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Vayechi 2 "And Yaakov lived in the Land of Egypt" (47:28) Rashi explains that the parsha which begins with this verse is "closed" (written in such a way that it appears to be part of the previous parsha), because when Yaakov passed away the eyes of the Jews were "closed" and their hearts were pained due to the pains of enslavement. Yet, as the parsha begins Yaakov is still alive, and the terrible times have not yet begun! The Torah is criticising them for not sensing that they were in exile as a result of living so comfortably in Egypt. Since they were so dependent on the kindness of the Egyptian king, they should have realised that this was not their land. In reality, they were under other people's control, and in a dangerous exile, even though the Egyptians treated them well at the time. Since they did not recognise the exile, it felt like the physical oppression came suddenly, closing their eyes and inflicting pain on their hearts. But if while Yaakov was alive they had felt the danger, they would not have suffered as much when the situation changed. After Yaakov's passing, when his burial could only be accomplished with the permission of Pharaoh, they realised what they should have felt while Yaakov was still alive, that "their eyes were already closed" and they were already suffering in a dreaded exile. This is a very powerful lesson today: Not to forget that life in the Diaspora, as comfortable as it may be, is not where we belong forever. (Adapted from Rav Moshe Feinstein) Another reason that the Parsha is `closed' is that Yaakov wanted to reveal to his children the end of the final exile of the Jewish People and the coming of the Mashiach, but his prophetic vision was closed, and he was not able to reveal it. We are living now in the time of "footsteps of the Mashiach." Our Sages teach us that this will be a time of immense confusion, when it will appear that events have gone haywire, and it will seem that Hashem does not, or cannot, run the world. The entire reason for this total hiding of Providential guidance is to test our faithfulness to Hashem; that even when tragic events do occur, we do not, even for a second, question Who is running the world. We live in the final chapter of world history. The gods of materialism and self-centeredness never close their eyes, relentless in their media barrage - Our eyes must never be closed to the vision that every day the Redeemer will come to Zion. Based on Rashi I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Gen. 48:14) "There are no poor, scribes or teachers of young children except from the tribe of Shimon," comments Rashi, the great Torah commentator. Jacob did not intend this only as a punishment, but as an antidote to Shimon's undesirable character trait of insolence. Jacob worried that if Shimon and Levi were wealthy, no one would be able to oppose them. He therefore decreed that they be poor, forcing them to come to their brethren for assistance and thereby curbing their arrogance. (Kli Chemda) And let them grow into a multitude (v'yidgu) in the midst of the earth (Gen. 48:16) This blessing alludes to the fact that the existence of the Jewish people is not dependent on the forces of nature, but is a supernatural phenomenon. The word "v'yidgu" is derived from the Hebrew word for fish ("dag"), the intent being that there should be as many Jews as there are millions of fish. Fish, however, cannot live "in the midst of the earth"; Jacob's blessing therefore intimates that his children will survive even under conditions that would annihilate another nation. (Chatam Sofer) In this week's Parasha, Yaakov tells Yosef the story of how Rachel (Yosef's mother) died on the road and was buried in Bet Lechem. Rashi (48:7) explains Yaakov's words as follows: "I am asking you (Yosef) to carry my body to Eretz Yisrael, yet you may have hard feelings against me for burying Rachel exactly where she died. In fact, I did this because I saw prophetically that when the Jews will be exiled to Babylon they will pass that spot and Rachel will pray for them." The prophecy which Yaakov referred to is in Yirmiyahu (31:15), and is the subject of the following:] "So said Hashem [to Rachel, says Yirmiyahu], 'Stop your voice from crying and your eyes from tearing, for there is reward for your actions, says Hashem, and [your children] will return from the enemy's land, and there is hope for your future, says Hashem, and your sons will return to their borders." The repetition of the phrase, "says Hashem," appears to break this promise into two parts, says R' Aryeh Levin, zatzal (died 1969). At first, when Rachel's children return from exile in the enemy's land, she will not recognise them. "Are these my children?!" she will cry, breaking into tears all over again. Hashem therefore promises her in the second part of the verse, "There is hope for your future." This is the way of redemption, continues R' Levin. First, return from foreign lands-physical redemption. Later, however, there is spiritual renewal and complete redemption-children returning to their own "borders." |
