B"H

Thursday, Tevet 9, 5785 / January 9, 2025

This Shabbat we will read Parshat Vayechi. Itis the final Parsha in the first of the Five Books of the Torah, Breishis, (Genesis).  At the conclusion of this Parsha the entire congregation announces, “Chazak, Chazak, Venischazeik.” The conclusion of this book shall give us strength to continue.

This Parsha is about the final 17 years of Yaakov’s (Jacob’s) life which he spent, together with his family, in Egypt, close to his son, Yosef (Joseph), and his children, 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. 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.

Before his passing, Yaakov gathered his children and blessed each one of them. 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. 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. 

Q.  Where were Yosef and his brothers buried?

A.  Originally, they were all buried in Egypt. When the Jewish people left Egypt, at the time of the Exodus, they carried their remains with them to be buried in Israel. Yosef was eventually buried in the city of Shechem.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

B"H

This Shabbat we will read Parshat Vayechi -the final Parsha in the Book of Breishis (Genesis).

The last four Parshiot of Breishis tell the story of how Joseph was sold by his brothers into Egyptian slavery and how he later interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and becomes viceroy of Egypt. 

When the famine years begin, his brothers come to Egypt to purchase food. Joseph recognizes them, but they don’t recognize him. He tests them to see if their hate for him is gone.  When he sees how they care for their youngest brother, Binyamin, and realizes that they truly regret what they have done to him, he reveals his identity to them.  He urges them to bring their father, Yaakov, and the entire family down to Egypt, where he will take care of all their needs.

With Yaakov’s coming to Egypt began the 210 years of the Egyptian exile. As long as Yaakov or any of his children were alive the Egyptians didn’t physically enslave the Jewish people. Yet, even these years are counted as part of the Egyptian exile because they were not in their own homeland.

Yaakov’s life was a very difficult one. Yaakov’s struggles began while still in his mother’s womb, when he and his brother Eisav were struggling.  

At the age of 63, he had to flee from his brother who wanted to kill him and then he suffered for 20 years in his father-in-law’s home. Later, his son Joseph, at the age of 17, was sold and for 22 years Yaakov mourned for him, thinking that he was dead.

Parshat Vayechi is about the last seventeen years of Yaakov’s life in Egypt when his family was reunited.  These were the best years of Yaakov’s life.

When Joseph introduced his father to Pharaoh, he asked him, “How old are you?” Yaakov answered, "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 …" 

At the end of this Parsha we read about Yaakov’s passing at the age of 147.  He lived 33 years less than his father, Isaac, who lived to the age of 180.

Q.  Is there a reason why Yaakov lived 33 years less than his father?

A.   The verse in which Yaakov complains to Pharaoh about his misfortunes in life contains 33 Hebrew words. Our sages explain that a person should accept and thank G-d for the bad the same as for good.  Due to the 33 words Yaakov used to complain about his misfortunes, his life was shortened by 33 years! 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

B"H

Wednesday, Tevet 1, 5785 / January 1, 2025

Happy eighth day of Chanukah!Today is the last day of Chanukah.  This day is called, “Zot Chanukah,” after the words in today’s Torah reading for the last day of Chanukah.  “Zot Chanukah” summarizes the total sum of all contributions which were donated by the heads of the tribes to the dedication of the Tabernacle.

Our sages say that the quality of light is so great that even a small amount of light can drive away lots of darkness.

When it’s pitch black one cannot see even something right in front of them.  One can be standing next to a life-threatening object or situation and not be aware of it in the dark.  Yet, even a small amount of light coming through a small crack in the wall, or lighting a small candle can make one aware of the danger and make the difference between life and death, G-d forbid.

The purpose of lighting the candles near a window each night of Chanukah is to shine into the night and illuminate its darkness.  The Chanukah candles teach us that in order to go through life, with its many crossroads and hazards and come out at the other end in safety; we have to keep our headlights on.

Light enables us to distinguish between danger and safety.  The Chanukah candles symbolize the Torah and mitzvot, which are compared to light.  They are our guide to distinguish between danger and safety as we and our children go through life.  Here is how:

The candles are placed in the menorah on the right side as we face the menorah.  The first night, we place a candle (or fill the oil) in the extreme right holder of the menorah.  Each additional night, we place the new candle to the left of the previous one and we begin by lighting the new candle.  Thus, we place the candles in the menorah from right to left, but we light from left to right. 

Q.Why do we place the candles from right to left, yet kindle them from left to right?

A.One of the decrees during the time of Chanukah was the ban against studying Torah.  By lighting of the Chanukah candles, which commemorate the miracle of the oil, we also express our thanks for the miracle of the Torah, which is also likened to oil. 

The Torah is read from right to left. Yet, when each letter is written in the Torah by the scribe, he starts the individual letter from the left and continues to the right!  

Similarly, when we place the candles on the right side of the Menorah and then light them from left to right, it represents the Torah scroll.  This way we express our thanks to G-d that through the miracle of Chanukah, we were again able to study Torah which illuminates our lives and guides us in the right path.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY & HAPPH CHANUKAH

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW