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Save "Vayishlach ~ Love for others
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Vayishlach ~ Love for others

(ד) וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יַעֲקֹ֤ב מַלְאָכִים֙ לְפָנָ֔יו אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו אָחִ֑יו אַ֥רְצָה שֵׂעִ֖יר שְׂדֵ֥ה אֱדֽוֹם׃ (ה) וַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה׃ (ו) וַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ שׁ֣וֹר וַחֲמ֔וֹר צֹ֖אן וְעֶ֣בֶד וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ לְהַגִּ֣יד לַֽאדֹנִ֔י לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ז) וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֤אנוּ אֶל־אָחִ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו וְגַם֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔ וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת אִ֖ישׁ עִמּֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַיִּירָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב מְאֹ֖ד וַיֵּ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ וַיַּ֜חַץ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־הַצֹּ֧אן וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֛ר וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖ים לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אִם־יָב֥וֹא עֵשָׂ֛ו אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הָאַחַ֖ת וְהִכָּ֑הוּ וְהָיָ֛ה הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הַנִּשְׁאָ֖ר לִפְלֵיטָֽה׃ (י) וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ יַעֲקֹב֒ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אָבִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם וֵאלֹקֵ֖י אָבִ֣י יִצְחָ֑ק ה׳ הָאֹמֵ֣ר אֵלַ֗י שׁ֧וּב לְאַרְצְךָ֛ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וְאֵיטִ֥יבָה עִמָּֽךְ׃ (יא) קָטֹ֜נְתִּי מִכֹּ֤ל הַחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכׇּל־הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י בְמַקְלִ֗י עָבַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַתָּ֥ה הָיִ֖יתִי לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃ (יב) הַצִּילֵ֥נִי נָ֛א מִיַּ֥ד אָחִ֖י מִיַּ֣ד עֵשָׂ֑ו כִּֽי־יָרֵ֤א אָנֹכִי֙ אֹת֔וֹ פֶּן־יָב֣וֹא וְהִכַּ֔נִי אֵ֖ם עַל־בָּנִֽים׃ (יג) וְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֔רְתָּ הֵיטֵ֥ב אֵיטִ֖יב עִמָּ֑ךְ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃ (יד) וַיָּ֥לֶן שָׁ֖ם בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִן־הַבָּ֧א בְיָד֛וֹ מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיו׃ (טו) עִזִּ֣ים מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ (טז) גְּמַלִּ֧ים מֵינִיק֛וֹת וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים פָּר֤וֹת אַרְבָּעִים֙ וּפָרִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה׃ (יז) וַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר׃ (יח) וַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּ֣י יִֽפְגׇשְׁךָ֞ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֗י וּשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְמִי־אַ֙תָּה֙ וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֔ךְ וּלְמִ֖י אֵ֥לֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ (יט) וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב מִנְחָ֥ה הִוא֙ שְׁלוּחָ֔ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא אַחֲרֵֽינוּ׃ (כ) וַיְצַ֞ו גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִ֗י גַּ֚ם אֶת־הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י גַּ֚ם אֶת־כׇּל־הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י הָעֲדָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תְּדַבְּר֣וּן אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו בְּמֹצַאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתֽוֹ׃ (כא) וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַעֲקֹ֖ב אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃ (כב) וַתַּעֲבֹ֥ר הַמִּנְחָ֖ה עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וְה֛וּא לָ֥ן בַּלַּֽיְלָה־הַה֖וּא בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (כג) וַיָּ֣קׇם ׀ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר אֵ֖ת מַעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק׃ (כד) וַיִּ֨קָּחֵ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖ם אֶת־הַנָּ֑חַל וַֽיַּעֲבֵ֖ר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ׃ (כה) וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ (כו) וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃ (כז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃ (כח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ (כט) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹקִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ (ל) וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃ (לא) וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹקִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (לב) וַיִּֽזְרַֽח־ל֣וֹ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָבַ֖ר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא צֹלֵ֖עַ עַל־יְרֵכֽוֹ׃ (לג) עַל־כֵּ֡ן לֹֽא־יֹאכְל֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־גִּ֣יד הַנָּשֶׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַיָּרֵ֔ךְ עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י נָגַע֙ בְּכַף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּגִ֖יד הַנָּשֶֽׁה׃

