Vayigash

וַיִּגַּשׁ

Parsha Wayigash (Vayigash)

Beresheeth (Genesis) 44:18-47:27

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And Yahuwdah came near to him and said, “O my master, please let your servant speak a word in my master’s hearing, and do not let your displeasure burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh Beresheeth (Genesis) 44:18

Yahuwseph tested his brothers to see if they had changed, at the end of the previous Torah Portion Yahuwseph accused BenYamin his youngest brother of being a thief.  וַיִּגַּשׁ Wayigash (VaYigash) means “and he drew near.”  Yahuwdah, whose idea it was to sell Yahuwseph into slavery, now unknowingly “draws near” to the brother he sold. Yahuwseph had made himself “strange” to them so that they had no idea he was the viceroy of all of Mitsraim (Egypt).  Yahuwdah stood before his powerful brother Yahuwseph who is like the Pharaoh himself, and requested for BenYamin’s freedom.   Yahuwdah explained the great love and favor his Father had for his youngest brother, BenYamin and that if he wasn’t allowed to return home; it would cause his Father, Yaacob to die from grief. Yahuwdah had previously vowed personally to Yaacob, his Father, that he would return BenYamin home safely.  For this reason Yahuwdah asked to take BenYamin’s place. This act of kindness  or חֶסֶד “chesed” revealed a change in Yahuwdah, a selfless act demonstrating fruits of תשובה  teshubah or “repentance”.

Hearing the heartfelt repentance of his brother Yahuwdah; Yahuwseph ordered all the Mitzirites (Egyptians) to exit the room, in order that he may reveal himself to his brothers. He wept aloud and announced in his native Hebrew (Ibrit/Abrit) tongue אֲנִי יֹוסֵף הַעֹוד אָבִי חָי “Ani Yahuwseph! Ha’od Abi chai?” meaning “I am Yahuwseph, is my Father still alive? In shock the brothers trembled before Yahuwseph and were unable to answer him. Yahuwseph called his brothers to draw near to him where again repeats, “I am Yahuwseph, your brother whom you sold in Mitsrayim, do not be grieved nor displeased with yourselves because you sold me here, for Elohim (Aluahym) sent me before you to preserve you!” He informed them of Pharaoh’s dream and how he interpreted that the great famine would come and how it had already lasted two years and would continue yet another five years. He proclaimed “Elohim (Aluahym) sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to give life to you by a great escape.” After this he urged his brothers to go back and retrieve Yaacob his Father and their families and bring them to Mitzrayim.   Yahuwseph would take care of them and he promised them the best land in Mitzrayim known as Goshen, for a place to dwell and raise herds. Here we see the great loving kindness or חֶסֶד “chesed” that Yahuwseph had for his brothers. Yahuwseph stood as judge holding the lives of his brothers in his hand, yet he preserved them and wept over them.  He could have took vengeance for the wrong that had been done to him but instead he showed compassion.  This is the same type of “chesed” or kindness that Yahuwshuwa our Mashyach (Messiah) demonstrated to those whom had betrayed him.

Pharaoh learned of the family reunion and donated wagons to have Yaacob and his entire family brought to Goshen, “the fat of the land.”  Upon returning to Kena’an (Canaan), the sons retold the events that happened in Mitzrayim to Yaacob their elderly Father.

Beresheeth (Genesis) 45:26 And they told him, saying, “Yahuwseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Mitsrayim.” And Yaacob’s heart ceased, for he did not believe them.27But when they spoke to him all the words which Yahuwseph had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons which Yahuwseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of Yaacob their father revived.

Yaacob who is Yisrael (Israel) reponded “it is enough; Yahuwseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.”  Along the way to Mitzrayim (Egypt), Yaacob offered sacrifices to YaHuWaH at Beersheba, where YaHuWaH first appeared to him in a vision, there YaHuWaH reassured him about going to Mitzrayim. YaHuWaH promised to make Yisrael (Israel) a great nation in the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt)

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           (Remains of Be’er Sheba)

Beresheeth (Genesis) 46:2And Elohim spoke to Yisra’el in the visions of the night, and said, “Ya’acob, Ya’acob!” And he said, “Here I am.”3And He said, “I am the El, Elohim of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Mitsrayim, for I shall make you there into a great nation.4 “I Myself am going down with you to Mitsrayim and I Myself shall certainly bring you up again. And let Yoseph put his  hand on your eyes.”

