[Avodah] yosef and the 10 Martyrs, ahavat yisroel

[Eli Turkel]

In a shiur I heard today from the rabbi of Yakir (in the Shomrom) he
talked about
Yosef and the importance of Ahavat Yisroel for everyone. He brought
several issues
which we have discussed in the past

1. In Otzar HaMedrashim (Bar Ilan CD)
HKBH put in the mind of the Caeser to read Chumash and he came to
kidnapping etc..
leading to the connection of the 10 Martyrs to the sale of Yosef. ...
Yishmael Cohen Gadol went to heaven and met Gavriel. Gavriel told him that he
heard from behind the curtain that 10 sages will be killed by the
Romans. R. Yishmael
asked why and the angel Gavriel answered "Because of the sale of Yosef who was
sold by his brothers, every day the "midat hadin" complains before the
heavenly throne
R. Yishmael asked hasn't G-d found anyone until now except for us? and Gavriel
answered that HKBH has has not found a generation with 10 such righteous people
like the sons of Yaakov and therefore HKBH punishes (poreah) from you

2. In a similar vein Medrash Esther Rabbah pasrha 7, DH ko haratzim ba
states that since the 10 sons of Yaakov sold their brother while engaging in
food and drink so G-d will repay them and so it says "The king and Haman
sat to drink"

3. R. Kook in Orot 148 states that "ahavat yisroel is not just a good
feeling (avodah hergershit)
but also a major project (miktzoah gadol ba-torah) ... and it comes
from the belief in G-d
and especially when everything holy is being trampled ...
We must love even the great sinner who has left the path of G-d
(gam be-nefesh ha-nesogah me-od, asher sarah harbeh mi-derech hashem)
" (end quote)

To quote the famous phrase we pray that sins should end and not the sinners
The brothers of Yosef sinned by not extending brotherly love to their
brother and we
must repay by stressing ahavat yisroel

4. The rabbi at the time of the expulsion from Gush Katif asked his
congregation (Yakir)
what would be their attitude if the US granted citizenship to all
those in favor of
the expulsion. Many answered they would be happy if they left EY for the USA.
The rabbi explained that they were mistaken since we dont get to
choose who is part
of klal Yisroel. We need everyone in EY. We can disagree and fight for
our beliefs but
not at the expense of disowning part of Jewry.
Hatred just leads to further hatred and eventually civil war.


-- 
Eli Turkel