Sruly Schnair – Page 2 – Peninim on the Torah

עם לבן גרתי

I have sojourned with Lavan. (32:5)

Yaakov Avinu’s message to Eisav, Im Lavan garti, is the focus of much commentary. After all, does Eisav really care about Yaakov’s past lodging? He is interested in only one thing: exacting revenge against his brother for cheating him out of his rightful blessings. This was Eisav’s perception. Yaakov’s message does not seem to align with Eisav’s complaint and mission focused on revenge. Rashi cites Chazal who render garti, I sojourned/lodged, in two different ways: “I have not become the great prince which you perceive was the intent of the blessings. I am still Yaakov, merely a ger, alien. You…

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ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר. ואמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5786

Then he said, “Let me go for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (32:27)

The dialogue between Yaakov Avinu and Eisav’s angel begs elucidation. It appears that Yaakov sought to secure the angel’s approval to validate his receipt of the blessings. This would teach us that consent and approval carry weight; they can elevate or diminish the value of one’s deeds. Since when does Eisav’s or his angels’ approval determine the appropriateness of Yaakov’s actions? Who cares if they scream “foul”? Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, explains that man is often misled by certain actions and activities, because externally they bespeak compassion, mercy and observance. Appearances, however, are deceiving. It may look good; it may…

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ויאמר לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל כי שרית עם אלקים ועם אנשים ותוכל

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5786

He said, “Your name shall no longer be Yaakov, but Yisrael, because you have commanding power with the Divine and with men, and you have prevailed.” (32:29)

The Kedushas Levi offers an interesting explanation for Yaakov Avinu’s name change. We can identify two types of people or, rather, two forms of avodah, service/relationship with Hashem. Some (this too is not easy) direct their hearts solely to Hashem when they are engaged in avodas ha’kodesh, sacred service, such as, tefillah, Torah study and mitzvah observance. At these times, they are completely immersed in Hashem’s Presence. Once davening is over, or they close their seforim and enter the marketplace, however, they bid Hashem “goodbye,” and their focus shifts radically. They have departed from their relationship with the Heavenly sphere….

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וירץ עשו לקראתו ... וישקהו ויבכו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5786

Eisav ran towards him (Yaakov) … and kissed him, then they wept. (33:4)

Eisav’s actions were atypical of a man who harbored an implacable hatred for Yaakov. Rashi quotes Chazal that, indeed, Eisav sonei l’Yaakov, his hatred is immutable and without rationale. It is part of his DNA. It is just that, at that moment, his feelings of compassion were aroused. We seem to have a problem accepting the verity that Eisav sonei l’Yaakov. Does this apply to all eino Yehudim, or just those who fall under the rubric of Eisav/Amalek? Obviously, this is a discussion that goes beyond the scope of this d’var Torah. Horav Yosef Shur was appointed chief district judge…

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5786

Yaakov left Be’er Sheva and went toward Charan. (28:10)

Obviously, we are well aware of Yaakov Avinu’s origin, his home from which he was leaving. What is really important for the reader is his destination. Why does the Torah underscore his leaving Be’er Sheva? Quoting Chazal, Rashi says, “When a righteous person departs from a city, its glory departs.” For while the tzadik is in the city, he is its glory, splendor and beauty. The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, offer their understanding and analysis of these terms. I would like to make one observation concerning the emphasis on Yaakov leaving Be’er Sheva. Yaakov left Be’er Sheva;…

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5786

Yaakov left Be’er Sheva. (28:10)

Undoubtedly, a tzadik impacts a community – if he is involved with the community. This is the common perspective. What about the tzadik who sits in his vinkel, corner, learning all day, going out just to daven? What does he do for the community? Yaakov Avinu was the consummate ish tam yosheiv ohalim, wholesome person abiding in tents, which is a reference to the ohalah shel Torah, the bais ha’medrash. Yet, when he left Be’er Sheva, the void his absence created was deep. As Rashi says, the splendor, beauty and glory of the community drifted away with him. Apparently, the…

