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

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

וישלחהו מעמק חברון

"Have compassion upon Zion for She is our homeland, and the broken spirited may You save (and rejoice (and avenge for)) speedily in our days. Blessed are You HaShem Who gladdens Zion with her children."

Our Sages teach that children are extensions of their parents in their statement 'a son is the leg of his father.' In this way, our People are essentially an extension of Zion, as we are called the children of Zion in the prophets and in the Haftorah blessing above. Indeed, many note (especially the Gra in 'Kol HaTor') that Yosef has the same numerical value as Zion. This matter explains why just at the birth of Yosef did Yakov wish to return to Zion, the Land of Israel. This also explains why the Exile of Egypt essentially began with the sale of Yosef to Egypt and ended with the ascent of Yosef's coffin from Egypt by Moshe. The Arizal teaches that Zion is also synonymous with Hebron. We should also note that the numerical value of Yosef's name (156) and his life-span (110 years) together equal the numerical value of Hebron (266). All this greatly deepens our understanding of our title quote: 'and he sent him (Yosef) from the depths of Hebron'.

'The depths of Hebron' - 'Emek Hebron' - is also a name of a street in Hebron today which connects Ma'arat HaMachpela to the Avraham Avinu neighborhood. Interestingly, our Sages interpret the term 'the depths of Hebron' to refer to the deep secret given to Avraham Avinu (our father) regarding his offspring destined to be in exile. Avraham is told that this exile upon his offspring will last 400 years. The number 400 reappears in context of Avraham's purchase of the Maaras HaMachpela with 400 silver pieces. According to the Zohar these 400 silver pieces - 'kesef' - represent the process of 'kisufin' - longing - taken on the part of Avraham. Indeed, in the Covenant of the Pieces Avraham was essentially told to 'long' for the redemption of his offspring for 400 years. Similarly, by buying Ma'arat HaMachpela for 400 shekels expressed his longing that this site remain permanently in possession of his offspring.

Just as we explained (Chayei Sarah of this year) the number 100 as the archetypal number of longing from Avraham till Yitzhak (Yitzhak was born to Avraham at the age of 100), so too in regard to Kiryat Arba-Hebron, 'the City of Four', this number (100) is multiplied by four, corresponding to the four couples, 'Machpela', buried here. This matter also explains why Avraham is told that 'the fourth generation' will return to Zion. Thus, the street 'Emek Hebron' illustrates Avraham Avinu's ('Avraham Avinu' neighborhood) connection to the 'Depths'/'Caves' of 'Macpela'/the Four Couples through the 'Deep Secret of the 400 (years or silver) of Longing'.

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #200

'My car had not been operating for almost a month. The same day it was repaired my six-year-old daughter asked, without knowing anything about the car, 'Abba, didn't you drive with your car today?' Y.G

Sources: Eruvin 70b

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