The last days of December 2020 are within sight, and January 1st 2021 (otherwise known as 17 Tevet, 5781) is upon us. And as we look forward to new beginnings we also will be closing the book of Genesis with Parashah Vayechi – “And (Jacob) lived”… As we saw earlier in Chayei Sarah – the life of Sarah, the word ‘CHAYEI’ really was telling a ‘coded’ message about her death. Here, this week, we read of the death of Yaakov. Yaakov calls Joseph to his bedside and gives him instructions for his bones to be buried in his tomb of his ancestors (Machpelah). “Please do not bury me in Egypt,” he instructs Joseph. And then Jacob summons his sons, one by one, and he gives each of them his final words to them. And then he died. Some of our burial customs to this day are mentioned – a eulogy is given, a mourning period of seven days – shiva is mentioned. And his sons did exactly as he had asked of them – he was buried in the Cave of Machpelah.
Vayechi
December 27, 2023 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk Tags: 2024, tu b'shevat seder, vayechi •
This week we read the final parashah in Bereshit, Vayechi, (Jacob) lived…it was his time to die, and as is typical of Torah those references are housed in the language of life.
Before his death, Jacob calls his sons to appear before him, and in a practice that became the foundation of our system of ethical wills, he gives a blessing to each of them, a blessing that acknowledges with great honesty their character, for good and for bad.More