"And that pit was empty; there was no water in it"

120. "And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and that pit was empty; there was no water in it" (Beresheet 37:24). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse, "The Torah of Hashem is perfect, restoring the soul" (Tehilim 19:8). Men should endeavor to study the Torah as much as possible, for whoever does so gains life in this world and in the World to Come, and he merits both worlds. Even he who strives to study the Torah, but does it for worldly reasons, merits reward in this world and escapes Judgment in the next.

121. Come and behold, it is written, "Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand are riches and honor" (Mishlei 3:16). "Length of days," refers to that person who endeavors to study the Torah for its own sake, for he has length of days in a world of long days, SIGNIFYING THE EVERLASTING WORLD. These days, which are found in the everlasting world, are certainly days. THIS MEANS THAT THEY ARE SURELY GOOD AND WORTHY DAYS. In addition, there is the certainty of sacredness above, NAMELY THE HOPED-FOR REWARD. A man who trusts in this world should study the Torah diligently to be happy in the EVERLASTING world. "And in her left hand are riches and honor," for he receives good reward and peace in this world.

122. Whoever studies the Torah for its own sake will find that when he passes from the world, the Torah goes before him with proclamations and protects him from approaching accusers. When the body lies in the grave, it guards him and when the soul departs to ascend to its place, it precedes the soul. Many CLOSED gates are thrown open before the Torah until it brings THE SOUL to its place. THE TORAH stands by that man when the dead are resurrected, and speaks in his favor.

123. "When you walk, it shall lead you; when you lie down, it shall keep you and when you awake, it shall talk with you" (Mishlei 6:22). "When you walk, it shall lead you," refers to THE TORAH THAT GOES BEFORE HIM WHEN HE DIES as we explained. "When you lie down, it shall keep you," refers to the interval when the body lies in the grave, for at that time the body is judged and sentenced and the Torah acts in its defense. "And when you awake, it shall talk with you," refers to the time at which the dead rise TO LIFE from the dust. "It shall talk with you," means it will speak in your defense.

124. Rabbi Elazar quoted the verse, "It shall talk with you." What does this mean? HE ANSWERS, It means that although they have just risen from the dust, they will remember the Torah THEY STUDIED BEFORE THEIR DEATH. They will know all they studied before departing from the world. It penetrates inside them and speaks in their innermost parts. THIS MEANS THAT IT DOES NOT COME BACK SLOWLY, AS IS THE NATURE OF THOUGHT, BUT AT ONCE, AS IN DRESSING, AS IS THE NATURE OF THE VISCERA. MEANING?

125. And everything shall be clearer than it was before HE DIED, for whatever he did not grasp well THEN, whatever he strove to understand yet did not successfully grasp, is now clear in his innermost parts. And the Torah speaks within him. This is the meaning of the verse, "And when you awake, it shall talk with you." Rabbi Yehuda said that whoever studied the Torah diligently in this world deserves to be occupied with it in the World to Come.

126. Come and behold, a man who did not have the merit to be occupied with the Torah in this world walks in darkness. When he passes from the world, he is put in the lowest place in Gehenom, where no one pities him, a place described as a "gruesome pit," a "miry clay," as it is written, "He brought me up also out of the gruesome pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my footsteps" (Tehilim 40:3).

127. It is therefore written of he who does not study the Torah in this world, but besmirches himself with the filth of this world, "And they took him, and cast him into a pit" (Beresheet 37:24), into Gehenom, where those who do not study the Torah are sentenced. "And the pit was empty" (Ibid.); it is empty, because there was no water in it - THAT IS, TORAH, CALLED 'WATER.'

128. Come and behold the punishment for neglecting the study of the Torah. Yisrael were exiled from the Holy Land, only for being removed from and leaving the Torah. This is explained by the verse, "Who is the wise man, that may understand this? Why does the land perish ...? Because they have forsaken My Torah which I set before them" (Yirmeyah 9:11-12). Rabbi Yosi said, "Therefore My people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge" (Yeshayah 5:13), NAMELY, OF THE TORAH.

129. Hence, everything is based on the existence of the Torah, and the world only endures by means of the Torah, which sustains the worlds above and below. As it is written, "If my Covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth ..." (Yirmeyah 33:25).

130. "And they took him, and cast him into a pit" (Beresheet 37:24). This alludes to the fact that LATER they cast him into Egypt, where the secret of the faith does not abide. WATER IS THE SECRET OF THE FAITH, AND WHEN IT IS WRITTEN, "AND THE PIT WAS EMPTY," IT REFERS TO A LACK OF THE SECRET OF THE FAITH. Rabbi Yitzchak said, If there were snakes and scorpions in the pit - ACCORDING TO THE SAGES, IT DID NOT CONTAIN WATER, BUT IT DID CONTAIN SNAKES AND SCORPIONS - why is it written of Reuben, "He might save him out of their hands" (Ibid. 22)? Did not Reuben fear that the snakes and scorpions would harm Joseph? If so, how did he plan "to deliver him back to his father ...that he might save him?"

