Vayechi תרל”א

ב”ה נכתב בקיצור

אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה הגיד ויחי יעקב בא”מ כי ע”י בחי’ אמת יכולין לחיות גם בא”מ וכ’ תתן אמת ליעקב עכ”ד.
the Chidushei Harim said on the pasuk ‘and Yaakov lived in the land of Mitzrayim’ that through emes truth one can be alive even in Mitzrayim (just as Yaakov who represented truth, was alive (spiritually) in Mitzrayim) As it says ‘You gave truth to Yaakov’
דהנה לא הל”ל רק ויהי יעקב בא”מ. ומשמע דעיקר הרבותא מה שהי’ בבחי’ חיים גם בא”מ
It should have said and Yaakov was in Mitzrayim for seventeen years, why does it say specifically ‘and Yaakov lived in Mitzrayim’? the implication is that it really coming to teach us that he was alive in Mitzrayim
ופי’ חיים הוא דביקות בשורש ומקור שמשם נמשך תמיד חיות.
Alive meaning that he was connected to the source, from where the life force is drawn
וכ”כ בזוה”ק ויגש ע”פ ותחי רוח יעקב.
And the Zohar says this idea in Vayigash on the pasuk ‘and Yaakov’s spirit was revived-vatechi”
ונ”ל שהוא מלשון מים חיים שע”י שמחת הנפש מעורר מקור החיים וניתוסף חיות.
And it would seem to say, that the life force referred to here is connected to the expression of mayim chayim, flowing water (literally living water). Flowing water is referring to water that is connected to the source. So too Yaakov being alive ‘vatechi ruach Yaakov avihem’ brought him to Joy and this awakened the source of life force, and brought more and more life force.
(‘Eim habanim smeicha’, at Bina where there are no doubts (hatarat hasefeikot) there is joy. which awakens the flow of life force)
[ונ”ל שז”ש ויהי האדם לנפש חי’. פי’ נפש. הרצון. ע”י פנימיות הנפש נמשך חיות תמיד].
[Similarly it would seem to say that ‘man became a living soul’ ‘nefesh’ is the desire, and it is through the inner soul that one can constantly attain life force. Meaning that through being attached to the source of one’s desire, which is the part of him that is attached to HaShem he is constantly attached to the life force.] והגם שהי’ בא”מ ידע שכל המצרים הם רק קליפה והסתר. אבל הפנימיות הוא חיות הש”י.
And even though Yaakov was in Mitzrayim the place that was most steeped in impurity, nevertheless he realised that this was all a shell and covering up the internal life force-pnimius of HaShem.
ולכך אחז”ל כי הרשעים בחייהם נק’ מתים שנפרשים ממקור החיות כנ”ל.
Therefore our sages said that evildoers are considered dead even in their lifetime. This is because they are disconnected from the source of life. as above.
וכ’ במדרש גרים אנחנו כו’
(Tanchuma Vayechi 1) The Medrash says on the Pasuk ‘and the time of Yisrael’s death drew near’ (47:29) we are always strangers and sojourners
כי כל בריאת אדם בעוה”ז לא הי’ כדי להידבק ח”ו בעוה”ז. רק להיפוך שע”י דביקות האדם בעיקר החיות מתמשך גם עניני עוה”ז להש”י.
We are compared to strangers, because the main purpose of man’s creation in this world is not that he be attached to this world, rather on the contrary that through connection of man to the life force of HaShem, he will uplift everything in this world to HaShem.
וגר לשון המשכה כמו מעלה גרה. שגם מה שנק’ גר מי שמגייר עצמו. ג”כ ע”ש זה. שמוציא נקודה קדושה שהי’ נטבע באומות.
The word stranger – ‘ger’ means to draw near. ‘ma’ale gera’ to chew the cud, and similarly a convert is called a ‘ger’ for he has drawn out the holiness of HaShem that was drowned and lost the nations of the world.
וכן ענין גלות מצרים שכ’ גר יהי’ זרעך כו’ ג”כ הפי’ להוציא נ”ק שנטבעו במצרים.
