Page 1 - Announcements Jan 4

Parshat Vayigash January 4, 2020 7 Tevet, 5780
Rabbi Sacks on Parshat Vayigash
TORAH
ARTSCROLL 250 It is one of the great their father’s flocks near kept the matter in mind.
HERTZ 169 questions we naturally ask Shechem, and Israel said to (Gen. 37:9–11). Immediately
each time we read the Joseph, “As you know, your afterwards, we read of Jacob
HAFTORAH story of Joseph. Why did brothers are grazing the flocks sending Joseph, alone, to his
near Shechem. Come, I am
brothers. It was there, at
he not, at some time
ARTSCROLL 1144 during their twenty-two going to send you to them.” that meeting far from home,
HERTZ 178 year separation, send “Very well,” he replied. So he that they plotted to kill him,
word to his father that he said to him, “Go and see if all is lowered him into a pit, and
was alive? For part of that well with your brothers and with eventually sold him as a
Aufruf the flocks, and bring word back slave. Joseph had many
time – when he was a
of to me.” Then he sent him off years to reflect on that
slave in Potiphar’s house,
Ariel Ben-Sorek and when he was in prison from the Valley of Hebron. (Gen. episode. That his brothers
– it would have been 37:12–14) were hostile to him, he knew.
Times impossible. But certainly But surely Jacob knew this as
he could have done so What does the narrative tell us well. In which case, why did
Candle Lighting 4:21 pm when he became the immediately prior to this he send Joseph to them? Did
second most powerful episode? It tells us about the Jacob not contemplate the
Mincha 4:25 pm second of Joseph’s dreams. In
person in Egypt. At the possibility that they might do
Hashkama 8:00 am very least he could have the first, he had dreamt that he him harm? Did he not know
done so when the brothers and his brothers were in the field the dangers of sibling rivalry?
Youth Minyan 8:30 am came before him on their binding sheaves. His stood Did he not at least
first journey to buy food. upright while the sheaves of his contemplate the possibility
Parsha Shiur 8:30 am brothers bowed down to him.
Joseph knew how much his that by sending Joseph to
Main 9:00 am father loved him. He must Naturally, when he told them them he was risking Joseph’s
have known how much about the dream, they were life?
Beit Midrash 9:15 am their separation grieved angry. “Do you intend to reign No one knew this better from
over us? Would you rule over
Gemara Shiur 3:45 pm him. He did not know, us?” There is no mention of personal experience. Recall
could not know, what
Mincha 4:15 pm Jacob thought had Jacob in relation to the first that Jacob himself had been
forced to leave home because
happened to him, but this dream.
Shabbat Ends 5:30 pm surely he knew: that it The second dream was different: his brother Esau threatened
R’ Reisman Video 7:30 pm was his duty to Then he had another dream, and to kill him, once he
discovered that Jacob had
Shiur communicate with him he told it to his brothers. taken his blessing. Recall too
when the opportunity “Listen,” he said, “I had another
Sun. Jan. 5 7:30/8:30 am arose, to tell his father dream, and this time the sun that when Jacob was about to
Teen Minyan 9:30 am that he was alive and well. and moon and eleven stars were meet Esau again, after an
Mon. & Thurs. 6:35/7:45 am Why then did he not? The bowing down to me.” When he interval of twenty-two years,
he was “in great fear and
Tues. See Schedule following explanation, is a told his father as well as his distress,” believing that his
Asara B’Tevet on Page 4 tantalizing possibility. The brothers, his father rebuked him brother would try to kill him.
Wed. & Fri. 6:45/7:45 am story of Joseph’s descent and said, “What is this dream That fear provoked one of the
into slavery and exile
you had? Will your mother and I
Mincha 4:30 pm began when his father sent and your brothers actually come great crises of Jacob’s life. So
him, alone, to see how the and bow down to the ground Jacob knew, better than
Latest Times for brothers were faring. His before you?” His brothers were anyone else in Genesis, that
Shema/Shemoneh Esrei brothers had gone to graze jealous of him, but his father hate can lead to killing, that
sibling rivalry carries with it
Jan. 4 9:39/10:26 am
Kiddush is provided by Great Neck Synagogue
Jan. 11 9:40/10:28 am
with a Herring Table sponsored by Karen & Ethan Ben-Sorek
Next Shabbat in honor of their son, Ariel’s Aufruf
Vayechi
Bima Flowers in the Main Sanctuary are sponsored by
Candle Lighting 4:28 pm
Ellen & Mitchell Siegel
Mincha 4:30 pm in memory of her mother Blanche Givner z”l