" Shabbat Shalom. Today is 14 Tevet 5780. You can do flow from his line, including the Mashiach eventually. Prof. Kiddush Levanah tonight if you were unable to do it last week. Nechamah Leibowitz zt”l points out something quite

TORAH DIALOGUE interesting. The Targum translates the word Ivri into Aramaic (p. 180 Hz) (p. 296 S) (p. 198 Hi) (p. 268 AS) as Ibrai. From the moment Yaakov elevates Yehudah to VAYECHI Genesis 47:28 kingship, the Targum will, from now on, translate the Hebrew [Compiled by Rabbi Edward Davis (RED), word Ivri as Yehudai. We will now be known as Yehudim, Rabbi Emeritus and Sephardic Minyan Rabbi Jews, after Judah, all stemming from the designation of Young Israel of Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale] Yehudah as the king by Yaakov. (I believe all of this emanates from Yehudah rising to the occasion of offering himself as the 1. Why did Yaakov want to be buried in Canaan? Rashi substitute for Binyamin!) presents us with three reasons, all from the Midrash: a) To avoid the Plague of Lice that will, in the future, invade Egypt 5 After Yaakov died, the brothers felt that Yosef might take and encompass Yaakov’s body. b) Those Jews buried outside revenge against them for selling him into slavery many years of Eretz Yisrael will roll through the earth and only then ago. They approached Yosef and said: our father said that you experience the resurrection of the dead. c) Yaakov did not should forgive us. Rashi comments that the brothers made this want the Egyptians to make a shrine out of his tomb. These up and lied in order to keep the family peace. (The Talmud answers are not indicated in the text. The text seems to give cited the case of Hashem Himself changing what Sarah had a plausible and realistic reason. Yaakov wanted to be buried said when He relates Sarah’s reaction to her impending with his family, and, I add, in so doing Yaakov is making a pregnancy. In other words, we are allowed to lie to keep the statement to his family that Egypt is not their home. Their family peace!) But what happened in the family dynamic that home is Eretz Yisrael, and the whole family shall consider made the brothers worry? Rashi quotes a Midrash that Eretz Yisrael their home, and to return there in this lifetime, if answers the question. While Yaakov was alive, Yosef invited possible, to experience Aliyah and go home. This statement is all his brothers to join the meals at Yosef’s home. Once well situated in the text, coming immediately after the verse Yaakov died, Yosef never invited the brothers over for dinner. that stated that the Jewish people were buying property in The fact that the Midrash could fabricate such an incident is Egypt. (RED) very telling. Yaakov was the glue that kept the family together. Once he died, the family dynamic changed forever. 2. When Yaakov became ill, Yosef immediately rushed from the palace with his two sons. Yaakov, who was essentially 6. At the end of the Parshah, Yosef exacts a vow from Bnei blind at this age, looked at the boys and said “who are these?” Yisrael that when the time comes that the nation of Israel The literal meaning could be simple: Yaakov was blind by now would emerge from the slavery in Egypt, they would take the and did not recognize them. Rashi adds the Midrash: Maybe remains of Yosef with them to be buried in Israel. Yosef uses the boys were not worthy due to evil kings who were destined a key expression: Pakod Yifkod “God will surely remember to come from their lineage. I view the scene differently. When you” (50:24 and 25). These are key words. We will see them Yosef was at the palace, he was dressed in royal garb, with again in Shemot (3:16). When Moshe accepts the divine appropriate makeup. (As we see in the movies depicting mission to liberate the Jewish people from the Egyptian Egyptian royalty of ancient times.) Menashe worked at the slavery, the Torah text says that Bnei Yisrael believed Moshe palace, assisting his father. When Yosef was told that his was the divine emissary sent to redeem them. The Midrash father was sick, he grabbed his two sons, and they didn’t have fills in the words. When Moshe arrived, Bnei Yisrael were not time to change. When Yaakov saw his grandsons, they were sure that he was their savior. They went to Serach, the still in their palatial garb, and this caused Yaakov’s reaction. daughter of Asher, who was still alive. She asked them what (RED) did Moshe say. When she heard that Moshe said “Pakod Pakadti,” she knew and told them that Moshe was the real 3. Yaakov elevates the status of Ephraim and Menasheh to divine emissary to redeem them. The stage was set with full tribal level. This would seem to daunt Reuven’s level of the Yosef’s last words in the Torah. firstborn: Reuven was not to receive a double portion. Reuven is essentially stripped of all the privileges of the firstborn. A HAFTORAH KINGS I ' 2:1 double portion was given to Yosef. Kingship went to Yehudah. (p. 191 Hz) (p. 315 S) (p. 842 Hi) (p. 1145 AS)