When Yaacob arrived, Yahuwseph went out to meet his Father by chariot. Yahuwseph wept over his Father as he embraced him for the first time in 22 years of separation. Yahuwseph was “dead” as far as Yaacob knew but now his Son is alive again! “Now I can die, having seen for myself that you are still alive”. Yahuwseph instructed his brothers to inform Pharaoh that they were shepherds by profession, so that they would be sent to the fertile land of Goshen. Shepherds were an abomination to the Mitzarite religion and way of life. Yahuwseph presented his Father to Pharoah, who marveled at Yaacob being 130 years of age, asking, “how old are you?” Pharaoh was said to be a deity, an immortal yet his lifespan and the lifespan of his ancestors was dwarfed by the elder Yaacob. Yaacob gave Pharoah a berikah (“blessing”) and went to live in Goshen.

Goshen-Map-1

The ancient land of Goshen was also known as “Avaris.”  Recent archaeological finds in the fertile Nile delta, the land of Goshen verifies an enormous settlement in the region by Asiatics from the region of Kena’an (Canaan).  These inhabitants are referred to as Neo-Syrian but we know in fact this description matches the children of Yisrael who were Asiatic, Shemites also of Aramean (Syrian) descent.  Most Archaeologists do not identify this find with the children of Israel due to wrongly dating the exodus from Egypt.  Many Archaeologists including Egyptologist David Rohl, believe however this is overwhelming proof of the early Israelites.  The settlement is huge and reveals a city of special status, with permission given by the crown.  Within the settlement in Goshen has been found a large palace with 12 standing pillars and with 12 graves in the back quart yard.  One of the graves were designed in the pyramid shape showing nobility.  This man was second to Pharaoh and is the only major proof of Yahuwseph known.  Either this man is Yahuwseph or he just happens to have the same career and ethnicity as Yahuwseph..  Within the pyramid a statue was erected of Yahuwseph by the Egyptians.    Evidence shows the settlement was literally abandoned over night.  This is the only proof of Shemites ever dwelling in the land of Goshen.  9f2f0ba070e07f9ddeb14a5eda590ce9                                                              (Yahuwseph statue fragment)

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(Rings baring the name Ya’acob uncovered in Goshen)

The overwhelming evidence that supports the settlement of the twelve tribes in the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt) is too vast to cover here.  Apparently part of Yahuwseph’s policy for preparing for the famine was to dig a waterway in the Nile River.  This waterway is still known today as Bahr Yousef, the waters of Yousef.

Map_Bahr_Yousef_and_Semite_Cities-13mJoseph's Canal Faiyum Oasis

                                                                           (Bahr Yousef)

The parshah ends with Yahuwseph continuing to gather a great fortune for the Pharoah.  This massive exchange of wealth included all the silver in Mitzrayim and Cannan, land and servants, for the grain, which Yahuwseph  stored. He set up a tax system in which a fifth of the land’s produce would become property of the state.  This massive gain of wealth can be documented in Egyptian history, and such an account only happens once.  The Yashar’alites (Israelites) lived in Goshen, where they acquired property and multiplied in number from the 70 beings in all who dwelt in Mitzrayim.

In Rabbinic tradition there is expectation for two Messiahs. One would be Mashyach Ben Yahuwseph who would be a suffering servant, the other Mashyach Ben Dawid who would be the coming conqueror. We however know this concept of “two Messiahs” to be two characteristics of the one Mashyach, who is not just a Son of Dawid, but the Son of YaHuWaH. Just as Yahuwseph was “dead” to his Father and brothers, so Messiah would literally die. Just as his brothers did not recognize him until they were in front of his throne, many of the 12 tribes will not know him until he returns as the conquering Lion of the tribe of Yahuwdah!