Friday, December 21, 2018

CHUCK KOLB 12/21/2018

Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Vayechi - The Lion and the Scepter of Judah !!!

Previously posted ...
Obamascare Ruled Unconstitutional not Exactly !!! 
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2018/12/chuck-kolb-12192018.html 

Is Nazareth Prophesied in Bible Prophecy?
Let’s see how the Tanakh (Old Testament) gives us clues and prophecies 
about the village of Nazareth and the promised Messiah.  
https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/is-nazareth-prophesied-in-the-bible/ 


This Tuesday, 17 Tevet many faithful in Yeshua Ha-Mashiach will celebrate His birth ... 

Baruch Hashem Adonai כבוד שם יהוה  Blessed be the Name of the Lord ברוך שמו של האדון 
 vid> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EDnrwN9DwM (3:56) 

#ShabbatShalom - Welcome to Vayechi (And He Lived), this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion). May you be richly blessed as you study with us the portion of Scripture that will be read during this Shabbat’s (Saturday) morning service in synagogues throughout the world.

This week’s Torah portion, Parasha Vayechi ends the first book of the Bible with the death of Jacob and Joseph. Parasha Vayechi (and he lived) is the final Shabbat reading from the book of Genesis (Bereisheet). In last week’s study, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers and invited them, as well as his father, to live in Egypt in order to provide for them during the famine.  Joseph, his brothers, and his father were joyfully reunited and reconciled. 
 
You can view this Parasha on our website complete with embedded links ... 
Vayechi (And He Lived): Jacob Prophecies the Coming of the Messiah 

https://free.messianicbible.com/parasha/vayechi-and-he-lived-jacob-prophecies-the-coming-of-the-messiah/ 
http://free.messianicbible.com/category/torah 

Parasha Reading Schedule 5779 
http://free.messianicbible.com/torah-reading-schedule 

Jewish holiday calendars & Hebrew date converter 
http://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/month_cdo/jewish/Jewish-Calendar.htm - https://www.hebcal.com 
https://yiddishkeit101.wordpress.com/category/hebrew-word-of-the-day 
http://www.wildolive.co.uk/feasts_of_the_lord.htm 
English to Hebrew to English lookup
https://context.reverso.net/translation/hebrew-english/%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9A

Why Are Christians Adopting Jewish Practice of Studying the Weekly Torah Portion?
https://theisraelbible.com/christians-adopting-jewish-practice-studying-weekly-torah-portion/ 
http://restoringtheway.org/messianic-homeschooling/ 

Can A Jew Be Messianic? 
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/117371/jew-messianic/ 

Restoring the Broken Relationship of the Garden with the Tabernacle 
https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/restoring-the-broken-relationship-of-the-garden-with-the-tabernacle/ 

Are You a Watchman on the Wall? 
In many ways, Believers in the God of Israel and Messiah Yeshua are also called to be watchmen.   
https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/are-you-a-watchman-on-the-wall/ 

Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord of Hosts – YHVH Sabaoth 
The name YHVH Sabaoth is used 235 times in the Bible. 
http://free.messianicbible.com/feature/holy-holy-holy-lord-hosts-yhvh-sabaoth/ 

The Prophetic Significance of the Passover Lamb 
http://free.messianicbible.com/holiday/the-prophetic-significance-of-the-passover-lamb/ 

Celebrate Yeshua HaMashiach's birthday - The Feast of Tabernacles !
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2017/10/chuck-kolb-10082017.html 

Simchat Torah: Celebrating Yeshua – the Word That Dwells Among Us
http://free.messianicbible.com/holiday/dancing-joy-simchat-torah/ 

Rabbi Friedman - The Soul and the Afterlife: Where Do We Go From Here? 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzFUXKk2B4I (43:40) https://www.sinai-indaba.com/ 

Is It a Man, Angel, or God?
The angel of the Lord appears many times in Scripture, but is it really an angel or is it God? 
https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/is-it-a-man-angel-or-god/ 

What is His Name? 
http://www.baruch-hashem.com/index.php/resources?start=22 

The Daniel Timeline 
http://www.davidjayjordan.com/Danieltimeline.html 

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Parshat Vayechi 

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3228/jewish/Vayechi-in-a-Nutshell.htm 
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/default.asp?tDate=12/22/2018 

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Richman ... 

Weekly Torah Portion: Vayechi 

Shhhh! The Torah reading of Vayechi teaches us the importance of keeping silent. Not all information needs to be shared. Silence can be the best weapon against unnecessarily hurting someone, when employed thoughtfully. This is the unspoken message relayed to us by Binyamin and by Yosef. 

Vayechi (Genesis 47:28 - 50:26) Parashat Vayechi is read on Shabbat: Tevet 14, 5779 / December 22, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u3FSDWIs_4 (24:30) 
https://www.youtube.com/user/henryporter2/videos 
Published on Dec 19, 2018 - The Temple Institute  
https://www.facebook.com/The-Temple-Institute-22738684968/ 
https://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm 
http://www.templeinstitute.org/ 
Weekly Newsletter - http://is.gd/4BUvi 

Special ... Broadcasting from Jerusalem with Rabbi Chaim Richman, Yitzchak Reuven 
Temple Talk Radio: The Courageous Children of Joseph Reclaiming the Land of Israel 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ4qoslSkz8 (46:11) 
Published on Dec 18, 2018 - The Temple Institute 
The Tenth of Tevet & the Siege Against Jerusalem 
To Pray Means to Ask for the One Thing You Are Afraid Could Never Come True 

This week's dynamic, informative episode of Temple Talk was recorded on the Fast Day of the Tenth of Tevet. Why do we fast on this day? What's the purpose of fasting, anyway? Yitzchak Reuven and Rabbi Chaim Richman provide the answers in this moving tour de force of the spiritual dimensions of the month of Tevet and its implications for us today. Listen to this week's Temple Talk for inspiring, fast-moving original Torah thoughts! 

Special ... Rabbanit Rena Richman: On Suffering 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUY6nz-D-NE (55:43) The Temple Institute 12/16/18 
Unfortunately, or fortunately, as Rena will explain, suffering and crisis and tragedy is universal. Adversary punctuates every day of our lives. We cry out "where is G-d?" "Are we beloved?" A study of the lives of our patriarchs and matriarchs, sheds light on the purpose of suffering and the path it can open before us, leading us closer to G-d. This teaching was recorded on November 11, 2018, in Lubbock, Texas. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman: The Dedication of the Third Temple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTNRQ-ulUFA (54:11) The Temple Institute 12/4/18 
Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute of Jerusalem, speaks about the dedication of the Third Temple, and shares insights and progress towards the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in our time, and its meaning for all mankind. This teaching was recorded on November 7, 2018, in Rogers, Arkansas. Filmed and edited by James Long, Lightcatcher Productions.

Hillel Richman: The True Location of the Temple Mount 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEYOuYjqWwQ (52:35) The Temple Institute 12/3/18 
Archaeologist Hillel Richman, Senior Researcher and Past Supervisor, Ancient Jerusalem Sifting Project and Temple Mount Sifting Project, refutes the spurious theories claiming that the Temple Mount was in any other place other than Mount Moriah, with an emphasis on the 'City of David' theory, while providing incontrovertible historical and archaeological proof that the Holy Temple was, and will be, located on what is today referred to as the Temple Mount. 

The Coming Temple - Full Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKTO8YYs29c (48:17) NuBeat Music 12/21/16 
Filmed in the Old City of Jerusalem, this ground-breaking documentary investigates the research of renowned Biblical archaeologists, Bob Cornuke, David Sielaff and Earnest L. Martin who claim that Solomon and Herod's Temples never stood on the Haram al Sharif, also known as the Temple Mount. If they are right, then there is nothing to stop the Jewish people building their long awaited for Third Jewish Temple in the actual site where the Temples once stood. 

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Naphtali “Tuly” Weisz ...  

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/  https://israel365.com/ 

The Portion of Vayechi 
https://theisraelbible.com/reading-plan/genesis/portion-vayechi/ 
https://theisraelbible.com/weekly-torah-portion/ 

The Israel Bible side-by-side English and Hebrew text along with audio being read in Hebrew.
https://theisraelbible.com/bible/genesis/chapter-1#verse-1 
https://theisraelbible.com/hebrew-alphabet-chart/ 
https://theisraelbible.com/proper-noun-directory/ 
https://theisraelbible.com/glossary/ 
https://theisraelbible.com/maps 

Message to UN and Europe: Palestinian Terrorism Always Violates International Law
by Louis Rene Beres 

There can never be any greater form of power in world politics than power over death. Paradoxically, this pre-eminent form of power is almost entirely unrecognized by both scholars and policymakers. The principal result is that in terror-vulnerable countries such as Israel, counter-insurgency strategies remain all too frequently detached from what is most important. Consider the issue of Palestinian terrorism, most recently made manifest in the December 9 Ofra Junction (Samaria) shootings. Notwithstanding the conventional wisdom that this conflict is essentially about land or territory, the overriding expectation of Palestinian “martyrs” is actually about immortality. Indeed, life everlasting represents the very definition of what Palestinian martyrdom is all about.
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/119063/message-to-un-and-europe-palestinian-terrorism-always-violates-international-law-opinion/ 

Is Israel Facing Third Lebanon War and New Intifada?
by Video Manager

Israel’s security forces in the West Bank are facing heavy resistance during their search for the perpetrators of the Ofra shooting incident. Meanwhile, on the northern front, the IDF is facing tensions during Operation Northern Shield to dismantle Hezbollah’s military tunnels. 
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/118614/israel-facing-third-lebanon-war-intifada/
vid> https://youtu.be/mqFX4HjLCMA (1:24) i24NEWS 12/12/18 
https://www.youtube.com/user/i24News/videos

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2 FREE bumper stickers - I Stand with Israel 

http://www.shilohisraelchildren.org/free-bumper-stickers/ 
Hebrew “Trump 2016” Bumper Sticker 
https://israel365.com/store/i-love-israel/hebrew-trump-2016-bumper-sticker 

Jared and Ivanka Special w Joseph, Arabella and Theodore ... 
Shana tova u'metuka! #RoshHashanah - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bngu5vDFBxE/
34 #MedalOfHonor at WH - 5779
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnqwcqwlnO6/ 
@NASA Johnson Space Center - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn-GrLEhGYy/ 
Instavid #EndTrafficking - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoEciTYh_GN/ 
Jared Nikki Ivanka WH - 5779
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bot6VhehgKT/ 
Happy Birthday Tiffany - 5779
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo5HUZtBegd/ 
Happy 9th anniversary, Jared - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpW1ZYQhtR1/ 
Doubled Child Tax Credit - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpXsZ4khhvm/ 
Instavid Child Tax Credit and #TaxReform - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpYMkJQBaCT/ 
Ivanka's Happy Birthday 10/30/81 - 5779    
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmGKOcFXc2/ 
Instavid #WorkforceDevelopment - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BppXdGkh3mS/ 
Peas and Carrots - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqfz9xChG2k/ 
Happy Thanksgiving! - 5779 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqgk4BEhpCr/ 
Christmas Cheer at WH - 5779
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrLZt4qhJYJ/ 

https://www.instagram.com/ivankatrump/ 
https://twitter.com/ivankatrump  
http://ivankatrump.com/ 

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Todah Rabah - beloved Ted Belman writing from Jerusalem, Israel for 17+ years ...  
THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION 

It's the 30s again
It will not end well. It may have started with Jews, but it doesn’t stop there. Ever.
by Giulio Meotti, INN

There is an atmosphere resembling the ’30s. Jews frightened to put their noses out of their homes in many European capitals. Jews who prepare their suitcases. Jews who remove their religious symbols to become ghosts. Jews massacred in Israel, three only in the last 24 hours, including a child of just thirty weeks pregnancy. Is Israel losing its vital deterrence?
https://www.israpundit.org/its-the-30s-again/ 
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/23154

Bad-mouthing Netanyahu
by Dogan Akman

The bad-mouthing of Prime Minister Netanyahu by leftist Jewish Americans and Israelis and their respective organisations has become a pathological obsession. Not a day passes by without someone or some organisation doing it. Nor does a day pass by without reference to the on-going interminable police investigations of the Prime Minister’s suspected and alleged wrongdoings.
https://www.israpundit.org/bad-mouthing-netanyahu/ 

Iran: Toward a Plan B 
by Amir Taheri, GATESTONE INSTITUTE

Is a Plan B possible? No one knows for sure. What is certain, however, is that the possibility should be discussed. This is what we propose to do in this session with a paper aimed at opening the discussion on how to nudge, help or even force Iran out of the schizophrenic trap that its current ruling elite, or history if you prefer, have set for it — a way out that points to Iran absorbing its revolutionary experience to re-become a nation-state with the needs, aspirations, hopes, fears, and patterns of behavior of nation-states.
https://www.israpundit.org/iran-toward-a-plan-b/ 
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/13421/iran-plan-b 

Ted Belman, editor and publisher of Israpundit 
https://youtu.be/2_2jJpjU3zA (5:10) ILTV ISRAEL DAILY 10/9/17 http://www.iltv.tv/ 

Ted Belman - 12/3/17 
https://youtu.be/EO5kIMNtZwA (1:08:08) Alexander Gendler 12/3/17 
The “Jordan-is-Palestine” idea, as the preferred resolution for the Israel-Palestine conflict. The conference was organized together with Mudar Zahran, Secretary-General of the Jordan Opposition Coalition, who lives in England under the protection of that country's police.

3 ways to help Ted Belman ... 
Please send checks payable to Ted Belman, 
Dan #33, Unit 25, Jerusalem, 93509, ISRAEL 
Or go to Israel Institute for Strategic Studies 
and use your credit card and mention "Israpundit" 
Donators will get a US tax deductible receipt. 
http://www.strategic-israel.org/  
http://www.israpundit.org/donate/ 

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A Biblical Theology of the Tribe of Judah

http://feedingonchrist.com/a-biblical-theology-of-the-tribe-of-judah/ 
Who are the “Lost Tribes of Israel” w map  
The “Lost Tribes of Israel” are the physical descendants of Israel (Jacob) who – through expulsion, captivity or – have become disassociated from the generally recognized worldwide Jewish community. 
https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/blog/who-are-lost-tribes-israel 
https://www.jewishvoice.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/lost-tribes-map_0.pdf (1 page pdf)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites#/media/File:12_Tribes_of_Israel_Map.svg  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites 
✡ ✡ ✡ 
Yavoh ~ He is coming ! 
Yahweh - Yeshua -  Ruach Ha-Kodesh 
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה   
BREAKING NEWS FROM ISRAEL 
Minute by minute updates here ... 
Watching for Yeshua Ha-Mashiach   
http://www.kolbonews.com/ 
http://conpats.blogspot.com/ 
http://thelibertymill.com/ 
https://rwnofficial.com/
http://www.citizensunited.org/ 
https://www.contendingfortruth.com/ 
https://aim4truth.org/  https://intelnews.org/ 
http://itccs.org/  http://evil.news/ 
https://iomovies.to/  http://123tv.live/ 
http://free.messianicbible.com/  
Pray at the Kotel - the Western Wailing Wall 
http://free.messianicbible.com/enter-prayer-wall/ 
Entire Media News on this Planet 
click continue to use PressDisplay.com 
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx 


No school? No problem! The recipe for a perfect snow day
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/snow-day-cooking-with-the-kids/ 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/holidays/10-healthyier-snow-day-treats/ 

Bring winter joy to our Israeli soldiers!!!
United With Israel made it possible for us to send winter care packages 
along with personal notes of love and support for Israel's bravest! 
Help us help them - With Love From Israel ~ Jamie 
https://unitedwithisrael.net/soldiers/?c=jok_121618 

Throw together some fresh salads for Shabbat!
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/3-ingredient-beet-salad/ 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/moroccan-carrot-salad/

Party foods you can make ahead of time!
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/a-fun-appetizer-for-shabbos/ 

Our "break-fast" go-tos!
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/homemade-bagels/ 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/holidays/how-to-have-a-healthy-break-the-fast/

A piping hot one-pot dinner for a cold winter evening!
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/one-pot-braised-chicken-with-stewy-chickpeas/
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/almond-couscous/ 

Extended - Last day for tickets is 12/30/18 ~ drawing on 12/31/18 
Win a Fabulous Jerusalem Apartment While Supporting the Land You Love
https://unitedwithisrael.thedreamraffle.com/?a=jok 

Mazel Tov!!! IT'S No Mistaking Baking ~ 85+ perfect every time recipes
https://www.amazon.com/No-Mistaking-Baking-foolproof-perfect-ebook/dp/B07L15ZHYL/  

Free Ebook: How To Cook Everything With Olive Oil 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/page/31-days-of-evoo-free-ebook/ 

FREE Ultimate Challah eBook
https://www.joyofkosher.com/tag/challah-ebook/ 
https://joyofkosher.privy.com/campaigns/17152 

Free Mezze Ebook
https://mailchi.mp/jamiegeller/mezze-ebook 

We've got a gift for you! 
Finally! A Healthy Meal Plan for the Whole Family: Fresh Families by Jamie 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/good-for-you-family-dinners/ 
And...we want to take this opportunity to offer Fresh Families to you at just $1 
for the first month! Just use the promo code "1" when you sign up!  
vid> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6lQsuWGrrA (1:01) 
https://freshfamilies.us/ 

How to make delicious latkes and babkas - Today Show 12/3/18 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/latkes-and-babkas-on-the-today-show/ 
vid> https://www.today.com/video/make-delicious-latkes-and-babkas-for-hanukkah-1387224643985 (3:47)  
8 Epic Latke Sliders bonusvid> https://www.instagram.com/p/BqyzjlxF9V8/ 

Today Show - Make Jamie Geller’s tasty brisket with apples and honey cake 
https://www.today.com/video/make-jamie-geller-s-tasty-brisket-with-apples-and-honey-cake-1315037763843 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/easy-twists-on-holiday-favorites-as-seen-on-the-today-show/
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/as-seen-on-the-today-show-easy-oven-seared-soy-silan-brisket/

The Perfect Week for Matzo... As Seen on The Today Show
https://www.joyofkosher.com/2018/03/the-perfect-week-for-matzo-as-seen-on-the-today-show/
w vid Use matzo in 4 different ways for Passover!
https://www.today.com/video/use-matzo-in-4-different-ways-for-passover-1198725699778
https://www.today.com/food/easiest-most-delicious-matzo-ball-recipe-passover-t125845
Matzo Balls by Jamie Geller 
https://www.today.com/recipes/matzo-balls-recipe-t125837 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/best-ever-matzo-ball-soup/ 

Watch Jamie cooking Brisket with Megyn Kelly on The Today Show
by Shifra Klein 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/2018/01/jamie-gellers-brisket-101-as-seen-on-the-today-show/
vid> https://www.today.com/video/make-3-hearty-winter-meals-with-this-delicious-classic-beef-brisket-recipe-1164913219668 
https://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Gellers-Brisket-101-LEFTOVER/dp/1976983851/ 

Camp Zeke http://www.campzeke.org 
$1,000 off camp for new families - first come, first served!
Tell me more about One Happy Camper - isaac@campzeke.org 
Free 2017 - 63 page cookbook - recipes by Alexandra Zohn, MA, HHC 
http://www.campzeke.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017-Camp-Zeke-Cookbook.pdf 

Missing an ingredient? Improvise 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/jamies-tips-for-cooking-substitutions/ 

The Most Popular Recipe - Year 2017
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/potato-kugel-cups/ 
vid> https://youtu.be/ApKzja2XnWE (6:39) 
The Most Popular Recipes 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/search?query=Most%20Popular%20Recipes 

How To Tell The Quality of Olive Oil
https://www.joyofkosher.com/guides/how-to-tell-the-quality-of-olive-oil/ 
https://youtu.be/6fyNI0Iv2m8 (1:44) 
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - EVOO Colavita recipes
https://colavitarecipes.com/recipe/white-bean-and-avocado-toast/ 
https://colavitarecipes.com/recipe/deviled-green-eggs/ 
https://colavitarecipes.com/recipe/sun-dried-tomato-hummus/ 
https://colavitarecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-oat-clusters-fruit-nuts/ 

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The answer is, it's made with love from Israel !   
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/my-jewish-food-memories/ 
My Love Affair With Jerusalem 
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/my-love-affair-with-jerusalem/ 

Medias ... 
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And Jacob lived (Vayechi Yaacov) in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob,
the years of his life, were a hundred forty and seven years. Genesis 47:28
 

Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Vayechi - The Lion and the Scepter of Judah !!!


Jerusalem
  
Shabbat Shalom 
 
Welcome to Vayechi (And He Lived),
this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion). 
 
May you be richly blessed as you study with us the portion of Scripture that will be read during this Shabbat’s (Saturday) morning service in synagogues throughout the world.
 
Vayechi (And He Lived)
Genesis 47:28–50:26; 1 Kings 2:1–12; John 10:1–21
 
“And Jacob lived (Vayechi Yaacov) in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred forty and seven years.” (Genesis 47:28)
 
This week’s Torah portion, Parasha Vayechi (and he lived) is the final Shabbat reading from the book of Genesis (Bereisheet).
 
In last week’s study, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers and invited them, as well as his father, to live in Egypt in order to provide for them during the famine.  Joseph, his brothers, and his father were joyfully reunited and reconciled.
 
Parasha Vayechi ends the first book of the Bible with the death of Jacob and Joseph.
 

Reading the Torah during a Shabbat service
 
Jewish Longing for the Promised Land 
In this Parasha, Jacob compelled Joseph to vow that he would carry his body out of Egypt and back to the Land of his Fathers and bury him there.  Joseph agreed to his dying father’s request. 
(Genesis 47:29–30) 
 
Although Jacob had lived the last 17 years of his life in Egypt, he never forgot the Land God had promised him by divine Covenant.
 
Likewise, ever since God called Abraham out of Ur, the Jewish People have not lost sight of the Promised Land given to them through Isaac and Jacob.  Even when Nebuchadnezzar took the people of Israel captive, they sat by the rivers of Babylon weeping and remembering Zion, vowing to never forget her.
 
“If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!  If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth — If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.”  (Psalm 137:5–6)
 
We must understand this eternal longing planted in the Jewish soul to comprehend the fierce determination of the people of Israel to remain in the Land that God promised us through our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Many maintain a strong emotional tie to the Land of Israel even while living in exile among the nations of the world.
 

British olim (immigrants) to Israel proudly display their new citizenship papers.

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh  
As Jacob neared his death, Joseph brought his two sons before his father for a blessing.  Jacob asked who the two boys were and Joseph answered,
 
“They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place [Egypt].”  (Genesis 48:9)
 
When he saw Joseph’s sons, he thought only of
the goodness of God. 
 
Jacob said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”  (Genesis 48:11)
 
At the end of his life, Jacob praised the Lord for His exceedingly abundant goodness, despite having experienced
many difficulties and trials.
 
God’s goodness not only met, but also exceeded his expectations.
 
“Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us.  By this power He can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.”  (Ephesians 3:20)
 
Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh; however, in a surprise move, he put his right hand on Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left on Manasseh, who was the firstborn and should have rightfully received the primary blessing.
 
“So he blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you Israel will bless, saying, “May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!”’  And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.”  (Genesis 48:20)
 
Jacob Blessing Ephraim and Manasseh, by Benjamin West
 
Even today, many Jewish fathers will bless their sons on Friday evening when families usher in the Sabbath (Shabbat), saying, “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh (Ye’simchs Elohim ke’Efrayim ve’khe-Menasheh).”
 
But why would we bless our sons to be like Ephraim and Manasseh?  What was so special about these young men?
 
Although they were born into the pagan, idolatrous culture of Egypt, they remained faithful to the worship of the God of Israel.
 
This is what we desire for our children—that despite being surrounded by a sea of questionable ethics and morality, they will grow up to be of good character, holding onto faith in the One True God, worshiping Him in spirit and in truth, keeping the Torah that has been written on the hearts of those who follow Yeshua (Jesus). 
 
When we bless our children to be like Ephraim and Manasseh, we are exhorting them to resist the negative peer pressure and immorality of the society in which they live, and instead hold true to the values we have taught them from God’s Word.
 
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  (Romans 12:2)
 
Through his blessing, Jacob elevated these two grandsons to be on an equal level with his own sons.  Manasseh and Ephraim became leaders of their own tribes, representing the House of Joseph, receiving their own portion of land, and waving their own flags.
 
A father and son prepare to pray at the Western (Wailing) Wall.
  
Jacob’s Prophetic Blessings over the 12 Tribes 
“Jacob called his sons, and he said: ‘Come together that I may tell you what is to befall you in the end of days.  Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel [Jacob], your father.’” (Genesis 49:1–2)
 
Jacob, of course, did not only bless his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh.  He also called all of his sons together to bless and prophesy over them on his deathbed.  All of them were blessed in that they would all enter the Promised Land and receive an inheritance there.
 
The blessings were carefully constructed and appropriate to the individual.  They were often based on past behavior that was projected beyond the life of these sons to their descendants.
 
When Jacob blessed his firstborn son, Reuben, he did not give him the double portion or preeminence usually reserved for firstborn sons.  Because of Reuben’s instability, the double portion was given to Joseph and preeminence was given to Judah.
 
He did this because Reuben slept with Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah, which revealed his lust for power over the family.  In other words, when Reuben took possession of his father’s harem, it revealed an attempt to usurp his authority.  For this reason, Jacob resisted giving Reuben a position of preeminence.
 

Jewish woman prays at the Kotel (Wailing Wall)
 
When Jacob blessed Simeon and Levi, he cursed their anger for their role in the massacre on Shechem after Jacob’s
daughter Dinah was raped. 
 
Though their anger was a fitting response, it was not a righteous anger.  They tricked the men of Shechem into a false peace agreement and used it as a trap to kill them.
 
Their violence was so excessive that they even
hamstrung the oxen. 
 
However, other sons were blessed with beauty and fertility (Joseph); swiftness of a deer (Naphtali); ferociousness of a wolf (Benjamin); scholarship (Issachar); military might (Gad); and so on.
 

Seduction of Dinah, Daughter of Leah,
by James Tissot

Jacob Proclaims Judah the Leader of the Tribes of Israel 
“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you.”  (Genesis 49:8)
 
When the people of Israel came out of slavery in Egypt, Judah became God’s “holy ones”:
 
“When Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language; Judah became His sanctuary [kadosho], Israel His dominion [memshalah].”  (Psalm 114:1–2)
 
The word translated sanctuary is kadosho (קָדְשׁוֹ), meaning holiness or holy portion.  It comes from the word kadosh (קדוש), which means holy or set apart.
 

An Orthodox Jewish man prays at the Western (Wailing) Wall using a
siddur (Jewish prayer book).  The box and black straps are tefillin
(phylacteries), which are put on during morning prayer.
 
In Judah, we see the call to holiness.  Although he showed lapses of holiness and good judgment at times, he saved Joseph’s life from his brother's wrath after they threw him in a pit.  And, later, Judah was the only brother willing to enslave his own life in order to free his brother Benjamin.
 
These actions revealed character traits similar to our Messiah—the One who saves us from spiritual death and releases us from spiritual enslavement.
 
When we are not sure what to be thankful for, we can praise and thank Him for these gifts of freedom.  In fact, the Hebrew word for Jew comes from Judah (Yehudah יהודה), from the root YDH—yadah (ידה), which means to thank.
 
Leah, Jacob’s wife, used a play on words in naming her last son Judah (Yehuda), saying that now she would praise (yadah—thank) the Lord (Genesis 29:35).
 
And the apostle Paul said that a true Jew, inwardly, is one who praises (thanks) the Lord, whether Jewish or Gentile (Romans 2:28–29). 
 

