Illustration credit: Rivka Tsinman
In order for Yaakov to be reunited with Yosef after finally learning that he is still alive, Yaakov has to move to מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim, Egypt). Along the journey, God appears to Yaakov in a vision and says:
(ג) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י הָאֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ מֵרְדָ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יְמָה כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ שָֽׁם׃ (ד) אָנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ׃
“I am God, the God of your father.
Do not be afraid to go down to Mitzrayim, for I will make you into a great nation there.
I will go down with you to Mitzrayim, and I will also bring you back;
and Yosef shall place his hand upon your eyes.”
- What do you notice? What stands out to you?
- Next week, we’ll read about Yaakov’s death (Bereishit 49:33). It takes place in Mitzrayim. What, then, is the meaning of God’s promise here?
- What was Yaakov feeling about going down to Mitzrayim just before these pesukim? Why do you think he was feeling this way?
- What three promises does God make to help him feel different? For each one, what is the meaning of that promise and why is that important to Yaakov?
- Notice where God is going to be during the remainder of Yaakov’s journey. What do you learn from that?
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