English translation — ויגש ב

Talk, p. 222

A.

On the verse¹

"And he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent etc. and the spirit of Jacob their father revived" it is stated in the Midrash²

(And brought in Rashi on the Torah³)

That this was a sign that Joseph sent to Jacob,

That if Jacob would not believe them that "Joseph is still alive",

They should tell him that Joseph had instructed to say: "At the time that I parted from you..

I was occupied with the matter of the heifer whose neck is broken"

(And this is "And he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent"⁴)

; And continuing from this, the Midrash explains⁵

(What is stated in the verse after this⁶)

"And Israel said, 'Enough! Joseph my son is still alive'",

That Jacob said, "Great is the strength of Joseph my son, how many troubles have reached him and still he stands in his righteousness, much more than me etc.'"

And simply, the intent of the Midrash⁷

Is to explain "Joseph my son is still alive" that he is alive beyond physical life,

Also and primarily spiritual life,

Life befitting the son of Jacob — "Joseph my son is still alive"⁸.

And behold, from this that the Midrash juxtaposed the two matters one to the other — the sign that Yosef gave to his father that "Yosef is still alive" in plain sense,

and that Yaakov recognized that Yosef "stands in his righteousness" and these are his life

(this is the "life" of him)

— it is logical,

that the two matters are connected to each other,

that is: the sign that Yosef gave — in addition to it being to inform Yaakov that he is still alive physically,

comes mainly to prove that he "stands in his righteousness".

And it is understood also in plain sense — that this that Yosef remembers in which portion of the Torah he was engaged at the time that he parted from Yaakov

(from before twenty-two years),

this is proof that his Torah is preserved with him and he stands in his righteousness as before⁹.

But still needs explanation: it is understood and simple that all the deeds of the Patriarchs and the tribes

(and especially those recounted in the Torah)

are precise to the utmost.

And likewise in our matter,

that the sign that Yosef gave to Yaakov that he is still alive,

was not just any ordinary sign

(in a peripheral matter),

but rather also the content of the sign

(the matter of the heifer whose neck is broken)

is connected to the announcement that "Yosef still lives"

(and as the commentators elaborated in explaining the connection between them<sup>10</sup>).

And according to the above,

that the intention of the sign was to prove to Yaakov that he stands in his righteousness,

it is understood that the content of the matter of the heifer whose neck is broken is also connected to this announcement.

B.

And one can say regarding this:

The subject of the heifer whose neck is broken is explained in the simple meaning of the verses: "For

a corpse will be found in the land..

fallen in the field, it is not known who struck him,

and your elders and your judges shall go out

(the Great Sanhedrin)

and measure etc. and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer etc. and all the elders of that city etc.

shall wash their hands etc. and they shall answer and say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood etc.'"

And the reason for the matter is explained

— so that the event that there was "a corpse..

fallen in the field" should become publicized,

by means of which it will be easier to find the murderer etc.,

and additionally

(and this is also essential)

— so that "they shall hear and fear etc."

(as brought regarding several matters),

that is,

to negate from the outset the possibility of "a corpse..

in the field".

And the explanation of the matter — in the service of G-d:

"Chalal" in a spiritual sense is one whose attachment to the Holy One, blessed be He, has been severed,

Who is the source of his vitality,

and as it is written¹⁵

"And you who cling to the L-rd your G-d are all alive today."

And the cause of this is his being found "in the field"

("falling in the field"¹⁶)

— the place of "Esau..

a man of the field"¹⁷,

who schemes against those who are "in the field"

(and not in the tent of Torah and Judaism)

to detach them, G-d forbid, from their attachment to the living G-d, the source of their vitality, and to make them fall slain, may G-d have mercy — "a slain..

in the field",

or at least to weaken in them the matter of "And you who cling to the L-rd your G-d etc.'"

And upon this comes the instruction of the Torah — "And your elders and your judges shall go out, etc.,"

that this is their duty and responsibility of the elders and judges of Israel in general,

including the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem,

to do all that depends on them to rectify the situation and to negate completely the reality of "a corpse..

in the field"<sup>18</sup>.

And as is also emphasized in their declaration<sup>19</sup>

"Our hands did not shed this blood" — "We did not<sup>20</sup>

see him and dismiss him without food and without escort",

that is,

that this is the obligation of the elders of the city to escort every Jewish person who leaves the city

(to the field)

and to provide him with provisions for the road — food,

this is Torah which is called food<sup>21</sup>,

and also garments — commandments

[as it is stated in Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah<sup>22</sup>

on the verse<sup>23</sup>

"When you see the naked and cover him" — "If you see a person who has no words of Torah, bring him into your house and teach him Shema and prayer, etc., and urge him to perform commandments, because there is no one as naked in Israel as one who has no Torah and commandments"],

in order to strengthen him and protect him from all the dangers that lie in wait for him while he is "in the field".

