Rosner’s Torah Talk: Parashat Vayechi with Rabbi Josh Yuter

Our guest this week is Rabbi Josh Yuter, rabbi of The Stanton St. Shul on New York’s historic Lower East Side. Rabbi Yuter was ordained in 2003 from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He also holds a B.A. in Computer Science from Yeshiva University, an M.A. in Talmudic Studies from Yeshiva University, and Master’s Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago. Rabbi Yuter is also an alum of Yeshivat Har Etzion. Besides his position at the Stanton St. Shul, he is also member of the Rabbinical Council of America, the International Rabbinic Fellowship (Co-chairing the Ethics Committee), and the Rabbis Without Borders fellowship.

This week's Torah portion- Parashat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)- is the final portion of the book of Genesis. The portion describes the final days of Jacob, the blessing given to his sons, Jacob's death and burial, and the death of Joseph. Our discussion focuses on the transformation of the sons of Jacob into the more cohesive B'nai Israel and on the reason why a single patriarch/leader was not appointed after Jacob.