Similarly the exile in Mitzrayim we were considered ‘strangers in a freign land’ the idea here too is to draw forth the holy sparks that were in Mitzrayim.
וז”ש ואח”כ יצאו ברכוש גדול
This is what is meant ‘and afterwards they will go out with great wealth’ . The great wealth is referring to the holy sparks that they took out of Mitzrayim.
[רכוש גדול ר”ת גר רק מהופך שזה הענין הוא מלמטה למעלה כמובן].
[a great wealth ‘rechush gadol’ is rashei teivot * ‘ger’ just inverted, for now it was uplifting the great wealth –physicality to service of HaShem whereas a convert is removing himself from the physiality.] וז”ש רש”י ז”ל ביקש לגלות הקץ. פי’ שרצה לברר זה שהגלות רק הסתר והכח פנימי הוא רק מהש”י. רק אם הי’ נגלה זה לא הי’ גלות כלל. ונסתם.
This is what Rashi is referring to when he says that Yaakov wished to reveal the end of days, meaning that Yaakov wanted to reveal that even the great exile is only the hiddenness of the inner energy of HaShem. However he wasn’t able to reveal this, because had he done so then there wouldn’t be any exile at all (This knowledge that HaShem is there in the galus is exactly the antithesis of exile and therefore there couldn’t be any exile with such knowledge). Therefore he couldn’t reveal this and the shechina left him.
ומ”מ כ’ בזוה”ק שגילה מה שרצה לגלות רק בדרך הסתר.
Nevertheless in the Zohar it says that Yaakov was able to reveal whatever he wanted to reveal, however it was done in a hidden fashion.
והפי’ ע”י אמונה יכולין למצוא האמת להתברר שהוא רק הסתר כנ”ל.
This means that through emunah – faith, one is able to clarify and reveal the truth of the exile, and see that it is just a hiddenness of HaShem. (‘Emes ve’emuna’ Yaakov wasn’t able to reveal it on a level of emes, yet he was able to reveal it on a level of emuna)
ולכך ויחי יעקב סתום. שזה מקור החיות להיות נמצא גם בא”מ. זה נסתם [ולכך נק’ שהתחיל השעבוד] Therefore this parsha is closed up (there is no gap between this parsha and the previous one), for the source of truth to be able to find the life force in Mitzrayim was now covered up. [And therefore it is now considered the beginning of the bondage to Mitzrayim] וכמדומה לי שאא”ז ז”ל הגיד בשם הרב מפרשיסחא ז”ל שהקשה למה רצה לגלות הקץ. ותי’ שכשנודע הקץ. הגלות בנקל. ע”כ אני זוכר.
It seems to me that the Chidushei Harim asked in the name of the Rebbe miPrshischa, why did Yaakov want to reveal the end? He answered that when one knows the end, exile is easier. I remember up to here.
ונראה כנ”ל שפי’ גילוי הקץ לידע שיש קץ להגלות. והוא ע”י שהוא רק הסתר ואינו כח בפ”ע ח”ו. כי הפנימיות שהוא אמת אין לו קץ וההסתר יש לו קץ.
and it would seem that we can explain in line with the above, that the revelation of the end, eans that one is aware that there is an end to the exile, meaning that one realises that the exile is only the hiddenness of HaShem and not chas veshalom it’s own power. For the pnimius which is the truth doesn’t have an end, it is only the hiddenness that must eventually have an end.
ורצה שיהי’ זה נגלה. ולא הי’ גלות כלל. ונשאר סתום.
and this is what Yaakov wanted to reveal, which would mean that there wouldn’t be any exile, and it was that that he could not reveal.
ומ”מ ע”י אמונה שמאמינים זה בנ”י. שאין שום כח בלתי הש”י רק כ”ז רק הסתר. אף שאין רואין זה בעין. מ”מ ע”י אמונה ג”כ יכולין לראות האמת.
Nevertheless (as explained) through emuna that Bnei Yisrael have, that they believe there is no other force besides for HaShem, and realises that all the evil is just a cover, even if it is not apparent (for the evil seems so strong), through emuna one is able to see the truth.
רק יעקב אע”ה רצה שלא נוכל לטעות כלל. שיהי’ זה נגלה.
However Yaakov wanted to reveal it on a much deeper level in such a way that we would never be able to make such mistake, he wanted this to be clear
ונשאר סתום שצריכין יגיעה למצוא זה.
And this level remained closed, meaning that we require a constant effort to uncover the truth.
וזה בחי’ דהמע”ה דלית לי’ מגרמי’ כו’. ומשיג האמת רק ע”י הביטול.
this is the concept of King David, who doesn’t have anything of his own (the definition of a king is his dependance on his nation), and he gets to the truth through nullification
וזה ההפרש שבין אמת לאמונה.
Which is the difference between emes and emuna.
וכ”כ אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה על יעקב אבינו לא מת. מקרא אני דורש כו’.
Similarly the Chidushei Harim explained the Gemara that says Yaakov didn’t die, and I learn this from a pasuk.
שכשאדם דורש ומייגע עצמו שזה בחי’ תושבע”פ. יכול למצוא הארה מחיות יעקב אבינו גם בתוך ההסתר.
Meaning that when one ‘learns from a pasuk’ meaning that he toils in the Torah, referring specifically to the Oral Torah, one is able to find this light of Yaakov even in the darkest places.
וגם בשבת מתעורר בחי’ יעקב כמ”ש והאכלתיך נחלת יעקב ע”י הביטול כו’ מתעברין מינה כו’:
So too on Shabbos the aspect of Yaakov is reawakened, as it says ‘I will let you enjoy the inheritance of Yaakov’ (Yeshaya 58:14), through the nullification to HaShem’s will all the evil forces leave him.

במדרש ושמעו אל ישראל אביכם מה הקב”ה בורא עולמות אף יעקב אביכם כו’.
The Medrash (Bereishit Rabba 98:3) ‘Listen to your father Yisrael, just as HaShem creates worlds so too your father creates worlds’
נ”ל כי חיות מצרים עצמו הי’ ע”י יעקב.
It seems that the life force that Bnei Yisrael had to endure Mitzrayim, was from Yaakov.
וזהו עשה הש”י הכנה לגאולה כענין שכ’ בזוה”ק על יוסף שהי’ צריך להיות מקודם כפוף ת”י השבטים ע”ש וישב.
And HaShem did this as a preparation for the exile as the Zohar (* 1:184:1) says that Yaakov not been originally subjected to his children they would not have been able to survive in Mitzrayim
כמו כן מ”ש ויחי יעקב בא”מ פי’ חיות א”מ עצמו הי’ ע”י יעקב.
SImilarly when it says that Yaakov lived in Mitzrayim, it means that the life force to be able to withstand Mitzrayim was due to Yaakov
וזהו בורא עולמות שנותן חיות בתוך ההעלם:
This is the meaning of the Medrash above that Yaakov ‘creates worlds’, meaning that he is able to provide the life force in the world – ‘olam’ from the word ‘he’elem’ hidden. Through the element of yaakov (Emes and emuna explained above) one can find connection to the life force even in the greatest darkness.

בזוה”ק פי’ וזאת אשר דיבר להם.
The Zohar (1:248:1) on the pasuk ‘and so (vezot) Yakov spoke to them. (Bereishis 49:28)
כי הטביע בהם בחי’ זאת.
This means that he engraved in them the concept of ‘zot’
שהפירוד נק’ אלה. ובחי’ הקדושה. מ”ש. חיות הש”י נק’ זאת.
For separation is referred to as ‘eile’ these, whereas in aspects of holiness when we refer to the life force od HaShem, this is called ‘zot’
ודיבר מלשון דבר א’ לדור.
