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Moshiach in the Parsha-Vayeshev
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YOSEF, THE BROTHERS, AND MASHIACH
GENESIS 37:5-9.
Source: Shaloh, p. 299-300 The sons of Yaakov were all righteous. If so, why did they want to kill Yosef? The brothers knew that Mashiach will come from Yehudah. But when Yosef told them his two dreams, they saw that Yosef wanted to be the leader over all the brothers, including Yehudah! That would make him a rebel against the king, and therefore deserved to die. But really both Yosef and the brothers were right. Yosef was meant to be a leader, but only to get the world ready for Mashiach. His first dream came true when he became a leader in Egypt. The second dream was for his descendant, "Mashiach ben Yosef." He is the person Hashem picked to prepare the world for "Mashiach ben David" -- the true and final Mashiach, from the tribe of Yehudah.
READY FOR TECHIYAS HAMEISIM
GENESIS 37:11.
Source: Beraishis Rabah 84:14 In Yosef's dream, he saw the sun, the moon and the stars bowing to him. The sun meant his father Yaakov, the moon meant his mother, and the stars meant his brothers. Yaakov said, "Yosef's mother Rachel is dead, therefore the dream can't be true." But he was just trying to keep the brothers from becoming jealous -- Yaakov himself believed the dream was true. But how could the dream be true if it included Rachel? Yaakov thought that the time had come for Mashiach and techiyas hameisim. Rachel would then come back to life and the dream would become true. But the time had not yet come, and the moon really referred to Bilhah.
MASHIACH IS WATCHING
GENESIS 37:21. Source: Yalkut Shimoni 141 The Torah tells us that Reuven saved Yosef from being killed. If Reuven would have known that this was going to be written down, he would have been even happier to help Yosef, and done even more. Every mitzvah we do is also written down. And by who? By Mashiach and Eliyahu HaNavi. After they write it down, it is sealed by Hashem. Therefore, we should do all our mitzvos with extra joy!
THE FOREFATHERS OF MASHIACH
GENESIS 38.2.
Source: Ramban, Rashi, Sifsei Chachamim 38:24 When Yehudah picked Tamar as a wife for his son, he was in Canaan. But the children of Canaan were cursed to be slaves! How could he accept someone from Canaan? The Rambam asks, "How could it be that our master David and Mashiach -- may he speedily reveal himself to us -- come from the cursed Canaan?" But really Tamar's father came from somewhere else and just settled in Canaan. Tamar's forefather was really Shem, who was a holy Kohen. She was therefore fit for Mashiach to come from her.
THE BIRTH OF PERETZ
GENESIS 38:29.
Source: Agadas Beraishis 63:3. Beraishis Rabah 85:14 When Tamar's twins were born, Zerach tried to be the first, but Hashem made sure that Peretz was born first. This was because Peretz was the forefather of Mashiach. Hashem said, "Mashiach is going to come from Peretz. Zerach should wait and Peretz should be born first!" Mashiach is also called by the name Peretz.
WHY YEHUDAH COULDN'T KNOW
GENESIS 38:16.
Source: Sforno If Yehudah would have recognized Tamar, he never would have had children with her. Hashem made sure that Yehudah would not find out her identity because Tamar was supposed to have children from Yehudah, not from Sheilah. The reason for this is because Yehudah was much more holy than Sheilah and Mashiach had to come from Yehudah.
THE LIGHT OF MASHIACH
Source: Beraishis Rabah 85:1. Yefei To'ar
In Parshas Vayeishev, everyone is busy. The brothers were busy selling Yosef; Yosef, Reuven and Yaakov were busy fasting; Yehuda was busy looking for a wife after his first wife died. Hashem was also busy. He was busy creating the light of Mashiach ("oro shel Mashiach"). Hashem made sure that the soul of Mashiach would be created even before the exile in Egypt began. Hashem therefore made sure that Yehudah and Tamar had children before Yaakov and the brothers went down to Egypt.
Insights on the Geula (Redemption)
Adapted from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
"When she gave birth, there were twins.. and he called his name Peretz, and afterwards his brother.. and he called his name Zarach." (Veyeishev 38:27-30) Peretz is the direct ancestor of King David and Moshiach. Thus he is identified with Moshiach, as already suggested by his name which alludes to the Messianic prophecy of "The poretz (the one who breaks through) is gone up before them" (Michah 2:13). The Midrash therefore notes that "Before the first enslaver of Israel (i.e., Pharaoh) was born, the ultimate redeemer of Israel (Moshiach; i.e., Peretz) was already born." With the birth of Peretz, our sages note, the Almighty created the light of Moshiach. G-d thus brought about the remedy and cure before the affliction, that is, before the Egyptian exile and all the exiles that followed thereafter - including our present one. This "light of Moshiach" confers upon Israel the strength and ability to succeed in their exiles to "break through" all obstacles and impediments in their service of G-d until their good deeds will effect the coming of Moshiach of whom it is said, "The poretz is gone up before them." Zarach, Peretz's twin, also alludes to the redemption. His name means "shining forth". The Messianic Kingdom will shine forth and illuminate throughout the world. All mankind will benefit from its bright light, as it is written: "Nations shall walk b y your light, and kings by the brightness of zarchech (your shining forth)." (Isaiah 60:3)
Our sages compare Zarach to the sun and Peretz to the moon. The sun by itself continuously shines in an unchanging manner; thus it symbolizes the way tzadikim (saints) serve G-d - in a stable manner. The moon's appearance keeps changing: it declines and fades from sight, and then resumes full shape. The moon thus symbolizes ba'alei teshuvah (penitents), who "slipped" and strayed and then returned and regained their spiritual stature. In this context, the royal house of David, the very source of Moshiach, is precisely from Peretz who is compared to the moon. For one of the basic aspects of Moshiach is to bring even the tzadikim to a level of teshuvah (return to their Divine source). The special relationship between Moshiach and ba'alei teshuvah, and the aspect of bringing tzadikim to a level of teshuvah, is alluded in Peretz's name. He acquired this name because at birth - paratz, he burst forth, forcing his way out before his twin- brother Zarach. This is the very mark of teshuvah, namely to break through the boundaries and limitations standing in one's way. This is also a unique and unrestricted potential, inherent in every Jew, that always allows him to breach all impediments and to burst through from the lowest to the highest levels. That is the source for the Talmudic ruling that "Where the ba'alei teshuvah stand, the perfect tzadikim cannot stand."
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