“Jacob sent messengers” [32:4]. Jacob sent angels from heaven, that they should go to his brother Esau.1Rashi, Genesis, 32:4. Bahya writes. They were real angels, since it is written in the Torah portion, “the messengers returned” [32:7]. This means, the angels returned to Jacob and it is not written that they went, since they were real angels. They flew to Esau immediately and returned to Jacob immediately.2Bahya, Genesis, 32:4.
Rabbi Isserl writes. They were real angels, since the verse said, “thus shall you say to my lord Esau” [32:5]. This means, you should say to my lord Esau. Why does he honor him by calling him lord? The explanation is that the angel of Esau was also among the angels. Therefore, Jacob honored Esau and called him lord. That is, Jacob wanted to humble himself before the angel of Esau, so that the angel would do no harm.3Be’ure Maharai, Genesis, 32:4.
“I stayed with Laban” [32:5]. He told them to say to Esau. You hate me for nothing, since I was only a servant and no lord, in the house of Laban. The blessing of my father that he blessed me that I should be a lord over my brothers was not fulfilled for me. Therefore, he said, “I stayed.” He meant by this, there are six hundred and thirteen commandments in the Torah.4The gematria of the word “I stayed” [garti] is six hundred and thirteen. That is to say, Jacob said to Esau, do not think because I lived with the evildoer Laban, that I did not observe the Torah, and you will vanquish me.5Rashi, Genesis, 32:5. Since our father said that when Jacob will not study Torah, then Esau will have dominion over Jacob. Therefore, I am telling you that even though I lived with Laban, yet I studied Torah.6Devek Tov, Rashi, Genesis, 32:5, note 1.
“I have acquired cattle, asses, sheep and slaves” [32:6]. Jacob said to Esau: the blessing of my father was “of the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth” [27:28]. This means, the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth. That which I have is not from heaven nor is it from the earth, but is an ox, an ass, and sheep and goats.7Rashi, Genesis, 32:6.
Bahya writes here. Why did the verse here write oxen and asses first, and then sheep? The Torah would first write the sheep, since they are the most important of all the animals, as we find with Abraham, “I acquired sheep and cattle” [Genesis, 12:16], and concerning Jacob, “he had many sheep, goats and cattle” [30:43]. The explanation is that Jacob did not want to mention sheep and goats, since he thought: I took the blessing from Esau through sheep and goats. I took a young goat from the pen and I slaughtered it and made food for my father. I put the fur on my hands and my throat, so that Isaac should not recognize me. That is why Jacob did not want to mention “I have sheep,” but he first mentioned, “I have oxen and asses.” This is also why later in the Torah portion, when Esau appeared to Jacob and Jacob saw that Esau was at peace with him, Jacob first mentioned sheep, and afterwards oxen and asses. The Midrash writes that he first mentioned oxen and asses. This shows us that Joseph was called ox and he was the adversary of Esau. That is to say, Jacob showed Esau that he was not afraid, since he had the help of Joseph.8Bahya, Genesis, 32:6.
“We came to your brother Esau” [32:7]. Rashi writes: the messengers said to Jacob. You called Esau brother, but Esau is the same old Esau, an evildoer.9Rashi, Genesis, 32:7.
“He is also coming” [32:7]. Bahya writes that the verse teaches us that the angel of Esau was also coming toward Jacob to help Esau. Therefore, the word “also” is written here.10Bahya, Genesis, 32:7.
“And four hundred men with him” [32:8]. Four hundred men went with Esau.
“Jacob was greatly frightened and anxious” [32:8]. Jacob was very frightened that they should not kill him and he was also afraid that he should not kill other people, as Rashi writes.11Rashi, Genesis, 32:8.
Bahya writes that Jacob was afraid of Esau and he was afraid of Esau’s guardian angel.12Bahya, Genesis, 32:7.
Hizkuni also writes: why was Jacob afraid? There were angels to protect him. The explanation is that the angels who were there, one was Michael, and the other one was Samael, the evil one, the guardian angel of Esau. That is why Jacob was very afraid.13Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:8.
Ibn Shuaib and Toldot Yizhak write. Jacob was afraid that he would be killed, and he was also pained that Esau was coming to kill him. This means that my father must have died. Esau had said that when his father would die, he would kill Jacob. Jacob was pained that he did not honor his father, while Esau had honored his father greatly.14Ibn Shuaib, Derashot, I; 67; Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 32:7.
Toldot Yizhak asks a question. Why does the verse say, “Jacob was greatly frightened” [32:8]? This means, Jacob was very afraid that they would kill him. Afterwards, it says, “he was afraid” [32:8], and it is not written, “he was very afraid.” He was sad that he would kill strangers. The explanation is that Jacob said: if I will kill strangers, then the sin is not so great as the Talmud says, “if someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.”15B. Sanhedrin, 72a. This means, if someone comes to kill you rise up and kill him first. Therefore, it is written, “Jacob was greatly frightened” [32:8]. That is to say, he was very afraid that he would be killed. “He was afraid,” he was afraid that he would kill others, but it is not written “greatly” that he was very afraid to kill others.16Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 32:7.
“The other camp may yet escape” [32:9]. Jacob divided his group into two sides. He said: if Esau will overcome one side, he and his people will be exhausted and weak. When he will come to the other side, they will be fresh and strong and Esau will be weak from the first side. So write Toldot Yizhak and Hizkuni.17Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 32:8; Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:9.
Bahya writes. The Torah portion teaches us how we Israelites should behave in the exile, with Esau. Just as Jacob prepared himself with three things, for war, for prayer and with presents, so too, should we do in the exile. We must give presents to the nations and must speak kind words to them. We must pray to the Holy One. However, waging war is not possible, as the verse says, “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem” [Song of Songs 2:7]. This means, I adjure you Israel that you should not wage war with the nations.18Bahya, Genesis, 32:8.
From this Torah portion we also learn that our sages said: “A person should always divide his assets into thirds; a third in land, a third in goods, and a third in hand.”19B. Baba Mezia, 42a. This means, that the person should divide his assets into three parts. One third should be in land and houses; one third should be in merchandise; and one third should be money in hand, as the verse says. “The Lord will ordain blessings for you upon your barns” [Deuteronomy 28:8]. This means, merchandise. “Upon all your undertakings” [Deuteronomy, 28:8]. This means, money in your hand. “He will bless you in the land” [Deuteronomy, 28:8]. This means, land. The Torah portion also teaches us, “the other camp may yet escape” [32:9]. If, heaven forbid, an evil king arises who wants to do evil to Israel, and expels Israel, the Holy One sends a good king, in the expectation that Israel should remain in the world.20Bahya, Genesis, 32:9.
“I am unworthy of all the kindness” [32:11]. Jacob said: my merits have been reduced. That is to say, Jacob said: I have accepted goodness from the Holy One. He will not do any more kindness, since I am not worthy to receive kindness from the Holy One. Even though the Holy One promised me to do kindness, who can know if my sins are not too numerous?21Rashi, Genesis, 32:11.
“With my staff alone I crossed” [32:11]. Jacob said: I had nothing of my own when I ran away from Esau, except for my staff. Now I have become two groups of people, with goods and animals. The Midrash22Tanhuma, ed. Buber, Vayetze, 3. writes, “With my staff alone I crossed” [32:11], means that Jacob took his staff and hit the Jordan, which spilt the water, and he crossed on dry land.23Rashi, Genesis, 32:11.
Bahya writes. From this Torah portion we learn that when things go well for a person, he should also think about the day when things went poorly for him, in the expectation that he should praise the Holy One, who helped him out of the great need and poverty and to wealth.24Bahya, Genesis, 32:11.
“I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike” [32:12]. Jacob said: I am afraid that he will kill the mothers and the children. Jacob was not afraid that he would be killed, since the Holy One promised that He would protect him from all evil.25Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:12.
“I will make your offspring as the sands of the sea” [32:13]. Jacob said: if he will kill the children and the mothers, where will be the blessing that my children will be like the sand of the sea.
“He selected from what was at hand presents” [32:14]. He took precious stones in his hand and wanted to present them to Esau.26Rashi, Genesis, 32:14.
Bahya and Toldot Yizhak write. He took a bird in his hand with which one hunts animals, called a hawk. Nobles carry them on their arm to hunt animals with them. Jacob wanted to present the bird to Esau, since Esau was a hunter.27Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 32:13; Bahya, Genesis, 32:14.
“200 she-goats and 20 he-goats” [32:15]. Bahya writes. Jacob put the goats in front of the animals, since they always go in front of the animals and because he had twenty times as many he-goats as the other animals. He mentions the camels after them because the camels were better than the other animals. Then he mentions the kosher animals and afterwards the donkeys and horses, which are non-kosher animals. Jacob also placed the animals according to the length of their pregnancy. Sheep and goats are pregnant for five months; camels for six months; cows for nine months; donkeys and horses for twelve months. Another explanation is that Jacob did not want to mention sheep and goats first. He thought: let not Esau hate me because I took away the blessing through goats. However, now that Jacob prayed, Jacob said to Esau, I am not afraid of you. Therefore, he began with goats. He said: I began the blessings through goats that I should be a lord over my brother and you should be my servant. Therefore, he mentioned donkeys and young foals at the end. That is to say, you will fall into the hands of the Messiah, who will ride on a donkey and on a young foal, as the verse says, “Lo, your king is coming to you. He is victorious, triumphant, yet humble, riding on an ass, on a donkey foaled by a she-ass” [Zechariah, 9:9]. Jacob showed all this with the present to Esau, how Israel will go into exile, and the number of animals was five hundred and fifty. Therefore, the kingdom of Esau began five hundred and fifty years before the kingdom of Israel was established.28Bahya, Genesis, 32:15.
Ba’al ha-Turim writes. The verse says, “200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams” [32:15]. Each word ends with a final mem. This shows us that Jacob only sent animals that were not worthy to be sacrificed. That is to say, they had a defect [mum], which is shown by the [letter] mem.29Ba’al ha-Turim, Genesis, 32:15.
Rashi writes. Jacob divided the animals in the following way. He gave ten she-goats for each he-goat; since the he-goat does not work he has to have ten she-goats to lie with. If you want to ask, does the animal have sense that the he-goat will lie with ten she-goats? Perhaps he will only lie with one she-goat. The explanation is that the animal no longer lies with the male when it gets pregnant. Therefore, the he-goat will certainly lie with ten she-goats, since he has nothing to do. Similarly, the ram who does nothing also needs ten ewes. However, the oxen do not have free time, since they must plow. Therefore, Jacob gave each ox four cows to lie with. The donkeys who travel long distances do not have free time and therefore Jacob gave each male donkey two females.30Rashi, Genesis, 32:15.
“30 milch camels with their colts” [32:16]. Thirty female camels and their males. Rashi asks a question here. Why did the verse not explicitly write about the males? The explanation is that the camels are very modest. They do not lie with their females in front of others. That is why the verse does not explicitly name them.31Rashi, Genesis, 32:16.
Toldot Yizhak asks a question. Why did the Holy One not appear to Esau and say to him, do no evil to Jacob, like the Holy One appeared to Laban and said to him, do no evil to Jacob? The explanation is that the Holy One wants that there should be nations who will persecute Israel, in the expectation that they will be pious. With this explanation, another question is also explained. Why did Jacob not pray when Laban came to kill him? The explanation is that Jacob only prayed concerning Esau, who was the greatest evildoer to Israel, that he should not cause a great exile for his children in the future. However, Laban was only an evil for a specific time.32Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 32:13.
Toldot Yizhak asks another question. Why did the angels leave him and not protect him that nothing should happen to him? The explanation is that the Holy One wanted to show that the righteous are better than the angels, as we find with Jacob who fought with the angel who could not do anything and he vanquished the angel.33Ibid.
“Keep a distance between droves” [32:17]. Jacob said to his servants. Do not drove the animals close to each other to Esau; in the expectation that he should think that there are many animals. When Esau will encounter you and will ask you, whose animals are these? You should say, Jacob’s and they are an offering and a present to our lord Esau. Jacob is coming behind us. If Esau will ask, why did he not come immediately to meet me? You should respond that Jacob thought that he will remove the anger from our lord Esau and then he will come before you himself.34Rashi, Genesis, 32:17–21.
Bahya writes. “Keep a distance” [32:17]. Jacob said: Lord of the Universe, when troubles and exile will come upon Israel, do not let the troubles come quickly, one after another. Let Israel have some rest between one trouble and the next one. When they will pay taxes, they should not have to give everything away at once.35Bahya, Genesis, 32:17.
“He remained in camp that night” [32:22]. He spent the night among his people and not in his tent, since Jacob wanted to wage war with Esau if he would come at night.36Ramban, Genesis, 32:22.
“He took his two wives, his two maid servants and his eleven children” [32:23]. Hizkuni writes here. Why did he place the wives in front and then the children? The explanation is that he thought to himself, if Esau approaches to kill, it is better the wives than the children. However, when Jacob was running away from Laban he placed the children in front and then the wives, since Jacob thought that Laban is coming from behind toward me. It is better that Laban encounter his daughters first.37Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:23. So writes Hizkuni.
However, Rabbi Isserl gives a different explanation. He says that the wives were in front, because the waters were split. The children did not want to go through the water first. They were afraid, as we find by the sea. Israel did not want to go into the sea until they were similarly split, until Nachshon ben Aminadav came and started to go first, and the Holy One gave him a good reward.38Be’ure Maharai, Genesis, 32:23. So writes Rabbi Isserl.
“And his eleven children” [32:23]. He took eleven children. Rashi asks a question here. The verse only mentions eleven children. Here he certainly means the eleven sons, and where was Dinah? The explanation is that Jacob had locked Dinah in a box so that Esau should not see her and want to take her as a wife. Therefore, the Holy One punished Jacob that he did not give her as a wife to Esau. Perhaps Dinah might have made Esau pious. Therefore, because of Jacob’s sin, Dinah fell into the hands of Shechem.39Rashi, Genesis, 32:23.
“He crossed the ford of Jabbok” [32:23]. Jacob tested the water first and afterwards he took his household across the water.40Ramban, Genesis, 32:23.
“Jacob was left alone” [32:25]. Jacob remained behind alone, since he had forgotten a small jug out of which the small children drank, so that they should not die of thirst. This teaches us that money is important in the eyes of the righteous. The righteous one remembers that [acquiring] money faithfully and justly is very difficult, and they will not steal.41Bahya, Genesis, 32:25.
Because he tarried, an angel came and wrestled with him until the dust of the earth rose up [in a cloud]. They wrestled until dawn and the angel was the angel of Esau.42Rashi, Genesis, 32:25.
He searched for a sin that he had committed, so that he could harm Jacob and kill him. He found no sin; only that Jacob had married two sisters during their lifetime.43The Torah permits marrying two sisters serially, the second after the death of the first, but not while both are still alive. This is the meaning of the verse “he saw that he had not prevailed against him” [32:26]. That is to say, the angel saw that he could find no sin in Jacob, and he could do nothing to him.44Bahya, Genesis, 32:25.
“He wrenched Jacob’s hip” [32:26]. He wrenched Jacob’s hip. That is to say, the hip that lay with two sisters. With this, the angel was able to prevail slightly over Jacob.45Bahya, Genesis, 32:25.
Ba’al ha-Turim writes. The angel saw that he could not do anything to Jacob. He thought that he was an angel and wanted to see if he had a knee, since angels have no knees. Thus, the angel was able to wrench his hip.46Ba’al ha-Turim, Genesis, 32:26.
“He said, let me go” [32:27]. The angel said: send me away from you. The angel thought that because I was sent by the Holy One to Jacob, I do not want to go away without permission from Jacob. Therefore, the angel pleaded with Jacob to let him go, since Jacob was holding him.47Bahya, Genesis, 32:27.
“For dawn is breaking” [32:27]. The morning star is about to rise. Jacob said to the angel, are you a thief that you say that it is almost day? It is customary for thieves to be afraid when it is day. The angel responded that he was no thief. However, since the day that he was created he never sang praises before the Holy One and now the time has come that I should sing praises, since the morning star is about to rise. Therefore, let me go. Jacob responded: I will not let you go until you will bless me and you should strengthen the blessings with which my father had blessed me. The angel responded: your name should be Israel, because you vanquished Esau and Laban and angels. Your name should not be Jacob. This means that you have falsified. That is to say, you took away the blessing from Esau with deceit. Now the angel of Esau agreed with the blessings that Jacob had received from his father. Therefore, we say, “you will give truth to Jacob” [Micah, 7:20]. That is to say, whatever Jacob did to Esau and Laban, he did everything with truth and no deceit.48Bahya, Genesis, 32:27.
The Midrash writes.49Genesis Rabbah, 78.3. “For you have striven with divine beings” [32:27]. This means that the image of Jacob is engraved on the Throne of Glory of the Holy One. Therefore, the angel said to Jacob: you have vanquished God. That is to say, you have dominion by God, since you are on the Throne of Glory.50Bahya, Genesis, 32:29.
Hizkuni writes. “For dawn is breaking” [32:27], means that the angel said: it is almost day. You don not need to fear me, because day is the time when demons and angels have no power to harm people when it is day.51Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:27.
“Why do you ask my name?” [32:30]. Jacob asked the angel, what is your name? The angel responded: why do you ask my name? The angel has no set name, but when he is sent on a mission, he is called by that name.52Rashi, Genesis, 32:30.
Bahya writes. The angel said: we never used to say our name. We do not want to make ourselves important. That is to say, that we should say that we do something by ourselves would be something new, since we do everything at the command of the Holy One. Some say, the explanation that the angel said, do not ask what my name is, because I was not able to do anything to you. It is disgraceful to me that one should know who I am. So writes Bahya.53Bahya, Genesis, 32:30.
Hizkuni writes. The angel said: I do not want to say my name; since the angels are afraid that one would adjure them with [magical] names. If they knew the angel’s name, they would be able to force the angel to do whatever the person desires. Therefore, the angel said: you do not need to know my name. You have vanquished me without [magical] names.54Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:30.
“The sun rose” [32:32]. The sun shined for Jacob. Rashi asks a question. Why does the sun shine for Jacob alone? When the sun shines, it shines for the whole world. The explanation is that the sun shined for Jacob’s sake, in the expectation that it will be a remedy for Jacob to heal hiship, since Jacob was limping. Therefore, the Holy One let the sun rise earlier than its normal time. We find that the sun set earlier for Jacob when he left Beer Sheva. Now the Holy One let the sun rise early for the sake of Jacob.55Rashi, Genesis, 32:32.
“That is why the children of Israel do not eat the thigh muscle” [32:33]. The children of Israel should not eat the hindquarter of the animals, but they should first remove the veins. Hizkuni writes. It is just that Israel should be punished that they should not eat the hindquarter, because they allowed Jacob to stand in the field. The angel wrenched Jacob’s hip, but if his children had been with Jacob, he would not have been hurt.56Hizkuni, Genesis, 32:33.
Toldot Yizhak writes. The angel caused Jacob to limp so that he would have to bow to Esau. When someone limps and walks, people think that he is bowing all the time. Therefore, it is written in the verse “he bowed low to the ground seven times” [33:3]. He bowed seven times.57Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 32:32.
“Rachel and Joseph last” [33:2]. Jacob placed Bilhah and her children and Zilpah and her children in front of Esau and then Leah with her children and Rachel with Joseph walking last. Jacob loved Rachel very much. That is why Rachel went last.58Rashi, Genesis, 33:2.
“He himself went on ahead” [33:3]. However, Jacob himself went ahead in front of his household. He thought, let Esau struggle with me first.59Rashi, Genesis, 33:3.
“Esau ran to greet him” [33:4]. Esau ran toward Jacob and embraced him, kissed him, and they cried.
“Then the maids, with their children, came forward and bowed low” [33:6]. Bilhah and Zilpah came with their children. Bilhah and Zilpah bowed down, but their children did not bow down. Hizkuni asks a question. Why did the children of Bilhah and Zilpah not bow down and the children of Rachel and Leah did bow down? The explanation is that the children of Bilhah and Zilpah thought to themselves, are we subservient that we should bow to Esau because we are the children of the maidservants?60Hizkuni, Genesis, 33:6.
“Joseph and Rachel came forward” [33:7]. Rashi asks a question. Why is Joseph mentioned before his mother, Rachel, and with all the other children, the mother is mentioned before their children? The explanation is that Joseph placed himself in front of his mother since she was very pretty, and so that Esau should not see her and want to take her.61Rashi, Genesis, 33:7.
“We asked, what do you mean by all this company which I have met?” [33:8]. Rashi writes. Esau encountered many groups of angels and they jostled and hit Esau’s people. The angels asked Esau’s people, who are you? They responded: we are with Esau. Then the angels hit them even more. They said: we are from Isaac and Abraham, and they hit them even more. Then they said: we are from the brother of Jacob and they made peace with them and did not beat them anymore.62Rashi, Genesis, 33:8. They said: you are ours.
“Let what you have remain yours” [33:9]. Esau agreed to the blessings. He said to Jacob, keep what you have. Jacob was blessed by his father Isaac, by Esau, and by Esau’s angel.63Bahya, Genesis, 33:9.
“For to see your face is like seeing the face of God” [33:10]. Jacob said: it is just that you should take a present from me, because I have seen you and this is like I have seen angels. That is to say, Jacob said to Esau: I have seen angels and they struggled with me and they could do nothing to me. That is to say, Esau should know that his angel had struggled with him and could do nothing, in the expectation that Esau should be afraid of Jacob.64Rashi, Genesis, 33:10.
Bahya writes. Rabbi Yohanan said: one is allowed to flatter evildoers out of fear, as Jacob did. He said to Esau: I see you gladly, like I had seen God. Even though Jacob hated Esau in his heart, yet Jacob flattered him, so that he should not do anything to him. In particular, Jacob said: “like seeing the face of God” [33:10]. In his heart, Jacob thought: I love you as much as the foreign god that you call Elohim. Similarly, Esau thought that “Elohim” means God. Our sages said that it is allowed to flatter a gentile, when the gentile thinks it is something important and the Jew thinks it is not.65Bahya, Genesis, 33:10.
“He urged him, he accepted” [33:11]. Jacob pleaded with Esau that he should take the present. Esau took the present and Esau said to Jacob: I will do you a favor and will go slowly.66Rashi, Genesis, 33:11.
Jacob very much wanted to keep Esau at a distance and he said: I cannot keep up with you. “For the children are frail” [33:13]. The children are frail and small. Bahya cites a midrash. Esau said to Jacob: let us divide this world and the world to come between us. Jacob responded: the children are frail and weak in the commandments. If they will take this world, they will not be able to withstand the Day of Judgment and will not be able to suffer Gehenna.67Bahya, Genesis, 33:12.
“Let my lord go on ahead of his servant” [33:14]. That is to say, you Esau, take your share of this world first. “While I travel slowly” [33:14]. I, Jacob, will go slowly into exile in this world.68Ibid.
“Until I come to my lord in Seir” [33:14]. Until the Messiah will come. “For liberators shall march up on Mount Zion to wreak judgment on Mount Esau; and dominion shall be the Lord’s” [Obadiah 1:21].69Bahya, Genesis, 33:14.
“Esau started back on that day on his way” [33:16]. Esau went home alone. The four hundred men separated from Esau and ran away, and the Holy One paid them a good reward. King David killed many nations, but the Holy One protected the four hundred men of Esau.70Rashi, Genesis, 33:16.
“Jacob arrived safe in the city of Shechem” [33:18]. Jacob came complete with his Torah that he had not forgotten in Laban’s house. He was also complete with his money. Even though he had given presents to Esau, yet he still had enough. He was whole in his body, even though the angel had displaced his hip; he was again healed when he came to the city of Shechem.71Rashi, Genesis, 33:18.
“The parcel of land where he pitched his tent” [33:19]. Jacob bought a field in Shechem and built an altar to God.
“Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out” [34:1]. Rashi asks a question. Why does it not say, the daughter of Jacob? The explanation is that the verse shows us that Dinah went out, taking after her mother, Leah, who also went out. She went toward Jacob and said: I have rented you to sleep with me.72Rashi, Genesis, 34:1.
Dinah went out to see the daughters of the nations. Hamor the son of Shechem came and took Dinah by force and slept with her. Bahya writes. Jacob caused this by sinning, by not giving Dinah to Esau. Perhaps Dinah might have made Esau pious. Jacob had hidden Dinah in a chest from Esau. The Holy One said: you did not want to give Dinah to one who observed circumcision, then you will give her to one who was not circumcised, to Shechem, the son of Hamor, as the verse says here. The Midrash writes.73Tanhuma, Vayishlach, 6. Whenever a woman is in her house, she atones for the sins of the whole household, just like the altar forgives the whole world, as the verse says, “your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons, like olive saplings around your table” [Psalms 128:3]. This means, the wife should be like a grapevine. The root of the grapevine is in the house and the grapes grow and extend out of the house. So too is the woman. She should sit in her house and should have children who will go out into the world to study Torah. That is why the verse says, “like olive saplings” [Psalms 128:3]. The children will be worthy to anoint themselves with oil that is holy. That is why the verse compared the children to olives. All the trees in the world, when they begin to mate with other trees, an apple trees mates with a pear tree and similar other trees. However, the olive tree does not accept other branches to mate. So too should the wife be with modesty. She should not speak much with strange men. Another explanation is, just like the olive tree had fruit in nine months, so too a woman who is modest carries her children for nine months and the child she has is healthy. Therefore, the verse compares the children to olives. Olives are bitter at first, bitter with great pain day and night. Afterwards, whomever God gives is sweet like the good oil.74Bahya, Genesis, 34:1.
“Shechem’s father Hamor came out to Jacob to speak to him” [34:6]. The Midrash writes. Hamor said to Jacob: you grandfather Abraham was a prince, and I am a prince. Give your daughter to a prince. Jacob responded: my grandfather Abraham was called, ox, as the verse says, “Abraham ran to the herd” [Genesis, 18:7]. This is an ox. You are called Hamor, which means donkey, and the verse says, “you shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together” [Deuteronomy, 22:10].75Tanhuma, Vayishlach, 7. This means, you should not plow with an ox and a donkey together.
“He was strongly drawn to Dinah” [34:3]. Hamor had relations with Dinah by force. Bahya writes. Dinah was eight years old at that time.76Bahya, Genesis, 34:3. Shechem convinced her. He said: your father Jacob does not have a field and my father has many fields. Therefore, take me as a husband.77Rashi, Genesis, 34:3.
“Jacob’s sons came in from the field” [34:7]. Hizkuni writes. The children of Jacob learned that their sister Dinah was defiled. They came immediately from the field and they were distressed that such a despicable thing should have happened to the daughter of Jacob.78Hizkuni, Genesis, 34:7. Even the nations did not do such an evil thing at that time and especially to the daughter of an important man like Jacob.79Rashi, Genesis, 34:7.
Hamor came to Jacob and his children and said: give me your daughter for my son Shechem and tell me how much should I give you as bride money, that is to say, the ketubah.80Rashi, Genesis, 34:12.
“Jacob’s sons answered” [34:13]. The children of Jacob answered. Bahya writes here. Why did the children answer for their father? The explanation is that the children honored their father, since their father was ashamed and could not respond, out of being disgraced. Thus, the children had to answer with deceit. They answered with wisdom. The children of Jacob thought: we can certainly do something deceitful, since our sister Dinah was defiled. The deceit was that the children of Jacob said: the whole city should circumcise their foreskins. Perhaps only the household of Hamor and Shechem would be willing and the others in the city would not want to do so. The children of Jacob thought: we will kill the whole city along with Shechem and Hamor, because they did not observe what we demanded of them. If they will all circumcise themselves, then we will come on the third day after their circumcision and will kill them. So write Hizkuni and Bahya.81Hizkuni, Genesis, 34:13–14; Bahya, Genesis, 34:13.
“It is a disgrace among us” [34:14]. The children of Jacob said: it is a disgrace for us to give our daughters to someone who is uncircumcised. It will be thrown in our faces that we have a defect in our bodies, with the foreskin. Therefore, if you want to intermarry with us, let us be equal with the circumcision. So writes Hizkuni.82Hizkuni, Genesis, 34:14.
“We will take your daughters to ourselves” [34:16]. Rashi writes. The children of Jacob said: you should take our daughters that we will give you and we will have the choice to take your daughters that we will want. However, Shechem and Hamor came to their friends in the city to convince them to circumcise themselves. They said: we will have the choice to take the daughters of Jacob’s children that we want to have, only let us observe the circumcision.83Rashi, Genesis, 34:16.
“All those who went out of the gate of his town were circumcised” [34:24]. All the men who went out of the city circumcised themselves. Hizkuni writes here. Why does the verse say, “All those who went out of the gate of the city”? This means, all those who went out of the city. With regards to Sarah it is written, “All who came into the gate of the city” [Genesis, 23:10]. This means, those who came into the city. The explanation is that here, Hamor and Shechem did not want to allow anyone out of the city. They first had to circumcise themselves, but they did it by force. Therefore, it is written, “All those who went out of the gate of his city.” However, with Sarah, they all came to do an act of grace with Sarah, to accompany her, out of good will.84Hizkuni, Genesis, 34:24.
“On the third day, when they were in pain” [34:25]. It was on the third day and Simeon and Levi took their swords and attacked the city and killed them. They took their goods and money and took their sister. Hizkuni writes. They all regretted that they had circumcised themselves. The children of Jacob heard them say that they had regrets about the circumcision and that Hamor and Shechem said different things to the people of the city. They first said to Jacob, you should have the choice to take our daughters that you desire. Shechem and Hamor came to their wise men to convince them to circumcise themselves. They told them. We will have the choice to take the daughters of Jacob. Hamor and Shechem also said to their wise men, all the goods and money of the children of Jacob is ours. Therefore, they came and killed the whole city on the third day when they were very weak because of the circumcision.85Hizkuni, Genesis, 34:25. They relied on the merit of Jacob to help them to kill the whole city with two men, Simeon and Levi.86Rashi, Genesis, 34:25.
Bahya writes. On the third day, all the wounded ones were weak and everything that moves is weak. Even the third day of the week, which is Tuesday, people are weaker than the other days. This is because its constellation is Cancer, which is crab, and its angel is the evil Samael, and its star is Mars, which means blood. Therefore, our sages told us to fast on Sunday. This is the third day after the creation of man, when Adam was created on Friday. Therefore, every person is weaker on Sunday than on other days. That is why we smell incense, so that we will have strength as we enter Sunday, and to strengthen our soul with good smells. Simeon and Levi were twelve years old when they killed the whole city, which was large and full of people. So writes Bahya.87Bahya, Genesis, 34:25.
Ramban asks a question about Rashi, who writes that the nations did not yet engage in illicit sexual relations, though the verse says concerning the Canaanites, “for all these abhorrent things were done by the people who were in the land before you” [Leviticus, 18:27]. The nations engaged in all these impurities.88Ramban, Genesis, 34:13.
The Toldot Yizhak gives an explanation. Rashi said that in Jacob’s times, the nations were pious with regard to sexual relations. They did not engage in illicit relations, since it was not long after the Flood, when the whole world was destroyed because of illicit sexual relations. If you want to ask, why were Abraham and Isaac afraid that people would take their wives if the nations feared illicit sexual relations? The explanation is that Abraham and Isaac have very beautiful wives and their likes were rare. Therefore, the kings wanted to take them as wives. Therefore, Abraham and Isaac were afraid that they would be taken. However, later in the time of Moses Our Teacher, the Canaanites did pursue illicit sexual relations. They had forgotten the Flood. It was a long time ago and there was nobody who could remind them of it.89Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 34:7.
They took all their goods, their wives and children, and their animals captive.90Genesis, 34:29. “You have brought trouble on me” [34:30]. Jacob said to Simeon and Levi. You have brought me trouble and have made me odious to the whole world. Perhaps all the nations will gather together against me, in order to kill me. His children responded: shall we make a harlot of our sister? Bahya writes. What kind of authorization did Simeon and Levi have to kill and shed blood? The explanation is because the people of Shechem pursued illicit sexual relations and robbery more so than all the other nations. Therefore, they were killed by Simeon and Levi.91Bahya, Genesis, 34:30.
“Arise, go up to Bethel” [35:1]. Rashi asks a question here. Why does he have to say, “arise”? This means, stand up and go. He should have said: ascend, go up. The explanation is that the Holy One said to Jacob. You have delayed long enough with your vow that you made that you want to bring an offering. Therefore, stand up and go to Bethel and bring your sacrifice. Because you have tarried long, therefore, you have sinned and your daughter was taken to Shechem with disgrace and transgression.92Rashi, Genesis, 35:1.
Hizkuni asks a question. Rashi wrote above that Jacob sinned and therefore Dinah was taken to Shechem because he did not give Dinah to Esau, Now, Rashi writes that he sinned because he delayed and had not brought an offering. The explanation is that he should not have tarried. As soon as he came from Padan Aram, he should have given Dinah to Esau, in order to make him pious. Jacob tarried in Sukkot and in Shechem and also delayed fulfilling his vow.93Hizkuni, Genesis, 35:1.
“Rid yourselves of the alien gods in your midst and change your clothes” [35:2]. Jacob said to his children. Remove the foreign gods that you took from the city of Shechem.94Bahya, Genesis, 35:2. We will bring offerings to the Holy One and we should not make a mistake and bring offerings to the foreign gods.95Hizkuni, Genesis, 35:2. Also, remove the clothes of the foreign gods.96Rashi, Genesis, 35:2.
“Jacob buried them under the terebinth” [35:4]. Jacob buried the foreign gods under a linden tree. He did not want to wait to throw them into the sea, since he was far from the sea.97Bahya, Genesis, 35:4.
“A terror from God fell on the cities round about” [35:5]. A fear was upon the cities round about and they did not pursue Jacob. Toldot Yizhak writes. The cities round about said that what happened to Shechem was justified because they circumcised themselves and became Israelites and threw away our god. That is why this happened to them; our god punished them. Therefore, we will not pursue Jacob. This is the meaning of the verse “A terror from God fell on the cities.” The destruction and shame of their foreign gods was on all the cities around Jacob.98Toldot Yizhak, Genesis, 35:5.
“Deborah, Rebecca’s nurse, died” [35:8]. Rashi asks a question here. How does Deborah come to the house of Jacob? The explanation is that Rebecca sent Deborah to Jacob in Laban’s house to call him back.99Rashi, Genesis, 35:8.
Deborah died on the way with Jacob and Jacob buried Deborah. At that burial, Jacob was told that his mother had also died. However, the verse does not want to explicitly write that Rebecca died. Rebecca had been put into her grave and nobody knew when she had died, in the expectation that she should not be cursed that she had an evil son, Esau the evildoer. So writes the Midrash that when Rebecca died, the people said, who would accompany Rebecca to the cemetery? Abraham is dead and Isaac is blind. Jacob has gone to Padan Aram, and if Esau will accompany her, people will curse that she had an evil son. Therefore, they carried Rebecca to the cemetery at night. That is also why the verse does not say when Rebecca died. That is why it is written, “Allon-bachuth” [35:8]. This means, two reasons for crying. One is that he cried because his mother died and the other reason he cried is because his mother was not buried with honor.100Bahya, Genesis, 35:8.
One asks a question. What would it help that she was buried at night, in the expectation that she should not be cursed, when people would think the same thing when she was alive? The explanation is the verse that says, “you shall not curse the deaf” [Leviticus, 19:14]. This means, one should not curse a deaf person, one who does not hear. However, the verse “you shall not curse the deaf” was not said about a dead person. That is to say, they could well curse a dead person, and therefore they did not want to say that Rebecca had died.
“You shall be called Jacob no more, but Israel shall be your name” [35:10]. Rashi writes. You shall not be called Jacob, which means, you have wrongfully taken away the blessings. But Israel should be your name, which means you have been victorious, that is to say, you are a lord.102Rashi, Genesis, 35:10.
Bahya and Hizkuni write. You should not be called Jacob alone, but sometimes Jacob and sometimes Israel. You should have two names, but not Jacob alone, which means, you have wrongfully taken away the blessings.103Bahya, Genesis, 35:10; Hizkuni, Genesis, 35:10.
“Rachel was in childbirth and had hard labor” [35:16]. Rachel had a difficult labor. The midwife said to Rachel: do not fear, you will have a son. Our sages say that with each of Jacob’s sons a daughter was also born, and with Benjamin, two daughters were born. So writes the Rabbati.104Genesis Rabbah, 82.8.
A story about two disciples of Rabbi Joshua. They changed their clothes so that they should not be recognized as Jews, since it had been commanded to kill the Jews who would not apostatize. One of the king’s officials came to them and asked them. I know well that you are Jews. Why do you not give your souls for the sake of God and you disguise yourselves so that people should not know that you are Jews? They responded: one does not need to commit suicide. That is why we do what we can. Perhaps we will not be recognized. The same gentile said to them. I will ask you something in your Torah. If you will answer me, I will not do anything to you. The verse says, “when her labor was at its hardest” [35:17]. When her labor was difficult, the midwife said to her: do not fear, you will have a son, whether she would have a son or not. The two Jews responded: the midwife should say good things to the woman when she has a difficult labor, in the hope that she will be cheered and to raise her spirits in her troubles.105Yalkut Shimoni, Vayishlach, Remez, 136.
