This weeks parasha from Jerusalem! Parasha Vayechi (Gen. 47: 28 – 50: 26) – Shabbat Jan. 2. 2015/Tevet 12, 5775 The blessing of grandchildren and the love of brothers Jacob noticed that the time of his death approached and gathered therefore his 12 sons around him to give them their spiritual testament and bless them. But first, before he blessed his sons, he called unto him his two grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh, to bless them. The question is why Jacob blessed his two grandchildren before he blessed his sons? Why was the blessing of his grandchildren so important to him? The comments explain, and anyone who has grandchildren know this, that the pleasure one has for his grandchildren may even be greater than the joy of your own children. Why is it so? For most living beings there is a bond between parents and children - whether it is the lioness that protecting her cub lion, or whether it is the bird that gives food to its young chicks. But it is only man who takes care of his grandchildren, which means continuity and consciousness for more than one generation. This is a result of our soul is rooted in the eternal. When we become grandparents we fulfill therefore the deepest reality of human uniqueness. Brotherhood and friendship between brothers. Another important thing is the Jacobs blessing. One of the most beautiful traditions in the Jewish world is when parents bless their children every week right before they sit down together Friday night. The girls are blessed like this: May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. And the boys are blessed with these words: May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh. What happened to our three Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Why where Ephraim and Manasseh chosen for this important blessing instead the three patriarchs? Well, Ephraim and Manasseh were the first brothers in the believing world that there where no animosity or controversy between. Abrahams two sons, Isaac and Ishmael had not been able to get along with each other and this conflict is the basis of the Arabic - Israeli conflict to this day. In the next generation there was a bitter disagreement between Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau, and it ended up with Esau trying in every possible ways to kill Jacob, and he commanded their descendants to continue to pursue the descendants of Jacob. Even in the next generation, with sons of Jacob, there was internal strife. Josephs brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites, and they sold him as a slave to Egypt. Ephraim and Manasseh represents an ideal friendship that breaks this series. This also explains why Jacob blessed Ephraim, the younger of the two brothers, before he blessed Manasseh. By doing this change Jacob points out that there was rivalry or disagreement between the two brothers. Until this day, parents with good intentions continue Jacobs intention every Friday night when they bless their sons and daughters. Because there is no greater blessing than to establish peace between brothers. Indeed the words of King David in Psalm 133 are truth: Behold, how good and how pleasant is the dwelling of brothers, moreover, in unity.” This is something that God wants for all believers (one who believes in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) throughout the world, in addition to remain the faith. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, who lived in Germany in the nineteenth century, has another explanation for why children have been blessed with the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh. The first generations of the faithful dynasty, the generations of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, childrens growth and education primarily was carried out in Israel. The Holy Land is the best place for all believers to live out their faith. Talmud (Jewish handover) also emphasizes this by saying: Even the air in Israel waiting for each person. In many ways it is easier to be a believer in Israel. But when the great famine streaked the area, Jacob and his family had to go down to Egypt. The next generation was already growing, surrounded by idols and evil and twisted moral laws. The challenge was to take care of the younger generation and that the faith would continue to exist in the harsh environment and in this exile. Throughout history, Jewish parents interceded for their children that they will be able to resist the temptations that the exile offers and retain their identity as believers. Therefore says Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch that throughout history the parents has seen the important comparison between their children and Ephraim and Manasseh, who kept their faith despite that they lived in exile among the nations. It is obvious that this is not an easy task. For example, when Jews in the Diaspora meets the celebration of pagan feasts, it is most natural to ignore his own faith for the benefit of the many temptations surrounded him. This is why believing parents must fight against the environment that their children are surrounded by and highlight the values and beauty of the faith. The most effective way to do this is to provide experiences that give strong impressions, such as tours and youth movements that emphasize the values of the faith. And finally, how can parents know that they have succeeded in this mission? Our grandchildren expresses even more than our children, the stability and maintenance of our faith values, and they show the spiritual direction the family line. This is also known among Jews living in the diaspora, and they say: The question is not whether children keep the faith, but rather if your grandchildren still have faith. Despite the low odds Ephraim and Manasseh had when they were born into an unclean and fallen world, they managed to remain true to the values of the Torah (Bible) values and its commandments. Therefore, since a large part of our people still live out in the diaspora today, we choose to bless our sons to be like Ephraim and Manasseh. May we all be blessed with children who are proud of their faith - and with such grandchildren, amen. Right at the beginning of this weeks parasha we see that Jacob call Joseph and sais to him: Please – if I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh and do kindness and truth with me – please do not bury me in Egypt. For I will lie down with my fathers and you shall transport me out of Egypt.” Gen. 47: 29-30. After he had blessed his children and grandchildren and seen that they followed the Lord, he was ready to leave this world. He trusted that Joseph would bury him in Israel, but this was very important to him and therefore he got Joseph to promise this by oath. Even for a short while it was not ok for Jacob to be buried in Egypt. He was afraid that his descendants could think that Egypt was a sacred place because he was buried there, and he would not let this idea even cross their mind. He wanted their focus and hearts to be directed to Israel and that they should know that it was the only sacred place and where they belonged. Therefore, it was so important to Jacob to be buried in Israel as soon as possible, to show in action that only the Land of Israel is holy to the children of God. May we all receive all the blessings of this weeks parasha and gather in Israel soon, amen! Shabbat Shalom and blessings from Jerusalem, Yitschak Naki noameliezer.no
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 17:54:05 +0000
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