Vayeitzei – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

הבה לי בנים ואם אין מתה אנכי... ויחר אף יעקב ברחל ויאמר התחת אלקים אנכי

“Give me children – otherwise I am dead.” Yaakov’s anger flared up at Rachel, and he said, “Am I instead of G-d?” (30:1,2)

Ramban says that, undoubtedly, Yaakov Avinu prayed for Rachel Imeinu. He admonished her for wrongly implying that a tzaddik, righteous person, has the power to “coerce” Hashem to respond to his wish. Thus, when Rachel saw that relying on Yaakov’s prayer was not an option, she prayed herself to the One Who listens and responds – Hashem. The Avnei Nezer of Sochatchov was a brilliant Gaon who hardly ever left his home. He was constantly involved in Torah – either studying or teaching. One day he announced to his students that he was attending the Bris of the son of…

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עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה... ולא ידע יעקב כי רחל גנבתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5777

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live… Now Yaakov did not know that Rachel had stolen them. (31:32)

Yaakov Avinu uttered the curse, because he suspected that one of the pagan servants had stolen the teraphim. Had he known that it was Rachel Imeinu who had taken them, he certainly would not have pronounced the curse. Sadly, the curse took effect, catalyzing (in some way) Rachel’s untimely death. Every word that exits our mouth must be carefully weighed. One never knows… We find this occurring a number of times in Tanach. One notable instance occurred when the brothers returned from Egypt and related to their father, Yaakov Avinu, the troubles that the Egyptian viceroy had caused them. Imagine,…

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ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5776

He reached the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. (28:11)

Darkness can be overwhelming. The symbolism inherent in darkness can be debilitating, since it evokes hopelessness; when there is no hope, there is no life. Hope is the candle that lights up the darkness, regardless of the size of the candle. Sadly, consistent with the well-known proverb, too many of us are too busy cursing the darkness to seek out a candle to counteract the darkness. We are too intensely involved in complaining about the miserable hand that has been dealt to us to focus on the positive, in order to engender hope into our lives. Yaakov Avinu had two…

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ויגש יעקב ויגל את האבן מעל פי הבאר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5776

He stepped near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well. (29:10)

Rashi teaches that Yaakov Avinu was able to roll the stone off the well with the same ease as one removes a stopper from a bottle opening. Are Chazal that impressed with Yaakov’s physical strength that they feel it is a necessary lesson to impart to us? Are we that interested in our Patriarch’s physical prowess? Furthermore, in Tefillas Geshem, we say, Yichad lev v’gal even mi’pi be’er mayim… Baavuro al timna mayim, “He dedicated his heart and rolled a stone off the mouth of a well of water… For his sake, do not hold water back!” What merit does…

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ויגל את האבן מעל פי הבאר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5776

And he (Yaakov) rolled the stone from the mouth of the well. (29:10)

Yaakov Avinu exhibited brute force when he rolled the heavy stone off the well. Was Yaakov attempting to impress Rachel Imeinu with his strength? Clearly, he had a deeper message to convey to his future wife than his brawniness. Furthermore, when Yaakov Avinu cried following his encounter with Rachel, Rashi explains that this weeping was the result of his seeing b’Ruach HaKodesh, Divine Inspiration, that Rachel would not be buried near him. If his vision was so penetrating that he could see the future, he obviously saw that Rachel was a righteous and virtuous woman who would certainly not be…

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וישא את קלו ויבך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5776

And (Yaakov) cried out in a loud voice. (29:11)

The Torah informs us that Yaakov Avinu wept when he met Rachel Imeinu for the first time. Rashi gives us two reasons that the Patriarch wept. Horav Arye Leib Heyman, zl, addresses both reasons, seeking the Divine Providential factor in each one, and explaining how it impacted our People for generations to come. The first reason that Rashi gives is that Yaakov saw b’Ruach HaKodesh, by Divine Inspiration, that he would not be buried with Rachel. He would be buried in the Meoras HaMachpeilah, while Rachel would be buried on the road near Bais Lechem. We wonder why, specifically at…