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ויקח מאבני המקום וישם מראשתיו

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5786

He took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head. (28:11)

Chazal teach that the stones began quarreling, each one vying for the tzadik to rest his head upon it. Thereupon, Hashem combined them all into one stone to serve the tzadik equally. Apparently, the competition among the stones lasted only as long as they were separated from one another. Why did it not continue, even when they became one with different surfaces? Each stone could have demanded that Yaakov rest his head on his portion of the stone. This teaches us that competitiveness and divisiveness occur only when people are separated from one another. When everyone lives together in harmony,…

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והנה מלאכי אלקים עלים ויורדים בו

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5786

And behold! Angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it. (28:12)

The realm in which the Heavenly Angels make their “home” is Heaven. Thus, the Torah should have written that Angels were first descending and then ascending back to their spiritual habitat. Rashi clearly says that olim techilah, v’achar kach yordim, they first went up to Shomayim and then returned down to land. Horav Chaim Berlin, zl, explains this with a practical analogy. The eastern wall of a shul is called the “front,” and walking up to the lectern or Aron Kodesh is called “walking up.” The reason for this is that the Aron Kodesh, Ark, is situated on the eastern…

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אלה תולדות יצחק בן אברהם, אברהם הולד את יצחק

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5786

And these are the offspring of Yitzchak ben Avraham, Avraham begot Yitzchak. (25:19)

The opening pasuk of the parsha seems redundant. If Yitzchak was Avraham’s son, then obviously Avraham was his biological father. Rashi explains that the redundancy is deliberate, to attest that Yitzchak was unmistakably Avraham Avinu’s son both biologically and spiritually. Apparently, the leitzanim, cynics, were spreading the lie that Sarah had conceived through relations with Avimelech when she was in Gerar. They claimed that, at his advanced age, Avraham could no longer have children. [They ignored Yishmael’s birth.] In order to set the record straight, Hashem formed Yitzchak’s countenance to be exactly the same as that of Avraham. No question…

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ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו ורבקה אהבת את יעקב

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5786

Yitzchak loved Eisav for game was in his mouth, but Rivkah loved Yaakov. (25:28)

Rashi explains tzayid b’fiv as “cunning in his mouth.” Eisav was extremely smooth and able to articulate halachic questions, thereby giving the ruse that he was meticulous in his observance – which he was not. The obvious question is: How did Eisav pull one over Yitzchak Avinu? To suggest that, due to his immense level of kedushah, our Patriarch was slightly “naïve” in the evil ways of the world demeans the greatness of Yitzchak. Being holy does not mean being naïve. Indeed, Torah study makes one wiser and equips him with greater acuity. We have no question that Yitzchak knew…

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עם לבן גרתי

I have sojourned with Lavan. (32:5)

ויאמר שלחני כי עלה השחר. ואמר לא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני

Then he said, “Let me go for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (32:27)

ויאמר לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל כי שרית עם אלקים ועם אנשים ותוכל

He said, “Your name shall no longer be Yaakov, but Yisrael, because you have commanding power with the Divine and with men, and you have prevailed.” (32:29)

וירץ עשו לקראתו ... וישקהו ויבכו

Eisav ran towards him (Yaakov) … and kissed him, then they wept. (33:4)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

Yaakov left Be’er Sheva and went toward Charan. (28:10)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע

Yaakov left Be’er Sheva. (28:10)

ויקח מאבני המקום וישם מראשתיו

He took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head. (28:11)

והנה מלאכי אלקים עלים ויורדים בו

And behold! Angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it. (28:12)

אלה תולדות יצחק בן אברהם, אברהם הולד את יצחק

And these are the offspring of Yitzchak ben Avraham, Avraham begot Yitzchak. (25:19)

ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו ורבקה אהבת את יעקב

Yitzchak loved Eisav for game was in his mouth, but Rivkah loved Yaakov. (25:28)

YEARS

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