Torah Portion Summary

The eleventh reading from the book of Genesis is named Vayigash, which means "and he came near." The title comes from the first verse of the reading, which says, "Then Judah [came near] him" (Genesis 44:18). The portion begins with the dramatic unveiling of Joseph's true identity and his reconciliation with his brothers. It then proceeds to tell the story of the migration of Jacob's family to Egypt and the rest of the famine years. This Torah portion begins to set the stage for the Egyptian captivity of the sons of Jacob.

Haftarah Portion Summary

The Haftarah discusses the eventual reunification of the two houses of the Jewish people (Judah and Ephraim) in the coming millennial kingdom of Yeshua, Mashiach ben David.

When the ten northern tribes broke off from the kingdom of Rehoboam, son of King Solomon, and formed a separate kingdom under Jeroboam, the Ephraimite, the Jews lost their sense of being one people. The northern kingdom lapsed into apostasy until carried away into captivity in 722 BC by the Assyrians (the Ten Lost Tribes). Later Judah likewise fell into apostasy and was eventually carried away in Galut Bavel (the Babylonian Exile) in 586 BC. The prophet Ezekiel was called around the time of the destruction of the first Bet HaMikdash (Temple) and during the Babylonian exile to give hope to the people of God.

Ezekiel was instructed by the LORD to take two sticks, inscribed respectively "Judah" and "Ephraim," and to hold them together as one (echad) in his hand. When the people asked him the meaning of this symbolic act, he was to say that the LORD God (Adonai YHVH) would reunite the house of Judah with the house of Israel by regathering all the Jews the world over and bringing them back to the land of Israel. In that day, the two houses would become a united nation (goy echad), with King David as their king, and all the people would faithfully observe the mishpatim (judgments) and chukim (statutes) of the LORD. Moreover, the LORD would establish a covenant of peace (brit shalom) with them as an everlasting covenant (brit 'olam), and He would restore the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The LORD would be their God, and they would again be His people. Then all the nations (hagoyim) will know that the LORD makes Israel holy, since the Temple of the LORD will be established among them forever.

Just as in Parashat Vayigash we see that Joseph was reconciled to his brothers by means of Judah's teshuvah (repentance), so in the acharit hayamim (end of days), the followers of Mashiach ben Yosef (Jesus as the Suffering Servant) will be reconciled with the Jewish people who are awaiting Mashiach ben David. In that day, Yeshua (who is both Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David) will establish His Kingdom on earth, and all of Israel (both houses) will be reunited in Jerusalem.

B'rit Chadashah Portion Summary

The excerpt from the book of Ephesians declares that despite the fact that we were once "dead in trespasses and sins" on account of our habitual idolatry and disobedience to the holy standards of righteousness as revealed in the Torah, Almighty God, who is rich in mercy and love for us, has made us alive together with the Mashiach Yeshua and raised us up with Him into newness of resurrection life, yea, even life of the "heavenly places," so that in the coming ages (acharit hayamim) He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace to us who are made partakers of His covenantal blessings by God's grace alone through faith alone in the Mashiach alone.

The gracious impartation of being declared righteous (tzaddik) is a gift from the LORD based on the sacrifice of Yeshua ben Yosef as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah chapter 53) who fulfilled the Torah's demands on our behalf. It is not based on meritorious service (avodah) of any kind (i.e., "Torah Observance"). The heart of faith responds to such unmerited favor by surrendering itself to the love of God in one's daily walk of life (halakhah). The mark of the true Messianic believer is a life lived in ahavat HaShem (the love of God), showing chen v'chesed v'rachamim (grace and lovingkindness and compassion) to others in the profound awareness of infinite indebtedness incurred by the mercy and grace given by the LORD through the sacrifice of His Son.

All Portions this week (LINK)
Torah	Haftarah	B'rit Chadashah
Genesis 44:18-47:27	Ezekiel 37:15–28	Luke 6:12-16
		Ephesians 2:1-10
COMMENTARY
Fruits of Torah	Torah Resource	Others
Ardelle -1	Tim Hegg -1	Torah Table Talk
Ardelle -2	Tim Hegg -2	Joseph the providential prince
Ardelle -3		Mashiach ben Yosef
AUDIO COMMENTARY (Nehemia's Wall)
Portion	Torah Pearls	Prophet Pearls
Vayigash