English translation — ויגש ב

1.

In

(completion of the)

the number of the "seventy souls"

("All the souls etc. coming to Egypt seventy"¹)

that the Torah enumerates,

one finds several opinions in the midrashim of Chazal and the commentators of the Torah: in the Gemara²

it stands

(and according to one opinion in the midrash³)

that Yocheved completed the count of the seventy souls,

who was born between the walls — "she was conceived on the way and gave birth between the walls"⁴.

And this is also the view of Rashi in his commentary on the Torah⁵

according to the plain meaning of the verse.

According to Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer⁶

(and an opinion in the midrash⁷)

"the Holy One, blessed be He, entered into the count with them"⁸.

Several commentators of the Torah⁹

assume

(and so there is also an opinion in the Midrash¹⁰),

that the count of seventy souls was together with Jacob¹¹.

One must understand: What is the reasoning and rationale behind the differences of opinion as to who is included in the seventy souls?

Even more: Not only are they differing opinions,

but the difference between them is from one extreme to the other: According to the opinion that Jacob completed the count,

and it is obvious according to the opinion that "the Holy One, blessed be He, entered into the count with them",

the full count of seventy souls was completed through the highest and the most complete of all the seventy souls; in contrast, according to the opinion that Jochebed is counted among the seventy souls,

it turns out,

that the completion was through the very lowest level*¹¹,

— a daughter of Israel who was just born — "born between the walls".

Also: how does it come,

that Rashi,

who interprets the plain meaning of Scripture,

teaches that in the number of “seventy souls” is

included Yocheved¹²,

who is mentioned in Scripture only in Shemot¹³

— and not Yaakov,

as several <b>simple-interpreters</b> of Scripture explain?

And although from the plain meaning of the verse's language "all the souls of his sons and his daughters thirty-three"*&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;

it implies that Jacob is &lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;included in the

(thirty-three — and consequently also not in the)

seventy souls

that this means the souls besides Jacob&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;,

and it is explicit in the verse&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

"And all the souls &lt;b&gt;that came out of Jacob's thigh &lt;/b&gt;were seventy souls"]&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;

— this itself requires explanation: What is the reason that Jacob himself is not included in the number of the 70 souls — he too came to Egypt together with all the souls of his sons and his daughters?

B.

At first glance one can explain the reason for the differences of opinion — and with the introduction of the precision in the language of Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer and the Midrash

(and Rashi)

(regarding the completion by the Holy One, blessed be He, and Yocheved)

In the PDR"A it says the phrase "And when they came to the border of Egypt, all the males were counted sixty

and six, and Joseph and his two sons, behold seventy minus one,

and it is written¹⁷

With seventy souls <b>went down</b> your fathers to Egypt,

What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? <b>He entered with them into the count</b> and they rose to the number seventy, to fulfill what is said¹⁸

I <b>will go down</b> with you to Egypt”; but in the Midrash¹⁹

he bases himself on the wording of the verse "All the souls <b>coming etc.</b> and the sons of Joseph who were born to him...

seventy"

(and he explains)

"This is Jochebed who completed the count of Israel in Egypt"²⁰.

4.

5.

: In the above-mentioned midrash it speaks

(mainly)

about the <b>descent</b>²¹

of the Children of Israel into the Egyptian exile — this is that "the Holy One, blessed be He, entered <b>with them </b>into the count,"

"I will descend with you to Egypt" — a necessity.

A giving of strength to the Children of Israel,

that being <b>in descent </b>in the Egyptian exile they should be able to overcome the difficulty of the servitude

(knowing that "I will <b>descend with you </b>to Egypt")

; and therefore also the expression "

(<b>entered</b>)

<b>with them</b>"

(or like the expression of the midrash "He completed <b>with them</b>")

— the Almighty is, as it were, together with them.

However, regarding Yocheved,

the emphasis is on "<b>the coming </b>to Egypt

(seventy)

" — the completion of the count of seventy souls in Egypt

(not connected with the <b>descent </b>into Egypt,

difficulty of the servitude)

; and in this Yocheved was the one who "completed the count of Israel" —

It is but not smooth:

Yocheved was from the few²²

from those who came to Egypt

(seventy)

who was present during the <b>hardship of the bondage</b> of Egypt

(the time that there was the ultimate descent into the exile of Egypt),

so how does this come that her completion of the count the Midrash connects specifically with

(the seventy)

"soul <b>coming</b> to Egypt" and not with "with seventy souls <b>descended</b> your fathers to Egypt"?

