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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Parshat Miketz 5769

Parshat Miketz 5769
Of Spies and Thieves

© 2008 Rabbi Ari Kahn

The Trap
After a series of strange negotiations and reversals of fortunes, the brothers of Yosef have procured food, and are finally united and on their way home to their father. The performance of what they had first thought to be a simple task - buying food - turned out to be impossibly difficult. It resulted in threats, arrests, incarceration and what seemed at the outset as unimaginable horror. But this is all behind them – they are free, mission accomplished. Shimon is with them, Binyamin is with them, once again they are united; they are whole. At least they think they are united. There is one more brother who is still unaccounted for. He is apparently not on their minds, and soon the illusion of a peaceful trip home, with all their trials and tribulations behind them, will be shattered -- with a vengeance.

Yosef sends off a messenger with the following instructions:

בראשית פרק מד
(א) וַיְצַו אֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל בֵּיתוֹ לֵאמֹר מַלֵּא אֶת אַמְתְּחֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֹכֶל כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּכְלוּן שְׂאֵת וְשִׂים כֶּסֶף אִישׁ בְּפִי אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ:(ב) וְאֶת גְּבִיעִי גְּבִיעַ הַכֶּסֶף תָּשִׂים בְּפִי אַמְתַּחַת הַקָּטֹן וְאֵת כֶּסֶף שִׁבְרוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ כִּדְבַר יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר:(ג) הַבֹּקֶר אוֹר וְהָאֲנָשִׁים שֻׁלְּחוּ הֵמָּה וַחֲמֹרֵיהֶם:(ד) הֵם יָצְאוּ אֶת הָעִיר לֹא הִרְחִיקוּ וְיוֹסֵף אָמַר לַאֲשֶׁר עַל בֵּיתוֹ קוּם רְדֹף אַחֲרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם לָמָּה שִׁלַּמְתֶּם רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה:(ה) הֲלוֹא זֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתֶּה אֲדֹנִי בּוֹ וְהוּא נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ בּוֹ הֲרֵעֹתֶם אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם:(ו) וַיַּשִּׂגֵם וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה:
1. And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.2. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain money. And he did as Yosef had spoken.3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.4. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Yosef said to his steward, Arise, follow after the men; and when you do overtake them, say to them, Why have you repaid evil for good?5. Is not this the cup from which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divines? You have done evil in so doing.6. And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. (Bereishit 44)

No Crime; Why Punishment?
The brothers reply with self-righteous indignation: they are innocent and can prove it from their previous behavior.
בראשית פרק מד
(ז) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו לָמָּה יְדַבֵּר אֲדֹנִי כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה חָלִילָה לַעֲבָדֶיךָ מֵעֲשׂוֹת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה:
(ח) הֵן כֶּסֶף אֲשֶׁר מָצָאנוּ בְּפִי אַמְתְּחֹתֵינוּ הֱשִׁיבֹנוּ אֵלֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְאֵיךְ נִגְנֹב מִבֵּית אֲדֹנֶיךָ כֶּסֶף אוֹ זָהָב:
7. And they said to him, Why did my lord say these words? God forbid that your servants should do such a thing; 8. Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; how then should we steal from your lord’s house silver or gold? (Bereishit 44)

Their strategy is strange. Why, in an attempt to prove their innocence, would they dredge up a previous charge of larceny against them? They run the risk of actually reinforcing the suspicions against them: In light of this latest episode, the previous charge could now be re-opened and reinterpreted, and their guilt established. They note that they had returned the money that was found in their grain-sacks when they returned home, yet this proves nothing: The fact that they returned the money may have been an act of pragmatism, enabling them to purchase more food despite having earlier left their account in arrears.

The brothers continue to defend themselves, but the next line of reasoning, while noble and dramatic, might easily bear dire consequences.

בראשית פרק מד
(ט) אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ מֵעֲבָדֶיךָ וָמֵת וְגַם אֲנַחְנוּ נִהְיֶה לַאדֹנִי לַעֲבָדִים:
9. If any of your servants is found to have it, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.

Quite remarkably, they make the most bizarre offer: Death to the perpetrator, enslavement for the rest - extreme punishment for the guilty and the innocent alike. The counter-offer is equally strange: While the emissary appears to accept their offer, he actually downgrades the punishments. The death sentence is removed from the table, the innocent will go free, and only the guilty party will be enslaved:
בראשית פרק מד
(י) וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם עַתָּה כְדִבְרֵיכֶם כֶּן הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ נְקִיִּם:(יא) וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיּוֹרִדוּ אִישׁ אֶת אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ אָרְצָה וַיִּפְתְּחוּ אִישׁ אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ:(יב) וַיְחַפֵּשׂ בַּגָּדוֹל הֵחֵל וּבַקָּטֹן כִּלָּה וַיִּמָּצֵא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּאַמְתַּחַת בִּנְיָמִן:(יג) וַיִּקְרְעוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם וַיַּעֲמֹס אִישׁ עַל חֲמֹרוֹ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הָעִירָה:(יד) וַיָּבֹא יְהוּדָה וְאֶחָיו בֵּיתָה יוֹסֵף וְהוּא עוֹדֶנּוּ שָׁם וַיִּפְּלוּ לְפָנָיו אָרְצָה:(טו) וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יוֹסֵף מָה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם הֲלוֹא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כָּמֹנִי:(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה מַה נֹּאמַר לַאדֹנִי מַה נְּדַבֵּר וּמַה נִּצְטַדָּק הָאֱלֹהִים מָצָא אֶת עֲוֹן עֲבָדֶיךָ הִנֶּנּוּ עֲבָדִים לַאדֹנִי גַּם אֲנַחְנוּ גַּם אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ:
10. And he said, Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and you shall be blameless.11. Then each of them quickly took down his sack to the ground, and each of them opened his sack.12. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and ended at the youngest; and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack.13. Then they tore their clothes, and each of them loaded his ass, and returned to the city.14. And Yehuda and his brothers came to Yosef’s house; for he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.15. And Yosef said to them, What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?16. And Yehuda said, What shall we say to my lord, what shall we speak, or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. (Bereishit 44)

When the cup is found in the sack of Binyamin, again the brothers increase the punishment. Rather than punishment for the “guilty party” alone, as the steward had suggested, the brothers now increase the punishment and suggest that all of them become slaves. They are rebuffed: Yosef gives them a lesson in morality, explaining that only the guilty should suffer. In words that echo his great-grandfather Avraham, he says it is unjust for the innocent to be punished with the wicked.

בראשית פרק מד
(יז) וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לִּי מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ הוּא יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד וְאַתֶּם עֲלוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל אֲבִיכֶם:
17. And he said, God forbid that I should do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go up in peace to your father. (Bereishit 44)

Yehuda then delivers a soliloquy, recounting history and finally offering his own imprisonment, instead of Binyamin. It would seem that Yehuda could have arrived at this result with much less fuss had he actually wanted it: he could have taken the blame for stealing the goblet from the moment it was discovered, thereby exonerating Binyamin. Yehuda was surely a more likely culprit, having been present at both episodes, while Binyamin was only present at the second meeting.

בראשית פרק מד
(יח) וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲדֹנִי יְדַבֶּר נָא עַבְדְּךָ דָבָר בְּאָזְנֵי אֲדֹנִי וְאַל יִחַר אַפְּךָ בְּעַבְדֶּךָ כִּי כָמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹה:
(לב) כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת הַנַּעַר מֵעִם אָבִי לֵאמֹר אִם לֹא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְחָטָאתִי לְאָבִי כָּל הַיָּמִים:(לג) וְעַתָּה יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר עֶבֶד לַאדֹנִי וְהַנַּעַר יַעַל עִם אֶחָיו:
18. Then Yehuda came near to him, and said, Oh my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are as Pharaoh….33. Now therefore, I beg you, let your servant remain, instead of the lad, a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father. (Bereishit 44)

Negotiations?
The entire episode seems like a wonderful lesson in how not to negotiate. We might better understand the brothers’ conduct in this scene if we are sensitive to their spiritual or religious needs: They are not negotiating, they are seeking punishment. They are consumed with feelings of guilt for a crime they committed many years ago – the sale of Yosef. It is this guilt they express. Ironically, the one brother not involved in any way with that earlier crime is Binyamin, which makes his entanglement in this episode confusing. Be that as it may, the brothers have perpetrated a crime and are now seeking punishment. They are prepared to be enslaved.

Yehuda’s words lead Yosef to reveal his identity, bringing the story to its bittersweet conclusion. The family is reunited, but in Egypt, where slavery will soon begin. Moreover, their guilt in the sale of Yosef hovers over the brothers for the rest of their days.

Spies?

This interaction is not the first strange, nearly-incomprehensible dialogue between Yosef and his brothers. When they meet after many years of separation, Yosef recognizes them immediately, but they see only an aristocratic Egyptian. The conversation is obscure:

בראשית פרק מב
(ז) וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו וַיַּכִּרֵם וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מֵאַיִן בָּאתֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל:(ח) וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּרֻהוּ:(ט) וַיִּזְכֹּר יוֹסֵף אֵת הַחֲלֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם לִרְאוֹת אֶת עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם:(י) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו לֹא אֲדֹנִי וַעֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאוּ לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל:(יא) כֻּלָּנוּ בְּנֵי אִישׁ אֶחָד נָחְנוּ כֵּנִים אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ מְרַגְּלִים:(יב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם לֹא כִּי עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם לִרְאוֹת:
7. And Yosef saw his brothers, and he knew them, but made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them; and he said to them, From where do you come? They said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.8. And Yosef knew his brothers, but they did not know him.9. And Yosef remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said to them, You are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you have come.10. And they said to him, No, my lord, your servants came to buy food.11. We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men, your servants are no spies.12. And he said to them, No, to see the nakedness of the land you have come. (Bereishit 42)

We gather that Yosef was less than overjoyed to see the people who had so mistreated him. He feigns ignorance of their identity and, remembering his dreams, accuses them of being spies. Of course, they deny the charge, yet he repeats it. He insists that in fact the brothers are spies. They interject with what seems like irrelevant information and explain that they are all brothers.

בראשית פרק מב
(יג) וַיֹּאמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר עֲבָדֶיךָ אַחִים אֲנַחְנוּ בְּנֵי אִישׁ אֶחָד בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְהִנֵּה הַקָּטֹן אֶת אָבִינוּ הַיּוֹם וְהָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ:(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם לֵאמֹר מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם:
13. And they said, Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is absent.14. And Yosef said to them, That is what I spoke to you, saying, You are spies.

Yosef counters that this is exactly what he meant. The give and take is strange: What is the proper response to charges of this nature? The exchange is unclear. If we succeed in deciphering this passage, we may then gain insight into Yosef’s thoughts, his motivation, his plan.

The Missing Brother
The easiest explanation is that in fact none of the dialogue makes sense: Yosef has decided to take revenge, and their attempts to defend or explain themselves are futile. Whatever they would say would be useless in the face of Yosef’s power to entrap them. As readers, then, we should not look for deeper meaning in the dialogue.

Yet everything we know from the preceding narrative, everything we have learned about Yosef’s personality, indicates that he is neither impetuous nor whimsical. He is a visionary; he considers long-term consequences and implications. When he resists the seductive advances of his master’s wife, conquering momentary passion, he displays self-restraint that we might expect to see again in this new scenario. And when he meets Pharoh, he does not merely explain the monarch’s dreams, he proceeds to formulate a fourteen-year economic plan, which will rescue the Egyptian economy from drought and recession.

Here, too, when he confronts his brothers, Yosef has a plan. Like a master chess player, he has already thought through all of his moves, their counter moves and his end-game.[1]

Accusing the brothers of espionage may have been a preventive strike: Yosef is aware that his rags-to-riches story is well known in Egypt, and he has thought of the only way of preventing his brothers from hearing the details of his miraculous ascent to power. Once he has accused them of being spies, Yosef effectively prevents his brothers from asking the Egyptians, “Who is this Zafnat Paneach? Where did he come from?” Once they have been charged with spying, such inquiries would effectively prove them guilty, resulting in imprisonment or death. Outflanked, the brothers must now proceed in silence; they cannot ask probing questions about their inquisitioner.

There may be another reason Yosef chooses this particular charge with which to accuse the brothers, and the answer is almost too obvious. When he accuses them of being spies, he inwardly wants them to admit that they are in fact looking for something – or more precisely, for someone: their brother Yosef. Perhaps what Yosef wants more than anything is to hear these words from his brothers: They are searching for him, just as, so many years earlier, when Yosef met an anonymous man in the field who asked him what he was looking for, Yosef responded, “I seek my brothers”. The words echo and haunt us. Despite all the enmity, jealousy and hatred, ultimately Yosef is only seeking out his brothers. He hopes that his brothers will ask the anonymous, unfamiliar man who stands before them, “Have you seen our brother?”

How would the story have ended if the brothers had confided in Zafnat Paneach: “Yes, long ago we had a twelfth brother, who was last seen when he was taken down to Egypt as a slave. Our elderly father thinks that he is dead. We were young and impetuous, and didn’t consider the long term implications of our actions. We didn’t realize that we would break our father’s heart. We didn’t consider the moral and ethical considerations. Now we are indeed searching – not spying. We are looking for something precious, someone whose value we failed to appreciate when he was in our midst. It is our brother we seek.”

Had the brothers admitted to being “spies”, would the charade have continued?

Yosef seems to lead them precisely to this point when he says:

בראשית פרק מב
… וְהָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ:(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם לֵאמֹר מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם:
…and one is absent.14. And Yosef said to them, That (of He) is what I spoke to you, saying, You are spies;

The accusation of being spies is specifically in regard to the one missing brother! He is telling them, perhaps inwardly pleading with them; “You are looking for your lost brother.” We can image Yosef, his heart racing, hoping, praying, that it is true that the brothers are looking for him. But they shatter that sweet illusion and deny any spying. Therefore, Yosef sets an alternative plan in motion: He seeks to jar their memories. He will force them to remember what they have buried away deep in their collective memories. He will remind them that there was once a twelfth brother, that his name was Yosef – and that Yosef is still looking for his brothers.

