Daily Chumash & Rashi – Parshas Vayechi Rishon: Yaakov meets with Yosef and his sons before his death (Sunday, 8th Teves)

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Parshas Vayechi

Pesukim: 85 [Siman: פה אל פה]

Haftorah: Melachim 1 2:1-12

 

Number of Mitzvos:

There are no Positive or Negative commands mentioned in Parshas Vayechi.

 

Rishon

  1. Yaakov summons Yosef and requests to be buried in Eretz Yisrael:
  • The length of Yaakov’s years: Yaakov lived in Egypt for 17 years, and he lived for a total of 147 years.
  • As his days of passing were approaching, Yaakov summoned his son Yosef and asked him to place his hand under his thigh and “Perform for me kindness and truth, and do not bury me in Egypt. Please carry me out of Egypt and bury me by my forefathers.” Yosef replied that he will do as requested.
  1. Yosef brings his sons to his father, and is blessed:
  • After the above occurrence, Yosef was told that his father is sick, and he brought to him his sons, Ephraim and Menashe. Yaakov was informed that his son Yosef was arriving, and he strengthened himself to sit on the bed.
  • Ephraim and Menashe are recognized as tribes: Yaakov told his son Yosef that Hashem appeared to him in Luz and blessed him that he will have many offspring. “Now, you should know, your two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, are to me considered like Reuvein and Shimon. However, any children born after them will be part of their tribal name.”
  • Yaakov retells the story of Rachel’s death: “When I traveled from Padan Aram, Rachel died on the journey, on the way to Efrat. I buried her there on the road to Efrat, which is Beis Lechem.”
  1. Yaakov blesses Ephraim and Menashe:
  • Yaakov then looked at the sons of Yosef and asked, “Who are they?” Yosef replied to his father that they are his sons whom G-d has blessed him with. Yaakov asked for the sons to be brought to him, to be blessed.

Q&A On Rashi

Bereshit 47:28–31

  1. Why is Parshas Vayechi “closed” (not starting a new paragraph)?
    Rashi explains that when Yaakov passed away, the eyes and hearts of the Israelites became “closed,” troubled by the signs of the coming Egyptian bondage. Another reason: Yaakov wished to reveal the end of the exile, but it was concealed from him.

 

  1. What is learned from the phrase “the time drew near for Israel to die”?
    Rashi notes that whenever this phrase is used, the person did not reach the age of their fathers. For example, Yitzchak lived 180 years, but Yaakov lived only 147.

 

  1. Why did Yaakov call specifically for Yosef to fulfill his burial request?
    Because Yosef had the power to carry out his request, being a ruler in Egypt.

 

  1. What is “genuine kindness” (chesed v’emet) according to Rashi?
    A kindness done for the dead is true kindness, since there is no expectation of repayment.

 

  1. Why did Yaakov not want to be buried in Egypt?
    Rashi gives three reasons:
  • The soil would eventually become lice, which would swarm under his body.
  • The dead outside Israel will be resurrected only after rolling through underground channels to the Land of Israel.
  • So the Egyptians would not make him an object of idol-worship.

 

  1. What does “I will lie down with my fathers” mean?

Rashi says it refers to dying, not burial, as shown by similar phrases elsewhere in Tanach.

 

  1. Why did Israel bow at the head of the bed?

Rashi offers two explanations:

  • He turned toward the Divine Presence, which rests above the head of a sick person.
  • He bowed in gratitude that his “bed” (family) was complete and righteous.

 

 

Bereshit 48:1–9

  1. Who told Yosef that his father was ill, and what does Rashi say about this?
    Rashi says it was either a messenger (the verse is abbreviated) or Ephraim, who studied Torah with Yaakov and informed Yosef when Yaakov became ill.

 

  1. Why did Yosef bring his sons to Yaakov?
    So that Yaakov would bless them before his death.

 

  1. Why did Yaakov strengthen himself and sit up in bed when Yosef arrived?
    Rashi explains that Yaakov honored Yosef’s royal status by sitting up, teaching us to honor royalty.

 

  1. What did G‑d promise Yaakov at Luz, according to Rashi?
    That a “community of peoples” would descend from him, meaning one tribe would split into two—Ephraim and Menashe.

 

  1. What status did Yaakov give to Ephraim and Menashe?
    He counted them as his own sons, equal to Reuvein and Shimon, each receiving a tribal portion in Israel.

 

  1. What about any children born to Yosef after Ephraim and Menashe?
    They would not be counted as separate tribes but included under Ephraim and Menashe.

 

  1. Why did Yaakov mention Rachel’s burial on the road?
    To explain why he was asking Yosef to bury him in Canaan, though he did not do so for Rachel. He buried her there by G‑d’s command, so she could pray for her descendants during exile.

 

  1. Why did Yaakov ask “Who are these?” when seeing Yosef’s sons?
    Rashi says the Divine Presence left him because he foresaw wicked descendants from them. He asked, “Who are these?” as if to say, “Are they worthy of blessing?”

 

  1. How did Yosef respond to Yaakov’s question about his sons?
    He showed Yaakov his marriage contract to prove their legitimacy and prayed, after which the Divine Presence returned to Yaakov.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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