Rashi explains that when this one rises, the other one falls. He supports this with a pasuk in Yechezkel 26:2, Imaleh hacharavah, “I will fill myself from the river.” Chazal teach, “The city of Tzur, Tyre, a city inhabited by descendants of Eisav, was not filled, but from the ruins of Yerushalayim.” We derive from here that one regime will derive its strength at the expense of the other. Rashi’s proof from this pasuk presents a problem. He began with the statement, “When this one rises – the other one falls,” and he proves this with a pasuk that implies, “When this one falls – the other one rises.” This is not the same thing.
Horav Yitzchak Dov Koppelman, zl, explains that when Klal Yisrael rises, when they maintain a plateau of spiritual purityת becoming the holy nation which they are, Eisav falls. There is no place for Eisav in a world in which Klal Yisrael is spiritually progressive. The only way that Eisav can rise is when Klal Yisrael falls, when they fall off their spiritual perch. Otherwise, Eisav cannot climb to the top; he cannot prevail on his own. He needs Klal Yisrael’s support, which comes in the form of their negative activity.
Thus, when Rashi writes, “When this one rises – the other one falls,” he refers to Klal Yisrael. When Klal Yisrael rises, it will mean the end of Eisav. The pasuk, however, addresses Eisav’s rise, which can occur only when Klal Yisrael falls. We can rise on our own. They can rise only if we fall.
A similar idea applies in our never-ending battle with the yetzer hora, evil inclination. It will prevail over us only once we have given in to depression or other forms of weakness. When we think that we cannot make it, the yetzer hora goes into full swing. Otherwise, it has no power over us. Whatever efficacy the yetzer hora has over us is the result of our weakness. We give it strength.
