Likutei Sichos vol. 15 page 422 ff. Parshas Vayechi really is about Ya’akov’s passing, yet it is called Vayechi- that Ya’akov lived his best years there! The idea is that life is eternal, and that is only in, and with, God, and only when Ya’akov showed his true connection to Hashem was he truly alive….

Likutei Sichos vol. 15 page 432 ff. In Galus there are two ‘first borns’: Yosef’s first born is Menashe: to remember from where you come and not to be influenced by the environment you are in. Ya’akov’s first born is Ephrayim: to succeed and prosper and take something from the Exile and to ultimately transform…

Likutei Sichos vol. 3 page 831 ff. This class explains the unique place of Yosef in Galus: he is both a part of it (not like Yaakov) but altogether above it (not like his brothers). As a result he can initiate it and he can predict its end.

Likutei Sichos vol 30 page 249 ff. Yosef’s death marks the end of Braishis, because the substance of Shmos- exile to conquer the world, must be inspired and initiated by the Avos. Yosef’s death and Golus empower those who follow after him.

(5776/2015) The pact with non-Jews, the Jewish nation, Iyov tells God there will never be another Avrohom Avinu.

Likutei Sichos vol. 20 page 13 ff. The Rebbe explains that the RaMbaM considers it important to underscore the idea that Avrohom’s pursuit of God started out initially as a strictly intellectual one. However, he then explains that intellect in and of itself it is not sustainable, as is evidenced from what happened to Yidden…

Vol. 15 page 75 ff. What we learn from the Avos that relates to us though our Yiddishkiet is so different. How we make Yiddishkiet personal, and felt by us.

Vol. 25 page 47 ff. Whatever happened to Avrohom until Lech Lecha (at the age of seventy five) is not written in the Torah, because as the first Jew, his life doesn’t begin until he gets divine instruction and follows with bittul. The lesson for us: we must acquiesce.

Vol. 03 page 757 ff. Bris Mila is another step in Avrohom’s spiritual climb. It was the first (and only) Mitzva that he did that actually elevated the physical.

Vol. 30 page 53 ff. Bris Mila is two things: 1) a Mitzva, 2) A covenant. In as much as it is a Mitzva, what we do today is separate from what the Avos did, but in as much as it is a Covenant, we continue to bring our children into the Covenant of Avrohom…