Lessons from the Chumash

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Lessons from the Chumash
Parshat Vayechi Perek 48 Part One
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Yosef visits Yaakov

• After hearing that Yaakov was ill, Yosef came to
  visit him in Goshen.
• Brought Efraim and Menashe with him.
• The importance of bikur cholim
• As weve learned, this is a very big mitzvah
• Yosef came right away, as soon as he heard the
  news.

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MAKE A PREDICTION

• Directions In the your assigned group,
• Make a prediction about the following question.

WHY DID YOSEF BRING EFRAIM AND MENASHE WITH HIM
TO GOSHEN TO VISIT YAAKOV?
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Setting a good example

• Yosef brought his sons with him on the visit to
  set a good example for them.
• Wanted them to learn the importance of bikur
  cholim.
• Yosef also planned for his two sons to receive a
  bracha from Yaakov before his death.
• Yosef did not know when Yaakov would die, so he
  wanted to seize the moment.

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The right hand

• The right hand is considered to be the more
  important hand
• Thats why we use our right hand to cover our
  eyes before saying Shema
• Yosef put Menashe next to Yaakovs right hand and
  Efraim next to Yaakovs left hand.
• Wanted the elder son, Menashe, to be touched by
  Yaakovs more important right hand.

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Yaakov pulls a switch

• Yaakov reversed his hands, so that Efraim
  received the right hand and Menashe received the
  left hand

RIGHT
LEFT
RIGHT
LEFT
MENASHE
EFRAIM
RIGHT
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BOMB QUESTION
WHY DID YAAKOV MAKE THE SWITCH AND GIVE HIS RIGHT
HAND TO EFRAIM?
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Yaakov saw the future

• Yaakov saw through ruach ha-kodesh (divine
  vision) that Efraim would have more righteous
  children than Menashe.
• As a result he gave Efraim his right hand to show
  this.
• We do the same, even today.
• Thats why when parents bless their boys,
  Efraims name comes before Menashe.

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Yaakovs blessing

• Yaakov blessed his grandchildren that they should
  grow to be as many as the fish.
• Why did he bless them to be like the fish?
• Fish are large in number
• Fish do not have a yezter hara.
• This is why we do tashlich by a body of water
  that is filled with fish.