VAYIGASH
The Parsha opens with Yehuda speaking to Yosef on the urgency for him to release Binyamin. Yehuda pleads with Yosef citing several reasons why Binyamin is considered precious cargo. All of these reasons however have one thing in common: they emphasize how important, and how so loved Binyamin is to his father Yakov.

QUESTION:
Why is Yehuda remiss to mention Binyamin’s 10 children? Why couldn’t Yehuda have added in his plea that Binyamin has 10 kids who love him and who are waiting for him at home?

ANSWER:
There is a lesson in psychological reality over here. A parent never forgets his child – the reverse in not always true. For example, when mourning for a parent, the kaddish is recited for an entire year, but when mourning for a child it is recited only for 30 days. Why? A parent will never forget his child regardless of how long or short the kaddish period is. Children need a bit more of a stimulant to remember their parents.

Based on the teachings of the Kotzker Maggid
"How will I go up to my father, and the lad is not with me?. . .
R' Klonimos Shapira, the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto in said to his Chassidim: "Soon we will be killed. How can we go up to our Father in Heaven and our young children are not with us, as we have stopped teaching them Torah, claiming that in any event the Nazis will kill them?"

"Unless your youngest brother comes down with you. . . "
There are great Torah scholars who isolate themselves and worry only about themselves and their spirituality. However, the Torah hints to us, "unless your youngest brother comes down with you" - unless you try to bring with you those smaller (i.e., less educated) then you, to teach and guide them, "you will not see my face anymore - G-d does not want you. (R' Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev)

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein on celebrating New Year's Eve:
(Iggerot Moshe, Even Haezer 2:13)
"On the question of celebrating any event on a holiday of Gentiles, if the holiday is based on religious beliefs, such celebrations are prohibited if deliberately scheduled on that day; even without intent, it is prohibited because of marit ayin . . . The first day of year for them [January 1] and Thanksgiving is not prohibited according to law, but pious people [balei nefesh] should be strict."