Parshat Vayishlach

The Book of Genesis Parshat Vayishlach

A free excerpt from the Kehot Publication Society's new Chumash Breishis/Book of Genesis with commentary based on the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, produced by Chabad of California. The full volume is available for purchase at www.kehot.com. For personal use only. All rights reserved. The right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form, requires permission in writing from Chabad of California, Inc. THE TORAH - CHUMASH BEREISHIT WITH AN INTERPOLATED ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY BASED ON THE WORKS OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE

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GENESIS Bereishit Noach Lech Lecha Vayeira Chayei Sarah Toldot Vayeitzei Vayishlach 8 Vayeishev Mikeitz Vayigash Vayechi EXODUS Shemot Vaeira Bo Beshalach Yitro Mishpatim Terumah Tetzaveh Ki Tisa Vayakheil Pekudei LEVITICUS Vayikra Tzav Shemini Tazria Metzora Acharei Mot Kedoshim Emor Behar Bechukotai NUMBERS Bemidbar Naso Beha’alotecha Shelach Korach Chukat Balak Pinchas Matot Masei DEUTERONOMY Devarim Va’etchanan Eikev Re’eh Ğ Ki Teitzei Ki Tavo Netzavim Vayeilech Ha’azinu Vezot Habrachah

q j°n¾q VayishlachŨ Overview

Ğȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱparashah, AVayeitzeiǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱPara-- shat Vayishlachǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ Esau: the parashahȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĞȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȂȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȯȱȱ ȱ Ȃȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȯȬȬ ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱ ȂȱǱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱǯ Ȃȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȬȬ ¢ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ ȱ ȱ ȱȱparashat Toldotǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ȱȱȂȱȱǱȱȱ¢ȱȂȱȱ¢ǰȱ¢ȱȬȬ Ȭǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȱǯȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱęȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǯ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȂȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȂȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǯ ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǻȱȱȱȱ ȱǼǱȱȱǰȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ

Ŭūŭ OVERVIEW OF VAYISHLACH

ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ Ȃȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱǯ ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ£ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȂȱǰȱȱ ȯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ǰȱ ĴȱȱĞ¢ȱǰȱȱȱȱ£ȱȯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ ȱĚĴȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȦȱǯȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȬȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȂȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱǯȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯ ȱȱȱȱparashahǰȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ Ȃȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱǯȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ǯ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȂȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȬȬ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ parashah, VayishlachȱǻȃȱȱȄǼǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱěȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱ ȱ ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĚ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱǯ ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǲȱĴȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢¢ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȬȬ ȱǰȱȬȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱ ǲȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱǰȱ strength, and inspiration. ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱĚȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱǯȱĚȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱĚ ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǯȱ¢ȱȱ

ŬūŮ OVERVIEW OF VAYISHLACH

¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĴȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǯ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȬȬ ǰȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ¢£ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ǯȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȂȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱ¢ȱęȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȂȱęȱęȱ ȱȱȱȱȱęȱǯ1

1. Torah OrǰȱǯȱŘŚȬŘŜǲȱSefer HaSichot 5748ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŗřŞȬŗŚŚǲȱHitva’aduyot 5743ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱśŝŗȬśŝŘǯ

Ŭūů FIRST READING

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¡¥§³¢¥ ¥´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W In fact, the very name of this parashah, Vayishlach, “He in an environment hostile to holiness. Not only was he Dispatched,” conveys the idea that in dealing with not distracted or deterred by the physical reality that Esau, a realm of Divine concealment, we ourselves surrounded him, he was able to imbue that very reality must remain completely aloof from it and cleanse our-- with holiness.14 ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ǲȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȃȄȱ should descend to deal with Esau. This detachment Tȱ Ȃȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ enables us to achieve our goal of transforming Esau.13 observance teaches us how we are to present ourselves 5 Even though I have been sojourning with Laban all to the non-Jewish world. We might have thought that these years, I have continued to faithfully observe ȱęȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȬ ȱ ȱȱęȱ the Torah’s commandments: The word for “sojourner” highlight our commonality, downplaying our Jewish-- (ger) also connotes “foreigner.” Jacob was thus allud-- ness and Jewish practice. From Jacob we learn that we ing to the fact that the materialistic realm of Laban was should not be ashamed of our Torah observance—in ȃȄȱȱ¢ȱȱǲȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ fact, we should highlight it. Exuding pride in our God-- was the Torah and its commandments. This awareness ly mission not only does not undermine our esteem in 15 enabled him to faithfully observe the Torah’s precepts the eyes of the world, it enhances it.

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [5] I have been sojourning with Laban…I have de-- (1) As we have seen, Laban alludes to the “super-- layed my return until now: As we have seen, Isaac nal whiteness” (loven ha-elyon), or non-composite wanted to bless Esau, recognizing his older son’s uniformity of God’s simple essence. By living with ȱ ȱ ǻȱ Ğ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Tohu). Laban while observing the commandments, Jacob Rebecca, however, realized that Esau’s potential accessed Laban’s source in holiness, an energy that could only be revealed by Jacob, and instructed Ja-- transcends the natural order. For twenty years, Ja-- ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱęȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǲȱ ȱ Ȭ- elevate Esau.16 cess culminated with Laban’s kissing Jacob’s chil-- Now that Jacob was going to meet Esau, he had dren, which meant that Jacob and his entire domain 17 to explain why he had tarried so long with Laban ȱȱ¢ȱȱȂȱĞ¢ȱǯ Jacob ȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱǯȱ ȱ¡Ȭ- then had the capacity to elevate Esau, and therefore plained that his sojourn with Laban had to precede immediately set about doing so. his meeting with Esau for two reasons, one relating (2) Esau embodied a greater evil than Laban did. Ja-- to Laban’s supernal self, the second to his terrestrial ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱęȱȬ- manifestation: ǰȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱęȱǯ18

12. See Sefer HaSichot 5703ǰȱǯȱŗśśǰȱȱȱȱȱ£Ǳȱȃ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ'¢'ȱȱȱǲȱȱȱȬ- mained with him.” 13. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, pp. 392-395. 14. Likutei Sichot, vol. 1, pp. 68-69. 15. Sichot Kodesh 5737, vol. 1, p. 270. 16. Above on 27:4. 17. See above on 32:1. 18. Sefer HaMa'amarim Melukat, vol. 2, pp. 191-192, and sources cited there. ŬūŰ 432 Genesis 32:4-6 VAYISHLACH Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau 32:4 ȱ¢ȱĚȱȱȬȬ ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ his brother Esau. His mother Rebecca had told him that although Esau still har-- ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱĞȱȱ somewhat, so Jacob hoped that a conciliatory message might assuage it altogether.1 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǲ2 instead, Ja-- cob dispatched angels as messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau. These an-- ȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱĜ¢ȱ¢ȱ ęȱȱȱȱȬȬȱȱ ȱǯ3 He sent the messengers to the land surrounding Mount Seir, which, ever since Esau had started frequenting ǰȱȱȱ ȱĞȱȱ¢Ȭ4 as ȱęȱȱǯ 5 He instructed them as follows, “Thus shall you say to my master, Esau, ‘So said your servant, Jacob: “There is no need for you to be concerned about our father’s blessing to me that I shall rule over you,5 for he made this blessing contingent on ¢ȱęȱȱȱ£ȱȱǰ6 and I am anything but that. In fact, I have been sojourning with Laban in his land for the past twenty years, during which time my social status has not risen above that of a simple sojourner. Because I have been dependent on Laban for my livelihood all these years, I have delayed my return home until now. But I am also proud to say that even though I have been sojourning with Laban all these years, I have continued to faithfully ȱȱȂȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĚȱ¢ȱȱȱ ways. 6 ȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱęǰȱ¢ȱ should recall that, although he blessed me with the dew of the heavens and the choicest fruits of the land,7ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǲȱȱI have acquired is Ĵǰȱ¢ǰȱĚǰȱǰȱȱǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱěȱȱ our lifetimes.8 Since we can therefore live in peace, I am now sending word to you, my master, that I am coming to you in a spirit of friendship, in order to gain favor in your eyes.” ’ ” X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 4 Jacob dispatched angels: What lesson can we derive to involve ourselves in it, even for a holy purpose. God from Jacob’s dispatching angels, when most of us do may have presented the opportunity to us as a tempta-- not have angels at our disposal?9 tion, something we are meant to walk away from and 11 Angels are non-corporeal beings. More broadly, then, thereby sanctify ourselves. We must therefore care-- “angels” can refer to other non-corporeal phenomena, fully assess every new situation. such as human intelligence and emotion.10 That Ja-- Naturally, our partiality for certain opportunities can cob sent non-corporeal beings to assess Esau teaches distort our conclusions. To reach unbiased conclusions, us that when faced with new opportunities, we too we must detach ourselves emotionally from the pro-- should “dispatch” our “non-corporeal beings,” our cess. Even as we examine these opportunities to de-- intellect and emotions, to assess those opportunities: termine our course of action, we must “dispatch” only Will we be able to utilize them for holiness or will we the external dimension of our intellect and emotions to harm ourselves spiritually by engaging with them? do so. The essence of our intellect and emotions must The mere fact that we are confronted with an opportu-- ȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱĴȱȱȱ 12 nity does not unequivocally imply that God wants us essence of our souls, which transcends materiality.

1. ǰȱŘŝǱŚŚǰȱřŖǱŘśǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 271. 2. Likutei Sichot, vol. 10, p. 100. 3. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 392. 4. Above, 25:30. 5. Above, 27:29. 6. Ibid. 7. Above, 27:28. 8. Gur Aryeh. 9. See Meilah 17b. 10. See The Guide for the Perplexed 2:10, explained in Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 320. 11. See Tanya, chap. 30, et al.

ŬūŰ 433 FIRST READING

X ONKELOS W 7 rojs lqqj~ur qu q ju ~ n u rj TÑ bn r~wp~º~^¶ r sL~osQlvqw vp~ Onr~jqÁqTº bt¯r½q q~j r{oqjj u ~ l qj~r ol~ njt r~j qu jq~jj ru u r qj or~ Ë vÁn¯ Qn~Ë _~owq¶ jq~jOÑj~vrjnÐ] osTqjOr°ow p~ u oun X RASHI W sr~j n{juu u ps r zrrr{ oju r ju n o s~u rl~ ~u n r~ os~ rnrp z r{o~p r n r~~p ~u ru

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W self-indulgence toward a passion for God. He therefore ready signs of this awakening, such as how Judaism is sent messengers to Esau, to draw upon himself Esau’s Ěȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǯ32 Ğ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ǻȱ ȃȱ ¡ȄǼȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ǻȱ composed and orderly world. ȃȱ ¢ȄǼǱȱ According to the Midrash,33 Jacob was But Jacob’s messengers informed him that he had been alluding to his sons Joseph and Issachar, who are re-- overly optimistic: “We came to whom you think is ferred to metaphorically as “ox” and “donkey.”34 your brother, but he is still Esau. He has not yet been Rabbi Dovber (the maggid) of Mezeritch explained that 29 ęǯȄ Jacob then realized that Esau would be un-- ȱȱȃǰȄȱȱȱǰȱĴȱȱȬ- able to consciously share with him the energy of his rupt us in two ways: (1) through the “heat” of desire Ğ¢ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ for material pleasures and (2) through the “coldness” fallen manifestation. Jacob therefore took measures to of apathy towards goodness. We counter these two at-- 30 elicit this light on his own, as we shall see. tacks of Esau with positive “heat” and “coldness,” with passion for holiness and apathy towards materi-- acob’s readiness for the messianic age teaches us that J alism. These are represented by Joseph the “ox” and ȱȱ ȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȬ- Issachar the “donkey”: ęȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱ prepare ourselves, our families, and everything in our ȱȱȱ ȱęȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱĚȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱǰȱȃȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱĚȱȱȱ Jacob, remaining aloof from materialism, which en-- house of Esau for stubble….”35 Issachar, whose name ables us to sanctify our material lives. By doing so we means “there is reward” (yesh sachar), is associated prepare the entire world for the messianic age, since with holy apathy, as the Talmud teaches, “there is re-- ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱěȱ ward” for apathy in that it prevents one from sin.36 the macrocosm of the entire world.31 Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch (the Tzemach ǰȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ Tzedek) similarly taught that the ox, which is associ-- accomplished in this vein throughout history is that ȱ ȱȱĞȱȱȱ£Ȃȱȱǰ37 the physical world (as represented by Esau) is now the side of strength and intensity (gevurah), represents also ready for the messianic age. Our work now, then, ę¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱȱȃ¢Ȅȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱęȱȱ£ȱȱ¢Ȭ- to coldness, since its nature is to feel cold even in the ȱȯȱȱȱȱĜ¢ȱȱȱ summer.38 This coldness is associated with Issachar, the warrant the advent of the messianic age. Rather, our tribe that epitomized Torah knowledge and wisdom,39 work today must focus mainly on bringing about the since the wisdom of the Torah humbles its students revelation of messianic reality. Indeed, there are al-- and cools their yearning for material pleasures.40

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [7] Four hundred men: Even before Jacob heard the a small number of seeds in order to reap abundant angels’ report, he knew that Esau was accompanied produce later on. While they remain in the realm by 400 men. Yet he was not afraid, since he assumed of Ephron, however, they take on a negative mani-- they were the embodiments of “the 400 worlds of festation. spiritual delight”: Jacob thought that the energies of the 400 coins had Spiritually, the 400 coins that Abraham gave to Eph-- already been returned to their original holy state ron (in payment for the Cave of Machpelah41) cor-- and were now embodied in Esau’s men. Sadly, the respond to the 400 “worlds of delight” that the righ-- angels reported, Esau’s 400 men were the devolved teous will inherit in the World to Come. Abraham ȱȱȱĞ¢ȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱĞ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ had not yet been returned to holiness.42 ¡ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱęȱ ȱ

29. See below, v. 7. 30. ǰȱǯȱŞȱěǯȱTorah OrȱŘŚȬŘŚǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 1, p. 69. 31. Likutei Sichot, vol. 1, pp. 69-70. 32. Sefer HaSichot 5752, vol. 1, pp. 163-165. 33. Bereishit Rabbah 75:12. 34. ŚşǱŗŚǰȱ ǲȱ¢ȱřřǱŗŝǯȱȱ35. Obadiah 1:18. 36. See Pesachim 50b. Or Torah 44. 37. Ezekiel 1:10. 38. Shabbat 53a. 39. See below on 49:14. 40. Or HaTorah, Bereishit, vol. 5, pp. 1762-1763. 41. See above, 23:16. 42. Torah Or 24c. Hitva'aduyot 5743, vol. 1, p. 554.

Ŭūű 434 Genesis 32:7 VAYISHLACH

7 The angels approached Esau, as Jacob had charged them to, and delivered his message. The angels then returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to Esau, whom you had hoped would be willing and ready to relate to you as your brother, but ȱȱȱ¢ȱǲȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱto none other than the infamous, unreformed, and malevolent Esau. In response to our announcement of your arrival, he himself has set out and is heading towards you, and he has 400 armed men with him.” X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 6 ȱȱȱĴǳĚǱȱ¢ǰȱĴȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĴȱȱȬ- Ěȱȱȱȱ ȱěȱ¢ȱĴȱ ness and holiness. Rather, we should employ strength ȱ ȱ ǯȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ only because the Torah tells us do so. Such strength is £ǲȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȬ- Ěȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ21 lessness. Jacob’s primary spiritual stock was humility ȱȱǳ¢ǳǱȱThe dawning of the mes-- ȱĚǯȱ ȱǰȱ ǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ his mission required it. the entire world, represented by the seventy nations. To ensure that this strength would not lead to egotis-- Although this had not yet occurred in Jacob’s time—it tical brutishness, Jacob, as we have seen,19 purchased would take the exile of the Jewish people over millen-- ȱȃĴȄȱ ȱȃȄȯȱȱ ȱȱȱ nia to achieve this goal—Jacob thought the messianic Ěȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱ ȱ age was at hand. This was because he thought that the strong, even brazen at times, but only for the sake of elevation of the nations could be achieved through the ęȱȱǯ elevation of their “fathers,” Ishmael and Esau. When addressing Esau, Jacob not only sought to Jacob had already elevated the realm of Laban, who ¢ȱȱǲȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ represents corrupt kindness and is therefore equal to by highlighting the merits and spiritual powers that Ishmael, who embodied corrupt kindness as well.22 Ja-- he, Jacob, possessed.20 He therefore did not mention cob thought that Esau, corrupt strength, had already ȱĚȱęǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ been elevated and therefore expected the redemption.23 ȱǯȱ ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȃĴǰȄȱ He therefore told him, “I have acquired…donkeys [lit-- alluding to his ability to use strength when necessary. erally, ‘a donkey’].” According to the Midrash, Jacob ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěȯǯǯǰȱ ȱ ĚȬ- was alluding to the donkey upon which the Messiah ness—alluding to the fact that his strength was a holy will arrive.24 Jacob was telling Esau that by sojourning strength, predicated on humility. with Laban and remaining true to God’s command-- In our lives, too, we must employ strength at times, in ments, he had brought holiness into the mundane order to counter those who mock and oppose goodness world and was therefore ready for the messianic era, and holiness. But we must be careful not to employ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ 25 mere egotistical boldness. To do so would mean low-- physicality. ering ourselves to the level of our opposition, which Jacob thought that Esau was also ready for that time. ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ǲȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ He thought that the earthly Esau had already been assured that our boldness will trump theirs. realigned with his Divine source, that his intense and Furthermore, egotistical boldness is an unholy trait. It chaotic energy had been redirected from a passion for

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ ǽŜǾȱ ȱȱȱĴȱ[literally, “oxen”]: Above,26 saying that it was safe to return home. Thus, he was the Torah does not mention that Jacob acquired cat-- unable to work the land, since it would require him ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱo¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęǰȱ ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ǯ and Jacob was a shepherd, not a landowner. He did Therefore, although Jacob owned oxen, which he not become a landowner for two reasons: (a) the used to plow the small plot of land that he owned same reason Abel disdained the earth: the earth had in order to grow food, the Torah did not mention, ȱǲ27 and (b) his mother had originally told since its purpose was to describe that which Jacob him to sojourn with Laban for “a short while until was blessed with in abundance. the wrath of your brother will abate.” Jacob antici-- Esau, on the other hand, was a landowner. To im-- pated a message from his mother at any moment press him, Jacob had to speak of oxen.28

19. Above on 30:43. 20. See Bereishit Rabbah 75:6 and Yefeh Toar, ad loc.ǲȱȱȱMegaleh Amukot on this verse, et al. 21. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 252-257. 22. See above on 22:2, Inner Dimensions. 23. Hitva'aduyot 5747, vol. 1, p. 591. 24. Bereishit RabbahȱŝśǱŜǲȱ Zachariah 9:9. 25. See also on Exodus 4:20. 26. 30:43. 27. Genesis 4:3. 28. Sichot Kodesh 5740, vol. 1, pp. 502-505.

Ŭūű 435 FIRST READING

X ONKELOS W Ë RÊn~wp¯l~] rrwp~q Wq½qËL p] o½qsQ~jsVlvq~a rn½q8 ou qlq~rl qs lq o ju ~r r r j u ou n ~n ruqr ou qu p~sP½q9Ë vl vq_ o j¯n QnÀqj·qjV rr¶qwp~j~saÆqwp~j r jnzu q ou jqj~ur q jq j os u r j ~ r njzqjr{ooo~n ql~q _ pl vqÁqV r rjºL r¿njQq q~r_ pl vqÁqwp~V r°o~Ë _rw n~ ~ r njzqo ju u q o jnj~rl 10 s lq ql~q~ rr o zj q~jujznu j Or rjq~] nr~T oÒk~M slvqhp~sS½q vro jnQr~j¯nÂq u or~or rjq~~ru q~u j u ork~ u u n ql~u n rjr jn~ru q~u j VÑj jq~j º¯ a Rq~ o ] os~vrY rÙjL r jn] nr~QoÒ~vo j runos~jj rru qu ju j r jq~j Ð vrÁnr _ no~jQÑ jÊ jqË vjº

X RASHI W q r j nu q s l quq 4 ssj rr j nju ru n jn slq n~ s pou q oro~ru p z~ rnu q pouq~ rnuq 4 rr j nj r rjq~ nr~ os k~4ru n jnr ru pl q u ru njq q~rpl qu q no l~ ~~p u r jn nr~ os~o ro jn r~jznu q pl qu q r rj pl q q r pl qu n~ roj s zju rr s zj zou q zj q r p z u q sj r jnq qu os~~u ru qju zooj rrs zjpu q pl qu q rojs zj ol u z q~ o os~ rs ujns r r r t jqo zu n j nj zpp zu q roj s zju rr s zj nzju q zj nr ju r~jz j u ru zsru q o jns lq qr~j ~r ru u p~" sjr j jq~j s zj ol s~rs n qr zu q o jn pr~r~q rr nr~ ou n n~oju q q~ n quj qjn s rjq oujz~u oj roj s zj ol n ru q q r jr zpp zu qj rr r nr~ r rjq~ os~ k nl~ nu ru jqr~p z q p z o~ju n u q u n q roj s zj ol r~rur sju q ou u nj q u p zl~s ju r nu jqjzu nu ru jqr~ r zj r jnos~ o r sju q u j rrs zj ol nquqsu nu qu jq~ju r psl~ pp~~p u z nu ru jqr~rr o ju oj ou oj rojs zju rrs zj ol nr or j r r j r t jq o zjuq~ o ro jn r zjj ru n p jp~jr pu jq sju os zo~ roj s zj o~o r~jr zo~j zo~ pp~~p u z s lqp~ p~su q qk~pu p z suqj s jru q ro jnr~jznu q pl qu q r rj rrs zj pr rj~rnl~u u o~rs rjq oujznu sjr psl~ ssj nr j r zs jzn sjq njn su n o ru ~ p un

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[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŞǾȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǳ straint (gevurah). The Tohu environment can be com-- into two camps: When Jacob realized that Esau was pared to narrow-minded people who mind cannot unable to consciously share the energy of Tohu with accommodate two opposing concepts. When, for him, Jacob took measures to elicit this light on his example, they are inclined favorably toward a given own. This would also protect him from the dangers subject, they will be unable to see any room for criti-- of the physical Esau. cism of the subject, and vice versa. These measures would have to mirror the world In Tikunǰȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱĞȱȱȬ- of Tohuǯȱ ȱęȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ nized into a third realm. This can be compared to a camp into two, the number associated with Tohu. broad-minded person, who even in judgment can Tikun, by contrast, is characterized by the number entertain a favorable thought. This is because in three: Tikun the light is less intense and the vessels more The ę of Tohu exist in two separate realms, right expansive. The expanded vessel allows for the coex-- ȱĞǲȱȱę exists independently of the oth-- istence of opposing views, like the broad mind that er. In Tikun, however, each ę is a conglomerate can accommodate opposites. of all the others. This conglomeration is not possible In order to elicit the intense light of Tohu, Jacob split in Tohu, since the vessels of Tohu are too small to his camp in two, mirroring the two-dimensional contain opposites. Kindness of Tohu, for example, is world of Tohu.49 pure and unrestrained kindness uninhibited by re--

49. Torah Or 24d.

ŬūŲ 436 Genesis 32:8-10 VAYISHLACH

8 Jacob was very frightened over the prospect that he might be killed, and dis-- tressed over the prospect that he himself might have to kill others.43 He therefore decided to employ the following three strategies, in this order: (a) to prepare for ĴǰȱǻǼȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȬ- ¢ǰȱȱǻǼȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĞȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱęǯȱǰȱ he prepared for war before praying, because he planned to base his prayers on the ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĴǱȱHe divided the people who were with ȯȱ ȱȱĚǰȱĴǰȱȱȯȱ ȱ, one camp com-- prising his servants and possessions, and the second comprising himself and his family. Because God had promised Abraham and Isaac to multiply their descen-- dants, and it was on the strength of this promise that Jacob planned to ask God to protect his family, he separated his family from his estate (for God’s promise ap-- plied to his family, not to his estate). 9 “Thus,” he said, “even ifȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱĞǰȱȱEsau ȱȱȱęȱȱȱĴȱǰȱand overcomes it because it lacks God’s promised protection—and I will then be forced to defend the remaining camp ȱȱĴȯ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȬ- maining camp will surviveǰȱȱĞȱǰȱ ȱdid promise to protect me and my family.” 10 ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱ to invoke, Jacob was now ready to approach God in prayer.44 Jacob thus said to God, “When You appeared to me at Bethel45ȱȱęȱȱȱGod of my forebear Abraham and God of my father Isaac, You promised to protect me wher-- ever I would go. When You appeared to me in Padan Aram46ȱȱęȱȬ- self simply as Gќё, You said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your birthplace, ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ǯȂȱAs I am now preparing to confront my brother Esau and am desperately in need of Your aid to do so, I must now invoke both of these promises. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 8 ǳȱ ȱ ¢ǳȱ ǳȱ ǻǼȱ ȱ each strategy, Jacob also displayed an unusual ability ȱȱĴǰȱǻǼȱȱ¢ȱȱ ǳȱǻǼȱȱȬ- ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱěȱ¢ȱȱȱȬ- ȱǳĞǱȱAlthough Jacob was averse to do any of multaneously. Preparing for war was an act of aggres-- these, he overcame his aversion and did them anyway: sion (gevurahǼǲȱȱȱĞȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ Ĵ: Although Jacob was afraid of being killed in war (chesedǼǲȱȱ ȱȱĴȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ and even more so of having to kill others, he overcame ǰȱ Ȃȱ ęȱ ǰȱ ¢ȱ ǻrachamim-tiferet), re-- his fear and prepared for war. lated to God. Prayer: Although Jacob was afraid that he was not Jacob’s multifaceted approach in confronting Esau to worthy of God’s protection, he reached out to God in protect his family gives us the strength to do the same prayer in any case. in our confrontation with our current exile. We can-- ȱ Ĝȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ǯȱ Ğ: Although Jacob was angry that he had to take We must engage in a multifaceted approach, using the all these measures in preparation for his meeting with full spectrum of our abilities, to protect our children, Esau,47 he did so in any case. indeed every Jewish child, from the spiritual dangers In addition to overcoming his particular aversion to of exile.48

43. Likutei Sichot, vol. 30, p. 229, note 5. 44. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 265-272. 45. Above, 28:13-15. 46. Above, 31:3. 47. Rashi below on v. 22. 48. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 270-273.

ŬūŲ 437 SECOND READING

X ONKELOS W w~ p rQn°r_ p¯l~ Opk~] rwr¿ nºT nrl vq s^¿n nÊjsWr11 ru nu u n jn s u n nr jq roj ol~j u r jqn ru jqlu n r jq nQnr_ rÊqjOp» q ] o¸ jq½ qwp~T nÊ jbqrRn jqj¿Ñ] n L p¸jq qju or~ru j jqr nrl nn j 12 n jq o z r jnzu q ou jqjnol ~^ orw¿ vn L r°o] q½ n Qn r~_ q½~ n V r n_ onÆq Ë vl vq_ o j¯n ol~ r{o~ j rn n r~~ j rn qj rÊ jOqr~] rÊq~j13vnr¶wq~Qo n Oq¿ nj~Ë ]rwÅË p Os~T ns vr~ nq o jnj oo~ rju nu ou~ n r~ l o r ju j ql~juq~j ~rqu ju ~q run~ _ p¯l~Or½ qË ] j¿TÑl jqw~ vp ^ nÊjq°jÐL rÁnQno~_ oo rj ju r uo q zl~qj run os~~ rrs~ u jjn~r u n ~ ruq~ j r r ju n~nu q s voQorÃnw~ vÒ ~u ~ q r jou j ruquru o ju n 14 ~ ruju jnuu onnj q~u j n oju Qr jË n Vr~ j a r¶qw n YqÇn½q~º Lqrj] qÀq¶¯Qr p_ r½q n u l~ r{oj vn r~_ r°o j

X RASHI W " pr~rqlqu r l jqr rj~ ru ~ p s qr~~~s slq ojq qsu tju l q jn nrl q s u n un js r nn{ r ~n p zl~q r j rk~~ p s un s qr~p z~ru p~ ~~ ru p z ornl~j rj nu n rn{ rp z pk~rj nrl q pu jq~ ru jq qr~ r rjq~ju rj nu jqu nu p zl~ o~ oru njn s jnj ~ jo junujq jq jnn quj qjnp zu n u r q q j{ q p zl~ s qjn qr zu q o jsju r l jq p~ ru nu ru jqr zu p z r pr ju qunl~ pk~rru nu r{ o q ju s jq~ru ~ p uq un q ojsu zjnu sr~ j ruq pp~s nu n r~ r s n jqj nu n quj qjnp z s rjqq ss nrl~ sr~ j ruq n rru ~ q zqjnu sru n rru ~ q zqjnu suqj n jq~ru p~ p jn~s j rr~s j o ~ q r ru sr ju r~j{ sj sjnur rr~p z su nur jqu r{oqu n n r~qu n ou jqu q qjnj ou jqu qu sjq qr juq~ j rju o{l q qru p z nu t q n sr~ j ruq n r zrr r{ oj~u ru ~ p r~ju nu n o s o~p z n r~uq n r j n qr qlqrj u u pj{u ql~ o{ u q qr~ u jnu no~ r ju jnu oo no~oo ou s qr~ rojru q s jur l jq~p un jq{jr psl~

¥¡¥´£³²£¡¦³£©³£¨¡ª´¥¥²¨ £¥´£³²¢§³£¡¥´£³²°£©³£¨¡ª´ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W hand, Jacob was evoking his humble beginnings, say-- posite sentiments by evoking the essence of his soul, ing that he crossed the river penniless, with nothing which transcends both sentiments.63 ȱȱěǯȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ 14 He spent that night [literally, “he spent the night ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ on that night”]: The Torah usually uses one word ¨¥¢ 62 to miraculously split the water. to mean “he spent the night.” Here, and again below,64 These two sentiments represent two levels within Ja-- the Torah adds the seemingly redundant phrase: “he ȂȱĚǯȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ spent the night on that night.” The Torah again uses the ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱęȱǯȱȱȱȱ phrase “that night” in verse 23, saying “that night he ǰȱȱ ȱ¢ȱĚǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȬ- arose.” ond level that Jacob was prideful, since this pride was By emphasizing that all of these events occurred “on not an egotistical pride but one that stemmed from hu-- that night,” the Torah is alluding to the uniformity in ¢Ǳȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĚȱ Jacob’s frame of mind throughout the varied activities that he viewed himself simply as a conduit for God’s he engaged in on that night: (a) praying and expressing ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱǻǼȱȱȱȱĞȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱęǰȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱǯȱ and (c) taking steps to protect his family. One would Jacob was able to maintain both of these seemingly op-- have thought that Jacob’s frame of mind during the lat--

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗŚǾȱ ȱȱȱĞȱȱȱȱǱȱSpiritu-- ȱĞȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ally, Ȃȱȱ ȱȱĞȱ ȱȱȱȱ of Tohu. This is why it included non-kosher animals, Ğ¢ȱȱȱȂȱȱǰȱȱ ȱ since the world of Tohu operates in a modality that of Tohu. does not conform to Torah law.65

62. Rashi. 63. Sefer HaSichot 5749, vol. 1, pp. 100-103 and note 14. 64. V. 22. 65. Torah Or 24d-25a.

Ŭūų 438 Genesis 32:11-14 VAYISHLACH

11 ǰȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱěȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱȱ the kindness You have already shown me therefore constitutes the full reward for whatever merits may have remained to my credit. If so,50 I am no longer worthy of Your promised protection, ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ that You have already done for me, your servant.ȱĞȱǰȱI crossed this Jordan River on my way to Charan with nothing to my name butȱ¢ȱěǰȱȱ , thanks to Your kindness, I have become the head of two camps: one consisting of a large family and the other consisting of the great wealth I have amassed. 12 Therefore, I must petition You anew for Your protection, this time in the merit of my forebears. Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, who is not pre-- ȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱěǲȱȱȱfrom the hand of Esau, the wickedǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĴȱȱand my family, mothers ȱȱǯ 13 And You have already ǰȱȁ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ǰȱboth in your own merit and in the merit of your forebears, and ȱ ȱęȱȱ¢51 the promise I made to Abraham: “ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱgrains of sand on the seashore, i.e., that they will become too numerous to count.”52 ’ ”53 Second Reading 14 He spent that night there, and the following morning he im-- ȱȱȱ¢Ǳȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĞǯȱĞȱęȱȱȱ possessions, as he had promised God he would,54 ȱȱȱĞȱȱȱȱ Esau from among what remained and was therefore rightfully his to give away. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 11ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱěȱȱ only more arrogance. Yet the same friendship and at-- of my merits: The word for sin (chet) also connotes tention given to wholesome people engenders a sense “lacking.”55 of humility in their recipients. They become inspired Obviously, Jacob did not sin in the conventional sense to cleave even more intensely to the wise and to rectify of contravening God’s will. Rather, because of his great their own shortcomings. humility he assumed that his deeds were lacking com-- Similarly, when God granted Jacob remarkable suc-- plete perfection. Therefore, as is the way of righteous cess, he did not respond with arrogance, but with hu-- people,56 he petitioned God to save him not because of mility.59 As Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi interpreted his worthiness—although he was in fact worthy—but this verse, “I have been humbled due to all the acts of out of pure kindness. kindness…that You have done for me.” ǰȱǰȱȱĴȱȱĴȱȱȱȱĚȱ Jacob recognized God’s kindness as an expression of in which we are unable to consider ourselves worthy of His love for him. God was drawing him close. And the Divine assistance but ask for it by appealing to God’s ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱęȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ kindness. If we ask for assistance based on our worthi-- ȱȱ ȱęȱȱǯ60 ness—and we certainly are worthy57—God’s response will be limited to the extent of our worthiness. But Despite the importance of humility, the Talmud in-- when we disregard our worthiness, we demonstrate structs Torah scholars to maintain a small amount of that we have achieved self-transcendence and God re-- pride.61 Thus, despite Jacob’s deep humility, he still sponds to us accordingly with blessings that transcend ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱęǰȱȱ ȱȱ the natural order.58 later, when Jacob does not hesitate to dispatch angels I ȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ (!) for his needs. and trustworthiness that You have done for me: The This combination of humility and pride can also be ȱȱĴȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ seen in the dual meaning of Jacob’s statement, “I ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱěǯȄ On the one

50. Cf. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 141, note 27. 51. See above, 23:15. 52. Above, 22:17. 53. Likutei Sichot, vol. 19, p. 20, note 49. 54. Above, 28:22. 55. See 1 Kings 1:21. 56. See Rashi on Deuteronomy 3:23. 57. See Torah OrȱřŗǲȱBava Metzia 83a. 58. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 277-280. 59. Sefer HaMa'amarim 5704, p. 91. 60. Igeret HaKodesh 2. 61. Sotah 5a and Rashi ad loc.

Ŭūų 439 SECOND READING

X ONKELOS W _ no~jn Qq~r_ no j L nj°p Qn¯rº j n Oq~r] n»n15 o o j nj{p~ur q zr ju r~ruo n o jqu nj{poj njr~r Ë ^rÅ L n¯Òj¯Qpo jº Ë Vnvo a nÀqj·16 vnj°p ~ r rs u nr ju so j~u rrj o r jq~~rj{q nsj nju jq~ vrr°lQnr jq O nj°ps] sl~Orr°l ] nrº T nr¶ jq~ q ju qn ~ rj{q onj nj{p nss jnu~rjp~rjpnsjq T rrlw~ p p~s^½qËL¸qjpQop_ o Orrlwq¶ j T oÊn½q17 ~ r j qj q rmu rl nsjqj ql~q ~ rjp o~u rjp ou u u q zj w~ p _ qjq18 pvo_ oº pQo_ o¶º On°rÊ q] pjOq rjº ]jn ol~roj r~r jqr ou qu qojruj nl~ jznj n r~ r{oj ru n jqj w nj sO~oTÑ jvo~j¯º Rn r~] r°o YÑj¯vr jvn¿] n sL~oË Q¯~ nvr ~ q ju o~ r juq~r~ju juq~~ qu j 19 j u r jqu j qoj j r rju n ou n~ ]Ñ j¸jqjT rÊ jqvr~j ÑvprjpÀ_~ o QnjºÐ Oo o r] r~jT rÊbq~ ~ r ju q zju n ~~ n ruju jnus lqu j or~~u ~~ q rjr{ojn su nj ~º Qwq_ oÂ njL r°o j Qns~vqOr ºj¯T~ n _ r j n sOlvq j ~rrj nu r ~q ou qu ~r rjq 20 nj r~u j ru r ~q r~rn ju r q~ w~ p ·Uq On¯n j±qwp~·Uq Rno±qwp~]· q Yqjq º vol vq~ or~ rru jnju roj~ur qjp qru u or u ju jzququ r{on u ju qju º ]j¶ qjÊTp» q ^ r r¸q¿sL~o Qnrl vr _ ol vq~ Onjs]qwr¿ j s lqu r jq~r ~q u joj _Ñ j¸jqV oÂ n ·Rq PpÊ jql~vq21 Ë vs~Qpl~vqs¶ j Or°ow p~ ouu n nl~ ql~ol~~r rjqor~ q rm~rj r~~u j ruju jnjuou j tj p] psvqT r j nÁq¶Rr r ] rjÅql~Yqr~wvn¿º L ol ~ vq sQlvq qu n n~rnsuq~ok ~ p ou qru ~ q ruju jnupplq ruq~ s_l vqÊq22 vrr~_ r²nQqº~Or r ] p~ jp~T ow ol vq~jOr rj ~u q ~r jo ju ~ru u j nsuq~ ~ r njzqju vpl vqÁvq¶ ~º QqwrjvqÀq¶_ r ~º VjL rrÅwqQr j nÁq

X RASHI W ru ~ q nj ssuq u u n q sju qju r zr ss~ p z s nju n n n q~r nj{p nzr ju n q~ru n n nju juq~~ q ju su u j qjl or s z n ruq~n p z soju q j ps oju nrju qru tu oj nzr ju nj{ p r j nu q nj o n p z r p rju p z pu o~jpr rjpu o~ rs uq ru l~r r sj~ ru n zosu ru q nz~ojnu sjnur ouq z~s ju p zpu q z j pr r u jz~su q nru q q ruq zjun qujz nl su q s rju nru qu q ~u nu p z~u n p~s ruq~ p zl~s j sju p z q q~ nru qu q s nzs jzn q ~ q n ru u q q ruq zju q q~ r u j jqjru jqr~j p z u r~sju pr~r q u u njuup q zrjnu q uo qjq os n o~j nzrm r zu nzj ruj q~r zu p z sl ~ q sl ~ q qj s z~n s z~nq s lq j r r z r sr o~p z ~ ru n u jqru p z q ojp~ jnj q~ j rjq ju su u jqj nl~s lqjr jujqj ruq~ nj ~ ru u nru p zr r ru u q qs nj~ru p~ rr~rju ~ n r j npr rjpu ~ o nju ruj q~r zu p zjs lq ju o p z nj n~ q rjoju n n p{ p zn qu rjqru p z rju ql~s lqu ol ~ q ~u q ou nj sj r u jz p{ p ouqju znjzqu su jqjru jqur~r ju n nu ju ~s p r ~p p j njuqu t j oj sj t ou ql~r r nru rrppuq j u r~ o rjuq jnu p zu n roju soj p o~p z rru qu ru p zq ojp~ jnju rju qu n ju soj qu jq~~ru p~ rrj qr~s r~r jnu njsp z rrlqj q u u n s zjru 4 tu nru p o~j~ jo r sr rrjsojoujz rs j j p pjuoj sp z sl q j u ojqu qju j ququou jqj~u nu ql~s zju o rrj q ~ q roj rs j osj p pu nj sp z nu qjqu j ~ rjnu q s zjnuq j ~ rjq~u qjuu oj ou u qj oru zqjnu p ru n po ju nzs jz sn o nu qju o z q rr osju zpsp z n rj nu q n~ rjn nju rojppu j rr p o~ru qu po ju rru q~ r ru q rj nu q q j{nupru rrq ou q j osu qp z nsl nr jq u ru q sj jn~s znjzqjuqu u r p z nruq ru q u ru qr zu n s zr rr ojr rj sju u jn sjqj nr n ru su qj po po nrj q rru ~ q zqjnu q ru q ns~ nnjqu q oj q pj p ol ~ q ~sr~nl~q s rs~ sj ppu q rj p rjj n rr rp zqqjuu r z~u q~r ru so qnu j{qj oju n~ q s j sol o jn pou n{ ru

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ŬŬŪ 440 Genesis 32:15-22 VAYISHLACH

15 ȱęȱȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱ ȱȱȱęȱ types of animals, providing the females of each species with the appropriate num-- ber of males of that same species with whom to mate: 200 she-goats and 20 he- goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams; 16 30 nursing camels with both their young and 30 male camels with whom to mateǲȱŚŖȱ ȱȱŗŖȱǲȱŘŖȱȬ¢ȱȱŗŖȱȬ¢ǯ (Because camels mate modestly, the Torah does not mention the male mates explicitly.) 17 He put all these in the charge of his servants, drove by drove, and said to his servants, “Go on a day’s journey ahead of me, and I shall follow behind. Be sure to ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¡ǯȱȱ ȱȱȱĞȱȱ more impressive and hopefully appeal to my brother’s avarice.” 18ȱ ȱȱȱęȱȱȱ Ǳȱȃȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȁȱȱȱ¢, i.e., Who sent you? Where are you headed? And to whom are these droves in front of you being sent?’— 19 you shall reply, answering his questions in the order in which he asked them, ‘I am an emissary of ¢ȱǰȱ ǯȱȱȱȱĞȱȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱ Jacob himself is also right behind us.’ ” 20 He gave similar instructions to the second one, to the third, and to all the oth-- ersȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǰȱ¢ǰȱȃȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ Esau when you meet him, 21 and you shall also say, ‘Your servant Jacob is also right behind us’ ”—for he ǰȱȃ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱ will face him; perhaps he will then show me favor.” Jacob was angry that he had to take all these measures in preparation for his meeting with Esau. 22ȱȱȱȱĞ of jewels and animals passed on ahead of him. Jacob sent an es-- cort composed of some of the angels that God had sent to protect him. When these angels confronted Esau and his men, they assumed human form66 and asked them ȱ¢ȱ ǯȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȂȱǰȱȱȱĴȱ them. Esau’s men pleaded for mercy, invoking Esau’s merit as Isaac’s son, but this did not stop the angels from continuing their onslaught. Esau’s men then invoked Esau’s merit as Abraham’s grandson, but this, too, did not stop them. They then invoked Esau’s merit as Jacob’s brother, to which the angels responded, “If so, you ȱȱȱǰȄȱȱę¢ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ67 Jacob spent that night in the camp.

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ěȱȱ ȱ ȱ Esau and protect his family were not a departure from was praying to God and expressing his trust in Him. his prayer and faith, but a continuation of it. He en-- One would have thought that they were carried out gaged in these tactical activities to create natural ves-- with lesser Divine consciousness. ȱȱȱęȱȱ Ȃȱǯȱ ȱȱ The Torah therefore emphasizes that all these events ȱĴȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ occurred on that night. His tactical steps to appease ȱȱ ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱȱ during his prayers.68

66. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 392. 67. Rashi on 33:8, below. 68. Hitva'aduyot 5745, vol. 2, pp. 814-825.

ŬŬŪ 441 SECOND READING

X ONKELOS W ] oÊj¯wp~jT r¯r^ oÊj¯wp~ YqÇn½q ~º R rj] qÀq¶*rċ] r½q23 rq j~u u ~r jo ju rj u or o j ou jqur j ns zj ou jqu s v¶q_ ql vq ~Qo sPlvq½vqL rrjQr°r_ q q~wp~jOrs jn¯ ql q r qlq nsju q{l q r j uu nru jq~juu nr ju ~ rju Ë vwp¯l~w~ p Qolvq½vqq L rÂqwp~Qonlvq½qOo rÇbn½q24 ou u n rqu jq~j~rl qr nss jnus lqq~jujzn~j q vr±qË _lËQq OÁnT¯~ n _ or~vo½qË L¸qjsQlvq_ orºn½q25 o ju n q u oun~rjqu u q qujzn~j nj~r ol~~rl q ~ rjq Ð pċ]pw¿ q T qboÊqËL ojwqj¶Qq·n½qËO T sr~Ò^ ¿~] n jRq½q26 ojur j u ou jqojnu oju ou u ounu ou u r qujzn~jus lq~ j ru jq q L r±qQrr¿_ n n Oo jÀq¯p~s]½q27 Ë vÁnËQjvr~o¶ j sOlvq ~ rjqo j ol~nq ju q z ql~q n ruj oru ork~ruj n ju q zl~~r ql~q w q Qro~ p~s_½q28n vrÊj qvo¶wn~¿Qn OÑl voÀvq¯l~~Ò] T p~sb½q s lq ql~qj r~ jz r ou ql~q s ql~ jns lq~r ql~q OÑjn¯TË_ or~voTslvq~Ò^ p~sR½q29 s vlvq p~sQ½qÑL pj± juq~ r ol~o~ rj{n ork~j r jz rujrn~ru qjtu njrj rm vrºÊq Qn¯rl~w njV nÒk~w n ra nr°wvn¿ L o~rj°nw~ n Qn¿

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X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W shrouded in the most extreme spiritual darkness.77 By Israel was not meant displace the name Jacob. Rather, connecting to his root in the essence of God—where it was meant to be an additional name, expressing a God’s all-pervasiveness is obvious—Jacob gained the Ğȱȱȱ ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱ strength to retrieve the “small articles,” even the low-- particular aspect of our relationship with God, both of est sparks. In turn, by elevating even these sparks, Ja-- ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȬ- cob revealed the all-pervasiveness of God, that there sion: is nothing outside the Godly, even that which on the Jacob as “Jacob” had to struggle and use trickery to re-- 78 surface appears to be furthest from Him. ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ǲȱȱ 29 No longer shall it be said that your name is Jacob: “Israel,” the blessings were conceded to him and no Unlike by Abraham, whom the Torah no longer refers longer contested. to as Abram once his name was changed, the Torah Spiritually, this means that our interaction with the continues to refer to Jacob as both Jacob and Israel.79 material world—the subject of Isaac’s blessings—takes Similarly, the Jewish people, the descendants of Jacob, on two forms. There are times when the material world are referred to by both names. This is because the name challenges our Divine consciousness. During those mo--

77. See Me’orei Or, Pei 50. 78. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 281, 288, notes 63-65. 79. See Berachot 13a.

ŬŬū 442 Genesis 32:23-29 VAYISHLACH

23ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱ, and all their twin sisters,69 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱRiver. He hid his daughter Dinah in a crate so that Esau would not see her and desire her. Although the motive for his cautiousness was praiseworthy, he in fact erred, for Dinah’s ex-- traordinary righteousness would have enabled her to reform Esau.70 24ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱone at a time, Ğȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱĴȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱand then carried all his pos-- sessions across the stream in the same way. He then went back to get some small ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱĞȱǯ 25 Thus Jacob remained on his own on the north shore of the Yabok River. Esau’s guardian angel assumed the physical form of a man and wrestled with him until ȱȱȱ ǯ Their wrestling was a physical manifestation of the two broth-- ers’ inner, spiritual struggle over the birthright. 26 When Esau’s guardian angel saw that he could not overcome him, he touched Jacob’s hip joint, so that Jacob’s hip joint became dislocated as he wrestled with him. 27 The angel then said, “Let me leave, for I must go sing my daily morning praise to God, ȱ ȱȱǯȄȱȱ ȱǰȱȃ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ you ęȱbless me by acknowledging my right to the blessings my father gave me, which Esau is now contesting.” 28 The angelȱȱǰȱȃȱȱ¢ȱǵȄȱȱȱ ǰȱȃ ǯȄ 29 The angel then said, “Be patient. God will soon appear to you and give you an alternative name. No longer shall it be said that your name is just Jacob [Ya’akov, from the verb akov—“ensnare”71], implying that you usurped Esau’s blessings, but rather, you will also be called Israel [Yisrael, from serarah, “nobility,” and also mean-- ing “striven with God”], implying that you obtained the blessings from your father honorably, for you have striven with me—an angel of God—and with men—i.e., Esau and Laban—over what is rightfully yours, and you have prevailed over the three of us. I will be present to consent to this additional naming, thereby acknowl-- edging your right to the birthright.”

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 24-25ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǳȱ that sustain that object have a particular connection to Thus Jacob remained on his own [alone]: The Mi-- our souls. (This is why we are drawn to certain objects drash72 compares Jacob’s remaining “alone” to the and not to others, since we are drawn to objects that “aloneness,” i.e., all-pervasiveness of God, as in the are spiritually connected to us.) By using those objects verse, “…on that day [in the messianic age] God alone for a holy purpose, we reveal the Godliness of those will be exalted.”73ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱĞ¢ȱȬ- objects.75 sion of Jacob, associated with the revelation of God’s This is why, as the Talmud comments regarding Jacob, all-pervasiveness in the messianic age, with the fact the righteous cherish their belongings immensely,76 ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱęȬ- ȱ¢ȱȱȱĞ¢ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ 74 cant articles? ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱǯȱȱ The Baal Shem Tov taught that our ownership of a The “small articles” that Jacob returned for contained particular object is an indication that the Godly sparks sparks that had fallen the lowest and which were

69. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 263, notes 10, 11. 70. Cf. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, p. 151. 71. Above, 27:36. 72. Bereishit Rabbah 77:1. 73. Isa-- iah 2:17. 74. See Kli Yakar. 75. See Keter Shem Tov 218 and Or Torah 413, explaining Rosh HaShanah 27a. 76. Chulin 91a, end.

ŬŬū 443 SECOND & THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W Qp» rÁ_ r p~sP½qÑ Opj¯~] rÂw rvn·qT p~sb½qsRlvq] q~j¯n½q30 qju n q ql~qs lq o~ jzu o~r z juq~q~ j rjql~qj r jz vr¯ËQs~Ð p_ rjqL nj¯n] q~j¯nÊ ~ rju ruquu orj nru njzn ol~o~n~ ju rjq~~ j rjzs lq n^ n~rwvn¿L o~n jÅË QrÁq¯_ o sVlvq~a rjn½q31 nuq~ju nuq~r~ q rl~j q nol ou q ju nzjq qr oujzn~j Ë ]w vqjvn½q32 vn¯jqQorÂ nÊq OnrÅwp~ ] nrÅT nÒk~ ~u j o~u ju r ql~qu r zjnz u o jq qq jq Ë vojwqqQos ~º _jL o~ºjÅwp~Qqr_ p¯l~vq¿¯p Op±q

X RASHI W rju srj n ~p s~ju qj su jrj4 s qjnu q rru q~ u os jzu n qujzn qu r o z ru ~ o q~jznu up rru sr z rs~j rpr jnu~ou j qu r rj zpp z~ ro j n ju qujznu r~p z u n jzu q qslq j n njs u q rl n q p z o~ju~ n rru p z u j sn jznuqs jzn rl nu p z u jqu np zju ~u rr~o ju s zj zppu z q s qj nuq zpp zu q r jru p zju qo s r r qos~u j sn jznu q s jn zqjnu su zjpu q q zu q ru n~o n sju srj

¥£¥¦¨¡¬²´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W creation to project an illusion of separateness from marily involves the body and the physical world, the God. Havayah embodies transcendence from Divine ȃǰȄȱǯǯǰȱȱ ȱȱȱǲȱȃ Ȅȱȱ concealment. associated with study of the Torah, which involves the 94 Jacob must toil to see past the veneer of Elokim, to its soul and the mind. essence, which is Havayahǲȱ ȱ ǰȱ Elokim presents ȱę¢ǰȱȃ Ȅȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ no concealment to begin with, as Jacob said before his ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȭęǲȱ ȃ Ȅȱ ȱ journey to Charan, “and Havayah will be for me Elo-- associated with Torah study for its own sake, experi-- kim.”90 ȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱĴ¢ȱȱ 95 Similarly, the Sabbath is related to Havayah, and the from this world. six weekdays to Elokim, as in the verse,91 “And Elokim You will be called Israel, for you have striven with an ceased on the seventh day [from all the work that He angel [or: “angels”96] of God and with men and you had done]”—on the Sabbath, the concealment of Elo-- have prevailed: More broadly, the angel was referring kim gives way to the revelation of Havayah.92 not only to himself but to the seventy angels through ¢ǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȃ ȄǲȱȱȬ- whom God channels his energy to create and sustain 97 sion, in general, is to struggle with the physical and nature. Since nature hides God’s presence, these an-- reveal its inner Godliness by utilizing it for holiness. gels represent concealment of God. This concealment For example, when we eat during the week, we are of God gives rise to a greater concealment, that of engaged in a mundane act with a holy end (to utilize “men,” cynics who deny God’s existence or His desire the energy of the food for goodness). On the Sabbath, for our good deeds, and therefore scorn those who ǰȱ ȱȱȃ Ȅǲȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ embrace the Torah and its precepts. The environment mundane trappings of physicality—eating on the Sab-- created by these cynics poses a greater challenge to our bath is itself a holy act. Divine consciousness than that posed by the Divine concealment inherent to nature itself. “Israel” is generally the condition of completely righ-- ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǲȱȱȃ Ȭ- This is why the four volumes of the code of Jewish law cob” is generally the condition of people aspiring to be (Shulchan Aruch) begins with the admonition, “Do not 98 righteous, who must struggle with temptation. In par-- ȱȱȱȱěǰȄ since the foundation ticular, however, even the aspiring person experiences of all our spiritual work is to break through and undo “Israel” on the Sabbath, as mentioned. Likewise, com-- the concealment of Godliness. pletely righteous people also experience some measure Having the name “Israel” means that we can transcend ȱȱȱȯȱȱȱȱĞȱȬ- any Divine concealment posed by “angels” or “men.” ture than that experienced people who are still only ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱĴȱȃ Ȭ- aspiring to be righteous—which is their “Jacob.”93 rael,” they consent to his taking of the blessings and ȱǰȱęȱȱǰȱȃȱȱȱȱ In a general sense, “Jacob” is the name associated peace with him.”99 ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ Ȭ-

90. Above, 28:21. Likutei Torah 1:62b. 91. Above, 2:2. 92. Likutei Torah ŗǱŝŘǲȱSefer HaMa'amarim Melukat, vol. 5, p. 41. 93. Likutei Sichot, vol. 3, pp. 795-798. See also on Numbers 24:5. 94. Sefer HaMa'amarim Melukat, vol. 2, pp. 104-105. 95. Sefer HaMa'amarim Melukat, vol. 5, pp. 41-42. See on Deuteronomy 33:4. 96. Targum YonatanǲȱChulin 92a. 97. See Igeret HaKodesh 25. 98. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 1:1. 99. Proverbs 16:7. Likutei Sichot, vol. 3, pp. 796-797.

ŬŬŬ 444 Genesis 32:30-32 VAYISHLACH

30 Jacob inquired and said, “Please tell me your name.” ȱǰȱȃ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱwhat my name is?ȱȱȱȱȱę¡ȱǲȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ¡ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǲȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ our missions change.” Jacob did not agree to wait until God would appear to him at some unknown point in the future, because he wanted Esau’s guardian angel to acknowledge his right to the birthright before he confronted Esau himself. So, as Jacob had requested, the angel blessed Jacob then and there. Jacob then released his hold on the angel and he disappeared. Third Reading 31 Jacob named the place Peniel [“the face of God”], “for,” he said, “I beheld an angel of God face to face, yet my life was spared.” 32 While Jacob was still at the site of the struggle, the experience of seeing the angel was foremost in his mind, so he alluded only to “the face of God” when he ȱȱǯȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ experience was overshadowed by the remarkable fact that he had survived the awesome experience of confronting Esau’s guardian angel. Therefore, he began to refer to the place not as Peniel but as Penuel [a contraction of the words panav El, “his face (beheld an angel of) God”].80 Miraculously, the sun rose upon him earlier than it naturally should have as he passed Penuel—just as it had set earlier than it naturally should have when he returned from Charan in order to pray at Mount Moriah81—because he was limping, favoring his dislocated hip, and God wanted the sun’s healing power82 to speed his recovery. The injury did not heal completely, however, until a year and a half later.83

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 84 ments, we must struggle to reveal the Divinity that lies ,i alluding to a state where we are conscious of beneath the veneer of materiality. For example, when the “head” of our soul, its highest dimension, and are we engage in physical activities, our Godly purpose inclined only toward holiness. in doing so is not apparent. We are like Jacob, who, Jacob is therefore referred to as God’s servant,85 where-- ȱȱȬȱǰȱ ȱę¢ȱ as Israel is referred to as God’s child.86 Our relationship similar to Esau. We are engaged in “trickery,” since our with God as servants to their master refers to our ful-- external behavior conceals our inner purpose, which is ęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱęȱȱȱǯ and obligation, even when it does not come naturally to At other times, the material world not only does not us. Our relationship with God as children refers to our ȱȱȱǰȱȱęȱǯȱȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ those times we do not need to struggle to do what is derive from Him, we are His “children,” and are there-- right, since doing so comes naturally and intuitively. fore naturally aligned with His will and wisdom.87 At those times our name is “Israel.” The gentile prophet Balaam therefore prophesied that God “sees no iniquity in Jacob, and sees no toil in Isra-- he name “Jacob,” derived from the word for “heel,” T el.”88 On the level of Israel, there is no toil, since behav-- refers to a state where we are conscious only of the ing in a Godly fashion comes naturally. On the level of “heel” of our soul, its lowest element. Our materialistic Jacob, however, there is no iniquity, but there is toil. side is therefore capable of overshadowing the light of ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȭ- he Zohar relates Jacob to the Divine Name Elokim come our materialistic tendencies. T and Israel to the Divine Name Havayah.89 Elokim is the ȱǰȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȃ Ȅȱ can name that embodies that aspect of Godliness that en-- be rearranged to form the words for “I have a head” ables Divine concealment, which in turn enables God’s

80. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, pp. 137-139. 81. Above, 28:11. 82. Cf. Malachi 3:20. 83. ȱȱřřǱŗŞǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 25, pp. 168-169. 84. Pri Etz Chaim 29:1. 85. Isaiah 44:2, et al. 86. Exodus 4:22, et al. 87. Sefer HaMa'amarim 5666ǰȱǯȱřŖŞȬřŖşǲȱThe Simple Servant (Kehot, 2008). 88. Numbers 23:21. 89. Zohar 1:174a.

ŬŬŬ 445 THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W T p¯l~Rp¯rÂ q] n·wp~Wo~ rj°nwvoº j bj~svw~Ò \o¿wq33 r o~ rj{no ju u jo~r ou q ~ q ru jq ojuq ~u n r jzq~ j rnu Qnj¶sOlvqÐ pċ]pw qj¶Tqr¿^ n L p» qË]½ q ÐQq Oor½ q ] q¿wq ~ ru jqojnu oj ol~ or~rs qju ~~r jzqu j rnjus lq j Ë PÁnj~¶Or ] r°o] oÂ njT~ jq½qRrosWlvq~ br²n½q33:1 vp¯rÂ q or~ r{o~rj~rl q nsos lq ou qu njtu r~jqu jq~u ounj Oo rwqjT r~owq R nrj qwp~ q ] q½q¯ L n~Ë Q~o_ q¶ jq~ qjo r qjr~o~q qur ju r ~ rr o jr u n q zj~ rr o j ou jqu Qp ojqw p~jË V rj±qwp~p°a r½q2Ë v rj±q_ oÊj¯Qqj r~or~ j ru jq oo ju r j osr j o r r j n~rjqu~rr ju w p~j_ o rwp~j Onsl ~ vq Trbprvn^ r~ow p~jL rs¯~ vn so rmql~u j n~rjqu 3 q n jnq~ jz r jq~q n ju T r jbq~º ^ qÊj¯n½qL po jn] qr ~º Qj vnsl ~ vq QoË r{oq ju n u ~ l qju o jjn 4 u ojqq qju u o juq j u ou u r qj TË~ rjn^ r°o rbr½q vn r~wqËQÊj¯n·wq OnrÅ j q] p¯ sju u oq jzu j º v¿jn½qRº RRL oRr±RnRq Qr~rºqwqs_Ån½qº Ooj¶q jvq X RASHI W nu p ru n o ru nj r zr ss~~s r n~ qr~ po jn nj " p zru qu n s~ jz rjnrru j p zru q nu pl qujznu r~ rp zju rl q u u j jqu jnu ojuq jqru n ju rjzr oj rnj s zj~u jr rj ssju n r zru p z nj s zo jr r ru u oru z nuqru u q s~rl qujznru qu q n rlru p~ ns~ k n q zu q un oj r ru j qs s rutju z jrup z zo ojn~ j rj qjnuup q r ruqu u r s rju rjqu sru r{ruru qq ju~j oru q rrl~ q s pu sjnz nu q qr~ sun rju sr zj~su p z p~j u jq o rnju qu q j or jnup z q sju qu rl q u jjnu ~p z ru p~s lqj~o s{ r{ op z qu r ju~ n q r nr sl ~ q sl ~ q nsl ~ q r prnr~o sunrjusr zju r r zu rs~ju ¢«¤´¦¬ ¨ªª¨´£³²¦ª£¨²£ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W But this way, Jacob would have overwhelmed Esau He conceded Isaac’s blessings to Jacob,110 including the with holiness. Esau’s evil would then have been sub-- blessing that Jacob would rule over Esau. This marked dued but not transformed. To truly change Esau, as Esau the beginning of Esau’s transformation, which will operated within his own context, Jacob had to lower reach its completion in the messianic age.111 himself to Esau’s level, even if it meant that he would 4ȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ¢ǯȱȱȬ- ěȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ Ȭ- ȱȱȱȱȱęǯȱ ly: Not only did Jacob survive his ordeal with Esau, ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ he transformed Esau. Whereas Esau had previously in his mission. Esau did experience a transformation. wished to kill Jacob, he now ran toward him to hug

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [3] ǳȱȱȱǱȱBy bow-- herited seven of the eight occurrences of the Name ȱȱǰȱ ȱęȱȱȱȱ Havayah in Isaac. Esau inherited the remaining emotions of Tohu embodied in Esau and elevated Name Havayah. 112 the good that each one contained. This idea is The numerical value of Esau’s name ²« is 376, Ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ meaning that, besides the 26 of the Name Havayah Esau’s names: he inherited from Isaac, his “intrinsic” value was The name Havayah ¢ is numerically equiva-- only 350. This number is 7 x 50, which is the nu-- lent to 26. The numerical value of Isaac’s name merical value of the word for “impure” §¡ . Thus, ° ¯¢ equals 8 x 26, i.e., the name Havayah Esau possessed seven measures of impurity plus multiplied by eight. The numerical value of Jacob’s one measure of the Name Havayah (350 + 26 = 376). name °«¢ equals 7 x 26, meaning that he in--

110. 33:9, below. 111. See Zohar 1:166b. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 298-301. See below on v. 4. 112. See below on 36:31. Or HaTorah, Bereishit, vol. 2, pp. 461-462.

ŬŬŭ 446 Genesis 32:33-33:4 VAYISHLACH

33 Therefore, to this very day, when they eat animal meat, the Israelites do not eat the nerve that became displaced when Jacob wrestled with Esau’s guardian an-- gel, i.e., the nerve of the hip joint—the sciatic nerve—because the angel touched Jacob’s hip joint, causing this nerve to be temporarily displaced. Jacob Meets Esau 33:1 Jacob raised his eyes and saw Esau approaching, accompanied by 400 men, so he went to the second camp, which comprised his family members, and di-- vided up the children among their respective mothers: Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids. 2 He placed them in order of increasing importance: the handmaids and their ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱher son Joseph last. 3 He went ahead of them, stationing himself at the head of his camp in order to ȱȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱęǰ and prostrated himself seven times as he approached his brother. 4 Esau, seeing his brother prostate himself, was deeply touched by this display of ȱȱȱȱȱȱĴȱ ǯȱ ǰȱ ran towards him, embraced him wholeheartedly, and threw himself on his shoulders. Neverthe-- less, he was not entirely overcome by emotion:ȱ ȱ ȱ , but not whole-- heartedly. From another perspective, Esau did kiss him wholeheartedly, but this ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱĚ.100 And they wept for joy101 as they embraced. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 33 Therefore, to this very day, the Israelites do not eat refers to Esau several times as “my master” and to ȱ ǳȱ ȱ ȱ ȯȱ ȱ ȯȬ- ȱȱȃ¢ȱȄǲȱȱȱȱĞǲȱǰȱȱ cause the angel touched Jacob’s hip joint: The com-- ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱǯȱ¢ȱĚĴȱ mentators explain that this prohibition is not just to Esau in this way, Jacob seems to have contravened the remember the fact that the angel touched Jacob’s hip prophecy and blessing of Isaac that Jacob would rule joint, but rather to remember the entire story of Jacob’s over Esau.105 102 Ĵȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ The Midrash in fact states that Jacob was punished for The reason we commemorate this salvation more than this behavior.106 Nevertheless, being that Jacob like the any other is because in it is contained the promise of other patriarchs was completely righteous,107 we must our survival. By saving Jacob, God was as if telling the say that this behavior, too, was not a sin in the con-- Jewish people that, despite all the persecutions they ventional sense. In fact, our sages derive from Jacob’s ȱȱěȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ behavior that one shouldȱĚĴȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ of the nations and the descendants of Esau, they would of keeping the peace.108 never be destroyed.103 Rather, Jacob “lowered” himself before Esau not out By commemorating this episode by remembering this ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱ seemingly minor detail, we celebrate the extent of God’s Esau on Esau’s own level. Jacob could have sought to love and commitment to Jacob and his descendants, a Ěȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱĞ¢ȱ love of such magnitude that it causes God to be con-- stature, without descending to Esau’s level of spiritual 104 cerned with every “minor” detail of our existence. darkness. This would have been to Jacob’s advantage, 3ȱ ǳȱȱȱǱȱFrom the be-- since he could have avoided the messy business of en-- ginning of the parashah, Jacob acts submissively. He tanglement with evil.109

100. Likutei Sichot, vol. 20, pp. 144-153. 101. Torah Or 26a. 102. See Rashbam, et al. 103. Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 3. See also Nach-- manides on v. 26 above, et al. 104. Likutei Sichot, vol. 30, pp. 148-154. 105. 27:29, above. See also above, 25:23. 106. Bereishit Rabbah 75:1-3,11, et al. 107. See below on 34:13. 108. Yalkut Shimoni 133, et al. 109. See Tanya, chap. 28.

ŬŬŭ 447 FOURTH READING

X ONKELOS W p~sQ½q O nrj qwp~jT n¯rÂ qwp~~ jċ^ q½qRrow~~ p ] r²n½q5 ~ru q zj~r rl qnsor qju w p~ QnÒk~ ċ_ qr wp¯l~ P nrj q Pq~s½qÐÀL r pÀ] o~wn ql~qrj ou n~~ q ql~q~qur ju r j ~ r nju j u r jq r rj r ~u n qur ju Ñ vp¸jq ~ rn ju oo ju nu~~ n rr o j u n j~u rr ju r~o~q q nju rvpl vqÊj¯vnÊqQp ojq j rÂ_ o Ë V rj±qr j¯a q· nÊq6 u n ju o rjos ojou qru 7 ~ rr~ r njzqru r~j q ql~q Qo rjV oË¯_ q·n Rq q~jºLl vqÊj¯vn½q rQprvnV r~owq·¯a q· nÊq ~ nl q r ru jzq~j ql~q n rlu n nÊj¯L rrÅ] p¯l~Qp» q _ pl vqÁqwr¿ VÑj_ n p~sP½q8º vl vqÊj¯vn½q n~ n r{o ql~q n su n o oju ql~q rj nju q jq~n r~un q L r ] nw¯pQr°op~s_½q9 vnsl~_ oo¶ j Qo w~s jnp~sP½q n ru jzq~qju~n u rjus lq 10 n nuju jnu ou q ju rj oju nl q ~brw~ n T~rw~ q sRlvqp~s]½q Ðvrwp¯l~QÑj_ njPn r~ u o juj ruq~juu nol ou q ol~ nj n] n~r Yo¿wq¿] n L nr½ n Qnr j n _ rÊj qvrjÑOpo¶ j T o n~^ rr no jjn~j~ru q jj qouq~ nvo jnÊq QnÒk~_ o jÅsV~ jn¿ÑRp r

X RASHI W ~r q~ s rjuq q s rs~ ru rj p zl~r j o rj os zqu nrj u p z sjnpu ~ o n rj u pu ~ o n ru j qrjr p oju o n~r~ r r n~ ou n q~s~ u r q~ os o rjurl~ nruqo jns zru n sru n~rru t ju u rj~ qjun sj pr r nn~rou q nu nru n nr j n r o u ru p jn~ru p z q~s u qjnu n~ qr~ rp rj zqu n nu zl ojr p r nn~ r p zl~ q nr j n ouq jup z r j ~ ru n u ru ou qujnju n u u pu j ql~qu rujpu j s k p~ r zr ss~ q sjrj u p z q{ nn~ rp z j r~j qu q o ju uq n~ jnu n pl qu q ru r j n n r o l qu jnjos rr qu n~ j su n j n rru j nr jtq s jnn rou qjnu p z rj qsju j ru ~ p z u p z nujzq ru p zl~pl qu q ru n nr~j q r~ r q~s j u u p~o or jnu p z oj"u j r~j qu q r j nu q on s q qk~p~ rjnp z su zju rj ~u oj nu rujqu qu jn no jnqu ruqos srn o~ su nj ss~ nl su r p z q ru nr~j q p z s unu s zrjnu qq ju~ u u nu s zj~ rjnu qup z s r ru njs~ oj" puq~n p z pr njs~j r zr~ l p~j ou qj s~ru sru jru q prp jn s rj~s un oj njs~u u o~j u u q u u q njs~ oj r{ o p z pr ou qj n js s r u jo nuq oj n{ oj su qju r r n nu jz q u ~ r s4~ j u r jnp z sju u u n q su qju p z n r~ n nu jz q u ~ r s4~ j u r rjq~p z sju pu nj puq~ru u p zu n ou n~ pr njs~4~su lq

¦££¦³¨¥¥²±£«ãæ í£¡¬²´£³²¥¢¨´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W and kiss him. This (albeit temporary) reconciliation cob” wholeheartedly (it’hapcha). between Jacob and Esau was a monumental spiritual These two stages are alluded to in the two parts of the event, which formed the foundation upon which the verse (found in the Ğ for this parashah) that de-- work of permanently transforming the realm of Esau scribe the future meeting of the Jewish people and the over the course of history could take place. descendants of Esau in the messianic age: “They…will The two accounts of Esau’s sentiments while kiss-- ascend…to judge the mountain of Esau, and the king-- ing Jacob correspond to the two methods and stages ship will be God’s.”116 ¢ȱ ȱ ȱǻȱ ȱǼȱęȱȱǻȱ ȱ ęȱ ǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱ judgment of Esau, ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǼȱȱȱęȬ- suggests a time when Esau will be subdued only be-- ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǲȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ crude but is forced to behave in a Godly way—he goes a time when Esau will no longer need to be judged, through the motions of “kissing Jacob” but his heart is since God’s kingship will be obvious to all, including not in it (itkafya). In the second stage, Esau’s very nature Esau, who will therefore be transformed into a force ȱȱȱȱȱęȯȱȃȱ Ȭ- for goodness.117

116. Obadiah 1:21. See below, v. 14. 117. Hitva’aduyot 5743ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱśŜŝȬśŜŞǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 25, pp. 174-175.

