English translation — וישב א

Sicha 1<pg>176</pg>

A.

It was spoken several times<sup>1</sup>

about the names of the portions of the Torah,

that this that each portion is called

(according to the custom of Israel,

that Torah is)

by a specific name,

it is not

(only)

because its beginning is with this word

(that was established to be its name),

but rather because in this name is also hinted the content of the portion<sup>2</sup>.

And like the name of any thing that is called in the Holy Language,

which is the life-force of that thing and indicates the content of the thing that is called by this name<sup>3</sup>.

And it is understood that this is also regarding our parshah,

that the name by which it is called according to Jewish custom is "Vayeishev"⁴

— that its content is hinted at in it of this parshah.

And it must be understood: "Vayeishev" means — settlement in a manner of tranquility and rest,

and as the teaching of our Sages⁵

at the beginning of our parshah "Vayeishev — desired⁶

Yaakov to settle in tranquility"⁷

; whereas the content of the parshah is about the matter of the selling of Yosef,

which interrupted and negated the "Vayeishev Yaakov",

the rest and tranquility of Yaakov,

and as the teaching of the aforementioned Sages "Yaakov desired etc. the anger of Yosef leaped upon him".

2.

And this will be understood by prefacing the explanation of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, the aforementioned "Yaakov desired⁶

to dwell in tranquility, there sprang upon him⁸

the anger of Yosef,

Righteous ones desire to dwell in tranquility; the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Is it not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them in the World to Come, that they also desire to dwell in tranquility in this world?

The explanation of this statement according to the commentators of the Midrash

(and Rashi)

is⁹,

that this that "Yaakov desired to dwell in tranquility" is the reason because of which "there sprang upon him the anger of Yosef".

That is to say,

the intention of our Sages is not only to inform us that his request of Yaakov to dwell in tranquility was not fulfilled — because the anger of Yosef sprang upon him,

but more than this: "there sprang upon him the anger of Yosef" is a result of this that "Yaakov desired to dwell in tranquility".

And as explained in the Midrash¹⁰

"Yaakov our forefather, because he desired<pg>177</pg>

To sit in tranquility in this world, the adversary of Joseph was paired with him.&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;

But this is not clear in the language of the Sages mentioned above.

For even though the language "Jacob sought etc. the [adversity] leaped upon him etc." regarding Jacob,

it could be interpreted

(with difficulty at least)

that the request was a deficiency and a kind of sin,

nevertheless the continuation of the language "righteous ones seek to sit in tranquility" implies,

that this is the request of righteous ones in general — and since they are called by the name "righteous ones",

it is obvious that the intention is to true righteous ones who have no sin or iniquity, heaven forbid — and if so, how can it be that in the request of the righteous ones

("to sit in tranquility")

there would be a matter of sin and deficiency?

!

— according to the version in the Midrash¹⁰

"At the time when the righteous sit in tranquility and seek to sit in tranquility in this world, the Satan comes and accuses, saying 'Is it not enough, etc.'"

Perhaps it can be explained that it is not speaking as a rule for all the righteous,

but only regarding certain righteous ones — that at the time when they sit in tranquility and seek

(to continue)

to sit in tranquility,

then "the Satan comes etc."¹²,

but according to the above version¹³

"Righteous seek to sit in tranquility" — the meaning of the matter is,

that this is the conduct of righteous in general.

And although we find in the Torah a matter of sin — at least "sin" in subtlety — also by righteous — nevertheless,

in addition to this that it is not a common thing among righteous

[and all the more so regarding Jacob,

the choicest of the Patriarchs¹⁴,

in addition to this that in general — the Patriarchs are themselves the Chariot¹⁵,

and it is explicit in Chazal¹⁶

that the Patriarchs were not ruled by the evil inclination]

— it is understood that it is impossible to say,

that this is their regular request of righteous,

they are accustomed to conduct themselves in an undesirable manner!

And it must be said,

that this that "the righteous seek to sit in tranquility" is not a negative matter,

the opposite of the desired,

but on the contrary — a conduct fitting for the righteous and part of the perfection of his service.

