Parsha Vayehi, Stories

Parsha Vayehi

Yacov at the age of 130 is retired. He receives a little Nachas in this world. For after all when he worked for the cattle, flocks and other physical things it was to sustain his family not to run around like a millionaire. For he worried about a future not only for the spur of the moment but for his family in this world and the next. At this point Yacov lives between the age of 130 to 147 with servants and near his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

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. 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.

The Avos swore by the holy Bris for they served the L-RD in purity and innocence and their actions and bodies were kept pure. So when Yacov realized that his days and hours were numbered he called for Yosef to help him. He trusted Yosef over all the brothers. He now is hopeless and wants to be buried next to his wife Leah in the Machpelah. [Remember the Torah calls her the ‘hated’ wife but that was because he loved her just a little less than Rachel.] Even though Yosef was not her son, she did help Yacov raise Yosef. I recently read a commentary that she also died young a number of years after Rachel but I forgot the source.

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.

He knew that if Yosef swore that he would be buried in Chevron it would be so even if Yosef could not attend. From the next Pasuk it appears to me that this occurred about 40 days or more before Yacov passed into the next world. For it is stated that 40 days before a person dies he feels within his soul that he is about to go.

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.

Now Yosef comes with his sons to Yacov for they know that this is going to be the last time or close to the last time that they will see Yacov alive.

2 And one told Jacob, and said: 'Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee.' And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

This is the way of all mankind when somebody important comes we tidy up and have things ready to greet them. The ill, the elderly and disable will strengthen themselves on their beds.

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. 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. 6 And thy issue, that thou beget after them, shall be thine; they shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

I will treat Ephraim and Menashe like my own children for inheritance for you are the son of the wife I contracted for therefore you are my true Bechor and get a double portion. However, if you have more children, they will be called on as part of Ephraim and Menashe.

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?'

He too like Yitzchak had weaker eyesight. From a distance they were blurry at first.

9 And Joseph said unto his father: 'They are my sons, whom God has 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.

Even with weaker eyes one who has his mental facilities can distinguish voice, smell and touch of the boys.

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.

Yosef had put Menashe at Yacov’s right for he was the first born and therefore deserved the right had (in truth he got double inheritance when the land was parceled one half in Eretz Yisrael proper and one half on the conquered lands on the other side of the Yarden.

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.' 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.'

I purposely put him by your right for your right hand blessing for him.

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 was steeped at this time in practical matters in this world. It slipped his mind for a minute that Yacov was speaking from prophecy and not just the blessing of a parent.

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.

Unto this day as Shabbos comes in we bless the male children with this blessing while the females are blessed with the names of all four mothers of Israel. Rabbi Glixman had the custom as we slept in his Schul in Homestead, FL to bless everybody from the Congregation laying his hands on the heads of the men and then above the heads of the women. This was the first time in my life at the age of 52 that I received a blessing on the Eve of Shabbos and I loved it.

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.'

This appears to be a reference of the war that took place after the slaughter of the people of Schem and therefore Yosef’s main portion (Ephraim) and his burial spot will be here.

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.

At this point he still had the Shechina on himself and wanted to reveal the last possible date for Moshiach. There are those that say the Keitz (End of Days) is given hidden in Gematria in the blessing of Yehuda and those who know understand. Yacov passed away in the year 2315 and to tell the children that the days of Moshiach would be closer to be at least 3461 hence might bring to the abandonment of hope so it remained hidden to most of us.

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.

And the first of my might: That is, his first drop [of semen], for he had never experienced a nocturnal emission. — [from Yeb. 76a] My might: Heb. אוֹנִי, my strength, similar to: “I have found power (אוֹן) for myself” (Hos. 12:9);“because of His great might (אוֹנִים)” (Isa. 40:26);“and to him who has no strength (אוֹנִים)” (ibid. 29). - [from Targum Onkelos] Superior in rank: Heb. שְׂאֵת יֶתֶר. You were fit to be superior over your brothers with the priesthood, an expression of raising up the hands (נְשִׂיאוּת כַּפַיִם) [to recite the priestly blessing]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 99:6] And superior in power: Heb. וְיֶתֶר עָז, [i.e. superior] with kingship, like “And He will grant strength (עֹז) to His king” (I Sam. 2:10). - [from Gen. Rabbah 99:6]

4 Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; because thou went up to thy father's bed; then defiled thou it--he went up to my couch.

[You have] the restlessness of water: The restlessness and the haste with which you hastened to display your anger, similar to water which hastens on its course. Therefore you shall not have superiority: You shall no longer receive all these superior positions that were fit for you. Now what was the restlessness that you exhibited? The restlessness: that Name that ascended my couch. That is the Shechinah, which was accustomed to going up on my bed. — [from Shab. 55b] For you ascended upon your father’s couch; then you profaned: Heb. פַּחַז. This is a noun; therefore, it is accented on the first syllable, and the entire word is vowelized with the “pattach.” [I.e., each syllable is vowelized with a “pattach.”] If it were a [verb in] past tense, [meaning: he was restless,] it would be vowelized פָּחַז, half with a “kamatz” and half with a “pattach,” and it would be accented on the latter syllable (פָּחַז). My bed: Heb. יְצוּעִי, a term denoting a bed, because it is spread (מַצִּיעִים) with mattresses and sheets. There are many similar occurrences:“ I shall not go up on the bed that was spread for me (יְצוּעָי)” (Ps. 132:3);“when I remember You on my couch (יְצוּעָי)” (ibid. 63:7). - [from Targum Onkelos]

Reuven did get a blessing but it was done with Mussar so one has to read through it well. His restlessness can be turned into positive energy but he has to work on it. We see that his tribe is so restless that they want to settle NOW on the Golan Heights before even entering the land as we see in Devarim. The blessing of water which hastens downwards is certainly on the Golan Heights.

