VaYechi Excerpts

ויחי

Shabbat Shalom

(49:1) Yakov is passing away and he wants to tell his sons what will happen at the end of days.

A father wants to pass on his legacy to his children. What he knows. Brian Horovitz gave over his knowledge of how to run the hot dog stand, and how to spread relish correctly. Yakov wants to pass on the end of days...Bernie. You have passed on nothing to your children. They are pour as sin. Sin being the word for...You have given nothing to the shule either, Bernie...

He then tells them to listen to their father (49:2) and they listened. How many times do I tell you all to listen?...

OK. Maybe my message is not what will happen at the end of days. But it is a message of what will happen if you do not pay dues. It is a message of what will happen if you all are this uptight...

Yakov didn't tell them what will happen either, at the end of days. Rashi, quoting Pesachim, says that the 'Shechina' was removed from him...I do not promise you the end of days. However, I do tell you how much you have messed up...

Yakov puts down Reuven for getting involved with Bilha, and Shimon and Levi for attacking Shechem. And I say that Mrs. Heimlicht has messed up a lot too...

But Shimon and Levi are called 'Achim'- brothers (49:5). Rashi- Brothers as they acted with one mind when it came to Shechem and the sale of Yosef. That is brothers. People who act together. What has anybody in this congregation ever done as brothers. The only brothers are the Zeigel brothers, who robbed the bodega together. The did it together. They did something together. What ever happened to the fabric of family in this community?

Those are brothers. We are a community, intertwined as family. The question we have to ask is- How can we be more brotherly?...Sisterly is fine Ruth. Whatever. It is a euphemism for everybody...Yes Karen. Brotherly also means women...Now Karen is involved too...The two of you together, arguing a pointless argument and disturbing my speech. That is brotherly...

The point is that the children came and listened. Not one of them interrupted Yakov's speech.

***These are excerpts from the sermon. For the sermon in its entirety, come see David Kilimnick perform at the Off The Wall Comedy Basement, in downtown Jerusalem.
David also tours as a Maggid around the world, with very few stories.

Shabbat Shalom