Parshat Vayeitzei

The Book of Genesis Parshat Vayeitzei

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

¢ȱȚȱŘŖŖŞ THE TORAH - CHUMASHby BEMIDBAR ȱȱ , ) $ $)'&%") $" ( )'$(") %$ $ %##$)'- ( %$ ) ,%'!( % ) "ȱȱ*+ ) ' Chabad of California ŝŚŗȱ ¢¢ȱǰȱȱǰȱȱşŖŖŘŚ?@IB978DQ řŗŖȬŘŖŞȬŝśŗŗȱȦȱ¡ȱřŗŖȬŘŖŞȬśŞŗŗ2I 81214?61<96?B>91 >3 ȱ¢ Kehot Publication&E2<9C8542I Society ŝŝŖȱȱ ¢ǰȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱŗŗŘŗřKehot Publication Society 1CD5B>&1B;G1IB??;$5G-?B; ŝŗŞȬŝŝŚȬŚŖŖŖȱȦȱ¡ȱŝŗŞȬŝŝŚȬŘŝŗŞ 1H Order Department: Řşŗȱ ȱǰȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱŗŗŘŗřOrder Department: ŝŗŞȬŝŝŞȬŖŘŘŜȱȦȱ¡ȱŝŗŞȬŝŝŞȬŚŗŚŞ !9>7CD?>F5>E5 B??;$5G-?B; 1H ǯǯ GGG;58?D?><9>53?= ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ <37D85B978DD?B5@B?4E35D89C2??;ȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱǰȱ ȱǰ ?B@?BD9?>CD85B5?69>1>I6?B=G9D8?ED@5B=9CC9?>ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱǰȱ ǯ 9>GB9D9>76B?=81214?61<96?B>91 >3 ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȂ ¢ȱǰȱ ǯ)85!58?DI?>5989>E38 >3 ǱȱşŝŞȬŖȬŞŘŜŜȬŖŗşŖȬŗ ǱȱşŝŞȬŖȬŞŘŜŜȬŖŗşśȬŘȱǻǼȱ ($ Published in the United States of America 5$-+3*'&+/4*' /+4'&4#4'30( .'2+%# The Book of Genesis Parshat Vayeitzei

GENESIS Bereishit Noach Lech Lecha Vayeira Chayei Sarah Toldot Vayeitzei 7 ~ Vayishlach 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 ~ oo¾q Vayeitzeiŧ Overview

arashat Vayeitzeiȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ¡ȱ parashiotȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ P ȱȱȱ¡¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱęȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱĴȱȱ Ȃȱ ȱȱǲȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡¢ȱȱBenei Yisraelǰȱǯǯǰȱȃȱ Ȅȱ ǻȱ¢ǰȱȃȱȱȱ ȄǼǰȱȃ Ȅȱȱ Ȃȱȱǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ¢ȱǰȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȱ ȱǲȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ȱǰȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱęȱȬȬ ȬȱǻchesedǼǲȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȬȬ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱęȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯȱ ǰȱȱȱȱǰȱęȱ restraint (gevurahǼǲȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱĴȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ǯȱ ȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱǻtiferetǼǲȱȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱǯ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǯȱȂȱȬȬ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ Ȃȱ¡ȱȱǰȱȱ ǯȱ ǰȱǰȱȱȱȬȬ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǯȱ ǰȱȱ ǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱÊȱ ¢ǰȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȬȬ

ūŲŮ OVERVIEW OF VAYEITZEI

ǰȱȱ ȱȱĚ ȱȱȱȱȱǯ1ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ¢ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ¢ǰȱȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱȱěȱȬȬ ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ that were beyond their ken while simultaneously teaching them how to integrate those Ğ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱǲȱ he is the patriarch par excellenceǯȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȂȱȱ Ȃǰȱȱ ȱȱȱĞȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ2 ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢£ȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱȱǰȱparashat Vayeitzeiǯȱ In this parashahǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȂȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ǲȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱȱ ȯȱȱȱȱǷǲȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ Ȃȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ£ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱǰȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ£ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǲȱȱǰȱhe is ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȂȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȂȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ȱ Ȃȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱęĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ Ȭȱǯ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱparashahǰȱVayeitzeiǰȱ ȱǰȱȃȱ ȱǯȄȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȃȱ ǰȄȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǻȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱ¢ȱ ȯ¢ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱĴȱȱȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ęȱȱ Ȃȱǯȱ¢ȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱ£ȱ ȱ Ȭȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǯ3

1. ȱȱŘśǱŘŝǰȱǯȱȱ2. ȱȱȱȱȱǲȱȱȱ ȱȱparashat Toldotǯȱȱ3. Torah OrȱŗŝǲȱLikutei Sichotǰȱǯȱ ŗśǰȱǯȱŘŚŖȬŘŚŗǲȱSefer HaSichot 5751ǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŗŚŘȬŗŚřǰȱŗŝŚȬŗŝśǯ

ūŲů ~ FIRST READING

X ONKELOS W 11 28:10 q l~qq r z o~ju n s lqqju bq· jn½q r vrr ÐpQo½qqL¯ r ] o~j¶nsQlvq~_ oo½q ruqu r~u rjq~ju qlq rr j o jq~o oj~u r zjnzr ol~ Ë OrÁq] o jq~voT qÇn½q¯p Op±q~] rwn¿T¯ r p^ r½q Ë WrÁq¶ o jzu nsru ~ n u n q zj~rjq~ ~u q~ rjq~ju ~º vqË_rÁq¶Qq¿j¯n½qL rs¯l~ vqjp°Qr½q

X RASHI W qu n ju ou nup z u jqr j nu uq j nu q~j sjru u n ju s zj qqu j sjus rp z n jznup z ojq s lq~oouq r jpu qj ou qu jnu q qr~s j u ru q ru nzj n jq rj nr njn~ orjzn~p r{ o qj r nr~ r jno oju p zru qu n ppju zrs ju p z sju pr~rsu rjru p z sjj qoun r{~ o jqu q njsu lqp z sr zrrju r z pru q zpp zu ~q su r qs ujn s r r zp pu z ~ q r nu s ujnj nr r~ r s ~ oouq s z~nr rj nr q r qru p zu nu ~su p z s~ jnu ru q su rjr zu p z rjzq zpp zu ~ q r un ~ru ~" p sr~n ju n j n rru j r rr s lqpoj u q~ru p~ nju r~r{l rs zl~ qj p{ruq r z nru p z oju u rr sj qjnup z p zsr{ s sru q n nuqq~nju p zu n q s r su q o ju ~n orr rp z s z~s j nro jq ~ rru rrl~u u rn~u rs~u nru nuqu qp z nuq q nqu q r pps~~s s n s s nju n jn ~ n o ouq oju rrlr ru u rnr ru u rsr ru r zu n zsru q r~r{lur n q nqu q r pps~~s j s z~s p~ ppr~rrr rr pouqj u r nmr ju u r~r sru q p p~r~ p uq u n q qk~pu p z pu j q ~ q p~~ p u j u ru p o~juu ru qu n j~ n s sru qu qu jnuq rr j u n s zj~u q sru qu qu jznuq rs zl~ qjr{ p zl~ q ~u o ~ q srjuru jnu q sru qu ~ru p~ sr zou nzu p z n r z oj{ p qu jq~rl~ q r z srss~ju qu jnuqs ro sru q~~ p jqu q su qk~pu p zu r nsu q rs uquosr rp zrjqu qu q r z~s p oo ju u zjou u osu qj p zru ququ q ru s nnu q ru sju

¡£±«®°©£¦¡ ¢ £¨²£¢¡«²´£³²£¢£¬³£ ¢¬³£¥´£³² ´²¡¥´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W eny, with the strength to follow along a similar path. as well. In fact, the only way we can grow is by taking True, our home environment should be a haven from on the challenges of our personal Charan.7 the materialistic world, permeated with the Torah’s 10ȱ ȱ Ğȱ ǳȱ Ǳȱ Beersheba was wholesome and holy values. However, once we have named for the covenant of peace made there between established such a home, we do not have to be afraid to Abraham and Avimelech.8 This covenant enabled venture into the outside world in order to elevate real-- Abraham and his descendants to live a Godly life un-- ity. And just as Jacob’s descent to Charan actually pro-- hindered by Avimelech and his opposition to holiness. pelled him to great spiritual heights, the same holds The Midrash interprets Jacob’s leaving Beersheba to true for us: our temporary forays into the non-spiritual mean that he was unwilling to perpetuate this cove-- milieu of the material world with the aim of elevating nant,9ȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱěȱȱǲȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃǯȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱęȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗŖǾȱ ȱĞȱǳȱǱȱAllegorically, ȱǱ The word “to” in this phrase is indicated Jacob’s departure from Beersheba and subsequent ¢ȱȱĴȱȱĜ¡ȱȱȱ ȱǯȱȱ arrival in Charan mirrors the soul’s descent from appended ȱȱȱȱȱĴȱ of God’s the spiritual realm into the physical world. Before Name ¢ȱ(spelled ¢ȬȬȬ), with which, the soul commences this challenging mission, it is we are taught, He created the physical world.12 given the strength to succeed, in the form of an oath Allegorically, thus, the verse means that when the administered by the heavenly court enjoining it to soul descends from the spiritual worlds (Beersheba) 10 act righteously. Hence— into the physical world (Charan) and performs its ȱĞȱ, the “well of the oath,” alluding holy work therein, it reveals that the world, which to the oath taken by the soul before descending into initially conceals Godliness, is in reality created and this world.11ȱȱȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȯ sustained (the of Charan) by God.13

7. ȱǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŜŖȬŜŗǰȱǯȱřǰȱǯȱŝŞŞȬŝŞşǲȱȱ 5752, vol. 1 p. 139. 8. See Genesis 21:31. 9. ȱ on this verse. 10. 30b. 11. ȱȱǯȱŗŚȱ ǲȱȱ Ȃ 5630ǰȱǯȱřŗěǲȱȱ Ȃ , vol. 2, p. 162. 12. 29b. 13. ȱ 5752, vol. 1, pp. 138-139.

ūŲŰ 372 Genesis 28:10-11 VAYEITZEI Jacob’s Dream 28:10ȱ ȱĞȱǯȱWhile he was living there, Jacob’s righteous conduct in-- spired the inhabitants of the city to behave properly and made them feel ashamed ȱȱ¢ǯȱǰȱȱȱĞȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȬ- ants felt that their city had lost its most valuable asset.1 Ğȱ ȱĞǰȱȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱȱǯȱ£ȱȱ ȱȱ caught up with him, but was then faced with a dilemma: on the one hand, he was ¢Ȭȱȱ¢ȱȱȂȱȱȱȱ ǲȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱĴȱ of him and he could not bring himself to kill his uncle Jacob. So he decided to ask ȱȱ ȱȱȱǯȱ ȱǰȱ ȱȱ£ȱȱȱȬ- sions, pointing out to him that the Torah views a poor person as dead because he ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱĚȱȱǯ2ȱ£ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĞȱ ȱȃǯȄ3 ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ£ȱȱȱȱȱ prepare himself spiritually before going there. He therefore returned to the acad-- emy of Ever (Shem had already died by then), studying there assiduously for the ¡ȱȱ¢ȱǻŘŗŝŗȬŘŗŞśǼǯ He ȱę¢ȱȱȱȱǯ When he ar-- ǰȱȱ£ȱȱȱȱ Ĵ¢ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ and grandfather had prayed, without praying there himself. In order to rectify this ȱěȱȱȱȂȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ in the direction of Mount Moriah. When he reached Bethel, God miraculously up-- rooted Mount Moriah and set it down in Bethel. 11 Thus, Jacob unknowingly ȱȱȱ, Mount Moriah, where his fa-- ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱęǯȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ he arrived, God made the sun set early in order to force him to spend the night. Once it became dark, Jacob ¢ȱȱ , for in addition to following his father’s ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱĞȱȱȱȂȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ morning,4 he had instituted the practice of praying every night, as well. Thus, al-- though he had not originally planned on doing so, ȱȱȱȱǰ on Mount Moriah,ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱIn order to protect himself from wild ani-- mals, ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱthemȱȱ bodyś andȱ. When he took another stone to use as a pillow, the stones he had placed around his head protested, each demanding the honor of serving as Jacob’s pillow, so God miraculously transformed them into one stone.6 Jacobȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱ to sleep.ȱȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱ to sleep, for during his stay in Ever’s academy, he had made it a point to continue studying into the night, only taking short naps as necessary. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 10 ȱ Ğȱ Ǳȱ Jacob’s leaving the holy en-- the less-than-holy environment of Charan in order to vironment of the Land of Israel and descending to challenge Laban “the deceiver” endows us, his prog--

1. ȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱŗŗşȬŗŘŘǯȱȱ2. 64b. 3. Rashi on 29:11, below. 4. Above, 19:27 and 24:63. 5. ȱ ȱśŝśŘ, vol. 1, p. 143. 6. Maharsha on 91b.

ūŲŰ 373 ~ FIRST READING

X ONKELOS W 12 ~ r jq~ju nj~ rj~u rj ql q rjL rr±q q] n·qË Q¯~sj r jOq~] rÆtTrÀt^ oÂ nj RÒl vq½vq ~~ rj ur q jz o q o r u o zoj u ou nl r j njrr q~ru ql~j q Ë v¶Qnjsvj_ ns OnÒk~]ol~jqToÂ nj X RASHI W ssqju pr~r r u ol~j qu jr jqn rr 4 njsj ru q q~jru n ju n s njs j ns u rj pr~r r u n~js~ o pr~ruu u u nu p z nr~j q

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱęȱ ȱ ǯ23 can be then transformed, as Jacob says, into a home for 29 ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱĚȬ- God. ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱĞȱ ȱ lternatively, the stones in this verse allude to the become intellectually and emotionally inspired. In the A rock-like strength of the soul. By placing stones around words of the Mishnah24: “He who observes the Torah in his head, Jacob was spiritually drawing the energy and ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ ǯȄŘś strength of his soul into his physical being. He hoped Tȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱęȱ that doing so would protect him from wild beasts, our Divine mission even while we feel “stone-like” and since animals do not molest a person whose body is 30 ǲȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȬ- thoroughly permeated with the soul’s energy. ingly multifarious and lifeless “stones” of the mun-- ȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǲȱȱ dane world into one united home for God.26 ǰȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯ31 The ȱȱ¢ȱ¡¢ȱȱȱȱ Ȭ- As we have seen, Jacob’s descent to Charan allegori-- cob placed around his head, even though he placed cally represents the soul’s descent into the physical other stones around the rest of his body. world. The soul’s primary purpose in this world is to elevate physical reality by using it for Godly ends, However, the stones surrounding his body began to ar-- thereby revealing the Divinity hidden within it. This gue with those surrounding his head, demanding that purpose is alluded to in the phrase “He took some they be the ones to surround his head. Symbolically, of the stones of that place,” since the word for “that this means that they wanted the power of Jacob’s soul place” (Ȭ) also means “space” in general, and that was manifest in his head to be equally manifest space (together with time) forms the basis of physical throughout his whole body. reality.27 The “stones” of “that place” thus refer to the Since Jacob was lying in the holiest place in the lowest element of physical reality, that which displays world—the site of the future Temple, where God’s es-- no sign of Divine life at all. The absence of Divine con-- sence would be manifest—the stones’ request could be sciousness in this level of reality is further highlighted ęǯȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱǰȱȱȱ by the fact that the word “stones” appears in the plu-- between the spiritual (the head) and the physical (the ral, signifying the apparent plurality of forces at play body) are overwhelmed by their commonality—i.e., by in the natural world, in contrast to the true oneness of the fact that they are both creations of God—and fall the Divine energy hidden within it, continuously creat-- away. The foot can accommodate the energy of the soul ing it and sustaining it. just as well as the head. Just as Jacob28 combined the many stones into one, so is In such a protected environment, predatory beasts cer-- the soul’s task to reveal the inherent unity of reality by ¢ȱȱȱĴȱ ǯȱǻ¢ǰȱȱȱȬ- consecrating it to its Godly purpose. This one “stone” anic age, “[predatory beasts] will do no harm…for the

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ [12] ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ Ǳ The Land of Israel at that point had not when God created the world, and ever since pos-- ¢ȱȱ¢¢ȱęǲȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ sessed intrinsic holiness. This is the reason that the ȱ¢ȱěȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ angels of the Land of Israel were not allowed to world.32 There was therefore no reason for the pa-- leave it.33 triarchs and matriarchs not to leave it. Spiritually,

23. See , 2:20. 24. Avot 4:9. 25. ȱ ȂȱǰȱǯȱŘǰȱǯȱŗŜśȬŗŜŝǯȱȱ26. ȱ Ȃȱ , vol. 2, p. 167. 27. Ȃȱ ȱȂ, chapter 7. 28. See on 91b, ǯǯȱȂ. 29. ȱ Ȃ , vol. 2, pp. 161, 163. 30. See 1:191a. 31. Tanya, chapter 9. 32. Isaiah 11:6-9. See 1:191a. 33. Above, 1:10, and on ŗśǱŗŞǯȱȱ34. ȱǰȱǯȱŗśǰȱǯȱŘŖŖȬŘŗŖǰȱǯȱŘśǰȱǯȱŗśŘȬŗśřǯȱȱ

ūŲű 374 Genesis 28:12 VAYEITZEI

12ȱ ȱȱȱǱȱȱȱȱȱȱę¢ȱȱȱ and slop-- ing diagonally upwardǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ: its base rested in Beer-- ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǲȱǰȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ¡ȱȱȱǯ14ȱȱǰȱ ǰȱthe ȱȱ ȱwho had accompanied him on his trip thus far ȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱ Israel,ȱȱother angels, who were designated to accompany him while he was outside the Land of Israel, ǯ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W able to elevate Avimelech only to the point of making comparably greater than anything they had ever before peace with him, so he would not hinder their living a ¡ȱȱǯȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱǲȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ to God for the strength to overcome the challenges of him over to their way of holiness. In contrast, when their new life.17 Jacob went to Charan, his intention was not merely to ȱǰȱȱĴȱȱȱ¢ȱěǰȱȱ live a Godly life unhindered by the culture of Charan, begin each morning with prayer, followed immediate-- but to Charan, as well. ly18 by Torah study. Once they have reconnected to God Because Abraham and Isaac were not able to transform through prayer and Torah study, they are equipped to the evil of their spiritual opponents (and therefore did ęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ19 not try to do so), they were also not able transform the ȱȱȱȱȱǳȱȱȱȱ evil propensities of their own children, Ishmael and ȱ Ǳȱ ȱ £ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ£ȱȱȂȱȱȱ world with new challenges. He knew that he would holiness. Jacob, on the other hand, was able to trans-- have to engage that new world while remaining ȱ ǲȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ Ȭ- somewhat detached from it. He therefore surrounded quently, any evil that might have been present in his his head with stones to indicate symbolically that he children was transformed to holiness, and consequent-- wished to protect his “head”—his focus and aware-- ly, all of them followed in his Godly path. ness—from falling prey to the distractions and chal-- This distinction between the patriarchs’ diverse meth-- lenges of his new life. He resolved to engage in his ods of dealing with evil can be compared to that be-- work with his 20 but to keep his head aloof, ever tween the inherently-saintly person and the penitent. focused on his spiritual mission. ȱ¢Ȭ¢ȱǰȱ ȱȱ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ an ungodly impulse, does not interact with evil at all ȱǰȱ¢£ȱȱȱȱȱ and, as such, neither does he elevate it. The penitent, ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ğȱ ȱ in contrast, struggles with temptation and sometimes more “alive” intellectual and emotional inspiration ȱ ȱ ǲȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ has run dry. therefore capable of transforming it into holiness.ŗś Similarly, when we embark upon our foray into the 11 Jacob ¢ȱ ȱ Ǳ Until this point, Jacob had “real” world, we cannot rely solely on our own intel-- lived an insular life, steeped in Torah study. His jour-- lectual and emotional connection with God to keep ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱȃȄȱ ǰȱ us on track. Only by protecting our “heads” through whose ways and manners were foreign to him. Yet in-- developing and strengthening our supra-rational con-- stead of making learning the language and customs of nection to God can we stay true to our goal of building ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǰȱ Ȃȱęȱȱȱȱȱ a home for Him.21 was to pray.16 Similarly, when young people emerge from the care-- Rabbi Judah Loewe22 posits that Jacob in fact placed free cocoon of youth (especially those who were priv-- the stones aboveȱȱǯȱ ȱȱ¡ǰȱ ȂȱȬ- ileged to have spent it in the insular world of Torah ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱęȬ- education) in order to begin earning a livelihood, they ing our Divine mission with humble perseverance, ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱ even in the absence of any intellectual or emotional themselves in the culture of their new world and adapt inspiration. The motivation to forge onward even in to it. On the contrary: At this juncture, more than ever, these circumstances derives from the part of us that must they focus on their spiritual lives, for they will transcends our minds and hearts—the essence of our ¢ȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȬ- soul. This level of consciousness, being one with God,

14. Rashi on v. 17, below. 15. ȱ, vol. 10, pp. 88-91. 16. ȱŘŜǲȱȱ 68:9. 17. ȱ, vol. 1, p. 61. 18. See , ǰȱŗśśǱŗǯȱȱ19. ȱ, vol. 3, p. 792. 20. See Psalms 128:2. 21. ȱ, vol. 1, p. 62-63. 22. ȱ¢ on this verse.

ūŲű 375 ~ FIRST READING

X ONKELOS W ] r rjq~T oÒk~R rÙj] nl~M q~s½qh rr] rÆnW rÙjboÂ nj13 nsru n quq j r~ q rrj~rj r rjq~u j u ork~rj~r~ l ql~q ~ r jq~r jnu j u or~oj u l~ _ÑjrOpr] os¯T rÊq~^ p¯l~ pRr~rL r jnQoÒ~voÑ Onr~ j qunu jup~rqlu o r z juq~u n 14 n~nu q rj ju sn rj jnj rÁ_rV rÊj qvrº pOr~r] qlvq¿TÑl jq^ r rj Ñvp jqº j rÂQp jÊp~ ~ r jqqjo jnj~r jq~ j~rjqju ~ rs rju ~ru unj~u r ju n qju Qr rl~vrs_ jÅj¯nwr¿VÑjº_ jjnjr¶jċL prr s]rj r jQor q l jqru rj njuu jru jnj njo~ rj rj ju nj~u r jq~ Ð Oo oÊwp¯l~s]j¶TÑÊ bn jqj¯ºÐ RrÁn Wns~ vr boÂ nj15Ñvp jq jº u n ql~r ju ruj njup~jj rlqju ol~~ rr~r jq~jruj nol~qj q j ] p¯l~Uq OÑjrk~~ vp Ò] Un¿~ sL»qQr rl~vrwp~Ñ Ons] n¯lvq u n r ou jp~u n q ruj nju jzp~~r s lqq jun~j rj nou q 16 ~ rrj~~ n r jzu ju ql~qu oj nzu n MËr j±n hslvq ] qn½q Ðvr nÊ jQq¶ n¸wp¯l~~_ o nOn°rw n~ ~r~r l~q or~ rjq~juor z r q qr nol nÊjvrr~ _ÒQns vr~jL p» qËQrÁq¶O rÙj¯]oT o r~p~sR½q X RASHI W rj un jquu n u n s zjnuzou q zj n~ nn{rn~ ~su p z nu q ~q r jnos~o sjr zjr r ur n r j s jqq r rjq~j nuj qjnp zu q pr rjr u j jrj ~ q s jz u j u ru zsru q o nu ~ p z rjnu qu u nr ~ oru n r jnun s nu jqr~~su p z r{ oj~s j nuj qjn qk~pu p z u zu n n sju os k~s ujn pou q ju n nuqu q nru ojr jnr~u s jr jnjn~ru u p~ qrr j nj r jnq s jz o n~ ru nl~q~s r zs jnuo nzju q zju u nu p o~ nu u j q pr j sjr ju po j ou qu ~u olq nququr~ r u rjr o u ru p z pspu~ n s s lqn ol p z q nsp j q s zj zsru q ou n rp r os z ~ r u j qu u u pu n qru rr nuj q zr~s nujqrn~p z u n jrr~s ns r~j or r s~ o jup z s q r ruj qu o~ rj{n pp~~ru u j u ru p ru zsrsrju s jn oj sju rujq r j ru j qru rrj zoru n p zl~ q rru nu r{ oo~ orr rp z njj ru n ns r~

£´¨³ ´¦´¢¢£ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W truly present in this place, yet I was not aware of it.” break through and pass through the gate…. Their king ȱ £ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ will pass before them and God will be at their head.”47 place was of the type beyond normal awareness and Ȃȱȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱ 43 knowledge. Ȃȱǰȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȬ- 14ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǳȱ ȱ ȱ cess in amassing wealth, as will be recounted below: In ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢Ǳȱ The ȱǰȱȃȱȱȱȱ¡¢ȱȬ- word for “you shall spread out powerfully” (£) ous,”48 the word for “became prosperous” (¢£) also literally means “you shall break through,” as through a literally means “break through.” barrier. Allegorically, this blessing refers not only to Ja-- ¢ǰȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱ cob’s physical progeny but also to his Divine message if we merit. In order to motivate God to bless us be-- to the world, which will be consummately disseminat-- yond the bounds of nature, we must break through our ed throughout the world in the messianic future. The own bounds by going beyond the normal demands of Messiah will usher in an era in which God’s presence proper or even holy behavior.49ȱȱ¡ǰȱȱ will be revealed in the world in a manner that breaks typically have a set number of hours they are required through any former limitation and constriction. All to teach. If they throw themselves heart and soul into 44 ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ£ȱ and devote their teaching, continuing to teach beyond their re-- Śś themselves to making the world into His home. quired hours, they have broken out of that limitation. Thus, the Messiah is descended from Judah’s son Per-- Similarly, giving more charity than we are required to £ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȃȱǯȄ46 The and augmenting our regular commitments to Torah Messiah himself is referred to as “the one who breaks ¢ǰȱ¢ǰȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱ through:” “I will assemble the remnant of Israel…. The ¡ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǯśŖ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǲȱ ¢ȱ ȱ

43. ȱ ȱśŝśŘ, vol. 1, pp. 140-142. 44.ȱ ȱŚŖǱśǯȱȱ45. Zephaniah 3:9. 46. See below, 38:29. 47. Micah 2:12-13. 48. Below, 30:43. 49.ȱȱȱ¡ȱŘŜǱŗśǯȱȱ50. ȱǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŗŜŝȬŗŝŖǲȱȱ ȱśŝŚŞ, vol. 1, pp. 112-113.

ūŲŲ 376 Genesis 28:13-16 VAYEITZEI

13ȱȱǰȱ ќёȱ ȱȱȱǰ to guard him during his sojourn in Charan.ȱ ȱǰȱȃ ȱȱ ќёǰȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ ǯȄȱ God does not usually refer to Himself as “the God of” a living person since that ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱĞȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ associated with him. However, in Isaac’s case, since his seriously-impaired eye-- sight rendered him unsusceptible to the world’s temptations,34 God did not hesi-- tate to refer to Himself as Isaac’s God. He miraculously contracted the entire Land of Israel into the four square cubits under Jacob’s body, and told him, ȃ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǯ It will be as easy for them to conquer it from its inhabitants as it is for a person to control the four square cubits occupied by his own body.řś 14ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱnumerous asȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱǰȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ǯ 15 ȱǰȱyou do not need to fear Esau or Laban, for ȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ¢ by not providing you with food and clothing36ȱȱ ȱȱęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Abrahamȱȱ¢ǯȱȱ ȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ I made to Abraham through you and not through your brother Esau,37 including My promise that Abraham’s children will all remain true to their heritage. Esau’s inheritance from Abraham will consist solely of the territory promised him.38 16ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȃ ќёȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱǯ Had I known that this was a holy place, I would not have slept here.Ȅ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ȱ ȱȱęȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ǳǯȄ39) years was on the holy Temple Mount! True, he was not 41 It was precisely this power of God’s essence that Jacob aware of its holiness, but why would God have ar-- brought with him to Charan. It enabled him to over-- ȱȱȱȱȱȱę¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ 42 come the spiritual darkness of Charan and, further-- place? more, to fuse mundane and holy, body and soul.40 The answer is that it was precisely of his loca-- tion that God had Jacob fall asleep there. Mount Moriah Tȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱ Ȭ- was the site of the future Temple, which would house cob fell asleep in such a holy place. Sleep generally im-- ȱĚȱ Ȃȱǯȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȂȱȬ- plies a decrease in Divine consciousness. When we are sence transcends the physical and the spiritual equally, awake, our minds and hearts are (at least potentially) and they are therefore equal relative to God’s essence. in full control of the rest of our bodies. This preemi-- ȱȱ¡ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱĚȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ are physically higher than the lower, more materially- consciousness that informed that holy spot. The equal-- oriented part of our bodies. In contrast, when we sleep, ¢ȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ our minds and hearts lose most of their control over ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ¡ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ǯȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱĚȱȱ Ȃȱ lying down, our brains and hearts physically level with dream by his vision of the ladder uniting heaven and ȱ ȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȱ££ǰȱǰȱ earth. ȱȱęȱȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ This vision is what caused Jacob to declare: “God is

35.ȱȱȱŗśǱřşǯȱȱ36. ȱ, vol. 20, pp. 129-134. 37. Rashi on v. 20, below. 38.ȱȱǰȱŗŝǱŝǰȱŗşȬŘŗǲȱŘŗǱŗŘǲȱŘŞǱŚǯȱȱ 39.ȱǰȱŗśǱŗşǲȱȱȱ¢ȱŘǱśǲȱȱ, vol. 32, p. 173, note 39. 40. ȱ 5752, vol. 1, pp. 143-144. 41. See below, 28:16. 42. See David on this verse.

ūŲŲ 377 ~ FIRST READING

X ONKELOS W w~ n ¿Un Rp]~ o L p» qË ]rÁq~QrËÂwqOq~s½qT~ rn½q17 ~ rjq~u n ~ j r ql~q o ju ork~ s jpql~u o o or psR¶q¶sWlvqbo¿ j¯q½q18 n vrr±qq_¯ q Qpj OnÒk~] o¶ ojrj rmn u o ~ rl qju ql~ u o jq~j ~ru q jz omqju L roÆq¹ Qrs~ p°_ r½q Ors¯l~ vqj] r°wp¯l~T pbp~rwp~ ^ qÇn½q ~r jq~r oj~u rjq ju s lq ~ rru qru n q zjnsru ~ n u n q z u n ~º QqË _rÁqwvo¯wp~~V rjn½q19¹ vr¯~swq pQp¯s_n½q ~ rju u q zo ~q r jzn nl~q o~~ ou u q ~ rjq~~ j r jz r sQlvq_ q¸n½q20vrs¯~ vnr Qnrwvo¯º _ V rº~jL o~wvo¶ ~ ro jqju~ ru jq~ j r jz u qju oj~n rojr j s lqu n qj Tp»Ð q p^ p¸q¶Tn bqrj¯º R nrÁn WnÒk~bp jvnw~ n sL~o pċ] p ~ r jr~ju nqu njunj nlqjur~ q rjo o jn punjo~~ r r~ l u n ~ rr ¯s v¶jnp_ pº sQk~vpp V p _ nwqvrjÐOoË ] ns~ vr ] p¯l~ u o~j zruj nju ju q oj n rjon~ru q~ ojr jznu vnÒ~voQn V rÙja r rjL nr~] o¶wp~ËQr¯j _ nÊjq¯j21 nou q z ~u n rr~r jq~j rk~pu rmqlu qroo~u j o~ ju rr L nÒk~]¶ o Qp jvn OroÆqT nÊjbq°wp¯l~~ sR» q p] p~rj22 ~ rj{qn q n punu n s j rj j r rmu ou nzjjq~ ÐvrºÂ_ pj²ql~Qo²qOnwpÊnÊ] p¯l~T sj X RASHI W s~ rju p z r jnu j ~s j q s~ rju p z r rjq~j~u s sj nu q o zjur rj~ p nu q qr~ ns k~ ou ~n nu u u jqu~ rsu q o~ ou s~ rju p z s lq~u j ru p~ pr{ q jp~j q p z o~jnuospu qru tq~u rjnpu os sj~u u r ru o z u n ju or~ rjq~u n j r os q p z o~jup z zru jnu q ou ppu j qnu q su u nz sj n rru z q qq z p j zruj nju ju u rj jt oup z u u j qu ru sjnunq r zu n ru j p z u rs jnu oup z s zrjnu rj qr zu q rru n ju slq ru n ju nrjnuql qp z srjur r o~ ou nrjnu ru j ru q p z zru jnu q ou ppu j ur t j r jqp z zru jnu q rj qp z ru t~ r jn oso ju ou nrjnu oup z u u j qu s rjqn s jzn~n nru n ns~ k p jnn~ pp su u nz q jp~ qnu q o~ o ju s z~s j q p z o~jnu ou nj n qr~p z sju nru n sjnnq njnp z ru u q zsru q qr~p z u osu q u jr~p z qou ju nq r zu j s ju r nu jqjzu n qr~p z sju n qr jzu j ru n ns r~ " rn~s ju oru nj n sj oj~ru p nuq~u j u ru ~sun qr~p z sju s k~p p pn qr joj ou p zl~ u sj o~ ou n q r zu n u r~ rjs lqu jr~ sj ~s j qk~pu p zrkpu ~ r u p p zou q jqjr jrk p~ nl~ os~" ou qsu jr roou nq r zu ~ j s j~ n sju u n jq zj p r zpu q j s jq j rkp nuq nn~ r pr~rqnj~ n sj~ rj~ru ur nsu q q qkpu p z n o r z sr zj r rl~r~p r ns nzlq n qr~p z s~ rjn zru jnu q~ ou rup z nu t qn jznu ru l~r ns~on r rj rrou jqu n qj~~ p su p z~ jo q q rp zju q~s u n~j sru qu uq jnu q pu j ~o ou q u ju ~ o ru ~ n su p z s qjru n junq r s jz u u r p z u ~4 n r z sju ~n s qu uq zru jnu q ou q s lq r rjqj rj nu jqu nu p zl~ qr~p z sju n jq ju nu rsl~u jqu jnp z srjuou qu jnju oun nj~s ns~or j sjn qk~pu p z r rjq~jq njns ppjur njr~ jnu q~ l rr q u ~" n u u u j qj n qr zu q u ju u z s~ o ru ~ n su p z r t j r l jqr pl ~ q r l jqju rr j~ rrun r rr poj u q q ns~ rju p zru qu n j n~ p p~rj p z s r zor ju ru ~su q p p~rj ~s j qsl~u jqu jnp z srq nu jq rp z r zjp~ qr~ ~su q p p~rj~s p{k~ p nl~ q~jpu ~ o ~p n p{l qu o~ ou q q r j qujpju ou jquq"j su nujqu qu jn rmqlu q j o o~ su u jqju sj rou q un jq{ p zl~ ~ru p~ qrj u ru q u ~ p s o~ ou pr~rsu rjrj u s qr~p zju rl~ ququ n su zjur{ r oj ou u r~ rj ns k~r n rjrp z o z qj nq r zu n sj rou q s lquo uq q r z qk~pu q o~ o o l pr{u ~ q u j r rjq~ suou qu jnp z ur nsu q ~q u j o~ j pp rp rj qou u q p lq ju j n rjnuu jr~ojr jn suou qu jnp z

¢±«®¢±«® ¢«²´£³²¥±«®£¬³£¡®§³°¡®§£¡«®°©£¦¡ £¦´£³²¦´£³² £´£³²¢±«®¢±«®¥ ¦§£¦´¢±«® X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ȱȱȱȱȱĴǯ60 On a spiritual level, this means that Jacob vowed to 22 ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ take even the lowliest and most materialistic aspects ȱȱȱȱ ǱȱJacob did not use gold or sil-- of his life and transform them into God’s home. He ver to build a home for God, but simple stones. succeeded in doing so because he had taken an oath,

ūŲų 378 Genesis 28:17-22 VAYEITZEI

17ȱ ȱȱǰȱȱǰȱȃ ȱ ȱȱȱǷȱȱȱȱȱ ȱMount Moriah, the future site of ȱ ȱȱ ǯśŗȱȱthus, ȱȱȱ ¢ȱthrough which prayer ascends ȱ, passing through the heavenly ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ę¢ȱ ȱ ȁȂȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ǰȄȱ meaning that the site of the future Temple is the earthly locale most receptive to the spiritual consciousness of the higher worlds. 18ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱsemicircular ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱthen ȱȱȱȱȱȱ, consecrating it as an altar.śŘ 19 This place was already known as Bethel, but in light of the revelation he had just ǰȱ ȱęȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȱagain ȱ[“House of God”]ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ£ǯ 20ȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱ¢ǰȱȃ ȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱǲ ȱ ȱȱȱphysi-- cally ȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱǲȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ǲ 21ȱȱwill protect me spiritually ȱȂȱȱĚȱȱȱ ȱwill be able to ȱȱ¢ȱȂȱȱ by sinǲȱȱif ќёȱ ȱȱboth ¢ȱ and the God of the children I will father in Laban’s house, in that they all remain true to their heritage and not rebel as did some of my grandfather Abraham’s and one of my father Isaac’s children—as He has promised me all thisśř— 22ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ ȱ ȱěȱȱęȱȱǯȱǰȄȱaddressing God directly, he said,ȱȃ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ, as my forebears didǯȄśŚ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ŘŖȬŘŗ ǳȱǳȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ity of holy activities, elevating the mundane is of great-- ȂȱȱǱ We transform the world into er importance, for it brings God the greatest pleasure God’s home in two ways: by doing things that are in-- and hastens the advent of the messianic era. Studying trinsically holy, such as studying the Torah and per-- the Torah and performing the commandments, while ȱ Ȃȱ ǲȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ¢ȱ by no means an easy task, is the soul’s natural incli-- mundane pursuits, such as eating or earning a living. nation. Even the body, despite its innate propensity In this verse, Jacob alludes to both these facets of reli-- ȱ ȱ ȱ ěȱ ȱ ęǰȱ ȱ gious life: be induced into participating in holy pursuits, for it, : This alludes to Torah study. When we study the too, is rooted in a sublime source. In contrast, the out-- ǰȱ ȱȱ£ȱ Ȃȱ ǰȱ ȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ¡Ȭ- becomes part of us, just as when we eat (bread being ¢ȱȱȱȱ ǲȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱěǼǰȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĞȱ śŝ becomes part of us. heroic determination. Yet the soul can achieve this transformation by drawing upon its essence, which in ǱȱThis alludes to the performance of the com-- ȱ ȱȱȱęȱ ȱȱ ȂȱǯśŞ mandments. When we perform a commandment, we ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱ The and the Midrash interpret Jacob’s descent inspiration, much as a garment surrounds, envelops, ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ śś and warms its wearer. people. Jacob therefore says that ultimately, in the mes-- ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȂȱȱǱȱThis alludes sianic age, “he,” i.e., his descendants, will return from ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĞȱȱ ¡ȱȱȃ¢ȱȂȱǰȄȱȱȱȱȱ ǯśş out temporarily into the mundane world in order to The phrase “I will return to my father’s house untaint-- śŜ Ğȱǯ ed” thus refers both to sanctifying the mundane and to As has been mentioned, despite the intrinsic superior-- the messianic age, indicating that the former is a pre--

51. Above, 22:2, 14. 52. Rashi on 31:13, below. 53.ȱǰȱǯȱŗśǯȱȱ54.ȱǰȱŗŚǱŘŖǰȱŘśǱŘŝǰȱŘŜǱŗŘǯȱȱ55. Tanyaǰȱȱśǯȱȱ56. ȱ Ȃȱ, vol. 2, pp. 162-163. 57. ȱ Ȃȱ, vol. 2, p. 173. 58. ȱ Ȃ , vol. 2, pp. ŗŜśǯȱȱ59. See 1:23b, 147a. See also ȱ 68:13. 60. ȱ Ȃ ǰȱǯȱŘǰȱǯȱŗŝśǯȱȱ

ūŲų 379 ~ SECOND READING

X ONKELOS W ~ jYq½q2 pvpwo j r j_~Ð q pQo½qL rj q sQlvq~_ r²n½q29:1 q l~qnsj q s lqqju ~~ rj rl q ~ r ju n q o ju ql~q ] njs v T~sw o jp^ r¯Òj¯ Yr¯woÂ njRpr²q¶] o~ja oÂ nj ~ rr ju ruq~rj~r jq j~ro ol~qlu nn j ru j njp Qrsj·p_ p~rj L nrlº vr Qj¯q~ Onq] o~j¶qw n ¿Un rOpr ~ru qjpr jzq ~ nq~roun ~ ro~ j rut u ~q rju~ q r jq~j w~º p ^lvrj R nrl vrwrrÁ] r¯wºjp~vpj3 vo~j¶q_ nÅwq ~ru qjpru ruqj nzjqu jnu ~ rut u qo~r jq~r nju jq ju w p~ºa n¯oj~sLÆqwp~ºQj¯njOo~j¶qÅ] n T qoT pbp~r r n nj~u r r r r jzq~u ro j u qjq~j~ro~ j rut u ~q r jq~ Qq q~sOlvqTprp~s^½q4¹ vrs jnQo~j¶q_ nÅwqpV p~r u uq~r j q ~ q s lq sj ql~q sj ql~q~r j r~ l rr ou rl~q QpÊj qj q Opr p~s]½q5º j vrl~ Qrr voº Oj~s]½qL pÊq~n] q~o u rl~qs rqu rrr u ujqj q ~r j r l~ n jr º jvrrº Qj~sv½qË L rw p¶] rrw p~

X RASHI W p p~rrjrp z nj or~oju r nn j u jp~p j qjt p z r s rs{juo{ u qu jnu p zu n rj q s lq~r{ u nuq s zj ru njujq ju su u jqj nj sjlu rjr sju j ru pprq r{lq jrj q ~p sun~ r{r rnjznu nj q r s zjnu nrs zjnuou qjpu qujznp s njzq nrlru q jz ru q nz~ojnu zrs j u nzoj sjn nrj r r ru j nru ps q r ru ru p z rr j s zr ju pu~ nu rjnu q j nrlrp~ nsr n nju su u jqu ¡¬ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W his joy permeated his entire being, down to his feet.63 essence remains blocked. This is because every posi-- Ȃȱ¢ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱ tive phenomenon has its corresponding negative cor-- ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĴȱȱȱ ȱ relate.67 The opposite of love of God is love of things we tackle life’s numerous daily, mundane activities. that interfere with Divine consciousness. When our Whenever we embark on a mission of goodness, even relationship with God is based soley on love, that love if it entails what appears to be a spiritual descent, we can sometimes become diverted into unhealthy types must do so with joy, trusting in God’s promise that ev-- of love. Conversely, when our relationship with God is erything will work out as it should.64 based only on fear—meaning respect, awe, and a sense 3ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱěȱ of duty—we are susceptible to unhealthy forms of se-- ȱȱȱȱ ǳȱȱȱȱȬȬ verity, including impatience and being judgmental. Ǳȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱǻȱǼȱ£ȱ However, a negative emotion can only oppose its cor-- the inanimate kingdom, which is the least-spiritual ȱȱǲȱȱȱȱȱěȬ- component of physical reality since it appears totally ent type of positive emotion. Therefore, when we both ǯȱ ȱȱȱȱęĴȱ¢ȱȱȱȬ- love and fear God, our fear of God prevents us from rial selves, our egos, and our mundane activities, all of falling into negative forms of love, and our love of God which are natural impediments to Divine awareness. protects us from falling into negative forms of fear. This “stone” both conceals and blocks the pure well-- This is why “the shepherds would together roll the springs of holiness that reside within our hearts, just ȱ ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȄȱ ȱ ȱ as a huge boulder blocked and concealed the water “shepherds,” working together in unison, were indeed in the shepherds’ well. In a similar vein, the prophet able to remove the “stone” from the wellsprings of the £ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȃȱȱȄŜś to refer heart. Since, Jacob, however, embodied the synthesis of to a spiritual blockage, and the Midrash associates the love and fear, as we have seen, he was able to remove boulder over the well with the evil inclination that re-- the boulder by himself.68 66 sides within each of us. How is this formidable, seem-- ę¢ǰȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȬ- ingly immoveable stone to be removed? er replaced upon the well. Allegorically, this means The Torah tells us that one lone shepherd, acting on his that our material inclinations are not meant to be de-- own, cannot move the boulder. This means that when ¢ǲȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȬ- our relationship with God is one-dimensional, based ȱ¡ȱ ȱǯ69 Rather, they are meant to be on love or fear of God (but not on both), our Godly sublimated and directed toward holy ends.70

63. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚśǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱřŗŖŖǯȱȱ64. ȱ ȱśŝřŗǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŗŝŞǲȱ Ȃ¢ȱśŝŗş, vol. 1, pp. 233-234. 65.ȱ£ȱŗŗǱŗşǯȱȱ 66. ȱȱ70:8. 67. Ecclesiastes 7:14. 68. ȱȱŚǱśǲȱ ȱŗŘŖǲȱȱ Ȃ śŜŘŞ, pp. 29-34. 69. See 69b. 70. ȱ Ȃ śŜŘŞ, p. 33.

ūųŪ 380 Genesis 29:1-5 VAYEITZEI Jacob Arrives in Charan Second Reading 29:1 Ȃȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱ ȂȱȬ- ous feelings of apprehensiveness and trepidation. ȱȱǰȱ ȱenthusiasti-- cally and optimistically ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ (see Figure 28).ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱ ǰȱ causing it to miraculously split for him and allowing him to cross over to the op-- posite bank.61

FigureȱŘŞǱȱ Jacob Travels to Charan. 2 When he reached Aram Naharayim, ȱǰȱȱȱbefore his eyesȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱęǰȱȱȱĚȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱthe local shepherdsȱ ȱȱĚ ȱȱ ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱǯ 3 Every day, ȱȱȱĚȱ ȱȱǰȱthe shepherdsȱ ȱto-- gether ȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ But Jacob did not know that this was how the shepherds watered their sheep. 4ȱ ȱȱǰȱȃ¢ȱǰȱ ȱȱ¢ȱǵȄȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȃȱ ȱȱǯȄ 5ȱ ȱȱǰȱȃȱ¢ȱ ȱǰȱȱgrandȱȱǵȄȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ǰȱȃȱ ȱǯȄ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W which meant that even if he no longer had the intellec-- especially, our eating utensils—the simple “stones” of ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱęȱȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȯȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Divine mission, his oath would propel him onward. home for God.62 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ 1ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȬȬ with our prayer and Torah study—our “gold” and “sil-- ¢ȱȱǱ Even though Jacob was on his way to en-- ver”—that we sanctify our homes. Even, and perhaps ter the spiritual darkness of Charan, he rejoiced—and

61. Rashi on 32:10, below. 62. ȱ, vol. 1, p. 63.

ūųŪ 381 ~ SECOND READING

X ONKELOS W Ë OÊn¶] o r ToÂ njË Or¯º ]j~sv½qËLË ]r¯lQpr p~s_½q6 u rl~qou r jzqsjql~q ~ n r jr~u ou qjuo ~ r rjr jz Qow~ÒË Or· Ë]½ q TË _ o p~sR½q7 ~s vÆqwnQr~r¶ u n ~ q rs s~ r ql~q ~r r ~r r u jzq~ nju zq j nju r ~n r ~Ò ] hºj~sv½q8 º vº j _jº~sQÆqº_j¯qL p jnÁq] or~vo q u un~r u rl~qu j nk~pu u u j jq n ~ur qjpru u zjqu jnu n pOp~rwp~Tºlvrj O nrl] rwr¿Tº jvr~o^ p¯l~] q Mqº o jzq~ j ro~ j rut u qo~r jq~r L rÁn] o¶ qjºÂ QpË9 ~s vÆq º Qnj¯njL o~j¶qÅ] n Qqo s junou qj~u u j q ~r r ~ ru l~qu n ~r r n ql~o rj ~ vn Qrs¿_ n rOnr~j] p¯l~T~sÆqwnr~Rr¶ *] o rj qu rlq ~~ n rn r ol~ ~ r u ~ l rrqu o r r s lq~rl Ë OÁn~] n l~T rrwq¶ Ro rwp~sWlvq br~ r c p¯l~vq¿ \njq10 ~ r u ~ l rr~ j r r r j u oun~ j ~r jq~r u q jq j s lq oju u oun~ j T qoT pbp~rwp~pċ^ r½qsRlvq¯] q·n½qË LÁn~] n l~Qrr~s_wp~j ~r r r njzq~j~ ro~ j rut u qo sQlvq_ q±n½q11 Ë vÁn~_ n l~Qrr~s_wp~ jj¯Pq½q Oo~j¶q] nÅ q zju ~u oun~ j r u ~ l rr j ~ r ju u o r r ol~q o rjs lq ]¿ n Ro rjsWlvqbo·q½q12 j¾jvo½qËQsw~~ p _ r²n½qL o rj q l~q ol~o rjs lqu n q j ~u rj n q ol~q~u ~ ru l~ rvnr~j_ o· qÊq rQrÊq~º L Qrj nwp_ nj~º O Trbnr~^ n l~ rlq ~ r l~q q~n q j qr j u u u 13 qu s lqqo z r rrq jz q rċ^ r½qËRs l~wp¶s]lvq*q] o¯wp~Wrrqsbj¯nc njq ou ouq j u ou u r qjq ju u or l~ nrujzn~ju ooju ol q~jou q ou z j ] oÅqjqËLo¶wp~º Qo~njqËOwp±qjqTËw p¶q jqTË~ rjn ou n~r~ru qru jnurur rrj pÀ vo~r Qnr j¸qwr¿_ o~Orrj

X RASHI W s jsj rl q~ nr~q j nju r{ o pu qnk~ q rp z nj ~ r jr~ su u jqjp r~ruqqu q ~su q n r~ru srj q zrr jnp z so juqnk~ qru p z nju s n{ u nj ql~ su u j qj ouqu r jqj qqu q r~ru o rj ss lq s qr~"~ ruq~p z u u u n q p{k~ p r s qr~ s o rj{ r s zjn o zu qj r{ s s zj s z~nr ~u rnr~ n l~ nu ou qu u zr n rpj nr jup zu q nsp z u ru qu njs rs~ r~ rp z nj sru su q s zrjnu u j r l~ n q~ nzr l~ sju rnr~j sr o pr qr~ su j~n s j rjquqp jnu q sk~p n~j~u ru qju n r~nl~4~uq ~r u ~u ru qj n~ ~s4 puq~ s on j{ n~ qsju sru su q s ro zju q ss l~ rj n pu nl~uq 4~u o zru rr~ q ~4q pru p z sojuq n~j su q qu tju pujqu nz u n qju r r~ r s j rou ru n~p z nj rnr~jouq qu ru q nz~oju sj p jnu q or~o~o s o nu u ~ r u sru ru qu s~ rjn rruq s ~ru p~ plu rj r sju p p~rp z nj s jzqj qu ~s nu j nu qj rr{lqu~ rj~ru nquqp p ol p z zqu nuq nr s zj~u p z nju jujq nu r jt j nu ~ j ru p z qr~u u j su n r~~ r su p zju puq jq n sjnu qo rju q p~ nl qu p z rr~ju pru q s lq su nru jq~ru p z qr~ sqjq pu z so juru nj~ no q u ju rru p z nju j jouq srs su p z r l nsj ps~j s un~ru ~~p ~r su p z rrjou qjq nju oj~ no nj o ~ q r ru ru jn su n pp jnru o~p z zpsu q u u pu nssru jru p zjn r~ u r~ ruq~ nl~ p p p pnk~ qr~ su n r o n qr~ ju rup z u u j nr ju~ o nl~q s rj nu nnju nrj rr j

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[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗŗǾȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǳ ȱ ȱ ǻǯǰȱ ęȱȱ of £ (the inner dimension of ȃȱȱȱȱ ȄǼǱ Allegorically, Rachel which is , mercy), wept in order to arouse ęȱ ȱ ( of £), the God’s mercy upon the souls that descend into the spiritual origin of all Jewish souls. Jacob, the person-- ¢ȱ ǰȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ

ūųū 382 Genesis 29:6-13 VAYEITZEI

6ȱ ȱȱǰȱȃ ȱȱ ǵȄȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȃ ȱȱ ȯȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱĚǯȄ Laban would send his daughters ȱȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ71 7 ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ¢ȱ ¢ǰȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱȱĚǯȱ ȱ to themǰȱȃLook, ȱȱȱȱ¢. If you are day-laborers, you have not yet put in a full day’s work. And even if these are your ȱĚǰȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ and take them home. If they need to drink, ȱȱĚȱȱȱěȱȱȱǯȄ 8ȱ¢ȱǰȱȃȱǰ because the boulder covering the well is too heavy for us to move. We have to waitȱȱȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱall the shepherds can ȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱȱ together. Only thenȱ ȱ can ȱȱǯȄ 9ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȂȱĚǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱǯ 10ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȂȱǰȱȱ ȱĚȱȱǰȱȱȂȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱě¢ȱ ȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱĚȱȱǰȱ ȱȂȱǯ 11ȱȱ ȱȱhis cousin ǯȱ ȱ ȱ, for two reasons: First, he foresaw that, although he and Rachel would indeed marry, they would not ȱȱǯȱǰȱ ȱ£ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ an abundant show of wealth when he arrived in Charan in search of a bride for ǰȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱǻĞȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ£Ǽ. 12 ȱȱȱ ȱ¡ȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȂȱȱȱ ȱȱȂȱǯ When he told her that his purpose in coming was to marry her, Rachel apprised him of the fact that her father was a deceiver and would no doubt try to trick him out of marrying her. Jacob responded that if Laban would try to deceive him, ȱwould prove that he ȱȱȂȱ in deception, but if would treat him honestly, ȱwould act asȱȂȱ and also behave honestly. Since Rachel’s mother was no longer alive, ȱȱȱȱonly ȱ of Jacob’s arrival. 13ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱthe arrival of ǰȱȱȂȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱ—not because of any love for Jacob, but rather72—because he recalled ȱ£ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱ. When he saw that Jacob had arrived empty-handed, ȱȱ, trying to feel around for gold coins in his pockets. When he saw that he had none, ȱthen ȱ, trying to ascertain if he perhaps had pearls in his mouth. When he saw he had no pearls, either, Laban nevertheless ȱȱǰȱȱJacobȱȱȱof ȱȱ: how ȱ ȱȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ¢. He did not mention that he had been sent to marry one of his daughters.

71. Rashi on 30:27, below. 72. Ȃ¢ śŝŚŝǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱśŞŗǯȱȱ

ūųū 383 ~ THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W ¯ ps_ Ë QÁn p¯_ o½q rÊL~ r Qnr°jº_ njqÐ~V q OrrTË p~s^½q14 nj{nu n nr qju rrou ql~q ql~q ns qju oun on jur~ nQqÊ jqlvqrÊOq~] n r~wvnlsOlvq j T rrp~s^½q15 vnr nqu n jj nj juq~ n r~u j nl s lq j rr 16 rrju ~j rj~ q r n u n q ur q ^ o¯ËL r ] oÊj¯Qrrjº Ñ vpÊ jt¿ j°qÁwqÀQn r_ n·qL rÂ n u zj r~o~ rju q u z r ju ou jqu Ë L¿ q Qr~o_ ooj17 vo r QrÂqjÇq_ o¯jOr~oTrsj·q r l~rr~oo oj ~ o r ru joj ~r l~r~ j r oj~rnuq z qlo rj vp~ jq_ qn q~sQÊwqj OrjvrT o rj o r r s lq o ju ~ rjp j 18 o rju n jz q jz ruj n jjp~ql~q q]¯ p TÑ jrk~ vp p~sR½qL o w r ~ p sQlvq_ qk~vp½q j ~ ru joj ruqju vrÂqjÇqQÑ jÊn¶_ o rj¶On r¯

X RASHI W u ol~ rj s zj u jqu q qu ~u q~su rrqu rjquqr ju jr~jn~ o ruqo nr{ju njqj q~ oujq j ~ n u p~ jq qq ju~ pp{u q r ju ou ql~r jto ju ~ n ru p~u u j r jr ju o~j n~s s rjr~p z nr l~ nro n r z q p z r j rk p~ ps r rp zu r n ~j s s q~j r{ r oj nr zps ~ u ou p z qoj nr l~ nrsu n rujq zr j su n~ n r~p z n jznu nj rou s zj ru ~ q n r~ nl s~s r u j nu o rju nr l~ nrru j oju jnu q nj ol p z ru oj n ojqqj sju n qu jqlq"ru n n ojqqu ruq~ su q os r rp z nj"r ru ru u q n rnu q ru ru qu j q pp s~ nju ~s r z ju r ns r r s z j~ np z r ou q~s~ru p z j o rjur jrk p~ s qr~~ qu ~ q u p z ru j rjrp z su q r~oo oj ~ ruqj r ouq ~ ru p zjr junu qsu quu zu q n pp ~ q o r o jz njs~su qu rp z rsu r{ o p z s rsju slq u j qu o r u rjz~ rjp~ju rjz r~o jl n q~ q~s ru qju qj srqu r sju q rr j sr oujzu rj nj nr u ru n ol p z ns~so nu q q~jru qju q qs ¥±«®¨ ¥´£³² ² à´ã¨á£¨£¬³£

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [16] ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱ scribing the relationship between God and the Jew-- ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱǱ Spiritually, ish people, one of the terms used to describe the Leah and Rachel embodied the ę of ȱand Jewish people is “the most beautiful of women” 83 , respectively. Leah is described as “the older ¦¢²© ¢ .i The numerical value of this term is one” ¥ , which may be read as “the great ” śŖŘǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ¥ ǰȱȱȱȱęȱȱof the Name Ha-- ¢ȱȱǻŗŝśǼǰ84 Isaac (180),Şś and Jacob (147).86 ¢ǰȱ ȱęȱȱę of . Similarly, ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȬ- Rachel is described as “the younger one” ©¡° , mary emotions of love, fear/awe, and mercy, respec-- which may be read as “the lesser ” ©¡° , re-- tively, this numerical equivalence implies that com-- ȱȱȱĴȱ of the Name ¢, which plete and true beauty results from the full blending ęȱȱę of .80 ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱǯ87 ǰȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱ¡ȱ ǽŗŞǾȱ ȱȱǱȱAs we have seen,88 Leah primarily through thought, while , the fac-- embodied the transcendent realm of thought, while ¢ȱ ȱ ¡ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ Rachel embodied the realm of speech and deed. Ja-- speech and action. In terms of living the Divine life, cob’s primary focus in life was to bring Divinity into ȱęȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȬ- the most mundane elements of reality. He therefore ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱęȱ loved Rachel more than he loved Leah, since his the performance of the commandments, which pri-- passion and desire was to bring the transcendent marily engages the faculties of speech and action.81 light of (the highest ę) into (the ę ǽŗŝǾȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ǳȱ As we have lowest ), through which Divinity would be seen,82 Rachel embodied the spiritual origin of the apparent to all. souls of the Jewish people. Rachel’s beauty there-- Yet Jacob united with both Rachel and Leah. Al-- fore alludes to the spiritual beauty inherent in the though his primary focus was on the world of soul of every Jew. deed, he was simultaneously steeped in the world of thought. His innate propensity, however, was to-- Similarly, in the Song of Songs, the love poem de-- ward deed, and therefore also toward Rachel.89

ūųŬ 384 Genesis 29:14-18 VAYEITZEI

14ȱȱȱȱǰȱȃIf that be the case, I have no reason to welcome you into my home other than the fact that ¢ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱĚȱȱǯ You may ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĚǯȄȱȱJacobȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĚ. 15ȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȃ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǵǷȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱǯȄ 16ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱtwin73 ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱ, who had ȱȱȱ ȱęǰȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ ǯȱHe also had two additional daughters, Bilhah and Zilpah, whom he had fathered by his concubine74 and whom he kept as handmaids. 17 Ever since Leah and Rachel were born, people used to say, “Laban has two daughters and Isaac has two sons: the older daughter is destined for the older son and the younger daughter for the younger son.” , thinking that she was destined to become one of Esau’s wives, cried constantly. Herȱ¢ȱ ȱtherefore swollen and ǰȱ ȱ’s faceȱȱȱȱȱthe luster of ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ Jacob’s Family Third Reading 18ȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱto Labanǰȱȃ ȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ¢ȯȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ stay hereŝś—ȱǯȱNow, do not try to deceive me by giving me some other ȱȱǲȱ ȱȱ¢ȱǯ Furthermore, do not try to deceive me ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱȂȱȱȱǲȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱdaugh-- terǯȄ Nevertheless, despite having taken these precautions against deception, Jacob knew that Laban would still try to deceive him, so he gave Rachel secret signs by which he would be able to distinguish her from her twin sister even in the dark. X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 17 ȱȱ¢ǱȱSpiritually, this means that ǱȱSpiritually, Rachel’s beauty indicates that ȱęȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȬ- ȱęȱȱ¢ȬȱǰȱȬ- perfections and constantly strives for greater connec-- blemished in the performance of the commandments. tion to God. She was therefore destined to marry the True beauty is the harmonious blend of diverse ele-- ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱĚȱȱ ments. Similarly, only a relationship with God that to repent.76 transcends personal inclinations and involves all our ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ emotions77 can be termed “beautiful.”78

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [continued...] home—and unite them with God. ence the “kiss” by articulating and contemplating Similarly, whenever we feel distanced from God be-- the holy words of the Torah we study, uniting our cause of our misdeeds, we can arouse God’s mercy ȱȱȱ ȱ Ȃǯȱȱ¡ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱęȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ “embrace” by performing the commandments, 79 ȱǯȱȱ¡ȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ uniting our power of action with God’s. ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱ¡Ȭ-

73. ȱȱȱŘǲȱǯȱȱǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŘŜřǰȱȱşǰȱȬȱȘȘȘǯȱȱȱ74.ȱȱȱřŗǱśŖǰȱ ǯȱȱ75. Above, 27:44. 76. See Rashi on 32:23 below. ȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱŗśŘȬŗśřǯȱȱȱŗǱŘśşǯȱȱ77. See above, on v. 3. 78. ȱ ȂȱśŝŗŜǰȱǯȱŚśřȬ ŚśŚǯȱȱ79. TanyaǰȱȱŚśǯȱȱ80. ȱǰȱǯȱŗǰȱŗŜŞǲȱȱ ȂȱśŜŘŝ, p. 76, et al. 81. ȱ Ȃȱ, vol. 1, p. 211. 82. Above, on v. 11. 83.ȱȱȱȱŗǱŞǰȱśǱşǰȱŜǱŗǯȱȱ84.ȱ ȱŘśǱŝǯȱȱ85. ǯȱřśǱŘŞǯȱȱ86. ǯ 47:28. 87. ȱ Ȃȱ 5627, pp. ŗŞşȱěǲȱȱ ȂȱśŝŗŜǰȱǯȱŚśřȬŚśŚǯȱȱ88. Above on v. 16. 89. ȱȱ22d-23b.

ūųŬ 385 ~ THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W ¯ ] n~j¹Qrs~_ nÊnÊnÐ¹Or ] rs~] nÊnÊË U Rrrp~s]½q19 u qroup~u j q rrql~q rm ~ r qjnu qr oup~u j n rj L nr¯q]¯ p Qo rj¶sVlvqsalvq½q20 vnrÁnQrj¯L o q~ o rjus lq q ju nun nu nsjunsojslq n jz q jz p~sb½q21 ¹ vrs~ËQrl vq~j¶ O nr l~] nr¿ j T roº j ^ jvn½q ql~q u qr o rjnu noj ol~njun~r q rrjs lq r~ËQr~jL rrºQ~jvr¿_ n OnÊj¯n~wp~] rrT rrw~ p s^lvq u qrjso~jnr jtosu n jz ° q_ q½q Ë QrÁq_ o¯j q~wr¿wp~V rrs_k~vp½q22 rvpo~ ~ rjq~ o zr~ k ru r rr zq ju ~ r zjqj rlq ~r jujzn qlq ¹ Qrs~~_ or½qËOÊn] r~ow~ p T qÇn½qpOp r ] njq23 vpÊj¯n u qr oq~ju ouqjr~or q ju rrqn u qrj rju orj Ë Lr jn¯QrÅjnw~¹ p Or T rr^ oÊn½q24 rvpo~~sQr½qL ro~ u ouqj r~o j u o jq~rujnr qu 25 ~ rj~rjq j rlq u jq~j L r~o ~ QnwoÂ njpsO¶q] njq vr jn¯ËQÊn_ r~o j ~ r ~r rrjql~qr~o ~ n j run n r ju o rj~rln ru jql nÊ j] qrT o rj~^ÒlÀOn r] n°rT~ s»wqRrrw~ p p~s]½q rrql~q nu ju jqu q z ~rju Qo_ p°rvow~Ò Orrp~s]½q26 n vrnÁ n rÁQrjÐOrÁn qunj~r rjq~ju ojuol jn~r o jzq~ ~ rju q rm~ru joj q] t¯~ j QoÀq27 vrnj¶q_ o jnQrnjÆq_ orºL oËjn¶ ~u r r ~q j r punj~ rj~ rlu jz q jz s nun q j n ~u n r r jt ju O nrÁns]lÊ vq ] p¯l~T rsl vq¶~sRw p~wq· WÑjbr jÊnj~sL ou s lqqlq n rm r~ n jz 28 ou qn~ rju ~ rlu jzo jzq~j q] t¯~ j QoÀqjq¿Oo Tslvq°q^ q½q Ë vo l~_ nr¯wqvp¯ËQ u uj n~ju ou ouqjuo rr vr±n~jË_Ë QÊn¶_ o rwp~ËVw pÊn½q~sL X RASHI W pujznu q oj qj nz oj~sp z qu r z rl quru ol p z rr~u j r sj nu ~ n n rjr~p z rr~u j r qs r zjp~n~j rrosju nj q zu ~ j rrjnu r{ ro jz nl~ q qro~jr r z qu jq~j n s jz pu nl~ nzu q ruqju oru n j nrr r ou n~p z zru q qu r z nu u q qup z q ~ slqrp~ o r~sr~j qr~p z pu j" nr jz st r z rj nz nj nju rrs zjqu r zu p z sj njqj ru qr~ sr s u n sj~ru p~" ou os~ so~ rj~ nz ru p~ qt jz rjzq~ o j rnjrj ru jnu nj r~o rjr~s rjqu qu rl~ r~o~ n ou nj psuq r jo sju nu q s zjr j ru j nj qq ju~ nn jqu p z o r rl~ rp zju n rn o rjs lq qru p z ~s~p qu ounj s zjp ~q r jj{njr jr j ru rjru rjr ns l~ o ru nu r zjq rjr~ r~o s rp~u { u n q q~js l quq pujznu q oj qj nz q q~jur n ol p z~u u ru ~s qt~ jz ou q n rn rs~

§³ £´£³²¬Û¦ Û°ã±¢ ¢§£²¯¨ ±ß ® Ûß X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 28 ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ Ȃȱ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȂȱȱȱȱȱǱ Nowadays, since Ȭ ¢ȱȱȱĴȱȱȱ observance of the Torah is obligatory, this principle reach higher levels of spiritual growth cannot serve as is slightly transposed: Voluntary observance of pious ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȂȱȱȱęȱ less knowledgeable of Judaism.şś

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ [27] ȱȱȬȱ ȱȱȱ sages also state that one cannot deduce halachic rul-- ǰȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱǱ The sages ings from incidents that occurred before the giving derive from this verse that one should not celebrate of the Torah,97 this does not include incidents whose two joyous occasions simultaneously.96 Although the purpose is to teach us about human nature.98

95. ȱǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŗŚśȬŗŚŞǯȱȱ96. ȱȂȱ£ȱŗŜǲȱǯȱȱ 1:7. 97. ǯȱȱ ȱřǱśǰȱȱȱ, ȱ 20a, ǯǯȱȱ. 98. ȱǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŜśȬŜŜǯȱȱ

ūųŭ 386 Genesis 29:19-28 VAYEITZEI

19ȱȱǰȱȃĴȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ¢ȱ ȱǯȄȱȱ 20ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ Laban in order to marryȱǰȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ 21 At the end of these seven years, ȱȱȱǰȱȃ ȱȱ¢ȱintended ȯǰȱęȱȱǰȱȱ¡ȱȱmy mother allowed me to remain here ȱǰ and furthermore, ¢ȱ to have children might soon ȱ, since I am already eighty-four years oldȯȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȄ Jacob demanded his wife because his intention was entirely innocent: to father children.90 22ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱwedding-ǯ 23ȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱJacob. ǰȱ£ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ situation, disclosed to her the secret signs Jacob had given her. Thus, Jacob thought that Leah was Rachel and ȱȱȱ ȱǯ 24ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ younger /daughterȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ older ȱǰȱȱȱȱǯ He gave the younger handmaid to Leah in order to reinforce his deception of Jacob, since Jacob would naturally think that Laban would give the older handmaid to the older daughter and the younger to the younger.91 25ȱȱȱǰȱǰȱJacob discerned that ȱ ȱ he had marriedǰȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȱȃȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǵȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ǵȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱǵȄ 26ȱȱǰȱȃI am not denying you Rachel. It is just that ȱȱǰ estab-- lished practice forbidsȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱǲȱ it is therefore something thatȱȱsimply ȱ here. Therefore, in order to give ¢ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱęǯ 27ȱȱȱbridalȬcelebration ȱȱȱǰȱLeah, and ȱ ȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱȱǰȱRachel, , on the following dayȯȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯȄ 28 Jacob, like his father and grandfather before him, had voluntarily undertaken to ȱȱȱȂȱǯȱȱȱȱȱ¡¢ȱȱ one man from marrying two sisters,92 Jacob nonetheless assented to Laban’s pro-- posal for two reasons: (a) voluntary observance of the Torah cannot override one’s obligation to keep a promise, and Jacob had promised Rachel that he would marry her—and she certainly would not have consented to release him from his promise, ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǲ93 (b) ȱȱ¡¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ because this will cause jealousy between them, but in this case, Rachel voluntarily disclosed her secret signs to Leah, demonstrating that she harbored no jealousy towards her for marrying Jacob.94 Jacob therefore ȱto Laban’s proposal ȱȱȱbridal-celebration ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱLabanȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ

90. ȱǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŗŗŞǰȱȱŚŗǯȱȱ91.ȱ ǰȱřŖǱŗŖǲȱȱad loc. 92. Leviticus 18:18. 93. Above, v. 17. 94. ȱ, vol. śǰȱǯȱŗŚŗȬŗŚŞǯȱȱ

ūųŭ 387 ~ THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W vr jn¯j¹ËQr Lr jn¯ Qrjn¶wp~Ë OÊn¶] o rjT rr^ oÊn½q29 ru ouqjuo rjrrqn rju jq~jqu u o jq~ rjnu s]lvq½qL r~oÀ n Qo rwp~wvq·_ qk~vp½q Oo rwp~]· q T~sr½q30 o r r q~ o ju o r qjq~ n jz q jz su oun q ju r~ou n ] r~ºj°wvn¿TrÙj~ jċ^ q½q31 Ë vo l~_ nr¯wqvp¯ËQËOÁn ~ rl~n j{ ol~rj~rl q n rm r~ 32 ~ rjqo rju u n qu qn r~o T r~oq^ qÊq vrrlQo rj¹L rj qwp~ QqÊjn½qOr~o qju ru qo n r~o q~u n qj TrÙj^ r~rwvn¿Rrjvr~¿] n L oº~Ë j Qj¯~_ rjnÊq¶Oo p] oÊq o j ol~ ppl~ ol~o~u j u o jz nqu nl jnqj ol~n sujtrj rm M¶ o p] oÊqhË q] qÊq33 vn¯n~n_ qrk~vpQrÊq¿_ n Onjr j¶ ru qo n s q~u n qj n jq ol~rjrmq njzol~ppl~q w p~wq· QnwpÊn½q nsO~ r ] r~ºj°wvn¿TrÙj^ qr¯wvn¿ p~sRÊq u o r ~q n qn~r~~ l rl~n j{ q~u n qj s jnzu o jz qju p~sRÊqM¶ o p] oÊq hË q] qÊq34Ë vjn¯Ë Qj¯~_ rjnÊqL p ~r jn~ rr ppl~qru qo n s ou noj ol~n jqun quq jn L nr] r¯Òj¯ËQ nÊ j_ qrw¿ vn Oq~ o T n¯n~^ prÀnTq bqÅq^ rÊq nou o jz~rjouqn j~rr ju vnoË Qj¯w~vrr_o¿wq

X RASHI W ~ o ruqo rjr~~ r{ u n nzrqu jq~js lqu n n~js r znu n so l~ so l~ n r z q p z s ou q nruqu njp ru nuj qr ol p zq r pu s jnu s ssl q~rq~ ru k~pu ss z~nr ss z~nr nou n u nu js~ju pu tj ou q su qk~pu p z n ru ~ rjnqu ~r r ru ~u ru qjup z nu q q~jru k~pu nju ru t ju no s~ jz rr prpu q j r r sr~rp z nju ou q ~u j rjr~u zjou u osu q o~u j s jz pu o~ju rru ~q zqjn zo j~ rr su qru p j~ rjnuq osju rr~ j s p j s lqj rsjuq q ru p z nr pj o~ njq~u u j u ru zsru q q r zu p z ru q nr juq ~ru p~ r r o jn~s u p z s~s j r r o jn~s j qu jq~j nj{ p s qr jpo z s~ rrjr rj s~nkp nj nzn~pru n qqu q suq n s~nsj zou nup z no s~ rjsruqjuu ur nu p zo zqjru tu j s juq nr jz r{ ro jzu p z s jsju r s~nj sru n~rp z

ª£ª®¦³²§£²ª£ ´¥² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 32 ȱȱǱ The patriarchs were either named his or her own personality and individuality. It is (or renamed) by God or by their fathers, while the sons ȱęĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ǻ¡ȱ ȱ Ǽȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱęȱ ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱȬ- way of relating to Divinity and Divine life, the mothers tween the patriarchs’ relationship to the Jewish people were the ones to name them.107 as a whole and the progenitors of the tribes’ relation-- ship to the Jewish people as a whole. Although the names of the tribes seem to mainly de-- scribe the relationship between Jacob and his wives, it Since all Jews are descended from the patriarchs, we is obvious that these names, given prophetically by the ȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ¡ȱȱȂȱǯ108 ȱȱęȱ ȱǯȱ¢ǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ǳ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǱ Allegorically, Leah’s words in this verse Ȃȱǰȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱ¡ȱȱ£ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¡ȱ ȱȱ that aspect of Divine living embodied in the life of their to their “husband,” God. Even though we, “the wife,” tribe’s progenitor. are at the moment spiritually and physically humiliat-- Although the father of a child contributes the child’s ȱȱĝǰȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȃȄȯ ȯ seminal essence, it is within the mother that this es-- and we remain devoted to Him. Seeing this, God is ȱȱȱȱȬĚȱȱȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱȱȱǯ109