5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; weapons of violence their kinship.

Simeon and Levi are brothers: [They were] of one [accord in their] plot against Shechem and against Joseph: “So they said one to the other, ‘…So now, let us kill him…’ ” (Gen. 37:19f). Who were “they”? If you say [that it was] Reuben or Judah, [that cannot be because] they did not agree to kill him. If you say [that it was] the sons of the maidservants, [that cannot be because] their hatred [toward him] was not [so] unmitigated [that they would want to kill him], for it is stated: “and he was a lad [and was] with the sons of Bilhah” (Gen. 37:2). [It could not have been] Issachar and Zebulun [because they] would not have spoken before their older brothers. [Thus,] by necessity [we must say that] they were Simeon and Levi, whom their father called “brothers.” - [from Gen. Rabbah, Shitah Chadashah] Stolen instruments: This craft of murder is in their hands wrongfully, [for] it is [part] of Esau’s blessing. It is his craft, and you (Simeon and Levi) have stolen it from him. — [from Tanchuma Vayechi 9] Their weapons: Heb. מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם, a term denoting weapons. In Greek, the word for sword is“machir” (Tanchuma Vayechi 9). Another explanation: מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם means: In the land of their dwelling (מְגוּרָתָם) they conducted themselves with implements of violence, like “Your dwelling place (מְכֹרֹתַי‏) and your birthplace (וּמוֹלְדֹתַי‏)” (Ezek. 16:3). This is Onkelos’s translation. — [from Tanchuma Vayechi 9]

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.

Let my soul not enter their counsel: This is the [future] incident of Zimri [that Jacob is referring to], when the tribe of Simeon gathered to bring the Midianitess before Moses, and they said to him, “Is this one forbidden or permitted? If you say she is forbidden, who permitted you to marry Jethro’s daughter?” Let my name not be mentioned in connection with that affair. [Therefore, the Torah depicts Zimri as] “Zimri the son of Salu, the prince of a father’s house of the Simeonites” (Num. 25:14), but [Scripture] did not write, “the son of Jacob.” - [from Sanh. 82a, Gen. Rabbah 99:6]

In my opinion the part of marrying the daughter of Yisro seems a bit off from the Pshat for the brothers in the days of Yacov married women from the area whether good or bad and did not go like Yitzchak and Yacov before them to marry into the family. This was healthier for the Gene Pool too. In the future from Levi will come Moshe who will harness his energy to fight even all of Egypt and Pinchas who will slay the Yetzer of Shimon but not united.

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.

The tribe of Levi did not get an inheritance and they were even in the Mishkan separated into Cohanim and the three sub-divisions each on a different side of the Mishkan. Now they are scattered throughout all of Am Yisrael.

8 Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; thy father's sons shall bow down before thee.

Judah, [as for] you, your brothers will acknowledge you: Since he reproved the first ones (Reuben, Simeon, and Levi) with reproach, Judah began retreating backwards [so that he (Jacob) would not reprove him for the deed involving Tamar (Gen. 38:16 ff). So Jacob called him with words of appeasement, “Judah, you are not like them.” - [From Shitah Chadashah]

Reuven lacked leadership quality and Shimon and Levi rebelled against the contract that Yacov made with Chamor and Schem. Yehuda owed up to his responsibility in saying “She is more righteous than I!”

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?

Melech David was short and appeared crouched next to Goliard and yet he rose up to slay him. He may crouch from humility and David was short vs. Shaul who towered over most men.

10 The scepter 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.

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]

You have sired the seed for the Moshiach who will at the end of days redeem Yisrael.

11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washes his garments in wine, and his vesture in the blood of grapes; 12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

This refers to Chevron and the Judean Hills which is great wine country.

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.

This is in Lebanon up the coast kilometers north of Nahariya and the northern tip of Yisrael today. In the future the borders will be up to Turkey and even the port of Tripoli in the far north shall be ours. He will finance the Torah study of Yissachar and become rich for this.


14 Issachar is a large-boned ass, couching down between the sheep-folds. 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.

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]

Further on Rashi states that he will have plenty of fruit to eat and commerce and trade to support his Torah he will not work hard but rest and learn Torah.

16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

Dan will avenge his people: Heb. יָדִין, will avenge his people from the Philistines, like“When the Lord avenges (יָדִין) His people” (Deut. 32:36). - [From Targum Onkelos]

In the future there will be a judge who will sit on the Sanhedrin who will judge the nations of the world for what they have done to Israel. A video type vision from heaven will show the films of the Shoah, Inquisition, Pogroms, etc. They will shrink in fear on “That Day” (Zechariah 14)

17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward. 18 I wait for Thy salvation, O LORD.

A reference to Shimshon and the snake is a sign for great earning power and the medical profession in the far future.

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.

This is a great play on words.

20 As for Asher, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

[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.

21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

In the future he will make breakthroughs in communications and transport that will give more time for enhanced Torah learning and Shuirim.

22 Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain; its branches run over the wall. 23 The archers have dealt bitterly with him, and shot at him, and hated him; 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,

A reference to his brothers and the bow and being steady is a reference to withstanding the wife of Potiphar. For even though he was young and his bow was drawn, he held steadfast like a stone. Therefore he is the stone who confronts the wolf, Esav, in the end of days.

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 couches 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.

The crouching and springing up is the Moshiach ben Yosef. Yosef will in the end be with Yehuda just as they were in Vayigash but this time Yehuda will rule but Yosef will carry it out. This will be a reverse role from what was in Egypt where Yosef ruled and Yehuda carried it out.

27 Benjamin is a wolf that ravens; in the morning he devours the prey, and at even he divides the spoil.'

Where is the spoil divided? In the Beis HaMikdash which fell in the portion of Benyamin. It is here where the spiritual spoils [Korbanos] are the prey and divided between the Cohanim and Am Yisrael.

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 W; 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.

With a sound mind, he blessed them but HASHEM withheld the Keitz for a nation longing for three thousand years plus might give up hope but a nation waiting daily would fight on with their last ounce of strength through Inquisition and Shoah willing being burned or tortured rather than become Catholic or singing “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Moshiach and even though he tarries, I will wait for him daily” as they marched into the gas chambers.

1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

HASHEM had promised Yacov that he would close his eyes.

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 not only an honor and a protection for Yosef but also security that Yosef would not stay with his father in the land where he buried him.

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-Mitzrayim, which is beyond the Jordan.

Abel Mitzrayim the mourning from/of Egypt for the assemblage was a large Egyptian presence for Pharaoh essentially owned the land in that area and they paid tax from the time of the famine. Once they had left the land of idols and magic they could now properly mourn and pray for Yacov. So they made a Chespid here.

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.

Pharaoh was happy that he did not lose his advisor and felt good that he had done a great favor and honor to Yosef.

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.'

They were afraid that Yosef did not avenge himself on them during Yacov’s life time or before burial as the soul hovers above the coffin but now that Yacov was secure in the next world they might get what they deserve in this world.

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.'

They suspected that Yosef might want vengeance like Shimon and Levi did to Schem. They were scared.

And Joseph wept when they spoke unto him.

He wept because they suspected him. In Yoma we see the same scene with the Cohain Gadol on Yom Kippur night.

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.

He hugged and kissed each one and calmed them down for he truly loved them and attributed everything to G-D.

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.

He did not live to the age of the fathers and knew that he would be buried in Mitzrayim but also requested that his bones be brought up to Eretz Yisrael. Some if not all of the brothers outlived him and this will be our link to the next Sefer of Chumash as we conclude in strength Sefer Beresheis.

Chazak – Chazak v’ nit Chazak

Dr. Harry shared with me this story from Rabbi L. Brody Shlita how he became what he is today.

When I first set out in search of truth and tranquility, I was a 165-pound ticking time bomb of anger and revenge. Neither my initial return to my roots nor my first years in Yeshiva did much to calm the snarling wolf that was within me. Finally, Hashem took pity on me and introduced me to the books and teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev. Rebbe Nachman’s teachings changed my own life drastically for the better.

My environment hasn't changed – I still live smack in the middle of the powder keg known as the Middle East, and a half hour drive from Gaza, one of the most hostile places on earth. But, deep inside after nearly two decades of quenching my spiritual thirst with Rebbe Nachman’s teachings and implementing his advice the best I can, my life flows - I know why I want to get out of bed in the morning, and I know where I want to go. The inner conflicts have disappeared a long time ago. Where there's no inner conflict, there's peace. If I could undergo such a change for the better, you certainly can.

Rebbe Nachman teaches you how to make peace with yourself. He also teaches how to apply emuna – the pure and simple belief in Hashem – to your everyday life. I’ve seen remarkable achievements of former turbulence and stress-sufferers by applying Rebbe Nachman’s wonderful teachings to their lives. They have learned to be at peace with themselves and with the entire world.

Thousands of newcomers to Breslev thought are living proof that you don't have to become a recluse on a Tibet mountain top in order to enjoy a life of emotional sweetness and serenity. Spiritual True North is right here, under our noses.

Remember this simple but immensely important rule of thumb: The more we care for our souls, the more we'll attain happiness. The more we attain happiness, the less stress, anxiety, and other emotional tribulations will have a negative influence on our lives.

Imagine that the soul is an invisible magnetic protective field that encompasses the human psyche. If that magnetic field isn't activated, then any so-called emotional germs stand a strong chance of entering the brain and heart, ultimately wreaking havoc to the entire body. But, once we activate the protective "magnetic field", we are able to function successfully in the face of any stress situation, since we don't internalize the negative influences of the environment. As such, the human soul serves as a spiritual bullet-proof vest that protects us from the dangers of modern society.

Spiritual light has no finite or material characteristics. We use the word "light" for lack of a better term; since our minds are limited to grasping concepts of a physical nature, we have no alternative but to attach physical labels to spiritual concepts. The unique characteristic of the human soul is that is a tiny spark of the Creator himself, the source of the spiritual light that sustains the soul.

The soul consists of three main parts. To function properly, one must activate all three parts of the soul. The soul is breached whenever a person fails to activate a portion of it, just as an automobile can't function with faulty or inactivated parts.

A partially activated or blemished soul resembles a punctured tire. Just as a punctured tire cannot contain air (the bigger the puncture, the faster it loses air and becomes flat), an inactivated or blemished soul is not a fitting vessel for spiritual light.

The more spiritual light the soul absorbs, the more a person gains freedom from turbulent emotions, stress, and anxiety; the more one gains freedom from negative emotions, the more one attains happiness. When a damaged soul fails to absorb or properly contain spiritual light, the person loses any chances of attaining happiness.

Happiness therefore depends on our ability to activate all three parts of the soul, nourish the soul, and prevent damage to the soul. We can be reassured though, that damage to the soul can be repaired. It's also encouraging to know that a repaired soul is better than other second-hand or refurbished objects, since a repaired soul is stronger than an original, unblemished soul. That's why the term "despair" has no place in a spiritual seeker's lexicon.

The more we connect ourselves to The Almighty, His Torah, and to the teachings and advice of a true doctor of the soul such as Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, the more we nourish and activate our souls. The more we activate our souls, the happier we become. It's really that simple. Blessings and best wishes always, Lazer Brody

From Raphael: This is either Purim or a Chassidic Wedding with a Chabad Nigun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwYqktSdsn8

My personal Journey to Judaism by Yaffah Batya DaCosta

I was raised in a nominally Catholic family in New Bedford, MA. At the age of 7 or 8, I heard the priest say, from the pulpit, that the Jews were Christ-killers, and I had an immediate visceral reaction in my gut. I wanted to leave the Church at the age of 16, but my parents said I had to do as they wanted me to do until 18 years of age, and then I could do whatever I wanted to do. After my 18th birthday 1965, I formally left the Catholic Church and religion and never looked back. That was also the year of the 2nd Vatican Council and "Nostra Aetate" - but for me it was too little and too late (thank GD). From then on, I was a devoted “agnostic”. While my older brother had became an atheist. For 20 years I did not step foot in a Catholic church, and during my college years I took courses in comparative religion, and read books like Hal Lindsey’s “Late, Great Planet Earth”. In that book he made a statement that said of all the prophets in the world (including Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, etc.) the only ones with a 100% track record were the Biblical prophets. So this thought intrigued me and I started to study the Christian so-called Old Testament with a focus on the Biblical Prophets. Exactly 20 years later I was in a Catholic Church for the wedding of a good friend, and while there feeling edgy and uncomfortable, I thought about it and realized that it had been a full 20 years since I had attended anything in a Christian Church.

In the year 1985, 20 years after leaving the Christian Church, which was the year my father died from complications related to Alzheimer's, I had gotten very sick and I had almost died. I had started to pray to GD (to me it was simply talking to this entity in my mind) and based on my reading the stories in the Bible I could only address this entity as “the GD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”. In 1992 I decided to go to Israel on a Holy Land tour, and I chose a Hal Lindsey tour because I felt he was an excellent Bible teacher and he would be able to make the places in Israel come alive with stories from the Bible. Now as women go, I am not much of a crying type of person. I had developed into a stoic, like my father, and took most things in the world with calm acceptance and not too emotionally. The plane landed at Ben Gurion airport, and we walked down the stairs (there was no terminal like there is now). When my feet hit the tarmac, I began to weep uncontrollably and I had no understanding of why. I had traveled somewhat before this trip - but no where on earth was I affected as much as in Israel. The people, the language, the culture, the food, the atmosphere - everything affected me very deeply and I didn’t understand why.

I returned to Israel on my own, by myself, without knowing a soul there, in 1993 for Pesach. I stayed at what was then called the Sheraton Plaza (across from the Great Synagogue) on King George Street, and celebrated the Passover Seder in a public ceremony. I returned later that same year, on my own and by myself, for Sukkot. I came back again in 1994 for Shavuot. Each visit lasted from 10-14 days. During this trip in ‘94, I remember being at the Kotel, and speaking to GD in my mind, and troubled because I wanted to learn more (especially about Judaism) but I didn’t know how to go about it. I knew that if I went to any Rabbi, they would ask me if I wanted to convert, and I’d have to answer in all honestly that I didn’t know if I wanted that. I just wanted to learn! Being that I was a professional educator and group facilitator in the business world, the idea came to me “if you want to study, you’ll teach”. So that year I returned home, and started a weekly study group with a handful of people in Warwick R.I. (just outside of Providence) right after Rosh HaShanah of that year. I had bought a Stone Edition of the Chumash. And each week we would read the portion of the week, and the commentaries and discuss. We held these discussion groups of the weekly parasha for an entire year.

At this time I was also going to Christian conferences in Boston and other places, and had a booth in the exhibit area that was pro-Israel. The Israeli flag would be hung on the wall behind me, and I would have a small T.V. there running videos about tourism to Israel, and had books on the table to buy about Israel, and about the “theology of contempt” and anti-Semitism of the Christian world. I also had a Davidic Harp (from the Harraris) on display and I would play the harp loudly, and draw a large crowd, and educate about the Harp of King David. I met many pro-Israel Christians at those conferences and had not a few arguments with some of the anti-Semitic ones.

One of the people I had met at these conferences was a man who owned several Christian Radio stations in New England. Later I developed an idea for a live talk radio broadcast that would educate about the Five Books of Moses from a Jewish perspective, trying to promote peace and understanding between Christians and Jews. So one day I called up this man in the radio broadcasting business, and asked if I could obtain his advice about my ideas for this live talk radio show. I had written a 5-6 page proposal about it. He said yes and invited me to come see him at his office to discuss. He quickly read through the proposal, said he liked the idea very much and said I could do the broadcast on two of his radio stations. He wanted me to begin the broadcast during the time I had scheduled myself for my 5th trip to Israel. So he suggested that I pre-tape the first two broadcasts, and announce on air that the program would be a live call-in radio show as soon as I returned from my trip. That’s exactly what we did.

