Vayigash

CNN REPORT
UN recognizes Yom Kippur as official holiday
Day of Atonement joins Christmas, Eid al-Fitr and Thanksgiving
Yom Kippur now joins the Christian holidays of Christmas and Good Friday and the
Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in the list of 11 official UN holidays. The
six others are major US holidays — New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
No official meetings will take place on the Jewish High Holiday, and Jewish UN
employees can observe the holiday without forfeiting a day of vacation.
“Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish People, and the UN should
have recognized this holiday many years ago. Today we finally have an official place
for the Jewish religion in the World’s parliament,” Danon said in a statement.
Last year, 32 ambassadors signed letters calling on the UN to recognize the Jewish
holiday, including the US, Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica,
Cyprus, Dominica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Ivory
Coast, Malawi, Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Nigeria, Palau, Panama, Philippines,
Rwanda, Samoa, Seychelles, South Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Uruguay and Vanuatu.
The Israeli mission to the United Nations said in a statement that Israeli cooperation
with the United States “prevented the anti-Israel majority at the UN from blocking the
resolution” to recognize Yom Kippur.
“The American-Israeli Partnership at the UN stands for good versus bad and right
versus wrong. The value of justice, anchored in Jewish tradition and thought, will finally
find its place in the family of nations, and be a part of the UN’s history,” Danon added.

CELEBRATING THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
FATHER – GIVER OF THE GIFT
YESHUA/JESUS – HIS GIFT
HOLY SPIRIT – HIS PRESENCE ON US BELIEVERS
- ESSENCE OF HIS SPIRIT IN HIS
WORDS WRITTE THE BIBLE AND IN
OUR HEARTS
Exo 12:2 Ang buwang ito'y magiging sa inyo'y
pasimula ng mga buwan: siyang magiging unang
buwan ng taon sa inyo.
Exo 12:3 Salitain ninyo sa buong kapisanan ng Israel na
inyong sabihin: Sa ikasangpung araw ng buwang ito ay
magsisikuha sila sa ganang kanila, bawa't lalake, ng isang
kordero, ayon sa mga sangbahayan ng kanikanilang mga
magulang, isang kordero sa bawa't sangbahayan:

Exodus 12:2 "This month shall be the
beginning of months for you; it is to be the first
month of the year to you.
HEBREW 1st MONTH IS ABIB
PASSOVER LAMB WAS SLAIN ON
14th day of ABIB
( DAY JESUS CHRIST DIED ON CROSS)
50 days LATER
FEAST OF PENTECOST

RESTORATION PAGBABALIK LOOB SA DIOS
Act 1:6 Tinanong nga siya nila nang sila'y
nangagkakatipon, na nangagsasabi, Panginoon,
isasauli mo baga ang kaharian sa Israel sa
panahong ito?
Act 1:7 At sinabi niya sa kanila, Hindi ukol sa inyo
ang pagkaalam ng mga panahon o ng mga bahagi
ng panahon, na itinakda ng Ama sa kaniyang
sariling kapamahalaan.
Act 1:8 Datapuwa't tatanggapin ninyo ang
kapangyarihan, pagdating sa inyo ng Espiritu
Santo: at kayo'y magiging mga saksi ko sa
Jerusalem, at sa buong Judea at Samaria, at
hanggang sa kahulihulihang hangganan ng lupa.

RESTORATION PAGBABALIK LOOB SA DIOS
Rom 11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be
uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be
wise in your own estimation--that a partial
hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness
of the Gentiles has come in;
Rom 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved
Rom 11:25 Sapagka't hindi ko ibig, mga kapatid, na
di ninyo maalaman ang hiwagang ito, baka kayo'y
mangagmarunong sa inyong sariling mga haka, na
ang katigasan ng isang bahagi ay nangyari sa
Israel, hanggang sa pumasok ang kapunuan ng
mga Gentil;
Rom 11:26 At sa ganito'y ang buong Israel ay
maliligtas: gaya ng nasusulat

TIMES OF REFRESHING IS COMING AHEAD
Act 3:19 "Therefore repent and return, so
that your sins may be wiped away, in order
that times of refreshing may come from the
presence of the Lord;
Act 3:20 and that He may send Jesus, the
Christ appointed for you,
Act 3:21 whom heaven must receive until the
period of restoration of all things about
which God spoke by the mouth of His holy
prophets from ancient time.

TIMES OF REFRESHING IS COMING AHEAD
Act 3:19 Kaya nga mangagsisi kayo, at
mangagbalik-loob, upang mangapawi ang inyong
mga kasalanan, upang kung magkagayon ay
magsidating ang mga panahon ng
kaginhawahang mula sa harapan ng Panginoon;
Act 3:20 At upang kaniyang suguin ang Cristo na
itinalaga sa inyo, na si Jesus:
Act 3:21 Na siya'y kinakailangang tanggapin ng
langit hanggang sa mga panahon ng pagsasauli
sa dati ng lahat ng mga bagay, na sinalita ng Dios
sa pamamagitan ng bibig ng kaniyang mga banal
na propeta buhat pa nang una.

PREPARING FOR THE END TIMES AHEADl
F – AITHFULL
A – AVAILABLE
T – TEACHABLE
SERVANTS OF GOD ARE BUSY
FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

In the second year of famine,[3] the Vizier of Egypt,
Joseph,[4][5] invited the sons of Israel to live in Egyptian territory.
They settled in the country of Goshen.[6] Goshen is described as
the best land in Egypt, suitable for both crops and livestock.

DIVINE INFORMATION SERVE AS TEACHINGS
Milk of the Word vs. Meat of Word (chew/teeth)

The verb vayigash ( ‫ׁש‬ַ‫ג‬ִּ‫ַי‬‫ו‬) means "and he
drew near," from the verb nagash ( ‫ׁש‬ַ‫ָג‬‫נ‬)," to
approach, draw near, to join."
In the Torah the word nagash is used in various ways. It
is used, for example, to describe how Abraham "drew
near" to intercede with the Angel of the LORD (Gen.
18:23), how Judah "drew near" to his disguised brother
Joseph to intercede on behalf of his family (Gen. 44:18),
and so on.
engidzo (i.e., ἐγγίζω) for the verb
nagash. “ generally means “ to
come close enough to touch
something”...
the verb “ engidzo was
"carried over" into the Greek New
Testament.

