Hachodesh Hazeh Lachem, Eretz Yisrael and Anti-Semitism

The First Rashi in Bereishas says as follows:

בראשית: אמר רבי יצחק לא היה צריך להתחיל [את] התורה אלא (שמות יב ב) מהחודש הזה לכם, שהיא מצוה ראשונה שנצטוו [בה] ישראל, ומה טעם פתח בבראשית, משום (תהלים קיא ו) כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו לתת להם נחלת גוים, שאם יאמרו אומות העולם לישראל לסטים אתם, שכבשתם ארצות שבעה גוים, הם אומרים להם כל הארץ של הקב"ה היא, הוא בראה ונתנה לאשר ישר בעיניו, ברצונו נתנה להם וברצונו נטלה מהם ונתנה לנו:

Why does Rashi assume that the Torah should have started from החודש הזה לכם? The Torah doesn't start with Mitzvos. Chumash Bereishis is important as it has the stories of the Avos and the founding of Klal Yisrael?

The Mishna in Avos teaches us that the world was created in 
בעשרה מאגרות גברא העולמ
The world was created with ten "Ma'amaros", or with ten utterances. The talmud asks that if you count the utterances you will find only nine.The Talmud answers that
ובראשית כמי מאמר הוא. דכתיב (תהלים ל״ג) בדבר ה' שמים :עשו
We can count the word "Beraishis" as an utterance too. Why and how is the word Beraishis an utterance? The Gr'a in Aderet Eliyahu and the Sforno too both say that "Bereishis" is considered and utterance because it established the concept of time in this world. It is an essential building block for everything else that was created after that. It would not be possible to create a physical world without first establishing the concept of time.

Rav Moshe Shapiro explains that the concept of time for the secular world was created then at the beginning of creation. However, when Klal Yisrael was formed at the time of Yitzias Mitzraim, a new concept was introduced and that was the concept of time for Klal Yisrael who are to keep the Torah. Klal Yisrael live on this world on a quasi spiritual plane and were given a different dimension of time to live within. That new dimension was given to them at החודש הזה לכם. Therefore Rashi quotes Rabi Yitzchak  that the Torah should have started from החודש הזה לכם because that is the dimension of time for Klal Yisrael, the dimension more relevant to the Torah. This  dimension is qualitatively different than the secular dimension in that it is a dimension of constant renewal, a dimension called "Zeman" which is derived from the word "Hazmanah" which means literally "To Invite" but refers to a future event implying that this dimension is more forward looking and is always striving for greater heights and for constant renewal. Interestingly the basic function of time based on the sun is called "Shana" which is derived from the word "Shoneh" which actually means to review. Every year is a review of the previous year as it goes around and around. The function of time based on the moon is called "Chodesh" derived from the word "Chadash" meaning "New" the exact opposite of "Shanah". Klal Yisrael who live a more spiritual existence are actually living in a different dimension than the rest of the world. We are continuously striving for greater heights, doing Teshuva, erasing the past, and getting better. Yisrael is represented by the moon which has the same characteristics. The Shla"h says that the name "Pharaoh" has the same numerical value as the word "Shana" the significance of that is that now that Bnai Yisrael left Mitzraim and left Pharaoh behind they now are entering a different aspect of existence, leaving the aspect of "Shana" and entering the new "Moon" sphere which is a much higher spiritual level. The old concepts of time had to be done away with hence the first commandment was to eat Matzah. The difference between Chametz and Matzah is one ingredient. Chametz is flour + water + time while Matzah is flour + water but no time element. We were commanded as soon as we left Mitzraim before we were introduced to החודש הזה לכם to first do away with the old before we can enter the new. Chazal teach us that the Pasuk that tells us "Ushmartem es Hamatzos" can be read as "Ushmartem es Hamitzvos" teaching that an opportunity to do a mitzvah must be undertaken immediately with no delay. What does matzah have to do with not missing out a mitzvah this is the same concept. The basic idea of the Mitzvah of Matzah is to see time from a different perspective and to do away with the old concept of time where it might have less importance. 

The answer to the question brought up in the beginning of Bereishis as to why the torah started from Bereishis and not from החודש הזה לכם, Rashi states is to answer the nations of the world as to why we deserve Eretz Yisrael. The other nations call us robbers saying what right do you have to steal a land that does not belong to you to which we answer "Bereishis" God created everything and it is in his right to allow us to be in this land. How does it answer the question of why to Torah did not start from

החודש הזה לכם? And really what does Bereishis have to do with Eretz Yisrael? 

The nations of the world have a very good claim. You Jews inherited the world to come and are living a spiritual existence, we got this world. You have no right to demand land on this earth too. Just like you are living on a different dimension in time you must live on a different dimension when it comes to space and you should not be taking up our space in this world. If Bnei Yisrael are living in this quasi spiritual time zone it would make no sense to allow them to have land within the dimensions of a secular time dimension. Time and space ARE related. A nation that has no time in the "Shana" dimension but are living in the "Chodesh" dimension should not be allowed to take  physical land from others. One cannot inherit this earth from others if he is living in a dimension where he is inheriting spiritual space. You cannot have your proverbial cake and eat it too. 

However, Eretz Yisrael  has that aspect of being quasi spiritual place too. The Pasuk says in Ekev

אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ תָּמִיד עֵינֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית

 שָׁנָה

  

Israel is not like every other land but has a special relationship with God. It is not a purely physical space like other lands but has a spiritual component. The land of Israel is very much qualified to be the land of the Bnei Yisrael. It has a physical existence in this world yet it is connected to the spiritual world in a way that no other land is connected. The perfect inheritance for a people that exist on this earth yet live spiritual lives. Just like the Bnai Yisrael are the representatives of God on this world  and through them the rest of the world is influenced and blessed so is Eretz Yisrael the place whereby the shefa- divine influence is transmitted. As Shlomo Hamelech says in his prayer when dedicating the Bais Hamikdash Melachim 1.8.43 

ה ת^זמע השמלם מכון שבתך ומשיית ככל אשר־־ לקרא אליך הנכרי למען.יךעוןכל־£מי הארץיאת־שמך ליראה אתך כעמך' ישראל ולדעת כי־שמך נקרא על־ חבלת הזה' אשיר בניתי: 

The attitude of the nations of the world towards Bnei Yisrael is directly related to Bnei Yisrael's attitude towards their own existence. When Bnei Yisrael realize that they are an "Am Baddad Yishkon"- a nation that lives a different, spiritual, and separate existence, then the nations of the world (subconsciously) accept them and allow their infringement into their physical space. However, when Bnei Yirael don't live up to the standard set for them and strive to grow spiritually in the vein of  החודש הזה לכם then the other nations rightfully rise up against them and acutely feeling that the Bnei Yisrael are infringing upon a world that is their own which should not be usurped by Bnei Yisrael.  They feel that Bnei Yisrael don't deserve their own land and barely allow the Bnai Yisrael to exist in Galus. The nations of the world don't hate Bnei Yisrael they just feel that Bnai Yisrael are infringing upon a world that belongs to them. 

I believe that there is a fundamental difference between anti-semitism in general and, for example, the hatred that some nations have for other nations. The way the muslims and christians hate each-other or for example the way the Aryans hate the blacks. We see all nations of the world including Israel's sworn enemies coming to Yad Vashem to lay wreaths. Even Yasir Arafat, a man whose whole raison-d'etre was to kill Jews, came to Yad Vashem to bring flowers. The nations of the world love dead jews. They feel that that is where jews belong....in the world to come. The nations don't have an inherent hatred towards the Jewish concept, but only as long as they are where they belong, with God in the world that was given to them. Aryans will never come to lay a wreath at a black man's grave-site but will make a great show of respecting the Auschwitz death camps. Jews are infringing upon the other nations in this world but are not necessarily intrinsically hated. 

Ultimately, Israel, having their own land, is the epitome of infringement in this phyisical world . Hence, when Bnei Yisrael don't behave as they should, God allows the nations to act upon Bnei Yisrael as they feel, and conquer Eretz Yisrael. When Bnei Yisrael continue behaving badly, God allows the nations to start eradicating Bnei Yisrael from existence even when they don't have their own land. 

When Bnei Yisrael behave the way they should and live a spiritual existence in the form of  החודש הזה לכם God then will take the land of Eretz Yisrael and give it to the Bnei Yisrael. The nations of the world will say that it's not fair, the Bnei Yisrael don't deserve two worlds, this world and the world to come. To this God answers 

אומרים להם כל הארץ של הקב"ה היא, הוא בראה ונתנה לאשר ישר בעיניו, ברצונו נתנה להם וברצונו נטלה מהם ונתנה לנ   

What God is answering them is as follows: Yes, you the nations of the world have a point, however, I created the world and I will give Eretz Yisrael to whom I choose. The reason for this is that Eretz Yisrael is also a quasi spiritual land and is becoming to a quasi spiritual people but only when they live up to their calling. Interestingly the Pasuk that was quoted earlier

אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ תָּמִיד עֵינֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית

 שָׁנָ

states that Eretz Yisrael has a spiritual component to it and is not like all other lands on this earth. Why does it mean from the beginning of the year? 

