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Parshat Vayigash
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Cleaving to the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

ויבא בארה שבע... ויזבח זבחים לא-הי אביו יצחק

"Ascend, O well - A well dug by princes, carved out by nobles of the people, through the lawgiver with their staffs, and from the desert, a gift".

This song of Israel in praise of God for the gift of the 'travelling well' throughout the wilderness alludes, according to our Sages to the Patriarchs in the word 'princes'. On the most simplistic level this means that the Patriarchs were known for digging and/or visiting wells, the most famous of them being Beer Sheva. In the past we have shown how the concept 'well' alludes to feminine vitality, just as a well represents how the feminine-receptive-earth gives forth to the vitality found in water. In this way we explained why Beer Sheva is especially connected to Yitzhak, as he represents the most feminine relationship to HaShem of all the Patriarchs. This also explains why Yakov, when he arrives in Beer Sheva, as seen in our title quote, specifically offers sacrifices to 'the God of his father Yitzhak', alluding specifically to this 'feminine' type of relationship towards to the One God. We also explained how this 'feminine' type of relationship in Beer Sheva also pertains specifically to raising the power of the Holy Presence in the Land of Israel, the 'wife' of the People Israel.

Our Sages tie in the Midrash (Raba 68, 5) the 'receiving of permission' to leave the Land of Israel specifically to Beer Sheva (on Yakov's flee from Esau and more), and so we see here once again this 'receiving of permission' in Beer Sheva on Yakov's  way to Egypt. This matter is beautifully explained when we contemplate Beer Sheva as representing the more 'feminine' of cities in the Land of Israel. Yakov's 'receiving permission' to leave the Land of Israel can be translated on the human parallel of 'husband-Israel and wife-Land of Israel'. The 'husband' asks the 'wife' for permission to leave on a trip. Properly doing so entails that the 'husband' makes the effort to go to where the 'wife' is residing, i.e Beer Sheva, to receive her permission. This stands in contrast to Bet El, for example, which puts the emphasis on the 'husband's'  word of commitment (vow) to return and not on the giving of permission itself to leave given by the 'wife', which takes place in Beer Sheva. This also explains why this 'permission' is not given in Hebron or Jerusalem, for they represent the union of husband and wife, and therefore do not exhibit the effort of the 'husband' to go to the 'residence' of the 'wife' to ask for and receive permission to leave.

Halachically, we find in the Talmud (Yerushalmi Nazir ch. 7) a story about a pupil who asks his master if he may leave the Land of Israel for the Diaspora. Although halacha has clear guidelines as to the permits for leaving the Land of Israel for the Diaspora (as we have discussed in the past), we see from this story that there may be additional personal factors that may require one to stay in the Land of Israel. A classic example of this can be found in Rambam's Mishneh Torah which explains that, although Mahlon and Kilyon left this Land because of famine (a legitimate reason to leave), nevertheless they were punished, for this act did not befit their personal pious level.  (Some say also that if one never lived in the Diaspora it is worthwhile to make special effort never to leave the Land of Israel (like Yitzhak)). Therefore, especially in regard to these issues it is worthwhile to consult a competent Torah authority in regard to one's personal status, which may also change from time to time. 

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #148

"At the Tomb Of Rashbi in Meron I prayed intensively, asking for salvation especially in regard to my financial situation. After praying a man seized me, danced with me for 10 minutes, and then handed me a load of money and disappeared in to the crowd..." K.P. 

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