Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Dec 18, 2004 23:54:48 GMT -8
Here is the 
reading commentary by Rabbi Yaakov benYosef for this upcoming Shabbat (Sabbath). Make sure to read this, and let's discuss it here on the boards. Feel free to discuss the Haftarah portion as well (1Melakim/1Kings 2:1-12) Enjoy!...
"Vayechi “And he lived” - B’reisheet (Genesis) 47:28- 50:26
13 Tevet 5765 – Dec. 25, 2004
Fighting the good fight of faith is difficult even during the least pressing times. As we grow in HaShem, our faith is often tested. Through testing, our faith becomes steadfast and unshakable. To sustain us during times of testing HaShem continually gives encouragement that keeps us on the path He has chosen for us. In Vayechi, we can see how HaShem uses this type of encouragement to strengthen His people. In fact, the title Vayechi means “and he lived”. It is a reminder of the life that comes from being strengthened by HaShem's encouragement. Vayechi teaches us that HaShem encourages his people in four ways. In Vayechi we can see that HaShem uses reward, redemption, revelation, and return to develop our character, and make us into willing servants.
The first type of encouragement we see in Vayechi is reward. B’reisheet 48:5 states, “And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.” The passage makes it clear that Yaakov intended to adopt Ephraim and Manasseh as his own. The reason Yaakov gives for choosing Ephraim and Manasseh is because they were the sons born to Yosef before his father and brothers came to Egypt. HaShem is rewarding Yosef's sons through adopting them into Yisrael. Therefore, HaShem’s reward for Yosef’s steadfast faith is the grafting-in of Ephraim and Manasseh. In other words, because Yosef remained faithful during the separation from his family, HaShem’s reward to Yosef is an equal portion in the land HaShem promised Avraham’s descendents. In fact, B’reisheet 41:50 states Ephraim and Manasseh were born to “Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On.” We can see that HaShem is making Yosef’s non-Hebrew sons part of the commonwealth of Yisrael. Yaakov even places the blessings of three generations on the heads of Ephraim and Manasseh, as B’reisheet 48:16 states “The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Yaakov retroactively brought them into the covenant by placing the names of Yitzak and Avraham on their heads. HaShem completely replaced their Egyptian ancestry with Hebrew ancestry. Therefore, Ephraim and Manasseh become a symbol of the concern HaShem has for all nations. B’reisheet 48:20 states “In you shall Yisrael bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh.” It is clear that one form of encouragement HaShem gives to His servants is a reward for their faithfulness.
The second type of encouragement we see in Vayechi is redemption. For example, in B’reisheet 49:5-7 we can see that as Yaakov is prophesying over his children, he points out that the anger of Simeon and Levi caused them to sin. In fact, B’reisheet 49:7 even goes on to state that because of their anger they slew a man. However, even though Yaakov is prophesying that the repercussions of Simeon and Levi's anger will scatter them in Yisrael, the prophecy does not exclude them from Yisrael. Therefore, even though Simeon and Levi slew men in their anger, HaShem did not separate them from the nation or from His loving-kindness. Nevertheless, they would still have to live with the consequences of their sin. For example, the prophecy states that Simeon and Levi would become scattered in Yisrael. As a result, Simeon and Levi would not have their tribe’s portion in the land. Simeon and Levi would need the support of the rest of the tribes of Yisrael to survive. From the prophesy that Yaakov pronounced over Simeon and Levi it is clear that even though their sin led to irreparable consequences they were redeemed, because HaShem never cut them off from his loving-kindness.
The third type of encouragement we see in Vayechi is the revelation. B’reisheet 49:1 states that Yaakov was giving his children a prophetic revelation of the last days. Yaakov's prophecy over Yehudah and Yosef is particularly important because we can see its fulfillment. Yaakov's prophecy over Yehudah and Yosef brings to light the major aspects of the Messiah’s ministry. For example, in B’reisheet 49:10 Yaakov's prophecy over Yehudah states, ” The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people.” Form the passage we see that Yaakov is prophesying that a great leader will arise from Yehudah and gather people to him. On the other hand the prophecy over Yosef in B’reisheet 49:10 states, “The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Yosef, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” It is important to note that the word translated “separated”, is derived from the Hebrew word nazir. Nazir usually implies a holy type of separation. From Yaakov’s prophecy concerning Yosef and Yehudah, we can see that HaShem will establish a lawgiver in Yehudah and a crown with Yosef. Therefore, one traditional rabbinic interpretation is that there will be two messiahs. According to the rabbinic interpretation one messiah would be a suffering servant, and the other messiah would be a ruling king. However, prophetically we can see that one messiah is fulfilling both prophecies. We can see that the prophecies over Yehudah and Yosef were meant as an encouragement. HaShem would indeed deliver Yisrael by sending a messiah who understood the suffering of mankind, and had the power to unite the kingdom.
