Moonshine

Though we continue learning about our Avos Hakedoshim, this weeks Parsha turns to the lives of Yaakov’s sons, revealing to us the next step in the building of Klal Yisroel. As we have seen throughout Sefer Beraishis, none of these storys exist in a vaccum—there is an element of Ma’aseh Avos Siman L’Banim in each episode that is related in these Parshios.

This week’s Parsha contains one section that is at once perplexing yet fundamental. Though the entire story of Yehudah and Tamar and the birth of their children is very difficult to understand, at least at face value, there are important aspects of our nations history—and indeed our destiny—that can be learned from these Pesukim.

The Torah tells us that when Tamar was ready to give birth, and it became obvious that she was carrying twins. As their berths neared, the hand of one baby came our first which the midwife tied a string around it, but then the hand receded back into the womb. The other baby was then fully born first, followed by the second baby, who had the string on his wrist. The older son was named Peretz, and the younger Zarach, and though his hand was the firsty limb to exit the womb, Peretz was nonetheless considered the Bechor because it was retracted.

There is a Medrash Aggadah that explains that Zarach wanted to be born first, and thus he extended his hand, but Hakadosh Baruch Hu said: “Is it possible that Moshiach wil come Peretz and Zarach will be born first?” Therefore, Zarach’s hand was pulled back, and Peretz was born first.

It is obvious that even before he was born, Peretz was destined for greatness. He was to be the scion of Yehudah, and the entire chain of Malchus Yehudah would begin with him, and ultimately end with the coming of the Melech HaMoshiach. It was therefore inappropriate that he be born second, despite the eagerness that Zarach displayed.

This Medrash itself is a little difficult to understand. It would seem that Peretz was the one to bear the line of Meluchah because he was the oldest—if Zarach would have been born first, he would have been the oldest and it would have made sense that it be his children who were the kings in Klal Yisroel. Why do Chazal seem to indicate that the Melachim, including Moshiach, would come from Peretz regardless of when he was born, and so it therefore merely unbecoming that he be born second?

In addition, there is another Medrash, earlier in Sefer Beraishis, which seems to have a much different approach to the birth order of twins. The Medrash Rabbah in Parshas Toldos tells us that a certain woman asked R’ Yosi ben Chalafta why Esav was born first if Yaakov was the greater of the two. R’ Yosi responded that while Esav came into the world first, Yaakov was in fact created first. The Medrash brings a Mashal that R’ Yosi used to illustrate this fact: if you place two pearls in a pipe, the one that was put in second comes out first. So to, the twin that is born first is the one that was created first. We therefore see that although Esav was in a position to be born first, he was in fact created second.

It would appear, however, that the fact that Peretz was created first was not sufficient—Hashem himself felt that it was only appropriate that he be born first regardless, for he was the progenitor of Moshiach. Why is this the case? The women in the Medrash seems to have asked R’ Yosi a legitimate question: how could it be that Esav, the Rasha, was born prior to Yaakov, the Tzadik? R’ Yosi’s answer was that birth order is not as significant as the order in which they were created. If Zarach had been born first it would have been obvious that Peretz was created first, just as with Yaakov and Esav—why would have made a difference if Peretz was born first or second?

In addition, though it seems from the Medrash Aggadah that Peretz was considered special from the outset—that his progeny distinguished him from his birth—his actual name may seem to suggest otherwise.

The Sefer HaBahir, which is a collection of Medrashim taught by the Tana R’ Nechunia ben Hakana, explains the names of Peretz and Zarach as follows: Peretz was named for the moon, which is broken from time to time but is eventually rebuilt, and Zarach, from the word Zericha, was named for the sun, which shines constantly. The Medrash notes that it would seem to be more appropriate for Peretz, the older brother, to be named for the sun which is the larger body, and Zarach, the younger brother after the moon. The Medrash answers that Zarach was supposed to be the Bechor—as seen by the fact that his hand exited first—but was prevented from being born first because Peretz was to be the forbearer of Malchus Bais Doivd, as the Medrash Aggadah said.

This explanation is difficult to understand: we see that Hakadosh Baruch Hu specifically wished Peretz to be the Bechor, to be born first, why then would Zarach be given the name that indicated that he was supposed to have been the Bechor? Why does it matter that Zarach “wanted” to be the Bechor, such that his name reflects his potential, yet unrealized, status?

Interestingly, Rabbeinu Bechaya explains that there is significance to the fact that Peretz was named for the moon. He points out that just as there are twenty-nine days in a lunar month, there were twenty-nine generations between Peretz and Tzikiyahu—the last of the Melechei Yehudah before Churban Bayis Rishon.

Clearly there are no coincidences—there must be significance to the fact that there were twenty-nine generations in the lineage of Peretz. Rabbeinu Bechaya provides an explanation that is based on Sod and Kabbalah, which is clearly beyond us, but perhaps we can explain this on a more accessible level as well.

It would seem that in order to understand these various Divrei Chazal, and gain an appreciation for the role of Peretz as the father of Malchus Bais Dovid, we must first understand the origins of Peretz.

