Torah · Weekly Parasha VideoParashat VayechiRabbi Uri Nahum · June 19, 2017 · Vayechi · ויחי · 15 Min Parasha RoundupSave⌄ShareParasha class with Rabbi Uri Nahum, from BSD Productions’ 15 Min Parasha Roundup.Transcript0:06Parashat Vayechi. This week's parasha has 85 pesukim, making it one of the smallest parashiyot in Sefer0:12Bereishit. And the parasha is a parasha setumah, which you'll see when you look at0:18the Sefer Torah, you'll see that there's no beginning, there's no separation between0:21last week's parasha and this week's parasha. Also, this parasha discusses the life, or the final years0:30of Yaakov Avinu and the death of Yaakov Avinu, the last 17 years of Yaakov Avinu's0:35life, as the Sefarim bring down that Vayechi is a gematria of 34, the best 34 years of Yaakov Avinu's0:40life, the first 17 with Yosef and his final 17 again reunited with his son Yosef.0:46In this week's parasha also we have the berachot, where Yaakov Avinu gives the berachot to all0:50the shevatim, as we will see soon, בעזרת השם. We divided the parasha into five topics.0:55The first part of the parasha, the Torah tells us about Yaakov and Yosef in Mitzrayim, how1:01the meetings that they had between each other. The second part of the parasha, the Torah tells us about1:06the berachot of the shevatim, of the tribes. The third part of the parasha, the Torah tells us about1:10the death of Yaakov Avinu and his burial. The fourth part of the parasha is smaller,1:17a few pesukim, but still a separate part, where the shevatim fear Yosef's revenge.1:23And finally, the Torah ends again with a few pesukim of Yosef's final years.1:28And of course, this is the final parasha in Sefer Bereishit. Let's1:36get to the parasha, the first part of this week's parasha. Torah tells us about the1:40meetings between Yaakov and Yosef in Mitzrayim. The first meeting was initiated by Yaakov Avinu.1:47After 17 years of living in Mitzrayim, and Yaakov Avinu is now at the age of 147, or almost1:54147 years old, he calls that Yosef should come to him. He wanted to speak2:00to him. And when Yaakov sees Yosef, Yosef comes to him. Yosef is2:05told by Yaakov that he should take him to Eretz Yisrael. Yaakov knows that his time is coming2:11up, and therefore he asks that he should be buried in Eretz Yisrael,2:15Me'arat HaMachpelah, where he personally purchased it from his brother Esav, which was originally purchased2:20by Avraham Avinu from Ephron HaChiti. That's where he wants to be buried, together with2:25his father and his grandfather in Me'arat HaMachpelah. Of course, Yosef agrees, and the Sefarim bring2:31down, the mefarshim explain, that how come Yaakov had to call for Yosef to come to him,2:35and they explain that really, since the time that Yaakov came to Eretz Goshen in Mitzrayim,2:41Yosef avoided him for all these 17 years. Why? Because he never wanted Yaakov to ask,2:47Hey, Yosef, how'd you get down here? How'd you come to Mitzrayim? And then he would have2:51to say, Maybe my brothers brought me down. So therefore, Yosef avoided it, and he never saw2:57his father for all these 17 years except for over here. The second meeting was actually over here3:02was a little bit different. Ephraim, who used to learn together with Yaakov Avinu, comes to Yosef,3:08his father, and he tells him, You should know that Saba, the grandpa, is sick. Yaakov was sick,3:13and the Gemara points out in Bava Metzia that Yaakov was the first person in history to become3:18sick before he dies. That was something new that actually Yaakov Avinu prayed for, that a person should3:24know when his end is coming. So therefore, Yosef rushes over to see his father Yaakov. Yaakov hears3:30that the king, my son Yosef, is coming, even though it was his son, but still he was a king. So therefore,3:34he sat up in the bed out of respect for Yosef, and Yosef takes with him his two sons, Menashe and Ephraim,3:40to get the berachah, to get the blessings from their father Yaakov. When Yaakov sees Yosef's kids, he wanted3:47to bless them, and the Midrash explains that Ruach HaKodesh went away from them until3:53Yosef had to prove that these were actually his children, and he presented his ketubah and that3:57they were legitimately his children. Then Yaakov promotes Menashe and Ephraim to4:02shevatim. Shevatim were only the children of Yaakov. Menashe and Ephraim are grandchildren, but still,4:06Yaakov tells Yosef that your two children, Menashe and Ephraim, are equal to Reuven and Shimon.4:13They are like shevatim, and this is based on Hashem's words. In Parashat Vayishlach, Hashem tells4:19Yaakov that you will still have children. Children is plural, which means at least two, and then he only4:24had