Parashat Vayechi describes the final years of Jacob our forefather, and seemingly in a puzzling manner, the Torah alternates between calling him by his two names – Jacob and Israel. While with Abraham, the name change from Abram to Abraham was absolute, with Jacob, both names are used interchangeably, as if each represents a different aspect of his spiritual personality.
The Admor Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto delves into this profound idea and explains it through the foundations of Kabbalah: Every Jew carries within a basic soul that accompanies them throughout life and may even reincarnate across multiple lifetimes to complete its spiritual correction. Alongside this primary soul exists another concept known as Ibur Neshamot (soul impregnation) – a state where the soul of a righteous person enters another’s soul to assist them during moments of spiritual challenge.
Rabbi Pinto emphasizes the two types of Ibur: a positive Ibur – when a person engages in a specific mitzvah, such as charity or studying the Torah teachings of a particular sage, the soul of that righteous figure may become absorbed in them and strengthen their spiritual efforts. However, there is also a negative form of Ibur – harmful souls that may enter a person and cause drastic behavioral changes, as King David warns in the verse: “Every man is deceitful.” Rabbi Pinto cautions that in moments of anger, the positive souls depart, leaving a person vulnerable, which is why spiritual awareness is crucial.
According to Rabbi Pinto, Jacob our forefather experienced a unique phenomenon: he carried within him two primary souls – the soul of Jacob from birth and the soul of Israel, which he received after his extraordinary struggle with Esau’s angel. Jacob symbolizes the confrontation with physical, immediate challenges, while Israel represents the higher, spiritual struggles with elevated, angelic forces.
The great pain Jacob endured following Joseph’s disappearance was so profound that his soul of Jacob left him, leaving only the soul of Israel. This, Rabbi Pinto explains, is why the Divine Presence withdrew from him for 22 years. Only when he heard the news, “Joseph is still alive,” and saw the wagons Joseph had sent, did the soul of Jacob return to him, as it is written: “And the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.” However, Jacob’s soul did not disappear entirely but instead accompanied Joseph himself. This, Rabbi Pinto clarifies, is why when Joseph faced the great test with Potiphar’s wife, the image of his father’s face appeared to him – it was Jacob’s soul aiding him to withstand the challenge.
Rabbi Pinto teaches that Jacob and Israel represent two fundamental forces within the spiritual struggles of every Jew:
• Jacob – the direct, immediate confrontation with physical and daily challenges.
• Israel – the deeper, spiritual confrontation, handled from a distance and through higher spiritual means.
He further explains this concept through the verse: “Which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.” The Targum clarifies that this refers to “my prayers and supplications.” The sword symbolizes immediate action, while the bow represents long-range influence, achieved through prayer and spiritual efforts.
Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto stresses that these two forces – the strength of Jacob and the strength of Israel – continue to illuminate the path of the Jewish people to this very day. They grant every Jew the ability to face both immediate challenges in daily life and spiritual dangers threatening from afar.
This is the dual legacy of Jacob our forefather, as Rabbi Pinto concludes: “As his descendants are alive, so too is he alive.” Jacob continues to live on and influence the souls of his children and grandchildren in every generation.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel