YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayechi
When a loved one dies, we are accustomed to pray, "May he/she rest in peace." But what is most important is that a person makes peace with himself before he dies, that he ties up all the loose ends in his life so that he can close the shop & his neshama can transition to Life Eternal.
All his life, Yakov has agonized over one central event: the B’Chora. Did he act properly when he wrested the blessing from his father by subterfuge? Did he really deserve to become the leader of the nation & the father of his country? Or is he a "heel," as his name implies?
And so, when Yakov calls for his two grandchildren in order to bless them, he does a rather strange thing: he reverses his hands & diagonally extends his right hand – the one symbolizing the primary blessing – toward Efraim, who was on his left side. In doing this, he is vividly replaying the scene of the B’chora, where the key bracha is surprisingly given to the younger son.
When Menashe, the elder, issues no protest & accepts the decision, Yakov innately knows that his actions have been validated, that he was right in believing that Jewish leadership is a meritocracy, not an aristocracy.
That this episode connects to the B’chora is made clear by mentioning that Yakov, like Yitzchak, is blind, & that an angel will bless the boys, just as an angel wrestled with Yakov & then blessed him with the name Yisrael, thus validating his actions vis a vis Esav those many years ago. Now, Yakov’s soul can rest at peace.
Yosef must deal with his own crisis: Does he hold any grudge against his brothers for what they did to him? And did he do right by bringing his entire nation to Egypt, a land infamous for immorality & depravity? Should he rather have sent them provisions, instead of taking them into a long Exile?
Yosef finally will conclude that, "Elokim chashva l’tova," whatever G-d does, He does for the good, & that this was all a necessary part of our eternal journey. And in his last words to his people, he assures them they will, they must return to Israel; no matter how privileged a life they may lead in Goshen that cannot be our home. And he makes his family swear an oath that they will take him with them when they do go. As Yosef takes his final breath, you can almost hear him confidently proclaim: "Chazak, Chazak, V’Nitchazek" – be strong, & strengthen one another.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
