wפ’ וישלח תשע”ח
Volume 21, Issue 8
INSIGHTS from the SEDRA
Insights from the Sedra is a project of the Scholar’s Kollel of Great Neck. It aims to provide several questions and answers about the Sedra, culled from various commentaries, including the following: Baal Haturim, Darash Moshe, Vedebarta Bam by Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky, Torah Treasures by Dov Furer, Wellsprings of Torah by Alexander Friedman, and Kol Dodi by Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, Great Torah Lights by Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Goodman, Something To Say by Dov Wasserman, The Vilna Gaon, and Growth Through Torah by Zelig Pliskin.
ויאמר אם יבוא עשו אל המחנה האחת והכהו והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה
“And he said: “If Eisav comes to one camp and destroys it, then the other camp which is left shall escape.’” (32:9)
The word והכהו, and destroys it, in the Hebrew is a palindrome, i.e. a word reading the same backward as forward, signifying that whoever inflicts harm on Israel will ultimately suffer harm himself. (Da’as Chachamim)
Rashi states that Yaakov prepared himself with three things: a gift; prayer; and preparations for war. The three things that Yaakov prepared are alluded to in the “Shema” which guides every Jew in his service of Hashem – ‘And you shall love Hashem with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might’ (Devarim 6:5).
With all your heart – this is prayer, the work of the heart; With all your soul – the war of man against the evil inclination; With all your might – the gift – Tzedaka and Gemilat Chasadim (Sfas Emes)
ויאמר אם יבוא עשו אל המחנה האחת והכהו והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה
“And he said, ‘If Eisav comes to one camp and strikes it down then the remaining camp shall survive.’” (32:9)
Rashi explains that when Yaakov said that “the remaining camp shall survive” it was said with a tone of certainty, not merely of hope. From where did Yaakov draw this self-confidence? Just as Yaakov was afraid that Eisav would be able to kill him, likewise Eisav could destroy the other camp.
Rivkah had said to Yaakov, “…why should I be bereaved of you both on the same day!” (27:45). Yaakov sensed that this was a burst of prophecy and therefore knew that Eisav would die on the same day as Yaakov (see Rashi ibid.). He therefore devised the following strategy. He placed a day’s distance between the two camps. Then he proceeded to the first camp ready to face Eisav in battle (see 33:3). He knew that even if he would be killed in battle, Eisav would never reach the second camp alive, since it would take longer than one day to reach it! Thus he was certain they would survive.
Yaakov’s actual words were: “If Eisav comes to המחנה האחת, which can be translated as meaning “to the distinguished camp,” i.e. the camp where Yaakov is found. Only if Eisav would come there first would the other camp definitely be saved. (Chanukas HaTorah)
הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו
“Rescue me, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav.” (32:12)
As Eisav advances toward Yaakov with an imposing army, Yaakov cries out to G-d for help. His plea, however, seems repetitive. Why did he say both “the hand of my brother” and “the hand of Eisav”?
The author of Vayomer Avraham answers that Yaakov alluded to the two possible approaches that Eisav might take in trying to overcome him. Eisav might choose to wage an open war against him in order to kill him. The other possibility was that Eisav would attempt to make peace with Yaakov, like a brother, and then secretly plan to attack him. Therefore, Yaakov begged for G-d’s mercy in either case: He asked to be rescued from the hand of his brother in case Eisav acted friendly, or from the hand of Eisav, in case his antagonist acted in character with his name and launched an open attack.
ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר ויאמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני
“And he said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.’ And he said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’” (32:27)
Struggle isn’t easy. Although Yaakov was not defeated, he “limped.” Battles leave scars. Yet Hashem is with us even when he seems to be against us. For if we refuse to let go of Him, He refuses to let go of us, giving us the strength to survive and emerge stronger, wiser, and blessed.
The famous question is asked: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” There are exactly two ways of asking this question. The first is to wonder: Why has Hashem done this to me? Never ask this question, because one can never know the answer. Humans think of now; Hashem thinks of eternity. We can never see the universe from His point of view, so we will never find the answer to “why me?”
But there is another way to ask it: What does Hashem want me to learn from this? How is He challenging me to grow? How must I respond? Asking it this way involves looking forward, not back. And that is how to deal with crisis. Wrestle with it, refusing to let it go until it blesses you, until you emerge stronger, better or wiser than before. To be a Jew is not to accept defeat. That is the meaning of faith. (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)
ויאמר עשו אציגה נא עמך מן העם אשר אתי ויאמר למה זה אמצא חן בעיני אדני
“Eisav said ‘Let me assign to you some of the people who are with me.’ And Yaakov said, ‘To what purpose? Let me just have favor in my lord’s eyes.’” (33:15)
When dealing with his brother, Yaakov presented Eisav with both gifts and respect. Yet when Eisav wished to reciprocate and escort Yaakov, he adamantly refused. We often find ourselves in situations in which we must deal with wicked people. Indeed, gifts and respect may be called for, but that is where it must end. Forging a relationship serves only as a means to be influenced negatively. We must emulate Yaakov’s actions and set a Torah-dictated boundary between ourselves and those whose lifestyle is antithetical to ours. (Pirkei Torah)
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