RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. VAYIGASH “And He Drew Near” TORAH: Genesis 44:18-47:27 HAFTORAH:Ezekiel 37:15-28 B’RIT CHADASHAH: Luke 6:9-16, Colossians 1:1-29 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. REVIEW If we review the events that make up the two descents to Egypt, we see that much of what Joseph does is for the purpose of pulling Benyamin from Jacobs protective embrace. The reason’ for this is so that Josephmight place his younger brother in potentially the same situations that Joseph himself had experienced so long ago. Creating a situation where Benyamin could be imprisoned on false charges, Josephorchestrated a replica of his very own sale to force his brothers into a parallel dilemma. Josephneeds to know…how will his brothers respond? Will they abandon the accused Benyamin in Egypt, when charged with stealing Joseph’s goblet? Will they react with jealousy towards the favouritism shown to Benyamin? Twenty years earlier they turned their backs on Joseph and watched as traders carried him off to Egypt. Now, the brothers had a similar opportunity to hand over their brother into bondage to save themselves. Once again the decision is between them and their brother, the beloved son of their father. Their actions will prove where their heart is.

5. THE PLOT And Yehuḏah and his brothers came to Yosĕph’s house, and he was still there. And they fell before him on the ground. (Genesis 44:14) It was a cunning plot by Joseph to test the brothers, to see if they could remain unaffected, unmoved by the prospect of Benjamin's undeserved, harsh imprisonment, as they had been years earlier with Joseph's sale and descent into Egypt. The plan was cleverly designed to unmask and discern the true characters of Benjamin and his brethren, to determine if they were still hard-hearted, and calloused, or genuinely repentant. By the brothers prostrating themselves on the ground before him, as a token of repentance and submission, indicated that they were totally subject to Joseph and unashamedly sought his forgiveness and mercy. For sadness according to Elohim works repentance to deliverance, not to be regretted, but the sadness of the world works death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

6. REPENTANCE Repentance brings life in the Hebrew context, repentance (teshuvah) means: turning around and going all the way back to the beginning. True repentance: Is Godly sorrow and rejection of sin Sorrow of the World:The sorrow of the world is not grief/remorse over sin or offenses toward יהוה, but is only regret over sin's consequences, and results in its continuance and eventually in death. True repentance involves: sincere renunciation and detestation of evil, desire for restoration, and deepness of humility, which makes the heart teachable.

7. JUDAH And Yehuḏah came near .. “O my master, please let your servant speak a word in my master’s hearing, and do not let your displeasure burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh. (Genesis 44:18) The Torah portion starts out with Judah's supplication before Joseph. Commentators regard his speech as, "one of the masterpieces of Hebrew composition“ (Kalisch), and, "one of the grandest and  fairest to be found in the Old Testament" (Lange). There are four characteristics found in Judah's comment's: His language was respectful, and humble. His rhetoric was simple, without lofty oration or unnecessary length, but plain, logical. His pathos [the quality of expression that evokes sympathy and emotion] was effective in describing/picturing Jacob's love for Benjamin, and depicting how devastating it would be for Jacob if Benjamin did not return home. His plea that he take Benjamin's place in chains rather than have his father Jacob die in sorrow, reveals Judah's love, and willingness for self-sacrifice.

8. DRAW NEAR The first word in verse 18, “Va’yigash” means “to draw near” or “to offer” or “present” (as in present your arguments or state your case). It’s here, while presenting his case, that Judah offers himself instead of Benjamin, to be Joseph’s slave. Interesting to note that in Torah Exodus 22:1-4; the punishment for being a thief is in fact, slavery, in order to pay-off the debt… double. Another indication that the torah principles were all clearly known at this time. Judah came near to him (Joseph) and he said to Joseph, “O my master, please let your servant speak a word in my master’s hearing…” The rabbis point out that the translation of this statement from the Hebrew might better be read as, “… please let your servant’s words enter your ears”, as the connotation here, is that of asking that Joseph please understand what Judah is about to relate.

9. TORN TO PIECES “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons, and the one went out from me, and I said, “Truly, he is torn, torn to pieces!” And I have not seen him since. (Genesis 44:27-28) “He has surely been torn to pieces” is a prophetic reference to the future separation of the twelve tribes of Jacob/Israel; they will separate and become Two Houses—the House of Judah and the House of Israel—and they will be assimilated into the Nations around them. Following the pattern this prophetic biblical narrative portrays, we can ascertain that as the tribes are even now being drawn together by the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 37), it is imperative that Benjamin is with them, as he will act as the liaison between the Two Houses of Israel. Legends of the Jews: The other brethren withheld themselves intentionally from taking part in the dispute between Judah and Joseph, saying, "Kings are carrying on a dispute, and it is not seemly for us to interfere between them.“

10. TIED TO BENJAMIN SOUL ‘And if you take this one from me too, and harm comes to him, you shall bring down my grey hair with evil to the grave.’ “And now, if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us – since his own life is bound up in his life – then it shall be, when he sees that the boy is not with us, that he shall die. So your servants shall bring down the grey hair of your servant our father with evil to the grave. (Genesis 44:29-31) Judahtells Joseph that Jacob’s “life” (actually his “nefesh” or “soul”) is “qashar” or “tied to Benjamin’s soul”. If Benjamin doesn’t go back to his father, Israel will surely die. The ISR Scriptures say that Judah said he “went guaranty” for the boy; the Hebrew reads “Kieh’bed’eha’ravet ha’na’ar” which means he personally took responsibility for the boy’s actions and welfare, to his father. This is the crux of the remarkable thing that Judah did. A sovereign takes personal responsibility for his people. It was Judah’s idea to sell his brother into slavery, in order to spare his life. And now, he stands before the judge, a foreign judge he believes, to face up to his crimes; and he offers to take his brother’s punishment.

11. SELF SACRIFICE “For your servant went guaranty for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall be a sinner before my father forever.’ “And now, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a slave to my master, and let the boy go up with his brothers. “For how do I go up to my father if the boy is not with me, lest I see the evil that would come upon my father?” (Genesis 44:32-34) Judah, who had participated in the sale of Joseph into slavery in Egypt, ends up offering himself to Joseph as a slave. What goes around, comes around. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal.6:7).Having spent years wrestling with a troubled conscience over the past, coming to repentance, and then offering to substitute himself in his brother's place, Judah received much grace. His sentence was commuted, accounted as "time served", and the matter was adjourned.Judah was advanced to further service.

12. יהושע Judah’s plea to Joseph echoes the life of one of his descendants: יהושע—the ‘lion’ of the tribe of Judah and the Shepherd of Israel who gave His life so that mankind may not perish but have eternal life.יהושעforesaw that such as sacrifice would be necessary to save His sheep and said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. (John 10:11; see also v. 14 and Hebrews 13:20). While many Christians and Catholics over the centuries have accused the Jews of crucifying יהושע, He makes it clear that no one took His life from Him, but He laid it down willingly.  He offered Himself as a sacrifice for us all. Both Judah and יהושע effectively said, “Take me instead!” “No one has greater love than this: that one should lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) ““Because of this the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, in order to receive it again. (John 10:17)

13. SELF SACRIFICE - MOSES Moses is another Biblical figure who displayed a spirit of self-sacrifice.  When God called Him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, he endured much suffering at their hands. Nevertheless, he went so far as to ask God to blot his own name out of the Book of Life, if God would not forgive His people, Israel, for their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.   ““And now, if You would forgive their sin, but if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written.” (Exodus 32:32) Moreover, Moses sacrificially toiled long and weary hours in an effort to judge Israel’s disputes.  His effort was so colossal that his father-in-law, Jethro, warned him that if he continued, he would wear himself out. Like Moses, we can become irritable when we have pushed beyond sensible limits and have become worn out.  When we do this, we risk alienating everyone around us with our bad attitudes.

14. THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL - RABBI SHAUL “For I myself could have wished to be banished from Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my relatives according to the flesh, (Romans 9:3) Apostle Paul also sacrificed himself for the sake of bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. Nevertheless, his heart yearned for the salvation of the Jews.  He wished that he, himself, would be accursed if it would bring about the salvation of his brethren, the Jewish People. God may call us to make serious sacrifices for the sake of bringing salvation to His people, but the rewards will be well worth it. And He said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the reign of Elohim, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come everlasting life.” (Luke 18:29-30)

15. HYPOTHESIS Because we know that the example set by the forefathers is replicated on a grander scale by their descendants. Judah pictures the Jews? In our parasha, the father entrusted Judah with Benyamin. Does this mean at some point still to come, the Jews (Judah) will come before Joseph (who unbeknownst to them is the Jewish Messiah) to plead for Benyamin? Who then, is Benyamin in this scenario? Torah’s picture of Benyamin (reference last week’s Torah commentary) is that he is of the same essence as Joseph. Benyamin may shadow Torah keeping, non-Jewish believers. Even today, some Jews are beginning to consider believers in Messiah who keep Sabbath, eat kosher, wear tzit-tzit, etc., to be their brothers. Benyamin, could therefore be seen as not the Messiah/Joseph (who is the head), but the body of the Messiah. Together, Joseph and Benyamin make up the “oneness” of the Messiah.

16. THE REVEALING And Yosĕph was unable to restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “Have everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Yosĕph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Mitsrites and the house of Pharaoh heard it. And Yosĕph said to his brothers, “I am Yosĕph, is my father still alive?” But his brothers were unable to answer him, for they trembled before him. (Genesis 45:1-3) His brothers could not "see" him? His brothers had sold him into slavery because of the bitterness that had grown in their hearts and “blocked them up” spiritually. They were slaves to their own evil inclinations of their hearts and imaginations. The stronghold of bitterness brings: unforgiveness, resentment, retaliation, anger, hatred, violence and murder (and murder with the tongue).The Messiah יהושע, represented by Joseph, also revealed himself to his brothers alone. When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week,and when the doors were shut where the taught ones met, for fear of the Yehuḏim, יהושע came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace to you.” (John 20:19)

17. JEWISH COMMENTRY There is Jewish commentary that suggests how Joseph kept his brothers from recognizing him. When Joseph spoke to them, he covered his face with a veil (common Middle Eastern practice), and the brothers were unable to observe his face. Upon revealing himself, he uncovered his face and said to them, “I am Yosef.” When he removed the veil, it is said that they became frightened for the face of the man speaking to them resembled exactly that of their father, Jacob! (Think on the Messianic implications here) You can imagine that they were “troubled”!! …He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:9)

18. IS HE STILL ALIVE? Why did Joseph ask his brothers a second time if his father was still alive? The rabbis explain that in actuality the second time was not a question to be answered. By saying this to his brothers, Joseph intended to remind them of what they had done to him without being concerned about the consequences for their father. Then, when Joseph said, "I am Yoseph; is my father still alive?" his brothers were silent with shame because they had realized their sin. The Torah tells us that his brothers, were bewildered and overcome with shame in his presence. The Yalkut (writings of the sages) states, "Woe to us on the Day of Judgment! And Woe to us on the Day of Rebuke!" The Yalkut continues; that when יהוהwill judge and admonish each one of us, how much more will we be silenced into shame. Joseph's brothers were overwhelmed with shame when they were confronted with the truth from their younger brother; how much more ashamed will we be when Elohim, the most exalted King, will confront us with the truth about our lives?

19. TIKKUM “And now, do not be grieved nor displeased with yourselves because you sold me here, for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. .. “And Elohim sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to give life to you by a great escape. “So then, you did not send me here, but Elohim. And He has set me for a father to Pharaoh, and master of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Mitsrayim. (Genesis 45:5-8) Joseph, as the picture of Messiah, brought “Tikkun”. “Tikkun” is the concept by which יהוהmakes all things right. Spelled “Tav-kuf-nun” it is Strong’s #8627 and means “restored” or “corrected”. It’s from the root word “takawn” which means to “measure up” or “weigh”. The meanings of the letters; “tav” means “sign of the covenant”, “kuf” means “to surround” and “nun” means the “Kingdom”. “Tikkun” represents the “sign of the covenant surrounding the Kingdom”. It’s making everything right, setting it all straight, and “Restoring the Kingdom”. The numeric value of the letters is 550, which equals from Exodus 10:3; “le a‟nawt” or “humble yourself”, from Leviticus 25:40; “k‟sakiyr” or “as a hired servant” and in Numbers 18:26; “k‟nachalah‟chem” or “for your inheritance”.

20. CORRECTION IS GRACE “Do not fear, O Yaʽaqoḇ My servant,” declares יהוה, “for I am with you. Though I make a complete end of all the gentiles to which I have driven you, yet I do not make a complete end of you. But I shall reprove you in right-ruling, and by no means leave you unpunished.” (Jeremiah 46:28) This concept of “Tikkun” is personal, as well as national. By reproving us righteously and not leaving us unpunished, יהוהbrings not only correction, but also rectification. But, I thought we lived under “Grace” with a capital “G”. We do. Correction is a work of grace. As Jeremiah prayed regarding himself: O יהוה, chastise me, but with right-ruling – not in Your displeasure, lest You bring me to naught. (Jeremiah 10:24) We must pray for correction, so that all things can be made right, and know that יהוהwill be faithful to temper His judgment with mercy. We all know whatיהושעsaid in John 3:16; but, let’s add verse 17 as well; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. “

21. ONE SAVIOUR .. for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. (Genesis 45:5) It had been a long road for Joseph. Many thoughts were going through his mind at this time. Twenty-two years had passed since he was sold into slavery. His anguish would have been deep. In a sense, he had given himself up to save his brothers, for their delivery, and now he stood before them. יהושע, of whom Joseph was a type and shadow of, anguished in the Garden before giving himself up for our deliverance (Luke 22:39-44). And one of them, Qayapha, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know naught, neither do you consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people than that the entire nation should perish.” But he did not say this from himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that יהושע was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather together into one the children of Elohim who were scattered abroad. (John 11:49-52)

22. GOD’S FAVOR And the report of it was heard by the house of Pharaoh, saying, “The brothers of Yosĕph have come.” And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants. And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your beasts and go, enter the land of Kenaʽan, and take your father and your households and come to me, and I give you the best of the land of Mitsrayim, and you eat the fat of the land. ‘And you, you have been commanded, do this: Take wagons out of the land of Mitsrayim for your little ones and your wives. And you shall bring your father, and come. ‘And do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Mitsrayim is yours.’ ” (Genesis 45:16-20) Here we see that even in the worst drought to ever hit, God had already made a way for Redemption, Provision and Abundance. “See, I am doing what is new, let it now spring forth. Do you not know it? I am even making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19, Isaiah 60:4)

23. ATONEMENT AND REVELATION He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments, but to Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. (Genesis 45:22) Joseph is preparing to send them back to gather up their father and all the family and households, Joseph gives his brothers a change of garments. However to Benjamin, son of the right hand, MoshiachbenJoseph gave: 300 pieces of silver. Silver, is the currency of men; so it represents man’s money. 300 is the numeric value of “kapar” or “ransom” and “kippur” or “atonement”. It is also the numeric value of the letter “shin” or El Shaddai (Elohim Sufficient). 5 changes of clothes. Five represents יהוה’s “favour” or “grace” in Hebrew thought. It is also the numeric value of the letter “hey” which means “revelation”. So while Joseph gave new garments to the rest of his brothers, he gave the atonement price and the revelation of Torah to Benjamin.

24. WHY? Ten of these “brothers” were really half brothers to Joseph; same father, but different mothers. Benjamin, on the other hand, was the only one who was Joseph’s full brother. With Benjamin he gave the ransom first and then the five changes of clothes. One of the things this is saying to us is that, while there are those who will stand before יהוהone day, with changed garments, sins forgiven; they are not “full brothers” because they do not posses all that Mashiach has for us. They do not have the grace of Torah and the Bridal garments that living according to Torah brings. It’s also telling us that ten will stand before him, their restoration (their Tikkun) not complete; while one (a remnant) will stand, having lived as יהוהtold Abraham in Genesis 17:1; “I am El Shaddai – walk before Me and be perfect.” and as יהושעtold us in Matthew 5:48; “Therefore, be perfect, as your Father in the heavens is perfect.” Remember the Hebrew word for “perfect” here is “tamiym” which means “complete”, “whole” or “restored”. This is the purpose behind “correction” or “Tikkun”.

25. DON’T QUARREL So he sent his brothers away, and they left. And he said to them, “Do not quarrel along the way.” (Genesis 45:24) Joseph dismissed his brothers with the warning not to quarrel with each other on the journey back to Canaan, why? There would have been a lot of blame shifting and arguing about what if. יהושע commanded us to walk away in love, and focus our attention on the Heavenly Father. .. ‘Where I am going, you are unable to come,’ I now also say to you. “A renewed command I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:33-34) “Peace I leave with you – My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27) “This is My command, that you love one another, as I have loved you. “No one has greater love than this: that one should lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:12-13)

26. JACOB INFORMED And they went up out of Mitsrayim, and came to the land of Kenaʽan to Yaʽaqoḇ their father. And they told him, saying, “Yosĕph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Mitsrayim.” And Yaʽaqoḇ’s heart ceased, for he did not believe them. (Genesis 45:25-26) The Hebrew word translated here as “ceased” is “v’yaphoog”, Strong’s #6313, which literally means “cold” or “to be cold”. Legends of the Jews: In blithe (carefree) spirits they.. journeyed .. but when they reached the boundary line, they said to one another, "How shall we do? If we appear before our father and tell him that Joseph is alive, he will be greatly frightened, and he will not be inclined to believe us." Besides, Joseph's last injunction to them .was to not startle their father with the tidings of joy. They caught sight of Serah, the daughter of Asher, .. who was skilled in playing upon the harp. They ..bade her play before Jacob .."Joseph, my uncle, liveth, he ruleth over the whole of Egypt, he is not dead!" .. Jacob rewarded her therefore with the words, "My daughter, may death never have power over thee, for thou didst revive my spirit." And so it was. Serah did not die, she entered Paradise alive.

27. THE WAGONS” But when they spoke to him all the words which Yosĕph had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons which Yosĕph had sent to transport him, the spirit of Yaʽaqoḇ their father revived. (Genesis 45:27) The text indicates that it was not until “he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him” that his “spirit revived.” Why? Some parents might have been extremely proud of the fact that their son was the governor of Egypt. But Jacob wasn’t interested in whether his son had become rich, famous, or successful. He was more interested in whether he still knew Torah! What is it about seeing the “carts” that caused his spirit to be “revived?”

28. “THE MEANS” The carts belonged to the Egyptian government and would have been emblazoned with Pharaoh’s royal insignia also it was Pharaoh who initially commanded for the carts to be sent out: ‘And you, you have been commanded, do this: Take wagons out of the land of Mitsrayim for your little ones and your wives. And you shall bring your father, and come. (Genesis 45:19). Yet in Genesis 45:27, Torah tells us that Jacob saw the carts that “Joseph had sent.” Joseph had done something in order to express his “ownership” on these carts a secret, encoded message. The sages give us insight into this. It is based on a word play of two similar words: Cart (agala) עגלה Heifer (egla) עגלה As the teaching goes, before Joseph had been sold, Jacob and Joseph spent a lot of time studying Torah. Both Jacob and Joseph remembered their last Torah conversation. Thus, when Joseph wished to assure his father that he had not only survived physically, but also that he had remained faithful to his Torah beliefs, he sent him a clue.

29. LAW OF DECAPITATED CALF The law of Decapitated calf (eglaarufa) is found in Deuteronomy 21:1-9. This is a situation where a corpse is found lying in a field with his killer unknown. In such a situation, the elders of the city which is closest to the crime scene, take a young heifer to a barren valley where they break its neck and recite: … ‘O יהוה, forgive Your people Yisra’ĕl, whom You have redeemed, and do not allow innocent blood in the midst of Your people Yisra’ĕl.’ And the blood-guilt shall be pardoned to them. “Thus you purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst when you do what is right in the eyes of יהוה. (Deuteronomy 21:7-9) The people of the city are asking יהוהto forgive the people, so they will not bear the guilt for what has happened to the victim. This is the same point Joseph attempted to convey to his brothers from the moment he revealed himself: “And now, do not be grieved nor displeased with yourselves because you sold me here, for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. (Genesis 45:5)

30. THE MESSAGE He transmits a message to his father through subtle means…by referring to the decapitated calf (implied through the carts). In other words, he is saying, “I do not wish to divulge the circumstances in which I went missing…let us simply say that nobody bears the guilt. Elohim has atoned for it all, because it was all part of His plan.” Legends of the Jews: Joseph had had a premonition that his father would refuse to give his brethren credence, because they had tried to deceive him before, and "it is the punishment of the liar that his words are not believed even when he speaks the truth." He had therefore said to them, "If my father will not believe your words, tell him that when I took leave of him, to see whether it was well with you, he had been teaching me the law of the heifer whose neck is broken in the valley."

31. CONFIRMATION And Yisra’ĕl said, “Enough! My son Yosĕph is still alive. Let me go and see him before I die.” And Yisra’ĕl set out with all that he had, and came to Be’ĕrsheḇa, and brought offerings to the Elohim of his father Yitsḥaq. And Elohim spoke to Yisra’ĕl in the visions of the night, and said, “Yaʽaqoḇ, Yaʽaqoḇ!” And he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “I am the Ěl, Elohim of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Mitsrayim, for I shall make you there into a great nation. “I Myself am going down with you to Mitsrayim and I Myself shall certainly bring you up again. And let Yosĕph put his hand on your eyes.” (Genesis 45:28-46:4) Jacob wanted a confirming word before leaving Eretz Israel. Therefore, Elohim visited him to assuage/comfort/assure him that, while he was away from Canaan, יהוה 's presence and Shechinah glory would always be with him. Jacob had reason to be concerned about moving to Egypt as Egypt had been prophesied as the land of bondage where Jacob's family would remain and grow for four-hundred years. [See. Gen. 15:13.] יהוהrenewed his faith, and he went forth, perceiving that the fulfillment of the prophetic promise given to his fathers and him, was unfolding.

32. JACOB AND MOSES The similarities between the two events:

33. 70 SOULS And they took their livestock and their property which they had acquired in the land of Kenaʽan, and came into Mitsrayim, Yaʽaqoḇ and all his seed with him. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed he brought with him to Mitsrayim. .. All the beings who went with Yaʽaqoḇ to Mitsrayim, who came from his body, besides Yaʽaqoḇ’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six beings in all. And the sons of Yosĕph who were born to him in Mitsrayim were two beings. All the beings of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ who went to Mitsrayim were seventy. (Genesis 46:6-27) Legends of the Jews: But in this I do not resemble my father, he had only himself to provide for, and my house consists of seventy souls, and therefore am I compelled to go down into Egypt. All the males in his family were married men; even Pallu and Hezron, the latter of whom was but one year old at the time of their migration, and the former but two years, had the wives with them that had been chosen for them by their parents. In general, all the sons and grandsons of Jacob had married young, some of them had been fathers at the age of seven.

34. 33 or 32 .. All, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three. (Genesis 46:15) Leah: 5 - Re'uven: Hanokh, Pallu, Hetzron and Karmi. 7 - Shim`on: Y'mu'el, Yamin, Ohad, Yakhin, Tzocharand Sha'ul 4 - Levi: Gershon, K'hat and M'rari. 6 - Y'hudah: `Er, Onan (deceased), Shelah, Peretz and Zerach; The sons of Peretz were Hetzronand Hamul. 5 - Yissakhar: Tola, Puvah, Yov and Shimron. 4 - Z'vulun: Sered, Elon and Yachle'el. 1 - Dinah. 32 Legends of the Jews:He came with his whole family, sixty-nine persons they were in all, but the number was raised to seventy by the birth of Jochebed, afterward the mother of Moses. The mother of Moses was born from the tribe of Levi as they entered Egypt as a promise that they will return.

35. 70 Zilpah 8 - Gad: Tzifyon, Haggi, Shuni, Etzbon, `Eri, Arodi and Ar'eli. 8 - Asher: Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, B'ri`ah, and their sister Serach. Sons of B'ri`ah were Hever and Malki'el Rachel: 3 - Yosef: M'nasheh and Efrayim. 11 - Binyamin: Bela, Bekher, Ashbel, Gera, Na`aman, Echi, Rosh, Mupim, Hupim and Ard Bilhah: 2 - Dan: Hushim. 5 - Naftali: Yachtze'el, Guni, Yetzer and Shillem All the beings who went with Yaʽaqoḇ to Mitsrayim, who came from his body, besides Yaʽaqoḇ’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six beings in all. (Genesis 46:26) 33+16+14+7=70 less four sons from sons wives = 66

36. SEVENTY NATIONS The rabbis teach that these seventy beings represent the seventy nations that made up the world in those days. Further, that while there may be many more today, they all stem from these seventy, which began with the scattering of people at the Tower of Babel. Seventy is the numeric value of the letter “ayin” which is the “eye” or “fountain”, which is the “source”. They teach that in his going, Ya’aqob went down into Egypt for all mankind; so that in Yisra’el’s “coming out”, he could lead the rest of the world in coming out of paganism and bondage. Seventy also is the number of the “elders” of Yisra’el that Moshe appointed as the “Great Tribunal” or “the Great Assembly” and יהושעsent out seventy of His “taught ones” in power and spirit to begin the spreading of the “Tov News” of the Restoration (or Tikkun) of the Kingdom to Israel.

37. 70 or 75 There is however a discrepancy Acts 7:9-15, here it mentions seventy five people. “And the ancestors, becoming jealous, sold Yosĕph into Mitsrayim. But Elohim was with him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh, sovereign of Mitsrayim. And he appointed him governor over Mitsrayim and all his house. “Then a scarcity of food and great distress came over all the land of Mitsrayim and Kena‘an, and our fathers found no food. “But Yaʽaqoḇ heard that there was grain in Mitsrayim, and he sent out our fathers the first time, and at the second time Yosĕph was made known to his brothers, and Yosĕph’s race became known to the Pharaoh. “And Yosĕph sent and called his father Yaʽaqoḇ and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. “And Yaʽaqoḇ went down to Mitsrayim, and died, he and our fathers, (Acts 7:9-15) We can now include Jacob, Leah, Zilpah, Bilhah and WHO is number seventy five. “I Myself am going down with you to Mitsrayim and I Myself shall certainly bring you up again. And let Yosĕph put his hand on your eyes.” (Genesis 46:4)

38. GO AND PREPARE And he sent Yehuḏah before him to Yosĕph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. …. (Genesis 46:28) Judah's noble qualities, which had become increasingly evident as time passed, did not escape the attention of Jacob who was learning to admire and trust them. decided to send Judah ahead to Goshen so Joseph could instruct and supply him in assisting the entire family when they emigrated south. The Midrashic interpretation [Rashi] of Judah's purpose in returning early to Egypt adds a second reason for the mission. The word "prepare" is there interpreted as "teach". It implies that Jacob sent Judah down also to make ready a Yeshiva of some sort, a Torah school, where the family and its descendants could have consistent godly instruction, and help prevent assimilation into the heathen culture. This is said to have established a precedent, which is the priority of a Torah education as the soul of Jewish nation.  For it was fitting for Him, because of whom all are and through whom all are, in bringing many sons to esteem, to make the Princely Leader of their deliverance perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

