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Sermon for Sidra Vayechi
January 2010
by Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman

When Joseph is told that his father Jacob is ill and nearing his end, he rushes to his bed-side with his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. After Jacob tells Joseph of G-d’s promise and blessing to his descendants, he eventually blesses Manasseh and Ephraim, but instead of putting his right hand on Manasseh, the first born, he puts his left hand on Manasseh and the right hand on Ephraim, giving Ephraim “the younger” the greater prestige. Joseph, thinking that his father can’t see properly, tries to remove his hands and set them correctly – the right hand on Manasseh, the first born, and the left on Ephraim, but Jacob refuses and says:
“I know my son, I know, he too will become a people and he too will become great, but his younger brother will become greater than he, and his offspring will fill the nations.”

The Midrash says: he saw that Joshua, Moses’ successor, would come from Ephraim. This incident teaches us a valuable lesson, for Jacob himself was younger than his twin brother, Esau. Rachel his choice wife, was younger than Leah. Joseph too, was the youngest of his brothers, when he was favoured by his father Jacob. And so too here, Ephraim was younger than his brother Manasseh! Yet, in all these cases, the “younger” was to be the greater person!

Whilst in the ancient world the “bechor” - the first born, was granted dominion over his siblings, Judaism taught that birth doesn’t confer true greatness. Whilst in Jewish Law the first born may have privileges, this alone does not make him the greater one. For greatness is gained by worthiness, not by birth. How you are born does not make you what you will be! In life there is the element of freedom of will and thus the choices lie before the person to choose. No one is born to be a “Tzadik“, a righteous person, say our rabbis, nor is one born to be “frum”! Rather it is within our own capacity to develop ourselves and to grow to greatness. That is what we are taught here in this Sidra.

Let us never stifle our potential by focusing on the limitations of our physicality!

As we chanted at the end of our Sidra today with the conclusion of the Book of “Bershis”: “Chazak chazak venischazek” - “Be strong, be strong and let us be strengthened”!

For, by being resolute and courageous, we will be strong!