Vayigash
וַיִּגַּשׁ
And [Judah] Approached [Joseph]
Genesis 44:18−47:27

When Is Vayigash Read?
/ 7 Tevet 5786
/ 9 Tevet 5787
/ 9 Tevet 5788
Summary
- Judah pleads with Joseph to free Benjamin and offers himself as a replacement. (44:18-34)
- Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and forgives them for selling him into slavery. (45:1-15)
- Although the famine still rages, Pharaoh invites Joseph's family to "live off the fat of the land." (45:16-24)
- Jacob learns that Joseph is still alive and, with God's blessing, goes to Egypt. (45:25-46:33)
- Pharaoh permits Joseph's family to settle in Goshen. Pharaoh then meets with Jacob. (47:1-12)
- With the famine increasing, Joseph designs a plan for the Egyptians to trade their livestock and land for food. The Israelites thrive in Egypt. (47:13-27)
More Vayigash Commentaries
Video: Learn More About Parashat Vayigash With Bim Bam
Parashat Vayigash with Bim Bam
When Joseph first tests his brothers, Judah gets a chance to prove how far he's come. Rabbi Sydney Mintz tells about the three moral compasses of three very different brothers.
Listen to Podcasts on Parashat Vayigash
Listen to Rabbi Rick Jacobs discuss Parashat Vayigash in these episodes of his podcast, On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah.
Image

Ten Minutes of Torah: Vayigash Commentary
Approaching Another: On Judah’s Lack of Self-Righteousness
By: Rabbi Dr. Wendy Zierler
Parashat Vayigash begins with Judah approaching the Egyptian viceroy, a man he does not know is actually his brother Joseph, in sheer terror.
Continue Reading