Vayechi 48:15 · unit 1

Parashas Vayechi · Passuk 48:15

The Complete Passuk

וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ הִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ אֲבֹתַ֤י לְפָנָיו֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם וְיִצְחָ֔ק הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ הָרֹעֶ֣ה אֹתִ֔י מֵעוֹדִ֖י עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

And he blessed Yosef, and said: The God before whom my fathers Avraham and Yitzchak did walk, the God who hath been my shepherd all my life long unto this day.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Pesachim / related (R’ Yochanan).

TT lemma: האלהים הרועה.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: קָשִׁים מְזוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם יוֹתֵר מִן הַגְּאֻלָּה, דְּאִלּוּ בִּגְאֻלָּה כְּתִיב הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל אוֹתִי, וְאִלּוּ בִּמְזוֹנוֹת כְּתִיב הָאֱלֹהִים הָרֹעֶה.

English: R’ Yochanan said: A person’s sustenance is harder (more difficult to obtain) than the redemption, for with regard to the redemption it is written “the angel who redeems me,” whereas with regard to sustenance it is written “the God who hath been my shepherd.”

On the daf / in context: Redemption can be effected through an angel; daily sustenance requires the direct providence of Hashem Himself. The contrast of language in Yaakov’s blessing supplies the proof.

Type of Learning

Derash on contrasting language — “angel” versus “God” teaches the relative difficulty of the two forms of divine care.

What Is Learned

Providing a person’s daily bread is a greater manifestation of divine involvement than the act of redemption, because sustenance is attributed directly to Hashem while redemption may come through an angel.