Priesthood and Religious leadership went to Levi. The As in the parsha, the Haftorah deals with the final words shuffling of the deck takes place, for the most part, at Yaakov’s of one of the Jewish people's greatest figures, King David, to deathbed. It is interesting to note that Yosef takes a hit as well. his son Solomon. As King David's time to depart from this True, Ephraim and Menasheh received a considerable world approaches, he commands his twelve year old son elevation, but it comes at a cost to Yosef. Yosef has no tribal Solomon to strengthen himself, despite his tender years, to act flag. He does not participate in the dedication ceremony of the as a man of wisdom and piety and to guard, fulfill and live by Altar in the Mishkan. Yosef’s name is missing from the tribal the Torah in all its facets. King David explains that by living roster. Ephraim and Menasheh truly take his place. (RED) by the Torah, Solomon will become wise and will draw wisdom 4. King Yehudah. Although Yosef is the current ruler, the to serve Hashem in the widest range of ways. Furthermore, if role of the future is transferred to Yehudah. (This is the source he will serve Hashem in truth, with all his heart and soul, he for the future concept of two Mashiachs: Mashiach ben Yosef, will merit the fulfillment of Hashem's promise that the kings of followed by Mashiach ben David [Yehudah]). Yaakov’s Israel will always be from their descendants. As Yaakov had blessings at his deathbed starts off as a search for the role of advised his children how to succeed as a people, King David leadership. Reuven, Shimon, and Levi are all eliminated, and advised Solomon how to succeed as a King. (Rabbi S.R. their flaws are pointed out by Yaakov. And then Yehudah Hirsch.) receives Yaakov’s full endorsement as leader. The kings will "

QUESTIONS FOR PARSHAT VAYECHI 5780 by Rabbi Edward Davis

I. From the Text 1. How long did Yaakov live in Egypt? (47:28) 2. What blessing did Yaakov give Yosef’s two sons, Ephraim and Menasheh? (48:16) 3. What animals depicted Yehudah (49:9), Yissacher (49:14), Dan (49:17), Naphtali (49:20), and Binyamin (49:27)? 4. What did Yosef tell his physicians to do to Yaakov’s dead body? (50:2) 5. Who of the Jewish family did not attend Yaakov’s funeral? (50:8) II. From Rashi 6. Why did Yaakov make only Yosef swear to bury Yaakov in Chevron? (47:29) 7. What great leader came from the tribe of Ephraim? (48:19) 8. When Yaakov gathered his sons, what did Yaakov really want to tell them (but was denied by Hashem)? (49:1) 9. Who of the sons did not carry Yaakov’s coffin to the burial place and why? (50:13) 10. After Yaakov’s death, the brothers were afraid that Yosef would take revenge against them. Whom did they send to Yosef to plead mercy on their behalf? (50:16) III. From the Rabbis 11. What is another essential reason that Yaakov made sure that the family would bury him in Eretz Yisrael? (Rabbi Munk) 12. Which of the brothers is destined for kingship? 13. Who killed Esav when Esav came to contest Yaakov’s right to be buried in the Double Cave in Chevron? (Sotah 13a) IV. Haftorah. Kings I 14. How many years did King David rule over Israel? V. Relationships a) Yevusi - Amori b) Mitzrayim - Canaan c) Dinah - Peretz d) Chushim - Ephraim e) Muppim - Chuppim

ANSWERS FOR PARSHAT VAYECHI 5780

1. Seventeen years. 2. Yosef raised Yosef’s two sons to have the status of being equal to being Yaakov’s sons. 3. Yehudah, a lion. Yissachar, a donkey. Dan, a snake. Naphtali, a deer. Binyamin, a wolf. 4. To embalm Yaakov’s body. 5. The children, they remained in Egypt. 6. Only Yosef had the power and authority to get the funeral done in Eretz Yisrael. 7. Yehoshua. 8. He wanted to tell them when the Mashiach was to come. 9. Levi, because they would later carry the Ark. And Yosef, because Ephraim and Menasheh took his place. Also, because he was a ruler in Egypt. 10. The sons of Bilhah, for Yosef always had a good relationship with them. 11. To make sure the family would know that Egypt is not their homeland; Eretz Yisrael is. 12. Yehudah. 13. Chushim, the son of Dan. 14. Forty years: seven years in Chevron and thirty three years in Yerushalayim. Relationships a) Brothers, sons of Canaan b) Brothers, sons of Cham c) Aunt Dinah d) First Cousins (Chushim, son of Dan - Ephraim, son of Yosef) e) Brothers, sons of Binyamin

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