AND HE CALLED HIS SON JOSEPH. R. Abba said: Joseph is called Jacob’s son par excellence, because, as we have learnt, when Potiphar’s wife tempted him, he lifted up his eyes and saw the image of his father (as it says, “and there was none of the men of the house there within” (Gen. 39, 11), as much as to say, “but there was someone else”), and he thereupon resisted and withdrew.
Another explanation why he called him specially “my son” is that they closely resembled one another, so that whoever saw Joseph could testify that he was the son of Jacob.’ R. Jose said that another reason was that he supported him and his family in his old age. The reason why Jacob asked Joseph to bury him, and not any other of his sons, was that only Joseph had the power to take him out of Egypt.
R. Jose said: ‘Since Jacob knew that his descendants would be in bondage in Egypt, why did he not have himself buried there in order that his merit might shield them, which would have shown true parental solicitude?’
The truth is that, as tradition tells us, when Jacob was about to go down to Egypt he was afraid lest his descendants might be lost among the peoples and lest God might remove His Presence from him. Hence God said to him: “Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation” (Gen. 46, 3), and then, “I will go down with thee into Egypt” (Ibid. 4).
Jacob was still afraid lest he should be buried there and not with his fathers, so God said to him: “I will also surely bring thee up again” (Ibid.), to wit, to be buried in the grave of thy ancestors.
Hence he had various reasons for desiring to be taken out of Egypt. One was that the Egyptians should not make a god of him, since he foresaw that God would punish their gods. Another was because he knew that God would still keep his Presence among his descendants in the galuth. A third reason was that his body might rest in company with those of his ancestors, to be numbered with them and not with the sinners of Egypt,
since, as we have learnt, Jacob reproduced the beauty of Adam, and his form was sublime and holy like that of the holy throne. Esoterically speaking, there is no separation among the patriarchs, and hence he said: “when I sleep with my fathers”.’
Another reason why Jacob called Joseph “my son” was because he was from the first more intent on begetting him than any other of his sons, his whole thought having been devoted to Rachel.
Said R. Simeon: ‘Man should take good heed not to sin or to transgress the will of his Master, because all his actions are recorded in a book and are reviewed by the holy King and revealed before Him; even his thoughts are present before God and do not escape Him.
Now on the night when Jacob went in to Leah and she gave him the tokens which he had given to Rachel, he really thought she was Rachel, and God, to whom all secrets are revealed, allowed that thought to have effect, and so the birthright of Reuben was transferred to Joseph, that having been Jacob’s first seed, and so Rachel came into her own inheritance.
We have learnt: “God knew that Jacob had no intent to sin before Him, and that he did not allow his thoughts to dwell on any other woman at that instant like the sinful, and therefore it is written: “And the sons of Jacob were twelve” (Gen. 35, 22).’ For the sons of the sinners who act in this way are called by another name, which is known among the Companions. Hence “Jacob called to his son Joseph”-his real son, his son at the beginning and at the end.’
PUT, I PRAY THEE, THY HAND UNDER MY THIGH. R. Jose said: ‘Jacob made him swear by the sign of the covenant which was stamped on his flesh, since the patriarchs assigned more importance to this than to anything else, and this covenant, too, is symbolized by Joseph.’
R. Simeon said: ‘We find the formula, “put thy hand under my thigh”, in connection with both Abraham and Jacob, but not with Isaac, the reason being that Esau issued from him.
Again, we may suppose Jacob’s idea to have been: “Swear to me by that holy impress which has brought holy and faithful seed into the world and which has ever been preserved from defilement that you will not bury me among those unclean who have never guarded it, and of whom it is written, “whose flesh is the flesh of asses and their neighing the neighing of horses” (Ezek. 23, 20).’
Why, it may be asked, was Joseph, who also guarded the covenant, buried among them? The answer is that it was to meet a special emergency, like the appearance of God to Ezekiel outside the Holy Land. God saw that if Joseph were removed from there, the Israelites would sink under the bondage; therefore He said: “Let his burial place be here in a spot which will not be defiled (for Joseph’s coflfin was thrown into the river), and so the Israelites will be able to endure the captivity.’
R. Jose said: ‘Jacob saw that he was fitted in every way to form part of the holy chariot like his fathers, but he thought it impossible that his body should be attached to his fathers if he was buried in Egypt.’
Seeing that the patriarchs were privileged to be buried in the cave of Machpelah with their wives, why was Jacob buried with Leah and not with Rachel, who was the “foundation of the house”? The reason is that Leah bore more children from the holy stock.
Tradition tells us that the virtuous Leah prayed with many tears that she might be the portion of Jacob and not of the wicked Esau. Hence we have learnt that whoever prays with tears before the Almighty can procure the cancellation of any chastisement that has been decreed against him; for so Leah, though she had been assigned by divine decree to Esau, yet by her prayer succeeded in procuring the preference for Jacob and saved herself from being given to Esau.’
וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף, אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְכִי שְׁאָר שִׁבְטִין לָאו בְּנוֹי אִינוּן. אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, יוֹסֵף בְּנוֹ הֲוָה יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. דְּתָנִינָן, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִנְתְּתֵיהּ דְּפוֹטִיפַר דְּחָקַת לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף, מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל״ט:י״א) וַיָּבֹא הַבַּיְתָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ וְאֵין אִישׁ מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַבַּיִת. הַאי קְרָא הָכִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, וְאֵין אִישׁ בַּבַּיִת. מַהוּ מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַבַּיִת. אֶלָּא לְאַכְלָלָא דִּיוּקְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב, דְּהֲוָה תַּמָּן וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּמָּן. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַבַּיִת, אֲבָל אִישׁ אָחֳרָא הֲוָה תַּמָּן. כֵּיוָן דְּסָלִיק יוֹסֵף עֵינוֹי, וְחֲמָא דִיוּקְנָא דַאֲבוֹי, יְתִיב בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, וְתָב לַאֲחוֹרָא.
AND HE CALLED HIS SON JOSEPH. R. Abba said: Joseph is called Jacob’s son par excellence, because, as we have learnt, when Potiphar’s wife tempted him, he lifted up his eyes and saw the image of his father (as it says, “and there was none of the men of the house there within” (Gen. 39, 11), as much as to say, “but there was someone else”), and he thereupon resisted and withdrew.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל״ט:ח׳) וַיְמָאֵן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ וַיְמָאֵן, וַיֹּאמֶר. חַיֶּיךָ, וַיְמָאֵן וַיֹּאמֶר אָחֳרָא, יֵיתֵי לְבָרְכָא לִבְנָךְ, וְיִתְבָּרְכוּן בֵּיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיְמָאֵן אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר יָדַעְתִּי בְּנִי יָדַעְתִּי.
Hence it was that when Jacob came to bless his sons he said: “I know, my son, I know” (Gen. 48, 19), repeating the word,
כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר יָדַעְתִּי בְּנִי, אַמַּאי אָמַר, יָדַעְתִּי אָחֳרָא. אֶלָּא אָמַר, יָדַעְתִּי בְּנִי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּקָיְימַת בְּגוּפָךְ דְּאַתְּ בָּרִי, כַּד חָמִית דִּיוּקְנָא דִילִי, וְתָבַת בְּקִיּוּמָךְ. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ כְּתִיב, יָדַעְתִּי בְּנִי, יָדַעְתִּי. עַל מַה דְּאֲמַרְתְּ דְּדָא הוּא בּוּכְרָא, גַּם הוּא יִהְיֶה לְעָם וְגַם הוּא יִגְדָּל, וְהָכָא בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף, לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף מַמָּשׁ.
as much as to say, “I know of the time when you proved in your own body that you were my son, and I also know that, as you say, this is the elder.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף, דְּבְדִיוּקְנָא חַד הֲווּ מִתְחַזְּיָין. דְּכָל מַאן דְּחָמֵי לְיוֹסֵף, הֲוָה אַסְהִיד דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כֹּלָּא הָכִי הוּא. וְעוֹד דְּיוֹסֵף זָן לֵיהּ וְלִבְנוֹי בְּסִבוּתֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ בְּנוֹ מַמָּשׁ, יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף, אַמַּאי לְיוֹסֵף וְלָא לְאָחֳרָא. מִשּׁוּם דִּרְשׁוּתָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ לְסַלְקֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן.
