For a hand is on the throne of Hashem, war for Hashem against Amalek from generation to generation. To fight against Amalek, the hand (יָד) is needed. Which hand? The hand that Zerach put out, which represents the kingdom of Shaul, and he is from the descendants of Binyamin.
After he sent forth a hand to destroy the seed of Amalek, now David HaMelech can come to purchase the threshing floor of Aravna the Yevusi. And afterwards Shlomo will come, and upon it he will build the Beit Hamikdash.
It follows that this is our preparation for the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu, when Shaul will prepare the ground by erasing Amalek; David will build the kingdom; and Shlomo will build the Beit HaBechira.
Rabbotai, if so, we can understand a wonderful thing that the Shelah HaKadosh writes on our Parsha. The Gemara states (Megillah 14a):
וַתִּתְפַּלֵל חַנָּה וַתֹּאמַר עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּה׳ רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּה׳״. ״רָמָה קַרְנִי״, וְלֹא רָמָה פַּכִּי. דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּקֶרֶן — נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּתָן, שָׁאוּל וְיֵהוּא שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּפַך— לֹא נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּתָן.
“And Channah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord”. She said (through prophecy) “My horn is exalted,” and not: “My pitcher is exalted.” As, with regard to David and Shlomo, who were anointed with oil from a horn, their kingship continued, whereas Shaul and Yehu, who were anointed with oil from a pitcher, their kingship did not continue.
Shaul was anointed from a flask – and his kingdom did not last; it was a short kingdom. The Shelah HaKadosh says that this was the error of the Chashmonaim kingdom. In Parshat Vayechi, Yaakov Avinu commands:
לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילוֹ וְלוֹ יִקַּת עַמִּים:
The scepter shall not depart from Yehuda, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the gathering of peoples.
The kingship belongs exclusively to Yehuda. No one else ascends to kingship! If no one else ascends to kingship, how could it be that the Chashmonaim, supremely holy ones, erred and appointed a king from their house?
The Ramban (Vayechi) writes that any king who ruled Israel from a tribe other than Yehuda, after David HaMelech, violated Yaakov Avinu’s command and diverted the rightful inheritance. Although they relied on the prophecy of Achiyah HaShiloni, who anointed Yeravam and said David’s suffering would not be forever, Israel continued appointing non-Davidic kings and were punished. This, says the Ramban, was the sin of the Chashmonaim in the Second Beit Hamikdash era. Despite their extraordinary piety and the fact that they saved Torah from extinction, all four rulers – sons of Matityahu – fell by the sword, and ultimately the entire dynasty was wiped out, fulfilling Chazal’s statement that anyone claiming Chashmonaim lineage is a slave. Their failing was that they assumed kingship though they were Kohanim, not of the tribe of Yehuda, thereby removing the scepter from David’s line. Their punishment was middah k’neged middah: Hakadosh Baruch Hu caused their own servants to rise and destroy them.
Rabbotai, how could this be? Don't they know a simple Pasuk in the Torah (regarding kings coming from Yehuda only)? The Shelah HaKadosh says, it is written that the kingdom of Yehuda came from Yehuda and Tamar. To whom did Tamar belong? When they discovered that Tamar was pregnant through harlotry, Chazal learn that she was the daughter of Shem, who was a Kohen, and therefore they sentenced her to death via burning. Tamar was the daughter of Shem ben Noach, who was a priest to Hashem, and it says in the Torah:
וּבַת אִישׁ כֹּהֵן כִּי תֵחֵל לִזְנוֹת אֶת אָבִיהָ הִיא מְחַלֶּלֶת בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף – And the daughter of any Kohen, if she profanes herself by playing the harlot, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.
The Chashmonaim said: “It is written that the scepter shall not depart from Yehuda, nor the lawgiver from between his feet. True, the kingdom belongs to Yehuda, but Yehuda is not alone – he has a partner. Tamar, who belongs to the tribe of Levi, the tribe of the Kehuna. If there is a union here between Yehuda and Levi, then this is the appropriate union! Therefore, if there are no kings in the family of Yehuda to reign, then who will reign? Matityahu the Kohen Gadol and his sons.”
