[Par-reg] for Parshat Vayishlach - additional shiur
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Thu Nov 14 17:23:59 EST 2013
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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 -
FROM YAAKOV TO YISRAEL - part two
There must be something important about
names in Parshat
Vayishlach, for we find that Yaakov's name is
changed to
Yisrael; and it happens twice!
In the following shiur, we attempt to
understand why, by
considering its connection to the theme of
'bechira' in Sefer
Breishit.
INTRODUCTION
Yaakov's name change to Yisrael is very
different than
Avram's name change to Avraham. In regard to
AvraHAm - a
single letter ["heh"] is added to his
existing name (see 17:1-
5); in contrast - Yisrael constitutes an
entirely new name.
Furthermore, Yisrael serves as an alternate
name for Yaakov,
while the name Avraham serves as a
replacement.
What is even more peculiar about
Yaakov's name change -
is that it happens twice:
Once, in the aftermath of his struggle at
Pni'el, prior to
his confrontation with Eisav (see
32:24-30);
And later, at God's revelation to him at
Bet El (see
35:9-13).
With this in mind, we begin our study with
a comparison of
those two stories; afterward, we will discuss
why Yaakov's
name change is both similar and different
than Avraham's.
YAAKOV'S RETURN TO BET EL
Let's begin our discussion with the second
time when
Yaakov's name is changed to Yisrael; for it
contains some
rather obvious textual parallels to the key
psukim that
describe how Avraham Avinu was first chosen.
Those parallels
will help us understand how his name change
relates to a key
stage in the bechira process. Our
conclusions will then help
us appreciate the meaning of the first time
Yaakov's name in
changed, i.e. the site of Pni'el.
Yaakov's return to Bet El, as described
in 35:9-15, could
be considered as the prophetic 'highlight' of
his return to
Eretz Canaan. Recall that this it was at
this very site where
God first appeared to him, promising him that
he was indeed
the 'chosen' son (see 28:12-14).
Furthermore, it was at Bet-
El where God had promised to look after his
needs during his
journey to (and stay in) Charan.
[Recall as well from our shiur on Parshat
Lech Lecha that
Bet El was also the focal point of
Avraham's 'aliya', where
he built a mizbeiach and 'called out in
God's Name'.]
Let's take a look at the Torah's
description of this
'hitgalut', noting how God not only confirms
Yaakov's bechira
but also changes his name to Yisrael:
"And God appeared again to Yaakov on his
arrival from Padan
Aram, and blessed him: You, whose name is
Yaakov, shall be
called Yaakov no more, but Yisrael shall be
your name.
Thus He named him Yisrael, and God said
to him: I am Kel
Shakai, be fertile and increase... The land
that I have
given to Avraham and Yitzchak I give to you
and to your
offspring to come... (35:9-16).
God's confirmation of 'zera' [offspring]
and 'aretz' (the
Land) echoes His numerous earlier blessings
of'bechira to
Avraham and Yitzchak. [See 12:1-7, 13:14-16,
15:18, 17:7-8,
26:1-5, 28:13.] In fact, these seem to be
the key two words
in just about every higtalut when God discuss
any aspect of
the 'bechira' process with the avot.
However, this particular blessing carries
additional
significance, for it is the last time that we
find it in Sefer
Breishit, thus suggesting that the bechira
process has finally
come to an end!
Therefore, the fact that this blessing
also includes
Yaakov's name change to Yisrael suggests a
thematic connection
between this name change and the conclusion
of the bechira
process!
If indeed the 'filtering' stage of the
bechira process is
finally over, then this name change reflects
the fact that now
all of Yaakov's children (and grandchildren
etc.) are chosen.
[In contrast to the children of Avraham and
Yitzchak, where
only one child was chosen.]
In other words, from this point onward, all
the children of
Yaakov will become the nation of Israel- and
hence the name
change to Yisrael.
With this in mind, let's discuss the
incident at Peniel,
when his name is first changed to Yisrael -
to appreciate the
thematic significance of specifically this
name - i.e.
Yisrael.
