Rashi says: ֶשׁ וֹה ִרידוּהוּ ִמ ְגדוּ ָל וֹת that the brothers demoted Yehuda from his position. It is interesting that these days, all presidents are getting impeached. This is a most traumatic experience. When President Nixon had to give a speech when he was being impeached, he was choking in tears. Abdicating a throne is even worse. Yet, Yehuda seems totally calm as if nothing happened. No complaint or: ִויכּוּ ַח charge that the Shevotim were for sure more wrong than he was.
Instead, he calmly got involved in a business partnership ) יִמָלֻּדֲﬠ שׁיִא ( and in getting married. This is real Malchus, when despite such trauma, you move on as if nothing happened. The Melech is a “total-content” person, and life’s difficulties don’t pull him down. Yehuda’s very name means Hoda'ah, i.e., he was total thankfulness and never complaining.
A Melech Must Be Total Thankfulness, Always Singing Out of Utter Hakaras HaTov to Hashem
It is interesting that the #1 Melech, which is Dovid, was: לֵאָרְשִׂי תוֹרִמְז םיִﬠְנ ש"ב כג א the sweet singer of Israel, always singing beautifully. This means total thankfulness. This is why only Yehuda (Mr. Thank you incarnate) can be Melech. A Melech must always sing out of utter Hakaras HaTov to Hashem. In last week’s Parsha, Hashem told Yaakov that: וּאֵצֵי ˃יֶצָלֲחֵמ םיִכָלְמוּ לה יא kings will come forth from you. Why did Hashem suddenly tell him this? We can suggest that when Hashem saw Yaakov saying: לֹכ יִל שֶׁי אי גל חלשיו I have EVERYTHING, and: םיִדָסֲחַה לֹכִּמ יִתְּנֹטָק וישלח לב יא I am humbled from all of Hashem’s Chesed, instead of complaining about his horrific pecklach (Lavan and Eisav, etc.). he saw that Yaakov was: ָראוּ ְל י ַמ ְלכוּת Malchus material.
Overcoming Horrific Nisyonos Makes a Person Malchus Material
Rashi mentions that both Yaakov and Yosef had brothers who hated them and wanted to kill them. Similarly, Dovid was told by his family to be a shepherd in a lion and bear infested area in order to kill him. This is all Hashgacha Pratis, since overcoming such Nisyonos makes a person: ָראוּ ְל י ַמ ְלכוּ ת Malchus material.
Thankfulness Brings All Yeshuos
A woman used to daven that her husband should be Matzliach in his learning. For a year and ½ he was learning okay. One week, she decided to stop davening and instead she would only thank Hashem that she has a husband a Ben Torah. That week, her husband suddenly started having unusual success and Geshmak in learning! He had no idea what his wife was doing!
In Hilchos Brachos, the Rambam says that a person should ask from Hashem and thank Hashem. But only by thanking and praising Hashem the Rambam says: ָכּ ַה ל ַמ ְר ֶבּ ַה ה ֵרי ֶז ה ְמשׁוּ ָבּח the more the better (similar to Haggadah Shel Pesach where it says: ָכּ ַה ל ַמ ְר ֶבּ ְל ה ַס ֵפּ ְבּ ר ְיםִיַרְצִמ תַאיִצ ַה ֵרי ֶזה ְמשׁוּ ָבּח). This Chanukah, it would be a great idea to only thank! Like Yaakov said: לֹכ יִל שֶׁי וישלח לג יא I have EVERYTHING, and watch all the Yeshuos from all areas! A Melech is always richer than everyone else, and a Cohen Gadol has to also be the richest Cohen. Being rich is a symbol of: וֹקְלֶחְבּ ַחֵמָשַּׂה ריִשָׁﬠ וּהֶזיֵא one who is truly rich, i.e., someone who is content with what he has. And the Velt says: “A thankful heart is close to the riches of the universe!”
We bring Bikkurim until Chanukah (Mishna) and the holy Alshich says that Bikkurim is done with lots of fanfare, because thankfulness is the main Yesod of Yiddishkeit. Those who brought their Bikkurim in gold and silver baskets, would be given back their gold and silver baskets to take home. But those who brought them in cheap baskets, the basket would be kept by the Cohanim. (Mishna). Chazal say that this is to show that if a person acts rich, then he continues being rich.
The end of Parshas Vayishlach has the names of Eisav’s kings who are called: םוֹדֱא יֵפוּלַּא Alufei Edom, and RSRH Zatzal explains that םוֹדֱא יֵפוּלַּא “Alufei” Edom are a type of Malchus. They are not giving people and caring people. Unlike a Melech Yisroel whom the Rambam calls: ֵל ָה ב ָﬠ ם the heart of the entire nation. They have a heart and feelings. Like Yehuda, who saved Yosef. And he saved him by saying: אוּה וּנֵרָשְׂב וּניִחָא זכ זל he is our brother and flesh, i.e., full of love and warmth. This is exactly Malchus, since the Melech is the: ֵל ָה ב ָﬠם a heart! People who are “full” and content in their own lives can truly love others and care for them.
