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BEREISHIT

Yosef and Levi: Two Different Ways to Rise Above Galus

Yosef and Levi: Two Different Ways to Rise Above Galus

Part of Bereishit · 10:18

A chassidic class on the contrasting paths of Yosef and Levi in transcending exile, and why every Jew carries the strength of both.

Audio Transcript
Yosefโ€™s superiority over Egypt

bring their inyan, which is higher than the shibud, each one in his way, down to the Yidden, you had to have two people. And who? Ephraim uMenashe. Because the kashya was, what's the connection? And he will say the ื‘ื™ืื•ืจ ื‘ื–ื” why it's Ephraim uMenashe. It shteit like this, ืืœื” ืชื•ืœื“ื•ืช ื™ืขืงื‘ ื™ื•ืกืฃ, the children or the the inyan of Yaakov is Yosef. Mevu'ar there's in ืกืคืจื™ื, ืื– ื“ื™ ืขื ื™ื ื™ื ืคื•ืŸ ื™ืขืงื‘ ื•ื•ืขืจืŸ ื ืžืฉืš ืœืžื˜ื” ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ื™ื•ืกืฃ. Yaakov is from high madregot, this comes to the world through Yosef. ื‘ื™ื™ ื™ื•ืกืฃ, ืื™ืš ื“ื™ ื”ื•ืจื“ ืžืฆืจื™ืžื”, he goes down to Mitzrayim, Yosef is such a high madregah that even when he came to Mitzrayim, his main madregah is ื™ืขืงื‘ ื‘ื’ื™ืœื•ื™. He had the high madregah of Yaakov, Chassidut, Kabbalah, Atzilut, whatever. ื•ื•ื™ื™ืœ ื‘ืืœื“ ืื– ืื™ืŸ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ืื™ื– ื“ื ื“ื™ ื’ื™ืœื•ื™ ื“ื™ ื”ืฉืคืขื” ืคื•ืŸ ื™ืขืงื‘ ืื™ื– ื”ืขื›ืขืจ ืคื•ืŸ ืžืฆืจื™ื. And since Yosef had the ื”ืฉืคืขื” of Yaakov, and Yaakov we said was higher than ืžืฆืจื™ื, ืื™ื– ืžืฆื“ ื™ื•ืกืฃ ืื™ื– ื“ืืš ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื“ื ืงื™ื™ืŸ ื”ืขืœื ื•ื”ืกืชืจ ืคื•ืŸ ืžืฆืจื™ื. Looking from Yosef's point of view, he's like Yaakov, Mitzrayim doesn't exist in the ื”ืขืœื ื•ื”ืกืชืจ, doesn't mean Mitzrayim physically. ืขืจ ืื™ื– ืฉืœื™ื˜ ืื•ื™ืฃ ืžืฆืจื™ื, he controls ืžืฆืจื™ื, ืื•ืŸ ืขืจ ืœืื–ื˜ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื“ืขื ื”ืขืœื ื•ื”ืกืชืจ ืคื•ืŸ ื’ืœื•ืช doesn't know. So that's So

Yosef vs. Levi: Different ways of transcending galut

how is Yosef We said before, Yosef and Levi are both higher than galut, but in two different ways. Yosef's way of being higher than galut is like Yaakov. Since he is ื ืžืฉืš the inyan of Yaakov, completely higher than galut. ืžืฉืืดื› ืœื•ื™, ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™ ื–ื™ื™ื ืขืŸ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ืฉืœื™ื˜ื™ื ืื™ืŸ ืžืฆืจื™ื, they weren't controlling Mitzrayim. His inyan, cause he just like by Yaakov, Yaakov didn't allow the shibud, Yosef also didn't allow. Why? Because he had the same inyan as Yaakov, and Yaakov's madregah was completely higher than the galut. And Yosef, ืืœื” ืชื•ืœื“ื•ืช ื™ืขืงื‘ ื™ื•ืกืฃ, Rashi says everything he gave over to Yosef, so Yosef also like that. So the way we said before, what we said before that Yosef was higher than galut, in which way was it? Completely higher. Levi was also higher, but you can't say ื–ื™ื™ื ืขืŸ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ืฉืœื™ื˜ื™ื ืื™ืŸ ืžืฆืจื™ื, he didn't control Mitzrayim. ื–ื™ื™ื ืขืŸ ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ืื™ืŸ ื–ืžืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ื’ืœื•ืช ืžืฆืจื™ื, ื‘ื™ื– ืื™ืŸ ื–ืžืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ืงื•ืฉื™ ื”ืฉื™ืขื‘ื•ื“, ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™ was there in ืงื•ืฉื™ ื”ืฉื™ืขื‘ื•ื“, ืื•ืŸ ืืฃ ืขืœ ืคื™ ื›ืŸ ื–ื™ื™ื ืขืŸ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ืคืืจื˜ืจื•ื ืงืขืŸ ื’ืขื•ื•ืืจืŸ ืื™ืŸ ื“ืขื, they weren't sunk in, ื•ืื“ืจื‘ื” ืคื•ืŸ ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™ ื”ืื‘ืŸ ืื™ื“ืŸ ื‘ืืงื•ืžืขืŸ ื“ืขื ื›ื— ื“ื•ืจื›ืฆื•ื˜ืจืื’ืŸ ื“ืขื ืงื•ืฉื™ ื”ืฉื™ืขื‘ื•ื“, from Levi they got the koach to withstand it, ื‘ื™ื– ืขืก ื–ืืœ ืฆื•ืงื•ืžืขืŸ ืฆื• ื“ื™ ื™ืชืจื•ืŸ ืื•ืจ ืžืŸ ื”ื—ื•ืฉืš, that through Levi, because Levi was in Mitzrayim, not like Yosef, he was higher than Mitzrayim, but he was in Mitzrayim and higher, ื‘ื™ื– ืื–ื•ื™ ืื– ืžืฉื” ื•ืื”ืจืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™ ืื™ื– ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ื“ื™ ื’ืื•ืœื” ืคื•ืŸ ื›ืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ, ื’ื•ืืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ. ืœื•ื™ ื’ื™ื˜ ืื™ื ื›ื— ืขืก ืื™ื‘ืขืจืฆื•ืžืื›ืŸ. This is the whole point. Yosef is higher than Mitzrayim, controls Mitzrayim, which means Mitzrayim doesn't count. Levi was able to take and take the galut and make the galut change over and bring the galut to the geulah. ืื•ืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ืฆื•ื•ื™ื™ ืขื ื™ื ื™ื ืงื•ืžืขืŸ ืืจื•ื™ืก, ืื•ืŸ ื“ื•ืจืš ื–ื™ื™ืขืจืข ืฉืœื•ื—ื™ื, ื“ื™ ืฆื•ื•ื™ื™ ืื•ืคื ื™ื ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ืคื•ืŸ ืžื ืฉื” ื•ืืคืจื™ื. That bichlal it says in sefarim, Rebbe explains it, the difference between what Menasheh represents and Ephraim represents. ื›ืžืจื•ืžื– ืื™ืŸ ื–ื™ื™ืขืจืข ื ืขืžืขืŸ, we get that both ืืจื•ื›ื” that we have the names.

The meaning behind Menasheโ€™s name

Menashe was ื ืงืจื ื›ืš, why is he called Menashe? ื›ื™ ื ืฉื ื™ ืืœืงื™ื ืืช ื›ืœ ืขืžืœื™ ื•ืืช ื›ืœ ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™, you make me forget my whole my work and my father's house. Now what does that mean? ืคืฉื˜ ืคืฉื•ื˜ means that he was like saying, I forgot already, by the time Menashe was born it was like so many years, so I forgot already. In other words, it's a bad thing. But the Rebbe doesn't allow that there is bad things, it has to be good. What he meant to say, he gave him a name that's forgetting, that every time he calls him by his name, it reminded him don't forget. ื ื ืืžืขืŸ ื•ื•ืืก ื“ืขืจืžืื ื˜ ืื– ืขืจ ื’ืขืคื™ื ื˜ ื–ื™ืš ืื™ืŸ ืืŸ ืืจื˜ ื•ื•ืืก ืžืื›ื˜ ืคืืจื’ืขืกืŸ. Remember you are in a place that you could forget ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™. ืื•ืŸ ื“ืขืจืคืืจ ื“ืืจืฃ ืขืจ ืื•ื•ืขืงืฉืคืจื™ื ื’ืขืŸ, the word Menashe means to pull away also, I have to get away from it. ื“ืืก ื“ืจื™ืงื˜ ืฆื• ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืชืฉื•ืงื” ื•ื—ืฉืง ื ื™ืฉื˜ ืฆื• ืคืืจื’ืขืกืŸ, ื ืืจ ืฆื• ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืฆื•ื’ืขื‘ื•ื ื“ืŸ ืฆื• ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™, not to forget, but to be connected with ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™. ื•ื•ืืก ื“ืืก ืื™ื– ื“ื™ ืขืจืฉื˜ืข ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื•ื•ืืก ืขืจ ื”ืืจืขื•ื•ืขื˜, ื•ื•ืืก ืขืจ ื”ืืจืขื•ื•ืขื˜ ืื™ื– ื ื™ืฉื˜ ืฆื• ื‘ืื•ื•ื™ืจืงื˜ ื•ื•ืขืจืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ืกื‘ื™ื‘ื”. This is something that not to be influenced by your surroundings, ืฆื• ื‘ืœื™ื™ื‘ืŸ ืฆื•ื’ืขื‘ื•ื ื“ืŸ ืฆื• ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™. So if you look at it, this this is similar to Yosef's avodah. He's higher than ื’ืœื•ืช, completely away. Here also this is Menashe represents the ื’ืœื•ืช shouldn't affect you. No, that's why he gave a name like that. When he's born, this child reminds me Then you

