English translation — וישב א

A.

On the verse¹

"And his brothers were jealous of him, and his father kept the matter" it stands in the midrash²

: Said Rabbi Levi: He took a quill and wrote on which day and at which hour³

on which⁴

place⁵.

The necessity in the explanation of the midrash says the Yafeh To'ar⁶

: Because there is no guarding of something that has no existence outside the mind ..

Therefore he explains "the guarding" simply, and it is the guarding of the matter in his memory",

and since "guarding of the matter in memory" is not entirely in man's hand - unless he makes an impression and sign⁷,

therefore "he took a quill and wrote etc."⁸.

And on that which he wrote "on which day and at which hour in which place",

he adds another explanation⁶

: because the hope also the fulfillment of a dream is until twenty-two years,

as the Gemara⁹

learns it from Joseph

Gufa

(and Jacob knew it himself "from reasoning"),

"therefore he wrote the day and the hour to know until when he has hope".

But according to his explanation, it still requires explanation: a)

According to the first explanation — time and place are indeed only an addition and a detail <b>outside</b> of the <b>content of the dream</b> — he should have first of all written down the matter of the dream: b)

According to the second explanation, <b>comes</b> <b>after</b> to the question: Here is relevant the writing down of the year and month,

in order to know "until when he has hope",

when the twenty-two <b>years</b> will end,

not so the day and hour¹⁰,

and this is in the midrash not mentioned at all! The Yafeh Toar notes it⁶

"and all the more so that he wrote which year and which month",

is however a thing of wonder that the midrash should omit the essence,

and rely that one will understand it by oneself.

About this it is difficult also regarding other explanations in this midrash,

which require explanation: for example the explanation of Maharzu,

that R. Levi teaches "it should have said 'he remembered the thing' or 'he believed'",

therefore he interprets "he guarded the thing by means of shamir"

(in the manner that it is written "the sin of Yehudah is written with an iron pen, with a diamond <b>shamir</b>"),

since this was a dream of

Prophecy is "given to write and expound like the prophecy of Adam and Noach and of the Patriarchs ..

And like the entire book of Bereishis lamed-mem&lt;sup&gt;12&lt;/sup&gt;

scrolls was written" -

Also according to his explanation, the aforementioned questions remain,

that the main thing must be the writing of the content of the dream,

is also,

that the main time — the year and month — is missing from the book.

In addition to this, an explanation is needed — according to his interpretation: What is different about Joseph's dream,

which is a "dream of prophecy" and therefore "given to be written and expounded",

that the Torah emphasizes that Jacob wrote it down,

from all the other prophecies

(that are in the book of Genesis)

"and the entire book of Genesis",

which are brought in Genesis,

it does not state however¹³

that Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob should write them down.

B.

At first glance, one can say the explanation in the words of the Midrash — and prefacing the explanation in the simple question¹⁴

Since Yosef knew that the brothers hated him,

"and they hated him"¹⁵,

why did he tell his dreams to them,

he knew that this would arouse in them,

more hatred?

And in particular — after the telling of the first dream that "and they continued further to hate him"¹⁶

— nevertheless did he tell them the second dream?

One of the explanations about this in the commentators¹⁷,

that this is the reason: Yosef

You know that his brothers hated him,

so when Joseph dreamed "behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf"¹⁸,

and knowing that "all dreams follow the mouth"¹⁹,

according to the interpretation of the dream

the "mouth" can interpret it in whatever manner it wishes]

— so "he said to them, 'Please hear this dream which I have dreamed'"²⁰,

so that they should interpret it as <b>they</b> pleased²¹.

It remains, however, perplexing — since the tribes interpreted the dream — "Will you indeed reign over us, or will you indeed rule over us?"²²,

why did they not interpret the second dream?

And on the other hand — the opposite regarding Yaakov: he interpreted only the second dream

(One does not even find that Yosef told Yaakov the first dream).

And it can be said that therefore²³

Yaakov interpreted the second dream — "Will we indeed come, I and your mother and your brothers, to bow down to you to the ground?"

Since it remained without interpretation

(the tribes).

