Wolf: Good question. It may be that Yaakov was alive (physically) in Mitzrayim and that’s all well and good, but spiritually, disconnected from his father, which is a type of death.
I think you meant Yosef.
But in any event, it doesn’t answer the question. You said that the Avos had the same Torah today and that they understood on levels and planes that we can’t. That’s all fine and well, but still, Ya’akov was able to read, correct? If he had the same Torah that we do, (and with a much greater understanding) then why didn’t he know Yosef was alive by a simple reading of the pesukim.
The Wolf