Using the metaphor of challah-making:
3 strands to interweave, then tucked together; all made from the same dough, cut apart then massaged to shape into strands, not identical in shape or size, but sufficient to make a challah.
Themes to interweave:
1. Numerical coincidence of 110 incidences of "va-y’hi" from beginning to end of B’reshit, with the final instance of Joseph dying at age 110.
1.1 grouping 1: God creates, and it is…"y’hi….va-y’hi…"
1.2 grouping 2: Generation to Generation (note: line to Abram ends with Sarai being childless)
1.3 grouping 3: God-historical sequence
1.3.1 the flood sequence
1.3.2 Abraham’s story, dreams, interactions with God
1.3.3 Isaac’s story and Jacob’s story
1.3.4 Joseph’s story
1.4 Grouping 4: Generational #2—Jacob to sons, and Joseph’s death
2. Some lessons learned as I near completion of 3rd volume of Daniel Matt’s translation of Zohar
2.1 ha-olam haba and ha-olam hazeh are coterminous, we’re just not aware of the separation: Vol. III, page 201, footnote #141: "…the world that is coming" is often understood as referring to the hereafter and is usually translated as "the world to come." From another point of view, however, "the world that is coming" already exists, occupying another dimension." "’The world to come’ does not succeed ‘this world’ in time, but exists from eternity as a reality outside and above time, to which the soul ascends." In Kabalah, "the world that is coming" often refers to Binah, the continuous source of emanation…constantly coming, never ceasing."
2.2 creation was God, as unknowable Keter or "ein sof" (nothingness), causing separation, which is born constantly from wisdom (hochmah)
(p. 40) 1:172a "When it arose in the will of the blessed Holy One to create the world, He issued from the spark of impenetrable darkness (botsina de-qardinuta) a single vaporous cluster, flashing from the dark, lingering in ascension. The darkness descended, gleaming—flaring in a hundred paths, ways, narrow, broad, constructing the house of the world."
2.3 Y’hi is God commanding creation from nothing through separation; va-y’hi is separation of sequence, generation, life to death.
2.4 All the generations eventually establish three rarified human participants in the s’firotic structure:
2.4.1 Avraham as hesed (loving kindness),
2.4.2 Yitzhak as g’vura and din(strength and judgment), then
2.4.3 Yaakov as tiferet (beauty and balance, and husband to shekinah and malchut or kingdom, represented by Judah (Assembly of Israel) —and later to David
2.5 In the final parshyot of B’reshit, we see establishment of the 4th key s’firah in the Yoseph story—as Yesod, he is the connector and foundation for divine flow from tifereth--as Jacob) to shekinah—as Judah): All was a stage setup, so that Judah could transcend himself for the sake of saving his father (as Yisrael); so that Joseph could be positioned to transfer God’s higher eminence to our people through Yaakov (as Yisrael "ha-zeh") and Judah (as Yisrael "ha-bah").
B’reishit 37.2 (p. 226): "This, then, is the line of Jacob: at 17 years of age, Joseph tended the flocks…as a helper to the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah." Jacob:Joseph are juxtaposed, united in a single entity, which unites with Shekinah (Judah). (Jacob lives in Egypt the same 17 years that Joseph lived with him before his disappearance).
3. Thoughts on my dad’s 3rd yartzeit
3.1 I can’t know you anymore: I know you are next to me
3.2 Your quiet patience, focus, and personal discipline remind me of Jacob: I never knew your struggles ("Rather than rely on his merit…Jacob preferred instead to pray for protection so that he could bequeath the full measure of his merit to his descendants.")
3.3 I sensed and learned from your spiritual bond with mom—hesed and g’vurah, ended when she was gone
3.4 By strength and strategy you built your makom—your place of comfort for us
4. Conclusion
Instances of va y’hi in B’reshit
(note: left-side numbers are instances of "va-y’hi"; "1?" numbers are instances of "y’hi"; and "+1" numbers are instances of "Va’yih-yu").
