ויגש אליו יהודה וגו'. שמעתי ממורי פירוש הפסוק ויגש אליו יהודה ויאמר בי אדוני וגו', דאיתא בברכות (דל"א ע"א) לעולם יסדר אדם שבחו של מקום ואחר כך יתפלל וכו', ובמס' ע"ז (ד"ז ע"ב) איכא דסבירא ליה איפכא, וביאר, דמר אמר חדא ומר אמר חדא ולא פליגי, דכתב הרמב"ן כי כח הפועל בנפעל, ובריאת העולם כולו כהדין קומצא דלבושיה מיניה וביה (מדרש רבתי בראשית פפ"א סי' ה') ובכל מיני צער יש שם ניצוץ הקדוש ממנו יתברך שמו אלא שהוא בתוך כמה לבושים, וזהו ענין (אסתר ב׳:ט׳) שבע הנערות הראויות לתת לה מבית המלך וכאשר יתן לב להבין שגם כאן הוא יתברך שמו אתו עמו, אז הוסר ונתגלה הלבוש ונתבטל הצער: וזהו שאמר יסדר שבחו, שזהו שבחו שמלא כל הארץ כבודו, ובכל צרתם לו צר (ישעיהו ס״ג:ט׳) אז לא צער, ויתפלל, כי ממילא יתבטל הצרה אחר שיודע לסדר שבחו בענין הנ"ל (בסוד תכין לבם תקשיב אזניך (תהילים י׳:י״ז) ששמעתי ממורי גם כן עיין במקום אחר מזה) ומר סבירא ליה יתפלל תחלה, והוא על ידי שמאמין שהשם יתברך שם הוא גם כן, ואז יוכל לסדר שבחו ודפח"ח.
And Judah drew near to him and said, Oh my lord, (Genesis 44:18) The Talmud says, “A person should always praise G-d first, and then pray [for his needs].1Berachos 31a. Yet, in another place, the Talmud states the opposite view.2“Rabbi Eliezer said, a person should first ask for his needs, and then pray.” Avoda Zara 7b. The answer is that there are two separate opinions. The Ramban3Nachmanidies (1194-1270). writes that the essence of a craftsman can be found in the craft that he creates.4Meaning, whenever a person creates something, something of his soul enters into and remains in their handicraft. Great kabbalists, such as the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov could look at an object, and immediately know everything about the one who made it. Here, the Baal Shem Tov applies the principle to creation itself. Since it is G-d’s handiwork, there must be a remnant of the Creator within it. [Likewise], the Creation is compared to a snail, whose garment is part of itself.5Midrash Rabbosai, Bereishis 21:5. Just as the garments of a locust are part of itself, so the creation is not something separate from or outside of the Divine. It is part of Him, and His Presence is continually present within it. In all suffering, there exists a spark of holiness from G-d, although it is hidden within many garments. This is the meaning of the verse: “the seven maids chosen to be given to her, from the king’s house”6The “seven maids” represent the sparks of holiness that have fallen among the “shells” of impurity. The word maid, na’arah, is related to the word “to shake out,” mino’ar, because the holiness found in these sparks has been “shaken out” of them, until almost nothing remains. However, these sparks yearn to return to their root. Thus, the verse from Esther continues: “When it came the turn for each maid to come into the king…” (Esther 2:12); that is, each spark of holiness has a pre-determined time that it will leave the shells of impurity, and come before the King. (See Baal Shem Tov on the Torah, Miketz, on Genesis 41:1. (Esther 2:9). When a person realizes that G-d is with him even there, the garments become transparent and disappear, and the suffering is abated. This is what it means to offer praise first. G-d’s praise is that His glory fills the entire universe. “In all their afflictions, He is afflicted” (Isaiah 63:9) – then, there is no affliction7The word lo in this verse is written different than it is read. It is written lamed vav, which mean “him,” in this case, G-d. However, tradition tells us to read the word lo as though it were written with lamed aleph, which means “no,” in this case, “there is not.” The Baal Shem Tov combines both readings. When a person realizes that G-d is present in all of his afflictions, then the afflictions themselves cease to exist. – and one can pray. When one knows how to praise G-d in this way, the suffering will disappear by itself.8R. Yaakov Yosef adds here: “I heard from my Master (the Baal Shem Tov) that this is the meaning of ‘You will establish their heart, Your ears will hear [their prayers]” (Psalms 10:17). The other opinion says to pray first.9I.e., a person who prays for his needs, without first praising G-d; that is, coming to the realization that G-d is present even in the affliction. In this case, a person’s has faith that G-d is also there [in the affliction], so that he can offer his praise [afterward].10In other words, even though a person does not perceive the spark of holiness in the suffering, if he believes that G-d is with him even there, he will eventually come to this realization.
2
ובזה יובן ויגש אליו יהודה הודאה ושבח לו יתברך שמו, ויאמר בי אדוני, כי כל צער הוא בתוך שם זה, וכאשר יגיש אליו הודאה ושבח כנ"ל נתבטל הצער, ודפח"ח: (תוי"י ר"פ ויחי)
With this, we can understand the verse: “And Judah drew near to him.”11The Baal Shem Tov reads Judah’s words as not being addressed to Joseph, but to G-d himself. See Pri Tzaddik, Vayigash 1, by Rabbi Tzaddok HaKohen of Lublin, who explains that tzaddikim often address their words to the Divine Presence, even when they are speaking to other human beings. He praised the Holy One.12The name Judah – Yehuda – is from the Hebrew word “hodu” – to praise. As Leah said, when he was born: “Now I will praise G-d; therefore, she called his name Judah” (Genesis 29:35). And Jacob said: “Judah, your brothers will praise you” (ibid. 49:8). First, he said, “Oh my L-rd” – because all affliction derives from this name.13The Hebrew reads: “Bi Adoni.” The Baal Shem Tov sees this as alluding to G-d’s name Ado-nai, which represents the forces of concealment and strict judgment. But when he drew near to Him and praised and exalted Him, the affliction was annulled.14I.e., Joseph revealed himself. Then, the very source of the their problem – the evil viceroy of Egypt – turned out to be their beloved brother, whose intentions were only for their good. Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Vayechi
ויגש אליו יהודה וגו'. שמעתי ממורי פירוש הפסוק ויגש אליו יהודה ויאמר בי אדוני וגו', דאיתא בברכות (דל"א ע"א) לעולם יסדר אדם שבחו של מקום ואחר כך יתפלל וכו', ובמס' ע"ז (ד"ז ע"ב) איכא דסבירא ליה איפכא, וביאר, דמר אמר חדא ומר אמר חדא ולא פליגי, דכתב הרמב"ן כי כח הפועל בנפעל, ובריאת העולם כולו כהדין קומצא דלבושיה מיניה וביה (מדרש רבתי בראשית פפ"א סי' ה') ובכל מיני צער יש שם ניצוץ הקדוש ממנו יתברך שמו אלא שהוא בתוך כמה לבושים, וזהו ענין (אסתר ב׳:ט׳) שבע הנערות הראויות לתת לה מבית המלך וכאשר יתן לב להבין שגם כאן הוא יתברך שמו אתו עמו, אז הוסר ונתגלה הלבוש ונתבטל הצער: וזהו שאמר יסדר שבחו, שזהו שבחו שמלא כל הארץ כבודו, ובכל צרתם לו צר (ישעיהו ס״ג:ט׳) אז לא צער, ויתפלל, כי ממילא יתבטל הצרה אחר שיודע לסדר שבחו בענין הנ"ל (בסוד תכין לבם תקשיב אזניך (תהילים י׳:י״ז) ששמעתי ממורי גם כן עיין במקום אחר מזה) ומר סבירא ליה יתפלל תחלה, והוא על ידי שמאמין שהשם יתברך שם הוא גם כן, ואז יוכל לסדר שבחו ודפח"ח.
