Parshat Vayechi: Yitzchak and Yaakov

Jacob Cohen is about to die.  He is sitting up in bed and is surrounded by his three children.

He says to his oldest son, “David, you are my firstborn son.  I am so proud of your achievements.  Not only are you one of the top cardiologists in this country, your skills and reputation is renowned throughout the world.  I can't express how proud I am of you.  May Gd protect you and let His countenance continue shining on you.”

David who is close to tears, replies, “Thank you Daddy.  I couldn't have achieved all of this without your constant support, especially when I was starting out in my career.”

He turns to his daughter and says, “Miriam, my beautiful only daughter!  You have been there for me at all times, taking care of my every need, particularly since the tragic early death of your mother Esther.  I couldn't have wished for a better daughter.  You're also a pretty fine Solicitor.  May Gd bless you forever.”

Miriam, who is sobbing, mouths the words, “Thank you.”

He looks straight ahead at his youngest son, Simon.  “Simon, my darling little Simon.  How have you grown into being this confident young man?  Your loyal customers keep on coming back to you, year after year.  And here you are, at your old Daddy's side, making me smile like you always do.  Simon, you should always be blessed by Gd.”

Simon, who has managed to hold back the tears, feels them flowing freely down his cheek.

One by one, the children ask what they can do for their father.  Jacob says nothing but smiles at all three.

And then. after a minute's silence says, “My darling children, I have one question for all of you.”

They reply in unison, “Yes Daddy?”

“If you're all here, who is taking care of the shop?”

It may be THE oldest joke in every elderly Jewish comic's repertoire, but it was one of the first thoughts that came into my mind when considering this week's Parsha.

The Patriarch Jacob (not Cohen) is one-hundred-and-forty-seven years old and he is sitting on his deathbed, in the company of his children and grandchildren.  He wants to impart his knowledge and wisdom to them:

Genesis 49:1-2

Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather that I may tell you what is to befall you in days to come.  (2) Assemble and hearken, O sons of Jacob; Hearken to Israel your father.”

Going back to the joke.  At the most opportune moment, Jacob and his ancient namesake are placed in a rare position of being able to communicate their wisdom with their respective children, with the reassurance that they are actually listening to either man!

As a father myself, I often try to share some advice based on my own experiences with my children.  As is the wont of many young people these days, they are not always as receptive of my ‘wisdom’ as I would like them to be.  Then again, when I think back to my own situation at their age, I don't know if I was any different.  Getting older and making my own mistakes has impressed upon me the value of the lessons that my parents tried to teach me, which they too learned from ‘the school of hard knocks.’  As the old saying goes, “When I was fifteen, my parents knew nothing.  By the time I reached eighteen, it's amazing how much they had learned!”

Modern day Jacob makes sure that he lets his children know how much he loves them and is proud of who they are, whether through their own professional achievements or character traits.  He also reminds them that, despite everything, life has to go on. Even at this critical time (hence the quip about running the business).

On the same vein, there is the other joke where someone asks a friend to look at their watch and then says, “You see this Rolex?  Isn't it a beauty?  It should be, my grandfather, Gd rest his soul, sold it to me on his deathbed!”

Each and every one of us knows that one day, our lives will transition to a new existence and we will no longer be able to communicate with our loved ones in the same way.  That is why we try to leave a legacy, either to our children or extended family, friends and colleagues.  It adds a dimension to our lives that exists beyond the time we have been allotted - so although we may pass away, someone needs to ensure that ‘the shop stays open and functioning’.  Whatever form that 'shop' may take.

The year 2020 has brought this idea sharply into focus.  We have lost so many people to Covid and other diseases.  Many of those who died have been amongst the well-known great and good whilst others were wonderful people who weren't that well known to the general public.  Nevertheless, their passing was no less traumatic or painful to those who knew them because, as the late lamented Dr Seuss said, “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”

The Jewish World lost many great sages (may their memories be blessings to all of us) but two of the deaths hit me particularly hard as they were both my teachers - Rabbis Jonathan Sacks and Irving Jacobs.  Although I did not have the zechut (the merit) to study with both men over a long period of time, their teachings will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Rabbi Jacobs was a world-renowned authority on Midrash.  His encyclopaedic knowledge was breath-taking to behold but just as astonishing was the way he calmly shared his ideas to all who were able to benefit from being in his presence.  Like Rabbi Sacks, his entire being was focused on sharing his love of Torah and letting its magical words fall like raindrops onto the parched earth.

As John Lennon wrote in Across the Universe, “His words (of Torah) flowed out like endless rain.  We were the paper cups that received them gratefully and watched as they slithered whilst they passed away across the universe.”  The purity of Rabbi Jacob's thoughts and the vastness of his wisdom has enriched my universe and helped to keep the flame of the Torah burning throughout the Jewish world and beyond.  To me, he was the world.

Dipping into the fountains of Torah, both men could have spent their time focusing on constructing their own ivory towers and would have been as respected as they became if they had done so.  Instead, they were worried about 'who was running the shop? 'How the Jewish people would be able to survive the spiritual challenges that we currently face?’ (Ironically at a time when it has never been so accepted to live as a free Jew in the modern world).  Rabbis Sacks and Jacobs may not have been our biological fathers but in terms of the gifts they bequeathed, they might as well have been.  On losing them, we all became orphans.

Rabbi Sack's Hebrew first name was Yaakov and Rabbi Jacob's was Yitzchak (which he shares with my father (till 120), which as you know, refers to two of the three Avot, the Patriarchs.  Additionally, Rabbi Jacob’s surname was the English equivalent of Rabbi Sack’s name!  How much more of a blessing could any of us hope to receive from such names?  After all, this week’s Parasha contains the beautiful blessing or Hamalach Hagoel that we bestow upon our children and youth at Simchat Torah, “May the Angel who rescued me from all harm, bless these boys.  May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac….”

And now, we are entering a New Year whilst waving a bitter farewell to 2020.

Let us dry our tears and remember the legacy that we received, because we owe it to them to live up to the blessings they bestowed upon us.  We also need to make sure that, at the same time, we are 'taking care of the shop' - our continued Jewish heritage.

Rabbi Sacks wrote:

"Teachers open our eyes to the world.  They give us curiosity and confidence.  They teach us to ask questions.  They connect us to our past and future.  They’re the guardians of our social heritage.  We have lots of heroes today – sportsmen, supermodels, media personalities.  They come, they have their fifteen minutes of fame, and they go.  But the influence of good teachers stays with us.  They are the people who really shape our life.”

Rabbi Sacks and Rabbi Jacobs were my teachers and I shall treasure the lessons they shared with me.  Most of all, I will try to ensure that, in doing so, I will keep on ‘taking care of the shop.’

Shabbat Shalom.