Date: 14 Tevet, 5783

Not much happens in Vayechi . Jacob and his family arrive in Egypt and are set up in Goshen. Jacob blesses his children and Joseph’s too. Then he dies. Soon after that Joseph dies.

G-d does not appear in this reading at all. It is an ending and a setting of the stage for the next big drama. The Exodus and the Revelation at Sinai.

However, there are some very interesting passages, and some strange inconsistencies in the passages contained in this week’s portion.

Chapter 47

Joseph’s oath to Jacob

Jacob is 147 years old and “the time for Israel to die drew near”, וַיִּקְרְב֣וּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לָמוּת֒ (v29). So he calls Joseph to him, and states that his dying wish is not to be buried in Egypt, אַל־נָ֥א תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם and to that end he extracts an oath from Joseph to bury him with his forefathers in Machpelah cave.

v29] This is the second (or third) time that the oath is taken by “placing your hand beneath my thigh” שִֽׂים־נָ֥א יָֽדְךָ֖ תַּ֣חַת יְרֵכִ֑י.

Chapter 48

Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

This is an example of the circularity of the narrative. This previous piece told as that Israel was about to die, and this one begins with Joseph receiving the information that Jacob is ill, הִנֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יךָ חֹלֶ֑ה.

He takes his two sons with him and goes to see Jacob. Jacob raises his grandchildren Ephraim and Menasseh to the status of his actual children, אֶפְרַ֨יִם֙ וּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּרְאוּבֵ֥ן וְשִׁמְע֖וֹן יִֽהְיוּ־לִֽי - “Ephraim and Menasseh shall be mine like Reuben and Simeon” (v5).

Then he blesses them. However, he blesses Ephraim with his right hand - the hand of the elder - although he is the younger, and Menasseh with his left. Joseph objects and tries to correct him but Jacob refuses, and responds with (v19):

Note: Here is an example of the asynchronicities that enter into the story to produce future dynamics. If Jacob had loved all his sons equally Joseph would not have been sold in slavery and risen to become the viceroy of Egypt. If Jacob had given the proper blessing to Joseph’s children, it might have spared them some pain. In the balanced universe, this would be the case, but in the world of action, of happenings, that is not how it unfolds.

There are also overtones of Jacob’s theft of his brother’s birthright blessing that is being played out here, although differently. Question Could Jacob have been showing that sometimes G-d’s way is not our way? And that what we might consider that the optimum pathway is often not the true path to our goal?

Note: There are also some interesting commentaries that mention that Joseph was Jacob’s best disciple. This has been a common occurrance in the Jewish tradition. It might have been an additional reason that he so loved him.

Note: There is so much that Jacob foresees, like the coming of the Messiah, and other examples. He also predicts that Joseph will be returned to the land of his forefathers. However, he saw nothing of Joseph’s exile and rise to fame.

Chapter 49

Jacob blesses his sons

Reuben (v3-4)

Simeon & Levi (v5-7)

Judah (v8-12)

Zebulun (v13)

Issachar (v14-15)

Dan (v16-18)

Gad (v19)

Asher (v20)

Naphtali (v21)

Joseph (v22-26) [Ephriam and Menasseh]

Benjamin (v27)

Chapter 49

Jacob expires (וַיִּגְוַ֖ע)

Chapter 50

Joseph buries Jacob

They embalm (וַיַּֽחַנְט֥וּ) Israel (v2). Which means that his body would be preserved in the Cave. I assume that Joseph’s body was embalmed too. What is surprising, is that the Egyptians (also) wept over Jacob for seventy days. Q: Why would they mourn Jacob, when he was not a dignitary or known amongst the Egyptian people as Joseph was. What transpired and how come he influenced them so deeply?

Rashi says (v3):

n3] ויבכו אתו מצרים שבעים יום—and the Egyptians wept over him for seventy days: Forty [days] for embalming and thirty for weeping, because a blessing had come to them when he arrived—the famine ended and the waters of the Nile increased. — [From Bereshith Rabbathi , Targum Jonathan]

However, that does not make much sense, as the famine lasted 7 years, and, Jacob arrived, at latest, 2 or 3, years after the famine began.

Then, with Pharaoh’s permission, Joseph went to bury his father. Amazingly (v7):

As well as (v8):

In addition (v9):

Note: That seems like a huge caravan to me. What it must have taken to move that many people over a distance like that. That was quite an undertaken. And they spent seven days there in mourning - all of them, I assume.

What is surprising though, is that all of Pharoah’s servants went with them. The Canaanites called it Abel Mizraim (Egypt mourns) because of the intense mourning that took place there.

Jacob has passed, suddenly the brothers are feeling vulnerable, and afraid that now Joseph will wreak his revenge. Instead, Joseph embraces them and promises that he will look after them and their families. This prompts much discussion on what forgiveness means, and how to forgive, etc. In fact, when they throw themselves at his feet, declaring themselves to be his slaves, he responds beautifully (v18-20).

Note: This aliyah, the seventh, begins with v21.

Joseph lived a long and happy life, surrounded by his family. He was blessed to see his great-grandchildren. Joseph dies at the age of 110, is embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt—there presumably to await transport to Canaan, which took another 200 or so years to transpire. (v22-23).

Joseph, approaching his death, like his father, wishes to be buried in “the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛ע לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹֽב:. Joseph first promises his brothers that “G-d will remember you and take you to the land…” אלֹהִ֞ים פָּקֹ֧ד יִפְקֹ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֗ם וְהֶֽעֱלָ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛ע לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹֽב (v24). Then he addresses the children of Israel, who are his brothers - surely - saying: “God will surely remember you, and you shall take up my bones out of here” פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַֽעֲלִתֶ֥ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֖י מִזֶּֽה (v25).