Vayechi
Rabbi Jablinowitz
Rashi comments on the first pasuk in this week’s parsha that our parsha is a “parsha setuma”, a closed parsha. This means that there is no space in the Sefer Torah between the end of last week’s parsha and the beginning of our parsha. The reason for this, Rashi teaches in his first explanation, is that once Yaakov died, the eyes and hearts of Clal Yisrael became closed as a result of the difficulty of the enslavement to the Egyptians.
What precisely is the meaning of this idea, Nistemu Eiyneihem V’Libam shel Yisrael, that the eyes and the hearts of Clal Yisrael became closed?
The Sfas Emes teaches that the closing of the eyes and the hearts are the cause of the galus, and conversely, through the eyes and the hearts the impending redemption comes about. He explains that the way we connect to Hashem through our hearts is via the mouth, the Bris Halashon, and the way we connect to Hashem with our eyes is by maintaining the Bris Milah, the Bris Hama’or. The heart and the mouth are connected as we read in the pasuk (Mishlei, Chapter 16, Pasuk 1), L’Adam Ma’archei Lev U’MaHeshem Ma’aneh Lashon. The thought process is arranged by man in his heart, and the ability to speak and articulate those thoughts are from Hashem. By having our hearts in the right place and with the proper devotion, our mouths respond with words of Torah and words of prayer to Gd.
The connection between the eyes and the Bris Hama’or is that by guarding our eyes appropriately we can properly maintain the covenant of the Bris Milah. And it is the combination of these two relationships that bring about the geulah, as we say in Keriyas Shema, Lo Sasuru Acharei Levavchem V’Acharei Eiyneichem and we conclude Ani Hashem Elokeichem Asher Hotzaisee Eschem M’Eretz Mitzrayim. When you are not swayed after your hearts and your eyes, then I am your Gd who took you out of Egypt.
The Sfas Emes repeats an idea we mentioned last week that these two aspects of our relationship with Hashem are represented by the two main sons of Yaakov who received the two main brachot in this week’s parsha. Yehuda, who publicly sanctified Gd’s name, represents the covenant of speech which is a public act. As the bracha given to Yehuda states (Chapter 49, Pasuk 8), Yehuda Atah Yoducha Achecha, your brothers acknowledge you. This is an acknowledgment of Yehuda since his greatness was known to all. And the mouth is the vehicle with which we give praise and acknowledgment to Hashem as well.
Yosef, as we previously mentioned, sanctified Gd’s name privately and he represents the Bris HaMa’or. His greatness wasn’t acknowledged and recognized by his brothers as they acknowledged Yehuda. When the brothers came to Yosef in Mitzrayim, they didn’t even recognize him, for they didn’t realize who he was. His greatness was hidden, as indicated in his bracha (Chapter 49, Pasuk 22), Bein Porat Yosef Bein Porat Alei Ayin, Banos Tza’adah Alei Shor. As Rashi teaches on the pasuk, Yosef was cognizant of the evil eye of his uncle Eisav, and therefore hid his mother from his vision. Consequently Yosef was blessed with not being affected by the ayin hara. This is why Yosef represents the power of the eyes, of not looking when not appropriate and of being protected from the power of the evil eye. And this is in contradistinction to his brother Yehuda, whose strength lied in his ability to speak and articulate.
The Sfas Emes adds that some commentators connect the bracha of Yehuda to the mitzvah of Shabbos, while others connect the bracha of Yehuda to Shabbos. The Sfas Emes concludes that they are each referring to the two different aspects of Shabbos, Shamor and Zachor. Shamor which is the clear and obvious cessation from work is connected to the strength of Yehuda and his speech. Yosef, however, whose greatness lies in his subtleties and in his vision, corresponds to the mitzvah of Zachor, the more subtle command of memory.
These two abilities, of seeing properly and speaking properly are essential for our redemption, and conversely when they are not functioning properly cause galus. As the Zohar Hakadosh says, when Bnei Yisrael were in Egypt, speech was in galus. And this is because there was a disconnect between the heart and the mouth. As the pasuk in Mishlei teaches, man’s heart and mouth work together with the assistance of Gd. And this is the meaning of the Rashi, Nistemu Eiyneihem V’Libam shel Yisrael. The beginning of the galus was characterized by the closing of the eyes and the hearts of Bnei Yisrael, our two fundamental relationships with Gd. And the impression of this was so great, that it affected a parsha in the Torah and caused it to be written closed.
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