Ephraimโ€™s role as the continuation of Leviโ€™s avodah

have Efraim. That will be the second thing. ื ืื™ื“ ื–ื™ื™ืขื ื“ื™ืง ืื™ืŸ ื’ืœื•ืช, ื“ืขืจืžืื ื˜ ื–ื™ืš ื›ืกื“ืจ ืื– ืขืจ ื’ืขืคื™ื ื˜ ื–ื™ืš ืื™ืŸ ื ืžืฆื‘ ื•ื•ืืก ื•ื•ื™ืœ ืžืื›ืŸ ืคืืจื’ืขืกืŸ ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™. A ืื™ื“ in ื’ืœื•ืช realizes that they're trying to the ื’ืœื•ืช is trying to make you forget. ืื•ืŸ ื“ืืก ื’ื•ืคื ืคื•ืขืœ'ื˜ ืื– ืขืจ ื–ืืœ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ืคืืจื’ืขืกืŸ. He shouldn't forget. ืขืจ ื“ืขืจื”ืขืจื˜ ืื– ื“ืืก ืื™ื– ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืžืงื•ื, he realizes this is not his ืžืงื•ื, ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืืจื˜ ืื™ื– ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™ ืœื’ืžืจื™. So this is ืžืชืื™ื to the avodah of Yosef, this fits to ื™ื•ืกืฃ, ื•ื•ืืก ื–ื™ื™ืขื ื“ื™ืง ืื™ืŸ ืžืฆืจื™ื ืื™ื– ื‘ื™ื™ ืื™ื ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ืื•ืŸ ื”ืื˜ ื–ื™ืš ืื ื’ืขื”ื•ื™ื‘ืŸ ื“ื™ ื”ืฉืคืขื” ืคื•ืŸ ื™ืขืงื‘, he saw that he was in ืžืฆืจื™ื, he felt ื”ืฉืคืขื” of ื™ืขืงื‘, ื•ื•ืืก ืื™ื– ื”ืขื›ืขืจ ืคื•ืŸ ื’ืœื•ืช, ืคื•ืŸ ื”ืขืœื ื•ื”ืกืชืจ ืคื•ืŸ ืžืฆืจื™ื, which is higher. ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื•ืžืจ ืื– ืžื”ืื™ ื˜ืขืžื ื”ืื˜ ื™ื•ืกืฃ ื’ืขื˜ืขื ื”'ื˜, that's what Yosef said, when it came to give the berachah, he wanted that Menashe should be the first, ืœื ื›ืŸ ืื‘ื™ ื›ื™ ื–ื” ื”ื‘ื›ื•ืจ, ืฉื™ื ื™ืžื™ื ืš ืขืœ ืจืืฉื•, put your right hand on his hand. ืžืฆื“ ื“ื™ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ืคื•ืŸ ื™ื•ืกืฃ, ืื™ื– ื“ื™ ืขื™ืงืจ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ืื™ื– ื“ื™ ื™ื•ืกืฃ represents the avodah of Menashe. ืฉืื™ืŸ ื›ืŸ ืืคืจื™ื, ื•ื•ืขืจื˜ ื’ืขืจื•ืคืŸ ืืคืจื™ื is called ื›ื™ ื”ืคืจื ื™ ืืœืงื™ื. He made me multiply, it means ื‘ืืจืฅ ืขื ื™ื™. The ืขื™ืœื•ื™, the ื™ืชืจื•ืŸ ื•ื•ืืก ืžืขืŸ ื˜ื•ื˜ ื’ืขื˜ืืŸ ื“ื•ืงื ืื™ืŸ ื—ื•ืฉืš, the ma'alah that you get through the ื—ื•ืฉืš ื”ื’ืœื•ืช. ื•ื•ื™ ืื–ื•ื™ ืžืขืŸ ืื™ื– ืžืคืจืฉ ืคื•ืŸ ื”ืคืจื ื™, ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืคื™ืจื•ืช. ืื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ืงื•ืžื˜ ืื•ืŸ ื•ื•ืขืจื˜ ื ืคืขืœ ืคื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ืคื•ืŸ ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™. That is connected to what Levi represents. Higher than Yosef? ื”ื? Higher, it's different different madregah, yeah. Yeah, so the Rebbe explains about this sichah. ื”ื? There's this aspect, yeah. But the koach of a shlichut of a ื‘ื™ื“ืŸ ืื™ื‘ืขืจื’ืขืžืื›ื˜ ืคื•ืŸ ื—ื•ืฉืš ื”ื’ืœื•ืช, through the Leviim, the Levi, they what did the Yidden do? Not only they weren't ื ืคืขืœ from the galut, they changed the galut. ื›ืืฉืจ ื™ืขื ื• ืื•ืชื•, ื›ืŸ ื™ืจื‘ื” ื•ื›ืŸ ื™ืคืจื•ืฅ. So mimela, now when we make the this, so it fits, everything fits, fits like a puzzle. That why was Yosef and Levi not part of it? Because they were higher than the galut and they couldn't take him out. ืื”, he gave different reasons. Those two reasons represent this inyan of being higher than the galut. And Moshe Rabbeinu, his taking out was part of geulah.

