Skip the Shortcuts – Parshat Vayechi

Printable PDF available here. Previous pieces on Parshat Vayechi are available here and here.

**Rav Kook (Based on Ein Ayah, Gemara Shabbat 48a-b)**

“Reuven… you have the restlessness of water; therefore, you shall not have superiority, for you ascended upon your father’s couch; then you profaned Him Who ascended upon my bed” (Bereishit 49:4). R. Elazar taught that the word פחז is meant to be understood as an acronym. פ stands for פזת, “you were hasty.” ח stands for חבת, “you became culpable.” ז stands for זלת, “you diminished.” (Gemara Shabbat 48)

There is a thin line that separates alacrity from impetuousness. The former is commendable, while the latter brings much spiritual wreckage in its wake. Impetuousness comes from an unwillingness to engage with the incremental steps that constitute the building blocks of all worldly attainments. A spiritually complete person accepts these limitations with love and confidence. G-d’s wisdom has created us such that our accomplishments in this world – which are themselves the foundation of the World to Come – can only be earned through small and deliberate steps. The destination must be proceeded by the journey. The journey cannot be dispensed with.

In blessings his children, Ya’akov declares that Reuven has an impetuous nature, פחז. He identifies this as the source of Reuven’s sin with Bilhah. Our Sages understood the word פחז as an acronym and attempted to break it into its component parts. Character traits – both good and bad – are not unitary, but are comprised of a number of different elements, just like molecules are comprised of various chemical elements. And so R. Elazar sought to dissect this trait of impetuousness. Why is it bad to seek escape from the constraints of incrementalism and bring the ripening of the fruit before its time? What can go wrong? What sort of ruin will result?

R. Elazar discovered that haste results in a twofold harm. One aspect is signified by ח, for חבת, “you became culpable” As we have noted, everything meaningful in our worldly reality comes through a gradual unfolding, through a chain of cause and effect that began before we were born and will continue for generations after we are gone. Every stage on this journey fulfills an essential purpose in the Divine plan. To skip steps is to neglect one’s responsibility to bring some meaningful aspect of reality into existence. It is like a builder who takes materials meant for a building’s foundation and repurposes them to beautify the structure’s upper floors. The building will look nice for a short time, but the entire structure rests on a weak foundation, and it won’t be long before repairs are urgently needed. The structure may even fall apart and need to be rebuilt. In other words, taking shortcuts creates a ‘debt’ that must eventually be repaid. As R. Elazar teaches, the ח in פחזstands for חבת, “you have become חייב” – i.e. culpable, indebted. Impetuousness undermines the very substance of reality.

Let us unpack the other aspect of impetuousness, which is signified by ז, for זלת, “you diminished.” There is a great Divine light hidden at the core of existence, which will be revealed in its fullness at the end of history. That light can only emerge after Israel and humanity have made themselves into fitting receptacles, and are prepared to receive that light with honor and anticipation. But impetuousness is self-defeating. At the very moment we are rushing into the future, we are depriving ourselves of the preparation we need to appreciate it. The future, dragged prematurely into the present, will appear to us diminished, unimportant and deserving of scorn, because our haste has undermined our ability to perceive the future in its true splendor. As R. Elazar teaches, the ז in פחז stands for זלת, “you have diminished.”

Let us learn from this teaching to honor the journey that our Divine taskmasker has set us on, to gaze upon the future only with eyes that have been satiated by the goodness and the light of the present, and to come to the future precisely through our present. “They go from strength to strength (lit. מחיל אל חיל); he will appear before G-d in Zion!” (Tehillim 84:8).

Food for Thought

Luke Jones (a contemporary fitness coach): 92% of people who set New Year’s resolutions in 2014 failed to achieve them. Ninety two percent! That’s a pretty big portion of people… But why? Why do so many of us set out with good intentions, but come up short? Why are we unable to make the changes we want to make, and create the life we want to live? [One major reason is that] it’s easy to get carried away with habit changes, especially at the start of the New Year when everyone seems to be doing it. Very often we take on too many changes for us to deal with at once… Sometimes an inspirational story can get you excited to make a big transformation straight off. Or perhaps like I mentioned earlier, you’re a sucker for comparing yourself to that false idea of perfection. You panic, and think you have to change everything as fast as possible. Whatever the reasons is, biting off more than we can chew seems to be a common trait amongst us humans when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. Whether we’re talking about changing eating habits, exercising more, quitting smoking or saving money, the more habits we try to change at one time, the less likely we are to succeed. Some crazy people have a higher capacity for changing multiple habits, but that isn’t most of us. I know for me that any more than two, things start to get messy. What to do instead: Keep it simple. Start with one resolution, the one that’s the most important to you, and focus all your energy on that…