ŬŬŮ 448 Genesis 33:5-10 VAYISHLACH

5 Esauȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱ Jacob, “Who are these to you?” He replied, “These are the wives and ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ to grant your servant.” Fourth Reading 6 The handmaids drew near, followed by their children, and prostrated themselves before Esau. 7 Leah and her children also drew near and prostrated themselves before Esau, ȱę¢ȱ ȱ his mother Rachel drew near and prostrated themselves before Esau. Joseph knew his mother was beautiful, so to prevent Esau from see-- ing her and desiring her, he moved in front of her in advance in order to hide her from Esau’s sight. 8 EsauȱȱȱJacob, “What did you intend by sending that whole entourage that I encounteredȱȱĞȱȱ? And what did you intend by sending that whole second entourage of men that I encounteredǰȱ ȱĴȱ?”113 Jacob only repliedȱȱȱȱȱȱĞ: “I had hoped, by sending them, to thereby gain favor in my master’s eyes.” 9 Esau said, “I have plenty of wealth, much more than I need.114 My brother, let that which is yours remain yours. In fact, let the birthright, which is yours be-- cause I sold it to you, also remain yours, because you deserve it.” 10ȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱ Ğǰȱ Jacob replied, “No, please! If I have now found favor in your eyes, then please be good enough to ȱȱĞȱȱ me.ȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱĞȱbecause I have beheld your face, which is so dear to me that it is ȱȱȱȱȱan angel of God, such as those that have ac-- companied me and protected me over the years, some of whom you yourself saw ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱĞ.” By mentioning the fact that he was accustomed to seeing angels, Jacob hoped to ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĴȱǱȱĞȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ encounters with angels, he would surely be able to survive an encounter with any human being. Jacob continued, “I also owe you a tribute because you have been ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ěȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ have been ap-- peased by me.

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [continued...] As far as the Name Havayah that Esau Esau possessed, leaving Esau with only the Name possessed, he was the brother of Jacob. As far as Havayah, the aspect of Esau by which he was Jacob’s the seven measures of impurity that he possessed, brother. This is the inner meaning of the verse, “He he was the opposite of Jacob, who possessed seven prostrated himself seven times until he approached times Havayah. This caused Esau to hate Jacob. his brother,” i.e., until he reached and uncovered By prostrating himself to Esau seven times, Jacob the positive aspect of Esau, by virtue of which Esau neutralized the seven measures of impurity that was his brother. It was only then that Esau ran to-- wards Jacob to hug and kiss him.115

113. Above, 32:22. 114. Rashi on v. 11, below. 115. Sefer HaMikneh on Kidushin 29b, cited in Torat Levi Yitzchak, p. 214. See also Or HaTorah, ibid.

ŬŬŮ 449 FOURTH READING

X ONKELOS W QnÒk~n_ qÂq wvn¿Ð Or~] rt] p¯l~T nr jn¶wp~~^ rw q11 u n nuju jnur qjuou q ol~q rj ql o r ol~rj q~ns un~ rL oo j ] rjnp~sQ½q12 vrÇn½qËQ¶wqjn½qsLwnw¯p] nj ou qju ou o jq~j~sru n n~ rj j njj qo~jj rju u ql~q ] nrj qwvn¿Tq bos^ nsl~Rr~ o p~s]½q13 Ñ vp¸jp j Qrjvo~j ~ru qjr ol~ qrn su n ou ql~q ~rl rrj o osj~r rj nnu q º Qor Or p~Ë]Tº r jºL rrË ]r Qrr¶qj~s_Æqj On¿ q u u n ~q rs uu ns jnn~j 14 rmn su n qjuqu jp ~r r ru ] rlvq jvp~Ynl~qË L¸jq] o jnQnsl~~_ rwrlvq ~s vÆqwr¿ p pjq n ju ou ql~~r l~qu u o jq V q O nrj q p] pjºTq rjwp¯l~^ r~r jÁqp bpjRn¼n~j ~ q ur qjrp pju q rm~n ru jnl no{jn su nqj oo~u n - rvno°Qnsl~w p~~s_r~wp¯l~

X RASHI W u o sjo s s zj po j s s juq j sr nru uq n~ j q r~ruqs r j n nr j n nr jnu ~ qq ju srsroujz nr r rju rj sr z q n~jzn~ru ~ p r~ruru o~ n rjnj ru u or4 ru jnuj ppuqu rjqju r ~ p su r ju s jqu ~p s lqj prjq sju nru uq n~ jn~ np z p puqu zos o s nsu s sju u r ju ~su q sr zj s r~jzn oj no j q ju r rj nun~u {l slr jrnlojj nl~ qu ~q ns~~ l r rlq o sr z qu jnu s zjru tu rl pj p ns ju s jrju ~ o oq jp~rlq jp~ o qjnu~n q~jr u j jqunju nr jnu s~ q qq ju nsu p z nu p z q~ju n n~j rjjzp~ r jo~ sju roj q u rnu qj nujqr nl~qu ru ruj qr~s r~j rt p zl~ qqqu n q~j q~j njs q sju q q s zj ~ np z nj p zpu jtr s~ z nu nqu q r prjr~rup z q q oq jp~ p zpu q zjru o~j sjqn pru q nu n~j nqrl qs s r rp z nu oujzsjnup zpu q zj r~r ju q o j q qn l j ps nj r~ru j q p pj nu p z sju zu u nzj nzn jzu qj nu o~ jz s juq r o~p z o p z po j q nj nrj q p pju j n sj q r p pu u q s zjnu o nu r{ oj nu n ru sn zp n qrj n q{ r n jn rnj{ns~ l ~~p s~ r p zl~ qooj n sj rjnu n jr oju n osj os r n zp rl~qu qr~j su t ~q ru ~ p ppr s ujq r~ r su p z j ppuq s sju rjn~ ru q~ rjz sj~u u p z rrjz sju r r n s{lq s ujqu n~ qr~ no{q ooj u p z s r{ oj rju u su u jqj r ouqu sju u qj qj onu"ooj qro~jj q~ r ~s u j sjp~ n~su q nujq r j p r zjur u p jp j rj o~jooj j~ ru n qjs lqj qr~ ~ p s u jzn su n qju nnzsu rj qk~pu p z q nzru q q~jppr nujql q ojj nl~ q~p z r j p{k~ p s r s nu qsr zrrj zo rru q~o zjjnu r{ oq sr rj p r zjur pujp jpu j j nr ruq~ p zl~qu q~j rlqj q r sru sr o p z rruqj~su q r r

-³££¥£¢£¢¦£ª¢±«®§Ö¦Û´ ¦£ Û§Ö¦Û ß¦ÖÛ ¦£¡¦¨³¦¡£§£¥¦¨£ ¨´£³² ¡£¦¨³¡£¬³£¡¢²¨¥¡£´£³²§£²£³²£³´Ö¦©¦ÛæÛ£¦¨³¥«£¬ ¥£¬ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W local. The express train reaches the destination faster, ȱȱȱȱȱȃǰȄȱȱĴȱȬ- but leaves many along the way behind. The local ser-- ȱȱȬęȱ¢ȯȃȄȱȱȱ vice takes a lot longer, but it enables passengers from he truly rules over us and might behave accordingly. various stations—and those who cannot handle high To neutralize Esau’s power, we must see past the fa-- 127 speeds—to join the ride. çade of exile to its inner purpose, which is to enable us to condition the world for the messianic age, at which Jacob’s allusion to Esau’s transformation in the mes-- time Esau will be subdued and transformed. By view-- sianic age—“until I reach my master at Seir”—teaches ing our exilic adventure as a long path towards Seir us how to neutralize the potential hostility of the “Es-- and focusing on the end game—a time when Esau is aus” we encounter during our exile: indeed harmless—Esau becomes harmless even dur-- If we fall prey to the external trappings of exile and feel ing the exile.128

127. Likutei Sichot, vol. 2, pp. 445-446. 128. Likutei Sichot, vol. 20, p. 164.

ŬŬů 450 Genesis 33:11-14 VAYISHLACH

11ȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱĞǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ at my own expense. I have already taken the trouble to prepare it and present it to you. Do not worry about how much it cost me,ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ all I need.” (In contrast to Esau, who boasted of possessing more than he needed,118 ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȂȱęȱȱȱallȱȱǯǼȱĞȱ ȱ thus encouraged him ȱȱȱĞ, Esau ę¢ accepted it. 12 Esau then said, “Travel on and let us go, and let me proceed at a slower pace than I normally would, so I can walk alongside you to escort you.” 13 Despite Esau’s avowals of fraternal love, Jacob sensed that his brother’s change of heart was not entirely sincere, or at least not permanently so,119 so he understood that it would not be advisable to prolong their meeting.120 He therefore answered him, “I would rather not inconvenience you by slowing you down. On the other hand, if I speed up my own pace, ¢ȱȱ ȱǰȱin addition to the fact that the children are frail, I also am responsible for the nursing lambs, goats, and Ĵǯȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱĚȱ ȱǯ 14 Therefore, let my master please go on at his usual pace, ahead of his servant, while I move on at my own slow pace, at the pace of the herds that are ahead of me, and at the pace of the children—until I reach my master at Seir, whenever that might be.” Jacob prophetically knew that Esau (and his descendants) would not be totally weaned of their hatred of him (and his descendants) until the messi-- anic era, so he postponed their meeting until that time.121 Thus, he had no intention ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱǲȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ his descendant, the Messiah, who in the future will meet up with Esau’s descen-- dants and sit in judgment over them.122 X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 13-14ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǳ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ level were still like “frail children” or “nursing lambs” ¢ȱ ȱ ȱǳȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǳ in their spiritual development. Therefore, he said: ǽ Ǿȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǳȱȬ- ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱĚȱ ȱǱȱ siah, who in the future will meet up with Esau’s de-- ȱȱȱȯ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱę¢ȱ scendants and sit in judgment over them: The Talmud ȯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱȱ ȃĚȱ ȱ ǰȄȱ speaks of two ways in which the messianic age can they will be overwhelmed by the Divine revelation and commence: (a) “in its time,” and (b) in a described by expire. Jacob therefore advised— the words “I will hasten it.”123 The advantage of the lat-- ter is obvious, since it shortens the length of the exile. ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǳ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ However, there is also an advantage to the redemption ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ coming “in its time.” If the messianic age begins pre-- ȱȱȱȱȱȯȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǱȱ maturely, those aspects of the world that have not been This slow pace alludes to the long and arduous exiles 125 ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ of his descendants, during which they would illumi-- Divine revelation that will occur in the messianic age. nate the crass world with the light of the Torah. Only ȱęȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȬ- Ğȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ vinity and expire in ecstatic yearning.124 the course of history would the messianic age com-- mence.126 Jacob thus felt that although he himself was at a level where he could experience the messianic age, the world The above can be compared to the two ways trans-- ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ǯȱȱ ȱȱȱĴȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ěǱȱ ¡ȱ ȱ

118. Above, v. 9. 119. Above, v. 4. 120. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, p. 145, note 29. 121. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, pp. 145-146. 122. Obadiah 1:21. Likutei Sichot, vol. 20, pp. 154-164. 123. Sanhedrin 98a. 124. Sha’arei Orah, Sha’ar HaPurim, s.v. Yavi’u Levush Malchut, chapter şŚȱěǯȱȱ125. See Pane’ach Raza on this verse, cited in Likutei Sichot, vol. 20, p. 164, note 62. 126. Hitva'aduyot 5714ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŘŞȬŘşǲȱ Sichot Kodesh 5716, p. 89.

ŬŬů 451 FOURTH READING

X ONKELOS W L nÊn~] p¯l~Qrrw n OÑjÁn~] rÂwr vnÆq~Or°op~s]½q15 j runqjusu jzp~r{oql~q q~ j rjql~qnun~u n ruqn Ëb½q¶c r¯cr½q16 vnsl~_ oo¶ j Qo w~rjp~»Op rÁ] r T p~sb½q rj n su n o oju nl q qu jzp~ no{ju o js~ j r{o~u ~ q rsju p_ n½qrsO¿t] qrTslvqj17 rvno°ËQ¿ jqjV r°o~º _q ou ~r ju sutjqjs lq j q rjq j qlu onjnj~rou Ë QrÁqwvo¯~_ rrV o¿wqsO¿t] r°rTºbo jnjºnL¶Ë r Q sut~rjq~~ j r~ jz rjou ~ ru jqj n jz s lq~rl~q Ë v¿t nsoju qq j~ n r jq~ju n p jzn Ë Q~s¶ j qOq¿ j p] p~j¶T p¯l~ Rp j¯] n Wo¯ r sblvqc~ sr½q18 ouq~omr~rjzu rl~u q qun ~ ru jq vnr_ o jÅwp~q Qn½qL rl~] q¸qÅn

X RASHI W j n q su t ps nru n q su t n qj ps j n q nrn o~p z s r s nu p{l qu purru p~suq ssrjuo r z srju n ~ n ou qjnu p z su ju o r z o r z u z ruqn ou q zj~s j ns~ l o oju ~o r jp~ru ~su p z s rsjuo r z ss ss~ ru n u u j qr ~su p z suqjr{ o su jqjr{o~u q su qu r zruq u u j u srj nj sju p jz n rro ju su j qu q r z r p~sjp~ou jjznsu n u jrp z zn~s~oqu jq~j os~r rr~ju rl~ qqu n s~s ju p r ou r r~su q n r onu"~u j u ru zsru q pr qru roj r p~ ~ ru q~o~ r z ru s rl~ou nz ou n n sj~u rr sol q q u j r p zl~ qq zn~ s~o qu jq~~n un qk~pu p z j ppuqu su u j qujnu p z r{ oou rru n rl~ qqu n o~ r z su r q zps r{ r r s jz r z r r z nru s pnuq nu qju q ~ q l~ qju s uj n~jznur r ruq z pp nr o ju ~p q nuq ¢£´² £¦¦¨³

learned in Ever’s academy.133 He was therefore now ȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ the pact that he made with God there on his way to Charan.134 Instead, however, he tarried, remain-- ing in Shechem. He encamped in view of the city. Once Jacob arrived in the Land of Israel, he realized that the wealth he had acquired outside the land did not possess the holiness that wealth acquired within the land would. He therefore no longer ȱȱȱȱĚȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ the proceeds to Esau in exchange for Esau’s inheri-- tance in the Machpelah Cave. Esau accepted.135 FigureȱřŞǱȱ Jacob in Sukot and Shechem.

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 17 He built himself houses and made shelters [or: visitor, “but my home is decently furnished!” “Yes,” said “huts”]ȱ ȱ ȱ ǱȱSpiritually, this means that ȱǰȱȃȱȁȂȱȱȱȱěǳǯȄ for himself—his soul and its needs—he built a perma-- The righteous consider their earthly needs to be foreign ȱ ȃȄǲȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȃǰȄȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ and secondary. Their focus and “home” is their soul ȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱĜȱ ȱȃȬ- ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ136 porary huts.” 18 And Jacob arrived safely [or: “intact”]: Jacob’s A visitor to the home of Rabbi Dovber (the maggid) of Me-- travels and travails presaged his descendants’ journey zeritch expressed shock at its poor furnishings. “Tell me,” through exile. And just as Jacob arrived with his body, ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱȃȱ ¢ȱȂȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ęǰȱȱȱ ȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȬ- of yourȱǵȄȱȃǰȱ ȱ ȂȱȱȱǰȄȱȱȱ timately arrive to the Holy Land, in the messianic age,

133. Likutei Sichot, vol. 25, pp. 168-173. 134. Above, 28:20-22. 135. Rashi on 46:6 and 50:5, below. 136. Likutei Sichot, vol. 1, p. 68.

ŬŬŰ 452 Genesis 33:15-18 VAYISHLACH

15 Esau then made another ěr. He said, “Let me leave some of the people who are with me with you.” Wishing to excuse himself from accepting this second ěr, as well, Jacob replied, “Why should you do this? I do not need an entourage to escort me. I would rather I can remain favorable in my master’s eyes.” 16 So, on that day, Esau returned on his way to Seir (See Figure 37). As he trav-- eled on, Esau’s longstanding hatred of Jacob gradually resurfaced, and he began -- called quite vividly how they were assaulted by Jacob’s angels when they were on their way to meet him, and therefore realized that such a plan was futile—even though they shared Esau’s hatred of Jacob and would have also liked

would turn on them, so instead they deserted him stealthily, one by one. Thus, by the time Esau had ę formulating his plans, he no longer had

Even though these four hundred men abandoned Esau solely out of ę concern for their own best interests, God nevertheless rewarded them for not having harmed Jacob by sparing four hun-- dred of Esau’s descendants, the Amalekites, when 129 Figure 37: Jacob and Esau. The Violation of Dinah 17 Jacob moved on and arrived at the place that he would later name Sukot (“shel-- ters”), where he tarried for a year and a half (2205-2206). Having arrived in the summer, he built temporary shelters for his family and his livestock. When winter came, he built himself sturdier houses130 for his family to move in to, and when the following summer arrived, he again made shelters for his family and his live-- stock. He therefore named the place Sukot. 18 Jacob arrived safely in the city of Shechem, which is located in Canaan, hav-- ing set out from Padan Aram (see Figure 38). The ruler of Shechem was Chamor the Hivite; his son’s name was the same as that of his city: Shechem. God had indeed ę His promise131 to save Jacob from the clutches of Laban and Esau. In addition, Jacob had by this time fully recovered from the limp he had ě as a result of wrestling with Esau’s angel; his ę Ě and herds, which had been slightly132 --

129. 1 Samuel 30:17. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, pp. 143-148. 130. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 251, note 4. 131. Above, 28:15. 132. Likutei Sichot, vol. 25, p. 172, note 40.

453 FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W _ q½Ë n Om~ vr T r¯wrvr^ p¯l~Rpr²q] qjp wp~pWn½q19 ~u n r jq q rl ~ q r qju ~o j n rnou ju jzqjruquu o jq q L o¶j n Qr¯wpÆq½q20 vrn°j Qr~oj¶L pj¯ ] nl~Ë Ql wvo j¶ r j u r~jnup jzn nu ~l sl q j~u r ju jqruqu ol~q vo~rj°n_ oÒk~Qo~ËOw~rjbn½q ~ o~ rj{n j rrk~~o rmnsl 34:1 u n r~oqu ru n qrju sLlvq j Qrjvr_ p¯l~Or~ow¶ q Tr~ n ^ ooÊq ~ r jq~ q jnuok pjs lq j qoj Qnº n vqË Vl wp¶a pj¯¹ Wrs~~ jbq½q2 pvr~rË_ jn¶Ë Q~ jn r~ru n sl qu p jz u qr~rl q o jzu u qrq j~u r jq~~ j ru q ] q¶ jnÊq3 rvpÂqjq¹Qrs~_ q¿j¯n½q¹V rs~ _ qÇn½qpL r~r~] n°j u o zjqq~n jjn~j qu ju qju qr ~ rujpu r o ju s lqqu r nju ) OrlvqÂvqwp~+ w~ Tqk~vp½qsLlvqwvq¶Qr nj¶ËO¯jq ~ rujp j~runqou q u u ) vrlvqÂvq+_ owqQo¶ qjq X RASHI W s lqjs~ rj~u j u ru zsru qp z u zjruu osu qj ou qjn nujq rp zj~u r nl nu q qr~ rr r n{ j nju q jn q r os j znu qju rs oj nj o~ r j u su u jqj r n{ j rrj nsu ru r q ~ n~ru rjnp z su zju qjo zu nl~q nrjru qj o squ o s sju srrju n nl ns u rr~njo z q~ ru p~"s lq~qu s j r~oqu u r q ouj nu qp~ z s o~ rj{nos~ k ~o s~ rjnuq qk~pu p z rjr n r~jq~ n q~p z r~o qu~ ojn j u ru zsru q r rp z o z ~q ru p~ o~ rj{nos k~ ru n~ju r zru q u jzrrp rj s~ rjn r~o~o ouq sjnou q o z q q ouj nu q ~o z rr snu nj su ~ n u u ru jqj~su p z rpu qjqu ru jqju u rs~ qu jznuqu runju ~u p z n qsju o zu q q~ njnuru jn srp z s j nz n~ j ou q q n jzu q jnu q nr ju rlqu q o q njzu p z n ns~o~u 4~u j u ru zsru ~ q u o~ j o~r{u ~p nl~ oujnu srru qu ru qj pr{ qjp juj nr~ ~su n n s~ jz rjnu q p zs ju u nroj o~ rj{n r psr{rj nrn jnj q ouj nu q ~o z rrou q o z ~q ru p~ u r q ouj nu qp z u n ~ n u ~u j u ru z sru q p z s j nzu n jqj

¨ ¢¦± ¡£ ¢¦´£³²¢¥¥£¨²£®¬¡£¦£¨¢ £´¨³ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W sent into exile.”145 process by which a non-Jew converts to Judaism, and 1 She inherited her mother’s willingness to venture this fact was well-known to the inhabitants of Shechem. out of the safety of her tent for holy and righteous By agreeing to be circumcised, the males of Shechem ǳȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ region in order to convince them to adopt the righ-- collective assent to become at least partially Jewish teous ways of her family: It appears that Dinah was ęȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȱ ǰȱȱȱǯ not successful in her purpose, for the residents of And indeed, although all the men of Shechem were ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ěȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱǲ147 ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ěȱ ȱ we may presume that most of them became servants in their cruel immorality. It therefore seems that Dinah Jacob’s household and thereby absorbed Jacob’s values was wrong to mingle with the girls of region. and morals.148 ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ Ȭ- Dinah’s behavior teaches us that women blessed with what more complex. First of all, as we will see,146 it was ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ȱȂȱȱȱȱ ȱǲȱȱȱ should utilize those talents to draw the hearts of their was punishment for Jacob not having given her to Esau fellow Jewish women to the Torah. In fact, God cre-- ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱęȱȱȱ ated women with an enhanced ability to connect em-- to God. pathetically with others. They should therefore utilize ¢ǰȱȱěȱȱȱǯȱȱ¢ȱȱ this characteristic not just in building their home and the residents of Shechem, Simeon and Levi had them ¢ȱȱȱȱĚȱȱ ȱ ǯȱǻȱ circumcise themselves. Although this was partly a ruse course, this endeavor should be carried out in a regal to weaken the men of Shechem, it was also meant to ȱęȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱěǱȱȱȱȱȱȱ spirit of feminine modesty.)149

145. Sefer HaMa'amarim 5687, p. 196. Likutei Sichot, vol. 25, pp. 173-176. 146. Below, 35:1. 147. Below, 34:29. 148. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, p. 154. 149. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, pp. 154-155. See Sefer HaSichot 5751ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŞřȱěǯȱȱ

ŬŬű 454 Genesis 33:19-34:3 VAYISHLACH

19 Even though Jacob had no intention of remaining in Shechem permanently, he purchased the small parcel of land upon which he had pitched his tent in order to demonstrate his love for the land promised him by God. He bought this land from the sons of Chamor, Shechem’s father. The price of this small plot of land ȱęȱȱǻŞŖȱȱȱŘǯŞȱ£ǯȱȱǼǯȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱęȱ large shekel coins, but he instead chose to pay with 100 smaller but more ornate coins, , which are also used as jewelry—again, in order to demonstrate his fondness for the Promised Land.137 20 He erected an altar there, and in gratitude over having been delivered by God from the clutches of Laban and Esau, he named the altar “God is the God of Isra-- el.” In recognition of Jacob’s heightened, profound awareness of God’s providence ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȂȱĚȱ ȱ¡ȱ to the four corners of the earth,138 now granting him the same dominion over the entire world that He had originally granted Adam.139 In this sense, the God of Is-- rael appointed Jacob the representative of God in the world. Ğȱ 34:1 Dinah was the daughter of Leah, whom Leah had borne to Jacob.140 Dinah was Leah’s daughter not only in the biological sense but also in the moral sense: she inherited her mother’s willingness to venture out of the safety of her tent141ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǯȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱ Ěȱȯȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȯshe went out to observe the girls of that region in order to convince them to adopt the righteous ways of her family.142 2 But Shechem, son of Chamor the Hivite, who was the chief of the region, saw ǰȱȱǰȱȱǰȱȱȱ carnally in other ways, as well. 3 Despite himself, he was strongly drawn to Jacob’s daughter Dinah; he loved ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ in a way he hoped would win over her heart, say-- ing, “Look how many ornate coins your father expended just to purchase a small parcel of land.143ȱ ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱě¢ȱ and automatically belong to you.” X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W intact in these three respects— are forced to descend into the mundane world. In the ¢ȱȱȱȱǱ In the Midrash, Jacob’s hip end, however, we will arrive intact and complete, since injury is seen as presaging the persecutions Jacob’s de-- ȱȱȱȱȱěȱ ȱȱȱȬ- ȱ ȱ ěȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ǯ144 Yet at the ed and subsumed within the realm of holiness. end of that exile, they too will arrive intact to the Holy ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ Land. The only marks of their struggle in exile will be Torah that he learned: Unlike the former two aspects, in ȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱ which Jacob experienced a temporary loss that was lat-- God stimulated by the challenges of persecution. er healed or replenished, Jacob never experienced any ȱęȱĚȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ loss in regard to his Torah knowledge, even temporar-- Ğȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ Ǳ Jacob’s invest-- ily. Similarly, although our bodies and resources may ȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ undergo a temporary loss during exile that is later re-- ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ ȱ plenished, our “Torah knowledge,” our spiritual core “invest” in the physical world to gain possessions, is never compromised, even during exile. In the words which we in turn sanctify through holy living. This in-- of Rabbi Shalom Dovber of Lubavitch: “Only our bod-- vestment entails a temporary spiritual loss, since we ies have been subjected to exile…our souls were never

137. Likutei Sichot, vol. 25, pp. 177-185. 138. Above, 28:14. 139. Above, 1:26. Gur Aryeh. 140. Above, 30:21. 141. Above, 30:16. 142. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, pp. 150-151. 143. Above, 33:19. Likutei Sichot, vol. 25, p. 183. 144. Bereishit RabbahȱŝŝǱřǲȱȱȬ- ides on 32:26 above.

ŬŬű 455 FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W w~ p V nw vqsL~oQnr~ Ë _l w~ p Op¯ j p~s]½q4 nu ~ l sl qp jz ql~q ~~ rr rujpu r n q roj w~ p T~oÁ n ¿^ n Rqr¯s]lvqj5 vr±n~j ~ sQ»q_ r¸jq½ q o~r ol~q jz s lq j u uj n~j n slnsju u ouqjru n r sQlvq¯_ nk vpjL pr²q¶ºQo jnwp~º_ r V rrºË OÊn] r n¸ q s lq njz~u r jq junsou Qo¶ qjsLlvqw~ vp Qpj¯wvnl~ Ë _l ~V oo½q6 vr~s¶wq nu ~ l sl qju soo u oun~rru qjs lqqjp jzn Tº jÆq jvn½qOr jr¯j¿T pr²qw nº~^¶ r sRlvq] o jº7 Ë vÊn~ ~ qu r jq n u r s lqo ju sj o j~u ur qjtu u nj jn~ju r jz Ro~ rj°n j ] r°rYrrj¿] n sL~jQprq _ n½q On¯rl~vr o~ rj{n ju ql~rr j ol~~rl q 8 q zr~r ojs lqqu r qu jznj Ë Ql _ o¶ qjq vp°rvo~Ò_ QojsOlvqwvq¶wp~Tq¿ j¯n s jun sl ou qu ~ rrl jn~j ~_º r bÊ j Op jÊnj¶TË¯ jq^ rj¯vr Rn¶ j ] pj¯sL~o] rÊn~ q~n jjn~njup jz roj u o u qr qju r s juqjnuu o zjq º Orwº jÊnÊTp osv j¶ºL rs~ºQ jÊq jvnj9 vr±n~jË¹Q V rs~ sor~ ju r ru u juq jnj u uj n~j 10 sju ju ~nu r rr ju r~ j rru junu ]p jvnÊT pbr~rjºL o¯oÊº QrÊn~j vprº _ jnÊº Qos j¶wp~j o~ ju r jq~ju jou~r runj w~ p Tp¯ j p~s^½q11¹¶º vr Ql vr~oj rºOr jº Tº¯ j Opo jn ~ r js ju q u nlqu nu so rm p jz ql~q u qu u nl q~j º Vj~sÊ v _ p¯l~vqL povoj¶Qo w~rjp~rOp q~wp~jr] nr~ nl q qu jzp~~rr r~j~u ru l~q 12 oup~n u jo njso oju _ p¯l~vq¿Or jÊbp~j OrÊqº qs]Ts~ j ^ qrº b¶ jq voÊp~Qqo~ r juq nl s~ rl qqlu jq~ u u vr±n~j QrlvqÂvqwp~ w~ _ nwºjºL ro~ºQj~s vÊ n u rj n u jo~n rjuoup~j ) + o j u nl~q~u uj n~j rujpru Qr jnj¶V nr~Ë _l w p~jbp j¯wp~sWlvqwoº j blvq½q13 nu ~ l sl r j p jz r s lq ru n r o~ru n u nu q~u rj u ju Rpol~º ]j~sv½q14 vrs l~_ r¸ n ~~Qo OoÁ n ] p¯l~ºL o¶ qjq u un~r sju rl~q s jq l~ rqunj or~rru jnu qu jpj ¯ Qn~jº Oos l~w~ p T orOp» q ] r r¸qTË°lvqT qº~ ^Ò ol~~r jrou u n qjn~r rr l~ Ë ]~o~sQ j¶wÐq~15ºvr~ Qn _ rÅ jp wvn¿L r jrË]wp¯l~ ~ rjuqju ~rr ~~ n ru u n q j nj~r rr ju s ju ~n sj q jun w p~ºÂ^ qr j16vrrw¿ r Qprs_Ánjº sOrº] jvnÊ~Un L pr ~r rr ju r ounj~ ru u j ru sj oo~ j rrqu n sor ju r j sj ºQnrj Op jÊn~º j] q¯r jºL rw vqÇvnQposv j¶wp~j Opr Tº bos j¶ r ~ ruqjoju s jun vr p~_ qj X RASHI W nu oujz sjnu p zpu q zj~ np z nj p zpu jtur n jz u jru su t~rp z su juq~p su qj p{ro~soj ~q juqu~o s ruq~u r uq n p os ju p~j u j qr j rjr rjzr u uqu q ojq s rlrn rjq u rup z sl qs lq o ju qu zjnu s lqj sl qr~p z ~ ou n p zl~ rjr ju r jnju rutju qs lu jnu p z ~p p jz sju uq n s lqo jnuu nzl q r nu ~~p ou n ol p zu r n j rjr~su p z os~u ru q u u qr j nj nu rujq njpru junp osju pr ~ ruqou jp~~u u ju pp z ~ n ru jp rs l~ ru uq n p osjup~ju oujqnj u osjup~ orpu s~ ruq~ ors os~~u sol or j o jzs~ p sju p jzu sl u ju nup zjsu u j q p zl~ rju prup qjn pr s~ou unu sr rju ru jp p~j nzrju r u q n rs ju p~ nr juqu jr rn so~ su n sjnsu nj nlsu q s~ou u q s zj su nj ss~ou p zrsu qj oju pr ounu os ju u u u qr j oru nj s zj~ru p~s jn s zj

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ŬŬŲ 456 Genesis 34:4-16 VAYISHLACH

4ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱǰȱȱ Ǳȱȃ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that Shechemȱȱęȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱęȱ ȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǯ 6ȱ ǰȱȂȱǰȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱǯ 7ȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱȱęȱ ȱ¢ȱ what Shechem had done to Dinah. The men, her brothers, became aggrieved and were deeply incensed, for ShechemȱȱĴȱȱȱȱtheir father Israel by raping their sis-- ter, Jacob’s daughter. Such a thing was considered socially and legally taboo ever since humanity had collectively foresworn illicit carnal relations in the wake of the Flood150ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱě. Thus, Shechem’s act made him liable ȱȱȱ¢ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱěȱ as well, for not having voiced their protest.151 8ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ¢ǰȱ ȃ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ daughter. I implore you, give her to him in marriage 9ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱǱȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ yourselves. These marriages between our two peoples shall take place at your sole discretion: you may decide to which of our men you will give your daughters, as well as which of our daughters you will take for your men. 10 You shall live among us, and the land will be open before you; you may Ĵȱ it, trade in it, and acquire holdings in it.” 11ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȃȱȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱ eyes, and whatever you tell me to give as a dowry, I will give. 12 Go ahead, ȱȱȱȱ¡¢ȱȱęȱȱthe dowry you will stipulate in the ȱǰȱȱȱĞǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ me; just give me this girl as a wife!” 13ȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ ¢ǰȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱǯ 14 They told them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to an uncircum-- cised man, for that would be considered a disgrace to us. In fact, when one of our people wishes to insult someone, he calls him ‘uncircumcised’ or ‘the son of an uncircumcised father.’ 15 Therefore, ȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ in that every male among you be circumcised. 16 We will then intermarry with you as you have proposed, i.e., at our sole discre-- tion: ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱ we will live together with you and become a single nation.

150. Above, 9:7. 151. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 190.

ŬŬŲ 457 FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W º QoÊn¶wp~ º j _ qrj Ë LÁnj ºQoo~ºV jj¯n~aÒwn~j17 r j nj~rru n u ju q~ j r n~j u r jzu ~no j r ruqjur qu jnj w¶ p _ pj¯Qoo jºË Ll ] oo¶ j Qp ojº n _jvn½q18º jvrrj p jz o oju sl o oju soru jn ~ rou q s~~r j sl qu w vqj¶Qor ¿_ n Or r¸qË ]°lvqTqbqÂ q ^ q o~w~vÒj19Ë vl n jjn~ol~~rru jnuqu jpj 20 ou s u nqu n ~u j s lqqju _ pj¯ºË Vl ~s_r½q vnr~_¶ o sQ¿n Or¶jn~º ]jsLlvq u oju p jzu sl ~ rl~q nu l~ o zr~ k n u nu qu s ju jq qjn s v~oQrn_ o¯j q~wp~ºVj¶ qjvqL rnq] q¯wp~ËQ j¶ ou n~r~ur qjtu roj s ju jq T pbr~rº^j¯vo j ºÊ Rr ~ n ] o a no¯ vj pÀ Wo~r bn¯rl~vr21 ~ r jq~juu jo~ j r runuu ~ n nj q z ~~ r r jq~j~r js ju qu u ju jq j w~ p L po jnn Qqrw ql vq _ oÂ n pV r~rj¹Ors~º]l jnj s jq ju r so rm nju j q oun~r rr ju r j nzjn~rrqu n wÐ q~22 vpr_ oÊnº Qos j¶wp~j On¯r jº] rw vqÇnT rs j¶ ~rru r jun~rjuqju sj ~ ruqj ok pj~ r run qoj~ur q jt ] qj ËQ jvnº OrÊn~p] p¯rT n¯rl~vrº^ r º sb~o ~s[ [j¶ ~ n rju~ ru u j ~ru rrq j nju r 23 sjq j njsoou nnju uu n~ ^ po jn vnsÁn_ o Qp¯l~vq¿ Orrw¿ r TºbrË _Ánj¶L r p~ uu ~~ n rr~ n rls jnjurj OprrË]~oÐ~Uq L oºQr~Ë _lOrÊjp j¶wrjTrrj nj ~r runu jo j sjq junqju p jz nu sl n u nu qj w¿Ë r O¶ j ] pj¯wp~jTËl w~º p ^ jj¯n½q24 º vrÊn~ºQj¯vo j ru ju u ou jqqjuojrru u oju u ou jq qjuojr~ru ru u j ru Ë vnq_¯ q Qo~jsvwr¿Orrw¿ r TºsbÁn½qËLnq]¯ q Qo~jsv qu r~rn~ j rsjrlq 25 u nju so~ousolu nju wo jwvo¯º j ] jn½q Rnl~sv¿] rË jvn¶ Wn¯nj±qËb½qc njq o l~no j s jnzs lqo ju oj Qnrwqº~ s_r½qË O¶ jq ¯~ ] n Tr n ^ o l~WnojË bjn¯s[lvq[ ~ ru jqq u rj u ou jq qju r n ~ ru u j ruu r ju rm rj~r jru j vrrw r¿ºQ jqvq½q qL p¶

X RASHI W r~jznu no j sjnz rjqu lro nu q q~ju r ql q ou n pr~rj o r z o ju sr zju no jz r n o l~u u po rou jr~su p zrrur o~p z nzr l~ ~u njq s qsju n rjuqu rr j sru p z rr~ju n qr u rp z qpu rp ~ q ~u jjnrp r rjqu jru p z nj n s ru o~j~ rjr~ruou jq~r jqj qju u u j or p zs su qu rn u ju rru q~ zqjnu nl~ s r rj pr rs~oj q~ su n sjnu su nju rrus lqo j o jzu run~u jzo o oj qjp

£®²´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W view, the Torah reveals to us that it is at this age that a says that thirteen is the age of intellectual maturity and child naturally gains intellectual maturity—becomes a therefore also that of obligation. According to the sec-- “man”—and therefore becomes obligated to follow the ond view, non-Jewish children become responsible at Torah laws. According to the second view, there is no whatever age they mature intellectually,156 since the su-- ȱ¡ȱȱȱǲȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȬ- pra-rational measures and criteria passed on by Moses vine commandment for which no reason was given. do not apply to the Noahide laws.157 ȱȱěȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱĚȱěȱĴȱ ȱ would the age at which non-Jews become obligated to how those who become Bar Mitzvah begin their ful-- ȱȱȱ ǯȱȱȱȱęȱ ǰȱ ęȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱęȱ non-Jewish children become obligated to observe the ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ Noahide laws at the age of thirteen, since the Torah should be a rational understanding of them, since their

of Rabbeinu AsherǰȱȱŗŜǰȱǲȱResponsa of MaharilǰȱśŗǲȱȂȱȱȱȱAvot, ibid. 156. See Responsa Chatam Sofer, Yoreh Deah 317. 157. Mishneh Torah, Melachim 9:10.

ŬŬų 458 Genesis 34:17-25 VAYISHLACH

17 But if you do not heed us and circumcise yourselves, we will take our daugh-- ter and depart.” 18 Their terms were acceptable to Chamor and to Shechem, Chamor’s son. 19 The young man did not delay in carrying out this thing, since he desired Ja-- cob’s daughter, and he was the most respected person in his father’s household. 20 Chamor then came with his son Shechem to the gate of their city, and they spoke to the men of their city as follows: 21 “These men are fully at peace with us. Let them live in the land and trade in it, for the land has ample room for them. Supply in our land exceeds demand, so Ĵȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱěȱȱ¢ǯ” ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱ¢Ȃȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ ǯȱ ȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȂȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǱȱ“We will take their daughters as wives, and we will give our daughters to themǰȱȱȱȱ . 22 But only on this condition will these men consent to live with us and become one nation: that every male among us be circumcised, just as they are circum-- cised. 23ȱĞȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱǰȱtheir livestock, their possessions, and all their animals will become ours. Let us just agree to their condition and they will live among us.” 24 All the people who came out to the gate of Ȃ city heeded Chamor and his son Shechem, and all the males who passed through the gate of his city had themselves circumcised. 25 On the third dayȱĞȱȱ, when ȱ were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, each took up his sword. ¢ȱȱȱDinah’s loyal brothers, ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱęȱȱȱ ǯȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȯ ę¢ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȯand killed every male. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 25 Simeon and Levi, each [man] took up his sword: ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǯ154Ǽȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȬȬ ȯȃȱ£Ȅȯȱȱȱȱǯ152 ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ¢ȱǯ155 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȃǰȄȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱĚȱ ȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǯ153ȱǻ ȱǰȱ ȱȱ£ȱȱǯȱȱȱȱęȱ

152. AvotȱśǱŘŗȱǻȱŘŘȱȱȱȱȂȱǼǯȱ ȱȱǰȱȃȱ£ǰȄȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱȱ153. ȱȱNazir Řşǰȱs.v. V’Rabbi YosiǲȱǰȱȱȱMachzor Vitri on Avot, ibidǯȱȱ154. ReshimotȱǛŘŗǯȱǯȱȱȱǯȱȱ155. Responsa

ŬŬų 459 FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W º a jn½qpL r wnjºQ jvrËO¶ j ] pj¯wp~jTËl w p~j26 u r j u ojup jz r j sl r j ru n r u r ju pr u j ur jnj w q º~¶ Ur sRlvq] o j¶27 º~voo½qQpj¯_ o¶nV r n¸wp~ s lqo ju u rju p jz ou n _ r~sw p~28 vrË l~º Q~jÁn_ p¯l~L nrº» sQr½q Onrl ] q ~ ru jqu u qu ~rqu nj~rru q ju r sj r r s jq l~u n~ru n _ p¯l~w p~jV nr¶wp¯l~a o~jL p os vl w p~jQrrj¶wp~j u n r j s orl r j s os u r j 29 r ju u~ qu r jq ju n r~ j ru jqj w p~jT rÅqwr¿wp~j^ ro wr¿wp~j º vrrQpr²q¶ r j sjjqru r j sojnru sWlvq p~sb½q30nvr¶q¶_ p¯l~wr¿ Qo~jº» sLr½qº Qr¯ Opo¯j ~ ro ju u n ru r j u u qu s jz so zj no ju s jnzjs lqql~q ] o¯s¶ j Tn bo¯ n~jqjM ns~] pÊ jqlhnow p~j Ë] jn¯wp~ ~ ou rouu ru j qunj nru u jql Tqrº^jp~vpjOrÅjn] ojTnl~vqL n» njÅqºQnlvq j¿vq¶pOr~r r~ru njnu r~rlq jnu~r jq~o jr qlu zjqu jnjrj nu j ~ q r l~q Qp°lvqPrË jqº Lj~sv½q31 vnoº_ nl~QnÊjqj¯njnº O¿nj nou zq k~p~ r~ l o oujzp~j nq u j nj º voË l~w p~ r olq~ rru qjr jqu rl~q u s lq j rj ql~q~r rr l~ w p¯jQo~wvo_ olº V sOlvqw~ vp T nÒk~p~s^½q35:1 ruquolq ruqu nj o~ oj q j rlnju jn~~u j rr~o~r ju jq Qo jÅn OÑl jbrj¶Ñ Op~ o ] p~ jnÂqT o~r q Oo¶j n ] r¯wo°lvqL r¯ j u ~ l r{ormn j r jqoju Ë LÁn] p¯l~wr¿Qp~jË Oo¶wp~Tslvq p~s^½q2Ñ vn r~_ r°o s ju u oou zq k~ps lqql~q ~u n ur qjq qlqr u u jq~u ounu n º Qnl vqjº Olvq¼vnj Op js vj¶] p¯l~T roÂ q ^ oÒk~w p~º Wnr s ju juu u q zju uu q n~jso o vpovÒjn°

X RASHI W rujq r j pj nu p zl~ q njs~u r~p z ru p~s lqo ju ou jnuoj nrl q ~p o zu qj nrl q q nzr~ l ru jn oj njs z u r j rnj pr~r p~ oj r srro ~~qu r nj rru q j sjjt~ ~r rr l~ ru os l~ p~ ojpr sjq nru nr p{so~ rj{nj pu q nq q~p n r{ r ~sr j ~ru rujzqkpj ppuq ru jq o~p z njolu j rnj u r n jz s zju r z r o no l~qu j rj lu qu nj p jz p z r r zu n p jp ju zou p z rou qr junu n o~ nu l n q s zj pu jql qju n sl q p jp ju zo~ru p z p os jn{u nl qj rrrsl o nr prjrru j rru q~j r zjqru j nujqu rr rsl p zu u j q ju u ju un p z nlqu j q uj rjr ps r u rs~ pu jqlq

¦¥´¨³£®²´£³²£¢¨§£¦´¡£¥²¨ £¡§£² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W new obligatory status is born of their new ability to a story that transcends the intellectual process, namely understand the importance of the commandments. Ac-- the that of Simeon and Levi’s ĚȱǰȱĴȱȬ- cording to the second view, they should be motivated ȱȱȱȱęȱ¢ǯȱȱȱȱȱ purely by the fact that the commandments are God’s fact that the rational appreciation we must have when ǰȱĚȱȱȬȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ obligatory status. ȱȬȱȱȱǰȱĚȱ commitment. Conversely, our supra-rational passion ȱȱȱȱȱęȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȬ- to us that a child matures intellectually at thirteen via ity and reason.166

pp. 92-93, notes 14 and 21. 162. Above, 28:3-4. Bereishit RabbahȱŞŖǱŗŘǲȱGur Aryeh, etc. 163. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 190, note 41. 164. ǰȱřŘǱŘřǲȱȱad loc.ǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 35, p. 151, note 18. 165. Above, 28:22, 33:18. 166. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 289- 293, vol. 5, pp. 162, 421.

ŬŭŪ 460 Genesis 34:26-35:2 VAYISHLACH

26ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ȱ ȱ Ğǯ When they went to rescue Dinah, they found her agonizing in embarrassment over what had been done to her and afraid that, ¢ǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱǲȱȱȱȱȱ he would marry her, and it was only on this condition that she consented to be rescued.158 ȱȱ ȱȱĴȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ bow and stood at the entrance to the city in readiness to protect his sons if any of its allies would come to side with its inhabitants.159 27 Jacob’s sons came to strip the slain of their possessions, and they plundered ȱ¢ȱȱȱęȱȱǯ 28ȱ¢ȱȱthe Hivites’ȱĚǰȱĴǰȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱelse was in the ¢ȱȱȱęǯ 29ȱ¢ȱ£ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ and plundered everything in the houses. 30 Despite the victory, ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȃȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ my peace of mind byȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱi.e., the Canaanites and the Perizites.160 Until now, they161 did not perceive us as a threat, for although they knew of God’s promise to give us this land, they assumed that ȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱĜ¢ȱȱȱ grown into a nation, since that is how God phrased His blessing.162 But now that they have seen that the two of you undertook to execute judgment against the ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȭ- thorities,163ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱĴȱǰȱȱI have only a few people on my side; if they now ȱȱȱȱȱĴȱǰȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ ȱ out.” 31 To this, Simeon and Levi replied, “What choice did we have? Should anyone be allowed to treat our sister as if she were a prostitute, who shows no discrimina-- tion in her carnal relations?” Jacob Returns to Bethel 35:1 God said to Jacob, “Your daughter Dinah was abducted and raped as punish-- ment for your having hidden her from Esau164ȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱ ¢ȱȱȱěȱȱęȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱǯ165 There-- fore, ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱĚȱ¢ȱȱǯȄ 2 Jacob said to the members of his household and to all those who were with him, “Remove the idols you took as spoil from the non-Jews in Shechem and that are now in your possession; ritually purify yourselves from having come into contact with these idols by immersing yourselves; and, if you are wearing any clothing taken from Shechem, be sure to change your clothes if they bear any idolatrous images or decorations.

158. Rashi on 46:10, below. 159. ȱȱŚŞǱŘŘǰȱ ǲȱBereishit Rabbah 80:10. 160. Cf. 13:7, above. 161. Likutei Sichot, vol. 32,

ŬŭŪ 461 FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W ^ psvr Yo~r q Ro¶j n ] r±wp°k vp~jL o~wvo¶Qplvqj rº_r j3 ou jp~jo~ ojqu nju ju nsj ou q~u j rr~o~ r ju jq ruqu º] jÊn½q4 nÊjvrr_ p¯l~Ð pQp¸q¶ O nrÁnT njvq OnrvrË]¶ j T ns~ nlqjuu ojo rlq nujq~ j rsju s lq j u rn nr~ l ~u n r jr~ju QnrjÂqwp~j Orr¶ j ] p¯l~T roÂ q ^ oÒk~wr¿~] o sRlvqw vp~ s on~u n ur qjqqlqru r _ p¯l~Qro~vrq _Ê q sOlvqT rs~s^jn½qL poj r~j¶] p¯l~ quqjso j~u j ~u n ur q zrrr j n ~u n rjrus ju s lqs jq T p¯l~T nrvpwq RnÒk~] qÊn *] njqºL rÃn½q5vpj¯wn rm~n rl u q qlqu rju p jz sWlvq~sbr½q6 s vlvq_ o¶ j Qol ~º vq O jvr~]ÒjOp oË] nj so rl q o jnju~u n ur qjqq rj ~ rl~qs lq o ju qruu rj~r j _ rrwrj ~º Q L o~wvo¶~ Qn qOq¿ j p] p~j¶T p¯l~rº R ~ n qq j~ n r jq~juu n u j s lq 7 u oun~n ruqrj~u o~ ou L o~wvo¶ Qo~Ë OrÁqT~ rjn½q q Oo¶j n T¯ r p^ n½q Ë vÁnwp¯l~ ~ rjq~j~ rj~u r ju jq ruq~ r ju r^ rÊq8 vn r~_ o jÅnË Q jrj¶ OnÒk~vrT r~º o ^jn¯Rr ] n¿ rjou nju jn~ ruq ol~~o ou o~ qnu n u ~ l rmn u o jqoju q ]Ê q Qo~wvojq _ qÊnV orÇnÊqOrj n pċ] poT rs j¸ qr jjn~j rj nj~ rujn o rsu j ~ rjzoo sunzjuo~ oj qju n º vr¶Ë_À q~ËQj¯~_ rjn½qËLÀ q~vr ~ rnjuq zou o~jz rju Ð pQrjqL rl~] q¸qÅnËQ~s j¶Ë O Tslvqw vp~^ nÒk~~bro½q9 nsojuss lq j rjnju jn~j ql~q u orj nru rl~u q qun bÑjn¯c~ orÇnw~Ò v sLlvq]Ñ jn¯ QnÒk~Ë_wp~sv½q10 Ë vs~ j rjz ojjn~r s lqj r jz rjou j rjz oj o~ rj{n ork~s lq s Ë Qj¯wp~~_ rjn½qÑOpj¯] p jvnT o~ rj°nw~ n ¿^ n sRlvq Ë W o~ rj{nu o jzr~ rju vo~rj°n

X RASHI W r nu j qj r zjquq p zs nu q oj nu n j p puq rou r zu n qu n p jz p~ o p jz n rj r n~ n r o~r o j qju rju jnj rrup p zs nr o~ ojq qu n o~ o~ ju u j u ru zsru q o~ ou o~ q qu s znr rp z~ rjzoo su nz ju su q~rq qu rr p zpu q zjq ou rol r ou zo o~ o ju sr n jz u u un p z s znu ru qju n ru u j qj rr qu u nzjur jqj n sju o~nu q pu nr~ ou ou u n sju u r z~s ju o{ u qu jn rru ~ q zqjnu su q~ s nsu r o~ ou r~ o u jnj nr~ o ju sju j nr~ou nr o ju su q~j rou p z su ~ n q su q t p z n o z p o~jur z s zjnuu jq~ju rk~o z zo ou jq ssjnu ns k~r ~su p z u rss ~p u nkp p z nju o ~ q nrj s zjnu qk~p~s j su nr rju n~ osos l~ sju nu q ~su ru q q~ r{ o u u pu ~ n rru p z ppu q su njuqu ju qj ru jnu ru o s z s zj~u p z rku ~oj slqu s ujp ju r p~pu q sru qu n o z qqu su rj jn ~ r jn~s so zu q r~jzru n r p~ rl~ nu q s zjnu ~ oru ~ n s nol~qu jnu ss~j prjq su zju r p~j o ju rs ju rj n r rsu j rru q nu q s zjnu ~ru p~ rolq rl~ qju~ ruq rr~ s zjs lq sr jnz nuj q r zjs lqjrj n rjr~p z nj~ ru p~"s lq nr jq{ s zj ~ or rl~ quqj sjp~ rs j r j r z r zu nr nuj qju

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Ŭŭū 462 Genesis 35:3-10 VAYISHLACH

3ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ who has always answered me in time of my distress, and who has always accom-- panied me and protected me ȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱǯȄ 4 They handed over all the idols in their possession to Jacob, as well as the ear-- ȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱ Shechem. 5 They set out. ȂȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱĴȱȱȱ consequence of the incident in Shechem, the dread of God fell upon the inhabit-- ants of the surrounding cities, and they did not pursue Jacob and his sons. 6 Thus Jacob came to Luz, which is ǰȱȱȯȱȱȱȱȬ- ple who were with him (see Figure 39). 7 He built an altar there, and he named the place on which the altar stood El- ȱ [“God is revealed in Bethel”], since it was there that God revealed ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěȱ his brother Esau. 8 Rebecca’s wet-nurse, Deborah, whom she had sent to fetch Jacob from Laban’s house eight years prior to this and who was now accompanying his household on their return journey, died,167 and she ȱ ȱ ȱ —which was located on a hilltop—on a plateau near ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱ. As Ja-- cob was burying Deborah, a messenger arrived to inform him that his mother FigureȱřşǱȱ Jacob Travels to Bethel. Rebecca had also just died. Jacob therefore named this plainȱȬȱ[“Plain of Weeping”], for he mourned his mother there. Because Rebecca was also the mother of the wicked Esau, the Torah does not explicitly mention her death, so that no one would be reminded of her name and thus be inclined to curse her for having brought him into the world. 9 Just as He had done when Jacob was on his way to Padan Aram,168 God again appeared to Jacob at Bethel on his way from Padan Aram, and blessed him, this time in order to console him in his mourning over his mother. 10 God then gave Jacob the alternative name Israel, just as Esau’s guardian angel informed him that He would.169 He said to him, “Your name is Jacob. You will no longer be called solely by the name Jacob, but rather Israel shall also be your name,” and He named him Israel.

167. Above, 30:25. 168. Above, 28:12-22. 169. Above, 32:29.

Ŭŭū 463 SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W _ qjºËV· Oo jº] ojÅT q¸q¯~^ o bnl~ WnÒk~Ëb c p~sc½q11 u q q z ~~o r~ l rjou ql~q sj nj nz q zjnjq o ju zu u º~vooÑ_ prl voQnr jºr¾L pÁn]p jvnQnË· ~ru qjqju nnu q zju nj qu ruj n ~u n r jq~r j u junruj n ]ÑjQr jn jº_ r rjq~jnÊV qr_ p¯l~ pRr~rwp~j12 rj r jnju r rjq~j nrj roup~j r jqurj jnjqunu jup~ Qrrvoq_ q½q13 pvr~rwp~_ oÊp~Ñ Qpl ~ vq _Ñl jq jvºrÂL p jÊp~ nsru noqu qujn~j ~ r jq~ u oun ou q ~u n rjq~jur~ q rrj RroÆqsWlvqboÆq½q14 Ë vÊn~_ p¶ n¸wp¯l~Ë QrÁq¶ L nÒk~ ~ rjq~ju~rjrs lq ol~q j ou q~j~r jq~qru ounou q u n s_n½qÐ pOp TrbprÐ^ oÃq½q pL~ r p] pÆqË QÊn~_ p¶ n¸wp¯l~Ë VrÁq¶ ~ r jznqlu nl~q nu u n qlu 15 ~ rjq~~ j rjzr s lq~ rju bp¶¸ n c p¯l~Ë RrÁq] o¯wp~sWlvq~ brjn½q pvr¯rQpr o~ ou rjruquu ou nou q u n 16 u ju s rlq o~ ou n u rju Ë_w njvq Oo~] o¶nTº jn½q vo~wvo¶ QnÒk~¯ËV r _Ên~ qo n rjp~jqoj~r jq~ rlq u qj oju q~nzu qjo r ¹ vrÊ jnj¶¯ _ qjÊq Qo r p_ oÊq rL rjp~~Ë ]r pQr~rw qjn¿ qu ppl~qu qj ojuu qu jzqj 17 u o ~q ol~ nl jn~~r rjq w~ q T pbpÀq jq¹^ r p~sbÊq¹L rÊ jnj¶¹Qrs¯ jqj_ njq ol~u q zjq qunjurlq ru j n rOo¿] n T¹ r¯jq~^ oj¶ Ynjq18vo¶ÐQr _ pwqw¿ vn On~ j] nÊ nu l~qnru j qu u o jz qju qn nrj nuo~u rj vnrj nË_w~ rvr Qnr~jLnË~wp¶ËQj¯~_ rjnÊq

X RASHI W pt pu ju rlu pr~rp z qjnu rru q~j r rlj qu u n nu p z s rjuqp z j orj~ qjnl~ p z u q q z ~o nl~ ~~ r s n ql rr zu q j r r rju qu ru n qp z rr jnu q q~j nrjnuq s~sn ql p z o z q o ju oju poj u qu nr rlq ju ol p z~ rjnp z su zju p o~j qp zu j n su nrjnu su u u pu n rjuq jnr u j p z nu q jq qu n ~o z u p z nl~ os~j pr~ qjnu s un~o nr jzu q qj njuoj osu n~ or nnl p z n qjp~j pp os~ ruq~p z sju os s~ r jqu qlj q sju n ql p z nrjnu p o zu nu rp z p zsu zn~j~u r z nr ju o z os rr~qj l qjuj ru pr{u q qjp ppu p zsu zn~j n jnp zju o jq~ s zrjup u ru q s~s os q rj rspq nu pr~ qjnu ru n zn~ nj nu nrjnuu joju u zrj nr jzu q q~j nj rs~ j rj s p o z ru n u zjruu osu qj u jr~ju jr j r zu n~j nrjnj s unu~p oun~s u u pu n nlqpu n s~ pu roj rs~ ju rj s nrjnu j u ru zsru q r~ r s nr jzu q n p s r~ r o rj n~ qqu j pp~ju r s suqj~u p z njq oj p~ jn nrj n q ju su ~u oor prl o nr ju s lqjos~~u qk~pu p z sju n qlq ql~o~ru rr~p zju ppu q~ np z o p z n su q qj nju s{ rojrru nnl n su p z n su nrj nu rujpu q qsr j j sr qru j pp~juppu qu o ~ q r ru nj nz njpj qu q ru oj su t~ nj nz ~u j rnj r~ rj ruq~ nr j sr s zj nr pu n su qu sruu u ~ n q jznu njqj rru nnl p z sr jn ojq su p z nrpu nrjnu o ~ q r~ ru o r q q os n~ o su ~ n puu n p zl~ sru quu u r n~ o onu nru qoj sju u ju qujnj nuqu s zj zoou o q j pr~r qjnu u ojqu ju

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[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗŜǾȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱĜ¢ȱȬ- ward the supernal worlds.181 Benjamin embodied ing birth: In the Zohar, Joseph and Benjamin are re-- the yearning of the creatures of the lower worlds to ferred to as the “higher saint” (tzadik elyon) and the rise and be enveloped in their Divine source. 180 “lower saint” (tzadik tachton), respectively. One It follows that the birth of Benjamin, the descent of ȱȱěȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ his soul into the physical world, went against his Joseph’s focus was on drawing down Divine aware-- very nature, which was to ascend. Rachel therefore ness from the supernal worlds to the physical world, ¡ȱĜ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱǯ182 Benjamin’s focus was on elevating the physical to--

ŬŭŬ 464 Genesis 35:11-18 VAYISHLACH

11 God then said to him, “I swear to you by My own eternal self, as God Al-- mighty, that your progeny shall be fruitful and increase, eventually forming a great nation that will survive eternally and inherit the Land of Israel.170 In addition, I am going bless you personally in this regard now. Since I am God Almighty, who has the power to confer blessings, I bless you as follows:ȱȱȬ- fulȱȱ¢ȱ Ğȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǰ and increase your numbers through his older brother, Joseph.171 This will happen as follows: A nation—that is, a tribe172ȯ ȱȱȱȱ Ğȱǰ and a com-- munity of nations—that is, two tribes—will come forth from you via Joseph.173 ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ via the son about to be born.174 Sixth Reading 12 “Furthermore, I swear that175 I will give you the land that I gave ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱĞȱ¢ as well.” 13ȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱǯ 14 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱJacob now ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱ stone. He poured a wine-libation upon it, and also poured oil upon it. 15 Jacob again176ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ[“the House of God”]. The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel 16ȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ toward Hebron, and there was still ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱĜ¢ȱȱ birth. 17 When her labor became severe, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for besides Joseph, this one, too, is a son for you.” In addition to a son, Rachel gave birth to two daughters at this birth.177 18 As she breathed her last, for she was dying, she named her newborn sonȱȬ Oni [“son of my sorrow”], but Jacob, his father,ȱȱȱȱ[Binyamin, “son of the south”], since he was the only one of his sons to have been born in Canaan, south of Padan Aram.

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 13 God ascended from above him [literally: “from ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ upon him”]: Based on this phrase, the Midrash com-- the commandments, our limbs—the hand that gives ments that the patriarchs are God’s “chariot.”178 This charity to the poor, the leg that carries us to perform a means that throughout their lives, every aspect of their good deed, the mouth and brain that engages in Torah being transcended material concerns and was commit-- study—become a “chariot” for God’s will.179 ȱ¡¢ȱȱȱęȱȱ Ȃȱ ǯ

170. Rashi on Exodus 32:13. 171. Likutei Sichot, vol. 17, p. 324, note 23. 172. Cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 33:3. 173. See 48:3-6, below. 174. Referring to King Saul (1 Samuel 9-10) and King Ishboshet (2 Samuel 2:8-10). 175. Rashi on Exodus 32:13. 176. Above, 28:19. 177. Rashi here and on 37:35, below. 178. Bereishit Rabbah 82:6. 179. Tanya, chap. 23. 180. Zohar 1:153b. 181. See below on 49:27. 182. Likutei Torah 2:27d.

ŬŭŬ 465 SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W p vr_ o¶~ Qn rOrjp~Ðp] pj¶T o rÇnÊqL o r rQrÊq19 qs~ju qr jjn~jo r qnu ol~q p r ou ~ n rjp~ w qvt j p_ pÆq~V¹ n L rrvt jwqQroÆqsVlvqa oÆq½q20 ~ n u q ju j ~q rjrs lq ~ o rs q o rj~ r ju j qr r~jQroOÒm~ vr ] o½qL o~rj°nQqÃn½q21 Ëv½ qwqQo r ou ju jzqju o jqu o~ rj{nqju rlq ~ po j ru j j nj~ru qju n Ðp] o½q~ Onqp] r~r¶T o~ rj°ns^¿j¯n¶Rnjq22 pvow q¸j nj ~ nq~r jq~juo~ rj{n~rjzqu rjnur o jzu o~u j q l~q ċvL o~rj°nQqj¯n½q LOnr~¯p] p nÅTQrjn¶wp~T Pq¿ j¯n½qO Roº~ j o~ rj{nq jzu nu l~~ q rjo j o ju q{l ojus lqo j slq sQlvq Ë _j¶Or~o] o j¶23 vr°r _ o¯ j sQlvqwoº j _ jvn½q s jnzjo~u js lqu j u ojtu r~o u ju u r r{ u njru n no j Oo r ] o j¶24º vtjºQrr²nj Orºvn] nojTË jn¯jL oº~ j o ju nrj nu os o r o ju n rujq ju r o rj~rjq~rjn vnrÊjq j ¸Qr Oo r ] q jn¯T rjn^ o jº25 vnrj nºQoË

X RASHI W ru nu q rj jzn n rjnuq su p zu n s z~nrj nj n jq sjp j~~r su p z q ~ nq pr~ru o~ rj{ns u jznu u zjruu osu qj r~r ju sru nj n~u j ruqou oujnup z j s un qu jznuq pu ~ o ru u u jo~ r jnp o~ ~ rr ~su p z n nuqru t j nr z ru tu ~ p z r u ojqju ojunrru j u rr jz u u n~ju u ru qrr p l q sru jzn s~ rjr rju q q q jznuu u nl~s lqsju o~u j rjrp z sru ns lq qro r rou p zju " p z su j ou n j sju rslq sjurl qj sjus lq sju sju ru rju nrs~r~jzn~s j o r ps~ ju nrru j nr jzu q qj nj~ru ~p osj rsjr jun~s j rj nj n~ qr~ su n~ suj p q rjo~u ~ j ru rjnups~ ju nr jzo jzn r{lqu p z ~ o ju nu ~ n s l~q j nz nu n~j rr rjrnu ~ n s l~ r{ro jz s lqo j u j nuq oujnuj rj" nu n~j rr

ª´³ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 19ȱǳ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ O living and eternal King, why be jealous of meaning-- ȱȱȱ ȱȱǱ Rachel was the only less idols?” one of the matriarchs who was not buried in the Cave God’s mercy was immediately aroused, and He pro-- of Machpelah. This enabled her to pray on behalf of the claimed: “For you, Rachel, I will return the Jewish peo-- Jewish people, who many centuries later, would pass ple to their homeland. You have advocated well. There by her grave in Bethlehem as they were driven from is reward for your deed and your righteousness….”190 ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱęȱ Rachel was well aware of Jacob’s holiness and righ-- temple.188ȱȱ ȱ ǰȱ Ğȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ teousness. She surely yearned to be married to him and failed to appease God, Rachel cried out: live with him. Yet she gave up that opportunity and al-- “Master of the Universe! Whose mercy is greater— lowed her sister to marry Jacob instead. This self-sacri-- Yours, or that of a mortal? Surely Your mercy is greater. ęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Yet I, a mere mortal, mercifully brought my competitor for the Jewish people. into my home. Jacob served my father just to gain my Similarly, Rachel gave up thousands of years of burial hand in marriage. Yet when it was time for me to marry next to her husband in the Cave of Machpelah for her him, they brought my sister instead. And not only did descendants’ sake, even though these descendants de-- ȱȱǲȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǷ189 served to be exiled because of their sins. It is this sacri-- You, too, O God: if Your children have brought Your ęȱȱȱȱȱ ȇȱȱȱȱ competitor [i.e., idols] into Your home, remain silent. I, His people, regardless of their mistakes.191 a mere mortal, was not jealous of my competitor. You,

188. Rashi below on 48:7. 189. Above, 29:23. 190. Rashi and Radak on Jeremiah 31:14, based on Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 24. 191. Hitva’aduyot 5711ǰȱǯȱŘǰȱǯȱśşȬŜŗǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 30, p. 238.

Ŭŭŭ 466 Genesis 35:19-25 VAYISHLACH

19 Rachel died, and she was buried on the road leading to Efrat. Efrat is also known as ǯȱAs they were not far from Hebron, Jacob could have taken her there in order to bury her in the family plot in the Machpelah Cave. But God instructed him to bury her where she had died, instead. He showed Jacob pro-- phetically that the Jewish people would be led into captivity along this very route ĞȱȱȱȱȱęȱǯȱȱȂȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȬ- scendants being driven into exile, it will return to her grave, from which she will then emerge, beseeching Him to have mercy on His people. God will then promise her that, in her merit, He will indeed return them to their homeland.183 20 Jacob erected a tombstone on her grave; this is the tombstone that has remained on Ra-- chel’s grave to this very day (see Figure 40). 21 Israel traveled on, but he once again tarried and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder (see Figure 40) instead of proceeding on to his father’s home in Hebron. 22 As before,184 Jacob was punished for having ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȂȱǯȱĞȱ Rachel died, Jacob moved his bed from her tent to that of Bilhah, her half-sister and handmaid. Reuben, Leah’s eldest son, considered this an ěȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱ Ǳȱ ȱ ȱ FigureȱŚŖǱȱ Jacob Travels to Bethlehem and Migdal Eder. could be expected to tolerate being subordinate185 to her sister—for it was well- known that Jacob considered Rachel his primary wife—she certainly should not be expected to tolerate being subordinate to her sister’s handmaid. So, while Israel in-- excusably continued to reside in that region, Reuben went and moved his father’s bed from Bilhah’s tent to Leah’s. Although Reuben’s intentions were honorable, it ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȱěǰȱ as unconscionable as if he had ȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȂȱǯȱ When Israel heard about it, he chastised his son. Reuben immediately repented. Therefore, although he did not confess his misdeed publicly until later,186 this in-- cident did not delegitimize him in any way,187 as indicated by his full status in the following enumeration of Jacob’s sons. Now that Benjamin had been born, the sons of Jacob were twelve in number. Jacob’s family was now complete, posed to become the progenitors of the Jewish people. 23ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱ Ȃȱęǲȱǲȱǲȱ ǲȱ Ȭ- char; and Zebulun. 24ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱǯ 25ȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǯ

183. ȱŘȱ ȱŘśǱŞȱěǰȱ ȱřŗǱŗŚȱěǯȱȱ184. Above, v. 1. 185. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 145, note 24. 186. Below, 38:26. 187. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 444, note 52.

