Ask around your Shabbos table: Last week’s parsha ends with the words of Yehuda expressing guilt and subordination to Pharaoh's viceroy (Yosef). But this week’s parsha starts with the words of Yehuda, talking to Pharaoh's viceroy harshly and bravely, as Chazal teach us that he was even ready to wage war again Mitzrayim! How come, all of a sudden, Yehuda changed his attitude?
An Answer: Yehuda recalled that he made a kabbalah (a complete commitment) to be responsible for Binyomin’s safe return home. This gave Yehuda strengths that he didn’t have before!
In his sefer, Maayan Bais Hasho'eivah, Rav Shimon Schwab zt”l teaches that from here we learn a great lesson: When a person makes a kabbalah to keep mitzvos (for example, when reciting the 2nd paragraph of Sh’ma), then Hashem gives that person new strengths!