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מה פשעי מה חטאתי כי דלקת אחרי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5776

What is my crime? What sin did I commit that you were in such hot pursuit of me? (31:36)

After over two decades of being cheated and surrounded by his evil father-in-law, Lavan, Yaakov Avinu left in the hope of finally having a home undisturbed by the nefarious machinations of his father-in-law. Lavan, of course, accused our Patriarch of every evil endeavor known to man. Yaakov’s response? “What is my crime?” No screaming; no shouting; no malediction; just a relaxed and calm, “What did I do?” How did he contain himself after so many years of suffering and degradation? Horav Reuven Karlinstein, Shlita, explains that Yaakov did not respond to Lavan, because he was acutely aware that Lavan was…

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

And Yaakov departed from Beer-Sheva and went to Charan. (28:10)

The Torah underscores Yaakov Avinu’s departure from Beer-Sheva. This emphasis begs elucidation, because we know that Yaakov left Beer-Sheva. It is the place in which he was living. Obviously, when one leaves – he leaves from home. Rashi explains that when a tzaddik, righteous person, leaves a community, it is no ordinary departure. It is a major event, because the community will never be the same. The departure of a tzaddik creates a stir and leaves an impression. When a tzaddik is in a city, he is its glory, its splendor, and its beauty. When he departs, these qualities leave…

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ויקח מאבני המקום

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

He took from the stones of the place. (28:11)

The Midrash disputes how many stones Yaakov Avinu took. Rabbi Yehudah posits that the Patriarch took twelve stones. Rabbi Nechemiah contends that he took three stones. The Rabbanan say that he took only two stones. Horav Yechezkel Abramsky, zl, offers a homiletic understanding of Rabbi Nechemiah’s position that there were three stones. He suggests that “stones” are a metaphor which alludes to the three Patriarchs, who are the foundation stones upon which the world is built. Each Patriarch represents his individual approach towards serving the Divine. Avraham Avinu represents the middah, attribute, of chesed, kindness. Yitzchak Avinu characterizes avodah, service…

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וישג לבן את יעקב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

Lavan overtook Yaakov. (31:25)

Imagine how Yaakov Avinu must have felt when Lavan caught up with him. He made an attempt to escape. He knew that if Lavan overtook him, he had little chance to remain alive. No one could best Lavan. So Yaakov kept on running, while Lavan continued his pursuit. The Midrash teaches us that, while Yaakov was running from Lavan, unbeknownst to him, another enemy, his brother Eisav, was also in pursuit. Armed to the teeth with four hundred trusted soldiers, Eisav was finally free to rid himself of Yaakov. His brother would pay a hefty price for appropriating the blessings….

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הבה לי בנים ואם אין מתה אנכי... ויחר אף יעקב ברחל ויאמר התחת אלקים אנכי

“Give me children – otherwise I am dead.” Yaakov’s anger flared up at Rachel, and he said, “Am I instead of G-d?” (30:1,2)

עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה... ולא ידע יעקב כי רחל גנבתם

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live… Now Yaakov did not know that Rachel had stolen them. (31:32)

ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש

He reached the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. (28:11)

ויגש יעקב ויגל את האבן מעל פי הבאר

He stepped near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well. (29:10)

ויגל את האבן מעל פי הבאר

And he (Yaakov) rolled the stone from the mouth of the well. (29:10)

וישא את קלו ויבך

And (Yaakov) cried out in a loud voice. (29:11)

מה פשעי מה חטאתי כי דלקת אחרי

What is my crime? What sin did I commit that you were in such hot pursuit of me? (31:36)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

And Yaakov departed from Beer-Sheva and went to Charan. (28:10)

ויקח מאבני המקום

He took from the stones of the place. (28:11)

וישג לבן את יעקב

Lavan overtook Yaakov. (31:25)

YEARS

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