Practice Parashat Vayigash with TropeTrainer
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Parashat Vayigash - פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּגַּשׁ
Vayigash (“He Approached”) opens as Judah pleads with Joseph not to keep Benjamin as a prisoner. Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers, crying and kissing them. The brothers bring Jacob from Canaan to Egypt, and Jacob and his children settle in Goshen. The portion ends as Joseph buys most of Egypt’s land in exchange for food.
Torah Portion: Genesis 44:18-47:27
Parashat Vayigash is the 11th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on December 19th, 2026 / 9 Tevet 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
44:18 - 44:30· 13 p’sukim
2:
44:31 - 45:7· 11 p’sukim
3:
45:8 - 45:18· 11 p’sukim
4:
45:19 - 45:27· 9 p’sukim
5:
45:28 - 46:27· 28 p’sukim
6:
46:28 - 47:10· 17 p’sukim
7:
47:11 - 47:27· 17 p’sukim
Maftir:
47:25 - 47:27· 3 p’sukim
Haftarah:
Ezekiel 37:15 - 37:28· 14 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
December 27th, 2025
1:
44:18 - 44:20· 3 p’sukim
2:
44:21 - 44:24· 4 p’sukim
3:
44:25 - 44:30· 6 p’sukim
4:
44:31 - 44:34· 4 p’sukim
5:
45:1 - 45:7· 7 p’sukim
6:
45:8 - 45:18· 11 p’sukim
7:
45:19 - 45:27· 9 p’sukim
Maftir:
45:25 - 45:27· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Ezekiel 37:15 - 37:28· 14 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
December 19th, 2026
1:
45:28 - 46:4· 5 p’sukim
2:
46:5 - 46:7· 3 p’sukim
3:
46:8 - 46:11· 4 p’sukim
4:
46:12 - 46:15· 4 p’sukim
5:
46:16 - 46:18· 3 p’sukim
6:
46:19 - 46:22· 4 p’sukim
7:
46:23 - 46:27· 5 p’sukim
Maftir:
46:23 - 46:27· 5 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Zechariah 10:3 - 10:12· 10 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
January 8th, 2028
1:
46:28 - 46:30· 3 p’sukim
2:
46:31 - 46:34· 4 p’sukim
3:
47:1 - 47:6· 6 p’sukim
4:
47:7 - 47:10· 4 p’sukim
5:
47:11 - 47:19· 9 p’sukim
6:
47:20 - 47:22· 3 p’sukim
7:
47:23 - 47:27· 5 p’sukim
Maftir:
47:25 - 47:27· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Isaiah 41:1 - 41:10· 10 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Vayigash
Beyond its plot, Vayigash is the emotional and theological climax of the Joseph saga, turning on reconciliation, repentance, and divine providence. Judah's offer to enslave himself in Benjamin's place shows how profoundly the brothers have changed since they sold Joseph, modeling genuine teshuvah (repentance). At the heart of the portion is Joseph's reframing of his suffering: rather than blaming his brothers, he insists that God sent him to Egypt ahead of the family to preserve life during the famine, the classic Torah statement that God can work good through human wrongdoing. The portion is also a national turning point, as Jacob's household (traditionally seventy souls) descends to Egypt and settles in Goshen, setting the stage for the eventual slavery and Exodus. A secondary thread is Joseph's statecraft, as he gathers Egypt's wealth, livestock, and land for Pharaoh in exchange for food and seed.
The Haftarah
The haftarah for Vayigash is Ezekiel 37:15-28, the same selection in most Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities in the standard annual cycle. God commands Ezekiel to take two sticks, one inscribed for Judah and one for "Joseph, the stick of Ephraim," and join them into a single stick, symbolizing the future reunification of the divided southern and northern kingdoms under one Davidic king. The connection to the parashah is reconciliation projected from family onto nation: just as the estranged brothers Joseph and Judah reconcile and Jacob's family is reunited, the prophet uses those same names to envision the whole people of Israel made one again. Some Conservative and triennial-cycle communities may pair alternative readings in certain years, so worshippers should confirm their congregation's custom.
Notable passages and verses
The portion's most quoted lines are Joseph's words of providence to his brothers: "Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you" and "It was not you who sent me here, but God" (Genesis 45:5-8). Equally famous is his climactic self-revelation, "I am Joseph; is my father still alive?" (Genesis 45:3), followed by the tearful reunion of Jacob and Joseph (Genesis 46:29-30). Vayigash spans Genesis 44:18-47:27 and is the 11th weekly portion in the annual cycle and the 11th in the Book of Genesis, read on the eleventh Shabbat after Simchat Torah, typically in December or January. It carries no special-Shabbat designation; it is a regular Shabbat reading.
Frequently asked questions
What is parashat Vayigash about?
Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) is the climax of the Joseph story. Judah pleads for Benjamin's release and offers himself as a slave in his place; Joseph then reveals his identity to his brothers, weeping and forgiving them, and explains that God sent him to Egypt to preserve life during the famine. Jacob's family relocates from Canaan to settle in Goshen, and Joseph consolidates Egypt's land for Pharaoh during the famine. On TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope (cantillation).
What is the haftarah for Vayigash?
In most Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities the haftarah for Vayigash is Ezekiel 37:15-28, the prophecy of the two sticks, one for Judah and one for Joseph, joined into one to symbolize the future reunion of the divided kingdoms of Israel. It echoes the parashah's theme of reconciliation, raising the reunion of two estranged brothers to the level of a reunited nation. Some Conservative or triennial-cycle congregations may read an alternative selection in certain years, so check your community's custom. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice both the Torah reading and its haftarah with trope.
What are the themes of Vayigash?
Vayigash centers on reconciliation, repentance (teshuvah), and divine providence. Judah's willingness to enslave himself for Benjamin shows how far the brothers have changed, and Joseph's forgiveness reframes his betrayal as part of God's plan to save lives. The portion also marks Israel's descent into Egypt, setting up the later exile and Exodus. You can hear and practice the full reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
What does Vayigash mean and where is it in the Torah?
Vayigash means "He approached" (or "And he drew near"), the opening Hebrew word describing Judah stepping forward to plead with Joseph. It is the 11th weekly portion in the annual cycle, covering Genesis 44:18-47:27, and is usually read on a Shabbat in December or January. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this portion with its cantillation.
Where to go next
Open a sample Torah reading with full Hebrew text, trope marks, and audio to see how TropeTrainer works.
See the complete list of weekly parashot with links to every reading and detail page.
Work through guided lessons on Torah trope cantillation, from basic symbols to advanced phrase patterns.