So, the alternative plan begins: They are all arrested and thrown into prison. Yosef forces them to relive his own experience, in an attempt to jolt them into recognition. Interestingly, various words are used to describe the imprisonment of Yosef and now the brothers. All of these are connected to the “original sin” of the sale of Yosef, who is cast into a pit by his brothers before he is sold. Later, when Yosef tells his life story to a fellow prisoner, he describes his imprisonment “in the pit”, referring either to the Egyptian prison in which they are languishing, or perhaps the pit into which his brothers cast him – or both (Bereishit 40, 15). When he is released from prison and brought before Pharoh, the narrative describes his release “from the pit” (Bereishit 41:14). Linguistically, thematically, and apparently emotionally, Yosef’s prison experience is linked with his initial indignity - when he was thrown into the pit by his brothers. The brothers’ prison experience, though engineered by Yosef to hark back to his own trauma, is described in different terms. They are placed under guard, but not in the pit.

A few days in prison brings the brothers to a very raw emotional place. Their guilt rises from the subconscious to the forefront of their consciousness, and the conversation finally turns to Yosef:

בראשית פרק מב
(כא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ עַל אָחִינוּ אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ צָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּהִתְחַנְנוֹ אֵלֵינוּ וְלֹא שָׁמָעְנוּ עַל כֵּן בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת:(כב) וַיַּעַן רְאוּבֵן אֹתָם לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לֵאמֹר אַל תֶּחֶטְאוּ בַיֶּלֶד וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וְגַם דָּמוֹ הִנֵּה נִדְרָשׁ:
21. And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.22. And Reuven answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and you would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

They remember, and they acknowledge that punishment is due. They accept their guilt and believe they should be punished. Yet they take no action to rectify the situation. They do not make any inquiries regarding Yosef’s fate or whereabouts. They do not admit their wrongdoing to Yaakov.

When all but Shimon are released and their money is returned to their bags, they have no inkling that an additional encounter is being engineered.

Celebration
Eventually, the brothers return to Egypt. The money which they discover in their sacks is returned, and more provisions are purchased. A joyous reunion takes place with their brother who has been absent because he was thrown into prison – Shimon. Yosef watches the brothers rejoice in their regained unity, as they celebrate their family being “whole” again. Of course, there is still one brother missing, one brother unaccounted for, one brother who does not even seem to be missed: Yosef.

They are invited to eat. The last time Yosef saw, or to be more precise, heard his brothers eating was when he was in the pit: They had callously dined while Yosef, stripped of his coat, cried out to them from the pit. Now they eat together, all twelve brothers. Yosef yearns for their companionship, yet they acknowledge neither his absence - nor his presence. Can they still hear his cries? Does it haunt them? Late at night when they try to sleep do they still hear Yosef screaming? Does the image of his being carried away still fill their minds – or is Yosef forgotten?

As far as the brothers are concerned, they are dining with Egyptian royalty, and apparently they get carried away, and allow themselves to eat and drink, and they become inebriated.[2] They have much to celebrate: Their family is whole once again. They are about to go home. They looked forward to putting this entire episode behind them, forgetting all the unpleasantness - just as they forgot Yosef.

Their bags are packed and their money is returned, and Yosef’s goblet surreptitiously placed in the bag of Binyamin. Yosef’s master plan requires that one more episode be relived.

They are on their way, when they are accosted on the road. Their bags are searched, and they are made to feel vulnerable and humiliated. This happened once before, years earlier, when they were young, when they were still one family:
בראשית פרק לא

(כב) וַיֻּגַּד לְלָבָן בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי בָרַח יַעֲקֹב:(כג) וַיִּקַּח אֶת אֶחָיו עִמּוֹ וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרָיו דֶּרֶךְ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וַיַּדְבֵּק אֹתוֹ בְּהַר הַגִּלְעָד:
…(לג) וַיָּבֹא לָבָן בְּאֹהֶל יַעֲקֹב וּבְאֹהֶל לֵאָה וּבְאֹהֶל שְׁתֵּי הָאֲמָהֹת וְלֹא מָצָא וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֹהֶל לֵאָה וַיָּבֹא בְּאֹהֶל רָחֵל:(לד) וְרָחֵל לָקְחָה אֶת הַתְּרָפִים וַתְּשִׂמֵם בְּכַר הַגָּמָל וַתֵּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם וַיְמַשֵּׁשׁ לָבָן אֶת כָּל הָאֹהֶל וְלֹא מָצָא:

22. And it was told to Lavan on the third day that Yaakov had fled. 23. And he took his brothers with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him at Mount Gilead…33. And Lavan went into Yaakov’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he did not find them. Then he went out from Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.34. Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat upon them. And Lavan searched all the tent, but did not find them.

When Lavan catches up with Yaakov, he has a long litany of complaints, including:

30. And now that you are surely gone, because you so long for your father’s house, why have you stolen my gods?

Accused of a crime of which he knows of he is innocent, Yaakov makes an unfortunate pronouncement: Death to the culprit!
בראשית פרק לא
(לב) עִם אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶת אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא יִחְיֶה נֶגֶד אַחֵינוּ הַכֶּר לְךָ מָה עִמָּדִי וְקַח לָךְ וְלֹא יָדַע יַעֲקֹב כִּי רָחֵל גְּנָבָתַם:
32. With whom you will find your gods, let him not live. Before our brothers point out what I have of yours, and take it with you. For Yaakov did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

Years later, when the brothers recommend a death sentence for the culprit, they are mimicking their father’s response to a similar situation: Yaakov had responded to the theft of Lavan’s idols[3], and the cup which they have been accused of stealing, is reported to be used for “divination”.[4]
The brothers are not negotiating. They are under extreme pressure, and they revert back to a time when they were frightened and vulnerable. They recall their father’s reaction, and respond likewise.

Later, when Yehuda speaks up, he, too, imitates his father’s response to that earlier scene:

בראשית פרק לא
(לו) וַיִּחַר לְיַעֲקֹב וַיָּרֶב בְּלָבָן וַיַּעַן יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר לְלָבָן מַה פִּשְׁעִי מַה חַטָּאתִי כִּי דָלַקְתָּ אַחֲרָי:
36. And Yaakov was angry, and chided Lavan; and Yaakov answered and said to Lavan, What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?

Yosef is trying to jar their memories, and he takes them back to the most traumatic episode of their childhood: They are hastily removed from their grandfather’s home, the only home they know. They will soon face the threat of Esav and his henchman. Between these two pressure points, they are chased down on the road, stopped and searched. And they respond exactly as their father did: “Let the thief be put to death”

Yosef throws it back in their faces. His response seems to shout: “If you identify with your father so completely, so automatically, that you mimic his words, why do you treat him as you do? Why have you let him mourn all these years? If you want to be like your father, why don’t you reach out to your estranged brother as he reached out to Esav? Why, in your minds, is Yosef dead and forgotten?”

Time after time, bit by bit, in one subtle act after another, Yosef works on their memory. He replicates harsh experiences in order to achieve catharsis. As a therapist working with a patient, Yosef forces them to revisit some of the most horrific episodes of their lives, with one goal: to remind them, to wake them up – “Haven’t you forgotten something? Aren’t you looking for someone? Aren’t you really spies?”

Only when Yehuda presses on and finally speaks of his father’s pain and loneliness, does Yosef relent.

ספר בראשית פרק מד
(כז) וַיֹּאמֶר עַבְדְּךָ אָבִי אֵלֵינוּ אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי שְׁנַיִם יָלְדָה לִּי אִשְׁתִּי:(כח) וַיֵּצֵא הָאֶחָד מֵאִתִּי וָאֹמַר אַךְ טָרֹף טֹרָף וְלֹא רְאִיתִיו עַד הֵנָּה:(כט) וּלְקַחְתֶּם גַּם אֶת זֶה מֵעִם פָּנַי וְקָרָהוּ אָסוֹן וְהוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת שֵׂיבָתִי בְּרָעָה שְׁאֹלָה:(ל) וְעַתָּה כְּבֹאִי אֶל עַבְדְּךָ אָבִי וְהַנַּעַר אֵינֶנּוּ אִתָּנוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ קְשׁוּרָה בְנַפְשׁוֹ:(לא) וְהָיָה כִּרְאוֹתוֹ כִּי אֵין הַנַּעַר וָמֵת וְהוֹרִידוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶת שֵׂיבַת עַבְדְּךָ אָבִינוּ בְּיָגוֹן שְׁאֹלָה:(לב) כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת הַנַּעַר מֵעִם אָבִי לֵאמֹר אִם לֹא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְחָטָאתִי לְאָבִי כָּל הַיָּמִים:(לג) וְעַתָּה יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר עֶבֶד לַאדֹנִי וְהַנַּעַר יַעַל עִם אֶחָיו:(לד) כִּי אֵיךְ אֶעֱלֶה אֶל אָבִי וְהַנַּעַר אֵינֶנּוּ אִתִּי פֶּן אֶרְאֶה בָרָע אֲשֶׁר יִמְצָא אֶת אָבִי:
27. And your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since;29. And if you take this (son) from me as well, and harm befall him, you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.30. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life;31. It shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die; and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.32. For I, your servant, am collateral for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to you, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.33. Now therefore, I beg you, let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.

His father’s pain was never Yosef’s desire; quite the opposite. It was his father’s misery which tormented him. Yosef relents at this juncture, for Yehuda has shown heroism. It would have been easy for Yehuda to reason that Rachel and her sons were all tainted by the same evil: Rachel had stolen the terphim years ago, Yosef her son was no better, and now the younger son Binyamin has proved his own moral turpitude – by stealing like his mother and being selfish and self-centered like his brother. In fact, this was the direction in which Yosef was leading him, and would have been the easy way for Yehuda to resolve his own dilemma. But Yehudah displays leadership and responsibility. He is willing to be enslaved so Binyamin can go free. Yehuda is unwilling to cause or endure his father’s pain.

To Yehudah’s heart-wrenching plea – Yosef has the ultimate response.

ספר בראשית פרק מה
(ג) וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו אֲנִי יוֹסֵף הַעוֹד אָבִי חָי וְלֹא יָכְלוּ אֶחָיו לַעֲנוֹת אֹתוֹ כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ מִפָּנָיו:
3. And Yosef said to his brothers, I am Yosef; does my father still live? And his brothers could not answer him; for they were shocked by him.

Yehuda explains that Yaakov’s life is intertwined with Binyamin’s; he tells this “stranger” that Yaakov had a wife whom he loved and that if this last remaining son were to be wrested from him Yaakov will die. Yosef asks: “I am Yosef – is my father still alive? Are you really so concerned about Yaakov’s well-being that you claim he will die if his beloved son is taken from him?” He challenges and chastises: “I am Yosef. Could my father be alive? Can he have survived what you have already done?”[5]

To this there is no answer. To this there can not be an answer. All of their neat explanations are gone. No justifications will work. The stark truth of Yosef’s existence stares them into silence. They have no words, only guilt.

The Rabbis compared this experience of silence to the Day of Judgment, when God, the All-knowing, judges man. No finesse, no legalese, no justifications: on that day, only the humiliation of facing the truth remains.[6]

Apparently, what Yosef seeks is not revenge; that could have been easily achieved, given his position of power. Instead, he takes his brothers on a tour – an emotional guilt trip. He does not seek their humiliation; that was never his objective. He wants to remind them of the past, to remind them that there is someone they have forgotten.

בראשית פרק לז:טז
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ…
And he said, It is my brothers that I seek (37:16)

He wants his brothers to be looking for him; all he ever wanted was his brothers.
[1] It unclear if Yosef did succeed in arriving at the end, when Yosef reveals himself, the text attests that “Yosef could not contain himself any longer” it sounds that he did wish to contain himself at least bit longer. See Bereishit 45:1
[2] Bereishit 43:34 …And they drank, and were merry with him.
[3] According to the Midrash Tanchuma Vayetze (Warsaw Edition) section 12, Rachel takes the teraphim to prevent Lavan from divining the location of her family as they escape.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת ויצא סימן יב
(יב) ויבא אלהים אל לבן הארמי בחלום הלילה זה אחד משני מקומות שטמא הטהור כבודו בשביל הצדיקים, כאן, ובמקום אחר ויבא אלהים אל אבימלך בחלום הלילה (בראשית כ) בשביל שרה, התחיל לבן אומר ליעקב ועתה הלך הלכת וגו' למה גנבת את אלהי, השיבו עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה, באותה שעה נגזר על רחל מיתה, ומשש לבן את כל האהל ולא מצא, ורחל לקחה את התרפים, למה גנבה אותם כדי שלא יהו אומרים ללבן שיעקב בורח עם נשיו ובניו וצאנו, וכי התרפים מדברים הם, כן דכתיב (זכריה י) כי התרפים דברו און,
[4] See Bereishit 44,5: Is not this it in which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divines?

