Parshas Vayishlach 5767

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

---

On the way home from Laban’s house, Jacob received word that Esau was coming towards him with an army of 400 men. He understood that Esau’s hatred had not yet abated since thirty-four years earlier, when they had last seen each other.

Jacob prepared for his meeting with Esau in three ways: He first sent a gift to Esau, he prayed to G-d for assistance, and he planned a military strategy.

The gift was meant to appease Esau’s enmity. Jacob wanted to show that he would share his material success with Esau, and that he was not trying to usurp his brother’s blessing for his own material gain. Yet Jacob was realistic too. In the event that Esau would not be placated by the gift, Jacob realized he must prepare for war. He divided his camp into two parts. If one camp would be attacked, the other would always be able to flee to safety, thus ensuring Jacob’s survival.

But even after both of these precautions were taken, Jacob realized that salvation was dependent upon the Al-mighty. He therefore prayed for G-d’s protection from the dangers of Esau.

Jacob’s concern about his future was a valid one. The night before the meeting, after taking his family across the river, Jacob returned to retrieve some small pitchers he had forgotten behind. While Jacob was alone, an angel fought with Jacob until morning. The Talmud identifies this angel as the spiritual force of Esau. The struggle actually foreshadowed the physical meeting Jacob would encounter the next day with Esau. The angel could not win over Jacob, but he did wound Jacob’s thigh. The commentators understand the symbolism of the thigh as a reference to Jacob’s children, thereby threatening Jacob’s survival. Jacob would not let the angel go until he blessed him. This was Esau’s admission and recognition of Jacob’s rights to their father’s blessings. The angel named Jacob “Israel”, meaning that he was victorious in his quest over the angel.

The following day Esau did have a change of heart and let Jacob return home in peace.

Jacob’s challenges were not yet over, though. His daughter Dinah was abducted, and Rachel, his wife, died in childbirth shortly before he returned home. Jacob decided to bury her near Bethlehem, instead of in Chevron with the other Patriarchs and Matriarchs. He wanted to allow his descendants to be able to pray by her tomb during their exile from Jerusalem. Rachel’s tomb remains a special place to pray for our needs until this day.

“ ...Save me from the hands of my brother, from the hands of Esau...”(Gen. 32:12)

Beis HaLevi explains the double terminology to mean that Jacob feared both the danger of physical harm, as well as that of the spiritual influence of his brother.

Rav Elchanan Wasserman was once asked how to deal with a student who had strayed from the path. Rav Wasserman said that the student should be dealt with kindly, to try and influence him properly. When asked if he would accept him into his yeshiva, though, Rav Wasserman vehemently refused. “It is true that one must try to bring the boy back,” he explained, “But I have a responsibility to my students too, and I must protect them from the risk of being influenced negatively.”

Did you know...

The primary obligation to light the Chanukah menorah is upon the household. The Talmud recommends that the children also light their own menorahs. A wife need not light her own menorah, as her husband’s kindling is considered as if she too lit.

There are different customs whether or not young girls in the family should light their own menorahs.

On Friday, the Chanukah candles should be lit right before the Shabbos candles are lit, since the woman accepts Shabbos once she kindles the Shabbos candles, and she may no longer light the Chanukah candles.