Vayechi 48:7 · unit 2

Parashas Vayechi · Passuk 48:7

The Complete Passuk

וַאֲנִ֣י בְּבֹאִ֣י מִפַּדָּ֗ן מֵ֩תָה֩ עָלַ֨י רָחֵ֜ל בְּאֶ֤רֶץ כְּנַ֙עַן֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ בְּע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־אֶ֖רֶץ לָבֹ֣א אֶפְרָ֑תָה וָאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָ שָּׁם֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔ת הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃

And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Kenaan in the way, when there was still some way to come unto Efras; and I buried her there in the way of Efras — the same is Beis-Lechem.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to the derasha on מתה עלי רחל (Yerushalmi / Midrashic sources linked in TT).

TT lemma: מתה עלי רחל.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תָּנֵי: אֵין אִשָּׁה מֵתָה אֶלָּא לְבַעְלָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל.

English: It was taught: A woman dies only with respect to her husband, as it is said: “Rachel died unto me.”

On the daf / in context: The extra word “unto me” (עלי) is taken to teach that the primary impact of a wife’s death is felt by her husband. Parallel language is used for a husband’s death relative to his wife.

Type of Learning

Diyuk on extra language — the word “עלי” is superfluous for the simple narrative and therefore teaches the special relationship of the husband to the wife’s death.

What Is Learned

The death of a wife is described primarily in relation to her husband. The verse supplies the linguistic source for this characterisation.