“ומקצה אחיו SOME OF HIS BRETHREN — Some of the inferior ones amongst them as to strength — of those who did not look robust. For should Pharaoh find them to be robust men he might press them for military service. The weaker brethren were as follows: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar and Benjamin, and it was they whose names Moses did not repeat when he blessed them. But the names of the strong ones he mentioned twice: (Deuteronomy 33:7) “And this is for Judah ... hear, Eternal, the voice of Judah”; (Deuteronomy 33:20) “And of Gad he said, Blessed he lie that extendeth Gad”; (Deuteronomy 33:25) “And of Naphtali he said, Naphtali ...” (Deuteronomy 33:22). “And of Dan he said Dan . . .”, and in like manner he repeated the names of Zebulun (Deuteronomy 33:18) and of Asher (Deuteronomy 33:24). This is the version of Genesis Rabbah 95:4 which is a Palestinian Agada. But in our Babylonian Talmud we find that those whose names Moses mentioned twice were the weaker of the brethren and it was these whom he (Joseph) brought before Pharaoh. But six are enumerated above as having their names mentioned twice and he brought only five before Pharaoh. The explanation is that it is true that Judah’s name is mentioned twice, but it is mentioned twice not because he was one of the weaker brethren, but there is another reason for this, as is stated in Bava Kamma 92a. In the Baraitha of Siphre on וזאת הברכה we have the same version as in our Babylonian Talmud.”

“TO SOJOURN IN THE LAND ARE WE COME; FOR THERE IS NO PASTURE FOR THY SERVANTS’ FLOCKS. I wonder about this reason which they told to Pharaoh, for there was also no pasture in Egypt; the famine was as severe in the land of Egypt as it was in the land of Canaan, or even more so, for it was against Egypt that the main decree was directed. Perhaps they said that in the land of Canaan, due to the severity of the famine, people were eating the grass of the field and were not leaving any sustenance for the cattle. However, in the land of Egypt where there is corn, people subsist on that, and thus in Egypt there is a little pasture left. It is possible that in the land of Egypt there was a little pasture in the reedgrass on account of the rivers and the ponds.”

“THY FATHER AND THY BRETHREN ARE COME UNTO THEE. This introduction is as if to say: “Now I have heard that your father and your brothers have come, and the land of Egypt is before you.” The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Your father and your brothers have come to you because they have heard of your glory, and it is upon you that they have cast their burden. See that you treat them well for it is your responsibility and it is within your power.””

“AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH. This refers to a salutation, as is customary for all who are granted an occasional interview with kings. Thus the language of Rashi. But this does not appear to be so, for it is not royal protocol for a person to greet the king, and the Rabbis have similarly said: “May a servant greet the king?” Instead, it refers to a real blessing which Jacob bestowed upon Pharaoh, for it is customary for aged and pious people who come before kings to bless them with wealth, possessions, honor, and the advancement of their kingdom, even as Scripture says, Let my lord king David live forever. Upon his taking leave of Pharaoh, Jacob again blessed him in order to take permission to leave. Our Rabbis have said that he blessed him that the Nile might rise at his approach.”

“Since he saw the old man was in extreme old age, he asked his age. "Jacob replied, 'The years of my sojourn on earth.' " See how all good people have the same attitude to this life as if living in a foreign land. I mean, hear what David also says later: "I am a sojourner upon earth, sojourning in a strange place"; while Jacob says, "The years of my sojourn on earth." Hence Paul too said about these good people that "they recognized they were strangers and sojourners on earth." "The years of my sojourn on earth," he says, "a hundred and thirty of them, have been few and harsh; they do not compare with the lifespan of my forebears." Here Jacob is referring to the years of servitude he endured under Laban in consequence of the flight made on account of his brother, and as well, following his return from there, the grief he suffered for so long on account of Joseph's death and all the misfortunes in the meantime. After all, how great do you think was the fear he had when in retribution for their sister the company of Simeon and Levi in one fell swoop wiped out a city and took captive everyone in Shechem? He said at that time, too, remember, to show the anguish with which he was stricken, "You have made me so hated as to be an enemy to the inhabitants of the land. I for my part am few in number, and if they assemble against me they will strike me and I shall be exterminated along with my house." Hence Jacob says, "Few and harsh have been the days of the years of my life."”

“FEW AND EVIL HAVE BEEN THE DAYS OF THE YEARS OF MY LIFE. I know no reason for this comment by our aged patriarch. Is it ethical for a person to complain to the king? And what sense is there in saying, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers? He may yet possibly attain them and live even longer than they did! It appears to me that our father Jacob had turned gray, and he appeared very old. Pharaoh wondered about his age, for most people of his time did not live very long as the lifespan of mankind had already been shortened. He therefore asked him, “How many are the days of the years of thy life, as I have not seen a man as aged as you in my entire kingdom?” Then Jacob answered that he was one hundred and thirty years of age, and that he should not wonder at the years he had lived for they are few when compared with the lifespans of his fathers who had lived longer. However, on account of their having been hard years of toil and groaning, he had turned gray and he appeared extremely old.”

“ויברך יעקב AND JACOB BLESSED [PHARAOH] — i.e. he gave him the salutation of peace as is usual for all who take their leave of princes — they salute them and depart. A Midrash however understands this more literally and asks, “What was the blessing with which he blessed him? That the waters of the Nile might rise at his approach Because Egypt does not drink (is not irrigated by) rain-water, but the waters of the Nile rise and irrigate it. And from the time when Jacob blessed him and henceforth, whenever Pharaoh came to the Nile it rose at his coming, overflowed its banks and watered the land. Thus it is stated in Tanchuma Yashan 4:2:26 to נשא.”

“And to that we also add that Joseph together with Benjamin was recognized by his brothers who had arrived, and he admitted them to his dining table, as I have just said. However, he did not give them any gift but ordered them to leave again in order that they bring to him the father, I mean, Jacob. After he came down and Joseph saw him there together with his children and family, he gave them the best parts of his land. This narrative is a clear sign that the Israelites themselves, by coming back in the latter times of the world, will be received by Christ, that is, when they will be in accord with the new people, that is symbolized, as I have said, by Benjamin. In addition, the inheritance we hope for will be given to us only by the holy fathers. As those who died in the faith, as the wise Paul says, "did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect," so we wait for the fathers, so that we will not be made perfect apart from them. In the same manner and together with the holy fathers of the first, the second and the last people we will receive the very good inheritance of the heavenly kingdom that is not made by human hands in Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to God the Father with the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.”

“AND JOSEPH SETTLED HIS FATHER AND HIS BRETHREN AND GAVE THEM A POSSESSION, etc. The meaning thereof is that he settled them in the choicest land and with the possession which he gave them since he did not want them to be as strangers in the land. Thus he bought them houses and gave them an inheritance of fields and vineyards. This he did with the permission of Pharaoh because they had said, “To sojourn in the land are we come, not to live, and when the famine will pass we will return to our land.” But Pharaoh said to Joseph, Settle thy father, meaning that he settle them in the manner of citizens of the land who reside in the land of Goshen.”

“"He gave everybody rations individually," the text says. What is meant by "everybody individually"? Enough for everyone. You see, it is customary with Scripture to refer to every person sometimes as a soul and sometimes as a body. As it said previously, "Jacob's company traveling to Egypt numbered seventy-five souls" so as to describe seventy-five men and women, so here too "everybody individually," that is, each person. Even though the whole of Egypt and Canaan was laid waste with famine, these people were comfortable through having a supply of grain flowing as if from a spring.”

“ולחם אין בכל הארץ AND THERE WAS NO BREAD IN ALL THE LAND — Scripture reverts now to the original subject, viz, to the account of the beginning of the years of famine. ותלה AND FAINTED — This is the same as ותלאה, it means to be wearied, as the Targum renders it. Another example of the root is (Proverbs 26:18) “Like one fatigued who casteth fire-brands”.”

“AND JOSEPH GATHERED UP ALL THE MONEY, etc. Scripture relates this and goes on to complete the subject in this entire section in order to make known Joseph’s excellence in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and that he was a faithful man in that he brought all money into Pharaoh’s house and did not accumulate for himself treasures of money and secret hiding places for wealth in the land of Egypt, or send it to the land of Canaan. Instead, he gave all money to the king who trusted him and purchased the land for him, and even the bodies of the Egyptians. Through this endeavor, he found grace even in the eyes of the people, for it is G-d Who causes those who fear Him to prosper.”

“AND WHEN THE MONEY WAS ALL SPENT IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND IN THE LAND OF CANAAN, ALL THE EGYPTIANS CAME UNTO JOSEPH, etc. Scripture mentions that the money in the land of Canaan had been exhausted because when the Egyptians came before Joseph they reminded him of this, for they said: “Since the money is also exhausted in the land of Canaan, and since they will no longer come to buy food, why should we die in thy presence? For the money is at an end, and you will cause our death in vain, for the food will remain in your hand, and no man shall buy it.””

“THEY CAME UNTO HIM IN THE SECOND YEAR. I.e., the second year of the years of the famine. Now although Joseph had said, And there are yet five years when there will be no plowing and sowing, as soon as Jacob came to Egypt a blessing came with his arrival, and they began to sow and the famine came to an end. And thus we read in the Tosephta of Tractate Sotah. means “addition.” This is a collection of Tannaitic teachings compiled by Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Oshayah soon after the Mishnah was completed by Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. Thus the language of Rashi. And it is similarly mentioned in Bereshith Rabbah: “Rabbi Yosei the son of Rabbi Chanina said that the famine lasted for two years, for when our father Jacob went down to Egypt the famine ceased. When did it return? In the days of Ezekiel, etc.” But if so, then Joseph’s words regarding his interpretation of [Pharaoh’s dream which predicted the seven years of famine] were not fulfilled, and would thus cause people to doubt his wisdom! Perhaps we shall say that the famine continued in the land of Canaan as Joseph had said, but in Egypt our father Jacob went down to the river in the presence of Pharaoh and all of Egypt, whereupon all his people saw that the waters in the Nile rose as he approached it, and thus they knew that G-d’s blessing was due to the prophet’s arrival. In that case, the verse stating, And Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to the want of their little children, applies to the remainder of the seven years and for as long as his father lived, for even after his father’s death, Joseph said, I will sustain you and your little ones. Yet, with all this, I wonder: for if so, then Pharaoh’s dream was not true since it only revealed the decree to him but not what would ultimately become of those seven years! Now I have seen there in the Tosephta of Tractate Sotah: means “addition.” This is a collection of Tannaitic teachings compiled by Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Oshayah soon after the Mishnah was completed by Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. “Rabbi Yosei said that as soon as our father Jacob died, the famine reverted to its former condition, etc.” We have further been taught in the Sifre: “And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. How did he bless him? [His blessing was] that the years of famine should cease. Nevertheless they were completed after Jacob’s death, as it is said, Now therefore fear ye not; I will sustain you. Now just as ‘sustaining’ mentioned above. by Scripture refers to years of famine, so also ‘sustaining’ mentioned here refers to years of famine. Rabbi Shimon says, ‘It is not a sanctification of G-d’s Name for the words of the righteous to be effective as long as they live, and then to be removed after their death.’ Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Shimon said, ‘I accept the opinion of Rabbi Yosei rather than that of my father, for it is indeed a sanctification of G-d’s Name for there to be a blessing in the world for the period that the righteous are in the world, and for the blessing to remove from the world when they leave.’” Thus far the text of the Tosephta. Thus the remaining five years of the famine were completed. The opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra is that these two years, [recounted in Verses 14-20, during which the Egyptians gave their money and cattle to Joseph in exchange for food], occurred after Jacob had come to Egypt, [and since there were two years of famine before he came to Egypt, this accounts for four of the seven years of famine]. And Ibn Ezra wrote as follows: “We find in homiletic texts of the Rabbis that the famine was removed by the merit of Jacob. It is also possible that there were three more years of famine, but that they were not as severe as the first four years which had passed.” But Ibn Ezra’s words are not at all correct. The account of the dream and its interpretation make all seven years alike, and, had it been as he said, Scripture would have mentioned the different nature of these three last years. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan during a period of five years, and he brought it to Pharaoh, for how is it possible for the money and cattle to be exhausted in one year? Rather, the money sufficed them for the entire five years, as is the usual way of the world. Now since nothing was initiated, and no change of any kind occurred during all these years, Scripture relates nothing about them except, And Joseph gathered up all the money, etc. When the money was exhausted, Scripture relates that they came to Joseph — this was in the sixth year of the famine — and he gave them bread in exchange for their cattle. He fed them with bread only to the extent of sustaining them, but not to satiety. And when that year was ended, in which he had vowed to them that he would feed them with bread in exchange for their cattle—which was the sixth year—they came unto him the second year, [i.e., the year following the sixth year of famine being discussed], and they told him that he should purchase them and their land for the bread which he will feed them during that seventh year, and since the land will then belong to Pharaoh, he should give them seed so that the land will not be desolate, for they knew that when the seven years of famine will be completed, they will have planting and reaping. The verse stating, And Joseph sustained his father…with bread, according to the want of their little ones, thus means that he furnished them with bread sufficient for their needs during the famine, as the expression, according to the want of their little ones, indicates.”

