Vayigash: How to make our mark

Rav Johnny's original thoughts on the weekly parsha

Following the dramatic moment when Yosef reveals himself to his brothers he sends his brothers to collect their father Yaakov to bring him down to Egypt, and it is during this journey that ‘God spoke to Yisrael in visions of the night, and said: “Yaakov! Yaakov!” to which he replied: “Here I am!”’ (Bereishit 46:2).

A sensitive reader will notice the parallels between this passage and Bereishit 22:11 when Avraham, while holding the knife to slaughter his son Yitzchak, hears the call of an angel: “Avraham! Avraham!”, to which he replied, “Here I am!”. The question is, what is the significance of the parallelism between these two passages?

According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, this moment captures the emotions of Yaakov as he journeys to see his long-lost son Yosef, and just like the call of the angel was a turning point in that story, this parallelism points to ‘the moment of revival at the climax of this Akeidah’.

However, alongside this beautiful interpretation is a further insight suggested by Rabbi Aba Bar Kahana in a cryptic Midrash (Tanchuma Shemot 18):

‘Rabbi Aba Bar Kahana said: “Whenever someone’s name is repeated, it teaches us that they are in two worlds.”’

What this means is that whenever we find someone’s name repeated in Tanach, it is an indication that, at that moment, this individual has made their mark both in this world and in the next world. And to prove this point, the Midrash then lists six examples where there is a name repetition in the Tanach.

The first occurs in Bereishit 6:9 where we are introduced to Noach and told about his righteousness. We then find Avraham’s name being repeated during the Akeidah story. Next is Yaakov whose name is repeated as he journeys to see his son Yosef. Then Moshe’s name is repeated (see Shemot 3:4) during his dialogue with God at the burning bush when he was charged with the responsibility to lead Bnei Yisrael. Then Shmuel’s name is repeated (see Shmuel I 3:10) as part a call from God that he was to receive a prophecy. And finally, Peretz’s name is repeated (see Ruth 4:18) while listing the generations between Peretz and David. The question that I’d now like to address is the significance of each of these examples in terms of what they teach us about making a mark both in this world and the next.

From the example of Noach, we learn that one way we can make our mark is to be righteous like Noach. From the example of Avraham, we learn that another way to make our mark is to overcome challenges and tests like Avraham & Sarah did. From the example of Moshe we learn that a way to make our mark is by being a national leader. From the example of Shmuel, we learn that another way to make our mark is by being a religious guide. And from the example of Peretz, we learn that a way to leave our mark is by building a family which can eventually bring much goodness and redemption to the world.

But there is also sixth way of leaving a mark in the world which emerges from the story of Yaaakov - whose name is repeated when he has just stopped off in Beersheva to offer sacrifices before continuing his journey to Egypt to reunite with Yosef.

Significantly, Beersheva is the region where Avraham disconnected with his son Yishmael (see Bereishit 21:14), yet it is also where Avraham and Yitzchak journeyed to after the Akeidah (see Bereishit 22:19). Beersheva is thus a place with memories of disconnecting and reconnecting; a place which reminds us how families can be divided, and how families can be united. And while Yaakov may have thought that he had lost his son Yosef, he was now en-route to Egypt to be reunited with him.

Understood this way, when God calls out “Yaakov! Yaakov!”, Yaakov is then reminded that one of the most powerful ways in which we can make our mark in this world is by bringing our family together in peace - and by helping others do the same.

Shabbat Shalom!

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