Parashat Vayechi
January 10, 2025
10 Tevet 5785
PARASHAT VAYECHI
Genesis 47:28 - 50:26
~As Fires Rage~
God beyond my understanding,
Fires consume the land,
Destroying homes and lives,
Blazing into the foundations of serenity and security.
Let the winds cease,
The rain fall,
And the fires be extinguished.
God of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of California.
As fires rage and fear spreads,
We pray for the survivors and the mourners,
The traumatized and the bereaved.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May people of righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant the firefighters and first responders
Strength and endurance
As they battle the inferno.
God of heaven and earth,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of California Your protection
And Your peace.
© 2018 Alden Solovy
Dear Friends,
This week’s Torah portion closes the first book, the book of Genesis. Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26) means “and he lived", referring to Jacob. Jacob is on his deathbed as he offers distinct blessings to his male children. Many have discussed whether or not these blessings were truly blessings or, rather, a moment when a father could tell his sons exactly how he saw them couched in the language of blessings. Biblically, blessings are powerful end of life moments for both Isaac and Jacob. Their power as patriarchs is on full display. Jacob upsets expectations when he blesses Joseph’s sons, making them his heirs and giving the younger the stronger blessing. His blessings for his remaining sons appear less like blessings and more like appraisals of them.
Despite this biblical example, most would agree that bestowing blessings are a positive exercise. Our tradition invites us to bless both the mundane and the extraordinary. The process of praising the Divine at these moments provides an opportunity to be completely present in the moment. Whether we express our gratitude for waking up in the morning or express our delight at seeing a rainbow, we find ourselves standing up and saying yes to life. When we truly bless the moment, we become conduits of holiness. A blessing is an extraordinary gift, not to be taken lightly.
Our beloved hazzan, Sariel Beckenstein, created a blessing journal called The Blessing Effect. It affords us the opportunity to record the various types of blessings we experience in our lives. Whether we record the blessings in our lives or acknowledge them in other ways, it is a worthwhile exercise.
This then is an opportunity to recognize a moment or an experience; however, our understanding of blessing goes beyond that. Jacob’s methodology may not be to our liking; however, we do have the power to bestow blessings upon one another. Blessing is not a passive state. Rather, it takes into the account all that is happening around us.
It is interesting to note that Torah has far more curses in it than blessings. Blessing the every day and the seemingly ordinary is not as dramatic as a curse. However, the task before us in these turbulent times is to find the blessings in the every day and to actively acknowledge them as we go through our lives, recognizing how truly extraordinary the ordinary really is.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Linda Shriner-Cahn