And Judah drew near to him and said, Oh my lord, (Genesis 44:18)
The Talmud says, “A person should always praise G-d first, and then pray [for his needs].1Berachos 31a. Yet, in another place, the Talmud states the opposite view.2“Rabbi Eliezer said, a person should first ask for his needs, and then pray.” Avoda Zara 7b. The answer is that there are two separate opinions. The Ramban3Nachmanidies (1194-1270). writes that the essence of a craftsman can be found in the craft that he creates.4Meaning, whenever a person creates something, something of his soul enters into and remains in their handicraft. Great kabbalists, such as the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov could look at an object, and immediately know everything about the one who made it. Here, the Baal Shem Tov applies the principle to creation itself. Since it is G-d’s handiwork, there must be a remnant of the Creator within it. [Likewise], the Creation is compared to a snail, whose garment is part of itself.5Midrash Rabbosai, Bereishis 21:5. Just as the garments of a locust are part of itself, so the creation is not something separate from or outside of the Divine. It is part of Him, and His Presence is continually present within it. In all suffering, there exists a spark of holiness from G-d, although it is hidden within many garments. This is the meaning of the verse: “the seven maids chosen to be given to her, from the king’s house”6The “seven maids” represent the sparks of holiness that have fallen among the “shells” of impurity. The word maid, na’arah, is related to the word “to shake out,” mino’ar, because the holiness found in these sparks has been “shaken out” of them, until almost nothing remains. However, these sparks yearn to return to their root. Thus, the verse from Esther continues: “When it came the turn for each maid to come into the king…” (Esther 2:12); that is, each spark of holiness has a pre-determined time that it will leave the shells of impurity, and come before the King. (See Baal Shem Tov on the Torah, Miketz, on Genesis 41:1. (Esther 2:9). When a person realizes that G-d is with him even there, the garments become transparent and disappear, and the suffering is abated.
This is what it means to offer praise first. G-d’s praise is that His glory fills the entire universe. “In all their afflictions, He is afflicted” (Isaiah 63:9) – then, there is no affliction7The word lo in this verse is written different than it is read. It is written lamed vav, which mean “him,” in this case, G-d. However, tradition tells us to read the word lo as though it were written with lamed aleph, which means “no,” in this case, “there is not.” The Baal Shem Tov combines both readings. When a person realizes that G-d is present in all of his afflictions, then the afflictions themselves cease to exist. – and one can pray. When one knows how to praise G-d in this way, the suffering will disappear by itself.8R. Yaakov Yosef adds here: “I heard from my Master (the Baal Shem Tov) that this is the meaning of ‘You will establish their heart, Your ears will hear [their prayers]” (Psalms 10:17).
The other opinion says to pray first.9I.e., a person who prays for his needs, without first praising G-d; that is, coming to the realization that G-d is present even in the affliction. In this case, a person’s has faith that G-d is also there [in the affliction], so that he can offer his praise [afterward].10In other words, even though a person does not perceive the spark of holiness in the suffering, if he believes that G-d is with him even there, he will eventually come to this realization.
ובזה יובן ויגש אליו יהודה הודאה ושבח לו יתברך שמו, ויאמר בי אדוני, כי כל צער הוא בתוך שם זה, וכאשר יגיש אליו הודאה ושבח כנ"ל נתבטל הצער, ודפח"ח:
(תוי"י ר"פ ויחי)
With this, we can understand the verse: “And Judah drew near to him.”11The Baal Shem Tov reads Judah’s words as not being addressed to Joseph, but to G-d himself. See Pri Tzaddik, Vayigash 1, by Rabbi Tzaddok HaKohen of Lublin, who explains that tzaddikim often address their words to the Divine Presence, even when they are speaking to other human beings. He praised the Holy One.12The name Judah – Yehuda – is from the Hebrew word “hodu” – to praise. As Leah said, when he was born: “Now I will praise G-d; therefore, she called his name Judah” (Genesis 29:35). And Jacob said: “Judah, your brothers will praise you” (ibid. 49:8). First, he said, “Oh my L-rd” – because all affliction derives from this name.13The Hebrew reads: “Bi Adoni.” The Baal Shem Tov sees this as alluding to G-d’s name Ado-nai, which represents the forces of concealment and strict judgment. But when he drew near to Him and praised and exalted Him, the affliction was annulled.14I.e., Joseph revealed himself. Then, the very source of the their problem – the evil viceroy of Egypt – turned out to be their beloved brother, whose intentions were only for their good.
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Vayechi