“ותן זרע GIVE US SEED — to sow in the ground. Although Joseph had said (Genesis 45:6) “And there are yet five years when there will be no plowing and sowing”, as soon as Jacob came to Egypt a blessing came with his arrival: they began to sow and the famine came to an end. Thus do we read in the Tosefta of Sotah (Tosefta Sotah 10:3). לא תשם means it shall not be desolate. The Targum renders it by לא תבור shall not be uncultivated, which has the same meaning as (Mishnah Peah 2:1) שדה בור an uncultivated field — one which is not ploughed.”

“BUY US AND OUR LAND. Now they said to him that he should also purchase their bodies as servants for Pharaoh, and thus did Joseph say, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land. However, Scripture records, And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, but it does not say that he bought their bodies, only the land. The reason for it is that the Egyptians told Joseph that he should purchase them as servants to perform the king’s business as he pleases. But Joseph wanted to buy only the land, and he made a condition with them that they work on it forever, thus becoming Pharaoh’s family tenants. Afterwards he said to them, “Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh, not as servants as you told me, but you will belong to him with the land. Now it is proper that the king, who is now lord of the land, take four parts of the harvest and that you take the remaining fifth, but I will deal kindly with you in that you will take the portion due to the owner of the land, and Pharaoh will take the portion due the tenant. However, you will be sold to him in that you will not be able to leave the fields.” This is the meaning of that which they vowed to him, And the land will not be desolate meaning that it will never be desolate. For this reason they said to Joseph, “We have found favor in the sight of my lord, for you have been lenient with us by permitting us to take four parts of the harvest so that we may use them to live, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants, as we have vowed, in that we will work the ground in accordance with his will.” Vayechi”

“It seems to me that censure of the Egyptians is contained also in this statement. For you would not easily find it written of the Hebrews that "the famine prevailed over them." For although it is written that "the famine prevailed over the land," nevertheless it is not written that famine prevailed over Jacob or his sons, as it is said of the Egyptians, that "the famine prevailed over them." For although famine should come also to the just, nevertheless it does not prevail over them. For this reason the just glory in famine, as Paul is found to rejoice cheerfully in sufferings of this kind when he says, "In hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness." What therefore is an exercise of virtue for the just is a penalty of sin for the unjust.For it is written also in the times of Abraham that "there came a famine in the country, and Abraham went down to Egypt to dwell there, since the famine prevailed in the land." And certainly if, as some think, the text of the divine Scripture was composed carelessly and awkwardly, it could have said that Abraham went down to Egypt to dwell there because the famine prevailed over him. But observe how great a distinction the divine word uses, how great a caution it employs. When it speaks of the saints it says the famine had prevailed "over the land"; when it speaks of the unjust it says they were held by the famine. Famine therefore prevailed over neither Abraham nor Jacob nor their sons. But also if it should prevail it is said to prevail "over the land." And in the times of Isaac no less it is written: "A famine came in the land, besides that former famine which came in the times of Abraham." But the famine was unable to prevail over Isaac to such an extent that the Lord says to him, "Do not go down into Egypt, but dwell in the land which I shall show you, and dwell in it, and I will be with you." In accordance with this observation, in my opinion, long after that time the prophet said, "I have been young and now am old, and I have not seen the just forsaken nor his seed seeking bread." And elsewhere: "The Lord will not strike down the just soul with famine." From all these texts it is declared that the earth indeed can suffer famine and those who "mind earthly things." But they can never be oppressed by the fasting of famine whose is that bread that "they should do the will of the Father who is in heaven" and whose soul that "bread which comes down from heaven" nourishes. For this reason, therefore, the divine Scripture carefully does not say that those were held by famine who it knew possessed knowledge of God and to whom the food of the heavenly wisdom was offered.”

“According to the trustworthiness of Scripture, no Egyptian was free. For "Pharaoh reduced the people to slavery to himself," nor did he leave anyone free within the borders of the Egyptians, but freedom was taken away in all the land of Egypt. And perhaps for this reason it is written, "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Egypt, therefore, became the house of bondage and, what is more unfortunate, of voluntary bondage.For although it is related of the Hebrews that they were reduced to bondage and that, freedom having been snatched away, they bore the yoke of tyranny, nevertheless they are said to have been brought to this state "violently." For it is written, "The Egyptians abhorred the children of Israel, and with might the Egyptians violently oppressed the sons of Israel and afflicted their life with hard works in mud and brick, and with all the works which were in the plains, in all of which they reduced them to bondage by force." Notice carefully, therefore, how the Hebrews are recorded to have been reduced to bondage "violently." There was a natural freedom in them which was not wrenched away from them easily or by some deception but by force.”

“ואת העם העביר AND AS FOR THE PEOPLE HE CAUSED THEM TO PASS — Joseph caused them to pass from one city to another city that they might be reminded that they now had no claim to the land. He settled the people of one city in another. There was no need for Scripture to state this except for the purpose of telling you something to Joseph’s credit — that he intended thereby to remove a reproach from his brothers because, since the Egyptians were themselves strangers in the various cities where they then dwelt, they could not call them (Joseph’s brethren) strangers (Chullin 60b). 'מקצה גבול מצרים וגו means thus did he to all the cities of the realm of Egypt FROM ONE EXTREMITY OF THE BOUNDARIES OF EGYPT EVEN TO THE OTHER EXTREMITY THEREOF).”

“הכהנים mean THE PRIESTS. The term כהן always means one who ministers to Deity except in those cases where it denotes one of high rank, e.g. (Exodus 2:16) “Jethro the chief of (כהן) Midian” and (Genesis 41:45) “the chief of (כהן) On”). חק לכהנים [FOR] THE PRIESTS HAD A PORTION — an assigned portion of a definite quantity of bread daily.”

“Now, if you please, let us compare also the Egyptian people with the Israelite people.For it is said subsequently that after the famine and bondage the Egyptian people should offer a fifth part to Pharaoh. But on the contrary the Israelite people offer tithes to the priests. Behold also in this that the divine Scripture is supported by remarkable reasonableness. See the Egyptian people weighing out contributions with the number five; for the five senses in the body are designated, which carnal people serve; for the Egyptians always submit to things visible and corporal. But on the other hand the Israelite people honor ten, the number of perfection; for they received the ten words of the law, and, held together by the power of the Decalogue, they entered upon, by the bestowing, divine mysteries unknown to this world. But also in the New Testament likewise ten is venerable as the fruit of the Spirit is explained to sprout forth in ten virtues and the faithful servant offers his lord ten pounds in profits from his business dealings and receives authority over ten cities. … Behold, therefore, from all these things the difference between the Egyptian people and the people of Israel.… If you still serve the carnal senses, if you still pay tax with the number five and look to those things which are "visible" and "temporal" and do not look to those things which are "invisible" and "eternal," know that you belong to the Egyptian people.”

“Indeed, do you wish to know what the difference is between the priests of God and the priests of Pharaoh? Pharaoh grants lands to his priests. The Lord, on the other hand, does not grant his priests a portion in the land but says to them: "I am your portion." You, therefore, who read these words, observe all the priests of the Lord and notice what difference there is between the priests, lest perhaps they who have a portion in the land and have time for earthly cares and pursuits may appear not so much to be priests of the Lord as priests of Pharaoh. For it is Pharaoh who wishes his priests to have possessions of lands and to work at the cultivation of the soil, not of the soul; to give attention to the fields and not to the law. But let us hear what Christ our Lord admonishes his priests: "He who has not renounced all he possesses," he says, "cannot be my disciple."33I tremble when I speak these words. For I myself am my own, I say, my own accuser first of all. I utter my own condemnations. For Christ denies that that person whom he has seen possessing anything and that one who does not "renounce all that he possesses" is his disciple. And what do we do? How do we, who not only do not renounce these things which we possess but also wish to acquire those things which we never had before we came to Christ, either read these words ourselves or explain them to people? For since conscience rebukes us, are we able to hide and not bring forth the words that are written? I do not wish to be guilty of a double crime. I admit, and I admit openly to the people who are listening, that these things are written, although I know that I have not yet fulfilled them. But warned from this, let us, at least, hasten to fulfill them, let us hasten to pass over from the priests of Pharaoh, who have an earthly possession, to the priests of the Lord, who have no portion in the earth, whose "portion" is "the Lord."”

