Weekly Reading Insights

Overview of the Weekly Reading

To be read on Shabbat Vayishlach, 14 Kislev 5772/Dec. 10

Torah: Genesis 32:4-36:43; Haftorah: Book of Obadia (who was an Edomite convert!)

Vayishlach is the 8th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and it contains 7458 letters, in 1976 words, in 153 verses

Yaacov sent messengers to Eisav, informing him of his return. Eisav came to meet Yaacov, along with 400 men. Yaacov divided his people into two camps, so that should Eisav attack, at least one camp would survive. Yaacov sent gifts for Eisav. He then sent his wives, children and possessions across the Jabbok River. During the night Yaacov wrestled with an angel, who could not defeat him, so he touched Yaacov on the thigh, dislocating his hip. At dawn, the angel blessed Yaacov, and changed his name to Yisrael. Yaacov met with Eisav in reconciliation. Eisav went to Seir. Yaacov separated from him and went to Shechem, where he purchased Kever Yosef. Yaacov's daughter, Dina, was forcefully taken by Shechem, who wanted to marry her. Yaacov, and Dina's brothers said they would permit the union only if Shechem, along with every other male, would circumcise himself. On the third day after their circumcision, when they were all suffering, Shimon and Levi killed all the men and returned with Dina. They left for Beth El, where Yaacov set up an altar to G-d. Rachel died in childbirth on the road. Yitzchak died at the age of 180. The parsha ends with the chronicles the family of Eisav, and the kings of Edom.

On his return to the land of Israel, when Yaacov is describing to his brother Esav what his life was like with Lavan, he uses an interesting term that Rashi, our main commentator, picks up on. The verse (32:5) says, " im lavan garty". Rashi explains that Yaacov did not settle in and become established or important with Lavan , but rather, " I was like a ger", a stranger never fully fitting in. Further, Rashi points out, the Hebrew letters of the word garty are the same letters as taryag, whose numerical value is 613 and is a reference to the sum total of the biblical commandments. By using this word, Yaacov is making a veiled reference that even though he lived with Lavan the evil trickster, he did not learn from his ways, but rather fulfilled the entire Torah that they had learned from their father Yitzchok.

The Rebbe explains the same verse on a deeper, more intimate level. Yaacov is saying, that even though he lived with evil Lavan and he had, as the next verse shows, all the goodness that the physical world can offer, nevertheless, they were kept at a distance, he was like a stranger to them. He did not let himself be immersed in them.

This is the connection between Rashi's two different interpretations. It was only BECAUSE Yaacov kept the physical gratifications at a distance, that he forced himself to be a 'ger/stranger' to them, that he was able to fulfill the commandments in full. His estrangement from the one allowed his connection to the other. The physical did not confuse him in any way from his divine service.

There are a few anecdotes that are told about Rebbe Michil of Zlotshov. Those around him testified that he never brought his mouth down to the food, rather he always brought the food to his mouth. He said about himself, that once his evil inclination came to him when he was praying (ostensibly to convince him that he was spending too much time in prayer). Rebbe Michel instructed it to come back when he was eating. Prayer is not a time for making accounts (but eating is….). The Rebbe of Mekarev would say that he hoped that a lot of the special people (giteh Yidden) he knew, who served G-d for many years, should only have a soul on the spiritual level of the body of Rebbe Michel (because of how much he kept physical pleasures at a distance).

(for a free weekly email subscription, click here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the archive.