(4) Yaakov sent messengers ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, (5) and instructed them as follows, “Thus shall you say, ‘To my lord Esau, thus says your servant Jacob: I stayed with Laban and remained until now; (6) I have acquired cattle, asses, sheep, and male and female slaves; and I send this message to my lord in the hope of gaining your favor.’” (7) The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother, to Esau; he too is coming to meet you, and 400 men with him.” (8) Jacob was greatly frightened; in his anxiety, he divided the people with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, (9) thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, the other camp may yet escape.” (10) Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Ad-nai, who said to me, ‘Return to your native land and I will deal bountifully with you’! (11) I became small due to all the kindness and all the truth that You have shown Your servant: with my staff alone I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. (12) Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; else, I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike. (13) Yet You have said, ‘I will deal bountifully with you and make your offspring as the sands of the sea, which are too numerous to count.’” (14) After spending the night there, he selected from what was at hand these presents for his brother Esau: (15) 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams; (16) 30 milch camels with their colts; 40 cows and 10 bulls; 20 she-asses and 10 he-asses. (17) These he put in the charge of his servants, drove by drove, and he told his servants, “Go on ahead, and keep a distance between droves.” (18) He instructed the one in front as follows, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Who’s your master? Where are you going? And whose [animals] are these ahead of you?’ (19) you shall answer, ‘Your servant Jacob’s; they are a gift sent to my lord Esau; and [Jacob] himself is right behind us.’” (20) He gave similar instructions to the second one, and the third, and all the others who followed the droves, namely, “Thus and so shall you say to Esau when you reach him. (21) And you shall add, ‘And your servant Jacob himself is right behind us.’” For he reasoned, “If I propitiate him with presents in advance, and then face him, perhaps he will show me favor.” (22) And so the gift went on ahead, while he remained in camp that night. (23) That same night he arose, and taking his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, he crossed the ford of the Yabok. (24) After taking them across the stream, he sent across all his possessions. (25) Yaakov was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. (26) When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. (27) Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” (28) Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” (29) Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven[sarita] with divine beings [e-lohim] and men, and have prevailed.” (30) Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there. (31) So Jacob named the place Peniel,[face of God] meaning, “I have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” (32) The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping on his hip. (33) That is why the children of Israel to this day do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the socket of the hip, since Jacob’s hip socket was wrenched at the sciatic nerve.

~ What is the main point of the story, in its simple meaning?

~ Who is the man that struggles with Yaakov, in your opinion?

~ What do you make of the repetition of the word "face"?

~ What do you make of the changes in the root of Yaakov / Yabok / Vayavek?

~ What do you make of the repetition of "cross over"?

ויאבק איש. מְנַחֵם פֵּי' וַיִּתְעַפֵּר אִישׁ, לְשׁוֹן אָבָק, שֶׁהָיוּ מַעֲלִים עָפָר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם עַ"י נִעְנוּעָם. וְלִי נִרְאֶה שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן וַיִּתְקַשֵּׁר, וְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי הוּא, בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בֵיהּ, וַאֲבֵיק לֵיהּ מֵיבַק – לְשׁוֹן עֲנִיבָה, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ שְׁנַיִם שֶׁמִּתְעַצְּמִים לְהַפִּיל אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ, שֶׁחוֹבְקוֹ וְאוֹבְקוֹ בִּזְרוֹעוֹתָיו. וּפֵרְשׁוּ רַזִ"לִ שֶׁהוּא שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו (בראשית רבה):

ויאבק איש AND A MAN WRESTLED — Menachem (ben Seruk) explains: “a man covered himself with dust”, taking the verb as connected in sense with אבק “dust”. It would mean that they were raising the dust with their feet through their movements. I, however, am of opinion that is means “he fastened himself on”, and that it is an Aramaic word, as (Sanhedrin 63b) “after they have joined (אביקו) it", and (Menachot 42a) “and he twined (the “Fringes”) with loops”. It denotes “intertwining”, for such is the manner of two people who make strong efforts to throw each other — one clasps the other and twines himself round him with his arms. Our Rabbis of blessed memory explained that he was Esau’s guardian angel (Genesis Rabbah 77:3).

~ What are the two possibilities for the verb ויאבק that Rashi offers? Do you think that wrestled carries them?

~ What do you make of the idea that the "man" is actually Esav's guardian angel?

וטעמא מאי אמר רבא אמר קרא הירך המיומנת שבירך ורבנן ההוא דפשיט איסוריה בכוליה ירך לאפוקי חיצון דלא וריב"ל אמר אמר קרא (בראשית לב, כו) בהאבקו עמו כאדם שחובק את חבירו וידו מגעת לכף ימינו של חבירו רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר כעובד כוכבים נדמה לו דאמר מר ישראל שנטפל לו עובד כוכבים בדרך טופלו לימינו רב שמואל בר אחא קמיה דרב פפא משמיה דרבא בר עולא אמר כת"ח נדמה לו דאמר מר המהלך לימין רבו הרי זה בור ורבנן מאחוריה אתא ונשייה בתרוייהו ורבנן האי בהאבקו עמו מאי דרשי ביה מבעי ליה לכאידך דר' יהושע בן לוי דאמר ר' יהושע ב"ל מלמד שהעלו אבק מרגלותם עד כסא הכבוד כתיב הכא בהאבקו עמו וכתיב התם (נחום א, ג) וענן אבק רגליו
The Gemara asks: And what is the reason that Rabbi Yehuda holds that only the sciatic nerve of the right thigh is forbidden by Torah law? Rava said that it is because the verse states: “Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sciatic nerve that is upon the spoon of the thigh” (Genesis 32:33). The definite article indicates that this is referring to the most important thigh. And the Rabbis, who hold that the sciatic nerves of both the right and left thighs are forbidden by Torah law, explain the definite article as teaching that the prohibition applies to the one whose prohibition spreads through the entire thigh, i.e., the inner nerve. This serves to exclude the outer nerve, which is not prohibited by Torah law. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that Rabbi Yehuda holds that the sciatic nerve of the right thigh is forbidden because the verse states: “And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the spoon of his thigh; and the spoon of Jacob’s thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him” (Genesis 32:26). The angel grappled with Jacob like a man who hugs another in order to throw him to the ground, and his hand reaches to the spoon of the right thigh of the other. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: The angel appeared to him as a gentile, as the Master said: A Jew who is joined by a gentile on the road and continues his travels with him should position the gentile to his right, close to one’s dominant hand. This allows the Jew to defend himself against any potential attack. Since Jacob followed this practice, it was therefore Jacob’s right thigh that the angel touched. Rav Shmuel bar Aḥa said before Rav Pappa in the name of Rava bar Ulla that the angel appeared to Jacob as a Torah scholar, and therefore Jacob positioned the angel on his right side, as the Master said: One who walks to the right of his teacher is an ignoramus, in that he does not know how to act with good manners. Consequently, it was Jacob’s right thigh that the angel touched. And the Rabbis, who hold that the sciatic nerves of both thighs are forbidden, understand that the angel came from behind Jacob and hit him on both thighs. The Gemara asks: And the Rabbis, what do they derive from this phrase: “As he wrestled with him” (Genesis 32:26)? The Gemara answers: They require it for the other interpretation of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This teaches that the dust [avak] from their feet ascended to the throne of glory. It is written here: “As he wrestled [behe’avko] with him,” and it is written there in a description of how God will punish the wicked: “The Lord, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3).

~ What are the fears that this piece brings?

~ What are the consequences of how the angel appeared to Yaakov?

~ What are the consequences of how the angel attacked Yaakov?

~ Why do you think Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi understands this wrestling to get up to the Throne of Glory?

או יאמר "וישלח כו'", בצירוף הפסוק "ויאבק איש עמו כו'" ופירש"י ז"ל שהיו מעלים אבק. ואיתא בגמרא "חד אמר כגוי נדמה לו וחד אמר כחכם נדמה לו", ולכאורה הוא פלוגתא רחוקה. ונראה לפרש בהקדים לפרש הפסוק "צרופה אמרתך מאוד ועבדך אהבה", דהנה הצדיק נענה בתפילתו כשהוא מתפלל על החולה וכדומה, ולכאורה הוא כמו השתנות אצל הבורא הפשוט אמיתי חלילה. אך השורש הוא דהנה השי"ת ב"ה ברא את האותיות והם בכח אצל הבורא ב"ה, והצדיק הוא מצרף את האותיות האלה שיהיו נקראים כרצונו, דהיינו התפילה שהצדיק מתפלל הוא ע"י צרופי אותיות שהוא מצרף אותם, ונמצא אין כאן שינוי חלילה, שהאותיות היו ג"כ מתחילה רק שהוא מצרף אותם. ואם תרצה לומר למה דווקא הצדיק נענה בתפילתו כמו שאמרו חז"ל "מי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו ילך אצל חכם ויתפלל", כל אדם יתפלל ויהיו האותיות מצורפים? אך מחמת שהתורה הקדושה נבראת באהבה, כנאמר "הבוחר בעמו ישראל באהבה", והצדיק ג"כ אוהב את השם ואת כל אדם בעולם, ע"ד שאמר ר' יוחנן "מעולם לא הקדימני אדם שלום בשוק אפילו נכרי", ולא כן הוא מדת כל אדם, ולכן גם האותיות אינם נצטרפים אלא על ידי הצדיק האוהב לכל. וזהו "צרופה אמרתך מאוד", ר"ל האותיות העליונים הם מצורפים ממילא בכח, וע"י הצדיק האוהב לכל מצטרפים לפועל, וזהו "ועבדך אהבה":

