There is a line in the Gemara that sounds impossible on its surface. Rabbi Yochanan says, “Yaakov Avinu did not die.” How can that be? The Torah describes his passing, his embalming, and his burial in clear and detailed pesukim! Why would Chazal insist on something that seems to contradict the plain text?
In this episode I explore what is really happening in this puzzling statement. Rashi insists that the midrash must be taken literally within the world of midrash, while others argue that it can only be figurative. What makes this case different? And what idea is lost when the literal reading is dismissed too quickly?
By following Rashi’s approach, I show how this midrash opens a new perspective on Yaakov’s mission. The psukim, the Midrash Tanchuma, and the Gemara in Taanit all point toward a deeper theme. Yaakov was not only building a family. He was building a nation that would survive every exile, and the midrash hints that his connection to the future redemption goes far beyond what we usually imagine.
World of Medrash uncovers the deeper narrative behind Rashi and the Midrash and reveals ideas that sit quietly beneath the surface of the Chumash.