Creation of earth:
Void becomes separated into areas of reality
A wind from God sweeps over the water: separation
Va-yomer elohim…
1 + 1? "y’hi ohr, va-y’hi ohr." separation
God separates light from darkness, gives names of day and night to each, then
Va-y’hi erev…there existed evening
va-y’hi boker…there existed morning, yom echad
1? y’hi ra-ki-a b’toch ha-mayim…God said "let there be atmosphere between earth and outer space…" separation
va’y’hi mav-dil beyn mayim la-mayim
Va-y’hi erev va-y’hi boker, yom sheni
Va-y’hi keyn…God commands gathers water so that dry land appear, and it was so.
Va-y’hi keyn…God commands plants and seeds…and it was so
1 Va-y’hi erev va-y’hi boker, yom shlishi
1? y’hi m’orot bir-ki-a….God said "let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night" (functional lights for telling set times and for agriculture) separation
Va-y’hi keyn…and it was so
Va-y’hi erev va-y’hi boker, yom r’vi-i…After making sun and moon for daylight and night-light
Va-y’hi erev va-y’hi boker, yom ha-mishi…After creating animal and sea life and reproduction
1 Va-y’hi erev va-y’hi boker, yom shli-shi…After creating Adam (male and female) and crowning king of all living matter
(no va-y’hi for 7th day: it was blessed)
12 + 3?
Al l other creations were variations of "bring", "create," "call,"
Eleh toldot ha-shamayim v’ha-aretz b’hi’bar’am
Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created.
2nd Creation of adam (from dust of the earth): 2:7
va-y’hi ha-adam l’nefesh ha-ya….God blew into his nostrils the breath of life, (and adam became a living being)
Va’yih-yu sh’ney-hem a-ru-mim (the two of them were naked)….
They cover themselves, hide from God, separate themselves from creation (self-awareness)
1 + 1
Record of Adam’s line:
Ch Va-y’chi adam shlishim um’at shana va-yuled (When Adam has lived 130 years, he begets a son in his likeness…and he named him Seth.
Va’yih-yu y’mey Adam acha-rey holi-do et-shem…Adam lives another 800 years after birth of Seth, begets sons and daughters, and dies at age 930 years.
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey Adam…Adam lives a total 930 years, then he dies.
10 generations from Adam to Noah:
Ch Va-y’chi shet cha-mesh sha-neem um’at shana…Seth begets Enosh at 105 yrs. old
Ch Va-y’chi shet acha-rey ho-li-do….Seth lives 807 years to beget more sons/daughters, and dies at 912 (With time of Enosh, men begin to invoke the name of God
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey shet….Seth dies at 912 yrs. old
Ch Va-y’chi Enosh…Enosh lives 90 years and begets Kenan
Ch Va-y’dhi Enosh acha-rey ho-li-do et-Kenan….Enosh lives 815 years after Kenan, and has more sons/daughters
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey Enosh…Enosh dies at 905
Ch Va-y’dhi Kenan…Kenan lives 70 years, begets Mahalalel
Ch Va-y’chi Kenan acha-rey ho-li-do et Mahalalel…Kenan lives 840 years with more son/daughters
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey …Kenan dies at 910
Ch Va-y’`chi Mahalalel… Mahalalel lives 65 years and begets Jared
Ch Va-y’chi Kenan acha-rey ho-li-do et Mahalalel… Mahalalel lives 830 years with more son/daughters
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey … Mahalalel dies at 895
Ch Va-y’chi Jared… Jared lives 162 years and begets Hanoch (Enoch)
Ch Va-y’chi Jared acha-rey ho-li-do et Hanoch…Jared lives 800 years with more son/daughters
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey … Jared dies at 962
Then it changes with Hanoch:
Ch Va-y’chi Hanoch… he lives 65 years and begets M’tu-shalach (Methuselah)
Va-yit-halech Hanoch et-ha-elohim…After birth of M’tu-shalach, Hanoch "walks with God for 300 years and begets sons and daughters, then…
1 "Va-y’hi kol y’mey hanoch…"
All the days of Enoch came to 365 years; he walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him.
