10 years ago
Chp. 47 verses 28 - 31: Yaakov lives in the land of Egypt for seventeen years. He will live to the age of 147. Before he dies he calls for Yosef and asks him to take an oath that when he dies he will bury him in the land of Canaan in the Cave of the Macpelah. Yosef agrees to do fulfill his father's request. Yaakov asks him to swear to him and he takes an oath.
10 years ago
Chp. 48 verses 1 - 9: Yosef is told that his father is on his deathbed. He takes his two sons with him so that his father can bless them before he dies. He tells Yosef that his two sons would each be counted as one of the tribes of Israel, just as Ruevain and Shimon. Yaakov then explains why he buried Rachel on the road to Bethlehem. Yaakov then sees the sons of Yosef and he asks who they are? Yosef assures him that they are his children. Yaakov then asks him to bring then to him so that he can bless them.
10 years ago
Chp.48 verses 10 -20: Yosef places his two sons between the knees of his father so that he can bless them. He places Manasseh, the first born, on his right and Ephraim, youngest, on his left. Yaakov crosses his hands so that his right hand in on the youngest and his left hand on the eldest. Yosef protests but Yaakov insists that he knows what he is doing. He blesses his grandsons with the famous blessing used to this day to bless Jewish boys.
10 years ago
Chp. 48 verses 21 & 22. Chp. 49 verses 1 - 4: Yaakov tells Yosef that he is going to die, but that Hashem would be with them and return them to the land of their fathers. He then gives him Shechem as an inheritance over and above that of his brothers. Chp. 49 Yaakov gathers his sons and wants to tell them about the end of time but the Divinity of G-d leaves him. He then begins to bless his sons. He begins with the eldest Reuvain, whom he criticizes as being unstable as water.
10 years ago
Chp. 49 verses 5 - 12: Yaakov continues with Shimon and Levi,he curses their anger. Then he turns to Yehudah who starts to leave thinking his father would criticize him about his affair with his daughter-in-law. Yaakov sensing his concern changes the direction of his words and Blesses Yehudah with words of praise and promise. He would continue to bless the rest of his sons without any words of condemnation.
10 years ago
Chp. 49 verses 13 - 18: Yaakov continues with the blessing of Zevulun, who were the businessman who traveled on the seas. They supported their brother Yisaachar who were the Torah scholars. They were blessed after Zevulun to be successful in their learning and their service to Hashem. Next he blessed Dan whom he referred to as a "serpent on the road." His blessing was an allusion to Samson who was from the tribe of Dan and would judge them for 20 years. He finishes with a prayer for the generations," for your salvation I have waited O L-rd."
10 years ago
Chp. 49 verses 19 - 28: Continues with Yaakov blessing his sons. He blesses Gad, Asher, and Naphtali with short blessings. However, with Yosef he showers him with special blessings and praise. He concludes with the youngest son Binyamin. The Torah concludes his blessing with the words that "he blessed them," to elude to the fact that they were all included in each others blessings.
10 years ago
Chp. 48 verses 29 -33 Chp. 50 verses 1 - 13: Yaakov finishes blessing his sons. He instructs them once again to bury him in the Cave of the Machpelah in the land of Canaan. He expires and is gathered to his people. Chp. 50 Yosef has his father embalmed for forty days and then the Egyptians mourn for him for thirty days. He then asks Pharaoh for permission to take his father to Canaan to be buried. Pharaoh agrees and he and his brothers and families accompanied by Egyptian dignitaries and an army take his father to the Machpelah. They mourn for their father for seven days at Abel-mizraim. Then they carry him to the cave of the Machpelah for burial.
10 years ago
Chp. 50 verses 14 -26: Yosef and his brothers return to Egypt after burying their father. The brothers detect a difference in Yosef attitude towards them. They are concerned that now that Yaakov was dead that Yosef would exact his revenge on them or their children for selling him. They send a messenger to tell him that their father on his deathbed had instructed them to say to him that he should forgive them. He assures them that he will continue to support them and their children. Yosef lives to see great grandchildren. He is the first of the brothers to die. Before he dies he makes all the children of Israel swear that they will not leave Egypt without his bones. And with this verse we finish the Book of Bereishit. With the blessings of Hashem may we continue on to the Book of Shemos.