This week is Vayechi, Bereshit (Genesis) 47:28-50:26. This is the last parshah of Bereshit and next week we’ll begin Sh’mot (Exodus).

In Vayechi Jacob lives the last 17 years of his life and makes sure that Joseph will bury him in the Holy Land. He blesses his sons (with Joseph’s sons as his own) an and assigns them roles… Jacob dies in Egypt and a very large procession takes him to be buried in Hebron. Joseph also dies in Egypt (after living to see his children’s children) and begs that his bones also be taken from Egypt to be buried. Before he dies he also reminds that “G-d will remember you and bring you out of this land”.

This week, I’ve not made it further than a cursory glance through the parshah and a few spot checks of my summary above… Joseph’s statement in 50:24-26 that G-d will remember Israel and bring them out of Egypt gives hope to them during the many difficult years to come.

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I digress, this parshah is a continuance of last week, with Yosef revealing himself to his brothers and the house of Yaakov (all told 70) descend into Egypt (Mitzrayim) and settle in the land of Goshen. Chabad’s summary may be found here.

Woah. There is a lot that could be done in attempting to explain this parshah.

I can’t. I will hopefully do some more learning on the text as the day (and shabbos) progress but do not know now where that may lead.

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Anyway, this week we read Mikeitz, Bereshit 41:1-44:17.

What is this parshah reading about? In short, Pharoah dreams and Joseph correctly interprets these dreams and becomes governor, marries, and has two sons. Famine spreads, ten of Joseph’s brothers come down to Egypt and to buy from the “stores”. The brothers end up meeting Joseph though they do not recognize him. In the end the make a second trip with Benjamin (after Judah agrees to be responsible) and after a nice meal hosted by Joseph a silver goblet is planted with Benjamin and he is to be enslaved to Joseph and the others are to return to Jacob without him.

It’s chanukah. Chanukah is not about presents, though we do give some in our family (which these days seem to revolve around wool– I’m not complaining). Chanukah isn’t about how to spell it in English transliteration, though I’m not consistent. Chanukah is about a miracle. With the rush of this time of year and my own incredibly busy week it’s been difficult to remember that. I know that I will be gazing into the lights tonight. I wonder what I will see.

Four candles are lit tonight before sundown (and lighting of the shabbos candles). They should be long enough to make sure that they burn through full nightfall and last 30 minutes beyond. The blessings in ASL may be found at this image. It’s a bit confusing with R→L and L→R issues.

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In what appears to be a disappointing trend, I keep misplacing my notes on the topic I wish to write about. They reappear 3-5 days after I post what I have. I have some of my notes for today, however, I have written them entirely “b’Ivrit” which is a first for me. I’d love to type them up b’Ivrit but may have to add that in later as I type really slow in Hebrew. I also don’t know very much so it is just a short list of key words.

I would say there there are 7 main parts to this Parshah. Any errors to this list are mine.

1. Yaakov settles in Cannan, the land of his father.
2. Joseph is clearly designated as Yaakov’s favourite. He receives the “Coat of Many Colours” and is loved.
3. Joseph dreams, twice. His brothers don’t like this.
4. Reuben … doesn’t want to kill Joseph so (commentaries disagree on what really happened) he helps him into a pit. Yaakov grieves for his son. Joseph is sold to people to take him further down to Egypt.
5. Judah ends up getting Tamar pregnant and she gives birth to twins replacing the death of his sons.
6. Joseph is bought by Potiphar and Potiphar’s wife causes frustrations.
7. This lands Joseph into jail where he correctly interprets dreams but “is forgotten”.

Chabad’s much more coherent summary may be found at this link.

I am attempting to do that Nach Yomi I wrote about last week. I am terribly far behind but am absolutely fascinated. I am just doing cursory readings of the text and hope in time to be able to delve further in. I hope to “catch up” this shabbat, at least on a general level.

Last night I returned to an old theme.. I still need to clean up a few things but am liking this better right now. We’ll see what happens.

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First however, a very large thank you to LC for catching my most embarrassing mistake. Last week I wrote that 12 SONS were born to Jacob .. that is wrong, 12 CHILDREN. Binyamin was not yet born (he’s born in this parsha). Dinah is not a son.

Let’s see, summary and text with Rashi.

I got hung up on 32:31 and 32:32: “31. And Jacob named the place Peniel, for [he said,] “I saw an angel face to face, and my soul was saved. 32. And the sun rose for him when he passed Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.” (from chabad, © Judiaca Press)

Ok. My knowledge of grammar is pathetic at best. Rashi of course doesn’t comment on it. But my basic research seems to indicate that there are two distinct names for the same place. Jacob named it Peniel, but it is also called Penuel (“face of god”). That the two sound/spell somewhat the same (changing a yud for a vav) is just coincidence. It could have been Apple and Orange. I’m not sure why I got caught up in this, and not other more interesting (?) parts of the parsha but I did. Please feel free to correct me. I asked E and he didn’t know either. (All those years of formal Jewish education.. *sigh* ;) [just kidding, he was reading Rashi script as I was still struggling with English. But I could read music around that time, so :P])

I leave you with the following:
- outgoing woman
- I’m a little slow but, Nach Yomi might be for me. I’ve been trying to learn Shmuel, but … [I've posted other Yomi calendars in the past, such as this post. This is nothing new, but perhaps the structure and guidance will help me.]

