B"H

Monday, Tevet 13, 5781 / December 28, 2020

This Shabbat we will read Parshat Vayechi. Itis the final Parsha in the the first of the Five Books of the Torah, Breishis, (Genesis). 

This Parsha is about the final seventeen years of Yaakov’s (Jacob’s) life which he spent, together with his family, in Egypt, close to his beloved son, Yosef (Joseph) and his grandchildren, Menashe and Ephrayim. 

These final seventeen years of Yaakov’s life, were his best years. The family was now united and his son, Yosef was the ruler over the land of Egypt. I fact, the numerical value of the word, Tov, which means GOOD, is 17. These wonderful 17 years made up for all the anguish and suffering which Yaakov endured during most of his lifetime.

In the beginning of this week’s Parsha the Torah tells us that when Yaakov’s days drew near for him to die, he called for his son Yosef and said, “Don’t let me be buried in Egypt.  Let me lie with my fathers.  Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their grave.”  Yaakov made Yosef promise that he will carry out his final wish and bury him in the Me’arat Hamachpeila in Hebron.

Yaakov became sick, gathered his children and blessed each one of them. Later, the Torah describes the great honor given to Yaakov as his body was carried back to his final resting place in Hebron.

Q.The numerical value of the name of the Parsha, Vayechi, is 34.  What is the significance of 34 here?

A. Parshat Vayechi is about the final seventeen years of Yaakov’s life, which he spent with Yosef.  Yosef was seventeen when he was sold into slavery.  Thus, Yaakov and Yosef were together for a total of thirty four years; the first seventeen years of Yosef’s life and the last seventeen of Yaakov’s life.

Q. How many years was Yosef separated from his father?

A.Twenty two years. Yosef was seventeen when he was sold and he was reunited at thirty nine.

Q. Why did Yaakov deserve such punishment to be separated from his son, Yosef, for twenty two years?

A. Yaakov was away from his parents twenty two years.  For all those years which he didn’t perform the mitzvah of honoring his parents, measure for measure, his son, Yosef, was not with him.

Q.  Why was Yaakov afraid to be buried in Egypt?

A.The Egyptians were all idol worshippers.  Being that with his coming to Egypt he brought much blessing, Yaakov was afraid that if he is buried in Egypt the Egyptians will declare him an idol and worship him. 

Another reason is that he knew that eventually G-d would bring the plague of lice upon the land of Egypt, thus he didn’t want to be buried where the ground would be infested with lice.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY