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• Why did Yaakov Avinu switched hands while blessing Joseph's sons?

  Jan 15, 2018 Admin 0 Comments

  Every Friday night, we bless our children with the blessings of Menashe and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph. We want our children to be, act, and be blessed like those two boys. But while blessing, Yakov Avinu switched his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim, the second son, and his left hand on Menashe, the firstborn. The right way should always be the right hand on the firstborn and the left on the second son.
  
  It pained Joseph to see this. So Joseph pointed it out to Yakov Avinu, saying, "This is his oldest son," pointing at Menashe. But Yakov Avinu said: From him will come a great nation, but from the other a greater nation will come, but... There was something that made Yakov Avinu give importance to the second son. What was it?
  
  Let's look into this closely.
  
  When Yakov Avinu saw these two boys, he was happy to see the achdut—friendship and brotherly love—that they had, even though they were raised amongst the gentiles in Mitzraim—far from the influence of Jacob's household. He saw something that earlier generations lacked. Kain and Hevel had problems between themselves, where Kain ended up killing his brother. So with Yishmael and Yitzchak, Hashem intervenes and asks Avraham to listen to Sarah, and he drives Yishmael out of his home. In the case of Yakov and Eisav, they had problems as well; Yakov had to run from home because he was afraid for his own life. Even amongst his own children, there was animosity towards Joseph. And now by placing his right hand on Ephraim, it is like ‘Déjà vu’ all over again. When Yakov gave a ketonet passim —a striped coat —to Joseph and singled him out from all his children, the result was 22 years of separation from his son Joseph. And now, by putting his right hand on Ephraim, he is introducing exactly the same thing into the relationship of these two young boys.
  
  But Yakov Avinu saw it differently. The love that he saw they had towards each other was more than any others had before. And by placing his right hand on the second son, he knew that his oldest brother would not be jealous of his younger brother and would only be happy for him.
  
  But there may be another reason.
  
  Gideon (see Judges) will come from the tribe of Menashe, and Yehoshua bin Noun will come from the tribe of Ephraim. Both are great men, but Yakov Avinu saw that the tests they would face in life would be at different levels for each.
  
  The tests in life are what separate us, and our reactions to them will determine whether we make the right or wrong choices. While going through a test and under pressure, we may hurt others and burn the bridges or build castles and discover powers within to overcome whatever is thrown our way.
  
  When the tribes approached Moshe Rabbenu to send spies to Eretz Yisrael, Yehoshua bin Noun was among the candidates chosen to spy out the land. Knowing the intentions of the others, Moshe Rabbeinu was afraid that this would influence Yehoshua bin Noun and that he might take the wrong side and commit a grave sin of slandering the land. So Moshe prayed for Yehoshua so he would not make that mistake, and he even changed his name to increase the odds.
  
  When Yakov Avinu was giving the blessing to Joseph's sons and saw the consequences of that slander, he felt that Yehoshua needed a blessing from his right hand —an extra push in the right direction, a zechut, or merit from Yakov Avinu himself through Ephraim.
  
  The death of that whole generation, wars, pogroms, and destruction of both Temples and all of the suffering that Am Yisrael has endured to date came because of that day, the slander, a false report that spies gave to the nation when they came back, and the nation’s reaction to it.
  
  Thus, by blessing Ephraim with the right hand, Yakov Avinu helped Yehoshua bin Noun to pass the test of the spies with flying colors. Yehoshua bin Noun returned, brought the right report, became the leader after the passing of Moshe Rabeinu, and took the Am Yisrael to the land of Israel.
  
  May the blessings of our fathers and our rabbis give us the right push in the right direction when the time comes, so we all shall build and not destroy, make the right choices, and pass our personal tests with flying colors, amen!!
  
  Shabbat Shalom,
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Why men are obligated to light the Chanukah candles?

  Dec 15, 2020 Admin 0 Comments

  In the story of Chanukah, when the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem, they entered the Temple and removed all the idols that the army of Antiochus had placed there. When they wanted to light the menorah, they found only a small jug of pure olive oil bearing the seal of Rabbi Yochanan Cohen Hagadol. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of Hashem, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made available. That miracle proved that Hashem had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and candle lighting.

