Parsha Halacha – Pesach
One Haggadah Insight
Lessons from the Silkworm
From the teachings of Rabbi Moshe Greenwald, author of the Arugat HaBosem
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And Yaakov and his Sons Went Down to Egypt[1]
The Talmud says,[2] “A person should never differentiate one son from his other children as, because of the weight of two sela of milat (fine wool) that Yaakov gave to Yosef (the Ketonet Pasim), his brothers became jealous of him and the story unfolded and our forefathers descended to Egypt.”
The question is, who weighed Yosef’s coat and knew that it was the weight of two selas? To answer this question, Rashi says that it doesn’t literally mean the weight of two selas but rather should be understood as an example of a small amount. This, too, needs to be understood (as the Maharsha points out) since a normal garment weighs much more than two selas.[3] Rabbeinu Yitzchak (quoted in Rashi) therefore suggests that Yoseph’s coat was an ordinary coat with strips of milat (fine wool) at the end of the sleeves.
Rabbi Moshe Greenwald of Chust gives a deeper explanation to this matter:
King David says (Psalms 8:7); “You have made them (mankind) master over Your handiwork, laying the world at their feet.” This can be understood to mean that man is a microcosm of the universe and that therefore there are many parallels between worldly matters and mankind.
Israel is Compared to a Worm
The Midrash[4] quotes the verse:[5] “Fear not, o worm Yaakov.” Why is Israel compared to a worm? To teach us that just as a worm has only a soft and tender mouth with which he strikes at a hard cedar tree, so Israel has only its prayers with which it can fell its enemies who are compared to cedar trees.”
The Silkworm
According to the Zohar, the comparison between the Jewish people and a worm refers to the silkworm. As the Zohar says, [6] “‘Do not fear, O worm of Yaakov.’ What is the worm? There is no creature in the world like this silkworm, from which come forth all the precious garments—the royal garments of kings.”
[The silkworm is a wondrous creature which spins a strand from its mouth (for the purpose of creating a cocoon) that can be up to a mile long. People take these fibers and process them into silk, a material that is resilient yet can be stronger than steel. Due to their high quality, silk garments are very expensive and are often worn by kings (and similar fancy people). Mankind has not been able to replicate this fabric and create it artificially.][7]
When a Jew does a mitzvah, he creates a garment for his soul as the angel said to Zechariah, the prophet,[8] “See, I have removed your sin from you, and you shall be clothed in honorable robes.” Similarly, when a Jew uses his mouth to speak words of Torah and prayer, those words turn into a holy garment for the soul.
Silk Clothes on Shabbat
According to the Kabbalists, it’s appropriate to wear silk garments on Shabbat.[9] The Lubavitcher Rebbe mentioned this on various occasions.[10] It has been suggested that wearing a silk garment reminds us that, especially on Shabbat, we have the power to weave holy garments for our souls which are used to honor the King of Kings.
Like a Scarlet Thread
The power of the mouth to create garments for the soul can be damaged if one misuses his mouth for forbidden speech. As King David writes in Psalms,[11] רוֹמְמוֹת אֵ־ל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּות בְּיָדָֽם׃ – “With praises to G-d in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands.” This can be understood to mean, “You can create praises to G-d with your throat as long as the throat, which is sharp as a sword, remains in your hand, i.e., your control, and you make sure not to use it for forbidden speech.”
King Solomon writes,[12] כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵךְ נָאוֶה – “Your lips are like a crimson thread,
Your mouth is lovely.” This can be interpreted to mean; Your lips have the power of a silkworm (to create garments for your soul), but only when your speech is lovely (and not tainted by gossip and other forms of forbidden speech).
Yaakov’s Plan
This will help us understand a difficulty with the story of Yosef and his brothers. The verse (Gen. 37:2) says that Yosef brought bad reports about his brothers to their father. In the next verse it says that Yaakov made a Ketonet Pasim (colorful coat) for Yosef. Since there was already rivalry between Yosef and his brothers, why would Ya’akov risk increasing the tension by showing this explicit favoritism?
Silence is Golden
We learn in Pirkei Avot[13] that there is nothing better for a person than silence. In a similar vein, the Talmud[14] quotes a popular saying, מִלָּה — בְּסֶלַע, מַשְׁתּוּקָא — בִּתְרֵין “If a word is worth one sela, silence is worth two.”
Two Strips of Silk
As mentioned above, according to Rashi, the Ketonet Pasim was a regular garment with two strips of milat on the hem of the sleeves. Although most commentaries translate milat as fine wool, some say that it means silk.[15] This will help us understand Yaakov’s intention by giving Yosef the special coat.
Upon seeing that Yosef was giving bad reports about his brothers, Yaakov gave him a coat with two strips of silk in order to teach him an important lesson: Consider the dual power of the silkworm. It can destroy mighty trees with its mouth, and it can also fashion exquisite garments with its mouth. So, too, you have the choice of how to use your mouth: in a positive way which will garb your soul in shining garments or in a way that will wreak destruction on your relationship with your brothers and with G-d. Therefore, guard your mouth and use it sparingly in keeping with the teaching that silence is more powerful than speech.
The coat was teaching the immense value of silence. This is the meaning of the Talmud that the coat had מִשְׁקַל שְׁנֵי סְלָעִים מֵילָת (the weight of two selas). The word mishkal, normally translated as “weight,” can be understood to mean “the understanding” (since we weigh things in our mind). I.e., Yaakov gave Yosef a coat intending for him to understand that silence is valued twice as much as speech (as in the adage that silence is worth two selas).
Unfortunately, despite Yaakov’s good intention, the brothers took this as an act of favoritism which led to further strife and eventually to the exile in Egypt.
As we enter Pesach, which means “the mouth speaks” (פה סח), we should take the lesson which Yaakov was attempting to impart to Yosef. And use our speech to enhance our relationship with G-d and our fellow-Jews rather than, G-d forbid, the opposite, thus creating splendid garments fit for the King of Kings.
May such garments garb our soul as we near the coming of Moshiach, may he arrive speedily in our time!
[1] From Haggadah Hallel Nirtzah and Derush LeShovavim in Arugat HaBosem. See also Shiurim shel Rav (Baruch) Rosenblum, page 72.
[3] A sela is two shekalim. Since a half-shekel coin weighs 105 grams, it follows that a sela weighs 420 grams which is less than 1 lb.
[6] Parshat Vayishlach 178a quoted in Sefer Chareidim 66:99.
[7] With the assistance of ChatGpt. See also here.
[9] Sefer Hama’amorim of the Rebbe Rashab 5662, page 231, citing the Kabbalists.
[10] Torat Menachem Vol. 2, page 53 and Sefer HaSichot 5750 vol. 2 page 420.
[15] See Asara Ma’amarot by Menachem Azariah of Fano, vol. 2, Ma’amar Chikur Hadin, chapter 3 and in several other places.
Wishing You a Chag Same’ach, a Good Shabbos, and a Kosher and Happy Pesach!