THE EVENTS BEFORE THE STRUGGLE
Even though the Torah only tells us that
a 'man' ['ish']
struggles with Yaakov at Peniel (see 32:25),
the continuation
of this story [when this 'man' blesses Yaakov
etc / see 32:26-
30)] certainly supports the Midrashic
interpretation that he
was the 'angelic minister of Eisav' -
intentionally sent by
God to confront Yaakov.
[Note that the Hebrew word ish is often
used to describe an
important and/or powerful man, and not only
the male gender
/ see Shmot 2:12 & Bamidbar 13:3.]
But why would God send this ish at this
critical time?
To appreciate why, we must consider the
events in the life
of Yaakov that lead up to this final
'showdown' with Eisav.
1. Yaakov, using 'trickery', buys the
'bechora' from
Eisav.
2. Yitzchak plans to bless Eisav with
prosperity and
power;.
using 'trickery', Yaakov 'steals'
that blessing..
3. Yaakov must 'run away' to Padan Aram
(in fear of
Eisav).
4. Yaakov spends twenty years with
Lavan;
often suffering from Lavan's
'trickiness'.
5. Yaakov 'runs away' from Padan Aram
(in fear of Lavan).
6. Yaakov prepares for his confrontation
with Eisav.
[Note how he plans a total
subjugation to his
brother.]
7. God sends an ish to confront Yaakov.
While reviewing this progression, note
how Yaakov's life
was replete with a need to either employ
trickery or 'run
away' in order to either survive, or to
attain what he felt
was necessary (to become the 'chosen son').
Indeed, Yaakov
had become an expert at survival; but appears
to have lacked
experience in 'frontal combat' - a trait that
Eisav was best
at.
As we explained in our shiur on Parshat
Toldot, it may
have been for this very reason that Yitzchak
had originally
intended to bless Eisav, for he understood
that in order to
establish a nation, the traits of an 'ish
sadeh' are
essential, i.e. the qualities necessary to
provide leadership
in worldly matters. In contrast to his
brother, Yaakov, the
'ish tam', certainly lacked this character.
However, now that it had been divinely
determined that
Yaakov was to be the only chosen son, one
could suggest that
God found it necessary for Yaakov himself to
develop those
traits as well.
This may explain why upon his return to
Eretz Canaan, God
intentionally initiates a direct
confrontation between Yaakov
and Eisav. [Recall from the fact that Rivka
never sent for
him, it may be that Eisav is indeed still
planning to take
revenge.]
However, when we analyze Yaakov's apparent
strategy - as he
prepares to meet Eisav (see 32:13-21), we
find once again that
he was not quite ready for this direct
confrontation.
One could even suggest (as Rashbam
does), that Yaakov's
original plan was to run away from Eisav,
taking his own
family in one direction, while sending
several 'staged'
messengers to Eisav as a decoy to 'slow his
advance'! If so,
then God's purpose in sending this ish to
struggle with
Yaakov, was to stop him from running away -
stalling his
retreat until Eisav arrives.
And when Yaakov does see Eisav at dawn
(after his struggle
with the 'ish'), again he plans
'capitulation' - bowing down
profusely before his brother - showing him
that in reality, he
never received the blessing that he had tried
to steal.
[By bowing down to Eisav, Yaakov wishes to
show his brother
that the 'stolen blessing' of power and
dominion over his
brother ("hevei gvir le-achecha,
yishtachavu lecha bnei
imecha...27:29) was indeed awarded to
Eisav. Ironically,
Yaakov resorts to trickery once again; this
time to show his
brother that his original trickery used to
'steal' the
brachot was meaningless.]
REALISM OR LAZINESS
Note how Yaakov's struggle with the ish
takes place at a
very critical point in his life; i.e. after
his preparation to
bow down to (or run away from) Eisav, but
before the actual
confrontation. Let's explain why this may be
significant.
A controversy exists among the
commentators as to whether
Yaakov was correct in this total subjugation
to his brother.
Some hold that Yaakov should have openly
confronted his
brother while putting his total faith in God
(see Rashbam on
32:29), while others maintain that due to the
circumstances,
his timid strategy was appropriate (see
Seforno on 33:4).
