writes that the Jews "immersed themselves to such anextent that they did not want to leave Egypt- so much so that G-d had to takethem out 'WITH A STRONG HAND." And those who did not want to leave DIED inthe three days of darkness." According to the Midrash (Tanchuma, Beshalach1), the number of Jews who wished to stay in Egypt amounted to no less than 80%of the nation!!!!! History isnever repeated in exactly the same way, but its lessons can be applied to whatseem to be a similar set of circumstances.  Darka Shel Torah, 1994 Shabbat Shalom Barbara If you are interested in reading more Divrei Torah from Rabbi Meir and BinyaminKahane HY"D, you can purchase the book at both of the following two links: http://brennbooks.com/ http://www.amazon.com/Kahane-Parsha-Meir/dp/098867680X   Anyone reading this article and is not on my personal listto receive the weekly articles written by Rabbi Kahane and  Rabbi Binyamin Kahane  and would like to be, please contact me at barbaraandchaim@gmail.com  To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and RabbiBinyamin Kahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsbergkahane.blogspot.com  Facebook:Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Rav Kahane Divrei Torah Pictures Viewpoints Youtubes, VideosFirst join Telegram and then hit link and you will see all. Telegram link: https://t.me/RKDTVP       

G-d's Will Comes First 1977

Kahane on the Parsha Parshat VaYigash G-D'S WILL COMES FIRST "And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen...and he fell on his neck and wept" (Genesis 46:29). "But Jacob did not fall on Joseph's neck and did not kiss him, for our Rabbis said that he was saying the Shema..." (Rashi). Happiness is that which every man seeks. Indeed, in our times, it is happiness and the search for it- in material and physical terms- that have become the very purpose of life. Books are written about happiness and peace of mind and the masses devour them, searching for the Holy Grail in the shallowness that is fit only for McCall's or Cosmopolitan. The psychiatrists' couches groan beneath their weight; the airlines and drug peddlers both sell their trips; the race is on and non-stop, and not to the swift or the slow is the trophy awarded. The sadness is that happiness is not the essence of life, and how much did the Rabbis know when they said: It would have been better and more pleasant for man had he not been born, but since he was, let him search his deeds. Life is a series of difficulties and sadnesses, broken by occasional rays of light that pass. Happiness is a wonderful thing, and what a life it would be if we could abolish tears and fears, worries and tribulations. But not for this was a man made, and if he persists in making it his raison d'etre, he is guaranteed misery. Man is not an island unto himself nor is his entry into this world like some sudden underwater eruption that thrusts a piece of land into the wide ocean. His is a deliberate and planned and reasoned birth. He came into this world to do good. And that which is "good" is defined for him, not subject to the independent and anarchistic commentaries of his own mind or breed. For the Jew there is the Halacha that shapes, molds, guides, and drives him to sanctity and spiritual holiness. It is for him a guideline and a compass; it gives him ritual and gives him concepts, and DEFINES HIS EMOTIONS, TOO. Joseph was a boy of 17 when he left his father's home. For years Jacob thought he was dead, devoured by a wild beast. For years he mourned and refused to be comforted. "Nay, for I will go down to the grave mourning for my son" (Genesis 37:35). And suddenly he hears the incredible words: "Joseph is yet alive" and- wonder of wonders- "he is ruler over all the Land of Egypt!" (ibid. 45:26). Jacob cannot believe it; the joy is too much and he finally cries out: "It is enough! My son Joseph still lives! I will go and see him before I die!" (ibid. 45:28). And he does. He takes his family and goes down to Egypt. See the old man, the man grown aged and white from a life of sadness and tragedy. How he counts every moment; how he impatiently looks towards the south to see the first glimpse of the royal caravan! How he savors the moment when he can hold his son Joseph in his arms and kiss him! And then- at last- finally- the moment arrives, and Joseph rushes to his father's arms and embraces him and kisses him. and Jacob? "But Jacob did not fall on Joseph's neck and did not kiss him for he was saying the Shema..." What greatness lies in a man who can take his deepest-felt emotions and discipline them to the Halacha and say: Wait! Wait, though I burst from impatience; wait, though my every limb cries out for release. Wait: I am in the midst of accepting upon myself the yoke of heaven, of recognizing the L-rd as one, and this is why I was created. Wait, my Joseph, wait, for though I love you more than all, this is my G-d. Let us understand what happiness and rejoicing in the Law means to a Jew. To begin with, it is a COMMANDMENT. Can one command an emotion? Can one "say", be happy, rejoice, it is commanded? Apparently yes. Apparently, the purpose of Torah is to elevate man to holiness and sanctification that he can make his very emotions and feelings cry out: "Who is like You, my G-d!" Yes, the Torah can tell a Jew who has lost a beloved one not to mourn on the Sabbath, though his heart is breaking. It can tell a Jew to stand over the open grave of a parent or a son and say the words of the Kaddish: "May His great Name be exalted and magnified..." Yes, the Torah can tell a person who seeks joy: No, not now. There is no commandment to be sad. There is no law that declares that man must be miserable. This is not Judaism. But we are told that there is something greater than happiness and joy. It is the climb and the reaching up to holiness and sanctification, to beauty and dedication, the smashing of the ego and the greed and the selfishness and the "I." One should strive to be happy, of course. And if one can be both good and happy- how fortunate he is. But in the end, life is not a vessel for joy. It is a corridor in which one prepares his soul. Be happy with the Torah though your own soul is in agony. It is a command and, slowly, it proves to be a balm for the wounds that ache. The Jewish Press, 1977 Shabbat Shalom Barbara If you are interested in reading more Divrei Torah from Rabbi Meir and Binyamin Kahane HY"D, you can purchase the book at both of the following two links: http://brennbooks.com/ http://www.amazon.com/Kahane-Parsha-Meir/dp/098867680X Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles written by Rabbi Kahane or Rabbi Binyamin Kahane and would like to be, please contact me at barbaraandchaim@gmail.com To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi Binyamin Kahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsberg-kahane.blogspot.com  Facebook: Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Rav Kahane Divrei Torah Pictures Viewpoints Youtubes, VideosFirst join Telegram and then hit link and you will see all. Telegram link: https://t.me/RKDTVP 