FROM THE CHASSIDIC REBBES

"When Esau my brother will meet you, and ask you saying: "Whose are you, and where are you going?" (32:18)
Esau's question is remarkably similar to the Mishna in Ethics of the Fathers: "Reflect on three things...know from where you came, where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give a future account and reckoning." Why would the evil Esau suddenly adopt the pious tone of the Mishna?
Rather, this question - "Where are you going?" - may be asked by both the Good and the Evil Inclinations. When asked by the Good Inclination, it prevents the person from committing a sin. The Evil Inclination, however, poses the same question in its attempt to bring the individual to despair. In such a case, one must remember that the mere fact that one is a Jew causes unlimited joy and appreciation Above.
(Chidushei HaRim)

For more than a decade of "From the Chasidic Rebbes" on this Weekly Reading, see our archives

MOSHIACH THIS WEEK

"Deliverers will go up to Mt. Tzion to judge the mountain of Eisav" (from the Haftorah: Ovadia 1:21)

The nations of the world will come before Him on two levels of judgment:
Clarification for good: As it will be in many nations that will be transformed into good, as is written, "For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language to call all of them by the Name of G-d" (Tz'fania 3:9).
Nullification: The level of Eisav, which is completely evil, will be totally nullified and lost, as is written, "And the house of Yaakov shall be fire and the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Eisav shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them, and the house of Eisav shall have no survivors, etc." (Ovadia 1:18).

(Lubavitcher Rebbe--translated by Michoel Lieb Dobry of Tsfat)

For nearly a decade of "Moshiach This Week " on this Weekly Reading, see our archives

From the Kabbalah Commentaries on the Chumash ("5 Books of Moses")

13th century - "RambaN" - Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman

14th century - "Bachya" - Rabbi Bachya ben Asher

16th century - "Alsheich" - Rabbi Moshe Alshech of Tsfat

18th century - "Ohr HaChayim" - Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar

a sample for this week:

Rabbeinu Bachya

"Yaakov sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau to the Mountain of Seir in the land of Edom." [32:4] These messengers were actually angels -- Rashi

When analyzing the more mystical aspect of the matter, it is possible to view these messengers as fulfilling a dual role, i.e. both as Yaakov's messengers and as G-d's messengers, similarly to Eliezer functioning both as a celestial messenger when the Torah described him as ish, and as an ordinary human being, servant of Avraham, when the Torah referred to him as ha-eved, "the servant." This would account for the fact that the Torah described the messengers as melachim, although they were creatures of flesh and blood. Both approaches correspond to the truth. It is simply a matter of emphasis, i.e. whether we concentrate on the external aspects of what occurred, i.e. that which was visible to the physical eye, or whether we concentrate on the more fundamental aspects of the matter, something not visible to the naked eye.

Selected with permission from the seven-volume English edition of The Torah Commentary of Rebbeinu Bachya, as translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk. Rabbi Bachya ben Asher [1255-1340] of Saragosa, Spain, was the outstanding pupil of Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (the "Rashba"), a main disciple of Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (the "Ramban"). Several books have been written about the Kabballah-based portions of R. Bachya's commentary.

For the rest of "The Masters of Kabbala and Chumash" on this Weekly Reading; and on all the other Readings.

A MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE

Specifically, for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists, and more,
click to Vayishlach

From the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; translation & commentary by Simcha-Shmuel Treister

All the world was afraid of Laban and his sorcery. Jacob sent Esau saying that he lived with Laban for twenty years and came away with ox and donkey.

The ox is the primary example of the causation of damage in the Talmud, and the donkey symbolizes impurity and lust. When the strength of the ox is harnessed to the stubbornness of a donkey, damage is caused to the world. The gifts he was giving Esau was proof of the fact that he succeeded in mastering Laban and these powers of ox and donkey were also subservient to him.

For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the our weekly Kabbalah magazine

Inner aspects of the Torah (1st article), prayer (2nd), this week's reading (4 -- 7), and the world itself (3rd)!

Now you must know that everything has an inner aspect and an outer aspect. In the world as a whole, Israel, the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is considered to be the innermost aspect. The seventy nations are considered to be the outer aspect of the world. Within Israel itself, there is an inner aspect which consists of those people who are seriously committed to their spiritual work of serving G-d, and there is an outer aspect consisting of those who are not involved in spirituality. Likewise, amongst the nations of the world, there is an inner aspect which consists of the saints of the world and an outer aspect which consists of those who are destructive and coarse.