Genesis 47:28-50:26 | 2 Kings 2:1-12 | Matthew 5:1-16

This week's edition of The Set Table contains:

Questions and Commentary on Shabbat Vayechi
Chayyei Yeshua - A Devotional Commentary on the Besora Reading
Looking Ahead

Questions & Commentary on Parashat Vayechi

1. In Genesis 49, Jacob gathers his children to bless them before he dies. In verse 13, Jacob blesses Zebulun, the younger son of Leah ahead of his older brother Issachar. Why does Jacob honor the younger over the older? What is this meant to teach about the relationship between secular and sacred vocations? How does this apply in the context of the Messianic Jewish community? 

Rabbi Jason Sobel

Our Sages teach that Zebulun and Issachar formed a strategic alliance that was mutually beneficial. Commenting on the relationship that existed between these two tribes Rashi writes:  

Zebulun was engaged in commerce and provided support for the tribe of Issachar who were engaged in the study of Torah. This is what Moses referred to when he said, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out and Issachar, in your tents" (Deuteronomy 33:18). Zebulun goes out to engage in business whereas Issachar remains in their tents studying Torah. 

The strategic partnership that existed between these two tribes is a powerful portrait of how each of us can use our God-given abilities to help build God's Kingdom.  

But, why is Zebulun given greater honor for his efforts at commerce then Zebulun receives for toiling in the Torah? The reason for this is simple, "where there is no bread, there is no Torah" (m. Avot 3:21). The tribe of Issachar could only devote themselves to Torah scholarship because of Zebulun's generosity. Although man cannot live by bread alone, a person cannot live without it either

When a rabbi or shaliach (emissary of Messiah) has to worry about how they are going to provide for their family it becomes almost impossible to concentrate on spiritual matters such as Torah study and prayer.  

Ultimately, due to their mutual partnership, both Zebulun and Issachar were successful at their respective endeavors. God granted great business success to Zebulun, the younger brother, on account of his commitment to support Issachar's spiritual labors. Zebulun will also be granted spiritual reward for all of Issachar's success in the Torah. There is a beautiful story told about Rabbi Akiva's wife that illustrates this point:  

As a young man, Akiva worked as a shepherd for Kalba Savua, one of the wealthiest men in Israel. Kalba Savua had an attractive daughter name Rachel. One day Rachel went out into the field to check her father's sheep. Instantly upon seeing Rachel, Akiva, the poor shepherd, fell in love with her.  

Eventually, Akiva asked Rachel to marry him. She replied that she would marry him only if he agreed to study Torah and get a Jewish education. He agreed but did not know how this would be possible since he was illiterate.  

When Kalba Savua discovered that his beautiful rich daughter had agreed to marry a poor uneducated shepherd, he was incensed. He refused to support the couple and they quickly became destitute. Despite this fact, Rachel agreed to support the family while Akiva moved away to study at several Torah academies. Akiva became a great scholar, and his reputation spread throughout the country. The lowly shepherd became one of Israel's most beloved teachers. 

The day came when Rabbi Akiva felt it was time to return to his wife Rachel. But, he did not go alone. Twelve thousand of his faithful students came along with him. When it became known that the great Rabbi Akiva was coming, all the people in the village went out to meet and welcome him. Among the people was Rachel, his faithful and hardworking wife.  

Some students went ahead of the Rabbi to clear the way for him. They saw a poor woman in old clothes standing in the way. "Move out of the way, woman," they shouted, "make way for the great Rabbi." At this very moment Rabbi Akiva appeared and said: "This is my wife, Rachel. She is the one who forced me to study the Torah. Without her support, I would not have become a Rabbi and you would not be my students. Thus, all the Torah I have learned and passed on to you is on account of her."

b. Ketubot 62b-63a 

2. What spiritual lesson can we learn from the fact that Jacob made Joseph swear not to bury him in the land of Egypt? 

Rabbi Jason Sobel

Jacob made Joseph take an oath that he would bury him in the land of Israel. The primary reason for this is that he wanted to be buried in the eternal home of the Jewish people, the land God promised to him and his fathers. In addition, Egypt ultimately becomes a place of exile and suffering for the Jewish people. For Jacob's body to be left in Egypt is tantamount to living in a permanent state of exile. This was completely antithetical to his faith that God would fulfill his promise and lead the Jewish people to the Promised Land.  

