בס״ד ּיִ וַ ּגַ ׁש VAYIGASH In loving memory of Rabbi Dr Irving Jacobs, Harav Yitzchak ben Shlomo zt"l, former principal of Jews’ College, rabbi of the Neveh Shalom community in Wembley, teacher and mentor for many rabbis and others Volume 34 | #11 “Pharaoh said to [Yosef’s] brothers, ‘What is your 26 December 2020 occupation?’ They answered Pharaoh, ‘Your servants 11 Tevet 5781 are shepherds – we as well as our forefathers’” (Bereishit 47:3) Shabbat ends: London 4.51pm Sheffield 4.54pm Glasgow 4.53pm Edinburgh 4.46pm Birmingham 4.54pm Southport 5.00pm Jerusalem 5.22pm Please look regularly at the social media and websites of the US, Tribe and your community for ongoing updates relating to Coronavirus as well as educational programming and community support. You do not need to sign into Facebook to access the US Facebook page. The US Coronavirus Helpline is on 020 8343 5696. May God bless us and the whole world. INSIDE: Family Harmony by Rabbi Dov Kaplan Artscroll – p250 Haftarah – p1144 Judaism and Music – Part 2 Hertz – p169 by Rabbi David Lister Haftarah – p178 Soncino – p277 Operation Ali Baba – Part 1 Haftarah – p293 Daf Hashavua by Rabbi Gideon Sylvester Sidra breakdown Family ּיִ וַ ּגַ ׁש Vayigash Harmony 11th Sidra in: by Rabbi Dov Kaplan, Tribe Israel Team A few years ago, while life-message is being transmitted to ּבְרֵאׁשִ ית serving as the rabbi of justify such an extended narrative? Bereishit the Hampstead Garden The message is clear: the Suburb Synagogue importance, but complexity, of community, I found family harmony. Respectfully, we By Numbers: myself driving up to Manchester must realize that even the homes to pay a shiva call. It was just this of our ancestors were not perfect. 106 verses time of year, the pre-winter holiday In fact, the Talmud, Shabbat 10b, 1,480 words season, and I had the radio on in quotes the sage Rav who said: “A the car. I was surprised to learn that person should never distinguish one 5,680 letters the holidays were a particularly of his children from the others by stressful time for many families. giving him preferential treatment. Don’t we all look forward to having As, due to the weight of two sela Headlines: a break, to spending more quality of fine wool that Jacob gave to time with our loved ones? Reflecting Joseph, beyond what he gave Jacob and his on this, I started thinking about the rest of his sons, in making family coming this week’s parasha and Joseph’s him the striped coat, his brothers reuniting with his brothers. Were became jealous of him and the to Egypt those happy times? matter unfolded and our forefathers Rabbi Sacks zt”l taught us that descended to Egypt.” Rashi (1040- the last four parashot of Bereishit 1105) even suggests that the fine (Genesis) encompass the longest wool only referred to the cuffs of single narrative in the Torah. The the coat. Even small things can set conflict between Joseph and his off jealousy. brothers is described in no less than There is no judgement when we 16 chapters! Why does the Torah realise that rivalry and jealously go to such lengths? What essential are inherent within the family. I United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of In loving memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion the United Synagogue Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial and Production Team: Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Sidra Summary Rabbi Michael Laitner, Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Bereishit 44:18-30 Joanna Rose 22 years after Yosef was sold by his brothers, they now face the prospect of their www.theus.org.uk father Yaakov ‘losing’ another one of his sons, Binyamin. Yehuda does not yet know ©United Synagogue 2020 that the viceroy of Egypt standing in front of him is actually Yosef. He approaches To sponsor Daf Hashavua please Yosef, recounting Yosef’s demand to see Binyamin and Yaakov’s reluctance to let contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, Binyamin leave. Having already ‘lost’ Rachel’s other son (Yosef), Yaakov did not want or [email protected] disaster to befall Binyamin. If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected] saw a depressing quote that “a of the parents and grandparents in the desert: the Ark containing the dysfunctional family is one with whom we all respect and love. two Tablets of the Covenant and the more than one child”. The Torah’s As the Jewish People, we have coffin of Joseph’s body. They served extended coverage of the story is a mutual ancestors, the patriarchs as symbols and reminders that we word of caution on this subject to all and the