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כל אלה שבטי ישראל שנים עשר... ויברך אותם איש אשר כברכתו ברך אתם

All these are the twelve tribes of Yisrael… and he (Yaakov) blessed them. Everyone according to his blessing did he bless them. (49:28)

Changing one’s direction in life is difficult. Once one has either chosen a specific path, or has ended up living a certain lifestyle because it just evolved, he finds change difficult. Many factors are involved. Complacency often prevails; and depression, the mounting feeling that “change” is something one cannot handle or in which will not be successful, is a powerful deterrent. Therefore, we often remain in a bind, doing the same thing, sticking to the same mold – and being miserable. Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, derives a lesson from Yaakov Avinu which will invariably save the day for many of…

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ויקרא יעקב אל בניו ויאמר האספו ואגידה לכם את אשר יקרא אתכם באחרית הימים

Yaakov called for his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves, and I will tell you what will befall you in the End of Days. (49:1)

Rashi teaches that Yaakov Avinu was about to reveal the keitz, end of galus, exile, to his sons, but, at that moment, the Shechinah, Divine Presence, departed from him. The Shlah HaKadosh explains that Yaakov intimated to his sons the key to ending the exile. He told them Heiasfu! “Gather together; assemble yourselves as one!” v’agidah lachem, “and group yourselves together in one congregation; one assembly, all focused on Hashem. As long as there is pirud, separation, divisiveness, among the brothers, the Shechinah will remove itself from you, and the Geulah, Final Redemption, for which you are all yearning, will…

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ואני נתתי לך שכם אחד על אחיך אשר לקחתי מיד האמרי בחרבי ובקשתי

And as for me, I have given you Shechem – one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Emori with my sword and with my bow. (48:22)

Rashi offers two interpretations of Yaakov Avinu’s conquest of Shechem. The first interpretation is that Shechem is a reference to the city of Shechem, which Yaakov conquered through the agency of Shimon and Levi. After the two brothers slew the inhabitants of Shechem, the surrounding nations rose up against Yaakov, who returned their warfare and miraculously emerged victorious. Therefore, charbi u’b’kashti, sword and bow, are realistic weapons which enabled the Patriarch to best his enemies. The second interpretation maintains that Yaakov refers to the birthright, the double portion, he wrested away from Eisav, who is here referred to as the…

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ויברכם ביום ההוא לאמר בך יברך ישראל

So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you shall Yisrael bless.” (48:20)

And so it has become the case throughout the generations. Parents bless their children; Menasheh and Efraim serve as the paradigms of blessing. Does bayom ha’hu, “that day,” refer to a specific time? That day means that any day on which parents bless their children, Menasheh and Efraim will be their example. Horav Asher, zl, m’Karlin, interprets bayom ha’hu homiletically. Yaakov Avinu blessed his grandchildren that they should focus their endeavors on “that day.” Never push off until tomorrow what can be done today. The idea of pushing things off l’machar, tomorrow, is Amalek’s way of acting. By tomorrow, one…

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וירא ישראל את בני יוסף ויאמר מי אלה ויאמר יוסף אל אביו בני הם אשר נתן לי אלקים בזה

Yisrael saw the sons of Yosef, and he said, “Who are these?” Yosef said to his father, “They are my sons, who Hashem gave me with this” (48:8,9)

Most of Parashas Vayechi is occupied with Yaakov Avinu’s final moments on earth, his last will and testament to his children, and the various messages implied by his choice of words. The parsha opens with Yaakov’s becoming ill and calling for Yosef to come to his bedside. Yosef did not come alone. He brought with him his two sons, Menasheh and Efraim. When Yaakov saw them, he asked, “Who are these?” Yosef replied, “They are my sons, whom G-d gave me with this…” Rashi presents an in-depth explanation of their conversation. Yaakov was about to bless Yosef’s sons when, suddenly,…

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ועשית עמדי חסד ואמת

And do kindness and truth with me. (47:29)

Rashi teaches that the kindness one performs for the deceased is chesed shel emes, kindness of truth. Under such conditions, one executes his duties for the express purpose of performing an act of chesed. There are no thanks, no accolades, no payment whatsoever. It is all l’shem Shomayim, for the sake of Heaven. When it comes to acting on behalf of one who is deceased, the reward is unusual. I think the reason is simple. When we act kindly to a fellow Jew, the individual, for the most part, is acutely aware that he is the recipient of a favor…

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