Really the story of Yehduah and Tamar is very difficult to comprehend. Many of the Meforshei HaChumash ask how it was possible that a Tzaddik like Yehudah, one of the Shivtei Kah, could have been in any way associated with a woman that he thought was a harlot. The Re’em points out that there is an Issur in the Torah of “Lo Sihiyeh Kedesha” which is a prohibition against such behavior. If the Shevatim kept the Torah even though it was not yet given, how could Yehudah have willingly violated this Issur?

In explaining Yehudah’s behavior many cite the words of a most fascinating Medrash. Yehudah was walking along the way and he saw Tamar, but as he was in no way involved in such matters, he kept walking. At that point Hakadosh Baruch Hu sent the Malach who is in charge of Taivah, who said to him: “Yehudah, Heichan Attah Holech, M’Heichan Malachim Omdim, M’Heichan Gedolim Omdim?” Although Yehudah wished to avoid any contact with this woman, who assumed to be a harlot, Hashem sent a Malach to convince him otherwise for if he was not to act, where would Kings and great men come from.

Here we once again have a Medrash that requires explanation from beginning to end. The Medrash certainly seems to indicate that there would be no hope of Melachim being born were Yehudah not to interact with this woman of ill repute—how can we understand this?

R’ Yerucham Levovitz discusses the question of the Re’em and the Medrash, and answers based on what he learned from his Rabbeim, in a language that bears quoting: “Ki Lu Lo Ba HaInyan B’Derech Zu, Lo Haya Efshar B’Shum Ofen Leytzei Mah Sheyetzei: If the circumstances had not come about in this exact way, it would not have been at all possible for this outcome to occur.” He goes on to explain that Melech Moshiach can only come about in a way that is not obvious or known to anyone, in a completely hidden way. Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who posseses the ultimate Da’as and Chachma, will arrange the circumstances such that the Geulah Shleimah will come.

This is the reason that the birth of Peretz had to come about in a way that made absolutely no sense. Of course Yehudah had no business with a Zonah, but the Malach told him that he had to approach her for this was the only way to set into motion the events that would ultimately result in the Melech HaMoshiach.

Based on this approach we can perhaps understand why Peretz was named for the moon.

As the explanation of Chazal that As Rabbeinu Bechaya notes, there were twenty-nine Doros of Shevet Yehudah, after which the Malchus Bais Dovid ended—or at least seemed to. The moon has a cycle of twenty-nine days at the end of which it seems to disappear. If someone totally unaware was to look at the sky on the last day of the lunar month, he may think that the moon had vanished, never again to appear. We would reassure him however, that this was a temporary phase and that in a matter of days the moon would be visible once again.

Perhaps this is the message of Peretz. When we look at our history, it sometimes appears that Malchus Bais Dovid has ended, that the Melucha we once enjoyed will never again be seen. This is because we are not familiar with the phases of this moon—just as the celestial body reappears without fail, so too will the Malchus Bais Dovid, the descendants of Peretz, rule once again.

This may also help us understand why Peretz had to be born first, regardless of the order in which he and Zarach were created.

The Passuk explains that he was called Peretz because his brother attempted to come out first—the fact that his name was tied to the moon would appear to have been unknown to those who gave him this name. It would therefore follow that Malchus Bais Dovid could only have come from the child named Peretz, regardless of which baby it was—the incident in which one baby’s hand exited, and then was withdrawn, only for the other baby to be born first is what allowed this name to be given. That is why Hashem ensured that Zarach would not be born first, because than there would be no reason to name the second baby Peretz and the connection between Malchus Bais Dovid and the moon would not exist.

This also explains why Peretz had to be born first—in order to ensure that he received this name, which allows for the Malchus Bais Dovid to be renewed despite having seemed to end after twenty-nine Doros. The nature of Moshiach, as R’ Yerucham teaches us, is that he can only come from a situation in which we are totally unaware, when all hope seems to be lost, when we feel like we are in a night without the light of the moon to guide us. Because Peretz has this connection to the moon, his progeny can be renewed—the Melech HaMoshiach can emerge.

There are times when we look upon the world around us and see only darkness. Klal Yisroel finds itself in a precarious situation, B’Ruchani U’bigashmi. We face challenges on suffering on the communal and personal levels, and there seems to be no end in sight. We must remember that when we feel this wat, we are actually in a situation that is ripe for the coming of Moshiach, for the moon to be reborn.

There can be no better reminder of this lesson than the Yom Tov of Chanukah. The upcoming Yom Tov is the only one on our calendar that begins at the end of the month, when the moon is virtually invisible, and darkness reigns. We therefore light the Menorah, specifically when it is dark outside, and remind ourselves that we have the ability to bring light into the world—Orah Zu Torah. At the darkest of times we must remember that Limud HaTorah and Shemiras HaMitzvos have the ability to be a beacon of light in our lives, and for the entire world, and have the ultimate purpose of bringing about the reemergence of the Malchus of Bais Peretz.