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Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler Zatzal CONTENTS 4 | ELEVATING EISAV D’var Malchus / Sichos in English 10 | IN THE Z’CHUS OF SPREADING YIDDISHKAIT Letters of the Rebbe MH”M U.S.A 12 | BRINGING THE MESSAGE HOME 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 19 Kislev / Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 [email protected] 18 | SHLUCHIM IN ACADEMIA www.beismoshiach.org Shlichus / Shai Gefen ERETZ HA’KODESH 72915 s cj rpf 102 /s/, 26 | ‘NO MORE WILL LIONS ROAR’ (03) 9607-290 :iupky Insight / Shai Gefen (03) 9607-289 :xep EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: 31 | THE REBBE’S DIRECT INVOLVEMENT M.M. Hendel Story / Nosson Avrohom ENGLISH EDITOR: Boruch Merkur 33 | THE GAON & TZADDIK: RABBI ELIYAHU [email protected] ELIEZER DESSLER ZATZAL Feature / Rabbi Shalom Ber Wolpo Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-0272 is published weekly, 36 | HIS FIRST PRAYER: SAVE ME FROM THESE ANGRY except Jewish holidays (only once in April and October) for $130.00 in MONKEYS! Crown Heights, $140.00 in the USA Profile / Nosson Avrohom & Canada, all others for $150.00 per year (45 issues), by Beis Moshiach, 40 | WE STILL HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY Shleimus HaAretz / Shai Gefen 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional offices. 43 | A STORY UNEARTHED Postmaster: send address changes to Story / Chana Katz Beis Moshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. © Copyright 2004 by Beis Moshiach, Inc D’VAR MALCHUS ELEVATING EISAV SICHOS IN ENGLISH SHABBOS PARSHAS Yisroel and the events which and are necessary to appreciate by VAYISHLACH; 14TH DAY OF transpired afterwards with what way of contrast the chronicles of KISLEV, 5751 appears to be a totally tangential Yaakov. Furthermore, their having matter, the chronicles of Eisav. What been recorded in the Torah conveys 1. This week’s Torah portion is the reason for this? upon them an eternal begins by relating how Yaakov importance[248] and indeed implies Rashi addresses himself to this completed his service in Charan, that they convey an independent difficulty in the beginning of his establishing his family, and then sent lesson and are not mentioned merely commentary to Parshas VaYeishev, messengers to Eisav, his brother, to to serve as a contrast to the relating: the land of Seir. This act is slightly chronicles of Yaakov. problematic: Yaakov was commanded After [the Torah] relates the... There is another problematic by G-d to return to Eretz Yisroel and chronicles of Eisav in brief because aspect to the chronicles of Eisav G-d promised him, “I will be with they are not important... It relates mentioned in this Torah reading. At you.” Accordingly, it does not seem the... chronicles of Yaakov in detail the conclusion of the parsha, Rashi appropriate for him to tarry and send for they are important and worthy of interprets the “lord of Magdiel” as messengers. On the contrary, elaboration... To cite an analogy, a referring to Rome. We must seemingly, he should have proceeded pearl fell into sand. A person began... understand: a) On what does Rashi directly to Eretz Yisroel without any sifting through the sand to try to find base this interpretation? b) What is hesitation. This difficulty leads us to the pearl. He would discard the his intent in conveying this the conclusion that, as will be pebbles and take the pearl. explained, in order for Yaakov to information to us? The analog is that at the outset, return to Eretz Yisroel in a full and These difficulties can be resolved the pearl, Yaakov and his complete manner, he had to send in the context of an analysis of this descendants, were mixed together messengers to Eisav. week’s Haftora, “The vision of with sand, Eisav and his Ovadia.” The connection to the There is another somewhat descendants. Relating the story of Torah reading lies in that Ovadia’s problematic point concerning Eisav Eisav in brief reflects the sifting away vision relates what, “The L-rd, G-d, in this week’s Torah portion. After of the sand so that the full attention says concerning Edom,” describing in the portion relates the events which could be paid to Yaakov and his detail the retribution Edom will transpired until Yaakov returned to descendants. the home of Yitzchok, his father, it ultimately receive: Nevertheless, the very fact that chronicles Eisav’s family and the The house of Yaakov will be a fire the Torah does relate – albeit in brief nation, Edom, which descended from and the house of Yosef a flame and – the chronicles of Eisav implies that him. Thus, the Torah interrupts the the house of Eisav will be stubble. they possess a certain importance narrative of Yaakov’s return to Eretz They will set them ablaze and 4 BEIS MOSHIACH - 13 Kislev 5765 consume them [until] there will be another.” Rashi explains, “They