Living After Dying

BH

This weeks Parsha is called Vayechi, which means "he lived." The name of the Parsha refers to how Jacob lived the last years of his life in Egypt, as the very first verse references his last 17 years there.

We are always taught that the name of the Parsha is all inclusive of the Parsha itself, teaching us what we will learn within.

This seems strange when we think about the fact that the Parsha called VaYechireferring to Yakov’s life in Egypt in fact talks mostly about Yakov’s death and the surrounding events. Wouldn’t you think the Parsha would refer to the actual life of Yakov?!

In the Parsha, following Yakov’s deliverance of his final blessings to his children and grandchildren, Yakov breathes his final breath and “expires,” as the Torah describes it. All of his descendants, members of the Egyptian rule and more escort Yakov’s remains to the Holy Land for burial in the Cave of Machpela.

However, the Torah never actually states that Yakov died! What is this all meant to teach?

Interestingly, the name of this Parsha is very simila to that of a few weeks ago when we read Parshat Chayei Sarah – the Life of Sarah. That Parsha is called the Life of Sarah and again, talks mostly about her death and the following events.

I was explained in reference to Parshat Chayei Sarah that true life is judged by our offsprings. Sarah truly lived, as can be seen by the child, Isaac that she raised. She left a great legacy, and through Isaac, continued to live.

Sarah lived many years amongst immoral, non believers. The fact that she was able to impart on Isaac the Jewish identity that she did shows that she really lived.

Yakov lived his last 17 years in Egypt, a land known for its lack of morals, its indecency, and many trials and tribulations to true faith found everywhere. Yet, Yakov was able to leave his descendants with a true sense of Jewish identity and pride. His descendants were the next link in the chain that has followed until today.

Therefore, when the Torah refers to Yakov’s stopping to breathe, rather than him dying, its a telling of the true life that he lived. The truest ever. In fact the Talmud even offers that in reality, Jacob in fact did not die!

Furthermore, as we shall see, Jacob's death signaled the beginning of the descent that would conclude with the physical enslavement of all his descendants. The fact that the Jewish people remained loyal to Jacob's heritage even under such antagonistic circumstances is further proof that his death was the truest indication that not only was he was "alive" during his lifetime, but continued to remain so afterwards, as well.

The lessons we learn from the Parsha each week are lessons for today, not lessons of yesterday. We must apply them to our daily lives in the current, and not view them as a matter of the past. Keeping that in mind, the most prominent lesson of parashat Vayechi is that we can perform our Jewish duties, just as Sarah, Yakov, Yosef and so many before us weathered the odds of their surrounding and the trials and tribulations they offered.

The challenges of the modern world are indeed tricky, but we can beat them if we remain committed to the basic guidelines of Judaism and raise our children in said fashion!

It is thus fitting that the first book of the Torah ends with the message ofVayechi, "he lived." As the page turns from the groundwork laid by our ancestors and we begin the journey of our people becoming a nation – the chosen nation – it is vital that we recognize where this nation comes from. And where the life - the connection with G-d and Torah – actually comes from.

Parashat Vayechi reminds us that the Book of Genesis is not just a good book with stories of our forefathers who have since passed. In fact, they are alive, truly alive, and it is only by us identifying as Jewish people that they remain alive!

Lets continue to live and teach others to live!

Don't Let the Light Go Out

BH

This Shabbat is very unique. On Shabbat we are always encompassed by the holiness of G-d and Torah, more so than during the remainder of the week. On Chanukah, we are surrounded by light which illuminates the world with holiness.

On Shabbat-Chanukah, we are literally living a full Shabbat of awesomeness! The holiness of Shabbat and the light of Chanukah come together to inspire the Jewish people and give a spark as we move forward on the calendar.

Chanukah is a very unique and special time. Many lessons are learned from the holiday. The most popular theme of Chanukah is the lights.

Chassidic masters have taught over and over again how light changes the world. Of course we ask ourselves, “Why do I need a Chassidic Rabbi to tell me that light eradicates darkness?”

Good question indeed.

When a candle, emitting one small flame, is lit in a huge room, the light changes the entire room. Chassidism compares this physical fact to a spiritual fact: Do one good deed and the entire landscape of the world changes!

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson once wrote a letter to the participants of several public Menorah Lightings in the United States. In that letter the Rebbe opens with; “Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, recalls the victory—more than 2100 years ago—of a militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people over the mighty forces of a ruthless enemy that had overrun the Holy Land and threatened to engulf the land and its people in darkness.

What the Rebbe is stressing in the opening of the letter is how the spiritual strength – the LIGHT – of the Jewish army, led them to victory over their enemy – over the darkness.

The Rebbe then continues in his letter, “The Chanukah Lights remind us in a most obvious way that illumination begins at home, within oneself and one’s family, by increasing and intensifying the light of Torah and Mitzvos in the everyday experience.”

The Rebbe – as seen through his army of emissaries around the globe – was a pioneer in kindling the light! The Rebbe told everyone to be “LAMPLIGHTERS” and spread the light wherever they go. Yes, we must create the spark at home, but the next step is to take that spark and extend it, one wick at a time, until the entire world is engulfed in G-dliness.

“Such is the nature of light that when one kindles the Chanukah Lights which are expressly meant to illuminate the “outside,” symbolically alluding to the duty to bring light also to those who, for one reason or another, still walk in darkness. “ the Rebbe explains.

It is important that each of us take a lesson for life from our Holidays and traditions which seemingly celebrate happenings of thousands of years ago. The truth is, the celebration of Chanukah, and of other Jewish Holidays, is a celebration of the present.

The original celebrations of Chanukah celebrated the victory of the weak over the mighty, the few over the many and so on. Today’s celebration of Chanukah commemorates that and celebrates the modern day victory of goodness over evil and the triumph of what is right over it’s adversaries.

The goal of today’s celebrations of Chanukah is to create holiness out of mundane just as we create the holy Chanukah lights from a simple candle. We must transform the world and make it holy so the words of the prophet Zechariah , found in this week’s special Shabbat Chanukah Haftarah, will be fulfilled.

"Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for, behold! I will come and dwell in your midst, says the L-rd."

By creating spirituality and goodness in this world, we constantly illuminate it and bring G-d and his glory closer.

As the Rebbe concludes his letter, “Let us pray that the message of the Chanukah Lights will illuminate the everyday life of everyone personally, and of the society at large, for a brighter life in every respect, both materially and spiritually”