[Note how this 'hashkafic' controversy
continues until this
very day!]
Regardless of the 'political
correctness' of his actions,
the situation remains that Yaakov is unable
to openly confront
Eisav. Nevertheless, God finds it necessary
that Yaakov prove
himself capable of fighting, should such a
situation arise in
the future. Yaakov must now demonstrate that
his subjugation
to Eisav stems from political realism rather
than spiritual
laziness. He must prove that, when
necessary, he will be
capable of fighting.
[Sooner or later in Jewish history,
confrontations with the
likes of Eisav will be encountered when
establishing a
nation.]
Possibly for this reason, God must first
'test' Yaakov's
potential to engage in battle with his enemy
before he meets
Eisav. Yaakov finds this struggle difficult,
for he is
untrained; the contest continues all night
until the 'break of
dawn'. [Possibly, night represents 'galut';
'dawn'
redemption. See Ramban 'al atar'.] Although
wounded and
limping, Yaakov emerges victorious from this
confrontation,
thus earning his new name:
"Your name shall no longer be Yaakov, but
Yisrael, for you
have fought with beings divine ('Elokim')
and human
('anashim') and triumphed" (32:29).
Thus, the name Yisrael may reflect the
character of one
triumphant in battle. Yaakov's new name is
significant for it
reflects his capability to engage head on in
battle. In order
to become a nation, this trait - represented
by the name
'Yisrael' - is crucial.
Yet his name also remains Yaakov, for there
may be times as
well when 'passiveness' will be the proper
avenue.
WHY TWICE?
For some reaons, receiving this 'new
name' from this
mal'ach did not appear to be sufficient; for
God Himself found
it necessary to later confirm that name -
Yisrael, together
with his bechira, at Bet El (the very site
where he was first
promised the bechira). Thus, it appears as
though the
blessings that Yaakov received throughout
that entire episode
of his trickery must now be bestowed upon him
properly (and
formally).
First, God names Yaakov - 'Yisrael',
symbolizing the traits
of worldly leadership (see 35:9- 10).
Afterwards, God
confirms the blessing that Yitzchak had given
him (see 25:11-
12 / compare with 28:1-4).
Note the obvious parallel between these
two blessings:
FROM YITZCHAK (before departing) / FROM
GOD (upon arriving)
(28:3-4)
(35:11-12)
=================
===============
May "kel Shakai" bless you, I am 'kel
Shakai':
make you fertile and multiply, Be fertile
and multiply,
to become an assembly of peoples An
assembly of nations
May He grant you the - shall
descend from you...
blessing of Avraham The Land
I gave Avraham...
to you and your offspring .to you and
to your offspring
that you may possess the Land to come, I
assign the Land.
This comparison clearly shows that God's
blessing to
Yaakov at Bet El constitutes a confirmation
of Yitzchak's
blessing to him after the incident of the
stolen brachot.
Hence, we may conclude that the name of
Yisrael marks the
conclusion of the bechira process, as
includes the necessary
character that Am Yisrael will require to
later become God's
special nation.
THE FUTURE
Although Yaakov's worldly traits may lie
dormant for
several generations, it must be inherent to
his character
before his bechira receives final Divine
confirmation.
[Later, Yaakov will bless his two most able
sons, Yehuda and
Yosef, with the leadership in this realm (see
49:8-26).]
Throughout the rest of Chumash, the name
Yaakov
interchanges with Yisrael. This suggests
that each name
reflects a different aspect of his character.
There are times
when 'Am Yisrael' must act as Yaakov, the ish
tam, and there
are times when the more active and
nationalistic
characteristics of Yisrael must be employed.
Ultimately, as
the prophet Ovadia proclaims, the day will
come when:
"Liberators shall march up on Har Zion to
wreak judgement on
Har Eisav; and the kingdom shall be that of
God" (1:21).
Based on this understanding of the
significance of the
special name of Yisrael, one could suggest a
reason for the
necessity of the 'bechira' process to
continue one generation
past Yitzchak. [Or re-phrased, why was it
necessary for Eisav
to be rejected, given the importance of his
worldly traits?]
