Chazak, chazak v'nischazek!!!! Parashas Vayichi

I hope that everyone had a wonderful week.

"Vayichi Yackov b'eretz mitzrayim shva esreh shana / Yackov lived in the land of mitzrayim seventeen years..." Reb Nosson (Lekutei Halachos - Halachos Hodaah 6-51) brings down from the Midrash Rabba and the holy Zohar that these 17 years were the "ikar/main" years of his life which he lived "b'simcha/with joy" and with "nachas/peace of mind." Even the number itself points to this 17 is the gematria of tov/good. The following question arises. Why was it that Yackov Avinu couldn't live in peace in Eretz Yisroel but had to come down to mitzrayim the center of all things unholy in order to finally live his last 17 years with joy and peace of mind. Well, the Torah is coming to teach us the age old lesson that the only true simcha, and peace of mind comes after hard work. After sweat and after tears. Imagine the pain and tears that were shed after Yosef was sold. But really it had to happen so that he could get things set up for Clall Yisroel to come down to mitzrayim. And so to, imagine all the tears that were shed in mitzrayim itself (We'll bli neder get to this in more detail in the weeks to come.) but those tears, all of that hard work was a necessary cleansing process that we had to go through in order to be able to get the Torah (More on that to, bli neder when we get there). So to, each one of us on our own level and also on a national level have to always remember that in order to get to the true good, in order to get joy and peace of mind in life we have to first go through the furnace the hard and trying times. It doesn't chas v'shalom mean that we have to live a life full of pain and sorrow, but rather that all of those pains and sorrows are for the best in the end.

Another amazing lesson we can learn from the parasha is from Yackov's blessing of Menashe and Ephraim, Yosefs two egyptian sons. "Hamalach hagoel osi mee kol rah, yivarech es hanearim v'yikareh bahem shmee, vshem avosi Avraham v'Yitzchak vyidgu larov bkerev ha'aretz/May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my forefathers Avraham and Yitzchak, and may they proliferate abundantly like fish within the land." A beautiful bracha!!! Especially for ones who weren't worthy of being blessed (So says Rashi!). But lets concentrate on the end of the bracha "vyidgu larov.../proliferate abundantly like fish..." May they be like fish, which are fruitful and multiply and which are not affected by the evil eye. The simple explanation is that since fish are underwater, people can't see them so the ayin harah, the evil eye has no affect. So to with us. Maybe if we would go underwater, stop striving for glory and grandeur, live b'tmimus and pshitus/ with purity and simplicity then the ayin harah wouldn't have an affect on us.

To end off, not only parashas Vayichi, but also Sefer Bereishis we go to a short vort from the Shalo Hakadosh. Vayikra Yackov el banav vayomer heiasfu vagida lachem es asher yikra eschem bacharis hayamim/And Yackov called to his sons, and he said, gather together and I will tell you what will befall you in the end of days." Yackov before he died told his sons to gather together, to have achdus, unity. Because only when there is unity among the descendants of Yackov can there be redemption. If there is not yet unity, it is not yet time
for redemption. With this we can understand what Yosef's brothers meant when they said to him later on that before Yackov's death he requested that Yosef forgive them. Where did Yackov ever ask this of Yosef? The answer can be seen in our pasuk. Yackov asked for unity and the deep love that comes from unity. Where there is love, there is forgiveness. How crucial a message this is for our times! We are all different from each other, we are all on different levels, but if we just put that all aside. Even if we would just start desiring and striving for the ability to put our differences aside, we would be zoche to bring the Mashiach out of hiding to help us build the third and final Beis Hamikdash! Speedily in our days! Amen! (Brought down in Growth Through Torah By Rabbi Zelig Pliskin)

Be strong, be strong, and be strengthened!!!!
May all that we learned in Sefer Bereishis not pass us over but rather enter into the depths of our neshamos and help us come closer to Hashem!

Here's the little treat that I promised. Very powerful stuff.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=408729886795553337&q=the+end+of+days+part+2&hl=en
Have a wonderful and meaningful Shabbos,
Peace and joy,
Etan