Parashat Vayechi
וַיְחִי · Genesis 47:28 to 50:26, portion 12 of 12 in the book of Genesis.
Next reading
Saturday 26 December 2026
16 Tevet 5787
In Israel and abroad
The year after
Saturday 15 January 2028
16 Tevet 5788
In Israel and abroad
What happens in Vayechi
Jacob lives his last seventeen years in Egypt. He asks Joseph to bury him in Canaan, blesses Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh, putting the younger first, and gathers his twelve sons to bless each one. Jacob dies and is buried in the Cave of Machpelah. Joseph reassures his brothers, and the book of Genesis ends with his death and his request that his bones be carried up to the land.
וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וַיְהִי יְמֵי־יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵי חַיָּיו שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְאַרְבָּעִים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה
“And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred forty and seven years.”
The portion, in your inbox
A short weekly email with the coming Shabbat's reading and times. Free, one-click unsubscribe.
One list, unsubscribe in a click. See our privacy policy.
Reading this Shabbat?
Candle-lighting and havdalah times for every major city in Israel are on the Shabbat times pages, and the festival calendar lives under Jewish holidays.
Frequently asked questions
When is Parashat Vayechi read in 2026?+
On Shabbat 26 December 2026 (16 Tevet 5787), in Israel and in the Diaspora alike. The year after, it is read on 15 January 2028.
What is Parashat Vayechi about?+
Jacob lives his last seventeen years in Egypt. He asks Joseph to bury him in Canaan, blesses Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh, putting the younger first, and gathers his twelve sons to bless each one. Jacob dies and is buried in the Cave of Machpelah. Joseph reassures his brothers, and the book of Genesis ends with his death and his request that his bones be carried up to the land.