The Pasuk is telling us as follows: This land, Eretz Yisrael,is a spiritual land and if Bnei Yisrael act in accordance with their mission and live as a spiritual nation, it will remain theirs. However if the Bnei Yisrael don't live up to that standard then God will allow the other nations to have their rightful ownership of the land because, after all, it is part of the physical creation and it has a "Shana" dimension to it. That is why the pasuk also states מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה. That word "Raishis" is the dimension of time that belongs to the physical world before the Torah was given to Bnei Yisrael. So what the Pasuk is saying is that Eretz Yisrael can go both ways it can be  רֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ תָּמִיד

But it can also be מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה  both those words would connote a return to Galus for Bnai Yisrael and a return of Eretz Yisrael for those living in  a merely physical dimension 

Jews and Domestic Help

The Gemara in Nedarim 41a states:

בחוםר כל א״ר אמי אמר רב בלא ושטיח נר ובלא שלחן רב חםדא אמר בלא אשח רב ששת אמר בלא שמש

In the Tochacha, the pasuk says that you will "Have to Serve God While Having Nothing"
There are a number of opinions as to what "Nothing" means. Rabi Ami says it refers to not having a spread to put down under your food or not having even a candle to see while you eat or not having a table. Rav Chisda says it means not having a wife. Rav Sheshes says without a "Shamash" literally not having "Help". Seems a bit strange that "Nothing" would refer to a servant or even a maid or cleaning lady. One would think that having "Help" almost constitutes some kind of luxury.

Chazal in the Mishna in Berachos ch.2 state that "Yisrael Bnei Milachim hem" Yisrael are considered princes regarding halachik practice and presumably regarding general behaviors. A litvashe woman married to one of the scholars at the Mirrer Yeshiva got to Shanghai with the Mirrer Yeshiva, had no money and very little food. When eventually Rabbi Avraham Kalmanovitz sent some money to the Yeshiva in Shanghai, the married couples with children were the first to receive the funds. This litvishe woman got one dollar for starters. This dollar should have been enough to purchase some food items and maybe a bit more at most. However, she took that first dollar, went out to the marketplace and found a local Chinese woman to help her clean the house and take care of her baby. Here you have a fresh refugee, with no money, just entering a new and foreign land, going out the first day she has a dollar and hiring a local native citizen as a domestic helper.  That is the definition of Yisrael Bnei Milachim. It is not strange at all for someone from the Yisrael culture to comprehend the fact that "Bechoser Kal" "not having anything" would refer to not having domestic help.

Pharaoh's Free Will

The Ramban in Parshas Lech Lecha asks how did Pharaoh have free will and why was he punished for enslaving Bnei Yisrael if Avraham was told by Bris Bein Habisarim that Bnei Yisrael would be enslaved. What choice did Pharaoh have? It was decreed earlier by God that he would enslave them?

Ramban first quotes Rambam's answer that it didn't have to be Pharaoh himself it could have been another king or another dynasty. Ramban doesn't like Rambam's answer for various reason's one of them being that if God decreed that someone should enslave Bnei Yisrael then it should be looked upon as a Mitzvah and Pharaoh should have actually gotten rewarded for it, what does the Rambam mean that someone else should have done it?

Ramban answers that although it was decreed that Bnei Yisrael should be enslaved, Pharaoh went beyond the call of duty and also tortured them and threw the babies in the river. Since Pharaoh did more than he was decreed to do he was punished.

The question is why was Pharaoh then punished for enslaving Bnei Yisrael, he should only be punished for going above and beyond. Pharaoh should only be punished for throwing the babies in the river and torturing Bnei Yisrael but not for enslaving them?

Maybe in fact, and it is a bit implied in the language of the Ramban that in fact Pharaoh was only punished for what he did more than what was decreed. Ramban says the pasuk states

וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל
The Pasuk states "Dan" that there will be a judgement and this implies that there will be a discernment as to what Pharaoh will be charged for and what he will be innocent of because it was in fact decreed.

Another explanation might be that the Ramban is saying that although it was decreed, because Pharaoh did more than was decreed, he will be judged for everything he did including what was in the initial decree. Once it is established that Pharaoh enslaved Bnei Yisrael because of his wickedness and not because God decreed he do so then his punishment will be on everything he did.

