Mystic Math & the Name of Jacob

From the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria; translated and edited by Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky

Jacob represents the entirety of the Jewish People, which itself has many aspects.

"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years." (Gen. 47:28)

As we know, Jacob was also known by another name, "Israel". These names - particularly the latter - eventually became the names of the collective entity of the Jewish people. The phrase "the children of Israel" is first applied to the direct sons of Jacob, but gradually comes to mean "the Israelites", i.e., the whole nation, and later the term "Israel" (without "the children of") is also used.

Abraham and Isaac…each contained an element of imbalance…

Jacob is also referred to as "the choicest of the forefathers", indicating that his way of serving G‑d was in some way superior to that of Abraham and Isaac. As holy as Abraham and Isaac (and their respective ways of relating to and serving G‑d) were, they each contained an element of imbalance that eventually surfaces as an imperfection. Unrestrained love can overflow into love of the wrong things; unrestrained fear can overflow into fear of the wrong things. This is indicated by the fact that although Abraham produced Isaac, he also produce Ishmael, and that although Isaac produced Jacob, he also produced Esau. Only Jacob's sons were all righteous; only mercy, which tempers love and fear, is relatively immune to improper application.

In the following passage, the Arizal analyzes the names of Jacob/Israel and shows how they reflect perfected divine consciousness.

Know that there are three aspects to Jacob. The first is indicated by the name "Yaakov" ["Jacob" in Hebrew] written [as it usually is,] without a vav. The second [is indicated by the name] "Yaakov" written with a vav, as in the verse, "And I will remember My covenant with Jacob" (Lev. 26:42). The third is indicated by [Jacob's other name,] "Israel" [in Hebrew, "Yisrael"].

"Yaakov" is usually written yud-ayin-kuf-beit. In rare cases, a vav is inserted between the last two letters to indicate the "o"-vowel.

[These three names] allude to the three aspects of his soul, Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama.

The Neshama is indicated by the name Yisrael…

The Nefesh is the vital, animating soul, the life-force of the body. The Ruach is the emotional aspect of the soul, and the Neshama is the intellectual aspect of the soul.

The Nefesh is indicated by the name "Yaakov" written without the vav. The Ruach is indicated by the name "Yaakov" written with the vav. The Neshama is indicated by the name "Yisrael".

As you already know, these three are considered one collective entity.

We do not normally experience three entities operating within our consciousness; the division into three aspects reflects the way the soul develops and manifests itself within us.

Similarly, the forefathers are [considered] one, as indicated by our sages' statement that Jacob was called Abraham, etc. (Bereishit Rabba 63:3)

The Midrash shows how the Torah refers to each of the patriarchs by the others' names.

We will now see how the three aspects of the soul are connected numerically to the names of Jacob.

You will also find that the numerical value of "Nefesh" is the same as that of the two names Abraham and Jacob together.

Nefesh: nun-pei-shin = 50 + 80 + 300 = 430.

Abraham: alef-beit-reish-hei-mem = 1 + 2 + 200 + 5 + 40 = 248

Jacob (in Hebrew, "Yaakov"): yud-ayin-kuf-beit = 10 + 70 + 100 + 2 = 182.

248 + 182 = 430.

The numerical value of "Ruach" is that of the two words "and Jacob lived" (Gen. 47:28) together with the unit values for each word.

Ruach: reish-vav-chet = 200 + 6 + 8 = 214.

"And Jacob lived" (in Hebrew, "Vayechi Yaakov", the first words of this parasha:

vav-yud-chet-yud yud-ayin-kuf-beit = (6 + 10 + 8 + 10) + (10 + 70 + 100 + 2) = 34 + 182 = 216.

The Neshama is [numerically] associated with the name "Israel" as follows: The numerical value of "the Neshama" is 400, and that of Israel [Yisrael] is 541.

"The Neshama" (ha-neshama):

hei-nun-shin-mem-hei = 5 + 50 + 300 + 40 + 5 = 400.

Yisrael: yud-sin-reish-alef-lamed = 10 + 300 + 200 + 1 + 30 = 541.

Subtract 400 [from 541], i.e., "the Neshama," and 141 is left. Subtract 41 from this remainder and add it to the 400 [of "the Neshama"], and the result is the numerical value of the word for "truth" [in Hebrew, "emet"]. This is the mystical significance of the verse, "Give truth to Jacob" (Micah 7:20).

541 – 400 = 141.

400 + 41 = 441.

Emet: alef-mem-tav = 1 + 40 + 400 = 441.

100 remains [from the 141 left] when Neshama is subtracted from Yisrael. [100 is the numerical value of the letter kuf]. The numerical value of the letter kuf spelled out is the same as that of Yaakov [Jacob] with [the four unit-values of] its four letters.

Kuf: kuf-vav-pei = 100 + 6 + 80 = 186.

Yaakov (Jacob): yud-ayin-kuf-beit = 10 + 70 + 100 + 2 = 182.

182 + 4 = 186.

The result of this arithmetic exercise can thus be summarized as follows:

Israel = ("the Neshama" + 41) + 100

Israel = truth + 100

but

100 becomes 186 (i.e., "Jacob" spelled out plus its four letters' unit values)

so

Israel = truth + Jacob.

Now, the numerical value of the letter kuf spelled out [186] also equals the numerical value of the word for "place" [in Hebrew, "makom"].

"Makom": mem-kuf-vav-mem = 40 + 100 + 6 + 40 = 186.

It is also the numerical value of the square of the name Havayah, as follows: yud squared [10x10] equals 100; hei squared [5x5] equals 25; vav squared [6x6] equals 36; hei squared [5x5] equals 25. The total equals 186.

100 + 25 + 36 + 25 = 186.

This is the mystical meaning of the verse, "Behold there is a place with Me." (Ex. 36:21)

Based on this verse, the sages stated, "He is the place of the world, but the world is not His place" (Pesikta Rabati 21), meaning that space exists as a created entity within G‑d. G‑d is not circumscribed by (i.e., exist entirely within) the parameters of space. In this connection, "the Place" (or "the Omnipresent") is one of the appellations of G‑d. This connection of G‑d and "place" is given mystically by the numerical association we have just seen.

Thus, we have here a connection between Jacob (182 becomes 186) and the names of G‑d.

Now, Rabbi Akiva said that the letter kuf alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He. (Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva) [Mystically, this means that] the numerical value of the [three] name[s] of G‑d is the same as that of "Yabok" [Hebrew for the river "Jabok"], i.e. the combined numerical value of the names Eh-yeh, Havayah, and Ado-nai.

Only Jacob personifies the divine power to extend to all levels, from the highest to the lowest…

In the Midrash Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva, in which Rabbi Akiva expounds on the Midrashic significance of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, he states that the letter kuf alludes to G‑d, since it is the first letter of the word "kadosh" (meaning, "holy"), used to describe G‑d in the verse, "Holy, holy, holy is G‑d of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3).

"Yabok" is the name of the river that Jacob crossed on his way back to the land of Israel after spending twenty years with Laban, and was where he wrestled with the angel of Esau. As we have seen previously, it thus signifies the struggle between good and evil, or between mercy and judgment.

Yabok: yud-beit-kuf = 10 + 2 + 100 = 112.

Eh-yeh: alef-hei-yud-hei = 1 + 5 + 10 + 5 = 21.

Havayah: yud-hei-vav-hei = 10 + 5 + 6 + 5 = 26.

Ado-nai: alef-dalet-nun-yud = 1 + 4 + 50 + 10 = 65.

21 + 26 + 65 = 112.

It is also the combined numerical value of the two names Havayah and Elo-him.

Elo-him: alef-lamed-hei-yud-mem = 1 + 30 + 5 + 10 + 40 = 86; 86 + 26 = 112.

If we subtract [the numerical value of] "Yabok" [112] from [the numerical value of] Jacob's name Yaakov [182], the remainder is 70, alluding G‑d's seventy names. (Bamidbar Rabba 14:11; Midrash Zuta, Shir HaShirim 1; Peskita d'Rav Kahana 3:1; Pardes Rimonim 23:13)

Thus, "Yaakov" = "Yabok" + 70 = Eh-yeh - Havayah - Ado-nai + G‑d's 70 names.

We have now two additional connections between Jacob and G‑d's names.

The three names just mentioned - Eh-yeh, Havayah, and Ado-nai - allude to the three sefirot of keter, tiferet, and malchut, respectively.

These three Names are associated with these three sefirot. When G‑d is referred to by a particular Name, it means that He is acting through the associated sefira, i.e., manifesting the Divine attribute associated with that sefira.

chanoch adds: Learn the above paragraph well and apply it in other Names as well.

Tiferet is associated with Jacob.

Tiferet is the central and pivotal sefira of the six midot that metamorphose into Zeir Anpin, who, as we have seen previously, is personified by Jacob.

It is the [heart of] the central axis, which extends from one extreme [of the sefirotic tree] to the other.

The left and right axes of the sefirotic tree do not extend all the way up or down. Only the middle axis extends to the top (keter) and bottom (malchut).

Abraham is associated with the right axis, that which is centered on chesed, and Isaac is associated with the left axis, centered on gevura. Thus, only Jacob personifies the divine power to extend to all levels, from the highest to the lowest.

An allusion to this may be found in the word "Esther", when spelled backwards.

Esther is spelled alef-samech-tav-reish.

I.e., [the initials of the words for] "head" [in Hebrew, "rosh"], "middle" [in Hebrew, "toch"], and "end" [in Hebrew, "sof"], together with the letter alef, spell "Esther" [backwards].

The initials of the words "rosh", "toch", and "sof" are reish, tav, and samech, respectively. Thus, the word "Esther" also alludes to the divine power to extend from the highest to the lowest levels.

This is the mystical meaning of the verse, "I shall hide [in Hebrew, 'haster'], yes, hide [in Hebrew, 'astir'] My face on that day" (Deut. 31:18).

G‑d's presence is hidden during the exile…

The root of the words for "hide" and "yes, hide" is the same as that of the word "Esther". The classic interpretation of this phenomenon is that G‑d's presence (or "face") is hidden during the exile, the context in which the story of Esther takes place. G‑d's name is not mentioned once in the entire Book of Esther.

Here, the emphasis is on the fact that G‑d's face or presence is specifically found in ("hidden" or ensconced within) G‑d's ability to extend from the highest to the lowest levels, as alluded to in the word "Esther".

This is also indicated by the fact that the word "Yisrael" may be permuted to spell "a head for Me" [in Hebrew, "li rosh"].

Yisrael: yud-sin-reish-alef-lamed.

Li rosh: lamed-yud reish-alef-shin.

This indicates that Yisrael embodies the ability to reach the highest levels (i.e. the "head") of holiness.

[As the sages state:] "Israel arose in [G‑d's] thought." (Bereishit Rabba 1:4)

This also implies that Israel embodies the ability to reach the highest levels of holiness.

The seat of the Neshama is in the head, i.e., the brain; the seat of the Ruach is in the heart; and the seat of the Nefesh is in the liver.

The allusion to this is in the word for "king" [in Hebrew, "melech"], whose letters are the initials of the words for "brain" [in Hebrew, "moach"], "heart" [in Hebrew, "lev"], and "liver" [in Hebrew, "kaved"].

"Melech" is spelled mem-lamed-kaf. A person whose consciousness descends from his brain to his heart and then to his liver, i.e., whose intellect rules his emotions, which in turn determine the way he acts, is a "king", i.e., in charge of himself and his body. If the order is reversed, i.e., fulfillment of bodily functions inspires the emotions, which then enlist the intellect to satisfy them, the word spelled is "kelem", meaning "embarrassment".

All the worlds are dependent upon the names 'Jacob' and 'Israel'…

It thus follows that all the worlds are dependent upon the name[s] "Jacob" and "Israel". As the sages said: "In the beginning…" (Gen. 1:1) implies "for the sake of Israel, who are termed 'the beginning". (Tanchuma, ed. Buber 3, Vayikra Rabba 36:4)

The Torah begins: "In the beginning, G‑d created heaven and earth". The prefix letter beit in the word for "in the beginning" [in Hebrew, "be-reishit"], besides meaning "in", can also mean "by means of". The verse can thus be read, "By means of [that which is called] 'the beginning', G‑d created heaven and earth". The Jewish people are called "the beginning", as it is written: "Israel is holy to G‑d; [they are] the beginning of His produce" (Jeremiah 2:3).

They are the soul of all creatures, and are termed "Israel is holy".

The Jewish people, being the reason for Creation and the means by which G‑d created the world, are the "inner soul" of all Creation. All Creation finds meaning and purpose only in reference to the Jewish people, who are charged with fulfilling the Divine purpose of Creation, making the world into G‑d's home.

This then is the mystical meaning of the verse, "And Jacob lived…" All the life-force and sustenance of the world is [dependent upon] Jacob.

The word "and he lived" is interpreted here as if it was vocalized to read "and he gives life-force" in the causative.

And he [alone] is destined to remain in the world. He is therefore called "Yaakov", related to the word "he will follow" [in Hebrew, "ya'akeiv"].

The divine consciousness personified by Jacob incorporates that personified by Abraham and Isaac - but balances them. In this way, life-force is prevented from being siphoned off by the forces of evil, and thus Jacob-consciousness can safely descend to the lowest levels of reality and successfully transform them, together with the rest of the world, into G‑d's home.

[Thus,] he was the "a head for Me" [see above], i.e., the beginning of [G‑d's] thought, and he is also the final product of [G‑d's] action, and "that which was is that which will be [in the end]" (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

This type of divine consciousness owes its ability to descend so low to the fact that it is rooted so high.

"The matter is ancient" (Chronicles 4:22), but the wise will understand. May G‑d enlighten our eyes with the inner light of His Torah. Amen, so may it be His will.

[Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Sefer HaLikutim; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard."]

'Wrappin' in the House of Jacob

The mitzvah of tefillin alludes to Torah, the Tribes and G-d.

From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz

The four Torah portions that are placed within the tefillin of the head are perceived as alluding to the sefirot chochma, bina, gedula (referring to chesed), and gevura, whereas the four portions in the tefillin of the arm, allude to the sefirot tiferet, netzach, hod, and yesod. The tefillin on the head belong to the sefira keter, meaning "crown", which presides over the sefirot mentioned, whereas the four portions in the tefillin of the arm relate to the lowest of the sefirot, malchut.

Jacob… is perceived as putting on tefillin in the celestial regions…

Jacob, by dint of having achieved a degree of tikun, spiritual repair work, after the damage caused to the universe by Adam, is perceived as putting on tefillin in the celestial regions, i.e. "wearing" tiferet. The fact that the tefillin are made of leather is a reminder of the leather garments G‑d made for man after he forfeited the garments of light. It is due to Jacob's spiritual accomplishments that wearing tefillin made of leather has become a mark of distinction rather than a reminder of man's fall from grace. The 12 stitches needed to sew together the "housings" of the tefillin are an allusion to the assistance Jacob received from his twelve sons in performing that spiritual repair work.

G‑d's wrapping tefillin can therefore be understood as G‑d donning the tiferet which Jacob had attained

The verse in our parasha which tells us that Jacob bowed at the head of the bed is an allusion to the tefillin of the head; Jacob's extension, Joseph and his brothers, are the allusion to the tefillin of the hand.

When Jacob crossed his hands (Gen. 48:14) while blessing Joseph's sons, he took a cue from the manner in which we don the tefillin. The commentators have difficulty with the word ki in the verse. Rabbi Bachya, for instance, understands the word in the same sense as it is used in such verses as "Forgive us our Father, 'although/ki' I have sinned against You."

The author does not think there is a need for translating the word "ki" as "although". He believes the word is translated perfectly adequately as "for".

Jacob wanted to give some distinction to Ephraim over Menashe; he also wanted to accord honor to Menashe, however, for he was the firstborn. He acted very wisely in granting greatness to both sons. This is why he did not want Ephraim placed on his right side but preferred to cross his hands. Had he had Ephraim moved to his left side, this could have been interpreted as his having denigrated Menashe.

Although the tefillin are placed on the left arm, this does not denigrate the right arm; it is required in order that the tefillin may be placed on the left arm. The right hand is the hand with which both the writing of the portions of Torah within the tefillin and the tying of the knots is performed. The right hand thus has in no way been denigrated when it comes to the performance of the mitzvah of tefillin.

…the whole Torah is compared to tefillin…

When Isaiah (49:3) quotes G‑d as saying of Israel, "Israel, you, in whom I glory" (in Hebrew "Yisrael asherb'cha etpa'er"), the reference may well be to Jacob in his capacity of Yisrael Saba who dons the tefillin of the head. Those tefillin are known as "glorious headdress" (in Hebrew, "pa'er") - as is well known. I have already mentioned that the whole Torah is compared to tefillin. Torah itself is subsumed in the word "et" (spelled aleph-tav, meaning "to") meaning, which the Talmud in Shabbat 55 understands as referring to people who observe Torah from aleph to tav [i.e. from the first letter of the aleph-bet to the last]. The extra letters et (aleph, tav) in "etpa'er" refer to such people.

