English translation — מקץ ב

1.

After Yaakov Avinu agreed that his sons should go again to Egypt and he told them¹

"Zos asu kachu mizimras ha'aretz etc." that they should bring to Yosef,

"V'chesef mishneh kachu b'yedchem etc. v'es achichem kachu v'kumu shuvu el ha'ish",

did Yaakov carry out²

"V'Keil Sha-dai yitein lachem rachamim lifnei ha'ish v'shilach etc.".

Rashi stands on the words "V'Keil Sha-dai" and explains "From now on you lack nothing except prayer; behold I pray for you"

(and afterwards he continues in explanation of the matter "V'Keil Sha-dai — Sha-dai in giving His mercies etc.").

What is difficult in the verse that Rashi needs to stand on it and warn with his commentary "from now etc."?

The commentators say<sup>3</sup>

: from the plain meaning of the verses it is implied that all this is one continuous speech and story — after telling the necessary preparations "this do etc." and "arise and return to the man" Yaakov expresses and says

(tells)

with <b>a</b> <b>certainty</b> "and the God of Shaddai <b>will give</b> you mercy ..

and send to you your other brother and Binyamin",

that following the previous you will <b>surely</b> return with

(Shimon and)

Binyamin —

And since it is difficult to learn thus,

because Yaakov had indeed expressed "and I, as I am bereaved, I am bereaved",

What this means is that he is not at all certain that they will bring back

(Shimon and)

Binyamin; therefore one must learn that "El Shaddai will give you mercy" is not a speech &lt;b&gt;and narrative&lt;/b&gt; of promise,

continuation of the speech to his sons,

but rather

(a &lt;b&gt;special&lt;/b&gt; matter —)

&lt;b&gt;a&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;prayer&lt;/b&gt;: May it be His will that God will give you mercy — but then it becomes difficult why it says "El Shaddai",

with a vav hachibur?

Therefore Rashi explains the connection of the words: "Now" — after all that he had previously told them

(to take along a "gift",

"double silver" and also "your brother" — Binyamin)

"You lack nothing except prayer; I am praying for you" — you already lack nothing of what you need to do for success,

only "prayer etc."

It is however not understood,

how is it appropriate to say that "from now on you lack nothing⁴

except prayer"⁵?

Prayer is indeed a most essential matter — and as we find by Jacob himself,

regarding his rescue from Esau,

that first and foremost he prayed⁶,

afterwards he performed actions in a natural way "and he took⁷

from what came into his hand a <b>gift</b> etc."⁸

So why did Yaakov⁹

use a language which implies that prayer is like an additional thing,

a secondary thing,

that comes after providing

(through the gift etc.)

all the essential matters?

B.

The Maharshal¹⁰

learns the content of Rashi's commentary in a different way:

Yaakov said to his sons: Everything that one needs to do in the way of nature to appease the master in Egypt was covered by "this do, take for yourselves"; and if this will not help — it is because the reason is not the anger of the master in Egypt

(for then one would have needed to appease him),

but this is — "Divine Providence and the cause is God and not in the way

of choice"¹¹,

and consequently only prayer is required,

"and I pray for you",

And according to his explanation it turns out,

that the plain meaning of "from now on you lack nothing but prayer" is the opposite of the above: not that one has already done everything and only prayer is lacking,

but on the contrary,

there is no need for any thing,

the only thing that one needs is only prayer.

But this explanation is seemingly not consistent with the language of Rashi,

because according to this, Rashi would have needed to explain this explicitly,

or at least omit the word "from now on"

(at the beginning of his explanation).

The plain sense of Rashi's language "&lt;b&gt;from now on&lt;/b&gt; you lack &lt;b&gt;nothing&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;but&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;prayer&lt;/b&gt;" implies,

that this is said &lt;b&gt;in connection&lt;/b&gt; with the preceding commandments — that &lt;b&gt;now&lt;/b&gt;,

after fulfilling all the matters above,

nothing more is lacking,

except prayer,

as per the explanation of most of the commentators above.

3.

And one must say the explanation in this:

The languages of the Torah,

with which one says that Hashem will give good,

bring salvation and a redemption and the like,

are in two manners: in the way of a blessing or in the way of a prayer.

