SEDRA : Vayigash : Hertz Chumash p. 169 Genesis Chap. 44 v. 18

This week's Sedra is generously sponsored by Neville Sackville.

SYNOPSIS:

Judah approached Joseph and made a moving and eloquent appeal. He begged that Benjamin be returned to his aged father who had already lost one son and would die of grief if yet another were taken from him whose soul was as dear to him as his very own. Judah offered himself as a bondsman in Benjamin's place as it was he who had personally guaranteed Benjamin's live return. Joseph could no longer restrain himself, and, ordering all others to withdraw, he emotionally and tearfully disclosed his real identity. The brothers were speechless with fright but Joseph told them not to reproach themselves for selling him to Egypt as it had been G-d's will that he save his family and the rest of the people from starvation. He urged them to return to Canaan and hasten back with their father, their families, flocks and herds. They would live in the land of Goshen (the finest pastureland in Egypt) and have sufficient food for the remaining five years of famine. The brothers were embraced by Joseph and all wept with emotion. When the news reached Pharaoh, he too invited them to settle in Egypt and ordered that wagons be sent to convey Jacob and his household. Joseph showered his brothers with gifts, for them and his father, and they returned to Canaan.

When Jacob was told that Joseph was still alive, his heart skipped a beat as he could not believe the news but, after hearing the full story and seeing the wagons Joseph had sent, he set forth on the journey accompanied by sixty-six(eventually seventy) of his direct descendants and their families. He stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to G-d who appeared in a vision and told him not to fear going to Egypt for his descendants would return to Canaan.

On their arrival in Egypt Joseph went out to meet his father. After an affectionate and emotional meeting, Joseph advised his brothers to tell Pharaoh that they were herdsmen as the Egyptians considered this to be an inferior occupation. Pharaoh would therefore allow them to live apart in Goshen and they would thus be able to preserve their separate identity. Joseph presented five of his brothers to Pharaoh, who entrusted the competent ones with the care of his own flocks. Joseph then introduced his father, Jacob who bestowed his blessing on Pharaoh.

The famine reached a critical stage and all the money of the Egyptians and Canaanites had passed into the royal treasury. In exchange for food, the Egyptians were now required first, to hand over their cattle, and then to sell their lands. The people were moved from the country to the cities where the corn was stored, to facilitate its distribution. They were still permitted, however, to cultivate their own lands providing they paid one-fifth of the produce to Pharaoh. Land belonging to the priests was exempted from this tax. So the Israelites lived in the land of Goshen and acquired wealth and prosperity.

HAPHTORAH: Ezekiel Chapter 37 Verses 15-28 HERTZ CHUMASH P. 178

The sedra recounts the reunification of Jacob's family after the rift between Joseph and his brothers. Through Ezekiel, G-d gives an assurance of the future of unity of the Israelites following the division of the nation into a Northern Kingdom of ten tribes and Judea.

TELL ME RABBI.....BIRKAT HAMMAZON - GRACE AFTER MEALS

The definition of a "meal" implies the consumption of bread. The Talmud tells us of Abraham: "After the travellers ate and drank, they rose to bless him (Abraham) for it: but he said to them, 'Did you eat of mine? You ate of that which belongs to the Lord of the Universe. Thank, praise and bless Him who spoke and the world came into being'." In the Torah we are enjoined:"And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord thy G-d". (Deut 8.10) Our sages therefore said "Whoever enjoys any worldly pleasure without offering a benediction is guilty of theft from G-d".

Originally the Birkat Hammazon consisted of three parts. Subsequently a fourth was added. The first three sections are:

(1) "Benediction for food", which concludes with the words "Hazan et Hakol".
(2) "Benediction and thanksgiving for the land of Israel", beginning with "Nodeh lecha" and ending with "Al haeretz v'al hammazon".
(3) The prayer for Jerusalem and the Sanctuary, beginning with the word "Rachem". "Said R. Nahman: Moses instituted the Birkat Hazan for Israel. At the time when manna descended for them; Joshua instituted the Birkat Ha'Aretz, the benediction for the land, when they entered Eretz Israel; David and Solomon instituted the benediction which closes with the words Boneh Yerushalaim, 'who buildest Jerusalem', i.e. the third benediction; David instituted the words al Yisrael amecha veal Yerushalaim irecha, "For Israel Thy people and for Jerusalem Thy city'; Solomon instituted the words al habayit haggadol vehakkadosh, "For the great and holy house'." The permanent form however was compiled by the Men of the Great Assembly.
The fourth benediction, hatov vehametiv, meaning, "who is good and bestows goodness", was added later in memory of those who were slain in Bethar, following the last stand of Bar Cochba in 137 B.C.E. After Hadrian's prohibition against burying the slain was relaxed, hatov vehammetiv: hatov, "Who is good", was instituted because the bodies did not putrify; vehammetiv, "Who bestows good", because they were allowed to be buried.

One reason for our concluding the third section "rachem" with the benediction, boneh berachamav Yerushalaim, Amen is to indicate that what follows after, are later additions and are not of biblical origin or prescribed by the Torah, but are of Rabbinic origin.

The passages beginning with the words "harachaman","the All Merciful" are of later origin and are all petitions of a public or private nature. That we may be blessed - bakol mikol kol - as our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were blessed, has its origin in the Talmud based upon the three Biblical verses in which these blessings are mentioned.

On Sabbaths, Festivals and joyous occasions we sing the psalm "Shir Hammaalot", to remember Zion even in our enjoyments of earthly delights, before 'bentsching'.

The Talmud states: " On Shabbat and Festivals there is a reference to the Shabbat or the Festival in the Grace after Meals". On Shabbat we recite retze vehachalitzenu, expressing the holiness and comfort which Shabbat gives; on festivals and Rosh Chodesh, Yaale veyavo, contains references to these festive occasions. Special blessings are added for weddings, Brit Milah celebrations, and in the house of mourners. Talmudic etiquette requires that "the host breaks the bread, the guest says the grace. The guest says grace so that he may bless the host". When three or more adult men have eaten together, the Grace is introduced with the invitation (zimmun) to bless, whereupon the others respond their readiness to thank G-d "of whose bounty they have partaken".

A condensed form of grace, Brachah Ach'ronah is recited after a snack with no bread, eg. cake, fruit or wine. The Grace concludes on a note of peace:- "The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace."

"Shabbat Shalom" is generously sponsored by Rosetta and Nathan Baron