ימי שני מגורי שלשים ומאת שנה מעט ורעים היו ימי שני חיי
Our Patriarch, Yaakov Avinu, stood before Pharaoh, and, when asked his age, Yaakov replied, “The years of my dwelling are 130; few and terrible were the years of my life.” What provoked Yaakov to add that his life was short and miserable? Why not just answer the question? How old are you? 130 – end of conversation. Obviously, Yaakov felt that simply stating his age was insufficient. It was necessary to explain the kind of life he had endured. Why? Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, distinguishes between “dwelling” in the world and “living” in it – or between mere existing and…