We find many times that intent matters when something is done outside the ordinary course. For example:

• By Pilegesh Begivah it says that Bnei Yisrael were punished and many of them died when they went to war with Binyamin because of Pesel Micha. It say "al kvodi lo michisem ve'al kvod adam michisem" Paraphrasing- You didn't care  about my honor and served avodah zara but when the girl was killed in Binaymin you cared"?. Although one might say that a horrific murder is something to stand up to, the point was that you obviously didn't do it for God's benefit since it is apparent that God's honor is not important to you so therefore your killing of Shevet Binyamin must also have been for some ulterior motive and therefore not justified even though the act might be justified, in this context the intent will define the act.
• The Chasam Sofer in his last Tshuva in Orach Chaim states that although "Eis la'asos Lahashem Hefeiru Torasecha" meaning that there is a unique dispensation to write Torah SheBa'al peh and that allows all us to write it even though "Ee atem Rashaim Lichtovum" we are really not allowed to write torah SheBa'al peh however they allowed lest it be forgotten. The Chasam Sofer says that if one writes torah SheBa'al peh without the correct intent he is oiver on this issur of writing down Torah SheBa'al Peh
• Ester Karka Oilum, although Queen Esther was allowed to sleep with King Achashveirosh to save Klal Yisrael the Gemarah says she did not have any enjoyment out of it. If she would have had enjoyment, even though she was allowed to she would not have been considered doing a mitzvah. 
• Shaul with Agag

If someone is mechalel shabbos to save a life. For example driving an ambulance to the hospital on shabbos but at the same time he turns on the radio, uses his phone, smokes a cigarette, this shows that his whole chillul shabbos is not for the right reasons and he can be then considered violating the shabbos for driving too. 

The Real Yitzias Mitzraim

This is mostly an abstract of an article in Hakirah  Journal Volume 14 written by Professor Judah Landa.

Why is there no ancient Egyptian recording or even a scrap of evidence recorded by the ancient Egyptians regarding Yitzias Mitzraim?
Why does the Torah tell us in Devorim "
לֹא תְתַעֵב מִצְרִי כִּי גֵר הָיִיתָ בְאַרְצוֹ
The  Egyptians enslaved us and treated us horribly, it was one of the worst periods in our History?

There was a period in old Egypt (according to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East), starting in about 2000 bc which was before Bnei Yisrael came down to Egypt according to all historians, that Egypt starting encouraging foreign immigration. These foreigners were possibly attracted to Egypt as Egypt was a considerably wealthy country and offered foreigners the ability to make a living. The Egyptians encouraged these migrants to immigrate to use them as slaves possibly and for menial jobs that Egyptians themselves considered beneath them. Over time these immigrants became so numerous that they started banding together and actually conquering areas of Egypt. Initially these areas were small but over time, they started conquering larger and larger swaths of land. These foreigners, over time, started adopting Egyptian customs and even started serving Egyptian Gods. They even called their ruler "Pharaoh". This group of foreigners, known as the Hyskos, eventually conquered the whole country and ruled over the whole of Egypt for approximately 110 years according to early Egyptian historians. 
There is a record of this occurrence in ancient Egyptian history. According to the Egyptian natives, these Hyskos were eventually conquered and chased out of Egypt by the natives never to be heard from again. 

The theory is that these Hyskos with their Pharoah were the "Egyptians" that enslaved Bnei Yisrael. 

This theory explains many interesting phenomena mentioned in the Torah that seem to defy logic. 

First of all it says in the Pasuk 
וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף
                                                                                                                            What does that pasuk mean? Although we are all familiar with the Machlokes Rav and Shmuel to learn pshat it would seem strange that the king didnt know or at least have heard of Yosef who saved the whole country from devastation. However if the king were from a conquering nation it makes a lot of sense that he actually didn't know or at least didn't appreciate or even moreso didn't appreciate that he saved his enemy's country.
   וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ הִנֵּה עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ: 

Lets look at the next few Pesukim:
   
 הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ פֶּן יִרְבֶּה וְהָיָה כִּי תִקְרֶאנָה מִלְחָמָה וְנוֹסַף גַּם הוּא עַל שׂנְאֵינוּ וְנִלְחַם בָּנוּ וְעָלָה מִן הָאָרֶץ     
What does this mean? Why would the natives be worried that an immigrant population would rise up against them and throw the natives out of the country. That has never happened in history. Conquering nations would subjugate or might enslave the native population but forced migration out of their native land?? What enemies did the Egyptians have that they were worried that the Bnei Yisrael would join in fighting them?

Its almost too obvious from these Pesukim that the Torah is telling us about a foreign group that had usurped power from the natives were worried that the current residents, the Bnei Yisrael,  might  join the native Egyptians, who were now subjugated, in a coup attempt in order to overthrow the new government, the Hyskos, and together with the native Egyptians literally chase the new Hyskos Pharaoh's  from the land of Egypt. Furthermore, the Hyskos who were a group of slaves initially, now as rulers needed their own slave labor. What better idea than to incorporate the Bnei Yisrael into their old jobs as slave laborers and gain two things; a. putting the Bnei Yisrael in a position where it would be hard for them to rise up and join the Egyptians in retaking the land, and b; being able to replace the slave labor needed to work the land and build edifices for their new country.

