Vayechi: Chapter 86

"The threshing floor of Atad"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon discusses the metaphor concerning the transference of earthly and spiritual power from Egypt to Yisrael. Next, we learn that Jacob's soul was the brightest since the Creation of the world. When Jacob departs this world from within the land of Egypt, which represents a domain of negativity, it is free from any influences issuing from the Other Side, and directly ascends to its proper place in the heavens.

Relevance

The ability to triumph over our Evil Inclinations [Egypt] and to transfer control and power to the will of our soul [Yisrael], is the great gift bestowed upon readers of this section. This action sets us on a course for greater spiritual growth, ensuring a lofty place in the World to Come and increased fulfillment in the here and now.

Atad Egypt Threshing

850. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "And they came to the threshing floor of Atad" (Beresheet 50:10). HE ASKS, What is the threshing floor of Atad? HE ANSWERS, It is an allusion to the dominion of Egypt, which is removed. The threshing floor of Atad is the dominion of Egypt which passed to give way to the dominion of Yisrael. For they saw a threshing floor, WHICH ALLUDES TO THE REIGN OF YISRAEL, as in "having put on their robes, in a threshing floor" (I Melachim 22:10). Therefore "they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation."

850. פְּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַאֲמַר, וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד, מַאן גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד. אֶלָּא, הָכָא אִתְרְמֵיז שָׁלְטָנוּתָא דְמִצְרָאֵי דְּאִתְעֲדֵי. גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד, דָּא מְמַנָּא שׁוּלְטָנָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי, דְּאִתְעֲדֵי מִקַּמֵּי שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהָא חָמוּ גּוֹרֶן כְּד"א מְלוּבָּשִׁים בְּגָדִים בַּגֹּרֶן, וְע"ד וַיִסְפְּדוּ שָׁם מִסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל וְכָבֵד מְאֹד וגו.'

Egyptians Sin

851. "So that the name of it was called the mourning of the Egyptians" (Beresheet 50:11): Assuredly the Egyptians MOURNED FOR THEIR DOMINION WHICH PASSED, but here also the weeping was not for Jews, though there were Jews among the dead. Had they been good Jews, they would not have been killed. But having died, the Holy One, blessed be He, pardons their sins.

851. עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ אָבֵל מִצְרָיִם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, דְּוַדַּאי מִמִּצְרַיִם הֲוָה, אוֹף הָכָא לָאו דְּיוּדָאֵי נִינְהוּ אִלֵּין בָּכְיָין, אע"ג דְּמִיתוּ בֵּיהּ יוּדָאֵי, וְאִלֵּין יוּדָאֵי, אִלְּמָלֵא הֲווֹ יוּדָאֵי, לָא מִיתוּ, וְכֵיוָן דְּמִיתוּ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְכַפֵּר חוֹבַיְיהוּ.

Creation Egypt Jacob Other Side Soul, The

852. Rabbi Shimon said, Come and behold, though Jacob yielded his soul in Egypt, it did not depart under the dominion of the other, NAMELY THE OTHER SIDE. Why? Because, as we learned, there has not been a bed more whole than Jacob's bed since the Creation of the world, FOR ALL HIS SONS WERE PROPER. As soon as he departed from the world, his soul joined its place, as has already been explained.

852. אֲמַר ר"ש תָּא חֲזֵי , דְּיַעֲקֹב אע"ג דְּנָפְקַת נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, לָאו בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא נָפְקַת, מ"ט, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר דְּלָא הֲוָה מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, עַרְסָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, כְּהַהוּא עַרְסָא דְיַעֲקֹב. בְּשַׁעְתָּא דַּהֲוָה סָלֵיק מֵעַלְמָא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִיָּד אִתְקַשַּׁר בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.

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