Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1  44:17)  Previous Page,  Torah Lesson Plan, or YHVH Homepage

Within this week's reading and last week's reading, we see that the Torah speaks about dreams. Previously, we read about Yoseph's dream, the dream of the butler, the Baker and of the Pharaoh. It becomes obvious that there is a relationship between the dreams and the exile to Egypt. Each thing being Divine Providence. Each event is leading into the Exile to Mitzrayim (Egypt).

Now there are various sources, including Torah Or, which explains that dreams come from the imaginative faculty of the mind. The faculty may construct and combine all thoughts to even create the impossible, such as an elephant going through the eye of a needle. An exile is very similar to a dream. Because during the exile [man's distance from God, and his own illusions of independence] man comes to imagine that he loves God while simultaneously loving himself. Actually, it is impossible for both of these loves to reside simultaneously. It is this mistaken concept that causes a man to assimilate his feelings of love for God, and his knowledge of God with his own desires, and rationalize the will of God.

"Torah Or" comes to point out that after a man prays with devotion he immediately becomes capable, once again, of acting contrary to this devotion, the devotion he had during prayer. So the question arises, does this also mean that the service of his mitzvot (the performance of the Torah's commandments) are worthless as well, since they do not have within them devotion? No, this is not so. The reason is that the ultimate source of a dream is actually of a very high level, and as Tanach teaches, the time of exile is a heightened time for prophecy. More than anything, what the Sages wish to relate is that it is during the time of exile that man is susceptible to the heights of prophecy on his own merit.  During the Temple time, when the Divine Presence rested upon Israel, man's duty was within his physical service alone, for the sake of maintaining the Divine Presence.  Thus, prophecy was not a requisition, for only a chosen prophet was needed for this task. The rest already were aware of Divinity. They recognized it without effort. Within the exile, each man became his own temple, and therefore has to reach out in order to draw the Shechinah (Divine Presence) near.

We learn from various sources, all based on Torah, that a dream is a form of prophecy. When one retirees for the night he leaves his animal soul (nefesh) behind, so that his body does not cease, while his divine soul rises to the heavens. This is what the Gemorah means when it states that sleep is 1/60th of death.  However, this does not mean that all dreams are prophecy.

In order for a man to be able to reach the potential of his dream, he must first be a susceptible vessel, otherwise, he only perceives, and remembers things concerning his own affairs, i.e. the events of his life which lie heavy on his mind that day, and his imagination commences to build onto that, while simultaneously obscuring any higher potential.

Since the essence of the dream is within such a high standing, since its potential so pure, and it is only due to the remote state of man within his exile that he does not properly perceive it, this does not make it invalid as a reality of holiness. It's purpose does not change. Just because a man does not feel his frostbitten foot, does not mean it does not exist. His foot is there, you can see it. However, it is useless as a foot, it is damaged. If life can be restored to it, it will once again serve it's intended purpose as a foot. This is the case with dreams. Their potential remains, but the state of man does not allow for him to perceive their potential. Such is also the case, as explained above, with the mitzvot which lack devotion. Thus, the higher the man's position within his Divine service, the more susceptible his soul becomes to holiness, rather than to self.

It is understood that every Jew comes to recognize his creator, sooner or later. For this reason, one can thus assume, that while he commits a sin, the sin is not everlasting, being that he will eventually come to repent. When he comes to repent it will set off a chain reaction of all gathered mitzvot within him. For example: The purpose of reciting a blessing before partaking of a food is in order to release within that kosher food, the spark which will nourish the soul, and give it strength to learn and to perform in a Divine fashion. If a person drinks a glass of water with the proper blessing before it, however he does not instigate within that blessing the much- needed push of devotion, then the blessing has no strength to interact with the potential hidden within the water. It is true that the minerals will be absorbed by the physical body, however, the soul cannot benefit by the strength of the hidden light within the permitted beverage. This light is a constant because it's true. Since it is a constant, it cannot disappear and revert to nothingness. Thus the potential remains dormant awaiting rectification, or repentance.  Once the individual repents and becomes aware of all his blessings that he said in haste without proper devotion or attention to the subject at hand, it will commence an awakening of all gathered sparks which lie dormant within him, and this will cause them to reach their intended potential. So evil cannot prevail over good because it lacks durability. Good, however, remains forever intact.

