Parsha Ve Ye Yehi

Parasha  VaYehi

(For Saturday December 29, 2012)

D’Var Torah

Barry Fineman

Let me summarize and review basically the 1^st part of this portion:

G47:28 Vayechi Yaakov be'eretz Mitzrayim shva esreh shanah vayehi yemei-Yaakov shnei chayav sheva shanim ve'arba'im ume'at shanah.

Jacob (Israel) lived in the land of Mitzrayim seventeen year.  He lived for a total of one hundred and forty seven years!

29 Vayikrevu yemei Yisrael lamut vayikra liveno le-Yosef vayomer lo im-na matzati chen be'eyneicha sim-na yadecha tachat yerechi ve'asita imadi chesed ve'emet al-na tikbereni beMitzrayim.

The time approached for Israel to die, so he called his son, for Joseph, and said to him, "Please - if I have do me this favor, please place your hand under my thigh AND pledge your LOYALTY to me - PLEASE do not bury me in Egypt.

30 Veshachavti im-avotai unesatani mi-Mitzrayim ukvartani bikevuratam vayomer anochi e'eseh chidvarecha.

“When I will lie down with my fathers, please take me away from and transport me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place."

31 Vayomer hishave'ah li vayishava lo vayishtachu Yisrael al-rosh hamitah.

He replied, "Swear to me," and he swore to him; then Israel placed himself towards the head of the bed.

Israel (Jacob) blessed each of his sons individually, before he passed. 

33 Vayechal Ya'akov letzavot et-banav vaye'esof raglav el-hamitah vayigva vaye'asef el-amav.

When Jacob (Israel) finished instructing and blessing his sons, he drew his feet onto the bed; he passed and was gathered to his people.

50:1 Vayipol Yosef al-penei aviv vayevk alav vayishak-lo.

Joseph fell upon his father's face; he wept over him and kissed him.

Now, allow me to go over the last paragraph of this portion, and last part of The Book of Genesis:

50:22 Vayeshev Yosef beMitzrayim hu uveit aviv vayechi Yosef me'ah va'eser shanim.

Joseph lived in Egypt - he and his father's household was there - and he lived until he was one hundred and ten years old!

23 Vayar Yosef le-Efrayim bnei Shileshim gam benei Machir ben-Menashshe yuldu al-birkei Yosef.

Joseph saw three generations through Efrayim; even the sons of Machir son of Menashshe were raised on knees.

24 Vayomer Yosef el-echav anochi met v'Elokim pakod yifkod etchem vehe'elah etchem min-ha'aretz hazot el-ha'aretz asher nishba le-Avraham le-Yitzchak ule-Yaakov.

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but G-d will surely remember you and bring you up out of this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, OUR ANCESTORS."

25 Vayashba Yosef et-benei Yisrael lemor pakod yifkod Elokim etchem veha'alitem et-atzmotai mizeh.

Then Joseph gathered his brothers, the children of his father saying, "When G-d will indeed remember you, then you must bring my bones up out of here."

26 Vayamot Yosef ben-me'ah va'eser shanim vayachantu oto vayisem ba'aron beMitzrayim.

Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

So, we looked at the first part of, as well as the last part of

Va Yehi.

In this Parsha/Portion, we experience the loyalty, the love, the honor that Joseph (The Son) has and had for his father, Jacob, even after his (Jacob’s) passing.  He, Joseph made his father a promise and followed through, and we see that the remainder of his very own life, until his own passing.

“LOYALTY!” As mentioned in Genesis 47:29 really is what Joseph has lived for and has honored his father even after years of separation!  Loyalty and Honor (and respect), two words….really three that I have for my own Dad!  Like that Of Jacob, and that of Joseph, my dad and I share a VERY special relationship, a beautiful bond beyond that of father and son, a TRUE and VERY REAL “best friendship”.

My dad is 80 years old, and through my entire life, he has always been there for me.  Whether it be a coach for my little league baseball, or cheering me on when I was acting or dancing as a young child, or beaming with a tear in his eyes at my Bar Mitzvah! He taught me to drive with a minimal raising of his voice, spent a few afternoons and cold windy nights alongside at Candle Stick Park watching a ball game or two (and that after working a very long day).  We would sit and laugh and share stories with one another, as it wasn’t the game we were REALLY interested in, but rather one another’s companionship. 

I was one of those kids, even at an older age of childhood that enjoyed almost nightly that San Francisco Area Summer time walk to our local ice cream store, just so we could spend time together, and many times honestly, we forgot the ice cream!

My dad and I could be in a formal dining room ,wedding, Bar Mitzvah, restaurant, and be dressed in black tie, and look across the room at one another and start laughing aloud as we BOTH “over”-heard the same silly conversation, okay, we eaves dropped!  But we both were in tune to one another at the exact same moment! The fact is…. we still do it when together, as my smile indicates!

My dad NEVER said , he was tired(after a looong day of work) when I wanted to play a game, be it a game of catch outside, or me kickin’ his tush in Dominoes or Cribbage; Ah, the student became better than the teacher!  Just like that of the show Kung FU!

When my mom was out and left my dad in charge (which was almost never), I stayed up later, as my dad would pass out on top of my folk’s bed, and being a kid, I took full advantage; I watched Love American Style at 10pm on Friday Nights, or Johnny Carson at 11:30pm….. The very second I heard the garage door open; I made a mad dash for my bed and lights OUT!!!!....  Had to keep the unwritten oath of manhood, “Never rat a brother out”.  My mom would walk in and probably laugh silently!

As I got older, and into ‘manhood’ and hanging out with my friends and staying out late,etc. ,I would walk in after my “mom’s” imposed curfew (as my dad seemed like the cool one-Haha), and my mom would ‘sleepingly’ acknowledge my presence at 4am, and my dad would be watching some old movie or listening to reel to reel tape, and would slowly ‘lasso’ me in his TV/Music room as I would attempt another flight of stairs to go to bed and sleep, or pass out!  My gentle punishment for staying out LATE, was listening to him for an hour, and answering questions.  In reality, it probably was only 15 minutes of time, but at 4am seemed like an eternity!  “So Bear, have fun?, “Meet anybody interesting?” he would laugh, “Did you go to IHop or Denny’s after?” …..I am laughing now!!!!   Ah, fond memories of my dad living vicariously through me!

As I became an adult, he always stood proudly by me, as I always stood by him as proud as a son could and can be of his Father!  Even when I made an error, and oh boy, I did at times, there was my dad ready to hug and love me and me him.

It was and IS always reciprocal, as I knew and still know to this VERY day, when my dad needs a hug, even over skype, or just a phone call to say, “I Love You Dad!”….Somehow I just know, even with the miles that keep us a part physically, NOTHING can keep us apart emotionally, EVER!!!!!!

My dad is my Jacob, and I am his Joseph til the day I die.

-Amen-