PARACHAT VAYEHI
2 janvier 2021 / 19 tevet 5781
Aujourd’hui le vendredi 31 décembre 2020
C'est le dernier jour de la semaine, dernier jour du mois, le dernier jour de l’année et espérons que ce sera le dernier jour du calvaire que nous vivons
Et que cette nouvelle année apportera notre délivrance de la pandémie
Amen
Hazkara : Joseph Bénisti (zl) (époux de Yaffa Bénisti)
Le kiddoush est offert par la famille de Joseph Bénisti (zl)
Vayé'hi - en bref
Genèse 47, 28 - 50, 26
Jacob vit les 17 dernières années de sa vie en Égypte. Avant sa mort, il demande à Joseph de faire le serment qu’il l’enterrera en Terre Sainte. Il bénit les deux fils de Joseph, Manasseh et Ephraïm, les élevant au statut de ses propres fils comme fondateurs de tribus au sein du peuple d’Israël.
Le patriarche souhaite révéler la fin des temps à ses enfants, mais il en est empêché. Jacob bénit alors ses fils, attribuant à chacun le rôle de sa tribu : Judah produira des chefs, des législateurs et des rois ; les prêtres viendront de Lévi, les savants d’Issakhar, les navigateurs de Zévouloun, les maîtres d’école de Chimone, les soldats de Gad, les juges de Dan, les producteurs d’olives d’Acher, etc. Ruben est blâmé pour avoir « troublé le mariage de son père », Chimone et Lévi pour le massacre de Chekhem et le complot contre Joseph. Naphtali se voit attribuer la rapidité d’une gazelle, Benjamin la férocité d’un Loup et la beauté et la fertilité sont promises à Joseph.
Un long convoi funéraire composé des descendants de Jacob, des ministres de Pharaon, des nobles de l’Égypte et de la cavalerie égyptienne accompagne Jacob dans son dernier voyage vers la Terre Sainte, où il est enterré dans la grotte de Makhpela à Hébron.
Joseph meurt à son tour en Égypte à l’âge de 110 ans. Lui aussi ordonne que ses ossements soient sortis d’Égypte pour être enterrés en Terre Sainte, mais cela ne se produira que lors de l’Exode des Israélites d’Égypte bien des années plus tard. Avant sa mort, Joseph transmet aux Enfants d’Israël le testament qui sera le ferment de leur espoir et de leur foi dans les difficiles années à venir : « D.ieu se souviendra de vous et vous fera sortir de ce pays vers celui qu’Il a promis par serment à Abraham, à Isaac et à Jacob. »
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Vayé'hi: La fin de l’ère des patriarchesAdapté par Moshé Wisnefsky
La douzième et dernière section du Livre de la Genèse relate la dernière période de la vie de Jacob et la succession de son fils Joseph. Jacob vécut (Vaye’hi, « il vécut » en hébreu) les 17 dernières années de sa vie en Égypte. Outre qu’il se consacra à façonner le devenir moral de ses descendants, Jacob organisa sa famille en tribus afin de la préparer à son destin spirituel, puis légua à chaque tribu ses caractéristiques spirituelles particulières. Après sa mort, les fils de Jacob l’ensevelirent dans le caveau familial à Hébron. La section se termine avec la mort subséquente de Joseph et sa promesse que D.ieu finirait par les ramener en Terre sainte
C'est la dernière Parache de Béréchit; La semaine prochaine nous lisons Chémot qui comprend la naissance de Moché Rabbénou
The Three Lives Jacob
Courtesy of MeaningfulLife.com
Jacob’s 147 years can be divided into three general periods:
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The first 77 years of his life were spent in the Holy Land, secluded in “the tents of study” and sheltered from the entanglements of material life.
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These were followed by 20 years in Haran, in the employ of Laban, during which Jacob married, fathered 12 of his 13 children, and amassed much material wealth.
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Following a further period in the Holy Land, Jacob “descended” to Egypt, where he lived for the last 17 years of his life.