Keeping this idea in mind we can now understand the power of the exile, the power of rectification. During the times of the Temple, the Divine Presence was already resting in her place, and therefore a person who became impure was sent away. In the time of exile it is written "Who dwells with them in the midst of their impurity." On this verse our sages explained that when Israel went into exile the Divine Presence went into exile with them, and hovers above them awaiting their call to closeness. This is similar to what was mentioned earlier, about performing a mitzvah without devotion.

There is a view that the only possible way to achieve in service is to move slowly level by level. Not to move to the second level until the first level has been mastered. This view is correct, however it only applies in general terms. For example, in order to embark the full understanding, and to achieve the utmost perfection in one's service. For us, we live in a different time. As the Psalmist wrote, "we are like dreamers."  In this exile we have become so separate and so lost from our Father in Heaven, that any type of service, or any type of study becomes applicable. As Chazal say, "Seize and eat, seize and drink."

Many maybe in the position where they feel that it is impossible for them to commence on Divine service until they first do teshuvah (repent). About these people the sages have written, that even so, a man must study Torah and fulfill mitzvot. This will strengthen them and ultimately, as it says in the book of Samuel, "the banished will surely not remain banished from Him." Thus one can assume that his Torah and mitzvot also will be restored along with him.

Whatever may come his way, whether it be the revealed Torah, or the hidden Torah, the sages have said, "seize and eat (this being the revealed Torah which is compared to bread), seize and drink (this being the hidden Torah which is compared to water). Water has also been compared to the revealed Torah, but this is only the case when the water is pooled, such as a mikvah. When the water is flowing, as in living waters, as in spring waters, it is always connected to its source, and this is an allusion to the hidden Torah.

It is true that in previous generations the hidden Torah could not be studied unless one complete the number of preparations, for example, the person must be God fearing and exact in all his ways. Rabbi Moshe Codovero notes that one who studies the hidden Torah without knowledge of the revealed Torah is as one who gazes at the stars, observing things above him and thus failing to see the holes right under his feet. In our generation it has become mandatory to disclose this wisdom. Rabbi Chaim Vital quotes Tikunei Zohar, that by merit of the Zohar the King Moshiach Shall be revealed.  He further goes to note that in our day and age, if we apply all the prerequisites as strictly as our sages have stipulated, no one would be able to pursue this study unless he had a great instructor such as the author of the Zohar himself, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, to teach him. He does make clear that one must follow certain guidelines: When seeing confusing passages which may arouse doubts, onemust think 'if this matter appears to be confusing, it is on my account', in other words, I don't understand it because of the deficiency of my own intellect, and not, Heaven forbid, because the subject matter is questionable.  The study of the hidden secrets of Torah is prohibited only to him who is unable to stand in the place of the King and may come toheresy, Heaven forbid, because he thinks himself very wise and without deficiency on his part.

This is especially true after the revelation of the teachings of Chassidut by the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe, and those who followed. There is no longer a difference between hidden and revealed, it is all one Torah, and it has become obligated to study "all" of Torah. In this light the approach of "seize and eat, seize and drink" means that whether one is ready for higher things, or not, it makes no difference, man must continually progress himself by intensifying his studies of the complete Torah, and not overlooking the fulfillment of all mitzvot. Part of something is of no benefit unless the part of something is with the intention to complete. If one only wishes to study the hidden Torah from the start, with no intentions of ever embarking on the revealed Torah, then he has already placed his limits upon himself. He will not advance.

Embarking on all the light of Torah, hidden and revealed, and the performance of mitzvot, will remove the slumber of the exile and bring out the true light of redemption. As it says in the book of Isaiah, "the Internal will be to you for an everlasting light." Thus we can see how the dreams discussed earlier pertain to both the exile and the redemption. Because the very fact of being within an exile stimulates the ability to reach out and grab salvation, leading to the verse in Genesis 15:14, "They shall come out with great substance." This is the same condition which is present in our current exile. 

The whole service throughout this exile is similar to a dream. The fact that it is like a dream allows for the possibility of ascending to higher levels, unbounded, and to join the light of Torah and mitzvot. This in turn removes the slumber of the exile and leads to the state of "as in the days of your going out of Egypt I will show him wondrous things." Through the advent of the righteous Moshiach, speedily in our own days.

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