Update
on the prayer list. Unfortunately Malka Perel bas Rivka passed away.
Quote of the week: Hence,
the Gematria of Moshiach (40+300+10+8) and nachash (snake) (50+300+8) are
equal, 358, since they represent two opposite sides of the same coin. The snake
caused us to go into exile and Moshiach will bring us out of exile. For full
lecture: http://www.torah.org/learning/perceptions/5774/vayechi.html?print=1
Parsha Vayigash Part 2
When we left off last week, the brothers were returning to Yacov
with the news that Yosef is alive and well and furthermore he is the ruler of
Egypt! Now we shall see what happens to Yacov and the rest of his life.
23 And to
his father he sent in like manner ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt,
and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and victual for his father by the
way.
This is an honorable gesture but even though I am about half the
age of Yisrael, I think that is about a little more than I can handle even at
chariot-shepherd speed from Beer Sheva to Egypt.
24 So he
sent his brethren away, and they departed; and he said unto them: ‘See that ye
fall not out by the way.’
Do not delay hurry for this is a Mitzvah of saving your lives and
that of our father.
25 And
they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their
father. 26 And they told him,
saying: ‘Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.’ And
his heart fainted, for he believed them not.
After 22 years of living a lie they are now about to tell Yacov
the truth that Yosef is alive.
And [they told him]
that he ruled: Heb. וְכִי הוּא משֵׁל, and that he rules. and his heart changed:
Heb. וַיָפָג לִבָּוֹ. His heart changed and went away from believing. His heart
did not turn to [believe] these words. [וַיָפָג is] a term similar to“their
taste changes” (מְפִיגִין טַעְמָן) in the language of the Mishnah (Bezah 14a),
and“without respite (הֲפֻגוֹת)” (Lam. 3:49). Also “and its bouquet did not
change” (Jer. 48: 11) is translated [into Aramaic] as וְרֵיחֵיה ָלֹא פָג.
He could have gotten a heart attack from shock but HASHEM made it
so that he just fainted and did not really injure himself at the age of 130 for
we see with Eli HaCohain HaGadol Shmuel Aleph 4:18 And it came to pass,
when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off his seat backward
by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old
man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. His
sons died from their misdeeds and the fall from the chair killed him. In our
case, Yacov had protection from heaven.
27
And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them; and
when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob
their father revived.
The Pshat is that when he saw the wagons for transport and a
possible escort that he realized what the brothers said was true. The Drasha
states that Yacov and Yosef had been learning the laws of Egel Arufa (calf
whose neck is broken when a dead body is found by the residents of the nearest
city) Devarim 21:1 If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God
gives thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath
smitten him; 2 then thy elders
and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which
are round about him that is slain. 3
And it shall be, that the city which is nearest unto the slain man, even the
elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hath not been
wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke. 4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a
rough valley, which may neither be plowed nor sown, and shall break the
heifer's neck there in the valley.. For a detailed
explanation including Talmudic References: http://www.torah.org/advanced/mikra/5757/dv/dt.58.5.05.html Number IV is our specific case. For as the
reference states Yacov saw the Agalos and recalled that he learned the Egel
with Yosef right before Yosef left. This also spiritually revived him for
sometimes people become rulers and lose their humility and forget G-D but here
Yosef is hinting that he still remembers all the Torah that he learned with
Yacov.
All of Joseph’s words:
He (Joseph) gave them a sign, viz., in what topic he was engaged when he
(Joseph) separated from him (Jacob). [That was] the section dealing with the
heifer that was to be beheaded (עֶגְלָה עִרוּפָה) (Deut. 21), and this is what
[Scripture] says, “and he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent,” and it
(Scripture) does not say, “that Pharaoh had sent.” [from Gen. Rabbah 94:3] and
the spirit of…Jacob was revived: The Shechina, which had separated from him
[because of his grief], rested upon him [once again]. [From Avoth d’Rabbi
Nathan , ch. 30, Targum Onkelos , Targum Jonathan] From here we learn that for the Shechina to rest upon a man he has
to have joy in his spirit.
28 And
Israel said: ‘It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him
before I die.’
Enough! My son Joseph
is still alive: I have enough happiness and joy, since my son Joseph is still
alive. [From Targum Onkelos, Targum Jonathan]
Some commentators have said that Yacov should have been brought
down to Mitzrayim in chains but because of his merits and that of Yosef, the
hard work was put off until all the brothers died and the slavery was only for
the last 80 years when Moshe the redeemer was already born.
46:1 And
Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and
offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
To Beer-sheba: Heb.
בְּאֵרָה שָׁבַע, like לִבְאֵר שָׁבַע, to Beer-sheba. The “hey” at the end of
the word takes the place of the “lammed” at its beginning. [From Yeb. 13b] to
the God of his father Isaac: One is required to honor his father more than he is
required to honor his grandfather. Therefore, the sacrifices are associated
with Isaac and not with Abraham. [From Gen. Rabbah 94:5]
This is sound advice to go pray at the graves of one’s parents or
at least in the area where they did their Mitzvos.
2 And
God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said: ‘Jacob, Jacob.’
And he said: ‘Here am I.’
A number of things come to my mind. Where is the name Yisrael?
What took G-D so long to come to Yacov in a dream? Perhaps the Shechina has
departed for being depressed but not the ability to receive a dream?
3 And He
said: ‘I am God, the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I
will there make of thee a great nation. 4
I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up
again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon your eyes.’ 5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel
carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the
wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had
gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with
him; 7 his sons, and his sons’
sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought
he with him into Egypt. … 28. He sent Judah ahead of him
to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen.
Essentially he went ahead to establish a
Talmud Torah and Yeshiva for the Bnei Yisrael.
29 And Joseph
made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and
he presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a
good while.
And
Joseph harnessed his chariot: He
personally harnessed the horses to the chariot to hasten to honor his father.
[From Mechilta, Beshallach section 1] and he appeared to him: Joseph presented himself to his father. and he wept on his neck for a long time: Heb. עוֹד וַיֵ an expression of profuse weeping, and likewise,
“For He will not place additional [guilt] on a man” (Job 34:23), an expression of profusion. He (God) does not place upon him
additional accusations over [and above] his sins. Here too he wept greatly and
continuously, more than was usual. Jacob, however, neither fell on Joseph’s
neck nor kissed him. Our Sages said that he was reciting the Shema. [From
Derech Eretz Zuta 1:10, ed. Hager, p. 62; quoted in Bereishith Zuta ; Yichusei
Tannaim va’Amoraim , p. 180, Teshuvoth Hageonim, ch. 45]
30 And Israel
said unto Joseph: ‘Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art
yet alive.’
I will die this time: Its
simple meaning is as the Targum renders. [If I should die this time, I would be
consoled.] Its midrashic interpretation is, however: I thought that I would die
two deaths, in this world and in the next world, because the Shechinah had left
me, and I thought that the Holy One, blessed be He, would hold me responsible
for your death. Now that you are still alive, I will die but once. [From
Tanchuma Vayigash 9]
There is a much deeper meaning here. Yacov understood that he
needed all twelve tribes to produce the Nation of Yisrael. If Yosef was dead he
would not have an Am Yisrael nor a place in Olam HaBa. Now that Yosef was alive
and had offspring. Yacov was guaranteed a nation and a place in the next world.
Essentially his life was complete. The blessings at the end are the icing on
the cake.
31 And
Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house: ‘I will go up, and
tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him: My brethren, and my father’s house, who
were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of
cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they
have. 33 And it shall come to
pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say: What is your occupation? 34 that ye shall say: Thy servants
have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and our
fathers; that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an
abomination unto the Egyptians.’
So that you may dwell
in the land of Goshen: which you need, for it is a land of pasture, and when
you tell him that you are not skilled at any other work, he will send you away
from him and settle you there. Are abhorrent to the Egyptians: Because they
(the sheep) are their gods.
Pharaoh already heard about Yosef’s brothers so now it was time to
meet them and his father (perhaps he could also use them).
47:1 Then
Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said: ‘My father and my brethren, and
their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land
of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.’ 2 And from among his brethren he took
five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren: ‘What is your occupation?’