The years that Jacob dwelled in the Holy Land were years of tranquil perfection—
In contrast, Jacob’s sojourn in Haran was characterized by challenge and struggle. In Haran, Jacob locked horns with “Laban the Deceiver” and bested him at his own game. To marry and support his family, he worked to exhaustion, as “heat consumed me by day, and frost at night; and sleep was banished from my eyes” (Genesis 31:40). In the words of Esau’s angel to Jacob upon Jacob’s return from Haran, “You have struggled with G‑d and with men, and have prevailed” (ibid. 32:29).
These, however, were struggles in which Jacob held his own, and in which he eventually triumphed. But in the 17 years he lived in Egypt, Jacob experienced, for the first time in his life, a state of true galut—subjugation to an alien environment. In Egypt, Jacob was compelled to pay homage to Pharaoh, the arch-idol and demigod of the land (see Gen. 47:7–10). Upon Jacob’s passing in Egypt, his body was for 40 days in the possession of the Egyptian “physicians,” who embalmed it after their custom. Indeed, one of the reasons Jacob commanded Joseph to bury him in the Holy Land (a feat which required much maneuvering and manipulation to secure Pharaoh’s consent) was that he feared that, in Egypt, his body and gravesite would become an object of idolatry.
And yet, the Torah regards these 17 years as the very best years of Jacob’s life! For Jacob knew to exploit his galut in Egypt to drive the strivings of his soul and further its aims. Indeed, it was in Egypt, under the rule and subsequent enslavement of the pharaohs, that Jacob’s descendants were forged into the people of Israel.
“Everything that happened to the Patriarchs,” writes Nachmanides in his commentary on the Book of Genesis, “is a signpost for their children. This is why the Torah elaborates its account of their journeys, their well-digging and the other events [of their lives] . . . these all come as an instruction for the future: for when something happens to one of the three Patriarchs, one understands from it what is decreed to occur to his descendants.”
For we, too, experience in the course of our lifetimes the three states of being which Jacob knew: sovereignty, struggle, and subjugation.
But these moments, for most of us, are few and far between. More often, we are in a state of struggle—struggles with our environment, struggles with our own habits and behavior patterns, struggles with the passions of our divided hearts.
A state of struggle indicates that we have not attained full mastery over our existence; but it is also a sign that we are free. We are resisting the forces that seek to sway us from our internal truth; we are engaging them and battling them. Indeed, this is life at its fullest and most productive—even more so, in a certain sense, than those “moments of truth” of resolute perfection.
Jacob’s life in the Holy Land empowers us to experience moments of true freedom—moments in which we assert our true will over all forces, both external and internal, that seek to quell it.
Jacob’s Haran years inspire and enable us to not only persevere in our struggles but to revel in them, to experience them as vibrant and exhilarating periods in our lives.
And Jacob’s Egyptian period teaches us how to deal with those situations in which we feel overpowered by forces beyond our control. It teaches us that these times, too, are part and parcel of our lives: that these times, too, can be negotiated with wisdom, dignity and integrity. That these times, too, can be realized as vital and productive seasons of our lives.
BLESSING OF THE CHILDREN
There's a custom of blessing our children on Friday nights as we usher in Shabbat. I didn't grow up with this custom, but I've witnessed it many times, and have once or twice had the opportunity to participate in it myself.
The blessing has two parts. Traditionally, girls are blessed that they be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah; boys are blessed that they be like Ephraim and Menashe, the sons of Joseph who were born to him before his father and brothers moved to Egypt. Then we say the priestly blessing ("May God bless you and keep you...") to the children regardless of gender.
Why do we bless our daughters to be like the matriarchs, but we don't bless our sons to be like the patriarchs. Why are we blessing our sons that they turn out like the two elder sons of Joseph, rather than blessing them to be like Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov themselves?
This week's Torah portion, Vayechi, contains the iconic moment when Jacob (a.k.a. Israel), on his deathbed, blesses Ephraim and Menashe. He places his hands on the boys' heads (putting his right hand on the younger boy's head, and his left hand on the older boy's head, which was apparently a reversal of tradition -- Genesis is full of stories of inversion wherein the younger child receives the blessing due to the older one) and he says the following words to Joseph:
The God in whose ways my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has been my shepherd from my birth to this day —
The Angel who has redeemed me from all harm —
Bless the lads.
