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Hadrash Ve-Haiyun
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Hadrash Ve-Haiyun
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Vayechi
5766
To Dedicate Please Contact: Hadrash Ve-Haiyun
Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. (Bereishis 47:28)
This week’s parsha begins without the regular open space between itself and the previous parsha. It is know as a parshastumah. Rashi here provides two reasons as to why this is so. The first reason is because as a consequence of the death of Yaakov, the eyes and hearts of the Jewish people were closed. The second reason is because Yaakov wished to reveal the end of the days to his children but was prevented from doing so by Hashem.
It is common for the commentators to find links and connection between the last words or posuk of a previous parsha and the beginning of the next parsha. Indeed, in the sefer Bi’shurun Melech it is noted that the last posuk of the previous parsha vayigash, ends with mention of how the Jewish people multiplied. “They were fruitful and multiplied greatly” (Bereishis 47:27). This posuk alludes to the concept of shiduchim. The juxtaposition of this posuk to the beginning of Vayechi, a parsha stumah, intimates that the “parsha of shidduchim” is also closed, it is beyond our comprehension. The trials and tribulations of shidduchim are unique and difficult to understand. We do not understand why some people have it easy and other hard. Why some people are attracted to each other and why others are not.
As mentioned above, Rashi in his second interpretation explains that the reason why the parsha is closed is because Yaakov was unable to reveal the end of the days to his children. Homiletically we may suggest that this is why the parsha of shiduchim is unique as well. The consequences and ramification of each and every shidduch affect the future generations until the end of time. Only Hashem sees before him the future generations. From Hashem’s perspective it may very well be necessary for an individual to find his spouse at set time so that his children or grandchildren will live at a set time so they will meet and marry the one Hashem has in mind for them. Furthermore, from Hashem’s perspective it may be fitting for two people who would not appear to be compatible marry because Hashem is aware that their offspring many generations later will produce a very special individual. From our perspective “the end of the days,” are closed and therefore the “parsha of shiduchim” is closed. From Hashem’s perspective it is open and therefore His will and influence in these matters is beyond our comprehension. All that is left for us is the same as what was left for the children of Yaakov when they were told that the end of the days have been closed from them. They expressed their faith in Hashem with the recital of Shema.
