A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
The Fall into Exile
The drama of the parsha seems to reach its climax with Yosef’s revelation to his brothers. In reality, however, a message and pattern of events much more profound than the discovery of Yosef’s identity is being conveyed to us for eternity. Indeed, the inner lesson of parshas Vayigash is really Bnai Yisrael’s descent into golus. To emerge into a state of geula we must heed its lesson and learn how to undo the damage and prepare ourselves for redemption. Let us explore further.
Chazal teach us that golus is not only about location; it is about a mindset. It is not only about where we are now, but where we are heading. Avraham Avinu was told at the Bris Bein Habisarim, that ger yihyeh zarecha b’eretz lo lahem, his offspring would be strangers in a strange land. However, the text of the parsha at the end of Vayigash is slightly different. The Torah tells us, “vayeishvu bnai Yisrael b’eretz Mitzrayim” Bnai Yisrael settled into Egypt.” Not content with being “geirim—strangers,” they made Mitzrayim home. They became active and contributing citizens of Egypt. Indeed, as the Bnai Yaakov took up residence in the land of Goshen they took it all in. They blended with the prevalent culture and adapted to the mores of Egyptian civilization. As they grew from an immigrant population of a mere seventy households they adopted Egyptian customs and made them their own. Their homes became indistinguishable in some ways from their Egyptian counterparts. They were living the “Egyptian dream.” Sadly, as a result, Bnai Yisrael absorbed the decadent, permissive and immoral values of their society. No one was safe from the spiritual assault. The bigger we were the harder and deeper we fell. And, we accepted our spiraling descent into the debauchery of Mitzrayim as “normal.” We would rationalize our degenerate behavior with a shrug-of-the-shoulders “stuff happens” attitude. What a mistake.
As a result, Klal Yisrael suffered through the horrific shibud Mitztrayim (the bondage of Mitzrayim) instead of passing through it with relative ease. Despite the efforts of Yaakov Avinu, who charged Yehuda with the mission of establishing a Yeshiva and a building a Torah communal infrastructure, the golus came fast and easy. Why? The answer, the Kli Yakar explains, is found in the last posuk of the parsha where we are told that not only did Klal Yisrael settle into Egypt—vaye’achzu bah—they took hold of it with gusto.
This is a valuable reminder to us. We, too, can r”l find ourselves captivated and captured by the green grasses of our golus. Chazal tell us that the geula ha’asida, the final redemption, will parallel the geulas Mitzrayim. We need to work on redefining our status to be sure we conduct ourselves as mere visitors in this society and not G-d forbid part and parcel of its downgraded standards. By keeping the current golus out of our heart and out of our home. Then we and our families will iy”H pass through the Malchus shel chesed called “America” intact. Indeed, Mashiach awaits us. We need to be ready for his call.
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