START THE DAY THE TORAH WAY 19th January 2014 PARSHAS MISHPATIM

This sedra comes immediately after the עשרת הדברות. It starts of with the, משפטים, civil laws, the laws of natural justice which can be understood logically in contrast to the חקים, statutes which we would never have worked out ourselves.

I should like to pose a couple of questions.

Firstly, there are no fewer than 53 mitzvos, out of the whole 613, in this week’s sedra. If one goes through them, one finds quite a jumble and the Torah seems to jump from one type of law to another on many occasions. Is there any reason for this, or can one discern an underlying pattern.

Secondly, the first mitzvah mentioned is about an עבד עברי, a Jewish person who was sold into slavery to another Jew because he could not pay his debts and the Bais Din gave permission for him to be sold to pay at least part of the debts.

Before I go into a possible explanation for the second point, which I would mention is raised by several rishonim, for instance, the Ramban, Rabbenu Bechai, Abarbanel, I think that it is perhaps to the point to state that there are, in fact, ג''ן mitzvos (53) in the sedra. Perhaps after the Bnei Yisroel had said נעשה ונשמע, we will do and hear, and they were privileged to hear from Hashem, Himself, the ten commandments, they were then taken “for a stroll in the garden” ג''ן, of Torah and mitzvos so that they should get a flavour of them.

In the same way as walking round the garden where there are trees, fruits, vegetables, some sweet smelling, others just beautiful looking, also this sedra, following on immediately from the עשרת הדברות is like going round a large, well tended garden. This might be taken in contrast with say Kew gardens which could be in some way analogous to the whole of the תרי''ג mitzvos.

The commencement of all these mitzvos with עבד עברי needs to be understood. That case did not happen for the 40 years that the Bnei Yisroel were in the midbor and, for that matter, for over 50 years after, as they took many years until they conquered Eretz Yisroel when the din of עבד עברי became relevant only when the laws of shmittah and yoivel began to apply which was only, at least, 54 years after the Torah was given.

Surely it would have been more to the point to start with a case that was relevant immediately, followed by other such matters. For instance, מכה אביו ואמו etc. mentioned later on the Sedra, would be relevant immediately and were likely to be more frequent even, as well. Why did the Torah start with this particular mitzvah?

I think that this can be explained by the analogy of people who, unfortunately, were caught in the Second World War by the Nazis, sent to Auschwitz or other such places. The trauma of these people has remained with them for the rest of their lives.

In this case, the Jews going out of Egypt were virtually all born into slavery and had been mistreated for well over 100 years by the Egyptians. The contrast of the Torah insisting that a Jewish servant sold to another Jew, even if because of his misdeeds, still can only be sold for six years and has to be freed afterwards, is vivid. Not only that, the Gomorra says that by acquiring a Jewish eved, the master is, in a way, acquiring a master for himself. For example, if he only has one cushion he has to give it to the servant to use rather than using it himself.

One can see the tremendous contrast between the way the Egyptians acted and the way we are enjoined to act.

The reason why this is the first mitzvah mentioned, I believe is, because this would make the biggest impression on the Yidden. The change of behaviour that was required of them for the future was enormous.

Remember that the Torah was given just 6 weeks after they finally left Egypt.

One could argue that the rules concerning an eved Canaani, a non Jewish slave, are more analogous to what happened to the Yidden in Egypt.

I think, however, that what Hashem wanted to establish was the principle in the first instance. Yidden have to show respect and love for one another and in broad terms the idea is to improve middos.

Remember that the people inhabiting the world up to the time of Matan Torah became less and less connected to Hashem and more and more selfish looking for self gratification and willing to enslave other people.

Dare I say it, that looking at the world today, we see that over recent years the lack of morals and sensitivities for other people, the senseless killings and enslavement of others etc. has increased in a similar type of manner.

Matan Torah was a clarion call that the Jewish people had to show moral strength and do things differently than had been done until then. By commencing Parshas Mishpatim with the din of עבד עברי the stark contrast between what had been happening previously, to the Yidden themselves in Egypt, was emphasised in no uncertain terms.

The laws concerning an eved Canaani (a non Jewish servant) are indeed mentioned later on in the Sedra. I would only highlight one such case, namely, that if a master knocks out the eye or tooth of a male or female servant they have to let the servant go free.

The Torah, not surprisingly, continues after the case of עבד עברי, with the case of אמה עבריה, a Jewish maidservant sold by her father to a Jewish master. Once again, he could not do what he liked with the girl, she only remained with him for a maximum of six years or until she became 12 years of age if earlier. Furthermore, the Torah tells us that ideally the person who bought her, or his son, should marry the girl. If all this was not carried out properly she had to be allowed to go free when she grew up.

The Torah then continues with a mitzvah very much connected with servitude. A slave in Egypt was treated as a second class individual, if a human being at all. The master could, mistreat, ill-treat and virtually thrash to death somebody he disliked. The Torah, however, continues מכה איש ומת מות יומת, if a person hits another person so hard that he dies, he himself, has to be killed. However, there is a safety mechanism that if he did not do it on purpose, there is a place of refuge known as עיר מקלט. If, however, he did it on purpose, he may not just go to the עיר מקלט, and so avoid punishment, he can be taken from every place in the country and if proved guilty, killed as well.

Whilst the Torah is speaking of unjustified raising a hand to another Jew and the way Yidden are supposed to behave to one another, the Torah goes one stage further and states מכה אביו ואמו, namely that if a person would hit his father or his mother and not kill them, but just wound them, he would also be sentenced to death. Then the Torah carries on, but if somebody steals, kidnaps, another Jew and sells him, once again there is a capital penalty. Even if he curses a father or mother, the death penalty is imposed.

This, of course, is subject to there being the necessary warnings given and witnesses that this, in fact, happened. There are safety checks and balances built in, all the way through the system.

All this is to emphasise the dignity of man and the fact that doing such things is not the way to treat another Jewish person at any time. It is also emphasising that nobody should take the law into his own hands, the Beth Din has to be involved and determine the true facts and the correct penalty.

The Torah then continues with an example of a person hitting another one, wounding him but not fatally. There the attacker has to pay for a doctor and the healing process. The Torah then goes further by stating that even if a Yid has a servant who is not Jewish, he must still not just treat them as the Jews were treated in Egypt, with distain. The Jewish master must be careful not to kill him, otherwise, he himself will be punished.

The Torah continues with all these type of mitzvos in order that one should guard against physical violence against other Yidden, or for that matter other people as well.

All in stark contrast to what happened to the Yidden in Egypt.

Once again, I would emphasise the point that I made earlier on, that I believe that this is why the Torah started off with these type of mitzvos and particularly the case of עבדים, servants, because the Yidden receiving these mitzvos could relate so personally to the situations in which they had themselves be born to, or found themselves for many, many years.

The Torah then turns to animals belonging to a person attacking other people and punishment meted out in such cases. Not only animals but also if a fire is lit, spreads to somebody else’s field, the precise rules are stated and so are also many rules concerning people’s possessions which are given to another person to guard who does not look after them properly. There are detailed rules for different types of shomrim, namely, guardians.

If one continues carefully through the Sedra one gets a flavour of how inter-personal relationships between human beings and others should be carried out and even as far as animals or objects are concerned.

I think that bearing in mind the above remarks, one can discern an underlying pattern in the Sedra. This deals with the first question that I put earlier on.

חז''ל, our Rabbis, tell us that at the time of Matan Torah נתרפאו כל החולים, all those who were ill were healed. For example, people who were blind previously could see, those who were dumb could speak, etc. It appears that Hashem wanted the Yidden to be physically sound and well at the time that they received the Torah.

We also find that when Hashem gave the Torah the impact was so great that פרחה נשמתן, their souls departed from their bodies. The spiritual connection was so great that the souls returned to their spiritual place in heaven and Hashem had to send the neshomos back.

It, therefore, stands to reason, I believe, that before doing so, he cleansed those souls, those neshomos, as well and not only did they have a complete perfect body, they had a complete perfect and unsullied neshomo, soul.

Accordingly, the whole of the Bnei Yisroel were spiritually, as well as physically, in a first class state.

This would make perfect sense as they now had to keep, not seven mitzvos but 613 and their style of life both spiritually and physically would be radically altered with the giving of Torah, which they had accepted wholeheartedly, נעשה ונשמע, we will do and we will hear.

Bearing this in mind, one can envisage the fact that at least some of these neshomos may have already been sent to the world in previous generations and those neshomos may not have been looked after by the individuals in the correct manner and therefore, had become sullied and needed a תיקון, rectification. It would be much easier for the Bnei Yisroel now to effect rectification for the old problems in all the circumstances.

