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Right or Left?
In our Torah portion Yosef brings his two sons to his father for a blessing. “Yosef took the two boys. He placed Efraim to his right, (to Yisrael’s left), and Menashe to his left, (Yisrael’s right). … Yisrael reached out with his right hand and placed it on Efraim’s head, though he was the younger. He placed his left hand on Menashe’s head. He deliberately crossed his hands, even though Menashe was the firstborn. … and said ‘He too will attain greatness. But his younger brother will become even greater’....” (Genesis 48; 13-14).
There are several questions to be asked on this section. Why does the Torah explain in such detail the position of the two boys. Is there not a simpler way that we could have been informed that Ya’akov gave Efraim the greater blessing? Secondly, why did Ya’akov change the order to bless the younger son over the elder? Surely he knew from his own experiences with his brother Esav the dangers in reversing the order of blessings. And finally, when Yosef questions his father about the order Ya’akov doesn’t seem to answer him, but simply restate what he had done.
Rashi explains that though Menashe and Efraim were brothers, they were involved in very different endeavours. Menashe spent his time in the court of Pharaoh, acting as Yosef’s interpreter (Rashi on 42; 23), whereas Efraim was involved in full-time Torah learning (48; 1). Their lifestyles complemented each other, and they had a partnership that allowed them to share the material and spiritual gains equally. Yosef knew that both of these were worthy pursuits, but it seems from their names that he felt that Efraim’s Torah learning was more important for their long term survival. “Yosef named the first-born Menashe ‘because G-d has made me forget my troubles and even my father’s house’. He named the second Efraim - ‘Because G-d has made me fruitful’. (41; 51-2). On the face of it Efraim represented the future, while Menashe severed Yosef’s links with the past. However, on a slightly deeper level we could see these two names as also showing the different approaches to serving G-d in Israel and outside of Israel respectively. In Israel Yosef and his brothers were shepherds. They worked the land and, though they also learnt ‘Torah’ from their father and grandfather, their physical relationship with the Land was paramount. In Egypt Yosef felt that the emphasis must be on Torah learning to retain the close connection with G-d. Yosef embodied the concept of Torah Im Derech Eretz, (Torah combined with living in the material world), but his priority was always the Torah.
Therefore the Torah tells us that when Yosef approached Ya’akov, Efraim was on his right, symbolising the superiority of Torah outside of Israel. However, the blessing they were to receive, which was really for the time when the Jews returned to Israel, Yosef envisaged a return to the dominance of Menashe’s lifestyle, and intended Ya’akov to give him the blessing of the ‘right hand’.
Ya’akov’s response was that even in Israel Torah must still be placed before Derech Eretz. According to Rashi, Ya’akov’s response “He too will attain greatness. But his younger brother will become even greater.” refers not to numbers, but the leaders of the nation who will be descended from the two boys. The greatness of Menashe is that Gidon will come from him. The Bible introduces us to Gidon “as he was threshing wheat by the winepress...” (Judges 6; 11). His success as a saviour of Israel was based on the fact that he was a working person, not a great Torah scholar. Yet he merited to have miracles performed on his behalf because of his dedication to G-d and Israel. However, Efraim’s descendant was Yehoshua, who was even greater. It was he who led the Jews into the Land of Israel, though he was primarily a Torah scholar and teacher, not a warrior or worker (although he was also very capable in the battlefield as we see from the war against Amalek, where he led the troops, and most of the book of Yehoshua which lists his battle campaigns).
Thus Yosef thought that the primary need for Torah was a temporary necessity of life outside of Israel, which would be reversed upon the Jew’s return to Israel. However, Ya’akov demonstrated through his order of blessing that even in Israel precedence must be accorded to Torah learning, which would remain the prerequisite for physical and material prosperity.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Sedley
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Saturday, December 30, 2006
Vayechi summary
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Ya'akov lives in Egypt for 17 years, to the age of 147. Before he dies he summons Yosef and makes him swear that he will bury him in the land of Israel. A short while later Yosef is told that his father is sick. He takes his two sons to Ya'akov for a blessing. Ya'akov blesses Yosef that his two sons, Menashe and Ephraim, will be considered tribes in their own right. He then blesses the boys, but places his right hand on Ephraim's head, though he is the younger. Yosef tries to correct his father, but Ya'akov explains that the younger son will become greater then the elder. Ya'akov gives Yosef an additional portion in the land of Israel, the city of Shechem.
Ya'akov summons all of his sons and blesses them, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. He once again instructs all of them to bury him in the land of Israel, in the cave of Machpela. As he concludes his instructions to his sons, he draws his feet into the bed, breaths his last and is gathered unto his people. Yosef instructs the court physicians to embalm Ya'akov, and all of Egypt mourns him for 70 days. He then requests permission from Pharaoh to go and bury his father. Pharaoh allows him to go, and he and his brothers, accompanied by all of the palace courtiers, go to bury Ya'akov.
Upon returning to Egypt the brothers fear that Yosef still bears a grudge against them. They therefore send a message to Yosef that their father had instructed him to forgive them. They present themselves to Yosef, and he reassures them that he will provide for them, and that they have nothing to fear.
Yosef lives to the age of 110, and lives to see his great grandsons. Before he dies, he makes his family swear that they will eventually bring him to the land of Israel for burial. When he dies he is embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
For a pdf file of this summary click here
For a pdf file of this summary click here
Ya'akov lives in Egypt for 17 years, to the age of 147. Before he dies he summons Yosef and makes him swear that he will bury him in the land of Israel. A short while later Yosef is told that his father is sick. He takes his two sons to Ya'akov for a blessing. Ya'akov blesses Yosef that his two sons, Menashe and Ephraim, will be considered tribes in their own right. He then blesses the boys, but places his right hand on Ephraim's head, though he is the younger. Yosef tries to correct his father, but Ya'akov explains that the younger son will become greater then the elder. Ya'akov gives Yosef an additional portion in the land of Israel, the city of Shechem.
Ya'akov summons all of his sons and blesses them, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. He once again instructs all of them to bury him in the land of Israel, in the cave of Machpela. As he concludes his instructions to his sons, he draws his feet into the bed, breaths his last and is gathered unto his people. Yosef instructs the court physicians to embalm Ya'akov, and all of Egypt mourns him for 70 days. He then requests permission from Pharaoh to go and bury his father. Pharaoh allows him to go, and he and his brothers, accompanied by all of the palace courtiers, go to bury Ya'akov.
