Parashat Vayechi is a paradox. It is the final parasha of Sefer Bereishit, filled with deathbed scenes, final blessings, and goodbyes—yet it is called Vayechi, “and he lived.” At the very moment when the Torah speaks most openly about the end of life, it insists on teaching us how to live.
Yaakov Avinu’s last days are not portrayed as fading or empty. Instead, they are purposeful, lucid, and full of love. Before he dies, Yaakov gathers his children, blesses them, and speaks to each one individually. This is not only a family moment; it is the shaping of a nation. Yaakov shows us that the way we live at the end reveals how we truly lived all along: with intention, responsibility, and faith.
One of the most powerful moments in the parasha is Yaakov’s blessing to Ephraim and Menashe. Yosef brings his sons to receive a blessing, and Yaakov famously crosses his hands, placing his right hand on the younger son. Yosef tries to correct him, but Yaakov refuses. This moment teaches a subtle yet profound lesson: greatness is not guaranteed by birth order, strength, or expectation. Each person must be seen for who they are, not for who we assume they should be. In a world that often measures worth by comparison, Yaakov reminds us to recognize the unique spark in every soul.
Yosef, too, emerges in Vayechi as a model of spiritual maturity. Despite the power he holds as ruler of Egypt, he does not seek revenge against his brothers. Instead, he reframes the past with deep faith: “You intended harm, but God intended it for good.”Yosef does not deny the pain he experienced, but he refuses to let bitterness define the future. His ability to forgive is not weakness—it is strength rooted in trust that God’s plan is larger than human cruelty.
The parasha closes with Yosef’s own death, but even then, the story points forward. Yosef makes the Israelites swear that when God redeems them from Egypt, they will take his bones with them. This final request is a declaration of hope. Even in exile, even at the end of life, Yosef believes in redemption. He teaches us that faith is not only about surviving the present – it is about believing in a future we may not live to see.
Parashat Vayechi challenges us to ask important questions:
How do we speak to those we love?
Do we bless, or do we withhold?
Can we forgive without forgetting—and move forward without denying the past?
Are we living in a way that connects us to something greater than ourselves?
The Torah does not end Bereishit with triumph or resolution, but with continuity. Life flows from generation to generation, carried by blessings, values, and faith. Vayechi reminds us that true life is not measured by how long we live, but by how deeply we live—and what we leave behind.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen