וַיְהִי בְלִדְתָּהּ – As תמר was giving birth to twins, וַיִּתֶּן יָד – suddenly one child stuck out his hand, וַתִּקַּח הַמְיַלֶּדֶת וַתִּקְשֹׁר עַל יָדוֹ שָׁנִי לֵאמֹר זֶה יָצָא רִאשֹׁנָה – and they put a red thread on his hand to show that he came out first.
וַיְהִי כְּמֵשִׁיב יָדוֹ – And as the hand went back in, וְהִנֵּה יָצָא אָחִיו – suddenly his brother came out, וַתֹּאמֶר מַה פָּרַצְתָּ עָלֶיךָ פָּרֶץ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ פָּרֶץ – and they called him פָּרֶץ because he broke through.
וְאַחַר יָצָא אָחִיו אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדוֹ הַשָּׁנִי וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ זָרַח – And then the second son with the red string was born, and they called him זָרַח.
Said R’ Levi Yitzchak of Barditchev: This is a secret that we always have to remember. We have moment when we stick out our hand and we have a flash of inspiration, but it doesn’t stay like that. We have to take that inspiration and go back inside, and we have to fight until we break through, and then you’re פָּרֶץ. Only afterwards do you get to the birth of זָרַח where you begin to shine.
חכמה בינה ודעת – Inspiration, fighting, and reaching the ultimate glow and shine. #Today
