TheYeshiva.net - Rabbi YY Jacobson

Megillah 16b: The Mystery of Yaakov's 14 Missing Years

Why Denigrate Mordechai at the End of the Megillah?

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Class Summary:

This class was presented on Wednesday Parshas Tzav, 7 Nissan, 5780, April 1, 2020, live from Rabbi Jacobson's House in Monsey, NY

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Gemarah Megillah

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M
Moshe -4 years ago
Yakov went to kollel zikaynim
The gemora segues into a long analysis of calculations and proofs of years, ages and chronology with the birthdates, deathdates and other chronological events of various Torah personalities to prove that Yakov was learning, as a zaken, in the yeshiva of Eber for 14 years prior to going to Lavan. And so he was only "punished" for the 22 years he spent at Lavan's, causing pain to his father for 22 years , by himself later suffering for the exact same 22 years he was separsted from, and mourning Yosef. He was not punished for the 14 years.

But wait! Going to Lavan was obeying his mother, kibud aym. His mother Rivka had also orchestrated the entire usurpation of the brocha from Yitzchak. How could he be punished for listening to her? It turns out that the 14 years of the unilateral decision to learn, was a digression from listening to his mother. Does this mean that learning Torah or being involved in the world, trump kibud av and/or being involved in world. This is the question from the gemora as to why "some" of his colleagues disliked Mordechai for serving in government rather than full time learning. This question, the debate between full time learning or interacting with and improving the world, still persists today among various groups. (e.g. whether to close yeshivas-and shuls- and quarantine and isolate for Corona or keep them open)

The Ostropser Rebbe, the Rebbe who fasted daily for 40 years for seeing the Holocaust, and ironically my own zayde's and my namesake's, Rebbe in pre-war Poland, asks this same question. He answers and calculates the number of years Yakov was punished as a far lesser number, equal only to the years Yosef was prime minister and therefore was in a position to communicate with his father.

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Anonymous -4 years ago
Mordechai sets a good example for the Mashiach and all future leaders, as obstacles preventing learning Torah are counted as the learning of Torah, and additionally saving souls increases the Torah being learned even if Mordechai was not the Main Beneficiary of the learning. It goes back to the idea of Tzedakah, to give a man a loan or help to make him not need to continue to depend on others for survival is a great chesed.

I hope we all can follow. G-d's Torah demands such a leader and in todays time, i can only hope Mordechai would also be loved by most of his Peers. Praying for a complete Redemption for all of our brothers and sisters, even those who have long since passed and will join us with the ressurection of the dead with the coming of the 3rd Beis Hamikdash speedily in OUR days. Amen.
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D
David -4 years ago
Dear Rebbe. Please let me first thank you for all you do on behalf of klal yisrael, and on behalf of kids in pain in particular. I'm in a crisis of faith over my community rabbis' handling of the corona virus. Despite many emails forwarded from Dr Diechik and the local hospitals chief of pediatrics, the shuls refused to close for the shabbos after purim.

One of the community rabbis teaches in bergen county and was on lockdown himself, and despite my urgent pleas, he refused to shut the shuls. Others waited for a psak from Rav Dovid Feinstein. Others kept shuls and schools open following the guidance of Rav Kanievsky. One famous rabbi on the Sunday after Purim said that this was the most difficult challenging decision he's ever had to wrestle with as a rabbi. I don't get it. My judaism places a primacy on life.

Venishmartem meod lenafshosaichem and vuchai buhem. When did tefilah betzibbur become more stringent than chillul shabbos when it comes to saving lives.

My daughter is a liver transplant recipient and I am diabetic. Both of us have been on lockdown for 3 weeks. What kind of daas torah or religious leadership does not care for the most vulnerable among us? At this point, I would not trust even bottled water certified by my local vaad. How can I trust a rabbi who cares not for pikuach nefes?

A rabbi who only listens to those doctors who give them the answer they think they want to hear? So for the time being, I have appointed you as my Rabbi along with Avi Fishoff, who should have a refuah sheleima bekarov. May hashem continue to provide you the clarity and health to continue your amazing work. Chag Kasher Baree Vsameiach
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- M
  Moshe -4 years ago
  Amein!
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- M
  Moshe -4 years ago
  Amein!
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