‫ב”ה‬

‫פרשת ויחי תשס”ח‬ ‫שיחות רב עוזר‬

Insights into Torah and Halacha from Rav Ozer Glickman ‫שליט”א‬
‫ר”מ בישיבת רבנו יצחק אלחנן‬
‫חזק חזק ונתחזק‬
‫רבותי‬, we who count our days by their proximity to ‫ שבת‬come to see time perhaps in a way that others
do not. When they meet someone on a Saturday, they ask “What do you do in real ife?” How is the time we spend
on the run separated from our families, immersed in the world of things, more genuine than the time we spend
together on ‫ ?שבת‬Even those engaged full-time in learning Torah should not consider their weekday existence more
authentic than ‫שבת‬. For them, Torah is their craft and learning on a ‫ יום חול‬cannot approach the sanctity of learning
‫ לשמה‬on ‫שבת‬, especially if it brings you closer to family and friends. I myself resolved to change my own life when I
decided that if someone shook me in the middle of the night and asked, “What are you?” I wouldn’t want to say “A
trader” or “A banker” but “A Jew” or “A father” or “A good person.” I sometimes cringe when I hear a person ask “What
do you do?” and know that the only correct answer is a profession. I’d much rather answer “I love my family” or “I love
the Torah” or “I love my people.” Those actions define me much more than the way I earn a livelihood.
And so the days in the week are the first day on the way to ‫שבת‬, and then the second, and then the third.
This is a ‫קיום המצוה‬: “‫זכור את יום השבת לקדשו‬.” As the ‫ רמב”ן‬explains in ‫פרשת יתרו‬, the ‫ מצות קדוש היום‬is derived from
the word ‫ לקדשו‬since ‫שבת‬, like every holy period of time, is declared holy at its beginning. ‫ שנת היובל‬is consecrated
at the beginning of the year as is the new month. The import of the word “‫ ”זכור‬then is to remember ‫ שבת‬each and
every day. There is a ‫ קיום המצוה‬then when we say before ‫שיר של יום‬: “...‫ “היום יום ששי בשבת‬for we actively raise the
impending ‫ שבת‬in our minds.
This incidentally may explain why certain communities, particularly among ‫עדןת המזרח‬, e.g., the ‫תימנים‬, do
not recite this prelude to the ‫שיר של יום‬. The ‫ רמב”ם‬interprets the ‫ דרשה‬of ‫ קידוש‬in ‫ ערבי פסחים‬as flowig from the
word “‫ ”זכור‬rather than the last word of the ‫ פסוק‬as the ‫ דרשה‬appears explicitly n the ‫מכילתא‬. Since the word “‫ ”זכור‬is
needed for the recitation of ‫קידוש‬, it does not remain available for the additional practice of mentioning ‫ שבת‬daily.
We could then locate the custom of these ‫ קהילות‬in fidelity to the ‫’רמב”ם‬s interpretation of the ‫ דרשה‬and our own in
the approach of the ‫רמב”ן‬. This requires further study.
For me, this prelude has the added benefit of reminding me how many days until the upcoming ‫פרשה‬. It
serves gently as a daily reminder to complete my study following the halachic requirement of ‫מקרא ואחד תרגום‬
‫שנים‬. It frames my daily existence around the themes of the week as they appear in the ‫ פרשה‬that I am to ponder
along with all ‫עם ישראל‬. It enables me to measure out my life ‫ בדברי תורה‬rather than in the coffee spoons of a more
mundane existence.
The conclusion of ‫ חומש בראשית‬looms before us. Approaching its final ‫פסוק‬, we must prepare ourselves to
take its leave. The ‫ גמרא‬in ‫ ברכות‬teaches that four activities require ‫חיזוק‬: ‫ תורה‬,‫מעשים טובים‬, ‫ תפילה‬and ‫דרך ארץ‬. The
‫’גמרא‬s prooftext is found the first ‫ פרק‬of ‫ספר יהושע‬:
:‫רק חזק ואמץ מאד לשמר לעשות ככל התורה אשר צוך משה עבדי אל תסור מננו ימין ושמאול למען תשכיל בכל אשר תלך‬
Once again, we can possibly understand a difference in ‫ מנהג‬among the diverse ‫קהילןת עם ישראל‬. Many ‫עדות המזרח‬
do not recite ‫ חזק חזק נתחזק‬at the end of each ‫חומש‬. Where then do they fulfill the ‫’גמרא‬s advice to offer ‫ חיזוק‬at the
conclusion of a Torah reading? I see some of you smiling indicating you’re anticipating my suggestion. They have
