On not Predicting the Future (Rabbi Sacks on Vayechi)

The Rabbi Sacks Legacy

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 601 Ratings

🗓️ 3 January 2023

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Welcome to Rabbi Sacks' commentary on the weekly Torah portion. This series of Covenant & Conversation essays explores the theme of finding spirituality in the Torah, week by week, parsha by parsha. You can find the full written article on Vayechi available to read, print, and share, by visiting: https://www.rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/vayechi/on-not-predicting-the-future/ The new FAMILY EDITION is now also available: https://www.rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-family-edition/vayechi/on-not-predicting-the-future/ For more articles, videos, and other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.RabbiSacks.org and follow @RabbiSacks. The Rabbi Sacks Legacy continues to share weekly inspiration from Rabbi Sacks. This piece was originally written and recorded by Rabbi Sacks in 2015. With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Are not predicting the future.
0:04.0	Jacob was on his deathbed.
0:06.0	He summoned his children.
0:07.0	He wanted to bless them before he died.
0:10.0	But the text begins with a strange semi-repetition.
0:14.0	Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.
0:19.0	Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob.
0:22.0	Listen to your father, Israel.
0:25.0	This seems to be saying the same thing twice with one difference.
0:28.9	In the first sentence, there's a reference to what will happen to you in the days to come,
0:33.5	literally, Baharitayamim, at the end of days.
0:38.2	This is missing from the second sentence.
0:41.2	Rashi, following the Gemara, says,
0:43.3	Bikesh, Yaakov to galote at Akatsnits talca from him in a shhina.
0:48.3	Jacob wished to reveal what would happen in the future.
0:52.2	The divine presence was removed from him.
0:55.8	He tried to foresee the future, but found he could not.
1:01.5	This is no minor detail.
1:04.5	It's a fundamental feature of Jewish spirituality.
1:07.4	We believe that we cannot predict the future when it comes to human beings because we make the future by our choices.
1:13.6	The script has not yet been written. The future is radically open.
1:19.6	This was a major difference between ancient Israel and ancient Greece.
	...

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