In our class
this week on Miketz, we looked at the concept of memory and forgetting (please
see that class online).
The class
deals with the concept of memory.
The butler
forgets to mention Yosef.
Pharaoh
forgets the dreams meaning.
Yosef is
released on Yom Ha-zikaron- Rosh Hashana - the day of memory.
Yosef
connects to Pharaohs dream.
But why
would a former slave interpreting a dream be placed in charge of the entire
country?
His brothers
don’t recognize Joseph.
How does
memory zecher relate to zachar which relates to male ? And how do both relate
to Binah which relates to female ?
And how does
any of this relate to the candles of Hanukkah.
We ended the
class with a question: Why are Yosef and Yaakov both punished with the loss of
a year for a word?
Let us first
see where these occur.
This week,
the Torah begins: וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפַרְעֹ֣ה חֹלֵ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֖ה
עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַיְאֹֽר׃ After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was
standing by the Nile.
If we return
to the last verse of last week’s parasha, we see it was two years since the Sar
HaMashkim – the butler was released. The pasuk states: וְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים
אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ׃ {פ} Yet the chief cupbearer did not think of
Joseph; he forgot him.
Rashi
comments: Joseph’s request to the cupbearer, “But remember me when it is well
with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh…” is
seen as a lapse in his faith. The Midrash interprets that because Joseph asked
twice—“remember me” and “make mention of me”—he was punished with two
additional years in prison, one for each plea.
Chizkuni
states: “But the chief of the cupbearers did not remember Joseph. Since he did
not bring Joseph’s plight to Pharaoh’s attention as soon as he had been
released, he forgot him totally, erased him from his memory.”
Midrash
Tanchuma disagrees, as we mentioned in the class. The butler tried each day to
remind himself to tell Pharaoh, but no matter his reminders, he forgets, as
Heaven ordained it as such that Joseph be punished for these two words.
Regarding
Joseph, we also see it suggested that his first 10 years in prison were midah
keneged midah – measure for measure – in his criticism of his 10 brothers. And
then two more years for two words to the butler?
Now we asked
the question in the class, isn’t Hishtadlut, human effort, required? And we are
told one request would have been sufficient. The double wording resulted in the
punishment.
Next week,
we will read in Vayigash where Jacob is introduced to Pharaoh, who asks what
would seem to be a very strange question: How old are you?
Jacob
describes his life to Pharaoh, where the exchange uses 33 words to convey his
hardships. The Midrash suggests that as a consequence of this negative
portrayal, 33 years were deducted from his life, resulting in his death at 147
instead of 180, the age his father Isaac reached.
Midrash
Tanchuma, Vayigash 9: “Because Jacob complained and said, ‘Few and evil have
been the days of the years of my life,’ the years were deducted from his life.”
Rashi: “The
days of my life have been few and bad—therefore, he did not reach the years of
his fathers.”
Although the
question we are hoping to answer is a year for a word, let us try to better
understand this exchange and why Yaakov is punished not only for his 25 words
but for the 8 describing the exchange.
The Ramban
and Rashbam explain that Yaakov looked extremely old, and his appearance struck
Pharaoh so much that he was aroused to ask how old Yaakov actually was. Yaakov
answered him that although he was very old, he looked even older due to the
many difficulties that he underwent in his life.
It still
remains difficult why Yaakov offered such a seemingly pessimistic answer. My
first thought was always, Pharaoh represents the Nachash with a snake and an
evil eye prominent on his crown. Maybe this was Yaakov’s attempt to throw off
the evil eye or ayin harah. I had no source, but was happy when I saw that Rav
Yonatan Gefen quotes Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, who suggests that Yaakov did
not want to arouse the jealousy of Pharaoh, so he emphasized the difficulties
of his life. If that was the case, then why was he punished?
It seems
that regardless of the reason for his answer, the Sages are critical of Yaakov.
