Vayeitzei – Page 6 – Peninim on the Torah

ויחלם והנה סולם מוצב ארצה וראשו מגיע השמימה. והנה מלאכי אלקים עלים וירדים בו. והנה ד' נצב עליו.

He dreamt, and behold! A ladder set up toward earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven, and behold! Angels of G-d ascending and descending against it. And behold! G-d stood beside him. (28:12,13)

Yaakov Avinu set the tone and established the standards for our nation. The principles by which we live as a people were set forth by the Patriarch as he journeyed from Beer-Sheva to Charan. Yaakov gives us our name and destiny, as we are called Bnei Yisrael. Avraham Avinu was instructed to “go for yourself,” lech lecha, uproot yourself and your family, and leave for a destination unknown. He did so as a successful baal ha’bayis, householder, with a wife and retinue of servants and wealth. Yaakov did not leave because he was so commanded by Hashem; rather, the Almighty…

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וידר יעקב נדר לאמר אם יהיה אלקים עמדי... והאבן הזאת אשר שמתי מצבה יהיה בית אלקים וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5774

Then Yaakov took a vow, saying if G-d will be with me… Then this stone which I set as a pillar shall become a house of G-d, and whatever You will give me, I shall surely tithe it to You. (28:20,22)

In Hilchos Arachin (6:32,33), the Rambam writes: “It appears to me that whereas one cannot consecrate something which has not yet appeared in the world (is not yet in existence); if he were, however, to state, ‘I take it upon myself to consecrate this object’ (which is not yet in existence), he must carry out his vow and consecrate the object when it appears in the world. For instance, if one were to say, ‘I will give the fruits of this field (which are not yet here) to poor people, he must give those fruits to the poor when they…

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וישא את קולו ויבך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5774

And he raised his voice and wept. (29:11)

Horav Yaakov Galinsky, Shlita, relates that he once visited the Steipler Gaon, Horav Yaakov Kanievsky, zl, and the Gaon’s countenance was illuminated. The Steipler was the essence of Torah, and, undoubtedly, this was Torah related – which it was. “Sit down; I want to share a chiddush, original thought, with you. When Avraham Avinu sent Eliezer to seek a wife for Yitzchak, he did not send him empty handed. The Torah details the wealth of gifts that Eliezer brought with him to ‘seal the deal.’ Clearly, Yitzchak Avinu sent his son with no less. Yet Yaakov Avinu bemoaned the fact…

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הפעם אודה את ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5774

This time I will give thanks. (29:35)

Rashi explains that Leah Imeinu’s present expression of gratitude coincided with the birth of her fourth son, Yehudah, because she now realized that she had received more than her equal share. Since Yaakov Avinu had four wives and was destined to have twelve sons, each wife would be expected to have three sons. With the fourth son, Leah had taken more than her share. In the Talmud Berachos 7b, Chazal make what seems to be an enigmatic statement. “From the time that Hashem created the world, no one had come forth and thanked Hashem until Leah came along and offered…

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וישכב במקום ההוא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5773

And (he) lay down in that place. (28:11)

Rashi notes that ba’makom ha’hu, in that place, is an expression of exclusion, implying that it was only in that place that he lay down. During the fourteen years that he spent in the yeshivah of Eiver, however, he did not lay down at night, because he was occupied with the study of Torah. Previously, in Parashas Toldos, Rashi explained that when Yaakov Avinu left Be’er Sheva, he did not immediately go to Charan. He took a fourteen-year hiatus in the yeshiva of Eiver to study Torah. The Oztrovtzer, zl, wonders why Yaakov Avinu, who was sixty-three-years old when he…

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ועיני לאה רכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5773

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

Rashi comments that Leah Imeinu’s eyes were tender due to her incessant weeping. She thought that,as she was the older sister; it would be her lot to fall into the hands of Eisav for the purpose of marriage. This was clearly a reason to cry. Tears play a significant role in our relationship with the Almighty, especially in the area of prayer; indeed, weeping is considered a form of supplication. In one of the most moving elegies of the Selichos prayers, we ask Hashem: Yehi ratzon, “May it be Your will, You who hear the sound of weeping, that You…

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ועיני לאה רכות

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5773

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

Leah Imeinu had good reason for her excessive weeping. She feared that she would be relegated to marry the wicked Eisav. After all, it made sense. Rivkah had two sons; her brother Lavan had two daughters. It was only “right” that the older daughter Leah would marry the older son, Eisav. For this reason, she cried. When we think about it, especially through the spectacles of contemporary society, what really was so bad about marrying Eisav? As an ish sadeh, man of the field, he was out there making money. Eisav would not settle for a mediocre paycheck. He certainly…

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ויפגע במקום וילן שם... ויעקב הלך לדרכו ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלקים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5773

And he (Yaakov) encountered the place and he stayed there. (28:11) – And Yaakov went on his way; and Angels of G-d encountered him. (32:2)

Horav S. R. Hirsch, zl, explains that the word vayifga has the special connotation of an unexpected encounter. Thus, we understand that Yaakov Avinu experienced something unexpected when he arrived at “that” place. He saw Heavenly Angels ascending and descending a ladder. This was a significant personal experience which conveyed a special message to the Patriarch. Likewise, at the end of the parsha, as the Patriarch was leaving the house of his wicked father-in-law, Lavan, he encountered Angels. This time, however, it was the Angels who encountered him. They were “surprised” by Yaakov as he had been surprised by them…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5772

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

In the previous parsha, Parashas Toldos, the Torah records Yitzchak’s and Rivkah’s instructions to Yaakov to leave Beer Sheva in search of a wife. Yaakov Avinu listened to his parents and proceeded to leave. The last pasuk in the parsha tells us about Eisav’s quest for a wife, a search that led him to Yishmael, whose daughter he married. The Torah now reverts to telling us about Yaakov’s journey, his initial encounter with Rachel and the travail that ensued prior to and during their eventual marriage. The commentators wonder why Eisav’s marriage is placed in the midst of the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5772

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

It is interesting to note that the vision of a ladder whose legs are on the ground, while the top reaches the heavens, occurred only to Yaakov and not to the preceding Patriarchs, Avraham and Yitzchak. Horav Shlomo Margolis, Shlita, attributes this phenomenon to the different lives that they lived. Avraham initiated Tefillas Shacharis, the morning prayer. He understood that life has its challenges, its trials and travail. The sun shone for him. He succeeded in life, overcoming whatever challenges may have stood in his way. He was accepted by those around him. Indeed, he was recognized as G-d’s…

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ויחלם והנה סולם מוצב ארצה וראשו מגיע השמימה. והנה מלאכי אלקים עלים וירדים בו. והנה ד' נצב עליו.

He dreamt, and behold! A ladder set up toward earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven, and behold! Angels of G-d ascending and descending against it. And behold! G-d stood beside him. (28:12,13)

וידר יעקב נדר לאמר אם יהיה אלקים עמדי... והאבן הזאת אשר שמתי מצבה יהיה בית אלקים וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך

Then Yaakov took a vow, saying if G-d will be with me… Then this stone which I set as a pillar shall become a house of G-d, and whatever You will give me, I shall surely tithe it to You. (28:20,22)

וישא את קולו ויבך

And he raised his voice and wept. (29:11)

הפעם אודה את ד'

This time I will give thanks. (29:35)

וישכב במקום ההוא

And (he) lay down in that place. (28:11)

ועיני לאה רכות

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

ועיני לאה רכות

Leah’s eyes were tender. (29:17)

ויפגע במקום וילן שם... ויעקב הלך לדרכו ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלקים

And he (Yaakov) encountered the place and he stayed there. (28:11) – And Yaakov went on his way; and Angels of G-d encountered him. (32:2)

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

YEARS

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