And based on this, one can explain the reason

(the inner reason)

for this,

that at the time when Joseph parted from Jacob, they were specifically engaged in the portion of the beheaded heifer:

Before his descent²⁴

of Joseph to Egypt,

<pg>224</pg>

"Nakedness of the land"²⁵,

which was there in a manner of "captive among the nations"²⁶

— then at that time there was need for an addition of spiritual strength in order to stand there in his righteousness — and this is that Yaakov taught him the portion of the beheaded heifer,

in which the elders of the city are warned about their duty to occupy themselves with the escort of the man who goes to the "field" and to give him all his needs all the time of his being in the field,

as above — that this is the giving of strength to Joseph to stand in his righteousness also in Egypt.

And therefore,

when Joseph wanted to prove to Jacob that he was alive

(also)

in the spiritual sense,

he conveyed through his brothers this "sign" to Jacob,

that "the topic of the beheaded heifer" was before his eyes,

and with this power he was not at all influenced by the environment in Egypt and remained complete in his Torah and righteousness; and when Jacob saw "the wagons etc. — and the spirit of Jacob their father revived",

that new vitality was drawn into his spirituality

(spirit)

of Jacob,

and especially that the life

(the spiritual)

of Jacob depends on the lives of his descendants&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;,

as the saying&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;

"Just as his offspring are alive, so too is he alive."

3.

However, it still needs to be understood: In the Midrash there, it explains Jacob's words "Still, Joseph my son is alive" — "Great is the strength of Joseph my son..

he stands in his righteousness much more than I, who sinned in that I said&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

My way is hidden from the Lord'"

[as explained in the Midrash&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;

in Jacob's words to his sons&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;

"Why did you do evil to me, to tell the man whether you still have a brother?" — "Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He,

I am occupied with making his son king in Egypt, and he says, 'Why did you do evil to me..

My way is hidden from the Lord'"]

— for at first glance,

what is the practical difference here,

that Joseph "stands in his righteousness much more than me"?

Also needs explanation: According to the custom of Israel — that "the Torah is it" — they conclude the "third" [aliyah]

(And according to some customs³²

— to the "fourth" [aliyah])

of the reading of the portion at the verse "And they spoke etc. and he saw the wagons etc. and the spirit of Jacob their father revived,"

And in the verse after that — "And Israel said, 'Enough, Joseph my son is still alive etc.'" — begins the "fourth" [aliyah]

(Or the "fifth" [aliyah]).

And it is not understood — why do they interrupt in the middle of a matter?

And this is the thing at the beginning of "third" [aliyah],

which begins in the middle of Joseph's words to the tribes "And now³³

Not you sent me here, but God, and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt" — for at first glance this is a pronounced continuation of the preceding verses³⁴

(That Joseph said to his brothers)

"I am Joseph etc. And now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves that you sold me here, because for preservation God sent me before you,

For these two years the famine etc. And God sent me before you to place for you a remnant in the land and to keep you alive for a great deliverance"

(And with this ends "second" [aliyah],

And in the verse after that begins "And now not you sent me etc.")

— That they interrupt in the middle of Joseph's words to his brothers dealing with one content

(That his descent to Egypt was by the mission of God)?

Also it is not understood: the emphasis of the negation —&lt;pg&gt;225&lt;/pg&gt;

"Not you sent me here but God" — belongs more above,

as a reason for Joseph's saying to his brothers "Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves that you sold me here",

because "Not you sent me here but God" — and why was this emphasis said specifically afterwards

(after the interruption of "Shlishi")

in continuation with "And He made me a father to Pharaoh and a lord to all his house and a ruler over all the land of Egypt"?

4.

And one must say the explanation in all this:

The reason for this that Yosef is the first of Bnei Yisrael who went down to Egypt — and this was a cause and beginning³⁵

for the descent of all Yisrael to Egypt — is because the descent to Egypt is connected to the unique innovation in the service of Yosef:

Explained in many places³⁶

the reason that the Patriarchs and the tribes chose to be shepherds of sheep,

because this occupation — which has no distraction

(excessive)

and they are in a state of isolation from worldly matters — did not prevent them from being in a state of constant attachment to G‑d; but Yosef is different in his service from the Patriarchs and the rest of the tribes,

that even when he was occupied with worldly matters,

whether in the house of Potiphar when he appointed him "over his house and all that he had he gave into his hand"³⁷,

and likewise in the prison,

that he gave into his hand "all the prisoners..

and all that was done there, he was the doer"³⁸,

and certainly when he became viceroy to the king and managed all the affairs of Egypt

("and at your word shall all my people be armed..

and without you shall no man lift up his hand"³⁹)

— all these immense distractions did not confuse him nor disturb him, and he was in the ultimate attachment to G‑d.