During my trip to Israel in 1995 (10 years after I had started to talk to GD) during Tisha B’av, I was introduced to a man from the World Jewish Congress. An acquaintance of mine apparently thought I might have some Jewish ancestry, but he did not tell me this. He simply encouraged me to meet with this man from the WJC. During that meeting, the man asked me why I was in Israel on this trip. He said that people coming in the summer time was rare, and the holy day being observed was not a happy one, but a very somber one. I said I understood, and that is exactly why I wanted to come. I said that I wanted to mourn at the Kotel for the destruction of both Temples and for all the terrible things that had happened to the Jewish people, to “your people” I said to him, for the past 2,000 years. He said “but why?” and I said I didn’t know. So he asked about my father’s ancestry. And then he asked about my mother’s ancestry. I told him my mother’s family had come to the USA from the Portuguese colony of the Azores Islands, and his reply was “AHA!” I said “AHA?” That’s when he explained to me all about the story of the Portuguese Jews. See, I had always heard that the Inquisition was a “Spanish Inquisition”, and I had never heard that there was a Portuguese side of the story.

This man was the first person to explain to me that in 1492, when the Jews were expelled from Spain, about half of them went over the border into Portugal. And 5 years later, the Portuguese King Manuel wanted to marry the daughter of the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. So they told him, if he wanted to marry their daughter he would have to get rid of his Jews (in Portugal) like they did (in Spain). So, he issued an expulsion edict in 1497, giving the Jews of Portugal 10 months to leave the country. But at the end of the 10 months, those who were still in the country were gathered into the Plazas, and en mass converted against their will by the sprinkling of holy water into the air. They were given a few years grace period, and after that a very brutal active Inquisition existed in Portugal for anyone secretly practicing Judaism. It was called Judaizing and was considered to be a heresy within the Catholic Church. This active inquisition lasted for 350 years (16th, 17th, 18th and half of the 19th centuries). My great grandmother was born in the Azores towards the middle of the 19th century, right at the end of this active Inquisition.

{{{ Note: In my family, my great grandmother never went to Church in America, we were raised with great fear of “outsiders” and were told there was no such thing as “friends” - and to trust no one outside of the family. We were also not allowed to eat anywhere except at my mother’s table, or that of cousins in my mother’s family. Meat was soaked in a salt brine, we had to check raw eggs for a spot of blood, blood clots and blood veins in cooked chicken were not to be eaten at all, pork was said to be “unclean”, all mirrors were covered in a house of mourning, spring cleaning was done every year to “remove every crumb” from the house, etc. But we never knew, and were never told, anything about Jewish customs and traditions and we didn’t know any Jewish people.}}}

I was, of course, stunned with all of this new information. I asked this man at the WJC how could I continue to learn more about all this. And he said I was living in a great part of the country, near Brown University (in Rhode Island) where there existed a professor and a scholar about this history of Spanish and Portuguese Jews and Crypto-Judaism. I contacted this scholar upon my return, and even interviewed him for my radio broadcast. He also directed me to resources on the Internet about the Crypto-Jews, and after reading lots of material I finally had some questions that I could ask my mother. And she confirmed many family customs and traditions that, unbeknownst to us, were Jewish customs and traditions (many of which were from Oral Law not Written Law).

One of the most impactful things that happened was at my mother’s birthday party that September of 1995, where she had most of her side of the family present. Now my mother’s grandmother was the person who had come to the USA circa 1915 (yes, 100 years ago this year) with one son and six daughters, her eldest daughter was married already and she was my mother’s mother. So my great grandmother’s son’s grandson was my 2nd cousin. And during my mother’s birthday party, I took that 2nd cousin aside, and I said to him (trying to be very gentle and discreet) ... “Joe, did you know that OUR great grandmother might have been Jewish?” He said, “well yeah!” And I said “well yeah?” And he said that in his family, she was known as “Judios” - which is how we say Jewish in Portuguese. So apparently, on the male line, the Jewish identity was passed down. Whereas on the female line, the customs and traditions were passed down but at some point the Jewish identity had stopped being passed down verbally.

So that fall, of 1995, I had begun in earnest to research the customs and traditions in my mother’s family. My mother was very dubious about my newfound interest in this thing called Judaism, but later she happily attended Pesach Seders with me and always enjoyed Friday night dinners. Friday nights I would do all the cooking for us and then light Shabbat candles and find a way to warm cooked food for Saturday lunches. One week, early on during my family research, a friend of mine (also researching his family customs and traditions) called and told me his aunt said that the women would soak a turkey in a salt brine. I shared that news with my mother, and she said that in her family the women soaked all the meat in a salt brine. And I said “BINGO!” She said “What do you mean, BINGO?” Then I explained to her about the Jewish custom of kashering meat, to remove blood. And Friday night of that very week (for the first time) she asked me if I had any extra candles, so that she could light.

Over the next few years, I met many Rabbis and started to more formally learn and practice Judaism. I really didn’t know if it would be proper to call myself a “Jew”, so I referred to myself as a “practicing Hebrew” during those early years. And it was fascinating to see the reaction of people. For my Christian friends and acquaintances, it was all about “beliefs”, so they would ask me if I believed in you know who as messiah and/or as GD, etc. and so forth. For my Jewish friends and acquaintances, it was all about my lifestyle and “practices”. So they would ask me if I observed Shabbat, ate Kosher, observed the holy days, etc. But by the end of 1995, I had decided to take my mother’s family name of daCosta. I announced this publicly on the radio broadcast and at a lecture I gave at the University of Mass at South Dartmouth (with my mother sitting in the front row, beaming with pride). I also announced that I was going to move to Dallas TX in Jan of 1996 to work with the descendants of the Anousim (Crypto-Jews) in the American southwest (which I did, trying to help others to research their roots). I also had moved the radio broadcast to a Christian talk radio station in Dallas, TX and it was on air for about a year. I also met, in 1996, Vendyl Jones (due to the radio broadcast I was doing and a mutual acquaintance Professor Dr. James Tabor). And later, that year, I began to teach Torah to Bnei Noach at the Vendyl Jones Research Institute. All this time I was still doing research and searching of my own Jewish Roots.

