Dec 21, 20232 min read

Parshas Vayigash

Zechus for all the soldiers on the front lines in Israel to stay safe and succeed! Zechus for the hostages to be returned safely and the wounded and grieving to recover from the terrible tragedy that occurred on Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah

Zechus Refuah Sheleima: Miriam bas Chana

Le'iluy Nishmas: Gittel a"h bas Shraga Meir Hakohen

Le'iluy Nishmas Tziporah Chana a"h bas Yaakov Avraham Eliyahu

Zechus Refuah Sheleima for Yuval ben Sagit (A soldier that was injured)

Please contact us if you would like to sponsor as a zechus for someone

Another great Parsha with many ideas for your Parsha Party.

Parsha Overview (Feel free to skip straight to the Party below - simply click the arrow next to this text and the overview will disappear.)

Yehuda approaches Yosef in a harsh manner asking him to release Binyamin and take him in his place as a prisoner in order not to kill their old suffering father. He goes through all the details of what happened that led to them being there at that moment.

Yosef was not able to hold back anymore and he kicks out all the Mitzriyim from the room so that his brothers will not be embarrassed in front of them. He lets out a big cry and proclaims to his brothers “I am Yosef is my father still alive?” His brothers were shocked and startled and full of shame. Yosef comforts them and tells them to come close to him and not to be sad because it was clearly all the workings of Hashem so that he will be there to give them food during the years of famine.

He tells the brothers to hurry back to Canaan to tell his father that he is alive and well and the leader in Mitzrayim. He wants them to bring him back with all their families and cattle to settle in Goshen. He also hugs Binyamin and cries with him as well as with the other brothers.

Paraoh hears that Yosef’s brothers are here and tells him to send up wagons from all the good of the land to bring the family there. Yosef sends them along with clothing, donkeys and food.

The brothers go up and tell Yaakov that Yosef is still alive and his heart refused to believe it. The Medrash says that Serach the daughter of Asher played music and sang to Yaakov that Yosef was really alive. Yaakov saw the wagons (Agalah) that Yosef sent and understood that it was a sign from Yosef as the last halacha they had learned together was “Eglah” Arufa and his spirit was revived.

Yaakov agrees to go to Mitzrayim and stops in Beer Sheva to bring a Korban. Hashem appears to him there and tells him not to be afraid to go as Hashem will be with him and he will be made into a great nation there and be brought back up. Yaakov’s 70 family members travel to Mitzrayim including Dina. He sends Yehuda ahead to set up a Bais Medrash for them in Goshen. Yocheved is born as they enter Mitzrayim. Yosef goes up to greet his father and embraces him and cries. Rashi says that Yaakov did not embrace him back because he was saying Shema.

Yosef brings them to Paraoh and tells them to say that they are Shepherds, because the Mitzriyim worshipped sheep and did not want shepherds to live among them so they would be sent to live in their own city in Goshen. Yaakov tells Paraoh when asked that he is 130 and had a hard life and he blesses Paraoh that the Nile should rise when he comes to it.

Yosef settles his family in Goshen and gives them the best of the land in Ramses. He gave them all food. Meanwhile the famine ravaged through the land and the people brought all their money to Yosef to buy the food he stored and saved. When they ran out of money they brought their livestock to pay for food so that they don’t die. Next they sold their farmland for food and Yosef moved them from city to city. Yosef tells them to plant now and give a fifth of everything to Paraoh. Meanwhile the family of Yaakov had many children in the land of Goshen.. (Adapted partially from In a Nutshell by Chabad.org, The Pesukim and Rashi)

And now for the fun part

SNACKS LIST

"Gush"ers
Cry Babies
Ego Dark Chocolate
Shock Pops
Triple shock Gel candy
Oreos / Round cookies (Wheels) – If you have melted chocolate you can cover them in chocolate!
DeeBest brand candies
Popp Candy
Gummy Hearts
Heart pops
Music note chocolate molds
GoGo candies or apple sauce
Tea Buscuit or bownie bar with Sour stick as a Handle
Pacifier candy
Dollar candies
Chocolate coins
Mini Marshmallows
Animal Crackers
Candy Sectional platter