The End Is The Beginning – Vayechi

Decluttering the home of things that no longer serve a purpose.

Removing toxicity from your life.

Changing jobs or careers.

Finishing a good book.

Everything seems to come to an end, I believe, so that we can make way for more. More growth, more fulfilment, more blessings and more hope.

And so it is that I begin this blog with an end. Vayechi, this week’s Torah portion, is the last reading from the book of Genesis. Interestingly, it’s the end of the book, but the preparation for new things ahead. Vayechi means “and he lived,” and it comes from the first verse, which says “Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years” (Genesis 47:28).

In this week’s portion, Jacob is preparing for his death. He secures a double portion of inheritance for Joseph and blesses each of his sons. The book of Genesis ends with Jacob’s demise, followed shortly by the death of Joseph and the promise of redemption from Egypt, and with that comes a whole lot of hope.

Going Backward To Move Forward

Let’s rewind for a second. Throughout Genesis, we’ve seen our matriarchs and patriarchs mourn and celebrate, laugh and cry, wrestle and make up. It’s the quintessential Jewish way – one big, complicated family.

But it’s in Vayechi that the people of Israel are on their way to becoming a people. With all the twists and turns, slavery and redemption in Egypt, it’s the conclusion of Genesis that I find the most prolific.

Towards the end of the book, Joseph presents his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh to Jacob. He places his eldest, Manasseh, at Jacob’s right hand and Ephraim to the left. Joseph crosses his hands, placing his right on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh and pauses to bless Joseph, who only notices this peculiar positioning after the blessing.

Joseph points out to his father that he’s blessing them in the wrong order – back to front if you will. But Jacob persists, confirming that this is a deliberate action. He then blesses his grandchildren in the way that the people of Israel are told to bless their children, May God make you like these, Ephraim and Manasseh.

There’s a lot of familiarity in this moment: the patriarch who can no longer see properly; the elder blessing the next generation unconventionally; the apparent confusion of birthrights. They’re all themes we’ve encountered before, except for one: Jacob declaring that he is purposely crossing his hands. In just a few words, an entire cycle of conflict is broken, and only then does Jacob say that this is how he will make his blessings.

Go Forth With Hope

Does it not teach us that we should be open about the blessings we offer? Doesn’t it show us that we can’t always control our situations? Yet should we not go forth and offer blessings?

In verse 11, Jacob reflects that he thought he’d never see Joseph again and now has the chance to see his favourite grandson. Surely, as we reflect on the book of Genesis with all its conundrums, we’re reminded to always have hope.

Let us hope that those we have lost are not entirely gone.

Let us hope that blessings are there, even when we feel like the window for goodness has closed.

Let us hope that we can see the generations that come after us act on the values we hold dear.

And let us hope that even when we and those around us make mistakes, those mistakes can still lead to potential and possibilities.

New Year, New Chapter

I find it difficult to bid farewell to our matriarchs and patriarchs every year. It truly is like ending a good book. But it’s also like decluttering the house or making a career change. It brings with it the start of something new, promising and full of hope.

Through all the ups and downs in Genesis, the promise of the covenant inspires and guides, assuring us that our history continues. We don’t know what the future holds, as Genesis comes to an end. Jacob and Joseph have gone. Everyone else is living in a strange land. Nobody knows what their fate will be.

It’s pessimistic, but there’s one thing that reminds us to be hopeful, and that is Vayechi – “and Jacob lived.” As we reflect on his death, we remember the characters we’ve encountered. Those that have inspired us. While one chapter ends, the convent reassures us that it’s by no means the end of the story. It’s just the beginning.

The end of the book of Genesis. The end of what has been, for many, a challenging year. And yet, ahead lies a new book, a new year, new blessings and renewed hope.

I hope Genesis inspires us to learn and introspect. Take some time to look at those sacred words, Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek – and may we grow stronger, drawing strength from our Torah and one another as we embark on a brand-new chapter.

Shabbat Shalom.