Ŭŭŭ 467 SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W sOlvq] o¶ j pÀ~ Uo L o¯r~j]· r Qr~o_ q jn¯V rÅjn_ oº j 26 ru r~o~ j rjq~rujno ju u nj jn~ u n s lqo juou ~ n o zr~j Onr~] r jnw~ p Tslvq~s^r½q27 vrl~_ q¸qj¶ËQwqÀt_ p¯l~ s lq~rl~q rl~u q qjuou q jn~ojqnu l~ r jnqj Qr rjq~_ r¯wvr·wp¯l~Ë Ojp ~] n L q¶ jq~vr] q jn~ Qojq ruqur u n sjp ~ n ru jq~ 28 r jn os slq r jnj r rjq~ vrr¯_ ns j¯ºQrr¯_ q~jL r jn] ojºQ jvn½q vr jnj nj jn~j n jz n jqjr~j 29 n u ouqj zo ju jn~j nu r jn L nr] qj°º QorOrÁqw~ p p] r~o½qT rbr½q^ r jnbqjn½q s lq j r{ou or u r ju ns q j{u r{oq ju u ou n~j nsju vrr¶sQlvqj_ r°oË Os~º ]j¶jn½q sk~~u Ë vk~~º _Qr°oË _js vÊpÀV o~j36:1

X RASHI W oj{ p q jz pu qu jn osj nj{ pj r~ou l~ jz nr r z nro z qu jq~rq jn s znu q o z ~ ojq " pu qou s lqjp s jzu r~oq jz r r z u rs~jr r z n~j qu jq~ q jnp z s zn~ o qu jq~rq jn~ ojq o ju qjnr r z oj{ p qu jq~j o ru jn zs r zj nzu nz j ppuou " qu jq~q jnu ~ q ojqs ujn s r r q~s u r zu n~juq r oj{ p qu jq~j q p zr nj nz ol p o ou sju p sju u ru s jzu p z r ru rju~ rjnu q p zl~qu njq qk~pu p z osq s oj{ p qu jq~ sju ~ o su nu qj j qjt n~ o~ oup o nl~ p p q jzu r p~j njznu ol sj os~ p o r rjr qjrju nj qu q ouu r n jzu q r ouq z~s ju ru js sp s jzu r~o ol os qu jn~su p z q oj{ p q jnuq nk~r ou o~n rru nj prnl~ s lq~rup z q os ru jun p zu n~ rjnu q n zrs j os p z s rnj rs uqur ~u ju ru jt~ o r jn pu osj qk~pu p zr r z n qujzu nj{ p rj qj n ol p zr r z oj{ p oujzr jnp z sr njr jr ol r r n qr jzu qs{ n r z q p zj sj r r z nzs jz qk~pu p z r r z nzu nz pu r jnr r s lqq su p zju q~ju nzs jz qu j o jz oj nju n qujzu nj{ p r~oq jznuo r jnj sjr r z nzu nz pu r jn j p s jzu r~os rnjnus lq~ r jnr r z n s jzu r~ou n nzu nz~ ns u n~s lqj nj{ pj

¢ ¨´£³²¨¨´£³²¥¦´£³²¥¥´£³²¦ ¢§£¥¦¨¥§£¢®³ ¢¦¨³

FigureȱŚřǱȱ Esau’s Famly.

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ [28] Isaac lived to be 180 years old: God’s blessing natural limit of longevity should have been 105 of longevity thus added exactly the same number of years, but God added 80 years to it. years to Isaac’s life as it had to his father Abraham’s: Nonetheless, Isaac died at age 180 rather than 185 Abraham should have naturally died at the age of because his love for Esau blinded him to Esau’s 100 but God added 80 years to his life (and then wickedness. Isaac therefore did not refrain from ȱȱ¢ȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȬ- looking at Esau, and looking at wicked people cumb to his evil inclination). Based on this, Isaac’s shortens a person’s life.198

ŬŭŮ 468 Genesis 35:26-36:1 VAYISHLACH

26 The sons of Leah’s handmaid Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram (see Figure 41). Jacob’s sons—except for Judah and Joseph—married their half-sisters.192 Simeon, besides marrying a half-sister, also married his full sister, Dinah. Four of Jacob’s sons each married two of their half-sisters.193

FigureȱŚŗǱȱ Jacob’s Family. Jacob Returns to Isaac Ğȱȱ ȱ Ȃȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱĚ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ its chronicle of Isaac’s life and to synopsize the history of Isaac’s other son, Esau. The Torah will then resume its narrative of Jacob’s family, relating how God forged this family into the nation to whom He would give the Torah and whom He would ¢ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱ By concluding these chapters in the history of Isaac’s family now—even though both Isaac and Esau lived well into the time period encompassed by the continua-- tion of the chronicle of Jacob and his children—the Torah indicates that their role in the development of the chosen people has now come to an end, and that our Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Jacob.194 27 In the year 2208, Jacob came to his father Isaac in Mamre, the plain of Kiryat Arba; this place is also known as Hebron,195 where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned (see Figure 42). 28 Isaac lived to be 180 years old. Although he had ȱȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱ ȱ ȱęȱ years younger than his mother had been when she had died,196ȱȱ¢ȱȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱ did his father, who died at the age of 175. 29 In the year 2228, he breathed his last, passed FigureȱŚŘǱȱ Jacob Returns to Hebron. ¢ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱęǲȱ and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him in the Machpelah cave in Hebron.197 The Line of Esau 36:1 The following are the descendants of Esau, who was nicknamed Edom199 (see Figure 43).

192. Rashi on 37:35, below. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 262, note 9. 193. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 269, note 25. 194. Rashi on 37:1, below. 195. Above, 23:2. 196. ǰȱŘŝǱŘȱěǯȱȱ197. Below, 49:31. 198. Above, 25:30. 199. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 217-220.

ŬŭŮ 469 SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W TË o~wq¶Rrrw~ p qL r j¿Ë] j¶nQr¯rw~ p _ qrV r°o2 qr ju q ju n ns zjr oj r{o r j r~run so~qu rrr w p~j3vnº n vqËQ jnwq¶ Orlw¶ q T rr vnm vr~wp~j OnÊn vq sjnqu rlqu rrnm r~ ~ or jznqu q j{rur j r~ru n Qr°o j V rrpa oÊq4ËvrjË _ l~~Qorj¯nw¶ q _ qj°vr¶ rrqo n srju n u or l~ 5 qojq j{ru rnk~r r{oj T rr vnm vr~j vo~º jwp~QrjvrOqj°] rº L rnk~w p~ qojrrnm r~j o~u j r ou ~ n qsr j r jqr j zu j r pÀ~ Uo qsLwp~jQrjqw p~j)¯º_jw p~+ w~ Orjvr ~ r jq~juou u nj jn~u n r{oo ju w~ p \r°o ] qÇn½q6 qvr¿ j p_ p~j¶ËQwºjÀt_ p¯l~Or°o] o j¶ r j ns zjr r{oq j u qr j n q zjqru r j u or ju r j nsju MË o¶ Ë ]¯ jqw r¿wp~jh rs j¶ w p~j] rr¶wp~j[r¯r[ u onjuru r j nsou r j u oou ~ r jq~ju~r j u n u orj n ru r j ¯Qq r _ p¯l~ËOrj nwr¿T o~jË RÊjp j¶wr¿wp~jº]o jnwp~j rmn nm ~ r ql~qq l~qqr j n 7 sjq j n rl ol~ n u ~ l s lq a r rwvn¿ vn r~s_lvqQo jÅn pOp~wp~Ðp] o½qqL r¿ j p] p~j¶ q nj~r~ j rl ququnju n u n q s jq~rrsjs ju r s u ql~ Tp oºv j p^~ p Wr jvr~bÒjL r¸j qp] p±nQr V r¯º j soou rm n vpo jnQo jÅnOrs~~] o°r X RASHI W u r~n{u ~n u p z o z q srj s l~ rssll u jnu p z ~ ojnjs~ o qu qj{ru~ n so~qu rr rrnm~ r j s jz q~ ojn~ orjznou p zu n s rr rslq nr{ju ppu qj rjrp z o z q qj{ru ~ q rup z r r qnk~ pu r r o jq p qs sj rjr qs nu ju rjzru ~ n u j nu j~ n rrnm r~ u ~ r u ol p z r{ o p zo~ rrnm~ r p~ nr~ p zo~ u q nr~~p sjqj oju rr rslqu pp s~u np z ru pp~~p pouqj rj nr sju qnk~ ou u ~ q n p z sju rl sjn~qu s rlqu ~n sjnqu rl nu jqj p ou j pp~r jr~s j~ r jn p zl~qu ou q jrlqur q~j sjno j pu o~j qk~pu p z sjn s lqo ju n rru ~ q zqjnu pru p z sojuqp jn rrnm r~~ rr jrlp zo~sru qu q sjn~rup z r l jqp jno un qou j p z s q jz o ju n n r~ u r so jqo ju ru tu p zu ru q r l nsj po jz ou n n ~~o ru n n oj ~ o qr~ r jnp z s jqq ru u q ql rru ~ osru qju ~ or jznqu q j{ru s j nju~s j~su q pr~r s r junu p z r ruqu ~ qu s p o nl s r zs jz o~u jz po zqjn qru q~ju n~r r s rsjuq ru p z r zu uqo ju nu r jzu q ~ o{ su qjru tjnp srjou u q jnu p z uo p osslpr ql r ~ ojnj r j ~ ru n qqu q qr j r zu n~

£¢´£³²£®²´£³² ¢±«® £±²®¢¡¥¥±«®¦¥´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W a person is raised to a new level and becomes in a sense sistance that would enhance their personal spiritual newborn.209 ǯȱȱȃę¡ȱȄȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ The spiritual parallel of marriage, whose primary pur-- ȃę¡ȱǯȄ pose is to bring new life into the world, is teaching Since the Torah teaches us this lesson in the context Torah and thereby giving spiritual life to another.210 It of the wicked Esau’s marriage, it follows that even follows, then, that those who commit themselves to the those who consider themselves completely unwor-- work of teaching Torah are promised that they will be thy can also commit themselves to “spiritual procre-- forgiven of all sin. ation.” This is because when they devote themselves There are those who shy away from such work claim-- sincerely to this work, they will be elevated to a new ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĜ¢ȱȱȱȱęǰȱ level, and their true essence, which is free of sin, will 212 ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ǰȱ ȃę¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ę¡ȱ be revealed. others.”211 The truth is that by devoting themselves 7 ȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ to “spiritual procreation” they would elicit Divine as-- ȱ ȱęȱȱȱěȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱȱ

28:9. 209. ȱǲȱY. Bikurim 3:3. 210. See Gur Aryeh on this verse. 211. See Sanhedrin 19b. 212. See Eiruvin 54a, beginning. 213. Likutei Sichot, vol. 30, p. 168.

Ŭŭů 470 Genesis 36:2-7 VAYISHLACH

2ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǱ200 Adah (whom people had nicknamed Basmat)ǰȱȱȱȱȱ Ĵǲȱ (whom Esau nicknamed Judith), daughter of Anah (whom Esau nicknamed Be’eri). Oholi-- ȱ ȱȱȂȱȱǲȱȱ ȱthe illegitimate daughter of Anah’s by Anah’s father, Tzivon the Hivite;201 3ȱȱ (who was nicknamed Machalat), daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nevayot.202 Although Esau married Oholivamah before he married Adah, Adah is ȱȱęȱȱȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱ hand, Adah is listed before Basmat (even though Basmat had children before Adah did) because Esau married her during the same year in which he married Oholi-- vamah, whereas he married Basmat twenty-three years later.203 4ȱȱȱȱȱ£ǲȱȱȱhim Reuel; 5 and Oholivamah bore him Yeush and Yalam, and she bore Korach to his son Eliphaz.204 Korach was thus both Esau’s wife’s son (by her adulterous union) and grandson. These are Esau’s sons who were born to him in Canaan. 6 Ğȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱĞǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǯ205 On the journey, Esau ȱȱ ȱę, followed by his sons and daughters ȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱĴǰȱȱǰȱȱȱ his possessions that he had acquired in Canaan. It was neither out of concern ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱęǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ satisfy his salaciousness.206 He moved to another region, in order to be away from his brother Jacob, 7 for their property was too abundant to enable them to live together, and the land around Hebron where they lived could not support them both because its ȱ ȱȱĜȱȱȱǯȱSince Esau had already been liv-- ing there, he could have claimed that Jacob was the one who should leave. But since Jacob had much more livestock than Esau, benevolence would have dictated that Esau be the one to leave. Esau, of course, would not have yielded to Jacob for reasons of benevolence alone, but he knew that whoever would inherit the Prom-- ȱȱ ȱęȱȱȱěȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ inheriting the land in order to avoid the price he would have to pay for it. (While Jacob had been away in Charan, the issue of which of the two brothers would ȱȱȱȱȱȱǲȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱĴȱȱ to be resolved.) True, yielding to Jacob was a blow to Esau’s pride, but in any case Esau felt ashamed over having sold his birthright to Jacob—not so much that this alone would have motivated him to yield the land to Jacob, but enough to neutral-- ize whatever embarrassment he might have felt from doing so.213 X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 3ȱȱ ǻ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǼǱȱ As we of their sins when they got married. The sages derived have seen,207 Machalat, which means, “The Forgiven from this that all couples are forgiven of their sins One,” was so called since she and Esau were forgiven when they marry.208 This is because through marriage

200. Above, 26:34. 201. Below, v. 24. 202. Above, 28:9. 203. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 166, note 16. 204. See below, vv. 15-16, 18. 205. See above, 28:9. 206. ȱȱřŗǱŗŝǰȱǲȱLikutei Sichot, vol. 30, p. 144. 207. Likutei Sichot, vol. 10, pp. 109-114. 208. Above,

Ŭŭů 471 SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W pÀV o~j9 Ë vk~ ~º _ Qr°o Ono°] qj¶T r°op¯^ o½q8 r{o no{~ j ru ju r{o on Ë ]j¯pÀQo~10 vno°Qqj¶Ë Lk~] nl~Qr°o Ë _js vÊ r{o qju uou n~j ~ sk~ u no{~ j ru ju o~rsk~u p su l~ Qqj°vr¶wp¶Po~º j Or°op¯]~ o T rrwp¶Rqnk~L r°owvo j¶ qu qnk~ r{oo ju qr jzou n~ 11 q j{ru qu o~u j r{o qun~ rr QrÊjqjË_j OrË~] r Êo L rnk~] o¶º j Q jvn½q vr°op¯_ o~ rou rnk~o ju slq r{o qun~ p_ oÊqOr°owp¶T qnk~vp¯p Rp n ] rjvr*] q jnj12 vq jº q jnj q ju rujq j sj rs~ r{oqu qnk~p~rjo jql TpÀ bo~j13 vr°op¯_~ o Qrr_ o¶ j pÀ~ Po L orlw~ p Qqnk~vp ou ~ n o rlr qnk~pqo n o juou n~j r{o qun~ rro ju Qqj°vr_ o¶º j O r pÀ]~ o L r» nº] rÁq¯ qQprq _ q Oo~º j ] o j¶ ou ~ n ur nu ruq z qp r q q o~u j w¶ q V rlw q a rr vnm~ vr bo¶º j R r pÀ] o~j14 vr°op¯_ o~ ou n~j r{o qun~ q j{r o ju sl qu rlq rrnm~ r o ju sl w p~j)¯º_jw p~+w~ Or°o j p] oÊqL r°o p¯] o~ËQ jn r r{oj qo n r{o qun~ sjn 15 ou n~ qs r j r jqr j zu j T qnk~^ o¶ j L r°owvo j ] oºÀq~pÀQo~ qs vwp~jQrjq ~ rjtuqnk~o ju r{oo j o jj q vqº j _À~Ë q Qjº _À~ q Ë~ºOr ]À~ q T r Êºo ^À~ q Or°oË ]j¶ ~ ru q rs~~ ru q ro~ru q r{o j ~ ru q qs~ru q ~q j ru q sj ^ oºÀq~pÀ]~ o L orl º ]À~ q QrÊjq· º _À~ q qsVwºvÀ q~16 o jj qou ~ n o rl~ru q rujq T o~º j ^ o¶ j pÀ Ro~j17 vrr_ o¶ j pÀQo~Ë Ok~ p] p~j¶T qnk~ o ju ou ~ n sk~~ p r jq~juqnk~ r{oqu o~u j o juou n~j rr L r» nº ]À~ q QrÁq¯º _À~ q qOpº ]À~ q T q bq º _À~ q Or°owp¶ ruq z ~ru q qp~ru q q q~ru q o~u j o jj q ou ~ n ur ~ n ru q p¯_~ o Qqj°vr_ o¶ j pÀ~Ë Po Ok~ p] p~j¶T o~º j ^ oºÀq~pÀ] o~ q j{ro juou ~ n sk~~ p r jq~ju ¯ºVj º _À~ q Or°op¯]~ o T rr vnm~ vr ^ o¶ j pÀ Ro~j18 vr°o r{oqun~ Qrlw¶ q V rr vnm~ vr YoºÀ~ q pÀ]~ o qsLº ]À~ q Qrjqº _À q~ vr°op¯_ o~ X RASHI W q ou j qnk~ p zrrjuu rs~p s nru q oj nju qj rp zu n r zjq rru n sp z sr s uqpu o~j poou n q jnr~jr j no{p z s ujzn~~q rup z p z sru tju q nsj zpp n rj r q jnj no{j r jnu rs s l~qpu j s zjq nu o{lqr jru p zju qu s q jnus jq ju o run no~ j u r ru qu r rjq~ ~s j o~rn ss l~ rjrp z no{o ju n r~r~ j s j rsjr jnu rs s l~q qk~pu p z rjr nu u q~ s ru jzno z~r r{oo jou u q~pu o~ r~r n nrju r u jzru p z ns q nr r no{ o jzs ou u q~o zpp n p jp~j~ qjqr j ~ o{ru njrs n o~ rjr~

¦¥±«® X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W Her name, Timna, which denotes “withholding,” sug-- was to withhold even when she had nothing to lose ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ by giving. She was therefore unworthy of converting taught, “Do not withhold [al timna] good from one who to the family of Abraham, a family distinguished by a needs it when the power is yours to bestow it.”223 The generous and giving spirit.225 She was likewise barred Talmud interprets this verse as referring to those who from marrying into the family of Jacob and instead withhold good even when they have nothing to lose became the concubine of Eliphaz. She bore a son who from giving, such as those who refuse to allow others inherited her heartlessness—Amalek, the cruel enemy ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęǯ224 Timna’s nature of Israel.226

223. Proverbs 3:27. 224. See Bava Kama 81b. 225. See above on 24:14. 226. Or HaTorah, Bereishit, vol. 5, p. 1771.

ŬŭŰ 472 Genesis 36:8-18 VAYISHLACH

8ȱȱȱĴȱpermanently214 on Mount Seir, driving out the Horites from the region.215 Esau is ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱĞȱȱȬ- name, Edom. 9 These, then, are the descendants of Esau, the progenitor of the Edomites, who were born on Mount Seir: 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, son of Esau’s wife Adah; Reuel, ȱȱȂȱ ȱǯ 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teiman, Omar, Tzefo, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna, Eliphaz’s daughter whom he had fathered illegitimately by the wife of Seir the Horite,216 very much wanted to marry into Abraham’s extended family by becoming one of her father Eliphaz’s wives, but she knew that he would never agree to marry her because she was illegitimate. Yet her desire to become part of Ȃȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱěȱȱ a concubine of her father, Esau’s son Eliphaz, and thus ȱȱȱȱ£ǯ217 All these are the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nachat, Zerach, Shamah, and Mizah; these were ȱȱȱȂȱ ȱǯ 14 These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholivamah, who was the illegitimate daugh-- ter of Anah’s wife and daughter of Tzivon:218 She bore to Esau Yeush, Yalam, and KorachǰȱȱĴȱ¢ȱȂȱȱ£.219 15 These are the tribal chiefs among the children of Esau: The sons of Esau’s ęǰȱ£ǰȱ ȱȱǰȱȱǰȱȱ£ǰȱȱ £ǰ 16 Chief Korach, Chief Gatam, and ȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Eliphaz in Edom; these are the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah. 17 And these are the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chief Nachat, Chief Zerach, Chief Shamah, and Chief Mizah. These are the tribal chiefs of Reuel in Edom; these ȱȱȱȱȂȱ ȱǯ 18 And these are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholivamah: Chief Yeush, Chief Yalam, Chief Korach. (Korach is thus listed twice: above227 as Adah’s grandson, and again here as Oholivamah’s son, since he was both.) These are the tribal chiefs who were born from Esau’s wife Oholivamah, daughter of Anah. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W forego the privilege of inheriting the land in order to ¡ǲȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ avoid the price he would have to pay for it: Esau did ȱ ȃȄȱ ȱ ¢ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ Ȭ- not consider his migration to Mount Seir, which was ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȬ- beyond the borders of Canaan, to be exile. This was mandments, and wait every moment for the time when because God’s covenant with Abraham stipulated that Godliness will be revealed.221 his descendants would be “foreigners in a land that is 12ȱ ȱ ȱ Ǳȱ The Talmud records that 220 not theirs.” ȱǰȱ ǰȱȱȱ ȱȱěȱȱ Timna was a member of a royal family, who sought to ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱĴȱ¢ȱ convert to the faith of Abraham but was not accepted. on Mount Seir. She thereupon went and became a concubine of Elip-- This again underscores the idea that in contrast to £ǰȱ¢ǰȱȃĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱȱȱȃĴȄȱȱȱȱȱ princess of another!”222

214. See 28:9, above. Likutei Sichot, vol. 10, p. 111, note 19, p. 114. 215. Deuteronomy 2:12, 22. 216. Below, vv. 20-22. 217. Rashi here and on Deuteronomy 32:47. 218. Above, v. 2. 219. Above, v. 5. 220. 15:13, above. 221. Likutei Sichot, vol. 10, p. 114. 222. Sanhedrin 99b.