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In this portion we learn of hospitality, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife becomes a pillar of salt, Isaac is born and circumcised, Hagar and Ishmael were sent off, the near sacrifice of Isaac, and we learn of the birth of Rebecca. A better summary may be found here.

I’d tell a huge lie if I wrote that I have devoted more time than a quick read through this week. There is a lot in this parshah (as always; I find Bereshit the most interesting of the books of the Torah). I hope tonight and tomorrow to delve a little further in. I’m finding it difficult to strike a balance this month between all the obligations I have committed to.

In skimming through my copy of New Studies in Bereshit by Nechama Leibowitz just now (are you tired of her yet? I am not!) I am drawn to a lesson in which we again compare Noah to Avraham by comparing the differences in approach to “destroying the righteous with the wicked” in light of the flood (in Noah’s time) and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (in Avraham’s). I don’t yet have anything else to add, but think I have found a focus for my additional diving within this sidra^ this week.

^ sidra = another word for parshah.

Lastly, NYT article: Israeli Court Rules on 7th-Year Law.

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This week we learn Parsha Lech Lecha, Bereshit 12:1-17:27. This is quite a busy parsha, as we learn what happens to Abram from the time he “goes [for himself] from [his] land” to the naming of Abraham and Sarah, birth of Yitzhak, and brit milah. Chabad’s summary may be found here as I’ve left out much above.

There is much I could write for this parsha. There is much I want to write. However, I have not prepared as fully as I wish so this will be quite brief. Actually incredibly brief as I can’t figure out where to start.

Anyway, I’ve been negligent this year in mentioning that 5768 is a shmitta year. Incredibly simply, it is that every 7 years the land of Israel gets a sabbatical. Here are a few links:

• star k in 5761 and now in 5768
• aish
• ny times
• a short guide to shemittah
• peeling a pomegranate

Hey, I never said it was easy or straight forward! ;) [I'm not saying I agree or follow all links given (nor am I telling you which is which), I'm trying to provide some education to myself and others with varied and interesting (I hope!) viewpoints].

I’m slowly digging through all the blog posts in the various spheres I visit. Thank you for your patience.

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Beginning at the end for a clue as to what to look into this week (and thank one of Nechama’s lessons for inspiration and guidance), let’s compare Noah and Abram. All translations come either from Chabad or my Artscroll w/Rashi (see end for sources). If I were to do the translations you’d get some of the words and I don’t really know tenses very well yet.

First, Noah.

These are the generations of Noah, Noah was a righteous man he was perfect in his generations; Noah walked with God. (Bereshit 6:9)
Then Hashem said to Noah, “… for it is you I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation”. (Bereshit 7:1)

Now Abram.

And Abram was ninety-nine years old, and God appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be perfect*.
(Bereshit 17:1)

Hmm… Noah walks with Hashem and Abram walks before Him. Regarding * i have perfect, i’ve also seen “whole-hearted”. My Hebrew isn’t good enough to know why there is the difference in translations.

Rashi (if you click those links you can choose “show rashi”) says that Noah needed support to bear him up (thus walking /with/ god) and Abram would strengthen himself (becoming Abraham) and would walk into his righteousness on his own (thus walking before god). In Rashi’s explanation of 17:1, he turns to Onkelos’s translation that walking before God means worship before Me, or cleave to My worship.

So where are we going with this? This is a character comparison. Noah was content to just save his and a limited circle of “own souls”. Abraham would not be content with “just” that (see Sodom and Gomorrah). Looking at Rashi for a bit longer we see that Noah wanted to rise above the corruption of his generation (dor, דור). He needed help. Abraham did not need this assistance and thus could walk before HaShem. I’m not saying Noah was not worthy or bad because he was a little more narrow minded or needed God’s assistance to walk. He was signalled for survival and continuation. Abraham for a mission. Completely different. We’ll learn more of Abram next week in Lech Lecha.

It’s Rosh Chodesh Chesvan today and tomorrow.

Last week I wanted to write about the Tree of Knowledge. In retrospect I’m happy I wasn’t able to because I still don’t feel I can even begin to approach it.

DISCLAIMER & Reminder: I am a lay person with a very incomplete education. These posts are my attempting to puzzle out and learn. If you see something I wrote that is wrong, please help me learn. I just ask that you do so while thinking of what words you chose to tell me “I’m wrong”.

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Sources:
Judaica Press Complete Tanach with Rashi
The Sapirstein Edition of The Torah: Bereshit, student size.
Leibowitz, Nehama and Aryeh Newman (translator). New Studies in Bereshit (Genesis): In the Context of Ancient and Modern Jewish Bible Commentary.