Upon returning to Egypt the brothers fear that Yosef still bears a grudge against them. They therefore send a message to Yosef that their father had instructed him to forgive them. They present themselves to Yosef, and he reassures them that he will provide for them, and that they have nothing to fear.
Yosef lives to the age of 110, and lives to see his great grandsons. Before he dies, he makes his family swear that they will eventually bring him to the land of Israel for burial. When he dies he is embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
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Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Vayigash
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Secret Messages and Physical Protection
The Torah tells us that at first Ya’akov refused to believe his sons that Yosef was alive. Only when “they related the words that Yosef had spoken to them, and he saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him” then “the spirit of their father Ya’akov was revived” (Genesis 45; 27). With the words and the wagons, Yosef managed to convey the conclusive message to his father that he was alive, which carried more weight than the words of the other brothers. The Torah does not tell us what the secret code words were that Yosef sent to his father, but Rashi (on verse 27) cites the Talmud which explains the riddle of the wagons. “He gave them a sign. When Yosef last saw his father he had been learning the section of egla arufa (the calf used as atonement when a corpse is discovered and the murderer cannot be found) with him.” The Hebrew word for wagon (agala), is the same root as the word for calf (egla), therefore when Ya’akov saw the wagons he realised that it must be a message from Yosef, and not an impostor.
There are two problems with this interpretation of the message from Yosef. Firstly, how did Ya’akov know to interpret the wagons as a play on words of the final section he had learnt with his son. After 22 years how could Yosef even be sure that his father would remember what their final words together were? Secondly, if we look at the preceding section we find that the wagons were not sent at Yosef’s initiative, but at the directive of Pharaoh. “Pharaoh told Yosef ... ‘Now you are instructed to do the following: take wagons from Egypt for your small children and wives, and also use them for your father....’ ... Yosef gave them wagons according to Pharaoh's instructions, and he also provided them with food for the journey.”
The egla arufa calf is not a sacrifice, but a form of atonement brought by the heads of a city which is nearest to where a dead body is found. There is an elaborate public ceremony involving the Sanhedrin who must come from Jerusalem to measure distances and oversee the procedure. The whole event is intended as a very public message, not only to the unknown murderer, but to those who didn’t do enough to prevent the murder taking place. “The elders shall speak up and say, ‘Our hands have not spilt blood, and our eyes have not witnessed it’.” (Deuteronomy 21; 7). Obviously they were not the murderers, but they are nevertheless responsible for allowing a wayfarer to pass through their city, without offering lodgings for the night and an entourage to protect them on their journey.
When Ya’akov sent Yosef to his brothers before they sold him the Torah states, “He sent him from the valley of Chevron” (Genesis 37; 14). This means that Ya’akov accompanied his son part of the way to Shechem in an attempt to prevent any danger befalling him. This is what the Talmud means when it states that the last portion they studied together was the egla arufa. Ya’akov was involved in teaching his son the importance of accompanying someone on a journey in order that they arrive at their destination safely. Rabbeinu Bachaya explains that Ya’akov never found out that it was the brothers who sold Yosef, and assumed that Yosef had become lost on the journey, and was kidnapped by others. So when Ya’akov saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to bring him to Egypt he understood that Yosef was offering him safe passage - the message of the egla arufa. It was more than a play on words, Yosef was literally giving his father the same message that he had learnt from him when they last saw each other.
The first person in the Torah who made a point of sending an entourage to accompany a traveller was the Pharaoh of Avraham’s time (probably an ancestor of Yosef’s Pharaoh). “Pharaoh put men in charge of Avram, and they sent him on his way along with his wife and all that was his.” (ibid. 12; 20). This then is the paradigm for the message of the egla arufa. Even though it was Pharaoh who instructed the wagons to be sent to Ya’akov, he was continuing with his family tradition of accompanying travellers. Therefore the Torah uses seemingly redundant words, “Yosef gave them wagons according to Pharaoh's instructions.” This too was what Yosef was telling his father. The new Pharaoh is like his grandfather, and provides protection for those who come into his realm.
Shabbat Shalom
click here for a downloadable pdf version of this d'var Torah
Also, have a look at my other blogs (links on the side of the page) or send me an e-mail with your comments.
click here for a downloadable pdf version of this d'var Torah
Secret Messages and Physical Protection
The Torah tells us that at first Ya’akov refused to believe his sons that Yosef was alive. Only when “they related the words that Yosef had spoken to them, and he saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him” then “the spirit of their father Ya’akov was revived” (Genesis 45; 27). With the words and the wagons, Yosef managed to convey the conclusive message to his father that he was alive, which carried more weight than the words of the other brothers. The Torah does not tell us what the secret code words were that Yosef sent to his father, but Rashi (on verse 27) cites the Talmud which explains the riddle of the wagons. “He gave them a sign. When Yosef last saw his father he had been learning the section of egla arufa (the calf used as atonement when a corpse is discovered and the murderer cannot be found) with him.” The Hebrew word for wagon (agala), is the same root as the word for calf (egla), therefore when Ya’akov saw the wagons he realised that it must be a message from Yosef, and not an impostor.
There are two problems with this interpretation of the message from Yosef. Firstly, how did Ya’akov know to interpret the wagons as a play on words of the final section he had learnt with his son. After 22 years how could Yosef even be sure that his father would remember what their final words together were? Secondly, if we look at the preceding section we find that the wagons were not sent at Yosef’s initiative, but at the directive of Pharaoh. “Pharaoh told Yosef ... ‘Now you are instructed to do the following: take wagons from Egypt for your small children and wives, and also use them for your father....’ ... Yosef gave them wagons according to Pharaoh's instructions, and he also provided them with food for the journey.”
The egla arufa calf is not a sacrifice, but a form of atonement brought by the heads of a city which is nearest to where a dead body is found. There is an elaborate public ceremony involving the Sanhedrin who must come from Jerusalem to measure distances and oversee the procedure. The whole event is intended as a very public message, not only to the unknown murderer, but to those who didn’t do enough to prevent the murder taking place. “The elders shall speak up and say, ‘Our hands have not spilt blood, and our eyes have not witnessed it’.” (Deuteronomy 21; 7). Obviously they were not the murderers, but they are nevertheless responsible for allowing a wayfarer to pass through their city, without offering lodgings for the night and an entourage to protect them on their journey.
