From chabad.org: Vayechi in a Nutshell
Genesis 47:28–50:26
The name of the Parshah, “Vayechi,” means “And he lived” and it is found in Genesis 47:28.
Jacob lives the final 17 years of his life in Egypt. Before his passing, he asks Joseph to take an oath that he will bury him in the Holy Land. He blesses Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, elevating them to the status of his own sons as progenitors of tribes within the nation of Israel.
The patriarch desires to reveal the end of days to his children, but is prevented from doing so.
Jacob blesses his sons, assigning to each his role as a tribe: Judah will produce leaders, legislators and kings; priests will come from Levi, scholars from Issachar, seafarers from Zebulun, schoolteachers from Simeon, soldiers from Gad, judges from Dan, olive-growers from Asher, and so on. Reuben is rebuked for “confusing his father’s marriage bed”; Simeon and Levi, for the massacre of Shechem and the plot against Joseph. Naphtali is granted the swiftness of a deer, Benjamin the ferociousness of a wolf, and Joseph is blessed with beauty and fertility.
A large funeral procession consisting of Jacob’s descendants, Pharaoh’s ministers, the leading citizens of Egypt and the Egyptian cavalry accompanies Jacob on his final journey to the Holy Land, where he is buried in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron.
Joseph, too, dies in Egypt, at the age of 110. He, too, instructs that his bones be taken out of Egypt and buried in the Holy Land, but this would come to pass only with the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt many years later. Before his passing, Joseph conveys to the Children of Israel the testament from which they will draw their hope and faith in the difficult years to come: “G‑d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
***
1
Good afternoon, Phaedrus. How’s life?
Better than yours. I read that. I just don’t get it. I don’t get the point of the story. What’s with the ownership?
I’m so sick right now, I can’t stand it.
Seriously, what is this ownership of people business?
It’s what’s going on in his head. It’s just the way he sees things. Don’t you remember how you used to think when you were eating meat?
I never really thought about it. I’m not as philosophical as you are and really, I’m not really as interested in the conversations as you are. People want cures, I give them cures. You’re one of the only people actually looking for a philosophical ride.
Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m missing the whole thing. Do you ever think about dying?
Me? No. I don’t think like that. It’s too negative. And besides, look at my place? I have so many mood changers here in this room, I’m surprised I can even stay on one.
No. I was just thinking about this. It’s a big dramatic death scene. He knows he’s dying. He sends word and tries to make everything work out okay. And then everybody is fighting over his wealth and social position. It’s miserable trying to deal with rich people after they go.
Listen, Hillel, you got to listen to me hard. I know you got problems with Eva.
I do not want to talk about my wife. You know I’m in a crappy mood and you know I definitely don’t need to go there.
Listen to what I’m telling you. You’re not a family man so you can’t go home to your family. You’re also not single so you’re not free to do whatever you want. And, and really I give you credit for this, you might be the craziest person in the world to work in such proximity to the Egyptian and not fear for your life everyday.
Do you think I’m exciting?
Oh just shut up already.
Do you even want to live 147 years?
No. 100% I would not want all of those. I don’t even want some of them that I have.
I know what you mean. I know what you mean.
2
Ephraim and Menasha. Those are good boys.
Sure. Good boys.
Are you a good boy, Phaedrus?
No, Hillel, unfortunately I am a lost soul according to my parents. I left my house at a very early age and learned on my own how to live in the world.
I suppose my family was rich. They were educators and intellectuals. I grew up reading and writing. I suppose it’s different for everyone.
Do you ever feel guilty for growing up the way you did?
No. I can only do what I can do and I can only be what I can be. I only have the skills I have. I’m not complaining. Well, I’m complaining because what I’m writing is not making me happy in any way. I don’t really like this narrative we are in the middle of. I know where it’s going and these little subtleties that seem to amuse the big guy so much are leaving me really cold. I don’t like who we are and how we are represented. We are not all like that. I’m really afraid of this reputation that’s being established for us. Or even worse, what if, you know, like intellectuals like me, sometimes you get beat up by the bad boys.
I never really wanted to say that out loud but truthfully, when we were teenagers, I would have beaten you regularly.
Yeah. I’ve thought of that. Have things really changed?
I think people will always be the same. We always have our prejudices and we always believe what we are supposed to believe. It’s just worse when you have this totalitarian trying to control every aspect of our lives without ever caring about us or knowing who we are. We, you and me, we got it made in this government. They made sure that we’ve got it made. But it’s bad government and it’s a bad situation and it’s not going to get better but we are not going to die here. I don’t know if that helps but I think it’s something to remember.
Thank you.
For what?
For giving me the inspiration I needed. I wanted to write something in the Daily Papyrus. I didn’t know what I wanted to write and now I do. I want to tell people that we have things in our head that have been there forever and ever and that we probably do not need to have them there anymore. I know, a lot of this has to do with what kind of food you eat and how much meat you eat and how much alcohol you drink. But you’ve got stuff in your head that doesn’t need to be there. There’s a clarity that is possible. It’s possible to truly see and not be so spastic and confused so that decisions are difficult to make. I want to write about this. I want people to know about this.
Good man. Hill, you are a good man.
Thank you. You know it does feel nice to have someone say some nice words to you. A little validation is quite okay.
Right. I think I’m going in the back. You know your way out.
3
We are halfway up Mount Sinai in a small clearing. Phaedrus and Hillel have decided to hike up the hill and take lunch in the stone quarry. Well, it’s not really a stone quarry. It’s where Moses comes to practice.
You know, Hillel, if I know one thing to be the absolute truth it is that the Egyptian is a miserable stonemason.
It’s true. He’s very good at making messes.
I don’t understand the fascination. I understand the work that’s necessary to make interesting cooking. I understand the work necessary to make sure that your agriculture holdings are in order. I understand that all things require effort and attention and therefore work. I just don’t understand why he comes up and breaks up the rocks all the time.
It’s that he spends a lot of time in the chair. He feels that he should be more robust and healthy. He feels it’s important to protect his image. He doesn’t want people to feel like he’s slipping.
Nice. In a nutshell, that was our entire work as the opposition party to the country. Then we got paid off and now we’re just staring at a really bad rock chipper’s work. I tell you, even as an excursion, what are we doing here?
I’m looking for something.
What? What are we here for?
Do you have that really good stuff?
Burning Bush? You want to try some Burning Bush?
Yeah. That’s exactly what I want to do. That’s why I asked you to come up here and that’s exactly what I want. I want to know what he gets being up here.
Hillel. My brother, please. I can’t make any kind of endless mysticism. You know as well as I do it’s just a synaptic response. If you didn’t know this or if I felt you didn’t know this I wouldn’t even allow you into my shop. Come on. You’re too cynical for this.
If she shows up, you’ll see her too.
All right. I’m in. If you believe it, I believe it. And besides, after a hike and this thin air, I’m truly into this.
The two men made themselves comfortable and made a small fire near a small bush. They made some tea and the apothecary prepared his materials.
Are you ready?
Yes. I am exactly ready.
A moment later, they were staring at a bush that had suddenly erupted into flames but yet was not really burning or being consumed. It wasn’t even really giving off heat. It was more like a light or an energy flowing up towards the sky.
Have I gone crazy or do you see what I see?
I like it. It’s a good strong flame this time. Sometimes it’s not so bright. To be honest, sometimes I think God is a little grudging about making these displays. I don’t really think God’s heart is in social climbing. I don’t really think she’s a people pleaser.
Yeah. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.
And then suddenly there was a presence. It wasn’t really a natural presence like a person waiting to talk to you. It was More like a sense of completeness. And there was an energy to it, and it had some mass and it was definitely female because she was very soft and quiet.
What can I help you with?
Phaedrus, ultimately casual as he is, simply dove into the conversation face value. Hillel was more than a little jealous of not only the attention but that he wasn’t the one who got to explain the situation.
We are really worried. My friend here works for Moses. They are working on a book and we are both afraid that the effect of this book will not be good. Not for us or not for anyone who might say they’re Jewish anytime in the future. In fact, I think if we continue down the road we’re on right now, we are never ever going to enjoy a reputation in this world worth having.
Why do the opinions of others bother you?
It’s not their opinions we worry about. It’s their violence.
There was nothing in the air now but silence. No one was talking or answering questions. Only the original questions were still out in the air and on the ground to be answered.
Yeah. People get crazy when they think they’re on the right side and someone is in the wrong side. They love making scapegoats out of each other. And it’s worse and worse all the time. Now they’re making rules and laws left and right. You can do this and you can do that. They’re sucking the life out of us. We’re all getting very sick from this.
And how can I help you? Do you wish me to change Moses’s heart? Shall he comply to your will as you refuse to comply to his?
That’s a good question. She’s good today.
Yeah, I’m getting into this too.
What’s the answer though? Look, I love our people. I love being a part of these people. We’re not wonderful but we’re very cool in our way. And I like my life even if it is killing me philosophically and otherwise. But at least I have hope. I think all we want is that maybe you’ll give us a sign that we’re right and they’re wrong. Because we believe it. We can see it. It’s in our minds and it’s written down in front of us so we can see it. We believe in what we’re doing 100%. But the people who are not with us, they are blind. Maybe you can just let him see.
There were no words more coming from the bush. And slowly the fire gave way to a bit of smoke but still the bush itself remained exactly as it was.
You know something, Phaedrus?
What’s that, Hill?
I like coming up on the mountain.
Me too, bro. Me too.
4
I think we messed up.
I think we messed up too.
We should not have gone up on that hill.
No. Absolutely. We should not have gone up on that hill.
We should not have gone up on that hill. We should not have it asked to burning bush to join us. We should not have had a conversation with her. We should not have done any of this because the Egyptian is out of his head right now.
I think we played with rather essential relationship in his life.
We are in deep trouble if they find out it was us.
Well, Hillel, when you were at work today finding all about exactly how terrible the future is going to be for everybody, did you not think that possibly we might have been somewhat responsible for the Egyptians mood?
That’s the problem with dedicated meat eaters. They are not that nostalgic. You can’t really keep their attention for very long.
We are in so much trouble. We are so going to die. We just got rich. We just got rich! Why? Why did we have to go up on that mountain!
Because we’re Jews! We will always do the wrong thing.
It’s true. It’s true. We are cursed. We can’t win. We can never win!
5
So the point of the story and the eventual point of the Torah is to establish power completely and utterly and then you’re free to do as you like. Do I have that clear in my head?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be about death. I mean, let’s say you save your money and eventually you can retire and not worry about making money anymore. You can be rich enough. You can work towards that. It’s more like that than the other thing.
But this is such nonsense. It’s all nonsense. It’s all this ridiculous fanciful story. They are asking us to understand that unlimited power means he is the guy. Why is that the most important thing that we should know?
It isn’t. It’s not supposed to be. But he’s got a ring and he wanted the ring to be in the story. It’s the ring of power that Pharaoh gave to Joseph. Apparently the whole story is supposed to be true because he has this ring. He showed it to me. See? He said. See? I told you the story was real. You didn’t believe me but here is the evidence.
In the story if Pharaoh gives you a ring and then you have that ring, I guess that means it’s evident.
No, it doesn’t mean that at all. In fact, it’s even worse. I think he’s got the disease.
6
I have a question. Why is Jacob writing the Torah in first person? Jacob doesn’t even exist. Jacob is a fictional character made up to make this story make sense. Can you please tell me why Jacob is speaking in first person?
And what do he say?
Unfortunately he really didn’t say anything. He made an excuse about not feeling well and went to lie down.
So he is sick.
Yeah, I think he’s sick and he knows he’s sick.
This isn’t good. It’s not only isn’t good. This isn’t good at all. This is becoming our worst nightmare.
It is unfortunately becoming nothing but a nightmare. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about this. I can’t just walk away. I can’t. They’ve already paid me off. They already own me and everybody already knows who I am. I have too much social position to do anything. I can’t. I can’t do anything.
