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Monday, December 28, 2009

Vayechi: "And Jacob Lived"

This week's Torah portion is called "Vayechi" - "And Jacob Lived." It's about how Jacob lived the best years of his life in Egypt. It is the last reading of the Book of Bereshit (Genesis), and ends with Jacob's blessings for each of his twelve sons. Jacob's blessings are full of prophecy, symbolism, and feeling. Each blessing is uniquely tailored for each son (except for Shimon and Levi, who are mentioned together),  and set out a path for the later generations, each individual tribe, to follow.

This parsha is very much what Modern Jewish Home is all about: painting a multi-colored, multi-dimensional picture of the Jewish people; one that is deep and deeply rooted in tradition and in the past, yet open to the world we live in, and even anxious for the excitement the future holds. A picture that recognizes the various faces and facets of Jewish life, and yet emphasizes our ultimate unity. Tradition and Modernity, Diversity and Unity, as reflected in the prayers we make over each separate Chanukah candle and over the Menorah as a whole, recognizing the miracles wrought "in those days" and "in our time."