And they said unto Pharaoh: ‘Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and our
fathers.’
Egyptians had a sheep god. If one saw the movie “Murder on the
Nile” one could see the statues that stood in the ruins of a temple.
4 And
they said unto Pharaoh: ‘To sojourn in the land are we come; for there is no
pasture for thy servants’ flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan.
Now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.’
Let us live further into
the rich and wet lands of the northern area of the Nile for we keep sheep which
are abhorrent to the Egyptians: Because they
(the sheep) are their gods.
5 And
Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph, saying: ‘Thy father and thy brethren are come unto
thee; 6 the land of Egypt is
before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren to dwell;
in the land of Goshen let them dwell. And if thou know any able men among them,
then make them rulers over my cattle.’
Near enough to Yosef but in a settlement that they are autonomous
to educate their children and follow their religion without assimilation with
the local population which is full of witchcraft, red ribbons on their arms,
etc. (The red ribbons eventually came to Sephardic Jews who were ignorant from
the North African Arabs and have spread like a virus among the ignorant Jews).
7 And
Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob
blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh
said unto Jacob: ‘How many are the days of the years of thy life?’ 9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: ‘The
days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years; few and
evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained
unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their
sojournings.’
The years of my
sojournings: The days of my being a stranger. All my days, I have been a
stranger in the land. And they have not reached: in goodness.
The Pshat is strange here for instead of just saying the ruler his
age, Yacov is complaining about his hard life.
10 And
Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
So Jacob blessed: According
to the custom of all those who leave the presence of princes, that they bless
them and take their leave. Now what blessing did he bless him? That the Nile
should rise at his approach, because Egypt does not drink rain water, but the
Nile rises and waters it, and since Jacob’s blessing, Pharaoh would come to the
Nile, and it would rise to greet him and water the land. [From Tanchuma, Nasso
26]
11 And
Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the
land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had
commanded.
THE BEST LAND fertile from the fourth part of the Nile Delta that
existed then and it shows up on satellite photos and is just south of the
modern Suez Canal. It is ideal for grazing. Today because the water is not
flowing there are thousands upon thousands of Mosquitos.
12 And
Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household,
with bread, according to the want of their little ones. 13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very
sore, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of
the famine. 14 And Joseph
gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land
of Canaan, for the corn which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into
Pharaoh’s house. … 21 And as for the people, he removed
them city by city, from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end
thereof. 22 Only the land of the
priests bought he not, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and did eat
their portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore they sold not their land.
It is my guess that Levy was the priest of the Bnei Yisrael and it
continued on with his son therefore they were not subject to the rigors of
slavery but rather served the spiritual needs of the works.
23 Then
Joseph said unto the people: ‘Behold, I have bought you this day and your land
for Pharaoh. Lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to pass at the
ingatherings, that ye shall give a fifth unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be
your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your
households, and for food for your little ones.’ 25 And they said: ‘Thou hast saved our lives. Let us find favor in
the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s bondmen.’ 26 And Joseph made it a statute
concerning the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth;
only the land of the priests alone became not Pharaoh’s.
A simple tax rather than make them State Bondmen but rather
something manageable that 20% tax that 80% of the time they will be working for
themselves. With this they have an incentive to produce and Pharaoh will always
have his store houses full just in case of another famine or if he needs money
to wage war.
27 And
Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got them
possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
Parsha Vayehi
Yacov sees that he is about to depart from this world either by
health signs or prophecy or Avraham or Yitzchak visiting him in a dream. This
Parsha has the blessings of the tribes but what Yacov says to Reuven, Shimon
and Levy do not on the surface look like blessings but upon analysis they are.
They contain both the past and where the tribes will be in the future. Reuven
sits on Ramat HaGolan a source of much of the water today in Eretz Yisrael.
Shimon will have Zimri and there will be bad blood between his tribe and
Pinchas from Levy. Levy is split in Yisrael and became the first Torah teachers
from their 24 cities.
47:28 And
Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the
years of his life, were a hundred forty and seven years.
Rashi analyzes the
grammar, language and even if the Parsha is opened or closed to draw out his
knowledge and that is what makes him so great: And Jacob lived: Why is this section
[completely] closed? Because, as soon as our father Jacob passed away, the eyes
and the heart of Israel were “closed,” (i.e., it became “dark” for them)
because of the misery of the slavery, for they (the Egyptians) commenced to
subjugate them. Another explanation: That he (Jacob) attempted to reveal the
End [of the exile] to his sons, but it was “closed off” (concealed) from him.
[This appears] in Gen. Rabbah (91:1).
29 And
the time drew near that Israel must die; and he called his son Joseph, and said
unto him: 'If now I have found favor in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand
under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in
Egypt.
We saw this by the holy Bris Mila with Avraham too as if to say
that my seed or in this case my other seed will avenge itself on you. People do
not swear by the Bris today. We are not as holy as our forefathers who guarded
their actions. We see that in the generation of Yosef, Yehuda giving in to go
to Tamar and the incident of Zimri which was not inspired by heaven.
30 But
when I sleep with my fathers, thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in
their burying-place.' And he said: 'I will do as thou hast said.' 31 And he said: 'Swear unto me.' And
he swore unto him. And Israel bowed down upon the bed's head.
And Israel prostrated
himself: [Although the lion is king] when it is the time of the fox, bow down
to him. — [from Meg. 16b] ) On the head of the bed: He turned around to the
side of the Shechinah (Gen. Rabbah, Vatican ms. no. 60). From here [the Sages]
deduced that the Shechinah is at the head of a sick person (Shab. 12b). Another
explanation: עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִטָה - [He prostrated himself to God] because his
offspring were perfect, insofar as not one of them was wicked, as is evidenced
by the fact that Joseph was a king, and furthermore, that [even though] he was
captured among the heathens, he remained steadfast in his righteousness. —
[from Sifrei Va’ethannan 31, Sifrei Ha’azinu 334]
48:1 And it
came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph: 'Behold, thy father
is sick.' And he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
That [someone] said to
Joseph: One of the tellers, and this is an elliptical verse. Some say, however,
that Ephraim was accustomed to study with Jacob, and when Jacob became ill in
the land of Goshen, Ephraim went to his father to Egypt to tell him. So he took
his two sons with him: so that Jacob should bless them before his death.
It is normal for a
person in Yosef’s position and Yacov’s closeness to him that they have servants
and they communicated via the servants also.
2 And one
told Jacob, and said: 'Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee.' And Israel
strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
And
[someone] told: The
teller [told] Jacob, but [the text] does not specify who [it was], and many
[Scriptural] verses are elliptical. And
Israel summoned his strength: He
said, “Although he is my son, he is a king; [therefore,] I will bestow honor
upon him” [Midrash Tanchuma Vayechi 6]. From here [we learn] that we must
bestow honor upon royalty, as Moses bestowed honor upon royalty, [as it is
written, that Moses said to Pharaoh,] “Then all these servants of yours will
come down to me” (Exod. 11:8), [rather than “You will come down to me”]. And so
Elijah [also bestowed honor upon royalty, as it is written]: “And he girded his
loins [and ran before Ahab until coming to Jezreel]” (I Kings 18:46). - [from Mechilta Beshallach Section 13]
3 And
Jacob said unto Joseph: 'God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of
Canaan, and blessed me, 4 and
said unto me: Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will
make of thee a company of peoples; and will give this land to thy seed after
thee for an everlasting possession.
And I will make you
into a congregation of peoples: He announced to me that another congregation of
peoples was to be descended from me. Although he said to me, “A nation and a
congregation of nations [shall come into existence from you]” (Gen 35:11)
[meaning three nations], by “a nation,” He promised me [the birth of] Benjamin.
“A congregation of nations” means two in addition to Benjamin, but no other son
was born to me. Thus I learned that one of my tribes was destined to be divided
[in two]. So now, I am giving you that gift. — [from Pesikta Rabbathi ch. 3]
5 And
now thy two sons, who were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came
unto thee into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and
Simeon, shall be mine.
You will get the first born for Reuven has squandered his right to
it and here is your double portion in Yisrael. If you have any more sons, they
will be members of either of the two tribes above.
