Parashat Vayechi 5786, 2026: "On Torah Spaces"

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Ezra HaSofer (5th century BCE) was a great leader of the Jewish people. One of his most significant achievements was the establishment of the exact format in which a Sefer Torah must be written. Our parasha contains an outstanding example of his handiwork. At the beginning of all other parshiot in a Sefer Torah, one can clearly see that a new Torah portion is about to begin. This is not the case in our sidrah (please see image at the end of this d’var Torah), which leads Midrash Bereishit Rabbah and Rashi zatzal (1040-1105) to ask: “lamah parasha zu satumah—why is this Torah portion completely closed?” In his gloss on Rashi’s Torah commentary, Rabbi Shabbeti Bass zatzal (1641-1718) offers this analysis of the midrash’s question:

That is to say, we have a tradition from Ezra the Scribe, may he rest in peace, that Parashat Vayechi [beginning with the word “vayechi” itself] is the beginning of an entirely new section and not conjoined to the preceding parasha [that concludes] with the verse “vayeshev Yisrael…” [Parashat Vayechi, however,] does not follow the standard form of a parasha satumah, since [such a section normally has a blank space in front of it] that equals the size of nine letters, yet, in our case, the entire beginning of the parasha is totally closed without any space whatsoever. (Siftei Chakhamim, Sefer Bereishit 47:28, translation my own)
 
Although Midrash Bereishit Rabbah offers three answers to its question, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz zatzal (1550-1619), summarily rejects each of them and states: “It certainly appears that there is no support whatsoever of the Torah’s text for any of these interpretations; consequently, they are like false prophecies.” (Sefer Kli Yakar, Parashat Vayechi 47:28, this and the following translations my own). This leads him to suggest that even though Parashat Vayechi and Parashat Vayigash are two separate parshiot, it is:

…incontrovertibly the case that Ezra the Scribe’s intention [in writing Parashat Vayechi completely satumah] was to have the verse beginning with vayechi juxtaposed to the preceding verse [from Parashat Vayigash] in order for the two pasukim to be read as: “And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly. And Ya’akov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years…” as if they were actually one verse. (47:27-28, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, Kli Yakar translations my own)
 
At this juncture, Rav Luntschitz utilizes this “extended verse” concept to revisit and reinterpret the first answer Midrash Bereishit Rabbah provides to the question, “lamah parasha zu satumah?” namely, “when Ya’akov died, shibud Mitzrayim (Egyptian servitude) began.” In so doing, he offers two approaches for understanding the relationship between Ya’akov’s death and the onset of the shibud:

Initially the text states, “And Ya’akov lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years,” and teaches us through the utilization of the word, “vayeshev,” that the Jews at that time dwelt in peace and tranquility, so much so that they were able to acquire significant landholdings in Egypt and greatly expand their population. All of this took place during the time of, “and Ya’akov lived,” for during his lifetime each member of the Jewish community directly benefitted from zechut Ya’akov. From here we may infer that his zechut ceased upon his death, and so, too, all the positive outcomes it had engendered... And, according to this line of thought, Ya’akov’s death precipitated the onset of the Egyptian servitude.
 
In sum, according to this view, Ya’akov’s death ended the golden age described in 47:27-28, when our forebears “dwelt in peace and tranquility.” In addition, the fledgling Jewish people ceased to be landowners and became enslaved to the Egyptians who embittered their lives. As such, Ya’akov’s death precipitated shibud Mitzrayim.
 
The Kli Yakar takes the polar opposite tact in his second analysis of the juxtaposition of the last verse of Parashat Vayigash and the first pasuk of our parasha. In this scenario, rather than Ya’akov’s death triggering shibud Mitzrayim, shibud Mitzrayim led to Ya’akov’s death:
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And it is possible to say exactly the opposite, namely, the beginning of the servitude was the reason for his death, as the Holy One blessed be He shortened the years of his life so that he did not live as long as his fathers in order for him to be spared seeing his children in bondage, for the time had now arrived [as foretold to Avraham] of “and they will enslave and oppress them for four hundred years.” (Sefer Bereishit 15:13) 
 
I believe the Kli Yakar is suggesting something quite fascinating regarding Ya’akov Avinu’s persona. Our standard perception of Ya’akov is an ish tam yosheiv ohelim (Sefer Bereishit 25:27) who represented the highest heights of truth, as we find in the celebrated verse: “Tetane emet l’Ya’akov-You shall give the truth of Ya’akov, the loving-kindness of Avraham, which You swore to our forefathers from days of yore.” (Sefer Michah 7:20) Little wonder, then, that we often overlook the emotional sensitivities with which Ya’akov was infused. The Kli Yakar, however, fully embraces this idea and teaches us that Ya’akov was simply incapable of seeing his children suffer in abject slavery. As a result, the Master of the Universe mercifully allowed him to die before his time in order to spare him the pain of such heart-wrenching scenes. In a very real sense, we can now understand why Ya’akov was the perfect husband for Rachale, for they were united in their empathy for the Jewish people. As the pasuk states: “So says Hashem: ‘A voice is heard on high, lamentation, bitter cries, Rachale, weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children for they are no more.’” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 31:14, translation with my emendations)
 
May the time come soon, and in our days, when Rachale will no longer weep for her beloved children, and Ya’akov will no longer fear for our physical and spiritual welfare. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
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