Parashas Vayechi

The Torah speaks of Yaakov from his "fetus days," until the day of his death. It mentions how Yaakov and Eisav would fight in Rivka's womb whenever she'd walk by a yeshiva, or a place of idol-worship.[1] His next hardship in life was running away from Eisav, because Yitzchak blessed Yaakov. The blessings originally belonged to Eisav, but Eisav wasn't deserving of it. [2] Yaakov was instructed by Rivka to run away from Eisav, who was furious about being deprived of his bracha, and wanted to murder him. She advised Yaakov to stay with her brother, Lavan, until Eisav's rage calms down. On his way to Lavan, the first family member he met was Rachel (Lavan's daughter). He knew at first glance he wanted to marry her. Lavan, however, didn't agree so fast. Yaakov had to work seven years for her. After the "marriage ceremony," he found out he really married Leah (Rachel's sister). He had to work for an additional seven years to marry Rachel. [3]

After being barren for many years, Rachel gave birth to Yosef, whom Yaakov favored more than his other eleven sons. He taught Yosef secrets in Torah, things he wouldn't teach the other sons [4], and showered him with special gifts. The brothers hated Yosef for that, and decided to sell him as a slave. They ripped off his "special garment," and dipped it in animal blood. They brought the garment to Yaakov, asking if he recognized it. He assumed Yosef was torn to bits by a wild beast. This news tore Yaakov apart. He wasn't able to be consoled for his son's absence.

Yaakov's life seemed to be one big bad dream... But fear not, this story has a happy ending =)
After twenty-two years of thinking Yosef was dead, he received good news that he was alive and well. Yaakov promptly travels to Egypt to reunite with his long lost son, Yosef.

In Parashas Vayechi, the posuk tells us that Yaakov lived his last seventeen years in Egypt. This period of time is called "the years of his life," because Hashem's Divine Presence rested upon him during those years. Aside from that, every parent wants to see their kids succeed, and Yaakov witnessed their success before his death. Since these seventeen years ended with Yaakov having nachas (pleasure) from his kids, it made up for the last hundred and twenty horrible years.

Yaakov made Yosef swear to him that his body should not be buried in Egypt; rather in Eretz Yisroel. Someone approached Yosef saying, "Your father is ill," and Yosef took his two sons with him, Menashe and Ephraim. Upon being told that Yosef had come to visit him, Yaakov gathered his strength and sat up in bed. [5] People ask, how is it he gained this extra strength? There's a gemara (Talmud) that explains, when a ben gilo (one born under the same zodiac) visits a sick person, he takes away one sixtieth of his sickness.* Yaakov suddenly felt stronger because Yosef took away one sixtieth of his illness. The Torah alludes to this by saying that Yaakov strengthened himself and was able to sit up in bed. The word "hamittah" (bed) has the numerical value of fifty-nine. [6]
*[Note: That doesn't mean if you have sixty- ben gilo friends, they take away your sickness completely. The gemara actually brings this question, and answers: The next person would take away a sixtieth of 59, etc...]

There's a commandment, "You should love your neighbor like yourself." This principal of behavior is rooted in the concept that the whole world is a unit. You can have two Jewish strangers who share the same zodiac, and have a positive influence to take away one sixtieth of the other's illness.

There's a project I wanted to try many years ago called, "Chasdei Ben-Gilo - Kindness of Ben-Gilo." Basically, I wanted to hang up a sign with everyone's name and (hebrew) birthday in Yeshiva. When someone would hear that his ben gilo friend was sitting in bed sick, they would go visit him and help in the recovery process. This visit wasn't limited to bnei gilo, because guys in Yeshiva don't usually travel alone. So when a ben gilo would visit his sick friend, he would bring another friend along, and eventually a chain of bikur cholim (visiting the sick; a commandment not limited only to ben gilo) would start.
[Note: Every situation differs. Sometimes, sick people don't want visitors so that they can rest. Some have specific hours. It's always best to call ahead of time to see if the sick person needs anything, or when is a good time to stop-by.]

A lesson I took from this week's parasha is: When visiting a sick person, besides cheering him/her up, and making him or her feel important and cared for, you are potentially enhancing the condition of that ill person, and giving him/her more of a desire to recover. If you hear a friend or neighbor is sick, go out and ask if they need anything picked up, or maybe bring a thermos with tea in it. Who knows, maybe the person you visit happens to be your ben gilo. You only have what to gain from doing the mitzva of mivaker cholim (visiting the sick.) Let's say you aren't their ben gilo, than at least you made another person happy, and even hopeful!

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso

[1] Parashas Toldos: Rashi 25:22
[2] Parashas Toldos 27:30
[3] Parashas VaYeitzei 29:27
[4] Bereshis Rabba 84
[5] Bereshis 48:2
[6] Nedarim 39b