We may be able to answer a question raised in the Zohar (on Genesis 49:25) where Jacob in his blessing for Joseph says, "The G‑d of your father who helps you, and G‑d (in Hebrew, "ve'et Sha-dai") who blesses you." The Zohar questions why the Torah wrote "ve'et Sha-dai"instead of "ve-el Sha-dai". According to our approach, the answer is simply that Jacob indicated that Joseph, just like his father, also has a part in the mitzvah of tefillin, albeit in his capacity as an extension of his father. Therefore, Joseph's part in that mitzvah is the tefillin which are worn on the arm, and which feature the letters of the divine name "Sha-dai" in the manner in which the strap is wound around the hand and the knot near the housing.

chanoch adds: The arm Tefillin has different customs for Ashkenazi and Sefardic minhags – customs. This applies to the actual hand strap tie off not the knot near the housing. Words do not describe this well. A physical demonstration is required. Here are 2 links of video' to explain it.

Getting back to the number of stitches used to stitch together the tefillin, the author had stated elsewhere that the number of tribes is usually 12. When we include Levi and the two sons of Joseph it the number of tribes is 14. When we subtract the two tribes -from the original 12, described as "malka" and "shimsha", who were designated as heads of Zion and Jerusalem respectively, there are only ten tribes, corresponding to the Ten Commandments.

The twelve tribes which usually represent the number of sections the land of Israel was divided into, also represent the number of divisions of the celestial counterpart of the Holy Land down here, as described in Ezekiel. The division into ten, twelve or fourteen respectively also occurs in other crucial contexts, even at the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

The reason there were two tablets was to distinguish between the Written and the Oral law…

All of Israel heard the Ten Commandments in one single phrase without punctuation. G‑d repeated the first two commandments so that they could be comprehended by everybody word by word. This makes a total of twelve that every Israelite heard from G‑d directly. This, in turn, corresponds to the twelve tribes, two of which were allocated special functions, as we have mentioned. When you add the fact that the commandments were inscribed on two tablets you have the number 14. This also corresponds to the fact that the twelve tribes had extensions, in Hebrew "toldot" (which also means "generations"), i.e. the sons of Joseph. The reason there were two tablets was to distinguish between the written and the oral law. The number fourteen symbolizes the "strong hand" or "yad (which has a numerical value of 14) hachzaka" of Moses, who was the recipient of the Torah (cf. last verse in the Torah).

The reason that these numbers need to be found in the construction of the tefillin is the statement of the Talmud (Kidushin 35) based on the verse "so that the Torah of G‑d will be in your mouth", that the entire Torah is compared to tefillin. (Exodus 13:9)

Originally it was customary to make twelve stitches when sewing together the upper and lower parts of the housing of the tefillin. This corresponds to the twelve tribes. Maimonides allows for either 10 or 14 stitches. (Hilchot Tefillin 3:10) The Arizal noted that there were different customs in this matter. Jews from Italy, Spain, North Africa and Eastern Europe had different customs in that regard. Since there are twelve gates in the Heavens corresponding to the twelve tribes, the Arizal did not see any reason why these customs could not co-exist. This is all based on Ezekiel. Every tribe's prayer is perceived as ascending to heaven via his particular liturgy, though they all pray to the same G‑d. Everybody has to retain his particular custom since nowadays we do not know who belongs to which tribe. Concerning the liturgical details found in the Talmud, however, these are equally valid for all the tribes.

When the Torah stresses that Jacob blessed each of his sons according to his particular blessing, (see Gen. 49:28) there is no doubt that this is meant to emphasize that despite the fact that all the sons together were extensions of Jacob, there were individual differences and that these individual differences were worth preserving.

Translated and adapted by Eliyahu Munk.

From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz

Jacob's Higher Self

Jacob's second name, "Israel", represents a state of perfection.

From the Ohr HaChaim commentary by Rabbi Chaim (ben Moshe) ibn Attar

"Jacob lived, etc." (Gen. 47:28)

We need to examine the criteria that cause the Torah to refer to Jacob sometimes as "Jacob" and other times as "Israel". It is a fact that when these names are applied to the Jewish people as a whole, the name "Jacob" reflects some deficiency in the Jewish nation, whereas the name Israel reflects the fact that the nation lived up to its potential on the occasions when it is described by that name. This principle has been alluded to in the Zohar p.210 on parashat Balak. The reason given there cannot be applied to Jacob the individual, however, inasmuch as he lived a righteous life at all times.

