Parshat Toldos 5779
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha the bracha that Yitzchak gives to Yaakov Avinu (Chapter 27, Pasuk 28), V'Yiten Lecha Ha'Elokim Mi'Tal Hashamayim U'Mishmanei Ha'Aretz. Hashem should give you from the dews of the heaven and from the fat of the land. Rashi brings the Medrash which points out that the pasuk uses the term Elokim which implies "midas hadin". Therefore Rashi teaches Im Ra'uy Lecha Yiten Lecha, you will receive the blessing only if you are deserving of it. But if you don't deserve it, you won't receive the blessing.
The Sfas Emes asks that this seems to contradict the beginning of the pasuk which states V'Yiten Lecha. The word V'Yiten implies a Matanah, a present. A present suggests a gift which is not necessarily deserved. So which one is it; the chesd of a present or something which must be earned?
The Gemara in Megillah 6B teaches Yagati U'Matzati Ta'amin; if someone tells you I toiled and I found, believe him. As opposed to someone who claims success without effort who is not believed, someone who claims success after much effort is surely believed. But the question remains, why does the Gemara use the term U'Matzati, and I found it. A Metziah is something found by chance without effort. And this person says Yagati, I worked and toiled in order to achieve my goal. It would seem the Gemara should have used a word like V'Hisagti, and I accomplished my goal. Why use the word U'Matzati?
The Chidushei HaRim teaches that the reason Chazal use the term U'Matzati is because a person needs to understand that everything comes from Hashem. Whatever one accomplishes should be viewed as finding something by chance. Even when he puts tremendous effort into a particular objective, his success comes from Hashem and not from his great effort and talent. The Sfas Emes adds that we learn from this concept the converse as well. When Hashem gives us a present, a "Metziah", there needs to be an effort as well, a "Yagati". But a present which has no basis at all and the recipient doesn't deserve it, is not a good thing. The Gemara Yershalmi in Arlah (Chapter 1, Halacha 3) teaches that one who eats from his friend is embarrassed to look at him. It's not dignified and proper to receive handouts. It's nobler for a person to receive something where there is at least some element of deserving on the part of the recipient.
This is the meaning of the bracha Yaakov received from Yitzchak. It is certainly a Matanah; after all the Torah says V'Yiten Lecha. But there is also an element of Din; as Rashi explains there is a basic level of worthiness necessary on the part of Yaakov and his descendants in order to receive the bracha. Im Ra'uy Lecha Yiten Lecha, if you are worthy He will give it to you. But even if they deserve it, it is still a present and a gift from Hashem. The level of the bracha far surpasses whatever they might deserve.
The Gemara in Baba Basra 71A teaches Mahn De'Yahiv Matanah, B'ayin Yafeh Yahiv. One who gives a present, gives it generously. Therefore, it is assumed that in addition to the actual present, he also gave him a means to benefit from the gift. If he gave him a pit, he included an approach to the pit. This is the Ayin Yafeh with which a person gives a gift.
The Gemara in Shabbos 10B teaches that Hashem told Moshe, Matanah Tovah Yeshi Li B'Beis Genazi U'Shabbos Shemah. I have a special present in my treasure house and it's called Shabbos and I want to give it to Bnei Yisrael. Shabbos is the paradigm of Hashem giving us a present. And we have stipulated above what the proper criterion of a present are. A present has to have some element of Din; a basic level of deserving the present in order to receive it. The application of this concept by Shabbos is taught to us by Chazal in Avodah Zarah 3A, Mi Shetarach B'Erev Shabbos Hu Yochal B'Shabbos, the one who prepares on Erev Shabbos will be able to eat on Shabbos. Only those who properly prepare for Shabbos can truly appreciate and benefit from the gift of Shabbos. It's not automatically earned without effort; only those who are deserving will gain and realize the greatness of Shabbos.
But as we said above as well, a proper gift is given with an Ayin Yafeh, with a means to use and appreciate the gift. Similarly regarding Shabbos, Hashem gives us a special bracha during the week to be able to get ready all week long and greet the Shabbos properly. And not only that, but the holiness we experience on Shabbos extends into the following week and enables us to properly prepare for the next Shabbos as well. And this is what Rashi means when he quotes the Medrash on the words V'Yiten Lecha, V'Yiten V'Yachzor V'Yiten. There is an ongoing cycle of bracha from week to week, from Shabbos to Shabbos, where we constantly move from one level to the next, benefitting more and more from the gift of Shabbos. The more we prepare and deserve, the more we gain from the gift of Shabbos. And this, concludes the Sfas Emes, might be the reason for the custom to recite V'Yiten Lecha every week on Motzai Shabbos.
Good Shabbos
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