Ch Va-y’chi M’tu-shalach … he lives 187 years and begets Lamech
Ch Va-y’chi M’tu-shalach acha-rey ho-li-do et Lamech… M’tu-shalach lives 782 years with more son/daughters
Va’yih-yu kol y’mey … M’tu-shalach dies at 969
Ch Va-y’chi Lamech … he lives 182 years and begets Noach
Ch Va-y’chi Lamech acha-rey ho-li-do et Noach… Lamech lives 595 years with more son/daughters
Va-y’hi kol y’mey … Lamech dies at 777
1 Va-y’hi Noach … he lives 500 years and begets Shem, Ham and ya-feth (Japheth)
16-Ch +2
Mixing of divine beings and daughters of earthly beings
Va-y’hi…"when men began to increase on earth and daughters were born to them, the divine beings saw how beautiful they were and they took wives form those that pleased them
God sees that humans are living too long, decides to limit human live to 120 years
It was then and later too that Nephilim appeared on earth, when divine beings cohabited with the daughters of mean, who bore them offspring. They were…the men of renown." (banshee ha-shem).
10 generations of increasing human depravity
1
Noach
1st time va-y’hi: the flood
Va-y’hi l’shiv-at ha’yamim…On the 7th day, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
Va-y’hi ha-geshem…The rain fell for 40 days and nights
Va-y’hi ha-ma-bul…The flood continued 40 days….
Va-y’hi mi-ketz…At the end of 40 days, Noah opened the window….
Va-y’hi b’achat v’shesh-m’ot shana b’ri’shon…In the 601st year…the waters began to dry
Va-yih’yu b’ney noach…The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were shem, Ham and Japheth
Va-y’hi noach achar hama-bul…Noah lives after the Flood 350 years.
Va-y’hi kol y’mey noach…And all the days of Noah came to 950 years; then he died.
Va-y’hi g’vul hak’na’ni…The Canaanite territory extended as far as…the boundaries… (the territory that descendents of Abraham were to inherit)
Va-y’hi moshavam…The settlements of Noah’s descendents extended from Mesha as far as Sepahr, the hill country to the east.
Va-y’hi kol ha-aretz sa-fa echat…Everyone on earth had the same language….
10 + 1
Line of Shem:
Shem was 100 years old when he begets Arpach-shad
Va-y’hi Shem acha-rey ho-li-do et Arpach-shad… Shem lives 500 years with more son/daughters
When Arpach-shad is 35 years old, he begets Shelach
Va-y’hi Arpach-shad acha-rey ho-li-do et Shelach… Arpach-shar lives 403 years with more son/daughters
When Shelah is 30 years old, he begets Eber
Va-y’hi Shelach acha-rey ho-li-do et Eber… Shelach also lives 403 years with more son/daughters
When Eber is 34 years old, he begets Peleg
Va-y’hi Eber acha-rey ho-li-do et Peleg… Eber lives 430 years with more son/daughters
When Peleg is 30 years old, he begets R’u
Va-y’hi Peleg acha-rey ho-li-do et R’u… Peleg lives 209 years with more son/daughters
When R’u is 32 years old, he begets Serug
Va-y’hi R’u acha-rey ho-li-do et R’u… R’u lives 207 years with more son/daughters
When Serug is 30 years old, he begets Nachor
Va-y’hi Serug acha-rey ho-li-do et Nachor… Serug lives 200 years with more son/daughters
When Nachor is 29 years old, he begets Terach
Va-y’hi Nachor acha-rey ho-li-do et Terach… Nachor lives 119 years with more son/daughters
When Terach is 70 years old, he begets Abram, Nachor and Haran
Va-yih-yu y’mey Terach…He died at 205 in Haran (60 years after Abram’s departure)
Va-yih’yu ey-ver…When Eber ha d lived 34 years, he begot Peleg
Va-y’hi ey-ver aha-rey ho-li-do et-peleg…Aftger the birth of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and begot sons and daughters.
