Vayekhi – Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Dec 27 to Jan 2, 2021 | 18 Tevet 5781

Photograph by Glenn Sackett

Seeds That Bear The Fruit of Being

To briefly recap this week’s parsha Vayechi – “And he lived”

As the end of Yaakov’s days were drawing near, he asks Yosef to swear to him that he will bring his bones out of Egypt and bury him with his fathers in the Cave of Makhpela – a name that means “to multiply”. Then he blesses Yosef’s two sons Menashe and Efrayim as if they were his own:

Yisrael said to Yosef:

I never thought to see your face again,

and here, G’d has let me see your seed as well!

– Gen 48:11

Yaakov crosses his outstretched arms and blesses the younger as the older. Yosef tries to correct his father who refuses and says:

I know, my son, I know –

he too will be a people, he too will be great,

yet his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a full-measure of nations!

– Gen 48:19

Then in turn, Yaakov blesses each of his sons as the 12 Tribes of Israel. Later, the Book of Genesis ends with the death of Yosef at age 110 in the land of Egypt:

I am dying,

but G’d will take account, yes, account of you,

he will bring you up from this land

to the land about which he swore

to Avraham, to Yitzhak, and to Yaakov.

– Gen 50:24

Like his father before him, Yosef to asks his sons to swear they will bring his bones out of Egypt when G-d’s covenant is fulfilled.

Encoded in the Names

Remember back when Adam named all things? Well, as Kabbalah teaches, the name articulates the essence. In the Book of Genesis, each of the 12 parashot are given a name that identifies the central theme and importance of the narrative. Reading these 12 names in succession reveals a code describing the human story:

• The purpose for the human being’s existence
• The human soul’s transformation from a spiritual into a physical being
• How we develop ourselves and our surroundings
• Fulfillment of our mission in this lifetime

According to the Chasidic masters, the human story encoded in the names of the 12 parashot of Genesis reads like this:

Bereshit – Purpose
Noah – Tranquility
Lekh Lekha – Journey
Vayera – Vision
Chayei Sarah – Invigorate
Toldot – Produce
Vayeitzei – Extend
Vayishlakh – Delegate
Vayeishev – Integrate
Mikeitz – End
Vayigash – Union
Vayechi – Life

These progressive themes seed the ground of our lives today. To recap how far we’ve come, and where we are headed, let’s review each parsha.

Bereshit – Purposeful Creation

Does the world exist simply because it does, arising from the laws of physics and random mutation over time? Or is there a greater purpose, pattern and plan for existence?

The first word in Torah is Bereshit. Literally meaning “at the beginning,” it indicates that G’d created the world to serve a purpose. The Torah is the guidebook that outlines how this purpose is to be fulfilled, with the people of Israel playing a principal role in its realization.

Noah – Tranquility

In the story of Noah we discover this purpose: to transform a chaotic existence into a harmonious world. The name Noah means rest, comfort and tranquility. Sheltering in the ark achieves this purpose on a micro scale with macro consequences.

If the world didn’t exist, there would be no need to find peace. Another meaning for the name Noah is satisfaction. It’s not enough to be peaceful. As human beings we need to feel a sense of purpose to keep from boredom and nihilism.

Why does the world exist? According to Midrash, from Tanya, ch. 36:

G’d desired a dwelling in the lowly realms.

That the material world becomes a place receptive and at home to Presence. And for Tikkun Olam: that this broken, strife-filled world be transformed into a tranquil place at peace with itself and all existence.

Sufi teachings echo this perception. From Hazrat Inayat Khan:

The purpose of life, in short, is that the only Being makes His oneness intelligible to Himself. … Since God is one, He always realizes His oneness through all things; through man He realizes His oneness in its fullness.

– Vol. 1, The Purpose of Life, 13. Being Truth

Thus we see existence is purposeful: the satisfaction of the divine desire for peaceful indwelling on earth. As above, so below. To fulfill this purpose, the human soul awakens in the physical world. And then what?

Lekh Lekha – Journey

This parsha calls each of us to ask ourself, “What is my purpose, and how can I move toward fulfillment in this moment?” Lekh Lekha literally means to go to yourself – to your essence. To journey from a multiplicity of outer forms to an awakened inner experience. G’d is calling us to abandon our ordinary way of thinking and to ascend to a higher spiritual plane.

We depart from rest and comfort to journey into an unknown, alien place. For this is “the land that I will show you” – the arena in which your mission in life will be fulfilled.

Vayera – Vision

The soul does not go alone. It is fortified with eyes and ears able to sense Divine Presence. Vayera begins with the verse:

And He revealed Himself to Avraham.

This vision will be Avraham’s guiding light in his efforts to make this world a dwelling place for G’d.

And today, in our lives, what is being asked of us? Then as now, to hear and see signs of G-d’s grace. In life’s puzzling ways, we are not alone. We have inner light to help us navigate. Just as when we walk the path of a labyrinth, we are invited to tune our eyes, ears and heart to receive inner guidance.

