Vayechi – And he lived

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Haftarah: I Kings 2:1-12

New Testament: Hebrews 11:21-22, 13:14

In last week’s lesson, Joseph not only revealed his identity to his brothers; but, more importantly, he revealed his forgiveness for their sins against him. Joseph embraced them and kissed them and urged them to bring their father and their families to Goshen, where Joseph provided all the food that the family needed and “gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded” (Gen. 47:11).

Miketz – at the end

Torah Portion: Genesis 41:1-44:17

Haftarah: Zech. 2:14-4:7 special reading for Sabbath during Hanukah

New Testament: Mat. 12:39, 17:22-23, Mat. 20: 18-19, Luke 10:2, 11:30, 13:32,

We ended abruptly last week with Joseph in prison, the cupbearer having forgotten all about him, and the sages commenting that God added two more years to his time in jail because he looked to the cupbearer for help instead of continuing to trust in God. But, perhaps, instead, circumstances were not yet ripe for Joseph’s reappearance. In this week’s lesson everything will suddenly and completely change.