December 27, 2025 – Vayigash (“And He Came Near”) – Parshat 11

• Torah: Genesis 44:18-47:27
• Haftara: Ezekiel 37:15-28
• Brit Chadasha: Luke 24:30-48

וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּאמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃

Vayigash elav Yehudah vayomer bi adoni yedaber-na avdecha davar be’ozney adoni ve’al-yichar apcha be’avdecha ki chamocha keFar’oh.

Then Judah approached him and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant appeal to my lord, and do not be impatient with your servant, you who are the equal of Pharaoh.

Torah encouragement: This week in Torah we see Yoseph weeping again over his brothers, but at this time he reveals himself to them. Even the nations will hear the tears of reconciliation between Mashiach and His family Israel when he reveals himself at His return. Just as “the Egyptians and the household of Pharaoh heard of it”. In the mean time we as Messianic believers in “the way” wait with tears of our own. Some of sorrow, and some of Simcha joy. In that as Jew and Gentile joined together in Messiah, we are estranged and even outcasts from family and Israel as we follow Torah, and do the things our Mashiach did. It can be said “we have fellowship with the suffering of Messiah” as we are rejected by some for following after “the way”.

Jewish believers in Yeshua experience the sorrow of separation from the majority of Israel and Judaism, and can, and often are estranged from family, and friends. Family and brethren may shun, disavow, insult and even disown them. The joy of the revelation of Yeshua as the Messiah in our lives is contrasted by the aching of our hearts for the ones we love to know Him. The Jewish believer becomes as Yoseph, a stranger to his own brothers, father, and people.

The Jewish believer is treated as poorly in many churches, where they are told to renounce everything Jewish and stop observing the Shabbat, and Moed times of Adonai. Keeping the Mitzvot of Adonai and observing the commandments of HaShem needs to be replaced by “new covenant” Grace. If he keeps Shabbat, and abstains from unclean foods at the church luncheon he is looked down upon at the least, and most likely estranged from the congregation.

The same is true of the gentile believer who has had the Ruach HaKodesh reveal the Torah to him. As the transformation begins they are told “what do you need the law for, when you have the spirit of grace”? they become the same as the Jewish believer in the same church. When they try to connect with the local synagogue, they find themselves in the same place the Jewish believer found himself there as well. The one new man Jew and Gentile have a common bond in Yeshua. Both, as one, find themselves to be “strangers in a strange land” and in that way both enter into the sorrows of Messiah. We are touched in the same way he was, rejected, scorned, and estranged from our own. That, while painful, is a privilege according to the Tal’miydim in the book of Acts .

Acts 5:40-41 They agreed with him. Summoning the emissaries, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go. They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Yeshua’s name.

And Messiah: Yeshiyahu (Isaiah) 53:3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.

Cling to your fellow believers as this busy holiday season draws to a close. Keep your joy, daven pray and weep as Yoseph weeping again over his brothers, and who knows perhaps even the nations will hear the tears of reconciliation between Mashiach and His family Israel when he reveals himself! Perhaps this year the tears of sorrow will be swallowed up by tears of Joy!

Ahav V’shalom L’Mish’pachtanu love and peace to our family in Messiah from Beth Hallel Lodi