[Par-lite] for Parshat Vayishlach

Thu Dec 4 09:13:02 EST 2014

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

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      for PARSHAT  VAYISHLACH - shiur #1

          FROM YAAKOV TO YISRAEL -

     Was Eisav really planning to wipe out
Yaakov's family

with his four hundred men?  Or was his
intention all along

simply to welcome his brother back 'home'?

  When reading Parshat Vayishlach, it is
difficult to reach a

clear conclusion.

  Similarly, when Yaakov crossed the Yabok
River (with his

wives and children), was he planning a secret
escape from this

confrontation?  Or, was Yaakov's intention
all along to

confront his brother - face to face?

     And finally, was God's purpose in
sending a 'mal'ach' to

struggle with Yaakov - simply to bless him at
this critical

time, or was it an attempt to thwart Yaakov's
planned

'escape'?

     When one reads Parshat Vayishlach, it is
difficult to

find precise answers to these (and many
other) questions.

     In Part One of this week's shiur, we'll
suggest some

answers to these questions, while offering a
reason why the

Torah's account of these events is
intentionally so vague.

Based on that analysis, Part Two will discuss
the deeper

meaning of Yaakov's name change to Yisrael.

INTRODUCTION

     Before we begin our shiur, a short
remark re: its

methodology:

     In our study of Sefer Breishit thus far,
our goal has

usually been to find the underlying meaning
(or message) or

each story, based on its details.  However,
when the story

itself is difficult to understand, then it
becomes even more

difficult to uncover its message.

  However, when we encounter ambiguity in a
certain narrative

- one can also entertain the possibility that
its vagueness

may be intentional, and hence its message may
lie in that

ambiguity.

  With this in mind, we begin our shiur by
considering the

events that lead up to Yaakov's encounter
with Eisav - in an

attempt to better understand both the details
and ambiguities

of that encounter.

WAS THE 'COAST CLEAR' YET?

     Recall, from the end of Parshat Toldot,
how Yaakov ran

away from Eretz Canaan in fear that Eisav
would kill him.  To

verify this, let's quote the departing
message that he heard

from his mother:

  "Your brother Eisav is consoling himself by
planning to kill

  you.  Now, my son - listen to me, get up
and run away to

  Charan - to Lavan my brother.  ...Until
your brother's anger

  quells, and he will forget what you did to
him - [then] I

  will send someone to call you to return..."
(see 27:42-44).

     Neither Rivka nor Yaakov know how long
this will take,

but clearly - Yaakov plans to stay by Lavan
until 'the coast

is clear'.

     On his way to Charan, God appears to
Yaakov at Bet-El,

assuring him with Divine protection during
his journey:

  "Behold I will be with you, and guard you
anywhere you go,

  and I will bring you back to this land..."
(see 28:15).

     Note however, that despite this promise
of protection,

God never told Yaakov when he was supposed to
return.

  Years pass, but Rivka never sent for
Yaakov.

  Finally, after some twenty years God tells
Yaakov that it's

time to return home - demanding:

  "Return to the land of your fathers and
birth - and [then] I

  will be with you" (31:3).

  Does this imply that Eisav is no longer a
threat?

  If so, why didn't Rivka send for him?
[Possibly she didn't

know, even though God did.]

  Could it be that God wanted Yaakov to
return, knowing that

Eisav was still a threat?  Could it be that
God wanted these

two brothers to confront one another?  If so,
did God want

them to fight, or to make peace?

     Clearly, God wants Yaakov to return home
- yet He does

not inform him concerning how he should deal
with Eisav!

     When Yaakov approaches the land of
Israel, he sees (once

again) a vision of angels ['mal'achei
Elokim'] who come to

greet him (see 32:2-3).  As this vision
parallels Yaakov's

original vision of mal'achim (when God first
promised

protection - see 28:10-15), is God now
telling Yaakov that the

'coast is clear' - and hence he need not
worry about Eisav?

     And how about Eisav himself?  Certainly,
Yaakov is still

worried about him; but does Eisav still want
to kill him- or

has he put his past behind him?

     As you may have guessed by now, it is
very difficult to

reach any definite conclusion about any of
these questions,

but Chumash certainly keeps us pondering.

YAAKOV SENDS AN ENVOY

     Parshat Vayishlach begins as Yaakov
sends messengers

ahead, apparently to assess to what extent
Eisav is still a

danger.  Note, how this decision comes
immediately after his

vision of God's angels at Machanayim,
suggesting that this

vision gave Yaakov the confidence to initiate
an encounter -

i.e. to make sure that it was truly now safe
to return home

(see 32:4-5).

     However, to Yaakov's surprise, his
messengers come back

with a report that he most probably did not
expect: Eisav,

with four hundred men, was on his way to meet
Yaakov!  There

can be no doubt concerning how Yaakov
understood this report.

Eisav is out for his head!

  This explains Yaakov's sudden fear (see
32:7 -12 'va-yira

Yaakov me'od...'), as well as his next course
of action.

  Expecting that Eisav was on his way to kill
his entire

family, he quickly divides his camp in two
(to save at least

half of them), then turns to God in prayer
(see 32:7-12).

