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Vayechi – וַיְחִי (Genesis 47:28–50:26)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Vayechi – וַיְחִי (Genesis 47:28–50:26)

Sometimes what we do matters more than what we say. This week’s Torah Portion Vayechi may be one of those moments.

Israel is reaching the end of his life and he gathers all of his children around him in order to pass on to each of them his blessing. When Joseph, Israel’s favorite son, comes forward, something mysterious happens with their hands, so mysterious that the Torah interrupts the words of blessing to pay attention to all this sleight of hand.

Seeing Joseph’s sons hiding behind his legs, Israel asks Joseph to bring them forth so that he can bless them. Joseph bring his two boys towards him:

Ephraim with his right hand—to Israel’s left—and Manasseh with his left hand—to Israel’s right—and brought them close to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head—thus crossing his hands—although Manasseh was the first-born. (Genesis 48:13-14)

Joseph, the youngest son who was always his father’s favorite, places his eldest son at his father Israel’s right side to receive the greater blessing, as if to show that he has learned from all the trouble he caused by usurping his father’s love from his older brothers. Israel, whose eyes are dim with age, understands still what Joseph has done and crosses his hands so that Ephraim will receive the blessing of his right hand, as if to say, no Joseph you have always earned the greatest portion of my love.

Each of us earns our own blessing. Each of us passes on our blessings for the generation yet to come. What are the blessings which you will pass on?

Parsha Vayechi – וַיְחִי Torah Summary:

Jacob blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Manasseh. (48:1-20) Jacob’s twelve sons gather around his deathbed, and each receives an evaluation and a prediction of his future. (49:1-33) Joseph mourns his father’s death and has Jacob embalmed. Jacob is buried in Hebron in the cave of the field of the Machpelah in the land of Canaan. (50:1-14) Joseph assures his concerned brothers that he has forgiven them and promises to care for them and their families. (50:15-21) Just before he dies, Joseph tells his brothers that God will return them to the Land that God promised to the patriarchs. The Children of Israel promise Joseph that they will take his bones with them when they leave Egypt. (50:22-26) Vayechi – וַיְחִי

Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

This week’s Torah Portion marks the end of the tales of Genesis, the legendary tales of the legendary lives of our ancestors from long ago: Abraham and Sarah; Isaac and Rebecca; Jacob, Rachel, and Leah; and finally Joseph. And while their lives were far from perfect, each in their own way displayed the courage, faith, determination, and wisdom to do more than just survive, but to fulfill their destiny as the ancestor of a people, our people, numbering like the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea.

We are the children of a hundred generations of our people, the descendants of greater ancestors than perhaps any of us can imagine ourselves to be. And yet, more importantly, we are and will be the ancestors which generations to come will look back upon as the builders and shapers of the world they will inhabit, for better and for worse, for blessing or for curse. Let us be good ancestors for ourselves, for our families, and for the generations yet to be.

Vayechi Summary:

Jacob blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Manasseh. (48:1-20)
Jacob’s twelve sons gather around his deathbed, and each receives an evaluation and a prediction of his future. (49:1-33)
Joseph mourns his father’s death and has Jacob embalmed. Jacob is buried in Hebron in the cave of the field of the Machpelah in the land of Canaan. (50:1-14)
Joseph assures his concerned brothers that he has forgiven them and promises to care for them and their families. (50:15-21)
Just before he dies, Joseph tells his brothers that God will return them to the Land that God promised to the patriarchs. The Children of Israel promise Joseph that they will take his bones with them when they leave Egypt. (50:22-26)