(17) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do as follows: load up your beasts and go at once to the land of Canaan. (18) Take your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you shall live off the fat of the land.’ (19) And you are bidden [to add], ‘Do as follows: take from the land of Egypt wagons for your children and your wives, and bring your father here. (20) And never mind your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt shall be yours.’” (21) The sons of Israel did so; Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with provisions for the journey. (22) To each of them, moreover, he gave a change of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. (23) And to his father he sent the following: ten he-donkeys laden with the best things of Egypt, and ten she-donkeys laden with grain, bread, and provisions for his father on the journey. (24) As he sent his brothers off on their way, he told them, “Do not be quarrelsome on the way.” (25) They went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. (26) And they told him, “Joseph is still alive; yes, he is ruler over the whole land of Egypt.” His heart went numb, for he did not believe them. (27) But when they told him all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. (28) “Enough!” said Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I must go and see him before I die.”
~ Can you explain the differences between the names of Yaakov/Israel?
~ Why do you think Yaakov did not believe them?
~ What, according to the text, made the change?
מדרש הגדול, בראשית מ"ה:כ"ו
ויגדו לו לאמר 'עוד יוסף חי' רבנן אמרו אם אנו אומרים לו תחלה יוסף קים שמא תפרח נשמתו. מה עשו? אמרו לשרח בת אשר, "אמרי לאבינו יעקב שיוסף קים והוא במצרים. מה עשתה? המתינה לא עד שהוא עומד בתפלה ואמרה בלשון תימה: יוסף במצרים// יולדו לו על ברכים// מנשה ואפרים
פג לבו כשהוא עומד בתפלה. כיון שהשלים ראה העגלות, מיד "ותחי רוח יעקב אבינו" (שם).
Midrash HaGadol, Genesis 45:26
[The brothers said:]If we tell him right away, "Joseph is alive!" perhaps he will have a stroke [lit., his soul will fly away]. What did they do? They said to Serah, daughter of Asher, "Tell our father Jacob that Joseph is alive, and he is in Egypt." What did she do? She waited till he was standing in prayer, and then said in a tone of wonder, "Joseph is in Egypt/ There have been born on his knees/ Menasseh and Ephraim" [three rhyming lines]. His heart failed, while he was standing in prayer. When he finished his prayer, he saw the wagons: immediately the spirit of Jacob came back to life.(Translated by Avivah Zornberg in Genesis, the Beginning of Desire, p.281).
~ According to this midrash, how was Yaakov able to receive the news?
~ Why do you think that the brothers choose Serach bat Asher to for this task?
ויפג לבו. נֶחֱלַף לִבּוֹ וְהָלַךְ מִלְּהַאֲמִין, לֹא הָיָה לִבּוֹ פוֹנֶה אֶל הַדְּבָרִים, לְשׁוֹן מְפִיגִין טַעֲמָן בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה וּכְמוֹ מֵאֵין הֲפֻגוֹת (איכה ג'), וְרֵיחוֹ לֹא נָמָר (ירמיהו מ"ח), מְתַּרְגְּמִינַן וְרֵיחֵיהּ לָא פָג:
And Yaakov's heart went numb — his heart passed away (נחלף) and ceased to believe; his heart took no notice of their words. The word ויפג vayafag has the same meaning as “all spices let their taste pass away (מפיגין)” (Beitzah 14a) in Mishnaic Hebrew. Similar to “without cease (הפגות hafugot)”(Lam. 3:49). The words “and his scent is not altered (נמר)” (Jer. 48:11) is rendered in the Targum by “and his scent has not ceased פָג."
~ How does Rashi understand the reaction of Yaakov?
~ Rashi - Shlomo Yitzchaki (French: Salomon de Troyes, 22 February 1040 – 13 July 1105), known by the acronym Rashi was a medieval French rabbi and author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud and commentary on the Hebrew Bible. He had three daughters and several grandsons, known collectively as Tosafot and Da’at Hamikra.
And Yaakov's heart went numb — he passed out. His heart stopped beating briefly, something common when people have a fainting spell. This occurred at the moment Joseph’s name was mentioned by the brothers.
~ How does the Sforno understand the reaction of Yaakov?
~ Sforno - Ovadia ben Jacob Sforno (c. 1470/1475, Cesena – 1550, Bologna) was an Italian rabbi, Biblical commentator, philosopher and physician.
ויפג לבו לשון אל תתני פוגת לך לשון הנחה פי׳ וינח לבו כי לא נבהל עוד ולא נתעורר במה שאמרו לו כי לא האמין עד שראה העגלות. ד״א לשון טיול ושמחה וחברו ביומא אישי כהן גדול עמוד והפג אחת על הרצפה שהיה הדבר עליו כשחוק. ותרגומו מוכיח והווי מליא פייגין על ליביה.
And Yaakov's heart went numb — Yaakov’s heart was standing still, stopped beating; as in Lamentations 2:18, "give yourself no rest" פוגת לך. He could not even react as he refused to believe the brothers until he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent along. An alternate exegesis: the words: ויפג לבו, mean that he reacted joyfully, seeing that in the Talmud we see it used in this sense in tractate Yuma, folio 19, אישי כהן גדול עמוד והפג אחת על הרצפה, “my lord the High Priest, arise and demonstrate joy” [the High Priest rejected the implication that he was going to sleep as laughable]. In our case, Yaakov considered the claims by his sons as ridiculous, not worth even thinking about. The latter explanation is supported by Onkelos.
~ How does the Chizkuni understand the reaction of Yaakov?
~ Chizkuni - Hezekiah ben Manoah, or Hezekiah bar Manoah, was a French rabbi and Bible commentator of the 13th century. He is generally known by the title of his commentary, Chizkuni. The details of his biography are unknown. His commentary has 20 different sources, but he does not name any of his sources (other than Rashi), as he felt that one should focus on the message rather than the messenger.
~ What do you think was the first reaction of Yaakov, and why?
~ Which of the commentators presented here is closer to what you think?
They told him all the words of Yoseif which he had spoken to them, and he saw the wagons that Yoseif had sent to carry him. [Then] the spirit of prophecy rested upon their father Yaakov.
~ What was revived, according the Targum Onkelos? When was it lost, do you think? Why, in your opinion?
~ What happened to Yaakov, according to Targum Yonatan?
Genesis 45:26 “when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent, etc.” Joseph had hinted to Yaakov that he should not be concerned about his family going into exile, as what was occurring now was the cause סיבה sibah of redemption from exile, since bad is a סיבה sibah cause of good. Both the word עגלה, agalah, wagon, which is a chair on wheels, i.e. עיגול, eegul, circle, and the word סיבה sibah, cause, are related to this revolving nature of life, סבב, sovev, spinning, revolving. Simple compassion is a straight light, but causes are circles.
~ What lesson does the Kedushat Levi teach with the wagons of Yosef to Yaakov?
~ What do you think he means by saying "causes are circles"?
~ Is compassion a straight line, in your experience?
~ Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (aka Levi Yitzchok Derbarmdiger (compassionate in Yiddish) or Rosakov) (1740– Ukraine 1809), also known as the holy Berdichever, and the Kedushat Levi, was a Hasidic master and Jewish leader. He was one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, who was a direct disciple of the Ba’al Shem Tov.
ויפג לבו כו' וירא העגלות כו' שלח יוסף כו'. כי הי' קשה לו לירד למצרים. ובאמת זה היה טעם ירידת יוסף מקודם שיוסף הוא בחי' המקשר עניני עוה"ז בכח הפנימיות שיש שם מהשי"ת ושיתבטלו כל החצוניות והקלי' להפנימיות כנ"ל. וזה פי' העגלות שיהי' נסבב הכל להשורש שהוא אחד. וקצת כעין זה כתב בס' קדושת לוי ע"ש העגלות ע"ש. וז"ש כי לא האמין להם שדביקות יעקב בהשבטים רק ע"י יוסף הצדיק ובאמת כתיב וישאו בני ישראל כו' יעקב אביהם שהיו מרכבה אליו. רק באמצעיות יוסף נמשך אחריהם. ומקודם כתיב לא האמין שהוא התקשרות והמשכה. רק אח"כ שראה העגלות כו' ותחי כו' אביהם שנתקשר להם כנ"ל וישאו בני ישראל כו':
"And his heart fainted…and he saw the wagons that Yosef sent…and the spirit of Yaakov was revived" (Gen. 45:26-27). It was difficult for Yaakov to go down to Mitzrayim, but this is why Yosef preceded him. Yosef represents the connection between worldly matters and the inner divine element (pnimiut) within them, nullifying all externalities. The wagons (עגלות agalot) symbolize this idea, as their root word עיגול eegul means circle, indicating that everything returns to its source and is unified. This concept is also mentioned in the holy book Kedushat Levi. And this, that he did not believe them, was because the deep connection of Yaakov to the tribes was only through Yosef HaTzadik. And truthfully, given that it is written "Yisrael’s sons carried Yaakov their father" really means that they acted as a chariot, a merkavah, for Yaakov. It was through Yosef that Yaakov was drawn to them. And before that it is written that he did not believe them, since believing is connection and continuation. Only when "he saw the wagons" etc "their father's spirit was revived", meaning, he connected with them, as explained, and then the children of Israel carried him.
~ What does Yosef symbolize, according to the Sfat Emet?
~ How does his commentary refine the ideas brought by the Kedushat Levi?
~ How does Yaakov connect to the tribes, and why?
~ Reb Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, known as the "Sefat Emet," after his best-known work, was a Polish rabbi, Chasidic master, and rebbe of the Gerer Chasidic movement. Poland, 1847 – 1905 CE
וידברו אליו את כל דברי יוסף אשר דבר אליהם וירא את העגלות אשר שלח יוסף לשאת אותו ותחי רוח יעקב אביהם ויאמר ישראל רב עוד יוסף בני חי. הנה כלפי דברים הנאמרים באמת מה שנרמז בדברי יוסף עם אחיו הענין נוקב והולך בעבר ועתיד ללמד לאדם דעת איך להוציא דיבור לפני אלקים בתורה ותפלה ולצד עילאה ימלל לעשות רק צירופי שמות הקדושים להשפיע אל בית אלהינו שכינת עוזינו זהו כלל מגמת נפשם של צדיקים אמיתים וכזה נרמז בתורה וידברו אליו את כל דברי יוסף שהחזירו שבח והודאה אליו יתברך את כל דברי יוסף כאשר הורם השכל הנקרא יוסף כמבואר וירא את העגלות אשר שלח יוסף הוא רק לשאת אותו היינו אות השפעתו דייקא ותחי רוח יעקב אביהם ודאי חיות גדול נתוסף לו לבחי' הקול על דרך האמור כי יעקב בחר לו לזה נרמז ויאמר ישראל ידוע מספרים החילוק שבין יעקב לישראל ויאמר ישראל רב עוד יוסף בני חי כלומר כי בהעדר המשכילים אזי הוא ח"ו אבר מת ואולם בעבור זאת וידברו אליו את כל דברי יוסף כנ"ל אמר רב עוד יוסף בני חי ודאי ודו"ק:
They went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. And they told him, “Joseph is still alive; yes, he is ruler over the whole land of Egypt.” His heart went numb, for he did not believe them. But when they told him all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. “Enough!” said Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I must go and see him before I die.” (Gen. 45:26-28) - Behold, regarding the eternal Torah, what the words of Yosef with his brothers teach us, past and future, is how one should speak regarding Torah and tefilah in front of God. On the Higher side, one should only utter connections of Holy Names to influence the House of Our God, the Presence of our Strength, that is the general goal of the souls of the true tzadikim. And this is hinted in the Torah in "they told him all the words of Yosef", that is, Him, they returned praise and thanks to the Blessed One. "All the words of Yosef" when he raised the
mind/awareness that is called Yosef, as explained: "when he saw the wagons that Yosef sent" - which were only "to raise him", meaning, a sign of God's influence [in the world] specifically, then "the spirit of their father Yaakov revived". Obviously a great aliveness was added to him, in the aspect of "the voice [of Yaakov]" (Gen. 27:22), in the way of the verse "because He chose Yaakov [for Himself, Israel as His treasured possession]" (Ps. 135:4). To this it hints. "And Israel said" - the difference between Yaakov and Israel is known from holy books. "And Israel said 'enough! My son Yosef is still alive'", meaning, without awareness, one is, God forbid, like a dead limb, and maybe it was precisely because of this that "and they said to him all the words of Yosef", as explained before, and then he "said enough, my son Yosef is still alive" - obviously. And if you apply yourself to this, you will understand it easily.
~ What is Yosef, according to the Ohr HaMeir?
~ What does this story teach us, in terms of personal connection to God?
~ What are prayers for, in this source?
~ How do you define awareness?
~ Reb Zev Wolf of Zhitomyr (died 1798) was a Hasidic Rabbi. He studied under, and has been styled as a disciple of, Dov Ber of Mezeritch, also known as the "Maggid of Mesritch". His works were collected by his disciple, Rabbi Eliezer of Zhitomyr, under the name “Ohr HaMe’ir”. They were published on the year of his passing, in the city of Korets.