The Weekly Sedra – Vayechi – Is Perception Truly Everything?

A seasoned businessman, who for many years earned his living in the lumber industry, was getting on in age. He decided to turn his business over to his sons, who were more than happy to step in.

An opportunity had one day arisen for the brothers to procure 1,000 trees in a forest, at what seemed like a very fair price. As usual, they sought the skilled guidance of their retired father. After listening to the proposal, the father inquired about three aspects before offering his advice:

How far was the forest from the water? To which they replied, a three day journey.

“Don’t be silly,” recounted the good-natured man: I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. My many years of experience led me to know that this was not a good opportunity. I’ve witnessed the forfeiture of investment due to the distance between the forest and the river countless times before. The limited time allotted for you to clear the forest and the exorbitant down payment had further heightened my apprehension. Thus, I correctly advised against the endeavor.“

One of the central themes of our Parsha (Vayechi) is the dramatic events surrounding Yaakov’s blessing of his grandchildren, Menashe and Efraim. The Torah relates in considerable detail how Yosef positioned his son’s before Yaakov in a way that Menashe, the older of the two, stood across Yaakov’s right hand and Efraim, the younger, opposite his left.

But, to Yosef’s chagrin, Yaakov maneuvered his hands in such a way that his right hand ended up on the head of the younger son and vice-a-versa. Unaware of his father’s intentions, Yosef attempted to adjust Yaakov’s hand, saying: ”Not so father, this is the older son, place your right hand over his head.“

Yaakov was not impressed by Yosef’s attempt to correct him. ”Do you really mean to steer the hand that had wrestled with the Divine and with man and prevailed? I know my son, I know,“ continued Yaakov, ”I know exactly what you’re thinking; He too [Menashe] will become great; still, his younger brother shall become greater than him.“

This narrative triggers a number of nagging questions, not the least of which is the notion of yet another sibling rivalry – another tale of the younger son outshining the older. Most perplexing however, is the role of Yaakov in all of this.

As the subject of a bitter rivalry with his own brother, he was keenly aware of the pain and anguish visited upon him, as well as his brother and parents. As the victim of an ugly competition between his own sons, he was well aware of the untold misery and grief left in its wake. Given the above, one might expect him to be more sensitive than to plant the seeds of more such strife.

Why would Yaakov, of all people, stir up more trouble, this time among his grandchildren?

This perhaps was precisely what was going through Yosef’s mind. ”Oh father, not again! Hasn’t this family suffered enough as a result of sibling rivalry?”

But, other than to dismiss Yosef’s concern, Yaakov doesn’t really explain his odd conduct. What do we make of this bizarre episode?

The deeper Chassidic interpretation regarding the essential qualities of Menashe and Ephraim can help decipher the puzzle:

Menashe, as the word implies, represents the ability to survive and overcome the hardship of adversity and exile: “G-d has made me forget my hardship.” Ephraim, on the other hand, signifies the capacity and function of growing through pain and adversity – Galus: “G-d has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

According to this, there was deep and calculated cosmic significance in Yaakov’s insistence that Ephraim be the principal recipient of the blessings. By this, Yaakov has insured that it not suffice to survive Galus – to endure and forget – but that we be afforded the capacity to actually grow and reap the rich rewards of our bitter exile.

Yaakov insisted: As much as I understand where you’re coming from; as much as I share your passion for brotherly love and sibling harmony, there is something infinitely greater at stake here; the entire significance of adversity and Exile. You can be certain that I, of all people, despise the strife that my actions may cause as much as you do. Still, sometimes one must look at the bigger picture – the greater good.

Although from your vantage point my actions may seem negative or politically incorrect, that does not mean there isn’t a deeper reality. Just because there is strife on the outside, doesn’t mean there isn’t even greater love and good on the inside.

My son, listen carefully and learn. Despite the fact that on the onset, blessings sometimes don’t appear all that attractive and may come at a high price, there is much profit to be reaped in the end. Know and take to heart that despite what the world says, there inextricably lies a deeper reality beyond all perception. What you perceive to be an injustice to Minashe is in reality perhaps the ultimate blessing to the Jewish people for all time.

The name of our Torah reading is “Vayechi” – and he lived – referring to the life of Yaakov, yet in actuality it talks about his demise and the events that preceded his final days in this world. However, since the life and legacy of the Tzaddik are not defined by his physical existence but rather by his eternal life and legacy, the good he accomplished and the lessons he taught – all the events in our Parsha- represent Yaakov’s true “life” and legacy.

The story behind the blessing that Yaakov bestowed on Menashe and Efraim is that true wisdom is to know that one’s own perception and paradigm is not the ultimate Divine truth, but rather the margins of one’s very limitations and mortality. This knowledge is the means – only means – by which these limitations can be straddled and transcended.