Dvar Torah - Parshat Vayigash

Dvar Torah - Parshat Vayigash

In this week’s Parsha, Yosef finally reveals himself to his family. He tells his brothers “It’s me, I'm Yosef.” His brothers don't know what to say - they're scared. They know that it is because of them that Yosef has been in Mitzrayim all of this time, and they are nervous that he will still be upset that they sold him. Yosef tells them not to worry, that this is all part of Hashem’s plan.

The brothers go back to Yaakov and they tell him with excitement that Yosef is alive and in Mitzrayim. Innitially, Yaakov does not believe this is real. In the Psukim we see that there is something he sees that convinces him that Yosef, in fact, is alive. It was not a picture, nor was it a video. He sees agalot, wagons, and all of a sudden he connects that Yosef must be alive. The wagons reminded Yaakov of some learning of Torah that he had been learning with Yosef before he left. Yaakov picked up on this secret message which Yosef knew that he was guaranteed to understand. 

The power of learning together - with a parent, a son, a teacher, or a friend. It had been numerous years, but it still was a connection for Yaakov and Yosef.  

On Monday, as a school, we are finishing the 929 chapters of Tanach. Students, parents, and grandparents have signed up to finish this learning together.  As a school we will mark this tremendous learning with "chazak chazak" to be proud of our accomplishment. 

I have started building many model cars with my son, we have only finished one - but we're very proud of it because it is finished. It is great to start something, but it is a different feeling when you have finished it. We will all feel that feeling of fulfillment on Monday when we finish the Sifrei Hatanach. 

Ezra Schwartz was a boy who planned to spend his year in Israel. He had made an amazing goal for himself - to finished the Sifrei Hatanach by the end of his year. He was not able to complete his dream of finishing Tanach, so as a school, in his memory, we are helping him complete that goal. Please feel proud that you're part of a community that is finishing this together. 

Learning Torah with your family, friends, and teachers is something that will last a lifetime. The connection of learning Torah was something that lasted for Yaakov and Yosef for many years. If you have not signed up already, there are more slots available. Please choose and family member or a friend to learn with, so that we can finish Tanach, as a community, in the memory of Ezra Schwartz. Click here for link to siyum