Parashat VaYechi

VaYikra Ya’akov El Banav VaYomeir HeiAsifu ViAgida Lachem Es Asher Yikra Eschem BiAcharis HaYamim. Hikavitzu ViShimu Bnei Ya’akov ViShimu El Yisrael Avichem. (Beraishis 49:1-2)

ViAgida Lachem, and I will tell you: [Ya’akov] wished to reveal the [events leading to the end of all exiles], but the Shechina was lifted from him, so he began to talk about other things.

Rashi, Beraishis 49:1

The mifarshim are left utterly perplexed over Rashi’s words. The Mizrachi asks, “Rashi here quotes a Midrash; I don’t know where this idea comes from! Why can’t the pasuk simply refer to the events that Ya’akov does allude to, the events that would eventually befall each and every Sheivet?!” Perhaps we have a Kaballah, an ancestral tradition, the Mizrachi hopelessly concludes.

The Sifsei Chachamim surmise that the term Hikavitzu hints towards the future Kibutz Goleos, and perhaps the Midrash is unveiling this esoteric remez. But the Mizrachi’s question remains strong, for we clearly see within the Brachos to each and every Sheivet a reference to their future descendents. It is tremendously difficult to suggest that the Shechina departs from Ya’akov, that he suddenly loses his ability to prophesy the nation’s future; indeed, that is all Ya’akov Avinu does for the next 25 pasukim!

Apparently, Ya’akov’s inability to unveil the Keitz plays a fundamental role in the foundation of our parasha. VaYechi is the only parasha in the Sefer Torah not to be preceded by a textual gap, and Chazal attribute this “closing” of the gap to the abrupt closing of knowledge from Ya’akov Avinu, namely his sudden inability to reveal the Keitz. Again, the mifarshim are left scratching their heads, but for a different reason. If the closed gap alludes to the closing of information from Ya’akov, then why would this Stumah appear at the opening of our parasha? More appropriately, it should precede the pasuk where Ya’akov gathers his children. The Sifsei Chachamim again attempt at a solution, explaining that the Torah can only emphasize the presence of a Stumah by placing it somewhere inexplicably unexpected. But the Sifsei Chachamim’s answer is lacking in all too many ways. They fail to answer their own question; the Stumah is still out of place.

There is certainly nothing basic about Chazal’s description of Ya’akov’s spiritual breakdown, especially when we consider how it flies in the face of everything we imagine Ya’akov Avinu to represent in his closing years! The image of Ya’akov conveyed in Parashat VaYechi is one of a wizened and wearisome man, an elder of 147 years, committed to his sickbed. VaYikrivu Yimei Yisrael Lamus, Ya’akov introduces the parasha by planning his own funeral! Yet Chazal teach us that the pasukim never say VaYamas Ya’akov because Ya’akov never died; although the pasukim do explicitly chronicle Ya’akov’s embalmment process, we understand Chazal’s diyuk to refer to the spirit of Ya’akov and its transcendence of his physical lifespan. Seemingly, as Ya’akov Avinu physically deteriorates, his spirit remains in perfect shape. But why then should the Shechina depart from him?

It seems that Ya’akov indeed was in superior shape on a spiritual scale, and that the Shechina did normally reside with him. But as a consequence for his attempt to unveil the Keitz, his prescient faculties were sealed. Therefore, Ya’akov was not necessarily incapable of perceiving and relating the Acharis Yamim; instead, Hashem simply did not allow him to do so. Our parasha, therefore, does not necessarily outline the fading legacy of a deteriorating man.

In fact, the Maschil LiDavid insists that the Ya’akov described in our parasha’s opening account, the one planning his funeral, is not even weak or sick or bed stricken at all. Ya’akov bows to the head of his bead, but he’s not necessarily sitting in the bed. There is no mention of him mustering the strength to sit up when Yoseif enters the room. Granted, Rashi proves from Ya’akov’s actions that the Shechina resides over the head of a Choleh’s bed, but when Ya’akov chastises Reuvein for switching his beds, Rashi notes that the Yitzu’ee Alah, the One who ascends [Ya’akov’s] bed, is a reference to HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s Shechina, which always resided over Ya’akov’s bed! (The Maschil LiDavid rather explains that Rashi means “we see from our parasha where on the bed the Shechina resides.” This understanding fits perfectly with the gemara in Nedarim (40a) which proves that the Shechina rests over a Choleh’s bed from a pasuk in Tehilim, and not from our parasha, since our parasha only shows where on beds, in the general case, the Shechina is normally found, namely the Rosh MaMitah.)

One might wonder why Ya’akov would start planning his funeral before falling ill. The Midrash (Beraishis Rabbah, 65:9) describes Hashem’s promise to forewarn Ya’akov of his imminent death through the development of sickness, thus allowing Ya’akov to bless all his children as close to his death as possible. Ya’akov then shouldn’t have to worry about funeral plans until he gets sick. One might also wonder why Ya’akov repeated his instructions to be buried in Eretz Yisrael right before his death.