ספר בראשית פרק מד
(ה) הֲלוֹא זֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתֶּה אֲדֹנִי בּוֹ וְהוּא נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ בּוֹ הֲרֵעֹתֶם אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם:
[5] See the commentary of the Seforno, 45:3

ספורנו עה"ת ספר בראשית פרק מה פסוק ג
(ג) העוד אבי חי. אי אפשר שלא מת מדאגתו עלי:
[6] Midrash Tanchuma Vayigash Warsaw edition siman 5, also see Kli Yakar, and Rabbenu Bachya
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת ויגש סימן ה
אמר להן יוסף לא כך אמרתם שאחיו של זה מת אני קניתיו אקראנו ויבא אצלכ', התחיל קורא יוסף ב"י =בן יעקב= בא אצלי יוסף ב"י בא אצלי ודבר עם אחיך שמכרוך והיו נושאין עיניהם בארבע פינות הבית א"ל יוסף למה אתם מסתכלין לכאן ולכאן אני יוסף אחיכם, מיד פרחה נשמתן ולא יכלו לענו' אותו אר"י ווי לנו מיו' הדין ווי לנו מיום תוכחה ומה יוסף כשאמר לאחיו אני יוסף פרחה נשמתן כשעומד הקב"ה לדין דכתיב ביה (מלאכי ג) ומי מכלכל את יום בואו ומי העומד בהראותו שכתוב בו כי לא יראני האדם וחי (שמות לג) עאכ"ו,

Monday, December 15, 2008

Parshat Vayeshev/Chanuka 5769

Parshat Vayeshev/Chanuka 5769
Ketz Bavel -Zerubavel

© 2008 Rabbi Ari Kahn

The tale of Yaakov’s family life unfolds as a dramatic story, replete with jealousy, punctuated by hatred, and nearly culminating in fratricide: Yaakov had many sons, but of all his sons he favored Yosef, the son of his beloved, lamented wife. As the plot unfolds, we find Yosef humiliated, stripped of his royal garb,[1] and taken as chattel. And then the story is put on hold: Chapter 37 ends with the following sentence:


ספר בראשית פרק לז
(לו) וְהַמְּדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל מִצְרָיִם לְפוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים:
36. And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaohs, and captain of the guard.37:36

In order to see what happens to Yosef we are forced to wait, for throughout Chapter 38 our attention is turned to Yehuda. Details of his personal life are shared, and through the recounting of Yehuda’s celebration and tragedy, his loves and his lust, we gain insight into his personality. And all this time, Yosef languishes. The Yosef narrative is picked up in Chapter 39, almost precisely as it was left:


ספר בראשית פרק לט
(א) וְיוֹסֵף הוּרַד מִצְרָיְמָה וַיִּקְנֵהוּ פּוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים אִישׁ מִצְרִי מִיַּד הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹרִדֻהוּ שָׁמָּה:
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down there. 39:1

We as the reader know that the text is building inexorably to the point at which these two key characters meet, the apex of the story. As a literary device, the structure of the Parsha is understandable. But the Torah is far more than compelling writing. It is more than just “a good read”. What lies beneath the surface of the text is far more than character development. The Torah is more than history, more than literature; it is theological truth, which the sensitive reader should seek to discern and internalize.

Yosef and Yehuda are not merely individuals who lived long ago. They represent leadership, salvation and redemption; they embody the concept known as Mashiach.

The Midrash asks a brazen question: Where was God during the sale of Yosef?[2] The answer is eye-opening: God was creating the light of Mashiach. The interlude which delves into the descent and rise of Yehuda is the tale of Yehudah being primed for a leadership role. But this is no ordinary leadership role: The Davidic dynasty, and ultimately Mashiach, are Yehuda’s offspring. More importantly, the character traits Yehuda displays are the very same as those necessary for Mashiach, and Chapter 38 opens a window through which these character traits can be viewed as they develop.

The Midrashic teaching regarding God’s agenda during the sale of Yosef gives us a far-reaching, unifying view of Jewish history: Before the Children of Israel begin the first exile, the light that will guide them home at the end of the final exile has already been created. The story of Yehuda is no divergence. It is part and parcel of the larger story of exile and redemption.

Jewish tradition speaks of an additional Mashiach, one not as well known or as well-publicized: Mashiach ben Yosef (The Messiah, son of Yosef). This week’s Parsha, then, is not only the story of Yosef and Yehuda, two dominant personalities; it is much more. Knowing that Yosef and Yehuda represent two elements of Redemption, we are forced to reread and reconsider this week’s Parsha on the meta - level, examining both the personal stories and behavior of the two key characters as well as the implications these have on the Jewish view of Messianic Redemption.

Like Yosef, Mashiach ben Yosef is a vulnerable Messiah. We don’t know how his mission will work out, for, like Yosef, his position is precarious, and at times it appears that he will fall into the traps set by others, and fail. There were times that Yaakov thought Yosef was dead – but the epic words uttered by Yaakov “Od Yosef Chai! Yosef lives on!” reverberate through history, and according to the great mystics, apply equally to Mashiach ben Yosef. Just as the rumors of Yosef’s demise were greatly exaggerated, so, it is believed, Mashiach ben Yosef will ultimately succeed.


תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוכה דף נב/א
תנו רבנן משיח בן דוד שעתיד להגלות במהרה בימינו אומר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא שאל ממני דבר ואתן לך שנאמר אספרה אל חוק וגו' אני היום ילדתיך שאל ממני ואתנה גוים נחלתך וכיון שראה משיח בן יוסף שנהרג אומר לפניו רבונו של עולם איני מבקש ממך אלא חיים אומר לו חיים עד שלא אמרת כבר התנבא עליך דוד אביך שנאמר חיים שאל ממך נתתה לו וגו'
Our Rabbis taught, The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah, the son of David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days!), Ask of me anything, and I will give it to thee, as it is said, ‘I will tell of the decree etc. this day have I begotten thee, ask of me and I will give the nations for thy inheritance’. But when he will see that the Messiah the son of Joseph is slain, he will say to Him, ‘Lord of the Universe, I ask of Thee only the gift of life.’ As to life’, He would answer him, ‘Your father David has already prophesied this concerning you’, as it is said, He asked life of thee, thou gavest it him, [even length of days for ever and ever].

The prototype of the two Messiahs resurfaces at various junctures in the Torah: When all the other spies turn the people against God and the notion of inheriting the Promised Land, two individuals stand apart from the others. Calev (from the Tribe of Yehuda) and Yehoshua (from the Tribe of Yosef), remain strong, and do not lose sight of Jewish destiny.

Within this national destiny, Yosef has two dreams regarding his personal role. The first dream concerns wheat, representing food or economics at the most basic level. The second dream is about the sun, moon and stars; it is about power. Yosef envisions himself as both an economic leader and as the leader of the people.

The Rabbis tell us that only the first dream came true. Yosef does collect all the wheat in Egypt; he becomes the “great provider”. He feeds his brothers, and insures the physical survival of the Children of Israel. Yet although his brothers eventually bow down to him, they never accept him as their leader. As we shall see, there will be repercussions of this non-acceptance.

The need for two different Messiahs begins to come into focus, for clearly each has a separate task to accomplish, each has different capabilities. When those tasks become confused, when the capabilities do not fit the job at hand, when the battle is fought with the wrong weapon, problems arise.

Jewish history is made up of so many confrontaions, battles won and lost, exiles of varying nature and duration. So it has been, and so it was foretold:

בראשית פרק טו
(יב) וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה חֲשֵׁכָה גְדֹלָה נֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו: (יג) וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה:
12. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Avram; and, lo, a fear of great darkness fell upon him. 13. And (God) said to Avram, Know for a certainty that your offspring shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. Bereishit 15.

Rashi[3] explains that the darkness which Avraham feared refers to the exiles his descendents would experience in the future. The Ramban, citing Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer, says that Yaakov shared Avraham’s dream, and that is the inner meaning of Yaakov’s vision of angels ascending and descending the heavenly ladder. The angels represent the various monarchies who ruled over Israel, each rising and eventually falling into the dustbin of history. These exiles are inevitable, inescapable, and an integral part of Jewish destiny. In fact, the future exiles are mentioned in midrashic comments as early as the second verse of the Torah:

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשה ב ד"ה ד ר"ש בן
ד ר"ש בן לקיש פתר קריא בגליות, והארץ היתה תהו זה גלות בבל שנאמר (ירמיה ד) ראיתי את הארץ והנה תהו, ובהו זה גלות מדי (אסתר ו) ויבהילו להביא את המן, וחושך זה גלות יון שהחשיכה עיניהם של ישראל בגזירותיהן שהיתה אומרת להם, כתבו על קרן השור שאין לכם חלק באלהי ישראל, ורוח אלהים מרחפת זה רוחו של מלך המשיח, היאך מה דאת אמר (ישעיה יא) ונחה עליו רוח ה', 
4. R. Shimon b. Lakish applied the passage to the [foreign] Powers. NOW THE EARTH WAS TOHU (‘UNFORMED’) symbolizes Babylonia: “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was tohu (Yiemiyahu 4, 23) AND VOHU (‘VOID’) symbolizes Media: “They hastened (va-yavhillu) to bring Haman (Esther 4, 14) AND DARKNESS symbolizes Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its decrees, ordering Israel, ‘Write on the horn of an ox that ye have no portion in the God of Israel.’ UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP (refers to) this wicked State: Just as the great deep cannot be plumbed, so one cannot plumb [the depths of iniquity of] this wicked State. AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD HOVERED: this alludes to the spirit of Mashiach, as you read, “And the spirit of God shall rest upon him (Yishaiyahu 11, 2).
Midrash Rabbah – Bereishit 2:4


Yet not all exiles are created equal. Different exiles present different challenges, and therefore require different responses. Yaakov himself is exiled twice. The more prominent exile is clearly the second, when he goes to Egypt. This sojourn will last hundreds of years, and will culminate with the slavery of the people. The challenge of this exile is clear – physical survival.

However, this is not the only exile that Yaakov endures. There was an earlier episode, which has very different characteristics: Perhaps visiting one’s family might not be seen as an exile; indeed, Yaakov was not really enslaved by Lavan, he merely had a bad employer. We might say that the Lavan experience was not one of slavery, but it was exile nonetheless. Much like the Egypt experience, Yaakov does succeed in his exile, but the success is not to his benefit: His father-in-law is the main beneficiary of his good fortune, and the problems only escalate when Yaakov wants to leave. As opposed to the Children of Israel in Egypt, Yaakov has a good job and a comfortable life in Lavan’s home. His challenge there is spiritual survival.

Let us examine the different types of redeemers needed for the different types of exiles. The Prophet Amos speaks or a series of calamities:

עמוס פרק ה
(יח) הוֹי הַמִּתְאַוִּים אֶת יוֹם ה’ לָמָּה זֶּה לָכֶם יוֹם ה’ הוּא חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא אוֹר: (יט) כַּאֲשֶׁר יָנוּס אִישׁ מִפְּנֵי הָאֲרִי וּפְגָעוֹ הַדֹּב וּבָא הַבַּיִת וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ עַל הַקִּיר וּנְשָׁכוֹ הַנָּחָשׁ: (כ) הֲלֹא חֹשֶׁךְ יוֹם ה’ וְלֹא אוֹר וְאָפֵל וְלֹא נֹגַהּ לוֹ: (כא) שָׂנֵאתִי מָאַסְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶם וְלֹא אָרִיחַ בְּעַצְּרֹתֵיכֶם: (כב) כִּי אִם תַּעֲלוּ לִי עֹלוֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶם לֹא אֶרְצֶה וְשֶׁלֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶם לֹא אַבִּיט:
18. Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light. 19. As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned with his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Very dark with no brightness in it? 21. I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell the sacrifices of your solemn assemblies. 22. Though you offer me burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; nor will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

Amos’s words are cryptic: What is this darkness? Who is the lion? Which bear is he referring to? And what forest, what serpent?

אסתר רבה (וילנא) פתיחתות ד"ה ה רבי יודא
רבי יודא בר"ס פתח (עמוס ה') כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי, רבי הונא ור' אחא בשם ר' חמא בר' חנינא כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי וגו' זו בבל, על שם קדמיתא כאריה ופגעו הדוב זו מדי על שם (דניאל ז') וארו חיוה אחרי תנינה דמיה לדוב, ר' יוחנן אמר לדב כתיב, דא היא דעתיה דר' יוחנן דאמר ר' יוחנן (ירמיה ה') על כן הכם אריה מיער זו בבל (שם) זאב ערבות ישדדם זו מדי, נמר שקד על עריהם זו יון (שם) כל היוצא מהנה יטרף זו אדום, ובא הבית זה יון שהיה הבית קיים, ונשכו הנחש זו אדום, שנאמר קולה כנחש ילך וכה"א פתחי לי אחותי זו בבל, רעיתי זו מדי, יונתי ביון, תמתי באדום, שכל ימי יון היה בית המקדש קיים, והיו ישראל מקריבין בו תורים ובני יונה על גבי המזבח,
R. Judah b. R. Simon opened with the text: As if a man did flee from a lion, etc. (Amos, V, 19). R. Huna and R. Hama in the name of R. Hanina said: ’As if a man did flee from a lion’-this refers to Babylon, which is designated by the words, The first was like a lion (Dan. VII, 4). And a bear met him (Amos loc. cit.), this refers to Media, designated in the words, And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear (Dan. VII, 5). (R. Johanan said: The word ’ledov’ (a bear) is written defectively. This accords with the opinion of R. Johanan given in his dictum, Wherefore a lion out of the forest doth slay them (Jer. V, 6): this refers to Babylon. A wolf of the deserts doth spoil them (ib.), this refers to Media. A leopard watcheth over their cities-this refers to Greece. Everyone that goeth out thence is torn in pieces-this refers to Edom.) And he went into the house (Amos, loc. cit.)-this refers to Greece, in the era of which the Temple was still standing. And a serpent bit him-this refers to Edom, of which it says, The sound thereof shall go like the serpent's (Jer. XLVI, 22). Similarly it says, Open to me, my sister (S.S. v, 2): this refers to [Israel under] Babylon. My love (ib.)-this refers to Media. My dove--this refers to Greece. My undefiled-this refers to Edom. ’ Dove ‘ refers to Greece because throughout the days of the Grecian domination the Temple stood and Israel used to offer pigeons and doves on the altar.

The attack of Yavan (Greece) is different from all the others, because this one took place at home. Other than Chanuka, all biblical and rabbinic holidays commemorate events that took place outside the Land of Israel. Chanuka is the exception; therefore, in the prophesy of Amos, “went into the house” refers to the Greek period. It is one thing to be attacked on the road, when one is vulnerable. It is quite another thing to be attacked at home. This “exile” of the Greek period took place as the Temple was still standing;[4] a strange exile, indeed.

The Yalkut Shimoni[5] takes the same verse from the Book of Amos, and applies it to Yaakov’s life: Here, Lavan is the lion, Esav the bear and Shechem the serpent who attacks him at home. This interpretation creates a parallel between Yaakov’s life and future exiles, and implies that Yaakov endured a third Exile. Specifically, a parallel is drawn between the story of Chanukah and the story of Dinah. This is particularly interesting in light of a Midrash that credits the Maccabean Rebellion to a speech given by one of the Maccabee sisters named Chana. The Midrash explains that the Jewish uprising was a response to one of the famous Greek laws imposed upon the Jews (and presumably upon other nations that fell under Greek rule), namely the principle of ius primæ noctis (droit du seigneur)—the authority of the Greek Governor to deflower virgin brides on their wedding night before they could join their husbands. The Midrash relates that Chana, a daughter of Matityahu the High Priest, demonstratively disrobed at her wedding celebration. Her outraged brothers took up their swords to end the outrage via “honor killing”, but Chana protests: “I disrobed before righteous people, and you are incensed. But this evening I will be taken to the Governor, and not to my husband, and you are silent!” She exhorts them to action, and convinces them to take up arms against the true enemy. Thus, according to this Midrash, the battle of Chanukah ensued.[6]

There are several parallels between Chana’s story and Dinah’s story: As we noted earlier, the Jews are in their homeland, and not on foreign soil. In the story of Dinah, the “saviors” were her brothers Shimon and Levi. Chana’s defenders are her brothers the Maccabees, descendents of Levi. This is more than coincidence; Chana herself points this out, as quoted by the Midrash:

“You should learn from Shimon and Levi brothers of Dinah…put your trust in God and He will save you…”

The larger picture, then, is painted on the backdrop of “home”, the Holy Temple. The guardians of the home are the tribe of Levi who work in the Holy Temple. The savior, in both of these episodes, is not from the tribe of Yehuda, the leader of the brothers, nor is he from the tribe of Yosef, whose leadership was rejected earlier in Bereishit and is not yet accepted, even in the days of the Maccabean Dynasty.

The very foundations of the Second Temple echo the fractured leadership: The Prophet Hagai tells us of a man named Zerubavel, Governor of Judea, who is chosen to rectify Israel’s anomalous situation: God admonishes the Jews, who have attained lives of comfort in their beautiful homes, while the House of God lays in ruins:

חגי פרק א
(א) בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְדָרְיָוֶשׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשִּׁשִּׁי בְּיוֹם אֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הָיָה דְבַר ה’ בְּיַד חַגַּי הַנָּבִיא אֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל פַּחַת יְהוּדָה וְאֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל לֵאמֹר: (ב) כֹּה אָמַר ה’ צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר הָעָם הַזֶּה אָמְרוּ לֹא עֶת בֹּא עֶת בֵּית ה’ לְהִבָּנוֹת: פ
(ג) וַיְהִי דְּבַר ה’ בְּיַד חַגַּי הַנָּבִיא לֵאמֹר: (ד) הַעֵת לָכֶם אַתֶּם לָשֶׁבֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶם סְפוּנִים וְהַבַּיִת הַזֶּה חָרֵב:
1. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the High Priest, saying, 2. Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say that the time has not yet come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built. 3. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4. Is it time for you, yourselves, to dwell in your well timbered houses, while this house lies in ruins?

When the decision is made to put down the foundation stone, the prophet advises to pay careful attention to the date the building has begun:

חגי פרק ב
(יח) שִׂימוּ נָא לְבַבְכֶם מִן הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָמָעְלָה מִיּוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַתְּשִׁיעִי לְמִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּד הֵיכַל ה’ שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם:
18. Consider now from this day onward, from the twenty fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid, consider it.

On the 24th of the ninth month – Kislev - we are ordered to build, and instructed to pay close attention. Perhaps there was something that was missed, an opportunity that was not realized. A second prophesy, received on the very same date, makes the message more clear:

חגי פרק ב
(כ) וַיְהִי דְבַר ה’ שֵׁנִית אֶל חַגַּי בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ לֵאמֹר: (כא) אֱמֹר אֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל פַּחַת יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר אֲנִי מַרְעִישׁ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ: (כב) וְהָפַכְתִּי כִּסֵּא מַמְלָכוֹת וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי חֹזֶק מַמְלְכוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וְהָפַכְתִּי מֶרְכָּבָה וְרֹכְבֶיהָ וְיָרְדוּ סוּסִים וְרֹכְבֵיהֶם אִישׁ בְּחֶרֶב אָחִיו: (כג) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם ה’ צְבָאוֹת אֶקָּחֲךָ זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל עַבְדִּי נְאֻם ה’ וְשַׂמְתִּיךָ כַּחוֹתָם כִּי בְךָ בָחַרְתִּי נְאֻם ה’ צְבָאוֹת:
20. And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty fourth day of the month, saying: 21. Speak to Zerubabvl, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. 23. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubavel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.

Both prophecies revolve around the same day – the day that will one day become the Eve of Chanuka. God will shake heaven and earth; Zerubavel is the chosen one. A redeemer from the tribe of Yehuda!

When it comes to holiness, Yehuda is at the fore. Nachshon, son of Aminadav from the tribe of Yehuda, is the first to jump into the waters of the Red Sea. David and Shlomo build the First Temple. Now, Zerubavel is there to build the Second Temple. The Third, final, everlasting Temple will be built by Messiach ben David.[7]

But Zerubabvel remains an elusive character: From the prophecies of Hagai, he seems so important and so central. He is the Chosen One, sent by God to build the Temple – no wonder some commentaries refer to him as “Messiach ben David”![8] Yet he disappears without a trace. What became of him? Why was this nascent messianic movement aborted? How and why did things go wrong?

Let us consider the chronology of events: The story of Purim takes place between the return of the Jews and the building of the Second temple. The Jews in Shushan, the heroes of the Book of Esther, were those who chose not to return to Israel and participate in the building of the Second Commonwealth. They stayed in Shushan. Every time the book of Esther refers to “Shushan the Capitol” the reader should be reminded that Jerusalem is the real capitol of the Jewish People. These Jews should have been in Jerusalem, not Shushan. The man who was the instrument of the salvation of these Jews was Mordechai, together with his cousin Esther. What do we know about them?

There was a man from Yehudah in Shushan the Capitol, and his name was Mordechai, son of Yair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite; Esther 2:5

Mordechai is described as an ish Yehudi, and an ish Yemini, a descendent of Yehudah and Binyamin. Mordechai and Esther mark an important bond, a convergence between the children of Leah and Rachel. But there is another significant relationship between Yehudah and Binyamin – the Beit Hamikdash is built straddling the Binyamin - Yehudah border.[9] In this sense, Mordechai and Esther represent the Temple itself, at a time when certain Jews rejected the Temple by choosing to remain in the Persian exile, disobeying God’s call to return to their Land under the guidance of Zerubavel and build the Second Temple.

Arguably, had all Jews returned to Israel with Zerubavel, the Purim story could have been averted.[10] Had the Jews accepted Zerubavel, the Messianic age would have begun and the Second Temple could have been the final, everlasting Temple. When the building began –Jews forgot to come. They chose Shushan, arguably the political and economic epicenter of the world, over Jerusalem, the spiritual epicenter, which remained unbuilt. The project began on the 24th of Kislev but, tragically, stopped. “Pay attention,” said the prophet Hagai: many years later, on the 25th of Kislev, they would complete the process, and consecrate the Second Temple. But in an ideal world, the festivals of Purim and Chanuka would not exist!

The sons of Yaakov may have had their reasons for rejecting Yosef’s leadership. In fact, they might have argued that this was the wisest course of action. After all, they might have argued, “the man was a dreamer; he had delusions of grandeur, and would surely never amount to anything”. Tragically, the story of Chanuka is the story of the rejection of Yehuda’s leadership, as well. Zerubavel, Governor of Yehuda, should have been a rallying point for all of the People of Israel, the clear leader and redeemer, but he was rejected as well. And when a person, possessed of the obvious gifts of leadership that Zerubavel had, is rejected despite their greatness, one never knows where it will lead.

God’s personally-appointed Mashiach gathers some of the exiles – but not enough. Many stay behind. He starts the building of the Temple. He brings people closer to God, and encourages them to leave their non-Jewish spouses. But in the end, he fails to complete the mission. Another candidate will have to be appointed to complete the task. The Jews who chose to stay in Shushan were brought to the brink of destruction – but another festival was soon revealed, as their salvation eventually came.

Zerubavel is the Mashiach the Jews didn’t want. He helped build the Temple[11] we didn’t want, and he tried to get people to return to a Land they didn’t want. Chanukah actually celebrates the completion of the building of the Second Temple. It is commemorated on the 25th of Kislev, completing what was begun on the 24th of Kislev. But even the Maccabees had one fatal flaw – they neglected to return the leadership role to its rightful owner – someone from the tribe of Judah. Instead, they sinned by retaining the kingship for themselves,[12] once again rejecting the leadership of Yehudah. Inevitably, this led to a whole new exile, a new darkness, with its own struggles and challenges.

The End of Days is described by our prophets as the result of accepting the leadership of both Yosef and Yehuda:. The Messianic Age will see the fusion of these two paradigms of leadership, a union of Yosef and Yehuda, and the emergence of the Mashiach:

יחזקאל פרק לז
(יט) דַּבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ הִנֵּה אֲנִי לֹקֵחַ אֶת עֵץ יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד אֶפְרַיִם וְשִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל חברו חֲבֵרָיו וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָם עָלָיו אֶת עֵץ יְהוּדָה וַעֲשִׂיתִם לְעֵץ אֶחָד וְהָיוּ אֶחָד בְּיָדִי: (כ) וְהָיוּ הָעֵצִים אֲשֶׁר תִּכְתֹּב עֲלֵיהֶם בְּיָדְךָ לְעֵינֵיהֶם: (כא) וְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ הִנֵּה אֲנִי לֹקֵחַ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבֵּין הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ שָׁם וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֹתָם מִסָּבִיב וְהֵבֵאתִי אוֹתָם אֶל אַדְמָתָם: (כב) וְעָשִׂיתִי אֹתָם לְגוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ בְּהָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֶלֶךְ אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לְכֻלָּם לְמֶלֶךְ וְלֹא יהיה יִהְיוּ עוֹד לִשְׁנֵי גוֹיִם וְלֹא יֵחָצוּ עוֹד לִשְׁתֵּי מַמְלָכוֹת עוֹד:
19. Say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and will put them with him, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.20. And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes. 21. And say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from among the nations, where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land; 22. (K) And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, nor shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all;

This, then, is essence of the world in its corrected state: One nation, one Temple, one Land, one God: unity.

Postscript for Chanuka
When Chana’s brothers saw her act of defiance at the wedding celebration, they saw only impurity. Only upon further contemplation did they understand that in fact there was a source of purity to her behavior. That essence of purity is akin to the flask of oil found in the Temple. Even though the Temple was defiled, deep in the recesses of the Temple there was a "pach katan", a small flask containing enough oil for one day. Where did this flask originate? Was it related to Yaakov searching for "pachim katanim"[13](little flasks) on the night before his confrontation with Esav? Was it related to the oil with which Yaakov anointed the monument he built after the episode of Dina?[14] Perhaps the lone, pure flask of oil found by the Maccabees is related to both of these events.
Chana shone a spotlight so that her brothers could see the purity hidden beneath the impurity. She understood that deep inside each of us there is a pach katan which yearns to be uncovered and must be lit. While her brothers saw impurity, she taught them to seek out the inner purity, and to fight for it.
Every Jewish soul is comparable to a small flask of pure oil with the seal of the Kohen Gadol. Sometimes its light is clearly visible, sometimes we must search. But when the Maccabees found the oil and lit the Menorah – the oil didn't last only one day as we would have expected. It didn't even last for seven or eight days. The light of that pach katan of purity, so much like the hidden light within each of us, has lasted for 2300 years, and still burns strong.

[1] See Ramban Shmot 28:2
[2] Midrash Rabbah Berieshit 85:1

מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה פה פסקה א
ויהי בעת ההיא וירד יהודה מאת אחיו (מלאכי ב) בגדה יהודה ותועבה נעשתה וגו' א"ל כפרת יהודה שקרת יהודה ותועבה נעשתה בישראל יהודה נעשה חולין (שם) כי חלל יהודה קדש ה' אשר אהב ויהי בעת ההיא (מיכה א) עוד היורש אביא לך יושבת מרשה עד עדולם יבא מלכן וקדושן של ישראל עד עדולם יבא כבודן של ישראל עד עדולם יבא דכתיב ויט עד איש עדולמי ויהי בעת ההיא רבי שמואל בר נחמן פתח (ירמיה כט) כי אנכי ידעתי את המחשבות שבטים היו עסוקין במכירתו של יוסף ויוסף היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו ראובן היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו ויעקב היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו ויהודה היה עסוק ליקח לו אשה והקב"ה היה עוסק בורא אורו של מלך המשיח ויהי בעת ההיא וירד יהודה (ישעיה סו) בטרם תחיל ילדה קודם שלא נולד משעבד הראשון נולד גואל האחרון
1.AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, THAT JUDAH WENT DOWN FROM HIS BRETHREN, etc. (XXXVIII, 1). It is written, Judah hath dealt treacherously, etc. (Mal. II, 11). He [God] said to him [Judah]: ' Thou hast denied, O Judah; thou hast been false, O Judah! And an abomination is committed in Israel... for Judah hath profaned, etc. (ib.)-thou hast become profane, O Judah. The holiness of the Lord which He loveth, and hath married the daughter of a strange god’ (ib.)-as it says, AND I T CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, THAT JUDAH WENT DOWN, etc. I will yet bring unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, him that shall possess thee; the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam (Micah I, 15)- [’The glory of Israel’ means] the Holy One of Israel; to Adullam shall come the King of Israel. Even unto Adullam shall come’ -AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, etc. R. Samuel b. Nahman commenced thus: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord (Jer. XXIX, 11). The tribal ancestors were engaged in selling Joseph, Jacob was taken up with his sackcloth and fasting, and Judah was busy taking a wife, while the Holy One, blessed be He, was creating the light of Messiah:
[3] See Rashi Bereshit 15:12, also see comments of the Targum (pseudo) Yonatan who is a bit more specific in the identity of these exiles.
רש"י בראשית פרק טו פסוק יב
(יב) והנה אימה וגו' - רמז לצרות וחשך של גליות:

[4] See Midrash Tehillim (Buber edition)18:11
מדרש תהלים (בובר) מזמור יח ד"ה [יא] בצר לי
בצר לי אקרא ה', בבבל. ואל אלהי אשוע. במדי ופרס. ישמע מהיכלו קולי, ביון. ושועתי לפניו תבא באזניו. באדום. [ולפי שבטלו את ישראל מן התורה, דכתיב בה והגית (בה) [בו] יומם ולילה (יהושע א ח), לפיכך אני פורע ממנה באש, שנאמר לעולם יעלה עשנה (ישעיה לד י), ולפי ששרפו בית המקדש שהיה עשן יוצא ממנו, שנאמר והבית ימלא עשן (שם /ישעיהו/ ו ד), קול (ה') מהיכל (ישעיה סו ו), אמר להם אין אתם זכורים מה שעשיתם בהיכלי, קול ה' משלם גמול לאויביו (שם שם /ישעיהו ס"ו/)]. ר' פנחס ורב אחא בשם ר' חמא בר חנינא אמרי למה הזכיר במלכות השלישית היכל ה', שכל ימיה של מלכות יון בית המקדש קיים, ולמה אמר בצר לי במלכות ראשונה, ולא אמר בצרות, לפי שכל הנביאים מייחדין צרותיהן של ישראל וממעטין אותן, שנאמר בצר לך ומצאוך (דברים ד ל), ראה ה' כי צר לי (איכה א' כ), וירא בצר להם (תהלים קו מד), אל ה' בצרתה לי (שם /תהלים/ קכ א), ר' יהודה אומר מטעם אחר (במלכות יון שלא נחרב הבית בימיו) כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי (עמוס ה יט), זו בבל, שנאמר קדמייתא כאריה (דניאל ז ד). ופגעו הדוב (עמוס ה יט). זו מדי ופרס, שנאמר וארו (חוזוא תנינא דמיא) [חיוה אחרי תנינה דמיה] לדוב (דניאל ז ה). ובא הבית (עמוס שם /ה'/). זו מלכות יון, שהיה בית המקדש קיים בימיה, ולא היו מכעיסין על בית המקדש שהיה בנוי, וכשהיו רואין שמעון הצדיק היו עומדין לפניו. וסמך ידו (אל) [על] הקיר ונשכו הנחש (עמוס שם /ה'/). זו מלכות הרשעה, שנאמר קולה כנחש ילך (ירמיה מו כב).

[5] Yalkut Shimoni Amos remez 544
ילקוט שמעוני עמוס רמז תקמד
כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי. זה לבן שרדף אחר יעקב כארי לטרוף נפשו, ופגעו הדוב זה עשו עמד על הדרך כדוב שכול להמית אם על בנים, ובא הבית וסמך ידו על הקיר ונשכו הנחש, כשבא יעקב אל ארץ כנען לביתו בא עליו שכם בן חמור שנאמר וישכב אותה ויענה:

[6] Otzar Midrashim page 189
אוצר המדרשים (אייזנשטיין) חנוכה עמוד 189
כיון שראו יונים שאין ישראל מרגישין בגזירותיהם עמדו וגזרו עליהם גזירה מרה ועכורה, שלא תכנס כלה בלילה הראשון מחופתה אלא אצל ההגמון שבמקום ההוא. כיון ששמעו ישראל כך רפו ידיהם ותשש כחם ונמנעו מלארס, והיו בנות ישראל בוגרות ומזקינות כשהן בתולות, ונתקיים עליהם בתולותיה נוגות והיא מר לה (איכה א'), והיו יונים מתעללות בבתולות ישראל, ונהגו בדבר הזה שלש שנים ושמונה חדשים, עד שבא מעשה של בת מתתיהו כהן גדול שנשאת לבן חשמונאי ואלעזר היה שמו, כיון שהגיע יום שמחתה הושיבוה באפריון, וכשהגיע זמן הסעודה נתקבצו כל גדולי ישראל לכבוד מתתיהו ובן חשמונאי שלא היו באותו הדור גדולים מהם, וכשישבו לסעוד עמדה חנה בת מתתיהו מעל אפריון וספקה כפיה זו על זו וקרעה פורפירון שלה ועמדה לפני כל ישראל כשהיא מגולה ולפני אביה ואמה וחותנה. כיון שראו אחיה כך נתביישו ונתנו פניהם בקרקע וקרעו בגדיהם, ועמדו עליה להרגה, אמרה להם שמעוני אחיי ודודיי, ומה אם בשביל שעמדתי לפני צדיקים ערומה בלי שום עבירה הרי אתם מתקנאים בי, ואין אתם מתקנאים למסרני ביד ערל להתעולל בי! הלא יש לכם ללמוד משמעון ולוי אחי דינה שלא היו אלא שנים וקנאו לאחותם והרגו כרך כשכם ומסרו נפשם על ייחוד של מקום ועזרם ה' ולא הכלימם, ואתם חמשה אחים יהודה יוחנן יונתן שמעון ואלעזר, ופרחי כהונה יותר ממאתים בחור, שימו בטחונכם על המקום והוא יעזור אתכם שנאמר כי אין מעצור לה' להושיע וגו' (ש"א =שמואל א'= י"ד). ופתחה פיה בבכיה ואמרה רבש"ע אם לא תחוס עלינו חוס על קדושת שמך הגדול שנקרא עלינו ונקום היום נקמתנו. באותה שעה נתקנאו אחיה ואמרו בואו ונטול עצה מה נעשה, נטלו עצה זה מזה ואמרו בואו ונקח אחותינו ונוליכנה אצל המלך הגדול ונאמר לו אחותנו בת כהן גדול ואין בכל ישראל גדול מאבינו, וראינו שלא תלין אחותינו עם ההגמון, אלא עם המלך שהוא גדול כמותינו, ונכנסנו עליו ונהרגהו ונצא, ונתחיל אח"כ בעבדיו ובשריו, והשם יעזרנו וישגבנו, נטלו עצה וכו' ועשה להם הקב"ה תשועה גדולה, ושמעו בת קול מבית קדש הקדשים: כל ישראל נצחו טליא באנטוכיא, כן יעשה המקום ישועה בימינו אלה.
[7] Midrash Sochar Tov Beresit 49
שכל טוב (בובר) בראשית פרק מט ד"ה ורבותינו דרשו ויקרא
לכך נאמר יהודה אתה יודוך אחיך, שכל אחיו מודים שהקב"ה בחר במלכות בית יהודה, וכן בחנוכת המזבח הקריב נחשון בן עמינדב למטה יהודה בראשונה, וכן אחרי מות יהושע כתיב וישאלו בני ישראל בה' מי יעלה לנו (בתחלה) אל הכנעני [בתחלה] להלחם [בו] ויאמר ה' יהודה יעלה (שופטים א ב), וכן לא בחר הקב"ה באיש שיבנה לו בית אלא מבית יהודה, שהרי בית ראשון דוד יסדו, ושלמה שכללו, ובבית שני כתוב ידי זרבבל יסדו (את) הבית הזה וידיו תבצענה (זכרי' ד ט), ולעתיד אין הקב"ה מושיע את ישראל אלא ע"י גואל מבני יהודה, שנאמר ויצא חוטר מגזע ישי (ישעי' יא א), ואומר ונשא נס לגוים ואסף נדחי ישראל ונפוצות יהודה וקבץ מארבע כנפות הארץ (שם שם יב), ואומר ודוד עבדי נשיא להם (בתוכם) לעולם (יחזקאל לז כה), ואומר ועבדו את ה' אלהיכם ואת דוד מלכם אשר אקים להם (ירמי' ל ט), זה מלך המשיח העומד מבית דוד שמזרע יהודה: גור אריה יהודה. זה מלך המשיח:

[8] See the comments of Metzudot Dovid Yechezkel 21:31, also see his comments to Zecharya 4:6,4:9
מצודת דוד יחזקאל פרק כא פסוק לא
השפלה - יהויכין שכבר גלה והושפל אותו אגביה כי מזרעו יצא זרובבל מלך המשיח:
מצודת דוד זכריה פרק ד פסוק ו
(ו) זה דבר ה' - ר"ל בזה ירמז כאלו אמר ה' על מלך המשיח הבא מזרע זרובבל:
מצודת דוד זכריה פרק ד פסוק ט
(ט) ידי זרובבל יסדו וגומר - זרובבל עצמו הניח היסוד מהבית הזה כן ידיו ישלימו את בנין הבית ר"ל ידי המשיח הבא מזרעו ישלימו להניח אבן היסוד מהבית העתיד ואמר ידיו על ידי המשיח הבא מזרעו כדרך שאמר כי הנה האבן אשר נתתי לפני יהושע (לעיל /זכריה/ ג) הנאמר על כ"ג הבא מזרעו אשר יכהן אז ואמר ענין השלמה על כי יהיה הבית האחרון והוא תשלום הבתים ולפי שבית העתיד תעמוד במקום הבית הזה עצמו אמר תבצענה כאלו ישלים הבית הזה וכמ"ש גדול יהיה כבוד הבית הזה האחרון (חגי ב):
[9] See Talmud Bavli Yoma 12a
[10] See Talmud Bavli Yoma 9b
[11] See Torat Haolah part 3 chapter 83
ספר תורת העולה לרמ"א ז"ל - חלק ג - פרק פג
אמנם עיקר הקדושה והטהרה הוא בעולם הבא, אמנם מקדש שני הוא נגד ימות המשיח, ולזה נבנה בו שני בתים נגד שני המשיחים המקובלים באומה שהם משיח בן יוסף ומשיח בן דוד, וכן היו עיקרי בוני המקדש זרובבל ועזרא שהם שני משיחים, ונחמיה לא בנה רק חומות ירושלים שהוא דוגמת אליהו ז"ל שיגלה במהרה בימנו לפני בא יום ה' הגדול,
[12] See commentary of Ramban to Bereshit 49:10
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק מט פסוק י
וזה היה עונש החשמונאים שמלכו בבית שני, כי היו חסידי עליון, ואלמלא הם נשתכחו התורה והמצות מישראל, ואף על פי כן נענשו עונש גדול, כי ארבעת בני חשמונאי הזקן החסידים המולכים זה אחר זה עם כל גבורתם והצלחתם נפלו ביד אויביהם בחרב והגיע העונש בסוף למה שאמרו רז"ל (ב"ב ג:) כל מאן דאמר מבית חשמונאי קאתינא עבדא הוא, שנכרתו כלם בעון הזה ואף על פי שהיה בזרע שמעון עונש מן הצדוקים, אבל כל זרע מתתיה חשמונאי הצדיק לא עברו אלא בעבור זה שמלכו ולא היו מזרע יהודה ומבית דוד, והסירו השבט והמחוקק לגמרי, והיה עונשם מדה כנגד מדה, שהמשיל הקדוש ברוך הוא עליהם את עבדיהם והם הכריתום:
ואפשר גם כן שהיה עליהם חטא במלכותם מפני שהיו כהנים ונצטוו (במדבר יח ז) תשמרו את כהונתכם לכל דבר המזבח ולמבית לפרכת ועבדתם עבודת מתנה אתן את כהונתכם, ולא היה להם למלוך רק לעבוד את עבודת ה':
[13] See Talmud Bavli Chulin 91, and Rashi Bereishit 32:25
[14] See Bereishit 35:14

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Parshat Vayishlach 5769-Yaakov/Yisrael

Parshat Vayishlach 5769
Yaakov/Yisrael


© 2008 Rabbi Ari Kahn

Yisrael

(כה) וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר: בראשית פרק לב
25. And Yaakov was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. Berishit 32:25

Late one night a nameless, enigmatic adversary meets a man named Yaakov; at least, Yaakov thought that was his name.

(כח) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה שְּׁמֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב:(כט) וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל: ספר בראשית פרק לב

28. And he said to him, What is your name? And he said, Yaakov. 29. And he said, No longer will you be called Yaakov, but Yisrael; for you have struggled with God[1] and with men, and have prevailed. Bereishit 32:28,29

While the identity of this individual is withheld, apparently his statement is accurate, for later God reaffirms the message:


(ט) וַיֵּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶל יַעֲקֹב עוֹד בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ:(י) וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים שִׁמְךָ יַעֲקֹב לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל: ספר בראשית פרק לה
9. And God appeared to Yaakov again, when he came from Padan-Aram, and blessed him.10. And God said to him, Your name is Yaakov; no longer shall you be called Yaakov, but Yisrael shall be your name; and he called his name Yisrael. Bereishit 35:9,10

While these pronouncements seem straightforward, things may not be as simple as they appear. Although other biblical figures also had name changes, after their new name was bestowed, the old name was never used again. But in the case of Yaakov/Yisrael, the name change doesn’t seem to stick: Avraham was born Avram, but after God changed his name, he never again reverted to the previous form of Avram. One would assume that in similar fashion, from this point onward Yaakov should never again be called Yaakov, but that simply is not the case. God Himself, in subsequent dialogue, addresses him as Yaakov rather than as Yisrael. Perhaps, then, we have not properly understood the “name change”.[2]

When Avraham’s name is changed it is permanent, to the extent that using the old name is halachically proscribed.[3] The Baaley Hatosfot explain that Avraham’s name changed as he underwent a metamorphosis. The new name was given at the juncture at which most Jewish males are given their name – when they are circumcised. Precisely because the new name was part of Avraham’s conversion, the old identity was forfeited. Yaakov, unlike Avraham, was born “Jewish”, was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth and given his name concurrently. His new name must have a different purpose.[4]

We must conclude that Yaakov’s name was not changed; rather, he received an additional name[5]. The implications of this approach must be explored. Suggestions abound, but an overarching explanation into which all the instances fit perfectly and every occurrence is explained still seems lacking. The various approaches are not mutually exclusive, and may complement one another, together giving us a whole picture greater than the sum of its parts:

Rashi[6] suggests that the name Yaakov indicates subservience, while the name Yisrael indicates strength and victory. Varying uses reflect different aspects of Yaakov’s personality that come to light in varying situations. Another view is offered by Meshech Chochma, who sees the different names as expressing the distinction between Yaakov as an individual versus Yisrael as a national identity. Thus, according to Meshech Chochma, God addresses “Yisrael” exclusively when, and only when, there are national issues at hand.[7]

The Netziv[8] proposes that the distinction is between a supernatural aspect (Yisrael), versus a more mundane name (Yaakov) used when natural events or actions are described. Because humans cannot function purely on the spiritual plane, both names are needed.

Each of these suggestion seems to point to an unresolved tension in Yaakov’s life which results in a dual identity.

Unresolved conflicts
While other Patriarchs also experienced tension and conflict, to a great extent their issues were eventually resolved. For example, there is a certain amount of tension in Avraham’s life stemming from the battle for status as his “real” wife between Hagar and Sarah. This conflict is so quickly resolved with the exile of Hagar, that it is hard for us to even admit that this was a serious question. Who is Avraham’s “real” son, Yishmael or Yitzchak? Again, this question is immediately resolved. The conflicts in Avraham’s life are resolved so quickly and efficiently that we are lulled into thinking that they never existed. So, too, with Yitzchak: Who is Yitzchak’s “real” son, the one who would continue the line and the Covenant - Yaakov or Esav? The tension lasts for approximately one chapter and is resolved.

However, when we look at Yaakov, resolutions are scarce. Who is his “real” wife, Rachel or Leah? This is a haunting question; a fair argument could be made for each. Shall we say that the real wife is the woman he first loved? Is it the woman who brought most of Yaakov’s children into the world? Or is it perhaps the woman buried beside him in the ancestral burial ground? And who is Yaakov’s “primary” son, Yosef or Yehuda? The questions seem more intriguing than the answer could possibly be. And now, what, indeed, is his real name - Yaakov or Yisrael? Yaakov’s life is full of unresolved conflicts and tension. It is within these unresolved conflicts that the depth of Yaakov’s identity emerges and his essence is revealed.

The Middle Way
Each of the Patriarchs has a unique spiritual identity: Avraham is associated with Chesed (kindness), Yitzchak is identified with Din (judgment). Yaakov is known as Tiferet (beauty) or Rachamin (compassion). Our first question should be, why? Why is Yaakov associated with Rachamim? [9] Is this identification arbitrary, or is there an intrinsic relationship?

Rachamim
Yaakov represents Rachamim which is the merger of the Chesed of Avraham and the Din of Yitzchak[10]. The Vilna Gaon explains that when Yaakov is called Ish Tam – a simple or perhaps “perfect man”- this combination of the Chesed of Avraham and the Din of Yitzchak is the nature of his perfection. He is perfect because he is the center, the wonderful balance.[11] But what is Rachamim? How is it distinguished from Chesed? The word Rachamim is etymologically related to rechem, womb. Thus, one might render Rachamim as all-embracing, unconditional love[12] like that of a mother for her child. Just as a mother has this sort of love for her child despite the inevitable physical pain of childbirth and the unavoidable emotional pain of raising the child, so Rachamim is the combination of Din and Chesed. Few people experienced the pain of raising children as acutely as Yaakov. Reuven’s indiscretion and insubordination, Shimon and Levy’s violent adventures, the abuse suffered by Dinah, Yosef’s disappearance and apparent death, the potential loss of Binyamin: the story of Yaakov’s life was one of parental pain.[13]

According to some commentaries[14], Rachamim is the synthesis[15] of Chesed and Din[16], the synthesis of thesis and antithesis. This is the means Yaakov used to cope with the unresolved conflicts in his life.

Another possibility is that instead of synthesis, the relationship may be more accurately described as symbiosis: the new entity (Rachamim) combines Din and Chesed, but each of the pre-existing elements retains its identity as a distinct attribute.[17] This approach is akin to another description of Yaakov: According to the Midrash, Yaakov is associated with the main beam which goes through width of the Mishkan - the “bariach hatichon”[18]. It was Yaakov who brought this beam to Egypt when he went to see Yosef, effectively beginning the Exile.[19] This is the middle beam which holds the edifice together. This is Yaakov, who has the ability to bring together the attributes he has inherited from Avraham and Yitzchak, and hold these two divergent strands together to create the unshakable “middle way”, the supporting beam of what will later become our main conduit to spirituality. This is what it means to be the “middle”, to support the structure, to provide tools for Redemption at the very start of the inevitable Exile.

In fact, Yaakov is the first individual in the Torah to use the word rachamim:

(יד) וְאֵל שַׁדַּי יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ וְשִׁלַּח לָכֶם אֶת אֲחִיכֶם אַחֵר וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין וַאֲנִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי: ספר בראשית פרק מג
14. And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may free your other brother, and Binyamin. And if I am to be bereaved of my children, then I am bereaved.

Exile
Binyamin is brought down to Egypt, ostensibly to satisfy the whimsical request of an Egyptian despot. “May God give you rachamim!” is Yaakov’s prayer for his sons. Only when Binyamin is brought to Egypt does the Exile officially begin, for only then will all twelve sons of Yaakov be in Egypt. While the brothers believed that they had sold their brother Yosef into slavery, little did they realize that they were soon to share his plight. When they flagged down the band of passing Yishmaelites, it never dawned on them that they were all part of a larger plan that would bring all of the children of Yaakov to Egypt.

When Yaakov himself finally goes to Egypt, he has a revelation:

ספר בראשית פרק מו
(א) וַיִּסַּע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וַיָּבֹא בְּאֵרָה שָּׁבַע וַיִּזְבַּח זְבָחִים לֵאלֹהֵי אָבִיו יִצְחָק: (ב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַרְאֹת הַלַּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי: (ג) וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי הָאֵל אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ אַל תִּירָא מֵרְדָה מִצְרַיְמָה כִּי לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשִׂימְךָ שָׁם: (ד) אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה וְיוֹסֵף יָשִׁית יָדוֹ עַל עֵינֶיךָ: (ה) וַיָּקָם יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיִּשְׂאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם וְאֶת טַפָּם וְאֶת נְשֵׁיהֶם בָּעֲגָלוֹת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח פַּרְעֹה לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ:
1. And Yisrael traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Yitzchak. 2. And God spoke to Yisrael in the visions of the night, and said, Yaakov, Yaakov. And he said, Here am I. 3. And he said, I am God, the God of your father; fear not to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation; 4. I will go down with you to Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again; and Yosef shall put his hand upon your eyes. 5. And Yaakov rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Yisrael carried Yaakov their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

The entire section is confusing, as the text seesaws between Yisrael and Yaakov. “Yisrael” travels, but “Yaakov” is addressed. Then Yaakov travels, and the children of “Yisrael” carry him. Deciphering the names seems a hopeless task.

Limiting the Exile
The Megaleh Amukot says that when Yaakov prayed for rachamim, it was from God, and not from the Egyptian ruler: He prayed that God’s Attribute of Rachamim should temper the Din of the Exile. This prayer is the reason that the actual period of slavery lasted only 86 years, which is the numerical value of El-ohim[20]. This would be a classic example of Rachamim which fuses Chesed and Din: The children of Avraham are destined to be slaves, apparently for a period of 400 years. But tradition tells us that the 400 years are counted from the birth of Yitzchak and not from the moment the Children of Yaakov begin their sojourn in Egypt.

מדרש רבה שיר השירים פרשה ב פסקה כח
(א) יא כי הנה הסתו עבר אלו ת' שנה שנגזרו על אבותינו במצרים הגשם חלף הלך לו אלו מאתים ועשר שנים ולא הוא הגשם ולא הוא הסתו אמר ר' תנחומא עיקר טרחותא מיטרא הוא כך עיקר שעבודן של ישראל במצרים שמונים ושש שנים היו משעה שנולדה מרים (פירושה שלכך נקרא שמה מרים על שום שנאמר (שמות א') וימררו את חייהם כי מרים לשון מירור הוא):
FOR LO, THE WINTER IS PAST. This refers to the four hundred years which our ancestors were condemned to be in Egypt. THE RAIN IS OVER AND GONE: this refers to the two hundred and ten years [that they were actually there]. Are not ‘rain’ and ‘winter’ the same thing? R. Tanhuma said: The real hardship [of winter] is its rain. So the real bondage of Israel in Egypt was eighty-six years, from the birth of Miriam. (Explanatory note. She was called Miriam because it says, And they made their lives bitter (Ex. I, 14), because ‘Miriam, means bitterness.) Midrash Rabbah Shir Hashirim 2:28

The duration of the Exile was 210 years, but actual slavery was only for 86 of those years. According to Megaleh Amukot, this is a result of the prayers of Yaakov, and reflects his unique spiritual profile:[21] This is a merger of Chesed and Din. The Exile and enslavement are inevitable, unavoidable. Yaakov prayed, not to cancel these harsh decrees, not to alter the judgment of Gods attribute of Din, but to merge it with God’s attribute of Chesed – 86 years of slavery in place of 400. Indeed, the Talmud teaches that the enslavement was tempered in another way: Yaakov himself was spared slavery:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף פט/ב
אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן ראוי היה יעקב אבינו לירד למצרים בשלשלאות של ברזל אלא שזכותו גרמה לו דכתיב בחבלי אדם אמשכם בעבותות אהבה ואהיה להם כמרימי עול על לחיהם ואט אליו אוכיל:
R. Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Yohanan's name: it was fitting for our father Yaakov to go down into Egypt in iron chains, but his merit saved him, for it is written, I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat before them.

Slavery should have begun with Yaakov taken down to Egypt in chains, but he was spared the disgrace. Yaakov arrived in Egypt with a royal escort, and was received by Pharaoh himself with full honours. It was the beginning of the slavery, conducted with pomp and circumstance. This combination is Rachamim. The sale of Yosef[22] and Yosef’s ascension to royalty were all part of the greater plan to temper the unavoidable enslavement.[23]

Rachel and Leah
Let us return to another unresolved conflict in Yaakov’s life: Who is his “real” wife? According to the Zohar[24], the real wife of Yaakov was Rachel, and the real wife of Yisrael was Leah. Therefore, the Megaleh Amukot says, as soon as Yaakov returns to the Land of Israel and receives the name Yisrael, Rachel dies.[25] It is as if Yaakov is no more; therefore his soul - mate, is no more. Rachel was the woman Yaakov loved; Leah was the woman who produced the lion’s share of Am Yisrael. The Midrash articulates the issue as follows: The word ‘ikar (‘principal’ wife) is related to ‘akara (childless); when the Torah says Rachel was ‘akara, the message is that she was the principal wife. Nonetheless, Leah is the mother of the nation[26].

The complexity of the issue stems from the nature of Rachamim. Avraham was identified with Chesed, and his wife Sarah, who insists that Yishmael must go, is Din. It is she who displays clear judgment, is able to isolate the black and the white from amidst the grey. Yitzchak, her son, is also identified with Din; he hears the pronouncement of God and unflinchingly executes the decree. There is no grey area. His wife Rivkah is identified with Chesed, hence the test employed by Avraham’s servant to locate the proper spouse for Yitzchak.

Who is Yaakov? A kindly, sensitive tent - dweller. A spiritual man. A man of loving-kindness whom one needs no other reason to love. Rachel, too, is kind, generous, giving. Her self-sacrifice for her sister is unparalleled in the annals of Chesed. Here, at last, is the perfect couple: Similar in temperament and inclination, without the stark differences that characterized the home life of the previous two generations. But something went wrong. A different couple, also destined to unite, never materialized –Esav and Leah.

Esav and Leah were meant to be together,[27] but Esav turns his back on the Divine Plan. He abdicates. A replacement for the powerful Esav in the pantheon of Jewish leaders must be found. Enter Yisrael, the “replacement” spouse for Leah. The merger of Yaakov and Yisrael is paralleled by the merger of Rachel and Leah. In fact, we are told that Rachel and Leah were one soul divided between two bodies.[28]

The original plan was for Yaakov and Rachel to form a home of complete Chesed and for Esav and Leah to form a home of total Din. With these forces joined and working in harmony, the product would become known as Am Yisrael. This plan is frustrated when Esav backs out. He scorns his birthright, rejects his responsibility. Esav’s powers of judgment are not put to use in the service of God, but rather in the service of self, as part of Esav’s rebellion. A void results, a vacuum that must be filled. Yaakov steps up. He takes Esav’s birthright upon himself, acquires the blessing that was meant for Esav, and sets out to fulfill a dual role: to fulfill the destiny of Yaakov and fulfill God’s Covenant with Avraham, while at the same time fulfilling the destiny which Esav has abandoned, which will now be filled by Yisrael.[29]

Yaakov must now leave the tents. He must reinvent himself. He must live a dual life, and he must marry two women. He must be both Yaakov and Yisrael; he must become Rachamim.