  
  Chachamim z"l tell us that the Second Temple was destroyed for only one sin - Sinat Chinam - Baseless Hatred. Only one sin brought down the House of G-d, and I believe we are still battling with it till today. There's no unity, and plenty of lashon hara, dislike, and ill will floating between the communities and among people. I believe that the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash is the sin of the men - this is something we as men are responsible for. 
  
  That's why the obligation to light the Chanukah menorah lies on men, and we have eight days to do it - in our own homes, each one, no matter what part of the world he is in, or what the situation he may be in. In addition, the Sages say that there's a segulah in looking at burning candles, and hopefully this will give us chidushim — new insights — into the Torah. But maybe it could also mean that we should look at the candles and ponder: how can we fix the divisiveness, the hatred, and the distancing between communities and people? We got the whole eight days to think,  and the rest of the year to carry out the plan. If anyone can do it, then it is we, men.
  
  Since the destruction of the Second Temple, Hashem has no home to reside in; the Shechina is in exile; the nation is spread around the world; and there are plenty of problems in families, the nation, and the world as a whole. 
  
  Perhaps, this is the time we say: We've had enough of it?!
  
  Perhaps, this is the time to approach this consciously?!
  
  Either, we can keep on lighting our menorahs for years to come - in exile and in our warm homes, distanced from each other, comfortable and in disagreements, or we put our egos aside, make up with each other, unite as a nation and light the Golden Menorah next year in the House of Hashem - our own Bet Hamikdash Shlishi?!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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• Why the community of the ancient Jerusalem was destroyed?

  Nov 3, 2025 Admin 0 Comments

  The 9th of Av is the most horrible and darkest day in Jewish history. Thousands of Roman troops came to the walls of Jerusalem, and on the 9th of Av, Jerusalem was on fire. Why? What did the Jews in the community do, so this happened to the nation?
  
  The Talmud, Gittin 55–56, says that the Second Bet Hamikdash was destroyed due to an argument between two people—Kamtza & Bar Kamtza. The story goes like this: a man threw a party and asked his servant to invite his friend Kamtza. The servant went, but instead of going to Kamtza, by mistake, he invited his enemy, Bar Kamtza. Already at the party, as the host went from table to table, he noticed his enemy sitting and having a good time with the rest of the guests. The host came over and asked him, "What are you doing here?" Bar Kamtza politely answered that his servant had invited him. That's when the host realized that his servant had made a mistake and called the wrong guy. Furiously, he asked the guy to leave the party, but Bar Kamtza offered to pay for his meal and asked him not to make a scene and not to humiliate him in front of everyone. But the host refused again and asked him to leave. Bar Kamtza offered to pay half the cost of the party, then the full cost, but the host refused and threw him out.
  
  The Talmud says that people present at the party, especially the Torah sages, sat quietly and didn't get involved. The Talmud rebukes this behavior and says at the end, that this incident was the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple.
  
  Any argument is accompanied by gossip and rumors.
  
  The same thing happened many times in our history, and every time, Hashem's reaction was very severe. 
  
  - Yosef was saying about his brothers to his father, and for that they hated him. Because of this, the brothers sold Yosef, and later the whole family emigrated to Egypt (Bereshit Chapter 37, and Bereshit Rabah 84:7)
  
  - Moshe was puzzled as to why the Jewish people had such a hard life being slaves in Egypt. But when he found out that amongst them were people who spread rumors, he understood why this was their fate. (Shemot and Rashi 2:14)
  
  - When the spies came back and slandered Eretz Yisrael, those who believed paid with their lives - all the adults died and were buried in the desert. (Parashat Shelach)
  
  - Doeg, the Head of Sanhedrin, was solely responsible for the killing of the City of Kohanim. (Shmuel 22:9)
  
  - The armies of Shaul HaMelech were losing battles with the Philistines because people were spreading rumors about (already anointed and future) King David. (Midrash Shocher Tov 7:8)
  
  There are lots of other stories of people being slandered, and all of them have one thing in common: they break one commandment —the Commandment of Lashon Hara, which means saying something bad, even though it may be true. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Hachaim 156:10)
  
  - It is forbidden to repeat something about someone, even though this may not be negative; this is called Rechilut. (Vayikra 19:16, Mishneh Torah, Chilchot Deot Chapter 7)
  
  - It is forbidden to listen when someone says something negative about someone. The person should admonish the speaker, and if this is not possible, he needs to remove himself from his presence. (Chafetz Chaim 6:2, based on Talmud Ketubot 5A and many other sources)
  
  - And even if the person heard something negative about someone, he is not allowed to believe it; on the contrary, he needs to give him the benefit of the doubt and justify his actions, and always judge a person for good. (Talmud Pesachim 118A, also in the commentaries of Rashbam in Perek HaMekabel)
  
  In the Book of Shemot, Parashat Vayera 18:1 - 18:33, it talks about Avraham Avinu: right after he made a brit, the three angels came to him. One of the angels said that he came to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Avraham Avinu heard that, he began praying to Hashem and asked Him whether fifty righteous people were living there, so that He would not destroy the cities for their sake. Hashem told him, There are not. Then he asked him to save the cities for forty-five, and again He said they are not there. Then he asked for thirty, and twenty, and still he got a negative answer. Then, once again, he approached Hashem in prayer and asked to save the cities for ten righteous people, but Hashem said that even ten righteous people don't exist in those cities. Rashi says that the lawyer —Avraham Avinu — fell silent, and Hashem left his presence, since there were not even ten tzaddikim to save the cities in their merit.
  
  In the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, there were no ten members of the community who thought well of Bar Kamtza, and who were willing to get up and publicly defend him and stop the host of the party. People have been gossiping about Bar Kamtza, and others have believed it and spread it further. This was an epidemic in a society that had laws against such behavior. People were so sure that Bar Kamtza was the guilty party that they took on the roles of observers at the party. They were judging Bar Kamtza unfavorably because they already had an opinion of him, influenced by all the gossip and rumors circulating before this incident at the party. And with all of this, laws of lashon hara and other laws were broken, which led to the destruction of the Second Temple, loss of millions of lives, and an exile till our time.
  
  We are in exile, which means this disease is still plaguing us. And suppose there's a person amongst us, about whom everyone is talking, and talking very badly, and people believe and spread rumors. Based on these rumors, he is being judged and treated differently, while being subjected to more and more new labels and accusations. In that case, this is called Lashon Hara—talking badly, spreading rumors, and gossip— which Torah calls in two words: sinat chinam or baseless hatred. 
  
  And if in that place you still have 50, 45, 30, 20, or 10 righteous people, who do not believe all that gossip, contrary to public pressure, then there's still hope that Hashem's fury can be turned away. We should always try to prevent the community from speaking and spreading rumors, using our influence and communal pressure, and squash this type of behavior right from the start. 
  
  And if not? And the rumors went far—then there's a job to do: he should be cleaning up. When he sees those who heard and those who might have heard, he needs to convince them that this is not true and ask Hashem for mercy. (Sefer Chafetz Chaim). Otherwise, as was said in the previous articles, our Small Batey Mikdashim—homes, synagogues, and social places — are at stake. 
  
  Our Sages taught, "Any generation in which the Temple is not built, it is as if it had been destroyed in their times" (Talmud Yerushalmi, Yoma 1A). Because that generation continues in the footsteps of the one who destroyed the Temple, they are not trying to fix the mistakes of the past generations, but continue doing the same destructive sins in the eyes of Hashem and the nation.
  
  Our goal is to build strong families and communities which have to live by Torah laws. Based on our life experience, we need to help people by giving them advice, guiding, and encouraging all those who fell in life - and to do this not because we owe them or they owe us, but just like that, as the Gemara says: Loving and helping another Jew without any reason, as Achavat Chinam or Baseless Love. 
  
