Parashat Wayyiggash Genesis 44:18-47:27 פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּגַּשׁ
SYNOPSIS:
Parashat Wayyigash contains two sidrot with the second sidra՚ continuing into the next parasha. The first covers; Judah steps forward, Joseph reveals himself, Pharaoh's invitation, the brothers return to Canaan, and the family leaves for Egypt; while the second, Joseph's welcomes his family, Pharaoh meets Joseph's family, and Joseph's policies over Egypt.
First Sidra՚ (Gen. 44:18-46:27): Judah steps forward, Joseph reveals himself, Pharaoh's invitation, the brothers return to Canaan, and the family leaves for Egypt
Parashat Wayyigash commences where the previous parasha left off. Judah continues attempting to placate Joseph; he comes closer to Joseph and requests to speak a few words in his ear. He asks Joseph not to be angry with him, and attempts to flatter Joseph by comparing him to Pharaoh. He reminds Joseph that it was he who asked the brothers if they had a father or another brother. So they told him that they have an elderly father and another brother who is the youngest - a child of their father's old age - and that the other son from the same mother is dead. Judah continues to relate how it was Joseph that requested them to bring to Egypt their other brother because he wished to see him and how they explained to him that the lad cannot leave his father; if he would their father would die. But Joseph had told them if they didn't bring their youngest brother down to Egypt with them, then they would not be allowed to return. Judah then retells to Joseph the conversation that the brothers had had with their father telling him that they could not return to Egypt to purchase any more grain if Benjamin does not accompany them. And how their father retorted that his wife (Rachel) had born him two sons, one is no more torn to pieces by a wild animal and the other they wish to take away from him. Now, continues Judah, if harm should befall Benjamin it would be too much for our father and it would bring him down to the grave; thus Joseph would have be responsible for bring their father's grey hair to the grave. Judah informs Joseph that he has personally guaranteed the safety of Benjamin and if he should not return Benjamin unharmed then Judah will be culpable all his days. Judah concludes by requesting that he should stay as a slave instead of Benjamin, for how can he face his father with out Benjamin being with him? Joseph could no longer restrain himself and called for all those in his presence to leave. Joseph then weeps in such a loud voice that the Egyptians heard it as well as Pharaoh's household. Joseph then say to his brothers, "I am Joseph, is my father still alive" (Gen. 45:3), but his brothers were so astonished that they were unable to answer him. Joseph tells his brothers to gather around him, and he says again, "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt" (Gen. 45:4). He tells his brothers not to be grieved and angry about selling into slavery, "For it was to preserve life, that God sent me before you" (Gen. 45:5). Joseph informs his brothers that only two years of the famine have passed and there are yet still another five years to come. He tells them to hastily return to his father and tell him all about his position in Egypt and that he is Lord of the Land and that he should come to Egypt. Joseph informs them that they can stay in the region of Goshen, so they can be near to him and he will sustain them during the remaining years of the famine. Joseph falls upon Benjamin's neck and weeps. He kisses all his brothers and weeps on them. Joseph is finally reunited with his brothers! When the news about the arrival of Joseph's brothers reached Pharaoh, he and all his servants were very pleased. Joseph is told by Pharaoh that his brothers should return to the land of Canaan in order to bring their father and all their households to Egypt, "and you shall eat the fat of the land" (Gen. 45:18). Wagons with provisions are provided, courtesy of Pharaoh, so that they can bring down their children, wives, and father. Joseph gives to each of his brothers a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gives three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. Joseph also sends to his father ten donkeys carrying samples of the produce of Egypt, and ten she asses carrying grain and bread, and food for the journey. The brothers set off for Canaan and Joseph tells them, "Do not be agitated on the way" (Gen. 45:24). As soon as they reach Jacob the brothers declare, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler of all the land of Egypt" (Gen. 45:26). The Torah tells us that Jacob's heart was numb for he did not at first believe his sons, but once they recount Joseph's words and he sees the wagons, Jacob's spirit comes to life and he demands to be taken to Joseph before he dies! Israel and his family travel to Beersheba, and there he offers a sacrifice to YHWH. God says to Israel in a night vision, "I am God the God of your father; do not fear going down to Egypt, for a great nation I will make of you there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will bring you up - bring up again; and Joseph, will put his hand on your eyes" (Gen. 46:3-4) The Torah tells that Jacob went down to Egypt with his entire family along with all their livestock and property which they had acquired in the land of Canaan. The rest of the sidra՚ lists the direct descendants of Jacob at the time of the going down to Egypt, including Joseph and his two sons who were already in Egypt. Jacob had twelve sons, one daughter, fifty-one grandsons (ՙEr and Onan died in the land of Canaan), one granddaughter, and four great-grandsons. Apart from the wives of Jacob's sons can be added to this number "All who were with him" (Gen. 35:2) which would include Ḥirah and his clan who had attached themselves to Judah.
