A study performed by Yale University concluded that a stressful lifestyle can affect your health at the DNA level. Stress can cause negative health consequences even in someone who does not have other physical or mental health problems, causing them to age faster and shortening their lifespan. The conclusions reached by the Yale University study are found in this week’s Torah reading.
Shortly after Yaakov and his family come down to Egypt, Yosef brings him to meet Pharaoh. The Torah records (Chapter 47:verses 8-9) that Pharaoh asks Yaakov how old he is. Yaakov responds that his years are few and bad and he hasn’t reached the age of his forefathers. Daas Zekenim comments that Yaakov looked very old and therefore Pharaoh asked him how old he was. Yaakov responded I am not really that old, but I have had a rough life and that is why I look so old. The Midrash teaches that Yaakov was punished for his response. Hashem said, “After all the things I did for you, you are complaining about your life. I saved you from Esav and Lavan. I brought you back your daughter Dina and your son Yosef. And you are complaining that you had a rough life?” As a result, his life was cut short by 33 years less than his father Yitzchak, corresponding to the 33 words in his complaint.
Even if we can understand that Yaakov is being punished for complaining, why did he lose 33 years? It should only be 25 years. The first verse (8 words) is Pharaoh asking him how old he is and not Yaakov complaining.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, (1902-1978) the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva, explains why the Midrash counts the first verse against Yaakov as well. The fact that Pharaoh asked Yaakov how old he was, was unusual. The great leader Pharaoh meets a very special individual like Yaakov and the first thing he says to him is “How old are you”? As Daas Zekenim pointed out, it was only because Yaakov looked so extremely old compared to others of his time, that Pharaoh was surprised and asked him the question. However, Yaakov did not have to let his troubles age him. If Yaakov had a positive attitude, he would not have looked as old as he did. Pharaoh would not have been astonished and would never have asked such an undiplomatic question, “how old are you?” Yaakov was punished for prompting a query that resulted in open discontent of the fate he endured.
The Yale study reaches the same conclusion. Zach Harvanek, a resident psychiatrist at Yale says “The most surprising aspect of the study is that resilience factors, like emotion regulation, can protect us not just from the mental effects of stress, but also from the effects of stress on our physical health.”
Each one of us deals with a variety of stressful situations, some more so than others. However, it is clear that we have the ability to mitigate the harmful effect these stressors may have on us by looking at the positive and being thankful for the many blessings given to us by Hashem.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Shaps