Another explanation why he called him specially “my son” is that they closely resembled one another, so that whoever saw Joseph could testify that he was the son of Jacob.’ R. Jose said that another reason was that he supported him and his family in his old age. The reason why Jacob asked Joseph to bury him, and not any other of his sons, was that only Joseph had the power to take him out of Egypt.
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כֵּיוָן דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה יָדַע דִּבְנוֹי יִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּן בְּגָלוּתָא תַּמָּן בְּמִצְרַיִם, אַמַּאי לָא אִתְקַבַּר תַּמָּן בְּגִין דְּיָגִין זְכוּתֵיהּ עַל בְּנוֹי. אַמַּאי בָּעָא לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִתַּמָּן. וְהָא כְּתִיב, (תהילים ק״ג:י״ג) כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים, אָן הוּא רַחְמָנוּתָא.
R. Jose said: ‘Since Jacob knew that his descendants would be in bondage in Egypt, why did he not have himself buried there in order that his merit might shield them, which would have shown true parental solicitude?’
אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּהֲוָה נָחִית יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם, הֲוָה דָחִיל. הֲוָה אָמַר, דִּילְמָא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יִשְׁתֵּצוּן בָּנַי בֵּינִי עַמְּמַיָא, וְדִילְמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְסַלֵּק שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ מִינִי כְּקַדְמִיתָא. מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל״ה:ט׳) וַיֵּרָא אֱלהִים אֶל יַעֲקֹב וְגו'. (בראשית מ״ו:ג׳) (ויאמר אלהים לישראל) אַל תִּירָא מֵרְדָה מִצְרַיְמָה כִּי לְגוֹי גָדוֹל אֲשִׂימְךָ שָׁם. וּמַה דְּאֲמַרְתְּ דִּילְמָא אֲסַלֵּק שְׁכִינָתִּי מִבֵּינָךְ, אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרָיְמָה.
The truth is that, as tradition tells us, when Jacob was about to go down to Egypt he was afraid lest his descendants might be lost among the peoples and lest God might remove His Presence from him. Hence God said to him: “Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation” (Gen. 46, 3), and then, “I will go down with thee into Egypt” (Ibid. 4).
אָמַר עוֹד, דָּחִילְנָא דִּילְמָא אִתְקַבַּר תַּמָּן, וְלָא אֶזְכֶּה עִם אֲבָהָתַי. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְאָנֹכִי אֲעַלְךָ גַּם עָלה. אֲעַלְךָ, מִמִּצְרַיִם. גַּם עָלה, לְאִתְקַבְּרָאָה בְּקִבְרָא דַּאֲבָהָתָךְ.
Jacob was still afraid lest he should be buried there and not with his fathers, so God said to him: “I will also surely bring thee up again” (Ibid.), to wit, to be buried in the grave of thy ancestors.
בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ, בָּעָא לְסַלְקָא גַרְמֵיהּ מִמִצְרַיִם. חַד, דְּלָא יַעַבְדוּן מִנֵּיהּ דַּחֲלָא, דְּהָא חָמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְאִתְפְּרָעָא מִדַּחֲלֵיהוֹן. וְחַד, דְּחָמָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא יְשַׁוֵּי מְדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין בְּנוֹי בְּגָלוּתָא. וְחַד, בְּגִין דִּיהֵא גּוּפֵיהּ דַּיָּיר בֵּין גּוּפַיְיהוּ דַּאֲבָהָתוֹי לְאִתְכְּלָלָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יִתְמַנֵּי עִם חַיָּיבַיָא דְמִצְרָאֵי.
Hence he had various reasons for desiring to be taken out of Egypt. One was that the Egyptians should not make a god of him, since he foresaw that God would punish their gods. Another was because he knew that God would still keep his Presence among his descendants in the galuth. A third reason was that his body might rest in company with those of his ancestors, to be numbered with them and not with the sinners of Egypt,
וְתָנִינָן, גּוּפָא דְיַעֲקֹב, אִתְמְשִׁיךְ מִשּׁוּפְרוֹי דְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְהֲוָה דִּיוּקְנִיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, דִּיוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא. דִּיוּקְנָא דְּכוּרְסְיָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא בָּעָא לְאִתְקְבָרָא בֵּינִי חַיָּיבַיָא. וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה, דְּבַאֲבָהָן לֵית פִּירוּדָא כְּלַל. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וְ שָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבוֹתַי.
since, as we have learnt, Jacob reproduced the beauty of Adam, and his form was sublime and holy like that of the holy throne. Esoterically speaking, there is no separation among the patriarchs, and hence he said: “when I sleep with my fathers”.’
וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף, בְּנוֹ, בְּחַד דִּיוּקְנָא דְאַנְפִּין, בְּגִין דְּבִרְעוּתָא דְרוּחָא וְלִבָּא, אוֹלִיד לֵיהּ יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל׳:ט״ו) הַמְעַט קַחְתֵּךְ אֶת אִישִׁי, דְּכָל רְעוּתָא דְיַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל הֲוָה, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף.
Another reason why Jacob called Joseph “my son” was because he was from the first more intent on begetting him than any other of his sons, his whole thought having been devoted to Rachel.
תָּאנָא, רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (דברים כ״ט:כ״ח) הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת לַה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ וְגו'. הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת לַה' אֱלקֵינוּ, תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי, וּלְאִסְתַּכָּלָא דְּלָא יַעֲבָר עַל רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ. דְּתָנִינָן, כָּל מַה דְּבַר נָשׁ עָבִיד בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, בְּסִפְרָא כְּתִיבוּ אִינוּן עוֹבָדִין, וְעָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא קַמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְכֹלָּא אִתְגַּלְּיָיא קַמֵּיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ירמיהו כ״ג:כ״ד) אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה'. אִי הָכִי, אֵיךְ לָא יִסְתַּמַּר בַּר נָשׁ מִלְּמֵיחַב קַמֵּיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ. וְתָנִינָן, אֲפִילּוּ הַהוּא (מאן) מַה דְּחָשִׁיב בַּר נָשׁ וְאִסְתַּלַּק בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ, כֹּלָּא אִשְׁתַּכַּח קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא אִתְאֲבִיד מִנֵּיהּ.
Said R. Simeon: ‘Man should take good heed not to sin or to transgress the will of his Master, because all his actions are recorded in a book and are reviewed by the holy King and revealed before Him; even his thoughts are present before God and do not escape Him.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא דְּעָאלַת לֵאָה לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, וְיַהֲבַת לֵיהּ אִינוּן סִימָנִין דְּיָהַב יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל, סָלִיק בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּאִיהִי רָחֵל, וְשַׁמַּשׁ שִׁמּוּשָׁא בָּהּ. וְהַהִיא טִפָּה קַדְמִיתָא דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוַת. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית מ״ט:ג׳) כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי, וְסָבַר דְּאִיהִי רָחֵל. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ גָלֵי עֲמִיקְתָּא וּמְסַתַּרְתָּא, וְיָדַע מַה בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא, סָלִיק הַהוּא רְעוּתָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ, וּבְכֵירוּתָא דִרְאוּבֵן אִסְתַּלַּק לְיוֹסֵף. מָאי טַעְמָא, מִשּׁוּם דְּהָא דְרָחֵל הֲוַת, הַהִיא טִפָּה קַדְמִיתָא דְנָפְקַת מִיַּעֲקֹב. וּבְגִין דְּהֲוַת דִּילָהּ, הַהוּא בְּכֵירוּתָא מַמָּשׁ דִּרְאוּבֵן, יָרִית יוֹסֵף. וְרָחֵל יָרְתָה לְהַהוּא דִילָהּ.
