Vayigash ויגש

 וַיִּפֹּ֛ל עַל-צַוְּארֵ֥י בִנְיָֽמִן-אָחִ֖יו וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וּבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן בָּכָ֖ה עַל-צַוָּארָֽיו: וַיְנַשֵּׁ֥ק לְכָל-אֶחָ֖יו וַיֵּ֣בְךְּ עֲלֵהֶ֑ם וְאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן דִּבְּר֥וּ אֶחָ֖יו אִתּֽוֹ

With that he embraced his brother Benjamin around the neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.He kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; only then were his brothers able to talk to him.

After the animosity and trauma between Joseph and his brothers, this week’s portion, Vayigash, is an attempt to right this wrong: to bring the brothers back together. The story of Jacobs's sons teaches us of the harsh impact the violence between the brothers has on Jacob, on their family, on the people of Israel. Our Parashah teaches us the possibility for reconciliation and peace between enemies, of overcoming victimhood. Midrashsir for Parasht Vayigash is a song performed by Hadag Nachash protesting the violence between brothers, between Israelis, between people.

 Click here to download the lyrics in Hebrew and English