matriarchs. In the story, must strive for peace, harmony and generations. Joseph and his brothers succeed in love within our families. So how do we create healthy maintaining cordial relations as long The Ark of the Covenant relations within our families? In the as their father is alive. When the proclaimed that we established early stages, every child must feel brothers arrive in Egypt for the first a national relationship with God, loved for who they are. No child time to purchase food, they express a mission that binds our futures should feel that they are being their concern for their elderly father together. compared to another sibling and and declare that they are sons of The aron of Joseph was a no favouritism should be shown. the same father. Joseph too shows reminder of a bond that preceded We have a responsibility to give his concern for Jacob his father in even the one at Sinai. We are personalised encouragement to his first few words to his brothers brothers and sisters because of our each child. this week. For as long as they mutual ancestors. Possibly more complicated is the remembered their mutual love for The amount of space the Torah later stage, when siblings have left their father, they were able to live devotes to this one story stresses home, living their own lives. What is in peace. the importance of family harmony, the key then? In the early rabbinic midrashic on a personal and national level. Interestingly, during the teachings, we are told that the May we succeed in strengthening aforementioned radio broadcast, Camp of Israel was guided by two the family bonds that connect us a few suggestions were made on boxes (‘aronot’) during the 40 years with peace and love. how to ‘weather’ the family get- togethers. The most relevant was to For as long as they remembered their remember what one has in common with the other participants. Be mutual love for their father, they were cordial and harmonious for the sake able to live in peace. 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 44:31-45:7 Yaakov that he (Yosef) is alive and is the viceroy of Egypt. Yehuda states that if they return without Binyamin, Yaakov Yaakov should come immediately to Egypt; Yosef will ensure will surely die. Yehuda offers to take Binyamin’s place and their safety and sustenance in the remaining five years of remain as a slave to Yosef. Yosef orders everyone apart from famine. Yosef and Binyamin cry on one another’s necks. his brothers out of the room. He reveals his identity and asks if his father is still alive. He tells his ashamed brothers not to 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 45:19-27 be sad; God had sent him on this mission in order to sustain Pharaoh instructs Yosef to give his brothers wagons. Yosef them during the famine. sends them back with money and provisions for the journey. He sends 20 laden donkeys for Yaakov. The brothers return 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 45:8-18 home and tell Yaakov that Yosef is alive and is ruling over the Yosef tells the brothers to go back to Cana’an to relate to land of Egypt. Initially, Yaakov does not believe them. Judaism and Music – Part 2: Pastoral Symphonies by Rabbi David Lister, Edgware United Synagogue The Vltava River running through Prague. Like Rabbi Samson the royal palace was to play music for Perhaps we can understand this to Raphael Hirsch, cited King Saul (ibid., verse 23). mean that when a creature fulfils its in the last article, Rav Rav Nachman explains that there divinely allotted task, it obeys God’s Nachman of Breslav is a link between the natural world will. In its way, it performs an act (1772-1810) discerns a and song. The ancient Perek Shira, of worship, proclaiming through its connection between nature and music, attributed to King David, relates that development unwavering loyalty to but in a more mystical way. He traces every creature and phenomenon, from God. Thus, the whole of nature is a a connection between shepherding the humblest blade of grass to the colossal symphony of faith, with every and music dating back to King David, animal kingdom to the mountains and note on time and in tune. who started life as a shepherd (I the very heavens, every created thing The wise shepherd, immersed in Samuel 16:11) and whose first role in sings a mute song of praise to God. nature, can discern this magnificent In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 45:28-46:27 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 46:28-47:10 Yaakov travels to Egypt, stopping at Beersheva to bring an Yosef and Yaakov meet in the region of Goshen. Yosef falls offering.