When Ya’akov sent Yosef to his brothers before they sold him the Torah states, “He sent him from the valley of Chevron” (Genesis 37; 14). This means that Ya’akov accompanied his son part of the way to Shechem in an attempt to prevent any danger befalling him. This is what the Talmud means when it states that the last portion they studied together was the egla arufa. Ya’akov was involved in teaching his son the importance of accompanying someone on a journey in order that they arrive at their destination safely. Rabbeinu Bachaya explains that Ya’akov never found out that it was the brothers who sold Yosef, and assumed that Yosef had become lost on the journey, and was kidnapped by others. So when Ya’akov saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to bring him to Egypt he understood that Yosef was offering him safe passage - the message of the egla arufa. It was more than a play on words, Yosef was literally giving his father the same message that he had learnt from him when they last saw each other.
The first person in the Torah who made a point of sending an entourage to accompany a traveller was the Pharaoh of Avraham’s time (probably an ancestor of Yosef’s Pharaoh). “Pharaoh put men in charge of Avram, and they sent him on his way along with his wife and all that was his.” (ibid. 12; 20). This then is the paradigm for the message of the egla arufa. Even though it was Pharaoh who instructed the wagons to be sent to Ya’akov, he was continuing with his family tradition of accompanying travellers. Therefore the Torah uses seemingly redundant words, “Yosef gave them wagons according to Pharaoh's instructions.” This too was what Yosef was telling his father. The new Pharaoh is like his grandfather, and provides protection for those who come into his realm.
Shabbat Shalom
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Vayigash summary
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Yehuda pleads with Yosef that Binyamin be set free, and he remain as a slave in his place. Yosef is unable to control his emotions, and reveals himself to his brothers. He instructs them to bring Ya'akov and the remainder of the family down to Egypt, and that he will provide for them all during the famine. News spreads to the palace, and Pharaoh tells the brothers to bring Ya'akov and settle in the best land of Egypt. The brothers return to Ya'akov and tell him that Yosef is alive. His spirit was then revived. As Ya'akov heads towards Egypt G-d appears to him and blesses him. Ya'akov, his sons and grandchildren descend to Egypt along with all of their livestock and possessions.
The Torah lists all of Ya'akov's family who went to Egypt. They total 66 people (plus Yocheved who was born as they entered Egypt). Yosef and his two sons make 70. Ya'akov sends Yehuda ahead to make preparations in Goshen. Yosef goes to greet his father, and throws himself upon his shoulders weeping for a long time. He instructs his brothers as to what they should say when they meet Pharaoh. After meeting with them, Pharaoh instructs Yosef to settle them in Goshen, the best land in Egypt. Yosef brings Ya'akov and presents him to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks him how old he is, and Ya'akov replies that he is 130, but his life has been hard. He then blesses Pharaoh.
The famine is very severe. Yosef collects money from all the people of Egypt and Canaan in payment for food. When their money is used up, Yosef instructs them to bring their livestock in exchange for food. The next year they are forced to sell their land and become serfs to Pharaoh. Yosef thus acquires all the farm land in Egypt for Pharaoh, and moves the people from one place to another. The only land that Yosef does not acquire is that belonging to the priests. Meanwhile the fledgling nation of Israel lives in Egypt. They buy property there and their population increases rapidly.
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Thank you
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Yehuda pleads with Yosef that Binyamin be set free, and he remain as a slave in his place. Yosef is unable to control his emotions, and reveals himself to his brothers. He instructs them to bring Ya'akov and the remainder of the family down to Egypt, and that he will provide for them all during the famine. News spreads to the palace, and Pharaoh tells the brothers to bring Ya'akov and settle in the best land of Egypt. The brothers return to Ya'akov and tell him that Yosef is alive. His spirit was then revived. As Ya'akov heads towards Egypt G-d appears to him and blesses him. Ya'akov, his sons and grandchildren descend to Egypt along with all of their livestock and possessions.
The Torah lists all of Ya'akov's family who went to Egypt. They total 66 people (plus Yocheved who was born as they entered Egypt). Yosef and his two sons make 70. Ya'akov sends Yehuda ahead to make preparations in Goshen. Yosef goes to greet his father, and throws himself upon his shoulders weeping for a long time. He instructs his brothers as to what they should say when they meet Pharaoh. After meeting with them, Pharaoh instructs Yosef to settle them in Goshen, the best land in Egypt. Yosef brings Ya'akov and presents him to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks him how old he is, and Ya'akov replies that he is 130, but his life has been hard. He then blesses Pharaoh.
The famine is very severe. Yosef collects money from all the people of Egypt and Canaan in payment for food. When their money is used up, Yosef instructs them to bring their livestock in exchange for food. The next year they are forced to sell their land and become serfs to Pharaoh. Yosef thus acquires all the farm land in Egypt for Pharaoh, and moves the people from one place to another. The only land that Yosef does not acquire is that belonging to the priests. Meanwhile the fledgling nation of Israel lives in Egypt. They buy property there and their population increases rapidly.
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
Parshat Miketz
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Responsibility and Choice
Pharaoh summons Yosef from the dungeon and tells him, ‘I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. I have heard say of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it’. Yosef answers, ‘Not from me (biladai). G-d will answer Pharaoh’ (Genesis XLI; 15-16). With Yosef’s first word to Pharaoh, biladai, he states his credo. Whatever happens, good or bad, it is G-d who is running the show. Therefore if G-d gave Pharaoh a glimpse of the future through a dream, He will also provide an interpreter to explain it. If Yosef has been divinely chosen to fulfil that task then he will be given the insight to do so, if not someone else will be found who will interpret it.
Yosef’s whole life was affected by factors beyond his control, and at each step of the journey he understood that this was the Divine plan, and therefore he should make the best of the situation, without questioning. His two dreams led to the brothers selling him, Potiphar’s wife’s false accusations led to him being imprisoned as a slave in a foreign land. Unquestioningly Yosef tried to do what was required of him in each situation, and he saw G-d’s blessing on everything that he did. Similarly he knew that G-d has many messengers to perform His will. If G-d chose Yosef to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams he was only acting as G-d’s agent. The only time that Yosef tried to take control of his destiny was when he asked the butler to remember him to Pharaoh after he was reinstated to his duty. Rashi explains (40; 23) that because Yosef placed his trust in a person rather than in G-d, he had to remain in jail for a further two years. We are commanded to serve G-d in everything that we do, but whether we achieve the results we had hoped for is not in our control. To expect to be in control of our destiny shows a lack in our faith in G-d. The Mishna summarises this idea beautifully, “It is not for you to complete the work, neither are you free to desist from it” (Avos 2; 21).