will the refinement of the realm of no remnant of the house of Eisav... not share greatness. When one Tikkun (the realm which is Saviors will ascend Mount Zion to ascends, the other will fall.” This intrinsically related to him) and he judge the Mount of Eisav, and the implies that in addition to his had to begin the refinement of Tohu, sovereignty will be the L-rd’s. individual service, Yaakov’s sphere of Eisav’s realm, where Divine energies activity must involve the refinement that transcend the level of Tikkun are On the latter verse, Rashi of Eisav, the father of Edom (symbol revealed. To facilitate this objective, comments, “[G-d’s] sovereignty will of all gentile nations). In a larger he sent messengers to notify Eisav not be complete until He exacts sense, this refers to our service in that this process was about to begin. retribution from the descendants of refining the world at large, elevating Eisav.” The messengers informed him, the Divine sparks that have become however, that Eisav was not ready for The choice of this reading for the enclothed in the material substance such refinement. On the contrary, he Haftora raises several questions. The of the world. According to Kabbala, was marching against Yaakov with Haftora is intended to parallel the these sparks fell from the realm of four hundred men of war. When content of the Torah reading. In this Yaakov realized this, he saw that his instance, although the Torah reading objective could not be accomplished mentions Eisav and Edom immediately. Therefore, he decided, extensively, there is seemingly no The gentiles possess “I will proceed slowly, at the pace of allusion to the retribution Eisav will the work that is before me... until I receive. On the contrary, the Torah an advantage in the come to my lord in Seir.” When will reading relates how Yaakov he come? Rashi explains, After the subjugated himself to Eisav, while realm of eichus as coming of Moshiach, when “saviors the Haftora prophesies how Yaakov’s well, for the will ascend Mount Zion to judge the descendants will obliterate the house Mount of Eisav and the sovereignty of Eisav. refinement of the will be the L-rd’s.” Then, G-d’s In this context, there are two gentiles – who on an sovereignty will be revealed over all other questions of general the inhabitants of the earth for significance: a) Why is “the house of apparent level are eternity. Eisav” so significant that it opposes Based on the above, we can G-d’s sovereignty, as it were? b) The lower – elevates a understand why Rashi interprets Hebrew for retribution perayon also Magdiel as referring to Rome. After has the connotation of repaying a higher level of Divine Rashi explains that the confrontation debt. What debt is there to be between Yaakov and Eisav will repaid? sparks, the sparks continue until the future redemption, These difficulties can be resolved which fell from the a question arises: What connection as follows: The Haftora represents does the present exile have with the conclusion of the matters world of Tohu. Eisav? Rashi clarifies by explaining discussed in the Torah portion. Thus, that one of Eisav’s lords, Magdiel, is it brings out the inner meaning of identified with Rome,[249] the the Torah portion. The encounter Tohu. Thus, they contain particularly power which destroyed the Beis between Yaakov and Eisav should not high spiritual potentials and their HaMikdash and under whose be perceived as merely an isolated elevation can be compared to the authority the Jews will remain until event. Rather, it reflects a pattern of repayment of a debt. Moshiach comes.[250] service for Yaakov that is also It is still necessary to understand: relevant in subsequent generations To accomplish this purpose, Why is the refinement of the gentiles until the final confrontation of these Yaakov sent emissaries to Eisav his so important that it represents the two powers during the future brother in Edom. After he had fulfillment of Yaakov’s service? The redemption. completed establishing his own household in Charan, he realized resolution to this question relates to Yaakov and Eisav represent the that to complete his purpose within the Jew’s position as “the smallest kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom the world, it was necessary for him among the nations” and is connected of Edom. The Torah relates, “The to begin the refinement of Eisav. In with the interrelation between eichus upper hand will go from one to Kabbalistic terms, he had completed (“quality” or “inner content”) and Issue Number 485 - BEIS MOSHIACH 5 kamus (“quantity”). Generally, it is Nevertheless, in an ultimate which is, “The vision of Ovadia.” explained that the Jews possess the sense, there is an advantage to Our Sages explain that Ovadia was dimension of eichus and the gentiles, t’shuva which has no connection to an Edomite convert.
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