The verb engidzo (i.e., ἐγγίζω) for the verb nagash. “
generally means “ to come close enough to touch
something”...
- is used to describe how the Kingdom of Heaven
is "at hand" (Matt. 3:2, 4:17),
- how the disciples "drew near" the city of
Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1),
- how the "better hope" of Yeshua "draws us near"
to God (Heb. 7:19), and so on.
- James the Righteous used this verb in his
admonition: ἐγγίσατε τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν,
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"
(James 4:8).
- Understood in this light, we are encouraged to
come so close to God that we are able to "touch"
Him -- and to be touched by Him as well.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"
(James 4:8).
Please note that when we draw near to God, He has
promised to draw near to us.... God is not distant
from us. We don't need to "shout" or repeat our
words for Him to hear us.
- No, He is close enough "to touch."
- When Judah "drew near" to Joseph, he came
close enough to touch him....
- The Scriptures would never command us to "draw
near" to God if He were far away, remote, or
otherwise inaccessible to us.
- On the contrary, God's Presence and glory fills
the earth (Isa. 6:3).
- *** The way we can draw near to God is through
prayer, praise and trust in His word. (explain milk meat of word)

God invites you to come to Him for relationship... Since
God is a Person, He wants to know you as a person. He is
not interested in formulaic prayers, religious rituals, or
your membership at a particular religious organization.
- God wants to know your inmost thoughts and heart.
- Drawing near to God is God's way of drawing near to you...
In other words, as you draw near to God, He will draw near
and touch you.
- We must draw near to God b'kol levavkha - "with all our
heart" - not merely with religious ideas or doctrinally correct
words: "Because this people draw near ( ‫ׁש‬ַ‫ג‬ִּ‫נ‬) with their
mouth and honor me with their lips while their hearts are
far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment
taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful
things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the
wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment
of their discerning men shall be hidden" (Isa. 29:13-14, cp.
Matt. 15:8-9, 1 Cor. 1:9).

We must draw near to God in Spirit and in Truth:
"For the Torah made nothing perfect, but the
bringing in of a better hope did, and that is how we
draw near (ἐγγίζομεν) to God (Heb. 7:19).
- The Torah - by itself - is ineffectual to bring us
into close contact with the LORD YHVH, since it
reveals God's holiness and righteousness but
provides no lasting solution to the problem of sin
in the human heart.
- Indeed, we now have access to the Throne of
Grace because the loving sacrifice of Yeshua is
able to draw us near to God (John 12:32).
- The dividing veil (parochet) has been rent
asunder.... We no longer go through the "offices
of Levi" (i.e., ritual Judaism) to approach the
LORD YHVH (Heb. 13:10).

The verb engidzo is frequently used to
describe the imminent return of the
LORD: Πάντων δὲ τὸ τέλος ἤγγικεν /
"The end of all things draws near" (1 Pet. 4:7).
- May God help us redeem the time by
drawing near to Him with all our hearts,
chaverim.
- May we all draw so close to God that we
are able to "touch" Him -- and therefore
to be touched by Him as well.

The similarities between the two events:
22
Jacob (leaving Canaan) Genesis
46:2-4
Moses (at the burning bush)
Exodus 3:4-8
Elohim calls out to Jacob in a
vision, “Jacob, Jacob”
Elohim calls out to Moses,
“Moses, Moses”
And he said, “Here am I” And he said, “Here am I”
I am the Elohim of your fathers I am the Elohim of your fathers
Do not fear going down to
Egypt for I will make you there
a great nation…
I have seen the suffering of My
people in Egypt and I have
heard their crying
I will go DOWN with you to
Egypt and I will also surely
BRING YOU UP again… the land
flowing with….
I have come DOWN to rescue
them from Egypt in order to
BRING YOU UP from that land
to

VAYIGASH – GASH – ROOT WORD CONNECTION
The Land of Goshen (Hebrew: ‫ן‬ ֶ‫ש‬ֹּ‫ג‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫א‬ or ‫גושן‬ ‫ארץ‬Eretz Gošen) is
named in the Bible as the place in Egypt given to theHebrews by
the pharaoh of Joseph (Genesis 45:9 - 10), and the land from
which they later left Egypt at the time of theExodus. It was located
in the eastern Delta of the Nile.
The Septuagint reading "Gesem" is correct, the word, may
mean "cultivated"—comparing the Arabic root j-š-m,
- The last verse of this portion is, (47:27) "Thus Israel settled in
the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen...“
- the sons of Jacob (Israel) who were living in Hebron,
experienced a severe famine that lasted seven years. Since
word was that Egypt was the only kingdom able to supply food,
the sons of Jacob (Israel) journeyed there to buy goods.
- In the second year of famine,[3] the Vizier of Egypt,
Joseph,[4][5] invited the sons of Israel to live in Egyptian territory.
They settled in the country of Goshen.[6] Goshen is
described as the best land in Egypt, suitable for both crops
and livestock. ***

After the death of Joseph and those of his generation, the following
generations of Israelites had become populous in number.
The Egyptians feared potential integration or takeover, so they
enslaved the Israelites and took away their privileges.
Approximately four hundred and thirty years later,[7] Moses was called
to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, from Goshen to Succoth,[8] the first
waypoint of the Exodus. They pitched at 41 locations crossing the Nile
Delta, to the last station being the plains of Moab.[9]

GOSHEN farm binayoyo
Protype for shemitah preparation for MLTC brethren

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOSEPH STORY
As God sends YOSEPH to Egypt not to condemn
SONS OF ISRAEL/JACON but to save them from the
imminent famine, so John 3.17 says that God sends
His Son into the world not to condemn, but to save.
*** The grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness we
associate with God of the New Testament is true of
God of the Old Testament.
- Here the Gospel is told in the story of YOSEPH and
his brothers.
RABBI YESHUA CONFIRMS THE TORAH in GOSPEL
John 5:46 "For if you believed Moses (IDIOM FOR THE
TORAH) , you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.
John 5:47 "But if you do not believe his writings, how
will you believe My words?"

Joseph as a prophetic picture, or “type,” of
Yeshua. Here, we will zoom in to look specifically at
Joseph’s reunion with his brothers.
- Joseph fed the entire Gentile world the
Bread of Life (so to speak) before his brothers
came to him.
*** This is the first prophecy of Gentile
inclusion in God’s Kingdom,
- corresponding with other prophecies that
first the Gentiles would come to the Root of
Jesse and be called by the Holy Name,
- and only after that would Israel be restored
(cf. Isa. 11:10ff, Amos 9:11f).

THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL ON GENTILE INCLUSION ON
THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL
Act 15:6 And the apostles and the elders were assembled to
see about this matter.
Act 15:7 And much disputation having occurred, rising up Peter
said to them: Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient
days, YAHWEH chose among us that through my mouth the
nations/GENTILES should hear the Word of the good news,
and to believe.
Act 15:15 And with this agree the Words of the prophets, as it
has been written,
Act 15:16 After these things "I will return and will build again
the tabernacle of David which has fallen," "And I will build
again the things which have been demolished, and I will
set it up," (Amos 9:11, 12) Act 15:17 So that YAHWEH will
seek the remainder of mankind and all the nations, those
who My name is called over them, said YAHWEH who made all
these things.

THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL ON GENTILE INCLUSION ON
THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL
Isaiah 11:9 …. For the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of YAHWEH, as the waters cover
the sea.
Isa 11:10 And it shall be in that day, the Root
of Jesse (Messianic Prophecy about YESHUA)
stands as a banner of His people;
nations/GENTILES/GOYIM shall seek to Him;
and His resting place shall be glorious.

When Joseph’s brothers come to buy bread, they
don’t recognize him )Gen. 42:7)! Why not?
Because he was dressed in Egyptians clothes, with
his head and beard shaved in Egyptian fashion, and
speaking to them in Egyptian through an interpreter.
- Why haven’t Yeshua’s brothers recognized Him for
two millennia?
- Once again, because we have dressed Him up as a
Gentile, given Him a Gentile haircut, and He speaks
to His brothers in Gentile language (Greek).

Jewish Expectations vs. Christian Presentation
For the last 2,000 years, Jews and Christians have disagreed
about Messiah. - Jewish expectations were summed up by
Moses Maimonides, also known as Rambam, about 1,000 AD.
In the Mishnah Torah, also known as the Yad HaChazakah, in
the section of Laws and Kings,
he tells how to recognize either the true Messiah or a fraud.
- Some of his expectations of Messiah are:
Of the lineage of David (necessarily a descendant of Judah)
Put Jews back under the rule of David‘s descendants
Rebuild the Temple
Return Jews from the Diaspora to ‫ישראל‬ Israel
Re-establish ‫תורה‬Torah with the importance it had in the
Temple periods
Renew the sacrifices in the Temple
Renew the Shemitah Year observance concerning loans,
agriculture, etc.

Rambam said that sure signs of Messiah are fighting
God‘s wars, rebuilding the Temple, and bringing
Jews back to Israel .
- Meanwhile, many Christians present their Jesus
as a descendant of David, but otherwise He has
replaced Jews with Christians and doesn‘t care
about Temple, sacrifices, or TORAH .
- Far from a TORAH –observant Jewish rabbi with
beard, prayer shawl, and phylactery,
- Gentiles depict Him as a male model or a bishop
of the Catholic Church.
To illustrate, can you tell which painting one is
Napoleon?

ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN IMAGE
To illustrate, can you tell which painting one is
Napoleon?
In Their Own Images All four are paintings of Napoleon
are by four different artists.

YESHUA is the King of Israel (INRI) .
But Jews don‘t recognize Him as that because a
Gentile cannot be king in ISRAEL. Deuteronomy 17.15
says that a king of Israel must be a Jew and not a
stranger. Verses 18-19 say that the king must write his
own copy of the TORAH , read it every day, and keep
the commandments.
Christians tell Jews that Jesus has done away with the
TORAH .
- Muslims believe that when Jesus comes back, He
will convert all Jews and Christians to Islam.
- -Christians believe that when Jesus comes back, all
Jews and Muslims will convert to Christianity or
perish.
- Either way, Jews lose—no wonder Jews don‘t like
Yeshua !

When Joseph is faced with his brothers, he falsely
accuses them, throws them into prison, and binds
Simeon before their eyes and takes him away,
requiring that they bring him Benjamin if they wish
to see his face again (Gen. 42:9ff). ***
- In the same way, the Church has in Jesus’ name
falsely accused the Jews, thrown them into
prison, and taken away from the Jewish people,
binding Jews who wished to follow the King of
the Jews from being among their brothers.
- Sadly, the Church went even further:
- Joseph never tortured or slew any of his brothers,
but the Church (reformation period) has done so
to the brothers of Yeshua! ( ANTI SEMITISM IS
EVIL IN DISGUISE in the name of GOOD
THEOLOGY)

In testing his brothers with persecution, Joseph still gives
them the Bread of Life they need to live.
- In fact, he does so freely, giving back the silver that they
try to pay him with.
- Why? Because his brothers already belong to him,
whether they know it or not.
- Is Yeshua less generous than Joseph? And if He is as
generous, in what sense has He fed the Jewish people
who didn’t recognize Him?
Also let us note that ***Joseph seats his brothers in birth
order to show that he knows them, much to their
amazement and consternation (Gen. 43:33).
Today in Messianic Movement (biblical Judaism), there are
increasing numbers of scholars who are studying the NT
and discovering how well Yeshua knows them. Indeed, He
is increasingly becoming known as a Jew of the Jews and
a rabbi ahead of His time. The momentum is clearly in the
right direction.

LESSONS ABOUT LASHON HA RA
THE DISCIPLINE OF TAMING THE TONGUE
DID JOSEPH CURSE HIS BROTHERS?
Jas 3:8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and
full of deadly poison.
Jas 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse
men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
Jas 3:10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a
fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter
water?
Jas 3:8 Datapuwa't ang dila ay hindi napaaamo ng sinomang tao;
isang masamang hindi nagpapahinga, na puno ng lasong
nakamamatay.
Jas 3:9 Siyang ating ipinagpupuri sa Panginoon at Ama; at siyang
ating ipinanglalait sa mga taong ginawang ayon sa larawan ng
Dios:
Jas 3:10 Sa bibig din lumalabas ang pagpuri't paglait. Mga kapatid
ko, ang mga bagay na ito ay hindi nararapat magkagayon.

LESSONS ABOUT LASHON HA RA
THE DISCIPLINE OF TAMING THE TONGUE
DID JOSEPH CURSE HIS BROTHERS?
Jas 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and
abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this
man will be blessed in what he does.
Jas 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
Jas 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is
this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself
unstained by the world.
Jas 1:25 Nguni't ang nagsisiyasat ng sakdal na kautusan, ang kautusan ng
kalayaan, at nananatiling gayon, na hindi tagapakinig na lumilimot, kundi
tagatupad na gumagawa, ay pagpapalain ang taong ito sa kaniyang
ginagawa.
Jas 1:26 Kung ang sinoman ay nagiisip na siya'y relihioso samantalang hindi
pinipigil ang kaniyang dila, kundi dinadaya ang kaniyang puso, ang relihion
ng taong ito ay walang kabuluhan.
Jas 1:27 Ang dalisay na relihion at walang dungis sa harapan ng ating Dios
at Ama ay ito, dalawin ang mga ulila at mga babaing bao sa kanilang
kapighatian, at pagingatang walang dungis ang kaniyang sarili sa
sanglibutan.

Life from the Dead Paul says in Romans 11.15
- that if the rejection of the Jews brings reconciliation to the world,
then their acceptance will be life from the dead.
- Is it time for Gentiles to return the favor of salvation to Israel?
- In Genesis 45.27-28, Jacob hears that JOSEPH is alive, sees the
wagons and supplies and food which prove the power of
JOSEPH
in time of famine, and his spirit is revived. .
Then ISRAEL said…. Jacob‘s name, Heel Grabber/Deceiver, was
changed to ISRAEL Prince of God/Wrestles with God after he
wrestles all night with the Angel.
*** Since then, the name Jacob tends to refer to his earthly nature
and the name ISRAEL to his spiritual nature.
When Jacob hears his son JOSEPH is alive, he revives and is called
ISRAEL again. ***
When today‘s Jews hear that YESHUA is alive and He is their
Brother, they too will be revived. ***
In Genesis 42.36-38, Jacob feels that he is on the verge of death, and
may well die if he loses Benjamin as well as JOSEPH.
But now he is revived. In Ezekiel 37.1-10, the prophecy of the valley of

Now we come to Benjamin, whose significance in this type
is so often overlooked.
What does he represent in this tale?
Let us consider his attributes:
- He is the brother of the same mother as Joseph
- His birth brought about the death of his mother. For this
she named him, “Son of My Sorrow,” but his father Israel
would rename him, “Son of the Right Hand.”
- He was not involved in the betrayal of Joseph;
- he and Joseph obviously loved each other very much
- He disappears from the narrative, only being mentioned
while “off-screen” until the very end
- Israel will not let him go forth with his brothers, fearing to
lose him as he lost Joseph and Simeon
- Joseph weeps when he sees Benjamin among his
brothers again

BENJAMIN A TYPE OF THE MESSIANIC BELIEVERS TODAY
- While Joseph feeds all the brothers, he gives Benjamin five
times as much
- Finally, Benjamin is “outed” by the possession of Joseph’s
silver cup
*** Benjamin represents the remnant of Jewish
believers, Messianic Jews if you will, that Paul assures
us the Eternal One always reserves for Himself in
Romans 11.
- Like Benjamin, the faithful remnant were born at the
time of the death of their mother, Jerusalem (which
dwells in Benjamin’s territory).
- We are the sons of sorrow and the sons of the Right
Hand, Yeshua Himself.
- Like Benjamin, the remnant has always loved
Yeshua (MESSIAH BEN YOSEF ) and vice-versa.

- Like Benjamin, the remnant has virtually
disappeared from the narrative of history, being
mentioned only by our enemies when they try to
suppress us.
- Like Benjamin, Israel has not allowed us to be
seen among our brothers, and for the same
reason: Fear that like Simeon, we will be carried
away by the Gentiles, assimilated and lost to a
Christian culture.
- And like Benjamin, we are ultimately “outed” by
the discovery of our Lord’s Cup in our hands.
- (messianic believers are persecuted much in
israel)

- Benjamin receives five times as much food as his
brothers (Gen. 43:44).
- We have already established that food, bread in
particular, is a type of the life-giving sustenance of
the Word of God (TORAH).
- It’s interesting that in Israel, it is becoming well
known that the Messianics are ardent students of
the Scriptures. In fact, if you want to know if you
are talking to a Messianic, there is a simple test:
Ask a question about the Law/Torah.
- A traditional Jew will answer from his rabbi or the
Talmud; a Messianic will answer from the
Scriptures, as our Great Rabbi YESHUA has taught
us.

Notice also that only when Benjamin is among his
brothers is Simeon returned to them.
- Simeon, we believe, represents those Jews who
were converted to Christianity, bound by law in front
of their brethren to no longer live as Jews, and taken
away.
- With the advent of Messianic Judaism, many in
the world have become aware that they are
descended from Jewish converts to Christianity,
and are seeking to know what that means as far
as their personal identity goes.
- Many are even returning to Judaism, both
Messianic and traditional, to return to their roots.

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. 56

When Benjamin is caught with Joseph’s cup,
the brothers face a decision-point:
- Do they let him be carried away by the Gentiles as
Simeon was, or do they protect him as a brother
at their own risk.
- Today, as more and more Jews declare
themselves for Yeshua, Judah/Judaism faces the
same decision:
- Do they reject the Messianics and force them out
of the community to be assimilated by Gentile
Christianity, or do they embrace us as brothers,
even at the risk that they believe such inclusion
could bring to Judaism?

Believe it or not, Israel is starting to come to the
same decision as Judah.
Among an increasing number of rabbis, there is no
longer any question whether born Jews who identify
as and live as Jews should be counted as part of the
community.
The resistance now is to Jews who have converted
to Christianity and no longer keep the Torah at all
and how to handle our proselytes.
(This is why many Messianics completely reject the
label of “Christian,” which is virtually synonymous
with “Gentile.”)

When Judah embraced and protected Benjamin as
his brother, Joseph revealed himself at last for who
he is.
- Likewise, as we see Judah embracing Messianic
Jews, we see another sign that our Lord is soon to
return.
- The more I study the Torah, the more I see the
truth of what the Midrash Rabbah says of it:
- “What the prophets were destined to prophesy in
subsequent generations they received from
Mount Sinai. . . Moses gave utterance to all the
words of the other prophets as well as his own,
and whoever prophesied only gave expression to
the essence of Moses’ prophecy” )Exo.R. 28:6,
42:8).

• 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:
(1) sincere renunciation and detestation of evil,
(2) desire for restoration, and
(3) deepness of humility, which makes the heart teachable.
60

What do the words blessing and curse mean?
We first want to look at the meaning of the word blessing and
curse to see what we can learn from that.
1384 I. ‫ְך‬ ַ‫ר‬ ָּ‫ב‬( bā·rǎḵ): v.; ≡ note: in context this position
can be a position of worship or humility; (piel) bless
another, commend, i.e.,speak words invoking divine
favor, with the intent that the object will have favorable
circumstances or state at a future time (Ge
1:22); praise,extol, thank for greatness/goodness,
i.e., speak words of the excellence of an object (Ps
63:5[EB 4]),
*** It is fascinating to see what the word “bless” means
in Hebrew. A blessing from YHVH’s perspective means
to make to kneel down in a position of worship or
humility or praise and from a human perspective to
speak words invoking divine favor. Keep this in mind as
we look at the word curse.

The word curse is of course the opposite of bless
7837 ‫ל‬ַ‫ל‬ ָּ‫ק‬( qā·lǎl): v.; ≡ Str 7043; (qal) recede, grow smaller,
i.e., be in a state of a mass becoming less and so lowering
in elevation (Ge 8:8, 11 (qal)disdain, despise, be vile, i.e., be
in a state of contempt for an object, showing little regard
or value to the object (piel) curse, blaspheme, revile,
i.e., invoke divine harm to an object, implying anger or
great displeasure toward the object (1Sa 17:43),
*** The human perspective is to invoke divine harm,
whereas YHVH’s perspective is to effect change.
It means to lower in elevation, to despise, make trivial,
sharpen and shake.
*** The actions linked to the word curse seem to be
able to affect change to the object.
YHVH’s perspective

YHVH’s perspective About CURSE
YHVH, on the other hand, wants people to repent and
return to Him. He wants to bring them low, humble them
and acknowledge Him as their only Elohim.
- He wants to shake and sharpen those who has departed
from His ways.
- *** If you look at a blessing and curse from YHVH’s
perspective, it becomes apparent that both have the
same end-result. Both have the result of bringing people
to their knees.
- A blessing brings people to their knees in praise and a
curse in repentance.
- Both blessing and curse can be used by YHVH to
deepen or restore our relationship with Him.

- Those who are righteous will be blessed and will bow
down and praise YHVH as a result of the blessing and
those who are unrighteous will be brought so low that
they will return to YHVH.
- A curse from YHVH really is the discipline of a loving
Father.
*** All of us are currently living under such a curse or
discipline.
- Most people have rejected YHVH and instead live for
self. They will be brought very low and some will
return to YHVH. I say return even of those who have
never known YHVH because all people belong to Him.
- Sadly, some will not return and will be destroyed.
There is still time to return and be part of the
household of YHVH. Allow me to explain this in more
detail.
Curses from YHVH and the Sabbatical year

Curses from YHVH and the Sabbatical year
There are many examples in Scripture of YHVH using curses
to punish His people in order to return them to Him. These
curses spoken through His prophets are warnings of what
would happen to His people if they do not return in obedience
to Him. As YHVH’s people, He wants us to honor Him as King
and keep His instructions, which He gave for our own good.
- When we don’t, He wants to help us to return, for leaving us
would lead to our destruction.
- We have learned that Idolatry and other sin (covenantal
unfaithfulness) can defile our land, our homes and our lives.
- This defilement is spiritual and results in curses. The word
“cursed” means “under judgment.” Here is another
definition:
460 IV. ‫ה‬ָּ‫ל‬ ָּ‫א‬(ʾ ā·lā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 423; TWOT 91a—1. LN
33.470–33.475 curse, i.e., the invoking of divine harm as a
retribution (Nu 5:23); charge, i.e.,breaking a binding agreement
that has divine sanctions for breaking (Ge 24:41)2

This is important, not doing this, as well as the other
commandments, will ensure that the curses on the nations,
on us, will continue. This new Sabbatical cycle will start
the cycle of war, we are already seeing signs of it
everywhere and after that comes captivity.
*** This is serious and national repentance and obedience
is required for the curses to stop.
We have explained more about the curses and the Sabbatical years in the article If you will not return to me
This is not a hopeless situation as YHVH has promised
restoration, if we return to Him in obedience.
Breaking the curse
These curses can be broken by returning to YHVH.
YHVH will restore, if we return.
Returning to YHVH in obedience means we are to keep His
commandments.
- We are not to spiritualize His commandments, but
physically keep those we can.

It is logical that we cannot keep the commandments
pertaining to the Temple or priests and a few other, but there
are many we can keep like YHVH’s Sabbaths: the weekly, the
annual (the feasts) and the seven year sabbaths (the
sabbatical year.)
- We are to return to YHVH where we are, in the nations.
- That means we are to keep His commandments, as best we
can, where we are.
- Read this passage in Deuteronomy. It doesn’t say we are to
wait until we are back in the land before we obey.
- It says we are to return to YHVH and obey Him with all our
heart and soul according to what was commanded.
- Our heart is spiritual and our soul is our flesh – physical.
This confirms that we are to obey both spiritually and
physically. If you only go through the motions without your
heart being in it, it is just as incomplete as spiritualizing
everything. So when we obey with our heart and soul, then
the curses would stop. ***

Blessings from YHVH
Blessings from YHVH are varied and are sometimes promised to
the nation and other times to individuals. We have seen that
blessings are bestowed for obedience and curses for
disobedience. You can read more about national blessings
in Leviticus 26:1-13 and Deuteronomy 28:1-15.
The blessings spoken of in these passages are for the nation,
for all of us. The sad part is that even if an individual chooses
to obey YHVH, he or she will be affected by what happens to
the nation when they choose not to obey. However, YHVH can
protect those who choose Him. He is our refuge and stronghold.
He also promised that a remnant will remain.
Noah is a good example. He was the only righteous man among
the people of his time. He chose to obey YHVH and he and his
family were saved from the flood that destroyed everything.

A blessing is not something we can inadvertently
claim based on certain behavior. Some people
believe that if we keep YHVH’s commandments
we deserve to be blessed.
This is not a good attitude to have. YHVH is
sovereign and we are imperfect. Everything we
receive out of His hand is done through His grace
and mercy. He has given Y’shua to take these
imperfections upon Himself. In Y’shua, we are
righteous, and blessed as a result of that
righteousness. You can read more about the
significance of the blood of Y’shua in the previous
week’s article.
What YHVH has spoken will come to pass.