This also explains why Yosef never sent word back to his father that he was alive in Egypt. Even if he was unable to do so while a slave, or in prison, why did Yosef not end Ya’akov’s mourning upon his appointment as viceroy? The Midrash states that when the brothers sold Yosef they made a decree of excommunication on anyone who would reveal the truth to Ya’akov. Since Reuven and Binyamin were not with them, and Yosef did not take part, they needed a tenth for the minyan to give the decree validity. Therefore they included G-d as the ‘tenth’, which is why He never revealed the truth to Ya’akov prophetically. Yosef understood that if the Divine plan called for Ya’akov to remain in mourning for the 22 years until he was reunited with his son, then Yosef himself would have been powerless to inform him until the plan was complete.
There is a Yiddish saying to the effect that ‘people plan and G-d laughs’. We have no idea what lies in store for us or how events will pan out. In these areas we have no free choice, and all we can do is rely on G-d that everything is for the best. Our free choice lies only in how we make use of the opportunities which G-d has given us. We are commanded to follow His commandments to the best of our abilities, and try to live up to our potential. Everything else is ‘not from us’. This idea which was personified by Yosef can be very comforting. If we attribute our successes to G-d and acknowledge that we are only acting as His emissaries, then we are also not culpable if events don’t work out as we had planned. Those things that we consider failures often lie in areas which are beyond our control. The only failure for which we must take responsibility is not trying our best, or doing as much as we could. Judaism considers failure or success not on the outcomes, which is the yardstick of Western culture, but on the effort which we put into doing our best.
Click here for a pdf version which can be printed or read online
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Responsibility and Choice
Pharaoh summons Yosef from the dungeon and tells him, ‘I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. I have heard say of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it’. Yosef answers, ‘Not from me (biladai). G-d will answer Pharaoh’ (Genesis XLI; 15-16). With Yosef’s first word to Pharaoh, biladai, he states his credo. Whatever happens, good or bad, it is G-d who is running the show. Therefore if G-d gave Pharaoh a glimpse of the future through a dream, He will also provide an interpreter to explain it. If Yosef has been divinely chosen to fulfil that task then he will be given the insight to do so, if not someone else will be found who will interpret it.
Yosef’s whole life was affected by factors beyond his control, and at each step of the journey he understood that this was the Divine plan, and therefore he should make the best of the situation, without questioning. His two dreams led to the brothers selling him, Potiphar’s wife’s false accusations led to him being imprisoned as a slave in a foreign land. Unquestioningly Yosef tried to do what was required of him in each situation, and he saw G-d’s blessing on everything that he did. Similarly he knew that G-d has many messengers to perform His will. If G-d chose Yosef to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams he was only acting as G-d’s agent. The only time that Yosef tried to take control of his destiny was when he asked the butler to remember him to Pharaoh after he was reinstated to his duty. Rashi explains (40; 23) that because Yosef placed his trust in a person rather than in G-d, he had to remain in jail for a further two years. We are commanded to serve G-d in everything that we do, but whether we achieve the results we had hoped for is not in our control. To expect to be in control of our destiny shows a lack in our faith in G-d. The Mishna summarises this idea beautifully, “It is not for you to complete the work, neither are you free to desist from it” (Avos 2; 21).
This also explains why Yosef never sent word back to his father that he was alive in Egypt. Even if he was unable to do so while a slave, or in prison, why did Yosef not end Ya’akov’s mourning upon his appointment as viceroy? The Midrash states that when the brothers sold Yosef they made a decree of excommunication on anyone who would reveal the truth to Ya’akov. Since Reuven and Binyamin were not with them, and Yosef did not take part, they needed a tenth for the minyan to give the decree validity. Therefore they included G-d as the ‘tenth’, which is why He never revealed the truth to Ya’akov prophetically. Yosef understood that if the Divine plan called for Ya’akov to remain in mourning for the 22 years until he was reunited with his son, then Yosef himself would have been powerless to inform him until the plan was complete.
There is a Yiddish saying to the effect that ‘people plan and G-d laughs’. We have no idea what lies in store for us or how events will pan out. In these areas we have no free choice, and all we can do is rely on G-d that everything is for the best. Our free choice lies only in how we make use of the opportunities which G-d has given us. We are commanded to follow His commandments to the best of our abilities, and try to live up to our potential. Everything else is ‘not from us’. This idea which was personified by Yosef can be very comforting. If we attribute our successes to G-d and acknowledge that we are only acting as His emissaries, then we are also not culpable if events don’t work out as we had planned. Those things that we consider failures often lie in areas which are beyond our control. The only failure for which we must take responsibility is not trying our best, or doing as much as we could. Judaism considers failure or success not on the outcomes, which is the yardstick of Western culture, but on the effort which we put into doing our best.
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Miketz Summary
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SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION
Two years have passed. Pharaoh dreams that he is standing near the Nile river, and sees seven healthy cows emerge, followed by seven lean cows. The lean cows devour the healthy ones. He then dreams of seven good ears of corn growing on a single stalk. Seven parched ears swallow up the seven good ears. Pharaoh awakes and summons the interpreters of Egypt, but no one gives him the correct interpretation. The wine steward remembers Yosef (Joseph) who is in jail and tells Pharaoh. Yosef is summoned from the prison and brought before Pharaoh.
Yosef tells Pharaoh that all answers come from G-d, but interprets the dream as representing seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. He tells Pharaoh to appoint a wise man over the country to stockpile the grain during the years of plenty. Pharaoh recognises that Yosef is the most suitable person for the task and appoints him "Prime Minister" to oversee the storing of grain. Pharaoh calls Yosef Tzafnat Paneach, and gives him Osnat the daughter of Potiphar as his wife. Yosef is thirty years old at this time. Yosef inspects the entire land of Egypt and collects food for seven years. He has two sons, Menashe and Ephraim, before the onset of the famine.
When the famine begins the people of Egypt come to Pharaoh asking for food. He sends them to Yosef and instructs them to do whatever he tells them. People from all over the world come to Egypt in search of food. Ya'akov sends Yosef's ten brothers, without Binyamin, to Egypt to buy grain.