Now on the night when Jacob went in to Leah and she gave him the tokens which he had given to Rachel, he really thought she was Rachel, and God, to whom all secrets are revealed, allowed that thought to have effect, and so the birthright of Reuben was transferred to Joseph, that having been Jacob’s first seed, and so Rachel came into her own inheritance.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ, רָזָא דְמִלָּה, לָא אִסְתַּלַּק רְאוּבֵן בִּשְׁמָא כִּשְׁאָר שִׁבְטִין. אֶלָּא רְאוּבֵן. כְּלוֹמַר חֲמוּ בַּר, רְאוּ בֵּן סְתָם. וְהַאי בֵּן לָא אִתְיְדַע שְׁמֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא לָא קַרְיָא לֵאָה בְּנֵי בְּהַאי שְׁמָא, וְלָא אִקְרֵי רְאוּ בְּנִי, דְּהָא לֵאָה יָדְעַת עוֹבָדָא.
This, too, is why Leah called his name simply Reuben (=see a son) and not Reubeni (=see my son).
וְתָנִינָן, גָּלֵי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּיַעֲקֹב לָאו רְעוּתֵיהּ לְמֵיחַב קַמֵּיהּ בְּהַאי, וְלָא אִסְתַּכַּל בִּרְעוּתָא בְּאִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, כִּשְׁאָר חַיָּיבֵי עַלְמָא. וְעַל כָּךְ כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל״ה:כ״ב-כ״ג) וַיִּהְיוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר. דְּהָא בְּנַיְיהוּ דִּשְׁאָר חַיָּיבֵי עַלְמָא דְּעָבְדִין הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, בִּשְׁמָא אָחֳרָא אִקְרוּן. וְהָא יְדִיעָא מִלָּה דָא לְגַבֵּי חַבְרַיָא, וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף, בְּנוֹ מַמָּשׁ, מִשֵּׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא (ד"א ל"ג בריה) בְּנוֹ הֲוָה.
We have learnt: “God knew that Jacob had no intent to sin before Him, and that he did not allow his thoughts to dwell on any other woman at that instant like the sinful, and therefore it is written: “And the sons of Jacob were twelve” (Gen. 35, 22).’ For the sons of the sinners who act in this way are called by another name, which is known among the Companions. Hence “Jacob called to his son Joseph”-his real son, his son at the beginning and at the end.’
תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, בַּמֶּה אוֹמֵי לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף, דִּכְתִיב שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי. אֶלָּא בְּהַהוּא אָת קַיָּימָא, דְּהֲוָה רָשִׁים בְּבִשְׂרֵיהּ, דְּדָא חֲשִׁיבוּתָא דְּאֲבָהָן יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא. וְהַאי בְּרִית, רָזָא דְיוֹסֵף אִיהוּ.
PUT, I PRAY THEE, THY HAND UNDER MY THIGH. R. Jose said: ‘Jacob made him swear by the sign of the covenant which was stamped on his flesh, since the patriarchs assigned more importance to this than to anything else, and this covenant, too, is symbolized by Joseph.’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּאַבְרָהָם וּבְיַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב, שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי, תְּחוֹת יֻרִכִי, כְּלוֹמַר, בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דִּרְמִיזָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאַפִּיק זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא מְהֵימְנָא לְעַלְמָא. בְּיִצְחָק לא כְּתִיב, בְּגִין דְּנָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ עֵשָׂו.
R. Simeon said: ‘We find the formula, “put thy hand under my thigh”, in connection with both Abraham and Jacob, but not with Isaac, the reason being that Esau issued from him.
תוּ, מַאי טַעְמָא הָכָא, שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי אַל נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְּמִצְרָיִם. אֶלָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף, בְּהַאי רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא אוֹמֵי לִי, דְּאַפִּיק זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא מְהֵימְנָא לְעַלְמָא, וְאִתְנְטִיר, וְלָא אִסְתָּאַב לְעָלְמִין. דְּלָא יִתְקַבַּר בֵּין אִינוּן מְסָאֲבִין, דְּלָא נָטְרוּ לֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין. דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ, (יחזקאל כ״ג:כ׳) אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׂר חֲמוֹרִים בְּשָׂרָם וְזִרְמַת סוּסִים זִרְמָתָם.
Again, we may suppose Jacob’s idea to have been: “Swear to me by that holy impress which has brought holy and faithful seed into the world and which has ever been preserved from defilement that you will not bury me among those unclean who have never guarded it, and of whom it is written, “whose flesh is the flesh of asses and their neighing the neighing of horses” (Ezek. 23, 20).’
וְאִי תֵימָא, הָא יוֹסֵף דְּנָטִיר לֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא, אַמַּאי אִתְקַבַּר בֵּינַיְיהוּ. אֶלָּא תָּנִינָן, כְּתִיב, (יחזקאל א׳:ג׳) הָיֹה הָיָה דְּבַר ה' אֶל יְחֶזְקֵאל בֶּן בּוּזִי הַכֹּהֵן בְּאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים עַל נְהַר כְּבָר, וְהָא תָּנִינָן, דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. אַמָּאי הָכָא שְׁכִינְתָּא. אֶלָּא עַל נְהַר כְּבָר כְּתִיב, וּכְתִיב וַתְּהִי עָלָיו שָׁם יַד ה'. אוּף הָכָא, יוֹסֵף בְּמַיָא אִתְרַמֵי אֲרוֹנָא דִילֵיהּ. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִי יוֹסֵף אִסְתַּלַּק מֵהָכָא, גָּלוּתָא לָא אִתְקְיַּים. אֶלָּא תְּהֵא קְבוּרְתֵּיהּ בְּאֲתַר דְּלָא יִסְתָּאַב, וְיִסְבְּלוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלוּתָא.
Why, it may be asked, was Joseph, who also guarded the covenant, buried among them? The answer is that it was to meet a special emergency, like the appearance of God to Ezekiel outside the Holy Land. God saw that if Joseph were removed from there, the Israelites would sink under the bondage; therefore He said: “Let his burial place be here in a spot which will not be defiled (for Joseph’s coflfin was thrown into the river), and so the Israelites will be able to endure the captivity.’
תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, חָמָא יַעֲקֹב דְּהָא בְּכֹלָּא אִתְתַּקַּן לְכָרְסְיָא קַדִּישָׁא בַּאֲבָהָן (כאבהן). אָמַר, אִי הָכִי יִתְקַבַּר, הֵיךְ גּוּפָא דָא אֲחִידָא בַּאֲבָהָתָא, וְאֲפִילּוּ מְעַרְתָּא דְּאִתְקַּבַּר תַּמָּן אִקְרֵי כָפֵילְתָּא. בְּגִין דְּכָל מִלָּה דְּכָפֵילְתָּא הוּא תְּרֵין וְחַד, אוּף מְעַרְתָּא תְּרֵין וְחַד.
R. Jose said: ‘Jacob saw that he was fitted in every way to form part of the holy chariot like his fathers, but he thought it impossible that his body should be attached to his fathers if he was buried in Egypt.’
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אַבְהָתָא זָכוּ לְאִתְקַבְּרָא תַּמָּן, אִינוּן וְזִוּוּגַיְיהוּ. יַעֲקֹב הוּא וְלֵאָה, מַאי טַעְמָא רָחֵל לָא, וְהָא כְּתִיב, (בראשית כ״ט:ל״א) וְרָחֵל עֲקָרָה, דְּאִיהִי עִקָּרָא דְבֵיתָא. אֶלָּא, לֵאָה זָכְתָה בֵּיהּ, לְאֲפָקָא שִׁית שִׁבְטִין מִגִּזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּעַלְמָא יַתִּיר. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, אִתְיַיהֲבַת עִמֵּיהּ לְזִוּוּגָא בִּמְעַרְתָּא.
