Studying selected verses of the parsha through the lens of Mussar---enabling us to make a connection between the weekly portion and our own lives.
The middah of Emet /אמת / Truth
This parsha ends the book of B'reisheet with a resolution between Joseph and his brothers---but with a unique take on Emet. We will continue to explore this middah from that point of view.
Bullet Points /key concepts review:
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Jacob lived to 147, and his last years and his death are described
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The earliest mention of shiva, the 7 days of mourning is in this parsha, including the obligation to bury the dead, along with some practices
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Jacob blesses Joseph, and Ephraim and Manashe---his grandsons
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After, Jacob blesses his twelve sons who have gathered at his bed, giving each blessings containing an assessment and prediction
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Joseph mourns his father's death and Jacob is embalmed, and buried in Hebron in a Machpelah cave in Canaan.
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Joseph reassures his brothers that they and their families will be safe and taken care of
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Joseph dies at age 110 and tells his family before that they are to return his bones to their homeland, they promise to take his bones with him when they leave Egypt
Rabbi Ḥanina said: The seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth [emet], Talmud, Tractate Shabbat 55a
(ב) האמת. הנשמה נבראת ממקום רוח הקודש, שנאמר (בראשית ב ד): "ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים"; ונחצבה ממקום טהרה, ונבראת מזוהר העליון מכסא הכבוד. ואין למעלה במקום קודשי הקודשים שקר, אלא הכל אמת, שנאמר (ירמיהו י י): "ויי אלהים אמת". ומצאתי כי כתיב: "אהיה אשר אהיה" (שמות ג יד), וכתיב: "ויי אלהים אמת, הוא אלהים חיים ומלך עולם" (ירמיהו שם).
(2) The soul is created from the place of the Holy Spirit, as it is said, "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). And it is hewn out from a place of purity, and it is created from the supernal radiance, from the Throne of Glory. And in the realm above, in the place of the Holy of Holies, there is no falsehood. There everything is truth, as it is said, "But the Lord God is the true God" (Jer. 10:10). I have found written, "I am that I am" (Ex. 3:14). And it is also written, "And the Lord God is the true God, He is the living God and everlasting king" (Jer. 10:10).
To frame this middah, we will return to the last section of Vayechi regarding Emet.
(14) After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father. (15) When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong that we did him!” (16) So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before his death your father left this instruction: (17) So shall you say to Joseph, ‘Forgive, I urge you, the offense and guilt of your brothers who treated you so harshly.’ Therefore, please forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father’s [house].” And Joseph was in tears as they spoke to him. (18) His brothers went to him themselves, flung themselves before him, and said, “We are prepared to be your slaves.”
ויצוו אל יוסף. ובחיי אביהם למה לא צוו אלא אמרו מה לנו לעורר השנאה שהרי כבר שכחה והלכה לה כיון שחזרו מלקבור אביהם ועבר יוסף על הבור שהשליכוהו אחיו אמר ברוך שעשה לי נס במקום הזה אמרו עדיין יש שנאה טמונה בלבו מיד ויצוו אל יוסף:
ויצוו אל יוסף , “they sent a messenger to deliver an urgent message to Joseph;” why did they not do so during the lifetime of their father? During the lifetime of their father they had thought it best not to resurrect old hatreds, etc. they assumed that the past had been buried. When they had passed the pit into which they had thrown Joseph they observed how Joseph recited the blessing appropriate for people who had been the witness and beneficiaries of Divine miracles. When they saw this, they were afraid that he had not forgiven them for the past.
And Rabbi Ile’a further said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon: It is permitted for a person to depart from the truth in a matter that will bring peace, as it is stated: “Your father commanded before he died, saying: So you shall say to Joseph: Please pardon your brothers’ crime, etc.” (Genesis 50:16–17). Jacob never issued this command, but his sons falsely attributed this statement to him in order to preserve peace between them and Joseph.
373. Truth establishes all things, falsehood overthrows them.
תִּתֵּ֤ן אֱמֶת֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב חֶ֖סֶד לְאַבְרָהָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ מִ֥ימֵי קֶֽדֶם׃
You will keep faith [to truth, as] with Jacob,
Loyalty to Abraham, As You promised on oath to our fathers In days gone by.
Micah 7:20
(א) מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְ֭הֹוָה מִי־יָג֣וּר בְּאׇהֳלֶ֑ךָ מִֽי־יִ֝שְׁכֹּ֗ן בְּהַ֣ר קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ב) הוֹלֵ֣ךְ תָּ֭מִים וּפֹעֵ֥ל צֶ֑דֶק וְדֹבֵ֥ר אֱ֝מֶ֗ת בִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃
(1) A psalm of David. LORD, who may sojourn in Your tent, who may dwell on Your holy mountain? (2) He who lives without blame, who does what is right, and in his heart acknowledges the truth;
Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
§ The Sages taught: How does one dance before the bride, i.e., what does one recite while dancing at her wedding? Beit Shammai say: One recites praise of the bride as she is, emphasizing her good qualities. And Beit Hillel say: One recites: A fair and attractive bride. Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: In a case where the bride was lame or blind, does one say with regard to her: A fair and attractive bride? But the Torah states: “Keep you from a false matter” (Exodus 23:7). Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: According to your statement, with regard to one who acquired an inferior acquisition from the market, should another praise it and enhance its value in his eyes or condemn it and diminish its value in his eyes? You must say that he should praise it and enhance its value in his eyes and refrain from causing him anguish. From here the Sages said: A person’s disposition should always be empathetic with mankind, and treat everyone courteously. In this case too, once the groom has married his bride, one praises her as being fair and attractive.