A blessing or curse pronounced by YHVH cannot be revoked by
man
We read in numbers that a blessing from YHVH cannot be
revoked by a man.
Numbers 23:20
20 “Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has
blessed, then I cannot revoke it.
A blessing and a curse are like an oath. When it comes to blessings
and curses spoken by YHVH, it is not difficult to understand because
we know from Scripture that the blessings YHVH spoke were spoken
by oath.
Genesis 22:16–18
16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares YHVH, because you
have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only
son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your
seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the
seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their
enemies. 18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,
because you have obeyed My voice.”

We can take YHVH at His word. He will do what He has
promised. His words have power and will not return void.
Every word that YHVH has spoken will be fulfilled, this
includes every blessing and curse. The only way to stop
curses spoken by YHVH is with sincere repentance.
In Scripture, we also find examples of people speaking
blessings over others. Like a father blessing His children
before he dies. There are also examples of curses spoken
over others. We also see that these blessings and curses
were fulfilled. Why is this? What gives power to a blessing or
curse spoken by a human being?
Blessings and curses spoken by believers
We want to include these under YHVH’s perspective, because you
will see when YHVH is involved in any blessing or curse spoken,
that it has His power behind it. There are a few examples of this in
Scripture. Moses blessed the tribes of Israel before he died. Jacob
blessed his twelve sons and Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
Let’s look at the blessing of Jacob as an example.

Gen 45:1--‐2 Notice that it is after Judah repents
that Joseph Reveals himself!
- The same will be true for Yeshua today!
He will not come again until Judah repents!
This goes back to the intro verse (Gen 44:18),
And Judah was coming slowly to Joseph.
We are seeing today that the Jews are slowly
Coming to Yeshua.
- Not as their Messiah at this point, but they are
Starting to study Him as a Torah--‐ observant
Jew and study His teachings! For too long, the
Jews have been told that Yeshua did away
With the Torah, but we are finding more literature
Proving he was Torah--‐observant!

and He says, “Shall it be a small matter for You to be My
Servant to raise up the tribes of Yaʽaqoḇ, and to bring back
the preserved ones of Yisra’ĕl? And I shall give You as a light
to the gentiles, to be My deliverance to the ends of the
earth!” (Isaiah 49:6)
There are some who believe that God is angry with the Jews
for rejecting His Son. They also think that all the evil that
has befallen the Jewish people is a sign of God’s curse upon
them. They believe that God has rejected Israel as His
covenant people and that He has replaced them with another
– the Church. This belief is called replacement theology.
This Torah account of Joseph’s response to his brothers,
however, blows that erroneous theory to smithereens! ‫יהושע‬
isn’t angry, No, He is longing to be reconciled with them, and
to have an intimate relationship with them. “And I shall pour
on the house of Dawiḏ and on the inhabitants of
Yerushalayim a spirit of favour and prayers. And they shall
look on Me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn for Him
as one mourns for his only son. And they shall be in bitterness
over Him as a bitterness over the first-born. (Zechariah 12:10)
74

We often think of the Torah as a set of rules – a list of
legal And moral dogmas.
However, long before the Torah was written down by
Moses At Sinai, the books of Exodus thru Deuteronomy,
we have A clear example of forgiveness, grace and
mercy in Genesis!
Back to Joseph and Judah:
This is the first recorded act of forgiveness!
Forgiveness transforms human situations;
- It provides the possibility that we are not
condemned to endlessly repeat the past;
- When I forgive, I am showing my actions are not
Mere reactions (revenge);
- Forgiveness breaks the irreversibility of the
past— the undoing of what has been done!

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his
master is doing. But I have called you friends, for all teachings which I
heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)
Today’s Parsha is also a personal message to each one of us this very
day in our own private lives.
• If we are grieved and angry with ourselves for things we have done
that we now regret, because of what ‫יהושע‬ has done for us, we can
be released from guilt and condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
• God can work all things for the greater good of everyone and even
work events into His redemptive plan and purposes for your life.
(Romans 8:28) ‫יהושע‬ calls us His friends. We are not just ‘servants’ to
Him, but cherished friends.
• God’s word promises that if we will confess our sins, He is faithful
and just, not only to forgive us of these sins, but also to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
76

Yom Kippur Associations!
--‐Joseph cleared the room
--‐His encounter was face to face
--‐A time of reconciliation after repentance of their
Sin against their brother
--‐They drew near
--‐It was a day of judgment
--‐They left with joy being forgiven and restored!
YOM KIPPUR APPROVED BY UNITED
NATIONS OFFICE IN NEW YORK AS
RECOGNIZED JEWISH HOLIDAYS !

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:
1. His language was respectful, and humble.
2. His rhetoric was simple, without lofty oration or
unnecessary length, but plain, logical.
3. 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.
4. 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.
78

“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.
79

‘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)
Judah tells 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 “Ki
eh’bed’eh a’rav et 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.80

“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. 81

Judah’s plea to Joseph echoes the life of one of his descendants:
‫—יהושע‬the ‘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.
‫יהושע‬ foresaw 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) 82

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.
83

“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)
84

It’s hard to have faith when we are faced with the news
report of bad things happening to our country. The reality
of a loved one who are sick with deadly diseases with
deadly cancer, or the struggle to find work in a gloomy
economy. Such events push and pull us until we find
ourselves questioning our convictions, and even
distrusting our Heavenly Father’s love. *** And while such
feelings of doubt are natural from our human perspective,
they are unnatural from a spiritual point of view.
*** The good, the bad, and the ugly of life are all part of the
process of our spiritual sanctification. (Life’s Paradox)
Walking with YHWH takes us
through the valley of the
shadow of death and onto the
peaks of Mount Zion. ***Like
Yosef in the Torah, what was
intended for evil in your life
can turn out for your good.

