THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (DATE SHOULD READ 12-08-2013)

Parshat HaShavua:

Vayechi (ויחי | He lived)

By

Rabbi Cliff Maynard

Senior Rabbi, The Rock Of Israel Congregation

www.rockofisraelcongregation.com

Vice President, National Jewish Fellowship Of The AG

TheTalmud states:

The righteous, even in death are called living…whereas the evil, even while alive, are called dead. (Brochos 18a)

So how does this apply to Parshat Vayechi, especially considering Vayechi means “He Lived,” in reference to Jacob? The statement from the Talmud and the name Parshat Vayechi seems even a little more off kilt, considering this parsha tells the story of the death of Jacob, then shortly followed by the death of Joseph. Nevertheless, The statement from the Talmud fits the patriarch Ya’akov, and his son Yo’sef very well, as they were both righteous men.  Their righteous lives still speak to us today, as the words jump off the pages of Torah and into our hearts.

I am enamored with the Messianic parallels of Joseph and Yeshua HaMashiach ben Elohim, as well as the foretelling of the promise of the Messiah to come in the blessing of Jacob over his son Judah.  The blessing of Judah is a good jumping point for us to consider.  As Jacob looked into the future to bless his sons regarding their tribal destinies, he was seeking the Messiah and the age of redemption, as he says, “For Your salvation [yeshua] I wait, O LORD” (Genesis 49:18). Though he pours out his most lavish blessing over his favored son, Joseph, he nevertheless is prophetically compelled to give the kingship to his son Judah. He declares, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet” (Genesis 49:10).

 

When reading this prophecy emanating from Jacob over Judah, one can miss several important points of interest if we do no slow down and pay close attention.

1.     A scepter is a rod or staff that represents Royal Authority, power held by a King, yet Jacobs prophecy over Judah of a “King” to rule in Israel comes long before Israel would be ruled by a King.  Even so the first King to rule over Israel would be King Saul, not from the tribe of Judah but Benjamin  (1 Samuel 9:1-10:1) This is NOT a mistake on Jacob’s part.  HaShem reveled to Jacob centuries ahead that Adonai would set a King over Israel.  We also know Saul’s Kingship ended, and that G-D would install “a man after His own heart.”  Who? This “man after God’s own heart” was David, the son of Jesse—of the tribe of Judah (1 Samuel 16:1-13).  Upon reflection of this, it appears that Jacob was speaking of the reign of Melech Dovid, but could this be it? We all know Melech Dovid began the Royal Lineage that Jacob’s prophecy pointed to, still, the King Jacob speaks of must also write Law.

2.     Now, at first glance we might even pass over one VERY important point….because Jacob’s words come before any recorded written law had been given. The “Lawgiver” of Israel would be the Levite, drawn out of the Nile—Moses (Exodus 2:1-10). Of him, Israel would declare, “Moses commanded a law for us, a heritage of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4).  Could it be another mistake in Jacob’s prophecy?  Not according to Psalms, “Judah is My Lawgiver” (Psalm 60:7; 109:8).  Yes, I realize all of Israel hold Moshe in High esteem, but that does not give us the right to overlook Jacob’s prophecy!  Isaiah understood that the true source of Divine Law not as Moshe, but – “the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us” (Isaiah 33:22).  When did a “Lawgiver” come from Judah? Does this speak merely of the administrative laws of Davidic kings? Or could it be Jacob is foretelling of a Divine Lawgiver, descended from Judah?  One might argue that the term “Lawgiver” is just another way of describing royal authority that mirrors the term—“Scepter.” But Jacob’s prophecy reveals that neither will depart from Judah “until” the coming of Shiloh.

3.     The Israelite territory of Ephraim played host to the Tabernacle through the time of Joshua and Samuel, but there is no mention of it in Bereshit (Genesis).  The Bible is very clear that royal authority does not start for Judah until after Melech Dovid (King David) comes to Shiloh.  If that is the case, then who or what is the “Shiloh” that Jacob’s prophetic blessing?

4.     The Hebrew word shylho found here may be a contracted form of shello, a compound of sh- the relative pronoun “whom,” with -l the preposition “to,” and  -o the third person singular pronominal suffix “he.” Altogether, that would mean, “he to whom it belongs.” If this is correct, although it would constitute an unusual and unique construction, Hamilton tells us it is supported by “the almost unanimous testimony of ancient versions” including the Septuagint and the Hebrew Targums.[*] This may parallel the wording of Ezekiel 21:27. In this text, God rebukes the “wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come” (21:25). After promising that the king of Babylon would come to punish him (21:18-24), the Lord declares of his power, “Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.”

5.     What light does that shed on Shilo? Jacob prophesied a King from the line of Judah, before a king was even imagined in Israel. Jacob prophesied a Lawgiver from Judah, before written law was revealed, using a title Scripture applies to the Divine “Lawgiver.” Finally, he prophesies that this authority will stand “until he comes to whom it belongs” (NIV). Does this mean that when this one comes, such authority will pass away? No, “to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” The Septuagint and the Vulgate both understood the Hebrew word here amyim—“people” to express the sense of “nations” (i.e. more than just Israel). Who would descend from Judah, be both a King and a Lawgiver, to whom the right of royal authority “belongs,” and to whom would be “the obedience of the nations” (NIV)? Hundreds of years before His birth Jacob prophesied the coming of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus The Messiah), of the tribe of Judah, King, Lawgiver, and Shiloh, “He to whom (the right to rule the nations) belongs.”

Finally, As Jacob continues to bless his son Judah, he prophesies, “He ties his foal to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine.” From the messianic perspective, any mention of a donkey evokes the Zechariah 9:9 passage: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; he is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. On the strength of Zechariah 9:9, the Sages reckoned almost every reference to a donkey as a reference to Messiah. According to the Talmud, even if one merely dreams of a donkey, it is a sign that he may anticipate salvation. When Yeshua entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey, everyone immediately associated it with the Zechariah 9:9 passage.

His entrance on a donkey was an open statement declaring, ‘I am He to whom the prophet referred.’ Thus the “foal” and “donkey’s colt” of the tribe of Judah is the messianic expectation—the steed that carries Messiah to Jerusalem. But what does it mean that he ties his donkey to a choice vine? Yeshua is also called “the Vine,” as He says in John 15:5, “I am the vine.” He is the choice vine to which the messianic expectation is tethered.

With the blessings of Jacob concluded, he dies.  Parsha Vayechi ends with  Genesis Chapter 50 and Joseph dying at 110 years old. Joseph’s last words brings hope for all of Israel…”G-d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land to the land of which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

G-d will surely remember you; and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

Mazel Tov!

THE END OF BERESHITH!

We now recite the traditional words upon completing a book of Torah

CHAZAK! CHAZAK! VE’NIT – CHAZEK!

BE STRONG! BE STRONG! AND MAY WE BE STRENGTHENED!

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