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THOUGHTS ON VAYECHI BY RABBI AVI SON
One of the central themes in this week’s Parsha is blessings. Yaakov’s final act in this world is to issue specific blessings to each of his children, as well as Yosef’s children. In fact, the brachot Yaakov made to Yosef, Ephraim and Menashe have transcended generations and echoed throughout time and remain the brachot parents grant their children at least once a week. Yaakov foreshadows this, proclaiming that all future children would be blessed to be like Ephraim and Menashe. The obvious question is, out of all the prominent and admirable characters in the Torah, why are these two chosen as the shining examples we hold Jewish boys up to, until this very day?
One answer to this question, is based on the fact that these were the first two brothers recorded in the Torah who were peaceful to each other, the other previously mentioned siblings all have disputes and grievances recorded in the Torah. Cain and Abel, Yitschak and Yismhael, Yaakov and Esav, Yosef and his brothers all had relationships defined at some point by bitter feuds. The second answer, is that Ephraim and Menashe were able to maintain their moral fortitude and entrenched value system, despite the fact that they were born and raised surrounded by people who did not live by the same moral code.
In truth, I believe these two answers are inextricably linked. When Yaakov is approaching the end of his life, he wishes to tell his sons what will happen at the end of days and so he instructs his sons to gather together. Our commentators see this not just as a simple command but as an insight into what will precipitate the coming of mashiach, Jewish people coming together, Jewish unity.
Bereishit is a book that begins with a bitter brotherly feud, ultimately ending in the world’s first death, and progresses until it eventually concludes with the first united and peaceable brothers. Even more powerfully, this week’s parsha contains within it different and unique berachot, for each of the brothers. Yaakov blesses each son according to their different skills and abilities, each of them is different and therefore has a different path. Yet, despite these differences, they come together as one people, one nation and one family.
We needed this sense of unity in order to face the hardships and darkness that awaited us during our exile in Egypt. Even if we may be different from each other, each with their own views, philosophies, priorities and outlooks, nevertheless we too now must come together. Only by being united together as one people, brothers and sisters all, can we find the strength to overcome the darkness and the difficult times we have been going through and arrive at the brighter times ahead.
Chazak Chazak V’nitchazek. Be strong, be strong and may we strengthen each other!
Shabbat shalom
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