BH Daily Lightpoints PARSHAS VAYEISHEV WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 18 KISLEV, 5775 Filled with Emptiness בה וְהַבּוֹר רֵק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם (בראשית לז, כד) NOW THE PIT WAS EMPTY, THERE WAS NO WATER IN IT. (BERAISHIS 37:24) Do the words now the pit was empty not imply that the pit contained no water? For what purpose did the Torah add there was no water in it? To teach that it was only empty of water, but there were snakes and scorpions in it. —Rashi Our Sages teach that water is a metaphor for Torah (Bava Kama 17a). In view of that, we can understand why the presence of snakes and scorpions (in the pit where Yosef was thrown) is hinted in the Torah with the superfluous phrase there was no water in it, instead of the verse stating explicitly that the pit was inhabited by these harmful creatures. In doing so, the verse is emphasizing that, in a spiritual sense, the appearance of snakes and scorpions in ones life is not in addition to a void of water, Torah; their presence is synonymous with this emptiness of Torah and its inescapable consequence. The vacuum that is created when ones schedule is deficient in Torah study does not remain neutral. When there is no water in it, the void automatically fills with snakes and scorpions, ideas that are incompatible with a holy lifestyle and hostile to it. The Baal Shem Tov (Tzavoas Harivash, 76) similarly explained the expression said in the Shema, וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים - and you turn astray and you serve other gods (Devarim 11:16). Turning astray and serving other gods are inseparable acts. The moment you separate yourself from G-d, said the Baal Shem Tov, you immediately worship idolatry. There is no middle ground. —Likutei Sichos, vol. 15, p. 324 - 325 Sponsor a Lightpoints email ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר‘ ישעי‘ זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר A project of Or Hachassidus This email is sent from Machon Or Hachasidus - likras shabbos.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 11:39:08 +0000
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