ŬŭŰ 473 SEVENTH READING

X ONKELOS W Ë vk~~º _QpoºvÀq~pÀ_ o~jV r°owvo jpÀa o~19 r{o qun~ rrnm~ r o ju ou n~j ~ qs ru q r jq~ru q zu j ~ ru q QrË¯j_ rË pL r~r Qoj¯vs O ns vqT no°wvo j pÀ^ o~20 rlqu rrnm~ r o jj qou n~ ou n~j r{oo ju ou n~ r{o qun~ V ns vqa oºÀq~pÀ]~ o L r¯ njpQo~jË _¯ nj21 vrlvqË_ jnj o juou n~~ sk~ u so r jj q rs ~ r jq~o jrr~ rs no{ L r oj] ns QrËwvoº j _ jvn½q22 Ë vk~p_ p~j¶ Qno°_ o j¶ s znj rlqsjnjrs zj o~ rs o jj qou n~ r znjp o~j q Qqrºċ_ r jqOrË¯] o¶ j TpÀ bo~j23 vr jnÊQrËË _ l~q slq sk~~ p r jq~ju no{o ju u or l~qrojns rs o j ~º ] L rlq] r½ q~jËQ jnwvo j pÀ_ o~j24vrË~jËQj¯L r oj rs z o juou n~j r jnu rsu j r s~js jz rojq q ru rjq Qnsl vqwp~Ë _s jn¶ Or¶ jnÁq¶T no½ qwp~~^ rr bp¯l~ Rrl rlqur q~jsjno ju ou n~j ~ru qrunu r qu jzq~u n rl~u w¶ q Qrr vnm vr~jsL¯¸ n Qrlwvo j pÀ_ o~j25 vnr~Ë_ jnj ~ru qrl r o r rl~qu rju jqju o ju ou n~j nu ~ l sjnj vrjº _ rjnjQr¶j¯p~j_ r¸jp L r¯ n ] o¶ j pÀQo~j26 vrl rlqu rrnm r~js znu rl ru jzp~ju r jp r zno ju ou n~j Qr¯ nwvo j pÀ_~ o 28 vrlvqQrlvqj_ rjn¶pL o~wo¶ j pÀQo~27 rjnu p~ o o juou n~ rju rjnj u r zno juou n~ rlq rlq j OrË¯º ]À~ q T rËº ^À~ q L ns vq] oºÀq~pÀQo~29 vrl~vqº_ ~ ru q o~ rs o jj qou n~ rl~q ~ ru q sjn~ru q rs~ z ru q rs º ]À~ q pQo~º _À~ q sV¯ n¸º _À q~30vrlº _À q~ËQ jnº _À q~ p~~ o ru q s zn~ru q rl o~ rs o jj q ou n~ r zn~ru q vno°p_ p~j¶QpovtÀ q~jV ns vqa oºÀq~pÀ] o~L r¯ n¸ no{~ j r jq~juso r jj qj ~ r jq~juu n j ~u n ur qj qou n~j wÐr j _ o jnË Lk~ p] p~j¶ºQjvr_ p¯l~ Onr jÁqTpÀ bo~j31 ~o jn ruj q qj j u n rmsk~ p o~ rj{n vo~rj°n_ o jnÐpQp

X RASHI W ru jnu qu q q rr~ nq r~jz~s qru n~rnl nu q qr~ ju r zj r{~ o rup z psrp jzsu rp z pr~ro jzs r r j ojnu q~" r r ju qnr ~~r slq4r r jrrj ~s j pp~p z u ru zu nju n~nju rp z u zjruu osu qj ~s4 j r sj~ou q jn~s ru qu q un rjr j~ru p~ nl su rp z nrjnp p~ r s j no j p p r q jno ju n ~ru p~ ns qs ju jznru s ujnqjt rlqru q~j s r~u j rnj s o~ n jsj rrp r jqjnujzqou p z sju r rjq~qu tju q nsju ~ rjnu qu zoou jqjrlqur q~ sj~u u j roj r s lq nkp rujp ju u r rs jz sj nru j q pu o~j ~u u r p pj r jn r jn~ rrj zps j ou p zsu zn~j~u r z o u u o~j ponu r{ o u j q ou nu ~ rj sjn p z n r~~u p z r jqju r~rrl rs onu r r zsj~ rr~u r nl~ rjq jss jzu n ru n sj su ~ n q sjn~ rup z ou q j sju ss~~ os~u u n jqu q ru j q q qun sk~ q zru rr ju nju sju roju q sl qnu jn nrju nou q p~rl p~ sk~pu~ o pj pu nju ~u r z onu pj p po l r sr nu j ~ nojo jqr~ r u j pprjr j pj pru n su njuqq p pu rro~p z" no rjz~ rjnrru j

¡¨¥§£¥¦¨¥¡§£¥¦¨£±«®¥±«® ¬§£¦´£¡¦£ª®´³

ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱǰȱȱęȱ ȱǰȱǰȱȱ this pseudo-kingdom of Edom, and the Jews eventually appointed a governor to rule it on their behalf. This vassalage continued during the reign of eight consecu-- tive Israelite kings, thereby cancelling any claim to monarchy the Edomites could make by virtue of their having had eight kings of their own. Thus, even when the Edomites later did win their independence and appoint kings over themselves, these kings were not true kings.233

Ŭŭű 474 Genesis 36:19-31 VAYISHLACH

19 All these are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their tribal chiefs. The Horites Seventh Reading 20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite—the original inhabit-- ants of the land of Seir, who had occupied it before they were driven out by Esau and his family—Lotan, Shoval, Tzivon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Eitzer, and Dishan. These were the tribal chiefs of the Horites among the sons of Seir in Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Chori and Heimam. Lotan’s half-sister was Timna, the illegitimate daughter of Esau’s son Eliphaz by Seir’s wife.228 23 These are the sons of Shoval: Alvan, Manachat, Eival, Shefo, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Tzivon: Ayah, by his wife, and Anah, by his own moth-- er. Ğȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱǰȱ£ȱȱȱ¢ȱ later by Anah’s wife, i.e. his daughter-in-law.229 It was Anah who discovered how to breedȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ Tzivon, by crossing-breeding horses with donkeys. Since he himself was the prod-- uct of an illicit union, he had no qualms about producing a similar product in the animal world. 25 These are the children of Anah: his son Dishon and his stepdaughter Oholi-- vamah, the daughter of Anah’s wife by his father Tzivon. 26 These are the sons of Dishon:230 Chemdan, Eshban, Yitran, and Keran. 27ȱȱȱȱȱȱ£ǱȱǰȱȂǰȱȱǯ 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Utz and Aran. 29 These are the tribal chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shoval, Chief Tzivon, Chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, Chief Eitzer, Chief Dishan. These are the tribal chiefs of the Horites, enumerated chief by chief, in the land of Seir. The Kings of Edom 31 As recounted above, Isaac blessed Jacob (and his descendants) to be “a mas-- ter over your brothers”—meaning over Esau (and his descendants)231—and told Esau that he (and his descendants) would serve Jacob (and his descendants).232 The ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱěȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ Esau’s descendants were an independent, self-governing nation. These are the eight ȱ ȱ over Esau’s descendants. This kingdom was never a true Edomite monarchy, for the Edomites did not succeed in banding ȱȱȱȱȱ ǲȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ These kings reigned only in Edom, never conquering other countries and never ruling over Jacob’s descendants. Even this pseudo-kingdom existed only before ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ The Torah prophetically alludes to the fact that as soon as the Israelites would establish their own kingdom, there

227. V. 16. 228. ȱȱǯȱŗŘǰȱǲȱŗȱȱŗǱřŜǯȱȱ229. Above, v. 2. 230. ǲȱǯȱŗȱȱŗǱřŞȬŚŗǯȱȱ231. Above, 27:29. 232. Above, 27:40. 233. Likutei SichotǰȱǯȱŗśǰȱǯȱŘşśȬŘşŝǲȱSefer HaSichot 5748, vol. 1, pp. 151-154.

Ŭŭű 475 SEVENTH READING

X ONKELOS W rvrj¸Ë n Qn_ o¯j ËL j¶wp¶qQp¶ Ë Ok~vp¶Ð]Òjn½q32 sjuqu qpusk~puqj ju nu rrju n u ou jqu zj vrjr¶n qQpw¶ p _ rË OrÊj qÊÐ]Òjn½qqL¶ r rQr½q33 j qu rs nss ju q ju qru 34 qj ju rs nu rjru n qp vnr voÊqp_ p~oQr¯t OrÊj qÊÐ]Òjn½qL rË rQr½q ~ rsu r ql~or z u nss ju 35 nss ju qj ju r z u nu w~ p ^ p¿qÁq Rqj¶wp¶] ql WrÊj qÊÐ bÒjn½qL r¯t rQr½q o~rr jn r o ju n qjuqu ql Ð ]Òjn½qL rl rQr½q36vnlË Qn_ o¯j Or~Ë] oj°n¶Tr jn nlu ou jqu zj r~s~ j r jq ju nss ju qj ju rl nu OrÊj qÊÐ ]Òjn½qL rjq° rQr½q37 vroj°qÁnQrjq° OrÊj qÊ r jq{ nu r oj{ qun r jq{ ss jo~u r z nss ju qj ju OrÊj qÊÐ]Òjn½q º L~r¯rQr½q38 vrrÂ qË _s jvoº Q~r¯ qj ju ~u r z nu rju qu j sujqqu r r qqunss ju Ð ^Òjn½qMË¶ jqwp¶ċ] rr q]¶ q hrSr½q39Ë v¶jqwp¶Qrr q_ q¶ qj ju sujqqu r r qqu nu u ru u ou jqu zjqlnss ju w¶ q T o~jqvojË ^Êj¯n~ bo¯jºLÅË r Qn_ o¯j OqlT rÊj qÊ ojqqu o~jqo j u o jun~u zj qr jz ou n~j~ rlu q or j qu vrr_ oQq¶Oojq s ojq~j s jq l jq j r{oo jj q Ors jÅj¯njT r°o^ oºÀq~ Ë Yj¯pÀ [o~j[40 rjq~ ru q r jn~ ru q s jqr jznu oj~ru q vojº _À~ q Qr jvqº _À~ q V r jnÊº _À~ q L rs j¯n¶ Qrss vjn

X RASHI W q o zu q jnjsr z u { r rjnuonu pn p ~ n r~s ororjru rjru n qppu rs o~j r r nzr" rru q rro qu o~ rj{n rnkp p z nj u sj rjru qj su nj qj qk~pu p z r{o ou u ~ q s jz pu o~j u jnr ojuu zr rr qpun qk~pu p z p ru n sjn rnl sk~ppj p rjru qlou p z q q~jp os njo z q ~u jjnu p z ~ rup z r~s oj{nur jn~p pu qu q rjrju q s jz o r jqj nru jun q n s z~nrju j q po ~ p slq sk~pj p qj rj rr jq nu r~s q r jn u jnu q rl rru q nru q oj nju zrs j oj rsj s u n njr~su r jnu rp z noju r~~ ru nu r~s sjr jnuu u q~ sk~ou u q~ ª¦£¬³£¥¡¨£¨²£

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [continued...] incapable of accepting any content ness: the physical world is a given, G-d must be other than their own intrinsic one. Therefore, when proven. the light of one passed into the other, their vessels In this sense, the “evil” derived from the shells or ĴȱȱȃȄȱȱǻ ȱ ȱǼȱȱ refuse of the world of Tohu is analogous to the shell lower worlds, embedding these worlds with sparks of a nut or skin of a fruit that develops on the tree of holiness concealed in evil husks. before the fruit. Without the shell, the fruit would These elements were not “evil” in the sense of being be exposed to the elements and thus unprotected ǲȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ¡ȱȬ ȬȬ- would not endure. Similarly, without the a priori ȱȱĢǯȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȬ- self-consciousness descended from the mentality lutely necessary and crucial element in the creation of Tohuǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵǰȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ Ȭ- of the subsequent worlds, for in order for there to plished by the descent of the soul into the body or be free choice, there must be an element of “evil,” the creation of this world i.e., non-God-orientation available as an alternative The task of Jacob and his descendants throughout to holiness. This aspect of reality became more pro-- history is to elevate these fallen sparks through nounced with each successive world, until, in our sanctifying the material world.237 physical world, it became the dominant conscious--

237. Likutei Torahȱǻ£ǼǲȱMa’amarei Admur HaZaken 5568ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŗȱěǰȱet al.

ŬŭŲ 476 Genesis 36:32-40 VAYISHLACH

32ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢, i.e., where he came from, was Dinhavah. 33ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱwho was ȱ£, a Moabite city.234 This Zerach was not the same Zerach as Esau’s grandson, who was mentioned above.235 34ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǰ who was from the land of the Teimanites. 35ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱwhen Midian and Moab went to war against each other. Edom, under Chadad, came to the aid of Moab. The name of his city, i.e., where he was from, was Avit. 36ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱwho was from Mas-- ǯ 37ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǰ who was from Rechovot- on-the-River. 38ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȂȬȱȱȱǯ 39ȱȂȬȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ǰȱ and the name of his city, where he came from, was Pau. His wife’s name was Meheitavel, daughter of Matreid. Because Matreid was so rich that he considered even gold to be practically worthless, Meheitavel was also known as the daughter of Mei-Zahav [“What (value) is gold?”]. Edom after the Era of the Kings Ğȱ40 None of the aforementioned kings succeeded in establishing a heredi-- ¢ȱ¢ǯȱĞȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱĴȱȱȬ- nize themselves under a strong, centralized monarchy, and separated into eleven tribal groups. The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau who ruled ȱȂȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ , according to the names of their families and regions. The chief of the tribe of Timna, the chief of the tribe of Alvah, the chief of the tribe of Yeteit,

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽřŗǾȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȃȱĴȱȱȱǯȄ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȬ- The ęȱ of Tohu lacked the ability to contain or dants of Israel: Allegorically, the account of the rul-- absorb the “light,” i.e., creative energy, of God. In 236 ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱ¢ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱ alludes to the creation and subsequent collapse of ȱĴȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱ the seven lower ę of the world of Tohu. This oc-- why these ęȱwere so fragile was because they curred “before any king reigned over the descen-- were immature and undeveloped. In this iteration, dants of Israel,” i.e., before the creation of the world the ęȱwere simple, one-dimensional manifesta-- of Tikun, which is associated with Jacob and his de-- ȱȱ ȂȱĴȱȱȱȱȬȱ scendants. The deaths of these kings allude to what any aspect of their sister-ę. They were therefore

234. Jeremiah 48:24. 235. v. 13. Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 296. 236. The Torah does not mention the death of the eighth king Hadar (which means beauty), since he was the precursor of the world of Tikun (Eitz ChaimȱŗŖǱřǲȱTorah Or 103b).

ŬŭŲ 477 SEVENTH READING

X ONKELOS W Vq jº _À q~42sv nÅº _À~ q Qro~º _À~ q V rr vnm vr~º aÀ q~41 ~ ru q r~~ o ru q rrnm~~ r ru q ~ ru q ro~ru q q~ j ru q sn L rnº ]À~ q Qo~ n¸j qº _À q~43 vrjnº _À~ q Qr oÊº _À q~ rn~ ru q o~u n j~ q ru q rj n so r jsjsk~o jj q ou n~ Qr°o~º _ Orr»t l~ p] p~j¶T rs j¯s vjË Rk~] oºÀq~*pÀ] o~ su ~ l r{o~u s jujql ~ q ql~qu o~rsk~u p Ë vk~_ nl~

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X RASHI W ns~n o~u n j q

Ŭŭų 478 Genesis 36:41-43 VAYISHLACH

41 the chief of the tribe of Oholivamah, the chief of the tribe of Eilah, the chief of the tribe of Pinon, 42 the chief of the tribe of Kenaz, the chief of the tribe of Teiman, the chief of the tribe of Mivtzar, 43 the chief of the tribe of Magdiel (i.e., Rome), and the chief of the tribe of Iram. These are the tribal chiefs of Edom—that is, of Esau, the progenitor of the ȯȱȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǯ

The Ğ for parashat Vayishlach may be found on p. 352.

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ ǽŚřǾȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǻǯǯǰȱ Ǽǰȱ ȱ ȱ Magdiel, which connotes “towering over chief of Iram: God told Abraham that the Jewish God,”240ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ǰȱ people would be subjugated over the course of his-- during which Rome actively opposes Godliness. ¢ȱ¢ȱȱǯȱȱęȱǰȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ Ȭ- will immediately precede the messianic age, will be ȱȱȱȱȱ¡ǰȱȱĞȱǻȃȄȱ under Rome.238 Our present exile is seen as an exten-- ȱ ȱȱĞ¢ǼȱȱȃȄȱȱǯȱȱ sion of the Roman subjugation, since culturally and will lead to the era of Iram: legally, Western civilization shares the values and Iram, whom the Midrash241 describes as gathering worldview of ancient Rome. treasures for the Messiah, refers to the time when This fourth subjugation consists of two eras, Mag-- ȃȄȱ ȱȱȱĴȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ diel and Iram, both of which refer to Rome:239 use its “treasures,” i.e., its resources, to contribute to the unfolding of the messianic era.242

238. Bereishit Rabbah 44:20. 239. See Nachmanides on this verse. 240. Bereishit Rabbah 83:4. 241. Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, pp. 411-412.

Ŭŭų 479

Vayishlach Ğ ¢ Obadiah 1:1-21

Parashat Vayishlach opens with Jacob’s confrontation with his brother Esau, progenitor of the nation of ǯ The prophet Obadiah was an convert; God therefore chose to prophesy concerning Ȃ downfall, just as, in the sages’ ǰ the wood of an ax is taken the forest the ax will fell.

Obadiah was also the wealthy of King Achav.26 He gave all his ¢ to charity in support of the prophets. When there was a ǰ27 he borrowed ¢ Achav’s son to ę the prophets. Obadiah prophecy because he hid the prophets when King Achav’s wicked wife, Jezebel, tried to kill ǯ It was therefore also appropriate that Obadiah prophesy concerning Ȃ downfall because he was not Ě negatively by his constant contact with the wicked Achav and Jezebel, whereas Esau was not Ě positively by his contact with the righteous Isaac and Rebecca.28

1:1 The vision of Obadiah. “Thus says Ë Rk~vpW nÙkbrsl~c qr~wsv¿L r jqsvËQl 1:1 my Lord, God, concerning Edom: ‘Tell the people of ǰ “We have heard tidings OrÀt¯] nË·q¶T njTrÙj^ o~oº jWqr¯brº j¯ from Gќё and an envoy has been sent sVr_ oÂ n2 vrr jnÁqrQprrº_r j ºº V among the nations: ‘Rise up! Let us rise TÑ j¶n Ë ^j3 s v~jQrÊq~º_¶ r L nË·q¶ Ñ QnÊqj up against her in ĴǯȂ ” ] os~ËLÊjn¯Ë ]jqQpwoj q j_ njs¯Ñ v Op~n±n 2 ‘Tell in My Ǳ “Although your parents, Isaac and Rebecca, referred to you p¯OpÂ¿ q q¹] n¶j qÊwn~4 pvr~n Qo nËvË_ n O¶nj¶ as their older and bigger son, I indeed QÑ jvnË~_ r±n ÑċLpÂ n ] n° QnrË v¿ _ o¶wn~j consider you small among the nations, for you do not even have your own script o jË]¯w~ n TÑ jwº v~r¶^ nrÂq·w n~5 vrÙjwvt~j or language. You are greatly despised, w~ n L r½¸º q Qjjn ~Ë _lrOo jn Ð]~ o rj Oq because you never established a dynastic 6 ¢.29 3Yet your wanton heart has Ð Uo~ Ë vosvº _ n~j¯q~Ë QlÐOrº~]¶ r T njs v¶ led you to believe that you dwell in the º ]j·qwvq7 vrtÅ jqºQ jnOr°oº]° jÅj p Ğ of the rock, i.e., that you are secure in the of your ancestors, QÑjº_ jvr Ñº V~n±nÑOp nj] o¯j~ q Us¿Ñº R jÀn¯ and Isaac, like one whose habitation is on _ o~Ñ OpÊj qÊTË rº^ n°rRÑjj qÑL pÒj¯] o¯j q~ high, and who says in his heart, ‘Who can L rÙjwvt~j ~º Qq Ë_½ q¶ ~Ë Vl8 Ë¶ v Qrº jÊ bring me down to the ground?’ 4 But though you soar Ğ like the eagle vr°o_ qoQrº jºË Ok~voT nrl ^ nÊjql~vqj and place your nest among the stars, from there will I bring you down.” Thus has Gќё spoken. 5 “If thieves were to come upon you, or robbers by night, how would you be able to sleep? Would they not steal their ęǵ They would not be like grape gatherers: if grape gatherers came upon you, would they not leave some gleanings? 6 Yet Esau has been Ěǰ his hidden treasures revealed and ransacked! 7 All your allies have accompanied you only as far as your border, and then, your own confederates deceived you; they abandoned you, joined your ǰ and prevailed over you. Jacob, your own brother, lay your bread as a wound under you, convincing you to exchange it for your birthright. Your ancestor Esau, did not understand what he gave up for a bowl of lentils! 8 On that day”—thus has Gќё spoken—“I will make the wise men vanish from Edom, and understanding from the mountain of Esau.

26. 1 Kings 18. 27. 1 Kings 17-18. 28. 39b; ȱ 31:4. 29. See Genesis 36:31, 40.

ŭůŬ HAFTARAH FOR VAYISHLACH

9 Your mighty men will Ě in terror to _ qo¯ V n~wpvr¿nqa qjL r oÊÑ QpË¶nº_Êq j9 the south, so that every ¢ man from 10 the mountain of Esau will be cut ě ]Ñ jÃqÊ j sQlvq Ñ_ n r~V ql vo pvrÇnQr°o life by slaughter. 10 For your violence p OpÂ n ]Ñ jvrlTË j¶11 vrËjrÊQqjnjL r¯º against your brother Jacob, disgrace will º~] r¶ Y njrË j Lo Qnr Ë _j¯ËV j¶ engulf you, and you will be cut ě life forever. 11 On the day that you stood QrÊq~wq·OrË º ]¸qT bnq r¯º vjwqj) Rrr j¯+ from afar and did not to his aid while Ë]¶ j TÑ bn r~wËv~ j p^ oÊwq~j12 vpo_ q q~j¿ strangers plundered his wealth, while foreigners entered his gates and cast lots L rjr~ Ë]¶ j Qrºjwvo jn _ qj°nÊwq~jËOjr upon Jerusalem, I account it for you as if ~Ë ^rÊwq~13 vrr Ë_ j¶ ÑÅ Qn _ o¸j qÊwq~j you, too, were like one of them. 12 For you should not have gazed afar on V rÊq~wq~pa oÊwq~Oro~ Ë]¶ j T nÁqwqvq¯j your brother’s day of ¢, the day of Ë_¶Ë j Qo jr j _ qj¯nÊwq~jË Lo~Ë]¶Ë j Qr vrj¶ his deliverance into in ¢Ȃ hands; you 14 should not have gloated over the sons of QnjqjpOpÅqwqTsl vqÊwvq~j Ë vo~ Judah on the day of their ruin; you should vrr Ë_¶ j Qr nj°_ o· jqÊwq~jL rnjÅwp~ not have boasted on their day of anguish. ^ p¯l~vq¿L nË·qwr¿wqQrÙjwËv Ë _rwn¿15 13 You should not have entered the gate of My people on their day of disaster; Rn¿16Ñ vp¯~s j¶º _¯rQÑjvtj·ÐÀOr p°] roTrbn°r you should not have been among those QnË·qwvrº _Êj¯n On¯ jr] qwqT pnj¯^ p¯l~vq¿ who watched their ĝ on their day 17 of disaster, nor looted their possessions _ qjº ºvr ~Ë _¿º j Q rjºOrjº]r¯j L nrÊ on their day of disaster. 14 You should ]¶ o Tº¯ jvrj¯psLr] rjQro j _ p jvnÊËV½ n not have stood at the escape route to cut 18 down their fugitives; you should not sblvqwvocr rj vpo¯vrË ~ Qo sOlvq have delivered up their survivors to their º _jvrj¯OqjT r°o^ oº Rrrvp] oËa oº¯ Wo~ on their day of anguish. Or°o ] ojT nr°^ p jvnw~Òj º Lrl~vqQpr 15 For the Day of Gќё against ’s reckoning 19 all the nations is drawing near. As you Rr°o] qwp~p WpÂº q b¯jvrj vo¶¸ n QrÙj_ n¿ have done, so will it be done to you; your ] oj°wp~Tº¯ jvrj OnÊj¯njÅwp~Tro j±qj deeds will be visited upon your own head. 16 For as you have drunk in glee over the vrjn·qwp~ Qnrj nºË Ljs¯ v ] oj°Qo~jn Oqjp~ destruction of My holy mountain, so will all the nations constantly drink in woe: they will drink and be ęǰ and they will be as though they had never been. 17 But upon Mount Zion a remnant will survive, and it will be holy, and the House of Jacob will dispossess those who dispossessed them. 18 The House of Jacob will be a ę and the House of Joseph a Ěǰ and the House of Esau will be stubble. They will set them ablaze and consume them, and there will be no survivor of the House of Esau, for so has Gќё declared.30 19 The Jewish men dwelling in the south of the Land of Israel will take possession of the mountain of Esau; those of the coastal plain will take possession of the land of the Philistines, the plains of Ephraim, and the plains of Samaria; and Benjamin will take possession of Gilead, together with the tribe of Manasseh, who will spread eastward.

30.ȱȱȱȱŘŚǱŗşǯȱȱ

ŭůŭ HAFTARAH FOR VAYISHLACH

20 AndtheexilesofthishostofIsraelites— Tnlvq j¿wvp¯l~^ o~rj°nbo jn[p» [qwo vq] trj20 the northern ȯwho are dispersed among the Canaanites as far as Tzarfat º P¯jvnL qrjn¶] p¯l~n Qqr¯º vj_ trjOq j] rwq (France), and the exiles of Jerusalem—the ËO½ n ] qj¶T nn¯Ëvº^rj21 pvpÂq_ orQo~ southern ȯwho are in Sefarad vrºjÁqQrÙvq_ rjvrjL r°o] qwp~sQÅj¯n (Spain), will take possession of the Land of Israel’s southern cities. 21 Princes of Israel will then ascend Mount Zion as saviors to wreak judgment against Ȃ capital city on the Mount of Esau. Only then will sovereignty be Gќё’s, for His rule cannot be until Ȃ descendants, the nation of ǰ is wiped out.” ’ ”31

31. Exodus 17:16.

ŭůŮ

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