Parshas Vayechi: Embracing Uniqueness & Individuality in Torah Life

It's important to be open-minded, to not just see the world one way, frozen, stiff, but to be able to broaden your horizons to see the beautiful rainbows outside of your ghetto walls. However, if you are too open-minded, well, god forbid, your brain can fall out. Today we will explore an attempt to broaden our minds, to expand our mental reach, to plunge some murky waters, some all-new deep waters, and discussing a rather popular topic, to see perhaps how the Torah views it, to kind of dance back and forth understanding different titanic Torah giants approach on this topic. We will endeavor to find a practical application for it and maybe make some jokes, make a bit of fun, hopefully have some fun, and conclude with an idea that actually plays a pretty crucial role in living up to our potential and staying Torah-true, god-fearing Jews here in America. The topic I'm sure you've heard of it the broadening of our minds today will be surrounding one work, and that is individuality and what place there is for one to express his individuality in his avayis Hashem and in life. It is a very popular topic. The world is obsessed with trying individuals trying to express their inner selves, to show off their singularities, to be a yachid, to feel special and different. Sometimes it goes too far or perhaps sometimes it isn't honed and developed enough. It's an important topic because we must all agree to that same notion that we're all different. We all have different fingerprints, and it really is astonishing to think about how we all have the same body parts and, on the face specifically, there's maybe about four or five separate features that we have between eyes, nose, ears, mouth, some skin, but nobody looks the same. It's really interesting. So we must begin from a spot. That individuality is the way that Hashem set up the world, and it's really step one. There's no argument about it. And when it comes to developing our own talents and standing out in the crowd with our certain peculiar skills, what does it tell us to say about that? I want to begin with maybe throwing some propane on top of this already subtly burning fire, and that it may seem like individuality is kind of not something we're so in favor of in Judaism. If you just look around at society, you'll see that we all pretty much do the same things. We go to the same places at the same times, recite the same liturgy, learn the same texts, pretty much dress the same way. Where is the makum for individuality? So there's a source here in our parashah parashah is Vayechi that really changes everything. This Orekhaim HaKodosh, I was directed towards and came across it because of an interview that the great Rybiakov Vova of Houston, texas, conducted with a relative of his, shmueli Batnik, and by Batnik has long been studying the Orekhaim HaKodosh's peerish. He's a brilliant Talmud Chacham and he disclosed to Revolba that the following Orekhaim on parashah Vayechi, discussed again with individuality and its role in Judaism, is a top three Orekhaim HaKodosh, al-hatorah. That one should know. But before we jump to the Orekhaim we must get the text as to what is going on inside of the parashah. Parashah Vayechi discusses the closing up shop and the organizing of his affairs, that is, of Yaakovovino On his deathbed, giving out free brachos fortune, telling future, telling to sons and grandsons, and his brachos prophetic. Most definitely. Nivua are now famous for each tribe, each one of the shift-a-ca, the 12 tribes, has come to be defined by the blessing that they received that ultimately would become their destiny. Certain insignias, designs and flags would be painted and flown high in the sky, showing off that portrait or manifestation of the blessing that they got from Yaakov on his deathbed. The blessings are cryptic, sometimes hard to understand how they are in fact blessings. At times they seem to be like harsh rebuke. But just to dwell on one or two Zvulun. He's blessed that. He shall dwell by the seashore, shall be a haven for ships and his flank shall rest on Sudun. He's going to be the businessman seems to be a blessing of Hatzlacha in real estate, zvulun import-export. Yisachar is a strong-boned wild donkey crouching among the sheepfolds. A lot of ink has been spilled and thick books have been written. And trying to understand the specific bracha of Yisachar, who was to be the rabbi for Klaju-sur-Hel, dan shall govern his people as one of the tribes. Dan shall be a serpent by the road, a viper by the path that bites the horses', heels so that the rider is thrown backward. Very obscure. The Torah says, in summation of the blessings, that Khol Eilashivte, yisrael Shneimasar. All