Dear JCOGS family,
In this week’s Torah portion, we come to the final parashah of the book of Bereisheet/Genesis. Known as Vayehi, “and he lived”, this parashah chronicles the final days of Jacob’s 147 year lifespan—a long well-lived life, a blessed life.
Jacob pleads with his favoured son Joseph to make a commitment that he not be buried in Egypt, but instead in the Land of Israel. Joseph makes that promise, in many ways, as a final blessing for his father.
Jacob follows with his own blessings upon his grandchildren Efraim and Menasheh, Joseph’s two sons, calling to Joseph: “Bring them to me, that I may bless them… I never expected to see you again, and here God has let me see your children as well.” (48:9,11) And so the grandsons are blessed with this famous blessing in the Torah:
“Hamalach Hagoel oti/The Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
Bless the lads.
In them may my name be recalled,
And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
And may they be teeming multitudes upon the earth.” (Genesis 48:16)
The rest of the parashah is also teeming with blessings, as Jacob offers a separate blessing for each of his children. He calls to mind their qualities of character in each of his children, in order to bless them.
In our Torah portion, in our tradition, blessings play what we may consider an outsized role. Why so many blessings?
Because we are called on to bless each other. To use blessings to comfort and to challenge one another to be better. To seek safety and security. To bless in order to call upon the strength of our ancestors. But mostly, to offer up in gratitude what is good in each other.
Two weeks ago on Hanukkah, I offered a blessing to those who have been on the front lines of the pandemic. You can watch it
here. This is a blessing of wholehearted gratitude, and of renewed strength. Having crossed the two year threshold this week under the scourge of this worldwide pandemic, I felt it important to bless—for all of us to bless—those who have most sacrificed their lives and hearts along the way.
May we all offer them and those in our lives the blessings they deserve, blessings of comfort, safety, promise, and gratitude.
Tihiyu bri’im, stay safe, be well. Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David
