Bs”d
Parshas Vayechi (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Something very important takes place at the end of the parsha 50:3 which goes unnoticed, with the passing of Yaakov Avinu. We find that the mitzriim were extremely emotionally affected by what they understood as a great loss. How they showed their reaction was actually mind-boggling. ויבכו אנשי מצרים שבעים יום—the Egyptians cried for seventy days! Just the idea of the goyim crying for one day, just one cry, real tears flowing out of their eyes, old and young, a real total breakdown caused by a real tragedy. They obviously had a real understanding and feeling that something very deep, of supreme significance has occurred by the loss of Yaakov Avinu. The funeral procession, upon reaching the place גורן האטד experienced again a great emotional breakdown. They all went into great mourning for seven days. One would suppose that the most involved would be Yosef and his brothers and their families. However, the ones that were most extremely affected were the מצריים and as a result the כנענים renamed the location אבל מצרים.
What a deep and powerful eye-opening lesson this is for us, an explosion of light. We contemplate—what possibly could bring the entire Egyptian nation to the point of bitter tears? We must say that they had a true insight, vision, clarity of the truth, that every single thing they have in life comes through the גדול בישראל; they would be missing without the gadol something needed for every fiber of life, every fiber of their bodies, their very existence. They were tuned into the real emes. Where did they get it from, from where could they have received the great truth? This is the foundation that we as Klal Yisroel believe in. Perhaps it was one of the great gifts of חכמה that Avraham Avinu gave the מצריים when he was in Mitzrayim leaving it to be ingrained in their souls.
This gives us a great chizuk, inspiration to appreciate our Gedolim, yearn for them, and follow them. May they be granted long life.