And you think I can? You have it easy. You just have your mental problems over the words being written. People would give their left arm to have your money just to write some words down on a piece of paper. Most people wouldn’t care one way or the other. Here. Here’s more paper. Take as much paper as you want! And we’re sweating every sentence.
It’s because the guy who is writing it is going crazy and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
Maybe it wasn’t your job. Maybe you should just write what he says and don’t worry about it too much.
You don’t understand. Everything is at stake. Everything is at stake. We will be marked, just like in the story, forever and ever and ever. They will see us coming. It will be hell. There will be no one to trust anywhere. This is what we’re looking forward to if this book continues like this. And now we have to contend with the fact that our leader has a disease and pomegranates are not going to cure it.
I see your point. I guess it’s a good question for any society. What do you do when you are absolutely convinced that your leader is insane?
It’s actually a stupid question. The answer is always the same. You have to try not to die.
7
What just happened?
You don’t want to know, Hillel.
My God. I have such a headache. What happened?
They have taken everything from us.
Were you talking about?
There’s nothing important about us. There’s no reason anyone would ever talk to us. Our number diminished. They say they have bigger people to go to. Bigger people with bigger boats and more material. Everything went to someone else. Nobody needs either of us anymore.
What are you talking about? What day is it? Where are we?
We are right where we started but that’s not what’s going on. We have lost. We are not the only voices. Others have been telling stories about the transition and others have turned out to be heroes. It’s not us. It’s not us. It’s not vegans.
Did they take away the newspaper?
No. Everything is the same with us except for one thing. We have no popularity. We’re not number one. We are not the place people will go. Not for bravery. Not for help. Not even for a ship’s captain. We just dropped in status.
But how? Why?
I don’t know what to tell you. We weren’t organized for war.
No. No one wants war.
No, Hillel. Everyone wants war. War is big business. People make money and gain social advantage during wars. People rise and fall during wars.
But that’s exactly what we don’t want?
Listen, they are not even using our language for official counting anymore. We lost the official mathematics language. I don’t know if we get it back but until we do my friend, you are not the owner of the logic in the bazaar under Sinai. You’re not the clear thinker here.
I was afraid of that.
That’s okay. To be honest, I didn’t like being a popular icon anyway. It’s too much work and you always have to worry about what your hair looks like. I’m happier is a simple shop owner with a ton of money in the bank. Good enough for me, good enough for anybody.
I guess. I guess you’re right. Just one question.
Okay.
Did we or did we not climb up on Mount Sinai and have a conversation with God?
Yes, I was there. We did that. That happened.
And we believed God was going to help us?
I don’t know if I believed God was going to help but that did seem to be what was going on.
Then how did this happen?
My friend, maybe you overestimate the power of God.
Okay fine. But did we not also meet with Moses and did he also not promise to do the best he could to help us out?
Maybe you overestimated the power of Moses?
No. I just overestimated my own power.
Corruption’s easy. It happens to the best of us. It happens so quickly, we don’t even notice it until we’re completely gone.
I’m just no good at power.
No, Hillel, you are not good at power.
So that’s it done? Everything we did and it’s all for nothing?
Of course not. You did a lot. We both did. We experienced a lot. We have our lives and our health. I have my apothecary and you have your newspaper. And nothing has changed. You still have to show up and write the Torah. Nothing changed except public opinion about who the heroes are. And it’s not us. It’s not us, it’s not our philosophy and it’s not our thinking. That’s all that happened.
But that little political shift was enough to make us completely redundant.
Basically, Hillel, you’re exactly correct.
Phaedrus, do you know what I really, really want right now?
Yes, Hillel, I do.
Well then. If I still have my job and I still have my health and I still have this place to come to after work, maybe it’s not so bad after all.
Sure. Except that they’re talking about laws about what I can and cannot sell to people. The new regime faction wants more control. And there is talk that someone else wants the editorship of the Daily Papyrus.
I think I’m going to be sick.
Welcome to politics, Hillel.