Also one must understand in the plain sense of the verse: "All the souls&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt;of the males &lt;/b&gt;were sixty-six etc."

Among the sixty-six are counted not only males but also Dinah and Serach bat Asher&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;?

3.

Commentators&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

base themselves on this,

that in the verse "All the souls that came with Jacob to Egypt etc." the count is stated in the feminine language — "all souls sixty-six",

and in the following verse "And the sons of Joseph" it is stated in the masculine language — "souls &lt;b&gt;two&lt;/b&gt;"?

Earlier: by the children of Leah and the children of Zilpah the count stands in feminine language — "thirty-three",

"sixteen souls"; and by the children of Rachel and the children of Bilhah — in masculine language: "all the souls fourteen",

"all souls seven"].

And one answers²⁶,

that since "females entered with them in the count",

among the children of Leah is also counted Dinah,

and among the children of Zilpah — Serach their sister the daughter of Asher,

therefore it is in feminine language; but regarding the children of Joseph

(and likewise regarding the children of Rachel and the children of Bilhah)

where there no females are counted,

the count is in masculine language.

The answer is however not smooth: if the calculation includes both males and females,

then according to the rules of grammar the number is used in masculine language²⁷

; and especially in our case that the females are a minority of a minority — two among the sixty-six

(one

(or two)

among the thirty-three children of Leah,

and one among the children of Zilpah)²⁸.

4.

The explanation in this:

In the number of 70 souls of Jews one finds in general two matters: a)

They are corresponding to the 70 nations²⁹

Which are

Connected with the 70 ministers above³⁰

; b)

They are connected with the number 70 among Jews³¹

— seventy elders,

Sanhedrin etc.³²

In general, these are the two matters and actions that needed to be accomplished through the descent of the 70 souls to Egypt: an action regarding Jews,

and an action in the world.

The exile of Egypt was indeed the preparation for the giving of the Torah and the receiving of the Torah³³,

that at the giving of the Torah it was revealed regarding Jews that "I am the Lord

(became)

your God" your strength³⁴

and your vitality³⁵,

and regarding the world in general — the connection and bond of Divinity with the world,

then was nullified the decree that the upper ones shall not descend to the lower ones and the lower ones shall not ascend to the upper ones³⁶.

And as an introduction to all this, the exile of Egypt had to be, both regarding Jews,

and regarding the world.

ה.

Our sages, of blessed memory, say that "the Patriarchs are the Merkavah"³⁷,

that "all their limbs, all of them, were holy and separated from matters of this world ..

all their days"³⁸

— they stood constantly in a state of bittul etc. and connection to G‑dliness,

and therefore by them there was

the indwelling of the Shechinah in actual revelation³⁹.

And in order that this level should be drawn down also to the lower souls which are related to the worlds of BY”A,

down to the lowest levels of Asiyah,

this is accomplished through the

(tribes and as they are divided among themselves into)

for the level of the tribes is in the manner that G‑dliness is drawn down into the worlds of BY”A⁴⁰.

But in order for the continuation to reach every soul,

it is not enough that it is drawn down by the

(tribes and)

70 souls,

70 souls,

rather it also needed their descent from the land of Israel into

(exile)⁴¹

Egypt,

a place where Godliness is not seen,

on the contrary — it is a place of concealment and hiding of Godliness.

And that even when one finds oneself in Egypt,

a land where "there is no fear of heaven among them"*⁴¹,

there too is heard by each one of the children of Israel the point of Judaism "believers"⁴²

— this effected that the Godliness that by the patriarchs should be drawn down and revealed to every soul of Israel,

and — until the end of all generations⁴³,

even to the lowest level⁴⁴.

The aspect of G‑dliness that was drawn and revealed to every Jew — is the matter of faith⁴⁵,

the simple faith of Jews in the Supreme One⁴⁶,

which expressed itself in “and the people believed”⁴⁷,

that the Supreme One

(can and)

will take them out of the exile of Egypt,

that by the Supreme One there are no hindrances and delays, G‑d forbid.