“Some distance” [35:16]. It was still a distance until the city of Ephrath, but as soon as Rachel died, Jacob buried her in the field. He said: because she died in childbirth, she is full of blood and therefore I do not want to take her to the city, since she will become besmeared with blood, and he placed a monument on her grave.106Hizkuni, Genesis, 35:19. Bahya writes that it is an honor for the women to be buried in the city where they died. They should not be carried through fields.107Bahya, Genesis, 35:19.
“Reuben went and lay with Bilhah” [35:22]. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, since after Rachel died Jacob placed his bed in the tent of Bilhah. That is to say, the bed on which Jacob used to sleep with Rachel. Jacob placed that bed in Bilhah’s tent. Therefore, Reuben came and threw the bed out and said to Bilhah. You are a maidservant and don’t equate yourself to Rachel, my aunt, who was a noble lady.108Rashi, Genesis, 35:22. Nonetheless, the verse wrote as if Reuben had lain with Bilhah, because he had disturbed the sleeping of his father with Bilhah.109Bahya, Genesis, 35:22.
Ramban writes. Reuben disturbed Bilhah’s bed because Reuben thought to himself. I am the firstborn and will take two parts of the goods of my father. Perhaps he will have more children with Bilhah. They will take away my inheritance. That is to say, I will inherit less if my father will have more children. He also thought, my mother Leah is too old to have children and Zilpah may have died by that time. Therefore, Reuben disturbed the bed of his father.110Ramban, Genesis, 35:22.
“Israel heard” [35:22]. Jacob heard that Reuben had thrown out the bed and was not very angry with his son, Reuben. He counted him first among his children, called him firstborn, and honored him that he should be firstborn to inherit and also first born to perform the worship at the sacrifices, and firstborn to be counted among his children. The birthright was given to Joseph so that the children of Joseph should be counted as two tribes of Jacob.111Rashi, Genesis, 35:23.
“The sons of Jacob were twelve in number” [35:22]. That is to say, one should not say that Reuben committed a transgression with throwing the bed out and was not as good and pious as the other children.112Rashi, Genesis, 35:22. Therefore, the verse counts that Jacob had twelve children, that he had no more children, but he had twelve children.113Hizkuni, Genesis, 35:22.
“Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, at Kiriath-arba” [35:27]. Jacob came to his father and it does not say that he came to his mother, Rebecca, since his mother had died previously. However, Scripture does not tell us that she had died. We have written previously why the Torah did not say that Rebecca died.114See the comment to Genesis, 35:8 above.
“He was buried by his sons, Esau and Jacob” [35:29]. Hizkuni asks a question. Why does it mention Esau the evildoer before Jacob the righteous one? It would have been just that Jacob should be listed first in the verse. The answer is that Jacob honored Esau because of his hatred, because he [Jacob] had taken away the birthright and the blessings from him. In particular, because Isaac had died, Jacob was afraid of Esau. Esau had said: as soon as my father will die, I will take revenge on Jacob. Therefore, when Isaac died, Jacob honored Esau at the cemetery and let him go first. However, when Abraham died, it is written, “Isaac and Ishmael buried him” [Genesis, 25:8]. Isaac is mentioned first and then Ishmael, who was the son of the maidservant, Hagar. Isaac was the son of Sarah, the mistress of the household.115Hizkuni, Genesis, 35:29.
“Esau took Oholibamah” [36:2]. Rashi writes here. Esau’s wife was called Oholibamah and Esau gave her the name Yehudit. That is, so that his father Isaac should think that Esau had pious Jewish wives.116Rashi, Genesis, 36:2.
“And Basemath daughter of Ishmael” [36:2]. Esau took a wife called Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael. Rashi asks a question here. We find that Esau took the daughter of Ishmael who was called Machlat and here she is called Basemath. The explanation is that there are three whose transgressions are forgiven. One is a convert who converts; all of their transgressions are forgiven. The second one is one who achieves greatness and leadership. The third one is when one takes a wife. That is why he called his wife Machlat, because his transgressions were forgiven.
“Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz” [36:12]. Rashi asks a question here. Why does it not say that Eliphaz took Timna as a concubine? The explanation is that the verse shows us that all the kings and nobles desired to unite with the children of Abraham. Therefore, the verse says, “Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz” [36:12]. That is to say, Timna was descended from nobles and kings, and joined the children of Esau who was of the children of Abraham.117Rashi, Genesis, 36:12.
“Who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness” [36:24]. One was called Anah. He was a descendant of Esau and was in the wilderness, herding cattle. He took a female horse and caused a donkey to mate with her and they produced a mule. Since he was a bastard, he thought to bring more bastards into the world among the animals. Therefore, the mules are called hot springs, because the fear of them is great among people.118Rashi, Genesis, 36:24.
Hizkuni asks a question. There were mules in the time of Isaac, since Rashi writes that Isaac’s mule was better than the silver and gold of Abimelech.119Rashi, Genesis, 26:13. The explanation is that there were mules, but these mules were produced when a female horse mated with a donkey by themselves. However, Anah, the son of Esau, went and with his hands, caused a female horse to mate with a donkey. Therefore, the verse says that he brought many mules into the world. That is why no mule can ever have offspring, since the Holy One does not want that creatures should increase that God did not create, when He created the world. The blessing that God gave to all of His creatures did not apply to a creature combining two species.120Hizkuni, Genesis, 36:24.