Yosef recognised his brothers, but they do not recognise him. Recalling his previous dreams, he accuses them of being spies and places them under arrest. After three days he lets them return home except for Shimon. He instructs them to prove that they are not spies by bringing their brother Binyamin back. The brothers realise that all of this is happening as Divine retribution for the way they treated Yosef. Yosef sends them off with bags of grain, and returns their money in the top of their sacks. They return to Ya'akov, and report on all that has happened to them in Egypt. Ya'akov initially refuses to let Binyamin leave, but as the famine gets worse he concedes that there is no alternative. Yehuda (Judah) undertakes to guarantee Binyamin's safety, and Ya'akov lets them leave.
They return to Yosef bearing gifts, and present Binyamin before him. Yosef invites them all to dine with him, and releases Shimon from jail. Yosef is overcome with emotion and is forced to leave the room. He returns and personally serves them food. He again instructs his overseer to fill each of their sacks with food, and return their money at the tops of the sacks. He also places his silver chalice in Binyamin's pack. After the brothers have departed, Yosef sends the overseer after them and accuses them of stealing his chalice. When it is found in Binyamin's pack the brothers tear their garments in grief and throw themselves on the ground before Yosef. They offer themselves as slaves on the condition that Binyamin be set free, but Yosef demands that Binyamin alone be kept as a slave.
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Click here for a pdf printable version
SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION
Two years have passed. Pharaoh dreams that he is standing near the Nile river, and sees seven healthy cows emerge, followed by seven lean cows. The lean cows devour the healthy ones. He then dreams of seven good ears of corn growing on a single stalk. Seven parched ears swallow up the seven good ears. Pharaoh awakes and summons the interpreters of Egypt, but no one gives him the correct interpretation. The wine steward remembers Yosef (Joseph) who is in jail and tells Pharaoh. Yosef is summoned from the prison and brought before Pharaoh.
Yosef tells Pharaoh that all answers come from G-d, but interprets the dream as representing seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. He tells Pharaoh to appoint a wise man over the country to stockpile the grain during the years of plenty. Pharaoh recognises that Yosef is the most suitable person for the task and appoints him "Prime Minister" to oversee the storing of grain. Pharaoh calls Yosef Tzafnat Paneach, and gives him Osnat the daughter of Potiphar as his wife. Yosef is thirty years old at this time. Yosef inspects the entire land of Egypt and collects food for seven years. He has two sons, Menashe and Ephraim, before the onset of the famine.
When the famine begins the people of Egypt come to Pharaoh asking for food. He sends them to Yosef and instructs them to do whatever he tells them. People from all over the world come to Egypt in search of food. Ya'akov sends Yosef's ten brothers, without Binyamin, to Egypt to buy grain.
Yosef recognised his brothers, but they do not recognise him. Recalling his previous dreams, he accuses them of being spies and places them under arrest. After three days he lets them return home except for Shimon. He instructs them to prove that they are not spies by bringing their brother Binyamin back. The brothers realise that all of this is happening as Divine retribution for the way they treated Yosef. Yosef sends them off with bags of grain, and returns their money in the top of their sacks. They return to Ya'akov, and report on all that has happened to them in Egypt. Ya'akov initially refuses to let Binyamin leave, but as the famine gets worse he concedes that there is no alternative. Yehuda (Judah) undertakes to guarantee Binyamin's safety, and Ya'akov lets them leave.
They return to Yosef bearing gifts, and present Binyamin before him. Yosef invites them all to dine with him, and releases Shimon from jail. Yosef is overcome with emotion and is forced to leave the room. He returns and personally serves them food. He again instructs his overseer to fill each of their sacks with food, and return their money at the tops of the sacks. He also places his silver chalice in Binyamin's pack. After the brothers have departed, Yosef sends the overseer after them and accuses them of stealing his chalice. When it is found in Binyamin's pack the brothers tear their garments in grief and throw themselves on the ground before Yosef. They offer themselves as slaves on the condition that Binyamin be set free, but Yosef demands that Binyamin alone be kept as a slave.
Click here for a pdf printable version
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Vayeshev summary
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Here is the summary of the parsha (which I wrote while in Edinburgh so please excuse any kilts or haggis you find in it):
SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION
Ya'akov (Jacob) settles in the land of Canaan. He makes his son Yosef (Joseph) a colourful coat. Yosef's brothers hate him because of their father's love for him. Yosef has two dreams showing his prominence over his brothers and they hate him even more.
Ya'akov sends Yosef to Shechem to see his brothers. They plot to kill him, but Reuven (Reuben) saves him, and persuades the brothers instead to throw him into a pit. They later decide to sell Yosef to a passing Arab caravan. They take Yosef's coat back to Ya'akov. Assuming that Yosef must be dead Ya'akov mourns him inconsolably.
Yehuda (Judah) leaves his brothers and goes into business with Chirah the Adullamite. He marries the daughter of Shua and has three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. Er marries Tamar, but because he is evil in G-d's eyes he dies young. Onan performs levirate marriage and marries Tamar, but because he knows that any children would be considered his brother's, he makes sure that Tamar would not become pregnant. Therefore G-d makes him die also. A long time passes, and Tamar sees that Yehuda will not let her marry Shelah. In order to keep her husband's memory alive she dresses as a prostitute, seduces Yehuda, and becomes pregnant from him. When Yehuda finds out that Tamar is pregnant, he sentences her to death for adultery. Tamar gives Yehuda signs that she is pregnant from him, and he acknowledges that she has acted more righteously than he. Tamar gives birth to twin boys, Peretz and Zerach.
Meanwhile Yosef is sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officers. G-d grants him success and he quickly rises to being in charge of the household. Potiphar's wife tries to seduce Yosef, but when he flees from her, she falsely accuses him of raping her, and has him thrown into jail. G-d again shows Yosef favour, and he is soon placed in charge of all the other prisoners.
Pharaoh's wine steward and baker offend their master, and are thrown into jail. One night they each have a dream. Yosef interprets their dreams to mean that the steward will be returned to his former position in three days, and that the baker will be executed at that same time. He asks the steward to remember him to Pharaoh. On the third day it comes to pass as Yosef had said. But the steward forgot about Yosef.