[Also, sometimes] we just want that magic wand or special pill that will take us from where we are right now to where we want to be. We want the quick fix, or the life hack. For better or worse, things rarely work like that. Lifelong habits don’t change overnight. For most of us they’ve been ingrained over years and years of repetition. Most of the time we set the bar too high, and expect ourselves to reach it… What to do instead: Take it easy. Instead of looking for a quick fix and making big jumps in progress, be patient. This habit change business takes a little work. Rather than hacking your life, commit to the long haul, and build each habit gradually… For most people it takes at least a month for the habit to stick. Then think of the next small step you can take that will bring you closer to your goal. And don’t forget to enjoy the journey. Often we get fixated on the end goal, and lose sight of what’s in front of us. Have an idea of the general direction you want to head, but keep your focus on the present, and the smallest thing you can do right now.

Rav Kook (Orot Ha’kodesh II, Pg. 531): We say that absolute perfection is essential to existence, when nothing will remain in potential but everything will be actualized. However, there is a perfection that consists of the process of increasing perfection. But that cannot possibly apply to Divinity itself, since G-d’s inﬁnite and absolute perfection allows no room for improvement. To this end – that the process of increasing perfection should not be lacking in existence – a universe must come into being that, in accordance with the goal of increasing perfection, begins from the lowest level. That is to say, it begins from a state of absolute deficiency. And it proceeds by constantly ascending to the absolute height.

Rav Moshe Weinberger (Song of Teshuva Vol. 4): People generally say that G-d’s objective in creating this world was to have everything completely actualized, in a state of absolute perfection. But… the highest perfection is the desire to perfect oneself. That, not a static perfection, is the purpose of Creation. The process of gaining perfection is in a certain respect higher than absolute perfection. Had Hashem not created the world with the opportunity for growth, that would have constituted an imperfection. It is precisely because G-d is perfect that He created imperfections. Only an imperfect world can perfect itself – in a constant state of growth and movement. Only because of constant feeling that he is lacking something that he must attain does man have the opportunity to work on himself. By analogy, a true teacher gives each student the ability to be creative and grow. The fact that Hashem made an imperfect world, the fact that He created us with problems and deﬁciencies that we have to struggle with throughout our lives, is itself an aspect of His perfection. G-d created an imperfect world that reaches toward perfection. That process is in a way greater than perfection itself. All of life is an ongoing process of reaching for these lights, which are always a step beyond us.… Our Sages tell us that the tzaddikim have no tranquility in this world or the next, for they never stop moving even in the world of souls, but keep rising “from strength to strength.” There is always room to improve. There is always a higher level. There is always something beyond a person’s immediate grasp… Nothing in the world is supposed to remain the way it is. Even a rock was not created to stay as it was made. From the beginning of time, everything is in a constant state of development and perfection, of opening up and rising, spinning towards the ﬁnal perfection of all worlds, which will be revealed in the future redemption.

Mesilat Yesharim: When the time of a mitzvah performance comes, or present itself, or when the thought of performing it enters one’s mind, he should hurry and hasten to seize hold of it and perform it, and not allow time to go by in between. For there is no danger like its danger. Since, behold each new second that arises can bring with it a new impediment to the good deed… For the trait of alacrity is a very high spiritual level of perfection which a person’s nature impedes him from attaining at the current time. But he who strengthens himself and takes hold of it as much as he can, will, in the future world, merit to truly attain it. The Creator, may His Name be blessed, will bestow it to him as a reward for his striving for it during the time of his service.

And after beginning a mitzvah, he should hasten to complete it. This is not in order to lighten on himself like one who desires to cast a burden off himself but rather out of fear lest he not merit to complete it… Likewise, you will observe that all the deeds of the Tzadikim (righteous) are always performed with haste. By Avraham it is written: “And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, make ready quickly three measures of fine meal… And he gave it to the lad and he hastened to prepare it” (Bereishis 18:6-7). And by Rivka: “and she hastened and emptied her pitcher in the trough…” (Bereishis 24:20). Likewise, they said in the Midrash (regarding the mother of Shimshon): “‘and the woman made haste and ran…’ (Shoftim 13:10) (Midrash:) this comes to teach that all the deeds of the righteous are done with haste”. For they do not allow an interruption of time to elapse – not before beginning the Mitzva nor in completing it. A man whose soul is afire in the service of his Creator certainly will not become lazy in doing the mitzvot. Rather, his movements will be like the quick movements of fire. For he will not rest nor be still until he has finished completing the deed.

Questions for Discussion

Can impetuousness ever be a good thing? Or is it always bad?
Where else in the book of Bereishit do we see Reuven acting impetuously?
Rav Kook writes that “Every stage of the journey fulfills an essential purpose in the Divine plan.” What can we do to stay mindful of this reality?
How is impetuousness different from the trait of “zeal” praised by Mesilat Yesharim (see “Food for Thought” above).
Rav Kook writes that “At the very moment we are rushing into the future, we are depriving ourselves of the preparation we need to appreciate it.” What do you think he means by this?

Rising Above Ayin ha’Ra – Parshat Vayechi

Printable PDF available here.

Last year’s post on Parshat Vayechi can be found here.

Rav Kook (Ein Ayah, Gemara Berachot 55b)

One who enters a city and fears ayin ha’ra should… recite the following: “I, so-and-so son of so-and-so, come from the descendants of Yosef, over whom the ayin ha’ra has no dominion.” As it is stated: “Yosef is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain [lit. alei ayin]; its branches run over the wall” (Bereishit 49:22). Do not read it as alei ayin; but rather olei ayin, “who rise above the eye.” That is, ayin ha’ra has no dominion over Yosef… [Alternatively], this can be derived from Ya’akov’s blessing to Yosef’s sons: “And let them grow like fish into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Bereishit 48:16): Just as fish in the sea are covered by water and the ayin ha’ra has no dominion over them [as they cannot be seen], so too the offspring of Yosef, the ayin ha’ra has no dominion over them.

The precise mechanics of ayin ha’ra – literally, the ‘evil eye’ – are beyond our ability to comprehend, but they are not entirely inscrutable. Ayin ha’ra is rooted in the spiritual reality that one soul can be influenced and affected by others. We all know that the way we feel or think can be swayed by outside influences, whether for good or bad, and ayin ha’ra is simply a deeper manifestation of this reality.

However, a person is not susceptible to ayin ha’ra unless his soul is weak and lacks a healthy self-worth. This person’s choices are not grounded in a deep inner resolve, but rather from a constant outward gaze for approval and validation. This is a state of profound servitude, and it makes a person vulnerable to all types of spiritual corruption. The more that a person is weak, and lacking an inner wealth and confidence, the more vulnerable he will be to ayin ha’ra over his thinking, his emotions and his actions.

The Torah wants each person to rise above this smallness and find true wealth and pleasantness, repose and strength, in an inner world permeated with love and fear of G-d, unencumbered by servitude to the influences and demands of other people. Someone with spiritual authenticity is immune to ayin ha’ra, because the ‘eye’ of others is not part of his reality. It simply doesn’t exist for him.

Does this mean that respecting consensus, avoiding machloket and abiding by communal standards are all unimportant? Does the Torah want us all to be radical non-conformists? No, that is not the Torah’s vision of spiritual authenticity. The Torah wants us to come together as a collective –to ‘enter the city’ (in the terminology of the gemara in Berachot we started with) – and form a healthy society, permeated with benevolence and pursuit of the common good. The Torah wants us to follow the standards and expectations of our broader communities.

But bending to outside standards has to be done from a sense of inner conviction. It has to come from a realization that sometimes, G-dly morality (lit. yosher v’tzedek) dictates that we surrender our ego and participate with the collective. In other words, true spiritual authenticity means living in accordance with G-d’s desires, not one’s own idiosyncrasies. That is the path of the Torah and G-d’s supernal will.

We now understand why Yosef epitomizes immunity from the scourge of ayin ha’ra. Yosef remained faithful to his inner convictions, despite the external pressures and influences of life in Egypt. The outside challenges that he faced were abundant – family estrangement, slavery and imprisonment, a foreign land, a foreign culture, sexual temptation, extravagant wealth and power, among others. But none of these succeeded in leading Yosef astray. Even at the moment of his most intense trial – resisting the seductions of Potiphar’s wife – he was steadfast in his inner conviction. He declared “How could I do this great evil and sin to G-d?’ Yosef was an active participant in the outer world of Egypt, but Egypt did not touch his inner world or define who he was.

Food for Thought

Social Media’s Impact On Self-Esteem (Huffington Post): Social media has been linked to higher levels of loneliness, envy, anxiety, depression, narcissism and decreased social skills… The narratives we share and portray on social media are all positive and celebratory. It’s a hybridized digital version of “Keeping up with the Joneses”. For some… it appears everyone you know are in great relationships, taking 5-star vacations and living their dream life. However, what is shared across our social networks only broadcasts the positive aspects of our lives-the highlight reels… Research has also shown that Facebook users are becoming increasingly depressed from comparing themselves to their own profile. Meaning that if a person’s reality does not match the digital illusion they post on their profiles, emotionally, one may feel they are not living up to the “best” form of themselves.

Rav Soloveitchik (Shiurei HaRav – HaDarom 61):The matter of the ayin ha’ra is crystal clear to me. There are people whose lives are entirely dependent on the thoughts of others – whether they approve of them, forget about them, or praise them. At the moment they realize that others no longer approve of them or care about them – this immediately destroys their spiritual strength and self-confidence… People like this see themselves exclusively from the perspective of others, without recognizing their independent abilities. For people like this, the ayin ha’ra can be devastating. When others gaze upon them with an ayin ha’ra, meaning some degree of opposition or disapproval, their very humanity can be completely destroyed. This was the meaning of [Yosef’s immunity to ayin ha’ra.]… Yosef understood his spiritual strengths from his own recognition, not from the perspective of others. And without this recognition that he had of his own abilities, independent of the values of others, in this case his brothers, Yosef would never have amounted to anything, and his dreams would have immediately ceased.

Morning Berachos (Siddur):May it be Your will, Hashem, the G-d of my fathers, that you protect me on this day and every day… from ayin ha’ra.

Chida (Tziporen Shamir 172):One who speaks the praises of a person’s wisdom, wealth, children, and the like, is obligated to bless him that an ayin ha’ra should have no power over him.

Gemara Bava Metzia (107b):The Torah states: “And the Lord will take away from you all sickness” (Devarim 7:15). Rav interpreted this as a reference to ayin ha’ra. Rav went to a cemetery, and used an incantation to find out how those buried there had died. He reported that ninety-nine percent had died by the evil eye, and only one percent of natural causes.

Rav Dessler (Michtav M’Eliyahu):What exactly is this ayin ha’ra which is spoken about in different places? It is clear that if one causes his friend to become jealous of him, he is responsible and liable for the pain he caused him. And this could even cause him to ultimately lose his wealth. He, therefore, needs to do mitzvot to protect himself from difficulties. The mechanism of the ayin ha’ra is rooted in the spiritual reality of all people being connected to one another. Ayin ha’ra means that one is jealous of another, is bothered by his very being, and [therefore] wants only bad for him. Since all people’s lives are mutually dependent on one another, it’s possible that this will cause the [successful] person’s life to be limited, and thereby more susceptible to injury or damage…

When one is jealous of another and gazes upon him with an ayin ha’ra, this can cause damage. However, justice demands that this will only happen if the recipient of the ayin ha’ra had previously done something to make himself vulnerable to the ayin ha’ra. One possibility would be that he had caused the first person to be jealous of him in a very specific manner. It is clear and well-established that one who is not self-focused, is a giver and not a taker, in all of his matters, will not arouse any jealousy. This is why the descendants of Yosef are not susceptible to the ayin ha’ra – because Yosef was so selfless. Chazal are thereby teaching us that one who lives out of the public eye, and whose aspirations are completely separate from those of the street, will not arouse jealousy.