I continued my learning Torah/Mitzvot in Dallas TX and I also had an mtDNA test done with www.familytreeDNA.com. My older brother has a PhD in high energy physics, and he said to me, “Don’t talk to me about this unless you can show me the science”. He was the one who told me about mtDNA. And after 4 years of learning and practicing in a Jewish community, I finally found an Orthodox Rabbi and Beit Din in NYC that would accept me as a descendant from the Crypto-Jews (a.k.a. Anousim). I presented to them the following evidences: 1) all the family customs and traditions passed down in my mother’s family, by the women, 2) country of origin my mother’s ancestors in the Azores, 3) names in my mother’s family and 4) mtDNA results (which was considered supplemental) and all of which the Beit Din accepted. In 2000 I went into their NYC mikveh “bli bracha” (i.e. without the blessing of a convert), as a demonstration of my commitment to Judaism and to living according to Torah and halacha. And the Beit Din gave me a “return certificate” ... that is according to the letter by HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu (of blessed memory) as documented by him with a sample “return certificate” to be used for returning descendants of the Anousim. These documents are still available today on the Internet.

I made aliya to Israel on that same “return certificate” in 2004. And I married in a religious ceremony in 2008 in Jerusalem, as approved by the Beit Din of Jerusalem. I've worked with other people, who have this ancestry of the Spanish & Portuguese Crypto-Jews, for the past 15+ years as a coach and advisor and helping them to find communities where they can learn and grow in Torah and halacha on their own path of “return” or conversion to Judaism. I have also coached them to help them regarding the trauma from terrible experiences some of them have had with Jewish people, in not accepting them as Jews, and in saying horrible and hurtful things to them (e.g. that your ancestors MUST have been mamzerim). I will update this story later, on Facebook, with the 2 erroneous myths that, unfortunately, some Jewish people have about the Crypto-Jews. And it seems these myths prevent them from being more accepting and compassionate to the people of this/my ancestry.

Primitive Orthodox or so I thought

It was in the summer of 1966 that I began to believe in HASHEM. I decided to debate or ask questions to an Orthodox Jew who was leaving my College to go for his master’s degree in Physics. He an answer to each question and I never met the man again.

There was still a lack of understanding that many scientists, doctors, engineers and lawyers like Rabbi Beryl Wein Shlita were very educated. In fact the first time I wrote to the Lubavitcher Rebbe I was sort of like explaining him things what a man of his caliber knew before I was born. It had come from seeing Satmar Chassidim in Brooklyn and bigotry within my own family against Orthodox Jews. Not every non-modern Orthodox is what you would call primitive. Rabbi Mimran spent a year in McGill University before he decided to devote himself to Torah and Rabbi Yacov London, my Rosh Yeshiva, taught math at Columbia University. It took time for the new Baal Teshuva to come to the realization that Orthodox Jews might sometimes wear “funny clothing” but that does not make them primitive.

From Chaim S. "You didn't shampoo your hair so we can't operate!"

This shocking statement was made by a nurse to the wife of the head of a Day School in Minneapolis who had not been given instructions on how to prepare herself for surgery.

The only way she would be able to avoid postponing the operation and remaining in the hospital an extra day was to rush out to a drugstore and purchase the required shampoo. But when she reached the nearby pharmacy she was disappointed to find it closed. After desperately banging on the door she was relieved to see a clerk open it, only to inform her that there was no way he could sell her anything since all the computerized cash registers had been shut down.

Explaining her urgent need for the shampoo, the lady begged the clerk to give her a tube and promised that her husband would arrive at eight o'clock, opening time, on the next morning to pay for it. Her appeal touched the clerk's heart and he consented.

The next morning her husband, a Slonimer chassid in traditional black garb, did indeed arrive at the designated hour to make payment. To his surprise, this created a hubbub among the clerks. They had made bets that morning as to whether he would actually come to pay. One clerk who lost the bet cried out, "It's not fair. You didn't tell us his wife was Jewish!"

Does Hell Exist? http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3168943/jewish/Does-Hell-Exist.htm

First let’s ask: does an afterlife exist? I personally know it does, because the guy who fills up my gas told me so. One night, filling up gas, I looked tired. The attendant said I had no right to be more tired than he was; after all, “Just yesterday I hit my head and was dead for a minute and fifteen seconds.” Now I was wide awake. I immediately asked, “Did you see the bright light?” He said yes. Then he said G‑d told him he could go towards it, or back to his body. He chose to go back. Meanwhile the paramedics were doing CPR. On the very last thrust the paramedics are required to do before they call it off, his eyes opened.

I got a lot more than gas that night. I got another eyewitness testimony of life after death. Thousands of such testimonies have been documented, all describing a lot of the same stuff. This means we can know the afterlife exists, just like we know Antarctica exists. Everyone who goes there comes back with the same report. So fear not. Death is just a new kind of life.

*What about hell, though? Who isn’t terrified at the notion of being in a fiery furnace for all eternity? Don’t fear this either. Souls without bodies cannot experience physical pain. But do fear hell. The real word for hell, Gehinnom, means “crying.” People cry from pain there. But what kind of pain?