And to add, since Yaakov said it in a language of wonder&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;

And further "and his father rebuked him" — "to remove the matter from the hearts of his sons so that they would not envy him"&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;,

Therefore afterwards &lt;b&gt;and in continuation&lt;/b&gt; of this — "and his father kept the matter" then "he took a quill and wrote on which day etc." — as a continuation and explanation of the interpretation of the dream&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt;In its truth&lt;/b&gt; — one should interpret the "after the mouth" of Yaakov's interpretation in a manner of wonder &lt;b&gt;established and preserved&lt;/b&gt;,

It will certainly be fulfilled.

And based on this, one can say that therefore the writing of the content of the dream was not necessary,

Because he had already interpreted it,

It is only a writing to confirm that his intention in the interpretation is the fulfillment and truth of the matter&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;.

It remains, however, not explained: What is the reason that Yaakov chose to specify specifically the details — "on which day and at which hour in which place"?

3.

And one can say the explanation in this: with the preface of the matter²⁸

of "Maaseh Avot Siman LaBanim"²⁹.

Matters that exist by the children,

by Bnei Yisrael in the course of the generations,

is the sign<b> and giving of power</b>"³⁰

upon this,

from the

Story

(Three h)

Patriarchs³¹

— Abraham .

Isaac and Jacob.

What the connection between "story of the patriarchs" and "story" of the children is analogous to the relationship between father and son down here,

that there are in this three stages³²

a)

As the son is still included in the brain of the father.

That there is no existence there

(all the more so no division of limbs)

of the son.

It is all one existence —

(a part of)

the brain of the father.

b)

As the son becomes separated from the brain of the father until he becomes an existence in his own right,

with his 248 limbs and 365 sinews.

And although the entire existence of the son is "drawn from the brain of the father, that even the nails of his feet were formed from this very drop",

he becomes, however, an existence <b>separate in his own right</b>.

3)

The intermediate level which connects the son as he is in his root in the brain of the father — with the son as he becomes an existence in his own right.

Which is like the son during the months of gestation³³.

Then his existence as a separate entity begins³⁴.

The limbs become divided and the son descends several levels until "descended from level to level to change and become from it

fingernails": But this is all a continuation in the same place of the drop of the brain of the father which becomes divided into particular limbs.

And therefore also later,

and all the days of his life,

the son and all the particular limbs of his are connected with the father's brain,

as the Alter Rebbe says in Tanya³⁵

"And also now in the son, the drawing of the nails and their vitality is drawn from the brain that is in the head

(of the son³⁶)

In a similar manner and along these lines is this regarding the patriarchs of the entirety of Israel and the totality of the service of Israel throughout the generations:

It is like the children are included in the fathers that "one does not call 'fathers' except for the three"&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;,

and in particular Jacob "the choicest of the fathers"&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;,

and "the beauty of Jacob is like the beauty of Adam the first"&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;,

he includes all the souls&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;.

That from the aspect of the level there is not yet any true division of the service of the children,

it is all a part of the general — the deeds of the fathers.

Afterwards it is like the children become an independent entity,

D.

i.

e.

the service of all Israel throughout all the generations,

that this

began from the exile and redemption of Egypt,

and it continues for the entire duration of six thousand years of this world — various manners and different ways in actual practice in the service of G-d.

And there is the intermediary that connects the patriarchs and the deeds of the patriarchs with the children and their service,

which is through the tribes, the children of Jacob.

For although in the tribes the differences in levels of souls in the service of G-d had already begun⁴²,

which divide into twelve tribes,

twelve gates and paths in the service of G-d, that each one in his own path shall ascend⁴³,

but since in their level and service there is <b>the work of Jacob</b> their father,

through this there was created and there exists the connection between the particulars — the service of the children,

with the "general",

the deeds of the patriarchs.

5.

And this is also the novelty in Parshas Vayeishev:

In the earlier portions of the Torah

(from Parshas Lech and onward)

it speaks about the Patriarchs,

and all matters are details in the narrative of the Patriarchs; but in Parshas Vayeishev the novelty is,

that the story about the tribes begins

(and their actions)

as they are in themselves.

