The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
The Gemara in Berachos 13b states that R' Yehuda HaNasi would cover his eyes when he said Shema in order to accept Ol Malchus Shamayim. R' Frand said that this is the standard source for why we cover our eyes while saying Shema - so that we won't be distracted.
R' Frand then quoted a Zohar on Parshas Vayigash relating to Bereishis 46:4. Ya'akov had concerns about going down to Egypt as he saw it as a place teeming with Zima. Hashem said to him אָֽנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ. The first part of the pasuk can be simply understood that Hashem told him that Hashem will accompany him down to Egypt and when he is brought back for burial in Canaan. But what is the meaning of Yosef putting his hand on Ya'akov's eyes?
The Zohar states that these words are the secret of Krias Shema. The Shuut Kol Aryeh explains this cryptic statement by quoting a Gemara in Pesachim 50 which asks what is the meaning of the pasuk in Zecharya 14:9 - וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד? Is there a time that Hashem was not One?
The Gemara answers in the name of R' Acha Bar Chanina that this world is not like the World to Come. In this world when something good happens we say HaTov V'Hametiv, but when tragedy occurs we say Boruch Dayan HaEmes. But in Olam Haba we will say HaTov V'Hametiv on everything. How is this possible? Because in this world we see good events and bad events, because our perspective on how things occur is limited by time and space.
But in Olam Haba we will have a different perspective and things that seem bad, we will understand why Hashem did certain things. Therefore in Olam Haba it is HaTov V'Hametiv on everything.
In this world we say Shema every morning and night. But the pasuk seems to conflict as we invoke Hashem's names of both mercy and judgment and then we say that it is One.
The Zohar explains that when a person says Krias Shema he should be thinking that even though I don't understand it, Hashem is both Middas HaDin and Middas HaRachamim. And this is why we cover our eyes, because we say that we believe it, but its too painful right now.
This is what is meant by Hashem telling Ya'akov that Yosef will place his hand on your eyes. Because Yosef is one person who had many troubles and then became the 2nd in command in Egypt and in so doing saw Hashem's plan and why he had to go through so many troubles. This is the secret of Krias Shema.
R' Frand said he heard this from R' Kalefsky who said it shortly after one of his children was in a car accident which resulted in the death of one of his grandchildren. He was a tremendous Maamin and knew that Hashem is One. But for the rest of us, we need to cover our eyes because we don't understand it.
R' Frand said a second vort on Bereishis 50:16 in which Ya'akov blesses Yosef's sons that וְיִדְגּ֥וּ לָרֹ֖ב בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ. Rashi explains that this was a Beracha that they should multiply like fish.
But a second explanation is that as children of Yosef they would not be influenced by Ayin Hara. Indeed, Ya'akov's beracha to Yosef in Bereishis 49:22 - בֵּ֤ן פֹּרָת֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף בֵּ֥ן פֹּרָ֖ת עֲלֵי־עָ֑יִן - that Yosef will not be influenced by Ayin Hara. (R' Frand referred to the Gemara in Berachos about R' Yochanan sitting outside the Mikva and not being concerned about the influence of Ayin Hara because he is from the offspring of Yosef). The upshot is that because fish are not seen, they cannot be influenced by Ayin Hara.
R' Frand said a second explanation based on the Chizkuni who states that fish are not influenced by Ayin Hara because they are unknown. He notes that Hashem brought all beasts and birds to Adam to be named, but that the fish were not named. This is the way to avoid Ayin Hara - if you are anonymous and do things without drawing attention to yourself, you can avoid Ayin Hara.
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