Daily Zohar # 3815 – Vayigash – Why did the spirit of Jacob revive?
Daily Zohar 3815
Hebrew translation:
118. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב עוֹד יוֹסֵף בְּנִי חָי. אֶלָּא בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה קָרְאָה לוֹ הַתּוֹרָה יַעֲקֹב, מִשּׁוּם הַשֻּׁתָּפוּת, שֶׁשִּׁתְּפוּ אֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּאוֹתוֹ חֵרֶם כְּשֶׁנִּמְכַּר יוֹסֵף, וְעַכְשָׁו שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עָלְתָה, אָז הִיא וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם, וְזֶה הוּא סוֹד הַשְּׁכִינָה. וְאַחַר שֶׁהִיא עָמְדָה בְקִיּוּם, [מִשּׁוּם] אָז הַדַּרְגָּה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה עָבְרָה אֵלֶיהָ, הַדַּרְגָּה שֶׁהִיא יִשְׂרָאֵל. [אָז הַדַּרְגָּה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הִתְעוֹרְרָה אֵלֶיהָ, וְזוֹהִי דַּרְגָּה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל] מִכָּאן שֶׁהַדַּרְגָּה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה לֹא מִתְעוֹרֶרֶת לְמַעְלָה עַד שֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֶרֶת בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לְמַטָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּאן וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל.
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Zohar Vayigash
Continued from previous DZ
#117
Rabbi Yehuda raises a question, how can we say that Joseph sent a clue to Jacob when Joseph gave the carts according to Pharaoh’s command.
Genesis 45:21
“וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם יוֹסֵף עֲגָלוֹת עַל פִּי פַרְעֹה וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם צֵדָה לַדָּרֶךְ.”
“Then the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.”
Rabbi Elazar said it follows the exact meaning of the verse where Pharaoh refers to the command that Joseph gave earlier.
Genesis 45:19
”וְאַתָּה צֻוֵּיתָה זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ לָכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עֲגָלוֹת לְטַפְּכֶם וְלִנְשֵׁיכֶם וּנְשָׂאתֶם אֶת אֲבִיכֶם וּבָאתֶם.”
“Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.”
The word ‘commanded’ ‘צֻוֵּיתָה’ is written with additional ‘ה’ to indicate that Joseph asked Pharaoh for the carts and received them to give to his brothers.
Joseph asked for carts (עֲגָלוֹת) to deliver a clue about the broken neck heifer. Jacob didn’t believe that Joseph is alive until he saw the carts (עֲגָלוֹת), and that revived his soul as we read (Genesis 45:27); “and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.”
#118
Genesis 45:28
“וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב עוֹד יוֹסֵף בְּנִי חָי אֵלְכָה וְאֶרְאֶנּוּ בְּטֶרֶם אָמוּת.”
“Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph, my son, is still alive, and I will go and see him before I die.”
Rabbi Shimon says, why it starts with the name Jacob? as we read, “the spirit of Jacob their father revived,” and after that, the verse uses the name Israel, as we read, “Then Israel said…”. Rabbi Shimon explains that the Torah called him first ‘Jacob’ because the Shechina was away from him because she was part of the brothers’ vow not to reveal that Joseph was sold. Now that it was revealed that Joseph is alive, the Shechina could return to Jacob when we read, “The spirit of Jacob revived.”
The spirit of Jacob is the secret of the Shechina. When Jacob knew that Joseph was alive, it ‘revived’ his soul with the renewal connection to the Shechina. This caused an awakening in the upper level, and the Shechina elevated him to the higher level that is in the name Israel.
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