Why shlichim were needed for Yosef and Levi

Why did they need shluchim? Because they have their whole avodah is higher than galut, but they have to be mashpia in the galut, otherwise they're not part of the galut. That's why they had to have people there. Why themselves not? Because they are higher, so they have to stay higher, the same time be mashpia, so that's why they had to have shluchim. Why Efraim and Menashe? Because this was supposed to take place Yosef and Levi, they represented the two avodot of Yosef and Levi. Moshe is ื”ืžืฉื›ื” to Levi? Ha? ืืคืจื™ื ื”ืžืฉื›ื” to Levi. And Moshe? No, Moshe is Moshe is a Levi, yeah. ื”ืžืฉื›ื” to ื’ืื•ืœื”? Yeah, but the ืคืจื˜ how Levi did it was the way Ephraim represents. ืขืก ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜, ืฉืืจื™ืช ื™ื•ืกืฃ. ืื™ื“ืŸ ื•ื•ืขืจืŸ ืื ื’ืขืจื•ืคืŸ ืžื™ื˜'ืŸ ื ืืžืขืŸ ื™ื•ืกืฃ. Yidden have a name Yosef, the whole Yidden collective is Yosef. So ืžืžื™ืœื, whatever we learn about Yosef applies to every Yid. See, it's not whatever we learn about Reuven can't apply to every Yid, some people yes, some not. Whatever it says by Yaakov, Avraham, that applies. By Yosef also, because Yidden are called Yosef. ืขืœ ื“ืจืš ื–ื” ื‘ื ื•ื’ืข ืฆื• ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™, ื“ื•ืงื ืœื•ื™. ืฉืจื™ื™ื‘ื˜ ื“ืขืจ Rambam ืื– ื›ื“ื•ื’ืžืช ืฉื‘ื˜ ืœื•ื™ is ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ื•ืื™ืฉ, you could be like ื›ืœ ืื™ื“ could be ืืฉืจ ื ื“ื‘ื” ืจื•ื—ื•, ื”ืจื™ ื–ื” ื ืชืงื“ืฉ, every Yid could be like ืœื•ื™, ื•ื™ื”ื™ื” ื”' ื—ืœืงื• ื•ื ื—ืœืชื•. ืื– ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ืื™ื“ ื”ืื˜ ื“ืขื ื›ื— ืคื•ืŸ ื™ื•ืกืฃ ืื•ืŸ ืœื•ื™...