If so, Rabbotai, we can conclude with something truly wonderful from Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky in sefer Emet L'Yaakov. This Parsha teaches us about the secret of Mashiach; from Peretz begins the dynasty of Mashiach.
Rabbotai, do you know what the coming of Melech HaMashiach entails? Rav Kamenetsky says, Mashiach does not come according to a plan, but comes suddenly. The Navi says:
וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל הֵיכָלוֹ הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים – And suddenly He will come to His Temple, the Master whom you seek (Malachi 3:1).
Come and see what is happening here. Yitzchak is blind. Yaakov is in sackcloth and fasting, and the Shechinah has departed from him. Reuven in sackcloth and fasting over what he did with Bilhah. Yehuda's wife dies and he marries the daughter of Shua. Two of his children die. Yosef is in Egypt, and no one knows what is happening to him. The family is completely broken apart! Suddenly, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says. “You are all in sackcloth and fasting, and I am creating the אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ – the light of Mashiach!”
Mashiach does not come according to a plan. Mashiach comes after everything appears over and finished to you! Rabbeinu Yonah states: כִּי יִהְיֶה הַחֹשֶׁךְ סִבַּת הָאוֹרָה – For darkness will be the cause of light (Shaarei Teshuvah, 2:5).
When everything is dark, when everything appears broken to you, then Mashiach arrives! Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky says this is the message provided in our Parsha. The midwife stands and says – “Who is coming out?” The first one comes out, puts out his hand and she ties a scarlet thread on it. She is 100% certain that Zerach is coming out first and he is the firstborn! Because there is no such reality in the world that whoever enters first comes out first. She knows the rules of birth – he who enters first, exits last. Zerach puts out his hand, she ties the scarlet thread on his hand, and "Mazel tov!"
Why did you tie the scarlet thread on his hand? Ruach HaKodesh. She doesn’t understand why she tied it, and suddenly Peretz bursts out! “פָּרַצְתָּ עָלֶיך-מַה?! How did you get here?! What have you broken through!" Peretz emerges and says, “Very pleased to meet you, I am Mashiach. Mashiach does not arrive according to plans. Plans are according to nature. Whoever enters first comes out last – that is what happens according to the plans! I am Peretz, I am Mashiach. Mashiach has his own way!" פָּרֶץ פָּרַצְתָּ עָלֶיך-מַה – What have you broken through, Peretz. He comes out without preparation. There is no plan! This is the yesod of the birth of Mashiach!
Therefore, Rabbotai, we can understand something truly wonderful. We are on the eve of the days of Chanukah. David HaMelech says in Tehillim:
שָׁם אַצְמִיחַ קֶרֶן לְדָוִד עָרַכְתִּי נֵר לִמְשִׁיחִֽי
– There I will make a horn sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed. The lighting of the candles that we kindle is in darkness, when everything appears dark around us. We take pure olive oil, which does not come out easily; we must crush and crush the olives until oil comes out.
When everything appears dark around you and you feel crushed, know this: Hakadosh Baruch Hu is creating the light of Mashiach. Just when it seems to you that everything is falling apart, and everyone is in sackcloth and fasting, that is when Hakadosh Baruch Hu sits and creates the light of Mashiach!
On Shabbat night, we will all sing the song composed by Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz: לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. In one of the verses near the end of the poem, we say:
יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל תִּפְרוֹצִי וְאֶת ה' תַּעֲרִיצִי עַל יַד אִישׁ בֶּן פַּרְצִי וְנִשְׂמְחָה וְנָגִילָה:
Right and left you will spread out; and Hashem, you will praise; through the man descended from Peretz we will rejoice and exult.
This verse is based on the Pasuk from the Navi Yeshayahu (54:3):
כִּי יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול תִּפְרֹצִי וְזַרְעֵךְ גּוֹיִם יִירָשׁ וְעָרִים נְשַׁמּוֹת יוֹשִׁיבוּ – For rightward and leftward you shall burst forth, and your offspring shall inherit nations and settle the desolate cities.
When will this be?! When the son of the one who burst forth without a plan arrives! He did not prepare for anything! By the hand of a man, son of Peretz, we shall rejoice and be glad.
May it be Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s will that we merit in the coming days of Chanukah to see the face of Mashiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days, Amen v’Amen! ◊