This fits in with the posek, כי תקנה עבד עברי which the Torah starts off at the beginning of Mishpatim. In addition to the simple explanation, namely that we are talking about a Jewish servant who was sold into slavery to another Jew and the explanations I have given, the Zohar Hakodesh gives a completely different and more mystical explanation as follows:-

The Zohar says that this refers to gilgulim. That is somebody who has been previously in the world and the soul, the נשמה, comes back to effect a further תיקון, rectification of something which had not been dealt with at an earlier time, either because of עבערות performed, or a lack of learning Torah or keeping mitzvos etc. and the Zohar embroiders on the theme considerably.

The Yidden at Matan Torah were elevated spiritually in an incredible fashion. They experienced a one off revelation by Hashem which had an effect, immediately and in the long term. The people who had lived before Matan Torah had received neshomos and very often had not carried on their lives in the correct fashion. It would seem very possible to assume that the Yidden after Matan Torah who had, possibly, received neshomos as gilgulim from a previous incarnation would therefore be in a position to be מתקן, to rectify, that which the previous person utilising the same neshomo had spoiled.

This also could apply to later generations through the ages.

Let me tell you a story concerning gilgulim.

The leading talmid, the pupil of the Baal Shem Tov, R’ Ber of Meztritch, once asked the Baal Shem Tov, How does this work?, What does it all mean?

The Baal Shem Tov told him to go out of the little village that they were in, into a particular wood and find a tree with a spring flowing out, just adjacent to that tree. He said, stay there during the day and leave at 6 o’clock in the evening and come back. R’ Ber went to the forest and eventually located the spring. He then positioned himself unobtrusively so that he could what might happen, without being observed himself.

Some short while afterwards, a nobleman on a horse came riding by and spotted the spring. He dismounted and went over to the water and took a drink. He also gave his horse something to drink. Meanwhile, his pouch slipped out and he did not notice. He remounted and rode off.

A little while later, another person, nowhere near as noble, rode by on his horse and spotted the same spring. He also dismounted and went to drink, he spotted the pouch and saw that it had considerable monies in it and took it. He remounted and rode off.

Sometime later, a beggar walking with a stick emerged in the forest and spied the same spring. He went over, had a drink and as he was tired laid down and fell off to sleep. Very shortly afterwards the original nobleman rode back looking for his pouch. Of course, it was nowhere to be seen. When he spied this old man he woke him up and berated him. Give me back my pouch with all my money. The beggar denied any knowledge of the money and, for that, he was beaten thoroughly whilst protesting his innocence. Eventually the nobleman rode off in a huff.

When R’ Ber looked at his watch, he realised that it was 6 o’clock. He came back to the Baal Shem Tov who asked him to detail what he had seen. R’ Ber told the whole story and asked the Baal Shem Tov for an explanation.

The Baal Shem Tov told him the following. In a previous gilgul, that is many years earlier, a man, let us call him Reuven, loaned another man, let us call him Shimon, money. When it was time for Shimon to repay the money, he denied any knowledge of owing the money at all, and we are talking about a large sum of money.

Eventually, Reuven realised that he was getting nowhere with Shimon so he took him to the Dayan, to the Beth Din. The Dayan prevaricated and eventually Shimon got off the hook and just did not repay. The Baal Shem Tov then said to R; Ber “You were witnessing the sequel of that story. The nobleman, who lost the money, was Shimon, (Shimon’s soul) the other man who found the pouch was Reuven, in a previous gilgul, and he, in fact, now got back the money that way. The poor man you saw, the beggar, was the Dayan and he was punished for not having dealt with the matter correctly.

Sometimes in this world, it appears to us that things happen which are not fair and this is even to people we know personally. There is always a good explanation or reason for it, it is just that very often we don’t understand it.

Our job is to try and not get into the same state of not doing things properly. When we come up to heaven, after 120 years, to answer for our deeds, or misdeeds, we should not be sent down again for another instalment in this world.

Of course, teshuva, that is repentance, always helps but in the case of monetary matters, this also has to be coupled with actually doing something about any losses which one causes to other people, if, of course, one is really responsible.

Looking through the Sedra right the way through to Chamishi and Shishi, one realises that there is a thread running through the Sedra, namely that one has to be very careful of what is called בין אדם לחברו, personal relationships between one man and another.

After the Yidden received the Aseres Hadibros and had the one off experience of Hashem speaking to them, they might have been forgiven for having their heads in the clouds and being very worried aboutלמקום   בין אדםmitzvos which are between a man and his Creator. Mishpatim comes to emphasise that the two, בין אדם לחברו and בין אדם למקום are equally important.

