פרשת תולדות
This week’s Parsha relates the fascinating episode of how Yaakov tricked his father Yitzchak into giving him the blessings instead of his wicked brother Eisav. The Torah describes in great detail how Yaakov thought of every possible way that Yitzchak could identify him. For example, Yaakov was worried that his father might try to feel his arms and recognize that Yaakov was less hairy then Eisav. He therefore covered his arms with hairy goat skin as a precaution. Or perhaps his identity would be given away by his clothes, Yaakov therefore ensured that he was wearing Eisav’s clothes when he entered his father’s room. Yet when Yaakov enters Yitzchak’s inner chamber, the one thing that almost blows his cover is his voice. Chazal explain that this does not refer to his physical voice, because that would have been a dead giveaway, but rather to his expressions and tones. For example, Yaakov used the term “Baruch Hashem,” which Eisav was not want to do. This slip of the tongue on Yaakov’s part almost earned him a curse instead of a blessing, but thank God he was able to recover and managed to keep his identity hidden from his father until after he received the blessings.
One could ask a powerful difficulty on Yaakov Avinu. After he went through all that trouble to trick his father, and thought of every possible method his father might use to reveal his true identity, one would think that he would be a little more careful in his choice of words. The same way he thought it might be necessary to wear a goat skin on his arms, couldn’t he be a bit more careful to use the same mannerisms of speech as Eisav, for example, to speak a bit more gruffly, or to leave “Hashem” out of his conversations for awhile? This slip almost cost him his life and the future of the Jewish people!
Perhaps we could answer this difficulty in the typical Jewish style – with another difficulty. We know that Eisav had all sorts of subterfuges to attempt to appear righteous to his father. For example, he would ask his father, how does one tithe salt? (This is an unnecessary stringency.) Yet we see from Yaakov’s surprise at hearing “Eisav” say the words, “Thank God” that the real Eisav couldn’t even get himself to say the words “Baruch Hashem” when he would talk. Why not? The answer to both these difficulties is one and the same. There are certain mannerisms which are so engrained in a person’s conduct that as much as he may try, he will not be successful in hiding them, even though there is a great deal depending on it. These modes of conduct are part of a person’s essence. So even though Yaakov knew that speaking this way put himself in jeopardy, he was not able to change his refined speech, and even though Eisav knew that not speaking that way put his future in peril, he wasn’t able feign that level of refinement.
We find that this important practice of accustoming oneself to recognize Hashem in every aspect of our lives was bequeathed from Yaakov to his son, Yosef. The Torah teaches us that Yosef constantly mentioned Hashem in every interaction that he had. In fact, even when Yosef was being tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he told her that he could never do such a thing and sin against Elokim. Although his audience was perhaps too crude to appreciate such a concept, Yosef still did not hesitate to glorify God’s name in his hour of temptation. In addition, in prison Yosef always attributed his success in dream interpretation solely to God.
The Shelah Hakadosh, in Parshas Behaloscha regarding the traveling of the ark, explains that just as the ark only traveled by the direct word of God, similarly, every time a Jew travels somewhere, he should first pray to God that he arrive safely, and when he does, should give verbiage to the fact that it was only by the grace of God that he was able to do so. The practice of always offering verbal recognition to God for our successes will eventually inculcate in us a deep faith in God and will aid us in recognizing that the success of our every action, big or small, is dependant solely on God. This was instilled in us by our forefathers and remains with us until this very day.
Chazal ask how Yosef was able to stand up to the tremendous temptation presented to him by the wife of Potiphar. They explain that when Yosef was about to give in, he witnessed a vivid image of his father Yaakov before him and this prevented him from sinning. The Seforim ask further, what was it that Yosef saw in his father that empowered him to refrain? Was it his handsome face? They explain that Yosef saw Yaakov’s attribute of constant recognition of God’s omnipotence and involvement in every interaction of our daily lives, which was Yaakov’s forte as we explained. This recognition inspired Yosef to the point where he was able to resist the colossal temptation to sin. In fact, this is indicated by Yosef’s reward. Yosef later had a “Hay” added to his name making it Yehosef, indicating that God’s name “Y-a”, was now a part of his essence. Based on what we have explained, this reward is completely justified. Just as Yosef had made the awareness of Hashem part of his essence, similarly Hashem made His name part of Yosef’s essence!
We see from all this, that raising our consciousness about Hashem’s existence in our lives by constantly attributing our successes to Him is of utmost importance. The Rambam in the laws of Berachos (Chptr 1) explains that this is why Chazal decreed that we make one hundred berachos a day – in order to ensure that God’s name is always on our lips, and that this practice should inculcate the understanding that every pleasure in our life is sourced in Hashem. The Gemorah in Menachos quotes the verse, “What does God ask from you but to fear Him”. The Gemorah explains that the word “What” – “Mah” should also be read as “Meah” – “100” – meaning that all God wants from us is our “one hundred” blessings a day, that we should constantly recognize Him and pay homage to Him, and that this is the primary way to build up our fear of Heaven, as the end of the verse says.
I would like to conclude with the inspiring words of R’ Volbe Z”L. R’ Volbe explains that a person has a tendency to take the good fortune he has in this world for granted. However Chazal, by instituting 100 blessings a day, did everything they could to prevent this from happening. If when a person eats an apple, he views the apple as a personal gift from his Creator, without whom he wouldn’t have received it, that apple becomes a deep and inspiring experience. If when a person sees a rainbow, they mention God’s name by making the requisite blessing, and recognize His greatness, it can transform from a mildly exciting spectacle at best, to an enthralling, invigorating phenomenon. Hashem wants us to see His hand in every aspect of our lives, and when we do, it changes us as well!
May we merit to constantly thank God and see His influence in all that we do!