B"H
Monday, Tevet 9, 5782 / December 13, 2021
This Shabbat we will read Parshat Vayechi, the final Parsha in the Book of Breishis (Genesis), the first of the Five Books of the Torah. It is about the final seventeen years of Yaakov’s (Jacob’s) life which he spent, reunited with his family, in Egypt, close to his beloved son, Yosef (Joseph).
Q. The numerical value of the name of the Parsha, Vayechi, is 34. What is the significance of the number 34 to the Parsha?
A. Parshat Vayechi is about the final seventeen years of Yaakov’s life, which he spent with his beloved son, Yosef. Yosef was 17 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 seperated from his father and he was reunited with his father at the age of thirty nine.
Q. Why did Yaakov deserve such punishment to be separated from his son, Yosef, for twenty two years?
A. Yaakov too was away from his parents for twenty two years. For those years in which he didn’t perform the mitzvah of honoring his parents, he was punished, measure for measure, that, his son, Yosef, was not with him.
Q. The end of the Parshais about Yaakov’s passing and burial. When paying condolences to mourners sitting Shiva, we say "Hamakom Yenachem Etchem B'toch Sha’ar Aveilei Tzion V'yerushalayim" - Hamakom (which literally means, "the place" - a reference to G-d) should comfort you amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem." The expression "Hamakom" ("the place") is very rarely used to refer to G-d. Why is this phrase used in the context of expressing condolence to the mourners?
A. The reason G-d is called "Hamakom" (the place") is because, as our sages say, "G-d is the place of the universe but the universe is not His place." Meaning that the existence of the universe depends on G-d (He is the "place" of the universe), but His existence is not dependent on the universe.
When a person passes away, there is a void. This is why, when we comfort the mourners who have lost a loved one, we mention G-d as he is called "Hamakom" the "Place" - alluding to the wish of comfort that G-d, Who is the "place" of everything, will also comfort you and fill the place, which was left void, with His comfort.
It alludes to the ultimate comfort with the coming of Moshiach, when the place left void will again be filled with the resurrection of the dead. May it be speedily in our time. Amen.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY