Vayishlach Thoughts
The last 17 years of Jacob’s life were spent in Egypt. Like all tzaddikim the aging Patriarch was told of the moment of his death, so he gathered his children around his bedside as he was about to leave this world. Yet before Jacob speaks to his children, he first blesses his grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh. Young, innocent and untainted grandfather Jacob blesses them and to this day we bless out children in the same way, “May G-d make you as Ephraim and Manasseh.” Then Jacob turns to his children. Question: what would you do if you knew you had hours perhaps a day to live? What would matter? What you want to put in order? What words would you need to speak? Is there something that was left undone? Imagine the feeling and import of dying. Is there a reason why G-d only reveals this secret to tzaddikim and keeps the rest of us in dark? The Torah reading tells the...