B"H
Monday, Tevet 6, 5784 / December 18, 2023
In this week's Parsha, Vayigash, we read that after Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, he urges them, "Hasten and go up to my father and say, 'Thus had said your son Joseph: G-d made me a ruler of all of Egypt, come down to me, delay not.'"
When Yaakov hears that his beloved son was found and is the ruler of Egypt he exclaimed, "Joseph my son is alive! I will go and see him before I die."
The Torah tells us that when Joseph hears that his father is coming, "He made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father."
Our Rabbis explain that, instead of having his servants prepare his chariot, Joseph himself prepared his chariot to meet his father. The mitzvah of honoring parents is so great that Joseph wanted to prepare his chariot by himself in honor of his father.
The only reward mentioned in the Ten Commandments is for the mitzvah of honoring parents, for which the reward is long life.
The Talmudic sage Rabbi Yehoshua ben Alim was a very learned and wise man. When he asked, "Who will be my partner in Gan Eden (World-to-Come)?" he was told in a dream, "You and Naness the butcher will be together in Gan Eden."
Rabbi Yehoshua was astonished; "After spending my life studying and teaching the Torah, I will share Gan Eden with a simple butcher?" he said. "I must find Naness and see what kind of person he is."
Rabbi Yehoshua went from village to village and from city to city asking for Naness the butcher. Finally, he came to a place where there was a butcher by that name.
The people couldn't understand why Rabbi Yehoshua was interested in the butcher. "Rabbi, he is an ignorant person," the townspeople said. "I would like to see him anyway," answered Rabbi Yehoshua.
Naness too couldn't understand why the great sage was interested in meeting him. "Why did you bother to come see a simple person like me?" Naness the butcher asked Rabbi Yehoshua.
"Tell me, my son, what good deeds have you done?" asked Rabbi Yehoshua.
"As you can see, I am a very simple man," answered Naness. "I have very old parents who are weak and can't do anything for themselves. Every day I visit them, wash them, dress them, and feed them."
Rabbi Yehoshua kissed Naness on the forehead and said, "In that case, I consider myself lucky to be your partner in Gan Eden!" Indeed, honoring parents is one of the greatest mitzvot.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL