Vayechi: Chapter 87

The embalming of Jacob

Synopsis

The Zohar reveals the luminous power and influence of Jacob by recounting how the scents of the Garden of Eden and candlelight radiate in a cave during his presence. Next, we learn that the souls of the righteous pass through the cave of the Patriarchs to behold the spiritual deeds and Light they left behind. The process for embalming Kings is then expounded upon by Rabbi Aba and we learn that Jacob was embalmed to preserve both his body and soul so that he can join the Supernal Ark [Malchut]. Finally, it is revealed that Joseph is the chariot for Zeir Anpin, bridging Malchut with the Upper World. Hence, his keeping the Covenant is deemed to have been accomplished in both worlds. This secret is alluded to by the two yuds יי in the word Vayisem (Eng, 'and he was put'). When Joseph left this world from the land of Egypt, it is said that he was put into two arks, or coffins. This means that he avoided the clutches of the Other Side and connected directly to the Shechinah [the upper Ark].

Relevance

If we read this passage with a contrite heart and soul, we can ignite the righteousness and spiritual power of Jacob and Joseph to help us rise above negativity in life [Egypt]. We are inspired to recognize the value of keeping the Covenant, which ensures a connection to the Light of the Shechinah in this world and in the World to Come.

Candles Caves Egypt Garden of Eden Jacob Patriarchs

853. Come and behold, When Jacob entered the cave, all the perfumes of the Garden of Eden filled it. The cave was alight, for a candle burned THERE. When the Patriarchs came to Jacob in Egypt to be with him, the candlelight was gone FROM THE CAVE. When Jacob came into the cave, the candle returned. The cave was then perfected in all its needs.

853. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד הֲוָה עָאל יַעֲקֹב בִּמְעַרְתָּא, כָּל רֵיחִין דְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן אִשְׁתַּכַּח בִּמְעַרְתָּא, וּמְעַרְתָּא סָלְקָא נְהוֹרָא, וּשְׁרַגָּא חַד דָּלֵיק. וְכַד עָאלוּ אֲבָהָן לְגַבֵּי דְּיַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם, לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא עִמֵּיהּ, אִסְתַּלַּק נְהוֹרָא דִשְׁרַגָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל יַעֲקֹב בִּמְעַרְתָּא, הַדְרָא שְׁרַגָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ, כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּלֵים מְעַרְתָּא מִכָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ.

Caves Righteous Soul, The

854. Never has the cave received any other man, and never will it. The souls of the righteous pass AFTER THEIR DEMISE before THE FATHERS inside the cave, so that they will awake and behold the seed they left in the world, and rejoice before the Holy One, blessed be He.

854. וְעַד יוֹמֵי עַלְמָא, לָא קַבֵּילַת מְעַרְתָּא ב"נ אָחֳרָא, וְלָא תְקַבֵּל. וְנִשְׁמָתִין דְּזָכָאן אִעַבְרָן מִקַּמַּיְיהוּ בְּבֵי מְעַרְתָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְעָרוּן, וְחָמִין זַרְעָא דִּשְׁבָקוּ בְּעַלְמָא, וְיֶחֱדוּ קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Coffin Egypt Israel Jacob Joseph

855. Rabbi Aba said, What was the embalming of Jacob like? He said to him: Go and ask a physician. Come and see, it is written, "And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel" (Beresheet 50:2). Could you possibly think that he was embalmed like other people? If you say that it was done due to the voyage, FOR THEY HAD TO PRESERVE HIM, it says, "So Joseph died...and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt" (Ibid. 26). He was not taken away, but buried there, yet "they embalmed him."

855. אֲמַר ר' אַבָּא, חֲנִיטָא דְיַעֲקֹב מַאי אִיהוּ, א"ל זִיל שְׁאֵיל לְאַסְיָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב וַיְצַו יוֹסֵף אֶת עֲבָדָיו אֶת הָרוֹפְאִים לַחֲנוֹט אֶת אָבִיו וַיַּחַנְטוּ הָרוֹפְאִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, ס"ד כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא הֲוָה חֲנִיטָא דָא. אִי תֵימָא בְּגִין אוֹרְחָא הוּא דַּעֲבָדוּ, הָא כְתִיב וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף בֶּן וגו' וַיִּישָׂם בָּאָרוֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם, הָא לָא אֲזָלוּ עִמֵּיהּ בְּאָרְחָא, דְּהָא תַּמָּן אִתְקַבַּר, וּכְתִיב וַיַּחַנְטוּ אוֹתוֹ.

Anointment Body Oil Spices

856. It is the custom to embalm kings, in order to preserve the body FROM ROTTING. They are embalmed with anointing oil, superior to any other oil, mixed with spices. The good oil is absorbed in the body day after day for forty days, as it is written, "And forty days were fulfilled for him: for so are fulfilled the days of those who are embalmed" (Ibid. 3). After this procedure, the body is preserved for many days.

856. אֶלָּא, אָרְחָא דְּמַלְכִין אִינוּן, בְּגִין לְקַיְימָא גוּפַיְיהוּ, חֲנָטֵי לוֹן בִּמְשַׁח רְבוּת, עִלָּאָה עַל כָּל מִשְׁחִין, מְעוֹרָב בְּבוּסְמִין, וְשָׁאֵיב לֵיהּ בְּגוּפָא, יוֹמָא בָּתַר יוֹמָא, בְּהַהוּא מִשְׁחָא טָבָא, אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּמְלְאוּ לוֹ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם כִּי כֵן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנוּטִים. בָּתַר דְאִשְׁתְּלֵים דָּא, קָיְימָא גוּפָא שְׁלִים זִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין.

Body Canaan Egypt Oil

857. For the land of Canaan and the land of Egypt consume and corrupt the body in a shorter time than other countries, and this is done in order to preserve the body. The embalming is both for the internal part of the body and the exterior. The oil is put on the navel, and it penetrates the inner part of the body, is absorbed in the entrails and preserves it for a long time.

857. בְּגִין דְּכָל הַהוּא אַרְעָא דִכְנַעַן, וְאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, מְכַלָּה גּוּפָא וּמְרַקֵּב לֵיהּ לִזְמַן זְעֵיר, מִכָּל שְׁאָר אַרְעָא, וּבְגִין לְקַיְימָא גוּפָא עָבְדֵי דָא, וְעָבְדֵי חֲנִיטָא דָא מִגּוֹ וּמִבָּרָא. מִגּוֹ דְּשַׁוְיָן הַהוּא מִשְׁחָא עַל טַבּוּרָא, וְהוּא עָאל בְּטַבּוּרָא לְגוֹ, וְאִשְׁתְּאֵיב בְּמֵעוֹי, וְקָאֵים לֵיהּ לְגוּפָא מִגּוֹ וּמִבָּרָא לְזִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין.

Ark Body Brit (Covenant) Coffin Covenant (Brit) Egypt Jacob Joseph Soul, The

858. Jacob had need of the body and so it is appropriate, for he is the body of the fathers, AS HIS FATHERS, CHESED AND GVURAH, ARE THE TWO ARMS AND HE IS TIFERET, THE TORSO. Both his body and soul endured. Joseph, too, resembles the body, FOR HE IS THE COVENANT, AND THE COVENANT AND THE BODY ARE CONSIDERED THE SAME. He was preserved in both body and soul: his body, as it is written, "And they embalmed him" and his soul, as it is written, "And he was put in a coffin (ark) in Egypt," WHICH MEANS THAT HIS SOUL JOINED THE SUPERNAL ARK, WHICH IS THE NUKVA.

858. וְיַעֲקֹב הָכֵי הֲוָה בְּקִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא, וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ, דְּגוּפָא דַּאֲבָהָן אִיהוּ, וַהֲוָה בְּקִיּוּמָא בְּגוּפָא וְנַפְשָׁא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא לְיוֹסֵף, דְּאִיהוּ דוּגְמָא דְּגוּפָא, וּבְקִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא וְנַפְשָׁא הוּא. בְּקִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא, דִּכְתִיב וַיַּחַנְטוּ אוֹתוֹ, בְּקִיּוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּישָׂם בָּאָרוֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם.

Ark Brit (Covenant) Chariot Covenant (Brit) Earth Hebrew Letters Joseph Shechinah Zeir Anpin

859. We have learned why "VAYISEM (ENG. 'AND HE WAS PUT')" is spelt with two letters Yud. Joseph kept the Covenant below and he kept the Covenant above, BEING A CHARIOT TO ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, when he passed away from the world, he was put in two arks (coffins), the ark above and the ark below. What is the 'ark above?' It is described by the words, "Behold, the ark of the Covenant of (is) the master of all the earth" (Yehoshua 2:11). For the upper ark, THE SHECHINAH, is called 'the ark of the Covenant.' It will be inherited only by him who keeps the Covenant. Since Joseph kept the Covenant, he was put in two arks.

859. וּתְנִינָן תְּרֵי יוּדִי"ן אַמַּאי. אֶלָּא, יוֹסֵף נָטַר לֵיהּ בְּרִית לְתַתָּא, וְנָטֵיר לֵיהּ בְּרִית דִּלְעֵילָא, אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעַלְמָא, אִתְשַׁוֵּי בִּתְרֵי אֲרוֹנֵי, בְּאָרוֹן לְתַתָּא, וּבְאָרוֹן לְעֵילָא. אָרוֹן דִּלְעֵילָא מַאן אִיהוּ. אֶלָּא, כְּד"א הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ, דְּאָרוֹן דִּלְעֵילָא אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אִקְרֵי, דְּהָא לָא יָרֵית לֵיהּ אֶלָּא מַאן דְּנָטַר בְּרִית, וּבְגִין דְּיוֹסֵף נָטַר לֵיהּ לִבְרִית, אִתְשַׁוֵּי בִּתְרֵי אֲרוֹנֵי.

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