  Yaakov's prayer (see 32:9-12) reflects this
predicament.  On

the one hand, God told him to return and
promised to protect

him.  Yet on the other hand, God never told
him to initiate an

encounter with Eisav.  Did Yaakov think he
had made a mistake?

Maybe he was supposed to return to Canaan and
avoid Eisav

entirely?

  Had he 'sinned' by sending messengers?  Did
God want him to

stay clear of Eisav (and his bad influence)?

  Note how Yaakov's prayer reflects our
discussion.  First,

his opening appellation:

  "And Yaakov said: The God of my father
Avraham & the God of

  my father Yitzchak - the God who told me -
Return to your

  homeland and I will be with you [i.e.
protect you]" (see

  32:10).

  Note how Yaakov first reminds God that it
was His idea for

him to return, and that God had promised to
protect him

  Nonetheless, if Eisav remains a danger, it
must not be God's

fault, rather his own.  Therefore, Yaakov
concludes that maybe

he has done something wrong, or possibly has
'used up' all of

his 'protection' points, and God had already
provided him with

so much ('katonti...' / read 32:11!).  Then,
Yaakov states his

precise fear:

  "Save me from Eisav my brother, lest he
come to kill me,

  mothers and children alike - but You
promised me that you

  would be with me and that my offspring
would be numerous

  like the sand of sea..." (see 32:12-13).

     In the final line of his prayer, Yaakov
may be 'hinting'

that even if he deserves to die, God should
at least save his

children, as He had promised to his
forefathers.

     To our surprise, even though Yaakov
prayed, God doesn't

appear to provide Yaakov with an immediate
answer!

WHAT SHOULD YAAKOV DO?

     Yaakov now faces a predicament.  After
all, what does God

want him to do?

  Should he confront Eisav?  If so, should he
try to appease

him, or should he stand up and fight for what
is right?  [And

it may not be clear to him who is right - for
it was Yaakov

who stole the blessings!]

  Should he run away directly to Eretz
Canaan?  Maybe that is

what God originally wanted him to do?  Maybe
only there will

he be worthy of divine protection!
Alternatively, maybe he

should hide his wife and children, and then
face Eisav

himself?

     Let's take a look now, and see what he
does.

     After he prays, that evening Yaakov
prepares an elaborate

'peace offering' for his brother (see
32:13-20).  Hence, it

appears that Yaakov has chosen the path of
'appeasement',

hoping that his brother will be so impressed
that he may

change his mind (see 32:20).

  Nevertheless, there is an interesting
detail in these

instructions that must not be overlooked.
Note how Yaakov

instructs his men to leave a gap between each
flock of

animals.  In other words, he wants this
'offering' to be

presented very slowly and staged.  Then he
commands each group

to make the same statement:

  "When Eisav will meet you [i.e. each group]
and ask who are

  you and where are you going and who are
these for?  Answer

  him, they are a present from your servant
Yaakov - and he is

  right behind us" [i.e. on his way to meet
you as well]

        (see 32:17-18).

     Then, Yaakov repeats this very same
command to each

group, emphasizing each time that each group
should state -

"Behold, Yaakov is right behind us..."  (see
32:19-20).

     What are the purpose of these 'gaps' and
the repeated

message of "Yaakov is right behind us"?

     Either Yaakov is telling the truth -
i.e. the purpose of

these gaps is to gradually 'soften up' Eisav.
Or possibly,

Yaakov is trying something 'tricky' [again],
and these gaps

(and the entire offering) are part of a
decoy, to stall

Eisav's imminent attack, thus providing
Yaakov with ample time

to run away!  [or at least to hide his wives
and children].

     As we will see, the story that ensues
can be read either

way.

WHAT DIRECTION IS HE CROSSING?

     That very same evening, after he
designates his offering

and the men that will bring it to Eisav,
Yaakov takes his two

wives, two maidservants, and his eleven
children; and crosses

the Yabok River (see 32:21-23).  [Re: Dina
(child #12)- see

Rashi on 32:23!]

     But it's not clear why he is crossing
this river, and

what his intentions are!  Is this simply part
of his journey

to meet Eisav (as most commentators
understand), or possibly

(as Rashbam suggests), Yaakov is running
away!

  If Rashbam's interpretation is correct (see
Rashbam on 32:23-

25) - then we have a wonderful explanation
for the 'gaps'; the

message that 'Yaakov is right behind us'; and
the need for the

Torah's detail of Yaakov crossing the Yabok!
They all are

part of Yaakov's plan to 'run away' from
Eisav, to save his

life.  [Otherwise, all these details appear
to be rather

superfluous.]

  [Alternately, if Yaakov is telling Eisav
the truth, then we

  would have to explain that the 'gaps' are
to increase the

  chance of 'appeasement', Yaakov plans to be
right behind

  this offering, and the Torah tells us about
the Yabok

  crossing as the background for Yaakov's
struggle with the

  mal'ach.]

THE STRUGGLE

     That evening, as Yaakov crosses the
Yabok with his

family, God sends a mal'ach who struggles
with Yaakov until

the morning (see 32:24-25).  It would only be
logical to

assume that there is a divine reason for this
struggle.

     If we follow Rashbam's approach (that
Yaakov is running

away), then God's message seems to be quite
clear.  By keeping

Yaakov engaged in battle all night long, God
is not allowing

Yaakov to run, thereby telling him that he
shouldn't (or

doesn't need to) run away.  [See Rashbam
32:25.]  In fact,

Rashbam claims that Yaakov's injury is a
punishment for his

running away!  [See Rashbam on 32:29.]

     With this background, we could explain
some additional

details of this encounter.  First of all,
this could explain

why the angel asks to leave at dawn.  If his
job was to keep

Yaakov from running away at night so that he
would meet Eisav;

then as soon as dawn arrives his job is over
(note that Eisav

arrives immediately after sunrise - see
32:31-33:1!).

  This also explains Yaakov's request for a
blessing (which

could also be understood as Yaakov looking
for the meaning of

this encounter).  The angel blesses Yaakov by
'changing his

name' from Yaakov to Yisrael.  Considering
that the name

Yaakov implies some sort of 'trickery' [see
Yirmiyahu 9:3 'ki

kol ach akov yaakov'], while the name Yisrael
implies the

ability to 'stand up and fight' (see 32:28);
then this

'blessing' is simply God's answer to Yaakov -
don't run away,

rather encounter your brother!

  Finally, it explains what happens
immediately after the

angel leaves.  Note how the next pasuk
informs us that the sun

rises, and - sure enough - Yaakov looks up
and sees that Eisav

and his four hundred men have already arrived
[see 33:1].

What should happen now?  It's too late to
run!

  As we would expect, still fearing his
brother, he tries to

save at least some of his family by splitting
them into groups

(see 33:1).  Then, he runs to the front to
encounter Eisav

directly, bowing down seven times in a last
effort to

'appease' his brother [see 33:2-3).

  Most likely to Yaakov's total surprise,
Eisav greets him

with hugs and kisses - in what appears to be
a very friendly

(and brotherly) manner [see 33:4].

  Was it Yaakov's efforts to achieve
appeasement that caused

Eisav to change his mind, or was Eisav
planning all along for

this friendly encounter?  I suppose we'll
never know, as the

Bible is intentionally ambiguous in this
regard.  [Maybe those

little dots over 'va-yishakehu' (see 33:4)
are hinting to

something.  See Rashi & Radak who quote two
opposite opinions

in Breishit Rabba (which should not surprise
us the least!).]

In fact, Ibn Ezra (33:4) claims that the
simple 'pshat' is

that Eisav had never planned to harm Yaakov,
as proven by the

fact that he cried during this encounter.

  Eisav even invites his brother to join him
on his return

trip to Se'ir.  Yaakov prefers to travel
slowly at his own

pace, 'promising' to arrive in Se'ir at a
later time (see

33:12-14).

THE PAST & THE FUTURE

     What should we learn from this story?
One could follow

Rashbam's approach, and arrive at a very
'right wing'

conclusion.  But if one studies Ramban's
interpretation to

these events, one would arrive at a very
'left wing'

conclusion (i.e. there are times when Am
Yisrael must first

attempt to appease their enemies in any
manner possible).

     One could suggest that the Bible's
ambiguity is

intentional, as there are times in Jewish
History when a

'right wing' approach is correct, and there
are times when a

'left wing' approach is preferable.
Similarly, there are

times when we must take action, even when we
are in doubt in

regard to the true intentions of our enemies.
While at other

times, it may be better to remain passive.

     Just as life is not a 'fairy tale',
neither is Chumash.

Nevertheless, we should learn that in every
encounter that we

face, we must both act (i.e. turn to
ourselves) and pray (i.e.

turn to God).  We must make every effort to
understand our

predicament in order to arrive at the
approach that would best

follow the path that God has set.  However,
when that path is

not clear, we must pray that God will not
only assist us, but

that He should send some sort of an 'angel'
to assure that we

follow the proper direction.

     Yaakov leaves this encounter not only
limping, but also

'contemplating' and 'wondering'.  But he
continues on his

journey, on his way to Bet-El, ready to face
any future

encounter with prayer, wisdom, action, faith,
and resolve.

     So too, in the history of the Jewish
people - there are

times that we must stand up and fight, and
there are times

that we attempt appeasement.  There are also
times when we

struggle, and remain limping.  Yet we
continue to pray, to

study, to contemplate, and persevere with an
unyielding

resolve to achieve our goals.

                         shabbat shalom, 

                         menachem

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FOR FURTHER IYUN - for Shiur #1

A.  Chazal tell us that the mal'ach was the
'sar shel Eisav' -

Eisav's guardian angel.   Relate this Midrash
to the above

shiur.

      If this ish was actually a mal'ach, why
do you think the

Torah insists on referring to him as an ish?
What is the

significance of Yaakov being wounded in this
encounter?  Why

must we remember this encounter whenever we
eat meat (mitzvat

gid-ha-nasheh)?  [See Rashbam 32:29.]

  Explain the argument between Yaakov and his
sons regarding

their militant reaction to the act of Chamor
ben Shchem in

relation to the main point of the above
shiur.

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