22 Dec Parshas Vayigash
In this week’s parsha, Yaakov Avinu and his family go down to Mitzrayim. The story of the bitter galus begins.
The Torah says, “Vayomer Elokim leYisrael bemaros halaylah vayomar Yaakov Yaakov vayomer hineini. Vayomer anochi haKeil Elokei avicha, al tira mardah Mitzraymah ki legoy gadol asimcha sham. Anochi eired imcha Mitzraymah vaanochi a’alcha gam aloh — Hashem said to Yaakov Avinu in a vision at night, “Yaakov! Yaakov,’ and Yaakov replied, ‘I am here.’ Hashem said, ‘I am the G-d of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down to Mitzrayim because you will become a great nation there. I will go down with you to Mitzrayim, and I will bring you up…” (46:2-4).
Rashi writes, “[Yaakov] was distressed that he needed to leave Eretz Yisrael,” therefore Hashem encouraged him with these words. These pesukim carry vital importance for us as well, since we are also still in the midst of a long, bitter galus. The calming and encouraging words that Hashem told Yaakov speaks to us, in this galus, as well. This prophecy took place bemaros halaylah (in a night- vision). There was another time that Yaakov Avinu had a vision at night. That was in (Vayetzei 28:12) when he saw angels going up and down a ladder in his dreams. The Meshech Chachmah writes that Avraham and Yitzchak didn’t have this form of prophecy, only Yaakov Avinu did, “because Yaakov was about to go to chutz le’aretz (exile) to live there, therefore Hashem appeared to him at night, to show him that even in the dark night of exile, Hashem’s presence still resides with the Jewish people.” Things can be dark, but Hashem never abandons us; He is always there, in every juncture and situation.
In a similar vein, Hashem said, “Anochi eired imcha Mitzraymah vaanochi a’alcha gam aloh — I will go down with you to Mitzrayim and I will bring you up, and I will go up” (46:4). The Kli Yakar explains that in this passuk, Hashem is telling Yaakov Avinu (and ultimately, the entire Jewish nation) that we will never be alone in galus – not even for a moment.
The Kli Yakar tells a mashal of someone who knows how to swim very well, and he brings his friend to swim with him in very deep water. His friend is afraid, so he requests from the better swimmer, “When we go into the water, I want you to go in before me, and when we leave, I want to leave first. I want you to always be in the water when I’m there, so you can help me if I have trouble.” Similarly, Hashem told Yaakov, “anochi eired imcha Mitzrayma — I will go down with you to Mitzrayim.” Notice that anochi is written before imcha, because Hashem promises that He will go to galus before us. But upon leaving the exile, Hashem says, “vaanochi a’alcha gam aloh — I will bring you up, and I will go up.” The nation will leave first, and then Hashem will leave, so we will never be alone in exile.
In this week’s parsha, there are several other essential concepts related to galus. We discover (1) there are spiritual gains, even in galus (2) when things seem to be bad, there is good concealed in there (3) the galus (and every hard moment) isn’t forever. Times change, and things improve.
1. Spiritual gains
Before Yaakov went down to Mitzrayim, Hashem told him, “veYosef yashis yado al einechah — Yosef will place his hand on your eyes” (46:4). Commentaries struggle to understand the meaning of these words. The Meshech Chachmah explains that Yaakov was wondering, what spiritual gains could I possibly earn in Mitzrayim? Hashem told him to think about what happened to Yosef. The Meshech Chachmah explains, “Who would imagine that Yosef’s suffering would end up being for a good purpose? That he would live in Mitzrayim, become the ruler, and teach the Egyptians how to be righteous? This should suffice to place a hand over Yaakov’s eyes.…” Yosef came down to Mitzrayim as a slave, and he was even sentenced in jail for twelve years. The odds of his achieving something substantial in Mitzrayim seemed nil. Nevertheless, Yosef became the ruler of Mitzrayim and the Meshech Chachmah teaches that he used this position to teach the Egyptians many righteous concepts. Probably, Yosef taught them to believe in Hashem and several other proper traits and behaviors. Against all odds, Yosef’s influence in Mitzrayim was enormous. This, figuratively, placed a hand over Yaakov’s eyes to prevent him from looking for the purpose of his exile. If he will follow Hashem’s will in Egypt, greatness, and even spiritual purpose, will emerge.
2. The Good Concealed in the Bad
Yaakov Avinu was traveling with his family to Mitzrayim and he stopped over in Be’er Sheva to bring karbanos, as it states, “vayizbach zevachim l’Elokei aviv Yitzchak — he brought sacrifices to the G-d of his father, Yitzchak’’ (46:1). Why is Yitzchak specifically mentioned, and not Avraham. Rashi answers, “A son’s obligation to honor his father is greater than his obligation to honor his grandfather. Therefore, Yaakov attributed [the sacrifices that he brought to his father] Yitzchak and not to Avraham.” The Be’er Mayim Chaim gives another explanation, based on the following passuk we say in Hallel: “odcha ki anisani vatehi li lishua — I praise You because You afflicted me, and I had a salvation” (Tehilim 118:21). David HaMelech’s intention is to praise Hashem for his salvations. So why does he mention his afflictions too? The Be’er Mayim Chaim explains that even afflictions can be for the good, for the following reasons: (1) it increases one’s reward in Olam HaBa. (2) It cleanses him from sin, so he won’t need to go to gehinom (3) It reminds the person to repent (4) Sometimes what appears to be bad, is really good. At first glance, it appears bad, but in retrospect, one realizes that the bad was in reality for his benefit. An example of that is what happened to Yaakov Avinu. He thought that it was bad for him when Yosef was away from him for twenty-two years, but he discovered that even this was for his benefit, because Yosef became the ruler of Mitzrayim, and would support them throughout the years of famine. David HaMelech said, “odcha ki anisani vatehi li lishua — I praise You because You afflicted me, and I had salvation,” because in retrospect, we see that even the affliction was good for us. It led to salvation. Therefore, when Yaakov realized the good that he earned from Yosef’s descent to Mitzrayim, he brought sacrifices of gratitude to the G-d of Yitzchak. The Be’er Mayim Chaim explains, “Yitzchak represents harsh judgment (Pachad Yitzchak). Now it was time to praise Hashem for the castigations that he endured, because [now it was seen that] they were all for his good.”
3. It isn’t forever
Hashem said, Anochi eired imcha Mitzraymah vaanochi a’alcha gam aloh —I will go down with you to Mitzrayim, and I will bring you up…” (46:2-4) we will not be in galus forever. The galus will eventually end, and we will be redeemed. The Torah tells us (45:27) “[Yaakov] saw the agalos [wagons] that Yosef sent to bring him up [laseis oso], and the spirit of Yaakov, their father, was uplifted.”
The Sheim Mishmuel explains that agalos [wagons] can also mean ‘wheels’. The nature of a wheel is that the part of the wheel that is at present downside will very soon turn and be upside down. A wheel demonstrates that what happens today doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be so tomorrow. A person might be going through a hard time right now, but it will pass, and his life will become better.
The passuk says that the agalos [wagons] were “to bring Yaakov up” [laseis oso]. Yaakov was going down to Mitzrayim (since Eretz Yisrael is the highest land). Why does the Torah write “to bring him up?” It was because the purpose of the agalos [wheels] was to raise Yaakov Avinu’s spirits. This is the reason why “The spirit of Yaakov, their father, was uplifted.”