The difference between them is understood simply also from the verses which one has already learned:

The matter of prayer is — that when one finds oneself in a constricted situation,

whether in a time of distress from a danger may G‑d forbid

(as was the case by Jacob when he heard that Esau "is going to meet you and four hundred men with him"¹²),

or from a particular need and necessity

(as by Isaac and Rebecca at the time

they had not had children for a long time),

then one prays about it to the Most High

(as we find in the Torah in the aforementioned cases,

that Jacob prayed to the L-rd "Save me¹³

please from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau",

and Isaac "and he entreated¹⁴

Isaac the L-rd opposite his wife because she was barren"¹⁵).

Blessing is its essence — s'

should come an <b>addition</b> of good¹⁶

in the present state.

As we see it in the language of the blessing that is stated by Abraham¹⁷

"And I will bless you ..

And I will bless those who bless you": and so by Isaac "And the Lord blessed him",

"And Isaac sowed in that land and found in that year a hundredfold and the Lord blessed him"¹⁸

— the blessing consisted in that it grew a hundred times as much.

And this is also the content of the other blessings,

like Isaac's blessing to Jacob "And he blessed him ..

And may God give you etc."¹⁹

and so forth in the rest of the blessings in the Torah.

from the prominent differences between a blessing or a prayer: in a prayer is

the address

(entirely)

to the Most High,

one prays to Hashem that He should help the one for whom one is praying

(like the prayer of Yitzchak and Yaakov mentioned above "And Yitzchak entreated Hashem",

"deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, etc.")²⁰

; but a blessing is said to the one whom one is blessing,

in the manner of Yitzchak's blessing to Yaakov "And He will give <b>to you"²¹</b>

Also: in prayer, generally the term Havayah or Elokim is used,

not Keil Sha-dai; but in a blessing one finds the term Keil Sha-dai,

as Yitzchak said to Yaakov²²

"And Keil Sha-dai will bless you and make you fruitful etc. and give you the blessing of Avraham etc."²³

D.

Based on this, the question arises here in this verse "And Keil Sha-dai will give you mercy":

Here there was indeed a "tight" situation,

it looked like a time of distress,

as Yaakov said immediately upon hearing from the tribes about the course of events — that Shimon was detained in Egypt and one also needs to bring Binyamin there — "Me you have bereaved: Yosef is no more, and Shimon is no more, and you would take Binyamin — upon me are all these"²⁴

; and Yaakov so strongly did not want that Binyamin should go to Egypt,

that he said²⁵

"My son shall not go down with you, for etc., and you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave."

And it lasted

until "they had finished eating the grain"26 and afterwards a discussion of Yaakov and Yehuda.

And only afterwards, when Yehuda argued "Binyamin: maybe he will be caught, maybe he will not be caught, and we will all die of hunger if we do not bring him,"²⁷

Yaakov agreed.

Furthermore: also the tribes recognized that this is a trouble,

as they had earlier explicitly said²⁸

"But we are guilty etc. therefore has come upon us <b>this</b> <b>trouble</b>".

It is indeed seemingly a simple matter,

that in such a situation there is required <b>first and foremost</b> the matter of prayer to G-d,

that He should redeem [him] from the trouble.

Why did Yaakov say this with a language and content of a blessing "And G-d Almighty will give you mercy"

(and as the Midrash²⁹

indeed also says there "What did Yaakov see <b>to bless them</b> with G-d Almighty")?

Therefore Rashi warns and explains and innovates,

that since the matter of prayer is necessary,

therefore our father Yaakov said "Behold I <b>pray</b> for you"; and that which he said "And G-d Almighty will give you mercy",

it is not the <b>language</b> of prayer

(that is <b>not</b> mentioned)³⁰

— rather this is a narration of the content of the intention and <b>purpose</b> of the prayer,

as Rashi interprets in the continuation of his wording "And G-d Almighty

(— Enough that in His giving of His mercies and in order³¹

the ability is in His hand to give)

He will give you mercy"³²,

And that which is stated in the Torah only "And El Shaddai will give you mercy",

not the language of Yaakov's prayer,

Rashi explains in the continuation of his words "From now on you lack nothing except etc.'",

as follows.