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תתן אמת ליעקב - GRANT TRUTH TO YAAKOV

This is the final posek of the prophecy of Micah. It defines the special quality, מידה of Yaakov Avinu.


Yaakov Avinu was given his name by הקב''ה, (or alternatively by Yitzchok) as Rashi states at the beginning of תולדות. The Midrash and Zohar tell us on the posek in Tehillim אשר שם שמות בארץ that the first inhabitants of this world knew why they gave a particular name to a child. It encompassed their potential and events that might take place in the person’s life. Yaakov Avinu was given the potential to elevate the whole of the טבע to the level of אדם הראשון when he was created. At that time there was only אמת in the world. חז''ל tell us חותמו של הקב''ה אמת the seal of Hashem is truth. In the same way the special quality attributed to Yaakov is אמת as stated above in the last verse of Micah’s prophecy.

If we go back to the first three words in Torah בראשית ברא אלקים, the last three letters are אמת. The final letters of the three words ending the description of the seventh day of creation, ברא אלקים לעשות, once again spell out אמת, because Hashem created the world with the quality of אמת.

Unfortunately, after the sin of Odom Harishon, the world became spoiled and we now have an עולם השקר a world full of lies and deceit.

I believe that we will be able to see that יעקב actually reached the level of Odom Harishon קודם החטא and he fulfilled the potential embodied in his name..

Yaakov Avinu’s life was connected to, and I would suggest predicated on, the number 7. In fact, יעקב totals 182 which is itself 26 times 7. The world was created in seven days and 26 is the numeric value of הוי', the name of essence שם העצם of Hashem. This, therefore, reflects the potential within him.

As we look through his life we find that at the age of 63 (9 times 7) he received the brochos from Yitzchok which commenced ויתן לך. It is significant that the brochos included the following יעבדוך עמים וישתחו לך לאומים הוה גביר לאחיך , Nations will serve you and peoples bow down to you. He was explicitly given the power over the inhabitants of the world including his own brother.

A little later, still at the age of 63 (9 times7) he was told to go to Lovon and choose a wife there.

Just as an aside, I believe the reason why he did not go immediately as instructed by his father, was that we are told in סדר עולם , that when Yaakov reached the age of 63, that was the year that bothרחל and לאה were born. They were twins. Therefore there was not much use in going to Lovon when they had just been born and even at the age of 7 they would not have been very grown up. He, therefore, waited for the next multiple of 7 (2 times 7 = 14) and then did what his parents told him to do, namely go to Choron to find a wife.

On his way to חרן, when he was 77 (11 times 7) he had the famous dream of the ladder stretching from the earth to the heavens with angels ascending and descending on the ladder. Hashem promised him the land of Israel and that it would pass onto his descendents.

He arrived at Choron when he was 77 years of age (11 times 7). He undertook to serve Lovon for 7 years for the hand of his daughter רחל. When after seven years he was tricked by Lovon, he then served for another 7 years and therefore, had both רחל and לאה as full wives.

Lovon duped him by switching Leah for Rochel and when Yaakov reproached him, replied מלא שבוע זאת, complete 7 days and I will give you Rochel as well on condition you work a further 7 years.

The name רחל, the lady who he specifically wanted to marry, has a numerical value of 238 (34 times 7).

Yaakov wanted to marry her when she was 14 but did not have any money because Elifaz had taken all his wealth and, therefore, he had to wait for another 7 years until she was 21 (3 times 7) and he did marry her then, albeit 7 days after having inadvertently married Leah.

7 years later, at the age of 91 (13 times7) Yaakov asked Lovon to allow Yaakov to amass his own wealth and the extraordinary story of the white, speckled and striped sheep took place.

Meanwhile, Yosef had been born when Yaakov was 91, (13 times 7) and Rochel was 28 at the time (4 times 7).

When Yaakov finally left Choron with the whole family, without telling his father-in-law, and was chased, there took place the famous altercation between Yaakov and Lovon. During this Lovon accused Yaakov of stealing his תרפים, idols, which in fact Rochel had taken to try and save her father from further idol worship or divining what had happened.

Inter alia, Yaakov said to Lovon .עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה Whoever should be found with your idols shall not live, and Yaakov, not knowing that his wife Rochel had taken it, inadvertently passed her death sentence. Rochel was 34 at that time and her gemmatria as mentioned above, was (34 times 7) 238.

Yaakov knew that Rochel was his זיווג by, among other things, noting that all the 7’s fitted together.