The Hyskos ruled the whole  land for approximately 110 years, this is almost exactly what chazal approximate the  amount of time the Bnei Yirael were enslaved. The slavery started a some time after all of Yosef's brothers died. Yosef lived 110 years, Levi lived 137 years and was a few years older than Yosef. The Bnei Yisrael where in Mitzraim for 210 year. Leve came to Mitzraim when he was a few years older than Yosef who was 39 years old at that time. So the slavery was  210 minus approximately 100 years. According to Egyptologists the native Egyptians ultimately expelled the Hyksos from the land of Egypt into the desert never to be heard from again. 

The pasuk in Devarim 11.2 says:

 וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְחֵיל מִצְרַיִם לְסוּסָיו וּלְרִכְבּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֵצִיף אֶת מֵי יַם סוּף עַל פְּנֵיהֶם בְּרָדְפָם 
אַחֲרֵיכֶם וַיְאַבְּדֵם יְהֹוָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

What does "Until this day" mean? Egypt was not destroyed completely! Many Egyptians must have gone home after Krias Yam Suf and started life anew. It seems obvious that there was a total destruction of the nation of Egyptians at the Yam Suf as is recorded in ancient Egyptian history however it is the Egyptian Hyksos kingdom that was utterly destroyed "never to be heard from again" as it states in the Pasuk and corroborated by Egyptian history. 

There is ample Egyptian historical record of this period. However, there is no record of the slavery of the Bnei Yisrael because that was not part of Egyptian history but rather part of Hyskos history. The Hyskos were wiped out, there is nothing left of them or of any of their recorded history. The native Egyptians recorded their ultimate victory over the Hyskos and how they were chased out, taking credit for chasing them out of Egypt and not giving credit to the Bnei Yisrael. 

There were many foreigners in Egypt that were not necessarily part of the Hyskos kingdom. When the native Egyptians took back their country they were looking for revenge. Any foreigner at that point was in danger. the Egyptians learnt their lesson. No more open borders and full fledged immigration. What was an immigrant supposed to do in Egypt at that time that Egypt had won its country back from the immigrants. There was a simple and practical solution. Leave Egypt. How? Where to? With whom? Their solution was to join the Bnei Yisrael in their exodus. The pasuk informs us many times about the "Erev Rav" that left Egypt with the Bnai Yisrael. Who were these Erev Rav? Erav Rav means "Mixed Multitudes" why would a mixed multitude join Bnai Yisrael? where did they come from? These were the foreigners that needed to leave Egypt lest they incur the revenge of the native Egyptians. 

The Pasuk that states:

לֹא תְתַעֵב מִצְרִי כִּי גֵר הָיִיתָ בְאַרְצוֹ

Can now be understood simply. The native Egyptians were very welcoming to Bnei Yisrael when they came down to Egypt and never turned on them. They were in fact the victims of the vicious Hyskos kings who also enslaved Bnei Yisrael. We are commanded to always treat the welcoming Egyptians with kindness.  

Moshe Rabeinu - Chacham

The Gemara in Nedarim 38A states:

אמר ר׳ יוחנן אלא על גבור ועשיר וחכם ועניו וכולן ממשח ו ותחסרהו מעט מאלתים עניו אתת שנאמר

The Shechina can only reside within somebody who is Strong, Rich, Humble, and a Chacham, and all of them are learnt from Moshe Rabeinu. How do we know that Moshe was a Chacham? the Gemara asks; the Gemara brings a Pasuk "Vatechasrehu Meat M'e'elokim that Moshe reached, so to speak, forty nine levels of Bina, was almost like Elokim and would have been had he reached the fiftieth level.

Why do we need a Pasuk to tell us that Moshe was a Chacham? Moshe was "Raban Shel Kal Yisrael" the teacher of all Israel of course he must have been a Chacham? As the Briskers would say; I guess we see from this Gemarah that someone can become "Raban Shel Kal Yisrael" and still NOT be a Chacham. Ad Kan!

The Four Catagories of People that Chazal Consider as if "Dead"

The Gemara in Avodah Zara and Nedarim 64: says that there are four catogories of people that are considered "As If Dead"

• Ani-a poor person, 
• Metzorah-a Leper, 
• Suma- a blind person, 
• Umi She'eyn Lo Bonim-One who has no children.