131. HE REPLIED THAT Reuben saw that Joseph would surely come to harm in their hands, for he knew how much they hated him and wished to kill him. Reuben thought it was better to cast him into the pit of snakes and scorpions than to deliver him to his enemies, who have no compassion for him. Thus, the saying: "Rather should a man throw himself into a fire or a pit full of serpents and scorpions, than be delivered into the hands of his enemies."

132. For if a man is righteous here in a place of snakes and scorpions, the Holy One, blessed be He, performs miracles for him, or sometimes he is saved by the merit of his fathers. But once delivered into the hands of enemies, few escape.

133. Therefore, he said, "That he might save him out of their hands," (Beresheet 37:22) not simply 'that he might save him,' but rather, "out of their hands." Reuben said to himself, 'may he be saved from them, and if he dies, it is BETTER FOR HIM to die in the pit.' It is therefore written, "And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands." HE SAVED HIM ONLY FROM DYING BY THEIR HANDS, EVEN THOUGH HE MIGHT HAVE DIED IN THE PIT.

134. Come and behold the piety of Reuben. He knew that Shimon and Levi were ruthless when they joined forces and cunning. When they joined against Shchem, they killed all the males. They were not satisfied, so they took the women and the little ones, gold and silver, and all beasts and precious vessels - in short, everything that was to be found in the city. Yet even this was not enough, so they took what was in the field, as it is written, "And that which was in the city, and that which was in the field they took" (Beresheet 34:28).

135. Reuben said, 'If such a great city did not escape them, then if this boy falls in their hands, not a shred of flesh will remain. Therefore, it is better to save him from them, for they will leave no sign of him for my father to see.'

136. 'Even if he dies IN THE PIT, his brothers will not prevail against him. His body will remain intact and I will return him whole to my father.' Therefore, it is written, "that he might save him out of their hands, to deliver him back to his father." 'I WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN HIM TO MY FATHER even though he will die there.' He therefore said, "The child is not" (Beresheet 37:30), instead of 'not alive,' because he was not even dead.

137. Come and behold what Reuben did. He wisely joined them and said, "Let us not kill him" (Beresheet 37:21), instead of 'Do not you take his life,' for he was not there when Joseph was sold. They each then attended their father for one day. When it was Reuben's day, he did not want Joseph to perish. It is therefore written, "And Reuben returned to the pit and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit" - NOT EVEN DEAD - "and he rent his clothes." Immediately, "he returned to his brothers, and said, 'The child is not.'"

138. Even Reuben was not informed of the sale of Joseph. It has already been explained that the Shechinah was a partner IN THE VOW NOT TO REVEAL THE SALE OF JOSEPH. Therefore Reuben did not know of it, and it was not revealed to him until Joseph made himself known to his brothers!

139. Come and behold what Reuben attained in trying to save Joseph's life. It is written, "Let Reuben live, and not die" (Devarim 33:6). For although he knew that the birthright was taken from him and given to Joseph, nevertheless he tried to save his life. Therefore Moses prayed for him, saying, "Let Reuben live, and not die," and be supported in this world and in the World to Come. What is the reason? - the SAVING OF JOSEPH'S LIFE and repenting for DEFILING HIS FATHER'S BED! If a man repents his sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, will revive him in this world and in the World to Come.

140. Come and behold, "And they took Joseph's coat ..." (Beresheet 37:31). It has been explained that this is because a goat's blood resembles human blood. Yet come and behold, even when an act is well executed - WITHOUT COMMITTING ANY SIN - the Holy One, blessed be He, is strict with the righteous, even to a hair's breadth.

141. Jacob did well to kill a goat for his father. Yet by offering a goat, which comes from the side of Harsh Judgment, he weakened THE ASPECT OF THE STRICT JUDGMENT OF his father since he is of its aspect, AS ISAAC TOO PERTAINS TO SEVERE JUDGMENT. AND ALTHOUGH THE JUDGMENT TOOK HOLD OF THE GOAT, Jacob was punished in that his sons brought its blood before him.

142. It is written OF JACOB: "And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck" (Beresheet 27:16). Therefore it is said OF HIS SONS, "And they dipped the coat in the blood" (Beresheet 37:31). This was measure for measure. Since he made "Isaac tremble very much" (Ibid. 33), HIS SONS made him tremble when they said, "'Know now whether it be your son's coat or not'" (Ibid. 32).

143. Rabbi Chiya said, it is written concerning him (Jacob): "Are you my son Esau or not" (Beresheet 27:21), and addressing him (they said), "is it your son's coat or not" (Beresheet 37:32). This is because the Holy One, blessed be He, is strict with the righteous to a hair's breadth in everything they do.

144. Rabbi Aba said that when the tribes saw their father's grief, they surely regretted SELLING JOSEPH and determined to rescue him if they could find him. When they saw they could not RESCUE HIM, they turned to Judah (WHO ADVISED THEM TO SELL HIM) and rejected him from among them. For he now was their king, and when they deposed him, it is written, "And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers" (Beresheet 38:1).