בס”ד
This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my sister, Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my mother Chaya Rochel Bas Dovid Tzvi (Hareini Kaparas Mishkavah), my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my paternal grandmother Channah Freidel Bas Avraham A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein,
It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:
-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel
-My grandmother Shulamis Bas Etta
-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL
-HaRav Shlomo Ben Shayna Zelda
-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili
-Noam Shmuel Ben Simcha
_R’ Simcha Yitzchak Ben Mirela Yudka
-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis
-And all of the Cholei Yisrael, especially those suffering from COVID-19 and the Meiron tragedy.
-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of HaRav HaGa’on V’Sar HaTorah Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Ben HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky A”H, Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam), COVID-19, and the Meiron tragedy.
-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.
פרשת ויחי
“What All Parent Wants”
In פַּרָשַׁת וַיְחִי,
יַעַקֹב אָבִינוּ blessed all of his children. But, before that, he blessed two of his grandchildren, אֶפְרַיִם and מְנַשֶּׁה.
יַעַקֹב’s blessing is famous because Jewish fathers use this blessing to bless their sons on שבת. The blessing is:
“יְשִֽׂמְךָ אֱלֹקִים כְּאֶפְרַיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה”-“Hashem should place you like Efrayim and like Menasheh.”
When fathers bless their daughters, they say:
“יְשִׂימֵךְ אֱלֹקִים כְּשָׂרָה רִבְקָה רָחֵל וְלֵאָה”-“Hashem should place you like Sarah, Rivkah, Rochel, and Leah.”
Question: Why is that for the boys, we ask ה׳ to make them like אֶפְרַיִם and מְנַשֶּׁה, and not like our אָבוֹת? Why not bless us to be like אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעַקֹב? (There are many important answers to this question. Here’s one for now.)
Answer: אֶפְרַיִם and מְנַשֶּׁה were the first set of brothers who were צַדִיקִים that completely loved each other and did not fight. קַיִן killed הֶבֶל. And even though they didn’t fight each other, אַבְרָהָם and his brothers used to served idols. יִשְׁמָעְאֵל wanted to kill יִצְחָק. Then, עֵשָׂו tried to kill יַעַקֹב. And finally, יוֹסֵף’s brothers planned to kill him. This did not happen with אֶפְרַיִם and מְנַשֶּׁה. When יַעַקֹב put his right hand on אֶפְרַיִם even though he was younger, אֶפְרַיִם did not brag! And when יַעַקֹב put his left hand on מְנַשֶּׁה even though he was older, מְנַשֶּׁה did not get jealous! That’s what all parents want; children who love each other!
ה׳ should give us all the ability to be like them, to be humble and happy for each other. Have a wonderful שבת!
Rabbi Eisenberg, Grade 3