Yosef understood the deep message of
Romans 8:28 which says, “all things work together
for the good of those who love YHWH and are called
according to His purpose.”
*** Even before these words were penned by the
Apostle Paul, the concept communicated in this
verse had already played out in our Torah portion
“Vayigash.”
After many years, Yosef comes face to face with the very
same brothers who pushed him into a pit and sold him
for silver. He doesn’t hold their actions against them but
considers what happened to him, the tragedies of
his life, to be for his good. Imagine that! Prison can
be good? Betrayal can turn into blessing? Family
problems can be resolved? Sins can be forgiven?
(Applications Examples: Modern jews in Israel story)

Yosef tells his brothers it wasn’t their fault he was
sold into slavery. Yosef instead gives praise to
YHWH for sending him to Egypt to preserve “a
remnant on earth and to save your people.”
“ He isn’t mad at his brothers for selling him and
telling their father he is dead. No, he realizes that
YHWH was working behind the scenes to save lives
by a great deliverance. We must acknowledge that if
YHWH did this in Genesis, then He can and certainly
is doing the same today.
- Whatever hardships you face today will turn out for
your benefit if you walk in covenant with YHWH.
That’s the stipulation of the promise of Romans
8:28.
Let’s read this passage in context and see exactly
how the tragedies and triumphs of life blend

The hard times Yosef experienced allowed him to
bring salvation to the entire world and brought a
restoration to the house of Israel. This is a picture of
how YHWH will re-establish Israel during the horrible
end times that are quickly approaching. “Then
Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When
they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph,
the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be
distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for
selling me here, because it was to save lives that God
sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has
been famine in the land, and for the next five years there
will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead
of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to
save your lives by a great deliverance. "So then, it was
not you who sent me here, but God,” Gen.45:4-8.

“we know that in all things YHWH works for the
good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.
-For those YHWH foreknew, he also predestined
to be conformed to the likeness of his Son that
he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
-And those he predestined, he also called;
- those he called, he also justified; those he
justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this?
If YHWH is for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:28-32

From the life of Yosef and this passage of Romans
we learn that YHWH has chosen you to be like His
Son Y’shua. *
- A follower of YHWH will face problems and
persecution as part of the process of being made
into the image of Messiah.
In our Torah readings we never see Yosef rebuking
the satan, refusing to help pagans, or making a fuss
because he was called by an Egyptian name and
even forced to live like an Egyptian.
- Instead, Yosef was open to the plan of YHWH.
- He knew that if YHWH was for him then nothing
and no one could be against him.
- He realized the progression of his life, with sorrows
and surprises, was just as important as the end
result.

Bad things happen to good people for several
reasons. One of which is because of the decisions
people make. A lot of what we face in our world
today is due to the poor decisions we or other
people around us have made.
- The brothers who handed over Yosef as a slave
understood this when they said, “Surely we are
being punished because of our brother.
- We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded
with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s
why this distress has come upon us,” Genesis /
Beresheet 42:21.
- We do indeed reap what we sow and therefore if
we choose evil we will eventually receive evil in
return. *** This is true for our family, our
community, and our nation.

YHWH is not to blame when bad things happen because of
the decisions you have made.
• For example, when you at the same time decide to drive
over the speed limit, text on your phone, and not wear a
safety belt, then the eventual car crash is exclusively your
fault.
• Bad choices lead to bad outcomes.
• Of course, Yosef didn’t choose to be born into his family.
• When people around us resolve to act ungodly, then we
may also face the consequences.
* Sometimes, the decisions of other people affect us.
People often drive right through red lights and collide with
unsuspecting vehicles. Bullets do strike the innocent.
Houses get robbed in the beautiful daylight.
*** The fallen world is falling in all around us, and we are
bound to be hit by some of the debris.
- The rain falls on the just and the unjust.

Many people accuse YHWH of fault for things that
happen without supposed just cause. We simply can
not forget that we live in a fallen world that is far
from heaven.
- The tragedies of our life should make us desire
our eternal home.
- They should also remind us that YHWH is at work.
- He was at work during the Holocaust and the
Columbine massacre.
- YHWH’s hand was moving behind the scenes to
save Esther and the Maccabees.
- *** This doesn’t mean that disasters in our day are
His plan or His idea.
- Y’shua said, “My Father is always at his work to
this very day, and I, too, am working," John /
Yochannan 5:17.

For believers, we should actually expect bad things to
happen. We should actually expect people to mistreat us and
be surprised when they don’t.
One Newer Testament author wrote to us saying, “do not be
surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though
something strange were happening to you. But rejoice
that you participate in the sufferings of Messiah, so that
you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
- Instead of a gospel of prosperity and popularity,
Y’shua promised us suffering and persecution is
guaranteed, because we use His name.
- Part of our covenant of eternal life is abundant life
here on earth. This abundant life includes times of
testing which should conform us into His image. Too
many people have made quick religious decisions to
follow the Messiah for the power of His resurrection
without counting the cost of following Him with their whole

“ Salvation is a packaged deal of joy and heartache. ”
We must seek to, “know Messiah and the power of his
resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his
sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so,
somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead,”
Philippians 3:10-11.
From this passage from Paul it almost seems as if being
like him with his death and suffering must precede our
resurrection from the dead.
*** If this is the case, then the tough times are actually
part of the process of our sanctification.
*** The method that YHWH uses in your life is so
important, as it’s the manner of your spiritual
development that determines your maturity.
The Psalmist said, “It is good for me that I have
been afflicted that I might learn your statutes.”

Psalmist said, “thy rod and thy staff comfort me.” Whatever
happens, including being chastised or punished is for your own
good. Hard times should cause us to cling to YHWH greater
instead of backsliding away from Him.
- And when it comes to the method we can not and should not
compare ourselves to other people.
- There is always someone who has it better in life than you.
There is also always someone who has it worse off than you.
- Life is completely unfair and that’s okay, according to the
Bible. In fact, there isn’t even a Hebrew word for the term
“fair.” The idea of life being “fair” is so foreign to the Hebraic
No, life isn’t fair. Some people have great health while others
are born with handicaps. Millions are highly religious and
seem to have things so easy while those who are truly
spiritual seem to struggle. What doesn’t seem fair is, in
reality, the Spirit of YHWH moving upon individual lives to
bring about His purpose. *** Y’shua said, “You do not realize
now what I am doing, but later you will understand,” John /
Yochannan 13:7.

The hard times Yosef experienced allowed him to
bring salvation to the entire world and brought a
restoration to the house of Israel.
This is a picture of how YHWH will re-establish Israel
during the horrible end times that are quickly
approaching. “Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come
close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am
your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And
now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with
yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save
lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now
there has been famine in the land, and for the next five
years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God
sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on
earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. "So
then, it was not you who sent me here, but God,” Gen.45:4-8.

