Vayigash

Vayigash is the 11th weekly Torah portion in the Book of Genesis (Bereishit) and covers Genesis 44:18 through 47:27. The name, meaning “And he drew near,” comes from the moment when Judah approaches Joseph to plead for Benjamin’s release, a turning point in the Joseph narrative.

In the parsha, Judah offers himself as a slave in place of Benjamin after Joseph’s earlier tests and accusations, securing Benjamin’s safety and provoking Joseph to reveal his identity. The emotional disclosure leads to reconciliation, as Joseph declares himself to his brothers and invites them to bring their father, Jacob, and the rest of the family to live in Egypt to survive the famine. Pharaoh learns of their arrival and welcomes Jacob’s family, granting them a place in Goshen and provisioning for their needs. Joseph personalizes the arrangement by meeting his family and overseeing their settlement, while Jacob travels to Egypt with his sons and ultimately blesses Pharaoh, and the family begins a temporary sojourn in the land.

The parsha concludes with the Israelites settling in the land of Goshen, laying the groundwork for the extended exile in Egypt that follows in later narratives. Vayigash emphasizes themes of repentance, reconciliation, and the unfolding providence that sustains the patriarchs’ family and preserves the lineage that will become the nation of Israel. It is read in the Torah cycle during a week when the portion coincides with the annual calendar, and its core motifs—Judah’s leadership, familial responsibility, and the restoration of relations—are frequently highlighted in rabbinic interpretation.