They are mine: They
are counted with the rest of my sons, to take a share in the land, each one
exactly as each [of my other sons]. — [from Baba Bathra 122b-123a]
6 And
thy issue, that thou beget after them, shall be yours; they shall be called
after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. 7 And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in
the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some way to come unto
Ephrath; and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath--the same is Beth-lehem.'
8 And Israel beheld Joseph's
sons, and said: 'Who are these?'
Then Israel saw
Joseph’s sons: He attempted to bless them, but the Shechinah withdrew from him
because of Jeroboam and Ahab, who were destined to be born from Ephraim, and
Jehu and his sons, [who were destined to be born] from Manasseh. — [from
Tanchuma Vayechi 6] [Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the first king of the Northern
Kingdom, and Ahab the son of Omri were notorious idolaters.] and he said,“Who
are these?”: Where did these come from [meaning: From whom were they born],
that they are unworthy of a blessing?- [from Tanchuma Vayechi 6]
9 And
Joseph said unto his father: 'They are my sons, whom God hath given me here.'
And he said: 'Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.' 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for
age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed
them, and embraced them. 11 And
Israel said unto Joseph: 'I had not thought to see thy face; and, lo, God hath
let me see thy seed also.' 12
And Joseph brought them out from between his knees; and he fell down on his
face to the earth. 13 And Joseph
took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and
Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near
unto him. 14 And Israel
stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the
younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly;
for Manasseh was the first-born.
He guided his hands
deliberately: Heb. שִׂכֵּל. As the Targum renders: אַחְכִּמִינוּן, he put
wisdom into them. Deliberately and with wisdom, he guided his hands for that
purpose, and with knowledge, for he knew [full well] that Manasseh was the
firstborn, but he nevertheless did not place his right hand upon him.
15 And he
blessed Joseph, and said: 'The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did
walk, the God who hath been my shepherd all my life long unto this day, 16 the angel who hath redeemed me from
all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named in them, and the name of my
fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of
the earth.'
This Pasuk is said each night except the night of Pessach before
going to sleep.
17 And
when Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand upon the head of
Ephraim, it displeased him, and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from
Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 18
And Joseph said unto his father: 'Not so, my father, for this is the
first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.' 19 And his father refused, and said: 'I know it, my son, I know
it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; howbeit his
younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude
of nations.'
Yosef thought that Yacov did not see well enough so I wanted to
correct him. But Yacov went by prophecy more than sight.
20 And he
blessed them that day, saying: 'By thee shall Israel bless, saying: God make
thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh.' And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
Every Friday night before Kiddush we bless the children.
21 And
Israel said unto Joseph: 'Behold, I die; but God will be with you, and bring
you back unto the land of your fathers. 22
Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out
of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
And I have given you:
Since you are taking the trouble to occupy yourself with my burial, I have
given you an inheritance where you will be buried. And which is this? This is
Shechem, as it is said: “And Joseph’s bones, which the children of Israel had
brought up out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem” (Josh. 24:32). one portion
over your brothers: Heb. אַחַד עַל אַחֶי שְׁכֶם, the actual [city of] Shechem,
which will be for you one share over your brothers. [Accordingly, we render:
Shechem, [which is] one [share] over your brothers.]- [from Gen. Rabbah 97:6] Another
explanation: “One portion” refers to the birthright, and indicates that his
(Joseph’s) sons should take two shares. שְׁכֶם is a word meaning “a portion,”
as the Targum renders. There are many similar instances in Scripture: “For You
shall place them as a portion (שְׁכֶם)” (Ps. 21:13), You shall place my enemies
before me as portions; “I will divide a portion (שְׁכֶם)” (ibid. 60:8);“…murder
on the way, שֶׁכְמָה ” (Hos. 6:9), [meaning:] each one his share; “to worship
Him of one accord אֶחָד) (שְׁכֶם” (Zeph. 3:9), [meaning: in one group]. which I
took from the hand of the Amorite: From the hand of Esau, who behaved like an
Amorite (Gen. Rabbah 97:6). Another explanation [of why Esau is called אמֹרִי]:
who deceived his father with the sayings (אִמְרֵי) of his mouth. The Pshat is from Schem and Chamor.
49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and
said: 'Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall
you in the end of days. 2
Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your
father. 3 Reuben, thou art my
first-born, my might, and the first-fruits of my strength; the excellency of
dignity, and the excellency of power. 4
Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; because thou went up to thy
father's bed; then you defiled it--he went up to my couch.
5 Simeon and Levi are brethren;
weapons of violence their kinship. 6
Let my soul not come into their council; unto their assembly let my glory not
be united; for in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they
houghed oxen. 7 Cursed be their
anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel; I will divide them
in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, thee shall thy brethren
praise; thy hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; thy father's sons shall
bow down before thee.
He will obtain the kingship and he will sire the
Moshiach via his son Peretz.
9 Judah is a lion's whelp; from the
prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a
lioness; who shall rouse him up? \
He will be a fighter against the enemies of
Yisrael. He was posted on the east in desert and marched first and now in our
days he will fight for the redemption more than the other tribes who will be
gathered after Yehuda.
10 The sceptre shall not depart from
Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, as long as men come to
Shiloh; and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.
Is this referring to David who came the Cohanim
around Shilo or the return of Yisrael to Shilo 3500 after Yacov’s passing?
Rashi views Shilo as the Moshiach see below:
The
scepter shall not depart from Judah: from
David and thereafter. These (who bear the scepter after the termination of the
kingdom) are the exilarchs (princes) in Babylon, who ruled over the people with
a scepter, [and] who were appointed by royal mandate. — [From Sanh. 5a] nor the student of the law from between his feet: Students. These are the princes of the land of Israel. — [From
Sanh. 5a] until Shiloh comes: [This refers to] the King Messiah, to whom the kingdom belongs (שֶׁלוֹ)
, and so did Onkelos render it: [until the Messiah comes, to whom the kingdom
belongs]. According to the Midrash Aggadah, [“Shiloh” is a combination of] שַׁי
לוֹ, a gift to him, as it is said: “they will bring a gift to him who is to be
feared” (Ps. 76:12). - [From Gen. Rabbah ed. Theodore-Albeck p. 1210 ] and to him will be a gathering of peoples: Heb. יִקְּהַת עַמִּים denoting a gathering of peoples, for
the“yud” of (יִקְּהַת) is part of the root [and not a prefix], like“with your
brightness (יִפְעָת)” (Ezek. 28: 17), and sometimes [the “yud” is] omitted.
Many letters are subject to this rule, and they are called defective roots,
like the“nun” of נוֹגֵף (smite), נוֹשׁ (bite), and the “aleph” of“and my speech
(אַחְוָתִי) in your ears” (Job 13:17);
and [the “aleph”] of “the scream of (אִבְחַת) the sword” (Ezek. 21:20); and
[the “aleph”] of“a jug (אָסוּ) of oil” (II Kings 4:2). This too, is [a noun
meaning] a gathering of peoples, [meaning: a number of nations who unite to
serve God and join under the banner of the King Messiah] as it is said: “to him
shall the nations inquire” (Isa. 11:10). Similar to this is“The eye that mocks
the father and despises the mother’s wrinkles (לְיִקְּהַת אֵם)” (Prov. 30:17),
[i.e., meaning] the gathering of wrinkles in her face, due to her old age. And
in the Talmud [we find]:“were sitting and gathering assemblies וּמַקְהו ֹאַקְהָתָא
in the streets of Nehardea” [Pumbeditha] in Tractate Yebamtoh (110b). He
(Jacob) could also have said: קְהִיּת עַמִּים [Since the“yud” of יִקְהַת is not
a prefix denoting the third person masculine singular, but is a defective root,
the form קְהִיּת עַמִּים would be just as appropriate.]- [From Gen. Rabbah
98:9] Or is the gathering of the
Nations Gog and Magog?
11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and
his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he wash his garments in wine, and his
vesture in the blood of grapes;
He binds his foal to a
vine: He prophesied concerning the land of Judah [namely] that wine will flow
like a fountain from it. One Judahite man will bind one foal to a vine and load
it from one vine, and from one tendril [he will load] one young donkey. — [From
Gen. Rabbah 98:9] A tendril: A long branch, corjede in Old French,
a vine-branch. [ He launders]…with wine: All this is an expression of an
abundance of wine. — [From Gen. Rabbah 99:8] his raiment: Heb. סוּתֹה. It is a
word denoting a type of garment, and there is none like it in Scripture. binds:
Heb. אֹסְרִי, equivalent to אוֹסֵר, as in the example:“He lifts (מְקִימִי) the
pauper up from the dust” (Ps. 113:7) [instead of מֵקִים];“You, Who dwell
(הַישְׁבִי) in heaven” (ibid. 123:1) [instead of הַישֵׁב]. Likewise,“his young
donkey” (בְּנִי אִתֹנוֹ) [instead of בֶּן אִתֹנוֹ] follows this pattern.
Onkelos, however, translated it [the verse] as referring to the King Messiah
[i.e., the King Messiah will bind, etc.]. The vine represents Israel; עִירֹה
means Jerusalem [interpreting עִירֹה as“his city,” from עִיר]. The tendril
represents Israel, [referred to as such by the prophet:]“Yet I planted you a
noble vine stock (שׁוֹרֵק)” (Jer. 2:21). בְּנִי אִתֹנוֹ [is translated by
Onkelos as] They shall build his Temple [בְּנִי is derived from בנה, to build.
אִתֹנוֹ is] an expression similar to“the entrance gate (שַׁעַר הָאִיתוֹן)” in
the Book of Ezekiel (40:15). [The complete Targum reads as follows: He (the
Messiah) shall bring Israel around to his city, the people shall build his
Temple.] He (Onkelos) further translates it in another manner: the vine refers
to the righteous, בְּנִי אִתֹנוֹ refers to those who uphold the Torah by
teaching [others], from the idea [expressed by the verse]:“the riders of white
donkeys (אֲתֹנֹת)” (Jud. 5:10).
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[He launders]…with
wine: [Onkelos renders:] “Fine purple shall be his (the Messiah’s) garment,”
whose color resembles wine. [The complete Targum reads: Fine purple shall be
his garment, his raiment fine wool, crimson and colorful clothing.]“And
colorful clothing” is expressed by the word סוּתֹה, [a garment] a woman wears
to entice [מְסִיתָה] a male to cast his eyes on her. Our Rabbis also
explained it in the Talmud as a term denoting the enticement of drunkenness,
in Tractate Kethuboth (11b): And if you say about the wine, that it does not
intoxicate, the Torah states: סוּתֹה [which means enticement to drunkenness.
The Rabbis, however, render the passage as follows: and with the blood of
grapes that entices.].
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Beis Lechem and Chevron
(where David ruled 7 years) were famous for their late vineyards and high
quality wine.
12 His eyes shall be red with wine,
and his teeth white with milk.
His eyes are red from drinking wine in abundance
and having good teeth from milk which is also abundant in Yehuda.
13 Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of
the sea, and he shall be a shore for ships, and his flank shall be upon Zidon.
Zevulun was famous for
their commerce.
14 Issachar is a large-boned ass,
couching down between the sheep-folds.
Issachar is a bony
donkey: Heb. חִמֹר גָרֶם, a bony donkey. He bears the yoke of the Torah, like a
strong donkey which is laden with a heavy burden. — [From Gen. Rabbah 99: 9] lying
between the boundaries: like a donkey, which travels day and night and does not
lodge in a house, but when it lies down to rest, it lies between the
boundaries, in the boundaries of the towns where it transports merchandise. —
[From Zohar vol. 1, 242a]
15 For he saw a resting-place that it
was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant under task-work.
They would work hard at learning Torah and
praying for the success of Zevulun. They became brother-partners one workers
and paying for learning Torah and the other scholars.
16 Dan shall judge his people, as one
of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan
shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that biteth the
horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward.
Which bites the
horse’s heels: So is the habit of a snake. He (Jacob) compares him (Dan) to a
snake, which bites a horse’s heels, and [causes] its rider to fall backwards,
although it does not touch him. We find something similar in [the story of]
Samson: “And Samson grasped the two pillars of the center, etc.” (Jud. 16:29),
and those on the roof died. Onkelos renders [נָחָשׁ] as כְּחִיוֵי חוּרְמָן, the
name of a species of snake whose bite has no antidote, and that is the
צִפְעֹנִי (adder). It is called חוּרְמָן because it destroys (חֵרֶם)
everything. [Onkelos renders] וּכְפִתְנָא, and like a viper, like פֶּתֶן (Isa.
11:8, Ps. 58:5) [and he renders] יִכְמוֹן, [as] he will lie in wait.
18 I wait for Thy salvation, O LORD.
For Your salvation, I
hope, O Lord!: He (Jacob) prophesied that the Philistines would gouge out his
(Samson’s) eyes, and he (Samson) would ultimately say,“O Lord God, remember me
now and strengthen me now only this once, etc.” (Jud. 16:28). - [From Num.
Rabbah 14:9]
He saw the Gevurah of Shimshon against the
Plishtim (Samson vs. Philistines).
19 Gad, a troop shall troop upon him;
but he shall troop upon their heel.
As for] Gad, a troop will troop forth from him: Heb. גָּד גְּדוּד
יְגוּדֶנוּ. All [these words] are expressions of a troop (גְּדוּד) as Menachem
(Machbereth Menachem p. 52) classified it. If you ask [why] there is no
[expression of] גְּדוּד without two “daleths,” we answer that [indeed] the noun
גְּדוּד requires two “daleths,” for that is the rule of a word with a root of
two letters [in this case גד], to double the final letter, but its root
[remains] only two letters. Similarly, [Scripture] says:“Like a wandering (לָנוּד)
sparrow” (Prov. 26:2), which is a derivative of [the same root as]“And I was
sated with restlessness (נְדוּדִים)” (Job 7:4);“there
he fell down dead (שָׁדוּד)” [lit., robbed] (Jud. 5:27), which is a derivative
of [the same root as]“that ravages (יָשׁוּד) at noon” (Ps. 91:6). Also, יָגֻד, יְגוּדֶנּוּ,
and גְּדוּד are from the same root. When the root is used in the יִפְעַל form
(the future tense of the קַל conjugation), it (the final letter) is not
doubled, like יָגוּד, יָנוּד, יָרוּם, יָשׁוּד, יָשׁוּב, but when it is
reflexive (מִתְפַּעֵל) or causative (מַפְעִיל), it is doubled, like יִתְגוֹדֵד,
יִתְרוֹמֵם, יִתְבּוֹלֵל, יִתְעוֹדֵד, or causative (מַפְעִיל) , [like]“He
strengthens (יְעוֹדֵד) the orphan and the widow” (ibid. 146:9);“to bring Jacob
back (לְשׁוֹבֵב) to Him” (Isa. 49:5);“restorer (מְשׁוֹבֵב) of the paths” (ibid.
58:12). Also, יְגוּדֶּנוּ stated here is not an expression meaning that others
will cause him to do, [because then the “daleth” would be doubled,] but it is
like יָגוּד הֵימֶנּוּ, will troop forth from him, similar to“my children have
left me (יְצָאוּנִי),” (Jer. 10:20), [which is equivalent to] יָצְאוּ מִמֶנִי,
they went forth from me. [Hence, this form is not the causative, but the simple
conjugation, which does not require the doubling of the final letter.] גָּד גְּדוּד
יְגוּדֶנוּ [means]: troops will troop forth from him-they will cross the Jordan
with their brothers to war, every armed man, until the land is conquered. and it will troop back in its tracks: All his troops will return in their tracks to the territory that
they took on the other side of the Jordan, and no one will be missing from
them. — [From Targum Yerushalmi] in its
tracks: Heb. עָקֵב. In their way
and in their paths upon which they went they will return, equivalent to“and
your steps (וְעִקְבוֹתֶי) were not known” (Ps. 77:20), and similarly,“in the
footsteps of (בְּעִקְבֵי) the flocks” (Song of Songs 1:8); in French, traces ,
[meaning] tracks or footsteps.
Gad was on the Golan Heights.
20 As for Asher, his bread shall be
fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
From Asher will come
rich food: The food from Asher’s territory will be rich, for there will be many
olive trees in his territory, so that oil will flow like a fountain. And thus
did Moses bless him, “and dip his foot in oil” (Deut. 33:24), as we learned in
Menachoth (85b): The people of Laodicea once needed oil. [So they appointed
themselves a Gentile messenger (according to Rashi, or a Gentile official,
according to Rashi ms. and Rabbenu Gershom, ad loc.). They said to him, “Go and
bring us oil worth a million (coins).” The messenger went to Jerusalem, where
they told him, “Go to Tyre.” So the messenger went to Tyre, where they told him,
“Go to Giscala (a town in the territory of Asher).” The messenger went to
Giscala, where they told him, “Go to so-and-so, to that field.” He went to the
field and he found a man breaking up the earth around his olive trees. The
messenger asked him, “Do you have a million (coins) worth of oil?” The man
replied, “Yes, but wait for me until I finish my work.” The messenger waited.
After the man finished working, he cast his tools over his shoulder and went on
his way, removing the stones from the path as he walked. The messenger thought
to himself, “Has this man really a million (coins) worth of oil? I think the
Jews have played a trick on me.” As soon as the man arrived at his town, his
maidservant brought him a kettle of hot water, and the man washed his hands and
feet with it. She then brought him a golden cup full of oil, and he dipped his
hands and feet in it, to fulfill what is stated: “and dip his foot in oil.”
After they had dined, the man measured out for the messenger oil (worth) a
million (coins). He asked the messenger, “Don’t you need more?” “Yes,” the
messenger replied, “but I have no money.” The man said, “If you want to buy,
buy, and I will come with you and collect the money for it.” The man then
measured out additional oil for one hundred eighty thousand (coins). It was
said that the messenger hired all the horses, mules, camels, and donkeys that
he could find in the land of Israel. As soon as the messenger arrived in his
home town, the townspeople came out to praise him. He said to them, “Don’t praise
me! Praise this man who measured out for me oil for a million (coins), and I
still owe him a hundred eighty thousand (coins).” This illustrates the
verse:“There is one who feigns riches but has nothing; one who feigns poverty
but has great wealth” (Prov. 13:7).]
Asher was in the wet and abundant northern part
of Israel.
21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he
gives goodly words. 22 Joseph is
a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain; its branches run over the wall.
A swift gazelle: This
is the valley of Gennesar, which ripens its fruits swiftly, like the gazelle,
which runs swiftly. אַיָלָה שְׁלֻחָה means a gazelle that runs swiftly. — [from
Gen. Rabbah 99:12] [he is one] who utters beautiful words: As the Targum
renders. [See below.] Another explanation: A swift gazelle: He (Jacob)
prophesied concerning the war with Sisera: “and take with you ten thousand men
of the men of Naphtali, etc.” (Jud. 4:6), and they went there with alacrity.
And so it is stated there with an expression of dispatching, “into the valley
they rushed forth with their feet” (ibid. 5:15). [he is one] who utters
beautiful words: Through them, Deborah and Barak sang a song (Gen. Rabbah
98:17). Our Rabbis [of the Talmud], however, interpreted it (the entire verse)
as an allusion to the day of Jacob’s burial, when Esau contested [the ownership
of] the cave, in Tractate Sotah (13a). [As soon as Jacob’s sons reached the
Cave of Machpelah, Esau came and stopped them. He said to them, “Mamre,
Kiriath-arba, which is Hebron” (Gen. 35:27); Rabbi Isaac said that the name
Kiriath-arba alludes to the four couples interred there: Adam and Eve, Abraham
and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. Jacob buried Leah in his
place, and the remaining one Esau said was his. Jacob’s sons said to Esau, “You
sold it.” He replied, “Although I sold my birthright, did I sell my rights as
an ordinary son?” They answered,“Yes, for it is written: ‘in my grave, which I
bought (כָּרִיתִי) for myself’” (Gen. 50:5). Rabbi Johanan said in the name of
Rabbi Simeon the son of Jehozadak, כִּירָה means nothing but sale (מְכִירָה),
for in the coastal cities, sale is known as כִּירָה. Esau replied, “Give me the
deed.” They said to him, “The deed is in Egypt.” [One asked another,] “Who
should go (to get it) ?” [He replied,]“Let Naphtali go because he is as
fleet-footed as a gazelle, as it is written: ‘Naphtali is a swift gazelle, [he
is one] who utters beautiful words (אִמְרֵי שָׁפֶר).’” Do not read אִמְרֵי
שָׁפֶר, but אִמְרֵי סֵפֶר, words of a scroll.] [I. e., it was Naphtali who
brought the deed to the cave to prove that Jacob had purchased Esau’s burial
right there.] The Targum renders: יִתְרְמֵי עַדְבֵהּ, his lot will fall [in a
good land], and he will give thanks for his territory with beautiful words and
praise.
22. A charming son is Joseph, a son
charming to the eye; [of the] women, [each one] strode along to see him.
A charming son is
Joseph: Heb. בֵּן פֹּרָת, a charming son. This is an Aramaism, similar to [the
word used in the expression]“Let us express our favor (אַפִּרְיוֹן) to Rabbi
Simeon,” [found] at the end of Baba Mezia (119a). a son charming to the eye: His
charm attracts the eye that beholds him. of the] women, [each one] strode along
to see him: Heb. עִלֵי שׁוּר. The women of Egypt strode out on the wall to gaze
upon his beauty. Of the women, each one strode to a place from which she could
catch a glimpse of him. עִלֵי שׁוּר, for the purpose of looking at him, similar
to“I behold him (אֲשׁוּרֶנוּ), but not near” (Num. 24:17). There are many
midrashic interpretations, but this is the closest to the literal sense of the
verse. (Another explanation: This is how it should read, because according to
the first interpretation, שׁוּר means“a wall.”)]charming-: Heb. פֹּרָת. The
“tav” in it is [added merely] to enhance the language, similar to“because of
(עַל דִּבְרַת) the children of men” (Ecc. 3:18), (lit., concerning the matter
of). שׁוּר is the equivalent of לָשׁוּר, to see. [Thus the meaning of] עִלֵי
שׁוּר [is] in order to see. Onkelos, however, renders בָּנוֹת צָעִדָה עִלֵי
שׁוּר : Two tribes will emerge from his children. They will [each] receive a
share and an inheritance. [Scripture] writes בָּנוֹת, alluding to the daughters
of Manasseh, [i.e.,] the daughters of Zelophehad, who received a share [of the
land] on both sides of the Jordan. בֵּן פֹרת יוֹסֵף [is rendered] my son, who
will multiply, is Joseph פֹּרָת is an expression of procreation פִּרְיָה
וְרִבְיָה). There are midrashic interpretations that fit the language [of the
verse, as follows]: When Esau came toward Jacob, all the other mothers went out
ahead of their children to prostrate themselves. Concerning Rachel, however, it
is written: “and afterwards, Joseph and Rachel drew near and prostrated
themselves” (Gen. 33: 7), [denoting that Joseph preceded Rachel]. Joseph
said,“This scoundrel has a haughty eye. Perhaps he will take a fancy to my
mother.” So he went ahead of her, stretching his height to conceal her. His
father was referring to this when he blessed him בֵּן פֹּרָת, a son who grew,
[meaning] you raised yourself over Esau’s eye. Therefore, you have attained
greatness. — [From Gen. Rabbah 78:10] of the] women, [each one]
strode along to see him: to gaze at you when you went forth through Egypt (Gen.
Rabbah 98:18). They [the Rabbis] interpreted it (עִלֵי שׁוּר) further as
referring to the idea that the evil eye should have no influence over his
descendants. Also, when he (Jacob) blessed Manasseh and Ephraim, he blessed
them [that they should be] like fish, over which the evil eye has no influence.
