January 7, 2023; 14 Teves, 5783
Parsha
The first Pasuk in Parshas VaYechi tells us that Yaakov Avinu lived for 147 years. However, before telling us how long he lived, the Pasuk first tells us that he lived for 17 years in Egypt (Mitzrayim). Why does the Torah need to highlight how many years he lived for in Mitzrayim?
There is a fascinating response to this question provided by Rav Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 – 1619) the author of the Kli Yakar commentary on the Chumash. But first, an introduction to his response is in order....