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CANDLE LIGHTING
7:14pm early candle lighting
8.27pm - Candle Lighting, Friday.
9.27pm - Havdalah, Saturday.
These times are for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Eruv Status: KOSHER
Shabbat Shalom!
YESHIVA SHULE TIMES
PARSHAH IN A NUTSHELL
Jacob lives the final 17 years of his life in Egypt. Before his passing, he asks Joseph to take an oath that he will bury him in the Holy Land. He blesses Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, elevating them to the status of his own sons as progenitors of tribes within the nation of Israel.
The patriarch desires to reveal the end of days to his children, but is prevented from doing so.
Jacob blesses his sons, assigning to each his role as a tribe: Judah will produce leaders, legislators and kings; priests will come from Levi, scholars from Issachar, seafarers from Zebulun, schoolteachers from Simeon, soldiers from Gad, judges from Dan, olive-growers from Asher, and so on. Reuben is rebuked for "confusing his father's marriage bed"; Simeon and Levi, for the massacre of Shechem and the plot against Joseph. Naphtali is granted the swiftness of a deer, Benjamin the ferociousness of a wolf, and Joseph is blessed with beauty and fertility.
A large funeral procession consisting of Jacob's descendants, Pharaoh's ministers, the leading citizens of Egypt and the Egyptian cavalry accompanies Jacob on his final journey to the Holy Land, where he is buried in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron.
Joseph, too, dies in Egypt, at the age of 110. He, too, instructs that his bones be taken out of Egypt and buried in the Holy Land, but this would come to pass only with the Israelites' exodus from Egypt many years later. Before his passing, Joseph conveys to the Children of Israel the testament from which they will draw their hope and faith in the difficult years to come: "G‑d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
HAFTORAH IN A NUTSHELL
In this week's haftorah, King David delivers his deathbed message to his son and successor, Solomon, echoing this week's Torah reading that discusses at length Jacob's parting words and instructions to his sons.
King David encourages Solomon to be strong and to remain steadfast in his belief in G‑d. This will ensure his success in all his endeavors as well as the continuation of the Davidic Dynasty. David then goes on to give his son some tactical instructions pertaining to various people who deserved punishment or reward for their actions during his reign.
The haftorah concludes with David's death and his burial in the City of David. King Solomon takes his father's place and his sovereignty is firmly established.
SAGES ON THE PARSHAH
And I, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan on the way, when yet there was but a little way to come to Ephrath; and I buried her there by the way of Ephrath, that is Bethlehem (48:7)
Why did Jacob evoke the memory of Rachel's burial?
So said Jacob to Joseph: I am asking you to trouble yourself to take me to be buried in the Land, even though I did not do the same for your mother. She died a short distance from Bethlehem, and I did not even take her to [Bethlehem], but buried her at the wayside.
I know that there is resentment in your heart to me over this. But know that it was by divine command that I buried her there, so that she should be a help for her children when Nebuzaradan will exile them and they will pass by there. Then Rachel will come out upon her grave and weep and plead for mercy for them, as it is written (Jeremiah 31:14): "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel is weeping for her children . . ."; and G‑d will answer her, "There is reward for your toil . . . the children shall return to their own borders" (ibid., v. 15).
(Rashi)
LAMPLIGHTER
ZICHRON YAAKOV
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
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