— [From Ber. 20a]
23 The archers have dealt bitterly
with him, and shot at him, and hated him;
They
heaped bitterness upon him and became quarrelsome: Heb. וַיְמָרִרֻהוּ. His brothers heaped bitterness upon him
(Joseph), [and] Potiphar and his wife heaped bitterness upon him by having him
imprisoned. [This is] an expression similar to“And they embittered (וַיְמָרְרוּ)
their lives” (Exod. 1:14). - [From Gen. Rabbah 98:19] and became quarrelsome: Heb. וָרֹבּוּ. His brothers became his antagonists, (lit., men
of quarrel). This verb form (וָרֹבּוּ) is not a form of פָּעִלוּ, [the simple
active קַל conjugation], for if it were, it should have been vowelized like רָבוּ
in“They are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel quarreled (רָבוּ),
etc.” (Num. 20:13). Even if it (וָרֹבּוּ) denotes the shooting of (רְבִית)
arrows, it would be vowelized the same way. It is [therefore] only a form of פֹּעִלוּ,
the passive form, as in“The heavens were devastated (שֹׁמּוּ)” (Jer. 2:12),
which is [equivalent to] הוּשַׁמּוּ Likewise,“They are taken away (רוֹמוּ) in a
second” (Job 24:24), is an
expression like הוּרְמוּ, except that the expressions of הוּשַׁמּוּ and הוּרְמוּ
mean [to be devastated and taken away] by others, whereas the expressions שֹׁמּוּ,
רוֹמוּ, [and] רֹבּוּ denote actions caused by themselves: they devastate
themselves, they were taken away by themselves, they became quarrelsome.
Similarly,“The island dwellers have been silenced (דֹמּוּ)” (Isa. 23:2) is like
נָדַמּוּ Onkelos also renders וְנַקְמוֹהִי, and they took revenge from him. archers: Heb. בַּעִלֵי
חִצִּים, [called this because their] tongues were like arrows (חִצִּים) (Gen.
Rabbah 98:19). The Targum, however, renders it as מָרֵי פַלְגּוּתָא, an
expression similar to“And the half (הַמֶּחֱצָה) was” (Num. 31:36), [meaning]
those who were fit to share the inheritance with him, [viz., his brothers].
[I.e., Onkelos interprets בַּעִלֵי חִצִּים as those who should take half.]
Archers refer to his ‘bow’ that began to stand
straight at the provocation of Mrs. Potiphar
and it was if she shot at him but he stayed steadfast in his fear of
HASHEM.
24 But his bow abode firm, and the
arms of his hands were made supple, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
from thence, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel,
But his bow was
strongly established: It became strongly established. His bow, his strength
By conquering his Yetzer as a young bachelor, he
gained spiritual strength. He was true to the SHEPHERD of Am Yisrael.
25 Even by the God of thy father, who
shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee, with blessings of
heaven above, blessings of the deep that couched beneath, blessings of the
breasts, and of the womb. 26 The
blessings of thy father are mighty beyond the blessings of my progenitors unto
the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph,
and on the crown of the head of the prince among his brethren. 27 Benjamin is a wolf that ravens; in
the morning he devours the prey, and at even he divids the spoil.'
Benjamin
is a wolf, he will prey: He is a
wolf for he will prey. He (Jacob) prophesied that they were destined to be
“grabbers” : “and you shall grab for yourselves each man his wife” (Jud.
21:21), in [the episode of] the concubine [who happened to be] in Gibeah
(ibid., chs. 19-21); and he prophesied about Saul, that he would be victorious
over his enemies all around, as it is said: “And Saul took the kingdom… and he
waged war…against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom,
etc., and wherever he turned, he caused them to tremble” (I Sam. 14:47). -
[From Shitah Chadashah and Gen. Rabbah 98:3] in the morning he will devour plunder: Heb. עַד, an expression of plunder and spoil, translated into Aramaic
as עִדָאָה. There is another example of its use in Hebrew: “Then plunder and
booty (עַד שָׁלָל) were divided” (Isa. 33:23). He (Jacob) is referring to Saul,
who arose at the beginning of the “morning (other editions: עַד is the
blossoming) and sunrise” of Israel. — [From Esther Rabbah 10:13] and in the evening he will divide the spoil: Even when the sun will set for Israel through Nebuchadnezzar,
who will exile them to Babylon, he (Benjamin) will divide the spoil. Mordecai
and Esther, who were of [the tribe of] Benjamin, will divide the spoils of
Haman, as it is said: “Behold, the house of Haman I have given to Esther” (Esther 8:7) (Esther Rabbah 10:13).
Onkelos, however, rendered it as regarding the “spoils” of the priests, i.e.,
the holy things of the Temple, [namely the priests’ share of the sacrifices].
28 All these are the twelve tribes of
Israel, and this is it that their father spoke unto them and blessed them;
every one according to his blessing he blessed them. 29 And he charged them, and said unto them: 'I am to be gathered
unto my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of
Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the
cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of
Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a
possession of a burying-place. 31
There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and
Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased
from the children of Heth.' 33
And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into
the bed, and expired, and was gathered unto his people.
He now completed his mission in the world with
the blessings and peacefully departs to be with his forefathers.
50:1 And
Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants
the physicians to embalm his father. And the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 And forty days were fulfilled for
him; for so are fulfilled the days of embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him
threescore and ten days. 4 And
when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke unto the house of Pharaoh,
saying: 'If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears
of Pharaoh, saying: 5 My father
made me swear, saying: Lo, I die; in my grave which I have dug for me in the
land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray
thee, and bury my father, and I will come back.' 6 And Pharaoh said: 'Go up, and bury thy father, according as he
made thee swear.' 7 And Joseph
went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh,
the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
This was to assure that Yosef would return to Egypt.
8 and
all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house; only their
little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of
Goshen. 9 And there went up with
him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. 10 And they came to the
threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they wailed with
a very great and sore wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven
days. 11 And when the inhabitants
of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said:
'This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians.' Wherefore the name of it was
called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them. 13 For his sons carried him into the
land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which
Abraham bought with the field, for a possession of a burying-place, of Ephron
the Hittite, in front of Mamre. 14
And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with
him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. 15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they
said: 'It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully requite us all the
evil which we did unto him.' 16
And they sent a message unto Joseph, saying: 'Thy father did command before he
died, saying: 17 So shall ye say
unto Joseph: Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and
their sin, for that they did unto thee evil. And now, we pray thee, forgive the
transgression of the servants of the God of thy father.' And Joseph wept when
they spoke unto him. 18 And his
brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said: 'Behold, we
are thy bondmen.' 19 And Joseph
said unto them: 'Fear not; for am I in the place of God? 20 And as for you, ye meant evil
against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to
save much people alive. 21 Now
therefore fear ye not; I will sustain you, and your little ones.' And he
comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them.
Benyamin had nothing to fear but the other brothers despite the 17
years of good welfare were in fear of Yosef and he magnanimously comforts them.
22 And
Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house; and Joseph lived a hundred
and ten years. 23 And Joseph saw
Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son
of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees. 24 And Joseph said unto his brethren: 'I die; but God will surely
remember you, and bring you up out of this land unto the land which He swore to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.' 25
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying: 'God will surely
remember you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.' 26 So Joseph died, being a hundred and
ten years old. And they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
With the death of Yacov and Yosef Sefer Beresheis concludes and
shortly afterwards the other brothers pass away and soon the remaining
generations are all native citizens to Mitzrayim.
Chazak – Chazak v’ nit Chazak
Today is the 10th of Teves where
the siege of Yerushalayim during the first Temple took a turn for the worst. It
is the shortest fast of the year.
Afternoon prayers start approximately a
half hour before sunset and Maariv is prayed early. Kiddush can be made in
Israel 30 minutes after sunset.
A
few words on the laws of making Kiddush (see Shulchan Aruch Chaim 271 for
details)
The source in the Talmud is Meseches Pessachim Chapter 10
where the whole discussion on making Kiddush and eating the afternoon before
Shabbos or Yom Tov and the day becomes holy. I wanted to bring down an
important point that was not clear and one can check the Mishnah Berura for
this. I start out with the consensus among the Rabbis.
