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Parshat Vayigash The Book of Genesis Parshat Vayigash A free excerpt from the Kehot Publication Society's new Chumash Breishis/Book of Genesis with commentary based on the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, produced by Chabad of California. The full volume is available for purchase at www.kehot.com. For personal use only. All rights reserved. The right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form, requires permission in writing from Chabad of California, Inc. THE TORAH - CHUMASH BEREISHIT WITH AN INTERPOLATED ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY BASED ON THE WORKS OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE ¢ȱȚȱŘŖŖŞ THE TORAH - CHUMASHby BEMIDBAR ȱȱ ,) $ $)'&%") $"( )'$(")%$ $ %##$)'- ( %$ ) ,%'!( % ) "ȱȱ*+) ' Chabad of California ŝŚŗȱ ¢¢ȱǰȱȱǰȱȱşŖŖŘŚ?@IB978DQ řŗŖȬŘŖŞȬŝśŗŗȱȦȱ¡ȱřŗŖȬŘŖŞȬśŞŗŗ2I 81214?61<96?B>91>3 ȱ¢ Kehot Publication&E2<9C8542I Society ŝŝŖȱȱ ¢ǰȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱŗŗŘŗřKehot Publication Society 1CD5B>&1B;G1IB??;<I>$5G-?B; ŝŗŞȬŝŝŚȬŚŖŖŖȱȦȱ¡ȱŝŗŞȬŝŝŚȬŘŝŗŞ 1H Order Department: Řşŗȱ ȱǰȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱŗŗŘŗřOrder Department: ŝŗŞȬŝŝŞȬŖŘŘŜȱȦȱ¡ȱŝŗŞȬŝŝŞȬŚŗŚŞ !9>7CD?>F5>E5 B??;<I>$5G-?B; 1H ǯǯ GGG;58?D?><9>53?= ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ <<B978DCB5C5BF549>3<E49>7D85B978DD?B5@B?4E35D89C2??;ȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱǰȱ ȱǰ ?B@?BD9?>CD85B5?69>1>I6?B=G9D8?ED@5B=9CC9?>ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱǰȱ ǯ 9>GB9D9>76B?=81214?61<96?B>91>3 ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȂ ¢ȱǰȱ ǯ)85!58?D<?7?9C1DB145=1B; ?6#5B;?C">I?>5989>E38>3 DZȱşŝŞȬŖȬŞŘŜŜȬŖŗşŖȬŗ DZȱşŝŞȬŖȬŞŘŜŜȬŖŗşśȬŘȱǻǼȱ ($ Published in the United States of America 5$-+3*'&+/4*' /+4'&4#4'30( .'2+%# The Book of Genesis Parshat Vayigash GENESIS Bereishit Noach Lech Lecha Vayeira Chayei Sarah Toldot Vayeitzei Vayishlach Vayeishev Mikeitz Vayigash 11 Vayechi EXODUS Shemot Vaeira Bo Beshalach Yitro Mishpatim Terumah Tetzaveh Ki Tisa Vayakheil Pekudei LEVITICUS Vayikra Tzav Shemini Tazria Metzora Acharei Mot Kedoshim Emor Behar Bechukotai NUMBERS Bemidbar Naso Beha’alotecha Shelach Korach Chukat Balak Pinchas Matot Masei DEUTERONOMY Devarim Va’etchanan Eikev Re’eh Ğ Ki Teitzei Ki Tavo Netzavim Vayeilech Ha’azinu Vezot Habrachah °q¸n¾q Vayigashšš Overview n parashat Vayigash, we witness the reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers I and the reunion between Joseph and his father Jacob. The dramatic tension that began in parashat Vayeishev is now resolved. The chosen family is once again whole, ȱ ȱ ȱ ę¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ them for their destiny—becoming the nation worthy of receiving the Torah, their tool and ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱDZȱȱȱ ȱȱ Ȃȱ intended home. ȱǰȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱparashahDZȱȱȬȬ ȱĚȱ ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱǻȱ¢ȱ Ǽǰȱȱȱ other. ȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱě¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱ favored engaging the world proactively, utilizing its institutions, culture, technology, and emotional energy for holy purposes. His brothers, led by Judah, preferred to shun the ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ the ongoing task of augmenting their own holiness, thereby inspiring the rest of the world to eventually join them and emulate them. The distinct preferences of Joseph and his ȱ ȱĚȱȱȱDZȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱĴǰȱȱȱȱȬȬ herds, barely mingling with society and having ample time to meditate on the grandeur ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱȬȬ ferred Joseph’s, as we have seen. But while Jacob was correct in recognizing that Joseph’s ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȂȱȬȱǰȱ Ȃȱ approach is just as essential, and is, in fact, complementary to Joseph’s. The shortcoming in Joseph’s approach is that it leaves too much room for vainglory. ȱĴȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ He entrusted us, the fact that we must employ our own intelligence, creativity, cunning, ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱĞ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱĚȱȱ ȱȬǯȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱȬȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ŭųū OVERVIEW OF VAYIGASH ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȬȬȱȱȱȱ ȱ our own psyche prevents us from recognizing it in our environment and eradicating it. ȱ ȱȱǰȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȬȬ ate the lands of the idolatrous priests when he acquired ownership of the whole kingdom of Egypt.1 ǰȱȱǰȱęȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱȱ ǯȱȱ ȱȱȱĴǰȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȬȬ £ȱ¢ȱȬęȯȱȱȱ Ȃȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ £ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȂȱȬȬ ȱȱ Ȃȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱ ȬȱĞȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȬǯ This is why this parashah is entitled VayigashȱǻȃȱȄǼǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ approached Joseph. In order to ensure success in our mission, we, as Josephs, must allow ourselves to be approached and complemented by Judah. As we have seen, the reason Jacob favored Joseph and his qualities over Judah and his was because he understood that Joseph’s qualities would provide the Jewish people with ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱǰȱĚǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ long journey toward the messianic future. Once that ultimate goal is reached, however, it will no longer be necessary to give preeminence to Joseph and his approach, for Judah’s Ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȯȱȱę¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ of exile into that of Redemption. In fact, as we near the Redemption, the balance between Joseph and Judah tips steadily in favor of Judah. On the one hand, we see that the world, with the passage of time, is becoming increasingly receptive to the message of Judaism; in parallel, the obstacles that ȱ ȱȱȱĜȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ On the other hand, the more evil senses that its end is near, the more its opposition to ȱȱ¢ȱęDzȱǰȱȬȱȱȱȬȬȬ giosity are also on the rise, not to mention the increasing seductiveness of all forms of material indulgence. In such times, our only defense is a healthy dose of Judah’s sense of Ȭęǯ ȱȱǰȱȬęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡Dzȱ ȱ it, we would have scarcely survived exile’s horrors. Moreover, the earnest dedication to ęȱ Ȃȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȬȬ ¢ȱȱ¢ȱęȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ new order that will be ushered in by the Redemption. In this sense, Judah’s approaching ȱȱȱDZȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ his brother, but by demanding ethical behavior from the person he presumed to be an immoral despot, Judah caused the truth to be revealed. Similarly, when we stubbornly insist on following the Torah’s standards of ethical and moral behavior, even when doing so is ridiculed by our cultural milieu, society eventually accedes and, as Pharaoh did with Ȃȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱǯ The lesson to be learned from parashat Vayigash is thus that we must maintain the ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱĚǰȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ 1. ŚŝDZŘŘǰȱ ǯ ŬųŬ OVERVIEW OF VAYIGASH ǯȱȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȬȬ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȬȬ tion, thereby bringing true unity and peace to the entire world.Ř 2. Sefer HaSichot 5750ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŘŗŞȬŘŘŖDzȱSefer HaSichot 5751ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŘŗŖȬŘŗŚDzȱSefer HaMa’amarim 5746ǰȱȱŝŚȬŝśǯ Ŭųŭ FIRST READING X ONKELOS W ^Ñ j¸jq~brw p¶ qjMnsl~¶] n hp~sS½q Rrºj Wr~¯ o bq·n½q44:18 u rju ql~q ru j u orj oju ~ rru jnuj u r jqqjuou qjn su n ÑË Qr¿Ñ_ n L p¸jq¶ j QÑ jÅq~q _ nwq~jOnsl~] oj r~j¶T r r j u r jqjurj j to jn~r jn su nrm o~ jz n su n jur~ ou s jqj ol~ ~ Qr _ prw¯volsL~o Qrrlw~ p Oq~r¯] nsl~19sv jqj¿ sj n~qrojnsu jqr n su nj~r jql~q ~ r ~ r s~~ ru q~ Qntjp_p j Oor~] r Tºbrw¯pOnsl~w~ p T p~sbÂq20 vr~wË~ njnq~u rr~ru~~ q rr n~ ~u q~jujzn~j n n u l~q oj Ë vol~_ nr~jËQÁn~jËV¸qj~º a borºn½qOo ] n r~jL rr ou o r nu l~qu oun~j nss jn nrj nsn q~j u r jqj ju jql~q vrrQnor _ n°r~jL ro~ºQt nËvÑ Oprlw~ p T p~sbÊq21 ~r jql~q nsln o uo q zl~q qu jznj~ rou u un~r n su nj L nr~wp~s]lvqqQqÂq_ qºw~Ò v Onsl~w~ p T p~sbÂq22 nu ~ l r su jznn~jnu ~ l r ~ n j u r jqjju jql~q u n V oo~ _Òwn~Ñ Oprlw~ p T p~sbÊq23 vor Qnr~wp~_ qrj ~r s jun~ roj s u ~ l s o~r qu rlq ruq~ok pju js ]¿ n T njvq24vrrÅË _~ jnº Qns~ v Ò_ L p jÊn~sQrÇq_ p n l~ ~ru n q j~ru~ q j u r jqqj~r jo j n su noru jnurou vnsl~_ oj n¸Qo~ËOwp· bqÂqL nr~QÑ j¸jqwvp~ºOnr X RASHI W rrl~p q~r z ns l~ r p sl~ p~jr js~sk p~ pr j r~ju qr j u jru n ns~ l o j r~jurru r ~ o zqu nuq ru s~ jznr j r r rru ou r r~rurnlquru n jun nu s zrr~ o pu nup z or ruq~~ ru nr ju ~ q q n q~j " zou q j ruq~u os l~s~" nzjq j u nrr junupu o~ su zju p pj pju q ojuruq~u zr s jq ju r sr r ru r ju n u jq n~s ns~ l ~p p~su q o nu q q~j s jq rru p z sju q qrjur r sjnr js s zrjnu nu n pp z q ju~ nsr r r~ jnu q o ju n o n r~j o ~ q r ru u ruj np z q ~ q rjqq rr{ nuj pj oj q n jp~u ~u nl q~su r ~ q u p z s qs~ n~ qr~ q~ p{ s so~jq njqu o qj so~jo su s jqu q ~ p q rj ~ r s s~ o o~r ss~o su n~j su qj r j o u {rru jqr~p z n q qn{~ n s nj ou ruq~ u ~ r ru p z u r~ nl~ su nr~~p slq~n or nr~ non jqun~s jqju r srun o ~ q r ru "r r roj ppuqusu n~ol p zj ppuqu °²´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W Yet, because Judah had taken responsibility for Benja-- ȱ ȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ min, he was willing to risk his life, despite any rational of our being, and this evokes an honorable and kind considerations.
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