Like Jacob, Jewish people must remember that our true home is never in "Egypt" or any place of exile. No matter how much we prosper materially and spiritually, we are not truly home. Ultimately, we cannot fulfill our destiny as long as we are guests in someone else's home. Therefore, we must cry out to God and pray -- "Take us fourth from the land of Egypt!"  

All the great men and women of faith understood this universal, spiritual message of this point. They knew that this world in its currant state is not our home. This point is underscored by the Book of Hebrews:  

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

    Hebrews 11:13-15, NIV 

We must not long for or lust after the things of this world. We must never allow ourselves to get too comfortable no matter how pleasant things are for us in galut (exile). We must wake up from our slumber and consider from where we come and to where we are going (m. Avot 3:1).  

To help the Jewish people remember from where we come and for what we are destined God gave us the Shabbat. Six days a week we toil with the material and are immersed in exile. But one day a week, on the Shabbat, we cease from our labor and focus on spirituality and community. By so doing, Shabbat becomes a taste of the world to come and a reprieve from exile. By keeping the Shabbat, our awareness of things eternal increases as we long for yom shekulo Shabbat - "the time that is all Shabbat", which is the Days of the Messiah. When we fail to honor the Shabbat, we demonstrate that we are still slaves in Egyptian exile who have not yet been released. Like Jacob who made Joseph swear to take his body out of Egypt, let us realize that we are not yet home and cry out to the Almighty - "Take us fourth from the Land of Egypt. We want Mashiach Yeshua now!!!"

Matthew 5:1-16 - The Language of Blessing

The language of the blessings that open the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-11 is markedly different from the language of the blessings recorded in the Torah. In this week's Torah portion we see Jacob blessing the tribes. The words and imagery Jacob uses are quite elaborate, full of symbols and allegory. The blessings themselves sound like descriptions of various attributes of the tribes. Moreover, Jacob opens up by stating he is speaking of what will happen the end of days (Genesis 49:1).

What does the end of days signify? Kabballa uses the term gemar tiqqun "The End of the Repair."  The end of days signifies completion of our task. The task we all have is to "repair the world" (tiqqun olam). To perform the task we need tools and energy. The blessing of Jacob provides the tribes with the source of strength to accomplish their various tasks, and the language used in Jacob's blessings describes the potential each tribe has (e.g. Judah's hand on the neck of his enemies;  
Genesis 49:8) as well as possible pitfalls or defects that need to be addressed (cursing of Shimon and Levi's anger; Genesis 49:6-7). Yaakov is speaking at the very beginning of the journey, equipping the tribes and providing them with access to their respective "talents." 

The problem with a talent is that it can be buried.  It requires action to be realized.  Yeshua's blessings speak of reward for the job accomplished, for the talents well used. The language of Yeshua's blessings is extremely clear: "blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy." Yeshua does need to use metaphor and symbolism that requires deciphering. Since he is speaking of a reward for the accomplished deed there is no need for code language.  

We all receive the blessing from God that is given to Israel and subsequently to all those who enter the Commonwealth of Israel through Messiah Yeshua.  Therefore, Jacob is speaking to each of us as well. We are in the process of our journey, and we constantly face the seeming absence of God in everyday events and ambiguity that such "absence" causes. We yearn for clarity and direction even though we know we are blessed with all we need to accomplish our task.  

The words of Yeshua light up our path by providing needed clarity. Mercy, meekness, hunger for righteousness, peacemaking - all these principles, when practiced, reveal God in our daily circumstances piercing through the seeming reality of the mundane. The reward for these is in the world to come, this world does not have the reward, only its taste (taste and see that God is good; Psalm 34:8). But it surely connects us with the source of blessing, stemming from our ancestors, to accomplish the task for which we were chosen.

NEXT WEEK'S READINGS - PARASHAT SHEMOT

Exodus 1:1-6:1
Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23 (Ashkenazim)
Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 (Sepharadim)
Matthew 5:17-26