  This action alone will grow, multiply, and strengthen the Jewish Nation and our communities while doing an unforgettable act of bringing peace between people and families, for which Hashem Himself will repay. This action will be responsible for many who have left the Judaism, returning to Hashem and His Torah and mitzvot. And based on everything said above, we and our families will merit seeing Mashiach while doing our part to hasten his arrival and free us from this prolonged exile.
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  08/13/2025
  
  

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• Мои Года, Моё Богатство

  Nov 25, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

  Я выбрал не зря это название. Недавно прослушав одну из лекций Раввина Жэйкобсона которая натолкнула меня на новое понимание, мне хотелось бы поделиться с вами вот с такой идеей.
  
  В Главе Ваера, есть рассказ, как приходят три ангела к Лоту и говорят ему что его город Содом будет разрушен утром и он должен покинуть его. И вот во время побега, Ангелы предупреждают Лота и его семью не отворачиваться назад несмотря ни на что. Но Лота жена услышав голос одной из своих подруг, отворачивается и становится солёным столпом. 
  
  Интересно почему солёным столпом и почему она наказана солью? В Мидраше есть одно из объяснений, что так-как она согрешила из-за соли, когда пошла по соседям выпрашивать соль говоря что у неё нет соли и у них сейчас гости, этим намекая что её муж в данный момент нарушает закон города принимая гостей и этим призывая жителей принять меры по отношению к пришельцам. Убегая она услышала голос одной из своих подруг, и в этот момент произошёл закон мера за меру - так как она просила соль, этим побудив жителей восстать против пришельцев и в данный момент они умирали в городе, они позвали её, давая ей понять что она тоже не может спастись, потому-что она побудила их сделать грех. Как говорят мудрецы Содом сидел очень глубоко в жене Лота.
  
  Но вопрос почему она стала солью? Давайте немного углубимся в этот эпизод, чтоб ответить на этот вопрос.
  
  Когда Ангелы подошли к Лоту и сказали ему о планах Вс-вышнего, то первым делом Лот подошёл к своим зятьям и передал им о своих намерениях и пригласил их покинуть город с ним вместе, так как к утру он будет разрушен.
  
  В Берешит 19:14 сказано: "И пошёл Лот к своим зятьям и говорил он с ними, к тем которые были женаты на его дочерях и сказал он им: Поднимайтесь, покиньте это место, потому что Вс-вышний разрушит этот город. Но он выглядел для своих зятьёв шутом." 
  
  Первый раз через столько лет Лот понял одну вещь, что насколько бы высоко он не находился на социальной лестнице, и какую бы позицию он не занимал, он всё же оставался пришельцем и тем самым жидом и всё той же насмешкой для неевреев. Вроде бы Лот достиг всего что можно было иммигранту достичь - Мидраш говорит, что он был главным судьёй города Содома, и выносил приговоры по делам в городе. Его дочки достигли пика их подъёма - выйдя замуж за парней из этого города. Вроде бы Лот уже один из них - но не тут то было. Зятья его высмеивают, и не идут с ним и за своими жёнами. Такое же повторялось у нас истории. Вроде мы часть общества где мы живём, занимаем большие позиции, имеем богатство и хорошее расположение, но приходит время и туман рассеивается. 
  
  И вот они бегут, жена Лота обернулась и превратилась в солёный столп. Почему она не умерла как все остальные жители Содома? За всю историю человечества, миллионы людей умерли - злодеи, деспоты и люди совершившие всякие преступления и благие дела, все были преданы земле - только один человек был выбран остаться на земле в виде солёного столпа - это жена Лота. Добавлю что Талмуд Берахот говорит, если человек увидит статую этой женщины, он должен произнести благословение. 
  
  Но всё что написано в Торе не спроста. За каждым случаем кроется смысл и за каждым персонажем есть что-то что кроется в каждом из нас. Содом город который находится на берегу моря, но люди которые там жили характером были эгоистичны,  эгоцентричны, погруженные в себя и самовлюблённые и в этом есть маленькая частичка Содома которая находится в каждом из нас. Каждый раз когда в нас или вокруг нас происходят акты злости, мести, разврата, унижения и притеснения - мы также должны бежать из этого места, из этого Содома. Но с одним условием, не отворачиваться назад. Убегая, но отворачиваясь мы не отдаляемся а продолжаем переживать все те события от которых бежали, живя в истории в которой мы провинились, или в которой нам причинили много боли и страданий, вспоминая все падения, унижения и разочарования. У каждого своя история, на то и она называется историей его жизни, и все те персонажи которые в ней участвуют живут в этой истории и всегда с ним напоминая о себе каждый день. 
  
