In Parshas Vayigash, Yosef HaTzadik reveals his true identity to his brothers and asks them to inform Yaakov Avinu that he is alive and to bring their father down to Mitzrayim. Sefer HaYashar (Parshas Vayigash) relates that as the brothers travelled home, they were afraid that suddenly reporting the albeit wonderful news of Yosef
Throughout world history, the Jewish people have endured severe ongoing hate, persecution, exile, violence and genocide. Although in recent decades American Jews have not experienced much anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. increased more than one-third in 2016 reflected by assaults, vandalism, and
At the end of Parshas Vayechi, both Yaakov Avinu and Yosef HaTzadik die, are buried and mourned. It is an appropriate juncture to address the eternal question: what happens to us when we die? Death, it is often said, is a part of life. For those who remain alive and experience the death of a relative or close friend, this is certainly
Rabbi Yehoshua Pffefer writes, “In Parashas Vayeishev we begin to learn about the importance of dreams. Yaakov Avinu, the Torah informs us, “kept the matter” of Yosef’s prophetic dreams, anticipating their future fulfillment. Ultimately, the dreams were realized when Yaakov and his sons were brought before Yosef, the