Vayechi

The passuk says חכלילי עינים מיין ולבן שינים מחלב. Rashi explains this means their eyes will be red from wine that they will drink, and their teeth will be white from the milk that they will drink. There will be lots of pasture for the sheep from which a lot of milk will be produced. They would drink a lot of milk which would cause the whiteness in their teeth!

I heard another explanation from Avi Mori shlita. The Gemara brings: Knesses Yisroel said to Hashem “Hint with Your eyes- this is better than wine, and show me Your teeth- this is better than milk.” This is a proof to Rav Yochanan who says one who whitens his teeth to his friend, meaning smiles, is better than one who gives milk to his friend to drink. As the passuk says ולבן שינים מחלב read it ליבון שינים- the whitening of the teeth. The Maharsha explains that it is normal for one who gets angry at another to shut his mouth and to put his teeth together. However one who is happy does the opposite- he opens his mouth and shows his teeth to his friend.

There are different sizes of a tefach. Generally a tefach is the size of a fist. There is also a tefach called sochak and a tefach called atzaiv. Literally sochak means smiling, laughing and atzaiv is sad. The tefach sochak is the larger tefach, while the tefach atzaiv is the smaller one. The Oruch explains this is because when one is sad he closes himself up whereas when one is happy he opens up. Therefore when he is closed this is the smaller tefach, and when he is happy this is the bigger tefach.

The Gemara brings Avimi the son of Rav Avahu says one can feed his father a fatty bird and be punished, while one can feed his father wheat he grinded in a mill and will get Olam Haba. Rashi explains when he gives his father to eat while showing that he is upset because he’s giving away so much money he will get a punishment. However, if the honors his father with pleasant words of consolation and shows that he’s happy to do the hard work for his father and that it’s not a burden, he will merit Olam Haba.

We see from here that the one who smiles is better than the one who gives milk. He didn’t spend any money and he still made the person happy and feel good. The son who served his father in a nice way, although he gave less, gets Olam Haba, because he made his father feel good.

May Hashem help us to fulfill both smiling at another and helping others feel good.