Chabad Inspiration Egypt & Jewish Continuity
Hi. Wishing you: Gut Shabbos Candle lighting NYC: 4:14pm
This week we conclude the first book of the five books of Moses: Genesis
The Torah portion is about our father Jacob. The name of the portion is : Va-ye-chi
Which means "Jacob lived". The question is asked: But the portion describes his passing? It deals with the end of Yaakov's life ? So why call the portion "life" ?
The Rebbe explains:
The final 17 years of Jacob's life were not in our holy land Israel. They were In Egypt
Egypt was the lowest of the low. In morality, ethics and mentchlichkeit. Corrupt and vulgar
Egypt is the first exile of Am Yisroel. Yet it was in Egypt where the first Jewish grandchildren grew up in exile. In the diaspora
They were the sons of Yosef. They were proud Jews
Despite the pagan secular environment, they were the trailblazers for Jewish continuity even while living in a non-Jewish culture
That's the key to Jewish survival and continuity
To successfully educate young Jewish children to be committed , proud, practicing Jews despite the outside negative influences
As such our Torah portion name is precisely: Vayechi- Life. Because the Jew defines life by celebrating Jewish continuity and successful Jewish education
In Yiddish we say :
Az Men Lebt Vi A Yid , Kenen Di Beste Yorin Zein Afilu In Mitzrayim !
When you live like a Jew then the best years of life can be even in an impure land like Egypt !
This is the challenge of exile. The purpose of creation. To transform the secular into holiness
Am Yisroel was promised :
We will merit a world of redemption, a world of universal peace and harmony filled with Divine wisdom
Today more then ever we need inspiration to strengthen Jewish continuity in a secular (and at times vulgar ) culture
The threat of assimilation is everywhere
We are inspired by our patriarch Yaakov:
Educate and raise proud, committed and practicing Jewish children and grandchildren!
Even after nearly two thousand years of exile, in the diaspora, we successfully thrive as proud Jews, we maintain our Yiddishkeit
This Shabbos we ask ourselves: Are we "living" like Jacob. We conclude the Torah reading by proclaiming in unity and celebration: Chazak Chazak Venischazek!
Be strong , Be strong and Am Yisroel will be strengthened ! For us as Jews : That's the definition of living !
Lchayim
Rabbi Velvl Butman
Chabad Lubavitch
Westchester County
Email: chabadofwestchester@gmail.com
Hi. Wishing you: Gut Shabbos Candle lighting NYC: 4:14pm
This week we conclude the first book of the five books of Moses: Genesis
The Torah portion is about our father Jacob. The name of the portion is : Va-ye-chi
Which means "Jacob lived". The question is asked: But the portion describes his passing? It deals with the end of Yaakov's life ? So why call the portion "life" ?
The Rebbe explains:
The final 17 years of Jacob's life were not in our holy land Israel. They were In Egypt
Egypt was the lowest of the low. In morality, ethics and mentchlichkeit. Corrupt and vulgar
Egypt is the first exile of Am Yisroel. Yet it was in Egypt where the first Jewish grandchildren grew up in exile. In the diaspora
They were the sons of Yosef. They were proud Jews
Despite the pagan secular environment, they were the trailblazers for Jewish continuity even while living in a non-Jewish culture
That's the key to Jewish survival and continuity
To successfully educate young Jewish children to be committed , proud, practicing Jews despite the outside negative influences
As such our Torah portion name is precisely: Vayechi- Life. Because the Jew defines life by celebrating Jewish continuity and successful Jewish education
In Yiddish we say :
Az Men Lebt Vi A Yid , Kenen Di Beste Yorin Zein Afilu In Mitzrayim !
When you live like a Jew then the best years of life can be even in an impure land like Egypt !
This is the challenge of exile. The purpose of creation. To transform the secular into holiness
Am Yisroel was promised :
We will merit a world of redemption, a world of universal peace and harmony filled with Divine wisdom
Today more then ever we need inspiration to strengthen Jewish continuity in a secular (and at times vulgar ) culture
The threat of assimilation is everywhere
We are inspired by our patriarch Yaakov:
Educate and raise proud, committed and practicing Jewish children and grandchildren!
Even after nearly two thousand years of exile, in the diaspora, we successfully thrive as proud Jews, we maintain our Yiddishkeit
This Shabbos we ask ourselves: Are we "living" like Jacob. We conclude the Torah reading by proclaiming in unity and celebration: Chazak Chazak Venischazek!
Be strong , Be strong and Am Yisroel will be strengthened ! For us as Jews : That's the definition of living !
Lchayim
Rabbi Velvl Butman
Chabad Lubavitch
Westchester County
Email: chabadofwestchester@gmail.com