Vayeitzei – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

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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עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live. (31:32)

Yaakov Avinu made a statement, ascribing a premature demise to the one who had taken Lavan’s terafim, idols. He was unaware that Rachel Imeinu had taken them. As a result of our Patriarch’s words – albeit without malice and unwittingly – he catalyzed a tragic impact on his beloved wife. The Chafetz Chaim derives from here a compelling lesson concerning the gravity of one’s words. Yaakov certainly did not want to harm Rachel, but words, once they exit the mouth, cannot be recanted. They are gone, and, sadly, in this situation, they left an indelible mark. Yaakov was very careful…

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ורחל לקחה את התרפים ותשימם בכר הגמל ותשב עליהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5775

Now Rachel had taken the terafim, put them into the camel’s packsaddle and sat on them. (31:34)

There is no question that the yetzer hora, evil inclination, maintains a powerful hold on man. As much as we try to extricate ourselves from its grip, it is very difficult. It is a never-ending battle from which we often do not emerge triumphant. Is there a strategy for overcoming the blandishments offered up by the yetzer hora with which it ensnares us? Why do some fall prey, while others survive the battle, often unscathed? In Mayanei HaChaim, Horav Chaim Zaitchik, zl, shares with us his secret for success. Lavan was searching for the terafim, his little idols, unaware that…

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5774

And Yaakov departed from Beer-Sheva. (28:10)

Rashi notes the Torah’s emphasis on Yaakov Avinu’s departure from Beer-Sheva, when it needed only to have written where he was going. A departure on its own merit is not notable; it is where one is going that should be indicated. He explains that the Torah teaches us that the departure of a righteous person makes an impression. His departure leaves a vacuum within the community in which he has resided, for, at the time that a righteous person is in a city, he is its magnificence; he is its splendor; he is its grandeur. Once he departs from that…

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ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5774

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

In the previous parsha, we read that Yaakov Avinu incurred the implacable wrath of his brother, Eisav, because he appropriated the blessings. Eisav was quite upset, and he swore to kill Yaakov in the proper place and time. This parsha begins with Yaakov leaving home on his way to seek a wife at his Uncle Lavan’s house. Between the time that Yaakov received instructions from his parents concerning leaving home for Charan, and the actual commencement of his journey, the Torah interrupts the story by informing us that, when Eisav saw that his father disapproved of Canaanite women, he decided…

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

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5774

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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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)

עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה

With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live. (31:32)

ורחל לקחה את התרפים ותשימם בכר הגמל ותשב עליהם

Now Rachel had taken the terafim, put them into the camel’s packsaddle and sat on them. (31:34)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע

And Yaakov departed from Beer-Sheva. (28:10)

ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה

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

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)

YEARS

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