When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week we read from Parasha Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 through 47:27), the 11th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings. According to Wikipedia, Vayigash (aka Vayiggash) 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 January 4, 2025 aka the 4 Tevet 5785:
“Happy New Year! The secular new year is certainly important because it represents, much like Rosh Hashana and Pesach, the chance for new beginnings and self-evaluation and redirection of our experiences of the previous year and the high hopes for the year to come.
Likewise, the dramatic story of Joseph’s revelation of his identity to his estranged brothers represents totally new beginnings in the relationships within his family. Joseph is no longer the spoiled young man, favorite of his father, who lords his favored status over his jealous brethren. He has suffered much and matured to become a person deemed worthy to be the Viceroy of all Egypt. He must give up his anger at the brothers’ lack of concern for his life and use his position to ensure that they and their families are protected and fed during the remaining years of the famine. In addition, by reconciling with his brothers, he must now face his elderly father and he commands his brothers to bring him to Egypt royal wagons. Jacob faints when he receives the miraculous news that Joseph is not only alive but has become a successful and powerful man who has not abandoned his Jewish heritage. Thus begins a new direction for the Jewish people who are now entirely in Egypt.
We begin the year with high hopes but also uncertainty. We know that we will certainly face many challenges, personally and professionally, and hopefully our courage based in faith, will allow us to move ahead in our relationships and dealing with the issues yet to come. Yet, like Jacob, our ancestor, we will always be connected to the Land of Israel, and we will be steadfast in our support of our community here and in Israel. May this new year, 2025 bring new hope, faith, and support to all Israel and bring us closer to Peace and Security for Israel and America! Am Yisroel Chai!
Questions to Discuss?
- Why, at first, did Jacob not believe what his other sons related to him? What changed his mind?
- Why do Joseph’s brothers become fearful?
- How does he reassure them?
- What promise does Jacob require of Joseph?
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 smicha 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.
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