Which is the inner explanation of the statement of our Sages, of blessed memory⁴⁸

“They were not redeemed

(Israel)

our ancestors from Egypt except in the merit⁴⁹

of faith” — this is not a separate matter and merit,

but — the intent and purpose of the exile of Egypt.

And this was the preparation for Matan Torah,

that it should become "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt" — in every Jew until the end of all generations it should be felt in revelation that "Havayah

(is)

your God — your strength and your vitality".

And this is accomplished through "who took you out of the land of Egypt" — being taken out of Egypt and boundaries.

6.

Since the descent to Egypt is specifically connected with &lt;b&gt;70 &lt;/b&gt;souls&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;

— that

is

as the level of the tribes is drawn downward,

it spreads lower than they stand in the division of twelve

(tribes)

— it is so that Egypt,

the nakedness of the land,

should not completely conceal the spark of Divinity,

there is in the 70 ge-

must be drawn down a level and degree which is inherently higher than Egypt and boundaries of the order of the chain of descent of the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah,

and consequently higher than <b>the enclothing</b> in the land of Egypt —

This is the giving of power into the seventy souls,

that even in their descent to Egypt they should not become sunk in the concealment of the exile.

And this is the reason of the opinion that Yaakov,

whose level is Atzilus,

higher than the chain of descent,

completed

(was drawn into)

the count of seventy souls⁵¹.

The second opinion, however, adds — and in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer only this opinion is stated — that <b>Hashem</b> completed with them the count: since the entire matter of the Egyptian exile is so that the level of the Patriarchs should be drawn,

and among them and primarily — the aspect of Yaakov, the chosen among the Patriarchs⁵²

— to every soul,

even one at the lowest level,

this cannot be in a manner that in exile⁵³

of Egypt should be drawn and be heard

(at least — in concealment)

the aspect of Yaakov,

the world of Atzilus.

Because then the exile is not a true concealment,

and consequently the ultimate purpose of <b>the exile</b> cannot be accomplished as above⁵⁴.

But the completion through Hashem — He encompasses all worlds⁵⁵

— He can

Being with Jews &lt;b&gt;in &lt;/b&gt;exile,

He enters into a minyan with them,

And nevertheless He does not "hear" Himself because He is essentially holy

(Separate and distinct).

And consequently this is not contradictory&lt;sup&gt;56&lt;/sup&gt;

To the concealment of exile,

Which its essence is that no revelation of G‑dliness in the soul is heard.

7.

But that which Yocheved "completed the minyan of Israel in Egypt",

That she effected the completeness in

(the minyan of)

seventy souls,

Is it in this that there should be among them

(And was revealed)

The essence of faith.

The explanation in this: woman in general hints at the sefirah of malchus,

in which in malchus there are two extreme matters: "Her feet go down etc."⁵⁷,

which from this side there is a giving of place for exile; on the other hand she is called "and faith all this"⁵⁸

— from the side of the sefirah of malchus comes the matter of faith that "Your kingdom is a kingdom of all worlds",

that the vitality and existence of all worlds is taken from the attribute of His kingship, may He be blessed,

And so it was by Yocheved: Yocheved was born at the entrance of Egypt,

not like the others of the seventy souls,

who were born earlier,

and specifically she was in the time of the difficulty of the bondage.

But on the other hand — the matter of the redemption came through her son Moshe,

who effected and revealed the faith among all Jews; and also Yocheved herself

(together with her daughter Miriam)

— the Hebrew midwives with

Their conduct of “<b>and they revived</b> the children”⁵⁹

— they educated and awakened among the Jews the faith and trust in Hashem,

not to be impressed by Pharaoh and his decrees.

8.

And based on this one can explain that which the count of “sixty-six”

(from “all the souls coming to Jacob to Egypt”),

and likewise “thirty-three” of the children of Leah,

is said in the feminine language — because the main essence and activity of the Egyptian exile

(faith)

is connected with the aspect of feminine,

the sefirah of malchut,

And as we also see in practice&lt;sup&gt;60&lt;/sup&gt;

that the matter of faith is more revealed among women than among men*&lt;sup&gt;60&lt;/sup&gt;.

And in general this is connected with the tribes,

the lower chariot,

a chariot to the aspect of kingship&lt;sup&gt;61&lt;/sup&gt;,

i.

e.

the content of the matter of the aspect of the feminine is in general among the tribes&lt;sup&gt;62&lt;/sup&gt;,

which are connected with kingship as it descends into the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah.

But not so the patriarchs are the upper chariot,

in Atzilut,

above the investment in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah,

and likewise is the level of Joseph,

as is known&lt;sup&gt;63&lt;/sup&gt;.

That is why the number is written in feminine language "sixty-six" by all

other tribes,

but not⁶⁴

regarding Joseph⁶⁵.

In particular, however, is the completeness in the number of seventy souls

("the descent to Egypt"),

in the descent — connected with Yocheved⁶⁶

(aspect of "woman")

who was born between the walls,

as above.

9.

The question remains: why does he specify to say

(in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer)

: "All the <b>males</b> were counted⁶⁷

sixty-six"?

Indeed, there it does not speak about the matter of faith,

which is more relevant to a woman,

but in "males" it is emphasized

(not

(only)

the matter of not being swallowed up in exile,

but rather)

taking in the exile — "a man's way is to conquer"⁶⁸?

So the explanation of this is: the descent of the 70 souls into Egypt is its matter,

as above,

on

To effect the nullification and clarification

(also)

in the world,

among the seventy nations and the seventy princes.

And in this nullification and clarification there are two modes: as it is from the aspect of the male principle — Zeir Anpin⁶⁹,

and as this is from the aspect of the female principle — Malchut.

From the aspect of the male principle is — “A man’s way is to conquer”,

that conquest in general is in a manner of against the will of the one whom one conquers,

i.

e.

that the mode of nullification by way of conquest is that the thing is taken over and passes into a different domain,

but regarding its own existence it is not changed.

But the nullification through refinement is in a manner that the thing itself is changed,

which is the role and manner of service of a woman — she changes and corrects the food so that it becomes fit for eating⁷⁰.

And likewise in spiritual matters,

in the nullification of the stars and constellations,

and in particular — the seventy princes,

from whom comes the influence in the world: the exile⁷¹

Egypt revealed and disclosed not only among Jews,

but also among the nations of the world,

that the seventy princes have no dominion and authority of their own,

until — even no existence of their own.

D.

E.

The signs and wonders and the downfall of Pharaoh and Egypt have effected that also Pharaoh and Egypt believed and acknowledged that "I <b>Hashem</b> am in the midst of the <b>land</b>"⁷²

And the constellations and planets have no dominion

Not,

They are only like an axe in the hand of the hewer,

And as the <b>magicians</b> said "the finger of God it is"⁷³.

Yud.

This matter occurs primarily from the aspect of the attribute of kingship, which is the root of place and time⁷⁴,

and from the influence to the seventy ministers.

Therefore, it is heard in them

(and consequently — also in the seventy nations below),

that His kingship rules over all,

that they have no independent existence and their existence and dominion is only from the aspect of the attribute of kingship.

From the aspect of Elokus which is above the world,

and in general — the aspect of Zeir Anpin,

the nullification is in a manner that there is entirely no place for an existence besides Him, blessed be He,

that from the aspect of that level of Elokus the seventy ministers are in absolute nullification,

even not an existence like an axe in the hand of the hewer.

This is analogous to the matter of conquest,

their nullification is not from their essence and existence,

but from G‑dliness which is completely above the world.

Yes.

And this is the difference

(in relation to the action in the world and the seventy ministers)

between the explanation in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer "all the males were counted sixty-six, and Joseph and his two sons etc. The Holy One, blessed be He, entered with them"

(and likewise the opinion that Jacob completed them),

and the opinion that Jochebed completed the count:

From the fact that "all the males were counted, sixty-six, and Joseph and his two sons",

the action is in a manner of conquest⁷⁵,

nullification

their existence entirely,

and as the midrash⁷⁶

says regarding Joseph: "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt⁷⁷

the m.d.a. ruled over them⁷⁸

he went down from sea to sea, he subdued them"; and since this comes from the aspect that is above the world,

there must be in this the perfection of the aspect of G-dliness that is above the chain of descent,

the empowerment from the Holy One, blessed be He — the aspect of Sovev Kol Almin — enters <b>with them</b>,

or at least from Jacob — the soul of Atzilut.

From the aspect of bechinas malchus,

that the bittul is in and from their very existence itself,

and therefore this is more effective in the emunah among the nations of the world

below,

by Pharaoh and Egypt — the completeness of the seventy souls was revealed through Yocheved,

that specifically she "completed the count"

(not "completed <b>with them</b>").

12.

And it may be said,

that the difference between the interpretations is in accordance with the different levels of the commentators of these interpretations:

PDR"A and Midrash in general — &lt;b&gt;Aggadah &lt;/b&gt;of the Torah,

which most secrets of the Torah&lt;sup&gt;80&lt;/sup&gt;

that it is the wisdom of Kabbalah and knowledge of G-d hidden in Aggadot&lt;sup&gt;81&lt;/sup&gt;,

is the part of the Torah that is higher than

(clothing in)

world&lt;sup&gt;82&lt;/sup&gt;

And consequently, there the existence of the world has no importance — therefore according to them the

(main the)

explanation that "the Holy One, blessed be He, entered into a count with them",

which from this perspective the conquest is in a manner of complete nullification of the seventy princes.

From the side of the commentators of the Torah,

who have a connection to Mikra

(which is in Asiyah⁸³),

but their interpretation is not entirely according to the plain meaning,

the interpretation that the Holy One, blessed be He, entered with them — the nullification and conquest of the world from the aspect of Sovev Kol Almin which is above the chain of descent — does not have so much place,

they therefore interpret that Yaakov completed with them,

that Yaakov

(Yud Akev)

is drawn down into Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah through the tribes

(although he himself does not descend)

and from his side the nullification of the world has some connection to the existence of the world itself.

According to Rashi’s interpretation — the plain meaning of the verse itself — which is connected to Asiyah⁸⁴

itself,

the nullification of the world from its very root is heard,

so that then the clarification and nullification are more internal,

connected to its very existence.

And from this side is the interpretation that "Yocheved completed the count of Israel."

And this corresponds with the intention of exile and the Exodus from Egypt — M.T.,

that then there was revealed not only the nullification of the world,

but also the granting of power that the unity of G‑d should be heard in the reality of the world from the aspect

itself and its essence⁸⁵.

And as this expressed itself in the giving of the Torah itself,

that in addition to that which no bird chirped, no fowl flew, no ox lowed, etc.⁸⁶,

the voice of "Anochi Hashem" came⁸⁷

from all four directions of the world and heaven and earth⁸⁸.

<b>And along these lines: </b>As also is related in the Gemara⁸⁹

that at the time of the giving of the Torah, "His voice went from one end of the world to the other," the nations of the world became frightened and

(came to Balaam to ask — and when he told them that "Hashem gives strength to His people," they calmed down and)

said, "Hashem will bless His people with peace"⁹⁰.

13.

Just as it was by the exile of Egypt,

that specifically Yocheved completed the count — through her there began the nullification of the world from the perspective of the existence of the world itself,

as mentioned above,

So too is this also in this last exile,

which is the introduction and preparation for the future redemption,

when there will be the state of "And <b>all flesh</b> shall see etc. that the mouth of the Lord has spoken"⁹¹,

that the physical world itself will be refined and "see" the "mouth of the Lord"⁹²

And on which it is said that she will be like the days of your exodus from Egypt

(Show us wonders)⁹³

— which as reward

(In merit)

Righteous women who were in that generation, Israel was redeemed from Egypt⁹⁴,

So too in the future and imminent redemption through the work of the women and daughters of Israel.

What therefore one sees,

that the three commandments which were given over to the women of Israel — lighting candles of holy Shabbat and Yom Tov,

challah

( — kashrut of eating and drinking)

and family purity — are in this manner:

The aforementioned commandments are actions which are connected with such human needs which are present and necessary by virtue of &lt;b&gt;its nature&lt;/b&gt; also among non-Jews — lighting

(in order not to stumble over wood and stone),

eating,

and family life;

And the service of the women of Israel is,

that the same actions should be done specifically in a <b>Jewish</b> manner — the kindling of the light is connected with Shabbat and Yom Tov,

<b>Kashrut</b> of eating and drinking,

and <b>family purity</b>,

And this is the preparation that the physicality of the world itself will become refined until — And all flesh shall see together that the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

(From the talk of Shabbat Parshat Vayigash 5732)