Interestingly enough, Yaakov worked for six years amassing his fortune and did not work for 7 years as Hashem told him to return to Eretz Yisroel. Could it be that as his life was predicated on 7 and the 7 days of creation were in fact 6 days of work and on the 7th day שבת וינפש “Hashem rested” in the same way Hashem arranged for Yaakov not to work that 7th year for himself but to return to Eretz Yisroel.

When Yaakov finally met Eisov after 34 years, we know that Eisov had nurtured his anger for all that time. We find that nevertheless, when they finally met the Torah states that Eisov ran over to Yaakov וישקהו ויחבקהו, he embraced him and he kissed him. That was, of course, extraordinary but if you look carefully at what happened immediately prior to that, Yaakov bowed down seven times. I would suggest that as Yaakov Avinu had so elevated himself, he had, in effect control over Nature and, therefore, Eisov had no option but to make it up with Yaakov.

All this shows comprehensively that Yaakov’s life was tied to the number 7. However, let us go further. We know that Yaakov lived for 147 years (21 times 7). One of the names of Hashem is אהי'ה = 21. Not only did Yaakov have an affinity with 26 times 7 (182) represented in his name. He also had this affinity with 21 times 7. He died in מצרים. We all know that Bnei Yisroel went down to Egypt and were there for 210 years (30 times 7). Right at the end, before they were taken out of Egypt, Hashem appeared to Moshe Rabbenu and we have the famous story of the burning bush mentioned at the beginning of parshas Shemois.

At that time Moshe Rabbenu asked Hashem “When the Bnei Yisroel ask me who sent me, what should I say?” He is told אהי'ה אשר אהי'ה, אהי'ה שלחני אליכם Our ancestor Yaakov Avinu had established in his final years of life, leading up to 147 (equals 21 times 7, אהי'ה) the basis for the Bnei Yisroel being taken out of Egypt again, with אהי'ה , being the name Hashem had told Moshe to show as His representation at that time. You will also note that the Bnei Yisroel were in Egypt for 210 years which equals 10 times 21. At the end of that period once the 10 plagues had been brought down on the Egyptians, they went out from bondage.

Coming back to the posek that I quoted at the beginning, תתן אמת ליעקב, the word אמת totals 441 that is 21 times 21, this equalsאהי'ה times ( אהי'ה אשר אהי'ה) אהי'ה . Remember that מדתו של יעקב was אמת, the outstanding quality of Yaakov was truth.
Furthermore, 63 times 7 equals 441. You may recall that earlier on, I mentioned that at the age of 63 Yaakov had been blessed by his father and told to find a wife. Obviously, to continue future generations and we know that all the children of Yaakov were Tzaddikim.

We are all aware that Yaakov was the third of our Ovos, Avrohom, Yitzchok and then Yaakov. If you take the 441, אמת and divide it by 3 you have exactly 147, precisely the years of his life.

We find that Hashem said to Avrohom, אנכי מגן לך The word מגן has a value of 93. We know how important this statement is because the first brocho of Shemono Esrai, which is know as the brocho of Avrohom, ends מגן אברהם, the shield of Avrohom.

The second brocho is known as Yitzchok’s brocho, אתה גיבור and the quality of גבורה is that of Yitzchok.

The third brocho אתה קדוש ends ה'אל הקדוש , א'ל represents Yaakov and it adds up to 31, exactly one third of the 93 mentioned above, and this is the same pattern of the third generation representing one third of its value. (93 divided by 3 = 31)

In addition to Yaakov taking the multiple 7 which represents טבע, nature, and elevating it to the utmost degree, he worked on various other מדות , qualities.

At the time of his dream of the angels ascending on the ladder (as mentioned above age 77, 11 times 7) we find that he stated as follows אם יהיה אלקים עמדי. He undertook to fulfil various things, as mentioned in Torah. We know that the name אלקים represents Hashem as מידת הדין strict judgement. א'ל represents the softening of the מידת הדין. Yaakov achieved it to such an extent that we find a verse which says ויקרא לו א'ל אלה'י ישראל and Rashi explains that Hashem called Yaakov א'ל , he represented this to such an extent that eventually he acquired a new name Yisroel, ישרא'ל which translates as completely upright, ישר with א'ל. That is why the only brocho in the whole of Shemono Esrai which ends with a name of Hashem is the one, mentioned above, the third brocho which ends ה'אל הקדוש . We are blessing Hashem as not only א'ל but at the same time implying that Yaakov epitomised that particular מידה. Please also note that all the words in that brocho according to Nusach Ashkenaz and Arizal total 14, (2 times 7).