In them may my name be recalled,
And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
And may they be teeming multitudes upon
LA GRANDEUR D’ÂME DE JOSEPH
Une fois encore, dans cette dernière Sidra du livre de la Genèse, c'est Yoseph qui va tenir la vedette. Tous les descendants de Yaacov, maintenant réunis en Egypte, viennent de rendre les derniers honneurs au patriarche et l'ont, selon son désir, accompagné en Canaane, afin qu'il repose auprès de Léa, dans la sépulture familiale, à 'Hébron.
Sur le chemin du retour, les frères de Yoseph se sentent inquiets.
Est-ce parce que ce voyage de retour en Egypte leur rappelle leurs deux déplacements antérieurs de Canaan en Egypte, à la recherche de blé, certes, mais aussi de leur frère perdu Yoseph ?
N'est-ce pas plutôt parce que la mort de Yaacov les laisse maintenant face à face avec leur frère Yoseph et qu'il y a lieu -à leurs yeux -de craindre que celui-ci n'exerce à leur égard une vengeance qu'il n'avait pas voulu assouvir du vivant de son père ?
Aussi préfèrent-ils prendre les devants.
S'adressant à Yoseph, ils viennent lui dire -en ce moment où le souvenir de leur père est encore si vivant dans leurs cœurs -: " Notre père a dit avant sa mort: Dites à Yoseph de bien vouloir pardonner la faute de ses frères et le mal qu'ils lui ont fait ".
La réponse de joseph laisse percer sa grandeur d'âme. Lui qui a tant souffert de ses frères à la maison encore, lui qui, à cause d'eux, a vécu seul en Egypte dans la détresse et la misère, sait tout oublier, tout effacer.
II n'y a vraiment aucune rancune dans son cœur à leur égard, il ne se vengera pas.
Bien au contraire, pour consoler ses frères de leurs remords et tranquilliser leurs esprits inquiets, il sait rapporter à Dieu les événements dont ses frères portent pourtant la responsabilité. " C'est Dieu, dit-il qui a voulu que les faits se déroulent de cette façon.
C'est, en somme, pour notre bien à tous, qu'il vous a fait agir de la sorte. Vous comme moi, nous n'avons été que des instruments dans la main de Dieu qui, seul, connaît l'avenir et qui, en l'occurrence, a réuni, malgré les apparences, toutes les conditions nécessaires à notre bonheur. "
Vayechi Haftorah in a Nutshell
I Kings 2:1-12.
In this week's haftorah, King David delivers his deathbed message to his son and successor, Solomon, echoing this week's Torah reading that discusses at length Jacob's parting words and instructions to his sons.
King David encourages Solomon to be strong and to remain steadfast in his belief in G‑d. This will ensure his success in all his endeavors as well as the continuation of the Davidic Dynasty. David then goes on to give his son some tactical instructions pertaining to various people who deserved punishment or reward for their actions during his reign.
The haftorah concludes with David's death and his burial in the City of David. King Solomon takes his father's place and his sovereignty is firmly established.
Questions and answers on parshat vayechi
All references are to the verses and Rashi’s commentary, unless otherwise stated.
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Why is kindness towards the dead called "chesed shel emet" — kindness of truth?
47:29 - Because the giver expects no reward from the recipient.
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Give three reasons Yaakov didn't want to be buried in Egypt.
47:29 - a) Egypt's ground was to be plagued with lice; b) At the time of the resurrection, those buried outside Israel will suffer; c) So the Egyptians wouldn't make him into an idol.
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How do you treat a "fox in his time" (i.e., a commoner who rules)?
47:31 - Bow to him.
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"When I was coming from Padan, Rachel died on me... I buried her there on the way to Efrat..." Why did Yaakov say all this to Yosef?
48:7 - Yaakov thought Yosef harbored resentment since Yaakov had not buried Yosef's mother, Rachel, in the Ma'arat HaMachpela.
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Initially, why was Yaakov unable to bless Efraim and Menashe?
48:8 - The Shechina departed from him.