Va-y’hi …same sequence/structure for Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, to Terah, and then at age 70, he begets Avraham, Nahor and Haran.
? Vat’hi sarai akarah eyn law va-lad…Sarah was childless.
Va-yih’yu y’mey te-ra…The days of Terah came to 205 years, and he died in Haran.
10 +1 (Sarah) + 3
Lech L’cha/Avraham
Va-y’hi ra’av b’eretz…There was a famine in the land…Avraham goes down to Egypt.
Va-y’hi ka-a-sher hik-riv la-vo…As he was about to enter Egypt, he tells Sarai to say she is his sister….
Va-y’hi k-vo avram mitz’rai-mah…When Avram entered Egypt…the see how beautiful Sarai is…
Va-y’hi reev…There was quarreling between the Avram’s and Lot’s herdsmen (this is after they went back up from Egypt, and wealthy), and they decide to split ways, Lot takes the Jordan valley eastward
Va-y’hi bi-mey amraphel….Story of the battle of the kings, takeover Sodom, and they take Lot..and Avram fights and gets him back
Va-y’hi ha-shemesh la-vo…As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fall upon Avram (this is after he convenants with God for his nation to inherit the land…and he gets the prophecy of enslavement and return…
Va-y’hi avram ben-tish-im…When Abram was 99 years old, God appears and affirms again to establish God’s convenant with him…father of a multitude of nations…and renamed Avraham, and 1 st command…to circumcise himself.
Nothing further until fall of Sodom, and escape of Lot and wife and 2 daughters
Va-y’hi k’hotzi-am…When they brought them out, one tells him to flee for his life…and Lot negotiates to settle in a nearby town that they save on his account.
Va-y’hi b’sha-het…Thus it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain and annihilated the cities where Lot dwelt, God was merciful of Avraham and removed Lot from the upheaval.
Va-y’hi mi’maharat…The next day…the daughters conspire to get offspring from their father, generating future of Moab and Ammon (Moabites and Ammonites).
Va-y’hi ka-asher hit-u…He tells King Avimelech: So when God had told Avram to wander from his father’s house, he told Sarai to tell people they met that he was her brother. They make a pact and his household is made well.
Va-y’hi ba’et ha-hiv…Avimelech sees Avraham’s strength from God and has Avraham swear that he will be loyal to Avimelech and deal honestly with his people.
Va-y’hi a-har had-va-rim…Sometime afterward, God put Avraham to the test…to sacrifice Isaac
13
aha-rey had-va-rim ha-eleh….Some time later, Abraham was told that Milcah had borne children to his brother Nahor… get lineage to Bethuel, father of Rivka.
Va yihyu ha-ye sara
Sarah’s lifetime came to 127 years, and she died.
Va-y’hi hu te-rem ki-law l’dar’ber….Scarcely had Eliezer finished speaking about how he would select one of the women at the well, when Rivka comes out and fills the bill of what he was looking for.
Va-y’hi kir’ot et ha-nezer….After Rivka tells her family about the incident at the well, Laban runs out to see him, sees the nose-ring and gets introduced to Eliezer…and invites him in…
Va-y’hi ka-asher shaw-ma eved avraham…When Eliezer heard Laban and his dad Bethuel say ok to take Rivka to be wife to Avraham’s son, he bows to the ground before God, then gives gifts to Rivka and to her brother and mother.
Va-y’hi aha-rey mot avraham….After the death of Avraham, God blessed Isaac, and he settles near Beer-lahai-roi.
3 + 1
Tol-dot
Va-y’hi raw-awv b’eretz…There was a famine in the land—aside from the one Avraham had experienced, and Isaac goes to Avimelech in Gerar; God appears to Isaac and tells him not to go to Egypt and God will take care of him; so he stays in Gerar
Va-y’hi -lo mik-neh-tzon u-mik-neh va-kar…He acquired flocks and herds, got wealthy and the Philistines envy him, stop up his wells; Avimelech tells him to go away, has become too big form them.