“Let people of today take heed of the extent of the privilege enjoyed in antiquity by priests serving idols and learn a lesson to show at least equal regard for those entrusted with the service of the God of all.… You see, it is not for [the priest's] sake that you ought take pains but for him who is the object of the priest's service, and so you will gain reward from him in generous measure. Hence Jesus also said, "When you do it to one of these, you do it to me," and, "Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward." … As the respect shown for their sake wins us much confidence (he takes to himself, you see, what is done to his servants), so too neglect of them brings upon us heavy condemnation from above. I mean, as he takes to himself respect for them, so too contempt of them.Realizing this, let us never neglect attention to the priests of God. I say this not to set such store by them as by your love, and out of a wish for you to be advantaged in every way. What do you give, after all, that is so valuable as what you receive from the Lord? Yet, in return for that token that is expended in the present life, you gain undying reward and blessings beyond telling. With this in mind, let us hasten to render such services, considering not the expense but the gain and the favor arising from this action. If, for example, we had in view some friend of a person highly placed in this world's honors and went out of our way to give him every attention, in the belief that what was done to him redounded to the credit of his patron and that when this was communicated to the latter it would cause us to enjoy greater favor with him, all the more should this be true of the Lord of all. I mean, if a person shows some friendliness and compassion for some chance acquaintance lying abjectly in a public place, the Lord takes his actions as done to himself and promises to bring into the kingdom those who do any good to such people and to say, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat." So much more if anyone renders a service to those afflicted for God's sake and carrying the dignity of priesthood, he will not simply enjoy a reward of these proportions but many times more abundant, since the loving God generously surpasses without fail what we do.”

“Let us see what Moses says after these words: "And Israel dwelt," the text says, "in Egypt, in the land of Goshen." Now "Goshen" means "proximity" or "nearness." By this it is shown that although Israel dwells in Egypt, it is nevertheless not far from God but is close to him and near, as he himself also says: "I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will be with you."And therefore, even if we appear to have gone down into Egypt, even if placed in the flesh we undergo the battles and struggles of this world, even if we dwell among those who are subject to Pharaoh, nevertheless if we are near God, if we live in meditation on his commandments and inquire diligently after "his precept and judgments"—for this is what it means to be always near God, to think the things which are of God, "to seek the things which are of God"3—God also will always be with us, through Christ Jesus our Lord, "to whom belongs glory forever and ever. Amen."”

“ויחי יעקב AND JACOB LIVED — Why is this section (Sidra) totally closed? Because, comprising as it does an account of the death of Jacob, as soon as our father Jacob departed this life the hearts and eyes of Israel were closed (their eyes became dim and their hearts troubled) because of the misery of the bondage which they then began to impose upon them. Another reason is: because he (Jacob) wished to reveal to his sons the date of the End of Days (i.e. when Israel’s exile would finally end; cf. Rashi on Genesis 49:1), but the vision was closed (concealed) from him (Genesis Rabbah 96:1).”

“AND JACOB LIVED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT SEVENTEEN YEARS. I have already mentioned that Jacob’s descent into Egypt alludes to our present exile at the hand of the “fourth beast,”. which represents Rome. [There are many parallels,] for it was Jacob’s sons themselves who, by the sale of their brother Joseph, caused their going down there. Jacob, moreover, went there on account of the famine, thinking to find relief with his son in the house of his son’s friend, for Pharaoh loved Joseph and considered him as a son. It was their hope to ascend from there as soon as the famine would cease in the land of Canaan, just as they said, To sojourn in the land we have come, for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. But then they did not come up, but instead the exile prolonged itself upon Jacob and he died there, and his bones ascended from there accompanied by all the elders and courtiers of Pharaoh, who instituted severe lamentation for him. Our relationship with our brothers Rome and Edom is similar. We ourselves have caused our falling into their clutches, as they made a covenant with the Romans, and Agrippa, the last king during the Second Temple, fled to them for help. It was due to famine that Jerusalem was captured by the Romans, and the exile has exceedingly prolonged itself over us, with its end, unlike the other exiles, being unknown. We are in it as the dead, who say, “Our bones are dried up, we are completely cut off.” But in the end they will bring us from all the nations as an offering to the Eternal, and they will be in deep sorrow as they will behold our glory, and we will see the vengeance of the Eternal. May He raise us, that we may live in His presence.”

“Many mean-spirited people, when we exhort them not to be overly concerned about burial or to give highest priority to having the remains of the dead brought back from foreign parts to their native land, quote this story to us, claiming that the patriarch also gave attention to it. First of all, however, as I said before, it must be remembered that the same set of values is not to be looked for at that time as it is with people of today. Second, the good man wanted this done not without reason but to let his descendants have a glimpse of the real prospect of returning themselves some day to the Promised Land.… I mean, for proof that future events become visible to the eyes of faith, listen to Jacob already calling death sleeping; he said, remember, "I want to sleep with my forebears," Hence Paul also said, "By faith these people passed on without having received what was promised but having seen it from afar and greeted it." How? By the eyes of faith. So let no one think Jacob's instruction came from meanness of spirit. It was due to the times and the vision of the return that would be theirs. Acquit the good man of any blame.I mean, today when there has been a deepening of our values in the wake of Christ's coming, it would be proper for someone to be blamed for worrying about things such as burial. Let him not think it a misfortune for someone to end his days in a foreign land or to pass from this life in solitude. After all, it is not such a person who deserves to be thought unfortunate, but the one who dies in sin, even if he dies in bed, at home, in the bosom of his family.… For proof that nothing of the kind causes any harm to the virtuous person, learn that good people generally—I mean the prophets and the apostles—with few exceptions were buried we know not where. Some, you see, were beheaded; others were stoned and so departed this life; others suffered countless punishments of different kinds for the sake of religion, while all were martyrs for Christ. No one would dare say about such people that their death was without honor; instead, it would be in keeping with those words of sacred Scripture, "Honorable in the sight of the Lord is the death of his holy ones." Just as it called the death of holy people honorable, so listen also to Scripture calling the death of sinners wretched: "The death of sinners is wretched." … So even if one ends one's life at home, in the presence of wife and children, with relatives and friends at hand, but in fact one is bereft of virtue, such a person's death would be wretched.… Even if the person endowed with virtue falls among brigands, even if he becomes the food of wild beasts, his death would be honorable. Tell me, after all, was not the son of Zacharias beheaded? Was not Stephen the first to be bedecked in the martyr's garland, stoned and so ended his life? Peter and Paul too: was not one beheaded, while the other, on the contrary, underwent the punishment of crucifixion and departed this life in that manner? Are they not for that reason in particular celebrated and eulogized everywhere in the world? With all this in mind let us neither lament those who meet their end in exile nor declare blessed those who depart this life at home. Instead, following the norm of sacred Scripture, let us declare blessed those who have passed away after a life of virtue and lament those who have died in sin.… It behooves us, then, as we ponder these truths, to be attentive to virtue and strive in this present life as though in a gymnasium so that, once the contest is over, we may succeed in donning the bright crown and not have futile regrets. As long as the contest lasts, you see, it is possible, if we wish it, to shake off indifference and cling to virtue so as to succeed in attaining the crowns laid up for us.”

