Parsha Halacha – Parshat Vayeshev – Chanukah
Yosef’s Moment of Refusal and the Chanukah Connection
Sponsored by Jean-Jacques and Perla Edderai in honor of their son’s birthday, Jonathan M. Edderai, and in honor of their wedding anniversary, both on the 29th of Kislev
Parsha Halacha is underwritten by a grant from Dr. Stephen and Bella Brenner and Dr. Morton Borg in loving memory of Stephen’s father, Shmuel Tzvi ben Pinchas, and Bella’s and Morton’s parents, Avraham ben Yitzchak and Leah bas HaRav Sholom Zev HaCohen
To sponsor or subscribe, please email rabbicitron@hotmail.com
Click here for a printable version of my article
The Torah portion of Vayeshev contains one of four shalshelets found in the Torah.[1](A shalshelet is a trop – one of the musical notes with which we read the Torah.) This uncommon note is found on the word וַיְמָאֵ֓ן/Vayema’en – “And he refused” and it refers to how Yosef refused the great temptation of being seduced by his master’s wife. The Torah describes this refusal as follows:[2] “He refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Behold, my master knows nothing about what I am doing in the house, and all that he owns, he has placed in my hands. No one in this house is greater than me. He has not withheld anything from me other than you, for you are his wife. How can I do such a great evil and sin against G-d?’”
The commentaries point out[3] that it seems from Yosef’s language that his main concern was the lack of decency – that committing adultery would be taking advantage of his master’s trust– while the fact that it’s a sin against G-d is relegated to a mere mention at the end.
The explanation to this matter is based on an interpretation by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhyn[4] on the following Midrash:[5] “Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah says: ‘A man should not say: “I do not desire to wear sha’atnez (a forbidden mixture of wool and linen); I do not desire to eat the flesh of a pig; I do not desire to have illicit relations.” [Rather one should say,] “I do desire it, but what can I do? My Father in heaven has decreed against it!”’”
If a person’s reason for refraining from sin is based on his lack of desire for the act or on any other personal reason, then if those reasons change, he may be tempted to sin. On the other hand, if one refrains from sin solely because he has fear of Heaven, then this can be maintained even if his feelings change.
The trop (musical note) after the word וַיְמָאֵ֓ן/Vayema’en is a pesik, which means that the reader should pause before continuing. This pause indicates that Yosef’s refusal to sin was not related to the reason he gave for this refusal. It was a statement of absolute refusal that is beyond logic. To explain his attitude, Yosef told his master’s wife, “Your husband has absolute trust in me and he will never know if we sin. So the reason for my utter refusal is simply because this act is a sin against G-d Almighty.”
This attitude is one that also counters the attitude of the Greeks of the Chanukah era. The Greeks weren’t against studying Torah and observing certain mitzvot as long as they made sense and could be logically understood. What disturbed them was the absolute devotion symbolized by observing the chukim – those mitzvot that have no logical explanation. This is why they especially opposed the mitzvot of Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, and Brit Milah, all of which are referred to as chukim – Divine decrees.[6]Thus Yosef’s absolute refusal to consider sinning parallels the battle of the Macabees who refused to accept the Greek perspective and fought to maintain an attitude of complete devotion to G-d Almighty.
The rest of this article will be about the
Laws and Customs of Chaukah, 5786
Click at the link below
https://www.surfsideminyan.com/laws-and-customs.html?post_id=1700385