Va-y’hi b’yom hahu va’yavo-u avdey Yitzhak….After Isaac make oath of peace with Avimelech, Isaac’s servants find water in the hole they had dug, called it Shibah, later city is Beer-sheba.
Va-y’hi ey-sav ben-ar-ba-eem shana…When Esau was 40 years old, he takes Judith and Basemtah, two Hitites as wives…a source of bitterness to Isaac and Rivka.
Va-y’hi ki za-keyn Yitzhak…When Isaac was old and eyes too dim to see…sequence of Jacob taking the blessing.
Va-y’hi ka-a-sher ki-la Yitzhak…Jacob scarcely leaves Isaac than Esau returns…
6
Va-yetzei
(Jacob in Haran)
Va-y’hi ka-a-sher ra-aw Yaakov et-rahel…Jacob first sees Rachel coming to the well with her father’s flock, and moves the stone open
Va-y’hi kish-mo-ah lavan et-shemah Yaakov…When Laban heard the news of his sister’s son Yaakov, he runs to him, and brings him into his home
Va-y’hi vaw-erev va-yikach et-leah…When evening came, Laban puts Leah into Jacob’s tent
Va-y’hi ka-a-sher yal-dah rahel et-yosef….After Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob asks Laban to let him leave…
Va-y’hi b’yet ya-hem ha-tzon…Once, at the mating time of the flocks, I had a dream…and angel of God tells him that God has taken note of all than Laban had done with him, and tells him to get up and leave and return to his native land.
5
Va-yishlach
Va-y’hi b’yom hashlishi…On the 3rd day…Simeon and Levi kill all the males of Hamor and Shem’s tribe in retaliation for rape of Dinah…make Yaakov odious to the people of the land…
Va-y’hi b’hak-sota b’lide’ta…When Rachel was in hardest labor for Benyamin, midwives tell her it’s another son, and as she dies, names him Ben-oni (which Yaakov changes to Ben yamin).
2
Va-yei-shev
Va-y’hi ka-asher baw yosef el-echav…When Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped off his tunic and threw him into the pit
Va-y’hi baw-et ha-hiv va-yei-red y’huda…About that time (that Joseph was being sold by the Midianite slave traders to Potiphar) that Judah "went down" and gets connected with Shua…
Va-y’hi er b’chor y’huda b’eyney adonay…Er, Judah’s first-born, was displeasing to God and God took his life… (this begins the story of Tamar)
Va-y’hi k’mishlosh haw-daw-shim va-yugad l’y’huda…About 3 months later Judah was told that Tamar was pregnant…
Va-y’hi b’et lid’tah…When the time came for birthing, she delivers twins, they tie red thread of the first hand out,
Va-y’hi k-mey-shiv ya-do….Just then, the 1 st pulls back his hand, then the 2nd breaches out first and they call him "pa-retz," then the 1st comes out second and is named Za-rach. 10 generations from Perez is David.
Va-y’hi adonay et-yosef…God was with Joseph, and he was a successful man iin Potrphar’s home.
Va-y’hi bir-kat adonay b-chol asher yesh-lo…God put his blessing on all Potiphar’s property—for Joseph’s sake, so that God’s blessing was upon everything that he owned.
Va-y’hi achar had-vaw-reem haw-eleh va-tisaw eyshet adonav…After enough time for Joseph’s high position to become his normal routine, Potifphar’s wife chases after him. This is Joseph’s test of sexual purity to before God.
Va-y’hi k’dabra el-yoseph yom yom…And even though she attempts to wear down his resistance daily, he doesn’t yield to her.
Va-y’hi k-ha-yom ha-zeh va-ya-vo ha-baitah…So on one of these days, the house is empty, he comes in to work and she catches on to his tunic (notice parallel to tunic that his brothers stripped off him), and he runs out,
Va-y’hi kir-otah k-aw-zav big-do…When she sees she’s left with his tunic in her hand and she tells story that he came to her and she screamed.
Va-y’hi k-sham-o k-ha-ri-mo-ti ko-li...She continues, that when he heard her screaming, he left his tunic and ran outside.
Va-y’hi chish-mo-ah adonav et divreh ish-to…When Potiphar heard the story from his wife, he had Joseph imprisoned.
Va-y’hi adonay et-yoseph….While Joseph was in the prison, God was with him and extended kindness to him (parallel in Zohar…that Shekinah is with Israel during all time in Egypt and other hard times…and suffers with Israel…)
Va-y’hi achar had-vaw-reem haw-eleh hat-u mash-keym…Some time later, the kings’ cub-bearer and baker get thrown into same prison…
Va-yih-yu yaw-mim b’mishmar…After being in prison for some time, they had their dreams which they tell to Joseph.
Va-y’hi b’yom hash-lishi yom hu-law-det…On the 3rd day after Joseph’s interpretation of the baker’s dream, the cubbearer and baker are brought to Pharoh, the cub-bearer is restored to position, and the baker is executed by impaling.
17 + 1
Mi-ketz
Va-y’hi mi-ketz sh’na-ta-yim yaw-mim…2 years after Pharoh’s birthday party (cub-bearer restored, baker executed), Pharoh has his 2 dreams.
Va-y’hi va-bo-ker va-ti-paw-em ru-cho…Next morning Pharoh’s spirit is agitated…and starts looking for an interpretation of his dreams.
Va-y’hi ka-asher pa-tar la-nu keyn ha-yah…Cubbearer tells Pharoh how Joseph’s interepretation of their dreams came about exactly as told.
Then nothing further through the Joseph story until…
Va-y’hi heym m’ri-kim s’key-hem v’hiney ish tz’ror kas-po…As the brothers were emptying their sacks, in each sack, they found their money bag…and cause alarm to Jacob (Simeon is still in Egypt, and Joseph has told them bring Benjamin back to him)…one more emotional dive for Jacob, and this starts Reuven and Judah to moral actions…..
Va-y’hi ka-asher ki-lu le’echol et ha-shever….The famine is worse they have eaten all the rations they had brought back from Egypt, Jacob tells Judah to go back and get more, he reminds Jacob that they need to take Benjamin
Va-y’hi ki vaw-nu el ha-malon…Brothers tell Joseph’s steward how they had found their money bags the night of their encampment from Egypt, and they’ve brought this back plus additional new payment; and steward tells them that payment had already been made, and brings out Simeon, giving them theatrical relief.
6
Va-yiggash
Va-y’hi ki alenu el av-d’cha avi, va-naged-lo et div-rey adoni….Judah says to Joseph "When we came back to your servant m father, we reported your words to him" (…don’t come back unless you bring Benjamin with you…and this begins Judah’s impassioned speech)
1
Va-y’hi
Va-y’hi yakov b’eretz mitz’rayim sh’va es-reem...So Jacob lilved 17 years in Egypt (same age that Joseph was when abducted from Jacob), bringing his total age to 147 years…It comes time for him to die and he blesses Joseph’s sons and then his own sons…But first has Joseph swear on his thigh that he’ll bury his father in his father’s burial place, not in Egypt.
Va-y’hi acha-rei ad-va-reem haw-eleh va-yomer l’yoseph…Some time after Joseph’s promise, he is told his father is ill, so he takes his 2 sons with him… Follow then the blessings of Joseph’s sons, and then all Jacob’s other sons (but not Joseph).
Va-y’hi yosef mey’a va-eh-ser sha-nim…Joseph lived 110 years (long enough to see 3 rd generation of Ephraim…
3
Total: 110a + 3? = 113 + 13 = 126
aThis includes one instance of "Vat’hi" feminine for va-y’hi Sarai