Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Shemuel Akhamzadeh
This week our community merited to have a great Torah luminary amongst us, Harav Yitzhak Yosef Shelita the Rishon LeTzion, whose voluminous Yalkut Yosef has shaped a generation of Benei Torah in Israel and abroad.
The Chatam Sofer in our Parasha points out that NOT everyone is worthy of being elated by the presence and kedusha of a righteous person. At the onset of this week’s portion, the Torah tells us Yakov left and he went. Why is there a need for repetitive language? Rashi, explains that this is to point out that the absence of a tzadik leaves a mark. Just as his presence was a light, so too his departure will dim that light.
The Chatam Sofer asks why the same repetitive terms are not used in the Torah for Avraham’s departure as he also was a very righteous person. He answers that in regards to Yaakov, his parents Yitzhak and Rivka felt the (spiritual) void that his departure left on their city. However, when Avraham left there was no one who cared enough about what Avraham stood for to feel the void that his departure caused, and therefore the Torah doesn’t mention this point.
The Rishon LeTzion’s visit to our town has the potential to uplift us to spiritual heights, but only if we care to activate this potential by being eager and ready to collect the pearls of wisdom that he bestows through his Torah knowledge.