Binyamin. So therefore Yaakov explains that I knew this means that one of my children will have4:31his children become the shevatim, and that is given to you, Yosef, that your children, Menashe and4:36Ephraim, should become like the shevatim. And then Yaakov explains to Yosef why he buried his mother4:42Rachel on the road, derech Efrata, not even—he didn't bring her to4:49Beit Lechem—because she should pray for her children when they go into exile in the times of4:54the Churban. Finally, Yaakov requests that he should bless Ephraim and Menashe, so therefore Yosef presents4:59Menashe and Ephraim. Menashe is older and Ephraim is younger. So therefore what Yosef does is5:04that he takes Menashe and he presents him forward to Yaakov's right, because Menashe is older,5:11and Ephraim, who is younger, he puts him to Yaakov's left. And the pasuk tells us clearly that Yaakov5:18Avinu wasn't able to see. He was too old and his eyes were very heavy, and therefore he wasn't5:24able to lift his eyes. And without seeing them, Yaakov automatically switches his hands.5:29He crosses his hands, as the pasuk says, sikel et yadav, and he puts his right hand— Over Ephraim on his left5:37hand, over Menasheh. And he begins to bless. He gives the berachah first to Yosef, and then he blesses5:42the children. He blesses them with two berachot. Number one is the famous words,5:48Hamalach hagoel oti mikol ra, the angel that's protecting me from all evil should protect these children, and they should become5:52plenty like the fish in the ocean. The second blessing is a blessing that we all say on every5:58Friday night to our own children: Yesimcha Elokim k’Ephraim u’k’Menasheh. This was right here said in this week’s parashah, where Yaakov Avinu said6:07that Becha yevarech Yisrael. All the Jewish people will bless their children to be like Ephraim and Menasheh. And6:14afterwards the Torah tells us that Yosef tries to switch their hands, and he explains to his6:17father, Abba, I know you can’t see, but you should know, Menasheh, who is on your right, is actually the older one.6:23You don’t have to cross your hands. Yaakov understands, and he tells Yosef, Yes, I know. Yadati, beni, yadati, but you should know,6:31although Menasheh is older and Ephraim is younger, greater people will come out of6:36Ephraim than Menasheh. Menasheh will have a great man coming out of him. His name is Gideon, who will6:40save the Jewish people, as it says in Shoftim, perek zayin. However, Ephraim is going to have6:47a greater descendant. Who’s that? Yehoshua. Why was Yehoshua greater? Because Yehoshua not only was a great leader, but he taught6:52the Torah to the Jewish people. As the Pirkei Avot says, Moshe kibel Torah miSinai u’mesarah liYehoshua. Yehoshua taught the Torah to the Jewish people,6:59and that’s what makes Yehoshua greater as a leader than Gideon, who came from7:05Menasheh. Then afterwards, Yaakov gives Yosef Shechem, the city of Shechem, which Yaakov tells Yosef that he7:13captured himself after the whole incident with Dinah. He gives that over to Yosef as a special7:20privilege. Even besides his share that he’s going to have in Eretz Yisrael, he’s going to have also the city7:24of Shechem. We move on now to the second part of the parashah, the blessings of the7:29shevatim, which the parashah is more known for. Yaakov gathers all of his children, all the7:34shevatim, and Chachamim tell us that he wanted to reveal to them the end of the exile that they’re having in7:39Mitzrayim. However, he wasn’t able to tell it to them. The Shechinah went away from him, and he7:43understood Hashem doesn’t want him to say it. So therefore Yaakov proceeds to bless all7:48of his children. Now, the blessings are very interesting, because the blessings are not7:52your usual blessing, Yevarechecha Hashem, like we see the way he blessed Ephraim and Menasheh. Rather, the blessings consisted of—8:00A blessing, a regular simple blessing, also was a prophecy of what these shevatim will eventually have, either descendants or property.8:08Also, it included some musar, some rebuke, as we will soon see.8:13We're going to go through the blessings very, very quickly, and we just summarized a few points.8:17Obviously, it's much more; you'll have to look inside of it.8:19We'll begin with the first three shevatim. Reuven, Shimon, and Levi.8:22These three shevatim were actually scolded; they were rebuked by Yaakov.8:25Reuven for switching the beds; Yaakov rebuked him for acting without thinking.8:30Shimon and Levi were rebuked because they sold Yosef and because they destroyed Shechem, and that resulted from their anger.8:39So Yaakov curses their anger, and therefore he says that I'm going to spread you amongst all the Jewish people.8:44The descendants of Shimon and Levi were spread out; they shouldn't be together, because otherwise, together they might do major damage.8:52The next child that's blessed is Yehuda. Yehuda was given two8:58blessings—a few blessings, excuse me.9:00Number one, first of all, he was given the longest9:02beracha. Him and Yosef were given the longest beracha; each one had five9:05pesukim. Also, he was blessed that all the kings should come out of him.9:08Zevulun was blessed with financial success, and his territory would be right by the water.9:13Yissachar was compared to a donkey who is known for carrying, for his load.9:18He's going to carry the yoke of Torah, which means that he's going to rule the difficult Torah matters for the Jewish people.9:25Dan was compared to a snake in the way that he kills his enemies,9:28and at the same time, Yaakov also prayed for Shimshon, who will be a descendant of Dan.9:33Gad was blessed with strong soldiers who will lead their brothers when Bnei Yisrael capture Eretz Yisrael in the times of9:41Yehoshua. Asher was blessed with rich produce, especially in oil.9:44Naftali was blessed with land that produces very quickly;9:47that's why he's compared to a deer that runs very quickly.9:50Yosef, like we said, got the longest beracha, like Yehuda,9:53and Yaakov gave him probably the major9:56beracha. He says, All the blessings that I've received should come upon Yosef.10:00Why? Because he overcame his yetzer hara with10:03eshes Potifar. And finally, Binyamin. Yaakov prophesized about Binyamin that he'll have Shaul at the beginning of the Jewish monarchy.10:10The first king would be10:12Shaul, and even after no more kings, after the destruction of Beit Hamikdash, when there was no more Jewish kings,10:18still Esther became a queen, and so did10:22Mordechai; he was10:24a sit mishteh la-melech, and they together... Save the Jewish people just like their great-great-grandfather Shaul did.10:29And finally, Yaakov blesses all the children together that their berachot should all be shared by each other.10:38And we move on now to the third part of the10:41parashah, Yaakov's death and burial.10:43Finally, after the blessings, Yaakov gives his final command to his children that he should be buried in10:48Me'arat HaMachpelah, and he commands them exactly how they should carry his body.10:51And Nachmanides tells us that the same way the shevatim lined up around the Mishkan,10:55as we explained in Parashat Bamidbar, so too that's the way they should carry the aron.10:59The only thing is Yosef and Levi should not carry the aron,11:05and that's because Yosef was a king and Levi would be carrying the aron of11:10HaTorah. So therefore he shouldn't carry the casket, he shouldn't carry the body of Yaakov11:13Avinu. Yaakov Avinu puts his feet together, and the Torah tells us,11:17Vayigva. He passes away. Nachmanides says that it doesn't say11:20Vayamot, and therefore Yaakov lo met. Yaakov technically didn't die because it has much depth to it.11:24After Yaakov's death, Yosef commands that they should embalm Yaakov11:29Avinu, which took a process of forty days to preserve his11:32body. And after those forty days, there was an additional thirty days of crying,11:36so that totaled seventy days of total crying, mourning for Yaakov11:40Avinu, not just by his children, by all of Egypt, because with Yaakov came blessings.11:45Yaakov brought with him the blessings of stopping the famine.11:49There was a great famine for two years until Yaakov Avinu came, which stopped.11:53So therefore all the Egyptians mourned the loss of this great man, Yaakov11:56Avinu. And the Torah tells us about carrying Yaakov Avinu to12:00Eretz Yisrael. Yosef requests permission from Paro to go, which Paro grants him.12:05And on the way, when they get to Eretz Yisrael, which was called Eretz Canaan at the time,12:10Esav delays the burial. The Gemara tells us in Sotah,12:13Esav comes with his family, and he claims the rights to12:17Me'arat HaMachpelah. And after much back and forth, there was a war that breaks out,12:21a fight between Esav's family and Yaakov's children,12:25and there was a war. In that war— Esav is killed.12:28In fact, his head gets beheaded; his head gets knocked off by Chushim, the son of Dan,12:34and according to other sources, also by Yehuda.12:36And Esav's body is buried in Har12:40Se'ir, but his head, Esav's head, was buried in12:43Me'arat HaMachpelah. Afterwards, they bury Yaakov,12:45and they have a great mourning in a place called Goren HaAtad,12:48where they conduct a seven-day mourning, where all the kings of Eretz Canaan come12:51and they place their crown