Vayechi: Blessings, Identity, Personal Responsibility and Social Justice

Blessings, Identity, Personal Responsibility and Social Justice

1/10/20

This week’s Torah portion/ parasha – Vayechi (Genesis 47:28 - 50:26) – is the last in the book of Genesis/Beresheit. It seems almost fitting that it’s the final portion as it is about the deaths of two of our main historical and religious figures – Jacob and Joseph. What I want to discuss tonight is the actions of just one of those men – Jacob.

Jacob was blessed – or gifted- with knowing that his death was imminent thereby giving him the opportunity to say goodbye to his family. In this case, with blessings. He is the first person in the Torah to have warning of his impending death. Joseph does as well at the very end of this portion – but he uses his time a bit differently than Jacob.

What spoke to me in this parasha was the concept of blessings. Jacob blesses not only his 12 children but also Joseph’s children in the very last chapters of Genesis. The blessings to his sons are in fact a mix of blessing and prediction. The blessings to Efraim and Menashe, Joseph’s sons, where Jacob claims these 2 grandchildren as HIS OWN sons, is something quite different.

First Jacob then called over his two grandchildren, and in what I just read in the Torah, places his hands on their heads, and starts blessing JOSEPH -- giving him the famous "Hamalach" blessing (48:16), that the angel that protected Jacob from evil should also protect Joseph's sons, and that Jacob's name should be associated with them, along with Avraham and Yitzchak, and they should multiply in the land. 

All these events seem inconsistent, unless we understand what they all mean...

This is why, when Jacob claimed the sons as his own, he made sure to stress that it was those two sons that were born in EGYPT (48:5). Their greatness and Joseph's greatness was that they were Jews DESPITE living in Egypt. And finally, although his hands were on the two sons, Jacob's blessing was that Joseph's children, and anyone who has to live in a non-Jewish world, should be protected throughout history so that we can all be proudly called the children of Avraham and Yitzchak.  The blessing that is given is: Y’simcha Elohim k’Efraim v’Menashe,
 “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasheh."

This is the same blessing that parents all over the Jewish world give their children on Friday nights. What is special about Efraim and Menashe? Firstly, we are taugt that they are the first pair of siblings in the Torah who do not see each other as competitors. They actually get along! So we bestow upon our children the legacy of peace and harmony between brothers.

Also, they didn’t lose their identity. They were the sons of an important man in Egypt, living for much of their lives apart from any kind Jewish community, yet they kept to their heritage. This is a blessing to forestall complete assimilation. To learn how to live completely and fully in multiple civilizations. This is a blessing that says you can be successful and fulfilled regardless of where you live and what’s going on around you – and still remain Jewish.

Girls, by the way, are also blessed every Shabbat but with a different blessing – Yisemech Elohim k’Sarah, Rivka, Rachel v’Leah

May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah

Each of these women possessed unique qualities that played essential roles in the strength and future of our people. The Torah is filled with accounts of these women, recording their insight, their strong and giving nature, and their sensitivity, leadership, and special ability to inspire others. Beyond this, all of the matriarchs were great, righteous women, who hailed from the homes of wicked people – what we call today " a bad environment." These women are all examples of people who recognize what needs to be done in order for good to prevail and they DO what needs doing, regardless of the personal price.

So where are we today?

Today we, as our ancestors, live in a world that presents us with many challenges – some personal, some tribal, some global.

It is hard to have a discussion with anyone in a minority group these days without the subjects of anti-Semitism, racism, gender harassment and too many other types of discrimination being raised.

Dr Jonathan Sarna, one of the most prominent historians of American Judaism, wrote that “Historically, hate-mongers and conspiracy theorists have repeatedly targeted out-groups during times of intense social and cultural stress in the United States.”  I’m sure this statement doesn’t surprise anyone. He cites examples in his writings of acts of hatred, public suspicion and outright acts of prejudice and violence throughout the centuries here in the United States against not only Jews but African Americans, Mormons, Catholics, the Irish… I could go on. Against those who act different, look different, pray differently, speak differently.

He concludes an article titled: Anti-Semitism is a Symptom (https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/anti-semitism-is-a-symptom/) … as follows:

“… with anti-Semitism back on the front page, [these] many historical examples of Americans targeting Jews and other out-groups during eras of intense social and cultural strain demonstrate the importance of distinguishing symptoms from diseases. America has experienced eras of crisis before, and Jews in America have been victimized before. In each case, anti-Semitism has been the symptom of larger social maladies, revealing more about the parlous [precarious] state of American society than about Jews.

“There are ways of mitigating symptoms of social stress: policing, education, vigilance, and the like. To repair the fabric of American society for the long-term, however, will require fresh leadership and a renewed commitment to shared values.”

So what can we do as individuals? We can act – participate in social discourse and social change. We can recognize that prejudice stems from – among other things – fear and ignorance. We can be, as all of my late grandmothers would say – Civil, polite, friendly. We can remember to smile. We can and must teach and share ideas freely and generously and listen to othersi, particularly those we disagree with, with respect and openness.

I know I am asking us to do what sometimes feels like an impossibility.  But that is one of the reasons I’m asking us to do this on the Shabbat of the Torah portion Vayechi. Where we, today, received a blessing thousands of years ago in the name of two brothers who were said to love each other, to get along, to treat each other with respect, kindness and love. After all, are not we all created B’Tzelem Elohim, in God’s image. Are we not all family – for all that means?

I will end tonight by doing something I rarely do. I would like to bless you all. I bless my children every Shabbat – in fact I did so just a few hours ago by phone. But I rarely bless large groups. But tonight it feels right.

Please rise.

Y’simcha Elohim k’Efraim v’Menashe

May God make you like Ephraim and Menashe

Yisemech Elohim k’Sarah, Rivka, Rachel v’Leah

May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah

Y’varech’cha Adonai V’yismeracha

May Adonai bless you, and guard you

Ya’ehr Adonai panav elecha v’chunecha

 May the Eternal’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you

Yissa Adonai panav elecha, v’yasem l’cha Shalom

May the Awesome One’s face be lifted up unto you, and give to you peace

Shabbat Shalom

Vayechi: A [Grand] Parent’s Blessing as Protection in the face of Assimilation

Parshat Vayechi is the last Parasha in the book of Genesis. In this parsha we find Jacob on his deathbed and desirous of blessing his sons. This is the first instance in the Torah of someone getting sick and knowing that their death is approaching. Prior to this point in the Torah, when someone’s death is mentioned, it says “and so-and-so was old, and died.” The commentaries say that Jacob requested of G-d that he become sick before he die, thereby giving him warning that his end was approaching and giving him time to to bless his sons before he died.

In verse 48:1 Joseph found out that Jacob was sick. Joseph then "took his two sons with him." (presumably to bring them to Jacob, although it doesn't say that anywhere). When Joseph and his sons got there, Jacob sat up in bed, and told Joseph that his two sons would now be considered like Jacob's children, and will get a portion in the land just like the rest of the brothers. 

Interestingly, the Torah doesn't say that Joseph brought his sons to Jacob, but that Joseph took his sons with him. What it could mean is that not only did Joseph bring his sons physically to Jacob, but also that Joseph kept them close to himself, so that they wouldn't be spiritually influenced by their non-Jewish surroundings. Jacob recognized this, which is why he felt strengthened when Joseph came to him with his sons.

With the act of Jacob claiming his grandsons as his own, he made sure to stress that it was those two sons that were born in Egypt (48:5). Their greatness and Joseph's greatness was that they identified as and lived as Jews despite living in Egypt. And finally, although his hands were on the two grandsons, Jacob's blessing was that Joseph's children, and anyone who has to live in a non-Jewish world, should be protected throughout history so that we can all be proudly called the children of Avraham and Yitzchak (and Jacob).  The blessing that is given is:  Y’simcha Elohim k’Efraim v’Menasseh”   “So he blessed them that day, saving, "By you shall Israel invoke blessings, saying: God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh."

This is the same blessing that parents all over the Jewish world give their children on Friday nights. What is special about Efraim and Manasseh? They didn’t assimilate. They were the sons of an important man in Egypt, living for much of their lives apart from any kind Jewish community, yet they kept to their heritage. This is a blessing to forestall assimilation. This is a blessing that says you can be successful and fulfilled regardless of where you live and what’s going on around you – and still remain Jewish.

Perhaps this message is why we read this Parasha so soon after Chanukah, a holiday about Jewish identity. With all that is going on in the world today regarding religion and tolerance, the message of this parsha should be taken to heart. Even in a place as hostile to Jews as Egypt was, there was a way to live there and continue to have a positive Jewish identity. My prayer is that in our world today, all people can find a way to live through these hostile times and still maintain their own positive religious identities and at the same time, allow others to as well, whatever religion they may belong to.

Food for Thought: 
~If you were to compose a blessing to give to your children each Friday night, what would it be?
~Jacob blessed his grandchildren, Efraim and Manasseh, before his eldest child Reuben. Why would he do that? Note: consider the biblical motif of the younger son inheriting before the elder. How does that fit in here?

This dvar originally appeared in the Washington Jewish Week.