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A Beis Midrash in Goshen: Sanctifying the Place

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 46:28
וְאֶת־יְהוּדָה שָׁלַח לְפָנָיו אֶל־יוֹסֵף לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו גֹּשְׁנָה וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה גֹּשֶׁן
He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen.

Rashi explains “to show the way before him” as: to establish for him a house of study, from which instruction would go forth. On the next verse he notes that Yaakov did not fall on Yosef's neck or kiss him, because he was reciting the Shema.

1“And he sent Yehudah before him … to show the way before him to Goshen.”1 Rashi brings a teaching of Chazal in the Midrash2 that “to show the way before him” means “to establish for him a house of study, from which instruction would go forth.”3 But why was Yaakov so particular to send Yehudah to set up a house of study before Bnei Yisrael had even arrived in Egypt?
וְאֶת יְהוּדָה שָׁלַח לְפָנָיו וְגוֹ׳ לְהוֹרוֹת לְפָנָיו גֹּשְׁנָה (מו, כח). *וְאִיתָא ברש״י ז״ל וְהוּא מחז״ל (בראשית רבה צה, ג) לְהוֹרוֹת לְפָנָיו, לְתַקֵּן לוֹ בֵּית תַּלְמוּד שֶׁמִּשָּׁם תֵּצֵא הוֹרָאָה, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַדּוּעַ הִקְפִּיד לִשְׁלוֹחַ לְתַקֵּן בֵּית תַּלְמוּד דַּוְקָא עוֹד טֶרֶם שֶׁבָּאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם.
  1. Bereishis 46:28. ↩
  2. Bereishis Rabbah 95:3. ↩
  3. The sefer's note: See further in the Likkutim, in the discourse for supporters of Torah, an additional maamar on this verse. ↩
In shortRashi says Yaakov sent Yehudah ahead to set up a house of study; why did that have to happen before the family reached Egypt?
2A little further on the Torah says: “Yosef harnessed his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet Yisrael his father. He appeared to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a long while.”4 Rashi comments: “But Yaakov did not fall on Yosef's neck and did not kiss him. Our Rabbis said that he was reciting the Shema.” The holy sefarim, the Gur Aryeh and the Sifsei Tzaddik in the name of the Chiddushei HaRim, raise a question here. Yaakov had not seen Yosef HaTzaddik for many years, so surely this meeting was a time of great joy. If so, he should have rejoiced with Yosef first and recited the Shema afterwards.
עוֹד כְּתִיב לְהַלָּן (שם, כט) ״וַיֶּאְסוֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ וַיַּעַל לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִיו גּוֹשְׁנָה וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו וַיִּפּוֹל עַל צַוָּארָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל צַוָּארָיו עוֹד״. וְאִיתָא ברש״י ז״ל, אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב לֹא נָפַל עַל צַוְּארֵי יוֹסֵף וְלֹא נְשָׁקוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע. וְהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (גור אריה, שפתי צדיק בשם חידושי הרי״ם), הֲלֹא בְּעֵת כָּזוֹ אַחֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה זֶה הַרְבֵּה שָׁנִים אֶת יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, אֲזַי בִּפְגִישָׁתוֹ עִמּוֹ זֶהוּ זְמַן שִׂמְחָה רַבָּה, וְאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִשְׂמוֹחַ עִמּוֹ תְּחִילָּה, וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן לִקְרוֹא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע.
  1. Bereishis 46:29. ↩
In shortWhy did Yaakov recite the Shema at the very moment he met Yosef after so many years, instead of first rejoicing with his son?
3aWe may answer as follows. We know how the holy sefarim explain a saying of Chazal: “Two who sit together with no words of Torah between them, this is a session of scoffers.”5 This is difficult: simply because they are not learning, are they already called “a session of scoffers”? These sefarim explain that Chazal spoke here in wonder. How can it be imagined that two Jews sit together and do not speak words of Torah? Surely a session of scoffers once sat on that spot, and the impression it left on the place makes it hard for these two to learn there.
אֶלָּא אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר, דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ מַה שֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אֶת מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל (אבות ג, ג) שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים. וְקָשֶׁה, וְכִי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵינָם לוֹמְדִים כְּבָר קְרוּיִים הֵם בְּשֵׁם מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים. וּפֵירְשׁוּ בָּזֶה, דחז״ל אָמְרוּ כָּאן בִּלְשׁוֹן פְּלִיאָה, דְּהָאֵיךְ יְצוּיַּיר דָּבָר כָּזֶה שֶׁשְּׁנֵי יְהוּדִים יוֹשְׁבִים וְאֵינָם מְדַבְּרִים בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, אַךְ וַדַּאי הָיָה עַל הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא בְּעֵבֶר אֵיזֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, וּמֵחֲמַת הָרוֹשֶׁם שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר בְּזֶה הַמָּקוֹם, קָשֶׁה לָהֶם לִלְמוֹד כָּאן.
  1. Avos 3:3. ↩
3bStories are told to this effect about the holy Kedushas Levi, R' Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, zt"l.6 Once he traveled to a certain town and lodged with one of its prominent men. At night he wanted to learn and to engage in avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem, but he could not. Standing by the bookcase, he saw lying there a book by one of the maskilim of the generation, the champions of secular “Enlightenment.” He said that this book was what had disturbed his avodas Hashem, and he threw it out at once. Only then could he begin his holy service. A similar story is told about the Baal Shem Tov, zt"l.7 Once, standing by a window, he breathed in a fragrance there. This was astonishing, since the place was a garbage heap. His disciples asked him what it meant, and he said that he sensed holiness and a great light upon that place. They looked into it and found that one of the tzaddikim had once lived on that spot. So even though garbage now lay there, the impression of holiness remained upon the place forever.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים (עיין בהקדמת ספר דרכי החיים) עַל הרה״ק הַקְּדוּשַּׁת לֵוִי זצללה״ה, שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת נָסַע לְאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם וְהִתְאַכְסֵן אֵצֶל אֶחָד מֵחֲשׁוּבֵי הָעִיר, וּבַלַּיְלָה רָצָה לִלְמוֹד וְלַעֲסוֹק בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ וְלֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל, וְכַאֲשֶׁר נֶעֱמַד עַל יְדֵי אֲרוֹן הַסְּפָרִים רָאָה שֶׁמּוּנָּח שָׁם סֵפֶר אֶחָד שֶׁחִיבֵּר אֶחָד מֵהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים שֶׁל הַדּוֹר, וְאָמַר כִּי זֶה הִפְרִיעַ לוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וּמִיָּד זָרַק הַסֵּפֶר וְאָז יָכֹל לְהַתְחִיל בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. וְכֵן גַּם מְסוּפָּר (תולדות אדם לפסח ד״ה בד״א) עַל הבעש״ט זצללה״ה, שֶׁנֶּעֱמַד פַּעַם עַל יַד חַלּוֹן וְהֵרִיחַ מִן הָרֵיחַ אֲשֶׁר הָיָה שָׁם, וְהָיָה לְפֶלֶא כִּי הַמָּקוֹם הָיָה מְקוֹם אַשְׁפָּה, וְשָׁאֲלוּ אוֹתוֹ הַתַּלְמִידִים מַה הַכַּוָּונָה בָּזֶה, וְאָמַר שֶׁמַּרְגִּישׁ עַל זֶה הַמָּקוֹם קְדוּשָּׁה וְאוֹר גָּדוֹל. וּבָדְקוּ, וְנִתְבָּרֵר שֶׁפַּעַם גָּר בְּזֶה הַמָּקוֹם אֶחָד מֵהַצַּדִּיקִים, וְלָכֵן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּעֵת מוּנָּח אַשְׁפָּה בְּזֶה הַמָּקוֹם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם רוֹשֶׁם הַקְּדוּשָּׁה נִשְׁאַר קַיָּים לָנֶצַח עַל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.
  1. See the introduction to the sefer Darkei HaChaim. ↩
  2. Toldos Adam, Pesach, s.v. B'd"a. ↩
In shortA place keeps the impression of what was done there: a scoffers' session, a maskil's book, or the holiness of a tzaddik who lived there.
4Something like this took place when Yaakov Avinu came to Egypt. Because that was the beginning of the Egyptian exile, Yaakov feared: how would Bnei Yisrael be able to serve Hashem in a place like Egypt, “the nakedness of the land”?8 Surely the impurity of the place would disturb them in their service. That was Yaakov Avinu's fear, as the holy Ohr HaChaim explains on the verse “And He said, ‘I am the God … do not fear going down to Egypt …’”9 The Ohr HaChaim asks what Yaakov was afraid of in going down to Egypt. If he feared the exile, what did Hashem mean by telling him “do not fear”? How did that remove his fear? Surely Yaakov still had every reason to fear the harshness of the Egyptian bondage. To this Hashem answered him, “Do not fear going down to Egypt”: even within “the nakedness of the land” there are holy sparks, which must be raised up, and Hashem is to be served through them. This is the meaning of “and I will also surely bring you up.”10
