## Radak on Genesis Chapter 47 ###### Radak on Genesis 47:2:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:2:1) **וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו.** אַחַר שֶׁהִגִּיד לְפַרְעֹה, שָׁלַח לְאֶחָיו וְלָקַח מֵהֶם חֲמִשָּׁה הַפְּחוּתִים מֵהֶם אוֹ הַגְּדוֹלִים מֵהֶם. כִּי מַחֲלֹקֶת בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא קמא צב.; בראשית רבה צה:ד) וְכָל הָעִנְיָן מְבֹאָר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ומקצה אחיו, after Jospeh had told Pharaoh about his family’s arrival he selected the five least impressive looking of them or the five most impressive looking ones among them. Our sages disagree about the meaning of the ambiguously worded text. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:6:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:6:1) **אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל.** בְּעִנְיַן הַמִּקְנֶה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** אנשי חיל, capable cattle (livestock) breeders. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:7:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:7:1) **וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב אֶת פַּרְעֹה.** נָתַן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם כְּדֶרֶךְ הַנִּכְנָסִים לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְכֵן ״כִּי תִמְצָא אִישׁ לֹא תְבָרְכֶנּוּ״ (מלכים ב ד:כט). וְאֵינִי מוֹצֵא טַעַם לְסִפּוּר הַזֶּה לָמָּה נִכְתַּב. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויברך יעקב את פרעה. He greeted him (bestowed a blessing) as is customary when one is introduced to the king. The custom is highlighted in Kings II 4,29 where Elisha told Gechazi not to respond to anyone’s greeting. Yaakov blessed Pharaoh again upon leaving after the audience. I have not found a satisfactory explanation why the Torah had to report something so ordinary. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:9:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:9:1) **יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי.** הַיָּמִים וְהַשָּׁנִים שֶׁגַּרְתִּי הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה עַד כֹּה הָיוּ שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, וְהָיוּ מְעַט וְרָעִים, כִּי בְּצָרָה הָיִיתִי כָּל הַיָּמִים שֶׁחָיִיתִי עַד הֵנָּה, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר **רָעִים**, אֲבָל **מְעַט** הֵיאַךְ יָדַע עֲדַיִן כַּמָּה יִחְיֶה? אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַצָּרוֹת שֶׁמְּצָאוּהוּ הִרְגִּישׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ חָלְשׁוֹ וְיָדַע כִּי לֹא יוּכַל לִחְיוֹת עוֹד אֶלָּא מְעַט. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ימי שני מגורי, the days and years which I have lived so far amount to 130 years. They are few and have been earmarked by many negative experiences. The latter is what he meant by the word רעים. However, how did Yaakov know that his (total) years would be few? He must have assumed that due to the troubles he had already experienced and the effect on his general well being he could not look forward to live to the same age as had his father and grandfather before him. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:9:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:9:2) **וְלֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ.** לֹא בְּטוֹבָה וְלֹא בְּשָׁנִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ולא השיגו, they did not match in either length of time or quality of life. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:11:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:11:1) **וַיּוֹשֵׁב.** הֱשִׁיבָם בְּגֹשֶׁן וְנָתַן לָהֶם אֲחֻזָּה שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויושב, Joseph made his family settle in Goshen and gave them parcels of land as permanent ancestral property. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:11:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:11:2) **בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ.** שֶׁהוּא רַעְמְסֵס וְהוּא קָרוֹב לְגֹשֶׁן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה פַרְעֹה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ, כִּי בְּלֹא רְשׁוּתוֹ לֹא הָיָה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ רְשׁוּת לָתֵת לַאֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי שָׂמָהוּ פַרְעֹה אָדוֹן לְכָל מִצְרַיִם, לְאֶחָיו לֹא הָיָה נוֹתֵן בְּלֹא רְשׁוּת פַּרְעֹה, מִדֶּרֶךְ הַמּוּסָר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** במיטב הארץ, in the most fertile part of the country, which is around Raamses and near the province of Goshen, כאשר צוה פרעה, in accordance with what Pharaoh had commanded (verse 6). Unless Pharaoh himself had authorised this Joseph would not have done this on his own authority, even though he had the power to shift around the entire population of Egypt, as we know from verse 21. His powers were those of an absolute ruler but he did not become guilty of abusing it in order to favour members of his own family. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:12:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:12:1) **וַיְכַלְכֵּל... לֶחֶם לְפִי הַטָּף.** אוֹכֵל שָׁם בְּפִיהֶם כָּל הַיּוֹם וְאוֹכְלִים וּמְפָרְפְרִים הַלֶּחֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל תִּינוֹק לְפָרֵר (פסחים י). וְאוֹמְרִים בְּמָשָׁל, רֶקֶב הַמָּעוֹת הַבִּנְיָן וְרֶקֶב הַלֶּחֶם הַטָּף. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויכלכל..לחם לפי הטף, the reason children are mentioned is that children eat all day long and waste food, leaving crumbs behind all over the place. Our sages in Pessachim 10 state that it is in the nature of children to break food up into crumbs and to leave them all over the place. There is a well known proverb which states that children are responsible for decay of food. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:13:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:13:1) **וַתֵּלַהּ.** עִנְיַן שִׁגָּעוֹן, כִּי מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָב יִשְׁתַּגַּע הָאָדָם. וְכֵן בְּהִכָּפֵל הַפֵּ״א ״כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיּוֹרֶה זִקִּים״ (משלי כו:יח). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ותלה, a word describing mental disturbance, Famine has that impact on people. The dagesh in the first root letter also indicates that meaning, compare Proverbs 26,18 כמתלהלה היורה זקים, “like a madman who throws firebrands.” ###### Radak on Genesis 47:14:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:14:1) **וַיְלַקֵּט.** זֶה הָיָה בִּקְצֵה שְׁתֵּי הַשָּׁנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וּבִשְׁאָר שְׁנֵי הָרָעָב, כִּי בִּתְחִלָּתָם אָכְלוּ מִמַּה שֶׁנּוֹתַר לָהֶם בִּשְׁנֵי הַשֶּׂבַע, וְאַחַר כֵּן קָנוּ בְּכַסְפָּם הַשָּׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וּבָהֶם תַּם הַכֶּסֶף, וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים בָּא יַעֲקֹב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר יוֹסֵף ״כִּי זֶה שְׁנָתַיִם הָרָעָב וְגוֹ׳״ (בראשית מה:ו). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** וילקט יוסף, he did this at the end of the first two years of the famine and during the remaining years of the famine At the beginning of the famine people were mostly eating from private stores they had accumulated during the years of plenty. Subsequently, they used their money to purchase food until their money ran out. Yaakov came to Egypt during the second year as Joseph had said to him: כי זה שנתים הרעב, “for these two years have been famine.” (45,6) ###### Radak on Genesis 47:14:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:14:2) **וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף.** לְהוֹדִיעַ אֲמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף, כִּי הָיָה יָכוֹל לִגְנֹז הַכֶּסֶף בְּבֵיתוֹ, כִּי לֹא מְחַשֵּׁב פַּרְעֹה עִמּוֹ, כִּי יָדַע כִּי נֶאֱמָן הוּא, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא הָיָה שׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַחֲשָׁד, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בָּא לוֹ הַכֶּסֶף הָיָה מְבִיאוֹ בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויבא יוסף, in order to demonstrate his integrity. He did not need to do this and could have stored it in the granaries. Pharaoh had never demanded an accounting from Joseph, knowing that he was absolutely trustworthy. Nonetheless, Joseph was concerned not to allow anyone to suspect him of pocketing anything for his own private purposes. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:15:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:15:1) **וַיָּבֹאוּ כָל־מִצְרַיִם.** וְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן הָלְכוּ לִמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים, וְזֶה הָיָה בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית, וַיְנַהֲלֵם יוֹסֵף בְּמִקְנֶה בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִיא וּבַשְּׁנִיָּה לָהּ שֶׁהִיא הַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית נָתַן לָהֶם בְּאַדְמָתָם מַה שֶּׁאָכְלוּ בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִיא וּמַה שֶּׁזָּרְעוּ כְּדֵי לִקְצֹר בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁמִינִית, כִּי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שָׁלְמוּ יְמֵי הָרָעָב, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ כְּשֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ פָּסַק הָרָעָב בִּזְכוּתוֹ וְעָלָה נִילוּס וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת הָאָרֶץ (תנחומא) וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב אֶת פַּרְעֹה״ (בראשית מז:ז), אֲבָל יֵשׁ לִתְמֹהַּ לְדִבְרֵיהֶם אִם אֵלֶּה הַשָּׁנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ, מָתַי תַּם הַכֶּסֶף שֶׁהֲרֵי אוֹמֵר כִּי בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִיא נִהֲלָם בְּמִקְנֶה, וּבַשָּׁנָה הָאַחֲרָה בְּאַדְמָתָם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויבאו כל מצרים, the people living in the land of Canaan went elsewhere to secure their food supplies. By now the Torah speaks of conditions during the sixth year of the famine. During that year Joseph distributed food and accepted livestock as payment. In the seventh year he handed over food in return for the local land owners renouncing their title to their land in favour of Pharaoh. He distributed seed so that there would be a harvest during the eight’s year when the famine was supposed to have ended. Our sages, quoted by Rashi, claim that the famine ceased with the arrival of Yaakov in Egypt and his blessing to Pharaoh which resulted in the Nile once again overflowing its banks and providing irrigation for the fields. One can raise serious reservations about this approach. If the famine did indeed stop already in the second year or at the end thereof, when did all the measures Joseph is described as taking in verses 14-22 take place? ###### Radak on Genesis 47:19:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:19:1) **לָמָּה נָמוּת וְגוֹ׳ גַּם אַדְמָתֵנוּ.** שֶׁהָאֲדָמָה שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹמֵמָה הִיא כְּמוֹ מֵתָה, וְכֵן אָמַר **לֹא תֵשָׁם**. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ?למה נמות, the reason why the verse speaks also about the death of the land, i.e. גם אדמתנו, is that earth which is desolate is as if “dead.” This is also why the farmers used the expression ולא תשם, “and it would become desolate.” ###### Radak on Genesis 47:21:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:21:1) **וְאֶת הָעָם הֶעֱבִיר אֹתוֹ לֶעָרִים.** כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה נַחֲלָתָם בְּחֶזְקָתָם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, אֶלָּא לְכָל אֶחָד נָתַן נַחֲלָה מֵחָדָשׁ, נַחֲלַת זֶה נָתַן לָזֶה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע כִּי מִפַּרְעֹה הָיְתָה לָהֶם נַחֲלָתָם וְנוֹתְנִים לוֹ הַחַמִישִׁית בְּכָל שָׁנָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ואת העם העביר אותו לערים. He did not want the people to get too attached to the land they would be working on, not as the attachment they had felt for their land in the past which they had owned outright. He did give them the land as something they could transfer by inheritance to their children, but he made sure that they would remain aware that they had received it by the largesse of Pharaoh who had been the true owner and who could therefore claim a tax of 20% of their harvests. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:22:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:22:1) **רַק.** הַכֹּהֲנִים, כּוֹמְרֵי הַבָּמוֹת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** הכהנים, the officials in charge of the myriad of altars in the country. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:24:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:24:1) **וְלַאֲשֶׁר בְּבָתֵּיכֶם.** הָעֲבָדִים וְהַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְלַסּוּסִים וְלַחֲמוֹרִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ולאשר בבתיכם, a reference to male and female servants as well as to horses and donkeys. [which had not been included in the מקנה, livestock, which Joseph had taken in payment for food on behalf of Pharaoh. Ed.] ###### Radak on Genesis 47:24:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:24:2) **וְלֶאֱכֹל לְטַפְּכֶם.** וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַטַּף צְרִיכִים לְמַאֲכָל רַב מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם אוֹכְלִים וּמְפַרְפְּרִים, לַכֹּל יַסְפִּיקוּ לָכֶם אַרְבַּע הַיָּדֹת, כִּי אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׂבֵעָה רֹב הַשָּׁנִים, כִּי הַנָּהָר מַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָהּ וְאֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה לְמָטָר. וְהַכֹּל מְבֹאָר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ולאכול לטפכם, and for your children to eat. Joseph made sure that the people would have enough food from the 80% of harvests of their parents even though he was aware that the children would require more food than their elders, it being well known that they were being wasteful. The land of Egypt, normally, has a surplus of food due to the irrigation method based on the overflow of the Nile, so that by being allowed to keep four fifths of their crops the farmers would not suffer hardship. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:27:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:27:1) **וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל.** דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** וישב ישראל, the term is used to describe the entire family of Yaakov, as if the Torah had written בני ישראל. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:27:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:27:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:27:2) **וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָהּ.** שֶׁקָּנוּ שָׁם אֲחֻזָּה לְבַד מַה שֶּׁנָּתַן לָהֶם יוֹסֵף. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויאחזו בה, they bought land in it, additional to that which Joseph had allocated to them. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:27:3 [Radak on Genesis 47:27:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:27:3) **וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד.** בְּבָנִים וּבִנְכָסִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויפרו וירבו מאד, both in children and in property. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:28:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:28:1) **שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה.** דָּרְשׁוּ בּוֹ: כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹסֵף בְּחֵיק יַעֲקֹב שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה, כֵּן הָיָה יַעֲקֹב בְּחֵיק יוֹסֵף שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויחי יעקב בארץ מצרים שבע עשרה שנה, the commentators point out that just as Joseph was under the protection of his father for the first 17 years of his life, so his father was under Joseph’s protection for the last 17 tears of his life. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:29:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:29:1) **וַיִּקְרְבוּ.** שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ כִּי קְרוֹבָה מִיתָתוֹ, כִּי רַבָּה חָלְשָׁתוֹ לְרֹב יְגִיעָתוֹ וּלְרֹב צָרוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר מְצָאוּהוּ, וּפָחַד שֶׁמָּא תְּבוֹאֵהוּ הַמִּיתָה פִּתְאֹם, וְצִוָּה לְיוֹסֵף שֶׁיִּשָּׂאֵהוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְיִקְבְּרֵהוּ בְּקִבְרוֹת אֲבוֹתָיו. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** ויקרבו, Yaakov felt himself that he was approaching death, as his physical weakness kept increasing, and he began to be afraid that his death would occur without adequate warning signs, suddenly. This is why he commanded Joseph that when the time came he should carry him to his final resting place in the land of Canaan where he wished to lie next to his fathers. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:29:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:29:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:29:2) **שִׂים־נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי.** פֵּרַשְׁנוּהוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה (בראשית כד:ב). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** שים נא ידך תחת ירכי, we explained the meaning of this phrase in Parshat Chayey Sarah (24,2). ###### Radak on Genesis 47:29:3 [Radak on Genesis 47:29:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:29:3) **חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת.** הָאֱמֶת הוּא שֶׁחַיָּב לִקְבֹּר אֶת אָבִיו, וְהַחֶסֶד הוּא שֶׁיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לְקָבְרוֹ שָׁם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** חסד ואמת, the word אמת, a truth, i.e. a requirement he can insist on, referred to Joseph’s duty to bring his father to burial. The word חסד, an act of love, not required by law, was that he should take the trouble to transport his remains from Egypt and have them buried in the land of Canaan. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:31:1 [Radak on Genesis 47:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:31:1) **הִשָּׁבְעָה לִי.** הַשְּׁבוּעָה בִּסְתָם הִיא לָאֵל. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** !ויאמר: השבעה לי, normally, unless mentioned to the contrary, an oath is always rendered by using the name of G’d. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:31:2 [Radak on Genesis 47:31:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:31:2) **וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ.** הוֹדָה וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לָאֵל. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** וישתחו, he prostrated himself thanking G’d that his son had promised him this favour. ###### Radak on Genesis 47:31:3 [Radak on Genesis 47:31:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Radak%20on%20Genesis/r/47:31:3) **עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה.** שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בָּהּ אוֹ שׁוֹכֵב, הוֹדָה לָאֵל שֶׁזִּכָּהוּ וְהֶרְאָהוּ בְּנוֹ חַי אַחֲרֵי הַיֵּאוּשׁ, וְשֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ וְנִשְׁבַּע לוֹ לִנְשָׂאוֹ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וְלִקְבְּרוֹ שָׁם עִם אֲבוֹתָיו. וְטַעַם **עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה**, פָּנָה כְּלַפֵּי הָרֹאשׁ לִכְבוֹד הָאֵל לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לוֹ שָׁם, וְהַמָּקוֹם הַמְכֻבָּד מִן הַמִּטָּה הוּא הָרֹאשׁ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לָמְדוּ מִזֶּה (מגילה טז) כִּי שְׁכִינָה לְמַעְלָה מֵרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו שֶׁל חוֹלֶה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** על ראש המטה. The bed on which he had been sitting or lying. He gave thanks to the Lord for having a son who was alive and well after he had for so long given him up as lost, and that this son was even willing to bury him all the way in the land of Canaan so that he could lie with his fathers. The reason why the Torah bothered to tell us, the readers, that Yaakov thanked the Lord “at the head of the bed,” is to tell us that he turned to the “head,” in honour of G’d Who is presumed to watch over the sick at that point. Our sages (quoted by Rashi) use this incident to teach us that the presence of G’d is located at the top of one’s bed. [for those of us worthy of the presence of the Shechinah. Ed.]