For the week ending 2 January 2021 / 18 Tevet 5781
Parashat Vayechi
Questions
- Why is kindness towards the dead called "chesed shel emet" — kindness of truth?
- Give three reasons Yaakov didn't want to be buried in Egypt.
- How do you treat a "fox in his time" (i.e., a commoner who rules)?
- "When I was coming from Padan, Rachel died on me... I buried her there on the way to Efrat..." Why did Yaakov say all this to Yosef?
- Initially, why was Yaakov unable to bless Ephraim and Menashe?
- What does pillalti mean?
- What does "Shechem" mean as used in this week's parsha? (two answers)
- Which individual is called "the Emori"? Why? Give two reasons.
- What did Yaakov want to tell his sons but was unable to?
- What privileges did Reuven lose due to his rash actions?
- What congregation from Yaakov's offspring did Yaakov not want to be associated with?
- What did Yehuda do after he heard Yaakov rebuke Reuven, Shimon and Levi? Why?
- What does milk do to teeth?
- Why is Yissachar like a "strong-boned donkey"?
- With what resource did both Yaakov and Moshe bless Asher?
- In Yosef's blessing, Yaakov said, "They embittered him..." Who are "they"?
- Which descendants of Binyamin "will divide the spoils in the evening"?
- From whom did Yaakov buy his burial place?
- What oath did Yosef make to Pharaoh?
- Which two sons of Yaakov did not carry his coffin? Why not?
All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated.
Answers
- Why is kindness towards the dead called "chesed shel emet" — kindness of truth?
47:29 - Because the giver expects no reward from the recipient. - Give three reasons Yaakov didn't want to be buried in Egypt.
47:29 - a) Egypt's ground was to be plagued with lice; b) At the time of the resurrection, those buried outside Israel will suffer; c) So the Egyptians wouldn't make him into an idol. - How do you treat a "fox in his time" (i.e., a commoner who rules)?
47:31 - Bow to him. - "When I was coming from Padan, Rachel died on me... I buried her there on the way to Efrat..." Why did Yaakov say all this to Yosef?
48:7 - Yaakov thought Yosef harbored resentment since Yaakov had not buried Yosef's mother, Rachel, in the Ma'arat HaMachpela. - Initially, why was Yaakov unable to bless Ephraim and Menashe?
48:8 - The Shechina departed from him. - What does pillalti mean?
48:11 - "I thought." - What does "Shechem" mean as used in this week's parsha? (two answers)
48:22 - a) The actual city of Shechem; b) A portion. - Which individual is called "the Emori"? Why? Give two reasons.
48:22 - Esav. a) He acted like an Emorite; b) He trapped his father with words (imrei pi). - What did Yaakov want to tell his sons but was unable to?
49:1 - When mashiach will come. - What privileges did Reuven lose due to his rash actions?
49:3 - Priesthood and Kingship. - What congregation from Yaakov's offspring did Yaakov not want to be associated with?
49:6 - Korach and his congregation. - What did Yehuda do after he heard Yaakov rebuke Reuven, Shimon and Levi? Why?
49:8 - He drew back. He was afraid that Yaakov would rebuke him for the incident with Tamar. - What does milk do to teeth?
49:12 - It makes them white. - Why is Yissachar like a "strong-boned donkey"?
49:14 - Just as a donkey bears a heavy burden, so the tribe of Yissachar bears the yoke of Torah. - With what resource did both Yaakov and Moshe bless Asher?
49:20 - Oil-rich land. - In Yosef's blessing, Yaakov said, "They embittered him..." Who are "they"?
49:23 - Yosef's brothers, Potifar and his wife. - Which descendants of Binyamin "will divide the spoils in the evening"?
49:27 - Mordechai and Esther. - From whom did Yaakov buy his burial place?
50:5 - From Esav. - What oath did Yosef make to Pharaoh?
50:6 - Yosef swore not to reveal Pharaoh's ignorance of Hebrew. - Which two sons of Yaakov did not carry his coffin? Why not?
50:13 - Levi, because he would carry the aron (holy ark). Yosef, because he was a king.