And this is also what the content of the parshah is — the cause and beginning of how it came about that the descent to

(exile)

Egypt

— as our Rabbis, of blessed memory,

expound on the verse

“And he sent him from the valley of Hebron” — “from the deep counsel of that righteous one who is buried in Hebron, as it is written

You shall surely know that your seed will be strangers”,

And Rashi

“And it is the beginning of the cause of the descent of Israel to Egypt”; and

(even more)

with this the entire sedrah begins,

this is the head of the sedrah as Rashi explains

“These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph — and these are of the generations of Jacob, their settlements and their vicissitudes until they came to settlement, the first cause, Joseph was seventeen years old etc., through this they were caused to go down to Egypt”

Because the main concept of the service of the children is connected with the exile and redemption of Egypt,

that the exile of Egypt includes all other kingdoms⁵⁰

and exiles⁵¹,

and the redemption of Egypt is the root and includes all other redemptions⁵².

It turns out,

that in the portion of Vayeishev is the transition from the deeds of the fathers to the deeds of the children,

that the service of the children is expressed in the two times

(and services)

of exile and redemption.

And this is also the reason that the beginning of the sedra is with the dreams of Yosef,

because the inner intention in this is not only the announcement regarding the matter of the kingship of Yosef

(in Mitzrayim),

but a prophecy concerning the entire existence of the Brit Bein HaBtarim — the exile and redemption*⁵²

of Yisrael⁵³.

— The other matters that are related in the sedra,

the intention in them is

(that this is a cause and the way of carrying out the decree of Bein HaBtarim)

did not come explicitly in the words and deeds of Yaakov and the tribes; but the dreams of Yosef,

which are,

as above,

a prophecy,

is in this the entirety of the matter of the sons⁵⁴.

6.

Based on this, one will also understand the matter of "and his brothers were jealous of him, and his father kept the matter."

All the tribes were indeed "tribes of Yah",

and it is understandable that their hatred and jealousy toward Joseph was not a simple hatred and jealousy,

heaven forbid and heaven forbid

(and especially here in the verse,

after the story of the dreams,

it says "and his brothers were jealous of him",

like "and she was jealous"⁵⁵

Rachel of her sister⁵⁶

d.

e.

They saw in the dreams a directive from above regarding Joseph's virtues etc.^,5),

but⁵⁸

It is a matter connected with "good deeds",

service of G‑d⁵⁹

At the time when the division of levels among the children of Israel began — both from the perspective of the person,

that after the Patriarchs come the distinctions of levels in the service of G‑d among the tribes; and both from the perspective of the time and the place and the service — there was the proximate cause of the descent of Israel to Egypt, with which began the fulfillment of the covenant between the parts among the children

(and consequently — the service of exile and redemption*⁵²

among the children)

then began to "perceive" the differentiation of the modes of service,

and in each one was felt the advantage of <b>his</b> level and particular service⁶⁰.

and therefore when the instruction comes from above

(in Joseph's dream)

of the advantage of the superiority of the service of Joseph⁶¹,

and how specifically through him the service of the children of Israel in exile is carried out⁶²

which brings

after this the redemption — it causes that "and his brothers were jealous of him"⁶³,

about that which the intention of the Most High is carried out through the mode of service of Joseph,

although

(also)

their modes of service are true modes of service in the service of G‑d.

And upon this the verse continues "and his father kept the matter",

that Jacob "kept the &lt;b&gt;matter&lt;/b&gt;"

(not — "the dream of &lt;b&gt;Joseph&lt;/b&gt;" and so forth)

: Jacob came,

a mute father,

did not hear the &lt;b&gt;division&lt;/b&gt; in the service,

that &lt;b&gt;the&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;service&lt;/b&gt; is carried out by &lt;b&gt;one&lt;/b&gt; tribe,

and the second service by another tribe,

and the primary service by Joseph — only "kept the matter",

the "matter" itself,

which consists of "sun, etc. to me"

(Joseph).

It is one matter,

it is conducted through the supernal will,

the intention of the Above that there should be a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

And consequently it is: a)

the worker is not felt,

only the work.

And b)

In every work it is heard that it is a part and brings the &lt;b&gt;totality&lt;/b&gt; of the intention.

7.

Based on this will be understood the action of R. Levi that "he took a quill and wrote etc.": With this Yaakov effected,

that just as it is by <b>him</b>,

in "Maaseh Avot",

that "he kept the <b>thing</b>" — should be able to be and be actualized in the particular avodah of particular individuals of Bnei Yisrael throughout the generations.

And this is the explanation of "and he wrote on which day and on which hour in which place": Yaakov placed all these distinctions of levels in avodah into <b>one</b> <b>point</b> <b>of time</b>,

and into one point of place,

That the point includes all the levels and services of all times and places⁶⁴.

but — day⁶⁵

and hour

(from the expression "at that hour" — in the words of our Sages — which means moment and also a duration of time whose point is &lt;b&gt;one)&lt;/b&gt;

in order to bring out the point of time that is in this],

And from this aspect, in every service of the children — in every time and in every place,

the point and the essence of the service as it is from the aspect of the father can be heard,

from which emerge the two matters mentioned above: a)

It is not

(so)

bound up with the <b>existence</b> of the one serving,

but rather the service is heard from its own aspect,

which is the supernal will.

b)

How every detail of the service pertains to the totality and ultimate intention of making a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms,

when "And it will be⁶⁷

the Lord shall be King over all the earth; on that day the Lord shall be One and His name One."

Ch.

It is known⁶⁸

that the aforementioned verse "And his brothers were jealous of him, and his father kept the matter" is connected with the old Rebbe and with the redemption of the 19th of Kislev.

And since all matters relating to our Rabbis our leaders are certainly precise,

one must say,

that the content of "and his father kept the matter" in relation to the old Rebbe also includes the meaning in "and his father kept etc." according to the explanation of the Midrash that "he took a quill and wrote etc."

And one can say the explanation in this:

It is known that the Torah of Chassidus as it was by the "fathers of Chassidus",

by the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid⁶⁹,

was in a manner <b>general</b>

(Therefore in the order of the sefiros are the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid — the two aspects of the sefirah of <b>Kesser</b>,

Atik and Arich⁷⁰)

; and the Alter Rebbe,

through the revelation of the Torah of Chassidus Chabad,

revealed the enclothing of the Torah of Chassidus in <b>comprehension</b>⁷¹,

which from the side of the enclothing in comprehension <b></b>

(inner dimension)

becomes the division into details in avodas Hashem according to the way of Chassidus,

until — each avodah as a matter <b>in itself</b>⁷².

The revelation of the Torah of Chassidus Chabad through the Alter Rebbe is however not in a

A manner that through the enclothing of the Torah of Chassidus into comprehension, there therefore became, Heaven forbid and Heaven forbid, a descent in the light of Chassidus

(Regarding how it was by the general patriarchs of Chassidus,

a general light)

— Rather, the light of Chassidus as it is was drawn into comprehension⁷³.

Which is the explanation of "Your springs will spread outward"⁷⁴

— That the spring itself

(Not only a spreading of the spring,

Rather the essence of the springs)

Reaches into the outside⁷⁶

(Which in the person himself is his "outside" — the emotional attributes and his intellectual power within him⁷⁷).

And in order to effect the connection of the "spring" itself

(general light of Chassidus)

with the springs as they are in Chutzah

(clothing in comprehension)

— there was required a special action on the part of

the Maggid

(and it can be said in a possible manner — in the manner as by Yaakov,

when he needed to effect the connection of the deeds of the fathers with the deeds of the children,

as mentioned above)

— "And his father kept the matter."

And this is what the Maggid, before his passing, took the hand of the Alter Rebbe and said — 19 Kislev is our yahrtzeit⁷⁸

Before the passing of the Maggid⁷⁹,

when the revelation of the teachings of Chassidus was supposed to begin in a manner of “May your springs spread forth <b>outwardly</b>” — as the light of Chassidus descends clothed in

comprehension — in a manner of "they will be sustained"⁸⁰,

the Maggid <b>said</b> to the Alter Rebbe "Yud-Tes Kislev is our hillula",

with which was opened the <b>compilation</b> of the same wellspring as it is by the fathers of Chassidus,

with the wellsprings as they arrive in Chutzah.

<b>And from the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayeishev 5715; Shabbos Parshas .</b>

Miketz 5740)