Every Jew possesses the strength of Yosef and Levi

How do you do that? Higher ืžื“ืจื™ื’ื•ืช, spiritual... Yeah, tear yourself away from ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช, the whole thing. So ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ืื™ื“ ื”ืื˜ ื“ืขื ื›ื— ืคื•ืŸ ื™ื•ืกืฃ ืื•ืŸ ืœื•ื™ ืฆื• ืฉื˜ื™ื™ืŸ ื”ืขื›ืขืจ ืคื•ื ืขื ื’ืœื•ืช. We all have the koach like from Yosef and Levi to be higher. ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื ืืจ ืื– ื“ืขืจ ื’ืœื•ืช ื”ืื˜ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ืงื™ื™ืŸ ืฉืœื™ื˜ื” ืื•ื™ืฃ ืื™ื“ืŸ, not only the ื’ืœื•ืช doesn't control you, ืื“ืจื‘ื”, ื ืื™ื“ ื•ื•ืขืจื˜ ื“ืขืจ ื‘ืขืœ ื”ื‘ื™ืช ืคื•ื ืขื ื’ืœื•ืช, you become the baal habayit. ืื•ืŸ ืื™ืŸ ื“ืขื ืื™ื– ืคืืจืืŸ ื“ื™ ืฆื•ื•ื™ื™ ืžื“ืจื™ื’ื•ืช: ืคืจื™ืขืจ ืงื•ืžื˜ ื“ื™ ืจื™ื™ื“ ืคื•ืŸ ื™ื•ืกืฃ ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืœืš ื‘ื˜ื‘ืข. It's now ืžืขืŸ ืฉื˜ืขืœื˜ ื–ื™ืš ืื•ื•ืขืง ื”ืขื›ืขืจ, you become like a melech, like Yosef, but you beyond the galut. ืื•ืŸ ืžืขืŸ ื•ื•ืขืจื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื’ืื ืฆืŸ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื ืคืขืœ ืคื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ื ืกื™ื•ื ื•ืช ืคื•ื ืขื ื’ืœื•ืช, don't get ื ืคืขืœ from all these hardships of galut. ืื•ืŸ ื“ืขืจื ืืš, that's by Yosef. By Levi it's not from now, by Levi it's ืขืชื™ื“! ืขืชื™ื“ means ืงื•ืžื˜ ืžืขืŸ ืฆื• ืฆื• ื ื”ืขื›ืขืจืŸ ืื•ืคืŸ. ืขืชื™ื“ doesn't mean time according to this ืคืฉื˜. You go higher: ืœื•ื™ ืฉื”ื•ื ืขืชื™ื“ ืœืฉืืช ืืช ื”ืืจื•ืŸ, carrying the ืืจื•ืŸ, ืื•ื•ื“ืื™ ื•ื•ืืก ืžืขืŸ ื”ืื˜ ื“ืขื ืขื ื™ืŸ ื”ืชื•ืจื”, when you have the Torah, the ืœื•ื—ื•ืช, ืชื•ืจื” Torah, ืชื•ืจื” is light, ืื™ื– ืžืขืŸ ืžื”ืคืš ื“ืขื ื—ื•ืฉืš ื”ื’ืœื•ืช ืœืื•ืจ. Torah is light, you change to light, ืื™ืฉื•ืŸ ื•ืืคื™ืœื” ืžืŸ ื”ื—ื•ืฉืš ืื•ืŸ ื™ื’ื™ื” ื—ืฉื›ื™, the darkness becomes light. And that is through the ื’ื™ืœื•ื™ ื“ื‘ื™ืืช ืžืฉื™ื— ืฆื“ืงื ื•, ื•ื•ืขืŸ ืขืก ื•ื•ืขื˜ ืžืชื•ืงืŸ ื•ื•ืขืจืŸ, ืคืืจ ื™ื™ื“ืŸ, ื•ืœื™ืœื” ื›ื™ื•ื ื™ืื™ืจ. Yosef didn't have no Torah? ื”ื? Yosef didn't have Torah? All the Torah comes from Yaakov to Yosef! Sure, what each ืžื“ืจื™ื’ื” represents! Everything, whatever we say about one person, the other one didn't have? ืื”, Avraham is ื—ืกื“, ืื”ื‘ื”, Yitzchak didn't have ahavah? Talk this is his focus. It's the focus of Yosef, the focus of Levi. In the sichah he said everything was lost in Mitzrayim. Because normally we learn that Yaakov passed his teachings and and he said, what such children you grew in Mitzrayim? Tzadikim, I couldn't have done it even in ืืจืฅ ื›ื ืขืŸ. Okay. So Yosef represented all the ืžืขืœื•ืช? In one, on one aspect, but then there's other parts that that was not his. What's Levi mean the name? ื”ืคืขื ื™ืœื•ื” ืื™ืฉื™ ืืœื™. My husband will be connected. Tomorrow we're on, right? Yashar koach, yashar koach. We don't have a recording of this. Okay, good night. We'll get to this now. So somebody is recording? Yeah, they're recording. You have to ask for these recordings if they have them. I mean, somehow get this on the computer and they're recording it to the new podcast, you know. Fine, but what are they going to do with it? They have to give us, I mean the, yeah, a copy. Oh, perfect. So that I can put it all together with it, yeah, yeah, because I'm in the process of it. Yeah.

NOW PLAYING Choose a shiur to begin Rabbi Yehuda Leib Schapiro
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