TorahOnTheGo.com: Some make spitting sounds “poo, poo, poo” to ward off an ayin ha’ra. While it may seem silly, this practice is sourced in Torah. Midrash Rabbah recounts a story of a woman who would attend Rabbi Meir’s Torah classes. Her husband was upset about this practice and warned her that he wouldn’t let her into the house until she spat in Rabbi Meir’s face. Understandably, she was hesitant to do so and stayed away from her home. Rabbi Meir discovered this, and to ease her discomfort acted as if an ayin ha’rahas seized him, and requested that she spit at him as a remedy. While the story is cited to emphasize the importance of promoting shalom bayis, it serves as one of several sources for the concept of spitting in order to ward off an ayin ha’ra.

Questions for Discussion

Do you find Rav Kook’s explanation of ayin ha’ra convincing? Why or why not?
What is ironic about Yosef being identified as of immune from ayin ha’ra? (Think about his brothers…)
How can we use social media in a way that avoids (or minimizes) ayin ha’ra as understood by Rav Kook?
To what extent is authenticity a value in Torah Judaism?
When should a person should not follow the standards of his/her community?
How did Yosef strengthen his resolve to the point that he was immune to ayin ha’ra as understood by Rav Kook?
Is ayin ha’ra the same thing as ayin ra? See the second chapter of Pirkei Avot.
Would Rav Kook agree that you can take off ayin ha’ra with molten lead and a lady in B’nei Brak?
How do you think Rav Kook would understand the concept of ayin tovah?

Inside and Out – Parshat Vayechi

Translation (Midbar Shur, Drush #3)

And Ya’akov’s sons did for him as he commanded them. They carried him to the land of Cana’an and buried him… (Bereishit 50:12–13)

On the level of p’shat, Ya’akov simply commanded his sons to take his body to Eretz Yisrael for burial. However, our Sages [1] add an additional layer of meaning. They note that Ya’akov assigned a specific station around his funeral bier to each son, and that this same arrangement was replicated in the midbar, when the twelve tribes camped around the Mishkan. Our Sages are identifying more than just an interesting parallel or instance of foreshadowing. What they are uncovering goes to the very heart of what Torah is and how we relate to it.

We find that the Torah is attributed to Moshe – as in “Remember the Torah of Moshe.” (Malachi 3:22) – and Ya’akov as well – as in “Moshe commanded us the Torah, the inheritance of the congregation of Ya’akov.” (Devarim 33:4). The Zohar [2] explains that “Ya’akov stands on the outside, and Moshe on the inside.” The Zohar is teaching that Ya’akov and Moshe represent two different aspects of Torah. The two elements are inseparable from each other in actuality, but they are logically and conceptually distinct. The first aspect is the Torah as a pristine and abstract norm, unfettered from any organic relationship with humanity or this world. [3] This aspect – the “inner” dimension of Torah, as the Zohar puts it – is represented by Moshe. Moshe conveyed the Torah and its laws to the Jewish people in perfect faithfulness to its Divine source. [4] The “Torah of Moshe,” the inner soul of the Torah, is stark in its absolute and singular character. It allows no room for multiplicity or divergent paths towards the Divine. [5]

This is the Torah as it exists in heaven. However, our Sages teach that “the Torah was not given to the ministering angels.” [6] And so there is a second, more ‘human’ dimension in which Torah expresses itself, i.e. through the innate aptitudes and spiritual capacities of the Jewish people. This aspect (what the Zohar calls the “outer” dimension of Torah) was founded by Ya’akov. Unlike the other Avot, Ya’akov succeeded [7] in bequeathing the Divine covenant to his entire family, all of whom stayed within the fold. Because of Ya’akov, a natural receptivity to holiness became part of the Jewish people’s spiritual heritage. However, this receptivity is filtered through the unique character and personality of each individual soul. Thus, we find that each of the twelve tribes established a unique path and typology of Divine service. [8] This is why the twelve tribes are directly descended from Ya’akov, and why the tribal camps in the desert replicated the arrangement of Ya’akov’s children around his funeral bier.

Commentary

Rav Kook addresses one of the most challenging paradoxes of Torah observance. Every Jew is subject to the same undifferentiated demands of God’s Torah, but the same God created us with unique personalities, inclinations and aptitudes. How do we keep the Torah in a way that gives expression to our unique sense of self, and avoid being stifled or suppressed by Torah observance? Or is that begging the question by assuming that God desires this – or even allows it – in the first place?

