Vayigash

Vayigash (ויגש — Hebrew for “and he drew near” or “then he drew near,” the first word of the parshah) is the eleventh weekly Torah portion ("parshah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0144.htm#18 44:18–47:27.] Jews in the Diaspora read it the eleventh Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in December or January.

Summary

Judah’s plea to Joseph

Judah approached Joseph, whom he likened to Pharaoh, and recounted how Joseph had asked the brothers whether they had a father or brother, and they had told him that they had a father who was an old man, and a child of his old age who was a little one, whose brother was dead, who alone was left of his mother, and whose father loved him. () Judah recounted how their father had told them that his wife had born him two sons, one had gone out and was torn in pieces, and if they took the youngest and harm befell him, it would bring down his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. ()

Joseph reveals himself

Joseph could no longer control his emotions and ordered everyone but his brothers to leave the room. () Joseph asked them to come near, told them that he was Joseph their brother whom they had sold into Egypt, but that they should not be grieved, for God had sent Joseph before them to preserve life. () Joseph thus directed them to go quickly to his father and convey that God had made him lord of all Egypt and his father should come down to live in the land of Goshen and Joseph would sustain him for the five years of famine. () Pharaoh directed Joseph to tell his brothers to go to Canaan and bring their father and their households back to Egypt. () So Joseph sent his brothers away, enjoining them not to fall out on the way. ()

Jacob journeyed to Beersheba with all that he had and offered sacrifices to God. () They took their cattle and their goods and came to Egypt, Jacob’s entire family, 70 men in all, including Joseph and his two children. () Jacob told Joseph that now he could die, since he had seen Joseph’s face. () Pharaoh. ()

Joseph placed his father and brothers in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded, and sustained them with bread while the famine became sore in the land. () When they had no more animals, they offered to sell their land to Joseph and become bondmen in exchange for bread. () And Israel lived in Egypt, in the land of Goshen, accumulated possessions, and was fruitful and multiplied. ( “Judah came near” for battle, as in where it says that “Elijah the prophet came near” to pray to God. Rabbi Leazar combined all these views, teaching that “Judah came near to him” ready for battle, conciliation, or prayer. (Genesis Rabbah 93:6.)

Rab Judah asked in the name of Rab why Joseph referred to himself as “bones” during his lifetime (in that Judah merited the kingship because of his humility. (Tosefta Berakhot 4:18.)

Genesis chapter 45

Rabbi Hama bar Hanina and Rabbi Samuel ben Nahmani differed about how prudent it was for Joseph to clear the room in so that he might show them his circumcision to prove that he was their brother. (Genesis Rabbah 93:10.)

The Tosefta deduced from [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0141.htm#46 41:46,] and [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0145.htm#6 45:6] to calculate that Joseph’s dreams that his brothers would bow to him took 22 years to come true, and deduced that a person should thus wait for as much as 22 years for a positive dream’s fulfillment. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 55b.) Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Joshua used indicated that Jacob was then 130 years old, the Gemara deduced that the text did not count 14 years that Jacob spent studying in the Academy of Eber. (Babylonian Talmud Megilah 16b–17a.)

Rabbi Elazar interpreted Joseph’s reference to Benjamin in to mean that Joseph asked them to note that he spoke in Hebrew. (Genesis Rabbah 93:10.)

Rabbi Elazar noted that reports. (Babylonian Talmud Megilah 16b.)

Rabbi Benjamin bar Japhet in the name of Rabbi Elazar deduced from to prove that one who sees a camel in a dream has been delivered from a death decreed by heaven. In Hebrew, the words in the verse "gam aloh" resemble the word for camel, "gamal". (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 56b.)

Rabbi Zadok noted that was not a name but, as taught by the Academy of Hezekiah, the word “clusters” or “leaves,” thus signifying that Dan’s sons were as numerous as the leaves of a reed. Rava found, however, support in reported that 70 people from Jacob’s household came to Egypt, while would indicate that Benjamin also had a twin sister. Rabbi Hiyya then revealed his real explanation, which he called “a precious pearl”: Rabbi Hama bar Hanina taught that the seventieth person was Moses’ mother Jochebed, who was conceived on the way from Canaan to Egypt and born as Jacob’s family passed between the city walls as they entered Egypt, for nonetheless rewarded the Egyptians for their hospitality. Rabbi Jose concluded that if Providence thus rewarded one with mixed motives, Providence will reward even more one who selflessly shows hospitality to a scholar. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 63b.)

Rabbi Johanan taught that wherever Scripture uses the term “And he abode” ("vayeshev"), as it does in “And Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan,” is followed by “And the time drew near that Israel must die.” In “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree,” is followed by “And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was the king’s seed in Edom.” (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 106a.)

Commandments

According to Maimonides and Sefer ha-Chinuch, there are no commandments in the parshah. (Maimonides. "Mishneh Torah". Cairo, Egypt, 1170–1180. Reprinted in Maimonides. "The Commandments: Sefer Ha-Mitzvoth of Maimonides". Translated by Charles B. Chavel, 2 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1967. ISBN 0-900689-71-4. "Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education". Translated by Charles Wengrov, 1:91. Jerusalem: Feldheim Pub., 1991. ISBN 0-87306-179-9.)

Haftarah

The haftarah for the parshah is Ezekiel [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1237.htm#15 37:15–28.] The parshah and the haftarah both tell stories of the reconciliation of Jacob’s progeny. The parshah and the haftarah both tell of the relationship of Judah and Joseph, in the parshah as individuals, and in the haftarah as representatives for the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel.

Further reading

The parshah has parallels or is discussed in these sources:

Early nonrabbinic

*Philo. [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/yonge/book23.html "On Joseph",] 38–43. Alexandria, Egypt, early 1st Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition". Translated by Charles Duke Yonge, 454–57. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 1993. ISBN 0-943575-93-1.
*Josephus. "Antiquities", [http://www.interhack.net/projects/library/antiquities-jews/b2c6.html 2:6:9] – [http://www.interhack.net/projects/library/antiquities-jews/b2c7.html 2:7:7.] Circa 93–94. Reprinted in, e.g., "The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition". Translated by William Whiston, 63–65. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 1987. ISBN 0-913573-86-8.
*Qur'an Arabia, 7th Century.

Classical rabbinic

*Tosefta Berakhot 4:18; Sotah 10:9. Land of Israel, circa 300 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "The Tosefta: Translated from the Hebrew, with a New Introduction". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 27, 877. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 2002. ISBN 1-56563-642-2.
*Genesis Rabbah 39:12; 40:6; 55:8; 63:3; 79:1; 80:11; 82:4; 84:20; 89:9; 90:1, 6; 93:1–96. Land of Israel, 5th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Genesis". Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Leviticus Rabbah 32:5. Land of Israel, 5th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Genesis". Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Babylonian Talmud: Berakhot 56b, 63b; Pesachim 119a; Beitzah 16a; Megillah 16a–b; Chagigah 4b; Nazir 3a; Baba Kama 92a; Baba Batra 120a, 123a, 143b; Avodah Zarah 9b; Chullin 60b; Nidah 31a. Babylonia, 6th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Talmud Bavli". Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr, Chaim Malinowitz, and Mordechai Marcus, 72 vols. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006.
*Esther Rabbah 7:20.
*Song of Songs Rabbah 1:56; 4:25; 6:20.
*Ruth Rabbah 4:1.
*Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:6, 33; 9:12.

Medieval

*Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:13. Land of Israel, 9th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Deuteronomy". Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Exodus Rabbah 3:3, 4, 8; 15:16; 18:8; 40:4. 10th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Deuteronomy". Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Rashi. "Commentary". [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=8239&showrashi=true Genesis 44–47.] Troyes, France, late 11th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Rashi. "The Torah: With Rashi’s Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated". Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, 1:493–520. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-89906-026-9.
*Numbers Rabbah 3:8; 8:4; 12:2; 13:3, 20; 14:7, 8, 12; 19:3; 22:8. 12th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Numbers". Translated by Judah J. Slotki. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Zohar 1:93b, 119a, 149b, 153b, 180b, 197a, [http://www.kabbalah.com/k/index.php/p=zohar/zohar&vol=13 205a–211b,] 216b, 222a, 226a; 2:4b, 16b, 53a, 85a; 3:206a. Spain, late 13th Century. Reprinted in, e.g, "The Zohar". Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon. 5 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1934.

Modern

*Irving Fineman. "Jacob, An Autobiograhical Novel". New York: Random House, 1941.
*Thomas Mann. "Joseph and His Brothers". Translated by John E. Woods, 257, 274–75, 464, 541–42, 547, 568–69, 663, 668, 672, 717–18, 722, 758, 788, 792–94, 796–97, 803–04, 852–53, 859, 878, 881, 886, 923, 1373–447. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. ISBN 1-4000-4001-9. Originally published as "Joseph und seine Brüder". Stockholm: Bermann-Fischer Verlag, 1943.
*Aaron Wildavsky. "Assimilation versus Separation: Joseph the Administrator and the Politics of Religion in Biblical Israel". New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 1993. ISBN 1-56000-081-3.

External links

Texts

* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0144.htm#18 Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation]
* [http://bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp?action=displaypage&book=1&chapter=44&verse=18&portion=11 Hear the parshah chanted]

Commentaries

* [http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/archives/index.shtml#gen Commentaries] from the Jewish Theological Seminary
* [http://judaism.uj.edu/Content/InfoUnits.asp?CID=906 Commentaries] from the University of Judaism
* [http://www.uscj.org/Vayigash_57677108.html Torah Sparks] from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
* [http://www.ou.org/torah/archive1.htm Commentaries] from the Orthodox Union
* [http://ajrsem.org/index.php?id=199 Commentaries] from the Academy for Jewish Religion
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=15557 Commentaries] from Chabad.org
* [http://urj.org/torah/genesis/index.cfm? Commentaries] and [http://urj.org/shabbat/genesis/ Family Shabbat Table Talk] from the Union for Reform Judaism
* [http://www2.jrf.org/recon-dt/index.php Commentaries] from Reconstructionist Judaism
* [http://www.torah.org/learning/parsha/parsha.html?id1=11 Commentaries] from [http://www.torah.org/ Torah.org]
* [http://www.aish.com/torahPortion/pArchive.asp?eventType=11&eventName=Vayigash Commentaries] from [http://www.aish.com/ Aish.com]
* [http://www.shiur.com/index.php?id=C0_128_6&spar=128&s_id=128 Commentaries] from [http://www.shiur.com/ Shiur.com]
* [http://www.tfdixie.com/parshat/vayigash/ Commentaries] from [http://www.tfdixie.com/ Torah from Dixie]
* [http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/2450 Commentary] from [http://ohr.edu/index.php Ohr Sameach]
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Weekly_Torah_Commentary/vayigash_index.htm Commentaries] from [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/index.htm MyJewishLearning.com]
* [http://www.judaic.org/addtl_files/vayigash.htm Commentaries] and [http://www.judaic.org/tabletalk/vayigash5761.htm Shabbat Table Talk] from [http://www.judaic.org/ The Sephardic Institute]
* [http://www.parshaparts.com/archive/5767/vayigash.php Commentaries] from [http://www.parshaparts.com/index.php Parshah Parts]
* [http://www.anshe.org/parsha/vayiggash.htm Commentary] from [http://www.anshe.org/ Anshe Emes Synagogue, Los Angeles]
* [http://www.rabbishmuel.com/browse.cgi?type=torah_sermons Torah Sermons] from [http://www.ostt.org/ Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah]
* [http://www.teach613.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=26 Commentary] from [http://www.teach613.org/index.php Teach613.org, Torah Education at Cherry Hill]