English translation — ויחי א

Sicha 1<pg>236</pg>

A.

And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died upon me etc. on the way etc. and I buried her there on the way etc.<sup>1</sup>,

And Rashi explains<sup>2</sup>

"And I, when I came from Paddan etc.,

And even though I trouble you to bring me to be buried in the land of Canaan, and I did not do so for your mother, for she died near Bethlehem..

And I buried her there<sup>3</sup>,

And I did not bring her even to Bethlehem to bring her into the land, and I know that you have [something] in your heart against me, but know that by the word [of G-d] I buried her there, so that she should be a help for her children when they go into exile<sup>4</sup>

them Nebuzaradan, and they were passing by that way, Rachel came out on her grave and weeps and asks for mercy for them, as it is said<sup>5</sup>

A voice is heard in Ramah etc. and the Holy One, blessed be He, answers her<sup>6</sup>

There is reward for your work, says the Lord etc., and the children shall return to their border".

And it is not understood:

Several of the commentators on the Scripture explained the verse "And I, when I came, etc." — that in the language of the verse itself, Jacob's apology is explained for not having brought Rachel to the Cave of Machpelah,

like the commentary of the Ramban<sup>7</sup>

that "she died on the way suddenly and he could not bury her there

(in the Cave of Machpelah)

because how could he leave his children and his cattle on the way etc.'",

or like the commentary of the Sforno that "so greatly did my preoccupation and my mourning overcome me that I did not have strength to bring her etc.'"<sup>8</sup>

— And why did Rashi abandon these commentaries that are according to the plain meaning,

and adopt words of Aggadah that have no hint at all in Scripture<sup>9</sup>?

And on the contrary,

according to Rashi's commentary it is found,

that "the wonder of the matter"<sup>10</sup>

(the conduct of Jacob,

that he buried Rachel on the way and did not bring her even to Bethlehem)

is explained in the verse,

whereas the main point,

the reason for this conduct,

is not mentioned at all in the verse!

Also one must be precise in the language of Rashi in the response of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Rachel<sup>11</sup>,

"There is reward for your work, says the Lord, etc.

(And children shall return to their border)

" — and it is not understood,

that no "work" of Rachel is mentioned here for which she deserves reward

("There is reward for your work"),

but only that she "asks for them mercy",

[In the commentaries<sup>12</sup>

they brought the words of the Midrash<sup>13</sup>,

<pg>237</pg>

That in her request Rachel mentioned that she brought her rival

(Leah)

into her house and gave her the signs etc.,

And to this the Holy One, blessed be He, answered her "There is reward for your deed"

("For your deed and your righteousness that you gave your signs to your sister"¹⁴),

But in Rashi here he did not mention this at all¹⁵],

And seemingly it would be fitting to bring here¹⁶

the continuation of the words of the Holy One, blessed be He,¹⁷

"And there is hope for your future, says the Lord"

(And especially that this is said in immediate proximity to "And the children shall return to their border")?

2.

And this will be understood with the prior addition of explanation in the words of Rashi that Yaakov said to Yosef "I know that there is in your heart against me",

which superficially is not understood:

From this itself, that Yaakov did not apologize before Yosef during all the years about the burial of Rachel on the road,

it implies¹⁸,

that the main grievance of Yosef was aroused after Yaakov made him swear to trouble himself to bring him to the land of Canaan and to bury him there,

[And as is also understood from Rashi's wording "And even though I trouble you to take me to be buried in the land of Canaan, and I did not do so for your mother etc.",

that is, the complaint about "I did not do so for your mother" is a result of this "that I trouble you to take me etc."],

And at first glance it is perplexing,

for this appears like a feeling of revenge, heaven forbid,

that regarding the essence of the matter, Joseph had no complaint against Jacob,

and only when he troubled him to take him to the land of Canaan then there was awakened in him a feeling of complaint about that he did not trouble to bury Rachel in the Cave of Machpelah — and did Jacob suspect Joseph of this¹⁹?

