Parashat Vayechi
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Synopsis
Vayechi records the death of Jacob after 17 years in Egypt. Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Menasseh, are called to Jacob’s bedside to be blessed. Jake asks Jo to have him buried in the cave of machpelah. Afterwards the other sons get their blessings, Jacob dies and they duly oblige and bury him in Hebron. After their fathers death Joseph’s brothers think that he will turn on them and punish them for selling him all those years before. He reassures them, all is dandy. Joseph lives till 110 and tells his brothers that one day God will send them back to the land of Israel and instructs them to take his bones with them.
Themes;
1) Burial and Mourning Traditions
2) Making Honest Evaluations
Burial and Mourning Traditions
In this weeks parashah we read about the embalming of Jacob, a forty day process, and the mourning for 70 days that took place before he was moved to the cave of machpelah. As many of you will have realised by now modern jewish burial procedure runs a little differently. Today a speedy burial is valued above all but shabbat and yom tovim but why the change. There is thought that a speedy burial aids the grieving process by allowing mourners to appreciate the finality of death although at the time of change the health of the community will most likely have been a factor as well. There is also a certain beauty in the fact that our bodies become part of the earth in passing.
Making Honest Evaluations
When Jacob calls his sons to his bedside to bless them before he dies he also makes brutally honest evaluations of who they are. He calls Reuben unstable as water, Simeon and Levi violent, Zebulun driven by profit, Issachar uses others to fight his battles, Dan talks about people behind their backs, Gad is weak, Asher and Naphtali don’t command respect, Joseph distrusted by his brothers and Benjamin lacks balance of judgement and concern for others. The only son who was described favourably was Judah who was father of the tribe that would produce future kings of Israel. Why was Jacob so honest with his children on his death bed? He needed to honestly evaluate his sons in front of them so it would be clear who would be the leader after his death. Constructive criticism is a positive thing it allows people to reflect on themselves and improve and honesty in such a situation saved squabbling after Jacobs death.
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