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [32] ȱǱȱAs stated above, Leah personi-- ȱ¡ȱȃȄȱę of , , , net-- ęȱȱę of . , understanding, “gives £, , and ¢ǲȱȱȱǰȱȬ- birth” to the seven emotions. Leah therefore gave ing to the “feminine” ę of .110 ȱȱȱǱȱ¡ȱǰȱȱȱ

ūųŮ 388 Genesis 29:29-34 VAYEITZEI

29ȱȱȱȱolder /daughterȱȱȱȱyounger ȱȬȬ ǰȱȱȱȱǯ 30 Jacobȱȱȱȱǰȱ although he loved Leah,ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ he loved ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Labanȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǯ He worked for Laban as faithfully during the second set of seven years as ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ deceived him. 31ȱ ќёȱ ȱȱJacob loved Rachel so much that ȱfeltȱ by her husband in comparison. God therefore compensated Leah, who, like her identical twin Ra-- chel, was barren by nature, and miraculously99 ȱȱ , i.e., blessed her with the ability to reproduceǰȱ ȱȱȱǯ 32ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ Leah knew that Abraham’s and Isaac’s ęȱǰȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ǲȱȱ ȱȱȬ- ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĴȱȱȱ Ȃȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯȱȱȱ ȱ¢100 ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱǱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¡Ȭ- dinarily righteous behavior. ȱtherefore ȱȱ, saying, “See [Ȃ] ȱěȱ ȱǽbeinǾȱ¢ȱęȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ȱ Ȃȱęǰȱ Ƿȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱęǱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱ birthright to Jacob. Reuben, however, will value his birthright. Nonetheless, he will not complain when he will prophetically see that God will at one point transfer his birthright to his younger brother, Joseph,101 even though he will not receive any compensation. In fact, he will even try to save Joseph when his life is threat-- ened.”102ȱȃǰȄȱȱǰȱȃ ќёȱȱȱ[Ȃ] ¢ȱǰȱȱ , ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȂȱ¡ȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ as much as he loves my sisterǯȄ103 A twin sister was born along with Reuben.104 33ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȯȃǰȄȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȃ ќё ȱ[] ȱ ȱfeltȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȄȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ[]. Two sisters were born along with Simeon.ŗŖś 34ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱǰȱȃȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱĴȱ[¢]ȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǯȄ Leah foresaw that Jacob would marry four women and eventually father twelve sons, so when she bore ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯȱ This third son was destined to be the progenitor of the priestly class of the Jew-- ish people, so when he was born, God sent the angel Gabriel to bring him before Him, and He conferred upon him all the rights of the priesthood. Godȱȱ ȱȱ, both because he was accompanied [another meaning of ¢] ¢ȱĞȱ ȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȂȱȱȱ Ȭ- ȱ ȱ ȱȱĴȱȱ. A twin sister was born along with Levi.106

99. ȱǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŘŜřǰȱȱşǰȱȬȱȘȘȘǯȱȱ100. ȱ, vol. 10, p. 94, note 16. 101.ȱ ǰȱŚŞǱřȬśǯȱȱ102. Below, 37:18- 23. 103. ȱ, vol. 10, pp. 92-96. 104.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ105.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǲȱȱ, ǯȱśǰȱǯȱŘŜŘǰȱȱşǯȱȱ106.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ107. ȱǰȱǯȱŗŖǰȱǯȱşŜȱěǯȱȱ108. ȱ, vol. 10, p. 98. See also ȱ, vol. 30, p. 134. 109. ȱ, vol. 22, p. 196. 110. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚŜ, vol. 1, p. 641, citing ȱ Ȃȱ śśŜŞ, vol. 1, p. 110 and , ǰȱǯȱŘǰȱŘśŖǯȱȱ

ūųŮ 389 ~ THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W O rÙjw~ p ] pË~Tq bqÅqT p~sbÊq¶Ro p] oÊqË W qbqÊq35 ppl~qru qo n s q~u n qj ou q rjrmos~~r jn~rr ~ p] oÊq30:1 pvpÀ n sQl vqÊvqL rºjËQj¯_ r~ jvrV o¿wq r oju n qrj ru j u o jz qj qoj~r ol~o r ql q p~s^Êq¹L rs l~vq¶Qo ~ r _ oÂ qjÊqsOlvq j T rjvr~Ò^ ¿] n Ro r u qr l~quo r q~nu qjs lq j ~r n~j n j n q s lq j ppl~q w q vn½q2 nsv~ r _ ron Qq~wn~jOnr] nÀwrvrTslvqw vp~ s lq~ j r j t o ju ~r~ ~ l rj r ~rl~rlru juq~nu nl ql~qo rju _ qrwp¯l~ nsO~ r T nÒk~ q ^ ql p~sR½qL o rj¶sQlvq_ q~ j nu n q j u n nj nu rjrmn nj n~ru jq pvrw njÅÐQoÁn X RASHI W ou qu u zr p z nrs o~p z nj~ ru n ns~ r ro zpruqo njp oos nuj qru p z ps~ qqu q pps~ juq~j ou n q r p zl~ n~ r ssjnu nj q ql rp{l qju r~ju nu rs l~quo ~ r ou qqu j ssj n nr s u ~ r ~s ruq~~ ruq~ju n~ o nl~~ ruq~ju p{k p~p z nrj rjr~su n pu n r jru p z ou u n~ rjr~ nsu q u n pu n~s jq rj ou nnrun zpnl~ rp r ou qu jn~slqr pu n~jr nr~ r{ r j r nj nu rr X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W Judah,” since all Jews, by virtue of their souls, possess ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱĚȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ having small families. Some people erroneously think supersedes their intellectual and emotional conscious-- that if they have only a few children, they will be able ness. And it is this quality that describes the essence of ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ the Jewish soul. ęȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȬ- ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱĚȱȱȱ, ȱ ¡ȱ Ȃȱȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ in which we stand humbly before God, communing additional people. The story of Leah is one of the nu-- with Him from our deepest essence. ȱȱȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱ¢ȱ and blessing inherent in the birth of each additional The order in which these four brothers were born child.117 ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ with God develops, particularly on a daily basis in the ȱȱȱȱǱȱThe Hebrew names ȱ¢Ǳȱ ȱęȱȱ ȱȱȱ for all the songs of praise in the Bible appear in the that remind us of Divine providence, enabling us to feminine gender (Ǽǰȱ ȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ “see” God and thereby come to love him (Reuben). We ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ. But which is referred to in the masculine (). Our sages ȱȱ£ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ Ȭ- tell us that this alludes to the fact that just as women ever we see of Him in Divine providence, which in-- endure the pain of childbirth, so too are the songs we spires us to fear Him and be in awe of Him (Simeon), sung throughout history—and still sing today—tinged as we are reminded in the second section of the . ȱȱȱȱ¡ǯȱ¢ȱĞȱȱęȱȱ Aware of His awesome transcendence, we resolve to will pain never visit us again, just as males do not suf-- 118 forsake the ephemeral illusions of this world and cling fer the pain of childbirth. to Him (Levi) by studying His Torah and observing ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ğȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǰȱȱ ȱĜȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ Ȭ- born portends that Judah’s descendant, the Messiah, ing the (which begins with the words “True and ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱěȱ ȱ certain”). But studying the Torah reminds us that His be no more.119 essence is beyond any perception of Him than can pos-- 1 ȱ ȱȱȱȱȂȱȱǱȱĴ¢ȱ ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱęȱǯȱȱ ȱ jealously, born of the egocentric fear that the other per-- (Judah) this awareness in the silent prayer, in which we son’s successes will somehow diminish our self-worth, stand before God Himself as humble servants standing is destructive and reprehensible. In contrast, the sort 116 before their master. of jealousy Rachel felt toward Leah is constructive, 35ȱȱȱǱȱȱĞȱȱȱ¢ȱ since it spurs us on to improve our deeds. Our sages been blessed with a few children, she still considered similarly state that “jealousy among [Torah] scholars each subsequent child an additional blessing. This con-- increases wisdom.”120

116. ȱ ȂȱǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŘşşȬřŖŗǲȱ ȱŚśȬŚśǲȱȱǰȱǯȱŜǰȱǯȱŗŘŗǲȱ Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚŞǰȱǯȱřǰȱǯȱśŘŜǯȱȱ 117. ȱ ȱśŝŚŖ, vol. 3, p. 282. See above on 9:1. 118. See ȱȱ¡ȱŗśǱŗǲȱ on 116b, ǯǯ . 119.ȱȱ ȱśŝśŘ, vol. 1, p. 264 note 66. 120. ȱ 21a. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚś, vol. 2, p. 870, citing , , ǯȱŗǰȱŘŗŞȱěǯȱȱ

ūųů 390 Genesis 29:35-30:2 VAYEITZEI

35ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ and a twin daughter.111ȱȱǰȱ ȃȱȱ ȱ ȱ []ȱ ќёǰȄȱfor He has allowed me to give birth to more than my natural share of the total number of my husband’s sons, ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ[]ǯȱȱȱȱȱǯ 30:1ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ǲȱȱ ȱthere-- fore ȱȱȱ’s good deeds. Since the two sisters were otherwise identi-- cal in all aspects, Rachel concluded that it was in the merit of Leah’s good deeds that she was blessed with children.112ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȃIs this how your father behaved when your mother was barren? Didn’t he pray for her to conceive? ȱ ȱǰȱȱȱǰȱI will have no perpetuity and it will be as if ȱȱǯȄ 2ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȃHow can you compare me to my fa-- ǵȱ ȱȱęȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ǰȱ ǰȱȱ children. He has denied you children, not me! ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ǵȄ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W řŘȬřś ǳǳǳ Ǳ In naming ęȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ Reuben, Leah said, “God has seen my humiliation, for intellectually or philosophically hearing about Godli-- now my husband will love me.” The words “seen” and ness. “love” allude to the nature of Reuben’s relationship Even if we believe that which we hear and understand ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱȱěȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ God that results from “seeing” Godliness, which then by what we see. Similarly, when we hear about God, inspires us to love Him. ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȃȄȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¡ȱǯȱ that is comparable to empirical apprehension. When On the other hand, the intellectual distance of hearing we see something with our physical eyes, we are cer-- ěȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǯȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ of feeling subjectively close to God, we become over-- heard about it. A judge is therefore not allowed to rule whelmed by His transcendence and our smallness in on an incident that he himself witnessed, since his ob-- comparison to Him. We then relate to God primar-- ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǲȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ ily with awe and reverence. The mode of relating to only hears about the incident from witnesses, although ȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱĚȱȱȱȱ he might believe them completely, his objectivity has paragraph of the , in which we say, “If you will 113 nevertheless not been compromised. listen….”ŗŗś Similarly, we “see” Godliness when we become so In naming Levi, Leah said, “my husband will become aware of God’s involvement in life that we are cer-- ĴȱȱǯȄȱȱęȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ upon Divine providence and see God’s hand empiri-- separating ourselves from the vanities of the world and cally—either in history, current events, or our personal immersing ourselves in His wisdom by studying the lives. “Seeing” Godliness in this manner, as opposed Torah. This mode of relating to God corresponds to the to merely hearing about it philosophically, causes us to prayer following the ǰ which begins “True and feel close to Him and love Him. certain…” and refers to the Torah. We focus on seeing Godliness while reciting the pre-- ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȃ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǽȱ ȁȬ- liminary psalms and readings of our daily morning knowledge’] God.” Acknowledgment implies humil-- prayers (ȱȂ), which are meant to impress ity, a recognition and awareness of God that causes upon us the magnitude of God’s greatness. We are then us to transcend our own limited perspectives. Judah prepared to avow our love for God when we recite the ęȱȱĚȱȱȱȱȱȱȬ- ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ , in which we say, “And tional surrender to God. This is why all Jews, regard-- 114 you shall love God….” less of the tribe from which they originate, are called In naming Simeon, Leah said, “God heard.” Simeon “Jews” (¢), meaning “descendants of the tribe of

111.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ112. ȱǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŘŜřǰȱȱşǰȱȬȱȘȘȘǯȱȱ113. ȱ ȱ26b. 114. Deuter-- ¢ȱŜǱśǯȱȱ115. Ibid. 11:13.

ūųů 391 ~ THIRD READING

X ONKELOS W Oq¿ jn¶wqTo ojrL po~~¶s] Qrjn_ nrl~V oÂ n p~sPÊq3 u rjnnjq~~r ppl~q o ju jp~j ou ql~~r l~q n ju u qrj ¹ Qrr jn¯_ rjn¶wp~ËVw pÊnÊq4rÂ vpÁnQns vr~wq_ pr¶ n~j rou ppn ~quu n r~ l q~ u qrjrju uj n~ju qjq~rjnu sQlvq j p_ oÊqOrjn¶q] qÊq5 s vlvqrQpo~~s_r½qL r±n~j qo n rjnuq~u n qj s lq rjnuqu r o r ppl~q ru s lq j w pÊn½qOns¶ j ] qr¯Tqj OnÒk~nÂ] q¸ r T o r p~s^Êq6 vo¶ q ru n qnnsjou q q~j s q~u n qj u r u o jz qjou Qrjn¶p PoÊqË O q] qÊq7¸Ë vr Qj¯_ r~ jvrV o¿wq¶L o Qn qu o rj~rjq~rjnuqo n 8 ou q o r ppl~q s lq j rj nu boºÊ jqRo r p~s]Êq s vlvq j Qno¯¶_ o L o r ] q jn¯ nsjnnruu q jn~junu ru rj ~ q nr l~quq j n ou n nol Ë Qj¯~_ rjnÊqnÊjsLrwq·Qns l~w n nÊjV qÊjn *a nÒk~ n rujqu o jz qju n nj jn~ 9 r oju n qrol~r~oql q ] rÅjnw~ p T qÇnÊq pL pÀ n Qrjvr¿_ n Or~o~ p] oÊq vnrÊjq ppnu qjq~rujnr pp ju V rÅjnp RoÊq10 vr±n~jsQlvq¹ j V rs~_ oÊnÊq¹Orr jn¯ qo n u uj n~js lq j u qr rus lq j r~o j~rjq~rujn vo¶s_lvq jQr~o_ q jn¯

X RASHI W sju ru n ju s zjsuj jnusjjt~j nrqu n jn ns~ r q p ru n~j ou ql~~r l~q su u jqju qu jnu q r rj snl q s zru 4 qu nujqu qu jn ns~ k ou ujq r ro nr su r r rjq~r j oj s rjr~"u q u q nru n j r juq jnun j qu jn ns l~qu nu jqujp j nujquq jn u r rr rn jn nuj pju r qr~ rr{ppru j jr q r j pq ou s nrs s zjnu nu q zorru ~ q zqjnu nrl~ou n ou q j up q r ruq~n s rjr~u roj rjrp z nj ru ju n n u s roqk~pru t ju rjn qu n ru ns~ k qun u r rr{u j ru pu n ns~ r q p ru n~j oju u ru ru n s ro o~j n r zu qu ps njru tu n r u qu s zjou u r pu o q j ns~ k ou u jq nru nj nqju n j nn jqu p z nr~su p z r~o j rru r rjs lq j su qj sru q o~o nu un 4 nru nr ppuj qju r sjqu r sju q r j nz ounr rj n j ru p z r~o~p s s zj s zjr j nl~q nrj su jn ns l~n nu jquq jn ru qju qru qju snju nu jqjnjnujzqu q jn4s uj qju zou n u n jsr qu ns l~q r r z sjn srqu ou jq nu ujq j

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[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [continued...] acronym appear before those of their therefore encouraged their husbands to marry their ȱǯȱȱĚȱȱȱȬ- handmaids. This is why the names of the hand-- icance of Jacob’s marriages to the handmaids. If we maids appear before those of the matriarchs. are meant, both collectively as a people and as indi-- ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ viduals, to consider ourselves God’s “wives,” then ȱof £ȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ a handmaid represents an inferior level of relation-- world of £. The handmaids, on the other hand, ship to God, a lower level of Divine consciousness. ęȱȱof £ as it descends into the This is why Abraham and Jacob did not initially lower worlds. Precisely because the handmaids want to marry their handmaids: they did not want were able to descend into the lower worlds and to descend to a lower level of Divine consciousness. elevate the powerful sparks of Divinity embedded ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ǰȱ £ȱ ȱ ȱ there, they were able, through their association with for their husbands’ descent, since only thus could Jacob, to reconstruct ȱǰȱȱęȱ¢ȱ they elevate this lower level, as well. The matriarchs the matriarchs, enabling them to conceive.131

131. ȱ ȱśŝśŘ, vol. 1, p. 234.

ūųŰ 392 Genesis 30:3-10 VAYEITZEI

3ȱȱȱǰȱȃǰȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȂȱ¡ǯȱȱ he had children with Hagar, he nevertheless still prayed to have children with ǯȄȱ ȱǰȱȃǰȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĞȱȱȱȱ ȱ that she was so desperate for children that she was willing to let Abraham marry her handmaid in the hopes that, in this merit, would she also conceive.” Rachel responded, “If that is the only obstacle, then ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱǯȱȬȬ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱyou ȱ, and I will raise her children ȱ¢ȱ ȱ, i.e., as if they were my ownǰȱȱǰȱȱthe merit of sharing you with ǰȱ ǰȱǰȱ bear children of my own and therebyȱȱȱ into a ma-- triarch whose essence will be perpetuated, just like SarahǯȄ121 4ȱȱȱhimȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱ ȱǯ 5ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ and a twin daughter.122 6ȱȱȱǰȱȃ ȱȱ me [dananiǾȱȱȱȱ ¢ǲȱȬ- fore He made me barren. Now He has judged me again, this time favorably,ȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ǰȱȱtherefore ȱȱȱȱȱǯȄȱȱȱ ȱȱǯ 7ȱȂȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ and twin daughter.123 8ȱȱǰȱȃ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ[Ğ] ȱ ȱto be on parȱ ȱ ¢ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱǰȄȱȱȱȱȱǯ 9ȱȱȱ£ȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱand saw that Rachel had given her handmaid to Jacob as a wife, ȱalso ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ǯȱAlthough Bilhah and Zilpah were sisters, they did not have the legal status of sisters, since, as the daughters of Laban’s concubine,124 they were considered his property, devoid of any familial status. Jacob therefore did not violate the Torah’s prohibition of marrying two sisters by marrying them.ŗŘś 10ȱǰȱȂȱ/sisterǰȱȱ ȱȱ and a twin daughter.126 Zil-- ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ Ȃȱȱ ǲȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȬ- ǰȱȱȱȱ¡ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯȱǰȱ there was no indication—neither to herself nor to others—that she had conceived ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ¢ǯ127

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŚȬşǾ ȱ ȱ ǳȱ ȱ ȬȬ that iron is derived from , which is the prin-- Ǳȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱǻȱ£), ciple of femininity. Inasmuch as Jacob’s four wives ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǻęǰȱ ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ are all manifestations of , he notes further Ǽȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ Ȃȱ that the word for “iron” ¥± can also be seen as an Name ¢ǲȱę¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ acronym for Jacob’s four wives, Bilhah ¥ , Ra-- 130 ȱȱȱęȱ, which is associated with chel ¥ ± , Zilpah ¥ , and Leah ¥ .i the ę of .128ȱ ȱȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱ Surprisingly, the names of the handmaids in this the verse “Iron is taken from the earth”129 indicates

121. See above, 16:2. 122.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ123.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ124. Above, 29:16. 125. Likutei ǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŘřŜȬŞǯȱȱ126.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ127.ȱǲȱȱ on ȱ 71:9. 128. ȱ (£) on Job 28. 129. Job 28:2. 130. ȱ (£) on Genesis 49:11 and on Job 28.

ūųŰ 393 ~ FOURTH READING

X ONKELOS W vr·ËQj¯wp~~_ rjnÊqL~ r ] r¶ Qr~op~s_Êq11 qju ~r rl~r~oppl~q ) + rujn qo n ru u o jz r p~s]Êq13 s vlvq j Qno¯¶_ o Or~o] q jn¯T rÅjnp RoÊq12 s lq j rj nu qu r~o~ j rjq~ ql~r ju jzu u r~oppl~q vo¯r~ËQj¯wp~~_ rjnÊqËL r¶nº Qj±n~_ n¿P nj¯r~j¶Or~o ~ qju ur q zjnq r ju q zjo j ol~n 14 o~u j q l~q o zr~u o jz r T n~ rº~ v ^ rjn½q Rn¼n wvnj] o ¶n Woº~Ð j pbo½q n u jq qu jzq~j nun ql osju Or~ow~ p T o r p~s^ÊqË LÁn~ Qr~ow~ p Ors~~] or½q Opr²q¶ u oun~ r~o j s jq nj q~j~r jq ju n qjnrr~o j o r ppl~q Ð] oÊj qTq jq¹Rr p~s]Êq15 Ðvo¶ j Qo~rº v¸n~On ] rwn jÊ qu ppl~q j nju n o u jqu n ~ q qu nju n jqur ju jq jnu oj q T or Ro r p~s]ÊqL nj¶Qo~rº v¸wp~_· q q Pqrj On¯n~wp~ o ju o r ppl~q nju n o u jqr 16 o u jqql ~r jo ju j runu u jzn w vn s_lvq~ sbr½q Ðvo j _ o~rº¸ v q QqÊrj OqÀqTÐ rÁn^ q¿j¯n ~ r jq n s lqrj j nj n ~Ë OrÊ] qo~T p~sbÊqË R~rjn Wr~o~bo oÊqM pMp¶ r h pr²q u ou u r qjr~oqrj~u r zjqju q o ol~sonrjppl~q rj_ qÀq¶¹QrÁn_ q¿j¯n½qL nj¶Qo~rº vj¶Ñ OnÊ jq° j s]r°Un¿ u quno jzu nju n o u jq ju j nu jql~ u qsjrjou qj ~ u ~r jo ju _¶ o sQlvq j p_ oÊq qV qÊqL r~ow p~ QnÒk~_ qj¯n½q17~º v qu s lq j qo n q~u n qj r~ou j 18 rjqjr~oppl~q r znl nÊ_ qrw p¯l~ O nr° j T nÒk~^ qr Rr~op~s]Êq vn¯nl qju n jqj njq~ nrju n nj q~ TË q^ qÊq19 vrr²nËQj¯~_ rjnÊqL n¯n~jQnr jn¯ s q~u n qj r r{ u n u o jz s lq j rnjzqu qo n r~o s vlvq jQn±n¯wvo¶p_ oÊq Or~o X RASHI W nu p z rjqu q j ru n qu jznor qoju su u jqj" nju ~su rj nru ur sju sru ~ q ru ~ r ru o~ ru u q qu j r ru js nl~qsrjqq n jz rjr rru ~ q zqjnu r jt z uq q n js r su psj ou r njr jr~s nuqu q qu jznjurjjnu p z nju oj ju q nujqr~s j ~rr~ n u usu sju u r q su p z rjqu qu u rr j{ o rj nuqrr u n jq j{ s{ r su n r ou~ ojnrru o ~ q r ru q ~ q r ou r jjn r r r{ u n r zu ~n oou p z sju ~ n u j u ru zsru q ~u nr j nz ~p r~rup zju nu ru jqru s u j rru " r p~ ppu q ju u r q~ jn rjrp z r~o p~ ns~ k q jznuq u n n n j onu nu j p zo~juqrup z zn~ju s zj no jujn su u jqju s pp nr jz su jqj q zr~s j r r nru q q jz nr jz p z r j nzu n qj sr4 ou qq ju ~ tj ou ojpqq~ ju ru p~ ns j{u nu n ~ nrjoru qu sr nrun zou p z nu ~ n ru ~ p s rnuuq ~ n o~ j s ruqo ~u p{ o or n n~ru u su nu jqrr~ o~p z r zrpp ru u j o~ ru u ~p qu q qrj njq ~ orjzns zjnu o~ ru u ~p uq u q n~s s s{lq4 j ur njnu n ju

ª£¦¡ã²££¡§£¥¦¨¥¦£ª£©¨£«£«£¬³£ «´³ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W as children, unable to fully comprehend the precepts father, who was scrupulously honest in all his deal-- of the Torah, they knew to mimic the behavior of their ings.137

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗŞǾȱ : The name Issachar in Hebrew is Ǳȱ¡ȱȱǯȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱĴȱȂ ±¤²²¢ . However, the ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱĴȱ in second is not pronounced.138 Issachar’s name. The second alludes to the eso-- ȱ¡ȱǰȱȱȱęǰȱȱ teric dimension of Torah and therefore is not pro-- 140 study of the Torah,139 which comprises two dimen-- nounced.

137. ȱ, vol. 3, p. 793. 138. See on this verse for a collection of the various opinions as to how the name ȃȄ should be pronounced. 139. See below, 49:14. 140. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŗŘǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŗśŜǰȱȱȱȱ£ȱ Schneerson. ūųű 394 Genesis 30:11-19 VAYEITZEI

11 When Zilpah gave birth, ȱ ǰȱ ȃ ȱ ȱ [gad] ȱ ǰȄȱ ȱ ȱ ȱthe newbornȱ ǯ “Still,” she said to Jacob, “you betrayed me [bagad] when you agreed to be intimate with my handmaid, for since I already had borne you ǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ěǯȄȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ given her handmaid to Jacob, she felt that he should have refused. Additionally, formal permission does not necessarily imply sincere acquiescence.132 Gad was born circumcised. 12ȱȂȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱǻȱȱȱęȱȬ- ¢Ǽȱȱȱ¡ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȬ- domen began to swell. When she ȱȱȱ and twin daughter133ȱȱ ǰȱ ȱǰ 13ȱȃNow that I have borne yet another son through my handmaid, ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱ[] me on this accountǰȄȱȱȱȱ ȱǯ Fourth Reading 14ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱsome ȱȱȱęǯȱEven though it was the harvest ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱęȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱ Reuben did not take any, for it did not belong to him. Rather, he took mandrakes, which were ownerless growing wild. Mandrakes can be made into a potion for fe-- ȱ¢ǲȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǰ134 ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǯȱ, having witnessed this,ȱȱȱǰȱȃȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȂȱ, for she also wanted to have childrenǯȄ 15ȱȱ ȱǰȱȃ ȱȱȱbad ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱȬȬ ǵȱ Do you have ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ¢ȱ Ȃȱ ǵȄȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȃTonight it is my turn to cohabit with Jacob, but since I would rather have those mandrakes, I propose that Jacobȱȱ ȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ¡ȱ ȱ¢ȱȂȱǯȄ 16ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱbefore he went to Rachel’s tentȱȱǰȱȃȱȱȱȱȱ this eveningǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱfrom Rachel ȱ¢ȱȂȱǯȄȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱǯ 17ȱ ȱȱȱǰȱǯǯǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ as possible, ȱrestored her fertility. ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱęĞȱ together with a twin daughter.ŗřś 18ȱȱ ǰȱ ȃ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ []ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱǰȄȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ 19ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¡ȱǰ together with a twin daughter.136 X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 14 ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ training that the tribes received in the house of their ȱǱ Although Reuben was a mere child, no more father Jacob. Although everyone around them freely ȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ took from the wheat and barley of others, the children maturity of an adult. This demonstrates the quality of ȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱě¢ǯȱȱ

132. See commentaries to , ȱ £ȱŝŜǱśǯȱ ȱ ǰȱǯȱŗśǰȱǯȱŜŝǯȱȱ133.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ 134. 1:134b. 135.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ136.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ

ūųű 395 ~ FOURTH READING

X ONKELOS W Tq bqÅqMË p] p h ns~*_ nÒk~n bqrjRr~op~s]Êq20 n u orrjqjr~oppl~q u os j oj~r jn~rrq qm Ë Qj¯wp~~_ rjnÊqL nr] r±n¯ËQ nÊ j_ qrw¿ vn On¯n~n] oj¶jn ou nojol~nrjn jqu j u ju u o jz r qju n~ j runz vr¸¹ n Qrj¯wp~~_ rjnÊq¶L q rj] r Qq q~j21 º vtj qj~u ruqjuqojou qru ~r rju t rj ru n u q jz r QqÊjn½q OnÒk~Trbp~ o ^ qj¯n½qL o rwp~ QnÒk~s_¿jn½q22 qnrju qsj ou qjrj rm o rj 23 ru qo n q~u n qj u u n qu QnÒk~_ qr~p~sPÊq¶L o p] oÊqqQqÊq ¹ vrj qwp~ qju nu u n r rj zq ju ppl~q 24 qu n rj os roj osu ojz r V rÙja os sL~oËËQo Vj¯wp~~a rjnÊq vnrÅ jp wp~ rm r~ vo q~_ o¶Qn

X RASHI W oru ~ n s or~o~s j o on rjru jr~ rjquq u rjqju nu r~or rup z u osu q u zjou ru n njs~u rj rrlnl~ p z ru jp jnnrp z nru jp s r jzu q q q~ju ns l~o ~ r o~ j s rrp n~ rru ~ q zqjnu r zrr r{ o p z sjp jpk p~p z q r p~ ns~ k s ujnuq rojnj qu jp jr r rjqu jnj ru s jn s jn njuu r o~ ou r zu n~r o~p z qjru ro j rjrp zju r s l~q rp rn rjru p z ru qr o r q~ r n r jnu"p nu j q r z 4n sr s u ou ru zou p zu n njs lqur p z jrj~ru p z r{ o p z s rsjup l~ q su p z rjr q qs o ~ q ou n os"r jnu u u o~ n o~ ju qr zu p zju sunj r r j ru r zrr r{ o q~j n ru ru o~p z r{ r o~ jz ru p~ nlqj nrs lq o~p z r~u jnu ~su p z ru j s jq~ru r qu q qru ~ p z u nruru o~p z nlqj nr~u p z ss~p z s r n j rjr~ nr jz u rn jn q r~ rlqu jnj su ruj qjrrr r o q~ouq~ru p~ rjqu jn~sj rjnu pu n~oj or~o~s ju oru jp s k~ oj p~ ro~su p z srju

¬²´£³²¥«£¬³£¢¦£¢£¢´¨³£¬³£´£²¡³ª³³²´²±«´¥² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W The same holds true for prayer. Rabbi Shneur Zalman turn “another,” a seeming stranger, into a “son.” Jo-- of Liadi writes that people who are engaged in earning seph’s life consisted of taking the ultimate “other,” the their livelihood in the mundane world incorrectly as-- mundane world, which appears to be “another,” sepa-- sume that they cannot pray as passionately and deeply rate from God, into something that evinces its Divine as those who spend their lives fully immersed in the “lineage” and source. realm of Torah. The truth, however, is that the time they In this, Joseph is our inspiration to reach out to those ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ who seem estranged from God and reveal to them that of Torah spur them on to greater passion in prayer and they are in reality “sons,” i.e., children, of God, quite at the ability to feel a limitless love for God.147 ȱȱęȱ Ȃȱ ǯ149 This is why it is the lot of most of our people to lead This transformation is alluded to by the fact that the lives like Zebulun’s, either immersed in the mundane ȱȃȱȄȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱęȱ world earning a living or as community activists. For named Ben-Oni, meaning “the son of my sorrow,” but it is precisely through sustaining and augmenting our ȱ Ğ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȃȱ Divine consciousness in such milieus that the purpose son of the south,” meaning “the son born in the Land ȱȱȱ£ǯ148 of Israel.”ŗśŖ 24 ¢ȱ ќёȱȱȱȱȱǱ Spiritually, Ra-- Joseph’s name also alludes to the path of personal re-- chel’s prayer encapsulates Joseph’s mission in life—to pentance, wherein one transforms oneself from an es--

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ [21] ȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ daughter “Dinah.” This indicates that Leah kept ȱ ȱ ǳȱ ȱ ȱ Ǳ this prayer private so as not to shame Rachel, for ȱĴȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ whom she had prayed.ŗśŗ this prayer, nor does it tell us why Leah named her

147. ȱ 9a. 148. ȱ, vol. 30, pp. 136-140. 149. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚř, vol. 2, p. 783. 150. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚř, vol. 2, p. 633. 151. ȱ ȱśŝřŘ, vol. 1, pp. 177-178.

ūųŲ 396 Genesis 30:20-24 VAYEITZEI

20ȱȱȱǰȱȃ ȱȱindeed ȱȱȱȱ in my hus-- band’s householdǱȱI myself have borne him the same number of sons that his other three wives will bear him together. ¢ȱȱ ȱsurely ȱȱchief141 ȱ[£]ȱ ȱǰȄȱȱȱȱȱǯ 21ȱĞȱǰȱLeah conceived again. When she learned that she was pregnant, she prayed for a girl, in order to save her sister Rachel from humiliation. Since she knew that Jacob was destined to have only twelve sons, and that she herself had ¢ȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ ȱǰȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱ this child of hers were to be a boy, her sister Rachel would be able to have only one son at most. This would leave Rachel with fewer sons than each of the handmaids. As a result of her prayer, the baby boy she was carrying in her womb was miracu-- lously transformed into a girl. Thus, ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ[“judgment”], recalling how she had “judged” herself and determined that she was not willing to be the cause of her sister’s humiliation. 22ȱȱ ȱȱhow had similarly saved Leah from humilia-- tion when, on Leah’s wedding night, she divulged the secret signs Jacob had given her. In addition, Rachel was now afraid that Jacob might divorce her because she was barren, and that Esau might then try to marry her.ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱ (i.e., made her fertile). 23ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ, along with a twin daughterǰ142ȱȱȱ ǰȱȃ ȱȱȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱǱȱȱ ǰȱȱĴȱȱȱȱ childless and tormented me by insinuating that I will fall into Esau’s clutches. Fur-- thermore, now that I have a son, my husband will no longer be able to blame me alone for everything that goes wrong.Ȅ 24ȱȱȱȱ [“May He add”]ǰȱ¢ǰȱȃ¢ȱ ќёȱȱ[¢]ȱȬȬ ȱȱȱǯȄ Since she knew that Jacob was destined to father only one more son, she therefore did not pray for any more than one. Joseph was born circum-- cised.143 During the fourteen years Jacob worked for Laban, Laban fathered some sons, as well.144 X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 20 ȱȱǽǾȱǱ The tribe of Zebulun truly and permanently part of this world only when was primarily composed of merchants, as Jacob later ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ prophesied in his blessings to this son: “Zebulun shall pragmatic lifestyle of Zebulun. If we remain aloof from dwell by the ship’s harbor.”ŗŚś In naming Zebulun, the mundane life, the spiritual strength and resilience Leah prophetically articulated the notion that the chief of our souls remain untested. When, however, we are and permanent home of the Divine consciousness as ¢ȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ęȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ aside time for the study of Torah, the inher-- would come to represent. ent in our soul—its ability to assert itself even while We know, however, that Jacob “lived in the tents” of ȱȱȱ¡ȯȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ Torah study.146 How can the spiritual pursuit of the To-- a permanent home for God. ȱęȱȱȃȱȄȱȱȱȱȱ In this respect, the Torah study of a “Zebulun” is in-- of Zebulun? ę¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ The answer is that we can make Divine consciousness solely immersed in “the tent of the Torah.”

141. See ȱǰȱǯȱřŖǰȱǯȱŗřśǯȱȱ142.ȱȱȱřśǱŗŝȱȱřŝǱřśǰȱ ǯȱȱ143. ȱ 84:6, cited by Rashi on 37:2, below. 144. Rashi on v. 27, below. 145. Genesis 49:13. 146.ȱǰȱŘśǱŘŝǯȱȱ

ūųŲ 397 ~ FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W w~ p Tslvqp~s^½qL oËw~ p Qo r _ rjvrV p¯l~vq¿Pnjq25 osro r qojqu rlq 26 j qo~jnq ju q z rrjs lqql~q w~ p Yr jÊ vn jq~jº QnËjwp~Orj] o~jTn bo jÀq¯Orr q zjr q n jq~ju njq~j ] rÊq~¿Un rL oo~jQor¶VÑ js~ v nÊ ja qr bp¯l~ Rqrjw p~j] q¯r sjuj rr n r j u n q ju r j nr jt u r rujqjjuq~ol~ n o~j OrrT r~ o p~s^½q27 Ñ vnÊjql_ p¯l~Qnrs vlw~ p rÊjOqr j ~ n rrou ql~q run r j u n Ñvprj n¶QrÙjn_olvrjq nÊj¯Pq nÑL po j¶Qo n~_ rr~V rw n~ nnqu j r oju nl q n ru jzq~ qju zoruql~q rj njurj nq jru p~s]½q29 r voÊp~jQqrVÑ jvrj°a rjrL q~s½q28 ou ql~q oup~jqlj rj q~ u n r j j run r j u n r rujqjjuq~ _ r rwp¯l~V o~j Ñ L nÊjql] p¯l~~Qo rÊjOqr] rÊq~Or o~ u n oj ol~ nunj rnjrl sOrs ]jn½qTq rj^Ñjbr rwp¯l~c q j \n¿30 vnÊn~QÑj jn j nru ou jn o ju q rmrj rl ou jp~qro~qju n njuj rrrj Qns vr~wq_ p°k~ vp V qrRrÊqjL nj qjQÑ js~ v V rÙjÐpa rjq oup~r ql~q~ noj r~ l q~ ] nwpÊnw~vÒTslvq p~s^½qÐL rwpÊp~] r p~sQ½q31 vnoj qu r n n pun~r s lq ql~qj r u o~ or~ rru jnun ol qu n~ QÑj~s v _ p jp~ rºV¯r~Op» q ] r r¸qT nÀwp°l vqÊwn~ rºO~j j rup~r ro jp~ s vj¯p~ X RASHI W r jr rro j oj nu ~p qjznu q qk~pu p z nru p z sjn{q su p zu n os~ p o r rjrp zl~qu r r p zl~o~j j rj~ q zoru su u jqju r jr j{ rrp os ou zo~s lq o r rj qk~pu p z r{ o ru n jun nrj~ rup z r j jnu n su jzp ~p u n ~ n r j jn s rojo s z so~ rrj~s ju zo~ zqj r{ o ou ~ ru nj q q~nu n jznu nj q n nj qju r ru qu r rj~u j u ru zsru qjus lq qru4 osq su p zu n p zl~ rrpr j qju p zl~ rr sju r rjuqr j jp~ ~ n ~un or p s n~ o sj q zr~p ru j u zr nouj ps j nojns~ r q nu n n~ruqrj qju nu p z z u un qu nnu n nnr zo q j u n jzq nu zjnu sjnnl~j n rjq~ r ru ~ p un jrj n{ s~ o r zjq nrun u ~ r s~ rj r~rup zju r rjun r~rur jr qp z u q pu jr jrjp ru nnl~qu p{ s zp r zjp~~su q n r~ru s unu o r ou nj qk~pu p z su r r zjqj" nsrp~ o s unu q o s~ z u j nru s

¡§£¢®³¡£´¨³¦´£³²¢¥´£³²¡££¬ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W The words for “another son” (ȱ ) can also be ing his or her Divine mission thereby achieves its ulti-- read as “a ě son,” meaning that even someone mate purpose. Thus, the presence of Jewish people in who is already a “son” can reach still higher levels of a place—especially the presence of Jews who are con-- ǰȱȱȱ¢ȱěȱǯ160 sciously loyal to their Divine mission—brings blessing 161 25 ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȂȱȱȱ to that place. Ǳȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱ¡ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱ ȱ£ȱand ȱ¢, Joseph personi-- upon the benevolence of the other nations. Nonethe-- ęȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȯȱ less, we must always remember that, conversely, enlist-- descending into the realm of evil in order to elevate ing the help of non-Jews in our Divine mission helps it—and emerge unscathed. This rendered him unique-- ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ly suited to confront Esau successfully. blessing upon them, as well. 27 ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ќёȱȱǱȱInas-- ȱ ¡ȱ ¢ǰȱ¢ǰ162 the presence of the much as the mission of making the world into God’s majority of the Jewish people in a particular country home has devolved principally upon the Jewish peo-- has, in most cases, made that country into the world’s ǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱęȬ- leading power.163

160. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚś, vol. 2, p. 1111. 161. ȱȱŝřǱŞǲȱ, ȱŗŗǱŗŖǲȱ 42a, etc. 162. ȱ, 92a. 163. ȱ, vol. 20, pp. 136-138, 142-143.

ūųų 398 Genesis 30:25-31 VAYEITZEI Jacob’s Payment 25 In the year 2199, the fourteen years that Jacob had agreed to work for Laban ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱȱȱȱǰȱȂȱ ȱȱ Deborah arrived in Padan Aram, sent by Rebecca to inform Jacob that Esau’s ha-- ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Canaan.ŗśŘ Jacob therefore began to think about returning to Canaan, but despite his mother’s reassurances, he was afraid to risk a confrontation with his openly- rancorous brother. But ȱȱȱȱȱ that same year, Jacob sensed that God would protect him from Esau in the merit of his newborn son’s unique spiritual qualities. Jacobȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ the journey home, and ȱȱǰȱȃPlease ȱȱȱ¢ȱ ¢ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǯ 26ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱthat during the time ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱęȱȱ terms of ¢ȱǯȄ 27ȱȱȱȱǰȱȃ ȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ and you would stayǷŗśřȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ќёȱȱ me with sons. Until your arrival, I only had daughters.ȄŗśŚ Ğȱ 28 But Jacob had no plans to stay. So Labanȱȱǰȱȃ¢ȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ you accordinglyǯȄ 29ȱȱJacobȱȱȱǰȱȃȱ ȱvery wellȱ ȱfaithfully ȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱ ȱjust how few wereȱ¢ȱȱthat you placedȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱęȱ began working for you. 30ȱȱȱĴȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ќё ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǯ Until now, I have worked solely for you and your ęǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱǯȱȱ ǰȱif I continue ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱęǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱhave a chance to ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ǰȱȱ ǵȱI now need to help my sons, because they cannot put aside ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱĴȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǯȄ 31 Labanȱǰȱȃȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ǵȄ ȱǰȱȃȱȱȱȱ¢ outrightǯȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱoneȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĚȱandȱȱ themǱ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W tranged “other” into a “son” who belongs. we are merely God’s “hands,” and it is really He who ŗśŜ ę¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǻȱ ȃȄǼȱ welcomes His estranged sons home. does not apply to the transformed “other” but to the Joseph was successful in transforming others because person who transforms this “other.” This is because by he himself was perfectly righteous. The Torah describes transforming others, we also gain additional holiness Joseph as “beautiful of form and beautiful of appear-- and connection with God.ŗśś ance,”ŗśŝȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱ ŗśŞ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ in its entirety. The lesson for us is that the closer we ȱǲȱĞȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ are to achieving spiritual perfection, the easier it is for ŗśş The verse reads, “may God add for me another son”— ȱȱ¢ȱěȱȱȱȱǯ

152. ȱ ǲȱǯȱȱȱřśǱŞǰȱ ǯȱȱ153. Seforno. 154. Above, 29:6. 155. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚśǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŘŞŝŝǯȱȱ156. Ȃ¢ȱ śŝŚś, vol. 2, p. 1112. 157. Genesis 39:6. 158. See above on 29:17. 159. ȱ, vol. 1, p. 79.

ūųų 399 ~ FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W s]r *] p°wr¿Wr±nborËR½qWÑj~s vwrj¶sbk vp~32 u n jq~~ o rsrj r r ju qu jp~ rjqs ju sjqun~ru ruqun Qr rjL n»nvr¶sQr j~º _ rj Onr°j¿q¶Tº w p°wrj~º Rrj sju qs ju ~ru qjun~ju u jz qun~ nu o jqj nj~ q on~qur u nju w q~Ë _rwvn¿Or rË]¶ j T nr jn^ n¶wrjvrj33 vnr j° q u o ol~r ju n sju nju sjnsou n su j r rm nj q~ Tº jRn» nvr¶~º WrjsbrcºÂcp o~wp¯l~s]¿ÑL prjQnr j° ~ru qjun~ju u jz~u qur u njuqs ju 34 rju rr ql~q~ nun ~u ru u j _ njºQ L o Qrrp~s_½q vnÊn~~º Q º_r· Onr°j¿q¶ j ~ rsju n jq~j rru jnj ojoj ] n¸tl vr Wn¯r jÊqwp~ ~º bqcË½¶ q q] r½q35 Ñ vpr jn ~ru qs ju ~rqu s~ j ur q zr ju ~r u q s~ u rrs j~u r rsj~qur u n ru r j w p¯l~¿s^ sO~t j¼qjË ]¸tjÂqTn» nvrwr¿^ o~j Rn~t j¼qj ~ru qujn~ju u jznu rju ou ur n u n nsjuq juqn vrr¶wq j¶QoÊn½qL nr°j¿q¶ºQ wrjË O¶T rr

X RASHI W nu rj rj rj o~j ~ ru n rrj tu soju q r jq ou sutjsju su qu su u jql qutru j sr nu p l4 qu u u j r ju p zu n os nl~ p z n ojzj qu~n sj su u jql n~r j s zj~u rj qq ju ~ ~su p z r p rj nr j{ q nrj nr jn~ srun nr jn s zj qq jus r~j psu u r z u sr j pr~ r jnup z rj n~u ju nutj~n un njpj~ r jn r rj r~u juq qj njrrj~ o jnj nujq jz r jzn r j nujqu j p z qu r4 ju u s~~u r s~ru so~p z n~u ju nutj~ruqju ~ ru n u jru u n p z rs~ nr j{ nr ju qruq s zj o n jp~ u ~ r z u ro jnu r jzpu p z rs~j nu p z u jn4nr{u j qu n u jzu u n nru su qu rr qruqj rju s u j qup z~ qjqr pr jn nju q~s~su p z r p ru q ju onjqj po zojq4 r zjq ru su rr p zl~s u nrju n n nzru j q sj~u q sjru n junr z u r u u o~ ruqo nr su q q n rruq jurr ou nuq srj su u jql su rjrp zl~ n~u ju nutjo p z nrju q oj q n q~s~su p z

®²´§Óãïª

¢ȱanimal that ȱȱwhite-ȱȱwhite-ȱȱȱ,or ȱsolid black nor solid ȱȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĞǯȄ 34ȱȱȱ reluctantly, for he suspected that Jacob was up to something, ȃ¢ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ǯȄȱȱȱ¡ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ ěȱ¢ȱȱȱȂȱȱȱǯȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ the gene-pool of the type of goats and sheep that Jacob was proposing to take, ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱĚǯȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ had no reason to refuse Jacob’s request.167 ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȬ- ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ coloring or marking while mating. This, Laban understood, was why Jacob wanted to keep some of the white-marked goats and sheep for himself. 35 Aware of this, Laban tried to further tip the odds in his favor. ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ Laban also ȱȱȬ that were white-Ȭ168 (which Jacob had not mentioned in his proposal)—ȱȱȱallȱȱwhite-speckled and white-ȱ Ȭȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ white-ȱ ȱ white-ȱ Ȭ ȱ(which Jacob mentioned)—in order to make it impossible for Jacob to ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱěȱ with white markings. In order to make it even harder to produce goats with white

164. Rashi on 77b, ǯǯȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ŗǱŗŞǲȱ ȱ ŗŚŝǱŗŜǲȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ŚǱŗȬŘǰȱ ŜǱśȬŜǲȱ ȱ ŝǱşǯȱ ȱ ȱ 165. Radak. 166.ȱ£ǲȱǯȱȱ167. Abarbanel on v. 14, above. 168. Rashi on v. 39, below.