There are many explanations and discussion surrounding this Gemara. A famous Pshat being R' Chaim Shmuelevitz who says that a person needs to feel like a "Giver" to feel alive and if he must live as a taker then his existence feels muffled. As Chazal say "Soneh Matanos Yichyeh".

R Chaim brings an example to this perception. The story of the two women who came to Shlomo Hamelech with one child and one said its my child with the other one claiming that it was HER child. There were two children initially but one of the children died and both mothers claimed it was the other mother's child that died. Ultimately it was found who the real mother was. R Chaim shows that the mother that claimed the child was her's falsely wanted so badly to be a "Giver" to take care of a child that she went so far as to try and kidnap another women's child for that purpose. Interesting to see how far a person will go to take from another in order to give. How twisted yet powerful. I think we see a lot of this in our society.

Tosfos in Nedorim asks "Limai Nafka Minah" what Halachik significance is there to this concept of the four catagories? Tosfos answers "Limibai Aley Rachamim" To ask for mercy from God-To pray for these people. What does this mean? Are we to pray more for a poor or blind person because Chazal put him in this catagory? Furthermore, how does one pray for a blind person? Are we praying for a miracle that the blind person should wake up in the morning and be able to see? If we were looking to push people to pray for them why would categorizing them as "Dead" be the impetus? Shouldn't Chazal say something more obvious that would indicate that they are in need of prayers?

We can possibly say, and it seems from the language used by chazal, that in fact it is the exact opposite than would seem from the simple reading of Tosfos. We don't pray for dead people other than the prayer of "Yanuach Beshalom Al Mishkavam" "They should rest in peace in their eternal resting place" There is no prayer that the dead should wake up the next morning that would constitute a Tefilas Shav- a false or useless prayer which the Mishna explicitly prohibits. However that the dead should rest in peace is a legitimate prayer. When the Gemara tells us that these four catagories of people are considered as dead and Tosfos adds that it is for the purpose of Tefila maybe Tosfos is indicating that the correct approach to prayer for these afflictions is the same type of approach to Tefilah regarding dead people, the correct approach to prayer should be a prayer as such - "Oh God make them as comfortable as possible in their affliction so that they should not suffer so much" Considering them as "Dead" Tosfos is saying is a reason NOT to pray for them in a typical fashion but to pray for them to be able to survive their affliction without pain, suffering, and embarrassment. This is why a blind person is one of the people in that category. This is why Chazal say "Kruim Meisim" Davka!

Yaakov Yosef and Eglah Arufah

Rashi quotes a Midrash in Parshas Vayigash 46:30 that when Yaakov Aveinu met Yosef, his son, for the first time in 21 years he said "Amusah Hapa'am"
מדרשו סבור הייתי למות שתי מיתות בטוה״ו ולעוה״ב , * שנםתלקה &גני שטנה" והייתי אומר שיתבעני הקביה מיתתן עכשיו שעורך חי לא אמות אלא ."* ,מגם אחת:
I thought that I would die twice once in this world and also in the next world. The first time because I let the Shechina leave me and in the next world because I would be considered liable for Yosef's death but now I know that he is alive and that the Shechina came back, all is good. Why would Yaakov think that he would be considered liable for Yosef's death?

Earlier in the Parsha 45:27 Yosef sent wagons to his father to bring him food Rashi quotes a different Midrash:
את כל דברי יוסף. סימן מסר להם במה היה עוסק כשפירש ממט בפרשת עגלה ערופה זהו שנאמר ררא את העגלות אשר שלח יוסף ולא נאמר אשר שלח פרעה:
The wagons were a secret sign between Yaakov and Yosef that they were learning the Sugya of Egla Arufah and it was symbolized by wagons. What does it mean that they were learning the sugya of eglah arufa? were they actually studying the sugya of Eglah Arufa? what kind of message  was Yaakov really trying to send to Yosef?

