Parashas Vayechi

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Vayechi , where we read of the passing of our dear beloved Fore-Father Yaakov Israel and his sons receiving their Blessings and his son Yosef , taking care of Yaakov's arrangements and basically leading the generation after Yaakov and so , the Haftorah for this portion in 1 Kings 2:1-12 , also refers to the passing of Dovid Ha Melech , and his son Shlomo after him . The touch of Yaakov's Neshoma was in Dovid Ha Melech , as was a touch of Yosef's humble soul , also in Shlomo Ha Melech .
Yaakov Israel knew his time was coming and he was the first to get ill before passing and so , he called for his son Yosef , knowing that Yosef would be in a position to get Pharaoh to allow Yaakov to be taken back to Canaan , out of Egypt , so that he could be buried with our Fore-Fathers and Fore-Mothers and so , he had Yosef assure him that Yosef would have him buried in Canaan in the Cave of Machpelah , near Mamre in Chevron . Yosef assured him that he would . Yosef did not spend that much time with his Father , for he was trying to avoid telling on his brothers for what they had done to sell him , but Yosef's sons did spend time with their Grand-Father , and it was them who informed Yosef that their Father was ill , so he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim at the advice of his wife Osnas and came to his Father .
Yaakov assures Yosef that Yosef's sons will share in the inheritance in Eretz Yisroel , just like the other sons of Yaakov . Yosef questioned his Father why his Mother Rachel was not buried in the Cave of Machpelah like the other Fore-Mothers , but on the side of the road to Ephrath Beis Lechem . Yaakov told Yosef that HaShem would one day in the future take our people into exile in Bavel , due to Avodah Zorah idol worship of some of the people , and they would travel past that place where Rachel was buried and Rachel would thus be able to pray for us , her children , begging HaShem not to be angry that some of us strayed , for nor was she angry that she gave her place to her sister in marriage to Yaakov , So HaShem Too , Should Be Understanding And Forgive us And Bring us out of exile , and no doubt , because Rachel had been in such a position of giving her beloved Yaakov to her sister Leah , so could Rachel be the only one to ask of HaShem the same kind of request to be understanding , when our attention was diverted from HaShem and so , HaShem Accepted Rachel's prayers for her children - us . Yaakov then wanted to bless Yosef's children , so Yosef put his older son to Yaakov's right and the younger one , to Yosef's left , but Yosef saw that his Father Yaakov placed his right hand ( the hand that would usually go on the first-born's head ) , on the younger one's head and Yosef wanted to correct him , but his Father Yaakov assured Yosef that he knew what he was doing , for Yaakov said that the younger one would become greater than the older one , and this was in reference to Joshua Yehoshuah , who would in the future come from the younger one Ephraim's line , generations later .
And so Yaakov blessed Yosef's sons with the same words we say to our children every Erev Shabbos , " May G-D Make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh , " thus putting Ephraim before Manasseh . This Blessing signified , that may our people be like Ephraim and Manasseh , who lived among other nations in exile , and yet still kept true to Holy Religious Judaism and never strayed . So may our children always be so .
Israel Yaakov informs Yosef he is about to pass on and that HaShem Will after the time in Mitzrayim , bring us back to Canaan and that Israel Yaakov gave Yosef an extra portion more than the other brothers , the place Shechem ( showing that deep down , Yaakov knew what the brothers had done to Yosef , for it was where Yosef was sold by his brothers ) that Yaakov had taken with his sword and his bow , when , at the time of the incident after Simeon and Levi had killed all the Shechemite men , where their sister had been forcefully taken , the other nations came up in defense of the people of Shechem , and Yaakov had fought a war with them and with HaShem's Help , had won , and so , gave this area to Yosef .
Then Yaakov called for his sons to give them his final Blessings from HaShem and he was just about to reveal to them the time of the End of Days , for the Shechinah was resting above him , but HaShem Did Not Want this time to be known and so , as Yaakov was about to reveal this , the Shechinah lifted and so , Yaakov was not able to complete his words of when that time will be . We also note that Yaakov wanted to tell us of the End of Days , starting with the words " Ha'asfu " - " Assemble yourselves , " which shows that one of the ways to bring Moshiach and usher in the End of Days , is for our Jewish people to " Assemble , " in other words come together as one people under HaShem in obedience to all His Laws , and so , this " Coming together " and getting rid of old strife , keeping HaShem's Commandments , is one of the ways to bring Moshiach .
Then Yaakov Israel Blesses the tribes . Reuvein , was reminded of his Aveirah , and how the Shechinah was desecrated , That Rested on that particular couch that only the Shechinah of HaShem Rested on and how Reuvein had moved that couch out of Bilhah's tent and into his own Mother Leah's Tent . Yaakov gives Reuvein a Blessing in disguise , which is that Reuvein will and can go far as long as he learns patience and not to be impetuous . Yaakov then refers to Simeon and Levi's actions in how they handled the Shechemite issue and that Yaakov's soul will not enter into their actions of violence .Yaakov refers to them murdering a people , in reference to the Shechemites and maiming an ox , in reference to Shechem himself . This is also a hint to what these two brothers did to Yosef , who is referred to as a "strong boned ox " who keeps to HaShem's Commandments without wavering , even in exile , and so , this again shows that Yaakov knew without Yosef telling him , what these two specifically had done to Yosef , where Levi had been the one who said of young Yosef , " behold the dreamer comes , " and Simeon had been the one who threw him into the pit . So Yaakov ensured that these two sons would be kept apart from each other , not only in their travels as Tribes when we all came back from Egyptian slavery , but also in Israel , when the time came for the Land to be divided , for when these two Tribes get together ,they are ever so strong , as they were when these two , as small boys , wiped out the Shechemites single-handed .
Yehudah , is Blessed and noted as the leader of the Tribes as the Tribe of kingship , like a lion , and from this tribe , will Mashiach come - noted as " Shiloh . " Wine and Milk referred to here refers to Mashiach and the Torah of Milk and Honey . When our children first learn Torah , we dab a little honey on their tongue to remind them that the Torah always be sweet on our tongues .
Zevulun will be given those places on seashores , to bring trade and wealth to his brothers and he and his brother Yissaschar , mentioned next , work together hand in hand , where Zevulun toils while Yissaschar studies Torah and so , will each get the Kavod of both as if they are one , yet both will and are to study Torah . The people of Yissaschar bend themselves humbly to HaShem's Torah and Will .
Yaakov Israel Blesses Dan next , and here , Yaakov sees in prophecy , a man who , from this Tribe , will avenge his people against the Philistines , and this man , Yaakov sees , is Samson Shimshon the Judge of Israel , who will be like a single serpent on the way , in other words one singe man , who will attack at the very enemy's foundation , all by himself , a viper by the path , as Shimshon was , when he hid and awaited the enemy to walk past and the reference to the horse's heels and rider , refers to how Shimshon killed so many by himself , just with the jawbone of a ass / donkey . Yaakov ends his blessing to this Tribe with words that show how salvation is still awaited from HaShem , for Yaakov fore-saw how this Shimshon , regaining his power from HaShem , once his Nazarite hair grew again , in his death , will bring down 3000 Pelishtim , in their colosseum of their dagan deity , when he pushes over the supporting pillars , this sadly would be Shimshon's end too and so , would Israel still await the Final Redemption .
Gad , Yaakov Blessed from HaShem , with powerful fighting men , who would overcome the enemy , for Gad's portion of territory , would bring them into constant contact with Ammonite raiders . Asher , was Blessed with " kindly delicacies , " in connection with the abundance of olive oil in his region in Eretz Yisroel as well as spiritually beautiful women who would marry Kohanim .
Naphtali is referred to as a " hind let loose who delivers beautiful sayings , " and this refers to the incident that was to take place when Yaakov had already passed away and was being buried in the Cave , and Eisav came along and claimed the site for himself and Naphtali , fleet of foot , ran quickly back to Egypt , to get the title that it belonged to Yaakov and his side of the family .
Next , is Yosef Blessed , and Israel Yaakov , makes reference to Yosef's inauguration as he was led through the city in Egypt . Yaakov also makes mention of arrow-tongued men hating him , a reference to Yosef's brothers and also to the men of Egypt at the time Zulaicha and her friends made false accusations against him and the husbands joined in . Yaakov refers to Yosef's " bow being firmly emplaced and his arms gilded from the hands of the Mighty power of Yaakov , " and this refers to the constant taunts of Potiphera's wife and how at the last moment of that last attempt of Zulaicha to entice Yosef , just before Yosef got accused , how Yosef held himself in check and did not fall and sin and how , Yosef saw an image of the mighty Yaakov his Father , that kept him at that moment from doing anything wrong . So would Yosef receive abundant Blessings .
Yaakov then Blessed Binyamin , as a " predatory wolf , " of how " in the morning devouring prey and in the evening , distributing spoils . " Here Yaakov prophesies reference to King Shaul , a Benjaminite , who defeated Moav , Edom and Philistia , and also it is a reference to the happening of the Concubine of Gibeah in the book of Judges 19 and 20 ( Radak ) and of course to the coming of Mordechai and Esther , from the Tribe of Binyamin who were HaShem's Servants against haman the amelekite and both rose there in Persia , to high state .
Yaakov Blessed the Twelve Tribes and the very fact that they were mentioned as Twelve Tribes again , refers to their holiness . Yaakov then again instructs them to make sure he is buried back in Canaan in the Cave of Machpelah and so , sadly , our beloved Yaakov passed away .
Yosef , weeping had his Father embalmed , which our Rabbis believe was incorrect, for trust should have been there that HaShem Would Keep Yaakov as he was . Even Egypt bewailed his passing , where the passing of such a Holy Tzaddik , leaves in its place an emptiness and lack of Blessing , in its place , in that specific place , so was Yaakov fearing that Pharaoh might not let Yaakov leave Egypt and be buried in Canaan ( for Pharaoh knew that Blessing From HaShem , had come with Yaakov's presence in Egypt ) , but Yosef assured Pharaoh that he had given his word to his Father to do this very thing and so , after Pharaoh first objected , and Yosef reminding him of how Yosef had kept his word never to reveal that Yosef knew one more language more than Pharaoh , so did Pharaoh consent to letting Yaakov return to Canaan . So Yosef and the brothers carried Yaakov all the way back , with even a following of Egyptians too . Yosef put his crown on the coffin as did other nations , whom , they passed on the way back , for Yaakov was known as a very holy man . So was Yaakov Israel buried in the cave of Machelah and as I mentioned earlier Eisav came at that moment and contested it . Chushim , Dan's deaf son saw the commotion Eisav was making at such a holy time and struck Eisav to the point of death and Yehudah , struck the final blow . Eisav's head rolled into the cave but his body remained outside , and was given to his family to bury on Mount Seir . So was their Mother Rivka's words fulfillled that she was bereft of both her sons on the same day ( Bereishis 27:45 ) . So was the last Fore-Father buried in the Cave of Machpelah , a great light was gone from the World .
Afer the passing of their holy Father Yaakov , Yosef's other brothers became afraid that now , Yosef would come down on them , for Yosef , dealing with the sadness of his Father's Passing and also not wanting to take the head place at a table with them over his other brothers , didn't invite them as before , and so they approached him making out that their Father had wanted him to forgive them . Yosef reassured them that he would still take care of them and would not hurt them and that he held no anger to them at all .
Pharaoh passed away , and Yosef stood in as ruler of Egypt for many years , and Yosef saw three generations through his sons . Before he was about to pass away , Yosef asked his brothers that they must bring his bones out of Egypt and bring him back to Canaan , when the Jews leave there after the time of slavery . He also told them that after the period of slavery in Egypt , HaShem Will Send a redeemer who will be known when he speaks the words , " Pakod Yifkod , " ( Bereishis 50:24 ) - " G-D Will surely remember you , " and so , Yosef passed away before his brothers at the age of One Hundred and Ten , ten years before he would have , due to his not stopping his Father being called servant , when the brothers were before him as viceroy . The last brother to pass away in Egypt was Levi .
Yosef was placed in a coffin and sunk to the bottom of the Nile , so that no one might take his bones out of Egypt , for the Egyptians believed his being there brought them blessing and blessings to the nile , though all Blessings Come From HaShem Alone .
So ends the Parsha and the First Book of The Torah Bereishis .
The Parsha is called " Vayechi " - " Lived " yet the Parsha is all about the passing of Yaakov Israel and at the end , of Yosef . This is because a true Tzaddik , who is so close to HaShem and has become so holy and spiritual , continues on to greater Life and holiness after their physical passing . So is the word " Vayechi " used . We had the same with the passing of Sarah . The passing of Yaakov , was only physical . The Neshoma continues closer to HaShem , growing ever closer to HaShem . Life is not what it seems . Life itself is only a pathway toward HaShem . When a person passes , only their physicality remains and the term ' passes ' becomes more apt , for that is exactly what is happening . The person passes from one way of being , to the next , whether that be as a person again , or as whatever HaShem Deems them to become , so that they can continue to spiritually grow . We see only a tiny minute picture of all things and so , does " True Life " actually continue in all its Brilliance toward HaShem . The very fact of living , is a step toward the time of Mashiach . We see this in the very first word of this Parsha " Vayechi , " which comes to 34 in Gematriah , and 3+4 = 7 , the Gematrical value of Moshiach . Thus , when we live according to HaShem and His Commandments and Ways , we continue to live , beyond the physical existence of what we see as holy beings coming ever closer to HaShem , and so , by following HaShem and His Commands and Torah , we thus work to bring in Moshiach and usher in The End Of Days .
Life is not about having value-less parties and a frivolous good time for the moment . True Life , is truly using this Physical World as a preparation to earn our place in the Eternal Home of Gan Eiden . So says Pirkei Avos that the World we are in , is the antechamber to prepare ourselves to enter the banquet hall , of the Eternal World To Come Olam Habah . That is True Living , not just for the here and now , but Truly for Eternity . For True Life is Life With HaShem . That is what we are all actually here for . To do otherwise , would not be ' living ' at all . Every moment of every day of every moment of every moment , is a Gift From HaShem , to Gain True " Vayechi " - " Living . " Yaakov and our Fore-Fathers knew this . Now it is time for us to know it too . This Physical World Existence , is your opportunity and mine , From HaShem , to Work toward Olam Habah The World To Come , and so , this very working toward an Eternal Blessed Destination with HaShem , is really and truly True Living . Let us all stop wasting our lives that HaShem Gives us , and from now on , " Vayechi , " - " Truly Live " for HaShem and so will we get " True Vayechi , " - " True Life Eternal , " in HaShem's Olam Habah Gan Eiden in Shamaim within the Beauty Of HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu , HaShem The Holy One Blessed Be He .
I wish HaShem With Eternal Love , a Very Beautiful And Sweet Shabbos Kodesh With Eternal Love and to all my fellow Jews and all of Creation , a Very Beautiful and Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love .