פרשת ויחי

ByGrowTorah Education

GrowTorah Parsha Garden Lessons

This article was written by Yael Stochel, summer inchworm 2019

GrowTorah Core Value: Stewarding the Earth

Lesson Title: The Finest of the Land

Jacob and his household live in Egypt until Jacob's death. Before Jacob dies he blesses each of his sons and asks Joseph to bury him in Cana'an, the land of his forefathers. How do Jacob's blessings to his sons draw upon the land?

בראשית מ״ט:י׳-י״א

(י) לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלָ֑יו עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א שילה [שִׁיל֔וֹ] וְל֖וֹ יִקְּהַ֥ת עַמִּֽים׃ (יא) אֹסְרִ֤י לַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ עירה [עִיר֔וֹ] וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָ֖ה בְּנִ֣י אֲתֹנ֑וֹ כִּבֵּ֤ס בַּיַּ֙יִן֙ לְבֻשׁ֔וֹ וּבְדַם־עֲנָבִ֖ים סותה [סוּתֽוֹ׃]

Genesis 49:10-11

(10) The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet; So that tribute shall come to him And the homage of peoples be his. (11) He tethers his ass to a vine, His ass’s foal to a choice vine; He washes his garment in wine, His robe in blood of grapes.

רש"י על בראשית מ״ט:י״א:א׳

אסרי לגפן עירה. נִתְנַבֵּא עַל אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה שֶׁתְּהֵא מוֹשֶׁכֶת יַיִן כְּמַעְיָן; אִישׁ יְהוּדָה יֶאֱסֹר לַגֶּפֶן עַיִר אֶחָד וְיִטְעָנֶנּוּ מִגֶּפֶן אַחַת, וּמִשֹּׂרֵק אֶחָד בֶּן אָתוֹן אֶחָד:

Rashi on Genesis 49:11:1

אסרי לגפן עירה BINDING UNTO THE VINE HIS FOAL — He (Jacob) prophesied of the land of Judah that it would run with wine like a fountain: the vines will be so productive that a man of Judah will bind to a vine one foal and he will fully load it with the grapes of only one vine, and from the produce of only one branch he would load one ass’s colt.

בראשית מ״ט:י״ג

זְבוּלֻ֕ן לְח֥וֹף יַמִּ֖ים יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן וְהוּא֙ לְח֣וֹף אֳנִיּ֔וֹת וְיַרְכָת֖וֹ עַל־צִידֹֽן׃ (ס)

Genesis 49:13

Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore; He shall be a haven for ships, And his flank shall rest on Sidon.

רש"י על בראשית מ״ט:י״ג:א׳

לחוף ימים. עַל חוֹף יַמִּים תִּהְיֶה אַרְצוֹ (יבמות מ"ה); חוֹף, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ סְפָר, מרק"א בְּלַעַז, וְהוּא יִהְיֶה מָצוּי תָּדִיר עַל חוֹף אֳנִיּוֹת בִּמְקוֹם הַנָּמֵל, שֶׁאֳנִיּוֹת מְבִיאוֹת שָׁם פְּרַקְמַטְיָא, שֶׁהָיָה זְבוּלֻן עוֹסֵק בִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא וּמַמְצִיא מָזוֹן לְשֵׁבֶט יִשָּׂשכָר, וְהֵם עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה. הוּא שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ (דברים ל"ג), זְבוּלֻן יוֹצֵא בִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא, וְיִשָּׂשכָר עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בְּאֹהָלִים:

Rashi on Genesis 49:13:1

לחוף ימים TOWARDS THE COASTS OF THE SEAS — (לחוף is the same as על חוף): by the shore of the seas will be his land. הוף means “border” as Onkelos has it; old French marche; English border. [והוא לחוף אניות] means he will constantly be at the haven of ships — the port — whither the ships bring merchandise. For Zebulun was engaged in business and provided food for the tribe of Issachar whilst these engaged in the study of the Torah. It is to this that Moses alludes, (Deuteronomy 33:18) “Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out. and Issachar in thy tents”, — Zebulun goes forth to trade and Issachar studies the Torah in the tents (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 11; cf. Rashi on Genesis ישב אהלים 25:27)

בראשית מ״ט:י״ד-ט״ו

(יד) יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר חֲמֹ֣ר גָּ֑רֶם רֹבֵ֖ץ בֵּ֥ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתָֽיִם׃ (טו) וַיַּ֤רְא מְנֻחָה֙ כִּ֣י ט֔וֹב וְאֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ כִּ֣י נָעֵ֑מָה וַיֵּ֤ט שִׁכְמוֹ֙ לִסְבֹּ֔ל וַיְהִ֖י לְמַס־עֹבֵֽד׃ (ס)

Genesis 49:14-15

(14) Issachar is a strong-boned ass, Crouching among the sheepfolds. (15) When he saw how good was security, And how pleasant was the country, He bent his shoulder to the burden, And became a toiling serf.

רש"י על בראשית מ״ט:ט״ו:א׳

וירא מנחה כי טוב. רָאָה לְחֶלְקוֹ אֶרֶץ מְבֹרֶכֶת וְטוֹבָה לְהוֹצִיא פֵרוֹת:

Rashi on Genesis 49:15:1

וירא מנחה כי טוב AND HE SAW THAT REPOSE WAS GOOD — He chose (ראה) as his portion a land that was blessed and well-fitted to produce fruits (cf. Onkelos; so that he need not engage overmuch in business.

מגילה ו׳ א:ז׳

אמר זבולון לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם לאחיי נתת להם שדות וכרמים ולי נתת הרים וגבעות לאחיי נתת להם ארצות ולי נתת ימים ונהרות אמר לו כולן צריכין לך ע"י חלזון שנאמר [(דברים לג, יט) עמים הר יקראו] ושפוני טמוני חול

Megillah 6a:7

The verse should be interpreted as follows: Zebulun said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe! To my brothers, the tribes whose territory is adjacent to mine, You gave fields and vineyards, whereas to me You gave mountains and hills; to my brothers You gave lands, whereas to me You gave seas and rivers. God said back to him: Nevertheless, all will need you due to the ḥilazon, the small sea creature residing in your territory that is the source of the dye used in the ritual fringes [tzitzit]. As it is stated in Moses’ blessing to Zebulun: “They shall call the people to the mountain: There they shall sacrifice offerings of righteousness; for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of the hidden treasures of the sand” (Deuteronomy 33:19).

כתובות קי״א ב:י״ז

ושמא תאמר אינו מרוה ת"ל סותה ושמא תאמר אין בו טעם ת"ל חכלילי עינים מיין כל חיך שטועמו אומר לי לי ושמא תאמר לנערים יפה ולזקנים אינו יפה ת"ל ולבן שנים מחלב אל תיקרי לבן שינים אלא לבן שנים

Ketubot 111b:17

And lest you say that this wine has no flavor, the verse states: “His eyes shall be red [ḥakhlili] with wine” (Genesis 49:12). This unusual term is read homiletically as follows: Each palate [ḥeikh] that tastes it says: This is for me, for me [li li]. And lest you say that the wine is good for the young but it is not good for the old, the verse states: “And his teeth white [leven shinayim] with milk” (Genesis 49:12). Do not read this expression as leven shinayim; rather, read it as leven shanim, one of years, i.e., an elderly person.

GUIDING QUESTIONS:

How do Yaakov's brachot to his sons highlight the qualities and specific uses of the land?

geography, animals...

Can only perfect land be used for natural resources?

How do we use different parts of our garden for different uses?

flowers, roots, leaves...

Living the Lesson

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, עמידה, ברכת השנים א׳

בָּרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ אֶת הַשָּׁנָה הַזּאת וְאֶת כָּל מִינֵי תְבוּאָתָהּ לְטובָה. וְתֵן בקיץ - בְּרָכָה בחורף - טַל וּמָטָר לִבְרָכָה עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וְשבְּעֵנוּ מִטּוּבָהּ. וּבָרֵךְ שְׁנָתֵנוּ כַּשָּׁנִים הַטּובות. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מְבָרֵךְ הַשָּׁנִים:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Amidah, Prosperity 1

Bless us, O Lord our God, this year and all its kinds of produce for good (From Passover to December fourth/fifth say: And give a blessing) (From December fourth/fifth to Passover say: Give dew and rain for a blessing) upon the face of the land and satisfy us with Your goodness and bless our year as the good years. Blessed are You, O Lord, Who blesses the years.

תהילים ק״ד:כ״ד

מָֽה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחָכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃

Psalms 104:24

How many are the things You have made, O LORD; You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your creations.

GUIDING QUESTIONS:

How can we show our appreciation for the variation of Hashem's creations?

garden with care and respect

How can we continue to take care of this gift from Hashem, both spiritually and physically?

How does this message relate to the beginning of Sefer Bereishit and why is it an important takeaway for the end of the Sefer?

back to creation