Second Sidra՚ (Gen. 46:28-47:27): Joseph's welcomes his family, Pharaoh meets Joseph's family, and Joseph's policies over Egypt
The sidra՚ begins by informing us that Jacob sent on Judah before him to lead the way to Joseph and the land of Goshen. Joseph harnesses his chariot and drives to the land of Goshen to meet Israel his father. When they meet, Joseph falls on his father's neck and weeps for sometime. Israel says to Joseph, "Now I can die; since I have seen your face, for you are still alive" (Gen. 46:30) Joseph tells his brothers and his father's household that he will go and tell Pharaoh that his brothers and father's household have arrived from the land of Canaan. Joseph will inform Pharaoh that the men are shepherds of flocks and cattle which they have brought with them and this is the answer they shall give when Pharaoh asks them what their occupation is. They are to say this so that they can settle in the land of Goshen, "for every shepherd of flocks is an abomination to Egypt" (Gen. 46:34). Joseph takes five of his brothers and presents them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks them what is their occupation and they reply that they are shepherds of flocks and that they have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for their flocks as the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. They petition Pharaoh to let them settle in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh accepts their petition and tells Joseph to settle his father and brothers in the most fertile region of the land of Egypt which is the land of Goshen. Joseph is told by Pharaoh to appoint from the capable men amongst them rulers over his livestock. Joseph presents his father Jacob to Pharaoh and Jacob blesses Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks Jacob how old he is. Jacob replies, "The days of the years of my sojourning, are thirty and a hundred years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my fathers', in the days of their sojourn" (Gen. 47:9). Jacob blesses Pharaoh again and leaves. As Pharaoh commanded, Joseph settles his father and brothers in the most fertile region of the land that being the land of Raՙmeses, which the Torah is equating with the land of Goshen. The Torah tells us that Joseph supplied his father, his brothers, and their households with bread. The Torah tells us that there was no bread in all the land, because the famine was very heavy, and that both the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. (The land of Canaan is mentioned together with the land of Egypt, as if they form one unit, because during this period Canaan was under the direct rule of Pharaoh.) So Joseph gathered and placed under Pharaoh's control all the silver that the people from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan had used to purchase grain. When the silver in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan had run out all the Egyptians come to Joseph demanding bread and saying why should they die because their silver is used up? Joseph tells the Egyptians if they don't have any silver left to purchase food then they should trade their livestock with Joseph for food. Thus all that year the people traded their horses, sheep, cattle, and donkeys with Joseph in exchange for food. The next year the people came back to Joseph and told him that they have neither silver nor livestock to purchase food with; the only things they have left are their bodies and their land. The people tell Joseph that they are willing to give themselves and their land in exchange for food; for what good are their bodies and land if they are dead! The people state that they are willing to become, along with their land, servants of Pharaoh in exchange for seed for sowing so that they will not die and the land will not become desolate. (I wonder why the Egyptians didn't purchase seed for sowing in the first place.) The Torah tells us that Joseph agrees and through this method he was able to purchase all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, and the people he transferred into the cities. However, Joseph did not purchase the land of the Egyptian priests for their land had been allocated to them by Pharaoh. The people are now to be taxed 20% of the produce that their land produces, while the rest they can keep. The parasha ends on this note, "And Israel stayed in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen; they acquired possessions in it, and they were fruitful and they became very many" (Gen. 47:27).
THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
When Pharaoh asks Jacob his age Jacob replies, "The days of the years of my sojourning, are thirty and a hundred years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my fathers', in the days of their sojourn" (Gen. 47:9). The words "few and evil have been the days of the years of my life", stand out in stark contrast to the earlier days of Jacob's life that were full of hope and vitality; for the Torah states concerning the seven years that Jacob served Laban for Rachel's hand in marriage, "but they were in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her" (Gen. 29:20). Jacob's life becomes blighted by two great losses; the loss of the love of his life - Rachel - who died while giving birth to Benjamin, and the supposed death of Joseph - the apple of his eye and his firstborn by Rachel. These losses have an apocalyptic effect on Jacob's life; his life is devastated, no words of solace can diminish his pain and no future joy can brighten his eyes. Grandchildren and even great-grandchildren are born to Israel, but the death of Rachel and the loss of Joseph send ripples of pain and anguish through the very fabric of his existence. Benjamin becomes Jacob's only anchor in this life; if anything should happen to Benjamin what would the point be to living. Even so, the realization of a long cherished dream is able to wash away the years of pain and anguish that have cast such a dark shadow over Jacob's life. When he meets Joseph after believing he was dead for the past twenty years, Jacob exclaims, "Now I can die; since I have seen your face, for you are still alive" (Gen. 46:30). Jacob has found peace and his life becomes renewed spending his last seventeen years in the company of Joseph. Jacob's life story is not that unusual, the life of many an individual has been blighted by tragedy and pain. But just as with Jacob there are many who have found inner peace and renewal of life due to one radiant moment the light of which brightens their future as well as illuminating their past.
Parashat Wayyigash contains two sidrot with the second sidra՚ continuing into the next parasha. The first covers; Judah steps forward, Joseph reveals himself, Pharaoh's invitation, the brothers return to Canaan, and the family leaves for Egypt; while the second, Joseph's welcomes his family, Pharaoh meets Joseph's family, and Joseph's policies over Egypt.
First Sidra՚ (Gen. 44:18-46:27): Judah steps forward, Joseph reveals himself, Pharaoh's invitation, the brothers return to Canaan, and the family leaves for Egypt
Parashat Wayyigash commences where the previous parasha left off. Judah continues attempting to placate Joseph; he comes closer to Joseph and requests to speak a few words in his ear. He asks Joseph not to be angry with him, and attempts to flatter Joseph by comparing him to Pharaoh. He reminds Joseph that it was he who asked the brothers if they had a father or another brother. So they told him that they have an elderly father and another brother who is the youngest - a child of their father's old age - and that the other son from the same mother is dead. Judah continues to relate how it was Joseph that requested them to bring to Egypt their other brother because he wished to see him and how they explained to him that the lad cannot leave his father; if he would their father would die. But Joseph had told them if they didn't bring their youngest brother down to Egypt with them, then they would not be allowed to return. Judah then retells to Joseph the conversation that the brothers had had with their father telling him that they could not return to Egypt to purchase any more grain if Benjamin does not accompany them. And how their father retorted that his wife (Rachel) had born him two sons, one is no more torn to pieces by a wild animal and the other they wish to take away from him. Now, continues Judah, if harm should befall