ŬŪŪ 400 Genesis 30:32-35 VAYEITZEI

32 As you know, the majority of goats are solid black or brown, while the mi-- nority have some white markings on them. These white markings come in four varieties: speckles (see Figure 29), blotches (see Figure 30), ankle-rings (see Figure 31), and belts (see Figure 32). As you also know, the majority of FigureȱŘşǱȱA Speckled Goat FigureȱřŖǱȱA Blotched Goat sheep are solid white, while the minor-- ity are black or brown, with or with-- out white markings (see Figure 33).164 I propose that you let me take some of the goats and sheep born from now on that are in the minority, i.e., the goats

that are born white-speckled or white- FigureȱřŗǱȱAn Ankle-Ringed Goat FigureȱřŘǱȱA Belted Goat blotched and the sheep that are born solid brown or black. I want you to feel ȱ ȱ ȱ ǲȱ therefore, in order to (a) allay any sus-- ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱ¡Ȭ- ating any of these types of goats and ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĚǰȱȱ ǻǼȱ £ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ

ěȱȱȱĚȱȱȱ ȱȱ FigureȱřřǱȱȱVarieties of Sheep will be of these types, ȱȱȱwith youŗŜś ȱȱ¢ȱĚȱ¢ǯȱȱȱȱ¢ȱwhite-ȱȱ white- he-goat,166 as well as ¢ solid-black or solidȬ ȱǰȱȱ ¢ȱwhite-ȱȱwhite-ȱshe-ǯ Segregate these irregular types of sheep and goats and give them over into the care of your sons. The remainder ȱȱĚǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ȭ ankle-ringed and white-belted goats and the black or brown sheep with any white markings. The sheep and goats that they bear from now on with the markings and colorings of those you segregated ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ǯ The rest shall be yours. Animal and Characteristic Under Care of: white-speckled Laban’s sons white-blotched Laban’s sons (normally white-ankle-ringed Jacob solid black or white-belted Jacob solid brown) solid black or brown Jacob solid black or brown Laban’s sons (normally black or brown with any white marking Jacob solid white) solid white Jacob

33ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱif you ever suspect me of having appropriated ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĚǰȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢Ǳȱ

ŬŪŪ 401 ~ FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W V pssRlvqjsLlvq] oºËQ o¶ Onrp¯]Òj¯Ð p¸ Up p°Rr½q36 nsou ns~ rr ju qlj q u n q zj ~ rr j r r r o r s lq j s lq ou V p jn_ qÇqsRlvqË]w vqÇvn½q37 s vrËvÂqQrr ~s_wp~ s lqou oju ~ rr~jujzn~u j u jnju ju nnu q rju n nj u OrrÀqTs° j qËOrjË ]rjÅT or¶^ oÆqjqË L jqjº ]j Qq u u n nru n nj n sju nu qj r nrj ~ru qj u q u n ur n OoÆÅ n ] p¯l~TË jqÁqwp~RoÆq½q38 Ë vjqÁqwqQp¯l~ ql~~ur qr jnu nu q ~n ur qj u ~r r r jr~u j ql~~ur q~ j r jq z ou TËÊ j¯n~s^Æqr~ sbrÊc p¯l~nL rÁqË ]lvn¯j¶ Qnr jvr¶ rl q jn~u r ru j ojj njoujznj oujznjsooju Ë vÊj¯n_ r~s j¶r jQq o½q~sOÆq qs] j X RASHI W zoou jqj n rl~s zr~ ju u r nju r n ju s zj r o~p z srlrj ss q prup z su jrs rsu q sju u r ru nnu ou ru u rj r zju r ruu j ququ ~ s jzu u o p jn uq q s qr rs~n qnz ~ ru p~ su jnu nr jru ss zj~p uo q ju ~ p z ru p~u rr ju nl~ os~jp jnj su q~ q qu~ ro j rjpu jn ~su q r z s jzqj pr~rusu {lrs ojnu n qu q s~ r u p zju q rr~u p z ~ nsu ~ p z u

s ujzn~su q r~s ru p zl~ nr jru sjr~s ru p zl~ u n qu n sk~ su n oju p z ou u q q qr sju j r~s rojuqr jq ouq~su q qs j sjqu q un n r z srju qq ju s jqj qq ju~ u rjs rru qjr ps l~qqqu jn ~ njsjqu q p~ rru q s {j q tru j u o{ s r rp z nu j nu j qp n{lq n qu q os~~ r jq zs nu q s~ o su qu pp sj rjnjr~ jnr r sj s r rp zju ou q p z psu u u n sj r jq ou q pu j rrjs nju ~ r s j po jnu nrj su u jqu ququ o u u u n q sjnu su p z ps

°©£¦¡ª´³©Ö¨² ¬¯¬¦£¥¦§££ã²ã§£²£ ß§£ ¨ã¡§£ ÖÖ£²íÛÍã¨ª¯¬ —²« ¦´£ª¬²®°®°£¬³ with white markings, Jacob used the following method to induce the goats under ȱȱȱȱěȱ ȱ ȱǱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ£ sticksǰȱȱ sticksǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¡ȬȬ ȱȱunderlying ȱlayer ȱȱǯȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱěȱ ȱȱȱǲȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ǲȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱȱȬǯ174 38 When it was time for the goats to mate, ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱplacing themȱȱȱwaterȱ through ȱȱ ȱȱĚȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȬȱȱǲȱ ȱ¢ȱ saw the sticks in the water, they were startled and recoiled, posturing themselves unwarily into their mating position. ¢ȱ ȱ with the he-goats ȱ ¢ȱȱȱ.

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽřŝǾȱ ȱ ǳǳ£ǳȱ Ǳ The However, unlike ę, which are holy objects, Jacob’s ȱ ȱ ȱ ěȬȱ ȱ ¢Ȭ- sticks remained ordinary sticks when he was done ęȱȱĴȱȱ ǰȱ ȱȱ (harmony using them. This is because before the Torah was and beauty).ŗŝś given, physical objects could not absorb holiness.177 ę¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ , ȱȱ ȱȱȱǱȱAlthough Jacob’s ȱ £ȱ ȱ ȱ , and the chestnut sticks were both red and white, he peeled addition-- sticks embodied Ȃ. By placing these sticks in the al white streaks in them in order to give supremacy watering troughs, he drew Divine intellect into the ȱ ǰȱ ȱęȱ (“kindness”). This is ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ¡¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱȱȬ- wearing ę.176 ity, kindness must dominate.178

174. Rabbeinu Bachya. 175. ȱ ȂȱśŝřŘǰȱǯȱŗŘŚǲȱǯȱȱŗǱŗŜŗȱěǯȱȱ176. ȱŗǱŗŜŗȱěȱǻȱȱǼǲȱȱȱ ȱǯ 177. ȱ, vol. 1, p. 72. 178. ȱ ȂȱśŝŘŗ, p. 312. ŬŪū 402 Genesis 30:36-38 VAYEITZEI

markings, Laban removed all the black and brown 169 ȱ ȱȱ (which Jacob had not mentioned)—ȱȱȱȱȱsolid-black and solid- ȱ (which Jacob mentioned)—so Jacob could not have his look at these sheep while mating.170 Nonetheless, Laban did not remove the female goats with white ankle-rings or the white-belted goats, because he felt that Jacob would not let him go so far as to remove all possibility of producing goats with white markings. Similarly, he did not remove the solid-brown or solid-black goats, because their absence would have precluded Jacob from having his look at ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱěǲȱǰȱȱȱ that Jacob would not let him go so far as to remove all possibility of producing the ěȱȱ ȱȱ¢ǯ By removing these additional types of animals, Laban implicitly included these types among those that would belong to Jacob. But, as stated, he believed that he had markedly reduced the probability that any such animals would be born.171 Finally, in order to further reduce the number of newly-born animals that would belong to Jacob, Laban also removed all the robust goats and sheep from those that ȱĞȱ ǰȱǯǯǰȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱ ǰȱȱ Ȭǰȱ plus the white-ankle-ringed she-goats, and all the sheep that were solid white.172 ȱĞȱall the aforementioned animals that he took ȱȱȱȱȱ, and Ğȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȦȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ and/or sterile sheep that were not brown. Division Accord-- Actual Division Ac-- Animal & Characteristic ing to Original cording to Laban’s Agreement Unilateral Changes white-speckled to Laban to Laban white-blotched to Laban to Laban males to Jacob to Laban white-ankle-ringed robust to Jacob to Laban females (normally weak to Jacob to Jacob solid black or robust to Jacob to Laban solid brown) white-belted weak to Jacob to Jacob solid black or robust to Jacob to Laban brown weak to Jacob to Jacob solid black or brown to Laban to Laban black or brown with any white marking to Jacob to Laban (normally robust to Jacob to Laban solid white solid white) weak to Jacob to Jacob

36ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱĚȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȬ ¢ȱ¢ǯȱThis was more than enough time to ensure that the animals that had been segregated not breed with the rest, but Laban also wanted to ensure that the Ěȱȱ Ȃȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěǯ173 ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȂȱĚǯ 37 ȱȱȱĞȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ

169. Nachmanides, ǯǯȱ Ȃȱ. 170. ȱ. 171. ȱ ǰȱ ǯȱ řśǰȱ ǯȱ ŗřřǰȱ ȱ ŘŚǯȱ ȱ 172. Rashi on v. 36. 173. ȱȱ.

ŬŪū 403 ~ FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W Qn¸tj _ n¸tl~sOÆqr j] qoÊqË L jqÁqwp~~sQÆqº _k vp½q39 ~ru qj u ~ ju r~ r rq q jn~j nsj ns~ j r~ r rnn w~~ p saÆqboÅ j [oÊn½q[ M slvq ] njn hnr°j¿qj40 vn~t jº zojq~~ur qjun~j ns ju s jnu ~ru r r zojuqns lq ~ _ÒjËO¸qjT nrlË^ p¯br½qL rr ~s]j¶º Q wrjsVr ou u n q zjrr~ j r rju u jznu rj uu n ol~r j nss jnu njp MË r±tjq~s]Æq ho qw rj¶Rr rj41 vrr~s_wq Qrr¯ u r n r ju o rj ~ rr j r r n ou q zju ~ r rjuq~ j r r rl q jnu j rÂQoj q j L nr jvr¶~sQÆq_ oo jË V jqÁqwp~salvq br°j ~r r o oj~ur q j u rs lq ~ru qj u ju s ju r q~ j ur qr jnu T ntl vr ^ r rjL n°r~]Ò~sQÆq _ nl vqjº42 Ë vjqÁq¶ r rjuo q zj~~r r r u znqu ju s lq j~ru qnuqu rrj~ru q znqu s vlvq j Qnt¯ jÇqj Orrj

X RASHI W s o~j snjuq su u j qju sru z t jq nujzqou p z u n tl sjqu q s~ jq~p s jqu q p~ ps n l~ n sjun o q ju r r q nsj~ rjnu qu o po j qj p ojou jq o rrolsjnuu n t zj s jzu q jnu q rs~ nu ~ q p zpu q njq njzsu qu nutju nutl nr su q s lq njn nr{juqj su u jqju u ~ n s zj nlqju ru u n o qj q q suqj po po rs~ r{ rj rjqj njnj nujn srl qu qj srl qu q n sjun o q ju u znqu ju ~su q o ju ~su q o jnu rpporss~j n sj rjqj rsjusju q jn qsju u u j q nls zj ounu q qk~pu p z pu po~ l ss p ol ~ q sj sq nrju q oj qo q jnj su q~ jnr o~j nutlrp~~su q o ju u rp zs r p~~su q o ju sju n rls p zruq rr~s~ ju r ru p z u ru p~j

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herd under Jacob’s care to the herd under his sons’ care. Rather than trouble Jacob ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĴǰȱ ȱȱ an angel bring the he-goats of these three types back from the herd under Laban’s sons’ care and re-place them in the herd under Jacob’s care so they would repro-- duce in kind.182

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŚŘǾȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȱȱȱ The reason that the naturally-bred animals are re-- ȱ¢ȱǱȱȱ¡ȱǰȱȱȱ ferred to as “blotched,” while the supra-naturally- ȂȱĚǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȬ- bred animals are referred to as “belted,” is as fol-- ness into physical reality. There are two types of ǱȱȱęȱȃȄȱȱȱȱ Godly energy that create and power the world: the by a white band, which was formed by a number energy that tailors itself to the limitations of physi-- of white blotches that bled into each other. In con-- cal reality (what we know as “nature”), and the trast, the blotches on the simply “blotched” animals energy that transcends the natural order of physi-- did not overlap. The fact that the blotches on the cal reality (which is revealed to us in the form of “belted” animals joined to form one continuous “miracles”).183 In order to elicit the levels of Divine band alludes to God’s encompassing, transcendent consciousness associated with each of these two creative energy (ȱȱ). In contrast, the dis-- types of Godly energy, he employed both natural crete blotches allude to God’s limited creative en-- and supra-natural means in predetermining the col-- ergy (ȱȱ), which tailors itself to every orings of the animals. aspect of creation individually.184

182. Rashi on 31:10, below. ȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱŗřŗȬŗřřǯȱȱ183. Cf. ȱ£, gate 38. 184. ȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱ 131-136.

ŬŪŬ 404 Genesis 30:39-42 VAYEITZEI

39 Since ȱȱȱȱthe sight ofȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ all white-Ȭǰȱwhite-ǰȱȱwhite-ǯ ¢ǰȱȱȱȱěȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȂȱȱȱȬ- ings, but rather with those of the sticks. In some cases, the water miraculously im-- pregnated the females without their actually having mated with the males. Jacob also used the sticks to produce some solid-black and solid-brown sheep with white markings. ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ¢ȱ ¡¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱĞȱ ȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȬȱȱ arrived, he simply segregated all the brown goats from the rest and placed them in front of the sheep. The sheep looked at the brown goats while mating and bore ȱěǯ 40 Ğȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĜȱȬ- tity of white-marked animals to regulate the breeding naturally, no longer having to resort to the use of the sticks.179 Laban had taken all the black and brown sheep ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ¡ȱȱȱ ǰȱȬȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱĞȱȱ Ȃȱǯ180 To these, Jacob added the white-marked sheep he had produced. Jacob ȱ white-marked ǯȱ ȱȱȱrest of the goat-Ě ȱȱwhite-Ȭȱand otherwise white-marked sheep ȱǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱěȱ ȱ ȱǯȱȱȱȱȱ previously, he had his sheep faceȱȱȱblack and ȱgoatsȱȱȂȱ Ěǯȱ ȱȱȱseparate ȱfor this purpose ȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱ ȱthe rest of ȂȱĚǯ 41 Moreover,ȱ ȱȱstronger, ¢Ȭȱfemaleȱȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ of water ȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǯ 42ȱȱȱȱȱȱ in the water ȱȱweaker, Ȭȱ were in heat. ǰȱȱȱȱȱĞȱȱȱ ȱǰȱ ȱ selectively bred the relatively stronger ones for himself: ȱweaker, ȬȱěȬȬ ȱȱȂǰȱȱȱhealthier, ¢Ȭȱěȱȱ Ȃǯ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȬ- ¢ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱĴȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ favor by unilaterally reinterpreting the terms of the agreement to mean that these types of animals were designated for him. But in response, Jacob simply adjusted ȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱǰȱ they did so in his favor. Laban continued to unilaterally change the terms in his own favor, but Jacob always managed to adjust his techniques accordingly, so the Ěȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ181 At one point, Laban informed Jacob that the goats that he was to receive as pay-- ment would be all those that were ankle-ringed, white-speckled, and white-beltedǲȱ he then went ahead and transferred all the he-goats with these markings from the

179.ȱ£ǲȱȱǯǯȱȱ. 180.ȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱȱ181. Below, 31:7-9.

ŬŪŬ 405 ~ FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W TË rj¯ºË O¶q~s]TËw njvqsL~js]~j¯ Qn~rs _jn½q43 ~ rl q~rl q~rjqu o ju u n jqj r jq~j r~nu q~ r ou slq T rrwvo j ^ oj n¸wp~ Rqj¯n½q31:1 vnsl vq QnÀqjº O nrlvq rq jzu nrl q n jq j s lq oj qojrro j oru j nu º Onr~j] p¯l~voººL nr~j] p¯l~wr¿~Qo sOlvq ] qrsO~o ~ru l~qu n n~u ru l~qu n ru r 2 ~rl qo~ u n~r ur qjnru ~r r j L rr] o jÅwp~sQlvq~ċj _ q½q vp» q sQr¿qwr¿~_ o Pr°r nso~ rj rr ouq~ q j r s lq w~ vp TrÙjp~s^½q3 Ë v¯jn¯Ë _ jn¿ËQÁnºÂV p~ o _ oÂ nj ns uqu j nu ou qjn~ojuu oun ql~qu u s lq j rjql~q Ð vrÁnQp jvp~jÑL pÊ jqË vjºÑ QpËl~p_ p~wp~º¯ V sOlvq njoonj ru qru ju j rrrl~ ~ rju s lq q jzu j rlqju Ë v~sw~ p Qpr²qL r~o jº] o rj~Qrjn½qsOlvq ] qj¯n½q4 u o r qj~r jq jr~o j o rj u 5 ouq~ q j ~r r~ l o r oj ql~q Qqo~ºÂ_ p o~wvn¿Op nl~] o jÅwp~T ns~ vr ^ p~sRprp~s]½q ou qjn~oju nunnso ol~ou l~ 6 rl~ru q~u j u or~ons uqu j nu L pÊj qjr QoÊq~j vnrÁnQr r Onr~] oÒ~vosL¯jn¯s] jn¿ r ju ol~ nujqjouq~j nlqju ¶ On p] o T p nl~vq7 vpnl~w~ p nÊ jQqrOn s¿wrj¶Un¿ ou l~q ou ~ l r n r ju no n jn q{l nj~ q r n jzq~jnu uq q z OnÒk~Ë] rjw~ vÒj L nsp] p°lQnÊjt¿ j°qwp~_ nk vpj nun~r zr~jq~jrju o jq~ z r j oj nsjqr~rl ojun~ º _jvrjÑ Opr° j ] p jvnT n¸tj Rq~ss]¿w n~8 vnrÁn Qqrj n~j nsj~r r ru rjr j j r j q~ j rj~~ q oj ns j qr~rl oju Ñ Opr° j ] p jvnT n¸tlRq~ss]¿w n~j L n¸tj ~sQÆqwr ns j~r rru rjr j vn¸tl~sQÆqwrº _jvrj

X RASHI W n s lquo qu jnru n jznup z nququq n rjr~ np z s r jzu ~s r~jzu n os su qj sru su~ q s ou qsu ol p z r ruqu ns r~op z rp ru q~j rr ru s q osj nrj nrjus~so s nrlq u ru p zl~ r~o ju o rju njs~ ru j p o zu n s nu o rl~p qj u q nq { qqu q sjou u u n r{rpu o~ ~ o ns pp{l r~o j o r u nu jn sj p oujz rl~ j ru n p jp~ r zjr psl~pp~~p u z su jzp q qu j u j s zj ns rr{l o s ru ns pr r nr n jz s jzqj r zjp~~~n oru q rut j r jsju nrjr~os~r junk p p zu j qr su nn{loj r~o j j ru q q~jru n ju o rj r~o ju o rj~ rjnuq

£´²¡¨£¦¨³ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǲȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱ£ȱȱ ȱȬȱ ȱȱǱȱȱȱȬěǯ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱǲȱȱ ȱȱ Before leaving the Holy Land for Charan, Jacob to employ additional aspects of his personality. Jacob evinced more the parent-child relationship with God. knew that enlisting these other aspects (alluded to as 191 He spent his days immersed in studying the Torah, “handmaids, servants, camels, and donkeys” ) would an occupation which requires us to be acutely aware involve acting with self-awareness and self-assertion, ȱȱ ȱ¡ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȬ- which might undermine the self-negation he was seek-- stand what we have learned. In journeying to the spiri-- ing to cultivate in order to succeed in his encounter ¢Ȭȱ ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱǰȱ with Laban. He therefore “purchased” each of these as-- ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĚȱ ȱ ȱȃǰȄȱǯǯǰȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ “sheep.” ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěǯȱ This is also why Jacob continued to maintain sheep as Ğȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȃȱ ȱ his primary asset, so that his actions would always be ȱ ȱ ȱ ǳǰȱ ȱ ȱ ęǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱĚǯ192 handmaids…servants…camels and donkeys.” Spiritu--

191. See ȱȱŘŚǲȱȱ, ȱŗŞśǯȱȱ192. ȱǰȱǯȱŗśǰȱǯȱŘśŘȬŘśŝǯȱȱ ȱȱřŘǱŜǯȱȱ

ŬŪŭ 406 Genesis 30:43-31:8 VAYEITZEI

43ȱȱȱȱȱ¡¢ȱǯȱ ȱ ȱabundant andȱȬȬ ęȱĚ, which commanded a high market price, so he was able to sell them at ęȱęȱǰȱ ȱȱęǰȱȱ—who proved to be ȱȱȱȱĚŗŞśȯĞȱȱęȱȱ to assist him in car-- ȱȱȱĚ. He then also purchased ȱȱ¢ǯ186 31:1 Jacobȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȂȱǱȱȃ ȱ¡ȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȂȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ǯȄ 2ȱ ȱȱȱthe look on ȂȱȱȱȱĴȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǯ Jacob’s Departure 3ȱ ќёȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȃȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ǯȱThere, ȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢, but here, as long as you remain associated with the wicked Laban, My presence cannot dwell among you and your familyǯȄ187 4ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ—in that order, for Rachel was the acknowledged principal matron of Jacob’s household—ȱȱęȱ ȱ ȱĚȱ ǰȱȱȱȱǰ 5ȱȃ ȱȱȱȱthe look on ¢ȱȂȱȱȱȱĴȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯȱHe suspects me of having swindled him out of his wealth, ȱthe reality is that ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱ, aiding me during all these years.188 6ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ǰ 7ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱthe conditions of ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȬȬ ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ 8ȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȁȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȂȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱěǰȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȁȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ ȱȬȱǰȂȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȬȱěȬȬ ǯ

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 43ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡¢ȱ Ǳ ȱ ȱęȱĚǱȱJacob earned his livelihood ȱȱȱȱ ȱȃ¡¢Ȅȱȱȱȱ by working primarily with sheep, and he was paid level of success beyond the norm. Aside from his ma-- principally with sheep. This was because spiritually, ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ Ǳȱ ȱ sheep represent the type of relationship with God that succeeded in raising all of his children to follow in the we must cultivate during our “sojourn with Laban,” ȱ ¢ȱȱ ȱȱǲȱǰȱȱ that is, when we are involved in the mundane world. did not produce a single wicked Esau or Ishmael. ȱȬĚȱȱ ȱ ȱěȱȱ This verse underscores the message of this entireȱȬ- our parent-child relationship with Him.190 In the par-- —that Jacob reached true spiritual success precise-- ent-child relationship, we consider ourselves indepen-- ly because of his spiritually-successful involvement dent entities, apart from God, loving Him as a child with Charan and the material world.189 ȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȬĚȱǰȱ ȱ

185. ȱ ȱśŝŚŖǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŚśŚȬŚśśǯȱȱ186. Rashi here and on 31:18, below. ȱ śŝŚŖǰȱǯȱśŖşǯȱȱ187. Cf. above, 13:14. 188. Onkelos. 189. ȱǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŜřȬŜśǲȱȱ ȱśŝŚŖǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŚŚŞȬŚśŗǯȱȱ190. ȱ ȱȱŘǱŚśǯȱȱ

ŬŪŭ 407 ~ FIFTH READING

X ONKELOS W To¶ j Rnjq10 vnwpÊn½qQpnl~_ o jnwp~V nÒk~a oÆq½q9 ou l~~ q rnjun rjzojq~j ~ rq q jn~u j u r njurlq n qn T ntÊqvr^ oÂ nj Ë Ll vq¶~pQo~rV qo~_ r²p~vr ~sOÆq] o q ~ rjp ju ol qq o nrj~u r r ~r r q njr~u j ur q zr~ j rj Wq~ o p~sb½q11 vn¸t jº Qn¸tj _ n¸tl~sOÆqwq] nsvr ql~q n nu qu nsj ns j 12 s lq~rjp jur~ q rl~j q n p~sR½q nvoÂ n Qqs~vrsLlvq Ë Ql vq¶V nÒk~vrÐa q~jq sjql~q ~~r~ l r nrl~q njr~u j ur q zr ju ru nl qrj o qju ~sOÆqwq ] nsvrT ntÊqvrwr¿T o~ jºÑ^ po~brw~ r° ol~ n nu qu nsj ns~ j r r q p°s_ Qrr_ p¯l~wr¿~V o nOn~r] n¿ L n¸t jº Qn¸tj _ n¸tl rj o r rru n ru r q rmo j rlj nou j jn~~u j rrk~~r l~ OroÆqT± r rÊj ^ q¯rbp¯l~Oo~wvo¶T o~r^ ns~ vr 13 ÐvrÀ ~u n rr ruq~ ruj q zju n o~ o ju u qjur j ruquq rm~rujou q ~ sO» q p] r~rw n T~oº _ RrÊq pċL p ¯Qr ÀV n rÊ j_ qr bp¯l~ ql~qu ~ j rr~r jq~n u u r~o j o r q nl~q j rru qu r jQq~sÊq Or~ojT o r q^ qÊq14Ñ vpÊ jqË v p_ p~wp~º Q¯j rm ~rrqjusqou ~ rrl~q ~rl ~r u l~ o~ ju r rl q~j ËV½ njr~Ë al15º vnr~_ oj¶Qrl vqjp_ o ºV rË_qËL ~rr juq ol~ou ~r jq zl jn~r~ rjt 16 ol~~r rujqu r q o ~q ql~q ] n¿ º voÅjq¿wp~Ë Qr~wq· q~s_½qº L rr j ¿Ë] n Qº j_ q¯j p ~ru l~orj zojq~u n ~ rju r u n s u qju ~rr j nj~u ~rru n ºL orjº~º Qº_ rº Onr~voT nÒk~^ nÆn bp¯l~p¯sRrwr olrrj j ql~ vo°lÑQpo~V nÒk~a qr~bp¯l~ cs¿ RrÊqj

X RASHI W u nr~ ojnu n zqn sl q j u ~ r u u j u zru n r jr q ~su p z ru tu rr r nujnp z nu q ~q ntu qrou nj u u nl~ su jq zj p su njr~ sl " nrju q ou u u j rs~ n~n j nr~j qu q u r rrj tu ~su q u juq jn q jznu rsjn~rj tjorrr~o ju j p pup z rr zju u n tju s lqq jup z por rro ju q ju u ru q poo ru jq rp z r j u rr j un su njru j u ru n qr n~u { u n u n qrr p z u qq jun nu qu su u jqu q j{nu~ru ~ p r j u r rj~s j r r z oj{ p qu jq~u ru ss~ ~ p uq n p zpu t ju r u ju su p z psu jql nr ru u p~ nu r pru tju q j{ o ju ou np z u ou jqu p~ru tju q o~ ou o~r ~ rjnu q n o~ nrjn o~jq p zu n qsju ~ru p~ s zjnu zou q zj pu n p zs r r ou qj s~ rjnj p pj roj~ oq o~ ou o~ sju j u ru zsru qu n np zu ~q ru p~u u j ru ~ o u nr~ ru j q zr qru j pr~rp~ n~rupuq~un sju ou ru oj znjns zju n n ~u ru u p z u nr~o~u su n qj ru u j qj q zjnu p zjru u tju u u n s zj ru z n s znjqu p z r zrjqs zj~ rjnu qup z ru r q s zj nu ru jqr p zl~ q ouj nu q r u zj sjnu r z~sq pp z o s~r nu r rr ns k~ ou p jn ru jqr~p z sju q zjruq~j nrj ou qjru r p o ru sq sru jr r z njqup z

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[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [continued...] ȱ ȱ ȃęȄȱ ǻ£ę) or that bled into each other, forming one continuous Ȭȱęǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ band, similar to the way the ę in this stage each another. As mentioned above, the “belts” around contain elements of all the others, enabling them to ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ěȱ ȱ combine with one another.197

197. ȱ ȂȱśŜśśǰȱǯȱŗřŞȱěǲȱȱ ȂȱśŝŘŖǰȱǯȱŗŖŗǲȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱŗřřȱ ěǯȱȱ

ŬŪŮ 408 Genesis 31:9-16 VAYEITZEI

9ȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱ ȱ193ȱ¢ȱȂȱȱfrom him ȱȱȱ ȱǯ194 10ȱ ȱ just recently that, when your father told me that my payment from among the goats would be all those that were ankle-ringed, white-speckled, and white-belted, and then he removed all the he-goats of these types from the herd under my care, thatȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱĚȱȱȬȬ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱshe-goatsȱ in factȱȬǰȱ white-ǰȱȱwhite-ǯ God sent an angel to bring these he-goats back to the herd under my care.ŗşś 11ȱȱȱ sameȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȁ ǰȂȱȱ ȱǰȱ ȁ ȱ ȱǯȂ 12ȱ ȱǰȱȁȱ¢ȱ¢ǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ she-goatsȱ ȱ Ȭǰȱ white-ǰȱ ȱ white-ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ and I was sent to return the bucks to the herd you are tendingǯȂ 13 The angel then spoke to me in God’s name, saying, ȁ ȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱthe place ȱ¢ȱȱȱ as an altar,ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ to ěȱȱęȱȱ.196ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱǯȂȱȄ 14ȱȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȃWhy should we have any objec-- tion to leaving? ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȬȬ , now that he has sonsǵǷȱ 15ȱ¢ǰȱ even when he gave us to you in marriage, ȱ ȱeven ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱǰȱ not only did he not give us any dowry,ȱȱȱȱto you in ¡ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱǷȱȱĞȱǰȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱ¢ǰȱȱ what should have beenȱȱwage-¢ on ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĚǷ 16 The only thing thatȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱȱȱǯȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯȄ

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗŖǾȱ Ȭǰȱ Ȭǰȱ ȱ Ȭ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱěǯȱ ȱȱȬ- ǱȱThe three types of animals Jacob produced ¡ǰȱȱȃȄȱȱȱȱę are to be imagined ȱȂȱĚȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱěȱȱȱȱȱȱȃȄȱ in the spiritual evolution of reality from its source in on one vessel. God’s oneness into plurality. The “speckled” (Ǽȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱ Laban, whose name means “white” (lavan), alludes stage of creation, in which each of the ten ę pos-- to the “supernal whiteness” (ȱȬ¢), or non- sesses its own vessel but, like an immature youth, composite uniformity of God’s simple essence. is too self-absorbed to tolerate each other. Here, the The “ankle-ringed” () animals refer to the ten ę are to be imagined as discrete “speckles.” initial, embryonic stage of creation, in which the The “belted” (Ǽȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ten ęȱȱȱȃȄȱȱ¡ǰȱȱȱȱ stage of creation, in which the ten ę metamor--

193. ȱ, vol. 8, p. 78. 194. Above, 30:42. 195. Above, 30:42. 196. Above, 28:16-22.

ŬŪŮ 409 ~ SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W w q Qr¯rw p~j_ rr¶wp~~V r²n½qsLlvqrQr½q17 r j nsjur qju s lqrj r qu qj ~r qu jqu q ns zj ] p¯l~TË¯t jwr¿wp~jºRo jnwr¿wp~] qjn½q18 vnÀqj·q ~r j u n u orj n ru r j nsou ru rl~u q qju~r j u n orju n nsou _ r jnw p~~Ë Vr L rl~ ] q¸qj¶¯Qq r _ p¯l~Ë Orj n To jn¯ Or r ~ r jq~j nu l~ r jnqjooj ruq njq~ l rr j qr j n s]j nÊqËL~sw~ p sQjnÐOqr] rrj19 qvr¿ j r j_~ q Qnr~ u n ~ur q rjqr o r qoju ou r 20 rrn s lqnu qj ~ ru l~q w~ p sOlvqs]jn½q rvnr~j_ p¯l~ QnrjÊqwp~Oo r ol~ou u n ~q ru j q r~ruql~ _ qjn½q21~º v q Qos¿Ë_ n O] n·nT nj¶wq L nÁql~vrQrr_ o ou u n rj~qu l~q~ u o r~ nsuq~r u n q z j rjur qlq rj w~ p p°_ r½qL rrÂ qwp~s]lvq½qrQr½qËOwp¯l~wrjT~º rrj~ur q jn~j ~ rjn j ru j s lqq~ l ol~r~rn~ j rsju Qqr¿_ n L n¯nj±qË]½¶ q Qrrj_ q·t½q22 vrjn·q_ q QrrÅ q ju u ounns l~r q ju ou jq~j ns~ rjq z qj l q ns jqu ] qjn¯Ð pQp¸ Orl ~ vq s ]¸ jn½qË OÁnT r p~wp~ ^ qÇn½q23 s vlvq ~ rl~q ~ rjn j ru ju u or 24 r~ruql~ rrqjrj rmn qo _ rrw p~V nÒk~~sar½q vrjn·q_ qj¶Ë Qs~_ o¶ jq½q L nr ququjn~ou ql~q~ r jo~ j rjp ju quns lq nou q~j rju n rj _ o¶ qjÊwpÅVÑjpa r±nËR p~s]½qrjL rÀq]Òl vq¶QnÁql~vr znuq vrwqË_¼nsQlvqw vn

X RASHI W 4 rrju n q ju n qu q j q rp z nr r zs r z rs~ ru r{ oj sojn nrj nu jn r zrp~jr ru p~ nrr zu nz rru n s r s lq~ r jn su jqjs lqqj r r zr ~p r{ o uq u n q qk~pu p z nrjn soj nu jn s lqqj rp zu q ru p z u jqr rrs n{ u n nn jzu qu s~su n ru r p zu q srj n o jn sj rrup~j s u jnu q qk~pu p z r p~s ju rrqj r nrrj nzju s~s~p s jn nsl q nu qju s r jzu nrl rl ~ q s u jnu q qk~p~s j nrqj nz j ppu rl q~ s jqu n s lq ou sou nr p zs jz j ppurru q ju qru p z nr zjp z rr s ru r q su n nr qj nz rr rsl o rnr~~p znjqj n rju q ~p o r n nuqu qp o~~nr r nr p zs jz j pp ol p z nzn jzu q su qu ru j qu jn nr qj nz j pu p r sj r ~ p p~ poo r r

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[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [continued...] ¡ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ěǯȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ he succeeded in redeeming and elevating all of the But the second type stems from God’s implicit will, ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǯȱȱĴȱ¢ȱȱȱ cannot actively choose to perform these command-- could only be redeemed through some sort of Di-- ments. vine initiative. Similarly, there were two types of Divine sparks As we have seen,201 in his Divine source, Laban embedded in Laban’s domain: (a) those that were embodies the non-composite uniformity of God’s ȱȱ Ȃȱ¡ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ simple essence. Allegorically, then, Laban’s pursuit ȱȱ ȂȱȱěȱȱǻǼȱ ȱ ȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱ those that were rooted in the Divine essence and process of redeeming the second sort of sparks.202 therefore could not be redeemed through conscious

201. On v. 10, above. 202. ȱ cited in ȱ , ǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŞŜşȱěǲȱȱǰȱǯȱŗśǰȱǯȱŘŜŖȬŘŜŘǯȱȱ

ŬŪů 410 Genesis 31:17-24 VAYEITZEI

Sixth Reading 17ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ Ĵȱ wherein he would carry out God’s directive to transform the physical world into His home. Jacob wished to demonstrate that the reason he had gone to Padan ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱęȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱǯȱǰȱȱȱĴȱȱȱ concern for educating children to honor their parents would have dictated that Jacob place his wives in front of his children, he ȱȱȱęǰȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ǰȱȱȱǯ198 18ȱ ȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ —theȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱanimal ¢—the handmaids, servants, camels, and donkeys199ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǯ 19ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱ, which were in the care of his sons, three days’ journey from Jacob’s herd. When Jacob and his family set out, ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ, hoping in this way to wean him from idolatry. 20ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ĚȬȬ ǰ 21ȱȱȱĚȱ ȱȱȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Euphrates ȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ 22ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ Ğȱ ȱ Ğǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěǯ 23ȱ, on the fourth day,ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȬ¢ȱ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ at nightfall ȱ ȱ ȱǻȱȱřśǼ. FigureȱřśǱȱ Jacob Flees from Laban. 24ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȃ ȱȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱwith ȱȱ intent. Even if you de-- cide to speak nicely to him, you have proven yourself so evil that he would rather not have anything to do with you.Ȅ

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ [23] ǳȱǱ The Torah’s commandments ȱĴȱȱȱȱǯ200 (Although leav-- can be grouped into those that can be performed ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ intentionally, such as giving charity, and those that Ĵȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱȱ can only be performed through some unintended one cannot consciously forget something.) circumstance, such as the commandment to leave ȱęȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱ

198. ȱ, vol. 30, pp. 141-144. Cf. 36:6, below. 199. Above, 30:43. 200. Deuteronomy 24:19.

ŬŪů 411 ~ SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W Orr¶TËm vr~wvp~^ qrÊsRlvqjsLlvqw~ vp Qrr_ o²q½q25 qjus lq j s lqr rr ou jq~j r njzq~rr~ j ru ju ou ju jzqr sOlvq j T rr p~s^½q26vrjn·q_ qj¶ Qr p~wp~ _ qrÊV rrj ql~q ~ rjn j ru ju ns l~ nu n rnu qj ru jql~r s lq j rr ËQt j¯n¿Oqs j¶wp~Toq jÊqL nrjwp~sQj nÊqrOn°r] p ~ ru jq r j nzjuqr ju r ru jqu qj nu n rnu qjq oj ru jqjun~~ rj rÊ j] q· nw~svjL ns~sQj nÊqq sOjnTr~bo¶ j qrÁ^ r27 pvr j ~ r jp ju su ru j qu q zjn rou ~ q r j 28 ~r j nru nju nutjur ju jztju ~ ]Òj Ë vÂ njº s_j¶ Qnn¯jº_ r jn°j¶VÑl voÀq¯l~vrOnÀ rr jnjq jn~rrqu z j n qujq jz 29 n~ ru jpjrujou jq~qju w¯p Ë v°l rÊj_ q¿jn QrÊqL rs jnjQqrj_ o±q j n OqÊj¯qj ~ zrnus junqu jpj nnu~ro n ql~~ r zjqju su l~~q rr~o a qr~*¯ p]~ p Wp nl~ boÒ~voL r QprÁnË _°lvq O nr] o~j j ~ n rru qju n rququjn~roj vrwqË _¼nsQlvqw vn _ o¶ q¸nVÑjpa r±nsR~o] qo~ q o qju znu q quns lq ojru jouq ~ rruq ol~~rujq l~ Ñ L nr~] ojrÊjQqjns_jnwvn¿rÊjOqrÐ]ÒrT rÊqj30 nrl u q ~r rujoj~rjj u l~ ol~rrjql~qs lq ol~q ]¿ n L rrjp~s]½qsQlvqq_ q½q31 vrÒk~w~ p rÊjQqrrÁ_ r ~ so rju n nrl~ ol~ no j qu jzqu n ql~ nu n j rr ju r [n32 vnÁnvoÑ QpËj¶wp~s_j nÊwpÅnÊ jOqr~¿] n n~Oor ~r r l~ rmuq q jn~r j rrl u q r rj qj nun~ j r j r qs jujzn~ w p¿vqºa o q~pċ] p Mp j vn~Ò] hÑ pÒk~wS ~~ p ] rjnÊbp¯l~ u jqoj o r ol~s lq qj~r j s lq~ j r ju jzqjurrrj qvrrj·Qo r ¿_ n sOlvq] qrw~ vÒjÐL rw vqj QnrÁn_ r VÑj ~r ju jzqju r~o~ j r ju jzqju 33 qj u ru jzq~~r~ j rr o j ou jq j _ oÊj¯psV~jº Rr~ops]~jº* s]lvqw ps v~j¶Wrr~sbr½q ~r ju jzqjurjr~o~ j r ju jzqun vo r ps_~j¶~sQr½q Or~o ps]~oT~oo½q~L rr~ ]ÒjsQrl~vr ~rqu rjqr qoj o rj o rj q on~r jq~ j rnlquu jqu n q zj Qrr· q _ qj¶V on°jÊq RnrjÊqwp~] r jvrYo rj34 ~r ju jzqru r rr zou z qu sol ru jzq~~r j ~ vrr~_ÒjpsQ~rwr¿wp~V rr¯_ o±qjqL polp¯] oÊq

X RASHI W p zo~o r o ju os~~u oju r jp~ nrus lq pp u r rr jq nu ~ ruq nq ru pr st jznu ps~~ ju sruq s lqp zo~ qk~p~s ru t ju s lq zo nr o~j zp nujqu ~p rujqru ns~s jqu n ps o r ps~ j s q r r~ops~~ o rru p z u j o r ~u p z o~ rj r p ru n s{lq nr ju nq jq su u n q r rp z nj" ru r j ru rj srl~r ps~ ju {ou n p z ru jqjn~u n~ s s j u u n o z q zps s zj nru s zj rru q q ju n r zjjzq ~ np z u ru nzjq rjru q j r jjn~ rjnu qu zo ou jqj ru jqr q qu jq~ nj~r jq~ j rnlqu su u j qju srju s nzk sjn~ornu s j nu r prp{l qj nnlqu ru u n n u n r z nu oju qu nju ru {lr sj qs ju ~p oq juq s qr~p z s z~n s z~n q qq junu qjonloj r j ppuquo r rorr j u rs~ou p j n~s r rp z o r ps~~u s lq ps~ jurj u p zu n nru n

è ¢¢£¨´£³²¥±«®¢££®§£¦´ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ǯȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȬ- ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ǰȱȱ ued, we might erroneously feel that our longing has more we should intensify our longing for the Redemp-- not born any fruit. The truth is, however, that the more tion.ŘŖś

205. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚŜǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŜśśȬŜśŜǰȱŜŜŚȬŜŜśǯȱȱ

ŬŪŰ 412 Genesis 31:25-34 VAYEITZEI

25 ȱ ¡ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ’s entourageǯȱ ȱ ȱ already ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱalsoȱȱȱ his ȱȱȱ ǯ 26ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȃȱȱ¢ȱǵȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȬȬ ȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱ Ƿ 27ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĚȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱǵȱ¢ǰȱ had you told me you wanted to leave, ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱěȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ¢Ƿ 28ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱgrandȱȱǯȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱěȱȱ. 29ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȱȁ ȱȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱwith ȱȱ intentǯȂ 30 Why is it that ¢ȱȱthis way ǵȱI cannot fathom this, ȱ¢ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¡ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȂȱǲ203 nevertheless, ¢ȱȱȱĴȱȱĚǯȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ¡ȱȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱǯȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ ǲȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ ¢ǯ204 And ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǵȄ 31ȱ ȱȱto Laban’s questions in the order in which they were posed to him. ȱȱȱǰȱȃ ȱĚȱȱ ȱ ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱǯ 32 As for your idols, ¢ȱamong my household members ȱ ȱ¢ȱęȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱǷȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱof yours ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱǯȄȱ ȱȱȱ£ȱ ȱȱȱȱǲȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱ Rachel died on the journey. 33ȱȱȱȱRachel’s—i.e., Ȃ—ȱęǰȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ wife—ȱ¢ȱĞȱȱȱȱȱȂȱǯȱHe then searched Rachel’s tent a second time. Finally, he searched ȱȱȱȱ ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ǯȱThe reason ȱ ȱback ȱȂȱȱto search it again ȱȱ ĞȱȂȱȱwas because he knew Rachel to be meddlesome, and he suspected her of having stolen his idols. 34ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱǰȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȱwhen ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱ ǯ

X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 30 ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȂȱǱ As to return to his father’s home, so must we, too, yearn we have seen, Jacob’s sojourn with Laban portended ȱȱȂȱȃǯȄȱȱĴȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¡ǯȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȬ- ȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱ¡ǰȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ¢ȱ never allow ourselves to feel complacent or comfort--

203.ȱǰȱřŖǱŘśȬŘŝǯȱȱ204. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚŜǰȱǯȱŗǰȱǯȱŜśśȬŜśŜǰȱŜŜŚȬŜŜśǯȱȱ

ŬŪŰ 413 ~ SIXTH READING

X ONKELOS W T qº~~Ë ^ ¿] n Onsl~] oo¶ j T q bnw~ q rRnr~wp~ p~s]Êq35 q jn~~r ru l~qppl~q qoj u u~~ n r ol~n su n o oju w~~ p Qrr~_Òj°PoÅq jqL n Qn¯rÐp_ pwn¿ÑOp rÅnº ]r zq ju n nzj qs~ ol~j r rm n o ju ~rqu rjq r qu jzq~~r j p~s]½qTslvqq^ q½qL rr¶ j pċ] r½qsQlvq j q _ n½q36 vnrjÊq s lq ol~qrr~n rju s lq j nr ju ~ r ns ~ r rrjql~q w vn¿37 vrl ~ vq rÊjQq r ¿_ n On~r¼q ] q T nj¯nÅwqOrrj rujzou z q ol~ rjquruj q j ol~ o r s u n ruj qu jzq~~r q r ru r ]°Ñ n Opowvoj¿s]¿nTr~brrÁwqRqo¿wr¿wp~rÊj¯] q±n j r q~jq ~ q rm~rru n q z j ro nj{pqu j ~rr jqu ou u jsj b nj°pcp38 ºvo j¯_ o¶º QnË jÑL p q~jQq q~ċp _ p sO¿ ~rrj u njro j j j run~r l~ n jz nrl~~r rj r oj nju nu jq~ ~Ò _ QÑj~s v _ oo~jºL o¿n¯~ ]ÒÑQp» njÑ_ po Ð j OrÁnT ns~ vr ^ rr¯ j rrjnoj~~ q ~r rn ju n 39 oru juq~ nu~ n rrj nun~r j r z qlu q Qnr½ n rÂ Op¼q l~] ns vr~Ñ Op~ o n~] oow~vÒT r oj nÊjvrr~ ~r jo ju nrj~u rrnu nrjqu 40 ~ r jq z nq jq~~rrnnol n_ qrl~ËV½ q na nr rjvr QnjvtjºËO ] njvtj·rÂL p¯jq jÊ ~ pp j r jo ju qlq j~rnju 41 n jz nj{pn qu j r oo nj nz ] nj°p YnÀwp vrovo Qnr¯ j _ q¸nÊqrjL rÀq¶ q] pj psQ n jz oj{qqu jq~j ru n r ju j ro ju Ñ Ops j ] oÊj¯n¶Tr¯ r ^ oj°pwvq¶ jq~Ñ WnÊ jqlMÑ Mpoj¶ hr r¯ rj rju n jz nzjj rr ju ou jqju n jn q{l nj q~r ro jzq~j vns p_ p°l QnÊjt¿ j°qwp~_ ol vqÊqÑċL p~s j¶Qnr¯¯_ o¯j

X RASHI W ppjn rjrp z~rrj nu n~ rj r z ql qu su u jquru pu q l~ sju u tr ju nrpq sju ruj q r ru jq r ~r j su u jqu zn~u u pu n qjn~s j sju ppu t ju n n u jrn u nsj nujzn j ol ~ q s ju n qu u j s~ s qu u j rjr njt ju s njt ju ~ r jz u nu ~n s u ou~ nz s qq ju~ nuq nrr{n su q nru q sju n jt ju nujqu nz s u qrjq ~s j s rru ou q ju u n jzqp p sju ru u n zu r nujqs~ ru jznnl~o j s nju qu u r ss pu n~ q u jr~~ ru n r j~so o~j ou q zj sju qpj r js~ zo~ s zj ps nqrl~ rl~q~~ r s n~ o s j nzu q~ o s n~p z n q~ r o z s zj nr jz ~ rnju su u jqu s jqj n jzq nl~ ojq r oj ~u rjqu ou n~ q r~ n{ru j ooupu z~q ju pu q zj rnru n jtu j{ q ~p l o q qu ~s j rl q zu q~ p p p~ru qos s zjru pu q l~ ns r~ o~ju nu tjn nutl o~u u r jsru n ns r~ nol n~ru q ss jz nju nl~~ nl q ns r~ru p zjq ju nru nu p z nu rjr rjr n~ru pju q l~

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X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W psalms: “I am for peace, but when I speak, [my en-- such moments that we are enjoined to recall that the emies] are for war.”214 Spiritually, this means that al-- very purpose of the darkness is to elevate us to greater ȱ ȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ heights, to bring us to the time of true spiritual enlight-- unencumbered by the adversity of spiritual darkness enment in the messianic age. When we focus on the ul-- and temptation, God presents us with challenges and timate goal and objective, we are not only undeterred ǯȱǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱĴȬ- ¢ȱȱȱȱ¡ǰȱ ȱȱęȱ ȱ¢ǯ tude, these tests not only do not distract us from our ȱǲȱȱȱ¢ǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȬ- n practical terms, we learn from Jacob that as we pur-- ner strength and joy. ȱȱȱěǰȱȱȱȃǰȄȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǰȱ Ȃȱȱ ȱȱęȱ ȯȱȯ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĴǯȱ ȱȱȱ¡ǯȱȱ ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ Whenever we have a free moment, we should use it ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĝȱ ȱ ȱ for prayer or studying the Torah. We are then assured to at times to despond and cry out in desperation, ȱ Ȃȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ “From where will my aid come?” But it is precisely at which we were sent to “Charan.”Řŗś

214. Psalms 120:7. 215. ȱ, vol. 20, pp. 124-128, vol. 3, pp. 791-792. See ¢ , 21 , 11 Tevet, 9 ȱ , 7 ȱ II.

ŬŪű 414 Genesis 31:35-41 VAYEITZEI

35ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȃȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǯȄȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱęȱȱǯ 36ȱ ȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǯȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȃȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱǵ 37ȱǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȯ ȱȱ¢ȱęȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱǵȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱ ȱȱthe dispute ȱȱ ȱȱǷ 38 During ȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ¢ǰȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȬȱ ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱor anything else ȱ¢ȱĚǯ 39ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱby a wild beastǲȱeven though I was not required to absorb its loss, ȱ ȱȱȱȱbecause ¢ȱ ȱunfairlyȱ¡ȱ its value ȱ¢ȱǯȱFurthermore, I absorbed the loss of every stolen animal, ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱǯ 40ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ¡ǱȱI was ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ǯ 41ȱ ȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȯȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱǰȱȱ¡ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĚȯȱ ¢ȱȱthe conditions of ¢ȱ¢, that is, the type of animals I was to receive,ȱȱȱǯ206 X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 40 ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱęĞȱȱȱȱȱęĞȱ¢ȱȱ ¢ȱǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢Ǳ Our bodies be-- which the lives of all three patriarchs overlapped.212 ȱȱ ǲȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱĝȱȱ By reciting these psalms, Jacob evoked the merit and or injure them.207 Nevertheless, we derive from Jacob’s strength of his father and grandfather, which, together behavior that in order to earn a living, we are permit-- with his own merits and strength, enabled him to with-- ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ĝȱ ȱ ¢ǯ208 stand the spiritual darkness of Charan. ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęĞȱ ȱ Ȭ- comfort in order to redeem the sparks of holiness em-- lated poignantly to Jacob’s situation. When he said the bedded in Laban’s domain. Like Jacob, we too should ǰȱȃ ȱĞȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱ will my aid come? My aid comes from God, Creator of 209 our personal comfort. heaven and earth,”213 he reinforced his conviction that ȱȱ¢ȱ¢ǱȱJacob was so devoted to his ȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱěǰȱȱȱȱ work that throughout the twenty years he worked for invoke God’s help to succeed. 210 Laban, he never lay down to sleep. As we have seen, ȱ ęĞȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȃǰȄȱ Ȭ- Jacob saw his work as a means of harnessing the holy ing joy, for by renewing our trust in God, we renew ¢ȱȱ¡ȱȱȂȱǯ ȱęȱȱȱǯȱǰȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱěȱ ȱ ȱ remain joyful despite his disheartening sojourn with him and to thwart his spiritual success. Jacob therefore ǰȱ ȱ ȱ £ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ never “slept,” but rather remained constantly vigilant, would grow spiritually and merit fathering righteous ensuring that he remain true to the ideals of Torah so children, who were to become the foundations of the that he would succeed in his mission. Jewish people. Jacob could be joyful because his con-- Jacob remained focused on his mission by constantly stantly renewed faith allowed him to foresee the im-- immersing himself in prayer. The Midrash relates that mense rewards of his tribulations. Jacob recited psalms, particularly Psalms 120-134, all ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¡Ȭ- of which open with the words “A song of ascents.”211 ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ęĞȱ

206. Above, v. 7. 207. Commentary of Rabbi David ben Zimri on ȱ, 18:7. 208. ȱȱ , ȱ, £ȱ ȱŗǱŚǲȱ ȱȱ(ȱǯ) 2. 209. ȱ, vol. 1, pp. 77-78. 210. ȱ 68:11. 211. Ibid. 212. ȱȱǻǼȱȱȱŗŘŖǯȱȱȱȱŘśǱŝǯȱȱ213. Psalms 121:1-2.