Lets explore the Parsha of Eglah Arufah.
כִּי-יִמָּצֵא חָלָל, בָּאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ, נֹפֵל, בַּשָּׂדֶה:  לֹא נוֹדַע, מִי הִכָּהוּ.  ב וְיָצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ, וְשֹׁפְטֶיךָ; וּמָדְדוּ, אֶל-הֶעָרִים, אֲשֶׁר, סְבִיבֹת הֶחָלָל.  ג וְהָיָה הָעִיר, הַקְּרֹבָה אֶל-הֶחָלָל--וְלָקְחוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא עֶגְלַת בָּקָר, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-עֻבַּד בָּהּ, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-מָשְׁכָה, בְּעֹל.  ד וְהוֹרִדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא אֶת-הָעֶגְלָה, אֶל-נַחַל אֵיתָן, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ, וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ; וְעָרְפוּ-שָׁם אֶת-הָעֶגְלָה, בַּנָּחַל.  ה וְנִגְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים, בְּנֵי לֵוִי--כִּי בָם בָּחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְשָׁרְתוֹ, וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה; וְעַל-פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה, כָּל-רִיב וְכָל-נָגַע.  ו וְכֹל, זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא, הַקְּרֹבִים, אֶל-הֶחָלָל--יִרְחֲצוּ, אֶת-יְדֵיהֶם, עַל-הָעֶגְלָה, הָעֲרוּפָה בַנָּחַל.  ז וְעָנוּ, וְאָמְרוּ:  יָדֵינוּ, לֹא שפכה (שָׁפְכוּ) אֶת-הַדָּם הַזֶּה, וְעֵינֵינוּ, לֹא רָאוּ.  ח כַּפֵּר לְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר-פָּדִיתָ, יְהוָה, וְאַל-תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי, בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְנִכַּפֵּר לָהֶם, הַדָּם.  ט וְאַתָּה, תְּבַעֵר הַדָּם הַנָּקִי--מִקִּרְבֶּךָ:  כִּי-תַעֲשֶׂה הַיָּשָׁר, בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה.

When a body is found murdered outside a city and it is not known who killed that person, the leaders of the city must go to where the body was found and perform a whole ceremony. The elders and judges of the town must sacrifice a cow near where the body was found, wash their hands (as if to say our hands are clean of this murder) and state in front of  the Kohanim "Our hands did not spill this blood and our eyes did not see who murdered this person, please forgive your nation, etc." the midrash goes further to state: "Our hands did not spill this blood"- we did not allow the visitor to leave town without accompanying him. 

Why accompany someone leaving town? What does accompanying have to do with allowing a murder?

The obvious explanation is that the whole "Parsha" of Eglah Arufah is a lesson in Municipal responsibility. The judges and elders of any town, municipality, or city are responsible for the safety of their citizens. If someone is murdered within their municipal borders or even beyond their borders but closer to their town than to anywhere else they, the judges and elders, are responsible at least to track down and bring the murderer to justice. If they don't the blood is on their hands. How do they allow roving groups of bandits and/or murderers to kill people within their city limits. The leaders are called to task and have to perform this ceremony in front of the Kohanim that come from Yerushalim, the capital. The leaders sacrifice the cow in a ceremonial ritual and must state that they did what they could and were not negligent. The idea of not accompanying a traveler is to state to the bands of prowling bandits looking to prey on the vulnerable that we don't consider this person worthy of our attention. The would be murderers and bandits prowling the outskirts of the town are looking to prey on the most vulnerable citizens, ones that wouldn't have many people looking for their murderers. They wait outside the city looking to see who is allowed to leave without any accompaniment and then they pounce. The elders of the city must state unequivocally that this was not the case. We did accompany this person and did not show vulnerability to the bandits but it happened anyway. This is what the whole Parsha of Eglah Arufah is about. Showing the Koahnim that the elders of the city were not negligent in sending travelers on their way leaving their city without the proper protections. 

Getting back to Yaakov and Yosef. Yaakov grieved for twenty one years over his dead son. Having his favorite son die must have been devastating  but the feeling of guilt that he may have caused his death is what made Yaakov inconsolable. When Yaakov met Yosef he said Amusah Hapa'am, as the midrash states, Yaakov was worried that he would be punished in the world to come because he caused his death and that is why Yaakov was so overcome with relief when he met his son Yosef alive. 

Yaakov felt guilty because he had in fact been negligent possibly in allowing Yosef, a young lad, to travel out of town on his own looking for his brothers to send them a message from their father. This was EXACTLY the issue that the Parsha of Eglah Arufah is coming to address. You are not supposed to allow people that are in your care to leave the city limits without protections that would assure them safe passage. 

Yosef understands that his father Yaakov is still greiving and realizes that if he is inconsolable  after 21 years he must be feeling guilty that he caused Yosef's death and therefore sends him a message not to worry "I am alive" and you therefore do not have to worry about causing my death because I am in fact alive. That is the message encompassed in the wagons symbolizing the Eglah Arufa. 

Moreso, see Da'as Zekainim MiBa'alei Tosfos who says that Yaakov was stricken by the Malach and we therefore are forbidden to eat from the Gid Hanasheh it is because the sons of Yaakov were negligent in allowing Yaakov to go back alone as it states "Vayivaser Yaakov Levahdoh" and becasue it was Bnei Yisrael's fault for allowing him to leave on his own (similar to the Eglah Arufah issue) and the children did not provide Yaakov with a safe passage back tot he other side of the river we must atone for that sin and remember it by forever being forbidden from eating the Gid Hanasheh

8 9 10 Teves

Megilas Ta'anis states: "We fast on the eighth ninth and tenth of teves" The Tanna goes on to explain that on the eighth The Torah was translated to Greek during the reign of King Ptolemy , the ninth the Chachamim did not explain why and the tenth was the day of the siege of Jerusalem.

