Songs of the Parsha "Vayishlach"- שירי פרשת וישלח יעקב

(יא) קָטֹ֜נְתִּי מִכֹּ֤ל הַחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכָּל־הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י בְמַקְלִ֗י עָבַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַתָּ֥ה הָיִ֖יתִי לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃ (יב) הַצִּילֵ֥נִי נָ֛א מִיַּ֥ד אָחִ֖י מִיַּ֣ד עֵשָׂ֑ו כִּֽי־יָרֵ֤א אָנֹכִי֙ אֹת֔וֹ פֶּן־יָב֣וֹא וְהִכַּ֔נִי אֵ֖ם עַל־בָּנִֽים׃

Genesis 32:11-12

(11) I am unworthy of all the kindness that You have so steadfastly shown Your servant: with my staff alone I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. (12) Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; else, I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike.

A few years ago, Yonatan Razel was riding the waves of fame when tragedy struck. His daughter, Rivkah, fell off the roof of the family’s Jerusalem home while watching the Independence Day fireworks. Rivkah was unconscious for weeks, and at times, it seemed that there was almost no chance that she would ever wake up. Yonatan describes the day that things turned around. His brother had left him a note that said, “Have you prepared for the great miracle that God has in store for you today?”
Yonatan says that the note shook him, and he understood deeply that each day is a miracle from God for which we must be grateful. Soon after Rivkah begun to recover. Just before his daughter's accident, Yonatan had composed a new song with the words of Jacob’s prayer.
The song become very popular In Israel and is often played on radio and t.v, bringing the words of Torah to the public sphere in a way that happens only in Israel.
(https://www.masorti.org.il/ravsiach/rspage.php?pid=982)

עם לבן גרתי, עם לבן גרתי
תרי”ג מצוות
.תרי”ג מצוות שמרתי

נגיל ונשיש
,בזאת התורה
.כי היא לנו העוז והאור

With Lavan I dwelled, With Lavan I dwelled

613 Mitzvot

613 Mitzvot I kept

We will rejoice and be glad

In this our Torah

Because it is our strength and our light

Lyrics to "Im Lavan Garti", by Lev Tahor, Composed by Gadi Fuchs

בראשית ל״ב:ה׳

(ה) וַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה׃

Genesis 32:5

(5) and instructed them as follows, “Thus shall you say, ‘To my lord Esau, thus says your servant Jacob: I stayed with Laban and remained until now;

רש"י על בראשית ל״ב:ה׳:א׳

גרתי. לֹא נַעֲשֵׂיתִי שַׂר וְחָשׁוּב אֶלָּא גֵּר, אֵינְךָ כְּדַאי לִשְׂנֹא אוֹתִי עַל בִּרְכַּת אָבִיךָ שֶׁבֵּרְכַנִי הֱוֵה גְבִיר לְאַחֶיךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נִתְקַיְּמָה בִי. דָּ"אַ גַּרְתִּי בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תרי"ג, כְּלוֹמַר, עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְוֹת שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא לָמַדְתִּי מִמַּעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים:

Rashi on Genesis 32:5:1

גרתי I HAVE SOJOURNED — I have become neither a prince nor other person of importance but merely a sojourner. It is not worth your while to hate me on account of the blessing of your father who blessed me (27:29) “Be master over thy brethren”, for it has not been fulfilled in me (Tanchuma Yashan 1:8:5). Another explanation: the word גרתי has the numerical value of 613 - תרי״ג - it is as much as to say, “Though I have sojourned with Laban, the wicked, I have observed the תרי״ג מצות, the 613 Divine Commandments, and I have learned naught of his evil ways.

Rav Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986), Darash Moshe
The letters of the word גרתי, I have lodged, equal 613 in gematria, the number of the mitzvos in the Torah. From this Rashi infers that Jacob’s real message to Esau was, “Even though I lodged with the wicked Laban, I still kept the six hundred and thirteen commandments and did not learn from his evil deeds.” This seems to imply that Jacob’s offer of peace with Esau was conditional: Esau was to know that Jacob planned to observe the mitzvos under any circumstances. If Esau was willing to make peace under those terms, well and good; but if Esau insisted on joining the two families together to contaminate Jacob’s descendants with his wicked ways, then there was no point in discussing peace.

אחרון אחרון חביב
אחרון אחרון חביב
אחרון אחרון אויאויאוי חביב
אחרון אחרון חביב

משיח איז נישט געקומען
אין צייטן פון ראשונים
אונז נישט אהיימגענומען
אין צייטן פון אחרונים
דאך האבן מיר א טרייסט
צו ווערן אויסגעלייזט
ווייל אחרון אחרון חביב
משיח איז נישט געקומען
אין צייטן פון קדמונים
אונז נישט אהיימגענומען
בזמן צדיקים וגאונים
דאך האבן מיר א טרייסט
צו ווערן אויסגעלייזט
ווייל אחרון אחרון חביב

אחרון אחרון חביב
אחרון אחרון חביב
אחרון אחרון אויאויאוי חביב
אחרון אחרון חביב

משיח לא הגיע
בזמן הראשונים
וגם לא הופיע
בזמן האחרונים
עם כל זה אחכה לו
בכל יום שיבוא
כי אחרון אחרון חביב

Moshiach didn’t come yet
In times of the Rishonim
He didn’t take us home yet
In times of the Achronim
We still anticipate
Although it’s getting late
‘Cuz Acharon Acharon Chaviv
Moshiach didn’t come yet no
in times of the Kadmonim
He didn’t take us home yet no
B’Zman Tzadikim U’Geonim
We still anticipate
Although it’s getting late
‘Cuz Acharon Acharon Chaviv

"Acharon Acharon Chaviv" by Lipa Schmeltzer, Composed by Shulem Ezri

בראשית ל״ג:א׳-ב׳

(א) וַיִּשָּׂ֨א יַעֲקֹ֜ב עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה עֵשָׂ֣ו בָּ֔א וְעִמּ֕וֹ אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּ֣חַץ אֶת־הַיְלָדִ֗ים עַל־לֵאָה֙ וְעַל־רָחֵ֔ל וְעַ֖ל שְׁתֵּ֥י הַשְּׁפָחֽוֹת׃ (ב) וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת וְאֶת־יַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְאֶת־לֵאָ֤ה וִֽילָדֶ֙יהָ֙ אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים וְאֶת־רָחֵ֥ל וְאֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף אַחֲרֹנִֽים׃

Genesis 33:1-2

(1) Looking up, Jacob saw Esau coming, accompanied by four hundred men. He divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maids, (2) putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.

רש"י על בראשית ל״ג:ב׳:א׳

ואת לאה וילדיה אחרנים. אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן חָבִיב:

Rashi on Genesis 33:2:1

ואת לאה וילדיה אחרנים AND LEAH AND HER CHILDREN AFTER — The more behind — the more beloved (Genesis Rabbah 78:8).

"Hebrew linguist Avshalom Kor explains that this verse indicates that at one point, aharon did not necessarily mean "last." Rather, it referred to something that came after something else, as with Leah and her children, who are described as aharonim but were actually in the middle. Thus, Joseph and Rachel were not just aharonim but aharonim aharonim. It was Bereshit Rabbah, a compilation of midrashic exegesis on Genesis, that first used the phrase as we know it today, saying this verse demonstrates that the aharon aharon is the most beloved of all."
(https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-word-of-the-day-aharon-aharon-haviv-1.5227924)

ראי אבק דרכים עולה מעיר שלם

ורכב הברזל שועט אל מול עירך

ועם שלם מביט, מביט בך כחולם

כנפי פלדה חגות, חגות מעל קברך

ראי רחל, ראי

ראי ריבון עולם

ראי רחל, ראי

הם שבו אל גבולם

ראי רוחות אייר נושאות טורי פלדה

גם בנימין עמנו פה, וגם יוסף

כוכב בית לחם מנצנץ ברעדה

גם החלוץ עמנו וגם המאסף

ראי רחל, ראי...

מנעי קולך רחל, מנעי קולך מבכי

כולנו פה, רחל, עם התרמיל על שכם

שוב לא נלך רחל, ואת שוב לא תלכי

שוב לא נלך רחל מני שדמות בית לחם

ראי רחל, ראי...

See the dust of the roads rise from a unified city

And the bronze chariot gallops across from your city

Look at a unified people, looking to you like a dream

Wings of steel circle, circle above your grade

See Rahel see

See Ribon Olam (Master of the Universe)

See Rahel see

They have returned to their borders

See the winds of Iyaar lifting up columns of steel

Binyamin is with us here, and Yosef too

The star of Beit Lehem sparkles and twinkles

The pioneer is with us, and the rearguard too

See Rahel see …

Quiet your voice Rahel, quiet your voice from crying

We are all here Rahel, with satchel on shoulder,

We will not leave again Rahel, and you will not leave again

We will not leave again Rahel, from the fields of Beit Lehem

See Rahel see […]

https://open.spotify.com/track/2ItiuwFYI9VMJVwJTPexAG non-literal version of the song, also sung by Erik Lavie

בראשית ל״ה:י״ט-כ׳

(יט) וַתָּ֖מָת רָחֵ֑ל וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃ (כ) וַיַּצֵּ֧ב יַעֲקֹ֛ב מַצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־קְבֻרָתָ֑הּ הִ֛וא מַצֶּ֥בֶת קְבֻֽרַת־רָחֵ֖ל עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Genesis 35:19-20

(19) Thus Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Ephrath—now Bethlehem. (20) Over her grave Jacob set up a pillar; it is the pillar at Rachel’s grave to this day.

ירמיהו ל״א:ט״ו-י״ז

(טו) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל בְּרָמָ֤ה נִשְׁמָע֙ נְהִי֙ בְּכִ֣י תַמְרוּרִ֔ים רָחֵ֖ל מְבַכָּ֣ה עַל־בָּנֶ֑יהָ מֵאֲנָ֛ה לְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־בָּנֶ֖יהָ כִּ֥י אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ (ס) (טז) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ (יז) וְיֵשׁ־תִּקְוָ֥ה לְאַחֲרִיתֵ֖ךְ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ בָנִ֖ים לִגְבוּלָֽם׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 31:15-17

(15) Thus said the LORD: A cry is heard in Ramah— Wailing, bitter weeping— Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted For her children, who are gone. (16) Thus said the LORD: Restrain your voice from weeping, Your eyes from shedding tears; For there is a reward for your labor —declares the LORD: They shall return from the enemy’s land. (17) And there is hope for your future —declares the LORD: Your children shall return to their country.

“The Five Books of Miriam” by Ellen Frankel
Mother Rachel adds: Wherever the Jewish people have wandered in exile, no matter how far from my grave, my spirit has traveled with them. As the prophet Jeremiah has proclaimed: “A cry is heard in Ramah— wailing, bitter weeping— Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children who are gone” (Jeremiah 31:15). As long as my children suffer, I suffer with them, and my tears storm the gates of heaven.

We are not dealing here with weeping of mourning, and not with nostalgic yearning for what once was and is no more, but rather with bekhi tamrurim, which rises upwards and faces the future! This bekhi tamrurim stands like a road sign and sends out directions, both to the children, who are asked to return home, and to God, who is asked to return the children to their own border. Therefore, this weeping of Rachel is called by an unusual term: pe'ula, "work," as is stated in the verse: "Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for your work (pe'ulatekh) shall be rewarded." At first glance, it is strange to refer to weeping by the term pe'ula, which denotes creative activity. But the truth is that Rachel's weeping is "functional weeping" that does its job and does not rest – neither for the Father nor for the children – until they return home.
-Rav Chanan Porat

Wonderful shiur on the idea of "Rachel weeping" https://www.etzion.org.il/en/shiur-19-%E2%80%9Crachel-weeping-her-children%E2%80%9D