We must remember that Jacob strove to attain a very high degree of sanctity, one which is reflected in his name "Israel". Spiritual highs are attainable only when one simultaneously frees oneself of such human concerns as pain, anguish, anger, etc. The kind of sanctity Jacob strove for needed to be based on the attainment of a degree of serenity in his earthly life, something that we nowadays experience only on the Shabbat, a day that G‑d has imbued with the quality of rest. The Creator gave us an "additional" soul in order to appreciate that day to the full, and in order to help us to disregard all the depressing phenomena we have to deal with during the six days preceding the Shabbat. The reason we are able to do this is because rest emanates in the higher spiritual regions. This is why G‑d Himself called the Shabbat "oneg", meaning "delight".

Whenever Jacob experienced the kind of spiritual serenity we are meant to experience every Shabbat, he qualified for the name "Israel". The Torah therefore informs us about all these occasions by referring to him by his additional name. Whenever Jacob experienced worries, etc. this serenity departed from him similar to the departure of the additional soul from every Jew at the end of the Shabbat. At such times the Torah reverts to referring to our patriarch as being merely "Jacob".

Selected with permission from the five-volume English edition of "Ohr HaChaim: the Torah Commentary of Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar" by Eliyahu Munk.

From the Ohr HaChaim commentary by Rabbi Chaim (ben Moshe) ibn Attar

Kindness and Truth

True kindness anticipates no reward

By Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz; adapted from Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Eliyahu Munk

Jacob said to Joseph that he wanted him to perform "kindness and truth" with him; (Gen. 47:27) he described the kindness as a "true kindness" because in performing a deed of this nature to one departed, there can be no expectation of recompense to the giver.

Many people raise the point that Joseph had already received his reward for this kindness before he actually performed it. Had not his father promised that Ephraim and Menasseh, Joseph's two sons, would each inherit a slice of the land of Israel, just like Jacob's own sons? So how can we speak about an "act of kindness" based on truth. Not only that, Jacob gave special blessings to Joseph's children (something that is not recorded as having happened with his other grandsons); he also allocated the city of Shechem as belonging to the tribal territory of Joseph. In view of all this, how can one speak about a totally altruistic act of kindness?

The author quotes an anonymous source in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak of Orleans: When Jacob said: "And you performed kindness with me", he had in mind that the act of kindness he requested from Joseph would be an act of true kindness if performed for other deceased people. The author finds it difficult to credit this explanation since if this was all that Jacob had in mind, he would not have had to elaborate that much. The author therefore follows a different approach, as we shall see.

Jacob made sure that Joseph should acquire the merit of performing an act of kindness that was totally altruistic…

At the time Jacob made his request that Joseph bury him in the Land of Israel, he did not hold out any promise of reward for Joseph when he requested his promise to bury him in Israel. Neither did Jacob use the opportunity to apologize for burying Joseph's mother in the middle of nowhere instead of with his, Jacob's ancestors. By his withholding any promises or apologies Jacob made sure that Joseph should acquire the merit of performing an act of kindness that was totally altruistic.

Once Joseph had promised his father to bury him in the Land of Israel, and had sworn an oath concerning this (on a different occasion, as attested to by the words "It was after these events" (Gen. 48:1), Jacob did explain why he had buried Rachel where he did, and that Joseph would inherit in the Land of Israel as if he had been his firstborn son, etc. All of this occurred after Jacob had been taken ill.

The son can confer merits on his father…

We must try and understand why Jacob was so concerned about his burial that he made Joseph swear an oath. Actually Jacob had two reasons, both stemming from similar considerations. Firstly, Jacob wanted to acquire the merit in Heaven of having performed such an act of pure altruism, as we will explain in more detail later. This is why he turned to his favorite son, the one who was the most like him. We have explained repeatedly that Joseph was the image of his father in character, in historical significance, etc. We have a tradition that the son can confer merits on his father, whereas the father cannot do the same thing in reverse. (Sanhedrin 104)

The second reason stems from the fact that, as we have explained elsewhere, Jacob, Joseph and the brothers are the mystical dimension of the sefirot in the Celestial Regions. Jacob is a mystical dimension of the sefira of tiferet, the domain of the ineffable four-lettered Name of G‑d. The Twelve Tribes represent the twelve ways that this name can be spelled. When the Torah wrote "And these are the descendants of Jacob, Joseph", the latter was equated with the former. We will come back to this later.

Jacob…became his own reincarnation…

The words "And you performed kindness with me" mean that by your performing an act of true kindness with me you will cause me to acquire the merit of a truly performed act of kindness in the Celestial Regions. By adding the words "with me", Jacob intimated that between them they could complete the structure of the sefirot in its fullest sense. Jacob conveyed to Joseph that whereas he, Jacob, was the essence of that structure of the sefirot, Joseph was its extension. The existence of such an extension enables the root of this structure to be placed in a still higher region in the sefirot than it had started out from. It is in those regions that "kindness of truth" has its roots. We will still explain all this.