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What does pillalti mean?
48:11 - "I thought."
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What does "Shechem" mean as used in this week's parsha? (two answers)
48:22 - a) The actual city of Shechem; b) A portion.
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Which individual is called "the Emori"? Why? Give two reasons.
48:22 - Esav. a) He acted like an Emorite; b) He trapped his father with words (imrei pi).
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What did Yaakov want to tell his sons but was unable to?
49:1 - When mashiach will come.
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What privileges did Reuven lose due to his rash actions?
49:3 - Priesthood and Kingship.
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What congregation from Yaakov's offspring did Yaakov not want to be associated with?
49:6 - Korach and his congregation.
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What did Yehuda do after he heard Yaakov rebuke Reuven, Shimon and Levi? Why?
49:8 - He drew back. He was afraid that Yaakov would rebuke him for the incident with Tamar.
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What does milk do to teeth?
49:12 - It makes them white.
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Why is Yissachar like a "strong-boned donkey"?
49:14 - Just as a donkey bears a heavy burden, so the tribe of Yissachar bears the yoke of Torah.
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With what resource did both Yaakov and Moshe bless Asher?
49:20 - Oil-rich land.
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In Yosef's blessing, Yaakov said, "They embittered him..." Who are "they"?
49:23 - Yosef's brothers, Potifar and his wife.
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Which descendants of Binyamin "will divide the spoils in the evening"?
49:27 - Mordechai and Esther.
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From whom did Yaakov buy his burial place?
50:5 - From Esav.
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What oath did Yosef make to Pharaoh?
50:6 - Yosef swore not to reveal Pharaoh's ignorance of Hebrew.
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Which two sons of Yaakov did not carry his coffin? Why not?
50:13 - Levi, because he would carry the aron (holy ark). Yosef, because he was a king.
Why did Joseph die before his brothers? After all, he was the second youngest. According to the mitzvot he did – honoring his father and being his brethren's savior – should he not have lived a long life? Why did his brothers outlive him?
Answer:
Astute observation. I assume you are basing your question on the verse that says,"Joseph said to his brothers: I am going to die; G‑d will surely remember you and take you up out of this land..." Indeed, the Midrash confirms that Joseph was outlived by all his brothers.
The Talmud teaches us that three different behaviors shorten a person's life. One of these is putting on airs, acting superior to others. And incredible as it may seem, our sages say that Joseph was guilty of this very failing.3 Similarly, the Midrash states4 that Joseph was punished for having listened silently to his brothers referring to their father as Joseph's se
Hi,
Did Joseph’s brother’s ever own up to their father about the crime they committed against their younger brother?
Answer:
After Jacob’s passing, the brothers feared that Joseph would now take the opportunity to punish them for their misconduct. We read in Genesis (50:15-17):
Now Joseph's brothers saw that their father had died, and they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us and return to us all the evil that we did to him.” So they commanded [messengers to go] to Joseph, to say, “Your father commanded [us] before his death, saying, ‘So shall you say to Joseph, “Please, forgive now your brothers’ transgression and their sin, for they did evil to you.’ Now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the G‑d of your father.”
The Talmudic Sages teach that the brothers “altered the facts for the sake of peace.” In truth, Jacob had not left Joseph any such message.1
Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, known as Nachmanides, deduced from this episode that Jacob did not know that the brothers had sold Joseph. For if so, the brothers would have implored their father to speak to Joseph (before his death), and presumably Jacob would have done so in person.
On the other hand, the classic commentator Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as Rashi, indicates that Jacob did suspect the truth, "They altered the facts for the sake of peace, as Jacob did not command so, since Joseph was not suspect in his eyes," implying that Jacob knew or suspected what the brothers had done, yet he did not fear that Joseph would seek revenge, knowing his good nature.
In Jacob's blessings to his sons, he said of Simon and Levi, ringleaders in the crime against Joseph (Genesis 49:6):
For in their wrath they killed a man, and with their will they hamstrung an ox.3
Rashi explains that the first phrase refers to the incident of “Shechem,”4 when the two killed off an entire community of men, and the second refers to the selling of Joseph.