But perhaps the most confounding aspect of our story’s chronology, whether Ya’akov was healthy or sick or somewhere in between, is the fact that he sends for Yoseif twice – once with all the brothers and once without. The first time, Ya’akov plans his funeral, and the second time, he issues the Brachos. But if Ya’akov thought he was dying when he first called Yoseif in, why didn’t he call all the brothers in to receive their Brachos? And if Ya’akov knew he wasn’t dying, why was there any need to immediately contact Yoseif?

Ya’akov wasn’t sick yet, and he knew he wouldn’t die without first falling ill. But if Ya’akov wasn’t dying, why did he need to make Yoseif swear to bring him back to Eretz Yisrael? More to the point, if Ya’akov wasn’t physically changed at the start of our parasha, what change then caused him to so suddenly send for Yoseif? Perhaps if Ya’akov wasn’t physically changed, he was spiritually changed. When the parasha opens with a Stumah, a description of Ya’akov’s sudden lapse of Ruach HaKodesh, it isn’t necessarily describing a single event that occurs later in the parasha. In fact, Ya’akov’s failed revelation of the Acharis HaYamim is not the only time in our parasha that Rashi describes the Shechina to remove itself:

“And now, the two children borne to you in Eretz Mitzrayim before I came to you in Mitzrayim, they will be mine. Ephraim and Menashe are like Reuvein and Shimon to me…” And Yisrael saw the children of Yoseif, and he said, “who are these?” And Yoseif replied to his father, “they are my children which Hashem has given me through this,” and [Ya’akov] said, “take them to me, and I shall bless them.”

Beraishis, 48:5,8-9

Ya’akov clearly recognizes Yoseif’s two sons, and holds them in high regard, for he initially addresses them as equals of Reuvein and Shimon. But Ya’akov’s tone abruptly changes, and all of a sudden, he starts firing questions. Rashi explains that when Ya’akov tried to bless Yoseif’s children, the Shechina immediately departed, leading Ya’akov to believe that the children were unfit for a Bracha. However, Yoseif prayed for Rachamim, and the Shechina returned. All the while, we see that the Shechina’s presence is not a given or guarantee through our parasha’s storyline; rather, it comes and goes.

Perhaps, the Stumah at the opening of our parasha does chronologically indicate the first closing of knowledge from Ya’akov Avinu. Once Ya’akov even considers revealing the Keitz to his sons, ViNistam Mimenu. Unlike by the gathering of the children, the Midrash does not actually say that the Shechina departed from Ya’akov; rather, Hashem sent a warning, indicating that as much as Ya’akov would in the future want to reveal the Keitz, and as much as he might try, Hashem would never permit him to do so.

The Gur Aryeh explains beautifully that Ya’akov knew the Galuos ahead would weaken Klal Yisrael’s morale, and so he believed that the best Bracha he could offer his children was the assurance that the Galuos would eventually end. The future stories of their salvation would provide the much needed boost in morale, and leave the nation with a crystal clear path to Teshuva. But Hashem disagreed. Hashem knew that descriptions of Acharis HaYamim would ease the arduous period of exile for Tzadikim Gemurim like the Bnei Ya’akov, but later generations would become all too comfortable with their predicaments if they were assured a date and description for their eventual Geulah. Ya’akov’s Gilui HaKeitz would ultimately stunt the Bnei Yisrael’s spiritual growth.

Therefore, the change that Ya’akov Avinu undergoes at the beginning of our parasha is far from one of deterioration, neither physically nor spiritually, but instead one of recognition. Ya’akov learns that Brachos don’t necessarily require foresight and prescience. The key to bringing ultimate Geula rests not in the telling of stories, not in the descriptions of what Acharis HaYamim will look like, but rather in the descriptions of the people who bring Geula to fruition. Ya’akov recognizes that by predicting the events of the future, he reduces Klal Yisrael’s motivation to act, but by describing the attributes that each Sheivet would ultimately behold, the pride strength and determination each Sheivet would respectively express, he motivates the individuals to reach their goals, setting each component of Klal Yisrael off in a productive path. In short, Ya’akov learns that future events are only a consequence of predictable personal attributes, so that there is no difference between predicting the Acharis HaYamim and bestowing each Sheivet with certain qualities, except that the latter form doesn’t compromise the nation’s motivation.