In my commentary on parashat Vayishlach, I have already explained at length the meaning of the statement that "Jacob did not die" and how Jacob's "death" occurred when he received the news abut Joseph's disappearance, and how his soul was restored when he received the news that Joseph was alive and well. He thus became his own reincarnation. That reincarnation was no longer subject to physical death. "Death" happened only to the part of the Jacob-Israel personality known as "Israel". This is the deeper meaning of the verse "The death of the person called 'Israel' drew near…" (Gen. 47:29)

The spiritual part of Jacob's Nefesh called "Israel", was on a higher level than the spiritual part of the Nefesh called "Jacob". Jacob's request to Joseph to perform "kindness of truth" emanated from his "Israel" aspect. The words "with me" emphasized that he was speaking in his capacity as "Israel".

Translation and commentary by Eliyahu Munk]

By Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz; adapted from Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Eliyahu Munk

Witness to Redemption

From the teachings of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli

"And Jacob called for his sons, and said, ‘Gather yourselves together and I will tell you what will happen to you in the End of Days.’" (Gen. 49:1)

The Midrash teaches that Jacob wished to reveal to his sons the time of the redemption [in Hebrew, "ketz"] but the Divine Presence [Shechinah] departed from him. (Bereishit Rabba 98b; Pesachim 56a) Jacob said to them, "My sons, perhaps [the departure of the Divine Presence] is due to a blemish/flaw/fault/defect among you." They then responded, saying, "Hear, oh Israel [i.e. their father Jacob], G‑d our Lord G‑d is One."

Jacob…wished to make known to them...the specific year of its conclusion….

The Patriarchs and Matriarchs were all prophets. Jacob was aware of the fact that his progeny were about to enter the initial stages of the Egyptian exile and wished to make known to them not only the general limited nature of the exile, but the specific year of its conclusion. At that precise moment, says the Midrash, the Divine Presence abandoned him, leaving him devoid of the ability to perceive - and thus communicate - the time of redemption.

The simple meaning of his sons’ response is that they were attempting to convey to their father that just as he had complete faith in One G‑d, so did they; they were all righteous, and his lack of prophecy was not due to some fault of theirs. In the following teaching from Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropole (HY"D), the great 17th century Kabbalist, the inner mystical meaning of this statement from our Sages is explored.

This Midrash is difficult to comprehend and must be understood in light of what the Sages teach regarding the length of the Egyptian exile, namely that it was "R’doo" [= 210] years long.

The classic commentaries refer to the 210 years of the Egyptian exile as "R’doo" - spelled reish dalet vav, the numerical value of 210 - which literally means "descend", as in the verse, "…descend there and purchase for us there, that we may live and not die" (Gen. 42:2), in Jacob’s initial instruction to his sons to go down to Egypt during famine.

They explain that the length of the exile was due to the blemish on G‑d’s name, specifically the Divine name Eh-yeh, caused by Joseph’s [nine] brothers when they sold him into slavery (see Gen. 37:18-29) in collaboration with the Divine Presence. The divine name Eh-yeh has a numerical value of 21, and 21 times 10 [referring to the nine brothers plus the Divi Presence, which "joined them" in their conspiracy] equals 210.

chanoch adds: The Shechinah = Divine Presence joined them when they were a minyan of 10 brothers. The midrash indicates that Reuben left to care for Jacob. A task that the brothers rotated between them. Since the vowntokeepthe plan secret the Shechina did not depart since it is a halacha not to leave if it would break the minyan by leaving nine.

Moses figured that the blemish that Joseph’s brothers caused was in the divine name Havayah….

Of his eleven brothers, nine directly conspired against Joseph with intent to kill him; Reuben was serving his father at the time, and Benjamin was too young to be present. Briefly, the Sages explain that the brothers had legitimate claims against Joseph and that they wished to denounce him before a quorum of ten, according to Jewish law. Miraculously, the Divine Presence joined them to make the quorum, strengthening their allegations.

The above helps explain the unique use of the word "turned" [in Hebrew "sar"] in the verse "And G‑d saw that he [Moses] turned to see [the burning bush]…" (Ex.3:4) That Moses figured that the blemish that Joseph’s brothers caused [thus triggering the exile] was in the divine name Havayah, which has the numerical value of 26, and 26 times 10 [i.e. the nine brothers plus the collusion of the Divine Presence] equals 260. Thus, the time for redemption had not yet arrived.

The Arizal explains that Moses’ reluctance to accept the Divine mission to redeem the Jewish nation at the time of the Burning Bush was due to his assumption that the exile was decreed to last 260 years, due to its root in the divine name Havayah (= 26), rather than in the name Eh-yeh (= 21). (See Sha’ar HaPasukim, Miketz; Likutei Torah, Shemot)

But our father Jacob, of blessed memory, knew that it was the name Eh-yeh (which equals 21) that they had corrupted. It’s just that he wasn’t aware that the Divine Presence had collaborated with them. Therefore [according to his calculations] because the tribes [i.e. the brothers] which were present at the sale of Joseph were only nine, the length of the exile should have been only 189 years, i.e. 21 [the numerical value of the divine name Eh-yeh] times 9 [brothers] – and that their redemption would arrive at year number "ketz", = 190.

"Ketz", which literally means "end", is spelled kuf (= 100), tzadi (= 90).

Jacob…was unaware that they had included the Divine Presence in their plot….

And that is the intention of the abovementioned Midrash when it states that "Jacob wished to reveal to his sons the time of the redemption [in Hebrew, ‘ketz’]": that in the year "ketz"/190 would be the time of their redemption.

The Midrash also gives the reason for Jacob’s [inaccurate] conclusion that in the year "ketz"/190 the redemption would come: that "the Divine Presence departed from him", meaning that he was unaware that they had included the Divine Presence [in their plot].

But when he realized through prophetic vision that the redemption would not come about in the 190th year, Jacob became fearful, saying "perhaps it is due to a defect among you", meaning that maybe they had transgressed in another way, besides selling Joseph.

And that is the reason for their response: "Hear, oh Israel, G‑d our Lord G‑d is One": that G‑d our Lord was one among their quorum. The Divine Presence joined them in the sale of Joseph, and therefore they were ten. Thus, the duration of the exile will not be complete until well after the year "ketz"/190 [i.e. 9 times 21, plus one] rather after "r’doo"/210 [10 times 21]

And so it was, that the duration of the Egyptian exile lasted 210 years, until the Exodus. May we merit to understand the profound inner meanings of the conversations of the righteous.

chanoch adds: and may we all say Amen.

Translated by Baruch Emanuel Erdstein From the teachings of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli

Jacob's Higher Self

Jacob's second name, "Israel", represents a state of perfection.

From the Ohr HaChaim commentary by Rabbi Chaim (ben Moshe) ibn Attar

"Jacob lived, etc." (Gen. 47:28)

We need to examine the criteria that cause the Torah to refer to Jacob sometimes as "Jacob" and other times as "Israel". It is a fact that when these names are applied to the Jewish people as a whole, the name "Jacob" reflects some deficiency in the Jewish nation, whereas the name Israel reflects the fact that the nation lived up to its potential on the occasions when it is described by that name. This principle has been alluded to in the Zohar p.210 on parashat Balak. The reason given there cannot be applied to Jacob the individual, however, inasmuch as he lived a righteous life at all times.

We must remember that Jacob strove to attain a very high degree of sanctity, one which is reflected in his name "Israel". Spiritual highs are attainable only when one simultaneously frees oneself of such human concerns as pain, anguish, anger, etc. The kind of sanctity Jacob strove for needed to be based on the attainment of a degree of serenity in his earthly life, something that we nowadays experience only on the Shabbat, a day that G‑d has imbued with the quality of rest. The Creator gave us an "additional" soul in order to appreciate that day to the full, and in order to help us to disregard all the depressing phenomena we have to deal with during the six days preceding the Shabbat. The reason we are able to do this is because rest emanates in the higher spiritual regions. This is why G‑d Himself called the Shabbat "oneg", meaning "delight".

Whenever Jacob experienced the kind of spiritual serenity we are meant to experience every Shabbat, he qualified for the name "Israel". The Torah therefore informs us about all these occasions by referring to him by his additional name. Whenever Jacob experienced worries, etc. this serenity departed from him similar to the departure of the additional soul from every Jew at the end of the Shabbat. At such times the Torah reverts to referring to our patriarch as being merely "Jacob".

Selected with permission from the five-volume English edition of "Ohr HaChaim: the Torah Commentary of Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar" by Eliyahu Munk.

From the Ohr HaChaim commentary by Rabbi Chaim (ben Moshe) ibn Attar