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Parasha Vayechi (And He Lived): The Lion and the Scepter of Judah

Jacob Blessing Ephraim and Manasseh, by Benjamin West

In this Parasha, Jacob compelled Joseph to vow to carry his body back to the Land of his Fathers and bury him there. Joseph agreed to his dying father’s request not to leave his body in Egypt. Although Jacob had lived the last 17 years of his life in Egypt, he never forgot the Land God had promised him by Divine Covenant. Ever since God called Abraham out of Ur, the Jewish People have not lost sight of the Promised Land given to them through Isaac and Jacob. Even when the people of Israel were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, they sat by the rivers of Babylon weeping and remembering Zion, vowing to never forget her.

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Parasha Vayigash (And He Drew Near): God’s Prophetic Plan and Seasons of Trials

Torah scroll_finials_rimmon_bar mitzvah_tallit

Parasha Vayigash begins with a plea from Judah, brother of Joseph, on behalf of his younger half-brother, Benjamin. A silver cup was deliberately planted in Benjamin’s bag by Joseph, causing Benjamin to be in danger of having to remain a slave in Egypt. Judah could not bear to return to his father without his youngest brother, Benjamin. He knew that doing so would probably kill his father.

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Parasha Miketz (At the End) & Shabbat Chanukah

Children-light-chanukah-menorah

In the Holy Sanctuary, the light of the Menorah became a symbol of God’s Divine presence; its light shined not only inside the Temple, but tradition says it also shined out the windows and into Jerusalem where people could bask in its rays during the dark nights. During this time of year, when the winter nights are the longest, we sense our need for the light more intently.

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Parasha Vayeshev (And He Lived): Favor, Inheritance, and a Grand Destiny

Judah and Tamar, by school of Rembrandt

Judah realized that although Tamar’s actions were less than perfect, she had acted to fulfill the familial responsibility to raise up a child for her husband under the family name. He realized that she was more righteous than he was, so he set her free. Tamar gave birth to twins, one of whom, Perez, who became a forefather of Boaz, who became the great-grandfather of King David, who became a forefather of the Messiah.

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Parasha Vayishlach (And He Sent): Being Overcomers in the Face of Life’s Struggles

Jacob Sees Esau Coming to Meet Him, by James Tissot

The last time Jacob had seen Esau, he was filled with murderous rage, vowing to kill him; therefore, it is no wonder that Jacob felt anxiety at the prospect of seeing his brother again, especially upon learning that Esau was headed his way with 400 men! Had Esau held a grudge against Jacob all these years? Or had time eased the pain of betrayal and brought forgiveness? Could the generous gifts of livestock sent ahead to Esau somehow appease his anger? Jacob was about to find out. Jacob was a man of strategy: he divided his family and the people with him, along with his flock, herds and camels, into two camps. That way, if Esau attacked one camp, the other would survive. (Genesis 32:8)

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Parasha Vayetze (And He Left): Jacob’s Journey of Faith

Jacob's Dream, by José de Ribera

Jacob was not a rough and tough adventurer like his brother, Esau. He had a quiet personality from birth, preferring to be at home with his mother rather than out in the woods hunting for game. So, the call to leave his home for another land (like his grandfather Abraham, and his father Isaac) may have given him much anxiety. Perhaps doubly so since this trip arose from his mother’s desire to protect his life from his brother’s rage. On the other hand, Jacob had just received an extraordinary blessing from his father Isaac of “heaven’s dew and earth’s richness, an abundance of grain and new wine” with a promise of nations serving and bowing down to him (Genesis 27:28–29).

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Parasha Toldot (Generations): The Battle for the Blessings

pregnant woman

Although part of the the blessing upon Isaac is the promise that those who curse him will be cursed, the focus of the Parasha is on blessings, and not curses. In fact, the Hebrew word for blessed (baruch) is so significant in this Parasha that out of 106 verses, baruch appears 34 times! This word, baruch, comes from brachah (blessing), but with a small change in vowel, it becomes breicha—a wellspring of water or even a pool.

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Parasha Chayei Sarah (Life of Sarah): The Legacy of Faith

Sarah-Sarai-Abraham-Egypt-James Tissot

Sarah demonstrated radical obedience to her husband—first by leaving her home and family and everything behind to follow Abraham to a new land without even knowing where they were going, living in a tent in the desert like a stranger. She endured multiple hardships without complaining. There is only one way that Sarah could have walked in such radical obedience—and that is through absolute faith and trust in God.

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Parasha Vayera (And He Appeared): A Covenant and an Inheritance

Jewish man prays Western Wailing Wall tefillin phylacteries tallit prayer shawl

This week’s Parasha contains more angelic activity than any of the other parashot. Angels appear to Abraham as men, bringing messages to him and Sarah of events to come. They also save Lot from a hostile mob, lead Hagar to water for her son, and comfort Hagar with the promise of Ishmael becoming a great nation. Later in the parasha, the angels also prevent Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac.

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Parasha Lech Lecha (Go Forth): Crossing Over Into Destiny

Jewish Boys Torah Scroll crown

Abram had an ability to cross over borders: He not only crossed from Mesopotamia to Canaan, he courageously crossed from a world of idol worship to a world in which the one true God was worshiped instead. The world stood on one side and he stood with truth on the other. He crossed over into his destiny, and his descendants inherited the reward or blessing as well as the characteristic of being those who crosses over.

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