Vayechi
ויאמר ישראל אל יוסף הנה אנכי מת והיה אלקים עמכם והשיב אתכם אל ארץ אבותיכם. ואני נתתי לך שכם אחד על אחיך אשר לקחתי מיד האמרי בחרבי ובקשתי (מח, כא-כב).
Yisroel said to Yosef, “Behold! I am going to die. Yet, G-d will be with you and bring you back to the land of your ancestors. And as for myself, I am giving to you an additional portion beyond that of your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Emori with my sword and my bow.”
These two verses seem unrelated to the subject of the narrative until this point, the blessing of Yosef’s two sons. Why are these verses here? And why is Yaakov described here with the title Yisroel? And why is the reference to the eventual redemption of the Jewish People associated with Yosef specifically? Finally, why the reference to the Emori and Yaakov’s conquest of them with “his sword and his bow?” And what does Rashi mean when he interprets them as בחכמתי ובתפילתי, with my wisdom and prayer?
To begin, the names of Yaakov and Yisroel refer to two states. The former is that of lowliness, as in the low-lying heel (עקב), while the latter is exaltedness, as in lordliness (שר) and arrogance. Hence, אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף.* A mindset of lowliness (יעקב) can beget (תולדות) the taking of responsibility for the failing of others (יוסף, as in אסף אלקים את חרפתי, G-d has gathered in my disgrace**).
This may be an interpretation of our lead verse. ויאמר ישראל אל יוסף, the quality of arrogance “said” to that of responsibility, הנה אנכי מת, when the former quality will expire, והיה אלקים עמכם, Man will be all the more receptive for the Divine Presence to rest upon him. Consequently, והשיב אתכם אל ארץ אבותיכם – there will be all the more reason, so to speak, for the Redemption to arrive, since the “captivity” of the Shechinah will elicit a swifter rescue response from Heaven.
This may be the meaning of the talmudic statement***, אין בן דוד בא עד שיכלה גסי הרוח מישראל, the son of Dovid [i.e., Moshiach] will not arrive until the arrogant cease from Israel, שנאמר כי אז אסיר מקרבך עליזי גאוותך וגו' והשארתי בקרבך עם עני ודל וחסו בשם ה', as it says, “For then I will remove from your midst the exultant of your arrogance… and I will leave in your midst a destitute, impoverished people and they shall take refuge in the Name of Hashem.****” As the Semag explains*****, this doesn’t mean literally destitute, rather humble. So long as there are arrogant amongst the Jews, the Divine Presence is repelled, as per Hashem’s statement about the haughty אין אני והוא יכולין לדור בעולם, I cannot reside in the same world as he******. With their departure, Hashem can return to rest amongst us again.
It seems that this is also the meaning of the familiar verse, ועמך כולם צדיקים לעולם יירשו ארץ, And your nation is completely righteous, they shall evermore inherit the land*******. ארץ is the concept of humility********. Because the Jewish People have inherited the patriarchal quality of humility, they also contain the quality of Tzaddik, which is associated with life*********. Hence, והיה אלקים עמכם, since you are all Tzaddikim and unite with the quality of ארץ, this will cause the same union between these Attributes to occur in the supernal spheres.
The same process plays itself out with Yosef and his brothers. The relationship between them is akin to that of Israel and the world. (Hence, Israel is also called Yosef.)
אשר לקחתי מיד האמרי. The Yetzer HaRa is referred to as the אמרי, which has the root of אמ"ר, say, because its mission is to talk Man into sin. How does one weather these blandishments? By following Yaakov’s precedent of the three methods with which he prepared for his encounter with Eisav – תפילה ודורון ומלחמה, prayer, tribute, and battle. Prayer itself contains the other two processes in dealing with foreign thoughts. By battling against these intrusions, one elevates them and is reciprocated with them in their superior state. This is, in part, what Rashi refers to as overcoming his foes with חכמתי, that is, in the mental sphere.
Sometimes, though, overcoming the challenges posed by Evil calls not for battle but petition. The Tzaddikim recognize that their own lacking is but a manifestation of that of the Shechinah and that it is incumbent upon them to pray their way to a resolution. Hence, Rashi’s explanation of בקשתי as “with my prayer.”
Yaakov said, ואני, referring to the institution of prayer (as in ואני תפילה, and I am prayer**********). Yaakov is synonymous with prayer, as in הקל קול יעקב, the voice is the voice of Yaakov***********. ואני נתתי לך, Yaakov transferred this power to Yosef, the Tzaddik par excellance, who was to use it to attend to the needs of the Shechinah. Specifically, it consisted of שכם אחד על אחיך, the masses of Jews who engage in prayer out of rote. Their prayers are of value to these Tzaddikim who, אשר לקחתי מן האמרי בחרבי ובקשתי, extract the sparks of holiness trapped within them through the aforementioned methods.
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* Bereishis 37:2.** Ibid., 30:23.*** Sanhedrin 98a.**** Tzephaniah 3:11-12.***** Lo Sa’aseh 64.****** Sotah 5a.******* Yeshayah 60:21.******** Chullin 89a.********** Berachos 18a-b.*********** Tehillim 109:4.*********** Bereishis 27:22.