ויגש
Beresheet/Genesis 44:18-47:27
In the present and coming chaos of this world the key to shalom is intimacy with Ha Shem. This Torah portion reveals important instruction regarding this shalom.
Yahshua remarkably captured the essence of this instruction when he teaches us about coming to terms with or agreeing with our adversary.
Mat 5:25 “Be well-minded with your opponent, promptly, while you are on the way with him, lest your opponent deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Mat 5:26 “Truly, I say to you, you shall by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
The Greek implies that we must come to terms with our enemy quickly while we are able. If we do not come to terms with that which is unfair and downright unrighteous we could land up in the “jailhouse” in deep bondage that will be almost impossible to come out of.
Occasionally we are able to do something about injustice, but we are living in times when this will become increasingly difficult and often impossible.
In these last days believers must be prepared to endure the most terrible injustices against themselves and others.
If we do not come to terms with this “seeming powerlessness” in our lives we will be consumed. How we respond to this “powerlessness” may be the determining factor whether or not you will be called to be part of the bride of Messiah or not.
Yehudah (Judah/tribe of Judah) shows us the way to overcome this “powerlessness” and in these last days will show us the way once again. It is possibly this quality above all that qualifies him to bring his dispersed brothers back together again. Once again Yehudah holds the key.
So in a sense we are “powerless” to even do something about our “powerlessness” No amount of rationalizing can bring about relief to this dilemma, however herein lies our complete victory over all evil.
May this parasha open our eyes to see.
Blessing for the Torah:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah.
Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Torah Readings:
- 44:18-30
- 44:31 – 45:7
- 45:8-18
- 45:19-27
- 45:28 – 46:27
- 46:28 – 47:10
- 47:11-24
- Maftir: 47:25-27
Haftarah : Ezekiel 37:15-28
When this prophecy comes true great light will be shed upon many of our unanswered questions.
Haftarah - Eze 37:16 “And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Yehuḏah and for the children of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yosĕph, the stick of Ephrayim, and for all the house of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’
Eze 37:17 “Then bring them together for yourself into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand.
Eze 37:18 “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
Eze 37:19 say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yosĕph, which is in the hand of Ephrayim, and the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.(“chavero” –k&q*) And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Yehuḏah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.” ’
Eze 37:20 “And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.
Eze 37:21 “And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the children of Yisra’ĕl from among the gentiles, wherever they have gone, and shall gather them from all around, and I shall bring them into their land.
Eze 37:22 “And I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl. And one sovereign shall be sovereign over them all, and let them no longer be two nations, and let them no longer be divided into two reigns.
Eze 37:23 “And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be My people, and I be their Elohim,
Eze 37:24 while Dawiḏ My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one shepherd and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them.
Eze 37:25 “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Ya’aqov My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and My servant Dawid be their prince forever.
- In the Hebrew Masoretic text occasional changes are made in the text. These changes are indicated by a letter “k”or “Q” in the margin of the text. The “K” stands for “ketiv” which means that which was originally written. The “Q” stands for “quere” and means the way which the text is now read and understood.
I believe the above change of text is objectionable. The original written text says “his companion” in the singular and the text was changed to the plural “his companions.”
I believe the implications of this change are significant. We better understand this implication if we take the analogy Paul uses in Romans chapter 11 concerning the natural branches and the wild branches that have been grafted into an already established root system.
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, (second person singular) being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree,
Rom 11:18 do not boast against the branches. And if you boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you!
Rom 11:19 You shall say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.”
Rom 11:20 Good! By unbelief they were broken off, and you (second person singular) stand by belief. Do not be arrogant, but fear.
Rom 11:21 For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He might not spare you (singular) either.
Rom 11:22 See then the kindness and sharpness of Elohim: on those who fell sharpness, but toward you kindness, if you continue in His kindness, otherwise you (singular) also shall be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if you (singular) were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Rom 11:25 For I do not wish you (plural) to be ignorant of this secret, brothers, lest you (plural) should be wise in your own estimation, that hardening in part has come over Yisra’ĕl, until the completeness of the gentiles1 has come in. Footnote: 1Gen. 48:19.
Note how Paul addresses the “branches” as singular and warns them finally in the plural.
I believe we as grafted in ex gentiles need to be extremely cautious how we approach this tree and what kind of fruit our lives produces as a result of being grafted into this tree. WE DO NOT COME INTO THIS TREE AS A GROUP.
We must note that it is not the Messianic movement or any other group or movement that will be grafted in, it will be individuals that have forsaken their identity to take on their new identity. The only reference we have to this identity comes from Israel and the Jews, even though many of them have strayed from the Torah.
We must be cautious not to place too much importance to any on our “little group.” Our little group is a means to an end and not the end itself. I believe the Messianic movement is in danger of assuming a self- importance that will bring about their exclusion and not inclusion into Yisrael.
I am not trying to diminish the importance of belonging to a group. The scripture warns us about been lone rangers –
Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging, and so much more as you see the Day coming near.
It is in these groups that we are pruned and prepared for fruitfulness and to be grafted in the “olive tree” as INDIVIDUALS.
The key to shalom is watching and praying that Yehudah will approach the Messiah in these last days. This has already begun to happen - Baruch Ha Shem YHVH!
Aliyah Rishon 44:18-30
Yasher chp 54 – gives some interesting background information not found in the Torah. Yasher indicates that Yahudah warned Yosef that he and Mitsrayim/Egypt would come to great harm if they sought to keep Benyamin in captivity.
Herein lies another key to our shalom. Whatever the response of our enemy we know that YHVH’s purpose will be fulfilled.
Note now the use of the word “father” in the following verses.
Gen 44:18 And Yehudah came near to him and said, “O my master, please let your servant speak a