39. PHARAOH DECEIVED And Yosĕph said .. “I am going up to inform Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Kenaʽan, have come to me. ‘And the men are shepherds, that they have been men of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds, and all that they have.’ (Genesis 46:31-32) Joseph had demonstrated wisdom and love for his brethren in his words to Pharaoh. He wanted to be sure his family would be secure in Goshen, away from the corruptive influence of Egypt's heathen society. To discourage the monarch from recruiting court officials and dignitaries from the intelligent and gifted family that produced Joseph, he instructed his family ahead of time to inform Pharaoh that they were simply shepherds and herdsmen, occupations the animal-worshipping Egyptians despised. Then, when the interview with Pharaoh came, Joseph selected the least impressive individuals to speak before the Egyptian leader. After listening to the (probably rehearsed and staged)  presentation, Pharaoh underestimated (as planned) the brethren, concluded that Joseph was an anomaly, and judged that his family was suited only for shepherding. So, Pharaoh left them alone in Goshen.

40. SHEPHERDS Israelites are set-apart in Egypt as “shepherds.” Sometimes it seems that Joseph and his brothers placed more emphasis on their flocks than on their families (46:32). Significance: Shepherds care for and protect their sheep. They are willing to give up their lives for their sheep. Shepherding is what Israelites do. If we are Israelites, then we should be nourishing and protecting the flock. Joseph played the shepherd role in his position as he tended to and nourished his family: We are told that the first shepherd was Abel (Genesis 4:2) “I am the good shepherd. And I know Mine, and Mine know Me, Footnote: even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd. (John 10:14-16)

41. THE FATHER AND יהושע The father: ‘For thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I Myself shall search for My sheep and seek them out. “As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I shall seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered in a day of cloud and thick darkness. “And I shall bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the lands, and shall bring them to their own land. And I shall feed them on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl, in the valleys, and in all the dwellings of the land. “In good pasture I shall feed them, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Yisra’ĕl. They shall lie there in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl. (Ezekiel 34:11-14) יהושע And He answering, said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ĕl.” (Matthew 15:24)

42. HOW TO LOVE יהושע יהושע’s words to His disciples on “how to love Him”: When, therefore, they had eaten breakfast, יהושע said to ShimʽonKĕpha, “Shimʽon, son of Yonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yea, Master, You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again, the second time, “Shimʽon, son of Yonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yea, Master, You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Shimʽon, son of Yonah, do you love Me?” Kĕpha was sad because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Master, You know all, You know that I love You.” יהושע said to him, “Feed My sheep. (John 21:15-17) We are the sheep of his pasture, but we’re also shepherds who care for the flock. Joseph was a shepherd; likewise all his brothers were shepherds. In fact just about everyone seeking the Father is a shepherd! We should be about the business of feeding, tending, and looking after the flock. It is our job to be feeding the flock with truth.

43. GOSHEN Goshen is also referred to as the land of lights (Exodus 10:23), which hinted at the prophetic coming of the Messiah יהושע, the Light of the world, who would bring light unto the nations (John 8:12; Isaiah 51:4). One of the objectives of our Redeemer is the deliverance of the Twelve Tribes from the yoke of slavery from the nations by which they have been enslaved: The Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Greeks and the Romans. Joseph revealed that they would be living in the land of Goshen to be near him. In the same way, יהושעtold believers, “In My Father’s house are many staying places. And if not, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I shall come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you might be too. (John 14:2-3)

44. JACOBS AGE And Pharaoh said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “How old are you?” And Yaʽaqoḇ said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.” (Genesis 47:8-9) Legends of the Jews: Then Joseph set Jacob his father before Pharaoh, and when the king saw him, he said to Og, who happened to be with him at that moment, "Seest thou! Thou wast wont to call Abraham a sterile mule, and here is his grandson with a family of seventy persons!" Og would not believe his own eyes, he thought Abraham was standing before him, so close was the resemblance between Jacob and his progenitor. Then Pharaoh asked about Jacob's age, to find out whether he actually was Jacob, and not Abraham. And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years, Few and evil,“ “In my youth I had to flee to a strange land on account of my brother Esau, and now, in my old age, I must again go to a strange land, and my days have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

45. HIDDEN TREASURELegends of the Jews But Joseph was more than a helper to his family. As a shepherd pastures his flock, so he provided for the whole world during the years of famine. The people cursed Pharaoh, who kept the stores of corn in his treasure chambers for his own use, and they blessed Joseph, who took thought for the famishing, and sold grain to all that came. The wealth which he acquired by these sales was lawful gain, for the prices were raised, not by him, but by the Egyptians themselves. One part of his possessions, consisting of gold and silver and precious stones, Joseph buried in four different places, in the desert near the Red Sea, on the banks of the Euphrates, and in two spots in the desert in the vicinity of Persia and Media. Korah discovered one of the hiding-places, and the Roman emperor Antoninus, the son of Severus, another. The other two will never be found, because God has reserved the riches they hold for the pious, to be enjoyed by them in the latter days, the days of the Messiah. The remainder of Joseph's possessions he gave away, partly to his brethren and their families, and partly to Pharaoh, who put them into his treasury.

46. WEALTH OF THE WORLD Now there was no bread in all the land, because the scarcity of food was very severe, and the land of Mitsrayim and all the land of Kenaʽan became exhausted from the scarcity of food. And Yosĕph gathered up all the silver that was found in the land of Mitsrayim and in the land of Kenaʽan, for the grain which they bought. And Yosĕph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house… So they brought their livestock to Yosĕph, and Yosĕph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks they owned, and for the herds they owned, … And Yosĕph bought the entire land of Mitsrayim for Pharaoh, because every man of the Mitsrites sold his field, because the scarcity of food was severe upon them. And the land came to be Pharaoh’s. And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Mitsrayim to the other end. (Genesis 47:13-21) Legends of the Jews: The wealth of the whole world flowed into Egypt at that time, and it remained there until the exodus of the Israelites. They took it along, leaving Egypt like a net without fish.

47. GOD REWARDS Only the ground of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had portions allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their portions which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not sell their ground. (Genesis 47:22) Legends of the Jews: It was the priests that made the suggestion to examine Joseph's torn garment, which his mistress had submitted as evidence of his guilt, and see whether the rent was in front or in back. If it was in back, it would show his innocence--he had turned to flee, and his temptress had clutched him so that the garment tore. But if the tear was in front, then it would be a proof of his guilt--he had used violence with the woman, and she had torn the mantle in her efforts to defend her honour. The angel Gabriel came and transferred the rent from the fore part to the back, and the Egyptians were convinced of Joseph's innocence, and their scruples about raising him to the kingship were removed.

48. 17 YEARS And Yisra’ĕl dwelt in the land of Mitsrayim, in the land of Goshen. And they had possessions there and bore fruit and increased exceedingly. (Genesis 47:27) Legends of the Jews: In return for the seventeen years that Jacob had devoted to the bringing up of Joseph, he was granted seventeen years of sojourn with his favourite son in peace and happiness. The wicked experience sorrow after joy; the pious must suffer first, and then they are happy, for all's well that ends well, and God permits the pious to spend the last years of their lives in felicity.

49. HISTORY OF THE HAFTORAH In ancient biblical times, the Jewish religious leaders divided the five books of the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) into portions that would be read each Sabbath in the synagogues (the houses of biblical teaching). Originally, in the course of a three year period, this system would allow the Jewish people to read and study the entire Torah. In modern times in most synagogues, the Torah is subdivided in such a way that the reading-teaching cycle is accomplished in one year instead of three. During the period of the Maccabees (in the intertestamental period in the second century B.C.), the Greeks who ruled Judea, in an effort to forcibly hellenize the Jews, forbade them from reading the Torah upon pain of death. Not wanting to forget the Torah, the Jews devised a system where Scriptures passages from the writings of the prophets were found that would remind them of the Torah portion for that week. These passages from the prophets are called the Haftorah readings, and they are read, along with the corresponding Torah portion, each week in Jewish synagogues all over the world each Sabbath to this day.

50. EZEKIEL 37 To remind the Maccabean Jews of ParashatVayegash, they attached Ezekiel 37:15–28, which is a prophecy about the reunification of the House of Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom of Israel) with the House of Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel). The northern ten tribes of Israel seceded from the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin during the reign of King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon. They never reunited, but the prophet Ezekiel received a word from Elohim that in the latter days just before the coming of the Messiah and the Messianic Age (or Millennium) these two kingdoms would again be reunited with King David as their ruler. The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash informs us that the connection between ParashatVayegash (Gen 44:18–47:27) and this Haftorah reading is that both discuss the reunification of Jacob’s sons, the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah and Benjamin from the Southern Kingdom of Israel could receive hope in knowing that eventually their long-lost comrades of the Northern Kingdom would again become part of the nation in fulfillment of יהוה’s promises.