I mentioned earlier on, that each of the individual Ovos had their own special quality. That of Avrohom was Chesed. The very posek that I started with in Micah says תתן אמת ליעקב חסד לאברהם Yitzchok’s middoh was Gevurah and Yaakov had a mixture of the two which is known as תפארת splendour. His splendour reached the level of emulating Odom Harishon before he sinned. In fact, the Gemora says שופריה של יעקב מאין שופריה של אדם הראשון. The (spiritual) beauty of Yaakov was similar to that of Odom Harishon.

The mekubalim tell us that there are five levels of Gevurah and in order take the sting out of them and sweeten them, המתקת הדינים we have to utilise Yaakov’s כח and especially in his emanation as Yisroel. Not for nothing, before we start our Shemonah Esrai, do we use the name Yisroel five times צור ישראל – גאל ישראל. The word Yisroel is the one introducing the Bnei Yisroel to the highest level of communication with Hashem, standing before him in Shemonah Esrai.

I mentioned earlier on that מגן equals 93 and א'ל equals 31 and that Yaakov, the third of the Ovos after Avrohom is represented by a third in numerical value. However, I would suggest that once he was given a new name by Hashem, ישראל, he had, in fact, elevated himself back personally to a level almost equivalent to Avrohom. יעקב equals 182. Three times 182 equals 546. ישראל equals 541. There is a difference of 5 represented by a ה.

As Avrohom’s name was originally אברם and Hashem had given him an extra ה, that ה 5, had already been utilised by Hashem for אברהם.

If we look at the name of Hashem י'ה'ו'ה' and spell in out in full, there are four ways of spelling it. If spelt יוד הי ויו הי the total comes to 72 which is the same number as חסד. That represents the highest level alluding to Avrohom whose middo was Chesed.

The next level is יוד הי ואו הי and this totals 63, this is known as Yitzchok’s level. Isn’t it interesting to see that the number 63 pops up again. I mentioned earlier that Yaakov was 63 years of age when יצחק gave him the ברכות and when he was told by his father to go and find a wife and from that to build up the בני ישראל.

Yaakov is represented by יוד הא ואו הא which adds up to 45. That is exactly the same number as Odom אדם which adds up to 45 and I mentioned above that Yaakov Avinu reached the level of Odom when he was created.

Yaakov Avinu, of course, had two wives, not only Rochel but Leah לאה. It is interesting to note that the word הא'ל has exactly the same letters as לאה. After all, the majority of the children born to Yaakov, six sons and one daughter (7 in total) came from Leah and all of them were born in the space of 7 years.

Of course, הא'ל and לאה both equal 36. The Gemora tells us that in every generation there are 36 hidden tzaddikim. Taking the הא'ל as representing the male tzaddikim and לאה representing the female צדקניות together they add up to 72. That, once again, is the numerical value of chesed, which together they created in the world.

Occasionally, you get a generation where there is one such great and holy Tzaddik that he carries the whole world spiritually on his shoulders. Yaakov Avinu represents such a Tzaddik and we known that R’ Shimon Bar Yochai and R’ Yehoshua Ben Levi also represented a similar level צדיק יסוד עולם

One other example of the affinity of Yaakov to a multiple of seven is that in respect of the קרבנות brought in the Bais Hamikdosh, we find that the only time that there were 14 lambs brought each day were during the seven days of Succos where there were 14, 2 times 7, and Succos is known to represent the Yom Tov of Yaakov.

The sefer Beraishis commences with Odom Harishon and ends with the passing away of Yaakov. Looking at the parshas of Torah (I do not mean the sedras but the individual paragraphs in the Sefer Torah) we find that many, in fact most, start off with the letter ו, Vav, being the continuation of the previous paragraph or chapter. There are, however, exceptions.

Going through sefer Beraishis, we find the following exceptions [for ease of reference I am quoting according to the chapters and verses quoted in all Chumoshim nowadays. This is not a Jewish concept and was in fact first introduced by a Non-Jewish priest many hundreds of years ago but has been utilised in common practice.]

Chapter 2 verse 4 אלה

Chapter 3 verse 16 אל האשה

Chapter 5 verse 1 זה ספר

Chapter 6 verse 9 אלה תולדת נח

Chapter 11 verse 10 אלה תולדת שם

Chapter 15 verse 1 אחר הדברים האלה

Chapter 36 verse 20 אלה בני שעיר

All the other paragraphs and chapters which start not with a Vav, are in פרשת ויחי commencing with chapter 49 verse 5 שמעון and after that we have יהודה, זבולן, יששכר, דן, גד, מאשר, נפתלי, בן פורת יוסף, and finally בנימין .

