Musing – Why did Jacob say “Now I am ready to die”?

Hebraic Musing – Why did Jacob say “Now I am ready to die”?

Jacob made this statement in Genesis 46:30 after seeing Joseph alive and well; for 22 years Jacob thought Joseph was dead.  Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive." NIV   It is significant that the Torah refers to Jacob as Israel in this passage because Israel was the ongoing spiritual name of the family. Israel’s family was complete again – all 12 sons had learned lessons and were now reconciled to each other as a functioning family, ready for their future role.  After this, Israel arranged his burial and blessed each of his sons; then he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

How about you?  Are you ready to die?  Could you make the same claim Israel did – “Now I am ready to die”?   If not, why not?

Suppose you were given a month to live. What then?  This might typically occur if a doctor told you of a terminal illness. Would your life change?  How would your life change?  What would you do different?

Points to Ponder

Do you know how much longer you will live?

What would you do different if you only had a month to live?

Rabbi Eckstein concluded that Israel made that profound statement because ‘Upon seeing Joseph and realizing that his son was still righteous and obedient to God, Jacob understood that he had accomplished everything he needed to in life. He had brought twelve God-fearing sons into the world and now they were united. Jacob’s life was complete. He may not have done everything that he had wanted to do in life, but Jacob had succeeded in doing everything that truly mattered to him’.

The real issue here is whether we have succeeded in doing the things that really matter.  If your pondering has been successful, the next step is to make a list to live by of the things that really matter to you; and do those things this month just in case…   

Here are examples of things that mattered to Jacob, David, Yeshua, Paul and others:  Striving to achieve Righteousness; Reconciling with someone; Setting house and estate in order; Reuniting Family; Apologizing, Forgiving; etc.

With those things done and behind us, we can proceed to truly enjoy life!

Another Point to Ponder

What really matters to you?

If you take this seriously, you will be truly living for the next month, instead of merely existing.  Is it possible that we are not really living until we are ready to die?   As Tevye sang in “Fiddler on the Roof” –  ♫  L'chaim, l'chaim, to life!  A gift we seldom are wise enough,    Ever to prize enough,  Drink l'chaim, to life! ♫

L’Chaim!

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                             December 10, 2013

Author of two books “Hebraic Insights” and  “Biblical Marriage”

And weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  Yosef1@cox.net  or  www.InsightsByYosef.com