Overview of the Weekly
Reading: Vayigash
To be read on 6 Tevet
5765 (Dec. 18)
Torah: 44:18-47:27;
Haftorah: Ezekiel 37:15-28 (a prophecy of the
ultimate resolution of the division between "Yehuda" and "Yosef")
Vayigash
is the 11th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and 11th
overall, and 34th out of 54 in overall length.
Vayigash
(Genesis 44:18-47:27) opens with Yehuda begging Yosef (who had yet to
reveal his true identity) to allow Benyamin to return home to Yaacov,
and to keep Yehuda, instead. At this point, Yosef could not restrain
his emotions any longer and declared his identity. He sent his brothers
to bring Yaacov and the rest of their families to live in Egypt. Yaacov
journeyed to Egypt to meet Yosef. On the way, G-d promised Yaacov that
his offspring would become a great nation in Egypt. The portion then
lists the individuals who went to Egypt which totaled 70. Yosef went
out to greet his father.
Yosef then took Yaacov to meet Pharaoh who allowed the family to live
in Goshen as it was good shepherding land. The parsha concludes describing
how the people of Egypt used up their money buying food during the famine.
Eventually they had to sell their cattle and livestock to buy food.
When this too was expended, they even sold their land to Pharaoh. Yosef
moved the people from on side of the country to the other, and required
them to give 1/5 of their crops to Pharaoh. Only the Egyptian priests
were provided with food at no cost and owned their land. Meanwhile the
Jewish nation grew.
FROM THE MASTERS OF
KABBALA (K:11-65/Vayigash)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:11-65/Vayigash)
He then
fashioned him at the place where the Holy Temple was to stand physically
in this world [the Temple Mount in Jerusalem]. He then drew down into
him the breath of life [Neshama] from its source in the spiritual Holy
Temple above it.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy Ari,
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed (A:11-65/Vayigash)
Know that
Adam was reincarnated in the Patriarchs, and that is why they are called
"the fathers", after Adam, who was the first father.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the Shelah,
Shney Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
(S:11-65/Vayigash)
He explained
to them that G-d had sent him ahead in order to facilitate their becoming
a nation, and Judah's kingdom becoming established.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V:11-65/Vayigash)
"For how shall I go up to my father, and the youth is not with
me?" (44:34)
Every Jew must ask himself this same question: After 120 years, how
will I be able to face my Father in heaven "and the youth is not
with me" - if I have wasted my younger years on trivial and frivolous
pursuits? This is also a question to be asked by every Jewish parent:
How will I answer to G-d "and the youth is not with me" -
if I have not met the Jewish educational needs of my children, and allowed
them to become estranged due to ignorance?
(Der Torah Kval)
"Yosef provided the needs of his father, his brothers, and
all his father's family." (47:12)
Our Sages comment that the entire Jewish people is often referred to
as "Joseph" in the merit of his having provided sustenance
for them during the years of famine. "Providing sustenance,"
however, also has a spiritual connotation, and refers to Joseph's willingness
to help his brothers even after he was wronged by them. This quality
of doing good rather than taking revenge is the inheritance of all Jews,
and is derived from our Patriarch Jacob.
(Likutei Sichot)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
MOSHIACH THIS WEEK
(M:11-65/Vayigash)
"He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen."
(Gen. 46:28)
Our Sages explain that Judah was dispatched to Egypt before everyone
else "in order to establish a house of learning...that the tribes
be able to study Torah-Hogim baTorah." Jacob understood that
their sojourn in as corrupt a place as Egypt would pose a threat to the
spirituality of the Jewish people, and thus prepared the antidote before
their arrival. The word "hogim" implies a study so deep
and comprehensive that the Torah actually becomes part of the person.
Moshiach is therefore described as "hogeh baTorah," for
the power to redeem the Jewish people from exile can only come from one
whose entire existence is absolutely unified with the Torah itself.
(Hitvaaduyot 5750)
[Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim Magazine (www.lchaim.org).]
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here) (W:11-65/Vayigash)
In
reference to the verse, "I am Yosef, is my father still alive? And
his brothers could not answer him", the Midrash (Bereishis 93/10)
says, "Oy to us on OUR day of judgment, Oy on the day
that we are reprimanded (for our evil deeds)".
Even though Yosef was one of the youngest of the tribes, his brothers
could not stand up to his chastisement, as the verse continues, "they
were disconcerted before him". If the brothers reached this level
of shame in front of Yosef', imagine how much more so we will feel when
we stand before The Holy One, Blessed be He?
The Zohar relates how each and every body and soul will stand up on our
day of judgment and testify, giving an account of all of our actions.
However, this can be a positive experience. While we are still alive on
this earth, we have the ability to improve our actions and our quality
of life so that we can stand proud before the eyes of G-d.
It is difficult to see how Yosef's can be considered a reprimand to
all of the brothers, since it was Yehuda who was doing most of the talking.
Rashi explains that their shame was from just seeing Yosef in front of
them. The Sfas Emes deepens this idea. He explains that the shame came
from the brothers' shock at seeing the true holiness of Yosef that had
all along been hidden to them, and the consequent realization that they
had erred from the outset.
Each of us will experience something similar in the future, when we
will see that in fact, all of the aspects of the world are filled with
an inner holiness and it is our spiritual blockage that blinds us. How
many times do we make decisions thinking we are standing alone in our
righteousness? How often are we blinded by our own selfish needs into
doing the opposite of what is required of us? What can we do about it
now?
We can start by seeing the divine life force in everything and always
asking ourselves what G-d truly wants of us in every situation that He
puts us in. Are we being repelled by a lack of holiness and spirituality,
or perhaps it is an extraordinary holiness, like that of Yosef and his
special covenant with G-d, that makes situations more challenging for
us?
Rabbi Yosef Ber Solovechik offers another explanation in his book Bais
Halavi. Not only do we not see any reprimand from Yosef, why does he automatically
ask "Is my father alive?" upon seeing his brothers? After all
of the presentations, Yosef still does not know that his father is alive?
There are two different ways of being reprimanded. One way is to have
someone tell you the truth about yourself. The other is when realize on
our own how we have erred.
The confrontation with Yosef falls into the latter group. It was the
words, feelings, and admissions of his brothers that revealed their mistakes
to themselves. Yehuda did not bring any new argument to the table concerning
the freeing of Binyomin. Rather, he says, "We will all be slaves".
He was asking for clemency and mercy for their elderly father who would
die from losing Binyomin.
It is at this point that Yosef could no longer contain himself and says,
"I am Yosef who you sold! And if you are such good sons as you proclaim,
who are worried about their father, where was your concern back then for
him?" This is the question, "is my father alive?" Is it
possible to survive such emotional violence as this? It was to this revelation
that the brothers could not answer.
In the future, on our day of judgment, we will feel the same way. Each
person will understand his faults from his own testimony. Who will be
justified for not giving tzedakah when we treat ourselves to all types
of pleasures. We will be proved through our actions, not our excuses.
Now is the time to prepare ourselves, and to perfect our actions.
This is may be why the Torah portion Vayigash usually begins during
the last days of Chanukah. Chanukah is about constantly increasing in
holiness, and being a positive example to others as we add a candle each
night, illuminating the world
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
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