B"H

Friday, Tevet 13, 5779 / December 21, 2018

Shabbat we will read Parshat Vayechi, which is the final Parsha of the first Book of the Torah – Breishis (Genesis). In this Parsha we read about the passing of our patriarch Yaakov (Jacob) and the blessings he gave his children before he passed away.

There are twelve Parshiot which make up the Book of Breishit. Abraham lived 175 years; Yitzchak (Isaac) lived 180, while Yaakov lived 147 years. Although Yaakov's life was the shortest of the patriarchs, yet, the Parshiot which tell the story of Yaakov are more than those telling the stories of Abraham and Yitzchak combined. The final seven Parshiot of Breishis, tell the life story of Yaakov. 

According to the sages, each of the patriarchs should have lived the same amount of years – 180 years.

Q.  Why was Abraham’s life shortened by five years?

A.   G-d took Abraham five years early, so that he will not witness his grandson Esau’s bad behavior.

Q.  Why was Yaakov’s life shortened by 33 years?

A.   Our sages explain that when Yaakov came to Egypt and Pharaoh asked him his age, he replied, "The days of the years of my life are a hundred and thirty years; few and bad have been the days of my life and they have not attained the days of the years of the life of my fathers" (Gen. 47:9). 

The complete verse in which Yaakov complains about his misfortunes in life contains 33 Hebrew words. As a result of these 33 words which he complained about his lot in life, instead of accepting it because it was G-d’s will, his life was shortened by 33 years!

Q.  The Parsha speaks about Yaakov’s passing. Why is the entire Parsha called, “Vayechi Yaakov,” which means “Yaakov lived”?

A.  Unlike Abraham and Yitzchak, the Torah doesn't use the word "death" to describe Yaakov's passing.  As a result, our sages say, "Yaakov did not die!" 

The Talmud explains the above concept as follows: Abraham's son Ishmael and his descendants departed from Abraham's ways.  Similarly, Yitzchak's son, Esau and his descendants strayed from the teachings of Yitzchak.  Yaakov was the only one of the patriarchs whose children all followed in their father's tradition.  Thus, our sages say, "Yaakov didn't die.  For, as long as his descendents continue in his ways and teachings, he too is alive.” Since Yaakov's children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, until this day – 3500 years later, continue in his footsteps, by observing the Torah and mitzvot, Yaakov will forever be considered alive.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

MontrealCandle lighting time: 3:55 / Shabbat ends 5:05

B"H

Monday, Tevet 16, 5779 / December 24, 2018

This Shabbat we will begin reading the Second Book of theTorah – S’hmot.

In this week’s Parsha, which is also called S’hmot, we will read about the beginning of the Egyptian Exile and the enslavement of the Jewish people in Egypt (Mitzrayim). We will read about the birth of Moshe (Moses), Aaron, and their sister Miriam, who would become the leaders of the Jewish people and would play a major role in the lives of the people, in their Exodus and through their 40 year journey in the desert.

The Parsha begins, “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt, together with Yaakov, each came with his household…. All the people who came from Yaakov were seventy souls, and Yosef was already in Egypt.”

Q. The Torah had already mentioned in Parshat Vayigash all the names of the descendants of Yaakov who came with him to Egypt, and that their number was seventy. Why does the Torah repeat it?

A. Our sages explain that it is mentioned again in the beginning of the Book of S’hmot, where we will eventually read about the Exodus. The Torah wants to show us that although Jews were oppressed and enslaved for all these years in Egypt, yet, from only 70 who came into Egypt, they multiplied into 600,000 men over the age of 20, besides the woman and children- a total of a few million people.

Q. How many years after Yaakov (Jacob) and his family moved to Egypt did the enslavement begin?

A. As long as one of Yaakov’s sons, especially his son Joseph, who was ruler of Egypt, was alive, the children of Israel were free. Only after the last of Yaakov’s sons passed away did the Egyptians enslave the people.  

Of Yaakov’s sons, Joseph lived the shortest. He lived 110 years. Levi lived the longest. He lived 137 years. Levi was 43 when he came to Egypt and he lived in Egypt 94 years. From when Yaakov came to Egypt until the Exodus was 210 years. If we deduct 94 from 210 we are left with 116 years. Thus, the total amount of years of enslavement was 116 years.

Q. How many years after coming to Egypt was Moshe born?

A. Moshe was 80 at the time of the Exodus. If we deduct 80 from 210 we have 130. Thus, Moshe was born 130 years after Yaakov moved to Egypt. Moshe’s mother, Yocheved was born as they entered into Egypt. She was 130 when she gave birth to Moshe.

The name of the Book of Exodus is, S’hmot, which means names. The Midrash says that one of the merits which brought about the Exodus was the fact that throughout all their years in Egypt, they never changed their Hebrew names for Egyptian ones. It teaches us how important it is for us to remember our Hebrew names.

HAVE A GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY SUCCESSFUL & WONDERFUL DAY

B"H

Tuesday, Tevet 17, 5779 / December 25, 2018

In this week's Parsha, S’hmot, we read about G-d’s first revelation Himself to Moshe (Moses).  The Torah says, "And Moshe was feeding the flock of Yitro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midyan; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness and he came to the mountain of G-d, to Horeb.  And G-d’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and Moshe looked and saw the bush was on fire, but the bush was not consumed.” 

“And Moshe said: I will go closer now and I will see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  G-d saw that Moshe turned to see, and G-d called to him out of the midst of the bush and He said, 'Moshe, Moshe, and he [Moshe] said, 'Here I am.'  And G-d said, 'remove your shoes from your feet for the place upon which you are standing is holy ground.'" 

G-d then tells Moshe that He has heard the cry of the Jewish people. "Therefore now I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring forth My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

Q.   Why was G-d’s first revelation to Moshe from a thorn bush?

A.  The Midrash tells that a gentile once asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Karcha, "Why did your G-d speak to Moshe from the midst of a bush and not from a different tree?"

Rabbi Yehoshua answered, "Had He revealed himself from a carob tree, you would have asked the same question: Why that tree and not another one.  However, now that you asked, I will answer you:  G-d wanted to show Moshe that there was no place where He cannot be found and that He rests not only in the tall trees but also in a lowbush.

Q.   But why did G-d choose to reveal himself from a “burning thorn” bush?

A.  Rashi explains that by revealing Himself through a thorn bush, G-d was saying to Moshe that, just as the Jewish people were suffering,He too, is in pain, which is symbolized by the prickly thorn bush.

G-d’s revelation to Moshe through a burning thorn bush was to show Moshe that just as the fire didn't destroy the bush, so too, the Egyptianswillnever be able to destroy the Jewish nation.

For thousands of years the Pharaohs of every generation (their names may have changed, but their goals were the same), tried to destroy us. In G-d’s first revelation to Moshe, G-d made it clear that, just as the bush was not consumed by the fire, because G-d was there, so too, the Jewish people will not be consumed, for G-d is always with us.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

In loving memory of Chaim ben Yosef HaKohen - Yartzeit is today, Tevet 17.

May his memory be a blessing.  May his Neshama-soul rest in peace in Gan Eden.

Dedicated by his family