Parashat Vayechi

By Rabbi Aharon Seleh

In this week’s Parsha, the Ohr Hachaim asks the following question. Yaakov Avinu received the name Yisrael, but never lost his original name of Yaakov. But if we look carefully at the verses, they are not consistent. At times, he is called Yaakov, other times Yisrael. On what basis does Hashem choose to call him one name over the other?

The Ohr Hachaim answers the name Yisrael indicates an additional level of the soul granted to him. Whenever he has that additional level of soul, he is called Yisrael. Whenever that level of soul leaves him, he goes back to being called Yaakov. Whenever Yaakov was down or sad, that extra soul left him and he is called Yisrael. Whenever he was joyful again, the extra soul returned to him. The reason for this is, that level of soul comes from a very high source that only knows joy and happiness. It’s repelled by any form of sadness and ends up leaving the body. This is the reason why on Shabbat we are commanded to be happy and enjoy ourselves and stay away from anything that makes us sad. The reason is to be able to keep the higher level of soul we are all granted in Shabbat. We may not even speak of anything that might cause us distress.

The Ba’al Shem Tov says as a general rule, year-round, whoever keeps themselves in a state of happiness and joy and doesn’t get sad, repels all form of suffering from coming upon them.