these were the tribes of Israel, twelve in number. This is what their father said to them as he bade them farewell Vaivarachosam. And he blessed them Ish-asheke bir-chas-o-beirachosam, addressing to each a parting word appropriate to him. These very extra and superfluous, that last little five extra words there We've already been told that Jacob has blessed them. So why do we need ish-asheke bir-chas-o man, according to his blessing that he blessed them. So here, here, here, listen to this epic orachayim akadosh Orachayim explains that. What does it mean, these extra words, seemingly superfluous words, that he blessed them, each according to his blessing Pyrrish, how rot you low. The blessing that was fitting for each son, kifi bechenas nishmoso u. Kifi mysov, according to each tribe's soul and his actions Kieh'sh lecha ladas, you should know. Kianafoshos, kol acha, siyeh shlo bechenas ha'maila. Every single soul has a piece of it from up on high, ye'shima alasakahuna. But there are different up on highs, different parts of heaven, the heavenly souls that are sent down to this world, that come with different individual, separate uniquenesses Ma'alos, ye'shima alasakahuna. Some souls are destined to be priests, ye'shima alcha. Some are destined to be kings, ye'shkesar tyra. Some are destined and have the potential to wear the crown of tyra, ye'shgevura. Some strong, ye'sh'eysher, some rich Ye'sh'hatslacha, some generally successful at everything that they do, the Nisqav and Yaakov. And Yaakov here is touching on this Benevua with his prophecy, with his prophetic vision Lavorikh, he would bless kol echa each tribe. Kefi berkhaso, according to his innate, soulful blessings. Berkhaso, according to his blessings haroilo, that he was fitting, that he already had. He blessed that to further the development and the honing of that skill, of that Ma'alos Ha melech be malchus. King to be a great king, bahakowin, and a priest to be a great priest. Bechayin al zeh ad'arach b'leha fa'cha masilos. This is the Makor. It seems One of a very glaring and exciting Makor for individuality. In our ruchnius Seems it is A Torah idea. The apostle sings like a song that there were twelve tribes, va'yavar, echaosam, and he blessed them, and each bracha was e'sh'h'h'h'h'her, kebi'rkhaso, berachosam. Each individual was blessed according to his appropriate blessing. We all have an appropriate blessing, an innate gift, something that separates us from the crowd, A character trait that will distinguish us from the rest of our kind. So yes, it seems, thou shall seek to develop his individuality. So how far does this go? What can we do to express our individuality? You will see some that will change their shirt from white to blue, blue to white, black shoes to brown shoes, to try to stick out and express their individuality, their special kite. But if we read our Haim Akadosh, I believe it comes clear that it's not even expressing your individuality, because our own uniqueness is kifib, hinas, nishmaso, according to our souls from up high, our gifts, our talents. So it seems to be a mistake to want to identify as or separate yourself in the realms of physical matters, to stand out and promote your expressing of your individuality, for trying to develop what truly defines us, our deeply rooted eye, our nishama. In comparison, if someone recognizes that they have a beautiful voice it's a heavenly gift, cannot necessarily be trained, it's something natural and this person wants to develop that kocho sanefesh, that strength of soul, that heavenly gift, that which distinguishes him from the rest of the tone deaf crowd. If one day he should walk into shoal, this chazen, and just change his shoes from black to brown, wear a different colored shirt, that isn't expressing his individuality. We're talking about something much deeper. We're talking about developing and expressing our real eye, those gifts that Hashem gave to us. That's the first idea in what it means to express your yichud, your own blessings, not our superficial blessings, not standing out with what color shirt we wear, but developing and expressing that little natiyah that God gave us in our soul that makes us special. One of the real champions of this idea of building your eye, your ani, any of this kind, was and is, and always will be the great altar of slabotka. He had a world famous, supreme keen understanding of his talmidim, and the proof is in the pudding. Just look at the students that came through the walls, through the doorways of slabotka yeshiva. The likes of Revyruchem Levovitz, rebarn, kotler, rev Ruderman, rev Viktor Miller, bushels upon barrels, towering Torah giants, all came from this one institution. The altar was famously particular about this idea about