And with this will be understood the reason

(the inner)

that the beginning of the descent of the Children of Israel to Egypt was through the descent of Yosef,

for Yosef

(in his service there)

he it was who gave strength to the Children of Israel⁴⁰

to hold firm even when they were in exile,

in a land not theirs,

in Egypt.

And this was the intention of Yosef when he said to his brothers — "For preservation God sent me before you..

And God sent me before you to place for you a remnant in the land",

that his descent to Egypt was a mission from the Holy One, blessed be He,

in order "to open the pipe" and give strength to the children of Israel that they could withstand the exile,

to live a spiritual life,

"And you who cling to the Lord your God are alive",

also in Egypt.

And with this will also be understood the precise wording of Yosef "For preservation God sent me..

And God sent me..

And now, not you sent me here, but God"&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;

— specifically the name Elokim,

the attribute of judgment and might

(and not the name Havayah,

the attribute of mercy)

— because this mission is in a manner of descent into exile,

a place of concealment and hiding etc.

[And in a manner that caused pain and anguish to Yosef and Yaakov etc.]

in which His mercies of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not apparent in a revealed way — and also in this situation,

Yosef effected that his descent there would be "for preservation..

to keep you alive for a great deliverance".

ה.

However, this matter is still not the ultimate purpose of Yosef's mission to Egypt — for this is only a negative benefit and effect — protection&lt;pg&gt;226&lt;/pg&gt;

from the undesirable matters in exile,

so that the person remains attached to G‑d

(as before)

even in this state —

The main innovation of Yosef is — as his name — Yosef from the language of addition&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;,

and as the interpretation&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;

in the verse&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;

"Yosef (may add) the Lord to me another son",

that the essence of Yosef is,

that he transforms also the "other"

(namely one who does not belong to the side of holiness),

that he will be a "son" to the Holy One, blessed be He.

That is to say,

not only is he not affected by the hindrances and delays of the exile,

but on the contrary,

that he rules over them until he subdues them under the dominion of holiness.

[And along the lines of the words of the Rambam regarding the King Moshiach,

that his role is not only "to restore the dynasty of David to its former state..

(so that there will be)

all the laws in his days returning as they were previously"&lt;sup&gt;45&lt;/sup&gt;

for the children of Israel

(by building the Temple in its place),

namely that the children of Israel will serve God with utmost perfection,

but also "he will rectify&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;

the entire world to serve God together, as it is said&lt;sup&gt;47&lt;/sup&gt;

for then I will turn to the peoples a clear language to call all of them in the name of God etc."].

And as it was in actuality with Joseph in Egypt,

that he was viceroy to the king,

that "without you no man shall lift his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt"&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;,

and Joseph ruled over them in actuality,

"And Joseph was the ruler over the land"&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;

[And as is related at length at the end of our portion&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;

that Joseph bought the Egyptians and their land,

and furthermore he moved them from one end of the border of Egypt to its other end etc.'],

And Joseph's intention was not only for physical control,

but rather&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;

that they should recognize the God of the heavens and the God of the earth,

and observe the seven Noachide commandments&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;,

and even as our sages of blessed memory said&lt;sup&gt;53&lt;/sup&gt;

— and it is brought in Rashi's commentary on the Torah&lt;sup&gt;54&lt;/sup&gt;

— that he compelled them to circumcise themselves&lt;sup&gt;55&lt;/sup&gt;.

6.

And behold, there is a fundamental difference between these two matters in Joseph's mission to Egypt —

(a)

Giving power to the children of Israel that the matters of

(Egypt)

the exile should not hinder them from their attachment to G‑d,

(b)

the control over the matters of the exile — that they should be subjugated and even that they themselves should be transformed into holiness:

The first matter,

the strength that the matters of the exile will not confuse the children of Israel from their attachment to G‑d,

even though its source is from Joseph,

nevertheless,

through Joseph this power is drawn into each and every one of Israel in an internal manner,

until this is called by the name of each one.

&lt;pg&gt;227&lt;/pg&gt;

And this is the inner explanation in the words of our Sages, may their memory be blessed&lt;sup&gt;56&lt;/sup&gt;

"All Israel are called by the name of Joseph because he sustained and supported them in the days of famine": Joseph's sustaining of his brothers in the days of famine includes&lt;sup&gt;57&lt;/sup&gt;

that Joseph gave power to each and every one of Israel,

that also in days of spiritual "famine" — a state of exile and concealment and hiding — they will be able to live spiritual lives as is proper,

and this power Joseph drew into the children of Israel in the manner of food,

which becomes blood and flesh like his flesh,

meaning that it became internalized in them to be their own matter.

Therefore "all Israel are called by the name of Joseph",

because this quality of Joseph becomes a part of their very essence.