The whole Rabbinical
World agrees that on Saturday Morning one can make Kiddush on Wine, Beer,
Alcohol, Bread. There is also a 98% plus consensus that one cannot make Kiddush
on Soda or other soft drinks. However, it the drink of the nation or island is
let us say pure pineapple or orange juice that is not deleted and people drink
that instead of wine or water, then one could make Kiddush over that! (Note the
word is pure and not the sugary drinks that are sold) In Israel where wine,
pure grape juice, beer, alcohol etc. is available one should not use other
drinks.)
For Havdallah one
usually makes it on wine or grape juice. The debate arises among Rabbis the
week before Tisha B’Av or in the house of a mourner as wine makes the heart
happy. If one is mourner and has a relative that can make Havdallah over wine
or grape juice, that is OK. Otherwise, one can make it over beer or many prefer
making it over coffee or tea. (Again the Rabbis are 98% plus against other
drinks)
Kiddush for Friday
Night is the main source of dispute. Some Rabbis hold that if kosher wine is
available in your town you cannot under any circumstances make Kiddush over
anything but wine/grape juice or bread even if you prefer beer. The question
arises what happens if you are stuck in a town, state or country where there is
no kosher wine available (example Mississippi which does not have one Orthodox
Synagogue). Another question arises if one has only one bottle of wine and it
slips from his hand and breaks on Friday Night just before Kiddush and one is
in a country Czech Republic or Germany where Beer is the National Drink and one
has in his house plenty of beer? It appears to both the Dayan Rabbi Mimran
Shlita and myself as we learned this
Siman in the Mishnah Berura that it would be permissible under these
circumstances to make Kiddush on Beer. (I once saw a man make Kiddush on a cup
of Brandy but since one could get into danger it is not advisable and a few
months later the man had a massive coronary attack and is years later B”H alive.)
Measure for Measure three stories from
Chaim B.
Three absolutely amazing factual stories: These stories are woven with shared
mystical threads. All the details are absolutely true. Three stories translated
from Russian by Chaim Zehavi
First Story
At the beginning of
WWII, when the truth about the fate of the Jewish people was discovered, and
when there were still ways to save them, a few hundred rich Jews bought a ship
in order to get their families on board and escape to America. But they needed
visas, so they approached the American Ambassador in London. It was not
difficult for him, but he utterly refused.
The Jews, in order to save their families, went without the visas.
When the Ambassador
found out about it, he contacted Washington, advising them that a ship with
illegal immigrants is approaching America. The Jews managed to overcome the
horrors of war and reach America, but were not permitted into America. These
unlucky people were ordered to turn around and return to burning Europe. and
all burnt in the camps.
When the tragedy was
revealed, the Rabbi of London came to the American Ambassador and said:
"Your deeds do not befit not only your post, but you are not fit to be
called 'a human'. And now, since you caused hundreds of people's death, YOU AND
ALL YOUR DESCENDANTS generations down from now on will be cursed!"
The name of the
American Ambassador was Kennedy. (Three out of four of his sons died in his lifetime and
the 4th could not become President due to his drunk driving and he
had a retarded daughter.)
Second Story
Again, WWII.
Lithowenia. The Japanese Ambassador, who was a compassionate and noble person,
disagreed with the Nazi crimes, and was concerned with the future of the
European Jewry. He used his status and provided them with visas to Japan. From
Japan they immigrated to America. Thus he saved the lives of thousands of Jews.
When the Germans found
out they demanded that the Ambassador will be removed. The Japanese, allies of
the Nazis, followed the request. But he still had 2 weeks until his return, and
he used these 2 weeks, and worked around the clock, days and nights, and
recruited people to help him issue more visas. The lives of many more Jews were
saved this way.
This was a very
dangerous act, deserving of admiration.
Prior to his leaving a
mission of Jews from the Vilna Synagogue came to thank him.
"What you have
done for the Jewish People will never be forgotten, and we will pray to God to
bless you and your descendants."
This wonderful person
returned to Japan, and miraculously all his punishment was that he was fired
and lost his pension.
In order to help his
family he started a small workshop. His name was Mitsubishi.
Third Story
In the center of the
city of Kiev there's a statue in memory of the all-powerful leader of the
Ukraine, Bogdan Khmelnitsky. He is sitting on the back of a beautiful horse,
his right hand holding a sword and pointing up, towards the sky. he is the
epitome of Ukraine's independence. Khmelnitsky is the pride of the Ukrainians,
and all visitors are impressed by the beauty of the statue of the great leader.
But not many know that
Khmelnitsky was a beastly anti-Semite. On his conscience many pogroms against
the Jews, burning down of towns and villages, and the blood of many innocent
Jews. How many future-geniuses, who could have been great achievers, were lost
to the world. His ruthless thugs had no mercy for women or children.
These are historical
facts. A lot sorrow brought the accursed Khmelnitsky to the land of Ukraine.
But in one town, the
pogrom was especially horrible. Khmelnitsky and his thugs, drunken on Jewish
blood, robbed and destroyed all the homes of the Jews. The boys and the girls
were taken to the Synagogue and were all burnt without mercy. All that was left
of this town was its name, and not one living Jew.
The name of this town
is Chernobyl, and in the exact
place that the Synagogue used to be, was the Nuclear Plant #4 of the infamous
power plant known in the tragedy that occurred in this town.
This
story was pointed out to me by Miriam Esther of NY http://www.aish.com/sp/so/From-Mountain-Mama-to-Yiddishe-Mama.html
From Mountain Mama to Yiddishe Mama
-The true story of an Appalachian family of 12 who converted to Judaism. BPenina Neiman
Sheryl Youngs was born into a devout family of
Sabbath-observing Christians, adherents of the Church of God 7th
Day. Her father, Brother Victor Youngs, was the pastor of their church, a
charismatic leader who conducted many baptismal ceremonies over the years. He
had but one little congregant who stubbornly refused to be baptized; his
daughter Sheryl.
A questioning teen
“I
walked up a wooded hill and peered up at the heavens spread out above the
towering pine trees. The flickering stars felt so close; I felt deeply
connected to God. Deep within, a new thought welled up. God, Creator of the
magnificent heavens above me, was surely great enough to hear my prayers. I
said to myself, ‘If the God of the universe is so powerful as to make these
heavens, then I know that He can listen to my prayer. I need no mediator! From
now on, I am only going to pray to God Himself!’”1
Sheryl
was a voracious reader, passionately devouring book after book in her quest for
knowledge of God and her purpose in the world. It was the following words of
Tolstoy that got her thinking, “’These are the great questions of life that
everyone has to answer; is there a God? Is there life after death? Is there
reward and punishment? What’s the purpose of life?’ These questions fueled my
desire for more knowledge. The more I read, the more I realized that there was
much more to know. I began to keep a list of books that I was determined to
track down and read. My father once joked that I reminded him of an alcoholic
pining for a drink, and there was truth to his words. I read like a man
possessed, devouring book after book in my search for answers.”
Although
she had many questions, Sheryl was afraid to express her concerns. She began to
search for answers within the context of different branches of Christianity,
but in every church she encountered new practices and beliefs that went against
her perception of God.
Bible College
Moving to Appalachia
She
had envisioned living in a pleasant farmhouse with a white picket fence.
Instead, home was a little room at the back of her in-laws’ house deep in the
Appalachian Mountains. This was the 1970’s, and Sheryl now had to get used to a
home with no indoor plumbing, a place where a soothing hot shower was an
impossible luxury and outhouses were the norm.
Back
in school John presented the perfect picture of a modern man. He cut a smart image
in his suit and drove a nice car. Sheryl had every reason to believe that he
was used to the same middle class standards that she was. Having grown up in
the ’60’s, Sheryl had a bit of an anti-materialistic mentality, and was not all
that alarmed by the thought of “roughing it.” Yet the beginning of her married
life was challenged by the great cultural differences she now confronted at
every turn. The new slow-paced life style she was introduced to as they began
their family amongst the mountain folk was light years away from anything
Sheryl had ever imagined.
A homeschooling
pioneer
Breaking away from the
Church
Searching for God’s
People
Finding peace in the
Land of Israel
From L.
C. Good news for abandoned women: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/new-hope-for-agunot-women-trapped-by-separated-husbands/2013/12/10/
This
came from Miriam Esther of Boston: Time to boycott the Dan Hotel Chain http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/173560#.UqVQ3yfG-So
From
Lilo: Jews are bullied because they exist: http://www.pocketfullofliberty.com/jews-knockout-attacks/
Missionaries
taking advantage of ignorant Jews especially Russian Immigrants in the South: http://www.yadlachimusa.org.il/?CategoryID=192&ArticleID=882
A Jew
in prison in Cuba for trying to set up an internal Jewish Internet. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4462304,00.html
Oy Gewalt! Noreen sent me a link that Human DNA is being used in
GMO rice!
The man
who dealt with the complaints of the soldiers in service passes away. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Matt
Barry Shaw
of the Jerusalem Post supplied the link my comments: Israeli Air Force does not
like dog fights but if we must we will an old movie from the days of the Mirage
I worked with equipment for Kfirs and other more modern Aircraft. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xlalUXx3Sg
Strange
Planet in space: http://guardianlv.com/2013/12/planet-has-been-discovered-that-should-not-be-there/
I got
this nice Oseh Maaseh Beresheis from the mother of Kayla Rus (Ruth) bas Chaya
Rachel the teen cancer patient as a relief perhaps thanks for our prayers: http://www.sunnyskyz.com/blog/30/What-Are-Those-Objects-On-The-Dam-Wall-You-Have-Got-To-Be-Kidding
To post this or not to post this but being a parent and
grandparent I decided to post this to get parents to warn their daughters of
these dangers. I am sure this is how Natalie Holloway disappeared. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4463830,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
This
was an IED and planted by somebody in Syria: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174879
This
was very close to where I used to patrol the Syrian Border fully exposed in ’80
or ’81. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4462329,00.html
An Arab
Israeli town half Christian and half Muslim: http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Son-of-Greek-Orthodox-priest-who-supports-IDF-enlistment-attacked-in-Nazareth-334261
The
community organizer tries to speak to individuals over the heads of politicians
this was broadcasted on all three channels live Motzei Shabbos: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/WATCH-Obama-speaking-at-the-SABAN-Forum-in-Washington-DC-334266
Al Qaeda
the brothers of the Muslim Brotherhood endangers the area as well as Iran: http://debka.com/article/23506/Kerry-brings-plan-integrating-West-Bank-security-in-planned-US-led-anti-Al-Qaeda-regional-force-
H.
sent me this. (R.C. almost lost her father a farmer to murderers but he had a
gun. Baruch Levine lost his father, a farm, who loved by his workers but murdered
for being white) BETHULIE – A massive outburst of violence is expected all over
South Africa as soon as Nelson Mandela is dead. Uhuru, as it is known, is a prophesy that
white people will be “swept into the sea”, famously foretold by Siener
van Rensburg many, many, many years ago.
White
people are stocking up on baked beans, bully beef and paraffin. Biltongis being dried, beskuit is being baked. Pumpkins are
being taken off the roof and into the basement. Brandy is being rationed, and
dogs are being donated to the SPCA.
Wouter Veenstra and his family have
managed to convert their home into a compound. Veensra is not taking any
chances. The steel bars on the windows have been replaced by titanium, and the
windows now boast bulletproof glass. The roof of the house has been covered
with camouflage netting. Shelves along the walls are lined with enough food,
fuel and water to last approximately two months. “Our only problem is human
waste,” revealed Veenstra. “If they figure out how to block it in they may be
able to stink us out.”
Still, Veenstra is not about to give
up, and preparations for the day when South Africa will be engulfed in a sea of
violence continues full steam. He’s got a whole team of his black farm workers
digging a bunker. If they manage to break through the first line of defense,
the Veenstra family plans to descend into the underground. “We will survive,
come what may,” declared Veenstra. “They’re not going to get us. We’ll go into
hiding if we have to. We’re not afraid of anyone.”
The truth about Kerry’s Peace Plan: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174896#.UqQJwZvxvIU
All the EU
aid went to weapons: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israel-warns-eu-of-emerging-gaza-humanitarian-disaster/2013/12/03/
Mobs
attack Jews and the army had to shoot http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Palestinian-report-14-year-old-shot-dead-by-IDF-north-of-Ramallah-334267
Iran
laughs at Obama all the way to the bank: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4462548,00.html
We have
to upgrade safety standards all around: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/07/metro-north-feds_n_4404017.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl30%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D416001
Kerry
is running amuck with his goal of getting the Nobel Prize: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174917#.UqTIcZvxvIU
Nice
talk but no action: http://debka.com/article/23508/Obama-Iran-must-shut-Fordo-give-up-making-centrifuges-Palestinians-must-accept-framework-deal-
Obama
and Kerry have done something that no other US President was capable of doing
getting quiet co-ordination between Israel and Saudi Governments. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174939#.UqVHzpvxvIU
New
home front defense strategy: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Security-establishment-drafts-new-defense-doctrine-for-threats-to-home-front-334403
What
does Iran do on the diplomatic front? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4463354,00.html
The way
the news was talking it was as if there was another Arab entity by the Dead
Sea: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4463319,00.html
The
Egyptian Military do not like Israel or the Peace Agreement but they hate the
Jihad more: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174970#.UqagqZvxvIU
This
guy wants a Prize for Peace over our dead bodies: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/174981#.UqahOZvxvIU
On one
hand Hezballah is losing fighters on the other they are getting combat
hardened. http://debka.com/article/23512/US-in-quiet-talks-with-Hizballah-as-Syrian-rebels-lose-Qalamoun-strongholds-in-crushing-defeat
The
carrot and the stick with Kerry - Here is the carrot: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/US-defense-bill-boosts-funding-for-joint-Israel-missile-defense-projects-334524
This is part of untold stories from any army: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4463692,00.html sometimes one must praise true courage and bravery: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4464363,00.html
Kerry unsure of Iranian deal so why did he make it? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4463810,00.html
A change in the Israeli thought process taking place: http://www.jpost.com/National-News/New-forum-chaired-by-Uzi-Arad-aims-to-draw-up-Israeli-grand-strategy-334632
How to aggravate Republicans http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175025#.Uqfu05vxvIU How to aggravate your
wife: A picture is worth 1000 words http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/12/10/barack-obamas-selfie-with-danish-prime-minister-leaves-twitter-a-tweet-about-michelle-obama-soap-opera/
Iran trying to isolate the Sunni influence or my Jihad is
better than your Jihad: http://debka.com/article/23514/Iran-pushes-for-Saudi-isolation-in-the-Gulf-amid-military-buildup-in-Hormuz
Winter Wonderland up the mountains from me: Sleigh bells
ring ... http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175066 http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Snowfall-forces-cancellation-of-school-in-Jerusalem-territories-334765
From the insecurity zone to the security zone: http://debka.com/article/23516/US-switches-military-aid-from-rebels-in-the-north-to-new-pro-US-security-zone-against-Al-Qaeda
RJC to Senate
Democrats: Stop Blocking Iran Sanctions
Washington, D.C.
(December 11, 2013) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) released a
statement today regarding efforts by top Senate Democrats to block consideration
of stronger sanctions against Iran.
RJC Executive
Director Matt Brooks stated, "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate
Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson are preventing the Senate from
considering legislation to impose stronger sanctions on Iran. In August, the
House passed a bill that would impose stronger sanctions on Iran's energy
sector and limit Iran's access to money in overseas accounts, among other
provisions, to reduce the funds Iran has available for its nuclear program.
Senate action on similar language has been promised but has been delayed
repeatedly by the senior Democrat Senators who control the agenda.
"Determined to
prevent consideration of a bipartisan amendment strengthening sanctions,
Senator Reid has delayed the Defense authorization bill until the last minute
and is now trying to ram the bill through the Senate without allowing any
amendments at all. Senator Johnson has stalled action on the sanctions bill
before his committee.
"We call on the
Senate Democrats to allow Senators to vote on Iran sanctions legislation.
Sanctions are the most effective method so far for bringing pressure to bear on
the Iranian regime. They brought Iran to the negotiating table and they are our
best means of keeping the pressure on Iran to stop their nuclear program. It is
time for the Senate to take action on tough Iran sanctions."
Have a productive fast and a good Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli.
