הבאים ישרש יעקב יציץ ופרח ישראל ... (ישעי' כז,ו)
The journey of Yaakov Avinu and his family from Eretz Canaan to Egypt, was one fraught with numerous trials and tribulations. Nevertheless, Yeshaya HaNavi relates that “Those who Yaakov caused to take root and came (to Egypt), have flourished and blossomed.” Chazal note that this observation from Yeshaya is a reference to the scholars of Bavel who excelled in their pursuit of Hashem’s Torah while in exile, and from them sprouted the foundation of Torah study for all time. But what indeed is the connection and how is the reference deduced from a seemingly simple posuk?
R’ Yitzchok Sorotzkin shlita (Rinas Yitzchok) explains that Chazal’s deduction is based on the time-tested adage of how true Torah Jews live. Oftentimes when people attempt to achieve a goal, they wish to skip to the end without having to put in the requisite work and effort. Not only won’t the person achieve whatever the intended goal was, but in many instances many more problems will crop up along the way further complicating the matter entirely. However, true Torah Jews understand the danger associated with this fallacious thought process and they know that only through persistence and perseverance in Avodas Hashem will a person achieve his goal.
This ideology and foundation for Torah study was set by Yaakov Avinu, when he sent Yehuda ahead to establish a Yeshivah in Egypt prior to his arrival, and the scholars in Bavel further cemented that ideology when they established their Yeshivos and turned the ignorant exiles into Torah scholars.
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