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Parshat Vayeshev/Shabbat Mevarchim December 21, 2019 23 Kislev, 5780
Rabbi Sacks on Parshat Vayeshev
TORAH
ARTSCROLL 198
HERTZ 141 The deception has taken living,” it says. In other words, taken away while no one is
place. Joseph has been Jacob refused to be comforted looking, the issue between
them will be settled by the
because he had not yet given
sold into slavery. His
HAFTORAH brothers dipped his coat up hope that Joseph was still taking of an oath before the
ARTSCROLL 1142 in blood. They bring it alive. That, tragically, is the Lord that the neighbor did
HERTZ 152 back to their father, fate of those who have lost not lay hands on the other
saying: “Look what we members of their family (the person’s property…If it [the
Shabbat Mevarchim have found. Do you parents of soldiers missing in animal] was torn to pieces
Rosh Chodesh Tevet recognize it? Is this your action, for example), but have by a wild animal, he shall
Shabbat & Sunday bring the remains as
son’s robe or not?” Jacob as yet no proof that they are
Dec. 28 - 29 recognizes it and replies, dead. They cannot go through evidence and he will not be
Molad: Thurs. Dec. 26 “It is my son’s robe. A the normal stages of mourning required to pay for the torn
at 8:02:8 pm wild beast has devoured because they cannot abandon animal. (Exodus 22:10–13)
him. Joseph has been the possibility that the missing
Times torn to pieces.” We then person is still capable of being The issue at stake is the
read: Jacob rent his rescued. Their continuing extent of responsibility
Candle Lighting 4:11 pm clothes, put on sackcloth, anguish is a form of loyalty; to borne by a guardian
(shomer). If the animal is
and mourned his son for give up, to mourn, to be
Mincha 4:15 pm a long time. His sons and reconciled to loss is a kind of lost through negligence, the
Hashkama 8:00 am daughters tried to betrayal. In such cases, grief guardian is at fault and
must make good the loss. If
comfort him, but he lacks closure. To refuse to be
Youth Minyan 8:30 am refused to be comforted. comforted is to refuse to give there is no negligence,
He said, “I will go down up hope. merely force majeure, an
Parsha Shiur 8:30 am unavoidable, unforeseeable
to the grave mourning for
Main 9:00 am my son.” (Gen. 37:34– Yet on what basis did Jacob accident, the guardian is
continue to hope? Surely, he
exempt from blame. One
35)
Beit Midrash 9:15 am had recognized Joseph’s blood- such case is where the loss
There are laws in stained coat – he said has been caused by a wild
Gemara Shiur 3:35 pm Judaism about the limits explicitly, “A wild beast has animal. The wording in the
Mincha 4:05 pm of grief – shiva, devoured him. Joseph has law – tarof yitaref, “torn to
sheloshim, a year. There been torn to pieces.” Do these pieces” – exactly parallels
Shabbat Ends 5:20 pm is no such thing as a words not mean that he had Jacob’s judgment in the
bereavement for which accepted that Joseph was case of Joseph: tarof toraf
R’ Reisman Video 7:30 pm grief is endless. The Yosef, “Joseph has been
Shiur dead? The late David Daube
Talmud says that God made a suggestion that I find torn to pieces.” We know
Sun. Dec. 22 7:30/8:30 am admonishes one who convincing. The words the sons that some such law existed
Teen Minyan 9:30 am weeps beyond the say to Jacob – haker na, prior to the giving of the
appointed time, “You are literally “identify please” – Torah. Jacob himself says to
Mon. - Fri. 6:35/7:45 am
Chanukah not more compassionate have a quasi-legal connotation. Laban, whose flocks and
Mincha 4:15 pm than I.” And yet Jacob Daube relates this passage to herds had been placed in
refuses to be comforted. another, with which it has his charge, “I did not bring
Latest Times for A Midrash gives a close linguistic parallels: If a you animals torn by wild
Shema/Shemoneh Esrei remarkable explanation. man gives a donkey, an ox, a beasts; I bore the loss
“One can be comforted sheep or any other animal to myself” (Gen. 31:39). This
Dec. 21 9:34/10:20 am for one who is dead, but his neighbor for safekeeping implies that guardians even
not for one who is still and it dies or is injured or is then were exempt from
Dec. 28 9:37/10:23 am
Next Shabbat Kiddush is sponsored in honor of the
Mikeitz
Candle Lighting 4:15 pm Main Sanctuary’s Gabbaim
Mincha 4:15 pm for all their hard work and dedication