LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Vayechi, 5756 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT VAYECHI Tevet 13, 5756 Jan. 5, 1996 * Published Weekly By Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign, Committee For The Blind * * * 5756 *********************************************** * TO RECEIVE THIS PUBLICATION VIA INTERNET: * * E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org * * FOR CHABAD-LUBAVITCH IN CYBERSPACE: * * E-Mail: info@chabad.org * *********************************************** THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED TO THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON OF LUBAVITCH "I BELIEVE WITH COMPLETE FAITH IN THE ARRIVAL OF THE MOSHIACH. AND THOUGH HE MAY TARRY, I SHALL WAIT EACH DAY, ANTICIPATING HIS ARRIVAL." Maimonides, Principles of the Faith, No. 12 *********************** * TABLE OF CONTENTS * *********************** Introduction The Weekly Torah Portion The Rebbe's Prophecy Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach. * Our sincere appreciation to L'Chaim weekly publication, published by the Lubavitch Youth Organization, and to the publishers of Sichos In English, for allowing us to use their material. Also, many thanks to our copy editor, Reb Mordechai Staiman, for his tireless efforts. * It is our fervent hope that our learning about Moshiach and the Redemption will hasten the coming of Moshiach, NOW! Rabbi Yosef Y. Shagalov Administrator Committee for the Blind E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org 5 Tevet, 5756 Brooklyn, New York ***************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * ***************************************** Parshat Vayechi With this week's Torah portion, Vayechi, we conclude the Book of Genesis. "So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old...and he was put into a coffin in Egypt" is its final verse. This conclusion to the entire Book is somewhat surprising, in light of the principle that "one should always end on a positive note." Why couldn't Genesis have concluded a few verses back, when we learn that Joseph lived a long life and merited to see grandchildren and great-grandchildren? Why couldn't the description of Joseph's death have waited until the Book of Exodus? We must therefore conclude that Joseph's passing is somehow related to the theme of Genesis itself. The primary difference between Genesis and the other four Books of Moses is that Genesis relates the early history of our Forefathers and the twelve tribes --the preparation for our existence as a distinct nation--whereas the other four books contain a narrative of our history as a people. The Book of Genesis begins with an account of the creation of the world. The Sage, Rabbi Yitzchok, explained that although the Torah should have begun with a practical mitzvah, G-d chose to commence with the Creation to refute the arguments of the Gentiles, who would one day claim that the Jews had stolen the land of Israel from the seven nations who lived there prior to its conquest. To counter their assertion, the Jews will say, "The entire world belongs to G-d; He created it and divided it as He saw fit. It was His will to give it to them [the seven nations], and it was His will to take it from them and give it to us." Surely G-d did not change the entire order of His Torah just to supply an answer to the arguments of the Gentiles. The comments of Rabbi Yitzchok must therefore contain a more fundamental teaching for the Jewish people as a whole. The nations of the world are already cognizant of the Jew's uniqueness and his special mission. Their claim, however, is that precisely because Jews are different, they should limit themselves to the spiritual service of G-d and not tie themselves down to a physical land. Because Jews are a nation like no other, they have no right to claim ownership of a homeland. To the non-Jew, the spiritual and physical realms are incongruous and incompatible. "The entire world belongs to G-d," the Jew responds--the worldly as well as the spiritual realm. Both require sanctification through the light of holiness--the sacred mission of the Jewish people. With this concept the Book of Genesis begins, and on this note it concludes. Joseph's coffin remained in Egypt in order to give strength and inspiration to the Children of Israel in their Egyptian exile. The power of Joseph is symbolic of the ability of the Jewish people to overcome even the most difficult of obstacles, imbuing even the coarsest of physical matter with holiness and bringing the full and complete Redemption. ************************ * THE REBBE'S PROPHECY * ************************ The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of Lubavitch, issued a call that "THE TIME OF OUR REDEMPTION HAS ARRIVED!" and "MOSHIACH IS ON HIS WAY!" The Rebbe stressed that he is saying this AS A PROPHECY, and asks us all to prepare ourselves for the Redemption, through increasing acts of goodness and kindness. LET US ALL HEED THE REBBE'S CALL. ********************************************* * IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR GRANDPARENTS, * * * * Reb Shmuel Pesach Ben Reb Yaakov Dovid * * Passed away on 3 Tishrei, 5755 * * * * Mrs. Fraidel Chedvah Bas Reb Zev Wolf * * Passed away on 4 Adar II, 5755 * * Pais * ********************************************* **************************************** * PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE REBBE SAID * * Weekly Torah Insights For Children, * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * **************************************** Parshat Vayechi You have something which is very special. It's yours for life. It will go with you wherever you go. You don't have to pay for it, carry it, guard it, or make room for it. You didn't even have to work to get it. Do you know what it is? It's your name! Some people are named after great men or great women. Others are named after relatives who passed away. Sometimes people are given names which tell us about events in their lives. Adam's name comes from the word adamah, earth, because G-d created Adam from the earth. Moshe Rabbeinu's name comes from the word moshui, "pulled in" because the basket Moshe was lying in was pulled in from the Nile River. Some names tell us about wishes, thoughts or ideas connected with the person. Rachel Imeinu's first child was born after many years of waiting, so he was named Yosef, which means "add." While she was waiting, Rachel wished and prayed that G-d would bless her with an additional son. Later, Yosef called his own children by names which tell us what he wished and hoped for. Yosef named his first born son Menasheh, from the word nasho, "forget." Yosef did not want his family to forget where they came from or who they were. The name Menasheh was a reminder, as if someone was constantly saying: Let us not forget that we are the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov, even though we are now living in Egypt. Even when Jews are in Exile, they must always remember who they are. Yosef knew that G-d sent the Jews into Exile for a purpose. They are not just supposed to struggle through the Exile and remember that they are Jews. They are supposed to make the Exile fruitful, like a garden which flowers and blooms. By using everything in the Exile for the Torah and its mitzvot, we make the world a dwelling place for G-d. Wishing for this, Yosef named his second son Ephraim, which comes from the Hebrew word for fruitful. This week's Torah portion tells us how Yaakov Avinu blessed Menasheh and Ephraim. Even though Menasheh was older, Ephraim received the greater blessing. Ephraim shows us the purpose of Exile--that a Jew should prosper and be fruitful in the Torah way. That's why Yaakov gave him the greater blessing. Still, Menasheh is the older brother and he comes first. This also teaches us an important lesson. Ephraim can succeed and be fruitful in Exile because Menasheh constantly reminds him who he is and where he comes from. Like Menasheh and Ephraim, we are living in Exile and must remember the lessons both of their names teach. But we have to remember another lesson Yosef taught. Yosef told the people pekod pekadeti--the Redemption would come, and G-d would take them back to Eretz Yisrael. ============================================================ = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Vayechi, 5756 = ============================================================