Dvar Torah for Parshat VaYechi

Based on Likutey Moharan I, 2

"Yisrael said to Yosef, '...I am giving you an additional portion...
you will get that which I took from the Amorites bcharbi u'vkashti
(lit., with my sword and my bow).'"
Targum translates bcharbi u'vkashti: With my prayers and requests.
And to which Amorites was our patriarch Yaakov referring?
To Esav, his brother, who acted like an Amorite (Rashi).
(Genesis 48:21-22)

Rebbe Nachman writes, "The main weapon of the Mashiach (Messiah) is prayer... All his battles will be fought and all his victories will be won only with this... as it is written, "bcharbi u'vkashti." In the Abridged Likutey Moharan, which he authored at the Rebbe's request, Rebbe Noson writes, "The main weapon of the Jew is prayer. Every battle that one has to fight - internally, against the evil inclination, and externally, against all the obstacles that would deny him the holiness he seeks - has to be fought with prayer."

This being the case, you have to ask yourself (as any good soldier would), "Where can I get this weapon? And how do I become an expert marksman?" The answer is "I am giving you," Yaakov and Yosef. Yosef, the tzaddik, the one who is circumspect in matters relating to morality, is the one from whom you receive the weapon of prayer. The more you emulate Yosef the more you engender within yourself a desire to pray, as well as a taste for prayer. You can actually enjoy praying!

In order to ensure that your prayer is accurately "aimed" you need to exercise justice, and weigh and balance carefully what you will pray for. To do so properly you need to give charity before praying. Charity itself is an exercise in justice and so it helps to hone your sense of justice.

When you give charity you are weighing the value of the cause under consideration vis-a-vis your own situation: Is it worthwhile that I should have less so that this person (institution) will have more? If so, how much? These two traits we receive from Yaakov as is alluded to in the verse, "Justice and charity are in Yaakov" (Psalms 99:4).

When we've given our charity and weighed our words our prayers will find their mark and we will steadily defeat our "Amorite" enemies.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!