vayechi: death
vayechi: death
The action in Vayechi, a parsha named for life, involves death. Vayechi evokes the notorious midrashic phrase: "Yaakov lo meith, Yaakov did not (does not) die." Yaakov spends the entire parsha dying. He is embalmed and buried ( in the Promised Land) He tells his sons what will happen to them in the future ( in code) from his perspective of a dying man, who will not be present in the future, and is thus free to see the future more clearly. He is free from the deceptions that are necessary for continuation of physical life, from the lies of economic needs, the half truths that are required for success.
Yaakov recognizes the importance of his burial in the holy land and he knows that he will not be able to accomplish it from his powerless, dead position. He elicits an oath from his powerful son, Joseph , thus fulfilling the dream that began this story. His funeral unites the family,(what we think is) his ultimate goal.
In the end, Yaakov lives like he is going to die and dies in a way that allows his legacy to live. Yoseph shadows this.
The ClifNotes of the story: Yaakov dies, Joseph kisses him and buries him. That is how it was with my father. I was bringing him to Seattle ( my Egypt). He died on the way. I fell on him and kissed him ( CPR with mouth to mouth) and buried him in Israel. Like Joseph, we bought our plots near my parents.
On this day of mourning for the compromise of our culture ( the 10th of Teveth) which some modern rabbis ( unsuccessfully ) wanted do rededicate to the holocaust, I remember my re-enactment of Vayechi.
posted by Sheldon Goldberg at 9:00 AM
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