Orthodox siblings play at the Lions Fountain in Jerusalem
 
Jacob also likens Judah to a lion cub; therefore, the tribe of Judah is known as Gur Ariyeh (lion cub).
 
“Judah is a lion’s whelp [Gur Ariyeh]; from the prey, my son, you have gone up.  He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him?”  (Genesis 49:9)
 
Indeed, from the royal tribe of Judah came forth kings, legislators, and the promised Redeemer—Messiah, the anointed King of Israel—Yeshua HaMashiach!
 
As prophesied, one day, the dominion of His authority will extend to the entire world.  To Him, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Philippians 2:10).
 

A statue of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah at an
American synagogue.
 
Jacob Prophesies the Coming of Messiah  
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”  (Genesis 49:10)
 
The meaning of the word Shiloh as it is used in this verse literally means that is his or he whose it is.  
 
So, this verse could be restated to say that the scepter (staff of a ruler) will not depart from Judah until the one comes to whom it belongs.
 
More specifically, Shiloh is considered to be a synonym for Messiah, even by ancient Jewish scholars and Rabbis who wrote commentaries on this Scripture:
 
“The rulership abideth with the tribe of Judah until the arrival of Shiloh i.e. Messiah.”  (Midrash Rabbah, written AD 200–500)
 
We find hints of who this Messiah is as we look closer at the words of this prophecy.
 

Though Judah and his offspring would hold the scepter of rule and law over
God’s chosen people, their reign remained limited to Israel.  One would
come from Judah as a mature lion who will rule and judge the whole world.

(Genesis 49:9)

In Jacob’s prophecy—"the scepter shall not depart from Judah"—we find every letter of the Hebrew alphabet except the letter zayin (ז), which represents the Hebrew word for weapon
 
This, perhaps, indicates that when the Messiah would come the first time, He would not come with physical weapons.  Indeed, Yeshua held the sovereign staff of God Himself, releasing spiritual oppression and setting the captives free through
God’s Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). 
 
With God’s staff in hand, Yeshua came as the suffering servant (Mashiach ben Josef). 
 
The Jewish leadership of Yeshua’s day, however, were looking for a scepter to be raised by a military leader who would conquer the Roman oppressors with weapons and force(Mashiach ben David).
 
As a result, many completely missed their Messiah.
 
Jewish man worships at the Western (Wailing) Wall
 
Over time, as Christianity developed and Christians persecuted Jews in the name of the Messiah, a majority of the Jewish People came to define themselves as people who reject any claim that Yeshua is the Messiah.
 
Yet there have always been Jewish Believers.  Today, many Messianic Believers remain true to Jewish culture and traditions, standing strong against the pull of assimilation.
 
According to Rabbinic Jewish commentators in the Talmud, Jacob wanted to reveal the Messiah’s coming at the end of days but was prevented by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).
 
“Jacob wished to reveal to his sons the end of days [ketz ha-yomin], whereupon the divine presence departed from him.”  
(Talmud Pesachim 56a) 
 
In His sovereignty, the Ruach has revealed those end days through Yeshua’s many teachings (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) and the vision of the apostle John in the Book of Revelation, as well as other Bible prophecies.
 

Yeshua Speaks Near the Treasury, by James Tissot
 
Further signifying Judah’s prophetic call as God’s “holy ones,” Judah's name, Yehuda — יהודה, uses all four letters of the proper name of God, YHVH (יהוה) with the addition of one Hebrew letter dalet (ד), which stands for delet or door.
 
Yeshua died in the Land of Judah on the Roman execution stake, rose again, and became the door to salvation.
 
“I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”  (John 10:9)
 
Yeshua HaMashiach will one day become known by His brethren as this door, and they will praise and thank HIm for it.
 
“In this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.’”  
(Romans 11:26; Isaiah 59:20) 
  
 
In these Last Days, as we wait for the return of Yeshua in a display of might and power, please pray for the salvation of the Jewish People and help us bring the Good News to the Holy Land and the nations.
 
Hear the word of the LORD, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd.’”  (Jeremiah 31:10)
 

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