Vayigash 5776

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Parshat Vayigash 6 Tevet 5776 18 December 2015

Service Times Shabbat Kabbalat Shabbat

15:30

(Candle Lighting)

15:30

Shacharit

09:15

Leining

10:15

Page No.s Artscroll Gutnick Hertz

Mincha follows kiddush Shabbat terminates

16:49

Ma’ariv (followed by Avot Ubanim)

17:05

Weekday

Leining Haftarah 250 298 169

1144 1395 178

Thought For The Week Follow The Leader

Shacharit

Ma’ariv Only

Sun

09:00

19:30

Mon

07:00

19:30

We learned in Parashat Vayishlach that

eral previous situations concerning Yosef

Tues

07:00

19:30

the Jewish people takes its name – Yisrael

and his daughter-in-law Tamar.

Wed

07:00

19:30

– from the name given to Yaakov after

Thur

07:00

19:30

Fri

09:00

15:35*

Candle Lighting

15:35

*Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat

Chayim Arukim

to all those who have Yarzheit in the coming week as follows ‫שבת‬

Andrew Joseph Maurice Miller Rabbi Portnoy

Sun

Lawrence Fruhman Father

19 December 7 Tevet

Father Father Father

his struggle with an angel. But our other

As human beings we are not expected

name – Yehudim – Jews – derives from

to be perfect, and we are often placed in

the name of one of Yaakov’s 12 sons,

situations where we have to make dif-

Yehuda. Why do we bear his name rather

ficult moral choices. Yehuda is chosen as

than his oldest brother, Reuven, or per-

the progenitor of Jewish kings because he

haps his more heroic younger brother,

learns to acknowledge his responsibility

Yosef? What did Yehuda do to deserve

to do the right thing. He confesses to his

this honour?

role in the sale of Yosef and his relation-

Diane & Robert Sterling

Daughter

Helyn Orchant Behjat Sarir Lillie Gradel Golda Berens Ruthie Portnoy Raymond Green

Father Husband Father Father Stepmother Father

Parashat Vayigash describes the dramatic

his brothers and the mantle of leadership.

meeting between Yehuda and Egyptian

We should be encouraged as the Yehudim

Chancellor (Yosef in disguise) and opens

who bear his name to make positive moral

with Yehuda’s dramatic plea for the release

choices in our own lives.

22 December 10 Tevet

Irene Varley

Father

of their youngest brother Binyamin. In tell-

Wed

Dennis Wright Andrea Conrad

Father Father

20 December 8 Tevet

Mon

21 December 9 Tevet

Tues

23 December 11 Tevet

ship with Tamar, and earns the respect of

ing the story of Yosef’s death and his own

Rabbi Joel Portnoy

promise to his father to protect Binyamin, Yehuda shows compassion, repentance,

Fri

25 December 13 Tevet

David Finestein

Mother

Mazaltov Marsha and Colin Gee on the birth of a grandson

and a determination to do the right thing.

This does not come easily to Yehuda, who

Shabbat Weather

has struggled with his conscience in sev-

AM Rainy 16o High 11o Overnight Low

Parsha

verview

First Aliyah - 13 verses Judah approaches Joseph and appeals to him to allow Benjamin to return to his father Jacob in Canaan.

Second Aliyah - 11 verses Unable to restrain his emotions any longer, Joseph sends everyone out the room except for the brothers and reveals his true identity to them. He reassures them that he does not harbour any ill feelings towards them.

Third Aliyah - 20 verses Joseph instructs his brothers to quickly return to Canaan and bring Jacob and their families back to Egypt, where Joseph promised to provide them with food until the famine ends. Joseph embraces his brothers and cries. The brothers return to Canaan inform Jacob that Joseph is alive and ruling over Egypt. Jacob’s spirit is revived.

Fourth Aliyah - 8 verses Jacob and his entire family leave Canaan and head to Egypt. G-d reassures him that He will bring them out of Egypt and back to Eretz Yisrael.

Fifth Aliyah - 20 verses The Torah lists the 70 members of Jacob’s family that went down to Egypt with him.

Sixth Aliyah - 17 verses Jacob arrives in Egypt, to the province of Goshen that Pharaoh had allotted his family. Joseph goes there to greet his father. Pharaoh agrees to let them settle there as shepherds.

Seventh Aliyah - 17 verses While Joseph supplied his family with food, the rest of Egypt struggles. First they expended all their money in exchange for food that Joseph sold them. Then their money ran out, and they paid for provisions with their cattle.

Finally, when they had no money or chattel left, they sold their land and themselves to Pharaoh into servitude in exchange for provisions. Meanwhile, in the land of Goshen, Jacob’s family prosper and multiply exceedingly.

’ Yocheved, Moses rn as bo s wa , er th mo ypt, they entered Eg th 7O e th ng becomi b’s co Ja of er mb me family.

While The Cat’s Away Theo Hamburger Last week’s Parsha ended on a cliffhanger, with Yosef threatening to keep Binyamin in Egypt as a prisoner, while the other brothers return to Canaan.

This week’s parsha opens with Yehuda pleading with Yosef for Binyamin’s freedom, due to the frailty of their father, Yaakov. As Yosef comes to the realisation that his brothers have full regret for the way they treated him all those years ago, Yosef succumbs to the pressure and reveals his identity in one of the most dramatic episodes in the Torah.

Amidst the shock, Yosef requests that they should bring their father to Egypt and reunite him with Yosef.

When the brothers finally meet their father in Canaan, and report that Yosef is still alive, the Torah (45:27) says that Yaakov was unconvinced, until “he saw the chariots that Yosef had sent to carry him and the spirit of their father Yaakov, was revived.”