Bad times break up the fallow ground of the soul, and
expose how fragile life really is.
- In reality, the sense of security that people feel is just
that, a sense and not a reality.
- At any given moment the dollar could crash, asteroids
could plummet the earth, a gunman could go crazy,
sickness could spread, or a business could close down.
- When calamity comes, people run to the local church for
answers and inspiration, so we must be ready to point
people to Messiah. Remember the verse from
Philippians that says, “I want to know Christ and the
power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His
sufferings.” Desiring to know the historical and Biblical
Messiah will lead people to the revelation of the Hebrew
Y’shua. Then will come the power of His resurrection to
help them through the sufferings of life. It all starts with
knowing Him.

What has been intended for harm, including
whatever you are facing now, can actually give you a
chance to share your faith and reveal yourself as
part of the Commonwealth of Israel.
When the world is turned upside down, people are open
to the good news of Y’shua because their defenses have
been taken down. It was during the famine that Yosef
disclosed his identity to his brothers. His
declaration that “I am Yosef” is one that we can
repeat to our own spiritual brothers who come to us
for guidance and even provision.
*** As Yosef, or part of Israel, you have a Biblical
heritage, culture, language, and lifestyle that provide
answers to life’s hardest questions. Your faith can,
and should prevail in the midst of misfortune. That’s
a lesson we can all learn from our Torah reading.

Benjamin represents the tribe that never
rejected Joseph!
Gen 44:11-12
The 1st cup is the Cup of Sanctification
The 2nd cup is the Cup of Deliverance
The 3rd cup is the Cup of Redemption
The 4th cup is the Cup of Acceptance
Benjamin has the silver cup—the cup of
redemption!
Silver represents redemption
Tie--‐in: Benjamin represents the Messiah--
‐believing tribe (did not reject Joseph)

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)
105

This is of course very interesting when we know
that nowadays, those pretending to
worship “Christ”, are followers of the same
Egyptian belief, the worship of the sun,
demonstrated in their different feast
like “christmas” and “easter” (isthar) and
their worship day the “sun-day” or “day of the
sun”, “valentine’s day”, “new year” and more.
*** Like Yoseph, Messiah ‫יהושע‬will have to go
to the spiritual Egypt to save the remnant of
those who will follow him in the Torah.
• Asenath is a picture of pagan nations
where Yoseph / ‫יהושע‬will bring the Torah.

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 ‫יהוה‬ will 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? 111

“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 ‫יהוה‬ makes 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”. 112

“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, ‫יהוה‬ brings
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 ‫יהוה‬ will be faithful to temper His judgment with
mercy. We all know what ‫יהושע‬ said 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. “ 113

.. 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) 114

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)
115

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, Moshiach ben Joseph 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 ‫’יהוה‬s “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.
116

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 ‫יהוה‬ one 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 ‫יהוה‬ told Abraham in Genesis 17:1; “I
am El Shaddai – walk before Me and be perfect.” and as ‫יהושע‬
told 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”.
117

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) 118

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’ya phoog”, 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. 119

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?”
120

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.
121

The law of Decapitated calf (egla arufa) 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 ‫יהוה‬ to 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) 122

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."
123

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, ‫'יהוה‬s 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.] ‫יהוה‬
renewed his faith, and he went forth, perceiving that the fulfillment of
the prophetic promise given to his fathers and him, was unfolding. 124

The similarities between the two events:
125
Jacob (leaving Canaan) Genesis
46:2-4
Moses (at the burning bush)
Exodus 3:4-8
Elohim calls out to Jacob in a
vision, “Jacob, Jacob”
Elohim calls out to Moses,
“Moses, Moses”
And he said, “Here am I” And he said, “Here am I”
I am the Elohim of your fathers I am the Elohim of your fathers
Do not fear going down to
Egypt for I will make you there
a great nation…
I have seen the suffering of My
people in Egypt and I have
heard their crying
I will go DOWN with you to
Egypt and I will also surely
BRING YOU UP again… the land
flowing with….
I have come DOWN to rescue
them from Egypt in order to
BRING YOU UP from that land
to

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. 126

.. 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,
Tzochar and 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
Hetzron and 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.
127

Zilpah 8 - Gad: Tzifyon, Haggi, Shuni, Etzbon, Èri, Arodi and
Ar'eli.
8 - Asher: Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, B'riàh, and their sister
Serach. Sons of B'riàh were Hever and
Malki'el
Rachel: 3 - Yosef: M'nasheh and Efrayim.
11 - Binyamin: Bela, Bekher, Ashbel, Gera, Naàman,
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
128

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 ‫יהושע‬
sent 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.
129

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) 130

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) 131

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. 132

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) 133

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)
134

‫’יהושע‬s words to His disciples on “how to love Him”:
When, therefore, they had eaten breakfast, ‫יהושע‬ said to Shimʽon
Kĕpha, “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.135

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, ‫יהושע‬ told 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)
136

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.” 137

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.
138

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. 139

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.
140

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.
141

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. 142

To remind the Maccabean Jews of Parashat Vayegash, 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 Parashat Vayegash (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 ‫’יהוה‬s promises. 143

and He says, “Shall it be a small matter for You to be My Servant to
raise up the tribes of Yaʽaqoḇ, and to bring back the preserved
ones of Yisra’ĕl? And I shall give You as a light to the gentiles, to be
My deliverance to the ends of the earth!” (Isaiah 49:6)
There are some who believe that God is angry with the Jews for
rejecting His Son. They also think that all the evil that has befallen
the Jewish people is a sign of God’s curse upon them. They believe
that God has rejected Israel as His covenant people and that He
has replaced them with another – the Church. This belief is called
replacement theology.
This Torah account of Joseph’s response to his brothers, however,
blows that erroneous theory to smithereens! ‫יהושע‬ isn’t angry, No,
He is longing to be reconciled with them, and to have an intimate
relationship with them. “And I shall pour on the house of Dawiḏ
and on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim a spirit of favour and
prayers. And they shall look on Me whom they pierced, and they
shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son. And they shall
be in bitterness over Him as a bitterness over the first-born.
(Zechariah 12:10)
144

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his
master is doing. But I have called you friends, for all teachings which I
heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)
Today’s Parsha is also a personal message to each one of us this very
day in our own private lives.
• If we are grieved and angry with ourselves for things we have done
that we now regret, because of what ‫יהושע‬ has done for us, we can
be released from guilt and condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
• God can work all things for the greater good of everyone and even
work events into His redemptive plan and purposes for your life.
(Romans 8:28) ‫יהושע‬ calls us His friends. We are not just ‘servants’ to
Him, but cherished friends.
• God’s word promises that if we will confess our sins, He is faithful
and just, not only to forgive us of these sins, but also to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
145

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