Chayei Sara – Invigorate

With this vision as our foundation, we bring soul qualities into life. Like Sara, by invigorating ourselves with qualities of love, compassion, patience and joy, we are able to reshape our day-to-day experience. In this way, serving as Tzadik or in Teshuva can be the focus of our life, the object of our will, and the yearning of our heart.

We know why we’re here, and that we have been supplied with the vision and spiritual resources to carry it out. Now it is time to do our work.

Toldot – Produce

The word toldot means progeny and products. Throughout the parsha Toldot, we witness two levels of reality: human and divine. We are confronted with the play between fate and free will, destiny and choice — the same paradox each of us faces in our own lives.

We can follow divine guidance and fulfill our purpose as did Yaakov, the father of the 12 Tribes of Israel. Or we can reject our mission and lose our birthright, as did Esav. The choice is ours. Our mitzvot are the bricks from which the earthly dwelling for G’d is built, the acts which transform the physical into the spiritual.

Vayetzei – Extend

The first word of this parsha and its name, Vayetzei, means “And he left.” Once we are established in our mitzvot, we must step outside of our comfort zone and extend ourselves beyond our closest kin and immediate environment. It was by tolling for Lavan that Yaakov attained the peak of his personal growth, and then extended beyond himself to found the nation of Israel.

Vayishlakh – Delegate

And what do we do when we have extended ourselves to our fullest capacity, and yet, the irreconcilables remain? This parsha tells of Yaakov sending scouts to Esav. The matter is finally resolved when Yaakov wrestles in the night with Esav’s soul and prevails. 

When we arrive at such an impasse, we can evolve even further by teaching and influencing others, who will in turn impact people and places that we ourselves could never reach.

Vayeshev – Integrate

In order to fulfill one’s mission in life, after producing, extending and delegating, the next step is to integrate these gains into the fabric of reality. Depending on our nature, we can uplift the world as the Tzadik, or mend its fabric in Teshuva. 

Miketz – End

Once we have integrated our contributions into the threads of reality, we have reached the fulfillment of our mission. The divine has an dwelling place in our lives; we have contributed to the harmony and wellness of the world.

This completion has three stages: as Genesis continues, deeper dimensions of divine harmony unfold. The first stage is one of receptivity and understanding – establishing the vessel for G’d. This is exemplified when Josef interprets the Pharaoh’s dream and is placed in command. The dream has not yet been fully enacted.

Vayigash – Union

Now the two brothers stand together: Yehuda-the-Repairer approaches Yosef-the-Tzadik. The two become one with the divine reality, uniting heaven and earth. A perfect expression of G‑d’s all-embracing truth.

Vayechi – Life

And now we arrive at this week’s parsha describing the deaths of Yaakov and then Yosef. Similar to Chayei Sara, the parsha’s name means “And he lived.” The Chasidic masters explain that Vayechi signals that Yaakov’s life is an expression of harmony with the divine that is immutable.

From Bereshit to Vayechi, the parsha names chronicle the most basic truths of our existence: that life is purposeful, its purpose being to satisfy the divine desire for a dwelling place on earth; that the soul descends to earth with a vision of G’d that invigorates its character. Productive acts of goodness sanctify our lives. We must extend ourselves outward and reconcile the irreconcilables, and by so doing transform reality. These efforts will bring about a world united with G’d, and that pure and eternal life is the ultimate expression of the divine in man.

Living Your Purpose

This week we will focus on practices designed to attune us to our purpose. What we can do right now to move toward fulfillment in life? We will seek to build our capacity to create harmony in daily life — to continue our awakening to the internal worlds, and ultimately, to bring together the outer and inner realms in the marriage of heaven and earth.

Through breath, light and sound we can be in tune with the Infinite and the rhythms of this life. This beautiful, chaotic, ever changing, all-pervading Life.

Photograph by Glenn Sackett

WEEKLY PRACTICES: Living Your Purpose

With the Soul Manifestation Process, we tap into our inner sense of purpose and explore how we can bring this through in our lives. To awaken to the present in the fullness of our being. This crisp, embodied awareness becomes the portal to listen for divine guidance.  We step through this door using breath, light and sound.

Suggestion: Do one practice a day, or do all 6 consecutively. Remember… have your Journal nearby to jot down any insights that may arise.

Audio Recording – Coming Soon

BREATH

This week we will build on our practice from last week, using breath to express your individual mission in life. Our channels are these 5 qualities of being: Awareness, Personality, Will, Connection, Purpose.

Awareness: Focus on the simplicity of your breath. Simple awareness and gratitude of being alive. Visualize standing tall, confident in your presence on this earth. Your feet are on the ground; your crown opens to the sky. 

Earth Purification Breath: Breathe in and out through the nose, 5 times. Be aware of the solidness of your body, your bones, your hands on your lap, your feet on the ground. Your body connects Heaven and earth. The color is yellow.

Personality: Scan the factors that make you, you. Your personality, likes and dislikes, beliefs and values. Visualize holding a bowl in front of your heart, empty and ready to contain the two rivers of receiving and bestowing. This is the quality of water.