Here is the summary of the parsha (which I wrote while in Edinburgh so please excuse any kilts or haggis you find in it):
SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION
Ya'akov (Jacob) settles in the land of Canaan. He makes his son Yosef (Joseph) a colourful coat. Yosef's brothers hate him because of their father's love for him. Yosef has two dreams showing his prominence over his brothers and they hate him even more.
Ya'akov sends Yosef to Shechem to see his brothers. They plot to kill him, but Reuven (Reuben) saves him, and persuades the brothers instead to throw him into a pit. They later decide to sell Yosef to a passing Arab caravan. They take Yosef's coat back to Ya'akov. Assuming that Yosef must be dead Ya'akov mourns him inconsolably.
Yehuda (Judah) leaves his brothers and goes into business with Chirah the Adullamite. He marries the daughter of Shua and has three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. Er marries Tamar, but because he is evil in G-d's eyes he dies young. Onan performs levirate marriage and marries Tamar, but because he knows that any children would be considered his brother's, he makes sure that Tamar would not become pregnant. Therefore G-d makes him die also. A long time passes, and Tamar sees that Yehuda will not let her marry Shelah. In order to keep her husband's memory alive she dresses as a prostitute, seduces Yehuda, and becomes pregnant from him. When Yehuda finds out that Tamar is pregnant, he sentences her to death for adultery. Tamar gives Yehuda signs that she is pregnant from him, and he acknowledges that she has acted more righteously than he. Tamar gives birth to twin boys, Peretz and Zerach.
Meanwhile Yosef is sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officers. G-d grants him success and he quickly rises to being in charge of the household. Potiphar's wife tries to seduce Yosef, but when he flees from her, she falsely accuses him of raping her, and has him thrown into jail. G-d again shows Yosef favour, and he is soon placed in charge of all the other prisoners.
Pharaoh's wine steward and baker offend their master, and are thrown into jail. One night they each have a dream. Yosef interprets their dreams to mean that the steward will be returned to his former position in three days, and that the baker will be executed at that same time. He asks the steward to remember him to Pharaoh. On the third day it comes to pass as Yosef had said. But the steward forgot about Yosef.
Parshat Vayeshev
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Chanukah Sameach
Rabbi Sedley
Click here for a pdf file of the d'var Torah (which can be printed)
Any Dream Will Do
Yosef is described in our Torah portion as ‘the dreamer’ (Genesis 37; 19). This is clearly a reference to his two dreams which he described to his father and brothers, in which they symbolically became subservient to him. Dreams were the cause of the brothers’ jealousy of Yosef, and the reason for his sale into slavery. Yet it was also because of dreams that Yosef was freed from jail and elevated to become the viceroy of Egypt. The end of our portion describes the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and the baker. Yosef interprets these dreams correctly. Then the opening of next week’s portion describes Pharaoh’s dream of the impending fat and lean years. Yosef is let out of jail and through his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream he becomes second in command over all of Egypt. Thus the fulfilment of Yosef’s dream comes about through the dreams of others. It thus seems that the appellation ‘the dreamer’ is an appropriate one.
Being the dreamer gives Yosef a close link with his father, Ya’akov, who is also famous for his dream. When Ya’akov fled from his brother Esav, he had the famous dream of the angels going up and down the ladder, and he saw G-d standing over him. That event changed his life, and as a result of that dream, he began his transformation from Ya’akov, who stole the blessings, to Yisrael, who rightfully earned those blessings. In this light we can interpret the opening of our portion, “These are the descendants of Ya’akov, Yosef...” (ibid. 2). Though he had twelve sons, it was Yosef the dreamer who was the continuation of the dream of Ya’akov.
The Torah explains Ya’akov’s favouritism towards Yosef “because he was the child of his old age (ben zikunim)” (ibid.). This phrase demands interpretation, since it was Binyamin, not Yosef who was Ya’akov’s youngest child. Therefore Rashi explains, based on Onkelos’ commentary, that the phrase ben zikunim can be interpreted as ‘child of wisdom’. This means that Ya’akov passed on to Yosef the Torah that he had learnt from the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever (where he went for 22 years before going to live with Lavan - see Rashi to 28; 9). Obviously growing up in the home of Yitzchak and Avraham, Ya’akov had learnt Torah all his life, but there seems to be something unique about the Torah of Shem and Ever which enables a person to become a dreamer. Before Ya’akov’s dream the Torah tells us “he slept there”. Rashi comments that “he slept there, but for the preceding 22 years in the Yeshiva of Ever he had not slept at night”. Similarly with Yosef, two verses after stating that Ya’akov taught him the Torah of Shem and Ever we read of his dream.
However, there is a fundamental difference between the dream of Ya’akov and the dreams of Yosef. Ya’akov dreamt of the world-to-come, where G-d is perceived as ‘standing over him’. The Midrash explains the angels climbing up the ladder in terms of each nation’s ascendance to world domination, then their subsequent downfall. Yosef’s dreams, and those he interprets, all deal with the physical world, and were fulfilled in the space of a relatively few years. Ya’akov, as the last ‘patriarch’ of the Jewish nation dreamed of the history of the world, and the role of the Jews in it. Yosef dreamt of himself, and the people and nations surrounding him. Ya’akov’s dream occurred in the ‘house of G-d’, the future site of the Temple, and contained no falsehood. Yosef’s dream did not take place in such a grand location, and did contain certain elements that were not entirely true.
The Talmud (Chagiga 5b) states: G-d said, ‘Even though I have hidden My face from the world, through dreams I will communicate’. We could describe Jewish history since the destruction of the Temple as taking place in a dream. Without the Temple and prophecy we lack a direct avenue of communication with G-d. Therefore we live in the ‘night’ of a dreamworld. The first festival which commemorates exile and G-d being hidden is Purim, when the name of the heroine, Ester, means ‘hidden’. G-d’s name does not appear anywhere in the text of the Megillah, and we see throughout the story the hidden hand of G-d. However, the next historical festival, Chanukah is even more dreamlike. Not only does G-d’s name not occur, but there is no direct mention of the festival or laws in any of the books of the Bible. The story itself is hidden and confused in the strands of history.
Yet Chanukah also provides us with the light to survive the darkness of exile. With the light of the Chanukah miracle we are able to at least glimpse the path that will lead is through our dreamlike existence in exile, and show us the way to the ultimate light of the Messianic era. As a nation we must undergo the trials and tribulations of Yosef’s dreams until ultimately we arrive at the revelation of Ya’akov’s dream, when the whole world will perceive G-d standing over, and everyone will exclaim that “this is none other than the house of G-d”.
