Genesis 47:28 - 50:26

I Kings 2:1 - 2:12

In this Torah portion, Joseph promises Jacob that he will bury him in Canaan. On his deathbed, Jacob blesses his grandchildren, Ephraim and Menashe, and then blesses each of his sons. Jacob dies and is embalmed. Joseph affirms to his brothers that he has forgiven them for their misdeeds. Ending the Book of Genesis, Joseph dies.

FULL SUMMARY
HAFTARAH SUMMARY

Parashat Vayechi: The Legend of You and Me

Jacob’s blessing to his son Joseph offers a potent metaphor about maintaining steadfastness in a world defined by rapid change.

More on this Torah Portion

Why Jacob Cursed Two of His Sons

Shimon and Levi get the blame for two tragedies in the patriach's life.

Abundant Love: The Wisdom of Jacob

On his deathbed, Jacob finally sees his children stand together.

Blessing Our Daughters

Why did Jacob not bless his daughters before he died?

Fears, Lies, But No Videotape

Jacob's death provokes the latent fear in Joseph's brothers that Joseph bears a grudge against them and the desire to make peace with him.

Seeing The Bigger Picture

Joseph reminds us that our perspective of reality is limited compared to the ultimate meaning that God perceives.

Exile–The Absence Of Jewish Context

The descent into Egypt and Jacob's death left his family in an alien culture, forced to find a context for their traditions within themselves.

All In The Family

Jacob's decision to bless each of his sons individually highlights the need to balance unity with diversity.

Sins of the Past

Joseph and his brothers try to move on.

Eating Holy Food in a Holy Way

What can we do with knowledge of the sources of our food?

Jacob’s Diverse Family

Jacob found it in his heart to embrace all his children, though they chose different paths.

Two Sufferings That Are One

Exile and suffering are only too present in contemporary society.

Why Bondage?

An exploration of why the Children of Israel were destined to be slaves to Pharaoh

Carrying On After The Golden Age

Living after the Civil Rights Movement, we, like the children of Jacob, have the opportunity to carry the ideals of previous generations into the future.

Tied To The Land

Both Jacob and Joseph understood the importance of imbuing their descendants with a commitment to the Land of Israel.

Feeling The Presence Of God

God's presence at Jacob's deathbed teaches us that our reactions to the situations in which we find ourselves determine our spiritual perceptions.

From Fratricide To Fraternal Solidarity

The Joseph story provides us with a domestic model for our national ability to move through reconciliation to solidarity.

What Is Your Blessing?

Jacob blessed his sons, not only according to each of their characters, but also with a unique piece of himself.

Parashat Vayechi: Integrating the Past into the Present

“May God make you like Ephraim and Menashe” (Genesis 48:20). Parents routinely offer this blessing on Shabbat at the Friday night dinner ...

Acting Without Thought

Thinking about those we have hurt in the past can help us be more careful in the future.

Family Forgiveness

The need to forgive and, if possible, forget, is vitally important.

Self-Interest and Solidarity

There are many motivators for fighting injustice.

Haftarah for Vayechi

David's parting words to his son Solomon.

Parashat Vayechi Quiz

Test your knowledge of this Torah portion.

Parashat Vayechi: Summary

On his deathbed, Jacob blesses his sons and asks them to bury him in Canaan.