A puzzling incident in the Parshah, concerns the blessings of Joseph’s sons. Jacob, when blessing them purposefully crosses his hands in order to bless the younger, Efraim, before Menasheh, the older. This annoys Joseph, who attempts to place his father’s hands in the correct position, whereby he is told by Jacob that Efraim will indeed be greater the Menasheh. This attitude of Joseph is rather strange if we remember that Joseph himself has just been given a double portion, both his sons becoming tribes, in preference to Reuben, the firstborn. Why, then, is Joseph so upset about Jacob doing the same thing, when it comes to his own sons? The answer is very revealing. Joseph apparently did not regard what Jacob did with him as putting the younger before the elder. While it was true that Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn, Joseph was Rachel’s firstborn, and Joseph regarded Rachel as Jacob’s only true legitimate wife. For this reason Joseph is also evidently upset at Rachel not being buried in the family burial place in Hebron. Joseph thus regards his father’s actions in elevating his two sons to an equal status with his brothers as only right and proper. While, on the other hand, the placing of Efraim before Menasheh, disturbs the natural order, and therefore is wrong. Jacob, however, is working to a different paradigm. If we look closely, we can see that Reuben does not totally lose the rights of the firstborn, but that they are distributed among several of the brothers. Reuben, still remains the firstborn in that he is always counted first in the lists in the Torah, and indeed, is called firstborn. Judah receives the effective leadership of the family and Levi, as becomes apparent in Egypt, takes on the task of preserving the family traditions. Joseph only receives the right of his sons to be called tribes, equal with his brothers; but no more. Jacob, therefore, is willing to upset the hierarchical structure of the family, in order to give to each member the task beat suited to them. Joseph, however, cannot escape from his need for order and structure, and therefore objects. Maybe, for this reason, Joseph never graduates to the level of a Patriarch, one who can change the set order for something new. Jacob, however, is in the end, following in the footsteps of his own father. As Aviva Zornberg beautifully puts it, the blind Jacob, blessing his own younger grandchild before his elder, realises now, that his own blind father was never really deceived at all.
ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS
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Rishon |
Jacob makes Joseph swear to bury him in Hebron. He adopts Joseph’s sons as equal inheritors. |
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Sheni |
Jacob blesses Joseph‘s sons; blessing the younger before the elder. |
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Shelishi |
Jacob tells Joseph that G-d will eventually return them home. |
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Revi’i |
Jacob blesses his sons: Reuben, Shimon, Levi, Judah, Zevulun, Issachar and Dan. |
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Chamishi |
Jacob blesses Gad, Asher, Naphtali and Joseph. |
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Shishi |
Benjamin is blessed. Jacob dies and is buried with great pomp in the Cave of Machpelah. Joseph’s brothers worry he will now get revenge. |
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Shevi’i |
Joseph reassures them. He dies and is buried in Egypt. |
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Haftorah |
I Kings: 2;1-12: David’s final instructions to Solomon. |
Sidra Statistics
Sidra Statistics: Parshat Vayehi
· has 85 verses ;
· is the 12th in Genesis, 12th in the Torah
· shortest in Genesis, 43rd longest in the Torah
· has no mitzvot.
· Genesis: has:
· 1534 verses, 12 parshiot, 3 mitzvot
