Cyberdov

Another observation courtesy of Tamar - many stories in the Torah are repeated, yielding 2 versions of the same narrative event. Some well-known examples - the creation story, and the flood. The last days of Yaakov’s life appear to be another such example (although they may have been separate events - but the themes of the two are markedly different). In version 1, Yaakov pleads with Yosef - who as Rashi points out is the one brother who has the power to grant requests - to bury him in Canaan. The image is that of a weak, dying man, realizing that he has no leverage - he simply begs Yosef, to the point of asking him to swear, that he will grant his request. In version 2, Yaakov is very much in charge - he holds forth with his sons, charging them with their future responsibilities, and instructing them in no uncertain terms how his last request is to be granted. It’s interesting to note the two paradigms for a patriarch’s demise - especially in a week where we witnessed the demise of both Gerald Ford and Saddam Hussein.

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