וּכְעִנְיָן זֶה הָיָה בְּעֵת בִּיאָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁלְּפִי שֶׁאָז הָיָה תְּחִילַּת גָּלוּת מִצְרַיִם, נִתְיָירֵא יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה הַאֵיךְ יוּכְלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבוֹד ה׳ בִּמְקוֹם עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ כְּמוֹ מִצְרַיִם, הֲרֵי טוּמְאַת הַמָּקוֹם תַּפְרִיעַ לָהֶם בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם, וְזֶה הָיָה מוֹרָאוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁבֵּיאֵר בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי הַכָּתוּב וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי הָאֵל וְגוֹ׳ אַל תִּירָא מֵרְדָה מִצְרַיְמָה וְגוֹ׳ (מו, ג) דְּצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין מֶה הָיָה יָרֵא יַעֲקֹב לֵירֵד לְמִצְרַיִם, דְּאִם נִתְיָירֵא מִן הַגָּלוּת, אִם כֵּן מַה הוּא כַּוָּונַת ה׳ בְּאָמְרוֹ לוֹ ״אַל תִּירָא״, בַּמֶּה הֵסִיר מִמֶּנּוּ הַמּוֹרָא, הֲרֵי בְּוַדַּאי הָיָה לוֹ לִירֹא מִפְּנֵי קוֹשִׁי שִׁעְבּוּד מִצְרַיִם. וְעַל זֶה הֵשִׁיב לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ ״אַל תִּירָא מֵרְדָה מִצְרַיְמָה״, שֶׁגַּם בְּתוֹךְ עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, וּצְרִיכִים לְהַעֲלוֹת אוֹתָם וְלַעֲבוֹד עַל יָדָם אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְזֶהוּ ״וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה״ (שם, ד).
  1. Bereishis 42:9: Yosef's words to his brothers, whom he accused of spying. Here the phrase means a place of moral depravity. ↩
  2. Ohr HaChaim on Bereishis 46:3. ↩
  3. Bereishis 46:4. The Ohr HaChaim reads the word “also” (gam) as referring to the holy sparks that would be raised up from Egypt. ↩
In shortYaakov feared Egypt's impurity would hinder his children's service; Hashem reassured him, as the Ohr HaChaim explains, that there are holy sparks to raise even there.
5This also explains why the verse says that Yaakov “sent Yehudah before him” to set up a house of study for him. He wanted the place to be sanctified through the Torah, so that an impression of holiness would rest upon it. Then, as soon as Bnei Yisrael came to Egypt, they would be able to learn without disturbance, and the impurity of the place would not keep them from serving Hashem.
וְזֶה גַּם כַּוָּונַת הַכָּתוּב ״וְאֶת יְהוּדָה שָׁלַח לְפָנָיו״ לְתַקֵּן לוֹ בֵּית תַּלְמוּד, וְהוּא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּתְקַדֵּשׁ הַמָּקוֹם עַל יְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה, וְיִהְיֶה רוֹשֶׁם הַקְּדוּשָּׁה עַל זֶה הַמָּקוֹם, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן מִיָּד כַּאֲשֶׁר יָבוֹאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִצְרַיְמָה יוּכְלוּ לִלְמוֹד בְּאֵין מַפְרִיעַ, וְלֹא תִּגְרוֹם טוּמְאַת הַמָּקוֹם לְמָנְעָם מִלַּעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳.
In shortThe house of study came first so that Torah would sanctify the place, and his children could learn there undisturbed.
6For the same reason Yaakov Avinu made a point of reciting the Shema at the very first moment he came to Egypt. He did it to unify and sanctify the place with the declaration of Hashem's Oneness and with holiness. The impression of holiness he brought to rest upon the place would make it easy for the holy tribes to serve Hashem there. This is in the spirit of the Midrash: “Go out and pave the way before your children.”11
וְעַל כֵּן תֵּיכֶף בְּרֶגַע הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ מִצְרַיְמָה הִקְפִּיד לִקְרוֹא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, בִּשְׁבִיל לְיַחֵד וּלְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַמָּקוֹם בְּיִחוּד ה׳ וּבִקְדוּשָּׁה, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמָּקוֹם נוֹחַ לְשִׁבְטֵי י״ה לַעֲבוֹד ה׳, עַל יְדֵי רוֹשֶׁם הַקְּדוּשָּׁה שֶׁהִשְׁרָה עָלָיו, בִּבְחִינַת צֵא וּכְבוֹשׁ אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ לִפְנֵי בָּנֶיךָ (בראשית רבה מ, ח).
  1. Bereishis Rabbah 40:8; in standard editions 40:6, said to Avraham about his going down to Egypt. ↩
In shortYaakov recited the Shema on arrival to sanctify Egypt with Hashem's Oneness and pave the way for his children's service there.
7May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us to serve Him in every place, and so bring the redemption closer. Amen, may it be His will.
הקב״ה יַעֲזוֹר, שֶׁנּוּכַל לְעָבְדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת, וּנְקָרֵב בָּזֶה הַגְּאוּלָּה, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we serve Hashem in every place and so bring the redemption closer.
Takeaway

A place keeps the imprint of what was done in it: scoffing and the books of the maskilim leave a residue that hinders avodas Hashem, while Torah and tzaddikim leave a holiness that lasts. That is why Yaakov had a house of study set up in Goshen before his family arrived, and why his first act there was to recite the Shema. Wherever we find ourselves, even somewhere far from holiness, we can first sanctify the place with Torah and with the declaration of Hashem's Oneness, so that we and our children can serve Him there.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

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