developing each bacher's kohos, hanevish. What is his heavenly gift, what the world would lack, both spiritually or most definitely spiritually, if this person would not be on the world. And the altar would push that tama to develop, that, to bring it out. And because of this gift, such beautiful fruits. And of note is how different all of the different talmidim that we have, all the different branches from the eight haim that was slabotka yeshiva. We have tells in near Yisrael and Mir and Haim, berlin, longzhe, lakewood, different approaches all to the same topic A development of the real individuality of the person. Now the following story strikes a bit of fear in my heart, to say, and it hits kind of really where it hurts, as you will soon see why. But one of the foremost disciples of the altar of slabotka was the great Revyruchem Levovitz. Now, if you've never heard that name before, revyruchem Levovitz was the great spiritual dean in Mashiach of Mir Yeshiva during the roaring twenties and he did for the Yeshiva world hardly anyone could imagine doing. He was this bridge between Kelm Valyzion and Revystrasilantra's Muser and the Tyra of Radin and he bridged the gap to the Westerners, to the American Bukhrim Now that after the war flocking, leaving their homes in Brooklyn and going to Yeshiva, going to Mir, revyruchem would build them up, coach them as a certain drill sergeant, and people would count their birthdays based on when it is that they met Revyruchem Levovitz, because they felt they were born again and their eyes were opened up like a brand new baby. And there was one specific episode which the Altar of Slavadka met Rabbi Rucham Levavitz. I don't recall if Rabbi Rucham went to the altar or the altar went to Rabbi Rucham, but the Altar of Slavadka spoke to Rabbi Rucham privately in a small little study, a little room off of the base measures and people heard screaming coming from that room and the Bukhrim listened closely, ease dropping. They heard the Altar of Slavadka scolding Rabbi Rucham, yelling, giving harsh rebuke and criticism. And, of note, was Rabbi Rucham standing there listening, drinking in every word. Bystanders report how his head was in a way of hunched over a listening ear accepting everything. Kiderah hayim tei chachah smosar. The path to life is the accepting of rebuke. What was the rebuke that his Rebbe was giving him? The Altar felt that, with all of the inspiration and the building up of the Talmudim, rabbi Rucham should put more of an emphasis in building up their yechud, their individuality, and not just as the Altar said my body trembles as I say it he felt Rabbi Rucham was inspiring and coaching by creating little clones of Rabbi Rucham's godless, of Calm's godless, little drill sergeants, little Musserites, without developing each Bukhra's individuality. Now kind of have a personal thing about the story. I kind of love the idea of being a part of an army that marches forth and kind of declare success and guarantees success when one does go on their individual trailblazing path. It could be hard, but of note is the two separate Spharim that make up the last Chedek of Rabbi Rucham's Spharim. All the other Brayshish, shamos, vayikram, bami'ibar is just one volume, but Divarim is two and there's a whole lot in it about individuality and developing Yorani. It's remarkable to see the subservientness that Rabbi Rucham acted with in front of his Rabbi and began to fully embrace this approach. And these are giants in this story. But there definitely is some powerful takeaway To serve Hashem, the way only we can serve Hashem, to serve Hashem with our gifts. One of the blessings, quasi pieces of rebuke, that Yaakov gave one of his sons two of his sons actually was that Shimonon Levi Clei Chomas Micheirisayim that when he wiped out the town of Shechem you were using borrowed, stolen craft. It's not a Jewish attribute to take up guns and arms and wipe out a city. You're borrowing something and Rabbi Rucham would give an entire muster schmooze about an hour of Avaides Hashem. Often we are just borrowing somebody else's Avaides Hashem, mimicking the great ones, but not actually shuckling because we want to shuckle into having or learning the way we have been gifted and know how to learn, but just following ahead, borrowing others' gifts. So individuality seems to be definitely quite important. And there's yet even one more perhaps controversial, helpful point in the development of our own gifts and the honing of our own isch ke birch oso beirach oeson Shalom Kamenetzky, you spoke at Narela Elif, this teaching and coaching of young Kolo guys seminar, to try to give them and arm them with answers to tough theological questions how and what they need to know and how to go about knowing