Water Purification Breath: Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, 5 times. Be aware of the liquidity of your body, your blood, the water in your tissues and organs. Feel water pouring over your body from head to toes, as if standing under a water fall or in the rain. Let the water dissolve any habits, traits and emotions that no longer serve you. Open to the flow of divine Love. The color is green.

Will: Pour energy into the aspect of you that decides and takes action. Visualize the bowl you are holding in front of your heart filling with light. Light fills the vessel. This is the quality of Fire.

Fire Purification Breath: Breathe in through the mouth, out through the nose, 5 times. Be aware of the heat of your body, your warmth, your digestion. Feel the sun on your skin (either imagined or in the moment). Feel the waves of energy from the pulsing of your heart. Feel your longing for union. Sip heat through the mouth, exhale light through the shoulder blades. Let fire burn away all form that casts shadows in the Light. The color is red.

Connection: Our most important connection, the foundation for our life, is Oneness. Can you allow Divine Grace to bless you? This is the quality of air – all pervading and essential to life.

Air Purification Breath: Breathe in and out through the mouth, 5 times. Be aware of the spaciousness of your body, your breath filling your lungs, the air circulating in your body. Exhale and scatter your molecules as far as you can imagine. Inhale and recollect yourself in a perfect refection. The color is blue.

Purpose: Breathing gently and rhythmically through the nose, rest in the refinement of your breath. Feel the beating of your heart, allowing it to be filled with unifying Love. What clarity of vision arises?

CONTEMPLATION

Following your breath, mentally recite these contemplations drawn from the words of this week’s parsha and from the Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan:

LIGHT

With eyes closed, breathe in and out gently through the nose. Balance your inhale with your exhale. Keep your body still. Breathe gently in and out through the nose. In this refined state, focus on the right side of your chest. Visualize white light filling the right side of your chest. Breathe in white light, exhale white light for 5 breaths.

Now focus on your physical heart. Visualize red light filling the left side of your chest. Breathe in red light, exhale red light for 5 breaths.

Now focus on the center of your chest. Visualize green light filling the center of your chest. Breathe in green light, exhale green light for 5 breaths.

When you are ready, open your eyes and breathe fully, deeply. What is your experience of this balancing practice?

 SOUND

Similar to mantra, to practice Wazifa is to repeat a Name (quality) of G’d. Layers of meaning of the Name, which is encoded in the sound vibration, will be revealed to you through repetition and focus.

This week’s Sufi practice with sound vibration will again balance and harmonize the vertical and horizontal directions.

The horizontal direction engages us in a polarity that lends us a sense beyond time. Ya Awwal (yaa OW-wal) can be translated “the first,” and ya Akhir (yaa AA-ḳḥir) can be rendered “the last.” This is a mystical paradox. If G’d is infinite, how could G’d be first or last? For an explanation, visit the parsha Vayeshev and scroll to the practice with SOUND.

In the vertical direction, we develop our capacity to touch the hidden and bring it into manifestation. Ya Batin (yaa BAA-ṭin) is the most hidden treasure, the secret of secrets. Ya Zahir (yaa ḌḤAA-hir) means completely present in space, fully materialized, fully visible.

Recite these Names of G’d on the inhale and exhale, turning your head from left to right, then up and down:

Inhale: Ya Awwal (left)

Exhale: Ya Akhir (right)

Inhale: Ya Batin (up)

Exhale: Ya Zahir (down)

Rhythmically inhale and exhale, softly repeating each Name out loud 33 times. Afterward, feel the unifying effects of the sound vibration on your being.

ZIKR

Meaning “remembrance”, Zikr is the repetition of a sacred phrase with the intention of returning to the essence of Unity. Continuing from last week, we will repeat the central Jewish prayer known as the Sh’ma.

In Hebrew:

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד

Shema Yisrael YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad

The Sh’ma can be translated as: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one”. LORD is the unpronounceable four letter word יְהוָה – YHWH, the Name of G’d that can’t be named. Instead, we’ll use the word “Adonai“, meaning Lord, or “HaShem“, meaning The Name.

When practicing Zikr, it’s best to use the original language in which the prayer was revealed. As you inhale and exhale, softly repeat out loud, 33 times. Afterward, feel the effects of the vibration on your being.

NATURE

With the shortest days of the year, be especially aware of the play of light and shadow in nature. Continuing the practice from last week, go outside and locate two trees with their backs to the sun. Standing between the two trees, step between the shadows of their trunks. Know that as you step forward, you are moving through a threshold. While standing in the light, ask yourself, how does the Divine Light work through you here-and-now?

For a direct experience of Sufi wisdom and insight, please listen to the podcast with Pir Shabda Kahn: Finding Happiness Through Gratitude

Shabbat Shalom!

After 6 days of practice, when Shabbat arrives, observe how this week’s practices shape your Shabbat experience. Be sure to check in Sunday morning for next week’s parsha.

You are invited to comment on how the contemplations and practices for this week have shaped your experience of daily life… any big Ah-ha’s? Please share your thoughts and feelings below.

חַיִּים
L’Hayyim…. To Life!