As Yaakov was in battle with the angel, the malach said, “Let me go for it's morning" Chazal tell us that he meant that 'it's time for me to sing shira to Hashem'.
The Koshnitzer Maggid asks - If he knew that he has to sing shira at a appointed time why did he pick a fight with Yaakov so close to that time? Wouldn’t it have been smarter for him to fight with Yaakov after he sang shira?
The answer lies in the understanding of who the angel was and what his tachlis- purpose on this world. Chazal teach us that the angel was the 'sar shel Esav' also known as the yetzer horah.
On the last day of creation it says, (bereishes 1;31) "Hashem saw all that he had made, and lo! It was very good." The medrish explains that 'It was good' refers to the yetzer tov, while the 'very good' refers to the yetzer horah. The meforshim explain that life would be nice and calm without an evil inclination, but without any tests we wouldn't be able to grow. Being challenged by the yetzer horah and overcoming it is what makes this world 'very good'. The whole purpose of creation in general and the evil inclination in particular is to help us grow by overcoming the obstacles we are faced with and when we do, the evil inclination has accomplished it's purpose of creation.
Shira is sang to Hakodosh borech hu when a mission has been accomplished. The precise second that the angel saw that he could not win over Yaakov, that in fact Yaakov had overcome his fight with the yetzer horah, his mission was completed successfully and thus was able to sing shira to Hashem.
19 November, 2010
12 November, 2010
Parshas Va'yietzai
Avraham referred to the makom hamikdosh as har Hashem- the mountain of Hashem. Yitzchok called that same spot sadeh- a field. In this week's parsha Yaakov calls it bais Elokim- the house of Hashem.
Maseh Avos siman l'bonim- everything that the Torah tells us that transpired to the Avos, is a sign to what their children will go through. Yaakov was the Av that taught us how to live life in golus. He was the one that lived through exile, in a hostile environment and flourished and grew despite the antogonism of Lavan and Esav. We are to learn about the life of Yaakov and learn the lessons of how to live through the long golus.
As Yaakov was leaving Eretz Yisroel- running away from a brother who wanted to kill him, running to live by an uncle who wanted to destroy him- he first stopped at the Makom Hamikdosh to daven. How would he be able to survive the hostilities he was about to face in the house of Lavan- so far from the kedusha of the house of Yitzchok? His hope was to build a house of kedusha for only a house can protect him from the outside influences. His last stop before going into exile was the makom hamikdosh- the source of kedusha in this world. He built himself a house of kedusha in that spot to take along with him on his journey through golus.
אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵֽית־יְהֹוָה כָּל־יְמֵי חַיַּי - Dovid hamelech asks Hashem for one thing- to dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of his life. Isn't that request a bit unrealistic? Dovid had to take care of his kingly duties, to take heed of and solve the problems of the country and of the Jewish people. He had to deal with other kingdoms, meet with his ministers, and make crucial decisions accourding to the will of Hashem. How could he pray to dwell in the house of Hashem ALL the days of his life? Reb. Sarah Schenirer (Carry Me In Your Heart by Pearl Benisch, Feldheim Publisherd- pg. 127) answers: The whole universe is a House of Hashem. Wherever we go, whatever place we occupy, we can make it a dwelling for Hashem. Whatever we do, every day and every minute of our lives, we dwell in Hashem's house if we do everything with His will in mind. Everything we do, say, and feel, in dealing with people or in practicing our professions with honesty and truth according to Hashem's commandments, we dwell in Hashem's House all our lives. Dovid's wish was that he be able to live his life and yet never leave the house of Hashem.
Yaakov was the first one to go into exile. On his way he was taught an important lesson. One can be doing the most mundane things and yet be dwelling in the house of Hashem. Hashem made sure that Yaakov went to sleep at the makom hamikdash, to teach him that if you build a house of Hashem, a house of kedusha- anywhere in the world, anything you do in it- even sleep, if it is done to bring you closer to Hashem, is the highest form of service of Hashem.
Parshas Vayietzai Ponderable Points:
Why is it important for the Torah to tell us the give and take between Yakoov and the shepherds about the rock on top of the well and that Yakoov (The 'ish tam') was able to roll it off himself?
Why did Yakoov offer to work for seven years?
(In the Torah we find we find the concept of working for six- days, years and resting the seventh. Shabbos, Shmitta and eved evrey)
Is there a significance that all the Shvotim where named by their mothers? (With the exception of Levi)
How come Yakoov left Lavans house before his mother called for him, as she said she will?
Maseh Avos siman l'bonim- everything that the Torah tells us that transpired to the Avos, is a sign to what their children will go through. Yaakov was the Av that taught us how to live life in golus. He was the one that lived through exile, in a hostile environment and flourished and grew despite the antogonism of Lavan and Esav. We are to learn about the life of Yaakov and learn the lessons of how to live through the long golus.
As Yaakov was leaving Eretz Yisroel- running away from a brother who wanted to kill him, running to live by an uncle who wanted to destroy him- he first stopped at the Makom Hamikdosh to daven. How would he be able to survive the hostilities he was about to face in the house of Lavan- so far from the kedusha of the house of Yitzchok? His hope was to build a house of kedusha for only a house can protect him from the outside influences. His last stop before going into exile was the makom hamikdosh- the source of kedusha in this world. He built himself a house of kedusha in that spot to take along with him on his journey through golus.
אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵֽית־יְהֹוָה כָּל־יְמֵי חַיַּי - Dovid hamelech asks Hashem for one thing- to dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of his life. Isn't that request a bit unrealistic? Dovid had to take care of his kingly duties, to take heed of and solve the problems of the country and of the Jewish people. He had to deal with other kingdoms, meet with his ministers, and make crucial decisions accourding to the will of Hashem. How could he pray to dwell in the house of Hashem ALL the days of his life? Reb. Sarah Schenirer (Carry Me In Your Heart by Pearl Benisch, Feldheim Publisherd- pg. 127) answers: The whole universe is a House of Hashem. Wherever we go, whatever place we occupy, we can make it a dwelling for Hashem. Whatever we do, every day and every minute of our lives, we dwell in Hashem's house if we do everything with His will in mind. Everything we do, say, and feel, in dealing with people or in practicing our professions with honesty and truth according to Hashem's commandments, we dwell in Hashem's House all our lives. Dovid's wish was that he be able to live his life and yet never leave the house of Hashem.
Yaakov was the first one to go into exile. On his way he was taught an important lesson. One can be doing the most mundane things and yet be dwelling in the house of Hashem. Hashem made sure that Yaakov went to sleep at the makom hamikdash, to teach him that if you build a house of Hashem, a house of kedusha- anywhere in the world, anything you do in it- even sleep, if it is done to bring you closer to Hashem, is the highest form of service of Hashem.
Parshas Vayietzai Ponderable Points:
Why is it important for the Torah to tell us the give and take between Yakoov and the shepherds about the rock on top of the well and that Yakoov (The 'ish tam') was able to roll it off himself?
Why did Yakoov offer to work for seven years?
(In the Torah we find we find the concept of working for six- days, years and resting the seventh. Shabbos, Shmitta and eved evrey)
Is there a significance that all the Shvotim where named by their mothers? (With the exception of Levi)
How come Yakoov left Lavans house before his mother called for him, as she said she will?
05 November, 2010
Parshas Toldas
The world knew that there is a set of twins growing up in the house of Yitzchok that were vastly different. Yaakov was אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים, while Esav was אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה. It was quite obvious that yakov would be the bearer of the mesora handed down from Avraham. It was clear to all - except to Yitzchok. וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת-עֵשָׂו כִּי-צַיִד בְּפִיו. Yitzchok was apparently fooled by Esavs behavior not just did he love him but he also wanted to bestow the brochas on Esav before he died. How do we understand that Yitzchok was shortsighted and didn’t see the faults of his son? Why did he want to give the brochas to Esav over Yakov?
The example we are given of how Esav fooled Yitzchok is that he would ask ‘how does one tithe salt?’ Is their any significance to this question or is it just a random example of the kind of questions Esav would ask?
There is a partnership known to Jews as 'Yissoschar - Zevulan' partnership. The people of Yissoschar were known to be the greatest Torah scholars- they toiled in the Torah all day. Who was to support them? Where would they have the money to live on? The answer is in the tribe which neighbored them. The people of Zevulan were tradesmen. The piece of land that they were allotted was strategically situated near the port - they made their fortune by trading. But what would be of their Torah learning? If they worked all day when would they learn? Zevulan was to support Yissoschor, it was to be a fifty- fifty partnership. Half the money that the people of Zevulan profited in their trade was to go to the people of Yissoschor as means of support. In return the people of Zevulan received half of the Torah learning done by the people of Yissoschor. When Yaakov and Moshe- respectively - blessed Klal Yisroel before their deaths they both blessed Zevulan before Yissaschor. They made the point to teach us that both of the partners had an equal share in the learning of Yissoschar. Both the learners and the supporters would share the reward.
The Imrai Noam (R’ Mier of Dzikev) explains; Yitzchok was not fooled by Esav – he knew exactly what his strengths were. He realized that Yaakov and Esav had two different personalities, that Yaakov was the studious type while Esav was a man of the fields. Yitzchok envisioned a world where these two opposite personalities would come together and form one group. His hope was for Esav and Yaakov to build a Yissoschar – Zevulan type of relationship. It would be the only way for Esav to lead a fulfilling life. Esav would go out and make the money supporting Yaakov who would sit and learn torah- bringing ultimate harmony to the world, and both Yaakov and Esav would share the reward. It is precisely in this respect where Esav fooled his father. He wanted to know the exact halachos of masser and tzedaka, he tried to impress upon – and succeeded in fooling - Yitzchok that he was fulfilling his part of the deal, he was ready to give tzedakah even from salt in order to support Yaakov.
The Brochos of Yitzchok were blessings of an abundance of wealth – the pleasures of this world. Yitzchok wanted to give Esav the wealth and that he should share it with Yaakov leaving him free to spend his days learning- thus giving Esav a part of the world to come.
P.S. It is worthwhile to read R’ Shamshan Refoel’s essay on Yaakov and Esav in Collected Writings volume 7. He explains the two personalities of Yaakov and Esav as we did.
The example we are given of how Esav fooled Yitzchok is that he would ask ‘how does one tithe salt?’ Is their any significance to this question or is it just a random example of the kind of questions Esav would ask?
There is a partnership known to Jews as 'Yissoschar - Zevulan' partnership. The people of Yissoschar were known to be the greatest Torah scholars- they toiled in the Torah all day. Who was to support them? Where would they have the money to live on? The answer is in the tribe which neighbored them. The people of Zevulan were tradesmen. The piece of land that they were allotted was strategically situated near the port - they made their fortune by trading. But what would be of their Torah learning? If they worked all day when would they learn? Zevulan was to support Yissoschor, it was to be a fifty- fifty partnership. Half the money that the people of Zevulan profited in their trade was to go to the people of Yissoschor as means of support. In return the people of Zevulan received half of the Torah learning done by the people of Yissoschor. When Yaakov and Moshe- respectively - blessed Klal Yisroel before their deaths they both blessed Zevulan before Yissaschor. They made the point to teach us that both of the partners had an equal share in the learning of Yissoschar. Both the learners and the supporters would share the reward.
The Imrai Noam (R’ Mier of Dzikev) explains; Yitzchok was not fooled by Esav – he knew exactly what his strengths were. He realized that Yaakov and Esav had two different personalities, that Yaakov was the studious type while Esav was a man of the fields. Yitzchok envisioned a world where these two opposite personalities would come together and form one group. His hope was for Esav and Yaakov to build a Yissoschar – Zevulan type of relationship. It would be the only way for Esav to lead a fulfilling life. Esav would go out and make the money supporting Yaakov who would sit and learn torah- bringing ultimate harmony to the world, and both Yaakov and Esav would share the reward. It is precisely in this respect where Esav fooled his father. He wanted to know the exact halachos of masser and tzedaka, he tried to impress upon – and succeeded in fooling - Yitzchok that he was fulfilling his part of the deal, he was ready to give tzedakah even from salt in order to support Yaakov.
The Brochos of Yitzchok were blessings of an abundance of wealth – the pleasures of this world. Yitzchok wanted to give Esav the wealth and that he should share it with Yaakov leaving him free to spend his days learning- thus giving Esav a part of the world to come.
P.S. It is worthwhile to read R’ Shamshan Refoel’s essay on Yaakov and Esav in Collected Writings volume 7. He explains the two personalities of Yaakov and Esav as we did.
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