PARSHAT VAYIGASH- TZADDIK AND BAAL TESHUVA
BSD PARSHAT VAYIGASH 5767
YERUSHALAYIM IH’K
Chazal reveal that Torah is the blueprint of the universe. Hashem looked into the Torah and created creation. And as the world unfolds, we see time and again that very basic Torah concepts become ‘popular’ topics of discussion.
One such topic is personality typing. In the psychology section or the self help or even the new age section of any major book store, you are able to find countless books on personality typing. How to get along with others, how to understand others, how to manipulate them etc. are all hot topics. This idea is firmly rooted in our Torah and goes back to the original duality of Adam and Chava, and then to their first set of sons – the ones who didn’t survive- Cain and Abel.
For our purposes right now, we will concentrate on the puzzling disparity of the two main leaders of our nation, the prototypes of the two Mashiachs, Yosef and Yehuda. Although all the sons of Yaakov Avinu had different temperaments which corresponded to their different tafkidim in the world, the nation is led and titled by being called Yosef or Yehuda. Each of these men was a leader, a king and each had a clarity that was accepted by Hashem, guided by Hashem. Yet, each had a different almost mutually exclusive way of defining Avodat Hashem and leading.
A most complete and complex treatment of the topic of Yosef and Yehuda is given by Reb Tzadok HaKohein of Lublin. He traces the major differences between Mashiach Ben Yosef and Mashiach Ben David to their respective mothers, Rochel and Leah.
Rochel Emeinu is described as beautiful; Leah is described as having swollen eyes from crying. Torah does not focus at all on the external, and we are left wondering as to these descriptions. Chazal explain clearly the tears of Leah- she was reacting in Tefilla and Teshuva over the rumors that she was to marry Esav. People were saying, Lavan has two daughters and his sister Rivka has two sons. Let the elder marry the elder and the younger the younger.
People’s gossip should have had no bearing on the actions of this great woman, yet she found a point of truth in what they said. Rochel, her sister, had no apparent inner conflicts. She always did what was correct and had a composure that bespoke her faith in Hashem. Leah was conflicted in many areas- all spiritual. Yet, she worked through these conflicts, with enormous inner strength and determination. Yet, the hard work took its toll and she was often misunderstood- even by herself at times.
The primary sons that Rochel and Leah bore shared this same destiny. Yosef was given the appellation of Tzaddik. He had a tendency and ability and will to overcome absolutely all obstacles that conflicted with holiness. He was not ‘the perfect man’, but he was close to it. His nature was sublime, he saw truth at its essence and he gravitated towards holiness and was repelled by impurity.
Even when he began to feel the weakening of his body and mind to the onslaught of Eshet Potifar, who accosted him not just with her physicality, which was oppressively powerful, but with spiritual excuses (she saw in astrology that they would have descendants together) he summoned up the deepest inner resources, used his imagination in a holy way and envisaged his father’s face.
In contrast, Yehuda failed at the same exact test.
Yosef is the Tzaddik, son of the Tzaddeket Rachel, and Yehuda is the Baal Teshuva, son of the Baalat Teshuva Leah.
Baal Teshuva here is not referring to the miraculous movement that we are currently privileged to be witness to and a part of. The Baalei Teshuva of today are basically Jews who had very little Judaism or had poisoned Judaism served to them as children. Their return is more of a ‘making up for lost time’ type of Teshuva.
The highest level of Baal Teshuva, which actually includes many powerful Jews today, means someone who is a Master of Teshuva. They have sinned, erred, gone off, corrupted their soul. And they have felt the unbearable pain of being disconnected in soul from Hashem, and have inched their way back to Him.
In doing so, in coming back, the Baal Teshuva does something extraordinary. She or he transforms a negative energy into a positive one. He or she joins Hashem in the creative process. A Tzaddik stays within the borders of Halacha, perfecting the world that can be perfected. A Baal Teshuva actually expands the world. A Baal Teshuva goes out to a place that is not in the borders of Halacha. This initial leaving the boundaries of Halacha is wrong. It becomes the setting for error and sin. Yet, the Baal Teshuva is standing in this foreign territory. He then proceeds to make Teshuva, from the deepest place within of longing for truth, for Hashem, for unity. He loves Hashem. The deepest love is turned to Hashem. The longing to come close to The Beloved. This is one aspect of Teshuva from Ahava. This Teshuva brings Hashem into this foreign place, a place that was barren of holiness. A new arena has been opened, by the Master of Teshuva.
Dovid Hamelech, with the soul of Mashiach, seemingly made mistakes. His was not a narrow, constricted nature, boundaried cozily within the Daled Amot of Halacha. Peretz, the son of Yehuda and Tamar, whose name means to break forth from confinement, was the ancestor or Dovid and so, the Mashiach is called Ben Partzi, the son of Peretz. Dovid’s was not a calm soul. Nor was his life. His life was filled with battles, wars, arguments, misunderstandings, the butt of derisive remarks by outwardly great people.
And he rose above it all, bringing all his emotions into his great Tefilla of Teshuva, his great gift to us all, his Tehillim.
This week, in Parshat Vayigash, we are told that the two great kings, the two great and perfect leaders, the two Hashkafot of Tzaddik, and Baal Teshuva meet. The Baal Teshuva comes towards the Tzaddik. The Tzaddik remains hidden, allowing the Baal Teshuva enough room to expand to the final greatness before revealing his identity. And as the Tzaddik reveals that he has been solely and instrument for the Baal Teshuva to use, to achieve his greatness, that is has been a story only for the upcoming crowning of the Baal Teshuva, the mask disappears. The Tzaddik cries from the pain he has been chosen to have inflicted on the precious soul of the Jew. The Tzaddik cries with joy that the Jew has reached his and her potential. And the Jew, stunned that the exile and Hester Panim have disappeared, realizes the final joy- that there has never been separation at all. The exile and threat was never real- it was always in the hands of He Who loves us in the deepest way.
And so it will be soon, when the final revelation begins. Reb Tzaddok teaches that in the end, there will be a total merging of the Tzaddik and the Baal Teshuva, of Rochel and Leah, of serving Hashem with fear and serving Hashem with love.
And so, each time we try within our own life to create balance between the necessary awe and the sought after love in our personal Avodat Hashem, we bring the final Geula one step closer.