it, developing the skills of interpersonal relationships, how to teach how to coach others and relate to all different types of Jews and he's a brilliant Talmud Chacham and a Godel Hadar, and Shalom Kamenetzky said in public. So now it is not any sort of hashash of, maybe he wouldn't want it revealed, but he said when he was young he actually didn't enjoy learning Torah as much as his father. It wasn't so easy for him. His mother had the brilliant idea that, no matter what he wants to learn, one more satyr of just whatever he wants, and not learning just Gemara or what would be the curriculum? What is heart covet? What is individual nefesh? It's pulled towards, he told his mother, kind of interested in more capitalistic topics, the idea of a nefesh Chachayim. So was that up? The mother got a tutor, got someone to teach him. They learned nefesh Chachayim and R'bshalom Shlita continued to tell how he became totally engrossed in the philosophy of it and understanding of it and R'bchayim Veloshinor's approach. And what is Yechud? What happens when a person does a mitzvah down below and shardalud and the depth and the importance of Torah study. And what happens in the opening of the shefa of the honey and sap from above for it to start dripping down below and from there the developing of his own individual thirst. In Torah he went on to declare that that kind of was the on ramp for everything else. For now that I know nefesh Chachayim, how does this compare and contrast with this Gemara? And now that I know the Gemara, does it work halachically? Does this take effect here? I need to get this mesecht out and it starts to build and you start to go from the on ramp to the highway, to the HOV, to the autobahn, and you start to really pick up speed. So now we can even say that, expressing our real spiritual uniqueness, our blessings and our neteos can actually be an on ramp to unrivaled and unparalleled success. The idea this week is not to be a copycat. The idea this week is to listen to the orachayim and understand that we all do have specific and unique gifts that make us great Great singers, great speakers, great dancers, great teachers, great learners, great Daveners, great fathers, great workers. But we also want to express that the individuality shouldn't be left to expressing it only in these physical realms, but it should be a deep developing of subtle attributes of the soul, of not just changing your shirt, maybe not just dancing this way, or developing a dancing skill, while it may be a certain t'khuna that should be developed, of course, but maybe there are even more deeper, deeply rooted, intrinsic myelos, the way to give and your al-vaitis as-shem. Maybe you've been focusing on the gift that you have in dancing or singing, but not understanding the subtle gift that you have in learning that one's safer or in teaching this style student with that unique gift that you have to understand the safer and the student, for no one else can teach like you. So developing our real ani, heralding that inner voice, listening to the call of the wild that we really know we can't accomplish, and to try to jump and push towards action. Just imagine If our biruhim didn't pick up mus'er, if our b'ayran didn't work on hasmada and lamdiz. Imagine if. How's it going? Somebody that was a singer, like health, got never worked on singing. One could literally be hanging out with the cheetahs and dovetting to Hashem. I want to express my individuality and run really, really fast and even faster than the other cheetahs, for that is what my DNA and what makes me special. But he may not even understand that he's in the wrong exhibit, in the wrong habitat, for he is an eagle and he has a more deeply rooted problem and gift that can be expressed. So, yeah, there are 12 million Jews. Maybe we all dress the same, do the same things, act the same ways, doven at the same times. But that's not individuality. When you get to know each person and what their quest is in life, what their relationships are like, what their gifts are in their avaitas Hashem, what their abilities are Like all the different Shvotim got their own definition and their own blessings you start to realize what real honing of your life skills are and what really sets you apart and distinguishes you from the crowd. An unbelievable, or a lesson from the author of Slabotka. And it all comes back to this Pasek of Kola'ila, shifte, yisrael, shneim, asar. These are the 12 tribes, the Zos Hashere, dibar, aleh Maviam, and this is what their father told them in his bid farewell. This final salute Vayivar Hashem, you bless them. We've all been blessed with specific gifts and Ish Asher, kebir Khoso, beir Khosem and man an individual according to his blessings, did he bless them?