Rashi explains that Yosef sent the chariots as a symmbol to his father to show that he remembered the topic they had been learning about before he was sold. They had been learning the topic of Egla Arufah. If an anonymous dead body is found between two cities. The Beis Din measures the

distance from the body to both these cities, and the Beis Din of the closer city is held accountable for the death. Therefore, Yosef sent ‘agalot’ as a hint to the ‘egla’, as they share an etymological root. Furthermore, The Torah specifies that the chariots ‘agalot/egla’ were sent by Yosef, rather than

by Pharoah, to further prove his understanding of the topic. We are told that one city must be held accountable for the death, because they should have taken greater care in escorting the victim from their city, ensuring his safety on his journey.

Therefore, Yosef states clearly that he is sending the agalot.

There are many lessons to learn from this episode.

Yosef ensured that they were raised according to the same values as his father Yosef sent a message for Yaakov to intuit that he was still connected to Hashem and His Torah.

Despite more than two decades of imprisonment, slavery, and eventually unmatchable wealth, Yosef always remained close to his Yiddishkeit.

He had successfully thwarted spiritual threats from his surroundings, and most notably, refused the advances of Potiphar’s wife – an achievement

that leads us to crown him as ‘Yosef HaTzaddik’.

This message is emphasised further in next week’s parsha. When Yaakov blessed his grandsons, he gave them the blessing ‘May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menashe’.

These words will be familiar to us, because it is the formula used by fathers when they bless their sons on Friday night. This raises an interesting question.

If daughters are blessed to be like the Imahot (Matriarchs), why are sons not blessed to be like the Avot (Forefathers)?

One answer is that Ephraim and Menashe were the first descendants to be born in the Diaspora, away from the holy influences of the Avot. They were born in Egypt; the most spiritually bankrupt country of their time. And yet, Yosef ensured that they were raised according to the same values his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather held dear.

Therefore, we bless our children to emulate their ways. Even though we live in the Diaspora, even though we face challenges at every turn, even though we have highs and lows, we can remain connected to Hashem and His Torah.

Theo is reading Business Management at Birmingham University

If you would like to share your words of wisdom, please submit your article of no more than 500 words to nick@hale-community.org.uk

Parsha Stats

Keeping Tabs Hale’s gift to the departing Priest of All Saints Church

Vayigash is the 11th of 54 sedras

In November, All Saints Church bade farewell to Parish Priest,

11th of 12 in Bereshit

Roger Clarke, who is starting a new position with the Diocese of

Written on 178.07 lines in a Torah (ranks 34th)

Chester.

In recognition for his years of service, he was presented with a

106 verses - ranks 28th (joint with Toldot and Bo)

special cushion, featuring emblems commissioned by the various religions and communities that are represented in Hale. Linda

1480 words - ranks 30th (9th in Bereshit)

Price designed a stunning emblem on behalf of the Jewish community in Hale, featuring a gold metallic thread menorah with blue

5680 letters - ranks 29th (9th in Bereshit)

Swarovski crystals.

The Rabbi’s message reads

Did You Know

‘Wishing you every success in your new post. With thanks for your warmth, friendship and - above all - your determination to promote interfaith under-

Joseph pretended to not understand the brother’s language, so as not to arouse suspicion.

standing in Hale’.

Joseph lost 10 years of life for not objecting to his father being referred to as his servant; 5 times by Judah, and 5 from the interpreter.

Joseph’s son was the interpreter, and would have only been around 7 years old.

QA &

When Joseph interrogates the brothers, he never asks about their mother, because he somehow knew that both Rachel and Leah had died.

Pharoah asked Jacob how old he is because he was the spitting image of Abraham, which would have made him hundreds of years old!

Read through the Parsha in English and find answers to the questions.

LOLLIPOPS WILL BE AWARDED TO ANYONE WHO READS THROUGH IT, AND TELLS RABBI NICK THE CORRECT ANSWERS!

What was Joseph’s first question after revealing himself?

Just For Fun

Where did Joseph wish to allow his family to move to in Egypt?

What gift did Joseph give to Benjamin?

Where did Jacob offer sacrifices to Hashem while on his way to Egypt?

How many people descended to Egypt, who were not already there?

Question: What do you call a cruel Egyptian leader?

Why did Joseph only introduce five of his brothers to Pharoah?

Answer: Un-Pharoah.

L

EDUCATION

KING AHEAD

In The Spotlight

YOUTH

The Annual Bournemouth Shabbaton One of the highlights of the Hale Youth calendar is the annual trip to Bournemouth.

The Rabbi and Ruthie have been running this event for over 25 years, and it has always been one of the favourite memories for people growing up in our community.

The Shabbaton is a hit with the kids; featuring rock climbing, quad biking, go karting, a midnight BBQ, and an unforgettably Shabbat experience.

If you know of children in school years 7-10, please let them know about it, even if they are not members of our community. All are welcome.

The trip will run from 4-7 February, and enquiries to Rabbi Nick and Shira should be made before Friday 8 January.

Kiddushim Adult Education programmes close for the winter break on Wednesday 23 December and will resume on Sunday 3 January If you would like to sponsor an edition of ‘Something For Everyone’, in honour of a simcha or for a yahrzeit, or for any reason, please contact the Shule office on 0161 980 8846 or admin@hale-community.org.uk

19 December Diane & Robert Sterling on the occasion of Yahrzeit for their daughter, Harriet z”l

26 December Unsponsored 2 January Unsponsored

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