Click here for a pdf file of the d'var Torah (which can be printed)
Chanukah Sameach
Rabbi Sedley
Click here for a pdf file of the d'var Torah (which can be printed)
Any Dream Will Do
Yosef is described in our Torah portion as ‘the dreamer’ (Genesis 37; 19). This is clearly a reference to his two dreams which he described to his father and brothers, in which they symbolically became subservient to him. Dreams were the cause of the brothers’ jealousy of Yosef, and the reason for his sale into slavery. Yet it was also because of dreams that Yosef was freed from jail and elevated to become the viceroy of Egypt. The end of our portion describes the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and the baker. Yosef interprets these dreams correctly. Then the opening of next week’s portion describes Pharaoh’s dream of the impending fat and lean years. Yosef is let out of jail and through his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream he becomes second in command over all of Egypt. Thus the fulfilment of Yosef’s dream comes about through the dreams of others. It thus seems that the appellation ‘the dreamer’ is an appropriate one.
Being the dreamer gives Yosef a close link with his father, Ya’akov, who is also famous for his dream. When Ya’akov fled from his brother Esav, he had the famous dream of the angels going up and down the ladder, and he saw G-d standing over him. That event changed his life, and as a result of that dream, he began his transformation from Ya’akov, who stole the blessings, to Yisrael, who rightfully earned those blessings. In this light we can interpret the opening of our portion, “These are the descendants of Ya’akov, Yosef...” (ibid. 2). Though he had twelve sons, it was Yosef the dreamer who was the continuation of the dream of Ya’akov.
The Torah explains Ya’akov’s favouritism towards Yosef “because he was the child of his old age (ben zikunim)” (ibid.). This phrase demands interpretation, since it was Binyamin, not Yosef who was Ya’akov’s youngest child. Therefore Rashi explains, based on Onkelos’ commentary, that the phrase ben zikunim can be interpreted as ‘child of wisdom’. This means that Ya’akov passed on to Yosef the Torah that he had learnt from the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever (where he went for 22 years before going to live with Lavan - see Rashi to 28; 9). Obviously growing up in the home of Yitzchak and Avraham, Ya’akov had learnt Torah all his life, but there seems to be something unique about the Torah of Shem and Ever which enables a person to become a dreamer. Before Ya’akov’s dream the Torah tells us “he slept there”. Rashi comments that “he slept there, but for the preceding 22 years in the Yeshiva of Ever he had not slept at night”. Similarly with Yosef, two verses after stating that Ya’akov taught him the Torah of Shem and Ever we read of his dream.
However, there is a fundamental difference between the dream of Ya’akov and the dreams of Yosef. Ya’akov dreamt of the world-to-come, where G-d is perceived as ‘standing over him’. The Midrash explains the angels climbing up the ladder in terms of each nation’s ascendance to world domination, then their subsequent downfall. Yosef’s dreams, and those he interprets, all deal with the physical world, and were fulfilled in the space of a relatively few years. Ya’akov, as the last ‘patriarch’ of the Jewish nation dreamed of the history of the world, and the role of the Jews in it. Yosef dreamt of himself, and the people and nations surrounding him. Ya’akov’s dream occurred in the ‘house of G-d’, the future site of the Temple, and contained no falsehood. Yosef’s dream did not take place in such a grand location, and did contain certain elements that were not entirely true.
The Talmud (Chagiga 5b) states: G-d said, ‘Even though I have hidden My face from the world, through dreams I will communicate’. We could describe Jewish history since the destruction of the Temple as taking place in a dream. Without the Temple and prophecy we lack a direct avenue of communication with G-d. Therefore we live in the ‘night’ of a dreamworld. The first festival which commemorates exile and G-d being hidden is Purim, when the name of the heroine, Ester, means ‘hidden’. G-d’s name does not appear anywhere in the text of the Megillah, and we see throughout the story the hidden hand of G-d. However, the next historical festival, Chanukah is even more dreamlike. Not only does G-d’s name not occur, but there is no direct mention of the festival or laws in any of the books of the Bible. The story itself is hidden and confused in the strands of history.
Yet Chanukah also provides us with the light to survive the darkness of exile. With the light of the Chanukah miracle we are able to at least glimpse the path that will lead is through our dreamlike existence in exile, and show us the way to the ultimate light of the Messianic era. As a nation we must undergo the trials and tribulations of Yosef’s dreams until ultimately we arrive at the revelation of Ya’akov’s dream, when the whole world will perceive G-d standing over, and everyone will exclaim that “this is none other than the house of G-d”.
Click here for a pdf file of the d'var Torah (which can be printed)
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Parshat - Vayishlach
Vayishlach
"It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2; 18). With this introduction G-d prepares Adam for the creation of his wife, Eve. The purpose of creation is to imitate G-d, as the Torah tells us that mankind were made in the image of G-d. Just as G-d has no needs, and therefore only gives, so too a person should strive to become a 'giver' and not a 'taker'. For Adam to remain alone would have deprived him of the opportunity to give to another, who has different requirements to him. This is why G-d created men and women with distinct emotional, physical and spiritual needs.
However, 'aloneness' is only a negative thing when it deprives a person of the opportunity to give to others. But to be 'alone' in the sense of self-sufficient, and not needing to receive from others is also a form of imitating G-d. Isiah (2; 11) tells us that G-d is 'alone', "The L-rd 'alone' shall be exalted". This is the meaning of the verse "One who hates gifts will live." (Proverbs 15; 27). The goal of self-sufficiency is best described by Ben Zoma in the Mishna (Ethics of the Fathers 4; 1) " Who is rich? Someone who is happy with their portion." We see from here that spiritual perfection does not depend on others, but on utilising the capabilities and tools that a person has themselves.
This embodies the difference between Ya'akov and Esav. When they meet and Ya'akov offers his brother gifts (Genesis 33) Esav responds "I have much". Ya'akov on the other hand, says, "I have everything." Someone who has a lot always wants more, but someone who feels that they have everything is 'happy with their portion'.
