Beit Midrash

  • Torah Portion and Tanach
  • Vayechi
קטגוריה משנית
To dedicate this lesson
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Our Sedra, the last in Sefer Breisheit, describes Yakov’s actions before he dies. He makes Yosef swear to bury him in Israel & then blesses Yosef and sons Efraim and Menashe. When Yosef protests that Efraim is the younger son, Yakov insists on granting him the greater bracha, placing him at his right-hand side. In fact, boys will be blessed forever by the phrase, "May you be like Efraim and Menashe."

Yakov then blesses each of his sons separately, focusing on the character and mission each has in life. Yehuda is given the preeminent bracha, singled out as leader and future King of the nation.

Yakov dies at age 147 and is brought by his sons and a large Egyptian entourage to his final resting place at Maarat HaMachpela. There he is buried next to his wife Leah, near his parents and grandparents.

Upon returning to Egypt, Yosef’s brothers fear that Yosef will take revenge upon them for their crime. But Yosef assures them he is not vengeful and will provide for their families in Goshen.

The Parsha - and Sefer - conclude with Yosef making Bnei Yisrael pledge to carry his bones with them back to Eretz Yisrael when they go. Yosef, the first of the Shvatim to pass away, dies at the age of 110.

At the Sefer’s conclusion, we (except for the person called up for this Aliya) recite, "Chazak, Chazak V'Nitchazek."
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Lessons
  • Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
    Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
  • Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Zt"l
    Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Zt"l
  • Rabbi S. Yossef Weitzen
    Rabbi S. Yossef Weitzen
  • Rabbi Haggai Lundin
    Rabbi Haggai Lundin
  • Rabbi Ya'akov Katz
    Rabbi Ya'akov Katz
  • Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira
    Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira
  • Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli zt"l
    Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli zt"l
  • Rabbi Chanan Porat Z"l
    Rabbi Chanan Porat Z"l
  • Rabbi Chaim Yerucham Smotrich
    Rabbi Chaim Yerucham Smotrich
  • Rabbi Chaim Avihau Schwartz
    Rabbi Chaim Avihau Schwartz
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    Torah Study

    What Is the Significance of the Number 40 in Jewish Tradition?

    Rabbi Stewart Weiss | Tevet 4 5782
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    Playing Darts on Shabbat

    Can we play darts on Shabbat? The darts are classic ones that pierce the board’s surface; the board hangs loosely from a nail in the wall; in between uses, the darts often stay on the boar

    Rabbi Daniel Mann | Av 23 5781
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    Prayer

    Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication

    Chapter Twenty One-Part One

    Chapter Twenty One-Part One

    Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5775
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    Prayer

    Birkot HaShachar – The Morning Blessings

    Chapter nine-part one

    Chapter nine-part one

    Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5775
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    Prayer

    ?How we should dress for Prayer

    Chapter five-part two

    Chapter five-part two

    Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5775
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    The Laws of Kashrut

    Keeping Kosher - Eating Out

    Rabbi David Sperling
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    Jewish Holidays

    The Twentieth of Sivan

    "I noticed that the back of my siddur contains a large section devoted to selichos for the 20th of Sivan, yet I have never davened in a shul that observed this day. What does this date commemorate?"

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Sivan 17 5780
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    Self Guided Learning

    Shir Hyichud on Yom Kippur

    Who wrote Shirei Yichud and What is it all about? An analysis on this Yom Kippur song.

    Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | 5573
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    Prayer

    The Significance of Tachanun

    Although the importance of the tefillah of Tachanun is underappreciated by many, it should not be; it is actually based on Moshe Rabbeinu’s successful entreating of Hashem on Har Sinai to spare Klal Yisrael from punishment after their grievous sins: “Va’esnapel lifnai Hashem (Devarim 9:18, 25) - And I threw myself down in prayer before G-d,” (Tur, Orach Chayim 131).

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5772
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    Additional Lessons

    Chalav Yisrael and Powdered Milk

    "Friends of ours keep chalav Yisrael, but they will use foods made with non-chalav Yisrael powdered milk. But I know from my professional research that one can purchase powdered mare's (female horses) and camel's milk – they are specialty products that command a very high premium. So why is there any difference between using non-chalav Yisrael powdered milk, and non-chalav Yisrael fluid milk?"

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5772
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    Parashat Hashavua

    Why Do Children Start With Vayikra?

    Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli zt"l | 5771
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    Re'e

    More Mitzvot in Erets Yisrael

    Parashat Re'e

    The special Mitsvot of Israel seem like a burden to some people; Rabeinu Chaim seems to agree with that statement; The Maharit's explanation.

    Rabbi Aharon Angstreich | 5763
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