Rav Moshe Weinberger Shalosh Sheudos Torah - Parshas Miketz 5772

Baruch Hashem, my friend Dr. Efrayim Nudman has written up one of Rav Moshe Weinberger's shalosh sheudos drashos given in Aish Kodesh this past Shabbos. This is the same writer who brought us Rav Weinberger's drasha from the Breslov Research Institute Dinner a couple of weeks ago. I can't say for sure whether these write-ups of Shalosh Sheudos Torahs will continue as a regular feature as it is with Rav Weinberger's Shabbos morning drashos, but we can hope, pray, and give Dr. Nudman some chizuk in the comment section. :-) Enjoy the write-up below from Rebbe's shalosh sheudos Torah from this past Shabbos, parshas Miketz, and again, thank you Ephraim!

Tonight is the 5th night of Chanukah, the night of Hod. And Hod is the middah of Aharon Hakohen, who represents the essence of Chanukah like it says in the passuk “Behaalotcha el Hanerot” (commanding Aharon to light the Menorah in the Mishkan).
There is a Maamar by a talmid chamcham from Slonim R. Chaim Shlomo Verner in his sefer Behaalotcha El Hanerot. He brings down from the Midrash Tehillim on the passuk “Elokai, becha batachti, al ebosh” (My G-d, in you I have trusted, let me not be shamed) (Tehillim 25:2). The midrash tells the story of a thief that is caught by the guards of the Medinah. They are going to give him a beating for a punishment, but he tells them that he is from Bais Hamelech (from the family of the King) hoping this will convince them to let him go. Of course this is not true so the guards decide to take him in front of the King so that he will decree the proper punishment for being a thief and a liar. However when the king hears the story he feels merciful towards someone who thinks of him as such a compassionate ruler and lets him go.

“Becha batachti, al ebosh”. One who trusts Hashem completely will be forgiven. That is the middah of Hod. In the middle of the long winter night when a Yid ends up walking around where he shouldn’t be, not in Bais Midrash or at home, and he is found by “the guards” that are ready to punish him he can always cry to the King and put himself in His hands. Of course this doesn’t exempt him from working on is Torah and Mitzvos, but he can be saved by his pure Bitachon in Hashem.

Chanukah was a time of “V’Timu kol Hashmanim” (and all the oils were impure). Everything was b’tuma. Jews could learn Torah but it was contaminated with ulterior motives: honor, prestige, power. They performed mitzvas but they were also contaminated with Tumah. But despite this the Hashmonaim went to war with the cry of “Mi Kamocha B’Elim H'”. They went to war with their Bitachon in H'. From the Middah of Hod of Aharon Hakohen. And this brought them to victory. Torah and Mitzvos are essential but they must be in a context of Bitachon.

We can ask for help, but by throwing ourselves in His arms completely we achieve a different kind of forgiveness and salvation.

When Moshe commanded Aharon to approach the Mizbeach to offer a young bull for a sin-offering, he hesitated. Rashi explains that Aharon was ashamed to start his Avoda in the Mishkan because he saw an image of the Egel (calf). He felt embarrassed and guilty and felt that he was not deserving of serving H'. Moshe tells him “le'kach nivcharta” (for this you were chosen). The Arizal explains that it was precisely for that middah of humility, that capacity to feel shame and embarrassment for what he could have done wrong that he was chosen to serve.

The Maggid of Mezrich explains that Aharon was the middah of Hod and that is the root of Anava (humility). Sins come from gaava (pride) which is the opposite of Hod.
Moshe is the light of Torah that protects us from transgressing. But after we sin, it’s the light of Hod, the light of Aharon Hakohen, the light of full bitachon in Hashem what can pull us out.

“Yikraeni Veenehu, Imo anochi betzarah” (Tehillim 91:15). “Yikraeni Veenehu”: you can call to H' and he will answer. But if we take H' with us at all times, wherever we go, whatever we do, that is in the aspect of “imo anochi Betzarah”. H” is with us there and he says “Achaltzehu V’achabdehu”, then He will save us and elevate us to a much higher place. This is the aspect of complete Bitachon in Him.

This explains two different ways to connect to Hashem: Tefillah and Bitachon.
Purim is connected to Tefillah. Mordechai cried to H', decreed fasting and prayers. And with that the decree was cancelled and they were saved. However they remained servants of Achashverosh. Their redemption was not complete.
In Chanukah they were saved purely from their complete Bitachon in H' and through that their redemption was complete.

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