48 Historic Details
Dear friends and family, our discussion begins with a puzzling question about the Word וַיֹּאמֶר Vah Yoh Mehr – meaning ‘And He Said.’ In (Genesis 48.1) Ha Torah Says, ‘And it came to pass after these things that someone said to Joseph, Behold, your father is sick.’ The puzzling question is what is the name of the One who spoke to Joseph and how did that One know Israel was חֹלֶה Choh Leh – sick? And how did that One know Jacob’s soul about to depart / separate from his physical body? (Genesis 48.1) is the first mention of illness in Ha Torah. Up until that point in time, no one experienced חֹלֶה Choh Leh – ‘Sickness.’ In other words, Joseph was a prophet. He understood The Prophetic Message that was delivered to him even though no one had ever heard of or experienced חֹלֶה Choh Leh – ‘Sickness’ from Creation until 2155 FC — From Creation.
Up until that time when people would die, they sneezed, and their Spirit Soul departed from them. That is why Ha Torah records Joseph’s action after he received The Message. Holy Scripture Says, ‘Joseph took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim [and went to his Father.].’ Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Tanach Series – Bereishis Vol. I (b) (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 3rd Impression, 1989), p 2095
So who spoke to Joseph in (Genesis 48.1)? Ha Torah Says, ‘And it happened after these things, i.e. [the events, the birthdays and deaths of the Patriarchs. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Each was born on Passover. Abraham and Isaac died on Passover. Jacob’s children knew Abraham’s and Isaac’s birth and death dates. They knew Jacob’s birthdate and the day he would die on. So when HE [God] Said to Joseph, ‘Behold! Your Father is sick.’ Given the history and the Precise time of the year, Joseph understood that it was the day of death for his Father, Jacob. Holy men and women are born and die on the same day. (Deuteronomy 34.7) Says, ‘Moses was [exactly] one hundred and twenty years old when he died.’
Now we understand the importance of the Word וַיֹּאמֶר Vah Yoh Mehr and why its inclusion in Ha Torah (Genesis 48.1) by translators is crucial. Perhaps we should ask ourselves how do I feel about what has just been explained. Next, maybe we could go online and type ‘Genesis 48:1’ into our Internet browser and review the various translations.
May we labor in learning the good, pure, and rich Words flowing freely from Ha Torah.
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
JewishPath.Org/bookpage.html