Our original assumption, that both the
traits of an ish
sadeh and an ish tam are necessary in order
to establish a
nation, remains correct. Nevertheless, it is
important that
they are not perceived as equally important.
As we explained
in our shiur on Parshat Toldot, the
fundamental character of
Am Yisrael must be that of an ish tam
(Yaakov). Only once
that characteristic becomes rooted, the
traits of an ish sadeh
can be added. Had Eisav been included in Am
Yisrael, our
perception of the relative importance of an
ish sadeh may have
become distorted. A disproportionate
emphasis on
'nationalism' and strength - despite their
importance - would
have tainted mankind's perception of God's
special nation.
In the formative stage of our national
development, our
outward appearance as 'Yisrael' must stem
from our inner
character as 'Yaakov'. We must first speak
with the 'voice of
Yaakov' (see Rashi 27:22), only then may we
don the 'hands of
Eisav'.
shabbat
shalom
menachem
======================
FOR FURTHER IYUN
A. There is a Midrash telling us 'Yaakov
avinu lo met' -
Yaakov never died. Relate this Midrash to
the fact that the
bechira process concludes with Yaakov, and
that all of his
offspring have been chosen. Relate this also
to 49:33 in
comparison to 35:29 and 25:8.
B. TOLDOT EISAV
Yitzchak was chosen. Therefore, we need
to follow the
toldot of Eisav, just as we needed to follow
the toldot of
Yishmael & Lot.
Based on this assumption, explain perek 36.
Based on the above shiur, why do you think
there is an
emphasis on the kings who ruled in Edom
before a king ruled
over Bnei Yisrael (see 36:31)!
C. BRIT MILA & GOD'S BLESSING TO YAAKOV
A quick analysis of God's final blessing
to Yaakov at Bet
El (35:9-15) immediately shows that it is
reflective of brit
mila (Breishit perek 17). The name of Kel
Shakai; 'pru u-
revu'; 'kehal goyim & melachim'; 'shem
Elokim'; and the
concept of 'lihiyot lecha le-Elokim' can all
be found at brit
mila. Note that the bracha of brit mila
which began in perek
17 with Kel Shakai telling Avraham 'hithalech
lefanai - ve-
heyeh tamim' is being given now to Yaakov -
the ish tam.
Try to explain the significance of this.
Carefully compare Yitzchak's bracha to
Yaakov before he
departs to Padan Aram (28:3-4) to God's
blessing of Yaakov at
Bet El (35:9-13)! Note that they are almost
identical.
Relate this to the last two shiurim.
Note that God's name 'be-shem Havaya'
does not appear
unto Yaakov from the time that he arrives in
Eretz Canaan!
Note also God's promise to Yaakov at Bet El,
before he left to
Padan Aram, (28:13-15) which was given
be-shem Havaya. Are
any aspects of that bracha repeated in Bet El
when Yaakov
returned? If so, which?
Note the single use by Yaakov of shem
Havaya in his
prayer prior to his confrontation with Eisav
(32:9-12). What
promise does he remind God of at that time?
Where is the
source of that promise.
Relate to the relationship (be-shem
Havaya) between brit
bein ha-btarim, the bracha at the akeida, and
this tefilla.
Note - 'kochvei ha-shamayim' and 'asher lo
yisafer me-rov'.
How does this relate to the
nationalistic aspect of these
revelations, i.e. the concept of 'yerushat
ha-aretz'.
Could one consider from a nationalistic
perspective that
even though Yaakov returned from Galut Aram,
his stay in Eretz
Canaan was only a short stopover on his way
down to Galut
Mitzrayim?
Relate this to 'arami oved avi, va-yered
mitzrayim...'
(Devarim 36:3-10). Compare the language
there to brit bein ha-
btarim!
Why do Chazal interpret this pasuk as
referring to Yaakov?
Could the fact that Yaakov understood that
the time for the
fulfillment of brit bein ha-btarim had not
yet come, explain
his timid behavior when he confronts Eisav?
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