Bar-Ilan University
Parashat Vayigash 5772/December 31, 2011
Parashat Hashavua Study Center
Lectures on the weekly Torah reading by the faculty of Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. A
project of the Faculty of Jewish Studies, Paul and Helene Shulman Basic Jewish Studies Center, and the
Office of the Campus Rabbi. Published on the Internet under the sponsorship of Bar-Ilan University's
International Center for Jewish Identity. Prepared for Internet Publication by the Computer Center
Staff at Bar-Ilan University.
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Jacob's Descent to Egypt
Shaul Regev1
Jacob's descent to Egypt, after having learned that his son Joseph was still alive and ruled
over all of Egypt, raises several questions. Scripture tells us that as soon as he heard that
Joseph was alive, Jacob packed up all his belongings and set out on the journey to Egypt. He
reached as far as Beer Sheba, or perhaps went there especially, since it is doubtful whether
it lies along the usual route to Egypt. Having arrived there, at the place where his father had
built an altar, "he offered sacrifices to the G-d of his father Isaac" (Gen. 46:1), and spent the
night there. That night he dreamt a prophetic dream in which the Holy One, blessed be He,
made him several promises and encouraged him to continue on his journey to Egypt.
According to Abarbanel, these promises were in response to Jacob's questions and
uncertainties, being afraid to go to Egypt for four reasons:
1.
Fear lest the Egyptians kill him and his sons – regarding which the Lord told him,
"Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will make you there into a great nation" (Gen.
46:3). In saying this, He also informed him that the return from Egypt would not be
immediate.
2. Wondering whether Divine Providence would watch over him in Egypt, too –
regarding which the Lord answered him, "I Myself will go down with you to Egypt"
(Gen. 46:4)
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Professor Shaul Regev teaches at the Department of Jewish History.
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3. Concern lest he die and be buried in Egypt – regarding which the Lord assured him,
"I Myself will bring you back," meaning that he would be buried along with his
forefathers in the family burial place.
4. Worrying lest Joseph die in his lifetime, thus turning his joy into mourning –
regarding which the Lord said, "Joseph's hand shall close your eyes."
Yet we are left wondering about the significance of this stopover in Beer Sheba and the
sacrifices offered there, in the wake of which the Lord was revealed to him? Abarbanel
explains this in terms of Jacob's attempt to obtain official permission for his journey to
Egypt, since he knew that the Lord had forbidden his father Isaac to go down to Egypt to
escape famine. True, Abraham had gone down to Egypt for the very same reason, but when
he went to Egypt he had not yet been designated as sacred by the mark of circumcision –
something which only happened later in his life. After Abraham's circumcision and the
binding of Isaac, the family attained a special sanctity and Divine Providence that could only
pertain in the land of Israel. When Jacob reached the border of the land of Canaan, he did
not know whether the prohibition applied only to his father or to succeeding generations as
well. Therefore the Lord appeared to him in a dream at night and informed him that he had
permission to go down to Egypt and that he would not lose Divine Providence, rather it
would continue to accompany him even in Egypt. From this one could conclude that Jacob
offered sacrifices in order to sanctify himself so that the prophetic spirit would be on him
and he could ask the Lord about continuing his journey and leaving the land. After the
Revelation he could continue on his way to Egypt (cf. Abarbanel, p. 419):
Scripture intends to convey that Jacob very much wanted to go down to Egypt and
see Joseph, but on the other hand he was afraid to leave the holy land over which
lay Divine Providence. He knew that although Abraham had gone down to Egypt,
after the binding of Isaac the Holy One, blessed be He had told Isaac not to go down
to Egypt since the land of Egypt was full of sorcery and delusion that contradicted
the integrity of the intellect… For this reason Jacob had been afraid to leave the holy
land and go to Haran until the Lord had promised him, "Remember, I am with you: I
will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land." At that time
he had undertaken that upon his return he would worship the Lord at that place.
Therefore, now that force of circumstance was compelling him to go down to Egypt,
he came to Beer Sheba, that being the place from which he had set out when he had
been afraid of leaving the land and had been promised divine protection. He came
to pray there and offer sacrifices to the Lord, the G-d of his father Isaac, whom the
Lord had told not to go down to Egypt… He intended to ask Him for permission to go
down to Egypt.
A similar interpretation is given by R. Isaac Caro, who raises two questions: 1) Why did Jacob
not offer his sacrifices before setting out on the journey, but only once he had reached Beer
Sheba? 2) What was the nature of the Lord's promise to Jacob, for no mention is made of
Jacob fearing lest he be a small nation? Regarding the first question, Caro answers that Beer
Sheba was on the southern border of Canaan, and Jacob feared lest the Lord not permit him
to leave the land, just as He had forbidden his father Isaac. Therefore he offered sacrifices in
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Beer Sheba, on the same altar his father had built to the Lord, and there he asked for
permission to leave the land. To the second question Caro responds (Toledot Yitzhak,
Parashat Va-Yigash):
Since Abraham had not been blessed with children outside the land, nor Isaac,
therefore He now told him, "You will be the opposite of your fathers, to whom I had
said they should go to the land of Israel and then they will be blessed with offspring;
but to you I say, 'for I will make you there into a great nation'."
R. Eliezer Ashkenazi follows his predecessors, except that he adds that Jacob was not
decisive in heading for Egypt even though he wanted to see his son, for it was hard for him
to countenance leaving the land of Israel. The previous time that he left the land, when he
fled from his brother Esau, the Lord had revealed Himself to him and assured him that He
would be with him the entire time, but this time he had not yet received any such assurance.
Jacob wondered whether his status was like that of Abraham, who received permission to go
down to Egypt, or perhaps like that of Isaac, who was not granted such permission.
Therefore he sought guidance and confirmation from the Lord by offering sacrifices, the
necessary action for the Divine Presence and prophetic spirit to descend on him (R. Eliezer
Ashkenazi, Ma`asei Hashem, Parashat Va-Yigash).
A different tune is sounded by R. Shabtai Ha-Cohen. In his opinion, Jacob offered sacrifices
so that the Lord would not prevent him from going to Egypt, since he was determined to do
so. Knowing that the Lord had prevented his father from going, he was essentially "bribing"
the Lord not to prevent him from going (R. Shabtai Hacohen, Sfatei Cohen 26b): "He offered
Him sacrifices so that He would not hinder him. Therefore He said to him, 'Fear not,' as if to
say, 'Not only will I not hinder you; quite the contrary, I will go with you.'"
R. Moses Albildah viewed these sacrifices as a sin offering, advance atonement for the sin of
leaving the land. According to a remark of the Sages, a person who resides outside of Israel
is like someone who has no G-d (Ketubot 110b), that being in Jacob's eyes the reason Isaac
had not left the land of Israel. He was also apprehensive lest he not enjoy Divine Providence
in Egypt as he had in the land of Israel, and in response to this the Lord told him, "He would
make him a great nation, both in quantity and quality, insofar as there, too, Jacob would
enjoy His providence, for wherever a righteous person goes, there the Lord's providence
goes as well" (R. Moses Albildah, Olat Tamid 102a).
R. Haim Vital, a 16th-century rabbi from the land of Israel, knew well the trade routes
between Israel and Egypt, and knew that they did not pass through Beer Sheba, rather
through Gaza. Therefore he wondered why Jacob passed through there on his way to Egypt.
He suggested it was to pray that his children not perish in exile because of harsh judgment.
According to Vital, both Abraham and Isaac, who had each spent several years of their life in
Beer Sheba, caused thousands of people to become Jews, and so Jacob prayed in this place
in order to evoke the merits of his forefathers on himself and his family, especially
mentioning the merits of Isaac (R. Haim Vital, Etz ha-Da`at Tov 50a).
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R. Shlomo Halevi summarizes others' approaches and further develops them. In his view,
Jacob was caught between his desire to see Joseph, on one hand, and his uncertainty as to
the Lord's response to such a move:
Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! – By this he meant to say: What a marvelous,
wonderful thing it was that after all these years since he said good-bye to me, and
especially since he assimilated among the Egyptians and rose to greatness, that my
son is still alive (meaning he was still alive and well), and that being so it will not be
taken to my discredit if I go see him before I die. But he was not altogether decided
about going, since first he wished to consult the Divine Presence, for he feared it
might not find favor with the Almighty, be it regarding that which he was leaving or
that to which he was going.
R. Shlomo Halevi brings up a personal aspect of Jacob the man, as well as a national aspect
of Jacob the patriarch. Would his going to Egypt not lead to his sons assimilating in Egypt?
He also feared for himself, lest he die and be buried there, and thus bring upon himself the
punishment of a painful afterlife journey, for if he were buried in Egypt, outside the land, his
body would become impure. Therefore he came to Beer Sheba to pray at the site where his
father had built an altar, thus alluding to the measure of judgment. Jacob was not asking Gd to treat him and his sons with the mercy accorded Abraham, which stemmed from the
Lord's beneficence, rather he wished that beneficence might be due him and his sons
according to the harsh measure of justice accorded to Isaac. The Lord was revealed to him
and assured him that He would combine the measure of mercy with the measure of justice,
and with both of these His Providence would extend over Israel and they would be delivered
(Divrei Shlomo 312b):
Moreover, out of his fear lest they become assimilated among the Egyptians, or lest
he die and be buried there, he went specifically to Beer Sheba, intending to pray
there, to ask his questions and consult the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the G-d of
his father Isaac – this indicates that he was not asking the Almighty whether by the
measure of mercy accorded Abraham he was permitted to go to Egypt, for it was not
unlikely that by the Lord's measure of mercy … such beneficence would be granted
him and he would be permitted to go see his son. Rather, he wished to know
whether by the measure of justice G-d agreed with what he wished to do. Or
perhaps he intended to please the force of justice, sweetening the verdict. Thereby
he also wished to say that he feared lest in going there he might be judged strictly
and be buried there, not having the good fortune to return to the land of Israel ever
again; and he feared for his offspring, lest they remain there on account of this sin.
Therefore the Lord, Blessed be He, answered him in like measure, … "I am G-d, the
G-d of your father" (Gen. 46:3), meaning: I will include the measure of mercy along
with the measure accorded your father, and therefore fear not to go down to Egypt,
for I will make you there into a great nation, separate and distinguished from the
Egyptians I shall make you there, so that My name be sanctified by you and you shall
be called a great nation insofar as you have G-d close to you.
Translated by Rachel Rowen
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