Benjamin it would be too much for our father and it would bring him down to the grave; thus Joseph would have be responsible for bring their father's grey hair to the grave. Judah informs Joseph that he has personally guaranteed the safety of Benjamin and if he should not return Benjamin unharmed then Judah will be culpable all his days. Judah concludes by requesting that he should stay as a slave instead of Benjamin, for how can he face his father with out Benjamin being with him? Joseph could no longer restrain himself and called for all those in his presence to leave. Joseph then weeps in such a loud voice that the Egyptians heard it as well as Pharaoh's household. Joseph then say to his brothers, "I am Joseph, is my father still alive" (Gen. 45:3), but his brothers were so astonished that they were unable to answer him. Joseph tells his brothers to gather around him, and he says again, "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt" (Gen. 45:4). He tells his brothers not to be grieved and angry about selling into slavery, "For it was to preserve life, that God sent me before you" (Gen. 45:5). Joseph informs his brothers that only two years of the famine have passed and there are yet still another five years to come. He tells them to hastily return to his father and tell him all about his position in Egypt and that he is Lord of the Land and that he should come to Egypt. Joseph informs them that they can stay in the region of Goshen, so they can be near to him and he will sustain them during the remaining years of the famine. Joseph falls upon Benjamin's neck and weeps. He kisses all his brothers and weeps on them. Joseph is finally reunited with his brothers! When the news about the arrival of Joseph's brothers reached Pharaoh, he and all his servants were very pleased. Joseph is told by Pharaoh that his brothers should return to the land of Canaan in order to bring their father and all their households to Egypt, "and you shall eat the fat of the land" (Gen. 45:18). Wagons with provisions are provided, courtesy of Pharaoh, so that they can bring down their children, wives, and father. Joseph gives to each of his brothers a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gives three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. Joseph also sends to his father ten donkeys carrying samples of the produce of Egypt, and ten she asses carrying grain and bread, and food for the journey. The brothers set off for Canaan and Joseph tells them, "Do not be agitated on the way" (Gen. 45:24). As soon as they reach Jacob the brothers declare, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler of all the land of Egypt" (Gen. 45:26). The Torah tells us that Jacob's heart was numb for he did not at first believe his sons, but once they recount Joseph's words and he sees the wagons, Jacob's spirit comes to life and he demands to be taken to Joseph before he dies! Israel and his family travel to Beersheba, and there he offers a sacrifice to YHWH. God says to Israel in a night vision, "I am God the God of your father; do not fear going down to Egypt, for a great nation I will make of you there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will bring you up - bring up again; and Joseph, will put his hand on your eyes" (Gen. 46:3-4) The Torah tells that Jacob went down to Egypt with his entire family along with all their livestock and property which they had acquired in the land of Canaan. The rest of the sidra՚ lists the direct descendants of Jacob at the time of the going down to Egypt, including Joseph and his two sons who were already in Egypt. Jacob had twelve sons, one daughter, fifty-one grandsons (ՙEr and Onan died in the land of Canaan), one granddaughter, and four great-grandsons. Apart from the wives of Jacob's sons can be added to this number "All who were with him" (Gen. 35:2) which would include Ḥirah and his clan who had attached themselves to Judah.