And therefore it seems to me that Rashi's intention in "I know that you have a grievance against me" is not regarding a matter of complaint²⁰

— for heaven forbid to suspect Joseph that he had a claim against Jacob for not burying Rachel in the Cave of Machpelah,

for certainly Joseph understood that Jacob did everything in his power to bury Rachel in the Cave of Machpelah

(that she would be buried together with him),

and especially knowing the greatness of Jacob's love for Rachel,

and if Jacob did not do so, certainly he is not at all guilty in this —

But the precise point is "there is in your heart against me": despite the fact that he understands intellectually that there is no reason to blame Yaakov,

nevertheless, after all, Rachel lacks this virtue of burial in the Cave of Machpelah,

and since the lack exists,

"there is in his heart" of Yosef against Yaakov<sup>21</sup>,

that the feeling of pain in the heart remains,

for why should Rachel's portion be diminished that she not be buried in the Cave of Machpelah<sup>22</sup>?

<pg>238</pg>

And the intensity of this feeling was aroused in Yosef when Yaakov told him to bring him to be buried in the land of Canaan in the Cave of Machpelah,

which emphasizes the greatness of the virtue of burial in the Cave of Machpelah,

to the extent that because of this he troubles Yosef

(and in public, and even though he treated him with honor)

to bring him there — this greatly increases the feeling of lack for Rachel who did not merit to be buried there.

And in order to nullify this feeling from the heart of Yosef,

Yaakov said "And I, when I came etc. and I buried her there etc.",

And as Rashi explains that Yaakov explained to Yosef "that by the word [of G-d] I buried her there, that she should be for help for her children etc.".

And it is resolved simply the reason that Rashi needed to bring these words of Aggadah,

And he did not explain like the aforementioned peshat commentators

(other version)

— because according to their explanation there is here only words of excuse that Yaakov was not guilty in this,

And there is in these words [nothing] to nullify what is in the "heart" of Yosef; and only according to these words of Aggadah there is a reason for this that Rachel was buried on the road,

"that she should be for help for her children etc.",

And furthermore

(And the main point?)

this emphasizes a special quality in Rachel

(that specifically she brought the promise of the Holy One, blessed be He, "and children shall return to their border"),

and as below,

and therefore there is in this a sufficient answer that removes this feeling that is in the heart.

Explanation of the matter:

That Jacob buried Rachel on the road "according to the word..

that it should be for help for her children etc.'",

the intention is not that Rachel is diminished for the sake of her children's benefit,

but on the contrary,

since this is the redemption of Rachel's children — this is Rachel's benefit and happiness,

certainly Rachel herself would agree to this and demand it²³.

And one can say,

that this is the intention of Rashi in bringing the verse "

(And the Holy One, blessed be He, answers her)

There is reward for your work, says the Lord" — and he does not mention any action of Rachel — because his intention is for this very thing that she was buried on the road,

that this is in order "that she should be for help to her children",

that this that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Jacob to do so is because this is her will and desire of Rachel.

In a slightly different style: the supplication for mercy of Rachel specifically has the power to bring the promise "And the children shall return to their border",

in the merit of this "action",

that she is prepared to forgo the advantage of burial in the Cave of Machpelah in order "that she should be for help to her children".

3.

Based on this, one can explain

(at least in the inwardness of the matter)

the continuation of the verses,

that this matter Jacob said to Joseph in continuation of his words about Ephraim and Menasseh

[And already the commentators wondered<sup>24</sup>

— that Yaakov should have preceded these words of apology to his request beforehand,

when he adjured him "and you shall carry me up from Egypt and bury me in their burial place"<sup>25</sup>,

and not in this occasion in which he did not mention at all about his burial in the land of Canaan

(but only words of blessing<sup>26</sup>,

and that Ephraim and Menashe will enter into the count of the rest of the tribes to take a portion in the land<sup>27</sup>)]

One can say that in this he hinted to him the reason that "your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt until my coming to you to Egypt, they are mine"<sup>28</sup>

:

This that also sons who were born in the land of Egypt

("until I come to you")

enter "in the count of the rest of the sons"²⁹,

it is because of the merit of Rachel,

since she was prepared to be buried on the road

(not together with Jacob)

so that "she would be a help for her children",

therefore she merited,

that the sons of her son³⁰

who were born "in the land of Egypt until I come to you, to Egypt

(not in proximity to Jacob)

— they are mine".

D.

