Parshat VaYeshev In Memory of Shimshon Ben Shalom

Let us try and understand over here what exactly did Jacob do wrong by simply asking of HaShem to sit and dwell in peace!? Especially after all the unfortunate events that befell upon him already! So why was he so greatly punished for this by having Joseph taken from him for so many years!?

To answer this question we will visit a well known story about the holy brothers, the Holy Rabbi Rebbe Shmelka of Nickelsburg, may he be remembered for eternal life, and his brother, the Holy Rabbi the Baal Hafla'a (One who contains wonders), may he be remembered for eternal life. They came to ask from the mouth of the Holy Maggid of Mezritch, may he be remembered for eternal life, the following question -

"How can a person fulfill in truth and a full heart the following words of the sages?"

And furthermore we see that this even includes the requirement to be happy in times of affliction!

They resumed their question -

"At the end of the day, isn't it true that when a person is afflicted with issues, and is suffering, he will then be stuck in a state of constricted consciousness of the mind?" [So how can someone be happy or bless his suffering, since that suffering forces his brain into fight or flight mode and he can't think beyond the suffering].

The Holy Magid then answers them saying - "Go to the house of Torah study and ask my student the Holy Rabbi Rebbe Zusha M'Anipoli, (may he be remembered for eternal life), and he will explain the answer to your question based on this above Mishna."

They arrived at the house of Torah study and approached Rebbe Zusha saying that the Magid has instructed them to ask him their question. He spoke up and answered them saying - "It's a wonder to me why the Maggid would tell you to ask me this question!? Isn't this a fitting question for someone who actually had misfortune or suffering befall him! Since from the day I was born, I've only experienced goodness in this world. Wouldn't this question require someone who actually experienced suffering?" Until here was his answer to the brothers.

However - the brothers knew very well that the Holy Rabbi Rebbe Zusha was incredibly poor and has been suffering his whole life, may G-D have mercy. Right away the brothers realized that one who is able to regulate himself and is able to accept all that befalls him with love, desire and joy, will reach this level that Rebbe Zusha is on, where a human literally doesn't feel the suffering of that situation. And therefor their question is answered that it's possible for a human to bless the bad that befalls him, just as he blesses the goodness.

As we can see in the Holy writings of the sages of Israel that the attribute of contentment (being at peace in life) causes someone to feel that he lacks nothing in this world, and asks for nothing more, since he is satiated with what he already has!

And with this information we can explain the words of Rashi when he said Jacob was punished for asking to sit in peace. The explanation is that when Jacob was asking to sit in tranquility, we can infer that he wasn't tranquil and at peace prior to this with all that happened to him, and therefor the misfortune of Joseph fell upon him. Certainly we do know that Jacob had lofty and holy intentions with this request, but we see from the words of the sages that the righteous get judged super finely -

And this lapse in having utmost faith was a cause for more troubles for Jacob. [Whats interesting to note is that within all this extra trouble, was actually embedded the redemption narrative for the people of Israel, since Joseph going to Egypt led to Mount Sinai and the settling of the land of Israel.]

Addendum for those troubled by the concept of being punished for requesting peace - the below additional teaching will show us how the same storyline can be looked at in the good!

Another opinion is that we can read Rashi differently, and that the misfortune of Joseph falling upon him is not said in regards to a punishment, rather as an answer to his prayer!

These specific portions of the Torah have embedded within them the secrets of the future generations, specifically the wrapping up of the exile. It is a well known principle amongst the righteous scholars that during the end of days, before the coming of the Moshiach, Israel will be in a state of prosperity, in order that when he comes speedily in our days we will really know what goodness is.

So we can understand Jacobs request to sit in peace was not really a request about himself, rather he was requesting a peace of the future, that all of Israel has a share in.

Initially Jacob was destined to be brought down to Egypt to start the exile there in chains and captivity, and his merit saved him from that, so HaShem flipped the decree to good through the Joseph narrative, in order that when Jacob comes down to Egypt, it will now be with great honor due to Josephs foundation laying. Jacob ended up coming down to Egypt as a royal and even sets up a Yeshiva right away and he dwelled in goodness. So we see it wasn't a sin for Jacob, a choice forefather of ours, to make this request.. he was simply just requesting goodness for Israel in the future as the exile wraps up. And what happened with Joseph wasn't a punishment, rather it was a reward since it led to him coming to Egypt with tremendous honor!