Parsha Page

  Shalom
  to you,

Wellsprings of Torah,  www.TorahWellsprings.org
Rick Wills - Messianic Elder,  Mishareth@TorahWellsprings.org

Parsha 9:  Vayeshev - He continued to live


Torah:  Genesis 37:1 - 40:23

    Ya’akov continued living in the land where his father had lived as a foreigner, the land of Kena’an. And here, the story turns from Ya’akov to his sons, focusing on events in Yosefs life.

    The young Yosef is far from perfect, he brings bad reports about his brothers, he has been raised as a much-favored son by a doting father, and in his immaturity he brags about his dreams to his brothers. His long-sleeved robe signifies that his father expects him to have authority over his older brothers. And in all this his brothers learn to hate him.

    The brothers conspire to kill Yosef, but Re’uven (the oldest) convinces them to sell him into slavery instead. After Yosef is gone, they tell Ya’akov that his favorite son has been killed. This sets into motion events that will forever change the fate of the seed of Avraham, and indeed provide salvation for a nation during a tremendous famine.

    While in Potifars possession as a slave, Adonai prospers Yosef so much that he is put in charge of all Potifars possessions. When Yosef resists the advances of Potifars wife, he acknowledges his obedience to God by saying “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Not a fear of Potifar, but a love for God guides him.

    Through the deception of Potifars wife, Yosef is thrown into prison. Still, God is with him, and prospers him. Yosef rises to a position of great responsibility in the prison, and eventually shows his God given ability to correctly interpret the dreams of the kings’ cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer is restored to his position by the king, but fails to remember Yosef as he had promised.

    Through all of this Parsha, we read little written about what Yosef actually said. Only in three cases are his words recorded, and each time he shows his love for, and gratitude toward God.

    In all of this, we see God’s sovereign hand, placing the right man for His purposes in the right place at the right time. Just as He would when He sent Yeshua live among man, and at the right time to die for our sins.


Haftara:  Amos 2:6 – 3:8

    The first chapters of Amos are a prophecy of the coming judgement of Adonoi on the nations. Many crimes are given that justify His judgement.

    There are two clear connections here to the Torah reading. In 2:6 Adonoi lists four of Isra’els crimes. The first listed is “because they sell the upright for silver…” As Yosef was sold into slavery.

    Another crime, “father and son sleep with the same girl”. In Genesis 38 we see Y’hudah sleeping with the widow of two of his sons, Tamar, thinking she was a prostitute. She bears his twins Peretz and Zerach.

    Amos goes on to show us the intimate nature of God, along with demonstrating His sovereign will. “Of all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known. That is why I will punish you for all your crimes.” And “Can disaster befall a city without Adonoi’s having done it? Adonoi, God, does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants, the prophets.”


Chadasha:  Acts 7:9 – 16

    Here Stephen speaks to the Sanhedrin, using the story of Avraham and Yosef, to convict them of their failure to keep Torah, and show his devotion to Yeshua as he gave his life declaring the glory of God.

    Verse 9 “Now the Patriararchs grew jealous of Yosef and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But Adonai was with him; He rescued him from all his troubles and gave him favor and widsom before Pharaoh…”

    Just as Adonoi was with Stephen, revealing His Sh’khinah glory to Stephen as he stood firm in His mercy and grace.


Baruch Hashem,
George Robinson