Kabbalah Library

224. It is written about Jacob, “Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” This is an enunciation of joy. Why is there a need to close the eyes of the dead? It is because the eyes are the colors of this world, and the vision and the shape of this world are in them. Hence, by closing the eyes, he closes this world from him, and the vision of this world. When his eyes were closed, the whole vision of this world was darkened for him, and if his eyesight is darkened, he has no more vision in this world from then on. The corrections of the first are beautiful, and their wisdom is more than the holy angels.

225. Of all his sons, why did Joseph place his hands? If he said so to Jacob because of his enunciation, that Joseph was still alive, then it should have said, “Joseph is alive, you will see.” Why did he say “Joseph will put his hand on your eyes?” “Put his hand” since he loved him; this is why he blocked from him the light of this world and he took it.

One who closes his loved one’s eyes shows this: Your vision from this world is lost, and I am taking your vision instead of you. From here on, they will establish for you a different vision—of that world. This is why the matter was given to Joseph, since he was more loved by Joseph than all his sons.