VAYIGASH

The Chofetz Chaim explained. A person's obligation to do acts of kindness (chesed) is natural because he is also sustained from G-d's storehouse of chesed. He breathes into his lungs air which is free and does not cost any money. He benefits from the rays of the sun without any payment. He quenches his thirst with water from rivers and wells without any renumeration. Just as he receives all these free gifts, so should he also do chesed for others.

G-d sustains life and provides for the living because they do chesed for each other.

Chazal said that everyone needs chesed, even our father Avraham who is the epitomy of chesed and by whose virtue all the chesed in the world is done.

However, the attribute of chesed does not have the power to accomplish the act of reviving the dead. Here great Mercy is required.

Chazal have taught us (at the end of Ketubot, 111b) that it is through the light of Torah that revival of the dead is accomplished. The Torah is saturated with Mercy. It gives life in this world, and through its light the "dew" is created by which the dead are to be revived.

(Ma'asai Lemelech, About the Chofetz Chaim)

With these words Yehudah began his request to Yosef. He wanted to ask for amnesty, and therefore he wanted to speak directly to Yosef and not through an interperter. However, it would seem that they did not know each other's speech. Beforehand, all the conversations between them were communicated through an interperter. How, then, did Yehudah expect to make himself understood to Yosef without an interperter?

The Gaon of Brisk said that this question recalls a story about the Chofetz Chaim who once appeared before the Prime Minister of Poland to request cancellation of a decree from the Polish Ministry of Education which was very troubling to all the Torah leaders at the time. The words of the Chofetz Chaim flowed from his warm and pure heart as he spoke to the gentile Prime Minister in Yiddish. In the midst of speaking the Chofetz Chaim became very emotional and he began to cry.

One of those who accompanied the Chofetz Chaim arose to translate, but the Prime Minister signalled him to be quiet and said, "It is not necessary. Although I did not understand a word, he has convinced me because these words came from his heart."

The language of the heart is understood in every language. It does not need elaboration or translation. It was with this language that Yehudah wanted to convince Yosef.

Zealousness is a great quality. If a person accustoms himself to the quality of zealousness when he is young, then he will be zealous even when he is old, as it is written, "Educate a young man according to his way; even when he gets old he will not turn away from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

If you see that your child has the quality of zealousness, whether in his work, or in any of his ways, then do not say, "I do not need to prompt him anymore," but continue to animate him. This we have found in the teaching of the Talmud (Kiddushin 29a). Whenever it is written that G-d commands (tzav) it is intended to impart to us a need for zealous diligence to do His will immediately and repeatedly throughout the generations. The identity between G-d's commanding and zealousness is implied when G-d told Moshe, "Command Yehoshua, strengthen and encourage him..." (Duet. 3:28). Only those who are already eager are urged to become more eager (Makot 23a).

It is known that anyone who tries to do his business or work zealously becomes rich, as it is written, "...The hand of the diligent makes wealth" (Proverbs 10:4). In addition, the diligent person finds satisfaction in life and his household is fulled with good, as it is written, "...The soul of the diligent fattens" (ibid. 13:4). Also, he supervises over many things, as it is written, "The hand of the diligent controls..." (ibid. 12:24).

The quality of zealousness is very great. Whenever a person is diligent in work and business, then his property increases with success. Even if he began poor, his poverty does not hold him back....

...Just as I have warned you to be zealous and industrious in your work and in all your activities, so I will also warn you to be zealous and cautious in Torah and mitzvot. Do them as they are supposed to be done, and diligently. Anyone who tends to the Torah and mitzvot diligently is guarded by them in this world and they vouch for his merit in the world to come.

A person should be careful and zealous to run to do the mitzvot. If the opportunity for a mitzvah comes his way he should do it immediately, as it is written, "Guard the mitzvot...". As you know, the letters which spell the word mitzvot (commandments) also spell the word matzot (unleavened bread). Just as we do not allow the matzot to leaven (which is the beginning of the process of souring), so we should not allow the opportunity to do a mitzvah go sour. Whenever the opportunity comes, do it immediately and do not let it go to waste.

Our sages commanded us to do the mitzvot zealously, and they said, "Be bold like a panther and light like an eagle, run like a deer and be strong like a lion to do the will of your Father in heaven."

(Ma'alot Hamidot)