Excerpts from התעוררות דברי given in ישיבת היכל התורה by ר' יהושע פרנקנהויז שליט"א.
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דברי התעוררות
ויחי
A Time of Deep Love
As we reach the end of Sefer Bereshis, Yosef and his brothers finally reunite, the family settles in Goshen and, as Yosef passes away, shibud Mitzrayim begins.
Taken in isolation, Yosef's experiences were dreadful. He was thrown in a pit by his brothers, sold as a slave, taken to Mitzrayim - the ervas ha’aretz, underwent terrible nisyonos at the age of 17, and was then thrown in prison in a foreign land for twelve years. However, when one sees the whole picture, it is evident that all of his difficult experiences brought him to be the viceroy of Mitzrayim who ultimately saved the entire world during the years of famine.
Another Galus?
It is also striking that as soon as Yosef and the brothers finally reunite, which brought to a close decades of trouble experienced by Ya’akov Avinu, the family headed right into another long and bitter galus. This teaches us an important lesson - one most applicable today in galus. We might be experiencing pain at our current plight but in the future the full picture will be revealed to us and we will see the light behind all of this darkness.
Shovevim
Let us explore this further. We are currently beginning the important weeks of Shovevim. Shovevim are the weeks of Shemos until Mishpatim and they are designated for doing teshuva and drawing closer to Hashem. In previous generations Shovevim was known familiar to the general public - only particular sectors of Klal Yisrael were familiar with it. However, as time as gone by they have become known to many as a period of closeness to Hashem.
Why do these special weeks occur precisely at this point in the year? The Yamim Tovim and Ta’anesim are fixed to a certain date, rather than during a certain week. Why are the weeks of Shovevim any different?
From the Lowest Low to the Highest Peak!
The Sefarim explain that each time we read from the Torah, we benefit from and relive that which is being read. During the weeks of Shovevim we read how Klal Yisrael were mired in physical and spiritual galus - mired in mem-tes sha’arey tumah in Mitzrayim, the place replete with tumah and immorality. They were at such a low ebb that if they were left in Mitzrayim for another moment, they would have sunk too low to ever be redeemed.
From that point, in the mires of galus, Hashem redeemed them, transporting them from the lowest of the low to the greatest heights. He brought them to Krias Yam Suf where a mere maidservant had extraordinary visions of Hashem, and onwards to Matan Torah on Har Sinai.
Each year during these special weeks, as we read these parshiyos, we again have the opportunity to be redeemed from Mitzrayim - our Mitzrayim. We can escape our meytzarim, overcome our limitations and challenges. We have the opportunity not just to leave our Mitzrayim but to attain the spiritual levels of Krias Yam Suf and even of Matan Torah!
The Shabbos Caravan
Moshe grew up in a Torah-observant household. His father was a tremendous Talmid chacham and his brothers followed in his way. Unfortunately Moshe slipped from the derech haTorah, and eventually entirely left the path in which his father had raised him. This greatly distressed his father and entire family. All the efforts they made to help him return, did not bear the desired results. Sadly, a short while later another tragedy struck the family: Moshe’s mother passed away. This tragedy struck a particular cord with Moshe. Her passing touched him to the extent that he decided that although he would not be completely chozer b’teshuva, he would begin keeping Shabbos in her memory.
The Music Festival
Prior to Simchas Torah Moshe’s friends invited him to join them to a music festival down south. The festival was very far removed from anything Simchas Torah is all about and something his father certainly disapproved of, but he decided he would go anyway. Nevertheless, he made it clear to his friend that they would keep Shabbos while he was there. To achieve this he rented a caravan and set it up with everything that would be needed for Shabbos, including a hotplate and cooked food. He would live in an island of Shabbos amid a sea of tumah. With that arranged he set off for the party.
The Last Minute Call!
Just as he arrived and parked the trailer he got a call. It was his father on the line: “Moshe, I want you to come home right away.” “Why?” asked Moshe - I have all I need to keep Shabbos?” “No Moshe, I can't explain, but I feel we need you home for Shabbos and Yom Tov.”
Before he knew it he found himself listening to his father (and mother in Gan Eden) and made his way home, leaving the Shabbos trailer behind for his friend. Little did he know that it was this move, despite his presence in a place of great tumah, that saved his life.
Shovevim TaT
Generally, the weeks of shovevim conclude with the Parshas Mishpatim. In this parsha we read of many halachos, indicating that we did not simply leave Mitzrayim and cross the Yam Suf; we are a nation that is bid to observe Torah and mitzvos.
Once every three years or so, we are granted an extra special period known as Shovevim TaT, which is an extended Shovevim period that includes the weeks of Teruma and Tetzaveh as well. The sefarim discuss the extra benefits and spiritual heights that can be attained in these special weeks, as described below.
Parshiyos Teruma and Tetzaveh discuss the building of the Mishkan, the menorah and the korbanos. What is the purpose of building a mishkan? Is it simply a structure made of wood, gold, and other materials? Surely not. The mishkan was built from the donations of kol ish asher yidvenu libo - every Yid who dearly wanted to give something to Hashem, to build a dwelling place for the Shechinah.
We live in a mundane world - how then can we reach our beloved Father, Hashem? The answer is that we build a Mishkan - an embassy where the Shechina may reside in this world and meet with us.
Kol Ish Asher Yidvenu Libo
This special place was not built from obligatory contributions. Nobody was instructed to donate to it, in fact, the nessi’im almost missed the boat entirely. It was built exclusively from the donations of those who possessed great inner desire to give to Hashem and to create a place in which they could connect to Him.
Who were these people that were so passionate about making a Mishkan and creating such a powerful, loving connection with Hashem? It was the very Yidden who had been enslaved in Mitzrayim, languishing in mem-tes sha’arey tumah and who almost slipped into a place of no return. And yet what heights they reached! Not only did they merit to be present at Matan Torah, not only were they accorded the special accolade of being Hashem’s chosen nation, they reached the very highest spiritual level whereby they merited to build a dwelling place for Hashem.
Bi’levavi Mishkan Evneh
Today we are again languishing in mem-tes sha’aery tumah (and according to some we have even breached the 50th level). This is evident on every street corner and on every terrible, impure device. We can easily fall into despair and say: “We have fallen too low - we can never get out”. But the message of Shovevim TaT, is that not only can we indeed climb out and return to Hashem, we can even emulate Klal Yisrael in the midbar who went on to build a very special mishkan. We too can build a miskhan within our hearts - “bi’levavi mishkan evneh”. We can make embassies for Shechina within ourselves, oases of love and kedusha amid a raging sea of tumah.
Current Times
Sefarim describe how previous generations in galus fashioned the greater part of their connection to Hashem from yiras Hashem. However, as we come approach the geula, this has drastically changed. Chazal relates that one of the signs of Ikvasa d’Meshicha is “yirey chet yimo’asu - those who fear sin will be scorned”. People will disdain yiras shamayim.
The Chozeh of Lublin would quote his friend R’ Zusha of Anipoli (a talmid of the Maggid of Mezeritch) who would explain this in a different way. Yirey chet yimo’asu does not mean that people will despise those who fear sin because of their low spiritual level. It means that serving Hashem out of fear will be looked down upon because people will be craving a deeper relationship with Hashem; one based on love rather than fear. During this era, as we edge closer to the climax of history, the moment when we will achieve ultimate closeness with Hashem amid binyan Beis Hamikdash, the paradigm of serving Hashem exclusively out of fear and pressure will be scorned. Why? Because we will be craving a deeper relationship, a relationship of, ahava, of love, and affection.
The Days Before Mashiach
The best way to understand this is by examining the closest form of human relationship; that of husband and wife. If the entire reason that a husband invests in his marriage and gives his wife what she needs, is due to fear; if the only reason a wife spends time with her husband is because she is scared of his reaction, what kind of relationship is that? Can we even call that a true relationship?
This, said R’ Zusha, is the special nature of the final days before Mashiach. People will be craving a much deeper relationship, a relationship in which they are not just acting out of fear of the consequences in this world and the next. They will be enthusiastic about forming a deeper and more emotional connection.
Every year, when we arrive at these special days, we should appreciate that despite being in galus, despite drowning in the mem-tes sha’arey tumah, we need not worry. Just as Klal Yisrael escaped the tumah in Mitzrayim and then scaled enormous spiritual heights, so can we. Hashem took them out of Mitzrayim b’chipazon - allowing them to jump spiritual levels. He personally intervened - lo al y’day malach, lo al y’dey sheliach. He can do the same for us again. The parshiyos of this time give us a pathway to freedom, kedusha, and closeness with Hashem.
Let us each seek to be an “ish asher yidvenu libo”. Let us jump forwards towards Hashem and, with the great desire from the depth of our hearts, let us build special sanctuaries within our hearts for Him.