Further, in Jacob's blessing to Joseph, he states (ibid 49:23):
They heaped bitterness upon him and became quarrelsome; yea, archers despised him.
It is logical to assume that the brothers did not confess to their father. While they acknowledged their wrong-doings and repented, telling the truth to Jacob would only have caused him much heartache.
Did Joseph inform on his brothers?
In the Midrash, our sages point out that a messenger had to tell Joseph (Genesis 48:1), “Behold, your father is ill.” Joseph did not know about his father’s illness since he refrained from visiting too often, fearing that while they were alone Jacob would ask probing questions about Joseph's kidnapping, forcing him to tell his father the truth.5
Although Joseph had been severely wronged by his brothers, he forgave them wholeheartedly (Genesis 50:20):
Indeed, you intended evil against me, [but] G‑d designed it for good, in order to bring about what is at present to keep a great populace alive. So now do not fear. I will sustain you and your small children.” And he comforted them and spoke to their hearts.
Jewish Proverbs on Friendship
THE SHABBAT SMILE
"I hope you didn't take it personally, rabbi," an embarrassed Mrs. Rothman said after Shabbat morning service, "when my husband Morty walked out during your sermon."
"I did find it rather disconcerting," the rabbi replied.
"It's not a reflection on you, rabbi," insisted Mrs. Rothman. "Morty has been walking in his sleep ever since he was a child."
Miriam was reading a newspaper while her husband Moishe was watching the ball game on TV. Suddenly, she burst out laughing. "Listen to this," Miriam said. "There's a classified ad here where a guy is offering to swap his wife for a season ticket to the stadium."
"Hmmm," Moishe said, not looking away from the game.
Teasing him, Miriam said, "Would you swap me for a season ticket?"
"Absolutely not," Moishe said.
"How sweet," Miriam said. "Tell me why not."
"Season's almost half over.”
Issy was part of a group being shown around the latest theater in Tel Aviv by the owner. The theatre was enormous – the size of at least two soccer pitches. But Issy couldn't help noticing that it had only four rows of seats right at the front. So Issy asked the owner, "Why are there only four rows of seats? You could have got thousands of seats into this place?"
The owner replied, "If the Jews here can't sit in the front four rows, they won't come to the show."
PROVERBES JUIFS
Ne te charge jamais d'épauler le méchant.
Quand Israël s'abaisse, c'est jusqu'au sable ; quand elle s'élève, c'est jusqu'aux étoiles. Rien n'empêche plus de réussir que la timidité.
Enseigne à ta langue à dire : Je ne sais pas
C'est à travers la femme que Dieu envoie ses bénédictions au foyer domestique.
On ne peut donner que deux choses à ses enfants : des racines et des ailes
Pour le vieil homme, chaque colline est une montagne
Le plus fort est celui qui dompte ses passions.
LE SOURIRE DU CHABBAT
Un juif, vers huit heures du soir, ferme le rideau de sa boutique au Sentier
donc, quand un type arrive en courant :
'Ah zut, vous fermez !!'
Alors le juif, en relevant le rideau : 'Mais non, j'ouvre !!'
David et Moché discutent dans la rue :
- Ça va ?
- Oui et toi ?
- Eh ben ça va. Et ta femme...
Et là, à ce moment David se rappelle que la femme de Moché est morte alors il se
rattrape et dit :
- Ta femme, toujours morte ?
Un mendiant sonne à la porte de David
- Vous auriez pas un petit quelque chose pour moi ?
- Oui, vous aimez la soupe de la veille ?
- Ho oui, ho oui !
- Ben repassez demain !
Un vieux juif arrive à la banque et demande 10.000 francs en billets de 100 F
Le guichetier les lui donne et le vieux juif entreprend de les compter
100 F
200 F
300 F
400 F
...
10000 F
Une queue de 15 personne s'est déjà formée et le vieux juif recommence son
comptage.
Le guichetier lui dit alors ' Ce n'est pas juste ?'
Le vieux juif 'si si, mais vraiment juste!'
CHABBAT CHALOM MAGHEN ABRAHAM
David Hasson
