Parshat Vayechi

Every letter in the Alef Bet,
Has a numerical equivalence that is set,
Take the name of the portion "Vayechi,"
It adds up to thirty four you'll see.

"And he lived," is what Vayechi does mean,
Yaakov's best years were, when with Yosef he was seen,
He enjoyed the years with Yosef until he was sold at seventeen,
Plus the seventeen years he lived in Egypt, so spiritually unclean.

In Egypt, slavery his children would face,
How could part of his best years be in such a place?
The answer that the Torah does say,
Is that in Egypt they began learning Torah right away.

Yaakov sent Yehuda to in a hurry,
To build houses of Torah study,
For his children and grandchildren so dear,
Before they even arrived there.

If Torah study was the key,
To making Yaakov so happy,
Then why wouldn't his best years be,
In the land of Israel, studying Torah with his family?

Torah study in Israel, does compare,
To a light during the day that people can share,
The light of Torah in Egypt, it is clear,
made the darkness disappear.

A light that transforms the darkness all around,
Is the greatest light that can be found,
A light in the night no one can ignore,
It is appreciated so much more!

Souvenir: glow in the dark stars