Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Daily Aliya for Vayigash, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Jacob and his entire family left Canaan and headed to Egypt. En route they stopped in Be'er Sheva, where G‑d told Jacob not to fear going to Egypt, for it is there that he will be made into a great nation. Furthermore G‑d told him: "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up."

On his way to see Yosef, Yaakov stops to offer sacrifices to "the G-d of his father Yitzchak". It's a strange reference to Yitzchak, but an important connection. Yaakov must have realized the connection between the deceit he perpetuated against his father to receive Esav's blessings, and the deceit of Yosef's apparent death. Although completely justified, Yaakov was punished for causing his father such pain, and this offering might have been his repentance. Yaakov listened to his mother by deceiving his father, did the right thing for the future of the Jewish people, and yet he had to repent. How much more so should we repent when we do something we shouldn't...

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