The name Yisrael is given to Yaakov as he is about to enter the Land of Israel, having built his family and his wealth, having brought to fruition the blessings meant for Esav. The name Yisrael is bestowed upon him when he has successfully incorporated into his personality the aspects Esav abandoned. The name Yisrael is bestowed upon him after his confrontation with and victory over Esav. He has taken on Esav’s attribute of Din, building Am Yisrael together with Leah, and this is reflected in his new name. But his previous identity, his natural attribute of Chesed, co-exists with Din; he has accepted a dual responsibility, and the duality of his name reflects this. He is married to both Rachel and Leah; he is both Chesed and Din, both Yaakov and Yisrael.

Years later, when Yisrael begins his trip to Egypt, to exile, he is addressed as Yaakov. The other identity, named Yisrael and representing the superior, national, even super-natural identity, is subdued as slavery begins. Subservience, embodied in the name Yaakov (heel) will now be the order of the day. The children of Yisrael cannot but follow: When they sentenced their brother Joseph, son of Yaakov and Rachel, first to death and then to slavery, they turned their backs on the attribute of Chesed shared by Yaakov and Rachel. They did not understand that the sale of their brother would actually result in their own slavery and subservience. They did not see that Din untempered by Chesed would lead to tragedy. This lesson would have to be learned in the long years of exile and enslavement.

It is possible that when the Exile that was curtailed to 86 years, shortened and ameliorated by the merit of Yaakov’s prayers, not all things which needed to be accomplished during exile were achieved.[30] Not all the lessons of exile and slavery were learned. Not all the impurities of the collective soul of Am Yisrael were cleansed. In God’s infinite Mercy and Wisdom, He saw that the Jews needed to leave Egypt sooner than planned. Even one more day of Exile could have had catastrophic consequences.[31] Consequently, Redemption came too soon. Another exile would be necessary to insure that the remaining accomplishments could be achieved. Yaakov/Yisrael would have to continue to vacillate between these two identities, between national strength and subservience. But the Sages assure us that the second Redemption will be the ultimate Redemption, making the Redemption from Egypt seem a minor, secondary episode -- like the name Yaakov and the relative powerlessness it connotes as compared to Yisrael, who has struggled with God and men and triumphed:

מסכת ברכות יב:
תַּנְיָא, אָמַר לָהֶם בֶּן זוֹמָא לַחֲכָמִים, וְכִי מַזְכִּירִים יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר, (ירמיה כג) "הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם ה', וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ עוֹד חַי ה' אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, כִּי אִם חַי ה' אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה וַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֶת זֶרַע בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹנָה, וּמִכֹּל הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתִּים שָׁם". אָמְרוּ לוֹ, לֹא שֶׁתֵּעָקֵר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם מִמְּקוֹמָהּ, אֶלָא שֶׁתְּהֵא שִׁעְבּוּד גָּלֻיּוֹת עִקָּר, וִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם טָפֵל לוֹ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, (בראשית לה) "לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְּךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב, כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ", [דף יג] לֹא שֶׁיֵּעָקֵר יַעֲקֹב מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל עִקָּר, וְיַעֲקֹב טָפֵל לוֹ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, (ישעיה מג) "אַל תִּזְכְּרוּ רִאשֹׁנוֹת, וְקַדְמֹנִיּוֹת אַל תִּתְבֹּנָנוּ "., אַל תִּזְכְּרוּ רִאשֹׁנוֹת' - זוֹ שִׁעְבּוּד גָּלֻיּוֹת,, וְקַדְמֹנִיּוֹת אַל תִּתְבּוֹנָנוּ' - זוֹ יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם. (שם) "הִנְנִי עֹשֶׂה חֲדָשָׁה, עַתָּה תִצְמָח". תָּנִי רַב יוֹסֵף, זוֹ מִלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וּפָגַע בּוֹ זְאֵב וְנִצּוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהָיָה מְסַפֵּר וְהוֹלֵךְ מַעֲשֵׂה זְאֵב. פָּגַע בּוֹ אֲרִי וְנִצּוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהָיָה מְסַפֵּר וְהוֹלֵךְ מַעֲשֵׂה אֲרִי. פָּגַע בּוֹ נָחָשׁ וְנִצּוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, שָׁכַח מַעֲשֵׂה שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְהָיָה מְסַפֵּר וְהוֹלֵךְ מַעֲשֵׂה נָחָשׁ. אַף כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל - צָרוֹת אַחֲרוֹנוֹת מְשַׁכְּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת:
It has been taught: Ben Zoma said to the Sages: Will the Exodus from Egypt be mentioned in the days of the Messiah? Was it not long ago said: Therefore behold the days come, says the Lord, that they shall no more say: As the Lord lives that brought up the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, As the Lord lives that brought up and that led the descendents of the house of Israel out of the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them? They replied: This does not mean that the mention of the Exodus from Egypt shall be obliterated, but that the [deliverance from] subjugation to the other kingdoms shall take the first place and the Exodus from Egypt shall become secondary. Similarly you read: Thy name shall not be called any more Yaakov, but Israel shall be thy name. This does not mean that the name Yaakov shall be obliterated, but that Israel shall be the principal name and Yaakov a secondary one. And so it says: Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. “Remember not the former things” refers to the subjugation to the other nations; “Neither consider the things of old” refers to the Exodus from Egypt.

When the final Redemption comes, the Exodus from Egypt will be recalled, but, placed in perspective, it will pale in comparison. The Messianic Redemption will be primary. Likewise, in the End of Days, the name Yaakov will be secondary, and the name Yisrael will endure forever. And when the time comes to return from exile, it is the tears of Rachel crying for her children - all of her children, all of Am Yisrael - that are answered: In the Messianic Age, Rachel will be seen as the mother of all of Am Yisrael, finally uniting the divergent attributes and bringing together all of the Tribes of Israel:

ספר ירמיה פרק לא
(יד) כֹּה אָמַר ה’ קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ מֵאֲנָה לְהִנָּחֵם עַל בָּנֶיהָ כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ:(טו) כֹּה אָמַר ה’ מִנְעִי קוֹלֵךְ מִבֶּכִי וְעֵינַיִךְ מִדִּמְעָה כִּי יֵשׁ שָׂכָר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ נְאֻם ה’ וְשָׁבוּ מֵאֶרֶץ אוֹיֵב:(טז) וְיֵשׁ תִּקְוָה לְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ נְאֻם ה’ וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים לִגְבוּלָם:
14. Thus says the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. 15. Thus says the Lord; Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. 16. And there is hope for your future, says the Lord, and your children shall come again to their own border. )Yirmiyahu 31:14-16)

Rachel’s supreme act of Chesed will finally be rewarded in the End of Days. The children of Leah will finally be able to inherit the attributes of Rachel, to temper Din with Chesed and internalize Rachamim. The children of Yaakov and the children of Yisrael are one and the same. So, too, despite the tension we may sometimes sense between the children of Leah and the children of Rachel, we are one family. Although we live in a still-imperfect world, in a world that focuses on differences, in the Messianic Age the truth will be clear, even self-evident: Yisrael and Yaakov are one, Leah and Rachel are one. We are one.

[1] The Hebrew word is Elohim, this is a disagreement whether the word in this instance is holy (meaning God) or mundane referring to something powerful. See Minchat Shai on this verse
מנחת שי על בראשית פרק לב פסוק כט
כי שרית עם אלהים - יש מרז"ל מפרשים אותו קדש ויש מפרשים אותו חול עיין ב"ר וחולין פ' גיד הנשה ועיין מ"ש סוף פ' ויצא:
[2] This observation is made by the Ktav V’Kabbalah, Bereishit 35:10
הכתב והקבלה על בראשית פרק לה פסוק י
ויהיה א"כ משמעות המאמר כאן שלא יקרא מהיום והלאה בשם יעקב אלא בשם ישראל לבד, וזה א"א לומר שהרי הוא ית' בעצמו קראו בשם יעקב (לקמן מ"ו ויאמר יעקב יעקב,)
[3] See Tamud Bavli Brachot 13a
Whoever calls Avraham Avram transgresses a positive precept, since it says, Thy name shall be Avraham. R. Eliezer says: He transgresses a negative command, since it says, Neither shall thy name any more be called Avram.
תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף יג/א
תני בר קפרא כל הקורא לאברהם אברם עובר בעשה שנאמר והיה שמך אברהם רבי אליעזר אומר עובר בלאו שנאמר ולא יקרא עוד [את] שמך אברם
[4] Commentary of Baalei Tosfot Bereishit 35:9
פירוש בעלי התוספות על בראשית פרק לה פסוק ט
שאלה מטרוניתא לר' עקיבא שאחר שקראו הקב"ה אברהם שוב לא נקרא אברם. ויעקב נקרא בשמו יעקב אע"ף שקראו הקב"ה ישראל. אמר לה אברהם שהיה לו שם גיות שהרי כשנולד עדיין לא נתגייר אברהם וכיון שקראו הקב"ה שם יהדות אין דין לקרותו שם גיות. אבל יעקב שמתחלה נמי קראו הקב"ה יעקב ולא נשתנה שמו אלא על שם כי שרית עם אלהים ליכא חששא לקרותו בשמו הראשון. והא דכתיב לא יקרא עוד שמך יעקב הכי פירושה כלומר לא יאמר עוד שלקחת הברכות ברמאות אלא ישראל יהיה שמך:
[5] Ibn Ezra Bereishit 35:10
אבן עזרא על בראשית פרק לה פסוק י
לא יקרא שמך עוד יעקב - לבדו כי גם ישראל:
[6] Rashi Bereishit 35:10, this idea is echoed by Rabbenu Bachya 32:29.
רש"י על בראשית פרק לה פסוק י
לא יקרא שמך עוד יעקב - לשון אדם הבא במארב ועקבה אלא לשון שר ונגיד:
[7] Meshech Chochma Bereishit 35:10
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק לה פסוק י
(י) ויקרא את שמו ישראל - הפירוש מפני שלא מצאנו שהשי"ת יאמר בכל התורה על יעקב ישראל רק יעקב וארא אל כו' יעקב בכל מקום שמדבר עליו בעצמו. רק במקום שמדבר בהשתתפותו אל האומה כגון בני ישראל או אלקי ישראל וכי"ב.
[8] Ha’amek Davar Bereishit 35:10, see Rabenu Bachaya 47:29 who see Yaakov as a name indicating physicality, and Yisrael as a name indicative of the spiritual.
העמק דבר על בראשית פרק לה פסוק י
שמך יעקב. ודאי שמך יעקב. שמורה על הליכות הטבע כמ"ש בס' תולדת דלהכי אחז בעקב עשו. דאלו לפי הנהגה נסית לא הי' צריך לאחוז בעקב עשו כמו שאמר המלאך ליעקב לעיל ל"ב כ"ט לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך וגו' וביארנו שאמר שלא הי' צריך לאחוז בעקב עשו כי שרית עם אלהים וגו'. ואמר לו ה' דמכ"מ ודאי שמך יעקב הנך צריך לזה השם שלא הכל ראויים לנס ולהשתרר עם אלהים ועם אנשים.
[9] See the comments of the Shla Hakodesh, Shaar Ha’otiot, ot heh, where he explains that Yaakov asking to bless his children before he dies is a manifestation of Rachamim.

