Parshas Vayeshev

Zechus Refuah Sheleima: Tzvi ben Devorah

Le'iluy Nishmas: Gittel a"h bas Shraga Meir Hakohen

Another great Parsha with many ideas for your Parsha Party. REMINDER - THIS IS A SPRINGBOARD OF IDEAS. YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE IDEA OR A FEW. AND HAVE THE KIDS GUESS THE CONNECTIONS.

Parsha Overview (Feel free to skip straight to the Party below - simply click the arrow next to this text and the overview will disappear.)

Yaakov settles in Eretz Canaan (in Chevron) with his family. He has a special love for his son Yosef above all the brothers and he gives him special treatment including a special multi-stripe-colored coat. Yosef is 17. Yosef was therefore hated amongst his brothers, particularly the sons of Leah, because he would tell his father on the things they did wrong.

One night he has a dream that he tells his brothers. In the dream there are 11 bundles of wheat bowing down to his bundle of wheat which stood straight and tall. His brothers mocked this dream and hated him more. He has another dream in which the sun, moon, and eleven stars bow down to him. He tells his brothers and father and this only makes them hate him more. His father rebukes him for bringing more hate on himself with sharing the dreams with them.

One day while the brothers were out shepherding in Shechem, Yaakov sends Yosef to go check on his brothers. His brothers see him coming and plot to kill him and tell their father that a wild beast attacked him. Reuven suggests that they throw him in a pit instead of killing him, with the intention to later return and save him from the pit. When Yosef arrives, they grab his coat and his shirt and throw him into an empty pit. It had no water but it had creepy snakes and scorpions. (Rashi)

A Caravan of Yishmaelim passes by with spices and Yehuda tells the brothers to sell Yosef to them instead of letting him die. When Reuven returns to save Yosef, he sees that he is no longer there and he tears his clothing. The brothers took Yosef’s special coat and dipped it into the blood of a baby goat and told Yaakov they found the coat and cause him to believe that Yosef must have been attacked by a wild beast. Yaakov is heartbroken and mourns Yosef for many days and refused to be comforted

(An interesting Rashi – The pesukim here hint to the idea that the shevatim were all born with twin sisters and married the sisters as it says that the daughters of Yaakov also tried to comfort him).

Yosef was sold from the Yishmaelim to Midyanim and the Midyanim sold him to Potiphar in Mitzrayim, the Officer of the butchers.

The parsha takes a break to share the story of Yehuda and his sons. Yehuda gets married and has 3 children. Er, Onan, and Shelah. He marries off his son Er to Tamar. Er sins and dies without children. Yehuda tells his son Onen to do Yibum and marry Tamar. Onen also sins and Hashem causes him to die. Yehuda sends Tamar back home to her father’s house as he is afraid that his third son will also sin and die if he marries her. Tamar knows that it is important for her to have a child in Yehuda’s family so she tricks Yehuda into marrying her. She gives birth to twins named Peretz and Zerach. (Dovid Hamelech will come from Peretz in the future).

The pesukim revert back to the story of Yosef in the house of Potiphar. Hashem is with Yosef and makes him successful with everything he does and he is soon appointed over his master’s field. The pasuk tells us that Yosef had a very nice appearance. The wife of Potiphar tries to attack him and he runs away. She twists the story and tells her husband Potiphar that Yosef tried to attack her. Yosef is thrown into prison for his offense. Hashem was with Yosef in prison and gains favor in the eyes of the warden. He puts Yosef in charge of the other prisoners.

In prison, Yosef is joined by Paraoh’s chief butler and chief baker. A fly had been found in a drink and a rock in the bread (Rashi). Both officers had a dream the same night and Yosef saw that they were troubled. The Sar Hamashkim (Butler) dreamed of a grapevine with three branches that bloomed and he squeezed the grapes into Paraoh’s cup and placed it in Paraoh’s hand. Yosef interprets his dream that in three days Paraoh will return him to his position in the palace. He tells him to remember him and mention him to Paraoh when he goes back.

The Sar HaOfim (baker) tells Yosef his dream that there were three wicker baskets on his head and the birds were eating food from the top basket that was filled with Paraoh’s food. Yosef interprets the dream that in 3 days Paraoh will kill and hang the baker. Yosef’s interpretations come true and on the third day in middle of Paraoh’s birthday party he returns the Sar Hamashkim and hangs the Sar HaOfim. The Sar Hamashkim forgets about Yosef. (Adapted partially from In a Nutshell by Chabad.org and The Medrash says)

And now for the fun part

PARSHA PARTY

Yaakov loves Yosef most

Heart Lollies/Gummies

Colorful Coat for Yosef

Striped Sour Belts

Zweet rainbow ropes swirls

Rainballs candy

Rainbow Twizzlers

Yosef tells on his brothers

Lip candy

Dream of wheat bundles

Shibolim crackers

Pull and peel

Dream of Sun Moon and Stars

Sunkist soda or candies

Star Candies or starlight mints

Moon shaped cookies

Candy planet

Yosef is thrown in the pit with snakes etc

Pitted dates/prunes/olives/cherries (Dates also the meaning of the name Tamar)

Dunkees

Gummy worms or snakes

Snake puzzle spray candy

The brothers make Yaakov believe a wild beast killed Yosef

Animal crackers

Gushers

They sell Yosef to Yishmaelim carrying spices

Chocolate coins

Spicy chips / doritos

Lotus spread or cookies (Lotus was one of the spices mentioned)

Tamar has twins

Twin pops

Double bubble

Fruzip duo

Yosef runs to safety from an attack from Potiphar’s wife

Zazoom

Yosef in Prison

Pretzel squares (grids)

Sar HaOfim thrown to prison for rock in the bread

Rock candy

Cocoa/Fruity Pebbles

Jaw Breaker (Thanks D.C.!)

Bakery foods (pastries/cookies)

Sar Hamashkim has dream with grapevine

Grapes

Grape flavored candies

Grape juice

Sippies

In three days Paraoh will come (on his birthday)…

3Ngo candies

Drizzelicious birthday cake rice cakes

We would love to hear your additional ideas in the comments below!

New! You may need to sign up as a member to the Parsha Party site in order to be able to comment. It should be an easy process but it is the only way the site allows comments.

Feel free to share pictures of dessert ideas as well.

And of course tell us your favorite noshes from this weeks Parsha party!

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

YOU CAN PRINT THIS FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS - AS LONG AS IT IS CREDITED TO PARSHAPARTY.COM

Join the weekly Parsha Song fun - send in songs that have topics that connect to the Parsha by Wednesday to be featured in Song Time with Parsha Party. Song Time can be followed on WhatsApp (646-229-9753) or instagram @therealdealdev

---