Heh.

The explanation in this:

Just as Yaakov saw that the entire matter is highly desirable.

So too the tribes among themselves also saw that this is a trouble and punishment,

as they said

(as above)

while still in Egypt "But we are guilty regarding our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us and we did not listen; therefore this <b>trouble</b> has come upon us."

(and also after-

(upon their return to their father),

when they discovered that their money had been returned,

"their heart went out and <b>they trembled</b>, each man to his brother, saying, 'What is this that God has done to us?'"³³).

But in their words to Yaakov they could not reveal this

(that they feel therein that this is a matter of punishment for the selling of Yosef)

Of course; to Yaakov the tribes spoke about this not as about a situation of

(punishment and consequently —)

trouble,

but as if it would be a thing which could happen³⁴

according to nature.

Therefore Yaakov said to them³⁵

"<b>If</b> <b>so</b> then": if this is according to your words,

that it is not a trouble but a thing common in nature,

then accordingly "this do: take of the choice fruit of the land" to appease the man with a gift according to the ways of nature,

"and double the silver take etc. and your brother take etc."

And to this did Yaakov

(continues and)

added "And Kel Shakai will give you mercy — from now on you lack nothing but prayer",

so also according to your view regarding the situation that "you lack nothing" — after preparing the gift etc. indeed no more actions are lacking <b>in natural</b> <b>ways</b> — "except" only the matter of prayer,

because also in such a situation and after arranging all matters in a natural way one must still come to prayer

(and in particular,

as above,

that Yaakov was indeed concerned about a trouble),

and consequently — "Behold I pray for you";

And based on this it will be sweetened: Since according to the words of the tribes it is not a trouble,

Yaakov brought out for them³⁶

the content of the prayer in the language of blessing "And Kel Shakai etc."

6.

Based on this, it is answered

(simply)

another question: Rashi had

(already earlier)

explained³⁷

"The prayer of the sick person is more beautiful than the prayer of others on his behalf, and it is more readily accepted."

And it is understood,

that this is not specifically regarding a sick person,

but in every case when someone needs a salvation or rescue,

is <b>his</b> prayer "beautiful",

"more readily accepted" than the prayer that another will pray for him.

And according to this, it requires explanation: Why did <b>Jacob</b> pray for them and did not tell them,

that they themselves should pray for themselves — "From now on

(you lack nothing except prayer)

you must pray"

(and the like)?

(of sending Binyamin to Egypt)

touches primarily him,

Yaakov — "and harm will befall him etc. and you will bring down my old age in sorrow to the grave"; "and I, as I am bereaved, I am bereaved"

(and that which Yaakov said "I am praying <b>for you</b>",

one can say that this means regarding their action and deed as the continuation <b>in the verse</b>)

— but ultimately they nevertheless needed to be helped through the prayer,

that <b>they</b> should have mercy in the eyes of the man,

did Yaakov have to say that at least also they should pray?³⁸]

And according to the above this is understood simply: according to the view of the tribes this is not an unusual situation that requires a special prayer,

and Yaakov can send Binyamin with them,

and they will certainly bring him back

(together with Shimon)

; Yaakov however held,

as above,

that prayer must be also in such a situation

(and all the more so in truth,

as Yaakov felt),

but since they do not feel themselves as those who must have prayer and consequently — <b>their</b> prayer is "beautiful",

therefore is "<b>I</b> am praying for you".

7.

From the matters of the judgment of the Torah in Rashi:

Although that which the tribes said that it is not a state of distress,

was only regarding Yaakov,

but by themselves they,

like Yaakov,

held that this is a distress — calling it as above "

(therefore has come upon us)

this distress" — nevertheless there is in this a difference between the tribes and Yaakov:

The tribes looked at this as a <b>private</b> trouble that comes upon them as a punishment for a private guilt

(their selling of Joseph)

— "But <b>we</b> are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us and we did not listen; therefore this trouble has come <b>upon us</b>."³⁹

But Jacob saw in this a general situation and trouble in continuation of the previous troubles

(as Rashi brings regarding this matter

"And its midrash: He who said to the world 'Enough,' let Him say 'Enough' to my troubles, that I have not had rest from my youth etc.")

; even more — not only to the previous troubles but also a connection to the <b>com</b>-<b>ing</b> sufferings of the exile of the community of Israel,

as Yaakov said⁴⁰

at the beginning of their going down to Egypt "<b>Redu</b> there,

and did not say 'Lechu,' hinting to the two hundred and ten years that they were enslaved in Egypt, the numerical value of 'Redu.'"

And it can be said that this is connected to the general distinction between Yaakov and the tribes:

Yaakov, one of the three Patriarchs of all of the Jewish people,

"sees" everything that happens to him.

And all events which have a connection to him — the "sign for the children,"

as this pertains to his sons and to the generations after him — until also the "go down" that <b>he</b> says to his sons is "deeds of the Patriarchs" which is a "sign" for the two hundred and ten years of the Jews in the bondage of Egypt.

The tribes, however,

since they are "sons," not patriarchs

(of the entirety of the Jewish people)⁴¹,

did not see in this any general matter of the entirety of the Jewish people,

but a particular one,

a punishment upon each of them individually

(for the selling of Joseph⁴²).

And in a different manner and in the style of the language of Chassidus⁴³

: the tribes,

being the "lower chariot" connected with the worlds of BY"A,

saw the matters as they have a connection with nature and details of limitations of the world; but Yaakov who was of the "upper chariot" of Atzilus,

higher than the world,

saw in every thing how it is <b>higher</b> than the limitations of the nature of the world.

8.

The above-mentioned matter also has a connection to Chanukah

(Parshas Mikeitz is always studied

(and read)

during the days of Chanukah)

Although matters of salvation and deliverance are connected to the days of Chanukah, they generally came through miracles and wonders,

one might say a possibility of error,

externally it can appear that there were miracles that have a connection to nature⁴⁴

of Israel from the Greek kingdom which came through <b>war</b>,

and in the language of the Rambam⁴⁶

"the God of our fathers had mercy on them and saved them from their hand and delivered them, and the sons of the Hasmoneans, the high priests, prevailed and killed them and saved Israel from their hand"),

This is however so only in externality,

In truth these were open miracles which were entirely above nature: mighty ones into the hand of weak ones etc.

9.

The Torah is indeed eternal in every time and in every season,

and especially "the deeds of the fathers" which were "a sign for the children" regarding the exile of Egypt etc.,

and particularly in the Midrash&lt;sup&gt;47&lt;/sup&gt;

the verse itself is interpreted in connection with the exiles of the Jews

before the man, the Holy One blessed be He etc., and send you your brother, these are the ten tribes, another and Benjamin, this is the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and I, as I have been bereaved in the first destruction, I have been bereaved in the second destruction ..

I will not be bereaved anymore]

It is understood that from this one takes a lesson for all times:

First of all, the lesson is,

that in every matter that a Jew does,

even when it appears to him as a natural thing,

a Jew should not think that he needs to do only that which seems necessary according to the ways of nature,

and besides that "he lacks nothing" — rather he needs to know that he <b>must</b> come to prayer,

and not as an extra thing,

but as a matter of primary importance

this is an <b>additional</b> deficiency,

and he also needs to pray about this].

And although among Jews action and deed in natural ways is required — since the Almighty has indeed commanded "and Hashem your G-d will bless you in all that &lt;b&gt;you do"&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

a Jew must nevertheless know the truth,

that his connection with nature is no more than an external garment,

and that he is connected with the name Havayah which is above nature&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;.

Therefore the &lt;b&gt;main&lt;/b&gt; thing for him is to pray to Him to whom wealth belongs&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;,

regarding

livelihood,

and likewise in all his matters and ways,

both physical and spiritual&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;.

And then he merits to see that his natural matters are <b>miracles</b> which are clothed in nature,

and he also comes to the recognition of the miracles also of which it is written "He performs wonders alone"⁵²,

that "the master of the miracle does not recognize

in his miracle"⁵³,

miracles which are connected with the Supreme One Himself,

completely above nature⁵⁴.

Until the miracles and wonders that will be in the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu,

that "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders"⁵⁵

speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Miketz,

Shabbos Chanukah,

5745)