“ויקרבו ימי ישראל למות AND WHEN THE DAYS OF ISRAEL S DEATH APPROACHED — Everyone of whom it is stated that his days drew near to die did not attain to the age of his fathers (Genesis Rabbah 76:3). Some editions add: Isaac lived 180 years, whereas Jacob lived only 147. Similarly it is said in the case of David, “his days drew near” and he lived 70 years, whereas his father reached the age of eighty. ויקרא לבנו ליוסף AND HE CALLED HIS SON JOSEPH — he called that one who had the power in his hands to do what he was about to ask (Genesis Rabbah 96:3). שים נא ידך PUT, I PRAY THEE, THY HAND — and take an oath. חסד ואמת MERCY AND TRUTH — The mercy shown to the dead is “mercy of truth” (true, disinterested kindness) since one cannot hope for any reward (Genesis Rabbah 96:5). אל נא תקברני במצרים BURY ME NOT, I PRAY THEE, IN EGYPT — Because its soil will ultimately become lice which would swarm beneath my body. Further, those who die outside the Land of Israel will not live again at the Resurrection except after the pain caused by the body rolling through underground-passages until it reaches the Holy Land) And another reason is that the Egyptians should not make me (my corpse or my tomb) the object of idolatrous worship (Genesis Rabbah 76:3).”

“AND WHEN THE DAYS OF ISRAEL DREW NEAR TO DIE. This means when the time for Israel’s death approached, which was during the last year of his life, he called his son Joseph. The purport of it is that he felt exhaustion and undue weakness in himself, but he was not sick. Rather, he knew that he would not live much longer, and therefore he called his son Joseph. Now after Joseph returned to Egypt [from visiting with his father who lived in Goshen, Jacob] became ill, whereupon Joseph was informed, and he came before him with his two sons so that he [Jacob] would bless them. In a similar sense is the verse, Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and there it says, I go the way of all the earth,, Verse 2. [which clearly indicates that the meaning of the first verse is] that David knew in his heart that his end was approaching.”

“ושכבתי עם אבתי BUT I WILL LIE WITH MY FATHERS — This ו of ושכבתי is the connecting link with the beginning of the verse above: Put thy hand beneath my thigh and swear unto me that you will not bury me in Egypt. For I must ultimately lie with my fathers (i.e. die as all my fathers have died) and you shall carry me out of Egypt. One cannot say that “I will lie with my fathers” means “make me lie with my fathers in the cave” (i.e. bury me), for immediately after this it is written “And thou shalt carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place”. Further we find that wherever the term “lying with one’s fathers” is used it denotes dying and not burial. For instance, (1 Kings 2:10) “and David lay with his fathers”, and afterwards it states “and he was buried in the city of David”.”

“(Chapter 47, Verse 31) And he said to him, swear to me. And he swore to him: and Israel worshipped against the top of his staff. And in this place, some falsely simulate that Jacob worshipped the top of Joseph's scepter, because he honored his son and worshipped his power, when in Hebrew it is read very differently: And Israel worshipped, he said, at the head of the bed: which means, after his son had sworn to him confidently about the request he had made, he worshipped God against the head of his bed. Indeed, as a holy and devoted man dedicated to God, oppressed by old age, he had his bed positioned in such a way that he himself, in the posture of one lying down, was ready for prayer without any difficulty.”

“וישתחו ישראל AND ISRAEL PROSTRATED HIMSELF — The proverb says: Though the lion is king “when the fox has his time, bow to him” (Megillah 16b). על ראש המטה UPON THE BED’S HEAD — He turned towards the Divine Presence (the Shechinah) (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 3). They (the Rabbis) inferred from this that the Shechinah is above the pillow of a sick person (Shabbat 12b). Another interpretation of על ראש המטה He bowed himself in thanks FOR HIM WHO WAS THE CHIEF (ראש) OF HIS CHILDREN — in thanks because his children were heart-whole with God, and none of them was wicked, for even Joseph who was a king and moreover had been a captive amongst heathen peoples yet maintained his righteousness (Sifré ואתחנן 31).”

“SWEAR UNTO ME. AND HE SWORE UNTO HIM. Jacob did not suspect that his righteous and beloved son would disobey his father’s command and renege on the matter which he had promised him by saying, I will do according to thy words. But Jacob did so in order to strengthen the matter in the eyes of Pharaoh, as perhaps he might not give Joseph permission to leave him, and he would instead say to him, “Send your brothers and your servants, and they will bring him up there.” It may be that Pharaoh would want the prophet to be buried in his country as an honor and privilege to them. It was for this reason that he made him swear for it would not then be proper for him to force Joseph to violate his oath, and Joseph too would feel more obligated to fulfill his father’s wish on account of the oath. Such indeed was the case, as Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, as he made you swear.”