Who Recognizes Joseph? 2000

 WHO RECOGNIZES JOSEPH?Rabbi Binyamin Kahane Editor of Kahane on the Parsha note: This Dvar Torah is the verylast that Rabbi Binyamin Kahane wrote. Tens of thousands of copies- somestained with blood- were found in the car in which he and his wife weremurdered. "And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him"(Genesis 42:8). The simple meaning of this verse, as the commentators explain,is that the brothers did not recognize Joseph because he was young andbeardless when they sold him. Joseph, on the other hand, recognized hisbrothers because they already had beards the last time he saw them. Rashi digs deeper, explaining that the verse is referring to more than justexternal appearances. He writes that when Joseph encountered his brothers onthat fateful day in Shechem, they did not "recognize" him- that is,they did not act brotherly towards him and sold him to the Ishmaelites. Butwhen the brothers were at Joseph's mercy, he "recognized" them- thatis, he acted brotherly towards them and did not take revenge for all the painthey had caused him. A brief digression: According to tradition, there are two Messiahs- the Messiahson of Joseph and the Messiah son of David. The at'chalta d'geula- the stagebefore the conclusion of the redemption when all surviving nations will acceptthe yoke of heaven- is the period of the Messiah son of Joseph. The Vilna Gaon,in his work Kol HaTor, calls the Messiah son of Joseph the "Mashiachd'At'chalta." He explains that both Messiahs live in every singlegeneration, functioning in their roles. The role of the Messiah son of Josephis to involve himself in the physical side of the redemption. If the Jews in aparticular generation do not merit the redemption, the roles of the Messiahsare passed down to candidates in the next generation. Let us now return to the verse with which we began this article, quoting thewords of the Vilna Gaon in Kol HaTor. "Joseph recognized his brothers, butthey did not recognize him': This is one of Joseph's attributes. Not just inhis generation, but in every generation, the Messiah son of Joseph recognizeshis brothers but they do not recognize him. It is an act of Satan whichconceals the Messiah's attributes such that the Jews unfortunately do notrecognize his footsteps and, in fact, scoffs at them...If not for this; ourtroubles would already be over. If Israel 'recognized Joseph,' if Israelrecognized the footsteps of the Messiah son of Joseph- i.e., the ingathering ofthe exiles, etc.- we would already be completely redeemed" (ch. 2, 1:39). Is it even necessary to expound upon our alienation from "Joseph"today? Not only is there alienation from him, but a conspiracy against him. Asthe Torah states regarding Joseph's brothers: "And they conspired againsthim to slay him" (Genesis 37:18). They see Joseph and his dreams as athreat to them. "What??!! You are going to bring the redemption? You, theyoungest among us?" They decide he constitutes a danger and must bekilled. Yet, just as Rashi explains that Joseph "recognized" his brothers,behaving brotherly towards them, so, too, does the Messiah son of Joseph andhis followers- those who carry on the task of bringing the redemption to theJewish people- willingly endure personal suffering for Israel's salvation, alldue to the ardent Ahavat Yisrael burning within them. These days are critical ones. The Intifada that broke out on Rosh Hashanahcentered on Shechem and Kever Yosef during the first few days. Afterwards,Kever Yosef was abandoned and sold to the Ishmaelites as discarded baggage.Our response must be the opposite: We must cling to all those tasks of theMessiah son of Joseph- conquering the land and fighting against the nations anderev rav within our midst. We needn't worry about being popular or palatable inthe eyes of those who are unwilling to recognize Joseph. If we act in this fashion, those who wish to recognize Joseph will see andunderstand that "OD YOSEF CHAI!" Darka Shel Torah, 2000 Shabbat Shalom Chanukah Sameach Chodesh Tov Barbara  Anyonereading this Rabbi Binyamin Kahane article and is not on my personal list toreceive the weekly articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi Binyamin Kahane and would like to be,please contact me at barbaraandchaim@gmail.com  To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi BinyaminKahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsberg-kahane.blogspot.com   Facebook:  Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Rav Kahane Divrei Torah Pictures Viewpoints Youtubes, VideosFirst join Telegram and then hit link and you will see all. Telegram link: https://t.me/RKDTVP 

Chanukah - Why the 8 Days 1988

Barbara’s Desktop K A H A N E The magazine of the authentic Jewish Idea November – December 1988 Cheshvan – Kislev 5749 Divrei Torah – Chanukah – Why 8 Days Eight days of Chanukah. That is the, length of the holiday as pronounced by the rabbis and the reason is known to every child: The Maccabees, having liberated the temple, found oil that was sufficient only for one day but having lit the candles with it, the oil continued to burn through eight days, by which time more pure oil had been made. And centuries ago, the rabbis asked the question: Nevertheless, why eight days? Since the oil was naturally sufficient in itself to burn for one day, the miracle was actually only in the additional seven days that it continued to burn. In reality, therefore, in order to commemorate the miracle, the rabbis should have established a holiday of seven days. And the rabbis, particularly the Beit Yosef, give various and varied reasons. It appears to me, however, that there is a fundamental reason, one that goes to the very heart of the holiday of Chanukah. It is clear that the essential miracle of Chanukah, its real central theme, is not the miracle of the oil. Indeed, the special Chanukah prayer, Al Hanism, coined by the rabbis, does not even mention the miracle of the oil. The theme and heart of the Chanukah commemoration is the concept mentioned in Al Hanisim, of rabim b’yad m’atim, “The many (Syrian Greeks) who fell into the hands of the few (Jews).” This is the heart of Chanukah. And the very miracle of the oil represents that concept, i.e. the little oil able to “overcome” the many days and continue to burn. The oil symbolizes the real miracle of Chanukah, the real theme, that of the few Jews who, thanks to the miracle of G-d, were able to overcome the many enemies. But if that is so, there is a miracle within that miracle. For given the fact that the few Jews were able to miraculously overcome their many awesome enemies, prior to that miracle they surely did not know that the almighty would perform the miracle for them. And nevertheless, the few went out to battle with immense faith and belief in the Almighty. Not that they knew that He would perform miracles for them, for that is not the meaning of faith. One does not go to battle in a milchemet mitzvah, a war of obligation, because one knows that G-d will help. The Jew hopes for that; he prays for that; but there is no guarantee. If there were, then there would be no faith. Then the victory would be assured and in such a case and everyone would have “faith.” No, the Hashmonaim, the Maccabees, did not know whether G-d would perform miracles for them. The only knew that they were obligated to fight and sanctify the Name of the L-rd, G-d of Israel, through fighting the gentiles and Hellenists who desecrated and humiliated Him. That in itself was an act of immense courage, a miracle within the miracle. And so, since the candles lights represent the miracle of the many who fell before the few, they must also represent that act of the few who – not knowing that the miracle would take place – nevertheless went out to battle to sanctify G-d. And so, while the lights from the second day onward represent the miracle of the many who fell in the hands of the few, it is just as important to commemorate the few who went out to battle with faith and readiness to give of themselves. That is represented by the first light. What a lesson of Chanukah! What a lesson for all Jews “in this time” whose fear of Washington and the gentiles makes a mockery of the faith and belief that is the heart of Chanukah and Judaism. Chanukah Sameach Barbara Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane or Rabbi Binyamin Kahane article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles and would like to be, please contact me at: barbaraandchaim@gmail.com To view articles written by Rabbi Meir Kahane and Rabbi Binyamin Kahane go to blog: www.barbaraginsberg-kahane.blogspot.com Facebook: Barbara Sandra Ginsberg Rav Kahane Divrei Torah Pictures Viewpoints Youtubes, Videos First join Telegram and then hit link and you will see all. Telegram link: https://t.me/RKDTVP