around the body of Yaakov Avinu, which was buried.12:56And there the Torah tells us afterwards13:00that—so it continues—but the Chachamim tell us that there was a war that continued between Esav's children13:06and Yaakov's family as well,13:07because now they want to take revenge on Esav's death.13:10And that continued into a war with the Jewish people, with Yaakov's children won.13:15And then there was another war between Esav and13:18Se'ir because of this war that they tried to help them, they lost.13:21And you'll read in Sefer Devarot, you'll see very, very interesting stories.13:24We move on to the fourth part of the13:26parashah. The Shevatim feared that Yosef might take out revenge.13:29Now that Yaakov Avinu died, maybe he's going to take out his revenge.13:31He's going to kill us for selling him.13:34And therefore they send a delegation. Who was it?13:35It was Dan and Naftali, who the children of Bilhah, who were close to Yosef,13:38and they tell him, Please, you know, your father Yaakov Avinu commanded us that you should forgive us.13:43Even though Yaakov never did so, they said that in order to spare their lives.13:48When Yosef hears this, he responds by crying.13:50He says, Me? I'm going to be able to do anything to harm you?13:52Look, twelve of you couldn't—ten of you couldn't harm me,13:56because Hashem didn't want it to.13:58Me, one person, I'm able to harm you?14:01Chas v'shalom. Not only am I not going to harm you,14:03I will make sure to take care of you and all your families.14:06The Torah tells us Yosef also went so far as to console them, to make them feel good, to make them feel better,14:12that they're brothers and they're family, and nothing will happen to them.14:15Finally, we finish in the last few pesukim of the14:18parashah, end of Sefer Bereishit, Torah tells us about Yosef's final years.14:21Torah tells us that Yosef sees three generations.14:24He sees his kids, his grandchildren, and his14:28great-grandchildren, both from Ephraim and14:29Menasheh. And Yosef gives his last will in this week's14:32parashah, where he tells the Jewish people that Hashem will redeem you, will take you out of Mitzrayim,14:36but I'm making you promise that you should take my body out of Egypt,14:40and I want you to bury me in Eretz Yisrael.14:43And the Torah tells us that Yosef dies at the age of 110 years old.14:46Chachamim tell us that really Yosef— Died first from all the brothers,14:52and I'll list for you now the order of the brothers, how they passed away and the age that they died.14:57Yosef died at 110 years old.14:58Zebulun died at 114.15:00Shimon died at 120.15:02Reuven died at 125.15:04Dan died at 124.15:06Yissachar died at the age of 122.15:08Asher at the age of 123.15:10Gad at the age of 125.15:11Yehuda at the age of 129.15:13Naftali died at the age of 132.15:15And finally Levi, who was the last one to die, died at the age of 137.15:18You're probably saying, what happened to Binyamin?15:19The answer is, I couldn't find really anything on Binyamin,15:23but he certainly died before Levi, because Chachamim tell us that Levi was the last one to die from all the15:30shevatim. So we come now to the final part, and that is the lesson of the15:34parashah. What are we to learn from this week's15:36parashah? A very important lesson Torah tells us about the death of Yaakov15:40Avinu, yet the parashah is called Vayechi, living.15:42And not only that, the Gemara goes so far, Masechet Ta'anit, to say15:46that Yaakov Avinu lo met, he didn't die, because it doesn't say the word vayamot.15:50And we can explain this based on what Chazal tell us,15:53that15:56tzaddikim b'mitatam nikra'im chayim. The righteous in their death are called alive.15:58How come even though they died, they're called alive?16:00And the answer is because everything that they taught in this world is still existing.16:05A person is only alive when he's able to accomplish, when he's able to do something.16:12So long as a person is not accomplishing, it's like he's dead.16:14That's why the reshaim are considered dead.16:15Even though they might be making money and they might be pushing and hustling and making,16:21but at the end of the day, they're not producing anything spiritual, anything productive that they came for.16:26So they're called metim. Whereas tzaddikim, even after they pass away, all their teachings are still being followed.16:32Yaakov Avinu, all of his children are still following his ways,16:34and we, his descendants, are still following the ways of Yaakov16:38Avinu. Therefore Yaakov Avinu lo met,16:39and that's what the Torah is called, the16:44parashah, Vayechi. Yaakov is still alive,16:46od17:09Avinu chai. Shabbat shalom.