"And Ya'akov remained alone" (Genesis 32; 25). Normally we think that the guardian angel of Esav was able to attack and wrestle with Ya'akov because he remained alone, without perfection. However, Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz explains that it was precisely because he had reached the level of spiritual independence and self-sufficiency that is referred to by the Torah as 'alone', that he was able to battle and defeat the angel. Ya'akov had spent 20 years with Lavan perfecting himself to be able to return and face his brother Esav. He was only able to survive his encounter with his brother because he had attained such a level of independence that he was able to send a message to Esav saying "With Lavan I remained a stranger (garti), and remained there until now" (ibid. 32; 5). Rashi points out that the word garti has the numerical value of 613, the number of commandments. Despite, or perhaps because of, dwelling with Lavan, Ya'akov was able to remain firm to all the laws and commandments of the Torah.
This quality of 'aloneness' was part of Bilam's blessing of the entire Jewish nation, "This is a nation that dwells alone, and is not considered with the other nations" (Numbers 23; 9). Though popular culture changes the value system every few years, the strength of the Jewish nation is that we are not swept away by every passing phase, but are able to remain true to our Torah values regardless of how we are viewed by the rest of the world. We too are able to wrestle with the angels of Esav, and defeat them, because we define ourselves independently of the culture and society in which we live.
"It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2; 18). With this introduction G-d prepares Adam for the creation of his wife, Eve. The purpose of creation is to imitate G-d, as the Torah tells us that mankind were made in the image of G-d. Just as G-d has no needs, and therefore only gives, so too a person should strive to become a 'giver' and not a 'taker'. For Adam to remain alone would have deprived him of the opportunity to give to another, who has different requirements to him. This is why G-d created men and women with distinct emotional, physical and spiritual needs.
However, 'aloneness' is only a negative thing when it deprives a person of the opportunity to give to others. But to be 'alone' in the sense of self-sufficient, and not needing to receive from others is also a form of imitating G-d. Isiah (2; 11) tells us that G-d is 'alone', "The L-rd 'alone' shall be exalted". This is the meaning of the verse "One who hates gifts will live." (Proverbs 15; 27). The goal of self-sufficiency is best described by Ben Zoma in the Mishna (Ethics of the Fathers 4; 1) " Who is rich? Someone who is happy with their portion." We see from here that spiritual perfection does not depend on others, but on utilising the capabilities and tools that a person has themselves.
This embodies the difference between Ya'akov and Esav. When they meet and Ya'akov offers his brother gifts (Genesis 33) Esav responds "I have much". Ya'akov on the other hand, says, "I have everything." Someone who has a lot always wants more, but someone who feels that they have everything is 'happy with their portion'.
"And Ya'akov remained alone" (Genesis 32; 25). Normally we think that the guardian angel of Esav was able to attack and wrestle with Ya'akov because he remained alone, without perfection. However, Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz explains that it was precisely because he had reached the level of spiritual independence and self-sufficiency that is referred to by the Torah as 'alone', that he was able to battle and defeat the angel. Ya'akov had spent 20 years with Lavan perfecting himself to be able to return and face his brother Esav. He was only able to survive his encounter with his brother because he had attained such a level of independence that he was able to send a message to Esav saying "With Lavan I remained a stranger (garti), and remained there until now" (ibid. 32; 5). Rashi points out that the word garti has the numerical value of 613, the number of commandments. Despite, or perhaps because of, dwelling with Lavan, Ya'akov was able to remain firm to all the laws and commandments of the Torah.
This quality of 'aloneness' was part of Bilam's blessing of the entire Jewish nation, "This is a nation that dwells alone, and is not considered with the other nations" (Numbers 23; 9). Though popular culture changes the value system every few years, the strength of the Jewish nation is that we are not swept away by every passing phase, but are able to remain true to our Torah values regardless of how we are viewed by the rest of the world. We too are able to wrestle with the angels of Esav, and defeat them, because we define ourselves independently of the culture and society in which we live.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Vayishlach summary
Ya'akov (Jacob) makes preparations before facing his brother Esav (Esau). He divides his camp into two, so that in the event of war one half will be able to flee and survive, prays that G-d save him from his brother, and sends Esav gifts. During that night an angel comes and wrestles with Ya'akov and his hip is dislocated in the struggle. Ya'akov forces the angel to concede defeat and to bless him. The angel departs at daybreak, but to this day Jews are not permitted to eat the sciatic nerve in animals as a reminder of this battle. Esav approaches with four hundred men. Ya'akov bows seven times before his brother, as do his wives and children. Esav doesn't want to accept the gifts from Ya'akov, but because of his urging he finally takes them. Esav offers to accompany Ya'akov but Ya'akov refuses the offer, preferring to proceed at his own pace. Esav returns to Se'ir, while Ya'akov goes to Succoth. Ya'akov then sets up camp near the town of Shechem, and erects an altar there. Leah's daughter, Dina, wanders out to visit the local girls. She is seen by Shechem, son of the chief of the region, Chamor the Chivite. He seduces her, rapes her, and then falls in love with her. Shechem asks his father to get him Dina as a wife. Ya'akov's sons demand that as a dowry, all the men of the city must be circumcised. Chamor and Shechem agree, and persuade all their subjects to allow themselves to be circumcised. On the third day, when the men are in the greatest pain, Shimon and Levi come and kill the men of the city, including Shechem and Chamor. When Ya'akov chastises them, they reply "Should he have been allowed to treat our sister like a harlot?" Ya'akov instructs his entourage to get rid of their idolatrous artefacts in preparation for going to Bet-El. When they arrive in Bet-El, Ya'akov builds an altar at the site where G-d had appeared to him when he was originally fleeing from Esav. While there, Rivka's nurse, Devorah, dies and is buried in a place named Alon Bochot (Weeping Oak). G-d appears to Ya'akov and renames him Yisrael (Israel). He also confers upon him the blessing originally given to Avraham, and promises the land of Israel to his descendants. As Ya'akov and his family approach Efrat, Rachel goes into labour. She gives birth to a son and names him Ben-Oni (Son of my sorrow), but Ya'akov calls him Benyamin (Benjamin, son of the right). Rachel dies and is buried on the road to Efrat. The Torah gives a complete listing of all of Ya'akov's sons. Ya'akov returns to his father, Yitzchak, in Kiryat Arba. Yitzchak lives to the age of 180, and when he dies is buried by his sons Esav and Ya'akov in the cave of Machpela. The Torah lists the descendants of Esav, also known as Edom. It also records the descendants of Se'ir, the original inhabitant of Esav's country. The portion ends with the names of the twelve kings who ruled the land of Edom.
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