The gematria of the first letters of all those I have enumerated above, being the first letter of a new chapter (i.e. פרשה) total 441, which is exactly the same as אמת. The final chapter, which starts with the word בנימין has in it the story of the passing of Yaakov from this world, therefore, it is the fitting climax to have the final ב of Binyomin completing the sum of 441 to emphasise the special quality of Yaakov, namely אמת. The Targum on the words תתן אמת ליעקב translates, Give the truth of Yaakov to his children, namely that this quality of truth passed on as an inheritance to the Bnei Yisroel.

If one examines the verses commencing with בנימין, that is the Chapter 49 verse 27, and takes the first letter of each verse, for example the second verse starts with the word כל and one goes forward to Chapter 50 verse 12 which starts ויעשו בניו לו and counts the first letters of each verse, these again add up to 441. Namely the quality of אמת passed over to the children and the final verse ends כאשר צום, as he commanded them.

There are other allusions to the word אמת which are worth mentioning.

Our Rabbis tell us אמת יש לו רגלים, שקר אין לו רגלים. If you look carefully at the letters א מ and ת they each have two legs and one can stand easily and firmly on two legs whereas ש ק ר have each only got one leg and it is much more difficult to stand on one leg. The idea is that truth is firm and cannot be shaken. There is a Zohar Hakodesh which says that the word אמת represents the first letters of אלף מאתים תשעים which are mentioned at the end of the prophecy of Doniel about the time when Moshiach will come.

We also find that the א is the first of the letters of the Aleph Bais, and ת is the last one. If one includes the five extra end letters ם ן ץ ף ך one then has 27 letters in total. If you go to the middle letter i.e. the 14th letter this will be the מ and, therefore, אמת represents the beginning, the middle and the end all in one straight order .

Turning to the פסוקי דזמרה, immediately after Ashrei we have the הללוי'ה which includes the following אשרי שא'ל יעקב בעזרו, Praiseworthy is the person whom Hashem of Yaakov will be his help and it continues השמר אמת לעולם, Who guards the truth for ever. The end of that מזמור is ימלך יהו' לעולם אלהיך ציון לדר ודר הללוי'ה the gematria of the first letters is 182, exactly that of Yaakov. This is also the final part of the קדושה said every day when there are ten males together at the third brocha, which as mentioned above, is that of Yaakov. Please also note that both א'ל and יעקב are emphasised in this מזמור.

Looking at Shemonah Esrai, we find another reference to אמת. That is a mention of אמת in the middle of the paragraph commencing על הצדיקים. Obviously righteous people are the ones that cleave to the אמת. Once again, near the end of Shemonah Esrai, the expression used is ויברכו את שמך הגדול באמת. Again, the idea is, that we bless Hashem’s great name “in truth”. In the middle of the Shemonah Esrai for Shabbos we say וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת. Finally, in the Tefilloh of Mincha of Shabbos where Yaakov is specifically mentioned, יעקב ובניו ינוחו ובו , it says מנוחת אמת ואמונה . The Tefilla of Mincha of Shabbos represents Yaakov Avinu.

Both in Tefillas Shacharis and Maariv immediately after Krias Shema (which of course we know that Yaakov and his children said between them) the final words as articulated by the Baal Tefilla are ה' אלקיכם אמת.

There is a well known quote from חז''ל יעקב אבינו לא מת,. One can perhaps suggest that Yaakov did not die (in a spiritual sense and as a continuing symbol to his children) because the א before מת was never separated, he always adhered to the אמת. In fact, you could say that the א is shaped like a י a ו and another י which together add up to 26 which represents הוי' and a spiritual aspect. The Torah tells us ויעקב איש תם, , תם is the opposite of מת.

Let us turn to the Nes of Purim. The court of Achashverush, Homon and Vashti was the epitome of שקר, lies and deceit. Both Mordechai and Esther had to work against this with אמת. When the decree was issued Mordechai’s reaction was to gather together the Jewish children in Shushan and teach them Torah, the first letters of אסתר מרדכי תורה are אמת.

Esther’s reaction was to call all Jews in Shushan to fast. Once again, this spells out the same message אסתר מרדכי תענית. The first letters spell out אמת.

Together they achieved their object and the Jews had salvation. That is represented by אסתר מרדכי תשועה.

This was not just a miracle for that time, but as we say in ,שושנת יעקב תשועתם היתה לנצח it was a miracle for all times and we celebrate Purim each year.