The Daat Zekeinim cite an astounding Midrash: 'At the time that Yaakov
said, 'few and bad have been the days of my life', The Holy One said to him, 'I
saved you from Esav and Lavan, I returned Dina to you, and also Yosef, and you
complain about your life that they were few and bad?! By your life, the number
of words from 'and [Pharaoh] said, until the 'days of their sojourns' so too
will be reduced from your years, that you will not live to the age of your
father, Yitzchak'. Because Yitzchak lived for 180 years, and Yaakov only lived
for 147 years.'
The 13th
century French commentator, Hizkuni, has a more critical take on Jacob siting
the same Midrash. Essentially, he calls him ungrateful.
Is he
suggesting that Yaakov is a bitter man, and Hashem does not let him off the
hook? Looking back on his life, does Jacob see only disappointment and regret?
Can we even suggest that he is blind to the fact that he has survived all this
time, that his children are all alive, and with him? He has managed to acquire
everything he ever set his mind to: the birthright, the blessing, his beloved
Rachel, he’s gotten Joseph back. He has become wealthy, and now finds himself
in Egypt with a household numbering 70 souls, not including the wives! This is
a man who has been supremely blessed in life.
Are the
Rabbis asking that when he looks in the mirror, what does he see? Struggle,
going all the way back to his uterine striving with his brother Esau. His
success at acquiring the birthright and blessing has been accompanied by fear
of retribution and probably guilt. He gets his beloved Rachel, but at the
“expense” of being first tricked into marrying Leah. He builds a large
household, but one that has been mired in scheming, distrust, and discord. He
receives a new name, Israel, but walks away with a limp to serve as a reminder
for the rest of his life. He has twelve sons and one daughter, but has to
grieve for 22 years over the presumed death of his favorite, possibly realizing
that his playing favorites makes him at least partially responsible.
In all this,
let us not forget the words of our sages: Hashem is strict to a hairbreadth
with Saddikim. Chazal magnify the “mistakes” of the avot to teach. And when
criticism is offered on the Avot, it’s a lesson to us, because who are we to
even consider criticizing these angelic ancestors?
As we noted,
Jacob himself only used 25 words - the other 8 words comprised the Torah's
description of Pharaoh's initial question to Yaakov about his age. We can
suggest that it's understandable that Yaakov was penalized for his own negative
assessment of his life, but why should he be punished for Pharaoh's question?
Rav
Shmuelevitz explains that Yaakov looked so old because of his attitude towards
his sufferings. Had he not felt so negative about his life, then he would never
have appeared so old, and he would never have aroused Pharaoh to immediately
ask his age. Thus, in the same way that he lost 25 years for his attitude
towards his pain, he even lost 8 years because that same attitude caused him to
look in such a way that caused Pharaoh to even ask the question. This teaches
us that a person's internal attitude reflects on his outward appearance, and if
such an appearance transmits a negative message, then a person is held
responsible for that.
Rabbi
Abittan often told us that our face is in reshut harabim, the public domain,
and a smile or a frown we have has an effect on all those around us. Thus, one
is not permitted to frown in public.
A second
important point can be gleaned from a careful reading of God's criticism of
Yaakov. God did not say that Yaakov did not endure any difficulties; rather, He
focused on the four great difficulties that Yaakov faced in his life: Esav's
threat to Yaakov, Yaakov's torrid time with Lavan, the episode of Dina's
abduction, and the disappearance of Yosef. God noted that ultimately, He saved
Yaakov from the threats of Esav and Lavan, and returned Dina and Yosef home. It
seems that the emphasis of the criticism of Yaakov was that he focused on the
pain of those events when instead he should have stressed the fact that God
saved him each time, despite the fact that he endured untold suffering in the
midst of those episodes.