The final example of encouragement in Vayechi is the return HaShem promised. B’reisheet 50:25 states “Yosef took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from here.” The passage makes it clear that Yosef had placed his faith in HaShem's return. We can see that even at the end of his life Yosef knew that HaShem would return and deliver Yisrael from Egypt. Yosef's faith was so strong that even after death he desired deliverance from Egypt. In other words, Yosef trusted that the promises of HaShem were eternal. Therefore, in spite of the fact Yosef had spent most of his adult life in Egypt, he still considered himself separated from the land of promise. Therefore, even in death Yosef waited for the return of HaShem. It is clear that Yosef’s faith was steadfast in the belief HaShem would deliver him when He returned to deliver Yisrael.
In Vayechi, there are four methods to show how HaShem encourages his people, through reward, redemption, revelation, and return. HaShem encourages His people by showing us He rewards us for enduring the tests of our faith. For example, HaShem rewarded Yosef for his faith when He adopted Ephraim and Manasseh into the commonwealth of Yisrael. Also, HaShem encourages His people through redemption by showing us that in spite of our sins He will not separate us from his loving kindness. Even Simeon and Levi’s sin had long lasting- repercussions, HaShem did not separate them from His presence. In addition, HaShem uses revelation to encourage His people by revealing His plan to mankind, just as HaShem used the prophecy spoken over Yehudah and Yosef to reveal the nature of messiah. Finally, HaShem uses his promised return to encourage people by reassuring them that He will not forget His promise of deliverance. For example, before his death Yosef commanded the children of Yisrael to remove his bones from Egypt when HaShem delivered them. Yosef knew HaShem would return to fulfill the covenant made with Avraham. HaShem's encouragement makes it possible for us to see His active role in our lives. Therefore, with encouragement HaShem is able to strengthen our faith, so that we may endure the tests of faith that tribulation brings."
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reading commentary by Rabbi Yaakov benYosef for this upcoming Shabbat (Sabbath). Make sure to read this, and let's discuss it here on the boards. Feel free to discuss the Haftarah portion as well (1Melakim/1Kings 2:1-12) Enjoy!..."Vayechi “And he lived” - B’reisheet (Genesis) 47:28- 50:26
13 Tevet 5765 – Dec. 25, 2004
Fighting the good fight of faith is difficult even during the least pressing times. As we grow in HaShem, our faith is often tested. Through testing, our faith becomes steadfast and unshakable. To sustain us during times of testing HaShem continually gives encouragement that keeps us on the path He has chosen for us. In Vayechi, we can see how HaShem uses this type of encouragement to strengthen His people. In fact, the title Vayechi means “and he lived”. It is a reminder of the life that comes from being strengthened by HaShem's encouragement. Vayechi teaches us that HaShem encourages his people in four ways. In Vayechi we can see that HaShem uses reward, redemption, revelation, and return to develop our character, and make us into willing servants.
The first type of encouragement we see in Vayechi is reward. B’reisheet 48:5 states, “And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.” The passage makes it clear that Yaakov intended to adopt Ephraim and Manasseh as his own. The reason Yaakov gives for choosing Ephraim and Manasseh is because they were the sons born to Yosef before his father and brothers came to Egypt. HaShem is rewarding Yosef's sons through adopting them into Yisrael. Therefore, HaShem’s reward for Yosef’s steadfast faith is the grafting-in of Ephraim and Manasseh. In other words, because Yosef remained faithful during the separation from his family, HaShem’s reward to Yosef is an equal portion in the land HaShem promised Avraham’s descendents. In fact, B’reisheet 41:50 states Ephraim and Manasseh were born to “Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On.” We can see that HaShem is making Yosef’s non-Hebrew sons part of the commonwealth of Yisrael. Yaakov even places the blessings of three generations on the heads of Ephraim and Manasseh, as B’reisheet 48:16 states “The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Yaakov retroactively brought them into the covenant by placing the names of Yitzak and Avraham on their heads. HaShem completely replaced their Egyptian ancestry with Hebrew ancestry. Therefore, Ephraim and Manasseh become a symbol of the concern HaShem has for all nations. B’reisheet 48:20 states “In you shall Yisrael bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh.” It is clear that one form of encouragement HaShem gives to His servants is a reward for their faithfulness.
