The Tzaddik is the One who Asks for Forgiveness

THE DAILY SHIUR GIVEN BY OUR REBBE RAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A ON SUNDAY, THE EVENING OF 16 TEVET, PARASHAT SHEMOT, AFTER MA’ARIV:

So Serach bat Asher volunteered to die, because whoever would tell Yaakov that Yosef is alive would die on the spot.  Yaakov is sitting 22 years on the ground, with terrible weeping, refusing to be consoled, with a sackcloth on his waist.  He doesn’t change clothes, doesn’t bath.  He doesn’t eat anything.  22 years outside of the suffering of Yosef, and the suffering of Yaakov, that there’s no forgiveness for this in the world.  Therefore, there was Auschwitz, and such…the destruction of the First Temple, the Second Temple – everything because of the sale of Yosef.  Because the brothers didn’t even request forgiveness.  Yosef requested forgiveness: Sorry that I put you in confinement for three days, that I separated Shimon…  The one who requested forgiveness was Yosef.  The Tzaddik is the one who asks for forgiveness.  A person doesn’t even recognize his sins!  Doesn’t even know that he sins!  He doesn’t understand!  He doesn’t even understand that he…they said, “Just the opposite – he became a king.  It came out well.  Here we were supposed to descend [to Egypt] in iron chains.  We descended with golden carriages.  How wonderful!  How terrific!  How nice…”  Therefore, this sin…even when Mashiach comes, we will need to bring a goat as a sin offering.    Also at the revival of the dead…a he-goat.  All to atone for [the sale of] Yosef, which is something that is never forgiven.  However, in the merit of Serach bat Asher, she sweetened everything, she with her dancing and her singing: “Yosef is still alive!”  She sweetened everything.  And in the merit of this we shall merit to a complete redemption, speedily in our days, Amen!

THE SHIUR BEGINS AT TIMECODE 1:13:13