Living Torah Archives

As a young child, the Tzemach Tzedek once asked the Alter Rebbe how Jacob’s best years could have been in Egypt, a land of immorality.

The Torah teaches us that Jacob’s best years were while living in Egypt during the final part of his life. Nevertheless, Jacob insisted on being taken to be interred near his parents and grandparents in the city of Hebron.

In the fifth section of the Torah portion of Vayechi, Jacob's blessings to four of his sons are grouped together: "A troop marches forth from the tribe of Gad... The tribe of Asher will be a wellspring of olive oil... Naftali is a swift gazelle... Joseph, a robust grape vine by the spring…" All four blessings demonstrate vitality and initiative.