Vayechi וי ח י Notes by Christopher Fredrickson. Phone: (828) Website:

Transcription

1 Vayechi וי ח י 5776 Notes by Christopher Fredrickson Phone: (828) Website:

2 -- שׁנ י חיּ יו, י ע ק ב - שׁנ ה; וי ה י י מ י שׁב ע עשׂ רה, וי ח י י ע ק ב בּא רץ מצ רי ם שׁנ ה אַר בּע ים וּמ אַת ו, שׁנ ים שׁב ע.. Y'akov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years. The total of Ya'akov's days, the years of his life, were a hundred and forty-seven years. Genesis 47:28 (The Gutnick Chumash)

3 Why is the gap between this Parsha and the previous one closed? Because Ya'akov, our father, died, the hearts and minds of the Jewish people were closed due to the suffering of slavery, for it was at a time that the Egyptians began to enslave them. An alternative explanation: Because Ya'akov wished to reveal the End of Days, when Mashiach would come and the information was closed (concealed) to him. (Rashi)

4 He has blinded their eyes, Hashmin lev ha'am hazeh (Harden the heart of this people), that they might not see with their eyes and have binah with their lev and might turn and I will heal them These things Yeshayah spoke because he saw the kavod (glory) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and he spoke about him. Nevertheless, however, even among the manhigim (leaders) many had emunah (faith) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. John 12:40-42 (The Orthodox Jewish Bible)

5 ܗܝ #$%&'( *'ܐ $'+,&'$ ܐ('ܝ ܕܕ,.(/01 %02,(3+ ܘܢ ܪܘ /+ ܐ=< A'( ܗܘ #B0C89 ܕ #0DE'( <= ܘܢ ܘ 60D+,80& 'ܐ 0FG ܗܝ ܬ But rather, they were blinded in their understanding, for until today, when The Old Covenant is read, that covering is set upon them, and it is not revealed unto them, that in M'shikha {The Anointed One}, it ceased. 2 Corinthians 3:14 (The Aramaic Scriptures)

6 ܪܘ /+ ܐܬ H$ ܘܢ ܕ 6I%J 'BKL ܐ H$ 'ܐ ܕ 0ME NKL =< ܐ O$%P$ ܗܘܐ,QA ܗܝ ܕ O0I ܗ,.( ܘܢ 6R?A What then? That which Isra'El was seeking, was not found, yet, The Chosen found it, but, all the rest were blinded in their hearts. <= ܕ,S ܘܐܕ H$69 ܘܢ %BMS <= ܕ,.07 'ܐ ܘ 0S%+3( #G ܐ ܪܘ 6= ܘܢ ܐ 6= ܒ 6$ ܕ U$'I ܕ,.K$ ܐ,.(/$ ܕ,(/01,(3+ ܢ /QVWS As which is written, that Alaha {God} gave unto them a contentious spirit, and eyes which they do not notice with, and ears which do not hear; until this very day. Romans 11:7-8 (The Aramaic Scriptures)

7 In our times we are witnessing signs of redemption in the world, and it is tremendously upsetting to see the Jewish people have their eyes closed and do not take note of what is occurring. Primarily, these signs are changes in the way world leaders are acting towards Jews and Jewish values. The opposition to Jewish observance by a number of regimes have ended, most notably in the former Soviet Union where approximately one third of the Jewish people have found themselves in a position to observe the Torah and it's mitzvos for the first time in 70 years.

8 Furthermore, the manner in which non-jews perceive Jewish observance in the Western World, has changed radically in the past generation. Consider that before WWII, many thousands of Jewish families found themselves unable to earn a living if they were Shabbos observant, even in America, yet now we find that Jews proudly display beards and peyos are accepted and respected by a broad cross section of society. However, the painful fact is that Jewish people have taken all this for granted, and fail to recognize that these are unprecedented changes of Messianic proportions. The redemption is no longer an unrealistic dream. We merely have to open our eyes to see the time of redemption has indeed arrived. (Shicas Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim 5744, Bereishis 5752)

9 When the time drew near for Yisrael to die, he called his son Yosef and said to him If I have now found favor in your eyes, please place your hand beneath my thigh and swear and oath that you will do for me true kindness: please don't let me be buried in Egypt. Genesis 47:29 (The Gutnick Chumash)

10 Because it's soil will ultimately become lice which will crawl beneath my body. Also because the dead who are buried outside the land of Israel will be resurrected only bu suffering by the pain of rolling through underground tunnels. Also, so that the Egyptians should not make a deity out of me. (Rashi)

11 You should not make scratches in your flesh, to mourn a person that died. You should not put a tattoo on yourselves, I am G-d. Leviticus 19:28 (The Gutnick Chumash)

12 This was a custom among the pagans who marked themselves for idolatry. (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Idolatry 12:11)

13 An oath or vow made by one to another becomes Torah law because it is not only a promise to a person but it is a promise to G-d (Ohr HaChayim)

14 But let your word be ken, ken (yes, yes) or lo, lo (no, no), but anything beyond this is lashon horah. Matthew 5:37 (The Orthodox Jewish Bible)