Vayechi - Day #6

Vayechi, וַיְחִי - And He Lived  

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Genesis 49:27–50:20

49:27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning, he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.”

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them, and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his own blessing. 29 He instructed them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to 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 as a burial place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. 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 When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, breathed his last breath, and was gathered to his people. 

50 1 Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept on him, and kissed him. 2 Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were used for him, for that is how many the days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for Israel for seventy days.

4 When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave, which I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’”

6 Pharaoh said, “Go up, and bury your father, just like he made you swear.”

7 Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9 Both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very great company. 10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and severe lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore, its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12 His sons did to him just 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, as a possession for a burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre. 14 Joseph returned into Egypt—he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17 ‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of Elohim of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of Elohim? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but Elohim meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.”

Today’s Meditation:

We have a very well-known verse today in 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but Elohim meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.” I love this verse; it gives us so much hope. Many times in my life and in others', I have seen Hashem do something truly remarkable in the midst of a very sad or challenging situation. Usually, it involves people who are not directly involved. In other words, we can be a source of light for others during difficult times.

Yesterday, my good friend’s husband died of brain cancer. She called me a few hours after he died, and she sounded unbelievably peaceful. She really believes her husband is in the presence of G-d now, in heaven or paradise. It was such a witness to hear her voice and her calmness in such a sad situation. I know that Hashem will use her as a massive example of His love to others during the upcoming week, funeral and all. That is Hashem turning something that could be bad into something that could be really good.

Today’s Challenge:

Think of something difficult that you are going through right now, or that someone you are close to might be experiencing. Now, pray and ask Hashem how it can all turn for the better, or better yet, see how He is already using the situation for something good. Could you write it down? Tell others about the goodness of G-d. And praise Him. By doing this, you will enhance the positive aspects of your challenging situation.

Vayechi - Day #5

Vayechi, וַיְחִי - And He Lived  

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Genesis 49:19–26

49:19 “A troop will press on Gad,

    but he will press on their heel.

20 “Asher’s food will be rich.

    He will produce royal dainties.

21 “Naphtali is a doe set free,

    who bears beautiful fawns.

22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,

    a fruitful vine by a spring.

    His branches run over the wall.

23 The archers have severely grieved him,

    shot at him, and persecuted him:

24 But his bow remained strong.

    The arms of his hands were made strong,

    by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

    (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

25 even by the Elohim of your father, who will help you,

    by the Almighty, who will bless you,

with blessings of heaven above,

    blessings of the deep that lies below,

    blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26 The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors,

    above the boundaries of the ancient hills.

They will be on the head of Joseph,

    on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.”

Today’s Meditation:

Jacob continues to praise his sons and prophecy about their future. He gives the longest speeches to Judah and Joseph. We all have favorites among our kids, but it's best not to let them know this, right? The point is that he loved all his children (and grandchildren), and it was essential to bestow blessings upon them. As we discussed yesterday, be sure to bless your children while you and they are alive. You never want to miss out on any opportunities.

Today’s Challenge:

Take a piece of paper and write down one special thing about each of your children. If they are grown, still do it. And do the same for your grandchildren. Take your paper, date it, and store it in a special place. Guaranteed, someone will find it sometime in the future and be blessed. And it will help you to remember the special things about your family. If you don’t have kids, then write something special about a sibling or friend.

Vayechi - Day #4

Vayechi, וַיְחִי - And He Lived  

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Genesis 49:1–18

49 Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.

2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob.

    Listen to Israel, your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength,

    excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.

4 Boiling over like water, you shall not excel,

    because you went up to your father’s bed,

    then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers.

    Their swords are weapons of violence.

6 My soul, don’t come into their council.

    My glory, don’t be united to their assembly;

for in their anger they killed men.

    In their self-will, they hamstrung cattle.

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.

8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you.

    Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies.

    Your father’s sons will bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion’s cub.

    From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He stooped down, he crouched as a lion,

    as a lioness.

 Who will rouse him up?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,

    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

until he comes to whom it belongs.

    The obedience of the peoples will be to him.

11 Binding his foal to the vine,

    his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

he has washed his garments in wine,

    his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be red with wine,

    his teeth white with milk.

13 “Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea.

    He will be for a haven of ships.

    His border will be on Sidon.

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey,

    lying down between the saddlebags.

15 He saw a resting place, that it was good,

    the land, that it was pleasant.

He bows his shoulder to the burden,

    and becomes a servant doing forced labor.

16 “Dan will judge his people,

    as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a serpent on the trail,

    an adder in the path

that bites the horse’s heels,

    so that his rider falls backward.

18 I have waited for your salvation, Hashem.

Today’s Meditation:

Jacob is prophesying over his sons in this reading. Can you imagine having the spiritual insight to gather your children together before you die and speak into their futures, good and not so good? And what would it be like for the sons to hear what he was saying? Would there be words of repentance, resolve, and restitution? Or did they quietly accept his words? All we know for sure is that Hashem was in it all. I’m sure Jacob trusted in that.

Today’s Challenge:

If you have children, what would it be like to gather them and speak into their future? Would they accept or reject your words? If they are younger, you can start doing this gradually. Occasionally, during special times, address the areas that need adjustment and complement the areas of success. Sometimes, parents raise their children without ever encouraging, praising, or offering words of help to foster growth and change. It’s essential to do this. It will help your children to grow up to be responsible. Try this if you are able. If you don’t have children, then try it with the young people that Hashem places in your life. All this will make for a better world.

Vayechi - Day #3

Vayechi, וַיְחִי - And He Lived  

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Genesis 48:17–22

48:17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19 His father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in you, saying, ‘Elohim make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but Elohim will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover, I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”

Today’s Meditation:

How does Ephraim’s offspring become greater than his brother’s (verse 19)? Ephraim became a powerful tribe in northern Israel, but in 721 BC, this tribe, along with nine other northern tribes, lost a war against Syria and was subsequently taken captive. Eventually, this tribe was dispersed and became one of the “lost ten tribes”. 

Here is a curious thought. What if the tribe of Ephraim, through dispersion and intermarriage, although assimilated, has become the largest tribe of peoples? What if, throughout the world, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, millions of people with Jewish heritage are tied to the tribe of Ephraim and don't even know it? Some people think this is true. Perhaps Hashem is calling many to prepare for their return to Israel, for the end of days.

Today’s Challenge:

If you are a gentile or Jew who follows and studies Torah, I challenge you to examine your ancestry (if you haven’t already). If you have older relatives who are alive, ask them about their family history. Visit websites like ancestry.com and explore your family's roots. You may be pleasantly surprised. Whether you are a gentile or a Jew, you may have some exciting things to learn about your ancestors.