This was in the zechus of Yaakov whose middo was אמת.


Just in case you might think that that I have given a complete picture of how Yaakov’s life was tied to the letter 7 let us explore a few more ideas.

The main wife of Yaakov, as we all know, was, of course, Rochel and we find that there were exactly 14 (2 times 7) of her offspring that went to Mitzrayim as mentioned in Parshas Vayigash .

As we know after Rochel died, Yaakov transferred to the tent of בלהה. בלהה totals 42 (6 times 7).

We find that both in Vayigash and again in the parsha of Shemos it is mentioned that the Bnei Yisroel who went down to Egypt amounted to 70 souls. This is despite the fact that one has to add in not only Yosef and his two sons (who were born in Egypt and they were already in Egypt when the Bnei Yisroel went down to Egypt) but Yocheved who was born just as they reached the gates of Egypt. In order that the Bnei Yisroel should have a strong affinity with Yaakov and be able to survive in Egypt and eventually leave the country, there had to be an affinity with 7. 10 times 7 = 70.

Another mention of 70 is when the Egyptians mourned Yaakov for 70 days. This was followed by his children making an official 7 days of אבל on the way to Eretz Yisroel with his body.

There are also exactly 7 sedras from the time Yaakov birth is mentioned in תולדות until ויחי when he passed away.

The time that the Bnei Yisroel were in Egypt from the date that Yaakov came down to Egypt was, of course, 210 years, 30 times 7.

We find that at the time of the sin of Odom and Chava, Chava took from the fruit of the tree and, no doubt, used her hand, יד to do so. She then gave the fruit to her husband, Odom, and again used her hand. Perhaps one could suggest that Yaakov Avinu wished to rectify these two matters and, therefore, learned Torah for 14 יד years and then spent another 14 years יד in order to acquire wives and a family to continue with the correct Torahdik way of life. This, of course, had been lost by Odom and Chava because they had eaten from the Etz Hadaas and יד had been used twice as I mentioned above.

Bearing this in mind, one could also understand why it was that when Yosef brought his two sons Ephraim and Menasheh to be blessed by Yaakov, Yaakov switched his hands and put his right hand יד onto Ephraim and the left hand יד, on Menasheh. Ephraim represents Torah and Menasheh the more mundane world. This would fit in with the fact that Yaakov had learned Torah first for 14, יד years and then spent 14 years יד acquiring wives and a family.

It is also significant that Yaakov’s expression about Ephraim and Menasheh is כראובן ושמעון יהיו לי. This really meant that in addition to being the natural successors by birthright of Yosef, Ephraim and Menasheh were children to Yaakov as were the children of Leah also and, therefore, the יד applied to both of them from all sides, so as to speak.

The Bnei Yisroel carried on the tradition of affinity with 7 in numerous ways. Seven weeks after the Bnei Yisroel left Egypt they received the Torah. This of course, has an affinity with Moshe’s first vision at the burning bush which in turn was triggered by Yaakov coming down to Egypt and preparing the ground for Bnei Yisroel to last out there as a nation and finally leave Egypt.

When the korbonos were brought at the time of the consecration of the Mishkon it says מזרק אחד כסף שביעים שקל one bowl weighing 70 shekolim (10 times 7). The bowl alluding to Yaakov and the 70, of course, to the 70 Bnei Yisroel who went down to Egypt.

Furthermore, the שלש רגלים represent the three Ovos. Pesach is represented by Avrohom, Shavuos Yitzchok and Succos Yaakov. On Succos each day 14 lambs (2 times 7) were sacrificed, twice the normal of any other Yom Tov. You will recall that Yaakov originally, when asked for his reward by Lovon, suggested separated sheep. This is all connected together.

The Haftorah of Vayechei talks about the death of Dovid who lived exactly 70 years (10 times 7). We are told by the Medrash that Odom Harishon gave him those 70 years as Odom should have lived 1,000 years but only lived 930 years. Yaakov Avinu reached the spiritual heights of Odom Harishon and was the “king” of his children and the Bnei Yisroel. Dovid Hamelech was, of course, king of Bnei Yisroel.

Let us hope and pray that the זכות of יעקב אבינו and his affinity to אמת, coupled with his strong connection with the letter 7 should stand us in good stead so that we should be able to cleave to the אמת and have an affinity with 7 by keeping Shabbos and Shmitta etc. until the coming of משיח , במהרה בימינו אמן.

ניסן תשס''ח

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