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Vayechi

by Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon

This week we complete the story of Joseph—and of his great father Jacob—with the final Torah portion of the book of Genesis, the portion of Vayechi. It begins with the description of the death of Jacob, and perhaps even more importantly, the final blessings that Jacob gives to his many sons. But one of the most interesting aspect of this section is a brief episode in which Joseph, who knows his father is dying, brings his two sons, Ephraim and Menasseh, to Jacob for a blessing.

In keeping with an ongoing theme in Genesis, Jacob blesses the younger son, Ephraim before the older son Menasseh. When Joseph tries to correct his father, Jacob assures him that this blessing order is

intentional: both boys will father great tribes, but the younger will exceed the older in accomplishment.

In reading Bible we always expect the older to succeed at a grater level than the younger. But repeatedly throughout Genesis the younger child ends up excelling the older, and receiving a greater portion of the inheritance. It is as if there is a clear message

here: God has a plan that goes beyond the conventions of human society. As Paul Simon once sang, “God only knows, God makes his plan; the information unavailable to the mortal man.”

The other meaning is that we each have the ability to shape our own destinies. Like Ephraim or like Joseph himself, or for that matter like Jacob, we may be born into less favor and fortune than others. But we can make our own way to success and goodness, and to God, if we work and care and seek holiness.