Rav Kook answers that it depends on which perspective you approach the question from. The abstract, “inner” dimension of Torah does not allow any differentiation, and leaves no room for varying paths of Divine service. However, God gave his Torah to human beings knowing – and desiring – that it would be filtered through the unique character and personality of each individual soul. We observe the same Shulchan Aruch and keep the same Torah, but each leaf on the Tree of Life has its own distinctive color and shape. Some individuals will be drawn to chesed and some to prayer. Some will find themselves in the world of the beit midrash (which, we should note, contains many antechambers itself), and others in the artist’s studio or on the trading floor. [9]

In this regard, we follow the model of Ya’akov’s twelve children, who founded twelve unique paradigms of Divine service. However, what’s more important for us – living in an era where our tribal heritage has long been lost – is the notion that divergent spiritual paths are not a quirk, a luxury or a problem to be eliminated. They are something that God idealizes and desires. A ‘cookie cutter Judaism’ – one that insists all Jews must look the same or live the same way – is not just wrong, it is a denial of human nature and מורשה קהילת יעקב.

Questions for Discussion

How do we a create space for ‘spiritual differentiation’ in our communities? In our schools? In our families?
We say two blessings every day as part of birkat haTorah. It seems that one blessing expresses the aspect of ‘Torah of Moshe’ and the other expresses the aspect of ‘Torah of Ya’akov.’ Look it up in the siddur to (i) decide if you agree with this and (ii) see which blessing expresses which aspect.
In a recent piece on the day school tuition crisis, one writer has noted that “The pressure to produce high earners discourages and marginalizes those members of the community whose calling is in music, literature, the visual arts, or the performing arts. The problem is not only that creative types will likely be unable to afford the Modern Orthodox lifestyle; the community itself tends to marginalize those who pursue artistic careers, viewing them as irresponsible. Some creative types will gravitate toward the rabbinate or Jewish education, careers that can offer a creative outlet, financial incentive in the form of tuition reductions, and social acceptability. Many will either give in to the pressure to pursue a stable, lucrative career, or leave Orthodoxy behind.” Discuss this problem in light of Rav Kook’s comments.
Rav Kook cites verses from Chumash and Sefer Malachi to demonstrate that the Torah is attributed to both Moshe and Ya’akov. Reread the verses in light of his analysis – does it seem to fit?
Suppose someone feels that their unique spiritual personality is drawn to things that violate halacha or compromise Torah values. What would Rav Kook say to such a person?
In terms of how your unique self finds religious expression, can you think of religiously observant friends/family members who are the polar opposite of you?

Further Resources
This piece was published in Midbar Shur, which is a collection of drashot on the parsha that Rav Kook wrote when he was the rav of Zeimel, Lithuania. Unlike Rav Kook’s later works, Midbar Shur is written in normal (i.e. non-poetic and non-kabbalistic) rabbinic Hebrew. Although the drashot were written in the 1880s, Midbar Shur was not published until 1999. It has not been translated into English, but various excerpts are adapted in the works Gold From The Land of Israel, Silver From the Land of Israel, and Sapphire From the Land of Israel, available here, here and here.

[1] Bamidbar Rabbah, cited in Rashi on 50:13.

[2] Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 13.

[3] For an exposition of this aspect of the Torah, see Chapter 8 of Mishlei, and in particular verses 22-31. Kabbalah and Chasidutdwell at length on the ‘supernal’ aspect of the Torah, emphasizing that its words, letters and seemingly mundane laws are a reflection of a much higher, abstract spiritual reality. For an illustrative example, see Chapter 4 of the Tanya.

[4] This is the seventh Ikkar Emunah of the Rambam.

[5] Rav Kook references (homiletically) the pasuk“משפט אחד יהיה לכם” (Devarim 24:22).

[6] Gemara Berachot 25b.

[7] Of course this does not mean that Avraham and Yitzchak were failures, only that they began a process whose completion culminated in Ya’akov. Our Sages refer to Ya’akov as the ‘most chosen of the Avot‘ (lit. בחור שבאבות) – see Bereishit Rabbah at the beginning of Parshat Vayishlach.

[8] The Arizal teaches that each of the tribes even has its own distinct nusach for prayer, in accordance with its unique and distinct spiritual qualities. See Shaar HaKavanot, cited in Magen Avraham (Orach Chaim 68:1).

[9] This is my adaptation of Rashi on Devarim 33:19. I am well aware that none of the Twelve Tribes worked on a trading floor.