Parshah Vayichi

Sadly, Your Humble Blogger has little time this morning to write about Parshah Vayichi (Gen 47:28-50:26. The reading is not very eventful: Jacob/Israel dies, and is brought back to Hebron to be buried, and then Joseph dies. There’s a lengthy rant from Jacob about his sons, and they (and their eponymous tribes) are described in some poetic detail. I had never read that part, and it’s surely interesting, but it doesn’t have any Moments of Decision.

So, if I were leading discussion (which I’m not, thank the Lord), I would ask what would have happened in Jacob decided to be buried in his new home, near his children and grandchildren. No procession back to Hebron, but a new Grave of the Ancestors in the land o’Goshen.

Anyway, that’s the end of Genesis. Next week is the first Parshah of Exodus, Sh’mot, and it’s a doozie. I hope to be able to write about it in more detail than this, but I’ll be on the road, so we’ll see. Before I sign off, though, I’ll add the traditional phrase we say in shul when we finish the last parshah of one of the five books:

Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another.

Thank you,
-Vardibidian.