“וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם
.../Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt ...” (Breishis 47:28)
The Sfas Emes addresses two difficulties.
Firstly, וַיְחִי/He
lived, is a strange choice of words. Usually
when the Torah relates that someone lived in a specific place, it uses the word
וַיֵשֶׁב/He dwelt or וַיָגָר/He lived[1]. The Chiddushei HaRim suggests that, וַיְהִי/He was, would have
been more appropriate than וַיְחִי/He
lived.
Secondly, in a sefer Torah, there is always a blank space
between two parshas. VaYechi is the only
parsha in the entire Torah which begins directly following the last word of the
previous parsha with no break whatsoever.
This is referred to as a closed parsha.
Why is this?
Ya’akov Avinu is associated with the attribute of אֱמֶת/truth. The prophet Micha (7:20) tells us, “תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב/Give
truth to Ya’akov.” A person who lives
with truth realizes that the physical world is a façade which hides an
awareness of God. Because of this
Ya’akov Avinu felt God’s presence everywhere even in decadent Egypt. For Ya’akov Avinu, there was no exile. Conventionally we think of exile as meaning
an expulsion from one’s native land. We
lived in Egyptian exile because we were not in our homeland. The deeper meaning of exile, though, is an
exile from God’s presence. It is easy to
be acutely aware of God’s presence in the Land of Israel, much less so in
decadent Egypt. In truth, though, God is
everywhere equally. For one who can see
past the physical façade and realize this, there is no real exile.
Egyptian society was pagan and immoral. It was very difficult to see God in Egypt. By using the word וַיְחִי/He lived, the Torah
is telling us that even in decadent Egypt, Ya’akov “lived.” Living means to attach to the Source of all
life. Chazal[2] tell us that wicked people
are considered dead even during their lives.
This is because they have separated from God, the Source of life. For the wicked, God is hidden. He is not a part of their lives. They do not feel His presence. Ya’akov “lived” even in Egypt. On the level of אֱמֶת/truth,
it did not matter that he was in Egypt.
God gives life to the immoral Egyptians, too. For Ya’akov, He was revealed even in
Egypt. This is why the parsha starts
with, “וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב
בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם .../Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt ...”
instead of the more usual וַיֵשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב/Yaakov
dwelt.
But why is the parsha closed?
Rashi[3]
quotes Chazal[4]
who tell us that Ya’akov wanted to reveal the end of days to his
children. The end of days is a time when
all exile comes to an end and God is revealed. The exile is a temporary screen behind which
God hides Himself. Behind the screen of
the exile and giving life to it (and to everything else) is the eternal Source
of life. Ya’akov wanted to convey to his
children that God is there even in Egypt. He wanted it to be clear to them, as it was
clear to him, that God is everywhere, even in the exile. He wanted them to see, feel and experience
God’s presence in Egypt just as he did.
If Ya’akov had taught this to his children, though, they would have
reached Ya’akov’s level of אֱמֶת/truth. God would have been revealed to them and
there would have been no exile. Chazal[5] in fact tell us that the
bondage in Egypt only began after Ya’akov passed on. The exile, though, was a necessary part of
the Divine plan. So, although Ya’akov
“lived,” the parsha was closed. He was
not permitted to pass it on to his children.
However, Chazal tell us that Ya’akov was permitted to teach them
that even if they could not see past the external screen of immoral and corrupt
Egyptian civilization and experience God, they could still believe that God was
there[6]. Belief that God was there when the reality of
their surroundings was the immoral and pagan Egyptian culture required a lot of
hard work. But, through אֱמוּנָה/belief, they would be
able to see the אֱמֶת/truth
– God is in the exile as well.
Believing that God is the source of all power in the world
enables us to see Him in the world. The
stronger our belief, the more God is revealed.
Working to reach this high level of אֱמוּנָה/belief enables us to
find Godly enlightenment even where God is concealed.
[1]In
English the difference between וַיְחִי/He lived and וַיָגָר/He lived, is not felt. However, in Hebrew, the former refers to the
length of one’s life while the latter refers to the place in which he
lived. Clearly, when the Torah wants to
tell us that Ya’akov lived in Egypt, וַיָגָר would be more appropriate than וַיְחִי,
hence the question.
[2]
Brachos 18b
[3]
Breishis 47:28, viz. VaYechi
[4]
Breishis R. 96:1
[5] Ibid.
[6]Zohar
1:234b
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