OUR ESSENTIAL NATURE

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well and enjoying Chanukah.

Tonight is the last night, when all 8 flames are shining together - such a beautiful sight.

I learnt an interesting halachah in this week's Rambam learning, which was connected to the theme of Yosef's life which we are learning about in our current Sedras.

Rambam (Laws of Divorce)

The first of 10 principles, for a divorce to be effective in Jewish Law, is that the man must divorce his wife VOLUNTARILY.

Yet in Chap 2 (2:20), the law states, "When a man, who is compelled to divorce his wife by Torah Law, refuses, the court should have him beaten until he consents, and says "I want" (to divorce). The get (Bill of Divorce ) is then written, and this get is kosher! This applies in all times and in all places."!

The glaring question is, how can this be regarded as "voluntary"? Surely it is forced, which would make the get invalid!

The Rambam explains as follows:

The ESSENCE OF A JEW wants to be part of the Jewish People, and wants to perform all the Mitzvot of Torah, and avoid all it's transgressions.

But it is his evil inclination which forces him, against his real will, to act contrary to his Essential nature.

Therefore, when a person's evil inclination presses him to negate the performance of a Mitzvah (in this particular case to give his wife a get), and the court forces him to say 'I want', he is not considered to have been forced against his will. Rather the force has been against his evil inclination! And his real essential self is truly saying 'I want'

Sedra. (adapted Sicha of the Rebbe)

The Sicha compares the life and journey of Yosef, to the descent of our neshamos into our bodies.

Yosef's life begins in the comfort of his father's home and he enjoys a special relationship with his father.

His journey takes him down to Egypt, the most corrupt and depraved of countries where he was a slave, faced many challenges and was sent to prison for 12 years.

Yet, Yosef triumphed and reached an even higher position than he had enjoyed in his father's house, becoming second in charge over the whole of Egypt.

In addition to his triumph and ascent, he also retained his spiritual purity and goodness, as Torah refers to him as Yosef HaTzadik.

Similarly, each of our neshamos comes down from a high plane, where it enjoyed proximity to Hashem, basking in His light and glory, and it then descends into the 'prison' of the human body, where it must endure many temptations and overcome all sorts of trials.

But the soul remembers and longs for its source above.

The purpose of our souls journey to this world is to overcome the evil inclination and conduct our lives according to the dictates of Torah.

Overcoming the obstacles which try and prevent us from doing Mitzvot, enables us to attain a greater spirituality than would have been possible had the soul remained above.

Wishing everyone a Gut Chanukah and Shabbos with much light!