What happened on the ninth? The Ba'al Hasilichos writes in the selicha for 10 teves titled "Ezkara Matzok" that it is the "yahrtzeit" of Ezra Hasofer. Others explain that it is the yahrtzeit of Yeshu. What doesn't make sense is why would we fast on his Yahrtzeit? What makes much more sense is that it was Yeshu's birthday and in fact the Greek Orthodox celebrate the birthday or what's know as Christmas on January 6th or 7th which usually falls out right around the 9th of Teves. That would explain why it is a fast day and a day of mourning as much of our nation's troubles were outcomes of peoples observance of his birth etc.

I would like to research some Talmudic sources on this man and explore where, according to our tradition, we went wrong and created this "monster"

The Mishna in Sotah says that since Yosi Ben Yoezer and Yosi ben Yochanan died "Batlu Ha'eshkolos". the Gemara in Temurah explains "Eshkolos"= Ish She'hakol Bo, meaning there were nomore great people that were all encompassing in their attributes. The Gemara continues to explain that all the "Eshkolos" that existed in Israel learned Torah like Moshe Rabeinu, and after there were no more "Eshkolos" nobody learned Torah like Moshe Rabeinu anymore. After the period of "Eshkolos" all students were lacking something while until that point students didn't lack anything of their Rebbe's Torah. This means that until the end of the period of the "Eshkolos" (and the Eshkolos, the Gemarah understands is a defined period in Klal Yisrael regarding Torah study) students learned from their Rebbe exactly the way it was taught to his Rebbe etc up until Moshe Rabeinu learned Torah "Mipi Hagvurah" and it was transmitted exactly the way it was learnt. After that period the chain of Rebbe-Talmid and that relationship dynamic seemed to have been broken. From there on out every talmid understood to the best of his ability but there was subjectivity infused into his Torah and it wasn't a pure transmittal anymore.

The first student of the Reb Yosis was Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Prachyia. It would be fair to state that since Reb Yosi was the last of the Eshkolos and Eshkolos meant an exact acceptance and Transmittal of Torah, Rabbi Yehaoshua ben Perachya was the first break in the chain of the Transmission of Torah as it was transmitted "Mipi Hagevurah".

Interestingly, Reb Yehoshua Ben Perachiya's main statement in Avos is "Aseh Lecha Rav" go make for yourself a Rebbe, seemingly realizing that now the chain has been broken and getting the transmission right for here on out will be much more difficult.

The Gemara in Sotah 47b describes the story of the Student of Reb Yehoshua ben Perachiya that misunderstood his Rebbe regarding a certain woman and RYB"P octrisized him.
When he tried to to Teshuva, he again misunderstood RYBP and as the gemara says "Went and stood up a brick" which rashi explains to mean that he built a structure for Avodah Zara. This happened because of a misunderstanding between a rebbe and talmid. The Gemara doesn't say who the Talmid was. There is a further Gemara in Sanhedrin 97b that also starts the same way with elisha but doesn't seem to further elaborate on RYBP which is strange because it is the same Gemara exactly just missing the second half. However, the Chesronos Hashas does include the story of RYBP in the Gemara in Sanhedrin but goes further identifying the Talmid as Yeshu. That would explain why  the whole story disappeared from Sanhedrin, it was obviously removed in its entirety by the censors.

The story shows us that the Talmid, Yeshu, did not understand his rebbe and had to inject subjectivity into his understanding. When the Rav-Talmid dynamic is intact as it was during the "Eshkolos" the talmid is simply a recording device. However when this dynamic breaks, the Talmid becomes a living breathing processor of information which can lead to misunderstanding and mistakes.

The Gemara says that the pasuk calls Moshe Rabenu "Ish Elokim" chazal say that his bottom half was "Ish" but the top half of his body was "elokim". Because Moshe was the first human transmitter of Torah he was called Elokim. After him everybody was "Ish" with "Ish" being simply a recording device. However once the "Eshkolos" were no longer, the Talmid who later became a Rebbe could now think of himself as "Elokim" once again if he doesn't fully understand his Rebbe. This is what happened with RYBP and Yeshu. When the Gemara says he went "and created a brick structure" this means figuratively that he created Avodah Zara but the avodah zara was himself. He thought of himself as a God. If one thinks of himself as a "Source" and not simply a transmitter it is very easy for him to become a false God.