Thursday, December 26, 2024

Malchus Yosef vs. Yehuda

The Tosefta Berachot (4:16) asks אמרו לו [למדנו] רבינו אמר להם מפני מה זכה יהודה למלכות?  

The Midrash (90:3) says א"ר שמעון בן גמליאל יוסף משלו נתנו פִּיו שֶׁלֹא נָשַׁק בַּעֲבֵרָה, וְעַל פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל עַמִּי, גּוּפוֹ שֶׁלֹא נָגַע בַּעֲבֵרָה וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי שֵׁשׁ, וכו

The Shiurei Daas (shmuz on Malchus) notes the difference in the terminology of the Midrashim that for Yosef it says he malchus was given משלו, it was something internal of Yosef that made him deserving but for Yehuda it says he merited malchus indicating it was thrust upon him do to his actions.  Why do Yehuda's actions allow malchus to be thrust upon him but Yosef is deserving and what is the nature of this difference if the malchus is innate or thrust upon the recipient?  

ויכלכל יוסף.  Yosef is associated with כל which is the middah of yesod, כי כל בשמים וארץ.  The middah of yesod is that one plays an active role to the degree of giving to others.  Yosef provided for the entire country.  His malchus emanates from his own self perfection.  From his own active self perfection.  That is משלו, his malchus is merely a reflection of his internal malchus, of his self control to abstain from averah.  His rulership over his own emotions, his own limbs, is what demands that he be given malchus over others.    

Yehuda is associated with the sefirah of malchus דלית ליה מגרמיה כלום, his essence is not about receiving from above.  He does stumble in sin, he is not perfect.  He doesn't receive malchut due to self perfection.  Instead, it is his acceptance of his mistake, in his acknowledgement that there is something outside of him, that allows malchut to be bestowed upon him.  

The Sfas Emes cites from the Rim that הלל corresponds to Yosef and הודאה to Yehuda.  What does this mean?  הלל is related to בהלו נרו, the tzidkus of Yosef shines forth (Sfas Emes Chanukah 5631, 5647.)  He has the middah of גואה דקדושה, to be confident in his avodah because he is successful.  Yehuda is the middah of הודאה, of acknowledging his errors.  He realizes everything he receives is a זכות to receive it from Hashem.  He on his own is underserving and is thankful for all that he obtains.      

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