Rav Gefen
offers this as a very powerful lesson to each and every one of us. When
delivered from an ordeal, how does one relate to the past events: does he focus
on the pain and suffering, or on the final, positive result? God's stern rebuke
of Yaakov teaches us that each person has an obligation to focus on the
positive ending and not dwell on the pain. Moreover, Rabbi Shmuelevitz's
additional observation makes an even more demanding requirement - that even if
a person underwent great suffering, he still has a responsibility to radiate a
happy expression.
And with all
that, I still go back to why a year per word?
Let's look
at a third example, which we read about in two weeks:
In Parashat
Vayehi, it is noted that Joseph lived to be 110 years old, 10 years less than
the ideal lifespan of 120. The Midrash attributes this reduction to the ten
times Joseph remained silent when his brothers referred to their father Jacob
as “your servant” in his presence, without protesting.
Let us
recall that when Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt, they referred to their father
as “your servant, our father” (Genesis 44:24) in Joseph’s presence. Although
Joseph knew this was inappropriate, he did not correct them.
We see the
words of Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 100:10: “Because Joseph heard his brothers
say ‘your servant, our father’ ten times and did not protest, ten years were
deducted from his life.”
And the
Gemarah in Sotah 13b: “Joseph died before his brothers because he conducted
himself with authority, and also because he heard them say ‘your servant, our
father’ and was silent.”
Again, a
year for each time it was said and each time it was repeated. How can we
understand such a punishment?
I first
posed this question in a class I gave five years ago and hoped to come back
with an answer, but in five years of asking, I have not received an answer that
satisfied me.
Thus, what I
share with you can be accepted or rejected, because although I do my best to
source, my conclusions may simply be my own.
So, bear
with me. See if this makes sense and we can continue the discussion.
I begin with
the power of speech. We define four types of creation: Mineral, Vegetable,
Animal, and Speaking, which is man. Speech defines the highest form of
creation. We also say with ten sayings or with the power of speech, Hashem
created the world. We can also refer to the magic words abracadabra – which we
believe is really the Hebrew words Ahbera Kedabera, I shall create that which I
shall speak.
Rabbi Krohn
explains that words can build and words can break. Rabbi Abittan would remind
us that words create reality.
Let us
contemplate that the concept of a year of punishment for a word, as seen in the
examples from Sefer Bereshit, reflects a deep interplay between time, speech,
and accountability. Our rabbis explore the significance of the Hebrew word
shana (year) and its connection to words and actions, emphasizing the weight of
each utterance and its cosmic impact.
The Hebrew
root שנה (shana) means both “year” and “to repeat” or “to change.” This triple
meaning implies that a year represents cycles, repetitions, and opportunities
for transformation (or to repeat and failure). We can see this in how we
celebrate Rosh Hashana with an opportunity to bury the past and start new or
relinquish the opptunity by repeating the mistakes. There is significance in Yosef
being released from prison on Rosh Hashana. Each year is a complete cycle of
time within which spiritual rectifications can occur.
Our words,
or speech (dibbur), which emerges from the soul, is a creative force that can
impact these cycles. Misusing speech disrupts the divine harmony, requiring a
process of correction that aligns with the passage of time.
In our
class, we mentioned that Yosef is an extension of Yaakov. What happens to one
often happens to the other. We also note that Yaakov is the culmination, the
chosen of the Avot. Yosef represents the link to Malchut and as the link is the
one who supplies food to all. He is the mefarness or supplier to the world. Yosef
also relates to Binah.
Pharaoh
appoints him as he is looking for someone who can connect to Chochmah and
Binah. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, אֵין־נָב֥וֹן
וְחָכָ֖ם כָּמֽוֹךָ׃ there is none so discerning and wise as you. He asks for a
man of wisdom and understanding, but these words relate to more than knowledge.
Pharoah is referring to a spiritual reality of those spheres at a point above
nature and looking at a way to bypass Nature. He understands from Joseph’s
explanation that the only way to overcome a natural disaster is through someone
who is capable of overcoming nature. Yosef in his interaction with Potiphar’s
wife represents the ultimate in self-control beyond nature. He is also
associated with being shomer o guarding the Brit Milah, which is associated
with the number 8 and that which is above nature. Extending numerically from
below beginning with Malchut or Kingdom, to above, Binah relates to the number
8, again above nature.
