<b>And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28).</b> Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: <i>The wolf and the lamb shall feed together</i> (Isa. 65:25). Observe that whomever the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicts in this world, He heals in the world-to-come. The blind, for it is written: <i>The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of deaf shall be unstopped</i> (Isa. 35:5); the lame: <i>Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall speak</i> (ibid., v. 6). In the same way all others shall be healed.
And furthermore, just as a man departs this world he will return.<sup class="footnote-marker">10</sup><i class="footnote">The concept of the resurrection of the dead.</i> If he departs lame, he will return lame; if he departs deaf, he will return deaf; if he departs blind, he will be resurrected blind. Thus everyone returns as he departed.
Those who depart clothed will return clothed, as it is said: <i>It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment</i> (Job 38:14). Come and learn from Samuel. When Saul caused him to be brought up (by the witch of Endor), he said to the woman: “What does he look like?” And she answered: <i>An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe</i> (I Sam. 28:14). And Scripture states elsewhere: <i>Moreover, his mother made him a little robe</i> (ibid. 2:19). This teaches us that just as one departs (this life), so he will return. The reason for this is that the wicked should not say: “Some He puts to death, and others He restores to life.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let them arise just as they departed, and then I will heal them. Why so? To confirm the verse <i>Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall any be after Me</i> (Isa. 43:10)
After that the animals will also be healed, as it is said: <i>The wolf and the lamb shall feed together … and dust shall be the serpent’s food</i> (ibid. 65:25). But the serpent shall not be healed. And why not? Because it was responsible for mankind being brought down to the dust.<sup class="footnote-marker">11</sup><i class="footnote">He caused death to come to mankind by enticing Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1–6).</i>
Another comment on <i>The wolf and the lamb shall feed together. The wolf</i> refers to Benjamin, as it is said: <i>Benjamin is the wolf that raveneth</i> (Gen. 49:37), and <i>the lamb</i> alludes to the tribes, as is said: <i>Israel is a scattered sheep</i> (Jer. 50:17).
<i>Shall feed together</i>. When did that occur? When Benjamin descended with his brothers. Though Jacob had said: <i>My son shall not go down with you</i> (Gen. 42:38), yet when the time for departure came, he did descend with them. They placed him between themselves and guarded him. And thus it says: <i>Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son</i> (Gen. 43:29).
<i>And the lion shall eat straw like the ox</i> (Isa. 65:25). “The lion” refers to Judah, as it is said: <i>Judah is a lion’s whelp</i> (Gen. 49:9), and <i>like the ox</i> alludes to Joseph, as is said: <i>His firstling bullock, majesty is his</i> (Deut. 33:17). Finally however, all of them ate together, as it is said: <i>And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright</i> (Gen. 43:33). And it is also written: <i>And portions were taken unto them</i> (ibid., v. 3). Hence Scripture states: <i>And the lion shall eat straw like the ox</i>.