The second type of encouragement we see in Vayechi is redemption. For example, in B’reisheet 49:5-7 we can see that as Yaakov is prophesying over his children, he points out that the anger of Simeon and Levi caused them to sin. In fact, B’reisheet 49:7 even goes on to state that because of their anger they slew a man. However, even though Yaakov is prophesying that the repercussions of Simeon and Levi's anger will scatter them in Yisrael, the prophecy does not exclude them from Yisrael. Therefore, even though Simeon and Levi slew men in their anger, HaShem did not separate them from the nation or from His loving-kindness. Nevertheless, they would still have to live with the consequences of their sin. For example, the prophecy states that Simeon and Levi would become scattered in Yisrael. As a result, Simeon and Levi would not have their tribe’s portion in the land. Simeon and Levi would need the support of the rest of the tribes of Yisrael to survive. From the prophesy that Yaakov pronounced over Simeon and Levi it is clear that even though their sin led to irreparable consequences they were redeemed, because HaShem never cut them off from his loving-kindness.
The third type of encouragement we see in Vayechi is the revelation. B’reisheet 49:1 states that Yaakov was giving his children a prophetic revelation of the last days. Yaakov's prophecy over Yehudah and Yosef is particularly important because we can see its fulfillment. Yaakov's prophecy over Yehudah and Yosef brings to light the major aspects of the Messiah’s ministry. For example, in B’reisheet 49:10 Yaakov's prophecy over Yehudah states, ” The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people.” Form the passage we see that Yaakov is prophesying that a great leader will arise from Yehudah and gather people to him. On the other hand the prophecy over Yosef in B’reisheet 49:10 states, “The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Yosef, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” It is important to note that the word translated “separated”, is derived from the Hebrew word nazir. Nazir usually implies a holy type of separation. From Yaakov’s prophecy concerning Yosef and Yehudah, we can see that HaShem will establish a lawgiver in Yehudah and a crown with Yosef. Therefore, one traditional rabbinic interpretation is that there will be two messiahs. According to the rabbinic interpretation one messiah would be a suffering servant, and the other messiah would be a ruling king. However, prophetically we can see that one messiah is fulfilling both prophecies. We can see that the prophecies over Yehudah and Yosef were meant as an encouragement. HaShem would indeed deliver Yisrael by sending a messiah who understood the suffering of mankind, and had the power to unite the kingdom.
The final example of encouragement in Vayechi is the return HaShem promised. B’reisheet 50:25 states “Yosef took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from here.” The passage makes it clear that Yosef had placed his faith in HaShem's return. We can see that even at the end of his life Yosef knew that HaShem would return and deliver Yisrael from Egypt. Yosef's faith was so strong that even after death he desired deliverance from Egypt. In other words, Yosef trusted that the promises of HaShem were eternal. Therefore, in spite of the fact Yosef had spent most of his adult life in Egypt, he still considered himself separated from the land of promise. Therefore, even in death Yosef waited for the return of HaShem. It is clear that Yosef’s faith was steadfast in the belief HaShem would deliver him when He returned to deliver Yisrael.
In Vayechi, there are four methods to show how HaShem encourages his people, through reward, redemption, revelation, and return. HaShem encourages His people by showing us He rewards us for enduring the tests of our faith. For example, HaShem rewarded Yosef for his faith when He adopted Ephraim and Manasseh into the commonwealth of Yisrael. Also, HaShem encourages His people through redemption by showing us that in spite of our sins He will not separate us from his loving kindness. Even Simeon and Levi’s sin had long lasting- repercussions, HaShem did not separate them from His presence. In addition, HaShem uses revelation to encourage His people by revealing His plan to mankind, just as HaShem used the prophecy spoken over Yehudah and Yosef to reveal the nature of messiah. Finally, HaShem uses his promised return to encourage people by reassuring them that He will not forget His promise of deliverance. For example, before his death Yosef commanded the children of Yisrael to remove his bones from Egypt when HaShem delivered them. Yosef knew HaShem would return to fulfill the covenant made with Avraham. HaShem's encouragement makes it possible for us to see His active role in our lives. Therefore, with encouragement HaShem is able to strengthen our faith, so that we may endure the tests of faith that tribulation brings."
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