Vayigash 5772

In this week's parsha, Yaakov (Jacob) and his family travel from the famine-plagued Canaan to Egypt to resettle there and to reunite Yosef (Joseph) with his father Yaakov. As the family approaches the section of Egypt called Goshen, Yaakov instructs his son Yehuda (Judah): "He [Yaakov] sent Yehuda before him to Yosef l'horot l'fanav in Goshen."

Why does Yaakov send Yehuda ahead? What is the meaning of l'horot l'fanav?

We see several different but related English translations of l'horot l'fanav: to instruct ahead of him; to show the way before him; to direct him. Rashi writes: "L'horot l'fanav – [This is to be understood as] to clear a place for him and to instruct how he will settle in it. L'fanav [means] before he would arrive there, and l'horot l'fanav [means] to prepare for him a house of study from which instruction shall go forth.''

Based on Rashi's interpretation, the Shelah HaKadosh explains how Yaakov's actions demonstrate his priorities. Yaakov makes sure that his spiritual needs are in place before he takes care of his physical needs. From this, we learn that it is a priority to establish Torah education systems in our communities, especially if we live outside the Land of Israel.

We also learn that it is a priority to transmit Torah to our children. Writes Rav Aharon Lichtenstein on www.parsha.net: "Yaakov was worried about the spirituality of his descendants in Egypt. He knew that his grandchildren would be raised in a foreign society, one with a strong and attractive culture of its own. Therefore, he wanted to be certain that they would still maintain their separate identity…Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead to set up a house of study which was to provide a strong Jewish education for the children who would grow up in Egyptian society. It would give them both firm Torah values and a firm Jewish identity."

Rabbi A.L. Scheinbaum remarks that Yaakov wants Yehuda to prepare a house of study "for him [Yaakov]" meaning, "one that would adhere to the 'old world' precepts and perspectives that characterized his home…[and] that would foster and perpetuate the Patriarchal legacy and its unique characteristic form of Jewishness."

It is interesting to note that the Hebrew language seems to have something to say about the role of parents. The Hebrew word for parents, horim, shares its root with l'horot. The word Torah (literally, instruction) and the Hebrew word for teacher, morah, also are related. Embedded within lashon kodesh (the holy tongue, Hebrew) is the message that we parents are responsible for educating our children in the ways of Torah.