ŬŪű 415 ~ SEVENTH READING

X ONKELOS W On r] r T r jnq ^ qº Wr rjq~boÒk~c nr~] oÒk~\oº42 u ork~~ru q~u j u ork~sru u n~ rl r jnou n rju r rjq~u j _ r~rV qÅq¿qa njw p~jYnjrw~ p nL rÊj qÀ¯ n ] roQrÊq_ n¿ n ruj qu q z r o qjol~nlqj rmou j qj~u o r j n jqr ¯ pvr~ qË_½q QnÒk~ r r ol~q ~ r zjqju q s~jrj ^ nr¶qj Wqs¶Ë j br¶q sRlvqw~ vp p~s]½q Wrr qbq½q43 ~rqu ju qr~ j rr ju s lq j ql~q nu n o r juq~u n s j n~ r r rjq j Yqs jnj~º LwnQp~s_ rÊq~wp¯l~sVjOn~s~s]ÆqjTq r¶ ou n~jou jp~r qr jnj~u ~ rnu n so jns~ ~ o rs RrÊqj44ºvrr_ p¯l~Qpo jnË _~ËO½qTpÀ bo~r^ p°k vp~wvr jur~j~r~ l r j q jn~ rk~ qju oju roj u nou nrjon Ñvpoº_ no¶Qoj_ r rjrÊL r~r] nl~ Qnj_ r jjnV rj ql~q~ rru q rju ~r jq~s lq s^lvqp~sb½q46 vroÆqrQp njqpL~ r sQlvq _ qÇn½q45 u nju n jq~u u j ns l~qs lq ruqu rl~q~rs j u rlq n jq~ Qr¯º j~s_½qL rwº°lvq½qQnrl~º _ jn½qOnrl~º ]jnT r p~j qjrrou ~ rju ~ rsu j q ojqu u ~o rjs lq~ j rlu r{ Ë~ Q r_ r sOl] qj~L rºlvr°Qqj OrrË]w~ rjn½q47vr·qwq nr or~rsu j rrql~q 48 ~ rjou q~ o rsrj ou nou w qËL½ q QÑjvoº_ no¶V o _ p» q bq· q Orr p~s]½q vojq· ql~~u n ru rj ojqu u o jz QrÙjp_ n Oqr~] p¯l~T rÅjnÁqj49vojq·ËQj¯w~vrr_ o¿ ol~roj u nour q ~rjoj pn ou q ju n~ u ojq o qju ou qu jn w~ p ] pÂq jÊwn~50 ºvo ovo¯~ _ n QorÃn_ n¿ÑċL poº] no¶ qr ju q nzjqu nu n~jqr ju r r~ q rjonl ~r run zq k~ o Po~ jºL rÁn¯ Qn~_~ o Oqs j¶wqT n¯r ^ qÇnÊwn~jRqs j¶ j rou n ou nr Ñvpoº_ no¶Qo_ nÒk~

X RASHI W s~ jz rrou q ojqu p z su u jqu~ rlu r{ o~p z r jnos k~ qs r~ r s r jnq qu ru j nu qj sj qr~ p zl~ru ju n qj o uq ojqu pou q ju n nuqu q q s jz o q~ j u j u ru zsru q ou jn~p s lqu qu ru p z sju rjnu q qju p zl~ nl~ q p z o~ju n s~ojus qr~p z nu q q~j r p~ru qr~p z nj" ru j nu rjz~ rjnrru j rjn r o u ru p z n jznu r jn os~ o r nr~ r rjq~ os k~ njuq~p s l qu n~pr ou nou pn sol q po qr~j os~ o qs~ qr jns lq j ou qu ~u olq qs ju qs juu o o ~p zn~ p~ jn~s j orunnu r rs s zj~s j~u r rs u s zj q suq q qu n~ zpp nu n u r rsjuru jnj rjnu q~ nrj oujz pr qrj nunq p l qu j o~pu o~r p{k~ p r znjzquq spoqsjn qs ju p~pu quj rru o r p~j~u j u ru zsru q ojr rj qj rr j nju rrjr o~ nzru n n q~ su rp z

¢¥£§£¢®³£¡¥´£³² X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W business world demands total immersion in the cul-- Ȃȱȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȬ- ture and approach of that world, forcing us to behave stood that Jacob was involved in the material world similarly to our colleagues. ¢ȱȱȱȱȱęȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ The truth, however, is that when our involvement in that God is the true and sole source of sustenance. But, ȱȱ ȱȱę¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱę¢ȱȬ- intentions, we do not become sullied or corrupted. On ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ę¢ǯ220 Our involve-- the contrary: we are elevated. With the proper precau-- ment with mundane activities, regardless of our in-- ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĚȱ¢ȱȱȬ- tentions, perforce corrupts us, marring our previously ronment, but sanctify it, and grow spiritually from the unsullied connection with God. Involvement in the challenge.221

220. Tanya, chapter 28. 221. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŗŜǰȱǯȱřǰȱǯȱŞřȬŞśǯȱȱ

ŬŪŲ 416 Genesis 31:42-50 VAYEITZEI

42ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȯȱ ȱȱǰȱwho is the object ofȱ Ȃȱ ȯȱȱȱ ȱǰȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱěȱ¢ȬǷȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱǯȄȱ Jacob did not refer to God as “the God of Isaac,” for Isaac was still alive, and God does not usually refer to Himself as “the God of” a person during his lifetime.216 Seventh Reading 43ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȃȱȱȱ¢ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱgrandǰȱȱĚȱȱ¢ȱĚǰȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱǷȱȱȱ¢ȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱinjurious ȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱǵ 44ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ¢ȱGodȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯȄ 45ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ 46ȱ ȱȱȱȱ—his sons—ȃ ȱǰȄȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱǯ 47ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ [Aramaic for “Mound of Testimony”]ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ Ȭȱ[Hebrew for the same]. 48ȱȱǰȱȃȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ǯȄȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ Ȭǰ 49ȱȱȱȱ£ȱ[“the Lookout”]ǰȱȱLabanȱȱǰȱȃ¢ȱ ќёȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȂȱ and cannot observe each other, that we not violate our covenant. 50ȱ ȱ¢ȱȬȱ¢ȱ by refusing them their conjugal rightsǰȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȯȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱelse present observingȱǰȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯȄ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 42 ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȯȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ing to yield the children—the new generation. Why Ȃȱ ȯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ǳȱ As we have should they grow up adhering to these outdated ritu-- ǰȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ als? These children are the product of modern times (Ǽȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ and should be raised in the spirit of modernity and (). Jacob was the embodiment of the third of progress! ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵǰȱ ¢ȱ ǻ), meaning a “Furthermore, your obstinate adherence to religious harmonious blending of opposites. Jacob successfully observance is only acceptable in the synagogue, when ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǲȱȱ ȱȬ- you are praying or studying the Torah. But when you fore able to state that both the God of Abraham and ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȁȱ ¢ȱ ĚȂȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǰȱǯǯǰȱ¢£ȱȱ pursuing your livelihood, you must do it my way. You 217 incorporated into his life. must leave behind the Torah’s moral and ethical stan-- 43ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ǰȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȁȬ- ĚǱ Laban’s claim against Jacob can be understood mal,’ unscrupulous manner. Otherwise, how do you as the eternal dispute between the spiritual “Laban”— ¡ȱȱȱȱǵȄ218 the voices from within and without that seek to thwart The response to Laban’s claim is obvious: Although our spiritual progress—and the spiritual “Jacob”—our materiality may appear to be the domain of Laban Divine souls. “Laban” says to us: ǰȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱǲȱȱ “I am willing to concede that you should live ¢ life mission is to elevate it and sanctify it by conducting ¢ǯȱĞȱǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ ȱěȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȂȱĞ¢ȱ¡Ȭ- it’s okay for you to be old-fashioned. But I’m not will-- pectations of us.219

216. Above, 28:13. 217. ȱ ȱ śŝřşǰȱ ǯȱ ŗǰȱ ǯȱ řŖŖǲȱ ȱ Ȃȱ śŝŘŖ, p. 106. 218. ȱ , vol. 3, p. 790. 219. Ȃ¢ȱśŝŚŘ, vol. 2, pp. 900-901.

ŬŪŲ 417 ~ SEVENTH READING

X ONKELOS W OroÆqÁqToÂ njRp» q ] q·q*] oÂ n sLlvq j Qrrp~s_½q51 ~ rs~u j r s lq j rrql~q nou nol~~u n rjr~rj or L roÆqÁqQrojOp» q ] q·qUo52Ñvpoº_ no¶ nQnr_ p¯l~ ~ rl rj or~ rsu j nrroj u j rrjqu jp~~~r r~ l ~~n rjr w~Ò [rÊ [q~wn~jOp» q ] q·qwp~TÑ bp~ o s^k vp~w~Òn Rr~wn~ qu jp~r juq~ n~j or~ rsu j r vr rj~ sQ»q_ roÆqÁqwp~jV p» q _ q·qwp~Wq~ o sbl vq ~ rjrr j or~ rsu j r nrj r rjq~u j u ork~ ~u znj rr QoÒk~ ºOoº o ]jÅj¯nTË r^ oÒ~voWr rjq~boÒk~53 u ~ rrk~~rrouu u j s r j u or~o 54 n rjnus lq u n qj su l~u q s_lvq bq¶jn½q vr jn_ nr~ q Qqj¶sOlvq] qr±n½qL pnl~ s lq oju r jn nu ~ l ou º Qnr½q p Opº j~s]½q p L rwrk~vpQr p~j~_ rjn½q Orr¶T qbp ns l~q~rj~u ru ~ ju rjjn u ru ~ rj qu rl~q~ rj qq oj vrr¶ ~ rjq ju rru o jq~ j ~ ru ju j nru u or jnjnsjn q ou z j QrËjnjV rrja o±qjqpsR¶q¶Wrrbo¿ j¯q½q32:1 u ojq~jrrrjq l~qs jq 2 u o u rlqu o js~ j q ~ l s lq j Ð] qrsQlvqj Ë vs jnQrrr¯_ r½qÐpV o½qL pjp~Ðp] rjq r q~ru ql~j q vnÒk~_ol~jqËQwºj· jn½qË L¿ jqj

X RASHI W np z rl s~j r p~j pujznjsojuq r z qp o q ps~u p z p ru u r q rr sju n nr sju p p u r rl~ q q ju ru p rrk~p rr sju p zl~ s zjnu zou q zj n~ ol n~ r n~ u ju jnuq sj q ju o rn jzq q p jql o s ruq~~n r rj r rj rr ju nu jqu nu ~n q ~u ru o~ rj{npp~p z nr~j q ns~ k ol~j q s zps r rjq~ os k~~ r jqj qjn o s ruq~ rl~ pr~r ssqu j s~ rjn s lq qujnuq s pnl ~ os k~ s s r os~o

¢£££¨²£¦£ª¦¥´£³²¢´¨³ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W ¢ȱȱ¡ǰȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ing that God has provided us with both types of angels angels: those who protect us in our temporary sojourn ěȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱ in the lands of the Diaspora, as well as those who have of our mission, as well as the strength of purpose to Ğȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ Ȭ- remain focused upon its completion.229

[ A CLOSER LOOK \ ǽśŚǾȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȬ ample, in order to demonstrate Abraham’s hospital-- : As a rule, the Torah does not detail the prepa-- ¢ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱǯȱ ȱȱ rations made for feasts230 unless there is what to be verse, because Jacob was eating with people who learned from the particulars of the preparations. The had not undertaken to follow the Torah’s laws, as Torah therefore goes into great detail in describing he had, he had to slaughter the animals himself, to the feast Abraham prepared for the angels,231ȱȱ¡Ȭ- ensure that the meat would be kosher.232

[ INNER DIMENSIONS \ ǽŗǾȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ all his future descendants, granting them the ulti-- ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ Ǳȱ ȱ¡ȱȱȱ ȱ Ȃȱǯ 233 As we have seen, Laban in his Divine source em-- This revelation of the Divine essence gave Jacob the bodies the Divine essence. Spiritually, then, Laban’s strength to overcome Esau’s angel, whom Jacob en-- kiss alludes to God’s “kissing” Jacob’s children and ȱ¢ȱĞ ǯ234

229. ȱǰȱǯȱŘśǰȱǯȱŗśŖȬŗśŞǯȱ 230.ȱǰȱȱ¡ǰȱŗşǱřȱȱŘŗǱŞȱǯȱȱ231. Above, 18:6-8. 232. ȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱ ǯȱŗŞśǯȱȱ233. On 31:10, above. 234. ȱǰȱǯȱŗśǰȱǯȱŘŜřǯȱȱ

ŬŪų 418 Genesis 31:51-32:2 VAYEITZEI

51 Even though he had merely suggested that they make a covenant but had not actually participated in erecting the monument, ȱȱȱ ǰȱȃ ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯ 52ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱȱǯȱWe may, however, cross beyond it for business purposes. 53ȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱyour grandfather ǰȱȱȱȱmy grandfather ȬȬ ǰȱandȱȱȱȱAbraham’s and Nachor’sȱ Terachǰȱȱ ȱǯȄȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ 54 Jacobȱȱȱȱȱȱ for a celebratory feastǰȱȱ ȱall ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱJacob slaughtered the animals him-- self in order to adhere to the Torah’s laws of kosher slaughter.222 ¢ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ Ğȱ 32:1ȱȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ grandȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱȱȱǯȱȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱǯ 2ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ¢ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱwho were stationed in the Land of Israel ȱȱȱȱ and escort him back. Since their mission was to ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ¢ȱ ȱĴȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȬ- ders223 for this purpose and join the angels that had been accompanying him up until then.224 X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W 52 ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǳ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱĴȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ227 ȱǳ ȱȱǯȱȱ¢ǰȱ ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱȱǰȱ¢ȱ ȱĴȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱǱȱUpon parting from ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱȱ ȱ ȬȬ ǰȱ ȱ ¢¢ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ of welcoming him and accompanying him back was conditions for their continued relationship—which not considered “leaving” the land. allowed for some interaction between him and La-- On a deeper level, the change in the angels’ behavior ban—by constructing a mound of stones. As opposed ĚȱȱȱǱ228 to a solid wall, a mound is a collection of unconnected stones, signifying that the separation is not absolute.ŘŘś When Jacob was on his way to Charan, the angels were Spiritually, this means that Jacob was not erecting an sent as an escort to provide him with the spiritual pow-- impenetrable barrier between himself and the realm er necessary to succeed in his mission there. When he of Laban. He would continue to enter Laban’s realm returned, the angels were sent to complete the work for the “business” of harnessing the sparks of holiness he had done in elevating the environment outside the that reside there, but he would do so while remaining Land of Israel. Once Jacob had done all he was able to detached from the Laban-like approach to life. ȱȱȱ ǰȱȱĞȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǰȱǯȱǻȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ Similarly, the “mound” we erect to distinguish be-- on the previous verse), God concluded Jacob’s mission tween ourselves and the mundane world around us ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱĞȱȱ ȱȱĞȱȬǯȱȱ ȱȱȱ borders to sanctify the land outside it with the sanctity that mound in order to conduct our business of sanc-- of the Land of Israel. tifying the material world, we at the same time must remain aloof from its materialism.226 These two functions of the angels have their parallel in 2 ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱ ǰȱ¢ȱ ȱĴȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȬȬ ȱ ȱ ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǱȱ ȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱĞȱ to sanctify the entire world, God granted us the spiritu-- the Land of Israel, the angels of the Land of Israel could ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱęȱ

222. ȱǰȱǯȱřśǰȱǯȱŗŞśǯȱȱ223. ȱǰȱǯȱŘśǰȱǯȱŗśŖȬŗśřǯȱȱ224. Above, 28:12. 225. ȱǰȱǯȱśǰȱǯȱŗŘşǯȱȱ 226. ȱ, vol. 3, p. 794. 227. Above, 28:13. 228. See above on 28:11.

ŬŪų 419 ~ SEVENTH READING

X ONKELOS W 3 ~ r njzqrlu qu s lqql~q ~V rjn½qL p QnÒk~_ ol vqOr~ r ] p¯l~vq¿Tslvqp~s^½q ~ rjq~~ j r~ jz rj~u u r rj rm n nrl q~u q nvrl vq~ºQqË_rÁqwvo¯

XJL JXJ L

X RASHI W ~ q su n ~u rup z pr~r r u p z sl q oujz nrl q s~ rjn~u ru p zo~ rj{n pp~p zj~ru

ŬūŪ 420 Genesis 32:3 VAYEITZEI

3ȱȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȃȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ǰȄȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱ[“Twin Camps”] (See Fig-- ure 36).

The Ğ for ȱ¢itzei ¢ȱȱȱȱǯȱřśŖǯ

FigureȱřŜǱȱ From Gilead to Machanaim

ŬūŪ 421 Ğ ¢£ Hosea 11:7–12:14

In parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob Ě his brother Esau; in this Ğ we read how we read how God helped Jacob survive the of his rich but father-in-law Laban. In this Ğ, God the Jews of the northern to just such a false and cheating ǯ

11:7 My people of Israel, i.e., the northern T qw p~jL nrº v¯jn Qn~ºj_ nÁqj11:7 Ȃ ten tribes vacillate over 8 returning to Me. When they are called n Rqjp~]Ñj pÊp~Ð Yo~ voËj~Ò_ q Qqº Ot~ rjn by the prophets to repent for a certain QÑ j vn°l~Or jq~j]Ñj pÊp~Ð~ Uo Oo~ rj°nTÑjp· ql~ , they do not agree to uphold it vrº vnº_jjnq QqOn¶nTqrÐ^ qÅjpL n~s jn¿ together. 8Nevertheless, how can I give you over to your , Ephraim; how ] o q¯j º Q¯r~~Ò_ OnÅq~Ë ]l T p°k~~ vp ^Ò9 can I hand you over, Israel? How can I ¯Ë Or]Ñj¶ jnj¶¯ On~w~ÒjT ns~ vr ~^ o ¿] n nL rjp~ make you desolate like Admah, or ruined 10 like Tzevoyim, which were destroyed ]o jq~j¿ºQjvoV rÙja ol vq~ vnj¶~Ë Qr~~ _Òj with and ?24 My heart vr½ n Qnrº_ jp vp j Oq~j¯n ~º ]wn¿L r~j¯n has turned over within Me, all My regrets 11 have been aroused. 9 I will not act on My p] p~oQrË jº n OqjnÁnTËÅ njº^ jp vp burning wrath, I will not relent My vrÙjwvt~jQpoÊvr¶wq _ nÊjq¯Ë vj º L±q~ goodness to destroy Ephraim, ]¶ o Qr jnjº n Oqjp~T¯ q bqjn^ trj12:1 for I am God, who keeps His word, and not a man who changes his .Iamthe Qn¯ËjwnjOo~wnT r s_ RrºvnL o~rj°n Holy One in your midst, and I will not w r¿ O nr] osjTq ºb_ psn Wqjp~2 vrk~vp make My abode in a ě city. ºsOjnº ]±q~wnT njºL p¶ jqsQ¯r_ r r¿ËP½q 10 They will follow Gќё when He roars like a lion, for He will roar to signal the L rºjw n QrÙvq _ nj3 vrºn_ qjnjpQp¯j end of the exile, and His children will _ n¯rQrrl vqj¿Or r jn¿Tslvqwvqs^jnj hasten back from their exile in the west. 4 11 Trembling, they will hasten like a bird _ rr°ËQË~ jº L n r~wp~] qrpQp¶q¶ Ë v from Egypt and like a dove from the land Qrr¶Ort½qTÐ r~jqwp~q°^ r½q5 vnÒk~w p~ of Assyria, and I shall Ĵ them in their homes. Thus has Gќё spoken. º vrÁn_ o¶ qjQr¯jºÂ Op~rjnT o~wvo¶ËLwpÂ q jn½q 12:1 Ephraim (the northern Ǽ surrounded Me with falsity and the House of Israel with deceit; but the southern of Judah still rules with the fear of God, and is faithful to the Holy One. 2 Ephraim seeks the companionship and guidance the words of the air; he pursues the east wind; all day long he abounds in lies and robbery; he seals a covenant with Assyria and delivers oil to Egypt to bribe to be his ally. 3 G ќё tells His grievance against Israel to Judah so they not wonder why He punishes ; He will visit retribution upon the descendants of Jacob in accordance with his conduct; He will repay him according to his exploits. 4In the womb, Jacob held his brother’s heel, and in his prime he prevailed over Esau’s guardian angel. 5 He mastered the angel and triumphed, and the angel wept and implored him, “Let Him ę us in Bethel and there He will speak with us.”

24. Genesis 19:25.

ŭůŪ HAFTARAH FOR VAYEITZEI

6 Just as I was then, so I now Gќё, QrÊq~j7 Ë vjnQrÙjË L~rjÆq] oÒk~QrÙvq6 the God of Hosts; He is recalled by the Name of Gќё. Had you followed Me _oº qjsOj¯T rÅj¯nº p^ p º L¯r Ñ] pÒ~vo¶ wholeheartedly like Jacob, I would have Qr jn_ oj~sË v Vr¶ j qRq j¿8 vnrÊÑQpÒk~w p~ 7 treated you as I treated ǯ And you, 9 trusting in your God and His and nÊ jOq¯rÐ~] q n Oqjp~p~s]½q vor~s_¯lvq support, shall return to Him; just practice _srQnwº~jjn~Ò_ Pqnjwr¿L nË~ Q n~_ rr loving-kindness and justice, and then you 10 ¢ place constant hope in your God. p] p~o ÑQpÒk~_ rÙjV ns vr~j ~ jvo wp¯l~ 8 But instead, like a merchant with false voË _ o n¿ Qnrm~vr_Ñj vn¯Ë~ sVnL rjn scales in his hand, who loves to defraud, nL o¶ jnË] r Qns vr~j On~njÂqwqT nÊ jbq¶ nj11 9 Ephraim said, “I have indeed grown 12 wealthy; I have secured power for myself; wÐ~ q Tp~ br _ rjn·w n~ vpÁ ql~ Qn~njÂq_ q jº in all of my toils they will not ę in me T rË j¶j n ^ q· º L o¶n ] nr¯ j Qr·jn·q¶ºO~ r j] r¯ any iniquity or transgression. Why, then, 13 should I worship ǵ” Moreover, your ] oj°sQlvq _ qjn½q vrr°_ ojÊ q Qq OnÀq j¿ ę king, son of Nevat, argued vrr¯Qr±n~jº Or±n~j¶T o~ rj°ns^lvq½qL rl~ that since Joseph’s brothers declared 14 Joseph’s slaves,25 and he is nL rjnÁnQo~rj°nw~ p V rÙja rk vp~ Pnr jº Joseph’s descendant, and whatever a slave vrj¯n~ Qnr jº owns belongs to its ǰ then all the Jews’ property is his! 10 To this, I reply: I, Gќёǰ have been your God ever since the land of Egypt. The wealth your forefathers took Egypt was because of Me. And just as I knew in Egypt who was a ę and who was not, so do I know who is cheating with his scales and who is not. Instead of saying “in all ¢ toils, they will not ę in any sin,” you should have said, “all ¢ toils will not Ĝ to atone for ¢ sins!” ǰ son of Nevat, you how Joseph’s brothers declared his slaves, but the prohibition against idols in the Ten you did not ǰ for you have erected idols in Bethel and Dan. Therefore, I shall all the cheating your ǰ and instead, I shall yet bring forth you scholars of the Torah and Ĵ you in tents as in the days of old, when Jacob studied the Torah in the tents of and Ever. 11 I spoke to the prophets to you and bring you back to the proper path, and I granted many visions, and through the prophets I appeared in many likenesses and spoke in metaphors so My would be understood by the people. 12 If evil befalls Gilead, surely it is their own fault, because they were false, for they ę oxen to idols in Gilgal; indeed, their altars were as numerous as mounds of stones on the furrows of the ęǯ 13 Even before I helped Jacob prevail over Esau’s guardian angel, I guarded when he Ě to the ę of Aram, and there Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he herded sheep. 14 As for your disdain for the prophets, that Gќё brought Israel up from Egypt through a prophet, and through a prophet they were protected.

25. Genesis 50:18.

ŭůū Dedicated in honor of our children Nathan, Yitzchok, Moshe Lev, and Gilana

May you continue to grow in the ways of our holy Torah Yuri and Deana Pikover