Second Sidra՚ (Gen. 46:28-47:27): Joseph's welcomes his family, Pharaoh meets Joseph's family, and Joseph's policies over Egypt
The sidra՚ begins by informing us that Jacob sent on Judah before him to lead the way to Joseph and the land of Goshen. Joseph harnesses his chariot and drives to the land of Goshen to meet Israel his father. When they meet, Joseph falls on his father's neck and weeps for sometime. Israel says to Joseph, "Now I can die; since I have seen your face, for you are still alive" (Gen. 46:30) Joseph tells his brothers and his father's household that he will go and tell Pharaoh that his brothers and father's household have arrived from the land of Canaan. Joseph will inform Pharaoh that the men are shepherds of flocks and cattle which they have brought with them and this is the answer they shall give when Pharaoh asks them what their occupation is. They are to say this so that they can settle in the land of Goshen, "for every shepherd of flocks is an abomination to Egypt" (Gen. 46:34). Joseph takes five of his brothers and presents them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks them what is their occupation and they reply that they are shepherds of flocks and that they have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for their flocks as the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. They petition Pharaoh to let them settle in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh accepts their petition and tells Joseph to settle his father and brothers in the most fertile region of the land of Egypt which is the land of Goshen. Joseph is told by Pharaoh to appoint from the capable men amongst them rulers over his livestock. Joseph presents his father Jacob to Pharaoh and Jacob blesses Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks Jacob how old he is. Jacob replies, "The days of the years of my sojourning, are thirty and a hundred years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my fathers', in the days of their sojourn" (Gen. 47:9). Jacob blesses Pharaoh again and leaves. As Pharaoh commanded, Joseph settles his father and brothers in the most fertile region of the land that being the land of Raՙmeses, which the Torah is equating with the land of Goshen. The Torah tells us that Joseph supplied his father, his brothers, and their households with bread. The Torah tells us that there was no bread in all the land, because the famine was very heavy, and that both the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. (The land of Canaan is mentioned together with the land of Egypt, as if they form one unit, because during this period Canaan was under the direct rule of Pharaoh.) So Joseph gathered and placed under Pharaoh's control all the silver that the people from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan had used to purchase grain. When the silver in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan had run out all the Egyptians come to Joseph demanding bread and saying why should they die because their silver is used up? Joseph tells the Egyptians if they don't have any silver left to purchase food then they should trade their livestock with Joseph for food. Thus all that year the people traded their horses, sheep, cattle, and donkeys with Joseph in exchange for food. The next year the people came back to Joseph and told him that they have neither silver nor livestock to purchase food with; the only things they have left are their bodies and their land. The people tell Joseph that they are willing to give themselves and their land in exchange for food; for what good are their bodies and land if they are dead! The people state that they are willing to become, along with their land, servants of Pharaoh in exchange for seed for sowing so that they will not die and the land will not become desolate. (I wonder why the Egyptians didn't purchase seed for sowing in the first place.) The Torah tells us that Joseph agrees and through this method he was able to purchase all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, and the people he transferred into the cities. However, Joseph did not purchase the land of the Egyptian priests for their land had been allocated to them by Pharaoh. The people are now to be taxed 20% of the produce that their land produces, while the rest they can keep. The parasha ends on this note, "And Israel stayed in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen; they acquired possessions in it, and they were fruitful and they became very many" (Gen. 47:27).
THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
When Pharaoh asks Jacob his age Jacob replies, "The days of the years of my sojourning, are thirty and a hundred years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my fathers', in the days of their sojourn" (Gen. 47:9). The words "few and evil have been the days of the years of my life", stand out in stark contrast to the earlier days of Jacob's life that were full of hope and vitality; for the Torah states concerning the seven years that Jacob served Laban for Rachel's hand in marriage, "but they were in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her" (Gen. 29:20). Jacob's life becomes blighted by two great losses; the loss of the love of his life - Rachel - who died while giving birth to Benjamin, and the supposed death of Joseph - the apple of his eye and his firstborn by Rachel. These losses have an apocalyptic effect on Jacob's life; his life is devastated, no words of solace can diminish his pain and no future joy can brighten his eyes. Grandchildren and even great-grandchildren are born to Israel, but the death of Rachel and the loss of Joseph send ripples of pain and anguish through the very fabric of his existence. Benjamin becomes Jacob's only anchor in this life; if anything should happen to Benjamin what would the point be to living. Even so, the realization of a long cherished dream is able to wash away the years of pain and anguish that have cast such a dark shadow over Jacob's life. When he meets Joseph after believing he was dead for the past twenty years, Jacob exclaims, "Now I can die; since I have seen your face, for you are still alive" (Gen. 46:30). Jacob has found peace and his life becomes renewed spending his last seventeen years in the company of Joseph. Jacob's life story is not that unusual, the life of many an individual has been blighted by tragedy and pain. But just as with Jacob there are many who have found inner peace and renewal of life due to one radiant moment the light of which brightens their future as well as illuminating their past.