Binah also
relates to the creation of time. Now a year represents a full cycle of
creation, incorporating all dimensions of time: past, present, and future. Each
offense, particularly in speech, carries consequences that ripple through these
dimensions. Therefore, the punishment of a year per word corresponds to the
time required to repair the disruption caused by misused speech.
And of all
people on earth, this is especially relevant to Yosef and by extension to
Yaakov, and thus the examples of punishing a year for a word relate to the two
of them.
Returning to
the examples brought, Joseph’s plea to the cupbearer, “Remember me… and mention
me,” (Genesis 40:14) on Joseph’s exalted level, is seen as a lack of faith in
Hashem, as he relied on human intervention. We can suggest that the misuse of
words reflects a misalignment in the sefira of Malchut, the realm of speech and
manifestation. (See also our class on the expanded Neshama of Shabbat where we
endevour to expand our souls – Neshama yetera – from Malchut to Binah bypassing
nature or ze’er anpin). Each year corresponds to a full cycle required to
realign the spiritual flow disrupted by these words.
Again, when
Jacob tells Pharaoh about the hardships of his life, this causes a
“diminishment” in Jacob’s life, reducing his years by 33 to 147, instead of his
father Isaac’s 180. Again, we can suggest that each word spoken carries a
distinct spiritual energy. The negativity of these words created “blemishes” in
the upper worlds, requiring 33 “earth” years to balance and rectify.
Finally,
Joseph lives to 110 instead of 120 because he passively allowed his brothers to
refer to their father as “your servant” multiple times without correcting them.
Each instance of passive consent disrupted the honor due to Jacob. We can
suggest that Joseph’s silence disrupted the flow from above to below, which he,
at the time exclusively, was responsible for. Each “blemish” required a year of
rectification, symbolized by his shortened lifespan.
The lesson
to us is that words are not merely sounds but vessels of creative energy,
capable of building or destroying spiritual worlds. Misused words create
“blockages” that require rectification through time.
And that
time, perhaps specifically the block we call shana or year, represents a
complete cycle of the natural and spiritual world where we can repair or damage
through our actions and words.
Perhaps we
can understand the concept of “one year per word” to imply that each utterance
has a proportional effect on the cosmos, requiring a full cycle to repair.
Those who
study the Chafetz Chaim lesson a day can explain that improper speech disturbs
the harmony of the sefirot. As an extension, lack of bitachon (relative to this
sadik) calling for excessive reliance on human intervention (Joseph’s case) or
diminishing gratitude (Jacob’s case) introduces spiritual “blemishes.”
The Torah,
written in words, is the template for creation. Misusing speech is akin to
distorting the divine blueprint. Each year corresponds to the time required to
restore the integrity of this blueprint in creation.
Can we
suggest in conclusion that a punishment of one year per word specifically to
Yosef and Yaakov reflects the profound connection between time (shana) and
speech (dibbur)? Ought we not be reminded in such a harsh way for something so
universe-altering that words are not mere sounds but carriers of divine energy,
and time is the framework for rectification? How much should we remind
ourselves that misused words disrupt the cosmic balance? I am struck by shana
meaning change, as well as year and also the verb to repeat. Each year, we have
a choice: we can repeat our mistakes or we have the shana, the year, to repair
and make a change.
How
beautiful are the lessons of the Torah, the stories of the Avot in teaching us
the proper path of life to choose? How much do we need to be reminded of the
importance of mindful speech and bitachon in Hashem? And finally, to realize
the gift of time and to utilize each moment properly.
Sorry, this
was so long. I hope this tries to answer the question I have had for so many
years.
Looking
forward to your thoughts and comments.
Shabbat
Shalom from Jerusalem,
