When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week I learned that Parasha Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 through 47:27), the 11th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings. According to Wikipedia, Vayigash contains 5,680 Hebrew letters, 1,480 words, 106 verses and 178 lines of the Torah Scroll. Vayigash (וַיִּגַּשׁ), translated as “and he drew near“, tells the story of Judah’s pleads on behalf of his brother Benjamin, Joseph revealing himself to his brothers, Jacob coming down to Egypt and Joseph’s administration of Egypt saving lives and transforming all the Egyptians into bondmen.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Vayigash for Shabbat December 23, 2023 aka the 11th of Tevet, 5784:
“In this week’s Torah portion, Vayigash, we witness an intriguing discussion between Joseph, viceroy of Egypt, and his now reconciled brethren in Chapter 28 of Genesis. Joseph tells his brothers to answer an inquiry by Pharaoh as to their professions by stating that they are herders of livestock. Upon receiving the inquiry from Pharaoh, they answer differently, stating that they and their ancestors are shepherds.
The Sages immediately ask why their answer differs from the response of Joseph. Is Joseph not secure as Pharaoh’s second in command? Is the brothers’ answer more appropriate than what Joseph states? Since Joseph has not lived in Canaan for a long time, he does not possess the mentality of a person who has lived in the homeland. In other words, Joseph’s state of mind is of a Jew who is not familiar with the customs of his own homeland; he is a diaspora Jew!
During this time of year when we are exposed to the constant bombardment of Christmas in the media and elsewhere, it is difficult to avoid being swept up in the mentality of the diaspora Jew. We must make ourselves, as Joseph did, less visible to our non-Jewish neighbors because, perhaps, we feel for our survival outside of Israel, it is more advantageous to do so.
Not so in Israel! Even under the harshness of wartime, Jews in Israel are still living as Jews without having to act subservient to non-Jewish neighbors. Living in Israel, we can be respectful of those who observe non-Jewish holidays without being caught up in their observance or having the diaspora mentality. Let us wish a happy holiday to our non-Jewish neighbors while continuing to honor and observe our own traditions and not fall victim to the diaspora mentality.
Questions for Discussion :
1. How did the presence of wagons finally convince Jacob to go down to Egypt?
2. What is Jacob’s final action before going down to Egypt? Why?
3. Why did Jacob bless Pharaoh?
4. How does Joseph’s redistribution of land result in an unintended loss of freedom for Egyptian landowners?“
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his shicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
This moment of Jewish Learning is brought to you by the Florida Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs. We are part of a confederation of over 200 Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods representing over 20,000 members across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Mumbai, India and beyond. Learn more about how your Jewish Men’s Club or Brotherhood can affiliate with the FJMC at: https://www.fjmc.org/content/affiliating-fjmc.
The Florida Region of the FJMC serves the needs of affiliated Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods throughout the State of Florida. Get to know more about the Florida Region of FJMC and our growing network of dynamic Jewish Men’s Clubs and Brotherhoods on our website www.FloridaRegionFJMC.org and please visit and LIKE our Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/FloridaRegionFJMC.
About Post Author