And the word ‘diber’ – he spoke (וזאת אשר דיבר להם) is the concept of a leadership. As it says ‘one leader per generation’ (Rashi Devarim 31:7)
שלמד להם שינהגו כל מעשיהם ע”פ בחי’ זאת
This means that Yaakov was teaching them to act in all their ways with the aspect of ‘zot’
להיות נמשך הכל אחר נקודה הפנימיות כנ”ל. [וז”ש כל אלה כו’ וזאת כו’] והבן:
Meaning that everything in this world should be drawn to the inner aspect (pnimius) of it. As explained above (TRLA 1). [this is the meaning of the pasuk above
כָּל־אֵ֛לֶּה שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֑ר וְ֠זֹאת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר לָהֶ֤ם אֲבִיהֶם֙ וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אוֹתָ֔ם אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כְּבִרְכָת֖וֹ בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֹתָֽם׃
All these were the tribes of Yisrael, twelve in number, and this is what their father said to them as he bade them farewell, addressing to each a parting word appropriate to him.

אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה הגיד עמ”ש השבעה לי כו’ וישתחו ישראל כו’ ופרש”י שהי’ מטתו שלימה שהרי יוסף מלך כו’ ע”ש.
The Chidushei Harim explained Yaakov’s request that Yosed swear to him that he will bury Yaakov in Eretz Yisrael, ‘And Yaakov bowed down to Him HaShem)’. Rashi explains this was because his bed was complete and Yosef was a king (47:31)
ומה ענינו לשבועה זו.
But why is the swearing necessary, what is it’s connection to the events?
ופי’ שע”י השבועה שהוא התדבקות כל החיות ז’ מדות נתוודע בחי’ יוסף ליעקב ע”ש ודפח”ח.
The Chidushei Harim explained that the word ‘shavua’ swearing is connected to the word ‘shiva’ seven. For when one makes an oath, he connects all the seven traits (midos) to the life force. And it was therefore through this that Yosef’s aspect became known to Yaakov (as will be explained) ודברי פי חכם חן The words of wise man are pleasant.
ונ”ל להוסיף כי למה צריך להשביעו.
and I will explain why the taking of an oath was necessary.
ונראה כי לא הי’ זה דבר קטן מה שחגר יוסף מתניו להיות בזכותו הגאולה במצרים. וכ”כ חז”ל שע”י יוסף היו גדורין בעריות. וכן הים ראה וינס כו’.
For it seems that the fact that yosef was able to gird his loins (and not fall into the trap of eishet Potiphar) was no small matter, and as we know that it was in Yosef’s merit that Bnei Yisrael were able to stay away from immorality in Mitzrayim. as it says ‘the sea saw and ran’ (Bereishit Rabba 87:8 in the merit of Yosef running away from Pootiphar’s wife, the sea split from Bneit Yisrael)
וזה שלא נקבר יעקב בא”מ כ’ בזוה”ק ע”י שהבטיחו הש”י אנכי אעלך כו’ להיות נקבר בארץ ע”ש. ושם כ’ ויוסף ישית ידו כו’.
And the Zohar explains that the merit that Yaakov had to be buried in Erertz Yisrael was due to the promise that haShem made to him, ‘I will go up with you’ but it was on condition that ‘Yosef place his hands on your eyes (affairs)’
ונראה שכח יעקב נתן ליוסף.
This implies that what yaakov was doing here was actually giving over his power and energy to Yosef.
וע”י השבועה נתדבק בכל כחו וקיבל בחי’ יעקב להיות נשאר חי גם בתוך מצרים כו’.
And it was through the oath that Yosef was able to connect with all his energy – as explained that a shavua is connecting all of one’s seven traits to the source of HaShem – Yosef was able to receive this element of Yaakov, to be able to be alive (See above TRLA 1) in Mitzrayim.
וע”י שראה כי בניו קיבלו כוחו להיות נשארים אחר הסתלקותו בא”מ. השתחוה שזה בחי’ מיטתו שלימה.
And it was this therefore that caused Yaakov to prostrate himself before HaShem in gratitude, because he now saw that they had received his full energy that will remain after his death. And he bowed down for his bed was complete.
וז”ש ויראו כו’ כי מת אביהם כו’ לו ישטמנו כו’ כי הכירו שבחי’ אביהם נשאר אצל יוסף כי לא הי’ אצלם וע”כ נשאר אצל יוסף:
And therefore when Yaakov died, the brothers were afraid that perhaps Yosef would hate them etc (Bereishis 50:15), for they realised that this element of their father was no longer with them, and it was with Yosef.