And according to this, an explanation is needed on the other side — since this is a conduct fitting for the righteous

(that is, that this is in accordance with the will of the Holy One, blessed be He),

why "said the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Is it not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them in the World to Come, that they seek to sit in tranquility in this world'"

(that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not fulfill their request to sit in tranquility,

and on the contrary comes its opposite — trouble and anger,

and as we find by Jacob that "the anger of Joseph leaped upon him")?

3.

And to add:

According to the version of the Midrash "When the righteous sit in tranquility etc. the Satan comes and accuses etc. know that etc. Jacob our father because he requested etc. the Satan of Joseph was matched with him" — it is to be explained,

That this that "the Satan of Joseph was matched with him" did not come as a kind of punishment for an undesirable request,

But only from the accusation of the Satan.

And as we have found in several places the matter of accusation&lt;pg&gt;178&lt;/pg&gt;

the Satan such as this — like in the accusation of the Satan&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

about Abraham that "from all&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

the feast that Abraham made, he did not offer before You a single bull etc.",

that this caused the trial of the Binding

("He said to Him

(the Holy One, blessed be He)

Did he do anything except for the sake of his son? If I had told him: Sacrifice him before Me, he would not have delayed")

— it is understood that there was not here anything in the conduct of Abraham in actuality contrary to the desired,

and the entire matter was caused by the accusation of the Satan.

And so in our matter,

that according to the midrash it is possible to say,

that Jacob's request to dwell in tranquility caused the Satan's accusation,

and therefore "the Satan of Joseph confronted him"¹⁹.

But according to the version "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Is it not enough for the righteous, etc." — it is understood

(that this does not come only because of the Satan's accusation,

but)

that this is the claim of the Holy One, blessed be He, against the righteous.

4.

And one can say the explanation in this²⁰

:

The request of the righteous "to sit in tranquility" — meaning in complete and true tranquility.

For their intention is not

(only)

for physical and bodily tranquility,

but rather for spiritual tranquility,

in the manner of the tranquility in the World to Come, in which "there is no eating nor drinking, etc., the righteous sit etc. and delight in the radiance of the Divine Presence"²¹.

And therefore "the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Is it not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them in the World to Come, that they also request to sit in tranquility in this world?"

And even though the place and time of such tranquility

(They sit and delight in the radiance of the Divine Presence,

without any work)

is specifically in the World to Come — but not so in this world, for "today to do them" is written²²,

and this means that every moment must be

(not "tranquility" but)

work

[And furthermore: the perfection of the work is — work out of love,

that he does not serve God "because of²³

anything in the world..

and not in order to inherit the good

(also not "in order that I merit the life of the World to Come"²⁴)

but rather does the truth because it is truth"]

Behold, the request of the righteous to sit in tranquility is not for the sake of the tranquility itself

(receiving reward),

but rather so that through it they may increase in His service, may He be blessed, until it reaches the ultimate perfection.

In the manner of what the Rambam wrote²⁵

That what "all of Israel, their prophets and sages, yearned for the days of the Messiah" is "so that they may rest from the kingdoms that do not allow them to engage in Torah and commandments properly, and they may find for themselves repose and increase in wisdom."

And this is the explanation that "the righteous seek to sit in tranquility,"

that is to say,

that they desire a state of tranquility so that they may serve God out of rest; and that which the Holy One, blessed be He, says "It is not enough for the righteous, etc." is not because it is an undesirable request,

but rather because this too — a state of serving God out of rest — is like a form of receiving reward that comes only after the ultimate perfection in serving God.

And so it is with Yaakov,

that in his request to dwell in tranquility he intended a complete spiritual tranquility, that he could serve G-d out of rest.

And this that "the anger of Yosef leaped upon him" is because in his standing and his situation then he was not yet fit for this tranquility; however,

finally his request was fulfilled&lt;pg&gt;179&lt;/pg&gt;

to dwell in tranquility

(also in this world)

— after the completion of the time of "the anger of Yosef" he dwelt in tranquility also in this world,

for this is what the verse says&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

"And Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years",

which were years of tranquility and rest&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;.

5.

And one may say in greater depth — and with an introduction:

According to the above that this that he did not sit in tranquility that he requested was because he was not worthy of it then — it is still not understood: why did the "anger of Joseph"²⁸ leap upon him,

a new trouble and such a great trouble that caused great sufferings relative to the pain and distress of the trouble of Lavan and the trouble of Esav etc.²⁹?

But the matter is:

This itself that Yaakov merited at the end of his days to "tranquility in this world" is because "the anger of Yosef fell upon him"

(And as above

(section 2),

that this that Hashem brought upon him "the anger of Yosef" is a result of Yaakov's request to dwell in tranquility).

That is to say: In order to elevate Yaakov to a more elevated level in the service of Hashem,

until he would be worthy to dwell in tranquility in this world,

Hashem brought upon him the "anger of Yosef",

and as is known,

that service through distress and sorrow etc. refines and elevates a person³⁰

to the highest levels in the service of Hashem; and so in our matter,

that specifically through Yaakov's service in the state of "the anger of Yosef" he merited to dwell in tranquility in this world

("And Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years").

And based on this we can settle the question above

(section 1)

— why is the portion called "Vayeishev" which indicates sitting in tranquility,

even though its content

(and immediately from its beginning — "Yosef³¹

was seventeen years old, he was shepherding etc.")

is

about "the anger of Yosef"

(the opposite of "Vayeishev" — tranquility)

—

For since the service of Yaakov from within the strait of "the anger of Yosef" is precisely what brought about the fulfillment of his request "to dwell in tranquility"

(as above),

it follows,

that the true content of this section is — "Vayeishev Yaakov"

(the tranquility of Yaakov),

since "the anger of Yosef" is only a preparation and introduction that brought about the tranquility of "Vayechi Yaakov in the land of Egypt seventeen years."

6.

However, it still needs to be understood:

It is understood and simple,

that the above matter

(that the perfection of the reward of spiritual tranquility comes after the perfection of the service)

was known also to Yaakov.

And since the attribute of Yaakov is the attribute of truth

(as is known³²)

— it is clear that Yaakov recognized his state and level in the service of G-d as it is in truth,

and since he sought to dwell in tranquility,

it necessarily follows that from the standpoint of his standing and state then he was already truly worthy of this tranquility

(for after all the sufferings that passed over him through the troubles and vicissitudes of Lavan and Esav and the distress of Dinah etc.²⁹,

he is worthy to perform his service in completeness out of tranquility).

<pg>180</pg>

And since this is so — a reason is required: why in truth was there yet need for the "anger of Yosef" so that he could merit the matter of tranquility?

And one must say the point of the explanation in this:

"Serenity" this which Yaakov requested is not that serenity which was given to him by that "the anger of Yosef leaped upon him".

Because as above,

Yaakov's request to dwell in serenity was

(not as a receiving of reward,

since "today to do them" is written,

but)

only that he could serve G-d out of rest,

and for such serenity already then he was worthy through his previous service.

And furthermore: according to the count of years³³

that Jacob was in the land of Canaan, it turns out,

that until "Joseph's anger leaped upon him"

(when Joseph was seventeen years old)

Jacob had nine years of years of tranquility in the land of his father's sojournings³⁴.

And it may be said that this is the tranquility that Jacob sought³⁵.

But,

the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted that Jacob should merit tranquility in its completeness,

"Your world you shall see in your life"³⁶,

that also in this world he should merit a state of the World to Come.

And this tranquility was given to Jacob only afterwards,

when "And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years"

(which came about through "Joseph's anger").

[And it can be said that this detail is also hinted at in the custom of Israel that the name of the parshah is "Vayeishev"

(plain),

and not "Vayeishev Yaakov": the content of the parshah is indeed a matter of settlement

("Vayeishev")

and tranquility,

because "the anger of Yosef" is what brought about the tranquility of Yaakov, but in the land of Egypt; this is not the tranquility that Yaakov yearned for and requested

("Vayeishev Yaakov"),

for his request was to dwell in tranquility in the land of his father's sojournings,

whereas this that "the anger of Yosef leaped upon him" caused and brought "Vayeishev" plain — plain tranquility,

which is the life of the World to Come,

which he merited when "And Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt" specifically].

7.

Explanation of the matter:

The difference between the two modes of tranquility mentioned above is: the tranquility that Yaakov requested is tranquility that is within the category of created beings,

tranquility such that it is within the power of human beings to attain it,

and consequently — to request it³⁷

; whereas the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Yaakov tranquility that is not within the category of created beings and it is not within the power of a created being to attain it by his own power.

<pg>181</pg>

And in a simple manner: Yaakov's request to dwell in tranquility was that he should dwell "in the land of his father's sojournings" without disturbances etc.,

so that he could serve G-d with rest,

together with his sons and the issue of his loins etc. who go and continue in his path, which is the path "that he will command his children etc. to keep the way of the L-rd"³⁸

— this is the natural place and manner to attain and receive such tranquility;

But the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him tranquility that is above nature — "And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years": according to nature,

the very existence of "in a land not theirs"³⁹

is a disturbance to the rest and tranquility of the soul,

and especially in the land of Egypt,

the nakedness of the land,

which is a very great disturbance to true tranquility.

And nevertheless,

the Holy One, blessed be He, caused that Jacob dwelled in the best of the land⁴⁰,

that he find both physical tranquility and spiritual tranquility⁴¹,

in the most elevated manner

(without any worry from a bad neighbor — the corrupt among the nations⁴²,

woe to the wicked and woe to his neighbor⁴³

etc.).

And just as it is in the physical and simple sense,

that Jacob's tranquility in the land of Egypt was above nature — so it is in the spiritual aspects,

that the "tranquility" in the land of Egypt was connected with "enjoyment" of the radiance of the Divine Presence similar to "they enjoy the radiance of the Divine Presence"⁴⁴

that is in the World to Come,

which is an enjoyment that is above the category of created beings,

and in the language of the Rambam⁴⁵

— "there is no power in man to grasp it in its purity and no one knows its greatness and beauty and essence except the Holy One, blessed be He, alone..

Eye⁴⁶

has not seen a God besides You etc.'".

8.

And with this will be explained the reason that for the sake of the tranquility it was necessary that "the anger of Yosef was aroused upon him" — because for this tranquility

(which is above the category of created beings)

it was not possible to reach through his own power and his service,

but rather through a special matter that would elevate and raise him above his measures and his limitations

(so that he could receive this tranquility).

And for this it was not sufficient with his service and his elevation through the distress of Lavan and Esav etc.,

but rather "the anger of Yosef was aroused upon him" — because "the anger of Yosef" is not only a matter that his distress is greater,

in quantity and in quality,

but rather it is of a different type,

and therefore also the elevation that comes through it is more elevated in an infinite manner.

And the explanation of this:

The trouble of Lavan and the trouble of Esav were in their content the war and work of Yaakov with the side of the sitra achra.

At first with Lavan the Aramean,

"With Lavan the wicked I dwelt and 613 commandments I kept and I did not learn from his evil deeds"⁴⁷,

And likewise in the trouble of Esav,

which indicates the war of holiness against the forces of evil,

as is known regarding the matter of Yaakov's war with the angel of Esav,

"And a man wrestled with him until the dawn rose"⁴⁸

— that this war is from the work and role of man on earth,

to nullify the evil that is in the world,

to perfect the world under the kingdom of Shaddai,

in a manner that also in the ability of man

(a created being)

<pg>182</pg>

To see and recognize the benefit of this work.

However, "the anger of Joseph" is a completely different type,

that there is in this no war with the side of the Other Side or "clarification" of worldly matters and the like — and seemingly,

all of it is nothing but pain and trouble without any purpose at all

[And on the contrary,

this trouble caused a descent, as it were, in the situation of Jacob,

"and he mourned for his son"⁴⁹,

and until the Divine Presence departed from him, as our Sages of blessed memory said⁵⁰,

and furthermore,

that he said "for I will go down to my son mourning to the grave" — "Gehinnom"⁵¹].

And this "anger,"

which superficially is in the category of a "decree" that has no reason,

it is the very test that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon Yaakov in order to elevate him above and beyond,

to an elevation that is incomparable altogether,

through which he became a vessel for the true tranquility,

the World to Come

(which is above the category of a created being).

9.

And still there is room for wonder: According to the above, that the tranquility given to Yaakov is not that same tranquility that he requested,

but rather it is a matter unique in itself,

what the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to give him a foretaste of the reward of the World to Come — if so, why did the Holy One, blessed be He, wait with this until Yaakov requested to sit in tranquility

(and as above from the Midrash,

that the fact that the anger of Yosef leaped upon him was a result of Yaakov's request to sit in tranquility)?

And one can say the reason of the matter

(in inwardness)

— because "the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the prayer of the righteous"&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;,

and therefore all the time that Yaakov did not ask to sit in tranquility — the tranquility due to him was not given to him; and only when "Yaakov asked to sit in tranquility" — one can say that "asked" here is

(not only — wanted,

but)

an expression of request and prayer — then not only was his request fulfilled,

but moreover — that the tranquility was given to him in its completeness,

the World to Come.

And from here we learn a great foundation and instruction in our service in our time,

how much the matter of requesting the redemption is relevant&lt;sup&gt;53&lt;/sup&gt;,

that each and every one of the children of Israel must learn from the conduct of Yaakov to ask to sit in tranquility,

that as long as Mashiach has not yet come,

each and every one of Israel must request,

and even more — to demand that our righteous Mashiach come,

as the language of our sages of blessed memory&lt;sup&gt;54&lt;/sup&gt;

(which has been brought many times)

"The tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught..

All those thousands who fell in battle in the days of David,

fell only because they did not demand the building of the Holy Temple..

And if these..

we..

all the more so,

therefore the early pious ones instituted that they should pray..

every day..

Return Your Shechinah to Tzion and the order of the service to Yerushalayim,

and they instituted Boneh Yerushalayim as a blessing by itself in the prayer,

and in the Grace after Meals".

And it is brought

(also)

to the halacha⁵⁵,

and his language: the reason<pg>183</pg>

that one must mention the kingdom of the house of David in this blessing

(Builder of Jerusalem)..

because we need to mention the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the house of David and the Holy Temple..

And [they] are not

(Israel)

redeemed until they confess and request all three.

But in the time of Yaakov, it was necessary for "the anger of Yosef to leap upon him" as a preparation in order to receive this tranquility; not so in our time, we,

behold already passed all matters of "anger" may it be spared upon the children of Israel,

the decrees and destructions may it not happen⁵⁶,

until the final destructions may it be spared in our generation, we.

And the Holy One Blessed be He desires the prayer of Israel,

that they ask for the redemption — "he sought to sit in tranquility" — and this brings and hastens even more the redemption; and as the Chida wrote⁵⁷

"They said in the Yalkut Tehillim, Remez 376⁵⁸

Even if Israel has only the hoping, they are worthy of redemption for the reward of the hoping etc..

And with this he explained..

The wording of the blessing 'Et Tzemach David, speedily cause to sprout and raise his horn with Your salvation, for Your salvation we hope all day' — for its saying 'for Your salvation' is not understood what reason it gives..

But according to what was said it is well explained, and this is its explanation: 'Et Tzemach David etc., and if you say we have no merit, nevertheless cause to sprout, for Your salvation we hope, and we have the hoping, and for the reward of the hoping it is fitting that You redeem us.'"

And simply: when Bnei Yisrael will request properly to settle in tranquility — then immediately and at once⁵⁹

the request of each one of Yisrael will be fulfilled "and our eyes shall see Your return to Tzion with mercy" — a return in serenity and rest and settlement in tranquility "in the land of his father's sojournings",

simply in physicality,

in actual deed below ten handbreadths,

and in our actual speedy [redemption].

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayeishev and Mikeitz 5744; Shabbos Parshas Vayeishev 5746)