Emor: Chapter 18

"there was corn in Egypt"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon tells us that when there is to be a famine, God decrees it Himself rather than delegating the announcement to one of His messengers. A man who is full must not show it so as not to be seen rejecting the word of God who decreed the famine.

Egypt Jacob Wisdom

77. Rabbi Shimon opened with the verse, "Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt" (Beresheet 42:1). This verse contains the secret of wisdom and we have to examine it, because its beginning and end contradict each other. FOR IN THE BEGINNING IT SAYS, "NOW WHEN JACOB SAW THAT THERE WAS CORN IN EGYPT," AND AT THE END, "JACOB SAID TO HIS SONS, WHY DO YOU LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER." IF THERE IS CORN IN EGYPT, CANNOT THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER? WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?

77. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח, וַיַרְא יַעֲקֹב כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם, הַאי קְרָא רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִית בֵּיהּ, וְאִית לָן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, דְּלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְלָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ.

Angels Famine

78. HE ANSWERS, But come and see, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to sentence the world to famine, He does not deliver this through a crier TO THE ANGELS. For a crier pronounces all other punishments in the world before they enter it, but this one OF FAMINE is not delivered to a crier, but the Holy One, blessed be He, announces it and cries. This is the meaning of, "for Hashem has called for a famine" (II Melachim 8:1). From that time other ministers are appointed over the world, due to the decree of famine.

78. אֶלָּא ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְמֵידָן עָלְמָא בְּכַפְנָא, לָא יָהִיב מִלָּה דָּא לִידָא דְּכָרוֹזָא, דְּהָא כָּל דִּינִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּעָלְמָא, כָּרוֹזָא כָּרִיז עָלוֹהִי עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְעָלְמָא, וְדִינָא דָּא לָא אִתְיְיהִיב לְכָרוֹזָא, אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַכְרִיז עָלֵיהּ וְקָארִי. הה"ד, כִּי קָרָא יְיָ' לָרָעֵב. מֵהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִתְפַּקְּדָן עַל עָלְמָא מְמָנָן אָחֳרָנִין, בִּפְקִידוּ דְּרָעָב.

Famine Jacob

79. A satiated man must not show himself full, because he indicates a blemish above and rejects the word of the King, WHO DECREED FAMINE. It is as if he removed the King's ministers from their position. Hence Jacob said to his sons, "why do you look at (or: 'show') one another," WHICH MEANS, Why do you create a defect above and below and deny the King's declaration, and all those appointed by the KING'S crier.

79. וְאָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ דְּאִית לֵיהּ שַׂבְעָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה בְּגַרְמֵיהּ שַׂבְעָא, דְּהָא אַחְזֵי פְּגִימוּ לְעֵילָּא, וְאַכְחִישׁ מִלָּה דְּמַלְכָּא, וְכִבְיָכוֹל כְּאִלּוּ אַעְבָּר מְמָנָן דְּמַלְכָּא מֵאַתְרַיְיהוּ. וְעַ"ד אָמַר יַעֲקֹב לִבְנוֹי, לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ, לָמָה תַּעֲבִידוּ פְּגִימוּ לְעֵילָּא וּלְתַתָּא, וּלְאַכְחָשָׁא מִלָּה דְּמַלְכָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן מְמָנָן בִּכְרִיזוּ דִּילֵיהּ.

Egypt Jacob

80. But, "Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Go down there" (Beresheet 42:2). There you may seem replete, but do not reject the celestial retinue here. Come and see, Jacob had much corn, but he did not want to eat it, except when they came back, so his action would not be considered defective, THAT IS, SO AS NOT TO SEEM FULL.

80. אֲבָל הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם רְדוּ שָׁמָּה, וְתַמָּן אַחְזִיאוּ גַּרְמַיְיכוּ בְּשַׂבְעָא, וְלָא תַּכְחִישׁוּ פָּמַלְיָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הָכָא. ות"ח, יַעֲקֹב כַּמָה תְּבוּאָה הֲוַת לֵיהּ, וְלָא בָּעֵי לִשְׁבּוֹר אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּאִים בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח פְּגִימוּ בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּילֵיהּ.

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