It is exactly this recognition that spurs Ya’akov’s actions in our parasha opening pasukim! When Ya’akov instructs Yoseif to bury him in Eretz Yisrael, the emphasis is not on the burial, but rather on Yoseif’s need to swear. Ya’akov pleads Sim Na Yadcha Tachas Yireichi, begging Yoseif to make a vow. And when Yoseif merely assures his father Anochi E’eseh KiD’varecha, but does not swear, Ya’akov insists “Hishava Li.” Yoseif ultimately obliges. Of course Ya’akov trusted Yoseif to do as instructed, so why wasn’t Ya’akov satisfied until Yoseif took a Shvua? Perhaps the Shvua did little for Ya’akov’s ease of mind, but rather aided Yoseif’s request to Paroh:

[Paroh allows Yoseif to bury Ya’akov in Eretz Yisrael,] “Ka’Asheir Hishbi’acha, just as you [Yoseif] swore to [your father, Ya’akov].” (Beraishis 50:6)

Were it not for the oath, I would never have permitted you. But I am afraid to tell you to violate your oath, so that you do not respond, “In that case, I will violate my oath not to reveal [that I know] Lashon HaKodesh, one more language than you [know], for you are not familiar with it.”

Rashi, Beraishis 50:6

The attitude Rashi describes here, Paroh’s attitude, is one very contrary to Yoseif’s. Yoseif always looked for Chein, for a level of partnership that transcended petty favors. But Paroh could was a man of debt and compromise – in fact the name Paroh comes from the root Pei-Reish-Ayin, to owe. Paroh was a man who would only compromise his favor to Yoseif in return that Yoseif not expose his shortcomings. Aside from blackmail, Yoseif had no influence over Paroh because Paroh owed him nothing.

At the opening of Parashat VaYechi, Ya’akov learns that the key to ensuring a positive outcome is to manipulate future events through others’ personalities and attributes. Those attributes are what determine how individuals will act and react long into the future. Ya’akov recognizes that Paroh would never allow him to leave Mitzrayim, but he saw the tremendous advantage Yoseif could carry by having to fulfill his father’s Shvua. And so Ya’akov forced his son to take a Shvua, and in fact that Shvua was the only argument that compelled Paroh to let Ya’akov leave. The story of Ya’akov’s burial itself becomes a microcosmic Geula, not only because it transfers Yisrael’s body from Eretz Mitzrayim to Eretz Yisrael, but that it shows that the elements that ultimately bring this transfer to fruition, namely Yoseif’s Shvua, were put into place long before Ya’akov Avinu died!

But while the attributes of the Goyim could be acted upon immediately, Ya’akov was still hesitant to bless his children. We see this same hesitation by Moshe Rabbeinu at the beginning of Parashat ViZos HaBeracha, where Moshe blesses each Sheivet – as Rashi there explains – because “Im Lo Achshav Eimasai.” In other words, Moshe knew that he could not rebuke the nation once he gave them their Brachos; therefore, he waited until his final opportunity. Ya’akov too waited until his very last moment, until he was sick, because the rebuke and Brachos could not later be amended. But his plan to undermine Paroh’s authority did not involve rebuke or Brachos, just a simple prediction and calculation of human nature, and so Ya’akov chose not to delay forcing his son Yoseif into Shvua.

The parasha now flows beautifully. Ya’akov first is warned by Hashem that he will not be able to relate the Keitz to his sons, and the lessons he learns through Hashem’s warning translate into a brilliant plan to eventually get him extracted from Eretz Mitzrayim. Later, when he falls ill, he tries to reveal the Keitz, but cannot, and reverts to describing the character within each of his sons, residing more on what types of people they will be than what wars they will fight and what lands they will settle. And lastly, Yoseif buries his father as he swore.

The Mizrachi, Sifsei Chachamim, and many others struggle terribly to identify how Rashi knows Ya’akov tried to be Migaleh the Keitz to his sons. Perhaps the inference comes from the very words contained in Rashi’s Dibur HaMaschil. What does Ya’akov mean when he says ViAgida Lachem? Does he refer to the description of character or attributes? The lashon of Hagadah is one of storytelling, one that connotes Ya’akov’s plans to reveal actual events, not attributes. But when Ya’akov doesn’t reveal any events, we see that Ya’akov’s initial plan clearly did not work, that he was forced to revert to individual Brachos.

There is an interesting remez to this transition within the pasuk. Ya’akov promises to foretell the events Es Asheir Yikra Eschem, that which will happen to you. But the word Yikra, normally spelled with a Hey at the end, is here spelled with an Aleph, changing the meaning of the word from “happen” to “call.” The pasuk reads “that which will happen to you,” but it can likewise be understood as “that which you will be called by.” In this subtle play on words, we see the mutual nature between the character one beholds and the events that one causes and partakes in. Ya’akov indeed guarantees an end of days, but not one highlighted by quests or conquests. Instead, it is one highlighted by the emotions of pride, determination, and hope contained within each son.

LiShu’asicha Kivisi Hashem. Good Shabbos.