And behold it is stated in the Gemara³¹

on this verse "And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died on me",

that "a woman dies only to her husband",

and it is explained in the Chiddushei Aggadot of Maharsha,

that this statement comes in continuation of what is said in the sugya there before this³²

about "his first wife"

("wife of youth"),

for this that Jacob said "Rachel died on me",

"even though he had other wives",

it is because "he found peace of mind only in her, who is his first wife³³

and the mainstay of the house"

[and as also brought in Rashi on the Torah³⁴

that Rachel was "the mainstay of the house",

and likewise it is stated in the Midrash³⁵

that "Rachel was the foundation of the house",

to the extent that because of this "Israel were called by her name"].

And according to the above, it can be said,

that the two matters in this verse

(a)

Jacob's apology for burying Rachel on the road,

so that "she would be for help for her children",

(b)

the precision "Rachel died upon me",

which emphasizes that she was the "mainstay of the house" — are connected to each other³⁶.

For this quality that we find in Rachel — the forgoing of her own advantage

(to be buried with our father Jacob in the Cave of Machpelah)

so that "she would be for help for her children" — this is the primary quality that exists in every worthy Jewish woman,

that her role is to be the "mainstay of the house".

Explanation of the matter:

Even though the rule "I was created to serve my Creator"<sup>37</sup>

applies to men and women equally,

nevertheless there is a difference between the man and the woman<sup>38</sup>,

that the main matter of the service of God of the man is — engagement in Torah and prayer and fulfillment of all the commandments,

and in this is included

(since he needs to engage in livelihood and business of sustenance<sup>39</sup>

—)

also his service "in all your ways know Him"<sup>40</sup>

and "all your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven"<sup>41</sup>

; but regarding women — they are exempt from positive time-bound commandments<sup>42</sup>

(and likewise they are exempt from Torah study<sup>43</sup>),

since they need to be occupied with household needs

(as explained in the early authorities<sup>44</sup>

that for this reason a woman is exempt from positive time-bound commandments — because household needs are upon her).

And perhaps one could say that in this the superiority of women is evident: In men,

the main matter of their service of God is in a revealed manner,

and therefore this service can cause a feeling of satisfaction

("happy with his portion"<sup>45</sup>)

and from this — to a feeling of selfhood

(at least<pg>239</pg>

In the finest of fine details⁴⁶)

; unlike by women.

And with this is explained the reason for the distinction regarding lineage,

that the essence and entirety of the name Israel depends specifically on the mother,

that one born to a Jewish mother is a Jew

(even when the father is not Jewish),

but the particulars,

the distinctions among the children of Israel themselves — Kohen, Levi, Israel — depend on the father's family:

To be a Jew — depends on this that he is a part of G‑d from above literally⁴⁷,

above division into details; whereas the distinctions of Kohen, Levi, Yisrael,

which are different levels in the revelation of holiness,

this depends on the person whose service of G‑d is in matters of revealed holiness.

5.

And this is the intention of Yaakov in his saying to Yosef "And although I trouble you to bring me to be buried in the land of Canaan and I did not do so for your mother etc." — this is the difference between Yaakov and Rachel:

From the aspect of Yaakov's essence and service, he needs to be buried in the Cave of Machpelah,

together with the other patriarchs — in a state and place of revealed holiness;

And the unique virtue of Rachel⁴⁸

— "the mainstay of the house",

"the mistress of the house" — that she forgoes her own perfection and virtue to be buried in the Cave of Machpelah,

so that "she may be a help to her children",

And in this itself — children who will be after many generations,

and children who will be in an undesirable state and condition,

to such an extent that they will be liable for exile; and for the sake of those children who sinned and were exiled — our mother Rachel forgoes the merit of burial in the Cave of Machpelah together with our father Yaakov for hundreds and thousands of years,

so that through this she can be "a help to her children".

And this is the reason that she brought the promise of "and children shall return to their border" — since she forwent her own level,

for the sake of these children,

from the aspect of the essential connection between her and them

(in whatever state they may be),

this draws from above "measure for measure",

that despite their revealed state of the children

(who were liable for exile),

the Holy One, blessed be He, promised "and children shall return to their border",

that since they are children, surely they will return to their border,

in the true and complete redemption,

speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbat Parshat Vayechi 5746)