[10] See the comments of the Alshech to Shmot 17:8
ספר תורת משה על שמות - פרק יז פסוק ח-יב
עד בא השמש והגיע זמן יעקב. כי אז רחמים של מדת יעקב יגינו על בניו. וזהו אומרו ויהי לשון יחיד, וידיו לשון רבים. שהוא שייחד מדת יצחק למדת אברהם.
[11] See commentary of the Vilna Gaon to the Sifra Deztneuta chapter 3.
פירוש הגר"א לספרא דצניעותא - פרק ג
ולכן יעקב נקרא איש תם שכולל חו"ג כמ"ש בפרשת תרומה דף קס"ט ע"ב דתנינן מאי איש תם כתרגומו שלים כו' עד ואשלים להאי ולהאי ע"ש. וכן אברהם לא נקרא שלם עד שעקד את יצחק שנכלל חסד עם גבורה כידוע וכמ"ש בא"ר דף קל"ח ע"א אברהם אברהם בתרא שלים קדמאה לא שלים כו'.
[12] For more on Rachamim and love see Maharal, Netzach Yisrael chapter 52.
ספר נצח ישראל - פרק נב
שמדת יעקב מדת רחמים, וזהו עצם החבור. שאינו דומה מדת אברהם, אף על גב שעל ידו יבוא לכלל הדבוק האלקי, אין מדה זאת - שהוא מדת אברהם - עצם החבור. וכן אף על גב שמדת יצחק - שהוא מדת הדין - סבה שעל ידו הדיבוק האלקי לגמרי, אין זה עצם הדיבוק. אבל מדת יעקב - שהוא מדת רחמים - הוא הדבוק בעצם לגמרי. כי זה ענין הרחמים, האהבה והחבור. שכבר בארנו זה כי "אוהב" תרגומו 'מרחמוהו' (בראשית כה, כח). וכן בלשון חכמים (כתובות קה ע"ב) 'לא לדין אינש מאן דמרחם ליה', ודבר זה ידוע. והאהבה היא הדבוק והחבור בעצם, שכאשר דבק נפשו, כמו האב לבן והאם לבנה, מרחם עליו, כמו שהתבאר למעלה דבר זה, עיין שם. ולפיכך מדה זאת בעצמה הוא סבה אל החבור שיש אל השם יתברך לתחתונים, ודבר זה ידוע למבינים:
[13] See Talmud Bavli Shabbat 89b, where God acknowledges the pain that Yaakov endured raising his children.
[14] See Meshech Chochma, Bereishit 35,1.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק לה פסוק א
ועשה שם מזבח וכו', ויבן שם מזבח כו' כי שם נגלו אליו האלקים - הענין דמדתו של יעקב אחוזה בתרין דרועין חסד ודין. והוא המתקת הדין הנקרא רחמים
[15] See comments of the Megaleh Amukot Vay’chi: When Yaakov is buried in the Cave of the Machpela, he resolves the stalemate between chesed and din.
ספר מגלה עמוקות על התורה - פרשת ויחי
והנה מדת יעקב (מיכה ז) תתן אמת ליעקב כמ"ש יעקב ליוסף ועשית עמדי חסד ואמת כשתקברני בשכבות אבותי כי שם אין לב"ד הכרעה לפי שאברהם איש חסד ויצחק בעל דין קשה ואין להם הכרע עד שבא יעקב בעל רחמים והכריע ונמצא כשיהי' הוא קבור שם יהי' חסד ואמת נפגשו (תהלים) שנים מזכין וא' מחייב בטל יחיד במיעוטו והלכה כרבים עז"א המלאך הגואל אותי אות שלי שהוא אמת והוא המלאך הגואל מלא בו'
[16] See comments of Sefer Mavo L’chochmat Hakabbala, Shaar Gimel Chapter 3.
ספר מבוא לחכמת הקבלה - חלק א שער ג פרק ג
וכן יעקב היה מרכבה למדת אמת שהיא תפארת רחמים, כי האמת היא התורה והיא רחמים ממוזג בין חסד לדין
[17] Rabbi Soloveitchik felt that in many instances Judaism has unresolved conflicts, and the desired resolution is not synthesis, which would dull both of the initial elements, but rather in the unresolved dialectic the beauty emerges. Thus, Adam is “created” twice: once as an individual, and once as a part of society. Both aspects are true expressions of self, and neither should be lost in the merger.
[18] See Shekel Hakodesh (Rav Moshe DeLeon)
ספר שקל הקדש - לרבי משה די ליאון ז"ל
והוא יסוד הרוח, אמנם כי סוד הענין הזה הוא היתד התקועה ועיקר האמונה כי היא מדרגה העומדת באמצע מכל צד ומכל עבר ועל כן סוד עיקר המרכבה העליונה בסוד שם של שבעים ושתים שמות של מקום, וזהו מזרח, רוח, הבריח התיכון, יעקב, ישראל סבא, תפארת ישראל, צדקה, שמים העליונים, רחמים, משפט, והרבה אחרים שגם בענין זה שמות הרבה, אמנם נפרש ברמזים עניינים אלה בסוד כל אחד ואחד מהם:
[19] See Midrash Tanchuma (Buber Edition) Parshat Terumah section 9
מדרש תנחומא (בובר) פרשת תרומה סימן ט
אמרו רבותינו הבריח התיכון ירד ביד יעקב למצרים, שהיה משמש מן הקצה אל הקצה, לא עשה אלא היו הארזים אמרו שירה, הוא שדוד אומר אז ירננו כל עצי היער וגו' (תהלים צו יב), אין אז אלא שירה שאומר להקב"ה, ואומר אימתי יעשה משכן, וכשאמר הקב"ה [למשה] שיעשה את המשכן, מה אמר לו ועשית את הקרשים למשכן, אותם הקרשים שהתקין להם אביהם.
[20] Elo-him= 86 aleph -1, lamed -30, heh-5 yud-10, mem=40.
[21] Megaleh Amukot Parshat Vaera
ספר מגלה עמוקות על התורה - פרשת וארא
והוא סוד גלות מצרים ת' שנה כמנין ב"ד אלו שהסכימו להיות ישראל בגלות. הנה יעקב התפלל אל שדי יתן לכם רחמים ולא נשארו בגלות רק מנין אלהים ז"ש וידבר אלהים אל משה וארא אל וכו' באל שדי שיתן רחמים על שם זה ולא יהיו בגלות רק קושי השיעבוד מנין אלהים.
[22] Midrash Tihilim Psalm 105
מדרש תהילים מזמור קה
ויקרא רעב על הארץ. אמר רבי יהודה בר נחמן בשם רבי שמעון בן לקיש, ראוי היה יעקב לירד למצרים בשלשלאות של ברזל ובקולרין, ועשה לו הקב"ה כמה עלילות וכמה מנגנאות ונמכר יוסף למצרים כדי לירד. ויקרא רעב על הארץ, וכל כך למה, (שם מו, ו) ויבא יעקב מצרימה. אמר ר' פנחס הכהן בר חמא, משל לפרה אחת שהיו רוצין למשוך אותה למקולין שלה ולא היתה נמשכת. מה עשו, משכו בנה תחלה והיתה רצה אחריו. כך עשה הקב"ה מנגנאות, שעשו אחי יוסף כל אותן הדברים כדי שירדו למצרים גם כן כדי שירד גם יעקב, שנאמר (הושע יא, ד) בחבלי אדם אמשכם:
[23] See Sefer Etz Daat Tov parshat Vayigash
ספר עץ הדעת טוב - פרשת ויגש
וישלחני וכו' בתחלה אמר כי מד' היתה זאת למוכרו למצרים מפני מחית הרעב כנז' ועתה חזר והודיע עוד סיבה אחרת יותר נעלמת וביותר תועלת עצום לאין קץ וז"ש וישלחני אלקים לפניכם ובאו' עוד לפניכם פעם אחרת רמז אל משז"ל בתנחומא ראוי היה יעקב ובניו לירד בשלשלאות של ברזל למצרים ובעבור כבודו הוריד ליוסף בתחלה וגלגל עליו שיהיה מלך וירד אביו בכבוד גדול למצרים וז"ש לפניכם קודם שאתם תרדו כי אילו לא שלחני לפניכם אלא עמכם היינו יורדים בשלשלאות. וגם לרמוז זה חזר שנית להזכיר שם אלקים וישלחני אלקים הוא מדת הדין שגזר עליו להורידו בגלות וריחם קצת עליו שירד בכבוד כנז'.
[24] Zohar Dvarim 281b
רעיא מהימנא ספר דברים פרשת כי תצא דף רפא/ב
ועלייהו אתמר לא הביט און ביעקב ולא ראה עמל בישראל כגוונא דאית בישראל ארבע אנפין יעקב ישראל רחל לאה ישראל עם לאה יעקב עם רחל
[25] Megale Amukot parshat Vayichi, the name change of Yakov to Yisrael is recorded in chapter 35 verse 10, the death of Rachel follows immediately 35:17-18.
ספר מגלה עמוקות על התורה - פרשת ויחי
ובפי' ספרא דצניעותא אמר יעקב כלל זעיר מראשו ועד סופו ר"ל השני פרצופין ממראה מתניו ולמעלה ישראל ממראה מתניו ולמטה יעקב לקח שתיהן לאה ורחל נגד פרצוף ישראל לאה נגד פרצוף יעקב רחל והראיה כשנקרא שמו ישראל מיד מתה רחל והיינו קאמר מתה עלי רחל בסיבתי שאני נקראתי ישראל לכן באותו פרק מתה מיד רחל לכן אמר ויתחזק ישראל וישב על המטה קראו בשם ישראל לפי שעבור זה השם מתה
[26] See Midrash Rabba Bereishit 71:2
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה עא פסקה ב
ר' חנין בשם ר' שמואל בר ר' יצחק אמר כיון שראה אבינו יעקב מעשים שרימה לאה באחותה נתן דעתו לגרשה וכיון שפקדה הקב"ה בבנים אמר לאמן של אלו אני מגרש ובסוף הוא מודה על הדבר הה"ד (בראשית מז) וישתחו ישראל על ראש המטה מי היה ראש מטתו של אבינו יעקב לא לאה ורחל עקרה א"ר יצחק רחל היתה עיקרו של בית כמה שנאמר ורחל עקרה עיקרה רחל א"ר אבא בר כהנא רוב מסובין עיקר של לאה היו לפיכך עושים רחל עיקר ורחל עקרה רחל היתה עיקרו של בית
R. Judah b. R. Simon and R. Hanan said in the name of R. Samuel b. R. Isaac: When the Patriarch Yaakov saw how Leah deceived him by pretending to be her sister, he determined to divorce her. But as soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, visited her with children he exclaimed, ' Shall I divorce the mother of these children! ' Eventually he gave thanks for her, as it says, And Israel bowed down [in thanksgiving] for the bed's head (Gen. XLVII, 31): who was the head of our father Yaakov's bed? surely Leah.
BUT RACHEL WAS AKARAH-E.V. BARREN (XXIX, 31). R. Isaac said: Rachel was the chief of the house (the main wife), as it says, BUT RACHEL WAS AKARAH, which means, she was the chief (‘ikar) of the house. R. Abba b. Kahana said: The majority of those who dined [at Yaakov's table] were Leah's children, therefore Rachel was declared the principal.

[27] See Rashi Bereishit 29:17
רש"י על בראשית פרק כט פסוק יז
(יז) רכות - (ב"ב קכ"ג) שהיתה סבורה לעלות בגורלו של עשו ובכתה שהיו הכל אומרים שני בנים לרבקה ושתי בנות ללבן הגדולה לגדול והקטנה לקטן:
[28] Shaarei Leshem, chelek bet siman bet chapter 3.
[29] See Shem Mishmuel Vayetze 5679
ספר שם משמואל פרשת ויצא - שנת תרע"ט
ויש לומר שזה עצמו הי' ענין רחל ולאה. דבזוה"ק שרחל היא דוגמת עלמא דאתגליא ולאה דוגמת עלמא דאתכסיא. ולפי מה שהגדנו לעיל קל יותר לזכות למעלות הגבוהות ע"י סור מרע, וע"כ י"ל שלאה שהיא דוגמת עלמא דאתכסיא ובודאי הפירוש שיש בה הארות גדולות מעלמא דאתכסיא זכתה בהן ע"י סור מרע, ורחל היו לה הארות מעלמא דאתגליא זכתה בהן ע"י עשה טוב, וא"כ הן מותאמות לעומת תעודת יעקב ועשו, עץ החיים ועץ הדטו"ר:
ומעתה לפי הכוונה שהיתה ביצירת יעקב ועשו, שזה יזכה ע"י עשה טוב וזה ע"י סור מרע, הי' זיווגם מתחילת היצירה נאות להם רחל ליעקב ולאה לעשו, ובודאי כך הי' בהכרזת המלאך בת פלוני לפלוני רחל ליעקב ולאה לעשו [כי ההכרזה הוא לעולם לפי מה שהוא מוכן לזה, וכן הוא בזוה"ק שאם אדם קלקל מעשיו מונעים ממנו בת זיווגו, מכלל שהכרזת הזיווג לפי מה שהוא מוכן לעשות ולא לפי מעשיו של אח"כ, וכן בדין שהבחירה חפשית, והדברים עתיקים]:
[30] See comments of the Beit Halevi Shmot 3:11: The premature redemption caused the need for a subsequent exile.
ארבע מאות שנה וכתוב אחד אומר (שם) ודור רביעי ישובו הנה, אמר הקב"ה אם הם עושים תשובה אני
וידוע פירוש אהיה עמהם בגלות זה אשר אהיה עמהם בגלות אחר. ויש להבין מדוע אמר לו זה השם דוקא. רק דידוע דלפי פעולותיו הוא נקרא, כשמנהיג העולם ברחמים נקרא רחום ואם בחנינה נקרא חנון וכן בכל המידות, וזהו ששאל משה ואמרו לי מה שמו, פירוש דישאלוני באיזו בחינה היא הגאולה אם מגיע להם ע"פ הדין מברית בין הבתרים או בבחינה אחרת. וכן ישאלו באיזו אופן וסדר תהיה הגאולה, דלפי אופן של הגאולה שמו עתה. וזה לשון הרמב"ן כלומר באיזו מידה הוא שלוח להם. וכיון דהגאולה היה באמצע הזמן על סמך שישלימו בגלות אחר והגאולה דכעת היא רק הכנה כדי שיוכלו להגאל אח"כ לעתיד וכמו שכתבנו דאם לא היה אז הגאולה לא היו נגאלים לעולם, א"כ היה נקרא אז אהיה אשר אהיה דפירושו אהיה עמהם בגלות זה אשר אהיה עמהם בגלות אחר, דעתה הכנה לגאולה השניה, וזהו יודיע דרכיו למשה שהודיע דרך הקץ למשה שהודיעו באיזו אופן גואלם עתה, ורק לבני ישראל משום דדי לצרה בשעתה לא הודיע להם רק אהיה, וזהו שאמר לבני ישראל עלילותיו, דלהם לא הודיע רק המעשה והפעולה שפועל להם עתה שיגאלם:
[31] This is a teaching cited in the name of the Arizal, see Beit Halevi Drush #2,
ספר בית הלוי ח"ג דרשות - דרוש ב
והגם כי לא ראיתי הדברים כתובים כן על ספר, הנני מסביר לי כן מה שראיתי במחברים הביאו דברי קדוש ה' האר"י ז"ל שכתב שאם היו עוד במצרים היו נכנסים בשער החמישים של הטומאה ולא היו נגאלים לעולם, ואין אתנו יודע בנסתרות,
Also see Zohar Chadosh Yiro
זהר חדש פרשת יתרו מאמר למה נזכר נ' פעמים יציאת מצרים
א"ל ת"ח ברי, קב"ה לא אתני עם אברהם, אלא דיפיק ית ישראל מן גלותא דמצרים, ולא מתחות שעבודא דדחלא אחרא. דודאי ישראל כד הוו במצרים, אסתאבו, ואתטנפו גרמיהון בכל זיני מסאבו, עד דהוו שראן תחות ארבעים ותשע חילי דמסאבותא. וקב"ה, אפיק יתהון מתחות פולחן כל שאר חילין:
ועוד, דאעיל יתהון במ"ט תרעי דסוכלתנו לקבליהון. מה דלא אתני עם אברהם, אלא לאפקותהון ממצרים, והוא עביד טיבותיה וחסדיה עמהון: