Coffee,
I would like to ask you a question (according to Rashi et al in the plain and pashut sense)
We say ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ???? the word ????? (according what I heard at least) is that it means inheritance (and because we say ????? ???? it�s understood from ????) how can an alive person give over an inheritance, inheritance is only done after death?
Additionally
Doesn�t it say Hashem doesn�t affix His name to a person while he�s alive? (Hashem said to Moshe �???? ????� and the midrash says that�s how Moshe knew he passed away) yet Hashem says ???? ????
Excellent questions on Rashi and the other meforshim!
I suggest you look into it, find some nice answers, and maybe use this as a Dvar Torah or pilpul that you can deliver for parshas Vayechi.
It is obviously unnecessary to point out that even if we have unanswered questions on a true talmid chacham (like Rashi et al), that doesn’t ch”v invalidate their pshat.
However, I’ll give some thoughts that may answer your questions:
THOUGHTS TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION:
1. The idea of ????? is mainly emphasizing the WAY that Yidden received Torah: Just as a yerusha is passed automatically to all the children, even a little baby, so to Torah belongs to every Jew just because he/she is Jewish (as the Rambam writes: ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ????? ??????????. ??????????? (“??????? ?????? ????? ????? ????????? ???????? ???????”. ???? ??? ??????????? ?????? ???????.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that we are getting Torah from a dead person. On the contrary, we are inheriting Torah FROM HASHEM.
2. ???? ???? does not necessarily imply an inheritance from Yaakov, for the Jewish people are called ??? ?????\??? ?????\??? ????\???? ???? all the time, not necessarily referring to something that they have received from Yaakov himself.
Actually, the Ramban writes that ????? ???? ???? means that Yaakov himself RECEIVES the inheritance as well:
?????????? ???????????? (???? ????? ?), ??????? ????? ????????? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???????, ???????? ?????????????? ??????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ??????? ????????????? ??????, ??? ????????? ??????????? ??? ?’ ?????????? ???????????? ??? ????? ???????, ??????????? ??????? ??????????.
“Torah will always be an inheritance FOR YAAKOV and all those who gather around him.”
3. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 91b) states that the inheritance of Torah was since ??? ??? ??????, way before the birth – and certainly death – of Yaakov:
???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??????.
These are just some points I thought of right away.
?? ???? ????? ???.
—
A THOUGHT TO ANSWER YOUR SECOND QUESTION:
Hashem said ???? ???? during Yitzchak’s lifetime. Rashi asks (?????? ??, ??), how can this be, ???? ???????? ??????????? ????????? ????????”? ?????? ??? ????????????? ???????????? ???????? ??????? ??????????
Rashi answers: ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???????, ????? ????????? ??????? ???????? ????????, ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?????????, ??????????? – Yitzchak was different because his eyes became dimmed and he was confined to the house, he was like dead and the yetzer harah already left him.
Maybe, the same can be said about Yaakov: Since he is in a state SIMILAR to death (as Rashi writes: ???? ??? ???? ?? – he seemed dead to them), it is okay to say ???? ????.
Again, this is just a thought.
?? ???? ????? ???.