Seeing that the patriarchs were privileged to be buried in the cave of Machpelah with their wives, why was Jacob buried with Leah and not with Rachel, who was the “foundation of the house”? The reason is that Leah bore more children from the holy stock.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵאָה כָּל יוֹמָהָא, הֲוַת בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין קַיָּימָא, וּבָכַת בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, כַּד שָׁמְעַת דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיקָא. וּצְלוֹתָא אַקְדָמַת לֵיהּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ט:י״ז) וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת, כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא, דְּמַקְדָּמַת וְיָתְבַת בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין לְמִשְׁאַל.
R. Judah said: ‘Leah used to go out every day to the highway and weep for Jacob when she learnt that he was righteous, and prayed on his behalf,
רָחֵל לָא נָפְקַת לְאוֹרְחִין לְעַלְמָא. בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ זָכְתָה לֵאָה לְאִתְקַבְּרָא עִמֵּיהּ. וְרָחֵל קַיֶּמֶת קְבוּרָתָהּ בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין וְאִתְקְבָרַת תַּמָּן. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל. מַהוּ עָלַי. עָלַי וַדַּאי, כְּלוֹמַר בְּגִינִי. בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן בַּדֶּרֶךְ, בְּגִינִי מִיתַת בַּדֶּרֶךְ, דְּלָא נָפְקַת בְּגִינִי לְעָלְמִין כַּאֲחָתָהּ.
but Rachel never did so. Hence Leah was privileged to be buried with him, while Rachel’s grave was set by the highway.
בְגִין כָּךְ, לֵאָה דְּנָפְקַת וּבָכַת בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, זָכְתָה לְאִתְקְבָרָא עִמֵּיהּ. רָחֵל דְּלָא בָּעַאת לְמֵיפַק וּלְמִשְׁאַל בַּהֲדֵיהּ, בְגִין כָּךְ קְבוּרָתָה בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין. וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא וְאִתְּמָר, דָּא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא, וְדָא בְּאִתְכַּסְּיָא.
The esoteric reason, as we have affirmed, is that the one typifies the disclosed and the other the undisclosed.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, דְּתַנְיָא, דִּמְעִין סַגִּיאִין שָׁדִיאַת הַהִיא צַדֶּקֶת לֵאָה, בְּגִין לְמֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, וְלָא בְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּעֵשָׂו. וְהַיְינוּ דְּתָנִינָן, כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאוֹשִׁיד דִּמְעִין קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְגְּזַר עֲלֵיהּ עוֹנָשָׁא, יִתְקָרַע, וְלָא יָכִיל הַהוּא עוֹנָשָׁא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ. מְנָלָן, מִלֵּאָה, דְּהָא לֵאָה אִתְגְּזַר לְמֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקָא דְעֵשָׂו, וְהִיא בְּבָעוּתָא אַקְדִימַת לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב, וְלָא אִתְיְיהִיבַת לֵיהּ לְעֵשָׂו.
Tradition tells us that the virtuous Leah prayed with many tears that she might be the portion of Jacob and not of the wicked Esau. Hence we have learnt that whoever prays with tears before the Almighty can procure the cancellation of any chastisement that has been decreed against him; for so Leah, though she had been assigned by divine decree to Esau, yet by her prayer succeeded in procuring the preference for Jacob and saved herself from being given to Esau.’
אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וְשָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבוֹתַי וְגו'. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (קהלת א׳:ג׳) מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם בְּכָל עֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר אִתְּמָר דְּאִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּמִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה וְאִתְחֲזֵי מִלּוֹי סְתִימִין, אֲבָל כֻּלְּהוּ מִלֵּי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה, כֻּלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן בְּחָכְמָתָא.