The True Smart and Shrewd People Are Those Who Are Always Involved with Hashem
Look what a super comical trick Yosef appeared to play on his brothers! This is a most remarkable fascinating story you can imagine! The Alter of Novardok Zatzal said that only a Chevra’man in: מִ ילִ י דְ עַ לְ מָ א worldly matters is capable of being savvy with the Yetzer Hara also. For good reason Yosef was the Melech of all: שׁוֹמְ רֵ י הַ בְ רִ ית those who guard their purity, and he conquered an extremely difficult Yetzer Hara while being a young Bachur all alone in Mitzrayim, and not giving in to all the Kavod he would get from the wife of Potiphar.
Of course, it was his extreme closeness to Hashem, and with every step he took: שֵׁ ם שָׁ מַ יִ ם שָׁ גוּר בְ פִ יו he was always mentioning the name of Hashem. (Rashi). The true smart and shrewd people are those who are always involved with Hashem. And their expertise in: מִ ילִ י דְ עַ לְ מָ א worldly matters makes them Gevaldig in: מִ ילִ י דִ שְׁ מַ יָ א spiritual matters. The Alter of Novardok Zatzal was once a super-successful businessman, and in Novardok they viewed fighting with the Yetzer Hara a big “business”, with plenty of profit.
Sometimes What Seems to Be Wrong Could Be the Biggest Mitzva
The masterpiece story of how Yosef fooled his brothers so long (and they were certainly brilliant people) is like an example of how he won over his Yetzer Hara when he was confronted with the wife of Potiphar. Notice how starting from: וַיַעְקְבֵנִי זֶה פַעֲמַיִם the two master tricks Yaakov played on Eisav, we have Shimon and Levi tricking Shechem, also a beautiful A-1 successful victory against a whole city, and killing the Melech and the prince, with plenty of money from the: שָׁ לָ ל spoils of war.
No doubt this is also a Mashal of these two Tzaddikim’s own Milchemes HaYetzer. And then we have Rochel stealing her father’s T’rafim, and the Shevotim lying to Yaakov about: חַיָה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ Yosef being eaten by a wild animal. This family is loaded with trickery and deceit! By Avraham and Yitzchok we don’t find this, but starting from Rivka who encouraged Yaakov to trick his father (Yitzchok), we find a family loaded with all kinds of: שְׁ קָ רִ ים lies, L'shem Shamayim!
“Those Jews aren’t straight”. When Leah went along with Lavan’s switching brides, Yaakov asked Leah how she could go along with such a thing. She replied: “I learned it from you, when you tricked your father”. (Medrash). It seems like Rivka was #1, since she is praised for being tricky Lavan’s sister and tricky Besuel’s daughter and from the tricky city of Aram. (Rashi). Why is she praised for this? Because she was the perfect new member for Klal Yisroel, who could come out pure from such a Makom Tum'ah and deceit, and could be a guide for future Doros (generations).
Be Shrewd and Cunning in Yiras Shamayim
She knew how to trick the Yetzer Hara and gave lessons to Yaakov! (Lavan is for sure a symbol of the Yetzer Hara. And she sent Yaakov to Lavan, since she already taught Yaakov how to trick Eisav; now he’ll know how to deal with Lavan). These Yesodos are extremely important. הֱוֵי עָרוּם בְיִרְ אָה Be shrewd and cunning in Yiras Shamayim! (Shimshon HaGibbor was total trickery, fooling and trapping the Pelishtim all his life. Surely he was called “Gibbor” also because of his strength and trickery with his own Yetzer Hara. And he was from Shevet Dan, whose symbol was a Nachash (snake), like: וְהַנָחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם a sneaky snake. I heard in the name of the Chofetz Chaim Zatzal that the: בוֹרֵא עוֹלָם Creator of the world doesn’t want us to be frum as much as He wants us to be smart. A Yungerman told me that he just developed high blood pressure. I asked him about his learning, and he said he has non-stop Hasmada. I told him to learn less! The Chofetz Chaim got sick because of his Hasmada, and in Radin, they took walks during Bain HaSedarim (lunch-break) because of him. Some people need much more arrogance, and it would save them, in Ruchaniyus and in Gashmiyus.
I know people who Davka eat and/or drink before davening, and they end up finishing Shas because they’re ready to wake up and learn quicker, knowing there is something delicious in Gashmiyus waiting for them. For many people, a Daf Yomi or a Geshmake Chavrusa, or a Yeshiva where the person is ahead of everybody even though it is of a lower caliber, can save a person!
Sometimes being a schmoozer without guilt can save a person, and it’s worth all the Bittul Torah (but for others it’s a total waste of time and a sin). Going to an out-of-town community without all the Kedusha that we desperately need can sometimes put a Yid on his feet for life (I’ve seen this first hand many times). Every case is different. What could be a Mitzva for Yankel is an Aveira for Berel. A strong Mussar Seder or loads of Shaar HaBitachon (and/or Bitachon Weekly) can save thousands!
