"Every man came with his household"

Synopsis

A discussion of the title verse elaborates on a concept mentioned in the previous section - that the Tribes descended into Egypt twice, once when alive and once when dead. According to Rabbi Elazar, when the children of Yisrael went into exile, all the souls of the tribes gathered at the cave of Machpelah. They cried to Jacob, lamenting that a heathen nation had enslaved Yisrael. This awakened the spirit of Jacob, and -- after gaining permission from God -- Jacob, the Tribes, the Shechinah and the supernal angels descended into Egypt. Thus, even in death Jacob did not separate from Yisrael.

Relevance

This potent passage transports our soul to the Cave of Machpelah, where we connect to the souls of the Twelve Tribes and to the Patriarch Jacob. We summon as well the strength of Joseph and all the supernal angelic forces to initiate and complete our ascension out of our own personal Egypt - our ego or reactive nature, including all the chaotic darkness brought about by our self-centered impulses.

Caves Exile Soul, The Tribes

274. Come and behold, when Rabbi Elazar ben Arach reached the passage, "AND THESE ARE THE NAMES..." he would weep. Rabbi Elazar ben Arach said, We learned that when the children of Yisrael went into exile, all the souls of the tribes gathered at the cave of Machpelah. They cried and said, 'Grandfather, grandfather, there is no greater labor in pain of the children, there is no greater labor in this world than THAT. Your children are all enslaved WITH HARD LABOR by others, who execute upon them ALL MANNERS OF vengeance in the world.'

274. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, כַּד הֲוָה מָטֵי לְהַאי פָסוּק, הֲוָה בָּכֵי, דְּתַנְיָא, א"ר אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָזְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ כֻּלְּהוּ נִשְׁמָתֵהוֹן דִּשְׁבָטִין, לִמְעַרְתָּא דְּכַפֶלְתָּא, צָוְוחוּ וְאָמְרוּ: סָבָא סָבָא, כְּאֵבָא דִּבְנִין לָאו בַּלָּאוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, בָּנֶיךָ כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין בְּקַשְׁיוּ, עַם אַחֲרָן עַבְדִין בְּהוּ נוּקְמִין דְּעָלְמָא.

Chariot Death Death and the Afterlife Egypt Head Jacob Joseph Shechinah Tribes

275. At that moment, the spirit of that grandfather was stirred, MEANING JACOB, requested permission. and descended INTO EGYPT. The Holy One, blessed be He, summoned His companies and Chariots, and their King, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH at their head. And they all descended with Jacob and his tribes. The tribes descended alive with their father TO EGYPT. They also descended dead with their father TO EGYPT. This is what is written, "And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt...Reuben, Simeon and Levi..." (Shemot 1:1-2). Come and behold, now they are dead, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, yet they descended TO EGYPT. And it was written, "And Joseph was in Egypt" (Ibid. 5). FOR HIS SPIRIT DID NOT LEAVE EGYPT AFTER HIS DEATH, THAT HE SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN AND DESCEND AS THE OTHER TRIBES DID. Rabbi Aba said, After this he, JOSEPH, is called, "As a father pities his children" (Tehilim 103:13), BECAUSE HE DID NOT LEAVE THEM, EVEN AFTER HIS DEATH.

275. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, אִתְּעַר רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא סָבָא, רְשׁוּתָא שָׁאִיל, וְנָחִית, קָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכָל רְתִיכוֹי וּמַשִּׁרְיָיתֵיהּ, וּמַלְכֵיהוֹן בְּרָאשֵׁיהוֹן. וְנַחְתּוּ כֻּלְּהוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב וְעִם שִׁבְטוֹהִי. שְׁבָטִין נַחְתּוּ חַיִּין עִם אֲבוּהוֹן, וּשְׁבָטִין נַחְתּוּ מֵתִים עִם אֲבוּהוֹן, הה"ד וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה וְגוֹ' וּכְתִיב רְאוּבֵן שִׁמְעוֹן לֵוִי וְגוֹ.' ותָּא חֲזֵי, מֵתִים הֲווֹ, וְנַחְתּוּ, וּכְתִיב וְיוֹסֵף הָיָה בְמִצְרָיִם. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, בְּהַאי אִתְקְרֵי כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים.