[Avodah] "I Can Die Now"

[Prof. L. Levine]

The following is from the sefer Rav Schwab on Chumash.

Bereishis 46:30

לוַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם
אַֽחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עֽוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי

And Yisrael said to Yosef, "Now I can die; after I have seen your face that you are still alive."

Regarding this pasuk, I heard a beautiful explanation from my rebbi,
Harav Shlomo Breuer, in Frankfurt. When Yaakov Avinu finally met
his beloved son Yosef in Egypt after twenty-two years, during which
period he thought that Yosef had died, the Torah, in describing their first
meeting, tells us (Bereishis 46:29): -He fell on his neck, and he continued to cry on his neck.
Rashi (ibid.), quoting Chazal, explains that it was only Yosef who hugged and kissed his father,
-but Yaakov, at that exalted moment-instead of embracing his beloved son-was
saying Krias Shema. And then Yaakov speaks (ibid. 46:30): "Now I can die; after I have seen your face."

To explain this remarkable Chazal, Rav Breuer said as follows: During
the twenty-two years when Yaakov Avinu, dressed in sackcloth, mourned
and cried over what he thought was the loss of his beloved son Yosef,
his life was not worth much to him. Like the other Avos, Yaakov kept all
the mitzvos before they were given, including the daily saying of Krias
Shema. And when he said the words וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽך, it was
not very difficult for him to offer his life for Hakadosh Baruch Hu. In this
state, he would not be giving up very much, as life was almost worthless
to him. However, after seeing that Yosef was not only alive, but wearing
the Egyptian crown on his head, surrounded by the trappings of royalty,
Yaakov's life took on new meaning. Now that he was reunited with his
beloved son, his life had become precious again. And it was precisely
at that exalted moment, when his life had taken on such great value,
that he offered to give it to Hakadosh Baruch Hu if the need arose. Now
he was really offering his most precious possession: his life in its most
exalted state! It was therefore necessary for him to recite Krias Shema at
that moment, and say - I am prepared to offer everything- including
my very precious life-for Hakadosh Baruch Hu, if the need arises.

For the record, Rav Schwab is referring to Rabbiner Dr.  Shlomo Zalman Breuer, zt"l, RSRH's son-in-law and successor.

YL

YL
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20201227/47df7be3/attachment.htm>