  Со временем человек становится вон тем самым столпом соли - очень горьким и солёным. С ним очень трудно говорить и иметь дело, он погружён в мысли прошлого и живёт в страданиях. Есть люди кто очень искусно могут скрывать это состояние, но есть люди кто не могут. 
  
  Но тут мы приходим к одному важному моменту. Став солью у нас появляются две дороги в жизни. 
  
  Некоторые люди выбирают дорогу мести - мне причинили боль и страдания и теперь я в свою очередь причиню другим то же самое. Они ломают семьи, портят людям жизнь, злословят, причиняют как можно больше вреда - работая над этим годами и вовлекая многих в эту грязь. 
  
  Второй путь - это путь служения Вс-вышнему. Как сказано в Псалмах 37:27, "Беги от зла и делай хорошее." Осознано совершать хорошее, отойти от источника зла и продолжать служение Вс-вышнему.
  
  Говорят наши мудрецы, поставив человека в какую-то ситуацию, Вс-вышний хочет научить его какому-то уроку и если он осознано делает зло и выбирает идти по дороге зла - конец такого человека не завистлив ни в этом и ни в следующем мирах. Но если человек выбирает дорогу добра и несмотря на свою боль и свои прошлые обиды делает добро, то не замеченным от Вс-вышнего это не останется и к тому же Вс-вышний подарит ему самую красивую черту характера которая может быть у человека - это черта сострадания. Позже, после своих "проблем и ситуаций", однажды он увидит человека в страдании и в проблемах, и он сумеет почувствовать его боль и протянуть ему руку помощи, так как он знает что это такое, этим самым борясь со злом и поднимаясь высоко в духовных мирах как награждение за пройденный урок.
  
  Так что же делать человеку, если он уже погряз в этой соли и не видит облегчения?
  
  Давайте разберём два закона касающихся соли - Сефер Ваикра говорит что когда Коэн приносит жертву, то он должен обсыпать жертвоприношение солью со всех сторон, но сегодня у нас нет Храма и этот закон мы не можем использовать для данной ситуации. Второй закон в Книге Шулхан Арух или Свод Законов говорит: что на каждом столе должна присутствовать соль. Каждая трапеза должна сопровождаться солью и при этом когда человек говорит благословение на хлеб он должен хорошо обмакнуть хлеб в соль.
  
  Как было уже сказано, один из путей борьбы со своей солью, которые люди к сожалению выбирают это делать зло. Но делая зло, они всё больше погружаются в болото зла, из которого выйти не всем удаётся. Потому-что не все помнят что про кого сказали, как далеко пошли слухи, как сложились судьбы тех людей которые были замешаны во все эти интриги или судьбы их поколений, а также не хотение попросить прощения из-за гордости, да и люди которым был причинён вред, могут быть уже не с нами в этом мире. Это называется Домино Эффект - который трудно остановить, но полная ответственность всё равно лежит на нас так как Вс-вышний помнит все мотивы и ситуации.
  
  Но я бы хотел предоставить вам второй путь, как избавиться от соли и выйти из своего Содома - это перестать думать о себе и начать жить по другому - думать о Вс-вышнем, о своей жизни, и о людях вокруг вас. Спросить себя, что Вс-вышнему нужно от вас? Почему вы продолжаете жить и вставать по утрам? Куда вы идёте и что у вас за цель в жизни? Понять что у вас есть душа, частичка самого Вс-вышнего и она в вас - и ничто и никто не может осквернить или замарать её ни словами и ни делами. И вы являетесь Послом Вс-вышнего здесь в этом мире, чтоб раскрыть Его и Его свет и принести этот свет в жизнь других людей и быть маяком для других в этом мире. Тот свет что является светом радости, надежды и веры, который так иногда не хватает в жизни многих людей. И осознание этой истины и есть избавление от своей соли и выход из своего Содома.
  
  Принять, понять и осознать что вся соль которая есть в вас и есть ваш жизненный путь и всё это пришло от Вс-вышнего и только от Него одного - а люди которые подыграли в этом - сделали это не по своей воле, а потому что были выбраны для этого по разным провинностям и причинам которые известны только Вс-вышнему, и всё что вы можете сделать по отношению к ним, это пожалеть их за то что они были выбраны сделать зло, что является не совсем завидным достижением в жизни. И тот жизненный путь который вы прошли, был проделан вами и только вы один знаете насколько трудно оно было для вас. И ту боль которую вы сейчас испытываете и есть ваша боль. И при всём этом - вы просто должны дорожить процессом духовного и морального роста и набранному опыту познанию людей и жизни в целом, и постарайтесь всё это использовать себе на благо.
  
  Но как...?
  
  Во время благословения на хлеб, закон говорит обмакнуть хлеб в соль. И вот тут самое время вспомнить всю свою соль - всю ту боль а иногда может и рёв души, и сказать Вс-вышнему - спасибо за опыт, и всё это преподнести ему как приношение на своём собственном жертвеннике - этим исправляя и освящая себя - своё тело и свою душу, и при этом радуясь своему уделу, потому-что вся ваша боль и годы проведённые с ней ведут к вашему освящению, и приближению к Вс-вышнему. И однажды обернувшись назад, вы по настоящему начнёте понимать глубину слов: Мои Года, Моё Богатство!!
  
  Шмуэль Катанов

  Леилюй Нишмат: 
  Шломо бен Тамара (Семён Якубов)
  Рафаэль бен Тамара (Рафаэль Мирзакандов)
  Нисан бен Лея (Нисан Якубов)

   

   

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• Why Did The Brothers Hate Joseph?

  Nov 27, 2018 Admin 0 Comments

  In the story of Joseph and his brothers, one incident stands out and makes the whole story seem very puzzling. Let's delve into it and try to understand it.
  
  As you already know, there was tension between Joseph and his older brothers, one against the many. Some commentators say it was jealousy, others say it was simply hatred, but let's look at it in more detail.
  
  "And Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dotan," says in Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Vayeshev 13:6 (Gen. 37:17-18). Per his father's request, Joseph was coming towards his brothers. As he approached, the brothers saw him from afar and said to each other, "Here's the dreamer coming," and they began planning how to get rid of him. Some suggested killing him to solve this problem once and for all. The older brother, Reuven, suggested throwing him in the pit. He said Why kill your own blood, your own brother, when we can accomplish the same by throwing him into the empty pit. In Masechet Shabbat 22A, it says: "Pit empty from water but full of snakes and scorpions." Everyone liked this idea, except Reuven, who thought to himself that he would come later to rescue him.
  
  When Joseph came close to his brothers, they pulled off his fancy coat - the one his father gave him, the extra one - Rashi (Parashat Bereshit 37:24), and threw him into the pit. As they sat down to eat, they saw a caravan passing by, so out came another brilliant idea to sell their small brother to Arab merchants, to be taken to a distant land (Bereshit 37:27). And so they did. As much as Joseph pleaded with them, they were determined on their plan and did not turn from it, and the caravan slowly left their sight.
  
  After the brothers left the scene, Reuven came over to rescue Joseph, but to his astonishment, Joseph was gone. Reuven tore his clothing in grief, but it was too late - Joseph was nowhere to be found. Rashi (Bereshit Rabbah 84:19).
  
  Where was Reuven? Wasn't he the one who gave the idea to throw Joseph into the pit?! Why didn't he stay to make sure his suggestion was carried out? Why did he leave the scene? In Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 13:9 (Gen. 37:22:) says: "If Reuven had known that the Holy One would write this verse about him (about his suggestion and his intention of coming back for Joseph later), he would have placed Joseph on his shoulders and brought him unto his father."
  
  One of the answers Rashi gives in (Bereshit Rabbah 84:19) is that Reuven was doing a teshuvah, a repentance for the incident that took place after the death of Rachel. What he did was move Jacob's bed from one tent to another. But hold on a second, that incident happened 10 years ago. Why was he doing the teshuvah now, after 10 years?
  
  When Rachel Imenu died, Reuven thought to himself, saying that the right place for the bed was in his mother's tent, Leah. Without consulting his father about whether he wants this done, he has moved the bed himself. What he did was challenge his father, Jacob's authority, by moving the bed on his own, based on his own thinking, calculations, and conclusions. As a result of this, the punishment which Reuven suffered was threefold -- he lost the birthright, the priesthood, and the kingship.
  
  And now 10 years later, Reuven looks at Joseph and his brothers, and asks himself – Why are the brothers treating Joseph this way? Okay, granted, he may have said lashon hora or slander, he may have behaved differently than you, but he is their small brother and may have been too young to make the right decisions; they should have given him the benefit of the doubt. And if Joseph is doing something wrong, let the brothers go and ask their father, Jacob, to get involved so he can tell them how they should behave in this situation. Maybe Jacob will admonish Joseph, or maybe he will let them know how to behave towards Joseph, so this issue should not escalate into something out of proportion, as they say: "nip it in the bud" under their father's supervision. Which would make things correct and no one would have gotten hurt and no ill feelings would have been around.
  
  But something else was happening: the brothers were following in Reuven's footsteps; he was witnessing the consequences of his own action—he saw how his brothers treated Joseph, thinking they could get away with it, which was a direct result of his own action. They are making the same mistake he made 10 years before. Reuven has subconsciously taught them to act on their own conclusions without consulting their father or any other authority.
  
  How about us?
  
  Do we jump to conclusions and act out on our fears and anxieties, without thinking of the consequences the other party may have? Do we feed someone non-kosher food and he ends up liking it, and maybe later gets a job in non-kosher place and marries a non Jew. Have we introduced someone to try something they should of not and they have liked it and their life is not the same anymore. Have we mistreated someone in a synagogue, at work or someone we may have known while wearing a kippah and looking very or somewhat religious, and that person left the religion with a bad feeling toward the religious people, what will happen to all the generations that will come from him after this?
  
  Think before you act, and, most importantly, consider the consequences.
  
  Every Yom Kippur, when we finish the Shmoneh Esreh of Shacharit and before starting the chazarah, in Sefardi sidurim, there's a song, which goes like this: "Hashem Shamati Shim'akha Yareti Hashem." 
  
  It finishes off the song with these lines: "Hashem, sifrey chaim umetim lefonecha niftachim..." -- "Hashem, the Book of Living and the Book of Dead are open before You?" (Habakkuk 3:2)
  
  I understand why Hashem would open the Book of Living, as it says in the in Masechet Rosh Hashanah 16b: "Rabbi Kruspedai said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah before the Holy One, Blessed be He: One of wholly wicked people, and one of wholly righteous people, and one of middling people whose good and bad deeds are equally balanced. Wholly righteous people are immediately written and sealed for life; wholly wicked people are immediately written and sealed for death; and middling people are left with their judgment suspended from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, their fate remaining undecided. If they merit, through the good deeds and mitzvot that they perform during this period, they are written for life; if they do not so merit, they are written for death."
  
  Besides writing the names of the new people in the Book of the Dead, Hashem judges those people who have already passed away a long time ago... why? Aren't the dead gone and everything forgotten?
  
  No matter how many years passed from whatever incident you might have had, be it money, slander, or something else. If the consequences of your actions, after many years, still affect the people involved (see the Book of Chofetz Chaim - a story with a pillow), even generations later, you still get punished, no matter where you are and what state you are in - dead or alive. It's just that, while you're alive, you still have the ability and the chance to repent and fix whatever situation you have caused.
  
  Understanding the magnitude of the situation and the consequences it had caused, Reuven was doing teshuvah ten years after the incident – feeling his direct involvement in the treatment of Joseph and in all that followed.
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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