Vayigash וַיִּגַּשׁ - And He Drew Near
Torah Portion: Genesis 44:18-47:27
Halftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28
Shabbat: Genesis 47:11–27
47:11 Joseph placed his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with bread, according to the sizes of their families.
13 There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 14 Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.”
16 Joseph said, “Give me your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.”
17 They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year. 18 When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord how our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won’t be desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt, even to the other end of it. 22 Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn’t sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.”
25 They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”
26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s.
27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
Today’s Meditation:
It’s all about fairness. Joseph buys the animals and the land from the starving people in exchange for food. But then he gives them seeds to plant and raise crops. Yes, they have to give a portion back to Pharaoh, but they will be able to work, eat, and live. That sounds really fair to me. If Joseph had not handled this situation this way, they would have died.
I think about fairness in our lives. Sometimes we are called to help those around us in a special way. But, are we fair in our dealings? Do we give, without any expectation of return? This is a valuable concept to learn. I recall that for years, we helped a family during the holidays with presents and food, and sometimes throughout the year. They were not expected to give anything in return, and eventually they became very demanding of us, to the point that we had to sever the relationship. In retrospect, it may have been better if we had asked for something in return. Something they could manage, such as repairing or fixing an object for us, cutting the lawn, or painting, etc. I know they would have learned and grown, and so would have our friendship.
Today’s Challenge:
The next time you are called to give to someone, pray about how you can ask them to help you in some way (if possible). There are times when people are unable to help back, such as when they are ill or incapacitated. However, if someone is healthy and can work or help, then ask them to. You will both benefit and grow from the situation. It may even encourage them to do this for others. It could lead to better training or a better job for them. It’s worth a try.
This Week’s Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28
37:15 Hashem’s word came again to me, saying, 16 “You, son of man, take one stick, and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.’ 17 Then join them for yourself to one another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.
18 “When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’ 19 tell them, ‘Hashem Elohim says: “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand. 20 The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.”’ 21 Say to them, ‘Hashem Elohim says: “Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. One king will be king to them all. They will no longer be two nations. They won’t be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all. 23 They won’t defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their Elohim.
24 “My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 They will dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived. They will dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever. David, my servant, will be their prince forever. 26 Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them, multiply them, and will set my sanctuary among them forevermore. 27 My tent also will be with them. I will be their Elohim, and they will be my people. 28 The nations will know that I am Hashem who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forevermore.”
Today’s Haftarah Meditation:
What a tremendous promise. That the people of Hashem will be gathered back to Israel in the end. To become one Kingdom, one shepherd, one King. Oh, how I look forward to that day. Then there will truly be peace on earth—joy in the world. The glory of Hashem will fill the Temple, and we will all bow down to the Mashiach. That is something we should be praying for every day. Blow the shofars and call on the Mashiach to come quickly. Let us join Israel in doing so.
Today’s Haftarah Challenge:
My challenge is simply this. Start praying every day (if you don’t already) for the Temple's rebuilding and the Mashiach's return. Pray that people’s hearts will turn toward Hashem and that they will be ready for His return. May we learn more about Scripture like this, which promises a united Kingdom in Jerusalem. And get ready yourself. Clean up your life. Focus on Hashem and others, and take your eyes off yourself. Learn and grow in the Word and know what to expect.
