(Gen. 47:28:) AND JACOB LIVED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT SEVENTEEN YEARS …. Why is this parashah more closed¹ than all other parashiyyot?² Because, as soon as Jacob died, the servitude of Israel began. But another reason is that he desired to reveal the end of days, but it was closed off from him.³ And another reason is that he closed off all the troubles in the world from him.

footnotes: ¹ Normally a new section (or parashah) has a space of nine letters, while a subsection begins after a space of three letters. This section begins after a space of one letter. ² Gen. R. 96:1. ³ See below, 12:9; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 49:1.