Once there was a man who saved up all his life for a trip to a distant island. Legend has it that on this island the sand is made of diamonds. He figures he’ll be rich beyond belief. He arrives, and indeed diamonds are everywhere. He starts hoarding them by the barrel. The locals say, “Are you crazy?! Why do you want this sand? It’s just sand!” He ignores them. But, after living there a while, he adopts their ways. There, the most desirable commodity is pig fat, not diamonds. He goes into business and becomes the richest person on the island.

Years later, he arrives home in a huge boat. He proudly tells his wife how successful he was and what a fortune he brought. She just says, “What’s that smell?” Indeed, his boat full of rotten pig fat was smelling up the entire beach. In that moment, it hits him. He falls to the ground, bawling uncontrollably. She cries, “Did you bring back any diamonds at all?” He searches for hours and eventually finds a few small diamonds in his shoe, on which they live a modest life.

Yes. There is fire in hell. It’s the very things we did wrong. And hell is just a huge magnifying glass. A magnifying glass takes sunlight and makes it hot enough to burn. Hell magnifies our wrongdoings until our soul burns. The sins we do so casually here are different there. It’s a more G‑dly world. A more sensitive world. A more intense world. It’s like feeling the pain and regret of that pig fat man, only many times over. No poet can capture that level of pain in words. But it might be a tiny bit like having a movie made out of all your most regrettable thoughts and actions. Played in all theaters around the world. G‑d will be watching that movie. He sent you to this earth for 70 or 80 years to get diamonds. Now He can’t bear the stench. It must hurt like hell.

But it also hurts good. Overwhelming experiences bring about what’s called catharsis. That’s the release you get after a good cry. Gehinnom also brings relief and revival. And a new perspective you’ll later be thankful you got. See, G‑d isn’t rubbing it in your face. He’s scrubbing out ingrained dirt that you’ve had on your face too long to notice. It’s also temporary. Twelve months max, and only six days a week. You spend Shabbat in heaven, and then it’s back to work. Always remember, Gehinnom is a preparation, not a destination. We’re all going to paradise. Some just need some time to get dressed for the occasion.

That said, it’s my job to keep you out of there. So I’ll teach you how to invest in your afterlife, so there’s massive fortunes waiting, and no pig fat. First, you need the right mindset. Remember, all your thoughts and actions are recorded. Each one matters, and you’re on G‑d’s time. Your goal is to grab every moment you can to do whatever you think He’d want. The opportunities to do shiny, sparkling G‑dly deeds are plentiful as the sand. You just have to notice them and take action.

Second, understand the currency. 

The retirement fund you held onto is worthless. The real diamonds here are humility, self-sacrifice, and kindness. Third, buy low and sell high. When something happens you don’t like, don’t curse G‑d for it. Bless G‑d for it. That’s how you profit. Because tiny inconveniences here wipe out loads of Gehinnom, or give you a big promotion in paradise. Either way, it’s a gift. Say thanks. Fourth, know the biggest profits will come from the biggest sacrifices. Give charity until it hurts. Pray until you’re exhausted. Study Torah when it makes no sense to you and you’re not in the mood. Do this daily, and you’ll be wealthy beyond words.

There’s an interesting fact about the next world. If you could visit the very highest rung in heaven, a rank higher than even Moses and Moshiach, do you know who you’ll find? A very fat man. An ignoramus and glutton, who did nothing with his life. So why is he there, at the very highest level of the world to come? You see, as a child, he saw his father burn at the stake for G‑d’s holy name. He noticed his father was frail and thin, so he burned quickly. He decided then that he would always eat as much as possible, so, he said, if he ever would have to burn for G‑d’s holy name, “I will burn and burn and burn. Boy, will I burn!” Every bite that he ate was for G‑d. In the world of truth, his very being is diamonds, and boy, must he shine.

In the future, in the messianic era, death and suffering will end. Heaven, with all the souls in it, will become part of this world. There will be literal heaven on earth. And you directly decide when it happens. Because when you start chasing G‑dliness instead of dollar signs, you become heavenly. When we all do it, the world becomes heavenly. Then the souls can move in and feel at home. We’ll be reunited for an eternal paradise right where we are. Let’s do it today.

Life Style that adds on up to three years is not sports! It boggles the mind of many but it is good for you and live longer: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4743567,00.html

Do you know why Israel has so many problems with Obama it is not all Bibi’s fault: I got this from Linda this book will probably confirm to me what I suspected for a long time. http://newsexaminer.net/entertainment/secret-service-agent-says-obama-is-gay-muslim/

Shabbos Rest Law passes the minister’s approval to make business except for entertainment close on Shabbos to protect worker’s exploitation by owners. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4742407,00.html

Naphtali Bennet may be going too far out on a limb for the more religious members of the National Union. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205388#.VntzdxV96M8

Inyanay Diyoma

The baby injured lost his leg but will smile: http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/12/16/father-of-15-month-old-whose-leg-was-severed-in-palestinian-car-ramming-attack-i-hope-my-son-will-smile-again/

Turkey moves towards restoring relations with Israel not because of Obama but Putin: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4740891,00.html

Vladimir Putin respecting a man who knows how to lead: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205107#.VnOOrBV96M8

UN recognizes Yom Kippur!!! http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205108#.VnOPuBV96M8

Ed-Op the Saudis gut the market with oil to fight Iran, Russia and teach the US a lesson. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4740583,00.html

Ed-Op sometimes it pays to listen: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-Fray-A-challenge-to-a-French-philosopher-437681

Foiled again: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205136#.VnQUIRV96M8

News over Shabbos terrorist only captured!: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/19/police-palestinian-stabs-3-in-central-israeli-city-raanana-1-critically-wounded.html

Powerful IED’s found near the Gaza border: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4741142,00.html

Refugees? http://pamelageller.com/2015/12/berlin-muslims-chant-islamic-state-war-song-hand-out-recruiting-leaflets-on-train.html/

Freed in the Shalit deal and we tried to hit him on the Golan but must of have missed this time bulls eye: http://debka.com/article/25097/Israeli-rockets-killed-infamous-terrorist-Samir-Quntar-in-Damascus

Obama approves aid package to Israel to counter his Iran deal: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4741374,00.html

Rockets fell this week in the south and nobody unfortunately was upset. However, it used to be years ago in the north and this time people are wary as we got rid of a ticking time-bomb terrorist. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4741825,00.html

East Yerushalayim rioters: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4742102,00.html

Nancy Pelosi comes out with this and to think that Debbie Wasserman Schultz is not far behind: http://www.jewsnews.co.il/2015/04/08/nancy-pelosi-hamas-is-a-humanitarian-organization/

David’s Sling or Magic Wand passes the final tests before operations: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205240#.VnfbWRV96M8

Deprived of sleep, tortured and sodomized the Shin Bet gets a confession from this youth as another attack on Arabs occur: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205300#.Vnkq8BV96M8

The Shin Bet sodomized the wrong fellow into a confession as another attack occurs: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Smoke-bomb-thrown-at-Palestinian-house-during-suspected-price-tag-attack-438031

Was this terror or high on substance? After I wrote that question people told me that she was screaming allah hu akbar by witnesses and the police know it but not the PC media. http://www.aol.com/article/2015/12/21/oregon-woman-held-in-las-vegas-strip-sidewalk-rampage/21286492/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl41%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1815006379

Iranians hacked into an Oregon Hydro-electric Dam. In MO Middle Eastern looking men enquired about a dam. Maybe somebody better think of better security but then it must be Bush’s fault of course. Elsewhere down under in Kangaroo Country there were a bunch of Islamic Terrorists hopping around planning an attack but they were stopped. Nothing on the big media but the Israelis reported it.

Lebanon-Syria the perhaps vengeance of the Hezballah crowd: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4742059,00.html

Because of the tense Northern Border, Netanyahu calls up Putin so to set the record straight and alieve any unnecessary tension. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205346#.Vnoc2BV96M8

Gog and Magog in progress: http://debka.com/article/25102/US-Iranian-Russian-Iraqi-offensive-launched-to-recover-Ramadi-from-ISIS

Ariela posted this from Yoni and Irina: THIS IS NOT THE CORRECT REACTION TO AN ANTISEMITIC ATTACK: I just wanted to share with you all something that occurred in Manhattan at the L'oreal Building in Manhattan on 47th street between 5th and Madison. I was in the adjacent Starbucks for my coffee when there was a commotion happening in the L'oreal building. A man, about 5' 5" Arab looking, demanded that a chasidic man get up from a public table in the lobby because he wanted to sit there. The chasidic man told him that he was there first and he will try to finish his sandwich quickly so he can sit. Without warning, this Arab looking man punched him in the face multiple times and continued assaulting him until he fled the scene with his girlfriend. I was watching from the nearby Starbucks and was shocked at the anger this animal had when he was assaulting this poor Chasidic guy. I approached the Chasidic guy which was startled and wanted to call the police so he can file a report and he refused saying that he didn't want to make a big deal!! I was trying to convince him telling him that this type of hatred isn't only directed to him, but is a direct threat to all Jews since this was an outright hate crime. He still refused saying he doesn't want to make a big deal. I was going to call the news stations so they can arrive and he almost started crying saying that he didn't want to blow this up since it is improper in his community to go public on TV. Only 70 years ago, Jews were killed and gassed by the Nazi's and did not protest their rights and freedom!! We will not let this happen again!! It was also shocking to me how everyone in the lobby and in the adjacent Starbucks were sitting quiet and no one even called the police or offered the Chasidic man any help. We must stop this hate!! We must protest!! We will not let this happen again to us!! Today it's this Jew, tomorrow it will be some other Jew. We must strive to make this baseless hate known to the world!! Stand for Israel!! Stand for the Jewish Nation!! Amen!!

Yaffa Gate stabbings: When female police officers kill the Arabs they cannot become Shachidim and the two died still 144 virgins! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4743358,00.html

Ed-Op regarding Lebanon from former National Security Council Head speaks his mind: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4743216,00.html

Border Patrols and added security. When I first patrolled the border in 1977 we had a “smart fence” but since then, a balloon with a camera watched by female soldiers and more when in 1995 I did my last border patrol and things have only improved. Now no comments on the open US Borders: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Europe-in-talks-with-IAI-to-find-border-security-solution-438251

Stabbing attack in an industrial zone: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4743727,00.html

ISIS found in Nazareth: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/346519#.Vnu3tI9OKM8

Stabbing attempt in Chevron: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4743755,00.html

Fatwa ISIS can harvest organs from live people even to kill them, slaves, rape, etc. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/205465#.Vnz7RY9OKM8

Two Iranian controllers killed with Samir Kuntar. http://debka.com/article/25110/Arch-terrorist-Samir-Quntar’s-two-secret-Iranian-controllers-died-with-him

Hezballah is warned by Israel: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4744186,00.html

Have a healthy Shabbos all,

Rachamim Pauli