But the second matter,

the dominion over Egypt,

belongs only to the level of Yosef himself,

and as in the simple sense that only he is the ruler over Egypt; and that Bnei Yisrael can rule over the matters of the exile

(in the manner of Yosef),

is not something that pertains to them but to Yosef,

and in simple terms — that the power of their rule over the matters of the exile is only as his agents⁵⁸.

7.

And based on this, the precise expressions above are understood

(section 3)

in the language of the verses and the division of the "third" part of the portion:

The two aspects mentioned above in the mission of Joseph in Egypt,

they are the two matters that Joseph said to his brothers in describing his mission that "God" sent him to Egypt:

(a)

"to sustain

(to be for you a sustainer&lt;sup&gt;59&lt;/sup&gt;)

God sent me before you..

to place for you a remnant in the land and to keep you alive for a great deliverance" — Joseph acted among the children of Israel and gave them the strength to endure in exile.

(b)

"And now, it was not you who sent me here, but God, and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt" — the effect of his mission that he would be,

Joseph,

the ruler and governor over Egypt.

[And also this mission

(the second)

pertains specifically to the name Elokim — because the government and dominion over the nations

(and matters of exile)

pertain to the name Elokim,

a matter of judgment and justice

(therefore judges are called "Elokim"&lt;sup&gt;60&lt;/sup&gt;)].

And with this we can explain and sweeten that only in the second matter does he emphasize the negation "Not you sent me here" — one can say that Yosef's intention in this is,

not only to negate

(as is understood simply)

that the cause of his descent to Egypt was not because of the intention of the tribes

(in their selling him to Egypt),

but rather,

that his mission to Egypt

(from the aspect of his second purpose mentioned above — "and He placed me etc. and ruler over all the land of Egypt")

does not pertain to them

("not you")

but only to his unique level and quality,

that he is the ruler over all the land.

And this is the reason that in the reading of the Torah they divide the two matters into two "aliyot" — because the second matter in Yosef's mission,

is superior

("aliyah")

relative to the first matter,

that specifically in it the addition is made⁶¹

("Yosef Hashem for me another son").

And so it is in the conclusion of "Shlishi",

regarding Yaakov:

The first matter — "And he saw the wagons<pg>228</pg>

"Asher shalach Yosef" showed Yaakov that Yosef stood in his righteousness even in Egypt — "and the spirit of Yaakov revived"

(as above).

But this is not a matter of novelty

(so much)

regarding Yaakov — for also by him we find its parallel

(at least something like this),

that he was twenty years in the house of Lavan the Aramean

(which we do not find such by Avraham and Yitzchak),

and worked there with all his strength⁶²

— and nevertheless he was "complete in his Torah"⁶³,

"With Lavan the wicked I dwelled and the 613 commandments I kept and I did not learn from his evil deeds"⁶⁴.

But not so the second matter mentioned above,

that Yosef became the ruler over all of Egypt — this is a novelty also regarding Yaakov⁶⁵.

And therefore,

after "and the spirit of Yaakov revived" he added "still, Yosef my son is alive",

the strength of Yosef is "great" and "much more than I"⁶⁶

[And therefore this matter came in a different "ascent",

in the manner mentioned above at the beginning of "the third".

8.

And from this there is to learn a special lesson for our generation — that the prince of the generation,

His Holy Honor, our master and teacher, the Rebbe,

his name

(the first)

"Yosef":

His Holiness, our master, our teacher, the Rebbe — "Yosef" of our generation — opened and paved the way for all his students and emissaries who walk in his ways and through them for all of Israel,

that they may engage in spreading Torah and Judaism,

and spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus,

in every place and situation,

even in "Mitzrayim",

an outside beyond which there is no outside,

And in a manner,

that not only does their being in the place of "outside"

(Mitzrayim)

not detract from their attachment to G‑d,

but on the contrary — they act and influence throughout the entire "land of Mitzrayim",

"to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments that the children of Noach were commanded..

because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and made them known to us through Moshe Rabbeinu"

(as a clear ruling of the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;67&lt;/sup&gt;).

And even if sometimes it appears initially that this is a mission of "Elokim" — in a manner of judgment and concealment and hiding,

And especially if there are concealments and hidings etc. that can cause pain and anguish etc.,

Behold, through "Yosef" they receive the power,

To reveal G‑dliness also in the place of the mission,

And furthermore — to reach

(Through this descent)

A very great elevation⁶⁸,

"Yosef has added for me another son",

Until an elevation and addition that is beyond compare.

And by adding with greater vigor and greater strength in the work of "Yosef" — the dissemination of Torah and Judaism and the wellsprings outward,

Until the outward that has no outward beyond it,

They bring closer and hasten the true and complete redemption through our righteous Mashiach,

Who will build the Sanctuary in its place and gather the dispersed of Israel and perfect the entire world to serve G‑d together⁶⁹,

And speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Tuesday,

5 Teves,

5747)