Dvar Torah on the Redemption
Rashi in the beginning of Parshes Vaychi asks, why is this parshe closed? (nine letter separation in between two parshiyos) Answers Rashi, because the Torah wants to symbolize that this was the beginning of the suffering and enslavement of the Jews. Their breath was started to be taken away by closing their breathing passages. It says that they couldn’t listen to Moishe, because of their shortness of breath and hard labor. Another answer is given by Rashi, that it symbolizes the closing off the revealing of the end, the coming of the Meshiach, which Yaakov Avinu was curtailed from disclosing.
The problem is that, neither of these answers satisfies the question. It does not answer why especially there is no pause after parshas Vayigash. Depending on the above answers this lack of pause should have been delineated, either in the beginning of Parshas Shmos, or before the blessings to his sons, respectively.
The Klei Yokor at the end of parshas Vayigash explains that, the reason for the suffering and enslavement was because the Jews forgot an important lesson that must be remembered in galus, diaspora. We must constantly keep in mind that we are strangers in a foreign land. Moishe Rabbeinu constantly kept this in mind, and therefore the G-d of his father was constantly helping him. This was the lesson that Moishe Rabbeinu wanted to teach us through the naming of his children. The Jews wanted to become part of the Egyptian establishment. They forgot that they came to Egypt just as a temporary dweller, who is fleeing his problems temporarily by escaping to a strange land. They became rich and acquired land. They built on it fancy houses which the Egyptians resented.
The Klei Yokor in parshas Devorim explains, that when we are in diaspora among the descendants of Eisov and Yishmoel, we must keep ourselves inconspicuous. They resent the fact that we got the blessing from Yaakov and Yitzchok, which causes envy and hate. They will do everything possible to take our wealth away. They will put us into labor camps to weaken us, and if that doesn’t work, G-d forbid, annihilate us.
This envy and resentment happened in Egypt. When the Egyptian saw how the Jews are getting wealthier and stronger, they became envious and the resentment grew.
The Klei Yokor also explains in the beginning of parshas Vaychi that the reason that G-d curtailed Yaakov Avinu the revealing of the end, was because, if people know that the coming of the Meshiach will not be in their life time they will give their hope up (meyaesh). They will forget the lesson from above and that they are in diaspora. They will build fancy houses etc. This will hold back the redemption. The redemption can only come if we keep in mind that we are in diaspora and we require the help of G-d to redeem us and no one else can do that.
Therefore, the disclosing of the end was impossible. The Jews behaved in like manner without revealing the end. The revealing would have caused the viscous cycle which would have held back the redemption. Therefore, everything is symbolized at the end of Parshas Vayigash.