Or we can say - "and Yaakov sent etc" (Gen. 32:4) is connected to the verse "and a man struggled with him etc", and Rashi's explanation that they were raising dust, and also in the Gemara we read "one says he [the man] appeared to Yaakov as a gentile, and one says he appeared to him as a wise person". And from the outset this is a far-fetched dispute. It appears that we can explain if we see before it all the verse "Your word is refined and Your servant loves it" (Ps. 119:140). The tzadik is answered when praying over the sick, and other needs, and from outside it looks like that the tzadik is doing a real change in the Creator, God forbid. The root [of the matter] is: the Blessed Name created the letters, and they are the force within the Blessed Creator, and the tzadik refines these letters so they are read as [the tzadik] wishes, and there is no change here, God forbid, since the letters are there from the beginning, and the tzadik only refines them. And if you want to say 'why precisely the tzadik is answered in prayer, as our sages OBM say 'whoever has a sick person at home, they should go to a wise one and pray'? Isn't it the case that any person who prays could refine letters?" However, since the holy Torah was created in love, as it is said "the One who chose God's people Israel in love" - the tzadik also loves the Name and also loves every person in the world, following the way of R. Yohanan who said that "no one in the market ever preceded me in greeting with peace, even a gentile". And this is not the usual characteristic of every person, and so the letters can only be refined through a tzadik, who loves everyone and everything. And this is "Your word is very refined" meaning, the Higher Letters are immediately refined through strength, through the tzadik that loves, everyone can refine themselves in actions, and this is "and Your servant loves it".

~ What did Yaakov send? What is Yaakov a symbol for?

~ What is love, and to whom is the love of a tzadik?

~ Is saying "hi" a form of love, according to the reading of the Noam of R. Yochanan's words?

~ What is the power of the tzadik?

‎וזהו "וישלח יעקב מלאכים" ר"ל האותיות והדיבורים שלח יעקב, דהאותיות והדיבורים נקראים מלאכים כנ"ל. "לפניו" ר"ל שגם מלפנים היו האותיות האלו בכח אצל הבורא ב"ה, ויעקב היה מצרפם מחמת אהבתו שהיה אוהב לכל, וזהו "אל עשו אחיו" ר"ל גם עשו היה שלם עמו כאחיו ע"ד "אפילו נכרי בשוק", וזהו "ויאבק איש עמו" ר"ל כמו אבק ריבית, דהיינו שבוודאי אין כל אהבות שוים כאחד, כישראל כגוי, רק שאהבה לישראל היא אהבה שלימה ואהבה לנכרי אינה שלימה מחמת שיש בו אבק שהוא נכרי, וזהו כמאן דאמר "כגוי נדמה לו", ולכן ויאבק עמו שהיה כמו אבק, וחד אמר "כחכם נדמה לו", ואעפ"כ לא היה אהבתו שלימה עמו מחמת שהיה יעקב מבין בו שעדיין אין שלם במדותיו והיה אוהב אותו, רק מחמת החסרונות לא היה אהבתו שלימה עמו, וזהו "ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר" ר"ל עד אשר יסיר השחרורית שבו ואז יהיה אהבתו שלימה. נמצא אין כאן פלוגתא רחוקה, שכל מ"ד השמיענו מעלות יעקב איך היה אהבתו שלימה עם כל אדם. וק"ל.

And this is "and Yaakov sent messengers" - meaning, the letters and the sentences, since letters and sentences are called "messengers", as explained above. "Before/in front of him" meaning, that even from before these letters had power with the Blessed Creator, and Yaakov refined them due to his love, that he loved every person, and this is "to his brother Esav", meaning, even Esav was complete/perfect for him, as/like his brother, through the [way] "even a gentile in the market". And this is "and a man struggled with him", meaning, like indirect/avek usury, that is, obviously not all loves are the same - it's impossible to say 'just like a Jew is a gentile". Love to Israel is a complete love, and love to a gentile is not complete, since there is a side that is indirect/avek, since he is a gentile. And this is like the opinion [in the Gemara] "he appeared like a gentile", and therefore he struggled with him, like the indirect part, and another opinion is "like a sage" - and even though his love for him was not complete because Yaakov understood that Esav was not complete in his character traits, and still he loved him, it was just that because of his defects his love for him was not complete. And this is what the verse "and he struggled with him until the dawn broke" meaning that when Esav was able to leave all the darkness within him, then Yaakov's love would be complete. And we find that the argument is not so far fetched, since on both opinions we can see the level of Yaakov, how he was able to love every human being. And this is easy to understand.

~ How is Esav perfect? How is Esav imperfect?

~ Is Esav a gentile, in terms of love, for Yaakov?

~ Is it possible to love everyone the same? Is it good to love everyone the same?

~ Is being egalitarian the same as proposing utilitarianism? (Note that there is no philosophy, yet, called egalitarianism)

~ Why do we usually oppose "sameness"?

“Love remains a relation with the Other that turns into need, transcendent exteriority of the other, of the beloved. But love goes beyond the beloved... The possibility of the Other appearing as an object of a need while retaining his alterity, or again,the possibility of enjoying the Other... this simultaneity of need and desire, or concupiscence and transcendence,... constitutes the originality of the erotic which, in this sense, is the equivocal par excellence.”
Emmanuel Lévinas, Totality and Infinity: An Essay on Exteriority

The face, in its nudity and defenselessness, signifies: "Do not kill me." This defenseless nudity is therefore a passive resistance to the desire that is my freedom. Any exemplification of the face's expression, moreover, carries with it this combination of resistance and defenselessness: Lévinas speaks of the face of the other who is "widow, orphan, or stranger."

Bergo, Bettina. "Emmanuel Levinas". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

או יאמר "ויותר יעקב לבדו ויאבק כו'", דהנה הצדיק השלם העובד ה׳ באמת הוא מסתכל תמיד ברוממות אל וגדולתו יתברך, ומתבודד עצמו במחשבתו לעלות במחשבתו ממדריגה למדריגה עד רום המעלות, וגם רואה תמיד בשפלות עצמו, וזוכר חטאת נעוריו כמו שכתוב וחטאתי נגדי תמיד, ואפילו החטאים שאינם חטאים גמורים רק כמו אבק, כמו שאמרו חז"ל שלשה דברים אין אדם ניצול בכל יום אבק לשון הרע כו', הם לזכרון לפניו תמיד והם בעיניו כחמורות שבחמורות, ומתחרט עליהם ושב בתשובה שלימה מאהבתו ית', ותשובתו עולה עד הכסא הכבוד ונעשה הכל זכיות, כמו שאמרו חז"ל שזדונות נעשים לו כזכיות בעושה תשובה מאהבה.

Or we could say: "And Yaakov was left alone, and a man struggled etc" (Genesis 32:25) - behold, the complete tzadik, who serves God in truth, the tzadik always gazes at the awesomeness of God, and the greatness of the Blessed One, and is alone with their own thoughts, to rise through their thoughts from a level to the next, until the highest of levels, and at the same time also sees their own lowliness, and always remembers the sins of their youth, as the verse "and my sin is before me always" (Ps. 51:5), and even sins that are not absolute, as our sages OBM say: three things people can't help themselves every day: [sinful thoughts, mindlessness in prayer and] indirect lashon hara (Bava Batra 164b-165a, summary). Those are in front of the tzadik, and they are in the tzadik's eyes as the most serious sins, and the tzadik worries about them and does complete teshuvah on them, due to the tzadik's love for the Holy One, and the tzadik's teshuvah goes up to the throne of glory, and they all become merits, as our sages OBM say "they become merits for one who does teshuvah out of love" (Yoma 86b, summary).

~ Is a tzadik perfect, and never sins, according to the Noam?

~ What differentiates a tzadik from a regular person?

‎וזהו "ויותר יעקב לבדו", ר"ל בעת שהיה יעקב אבינו ע"ה בהתבודדות מחשבתו בבדידות גמור, אז "ויאבק איש עמו" ודרשו חז"ל שהיו מעלים אבק עד כסא הכבוד, פירוש, "ויאבק איש" היינו אבק החטאים שהם עם כל איש, כל זה היה "עמו" לנגד עיניו כנ"ל, והיה מעלה האבק עד כסא הכבוד ע"ד שאמרו חז"ל גדולה תשובה שמגעת עד כסא הכבוד, "עד עלות השחר" פירוש עד שהעלה הכל לפני השכינה, כנסת ישראל הנקראת אילת השחר.

And this is "and Yaakov remained alone" (Gen. 32:25) - at the time that our father Yaakov PBUH was in complete solitude, absolutely alone with his own thoughts, then "a man struggled with him" and our sages OBM explained that they raised dust up to the Throne of Glory, meaning, "a man struggled" that is the struggle of every person with the sins of every person, all that was "with him", in front of his eyes, as explained. And the dust rose to the Holy Throne through what our sages OBM said: "Great is teshuvah that it touches the Throne of Glory" (Yomah 86a). "Until the break of dawn" [lit. raising of the dawn] meaning, until he raised all of it to the Shechinah, which is the Whole of Israel, called "ayelet hashachar" [lit. the doe of dawn].

~ What is the struggling?

~ What is the result of this struggling?

וַיִּשְׁלַח יַעֲקֹב מַלְאָכִים. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (משלי י״ב:ט׳) טוֹב נִקְלָה וְעֶבֶד לוֹ מִמִּתְכַּבֵּד וַחֲסַר לֶחֶם, הַאי קְרָא עַל יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְּמָר, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְיֵצֶר הָרָע אִיהוּ אָרִים לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּגַאֲוָתָא וְאָזִיל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ מְסַלְסֵל שַׂעֲרֵיהּ וּבְרֵישֵׁיהּ עַד דְּאִיהוּ אִתְגָּאֵי עֲלֵיהּ וּמָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ לַגֵּיהִנֹּם.
"And Jacob sent messengers." Rabbi Shimon began the discussion with the verse, "Better is one lightly esteemed who owns a servant, than one who pranks himself but lacks bread" (Prov. 12:9). This verse refers to the Evil Inclination, who constantly accuses man. The Evil Inclination causes man to become haughty and proud, encouraging man to curl his hair until the Evil Inclination towers over him and drags him to Gehenom.
אֲבָל טוֹב נִקְלָה, הַהוּא דְּלָא אָזִיל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע וְלָא אִתְגָּאֵי כְּלָל וּמָאִיךְ רוּחֵיהּ וְלִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּכְדֵין הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע מִתְהַפֵּךְ לְעֶבֶד לוֹ, דְּלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלוֹי, וְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ שַׁלִּיט עֲלוֹי כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית ד׳:ז׳) וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל בּוֹ.
"Better is one lightly esteemed" means one who does not follow the Evil Inclination, and does not act haughtily but humbles his spirit, heart, and will before the Holy One, blessed be He. Then the Evil Inclination becomes his servant, as it cannot control him. On the contrary, the person controls it, as it is written, "Yet you may rule over him" (Beresheet 4:7).
מִמִּתְכַּבֵּד, כְּמָה דְאֲמָרָן דְּאִיהוּ אוֹקִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ מְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעֲרֵיהּ אִתְגָּאֵי בְּרוּחֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ חֲסַר לֶחֶם, חֲסַר מְהֵימְנוּתָא כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ויקרא כ״א:י״ז) לֶחֶם אֱלֹקָיו וְגו' (ויקרא כ״א:ו׳) לֶחֶם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם הֵם מַקְרִיבִים וְגו'.
"than one who pranks himself" is as we said, that he puts on airs, curls his hair, and acts haughtily, "but lacks bread." This means a lack of faith, as it is written, "to offer the bread of his Elohim" (Vayikra 21:17), and "the bread of their Elohim they do offer" (Ibid. 6). Bread is the Shechinah in both verses. Faith is the Shechinah, so lacking bread means lacking faith.

~ The Zohar will reread the story as the struggle and making peace between two parts of the human soul, the two impulses (Yetzer Tov, Yetzer HaRa or for good/ bad impulse or egoistic/altruistic). How do we make peace with our impulse to being completely egotistical?

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