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Parshas Vayechi
Interpreting Signs
Then Ya’akov called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you at the end of days.” (Bereishis 49:1)
We have arrived at 2012. You know, the year that the Mayans predicted would be the last one, because they didn’t refer to one after 2012. But, it is probably all just hype, a storm in a teacup as my English neighbor says. I think they just ran out of Inca. Just kidding.
Acharis HaYomim—the end of days—is a very fascinating topic. It is appropriate to discuss it here, because the end is near. The end of Sefer Bereishis, that is.
The Tenth of Tevet is one of the four fast days that commemorate dark times in Jewish history. The others are Tisha B'Av (the day of the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem), the 17th of Tammuz (the day of the breaching of the defensive wall of Jerusalem by Titus and the Roman legions in 70 CE), and the third of Tishrei (the day that marks the assassination of the Babylonian-appointed Jewish governor of Judah, Gedaliah ben Achikam. He was actually killed on Rosh Hashana but the fast day was advanced to the day after Rosh Hashana because of the holiday).