the custom to say “‫ “חזק וברוך‬to an ‫ עולה‬after he completes his ‫עלייה לתורה‬. This custom has great antiquity. I found it
in the ‫ ספר הנמהיג‬which dates it at least from the days of the ‫( רשונים‬the author, ‫ר‘ אברהם ב”ר נתן הירחי‬, is so surnamed
after the city of his birth, Lunel to which he refers as “‫)“העיר הקדושה‬. ‫ ספר הנמהיג‬is a rich repository of early practices
and ‫ נוסחאןת‬collected by the author in his travels. I believe it is the first to mention the ‫ מנהג תינוקות‬to strike on the
mention of ‫’המן‬s name on ‫פורים‬.
The ‫ ספר הנמהיג‬records the practice in ‫ צרפת ופרובינצא‬for the ‫ חזן‬to call out loudly to each of the ‫ קרואים‬when
they conclude “‫“חזק‬. He relates the custom to ‫ בראשית רבה‬which cites a later ‫ פסוק‬in the same charge to ‫יהושע‬:
:‫לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך בו יומם ולילה למען תשמר לעשות ככל הכתוב בו כי אז תצליח את דרכך ואז תשכיל‬
The charge then was delivered while he held the Torah ‫בחיקו‬. Cradling the ‫ ספר‬to his chest, he is called to
be resolute in its study and its observance, a fitting source for the custom to address all who ascend to the Torah
similarly. How about for those who recite the phrase at the conclusion of a ‫ ?חומש‬The ‫ פרי חדש‬analogizes the practice
to the recitation of ‫ הדרן‬at the conclusion of the study of a ‫מסכתא‬.
There are a wealth of other ‫ מדרשים‬that could also be related to this practice. As ever, it is difficult to ascertain
if the ‫ מדרש‬comes to explain the ‫ מנהג‬or the ‫ מנהג‬concretizes the midrashic idea.
5768 ‫פרשת ויחי‬ ‫שיחות רב עוזר‬
Many ‫ פוסקים‬note that the ‫ עולה‬himself should not recite the phrase since it constitutes a ‫ הפסק‬and he has yet to
make his concluding ‫ברכה‬. When I was growing up and often served as ‫ בעל הקריאה‬for the local ‫מנין חב”ד‬, I was told once
by a distinguished Lubavitcher that their practice is in fact for the ‫ עולה‬to also recite the phrase. I think most normative
‫ פוסקים‬disagree.
Why do we recite the phrase ‫ חזק חזק ונתחזק‬and not ‫ ?חזק ואמץ‬The ‫ פסוק‬cited by the ‫ גמרא‬for ‫ דרך ארץ‬requiring
‫ חיזוק‬is from ‫ספר שמואל‬:
:‫הינו ה‘ יעשה הטוב בעיניו‬-‫חזק ונתחזק בעד עמנו ובעד ערי אל‬
It is recited by ‫ יואב‬to the people before they faced ‫בני עמון‬. Because the ‫ גמרא‬offers a second choice, some may interpret
it as the preferred source. Mindful of my diverse readership including my friends in Lakewood and Philadelphia, might I
respectfully add my own suggestion? It always occurs to me when the ‫ קהילה‬recites it that we are using the ‫’גמרא‬s ‫פסוק‬
for ‫ דרך ארץ‬as we conclude the reading of a ‫חומש‬. Is it not then our explicit declaration that ‫?יפה תורה עם דרך ארץ‬
‫ ספר בראשית‬reminds us again and again that preference is not necessarily given to the strongest in body. ‫יצחק‬
replaces ‫ישמעאל‬, ‫ יעקב‬replaces ‫עשו‬, and ‫ יוסף‬and ‫ יהודה‬replace ‫ראובן‬. Does not ‫ יעקב אבינו‬intentionally shift his hands to
give preference to the younger?
Our people are rarely placed in the position of dominance. So it is then that we have a special affinity for the
weak, for those who require additional support and assistance.
This week, Mr. Josh Ross of GetORA and I had the privilege to assist an ‫ עגונה‬of some time to receive her ‫גט‬. It was
an occasion of great emotion for us and my sincerest ‫ ברכה‬to ‫ מרן הרב צבי שכטר שליט”א‬whose model of activism on behalf
of ‫ עגונות‬sensitized me to my responsibilities. ‫ מזל טוב‬to the Rosses on the birth of their son this past ‫שני בשבת‬. In the merit
of his father’s heroism on behalf of ‫ עם ישראל‬may he live and prosper in ‫תורה‬, ‫מעשים טובים‬, ‫תפילה‬, ‫דרך ארץ‬.

‫שבת שלום‬
These sichos are published by students and admirers of Rav Ozer Glickman shlit”a. We may be reached at ravglickmanshiur@gmail.com.