בס“ד Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov Parshat Vayishlach 13 Kislev 5771/November 20, 2010 Vol.2 Num. 12 Yaakov Remained Alone R’ Mordechai Torczyner Yaakov is remarkable for his ability to message; she did not act out of loyalty to many potential companions, travel alone expand beyond previous boundaries and Yaakov.] at night? predetermined roles. Described initially as a dweller of tents, Yaakov transitions Yaakov may have inherited this asocial The abandonment of Yaakov is a black into the rough-and-ready roles of trait from his father, Yitzchak, in contrast mark on the history of the Jewish people. with the social character of his grandfather, Certainly, Yaakov survived this shepherd and wrestler. Once destitute and endowed only with a walking stick, Avraham. Avraham enjoyed an alliance encounter, but how glorious would have Yaakov evolves into a successful with Aner, Eshkol and Mamre, who been the scene had Yaakov‟s children businessman. A bachelor into his sixties escorted him to war, accompanied him to escorted him. Envision Yaakov facing the whereas his father and brother had his brit milah and celebrated at Yitzchak‟s angel of Esav with his bechor, Reuven; married at the age of forty, Yaakov then weaning. Yitzchak, on the other hand, lived with the two fiery warriors, Shimon and weds four women and fathers thirteen a life without allies. We find no friends of Levi; with the lion, Yehudah; with the fleet children. Yitzchak mentioned in the Torah, and Naftali; with the serpentine Dan; with Yitzchak was actually driven out of his Yosef, the bane of Esav. Imagine the For all of his prodigious success, though, home by his neighbours at one point; the scene when Esav‟s representative comes Yaakov manifests a certain loneliness, closest Yitzchak came to an alliance was a out to meet Yaakov, and finds himself achieving most of his financial and filial pact of non-aggression with the Philistine facing this most formidable army. If only wealth not through the aid of friends but king, Avimelech. they had stood by his side! In fact, Rabbi through barter, purchase and sweat. Yehudah haChasid (Sefer Chasidim 231) Yaakov receives his birthright by barter, Whatever its origin, Yaakov‟s isolation wrote that Yaakov‟s children and weds Rachel and Leah in exchange continues on the night he is assaulted by spontaneously vowed not to eat the gid for fourteen years of hard labour. The Esav‟s spiritual proxy. The gemara (Chullin hanasheh (sciatic neurovascular bundle) peace Yaakov makes with his murderous 91a) justifies Yaakov‟s abandonment by to atone for having abandoned their suggesting he was only engaged in a brother costs him enormous wealth. father that night and having allowing him .small to suffer his injury on that spot ,פכים קטנים Yaakov survives Yosef‟s disappearance, minor task, retrieving but without the consolation of family. Of jugs, and so he did not need assistance. course, Yaakov benefits from Divine Nonetheless, the gemara (Pesachim 2a) In truth, though, Yaakov was never truly protection, as he directly acknowledges teaches us that our ancestors were careful alone; as promised from the beginning, at the start of our parshah - but nothing is not to travel at night, even with other G-d stood by Yaakov all through his life. handed to Yaakov by human beings. [One people along. Later in the Torah, Yosef Even when Yaakov was pitted against might note that Rivkah aided Yaakov in would wait until morning to send his full Esav‟s representative, HaShem was by his side during the battle, and afterward receiving the blessings, but the midrash complement of brothers, men in the prime (Tanchuma Toldot 10) suggests that of health, out on the road. Why, then, did HaShem healed his wound. Yaakov, an aged patriarch blessed with Rivkah was told to do this by Divine The Sefer haChinuch (Mitzvah 3) identified this Divine aid as a positive Parshah Questions R’ Meir Lipschitz aspect of the mitzvah of Gid haNasheh, writing that we refrain from eating the Gid haNasheh, “so that we will be confident Answers are provided on page two. that we will not be lost, that our descendants and our name will endure, that a redeemer will come to save us from ?ותמנע היתה פילגש What can be learned from (Rashi Bereishit 36:12, Sanhedrin 99b) our enemies, that the sun [which shone Why do we still refer to Yaakov as Yaakov, not Yisrael? for Yaakov] will also shine for us through (Ibn Ezra, Ramban, and Ohr HaChaim to Bereishit 35:9-10, Berachos 13a) the arrival of our mashiach who will heal us of our pain and redeem us.” What gave Shimon and Levi the right to wipe out the city of Shechem? (Ramban Bereishit 34:13,Ohr HaChaim Bereishit 34:25, Rambam Hilchot May we learn from the lessons of the Sefer Melachim 9:14) Chasidim and Sefer haChinuch, assisting who fought with Yaakov? each other and meriting to recognize איש For children: Who was the Divine assistance, so that the sun will (Rashi Bereishit 32:25) [email protected] shine for us as well. To sponsor a Toronto Torah in memory or in honour of a loved one for $180, please email [email protected] or call 416-781-1777. Parsha Answers R’ Meir Lipschitz Ramban then provides an alternative a judicial system to enforce the local ותמנע היתה What can be learned from suggestion like that of Ibn Ezra: It laws. The people of Shechem who ?פילגש Rashi derives from this phrase the was not a switch that prohibited the did not prosecute Shechem for his kidnapping Dinah) wereגזל ) high esteem in which Avraham and use of the original name, but addition crime of his family were held. Timna was the of a name. in violation of one of the Noahide daughter of chiefs, and yet she so Ohr HaChaim suggests that a commandments, and as such were wanted to be a part of Avraham‟s person‟s name refers to his spiritual punishable with death. and through this he Ramban rejects the explanation ofשם הנפש(, ) family that she was even willing to nature be a concubine to Elifaz, as she felt explains the prohibition against the Rambam because the command unworthy to be a wife to one of using Avraham‟s original name, but to establish a judicial system is a Avraham‟s great-grandsons. not Yaakov‟s. Yaakov is his “soul positive command, and Noahides The gemara in Sanhedrin 99b name” and as such it can‟t be are only put to death for violating a brings a fuller account of what had removed, despite his new name prohibition. [He also extends the happened with Timna. She wanted which reflects his elevated level of definition of their responsibility to and so both names may be for a judicial system to include theרוח אלקים, to convert and attach herself to Judaism, but Avraham, Yitzchak, and used. On the other hand, the name Torah laws of theft, damages, sales, Yaakov would not accept her. She “Avram” is included in Avraham, and loans, and other related areas of deduced from this that her only because his original name remains in civil and tort law, the violation of any recourse was to become Elifaz‟s his new one, the old one alone may of which would be punishable by concubine in order to attach herself not be used. death.] He further questions the to Avraham‟s family. The gemara in Berachot 13a tells us need to justify Shimon and Levi‟s that we may use the name Yaakov, actions, since it can be readily Why do we still refer to Yaakov as despite the change to Yisrael, assumed that the people of the city Yaakov, not Yisrael? because HaShem Himself calls him were idolaters, adulterers, and sinners of all variety, and so they ויאמר : Ibn Ezra reads the statement of Yaakov after the name change were certainly fit for capital אלקים לישראל במראות הלילה ויאמר יעקב HaShem not as a name switch, but Bereishit 46:2) punishment even without the) יעקב rather as an addition: “Your name shall no longer be called Yaakov What gave Shimon and Levi the right Rambam‟s explanation. Perhaps, he [alone], but [also] Yisrael.” to wipe out the city of Shechem? concludes, the need is not to justify Ramban explains that when Rambam in Hilchot Melachim their punishment, but why Shimon HaShem said, “Your name is rules that if a Noahide fails in his and Levi had the right to carry it out. Yaakov,” He meant that despite the fulfillment of any of the Noahide Ohr HaChaim c i t e s t h e fact that the angel had granted him mitzvot (for a discussion on what they disagreement between Rambam and the name Yisrael, he remained are see Toronto Torah Noach 5771) Ramban and offers two suggestions Yaakov, since the angel had not he should be put to death. One of of his own to answer why they killed been sent by HaShem to do that. those mitzvot is the establishment of everyone in the city, rather than just Shechem. 1) They originally intended only to put Shechem to 613 Mitzvot: Mitzvah 63, 64, 431 death, but the people of the city rose up to defend him. Shimon and Levi Treatment of a Ger were justified in killing them at that point, since they could be put into which allows forרודף, the category of The Torah commands us to be is because someone who approaches killing one‟s attacker as an act of self careful in our treatment of people Judaism on his own initiative -defense.