Sruly Schnair – Page 98 – Peninim on the Torah

ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו

Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him. (32:8)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 75:13) expound on Yaakov Avinu’s prayer to Hashem, a prayer that was generated by fear of Eisav. Chazal say, V’raah es Eisav she’hu ba mei’rachok, “When Yaakov saw Eisav coming from afar,” he immediately began praying more passionately, until Hashem assured him that all would be well. He would protect Yaakov. Apparently, the closer Eisav came to Yaakov our Patriarch became more fearful, until he actually saw him from afar, at which point he went all out in terms of the intensity of his prayer. Yaakov’s fear of confrontation begs elucidation. It is not as if Yaakov…

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והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

Then the remaining camp shall survive. (32:9)

Yaakov Avinu’s plan to save his family was based on a three-pronged preparation: battle, prayer, tribute. On the surface, these courses of action appear to be incongruent to one another, with aggression and servility sending contradictory messages. Obviously, prayer is first and foremost – and the only effective means of success. Without Divine intervention, we have no hope for success. Nonetheless, Yaakov took a practical approach to his encounter, knowing full-well that Eisav was angry and that he felt his anger was justified. Our Patriarch was, however, acutely aware that practical solutions succeed only when it is the will of…

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ויותר יעקב לבדו ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר... ויגע בכף ירכו... והוא צלע על ירכו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

Yaakov was left alone and a man fought with him until the break of dawn… and he struck Yaakov’s thigh… and Yaakov was limping. (32:25,26,32)

The encounter between Yaakov Avinu and the mysterious man is fraught with questions. First, how can the Torah say that our Patriarch was left alone? A Jew is never alone. Hashem Yisborach is always with us. Melo kol haaretz k’vodo, “The entire world is filled with His Glory.” Furthermore, Hashem promised Yaakov, V’Anochi eheyeh imach, “I will be with you.” Yaakov might have been distant from human encounter, but he certainly was not alone. Second, in the battle that ensued between Yaakov and the “ish”/angel of Eisav, why did the angel choose specifically to strike Yaakov’s ability to move, i.e….

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ותמנע היתה פילגש לאליפז בן עשו

Sruly Schnair In Vayishlach, 5781

And Timna was a concubine for Elifaz, the son of Eisav. (36:12)

Timna did not have an easy time carrying out her request to join the family of Avraham Avinu. Chazal teach that Timna, sister of Lotan, daughter of Seir, aluf of Eisav, king of the Chorim, was a princess who had it all – luxury, honor, material satisfaction. Yet, she rejected her pagan upbringing, choosing instead the G-d of Avraham. They (the descendants of Avraham) refused to accept her, due to her Canaanite lineage. The bloodlines are very important to us, and Canaan just was not a nation to which we wanted to attach ourselves. (They certainly saw negative traits in…

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ויאהב יעקב את רחל ... ויהיו בעיניו כימים אחדים באהבתו אתה

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5781

Yaakov loved Rachel … and they seemed to him a few days because of his love for her. (29:18,20)

Targum Onkeles translates va’yahav, and (he) loved… u’r’cheim, and (Yaakov) was sympathetic towards (Rachel). The accepted translation of ahavah is love. Onkeles seems to equate love with rachamanus, compassion/sympathy. Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, explains that true love is derived from compassion/empathy. Furthermore, one whose love is not founded in sympathy loves only himself. He does not really love the other person. The well-known aphorism from the Kotzker Rebbe, zl, comes into play here. A chassid once remarked to the Rebbe that he loved fish. The Rebbe countered that veritably he loved himself, and fish satisfied him. If he truly loved…

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וידר יעקב נדר לאמר אם יהיה אלקים עמדי ... וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5781

Then Yaakov took a vow, saying, “If G-d will be with me…and whatever You will give me, I shall repeatedly tithe to You.” (28:20,22)

The word leimor, saying, is an implication to future generations, that they, too, shall vow in times of distress. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis 70) say, “Yaakov was the first to vow, thus all those who vow in the future should attach their vow to him.” Yaakov Avinu merited that all sincere vows be connected and attributed to his vow. He paved the way for people to vow to Hashem. Thus, when anyone commences a mitzvah, a project, an endeavor that will help others or increase service to Hashem, the merit all reverts to he who took the first plunge, who…

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ותאמר אל יעקב הבה לי בנים ... ויחר אף יעקב ברחל ויאמר התחת אלקים אנכי

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5781

She said to Yaakov … “Give me children” … Yaakov’s anger flared up at Rachel and he said, “Am I in the place of G-d?” (30:1,2)

Rachel Imeinu pleaded with Yaakov Avinu to grant her children. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 71:7) explain that she was asking that he pray on her behalf as his father, Yitzchak Avinu, had prayed on behalf of his mother, Rivkah Imeinu. Yaakov was brought to anger by virtue of her implication that he had the ability to give or withhold children. Then he added what appears to be a callous statement: “You say I should be like my father. He had to pray for my mother, because she, too, had no children. (If she would not have conceived, he would also have…

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ויהי בבוקר והנה היא לאה

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5781

And it was, in the morning, that behold it was Leah. (29:25)

Yaakov Avinu was acutely aware of Lavan’s corrupt nature. He made it a point to spell out clearly, b’Rachel bitcha ha’ketanah, he wanted to marry Rachel, Lavan’s younger daughter. Not trusting Lavan to adhere to his word, Yaakov made up simanim, signs, which would signal to him whether Lavan had, in fact, made a switch. Rachel, however, was uncomfortable with the notion that her sister would be humiliated. So, she shared the simanim with her. She was certain that Yaakov would agree that it was wrong to allow Leah to be so shamelessly treated. Therefore, she did not ask, she…

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ויעקב איש תם יושב אהלים

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5781

Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in tents. (25:27)

Onkeles interprets ish tam as g’var shlim, perfect/whole man; and yosheiv ohalim as meshamesh bais ulfana, served/studied in the house of Torah study. Yaakov Avinu achieved perfection in that his neshamah, soul, filled his entire body; he essentially became a totally spiritual (spiritually-oriented) person. Yaakov expunged whatever negative spiritual forces that might have existed within him, to the point that his pure soul was in complete control of his being. Chazal teach (Bava Basra 16a) that Eisav kofar b’Ikar, denied the Ikar, Hashem; he was a heretic who had no regard for anything spiritual. He believed in nothing. He demonstrated…

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ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו

Sruly Schnair In Toldos, 5781

Yitzchak loved Eisav, for game was in his mouth. (25:27)

Yitzchak Avinu’s love for Eisav has been the topic of many a commentator’s pen. The Patriarch achieved an extraordinary level of spirituality. He was a Navi, Prophet, having reached a level of yiraah, awe of Hashem, that was unparalleled. As the Olah Temimah, perfect sacrifice, his devotion to the Almighty was without peer. He was the Amud ha’Gevurah, Pillar of spiritual strength. Taking all of this into consideration, we wonder how such a holy, perceptive tzaddik could possibly have been blind to Eisav’s corruption. Moshe Rabbeinu did not kill the Egyptian until he saw that no righteous person would ever…

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ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו

Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him. (32:8)

והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה

Then the remaining camp shall survive. (32:9)

ויותר יעקב לבדו ויאבק איש עמו עד עלות השחר... ויגע בכף ירכו... והוא צלע על ירכו

Yaakov was left alone and a man fought with him until the break of dawn… and he struck Yaakov’s thigh… and Yaakov was limping. (32:25,26,32)

ותמנע היתה פילגש לאליפז בן עשו

And Timna was a concubine for Elifaz, the son of Eisav. (36:12)

ויאהב יעקב את רחל ... ויהיו בעיניו כימים אחדים באהבתו אתה

Yaakov loved Rachel … and they seemed to him a few days because of his love for her. (29:18,20)

וידר יעקב נדר לאמר אם יהיה אלקים עמדי ... וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך

Then Yaakov took a vow, saying, “If G-d will be with me…and whatever You will give me, I shall repeatedly tithe to You.” (28:20,22)

ותאמר אל יעקב הבה לי בנים ... ויחר אף יעקב ברחל ויאמר התחת אלקים אנכי

She said to Yaakov … “Give me children” … Yaakov’s anger flared up at Rachel and he said, “Am I in the place of G-d?” (30:1,2)

ויהי בבוקר והנה היא לאה

And it was, in the morning, that behold it was Leah. (29:25)

ויעקב איש תם יושב אהלים

Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in tents. (25:27)

ויאהב יצחק את עשו כי ציד בפיו

Yitzchak loved Eisav, for game was in his mouth. (25:27)

YEARS

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