Parsha Q&A - Vayechi

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Parsha Q&A

Parshas Vayechi

For the week ending 14 Teves 5756; 5 & 6 January 1996


Contents:
  • Parsha Questions
  • Bonus Question
  • I Did Not Know That!
  • Recommended Reading List
  • Answers to Parsha Questions
  • Answer to Bonus Question
  • Subscription Information
  • Ohr Somayach Home Page

  • Parsha Questions

    Answers | Contents
    1. How many years did Yaakov live?
    2. Why didn't Yaakov want to be buried in Egypt?
    3. Why was it Divinely decreed that Rachel be buried in the vicinity of Bethlehem?
    4. Initially, why was Yisrael unable to bless Ephraim and Menashe?
    5. Name one great descendant of:
      a) Ephraim; b) Menashe.
    6. According to the Parsha, how will the Jewish People bless their sons?
    7. What burial ground did Yaakov give to Yosef?
    8. In what way did Yosef have the status of bechor (first-born)?
    9. How did Yehuda react when Yaakov was about to bless him?
    10. Which tribe is compared to a lion?
    11. How did the tribe of Zevulun use the profits of its commerce?
    12. Which member of the tribe of Dan took vengeance against the Philistines?
    13. Which tribe had numerous olive trees in its territory?
    14. Which tribe is compared to a deer?
    15. Which members of Binyamin "will divide the spoils in the evening (49:27)"?
    16. Why did the Egyptians mourn the death of Yaakov?
    17. From whom did Yaakov buy his burial place?
    18. Which dignitaries paid their respect during the burial procession of Yaakov?
    19. Which of Yaakov's grandsons carried his coffin?
    20. What did Yosef make his brothers swear to him before he died?

    Bonus Question
    Answer
    Contents
    In verse 48:5 Yaakov showed greater honor to Ephraim than to his older brother Menashe and Yosef didn't protest. So, why did Yosef protest later when Yaakov's blessing favored Ephraim over Menashe in 48:18?

    I Did Not Know That!

    The names Ephraim and Menashe have the same gematria (numerical equivalent) as Reuven and Shimon. This teaches that they have equal status regarding the division of Eretz Yisrael.
    Baal HaTurim


    Recommended Reading List

    Ramban
    47:28
    Egypt and Rome
    47:31
    Necessity for the Oath
    48:1
    The Division of Eretz Yisrael
    48:7
    Rachel's Tomb
    48:15
    (first part) Yosef's other children
    49:10
    (first part) Kings of Israel
    49:17
    Shimshon
    49:31
    Burial in the Ma'aras HaMachpelah
    49:33
    The Death of Yaakov

    Sforno
    47:31
    Yosef's Oath
    48:18
    The Laying of Hands
    49:7
    The Humility of Dispersion
    49:11
    Signs of Mashiach

    Answers to this Week's Questions

    Questions | Contents

    All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

    1. 47:28 - 147.
    2. 47:29 - For 3 reasons: a) its ground will be plagued in the future with lice; b) at the time of the resurrection those buried outside of Eretz Yisrael will have a special suffering; c) so that the Egyptians shouldn't make him into an idol.
    3. 48:7 - So that in the future when Nevuzaradan would take the Jewish captives into Babylon, they would pass by Rachel's tomb and she would pray for their redemption.
    4. 48:8 - The Shechina departed from him.
    5. 48:19 - a) Yehoshua. b) Gideon.
    6. "Yesimcha Elokim k'Ephraim v'ch'Menashe" - May Hashem help you to be like Ephraim and like Menashe.
    7. 48:22 - Shechem.
    8. 48:22 - His descendants received two portions in the Land when it was divided.
    9. 49:8 - He started backing away, for he was afraid that Yaakov would admonish him just as Yaakov had admonished his three older brothers - Reuven, Shimon and Levi.
    10. 49:9 - Yehuda.
    11. 49:13 - They provided for the needs of the tribe of Yissachar so that Yissachar could learn Torah.
    12. 49:16 - Shimshon.
    13. 49:20 - Asher.
    14. 49:21 - Naftali.
    15. 49:27 - Mordechai and Esther.
    16. 50:3 - Because he had brought blessing to Egypt and the famine ended.
    17. 50:5 - From Esav.
    18. 50:10 - All the kings of Canaan and all the princes of Yishmael.
    19. 50:13 - Menashe and Ephraim.
    20. 50:25 - That they will bring his bones to Eretz Yisrael.

    Bonus Question
    Question
    Contents
    The honor originally shown to Ephraim was due to him as the greater Torah scholar. But the blessing was due mainly to the firstborn - hence Yosef's protest.
    Gur Aryeh

    Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane
    General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
    Production Design: Lev Seltzer
    HTML Design: Michael Treblow
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