Vayeshev: Channel of Shefa

Dec 13, 2017

· Korase means being cut.

· What is being cut?  Our channel to Hashem and Shamayim.

· The word Brocha comes from Braicha, meaning pool.

· Brocha brings via a channel the contents of the pool to us.

· This affect not only individuals, but the Jewish people people as a Klal, throughout  the generations, for familes & groups.

· Look at chart of 4 generations.

· Chilul Hashem empties the channel of Hashem

· Shefa – cornucopia – abundance in the channel

· Yaakov’s ladder – generations

· The goal is to widen this channel and increase the flow in both directions

· It’s not just about blindly following rules

· But use the opportunity to connect and widen the channel & the flow

· That’s the opportunity of davening, mitzvas, and learning

· The purpose of the Bais Hamidkosh was to widen that channel and improve that flow

· Some Tzadikim have a wide channel to Shamayim, and that’s why we go to them for Brochas.

· The word Shechena is feminine because it’s how the channel looks from our end

· We all have needs – health, livelihood, relationships, family, peace, shidduchim

· That’s the purpose of prayer & good deeds and avoiding negative acts & words

· Learning creates Shefa

· Shefa = flow

· It protects us

· Sometimes we need or desire things and look hopefully to the channel

· Yissurim also happen, and  best to accept  with  Ahava

· I have a friend who is not particularly religious, and he suffered a setback

· I wanted to tell him, perhaps it’s because your channel isn’t wide enough –

· Perhaps he should devote more attention to widening his channel – through davening, learning, and mitzvos

· But then I realized that there is a sentence in last week’s parsha that belies that idea

· Yosef had been sold into slavery by his brothers, he was framed by Mrs. Potifar, and he was thrown into the dungeon

· You would think that this is an indication that someone has a severely restriction channel of Shefa

· But the Chumash tells us that this was not the case

· 39: 20 - And Yoseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison.

· What is the next line:

· 39:21 - But Hashem was with Yosef

· Iyov’s friends make the same mistake

· So there is a cheshbon Hanefesh that we should do in the privacy of our own mind

· But things are not always what they seem, and this probably isn’t appropriate for the realm of tochacha, of giving others mussar when they seem to be suffering a setback

· But, even though we don’t know for sure, perhaps it’s OK to suggest that a person consider that his channel to Shamayim could use some improvement and widening.